Mother's Day in Bastrop County - 2013

Moms are the best! They feed you, wash your clothes, clean up after you, take care of you when you're sick, give you helpful advice (whether you want it or not!) and best of all, hug you, kiss you, and love you unconditionally. Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 12th, 2013. To help you make Mother's Day special this year, we've put together a "Mother's Day" Guide for Bastrop County, complete with Mother's Day events, gift ideas, and more.
 

First, Mom shouldn't have to cook on Mother's Day, so you'll want to take her out to eat somewhere nice. NOT McDonald's! Or Chuck E Cheese! Or any restaurant with a cartoon mascot! Here are the top picks of Bastrop County restaurants Mom will love...
 

Top 5 Mother's Day Restaurants

1. Cedar's Mediterranean Grill - All Moms get a FREE dessert on Sunday, May 12th! (reservations recommended)
2. Comfort Café - Brunch from 11:30am-2:30pm with live music by the Better Halves. The best part - it's by donation only, so you only pay what you can! Proceeds benefit Serenity Star Recovery Resource Center.
3. Bastrop Brewhouse - Jazz brunch from 11am-2pm with live music by the Jeff Lofton Trio. (reservations recommended)
4. Firewheel Café at the Hyatt Lost Pines - The menu includes breakfast favorites, an elaborate salad bar, omelets made-to-order, slow roasted prime rib, smoked pork loin, lobster macaroni and cheese, decadent desserts, and so much more. $52 for adults, $26 for children ages 6-12, and complimentary for children age 5 and under. Call (512) 308-4860 for details and reservations.
5. Hasler Brothers Steak House - Mother's Day celebration and specials from 11am-4pm. Call (512) 321-4701 for reservations.

Next, you'll want to take Mom somewhere fun... or better yet, if she has children still at home, do something with the kids and let Mom enjoy some time by herself or with her friends. For example, you could take the kids to Giggle N Jump for only $5/child on Sunday, May 12th and let Mom be footloose and fancy free. That being said, here's some recommendations of fun things to do for Mother's Day in Bastrop County...

Top 5 Things to Do on Mother's Day

1. Wine - Moms like wine. Take her someplace where she can relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the day.
• Lost Pines Wine Fest: Saturday, May 11th, from 12-6pm at the Bastrop Brewhouse. Admission of $25/person includes a souvenir wine tasting glass, tasting tickets, and live music. Click here for tickets.
• Wine Tasting: Saturday, May 11th, 12-5pm at Cripple Creek & Company. There will be a variety of wines to sample from Georgetown Winery, hors d'oeuvres, and wine-a-ritas. Plus, they'll be doing a drawing for a $100 gift certificate! Admission and wine tasting is FREE!
2. Pampering - Mom deserves to be pampered. A trip to the spa will help Mom relax and feel special.
• Cherry Blossoms Spa: 
• A Gift For You - 45 minute Facial and a $60 Shopping Spree; $99
• Luxury Spa Escape - Pampering Facial, Hydrating Hand Treatment, Relaxing Massage, Aromatherapy Scalp Massage; $135
• A Year of Love - 75 minute Facial or Massage every month for 1 year; $699 ($900 value)
• Heavenly Hair & Spa:
• Purchase one service and save 10%, purchase two services and save 15% on second service, purchase three services and save 20% on third service. (through 5/11/13)
• Buy one get one 50% off (equal or lessor value) on all hair, skin and nail care products. (through 5/11/13) 
• Buy one get one 50% off (equal or lessor value) on all boutique items. And all clearance boutique items are 40% off.
• Spa Django:
• Mommy & Me Pedicures - Enjoying a strawberry float and a 50-minute pedicure for two; $125 (for Mom and 1 child age 17 and under.
3. Shopping - Moms love to shop. Take her to Pine Street Market Days in downtown Bastrop on Saturday, May 11th, from 9am-5pm. Or let her go on a wild Bastrop County shopping spree to dozens of adorable shops and boutiques.
4. Music - Moms like shows, especially musicals. Take Mom to the Mother's Day Tribute Country Music Show at the Bastrop Opera House on Saturday, May 11th at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15/person at the door. Musicians include Kathy Danielson, Collin Guerra, Terry Lyne Moore, Valerie Jones, and more! Plus, they will be auctioning off an amethyst sterling silver ring (over $400 value) and a gorgeous pair of earrings from Bastrop Goldsmith Silversmith! For more live music options this weekend in Bastrop County, click here.
5. Celebration - Celebrate and honor Mom at River Valley Christian Fellowship's Mother's Day Service on Sunday, May 12th, at 9:30am or 11am at Bastrop Middle School, where they'll be giving away a FREE spa package!

