Race On Down to Burnet! - November 2014

The Hill Country is a great area for runners, cyclists, swimmers, triathletes, etc. to test their skills.  Besides local 5Ks and 10Ks, more rugged areas such as Inks Lake State Park and Reveille Peak Ranch near Burnet, Texas have events for athletes of all kinds. The Houston Room at the Verandas Guest House has been a popular room for race participants to rest up prior to race day, and with its modern tub and shower, to clean up after the race was done!

One of the events that has been announced for November 2014 is The Lonestar Granite Enduro on November 15 and November 16 -- a challenging 1 or 2 day cycling event at Reveille Peak Ranch - more information is available on their Facebook Event Page.

The following week - November 22 -  Reveille Peak Ranch will host the Reveille Peak 100 mountain bike race.  This race is being presented by Terra Firma Racing and has solo and team categories.

Whether you are a participant or a spectator, The Verandas is a relaxing and restful place to prepare for or wind down after a race!  Visit us online at verandasburnet.com or call (512) 588-0088 to reserve your room!

Map Your Way to Burnet Art Festival - September 20-21

Downtown Burnet is hosting its first Map Your Way to Burnet Plein Air Art Festival and Contest Saturday, September 20 - Sunday, September 21.  .  

The festival booths will be located on the courthouse square, and a chalk art contest will be held on Saturday!  Visit the festival website for more information.  

Map Your Way to Burnet Plein Air Art Festival website

The Verandas Guest House is pleased to be hosting the judge's reception on Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m

Texas Hill Country Wine Trail Harvests and Grape Stomps

The Verandas Guest House in Burnet is convenient to wineries and vineyards that we like to call the "Wines Off 29".  August is harvest season for many local wineries, and some even celebrate with grape stomps!

About a 40 minute drive to the west of The Verandas is Fall Creek Vineyard (www.fcv.com).  They are located at 1820 County Road 222 in Tow, Texas.  Their 25th annual festivities on Saturday, August 23 are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and include star chef luncheons ($23 per person), a wine and cheese special barrel tasting ($25 per person for wine club members), grilled food available to purchase on the patio, and the barefoot grape stomp - which is FREE! Call (325) 379-5361 to make reservations and confirm times, prices, and info or visit the events webpage (CLICK HERE).  

Closer to the city of Burnet (15 short minutes away) is Perissos Vineyards (www.perissosvineyards.com).   7214 Park Road 4 West is just past Inks Lake if you come from Highway 29, or you can get there from Park Road 4 off of Highway 281.  Their tasting room hours are from 12 pm to 5 pm on Wednesday through Sunday, and they offer tastings as well as fruit and cheese plates to accompany your tasting.  We especially like their Tempranillo red!  Call them at (512) 820-2950 for more information.

Go north from Burnet on Highway 281 towards Lampasas to get to Texas Legato Winery at 2935 FM 1478 in Lampasas.  They had their grape stomp earlier in the month, but you can still go visit them!  Their hours are from 12 pm to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday and 12:30 pm to 5 pm on Sunday.  Call (512) 556-9600 to inquire about tastings.  Their website is www.texaslegatowinery.net . 

Not too far from there is Pillar Bluff Vineyards (www.pillarbluff.com) They are open Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 12:30 pm to 5 pm.  This vineyard is located at 300 County Road 111 in Lampasas, and you can call for more details at (512) 556-4078. 

Head southeast to Pilot Knob Vineyard (www.pilotknobvineyard.com) located at 3125 County Road 212 outside of Bertram, Texas.  Their tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm.  Call them at (512) 489-2999.  We are intrigued by the red wine with the smoke flavor, but it is nice to sit out back with a chilled glass of their lighter wine!

A new addition off of Highway 281 in Marble Falls (just 20 minutes south of The Verandas) is Flat Creek Enoteca at 112 Highwy 281.  Tuesday through Thursday 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 8 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm they have a "Flights and Bites" pairing of wines and artisan fare ($18 per person).  They are fairly new, so to get more information call them at (830) 637-7123.
 

CLICK HERE to see a Google Maps route of the "Wines Off 29" from The Verandas Guest House.

Marble Falls Lakefest Boat Races, Kyle Park Concert, and Hill Country Grape Stomps (August 8 -9)

There are so many reasons to stay and play in Burnet, Texas the weekend of August 8, 9, and 10!   The Verandas Guest  House (www.verandasburnet.com) lis located right in the middle of it all!



On Saturday, August 9, enjoy some live music from the Burnet Summer Concert Series in Haley Nelson Park off of Hwy 29 (http://www.cityofburnet.com/documents/Poster.pdf)
This concert features Kyle Park (www.kylepark.com) and the admission is $10. 
The flyer from the city suggests bringing lawn chairs for this outdoor concert, and coolers are welcome! 

