Some Texas Brands We Love

We love the brands that call Texas home.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Hari Mari - Flip Flops 


Hari Mari Flip Flop Options

Like many new products and brands, Hari Mari's roots were born out of a futile search for signs of color & comfort in a sea of decidedly blah flip flops.

Mostly black and brown in color.  Mostly uncomfortable & blister-inducing in feel.  We bought, tried & tested many times over, leading us back to the same result.

We are allowed to choose between color or comfort.  Choosing one meant never having the other.  That's when we decided we wanted both, and soon after came Hari Mari

Want to learn more about Hari Mari? Check out our Blog.


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Kammok - Camping Hammocks 


The KAMMOK is a new light-weight camping hammock (or as the cool kids say "kammok"), designed to comfortably sleep one person. The KAMMOK is made of an incredibly strong, yet breathable diamond rip-stop nylon fabric called LunarWave™. Our proprietary fabric is softer than a baby's backside, easily stows away into a water resistant compression sack about the size of an angry blowfish, and weighs around one pound.


The heartbeat of the KAMMOK™ brand is to equip and inspire for Life Changing Adventure™. Our products are intended to take the user to incredible new places while connecting them with a bigger mission. We hope to be a conduit that helps create a culture of people that are passionate about changing the lives of others who are in need, and being good stewards of our resources.





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Yeti - Coolers

http://www.yeticoolers.com/
Keeping things cold is what a cooler is all about. With thicker walls, more than twice the insulation and a full-frame gasket, YETI® out-performs the competition - it’s not even close!*

The FatWall™ design of the YETI Tundra puts two inches of premium PermaFrost™ insulation in the walls for maximum ice retention. You’ll typically find just a 1/2 inch of insulation in ordinary coolers and maybe an inch in the more expensive models. The bottom line is that insulation thickness correlates to ice retention, and YETI Coolers are second to none!

YETI Coolers don’t just close, they seal!

Unlike ordinary coolers, YETI Coolers feature the ColdLock™ full-frame, freezer-quality gasket that seals around the entire lid to minimize air exchange. This seal, combined with our InterLock™ lid system, assures maximum, long-term ice retention.





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Criquet - Polo Shirts


At the age of five, Billy Nachman and Hobson Brown were forced into their first collared shirts to attend an all-boys school in New York City. Although initially squirmy and uncomfortable, the boys quickly began to notice the power of the polo: the approving nods from parents, the lingering glances from the ladies...
Thus began their lifelong journey to find the perfect shirt.

Over the years, the two sampled polos of all shapes and sizes: baggy, fitted, emblem/no emblem, collar up, even a brief flirtation with the cringe-worthy double-layered. Throughout this odyssey, there were some constants- perfectly worn hand-me-downs and thrift store treasures. There were the golf shirts Billy’s grandfather wore in the 70s; a great polo Hobson picked up on vacation that cannot be found anywhere since in the continental United States.

Flash to 2010, when Billy, bemoaning the disappearance of his favorite inherited golf shirt, aka “The Doctor Jack,” (rumor has it his cousin Tucker might have something to do with it), sought consolation and advice from his good friend Hobson. Hobson happened to be entrenched in his own trauma, having recently recovered from the burial of a long-loved faded yellow pique. Over missed putts and cold beers, they lamented their losses, and the fear of never finding THE ONE again.

They decided it was time to take matters in their own hands. Tapping Billy’s architecture background and Hobson’s creative wizardry, the pair set off to design a vintage-inspired shirt, combining old-school preppy with more sustainable design choices, that would put an end to their ongoing search, while also aligning with a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

With a nod to the past and the hope of a more sustainable, stylish future, Criquet was born.


Certified organic cotton. Subtle detail. Vintage-preppy vibe.

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Cobra Rock Boot Company - Boots 

Cobra Rock Boot Company is a workshop + store in Marfa, Texas owned and operated by Logan Caldbeck and Colt Miller.

Colt Miller, a native-West Texan and fifth-generation cattle rancher, had been making custom cowboy boots for nearly eight years before collaborating on CRBC South Highland Boots. Already an accomplished musician, he offered guitar lessons to a local Garza County bootmaker in return for a 7-month apprenticeship. He made custom cowboy boots for friends and local ranchers under the name Colt Miller Boots, while mastering his own beautiful and distinctive working cowboy boot style.