Last, you must get Mom a great gift, something she REALLY wants. Make it something that will make her feel pretty and/or appreciated. Unless she specifically asks for one of these things, you must NOT give her: things to cook with, things to clean with, anything that reminds her about her weight, gag gifts, cheap jewelry, or clothes. She can pick out your clothes. You cannot pick out hers. When in doubt, get her a gift certificate. And make sure it's to somewhere awesome like a spa or a women's boutique, because Moms normally don't spend money on themselves.

Top 5 Mother's Day Gifts

1. Jewelry - Moms love jewelry. But if you really want to make her feel special, you'll get her REAL jewelry, not the cheap stuff, unless it's really stylish. But since you might not know the difference, here's some places that won't steer you wrong...
• Lark - Handmade jewelry so beautiful it could be called art. My favorite pair of earrings are from Lark. My husband surprised me with them when I won the Top 10 Statesman Social Media Award. I felt beautiful and appreciated, exactly what you want Mom to feel on Mother's Day.
• Ladd's Coins - Surprisingly, they have one of the BEST selections of unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry around. Plus, their prices are excellent!
• Bastrop Goldsmith Silversmith - They actually own their own lapidary company in Brazil and cut loose gems to create gorgeous, handcrafted jewelry that has been worn by dignitaries and celebrities including Madonna, Nicolas Cage, the Queen of Jordan, and many Nashville country music stars. Wow! Yeah, Mom would definitely like that!
• Bastrop Bling Company - While the jewels might not be real, the jewelry is very stylish and affordable. Plus, owner, Tracy Stamper, makes most of the jewelry herself and can match most any outfit. Buy Mom some "bling" to show her you care.
2. Flowers - There are a lot of really great options for flowers in Bastrop County, but nothing beats Brenda Abbott Floral Design. I'm not usually the type of girl who likes flowers for Mother's Day, but Brenda Abbott's creations are so spectacular, that even I want one.
3. Sweets - Yes, most Moms are concerned about their weight. That doesn't mean they don't like sweets. In fact, giving them sweets for Mother's Day tells them that you think they're beautiful just the size they are!
• Sugar Shack - Homemade fudge, hand dipped chocolate covered strawberries, crème filled truffles, peppermint bark, and so much more!
• Simply Sweet Bastrop - Yummy cupcakes in a variety of flavors, including snickerdoodle, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, banana, key lime, root beer float, vanilla cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, and dulce de leche cheesecake.
• Cuppy Cakes - Cupcakes and cake balls... delicious! Get 1 dozen chocolate covered strawberry cake balls for just $15.
4. Specialty Gifts - There's sooo many really neat shops and boutiques in Bastrop County that there's no way I could name them all (although I am working on a Bastrop County Shopping Guide!), so here's just a few of my favorites...
• The Outdoor Marketplace - Mothers who stop by on Sunday, May 12th, get a FREE gift!
• Tejas Buds - Organic plants and trees, garden décor, home décor, jewelry, and more. Everything is 20% OFF through Mother's Day.
• Veranda - Cultural gifts, art, and jewelry. Everything in the store is 25% OFF through Mother's Day.
• Lost Pines Art Bazaar - Persian culture meets Texas Charm! Persian rugs, art, home décor, Ten Thousand Villages gifts, and more. Plus, the store itself is gorgeous on the inside!
• The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store - Wine and accessories, furniture, home décor, and vintage home goods. Very cool store!
• Miss Vickie's Emproium - Ice cream, tea, coffee, gifts, 1930's memorabilia, and more. One of the neatest little stores in Smithville!
5. Gift Certificates - Like I said before, Moms don't usually spend money on themselves, so a gift certificate gives her free rein to treat herself to something nice. Just make sure you don't confuse a gift certificate with a coupon. Coupons are NOT an appropriate Mother's Day gift, just in case you didn't already know.

