Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

Simmons Bank

The Texas Bucket List – El Arroyo in Austin

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AUSTIN – There’s a sign in Austin that you’ve probably seen a time or two on social media. You may have even caught yourself laughing at the little quotes its displayed over the years. We’re talking about the sign at El Arroyo, and we had to get the real story behind the restaurant’s greatness.

El Arroyo sits at the corner of Campbell and West 5th Streets and it has been dishing out tacos in Texas since 1975.

“I’ve always liked old restaurants,” El Arroyo Owner, Ellis Winstanley said. “I have an affinity for them.”

Winstanley has seen Austin grow around his well-known Tex-Mex joint. He’s been able to survive and thrive through the changing of times thanks in part to a sign that brings in customers from all over the country.

“A lot of people put their arm around the sign, like it’s an old friend, and take a picture with it,” Winstanley said. “It’s just kind of cool.”

If you’ve never seen this sign, chances are you are not on social media.  But, if you have ever browsed Facebook or the interesting images on Instagram, you probably have gotten a good laugh from the sign at El Arroyo.

“For the most part we’ve been able to stay in the pocket of just like, “Hey, look, this is about making people smile and have fun,” “ Winstanley said.

The funny sayings got started in 1987, when the previous owners Clay McPhail and Doug English dug out a sign and started putting witty, whimsical, wacky sayings on it to attract eyes to their eatery.

“So my personal favorite is, “Last queso stop before a bunch of yoga studios,” Winstanley joked. “I just think it’s hilarious.”

Winstanley took it to the next level by exploding the placard’s popularity on the internet.

“I don’t think we imagined it like this,” Winstanley said. “We knew people connected with it. We knew we could kind of grow the presence of it, but we didn’t think it would take off and just continue.”

Having some magnificent margaritas does not hurt, and you might just be able to thank the El Arroyo sign for starting a motion during the summer of COVID that now allows you take these tasty beverages to go!

“We put up a funny sign (that read) “Now would be a good time to legalize margarita delivery,” and we got all these comments about it,” Winstanley said. “Then it just kind of took hold from there. I didn’t change the law in Texas, but it definitely helped us get focused on the conversation. When he (Texas Governor Greg Abbott) made that legal it was a game changer for Texas restaurants, particularly Mexican restaurants.”

While the sign may have helped with recent legislation, its true nature is to give people a good laugh. Winstanley’s wife, Paige, had an idea to further its reach.

“We always wanted to do like a coffee table book with the signs because the sign has meant a lot to Austin,” Paige Winstanley said.

However, originally book companies only read the book by its cover.

“Nobody would publish it,” Ellis Winstanley said. “Everybody just said that it wasn’t going to work. So, we ended up having to do all the work to set up a publishing company to do it and then got a printer to do it. So, then my wife (Paige) put them in the trunk of her car and drove around to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. She said, “Listen. Just keep them. Sell them. If you sell them, pay me. If not, I’ll come back and get them.”

The humor was eventually a hit and now you can find El Arroyo books in stores in just about every single state in the country, including The Texas Bucket List Store and Studio in College Station, Texas.

El Arroyo has a whole team of folks who constantly come up with the clever sayings.

“Sometimes it’s 10:30 at night and we’re just working together, and we come up with some fun stuff,” Paige said.

There are now post cards, signs for various occasions, greeting cards and even Christmas ornaments.

“The priority is to make people smile,” Ellis Winstanley said. “To kind of connect with people in a real way and to focus on current events.”

So, if you looking for the sign that takes Texas to the country with a little laugh from the Lone Star State, heading to El Arroyo for an ice cold margarita and the perfect picture for your Instagram is well worth a stop on the Texas Bucket List.

“Seeing it in person is just so much different from seeing it on our social feed, “Paige said. “It’s just nice to see the letters.”

“It’s an experience a lot of people have already connected with, and they want to put the food and the drink with the experience they’ve seen online,” Ellis Winstanley said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Texas Bucket List – Caprock Canyons State Park

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CAPROCK CANYON, Texas — The panorama of the Panhandle can’t even begin to be painted on a picture screen but if you pull on up to Caprock Canyon you’ll be more than pleased you made the trip.

But it’s not just the beauty of the majestic bluffs, there’s also the buffalo.

Donald Beard is the park superintendent and every day he has to deal with some residents that pretty much get to do whatever they want.

“The views are just absolutely fantastic,” Donald said. “I’m very fortunate to be able to be a part of the management of this herd.”

The buffalo that roam the range at Caprock Canyon aren’t just any troup of tatonka, they’re the official bison herd of the state of Texas.

“This is the only place in Texas you can come to see free ranging bison in a public setting, Donald said. “This is Yellowstone in Texas right here.”

