Texas Monthly April 2019

Senior executive editor Mimi Swartz has long been known as one of this country’s premier long-form writers. And it turns out that she’s got quite a short game as well. An early version of her story “STAAR Wars” (page 50) first appeared on texasmonthly.com back in February, and it has caused quite a stir, prompting a key lawmaker to call hearings in the Capitol. From her base in Houston, Mimi has developed an abiding interest in one of the topics that Texans care most about, public education, the funding of which is one of the top two issues currently before the Legislature. In her exclusive story on our website, she reported on evidence indicating that the statewide test used to assess students, teachers, and schools is being administered in a manner…

The ‘Garden’ appears on the horizon, countless bright red, hundred-foot pillars bloom from the Earth. Walking down the main path, two colossal formations on either side block the wind of the valley, and silence arises. Climbing provides an utter retreat yet demands focus: on your breath, on your body, on the myriad textures of the stone against your palms & fingers. Muscles pumping, pushing yourself as high as the mountains surrounding you, the Colorado summer breeze cooling your skin, you gaze upon the park from atop the climb, the panoramic view ‘of the Gods’. Do More Outdoors Get closer to the heavens with a visit to the Garden of the Gods natural landmark. This ethereally titled park features majestic red rock formations that reach to the sky. The park features more than…

“WHEN I THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS I TRULY LOVE ABOUT TEXAS, THERE Y’ALL ARE, HANGIN’ LIKE A HAIR IN A BISCUIT.”JOE KIMBROUGH, AUSTIN Double-dipping The February issue [“Love Letters to Texas,” Special Collector’s Issue] had a double whammy for me: “Tex-Mex 101” [August 2003] and “Conversations With a Grasshopper” [March 2004]. The food described by Patricia Sharpe is exactly what I have been trying to explain to the many misguided people who think queso is a gourmet dish unto itself and deep-fried chipotle-flavored asparagus is a delicacy. Additionally, S. C. Gwynne’s beautifully worded article on being alone in Big Bend was a pleasure to read. Thank you to both. KAY MCBRAYER, SAN MARCOS Loved your story on Tex-Mex. Do you remember Casita Jorges, which I guess has morphed into [Austin Tex-Mex chain] Maudie’s?…

ALONG the Georgia coast lies a stretch of land that is like no other. Here you will find centuries-old oak trees draped with Spanish moss that line the streets and meet miles of sun-drenched beaches. Vast marshlands, winding rivers, and plentiful natural and outdoor diversions beckon visitors who return for generations. This is perhaps the best kept secret on the East Coast; this is the Golden Isles of Georgia. Comprised of four unique barrier islands, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island, each of the Golden Isles has its own charisma and personality for you to discover, and all are complemented by the mainland port city of Brunswick. As the largest barrier island in the Golden Isles, St. Simons Island offers a unique landscape that creates the…

I have heard some refer to Palmetto State Park, not entirely inaccurately, as a “starter park.” At 270 acres, it is small, just like the hardy, evergreen dwarf palmetto for which it’s named. And its five miles or so of manicured trails and boardwalks, wending their way from ephemeral swamp to mesquite forest, make it accessible to folks of all abilities and ambitions. But I think that assessment sells the park short. True, those who venture here expecting the in-your-face drama of a Big Bend laccolith or Longhorn Cavern speleothem might be disappointed. But those who enter the swamp as a sacred place, to paraphrase Thoreau, will be amply rewarded. What Texas Parks and Wildlife calls the Central Texas Tropics (and Google Maps unpoetically labels a “birding hot spot in…

If you’re staying in the park, know that it’s busiest from March through November. There are spaces for tents and RVs, as well as one climate-controlled cabin and a picturesque group campsite overlooking the San Marcos River. If you’re not staying in the park and are not up for the idiosyncrasies of small-town vacation rentals (my down jacket will never recover from a run-in with a leaking plug-in room deodorizer), check out Wahwahtaysee Resort (1), in Kingsbury, about a half-hour drive northwest, whose gorgeously outfitted tents and riverside location embody the word “glamping.” As for park activities other than exploring and wildlife watching, they mostly involve water and depend on the season—fishing, paddleboating, canoeing, kayaking, and so on, in or on the San Marcos River or the park’s Oxbow Lake…