Live Music This Weekend (May 9-12, 2013)

Thursday, May 9th

• Dunn Deal, 6-9pm at Maxine's on Main, located at 905 Main Street in Bastrop.
• Texas Skyz Band, 7-10pm at Gracie's, located at 706 Pine Street in downtown Bastrop.
• John Anders Acoustic, 8pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.

Friday, May 10th

• Savannah Bleu, 6-9pm at Maxine's on Main, located at 905 Main Street in Bastrop.
• Dunn Deal, 6-9pm at Maxine's Cafe, located at 113 Central Avenue in Elgin.
• Black Bird 3 Trio, 7pm at Shellers Barrelhouse Bar at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa, located off of Hwy 71 in Cedar Creek.
• Open Mic Night, 7-9pm at The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store, located at 106 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Last Tango, 7:30-10:30pm at Gracie's, located at 706 Pine Street in downtown Bastrop.
• Karaoke, 8pm at the American Legion Post 533, located at 3003 Loop 150 E in Bastrop.
• Regan Frazier Acoustic, 8pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.
• Anson Carter, 8-9:30pm at the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, located at 9014 FM 2145 in Ledbetter. $10 cover. Doors open at 7pm.
• Blue Ribbon Band, 8-11pm at Brenda's 1441 Café, located at 395 FM 1441 in Bastrop.
• DJ Art Hernandez/Karaoke, 8pm-12am at Cistern Country Store/Bar, located at Hwy 95 and FM 2237 in Smithville/Flatonia.
• Vinyl Revival, 8pm-12am at Cindy's Gone Hog Wild, located at 5496 Highway 71 E in Cedar Creek.
• Karaoke, 8:30-11:30pm, Cindy's Downtown, located at 931 Main Street in Bastrop.
• Karl Morgan Band, 9pm-12am, at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop. 
• Brandon Rhyder, 10-11:30pm at the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, located at 9014 FM 2145 in Ledbetter. $10 cover. Doors open at 7pm. First 100 through the doors get a FREE Brandon Rhyder demo CD.

Saturday, May 11th

• Ten Feet Taller, 12-2pm at Lost Pines Wine Fest at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop. Tickets to Lost Pines Wine Fest are $25/person. Click here to purchase tickets online.
• Into the Blue, 2-4pm at Lost Pines Wine Fest at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop. Tickets to Lost Pines Wine Fest are $25/person. Click here to purchase tickets online.
• The Watts Brothers Band, 4-6pm at Lost Pines Wine Fest at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop. Tickets to Lost Pines Wine Fest are $25/person. Click here to purchase tickets online.
• Los Brillantes, 6-9pm at El Nuevo Mexico, located at 201 Childers Drive, Ste. 101 in Bastrop.
• Sean Orr, 6-9pm at Maxine's on Main, located at 905 Main Street in Bastrop. 
• Jon Burklund, 6-9pm at Maxine's Cafe, located at 113 Central Avenue in Elgin.
• J.B. and the Moonshine Band with Bubba Westly & the Interstate Heartbreak and Chad McBride and the Drifters, 6pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige. $12/person in advance, $15/person at the door. Click here to purchase tickets online.
• April Hall Trio, 7pm at Shellers Barrelhouse Bar at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa, located off of Hwy 71 in Cedar Creek.
• Mayeux & Broussard, 7:30-9:30pm at The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store, located at 106 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Wild Card, 7:30-10:30pm at Gracie's, located at 706 Pine Street in downtown Bastrop.
• Karaoke, 9pm-12am at Quoffers Pub, located at 117 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Sam Brown Band, 9pm-1am at Up A Creek, located at 1374 Hwy 21 W in Cedar Creek.
• Clayton Adams, 9pm-1am at Cistern Country Store/Bar, located at Hwy 95 and FM 2237 in Smithville/Flatonia.
• Trevor Cole Band, 9pm-1am at the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, located at 9014 FM 2145 in Ledbetter. $6 cover. Doors open at 8pm.

Sunday, May 12th

• Jeff Lofton Trio, 11am-2pm at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop.
• The Better Halves, 11:30am-2:30pm at Comfort Café, located at 111 NW 1st Street in Smithville.
• Kirby James, 11:30am-3:30pm at Gracie's, located at 706 Pine Street in downtown Bastrop.
• Karaoke, 8pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.

