Places to go...Fredricksburg

One of our favorite things to do as empty nesters is take day trips and try something new or different. On a beautiful Sunday back in October we woke up and decided we needed to head to Fredericksburg. It's a cute town that offers a variety of vineyards to visit, unique shops and of course German food. We were motivated by a particular wine we tried at a friend's 4th of July party. The wine we were after is called Granny's Apple Pie from Fat Ass Ranch and Winery. It's sweet and warm and is great over ice or in a glass. It's not our usual wine of choice but it's fun to have something a little unexpected for guests during the holidays and it's fun to ask if anyone wants a glass of Fat Ass wine!  We sampled their Texas Red, Strawberry Fields and Granny's Apple Pie (just to make sure it was still good, it was 👍) and decided on bringing home a couple of bottles of the Texas Red and Apple Pie. It's on the pricey side at about $30 per bottle but its a nice little treat. The winery itself is very casual and relaxed. We didn't stay long but we do plan to visit again.

Once we had the wine secured we headed into town for lunch. We were lucky that it wasn't a busy weekend and didn't even have to wait for our table. We decided to try the Old German Bakery and Restaurant. The service was fast but our food wasn't hot. I guess they pre-cook some items in anticipation of the big lunch crowd. I had theWiener Schnitzel with spaetzel and my husband tried the Holsteiner Schnitzel. The portions were huge! We should have shared one so we could have had room for dessert. It was tasty but we'll try a different place next time.

After our big meal we needed a long walk so we headed down Main Street. We meandered through the various shops and found ourselves at a leather goods place. My husband is not easy to please when it comes to his boots, belts and hats so I was surprised when he found a belt he liked so much. His face lit up and he kept

trying it on and taking it off and trying it on. He finally gave in and bought it. We also found a cute leather squirrel key chain for my daughter who collects all things squirrel. 😀

We continued through other shops and picked up small things here and there and agreed we should visit again before it gets too hot.

By the way, another quick stop along the way to Fredericksburg from Austin, is Luchenbach, Texas. It's a teeny, tiny "town" with a concert venue. We're planning on going back in the summer during one of their evening concerts. The night sky should be full of stars as there is little to no light pollution out there.