Logan Caldbeck, a daughter of mountaineers, began life in a small island community in British Columbia, Canada. She studied art history and photography in Montreal, Quebec, but a road trip through West Texas ignited a fascination with rural desert living that became the subject of her photography while back in Canada. Caldbeck moved to Texas in 2009 and learned the bootmaking process from Miller. In the fall of 2011 they opened their Cobra Rock Boot Company workshop and retail store on South Dean Street, in Marfa, Texas.


South Highland Boots are a 1940’s squared-toed riding-heel boot combined with a contemporary lace-up desert boot. They are made in standard sizes with full-grain oil-tanned leather and an all-leather heel and sole. “The South Highlands are the culmination of what we love,” says Caldbeck, “They’re rooted in cowboy history, but at the same time they’re their own thing. They’re something that is connected to the history here, but reflect our own time and experience.”




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Bexar Goods Co - Bags


BEXAR (pronounced Bear) Goods Co. originated as an outlet to create leather products that we wanted to use ourselves.  Our vision is to create carry goods products that can journey the world with you, and develop character and charm from the environment and adventures they experience with you. We believe in ruggedness, simplicity, durability, and timelessness.
 

BEXAR Goods Co. is the creative collaboration of a small team of craftsmen based in Bexar County, Texas, the heart of the Texas Hill Country, an area with a rich heritage in leather use for outdoor travel. While our roots are based in Central Texas, our vision and inspiration are drawn from cultures  around the world.

Video >>

Website >>



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Stash Co - Leather Goods

 Stash Co is co-owned and operated by Cheryl Schulke and Paul Forde. Our production studio is based in a century-old mattress factory about an hour west of Houston. The Haynes Mattress Factory was built by Daniel Haynes in 1909 and is a Texas Historic landmark that still houses the original mattress building equipment. The factory was purchased mid-century by Schulke's grandparents who expanded operations to include an upholstery and decorating business. They continued to produce mattresses with the existing technology through 1976.


Remaining a fairly underground brand, Stash has simply let the product and her customers spread the word. This word-of-mouth marketing plan has put Stash on the arms of customers across the United States and as far away as Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and France. The greatest majority of Stash customers are repeat. Collectors. Many coming back for three bags or more.

Video >>

Website >>

The Menger Hotel


Everyone knows the Alamo, “Remember the Alamo” being a phrase that is etched in the minds of all Texans. While the Alamo is the most well known attraction in San Antonio, it is not the only attraction of historical significance. Located within walking distance of the famous Alamo is one of the most famous hotels in Texas, The Menger Hotel

The Menger opened it doors in 1859, just 23 years after the fall of the Alamo, on the site that previously held Menger’s brewery, Texas’ first brewery. The Menger opened as a world-class luxury hotel, and it was widely regarded as “the finest hotel west of the Mississippi River.” The Menger was so highly regarded that it hosted a variety of famous guests, including Generals Lee and Grant, Sam Houston, and Presidents Taft, Eisenhower, Roosevelt, and McKinley. 

The Menger today retains all the beauty that made it so famous and successful 150 years ago. From the antique furniture in the lobby, to the famous bar where President Roosevelt recruited his Rough Riders, visiting the hotel takes you back in time to when Texas was still a very young state. And if you decide to spend the night, you may even get lucky (or unlucky) and encounter one of the many ghosts that are said to roam the hotel. So next time you’re in San Antonio and you want to tour the Alamo, be sure to stop by The Menger Hotel as well. Visiting both will make your Texas history experience much more complete. 

Texas Music Festival Anticipation Guide

Texas Music Festival Anticipation Guide


 - Utopia, TX

September 19-21, 2013



 - Dallas, TX

September 21, 2013


 - Austin, TX

October 4-6 and 11-13, 2013



 - Austin, TX

November 8-10, 2013



 - Austin, TX

March 11-16, 2014



 - Driftwood, TX

April 10-13, 2014



 - Austin, TX

May 2-4, 2014



Fuego Tortilla Grill


UT or A&M? This is a question that has devastated relationships, divided houses, and made buying any shade of orange or maroon risky business. So while it’s impossible to make an Aggie like UT and a Longhorn like A&M, what about the cities themselves? Is it possible that the cities in which these Universities are located have local specialties that would please even the rivals? We began our quest to answer this question by exploring College Station, and we found one of Aggieland’s most treasured jewels, Fuego Tortilla Grill.