The herd stands at around 100, a far cry from the millions of buffalo that used to stampede across the state prior to the slaughter of these native creatures. No one knows just how many bison could be found on plains but experts estimate it was around 30 million.

“It would stop the trains for days because they were crossing the tracks so just miles and miles long and miles and miles wide. Nothing but bison,” Donald said.

By 1895 there were only 1,000 buffalo left.   It was then that Mary Ann Goodnight, wife of Rancher Charles Goodnight convinced her husband to round up all the calves he could find. The Father of the Texas Panhandle ended up with seven, only five survived.

“That’s when Goodnight started his heard and about four other people across the country did the same thing,” Donald said. “There were five herds where all of these animals were. Through those five herds, all bison today descend.”

Around 500,000 bison live across North America but many aren’t pure breed bison thanks to a cross-bred with cattle but the official state bison herd of Texas is true to its roots.

“All of the animals were Texas native animals and throughout time, there’s never been any outside influence,” Donald said. “These animals, through genetic testing, have some unique genetic characteristic not found in any other bison in the world. … You got probably the last southern plain bison and true Texas native bison here.”

Trent Johnson makes his way to Caprock to catch some fish but watching the bison come and quench their thirst while he casts a line is better than the biggest bite.

“It’s nice to come and see them,” Trent said. “You don’t get many opportunities to come out and see them, especially for the young kids.”

Not to be lost in all the buffalo bliss is their sheer beauty of Caprock Canyon.  At 15,000 acres it’s the 6th largest state park in Texas but one of the most colorful and desolate.

“Honestly, I think this is Mother Nature’s way of making art,” Matthew said. “Just millions of years of art here.”

So if you’ve got an itch to see the official state bison herd of the State of Texas, Caprock Canyon is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“What we are doing is a huge thing and it is very important to the conservation of bison,” Donald said. “These animals belong to the state of Texas. I’m just the manager. They belong to you and the other residences of Texas and they are a Texas treasure.”

This Week on The Texas Bucket List!

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 It’s all about satisfying our sweet tooth this week on The Texas Bucket List!  We start things off in Austin at a sweet stop full of sugary snacks.  The Big Top Candy Shop will be our first feature where we get spoonfuls of all sorts of sweets including chocolate covered bacon!
Then we hightail to Hondo’s on Main in Fredericksburg for burger with some Luckenbach lineage.  You’ll want to sink your teeth into this big ol’ burger with homemade BBQ sauce.
Jordan York with play the song “Runaway” and we’ll close things out getting blown away with some Panhandle history.  It’s off to the American Wind Power Center in Lubbock to see some of the most unique windmills in the world!
Be sure to check our “Where to Watch” section to see where we air in your area!

This Weekend on The Texas Bucket List

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This weekend on The Texas Bucket List, we start things off in Athens to visit the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.  This center is one of five in the Lone Star State operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the only one that’s open to visitors.  Here you can learn about our reservoirs and cast a line of your own!
Our TX Burger Burger of the Week will be in Bastrop as we visit the Bastrop Roadhouse.  Here we’ll try a burger with freshly sliced jalapenos and cream cheese making a savory and spicy stop!
Gary P. Nunn will play our favorite song, Taking Texas To The Country and we’ll close things out in San Antonio and the Buckhorn Saloon.  This hall full of horns has one heck of a history and get a boatload of while bellying up to the bar.
Here’s a preview!

TX Burger sponsors The Texas Bucket List

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Every week we feature burgers across Texas and now we have an official burger sponsor.  We couldn’t be prouder to have TX Burger as a part of The Texas Bucket List!
Since 1973 TX Burger has been making some amazing burgers here in the Lone Star State.  It all started in Madisonville, Texas when James Carter wanted to make a burger that would make his mother proud and he has succeeded.
Made with Nolan Ryan’s All-Natural Beef, TX Burger is the perfect Texas taste thanks to their hormone free beef patties.
So be sure to tune into The Texas Bucket List for the TX Burger, Burger of the Week!
TX Burger, all Beef, no Bull!

The Texas Bucket List welcomes its newest sponsor RVsource

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We’d like to welcome RVsource located Bryan/College Station as a sponsor of The Texas Bucket List.
RVsouce is the source for RV products and services here in the Lone Star State.  With acres of new and used fifth wheels, travel trailers, toy haulers and living quarter horse trailers, you’ll find the RV or trailer you need.  Even rentals!
Looking for the right part?  You’ll find it in the fully stocked parts department.  Or bring in your RV or trailer and let the skilled technicians fix your RV in one of the biggest repair centers in Texas.
Welcome RVsource!  YOUR complete source for everything RV.

The Texas Bucket List – Middle East Restaurant

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The Middle East meets America at the Middle East Restaurant in Abilene. Meet the owner and listen to his awe-inspiring tale of his journey from Iraq to America and his military roots with the United States Air Force. I more than worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List!