Small Town Life!!!

    When you start out writing a travel blog you sometimes forget that you live in a town that attracts out of towners. I have lived in Carmine for 3 years, my husband has lived here his entire life. Oh the stories he can tell me about how it's changed. We live in his parents' old store. That might be strange to some but to us, this little fixer-upper is all ours and we love it. His dad use to serve/cater bbq and occasionally did a few cook-offs. I still hear stories today about how his bbq and sauce was some of the best around. Maybe that's where I got my cook-off vibe from, I want to win just as many trophies as he has.

   Carmine is a small town located on Hwy 290 between Austin and Houston. If you blink you miss it. Thousands of people pass through it every single day, but what they don't know is the hidden gem that Carmine holds. Carmine is the gateway to Texas Antique Week that is held twice a year. This 3-week long event brings over 100,000 visitors to this small area. Not to mention all the vendors who are here the entire time. It's busy, hectic, and every other word you can think of. I get asked all the time, "Are you here all the time". Why yes we are. Majority of the places here are open year round for you to visit. For a lot of people, they prefer to come between the antique show events.

  Carmine has more to offer than what people expect. There are several antique stores that have just about anything. One of my favorites is Carmine Trading Post located on Centennial St. The last time I was here I swear I spent 2 hours searching through everything. I was told they have a Cabbage Patch Doll still in the box there right now, I'll have to go check that out. My husband is big on signs so that's the first thing he looks for, mine is old albums, and they have a lot of them. This is one of the main places I send people for antiques. After a little antique shopping, I'm sure you worked up an appetite. JW's Steakhouse in one of our local restaurants. They serve lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and offer daily specials. My favorite is the Chicken Fried Chicken while hubby loves the Porkchop. They also have some pretty incredible pies. Ask for Brittani, she's an awesome waitress. We also have a small little place called the Pie Shack, but they serve a lot more than pies. They are open only for lunch and serve a variety of sandwiches and of course PIE!!! My husbands favorite is the Coconut Pie, he gets it every chance he gets.

   Now that you are all full it's time for more shopping. Carmine offers several more antique shops throughout its small town and also along Spur 458 and Hwy 237. Once again all these places aren't open seven days a week so it's best to plan ahead. Thursday through Sunday seem to be the best days to travel here, as most places are open. If you need a break from antiquing Carmine is also home to the Texas Basketball Museum as well as well as the Visitor Center & Museum. If you find yourself wanting to stay the night may I suggest Pecan Grove Inn? This house is beautiful and you can stay in one of the beautifully decorated rooms or reserve the whole house for larger groups, rates are very reasonable. If you find yourself wanting a little reading time but forgot your book, don't worry. There's a purple house right around the corner with a walk up library. I love this idea and how it gives to the community. This can be done at your house too. All it takes is a little box or two right outside with books in it. It's so easy and a great way to involve yourself in the community.

    Carmine might be small but it is mighty. But if you find yourself wanting more to do don't worry, there are several other places not far away. Fayette County has some of the cutest and historical small towns. Round Top is located just 8 miles down the road and has even more shopping and fun. Further down you can go to Fayetteville or venture into LaGrange. All towns are within a short driving distance and offer so much.

   I love writing about small towns and can't wait to visit more. They have so much to offer, more than I could ever imagine. One of the best ways to visit any town is to make sure to ask the locals. They always will give you the truth about where to go and where to eat.

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Cyndi