Smithville Fly-In - 2013

Hop, skip, drive, or FLY over to Smithville on Saturday, May 11th, from 11am-1pm for the Smithville Fly-In at the 84R Smithville-Crawford Municipal Airport, Bastrop County's one and only airport.

You can explore the airport facilities and visit with the pilots, enjoy games and activities for the kids, test your skills with the flying simulation computers in the Pilot's Lounge, and check out the judged Airplane Beauty Contest.

You can go on a helicopter ride for only $20/person (please note: kids ages 4 & up must go by themselves), and kids ages 8-12 will have the opportunity to learn to fly during the FREE Young Eagles Ground School Training at 12:30pm.

My family went last year, and we had a great time! The kids got wooden airplanes to fly and enjoyed checking out all of the cool planes. This little one was their favorite...

Yeah, the kids weren't really in the mood for pictures...

A hamburger and hot dog lunch will be available for only $7/plate, which includes sides, a drink, and dessert. For more info about the Fly-In or the Airport, click here.

Live Music This Weekend (May 3-5, 2013)

Friday, May 3rd

• Pickin' on the Porch, 6-9pm at Larryland Music, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop. Bring your instrument and play along!
• Jon Burklund, 6-9pm at Maxine's on Main, located at 905 Main Street in Bastrop.
• Texas Duet, 7pm at Brenda's 1441 Café, located at 395 FM 1441 in Bastrop.
• Bruce Smith Duo, 7pm at Shellers Barrelhouse Bar at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa, located off of Hwy 71 in Cedar Creek.
• Open Mic Night, 7-9pm at The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store, located at 106 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Salvador, 7:00-9:30pm at the Awaken Great Commission Conference at Foundation Christian Ministries, located at 177 E. Union Chapel Road in Cedar Creek/Bastrop. $10/person for Friday night concert or $20/person to attend the 2-day conference. Childcare available.
• Lost & Nameless Orchestra, 7:30pm at Veterans' Park, located at 109 Depot Street in downtown Elgin.
• Roadhouse Rockers, 7:30-10:30pm at Gracie's, located at 706 Pine Street in downtown Bastrop.
• Karaoke, 8pm at the American Legion Post 533, located at 3003 Loop 150 E in Bastrop.
• Paint Creek Thunderheads, 8pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.
• Bud Miller Blue Ribbon Band, 8pm-12am at the VFW Post 12104, located at 1128 Hwy 21 E in Bastrop.
• Cary Windham Trio, 8pm-12am at Cistern Country Store/Bar, located at Hwy 95 and FM 2237 in Smithville/Flatonia.
• SnakeBoy Johnson, 8pm-12am at Cindy's Gone Hog Wild, located at 5496 Highway 71 E in Cedar Creek.
• Karaoke, 8:30-11:30pm, Cindy's Downtown, located at 931 Main Street in Bastrop.
• Mayeux and Broussard, 9pm-12am, at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop.
• Break-N-Even, 9pm-12am at the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, located at 9014 FM 2145 in Ledbetter. $6 cover. Doors open at 6pm.

Saturday, May 4th

• Los Brillantes, 6-9pm at El Nuevo Mexico, located at 201 Childers Drive, Ste. 101 in Bastrop.
• Savannah Bleu, 6-9pm at Maxine's on Main, located at 905 Main Street in Bastrop. 
• Wild Card, 7pm at Brenda's 1441 Café, located at 395 FM 1441 in Bastrop.
• Jay Williams Duo, 7pm at Shellers Barrelhouse Bar at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa, located off of Hwy 71 in Cedar Creek.
• Marla Martin & Cooter, 7:30-9:30pm at The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store, located at 106 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Darrin Kobetich, 8pm at Autocycle Icehouse, located at 426 Hwy 21 E in Cedar Creek.
• Doc West (formerly Broke 60 Band), 9pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.
• Karaoke, 9pm-12am at Quoffers Pub, located at 117 N. Main Street in Elgin.
• Sister Sister, 9pm-12am at the Bastrop Brewhouse, located in the Crossing at 601 Chestnut Street in Bastrop.
• Glen Collins, 9pm-1am at Up A Creek, located at 1374 Hwy 21 W in Cedar Creek.
• DJ Vic Rodriguez/Karaoke, 9pm-1am at Cistern Country Store/Bar, located at Hwy 95 and FM 2237 in Smithville/Flatonia.
• Backporch Boys, 9pm-1am at the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, located at 9014 FM 2145 in Ledbetter. $6 cover. Doors open at 8pm.

