Friends

JK

I’m going to go ahead and say what everyone is thinking: “Why doesn’t the ONB have more updates?! Kristen and Justin are the two most interesting people we know and it seems like there’s nothing going on, but that can’t be true. They’re the most interesting couple in the world!”

I hear you reader, and I understand. However, the truth is, we don’t always blog, but when we do, we prefer it to be interesting. Unfortunately, the slow paced life of small town living is not chalk full of fodder for riveting blogs. So, I’ll tell you about a few of my friends who have some crazy stuff going on.

We know this one family out in San Francisco, the Bravermans, and their life is all out of control right now. Adam, the oldest of four children just sent his daughter to college, after his wife gave birth to a baby girl just last season… er… I mean year. In addition, the family continues to work through the problems their son with autism is struggling with, and Christina, Adam’s wife, just got diagnosed with breast cancer. And don’t get me started on the stuff Adam’s siblings are going through: adoption difficulties, complicated racial tensions among a mixed race marriage, and a May-December romance between one of Adam’s sisters and her son’s high school English teacher. It’s unreal! Kristen and I usually have an appointment to catch up with these dear friends on Tuesdays at 10 pm eastern (9 central).

Also, we have an “adorkable” friend living in LA who just got laid off! She is a precious and quirky elementary school teacher with awesome bangs. Struggling to find her way after losing her job, Jess really doesn’t know who she is. And her roommates, three outrageously different and peculiar men, try to help her with the situations she faces, but their efforts usually just end up in comedic outcomes so perfect, it’s as if they’re scripted by a Hollywood writer! Even through all the ups and downs, they form a close bond, supporting and loving each other in their own unique way. Jess’s life is pretty fast paced, so we usually only get about half an hour each week to visit.

Finally, I can’t let you go without telling you about our brand new friend we met just two weeks ago. She’s kind of a big deal, but we were lucky enough to make her acquaintance last Wednesday night after church. We rushed home to make the appointment at 9 pm, and we were not disappointed! Reyna Jaymes is a MEGA country star living in Nashville, being in the business for over 20 years. Here lately, her career has faltered a bit, due in large part to the rapidly changing country market, led by Juliette Barnes, a young country/pop crossover artistthat pre-teen girls can’t get enough of. A rivalry has developed between these two women on a personal and professional level, and things are just starting to heat up! Getting to know these women is as easy as “ABC” if you’ve got the time.

Because Kristen and I lead a rather average life right now, I thought you should get to know a few of our friends that keep us entertained. If you have any friends you think we should get to know, make sure to tell us! Even if their stories are kind of old, our friends Netflix and Hulu seem to know EVERYONE, and they can easily catch us up.

The Traveler's Guide to Fine Dining in Gonzales, TX

JK

I had originally planned for this blog entry to be a long list of the things I love about Kristen. However, after considering how I would have felt reading a newlywed blog about how great someone’s wife is, I burped up a little vomit. So instead, in honor of the “Come and Take It” celebration happening this weekend in Gonzales (and because I’m currently watching a “Top Chef” marathon), I present to you The Traveler’s Guide to Fine Dining in Gonzales, TX.

The annual “Come and Take It” festival is a celebration of Texas history in Gonzales, TX, nestled in the south-central region of the Lone Star State, just east of San Antonio, and 15 minutes south of the giant Buccee’s in Luling. In 1831, the colony of Gonzales borrowed a cannon from the Mexican army. Six years later, they wanted it back. In the spirit of not being told what to do, the Texans refused to turn the cannon over, taking up the cry, “Come and take it!” In the resulting skirmish, the Mexicans attempted to come and take it, initially failing to reclaim the stolen property, only to later get the cannon back in a terrifyingly successful victory for them at the Alamo. And now we have a festival with car shows, a carnival, various eating contests, and a lot of things to waste your money on.

While taking in the history on your visit this weekend, there are a few eating establishments you won’t want to miss. The following is a list you will want to reference when meal times come around.

1.    Whataburger- There is absolutely nothing special about the Whataburger in Gonzales. It’s not the oldest, the biggest, fastest, or even orangest Whataburger in Texas, but it’s easily the best place to enjoy a meal within the city limits. And on Fridays and Saturdays, the drive through is open 24 hours!

2.    The Rodeo- The 7500 people of Gonzales are served by 15 to 20 generic Mexican food restaurants, and The Rodeo is easily the best mediocre Mexican food within the 5.1 square miles of Gun Town. Their tortillas taste almost like they were made on site, and on most days, the refried beans are thicker than diarrhea. If you only eat one thing, which you probably won’t want to eat any more than that, order the Chicken Chimichanga. Essentially a deep fried burrito stuffed with cheese and meat, this dish is not disgusting.

3.    Robert’s Steak House- Although “technically” it’s located 30 minutes away in Flatonia, Gonzales claims this restaurant as their own because allegedly, at one time, this establishment was supposed to be in Gonzales. Or, it was in Gonzales, but relocated. Or the owners one time visited Gonzales. Whatever. The food here is very edible, especially the baked sweet potatoes, and anything deep-fried.

In between perusing 50 or so craft booths selling the same generic Pinterest crap, and enjoying the music of unknown Texas country bands, make sure to hit up these establishments this weekend while in town for the “Come and Take It” festival.