A short 20 minute drive down the road, Marble Falls is hosting their annual Lakefest Boat Races (Friday - Show and Shine, Saturday - races and Deacon Willie concert in Johnson Park, and Sunday - races/finals)
 Tickets are $25 for race days and $45 for a three-day pass.  Available online  (http://www.marblefallslakefest.com) , at the gate, or call the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce (www.marblefalls.org)

And... it's grape harvest season!  That means that the Burnet area vineyards and wineries - we like to call them the "Wines Off 29" - will be hosting stomps and special events this month.  We will blog more about the grape stomps in the next post.  Here are the websites for the four wineries that are near The Verandas Guest House:
Fall Creek Vineyards, Tow (www.fcv.com)
Perissos Vineyard, off Park Road 4 (www.perissos.com)
Pilot Knob VIneyard, outside Bertram (www.pilotknobvineyard.com)
Texas Legato Winery, just south of Lampasas (http://www.texaslegatowinery.net/)

www.verandasburnet.comwww.verandasburnet.comwww.verandasburnet.com

Shopping the Square in Burnet Texas (August 1, 2, and 3)

Want something to do in the Hill Country as the summer winds down?  Start off August with shopping in Burnet, Texas!  There are several quaint and unique stores on the courthouse square and just down the road.

Right around the corner from The Verandas Guest House is CaroLee's.  You can shop for antiques, collectibles, jewelry, vintage items, and clothing.  When they had their grand opening last year, we bought a cute pink and green floral tapestry pillow for the chaise in the Austin Suite.

They are celebrating their one-year anniversary on Friday, August 1st from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.  Bonnie tells us that there will be refreshments and discounts for shoppers.  Be sure to stop in and tell them "Happy Anniversary!" and pick up a great deal.  

CaroLee's is located at 139 E Jackson (the southeast corner of the square, at Jackson and Pierce).  They are on Facebook, too!  Be sure to visit and "Like" them at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolees/239246349560623. Call them at (512) 525-4894 if you need more information.  

Other shops on the square are All Mixed Up, Burnet Antique Mall, The Grapevine, and Sassy Ann's.  Off the square (down the highways)  you will find shops including Crossroads Antiques, Finds of All Kinds, The Knothole, Pickers Paradise, and S&H Trading Post.   

Don't forget the local artists and vendors who are at the Farmers' Market on summer weekends, including Saturday, August 2!

Weekend To Do List: Relax (July 24-27)

There is a lot going on around Burnet at the end of July -- golf, live theater, live music, farmers' market, paranormal cave tours, sunset cruises on the lake, and wine trails.  Here are some more details to plan your fun -- and then you can relax in one of the comfy suites at The Verandas Guest House at the end of each busy day! 

Delaware Springs Golf Course
July 25-26
Bring Your Best 3 Person Scramble 1:30 shotgun start both days  
(512) 756-8471  
http://www.delawaresprings.com/event-calendar/BringYourBest.html 

Hill Country Community Theater, Cottonwood Shores
Hello,  Dolly!
July 24, 25, 26 at 7:30 pm July 27 at 2:15
adults $20 (830) 798-8944
http://www.thehcct.org

Uptown Theater Marble Falls 
Guy ForsythJuly 26   Doors 6:00 pm Showtime 8:00 pm
$13.75 / $18.70 
(830) 693-2622  
http://www.theuptownonmain.com/calendar.html

Burnet Farmers Market
Local farmers and vendors on the square in Burnet 
July 26 9 am - 1 pm 

Burnet Gunfighters Show 
July 26 Show times are at approximately 1:30 PM 
Wild west gunfight re-enactment
Across from the train tracks off of League Street
burnetgunfighters.org

The Hill Country Flyer
July 26 Departs 10:00 AM, Returns 4:00 PM.
$36 - $500 
(512) 477-8468  
http://www.austinsteamtrain.org/ 

Longhorn Caverns State Park 
July 26 7:30 and 10 pm 
Paranormal Cave Tours  ($25)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/longhorn-cavern 

Inks Lake State Park 

Night Sky Party Stargazing Through Aug 31  8:30 to 11 pm (361) 438-8733 $4 ($3 for TSPP holders, children ages 6 and under are free) + park entrance fees
 http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake 

Inks Lake Sunset Electric Boat TourJuly 25 7:45 - 8:45
Preregistration required, $12 adults, $10 TSPP Holders, $10 seniors / children.
+ Park entrance fees 
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake

Burnet Area Wineries and Vineyards We like to call this little pocket of wineries and vineyards "Wines Off 29" 
Perissos Vineyard, Burnet http://perissosvineyards.com/
Pilot Knob Vineyard, Bertram http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/
Fall Creek Vineyard, Tow http://www.pilotknobvineyard.com/
Texas Legato Winery, Lampasas http://www.texaslegato.com/ 

Bluegrass / Live Music - July 19

Burnet, Texas is hosting a bluegrass festival in Haley Nelson Park on July 19, 2014.  Flyers from  the city recommend bringing a lawn chair, and welcome coolers. Admission is free (however, we saw info on a different source that said admission was $10, so you may want to call the city or the chamber to clarify).  

The music is scheduled to be going on from 1 pm - 11 pm, and will feature Flatt Lonesome Band  (http://flattlonesome.com). More information can be found on the flyer from the City of Burnet website http://www.cityofburnet.com/documents/Poster.pdf 

Texas Tea-Licious on Main Street is continuing its live music nights on Tuesday and Saturday from 6-8pm.  Their schedule is posted on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Tea-licious-Specialty-Food-Store/124297507583503  

The Verandas Guest House has a little "live music"of its own when the the frogs and crickets start "singing" by the pond each evening!  We also recently added an antique melodeon reed organ  to the parlor....and it actually works!  Be sure to call (512) 588-0088, email verandasburnet@gmail.com, or book online at verandasburnet.com to book yourself a great nearby place to stay for the wonderful music events!