Sunday, May 5th

• Los Dos, 5pm at Autocycle Icehouse, located at 426 Hwy 21 E in Cedar Creek.
• Jason Aldean with Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett, 7:30pm at the Austin360 Ampitheater, located at 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd. in Austin. Click here to purchase tickets.
• Karaoke, 8pm at Papa Woody's Icehouse, located at 147 East Old Hwy 20 in Paige.

Reel Film Expo - 2013

by Mark Winslett

Heard of the Reel Film Expo? This event, now on its second year, will be held Friday and Saturday — May 3rd & 4th — in downtown Smithville.

Be a part of two days of award-winning movie appreciation, juried films and contests, rubbing elbows with the movie industry movers and shakers, stunts and much more. The Smithville Music and Film Commission invites you into the fun, showing you from start to finish the filming process. Learn what goes on behind the scenes of major motion picture films. Plus, come watch some amazing films that were shot locally—Beneath the Darkness, The Tree of Life, and Bernie.

And what's best is it's FREE to attend the Expo and watch these movies! The only paid event is the headlining talk by Paul Bright, who is a writer, producer, and director, titled: "How to make a film for under $5,000." Attend this two-part, 6-hour lecture for only $30. Click here to register.

The Reel Film Expo kicks off with a mixer on Friday, May 3rd, from 5-7pm at Smitty's Flick House, located at 210 Main Street in downtown Smithville. Everyone's invited!

For more info about the Reel Film Expo, click here.

HerbDay (May 4, 2013)

Bastrop HerbDay, co-sponsored by Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market, Nature Makes Well, Wild Thyme Herb Shop, and the Healing River Alliance, is happening on Saturday, May 4th, 10am-4pm at Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market, located at 1302 Chestnut Street in downtown Bastrop, next to the Convention Center.

 

There will be lectures, local herb plants and products for sale, and more! Come out and learn about herbs and their impact in our lives, including the uses of herbs in health and well-being. Admission is FREE and open to the public. For more info, click here.

Plus, the Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market will be open as usual from 10am-2pm, with local fruits and veggies, grass-fed beef, eggs, salsas, jams, natural root beer and sodas, bread and pastries, pie, ice cream, soaps, candles, wind chimes, furniture, art, flowers, plants, fruit trees and more! Click here for a list of all the vendors and goods that will be at the market this week.
 

Photos by Sleeping Owl Photography.

 

Schedule:

• 11am - Karen Schobel, "Aquaponics"
• 12pm - Nancy Perriello, "Elder - the Herb of the Year!"
• 1pm - Brett Chandler-Finch, "Herbal Formulations"
• 2pm - Kelly Bender, "Butterfly Gardens"
• 3pm - Deena Spellman, "Culinary Herbs"

 

This event coincides with the 8th annual National HerbDay, which was created and organized by the HerbDay Coalition, a national group of non-profit herbal organizations dedicated to herbal education, research, quality control, plant preservation, and the responsible use of herbs in human health. The day will consist of local herbal events that will take place across the nation. More information about National HerbDay is available online at: http://www.herbday.org/.

Mr. Potcher's Holiday

The Bastrop Opera House presents "Mr. Potcher's Holiday," a fun, family musical starring the Opera House's very own Chester Eitze as Mr. Potcher! Thursday-Saturday, Apr. 25th-27th, 7pm at the Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1401 Cedar Street in Bastrop.

Synopsis: Mr. Potcher, a school consultant, eliminates all classes in the arts and all extracurricular activities for the sake of improving the children's education. When a young student named Darcy tries to persuade Mr. Potcher to reinstate these activities, he not only remains unconvinced, he decides also to do away with all the holidays -- actually eliminate them from existence. The iconic holiday characters (Santa, Easter Bunny, Cupid, Leprechaun, a jack-o'-lantern and a Thanksgiving turkey), conspire with Darcy to change Mr. Potcher's mind.

Admission: $10/adult, $5/youth (18 and under). To purchase tickets online, click here. Tickets may be purchased at the door with CASH ONLY. The box office opens at 6:30pm.

For more information, including a full cast list, click here.