College Station, Texas. It’s best known for being home to Texas A&M, but to taco lovers it’s known as the proud home of Fuego. Fuego is a medium sized Mexican restaurant located within a couple of minutes of A&M that dishes out great Mexican food at reasonable prices. They have a wide range of Mexican food on offer, but one of their most popular items has a distinctively Texan twist, the Dr. Pepper Cowboy. We tried out the Dr. Pepper Cowboy and we seriously enjoyed the combination of brisket, grilled onions, chipotle cream corn, and jack cheese on a flower tortilla with tangy Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce to pull it all together. The restaurant is always full, even at 3 in the morning you will find a line for the drive through that goes down the street, and the fact that the inside is as welcoming as a regular sit down restaurant means that Fuego is the best of both worlds. It can be convenient like fast food when you want it, or you can sit down with friends and have a great time when you just want to relax.

So back to A&M vs. UT. No, they will probably never agree on football or music, but after trying out Fuego, we found that food is one tie that unites this state. Food is so powerful that we are convinced that even a Longhorn could appreciate a meal in an Aggieland restaurant. 























Tasty Tuesday: Tailgate Food

Football is to Texas what religion is to a priest. We just love it! Nothing is better than watching some football with family and friends. Tailgating, like football, is also a traditional favorite of many Texans. What's a tailgate without some perfect tailgate food?

We gathered some of the best looking and easiest tailgate snack ideas. We hope you will try some of them out next time your watching your favorite past time at home or at the stadium.

Burger Chip



What you will need:

16 large frozen French-fried waffle-cut potatoes (1/3 of a 22-oz. pkg.)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
2 to 3 tsp. grilling seasoning blend
4 slices cheddar cheese, cut into quarters (4 oz.)
4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
Mustard, ketchup, dairy sour cream, and/or dill pickle slices

What you will need:

1 can of refried beans
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of  Pico De Gallo (or to taste)
1 cup of Guacamole
1 cup of Sour cream 
6 oz of pitted black olives
Bag of tortilla chips to serve

Bacon Wrapped Sausage 


What you will need
Sausage
Bacon
(It doesn't more deliciously simple than that folks)

Last but not least to insure you have the best tailgating experience....

Shiner Bock



What you will need:
A cooler
A few close friends
and maybe a few strangers



Football Time

We all know that football is a big deal here in Texas. High school football is a major event that brings communities together and keeps students focused on staying in school. It attracts people from all different ages and genders, and it's something that is rooted deeply in the Texan lifestyle.

College football is similar to the high school football experience, but it's even more intense. With so many colleges here in Texas that have strong football programs, it could even be said that it's followed more intently than pro football. The $744 average transaction price of a ticket to the A&M vs Alabama game makes this a viable argument (it also makes it the most expensive college football ticket of 2013).

So Texans love football, but with so many teams to keep up with, accidentally missing games is an unfortunate possibility. Thankfully, there are websites such as MaxPreps and ESPN that can keep us organized and informed on when our favorite teams play. So from everyone at TWT, we wish you a happy football season!


Bat Fest


Austin is a city in Texas that is full of fun entertaining things to do at any day of the week. The ninth annual Bat Fest was this past weekend's main attraction for locals and visitors. 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under one of Austin's bridges at dusk.






Over 75 arts & craft vendors were in attendance displaying all sorts of  local artists, fashion sellers, and various other vendors that welcomed the city of Austin's most artistic. Almost all of the artists or private vendors were from Austin or very close. The city is very well known for supporting local artists and even local food and their most popular non-chain restaurants throughout the area.

Many of the booths includes coasters that were customized to be identifiable with your favorite Austin experiance or place with icons like popular graffiti in the area and the city's most famous food trucks and pit stops.



The Bat Fest also included what they call the Bike Zoo which was a new attraction this year. Biking is one of the most popular recreational activities in Austin. Probably the two most popular things in Austin, being weird and riding bikes come together to form a bat bicycle brought to you by the most creative depths of Texas.





One of our favorite local bands played at the Bat Fest. The Quiet Company was noticed by Tumbleweed Texstyles in Marfa for Viva Big Bend earlier in the summer. We made sure to check them out again at the Bat Fest and of course they were better than ever! Of course the Quiet Company never disappoints the crowd either with their unique musical additions and overall style. Be sure to check them out as soon as you can, their music is well worth it.





At around 8 or so, when the sky slowly started dimming into dusk bats broke through the crevasses of the bridge wildly and dived out from under the bridge smoothly and fiercely, not one ever bumping into another. The sheer quantity that spilled from the cracks of their concrete home was almost only believable if you could see them for yourself.

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