CAMP ROUND TOP

What attracts thousands of people twice a year, takes place in the middle of nowhere, has no official name, and no one person or organization running it? It’s Round Top, of course. By September 25 you will find dozens of circus-size tents selling decadent period furniture, old barns full of crumbling grandeur, and open fields where thousands of people gather for not only the largest antique show in the country, but an unparalleled Texas experience on a two-lane country road between Austin and Houston.It all began over thirty years ago at the Rifle Hall in Round Top, Texas. Originally founded in 1968 by Miss Emma Lee Turney, the crème de la crème of antique dealers began setting up shop for a weekend event, which quickly expanded outside of the hall and under a big tent. Over the years the show branched off to include the towns of Warrenton, Carmine and Shelby. Dealers also set up across the countryside between small communities, such as La Grange, Giddings, Brenham and Fayetteville. At last count there were about thirty-five separate locations housing at least 2,500 antique dealers, junkers and collectors.

My husband calls it “Camp Round Top.” We first started road tripping to the semi-annual show over a decade ago, and have only missed “camp” once in all those years. My favorite stretch to trek is between Round Top and Warrenton on Highway 237. The original show is only a four day event, but the best deals are found with the dealers that set up in the surrounding areas a week earlier. I thrive on hiking through the fields and negotiating with seasoned collectors for that funky treasure I’m sure I can’t live without. It is also in Warrenton where my husband, Andrew, helps Edward Foster, known at the show as “Rug Man.” They display turn of the century oriental carpets next to the roadside Warrenton Grocery, and sell room-size Oushaks to Highland Park and River Oak designers on a dusty two-lane road that, on a normal day, has just an occasional cattle trailer zooming past. Next to the rug booth is the historical Zapp Hall where a wonderful mix of dealers set up high quality collectibles. Outside of the hall you can rummage through chicken coops that have been transformed into chic havens, or giggle with the rowdy Junk Gypsies in their crazy tent full of vintage cowgirl finds. Each night there is live music and dancing under the stars at the makeshift shed they call Bubble Lounge, not to mention their famous Prom Night where gals dress in silly retro prom dresses and cowboys boots.

The original show may still be a huge draw, but halfway between Round Top and Warrenton is the mother of all antique shows at Marburger Farm. With over 400 dealers from 39 states, you simply have to see it to believe it. At 10:00 on Tuesday morning, before the original Round Top show begins, hundreds of SUVs, limousines full of Houston housewives, and die-hard buyers with trailers in tow, begin lining up in both directions down Highway 237. We all file into the 30-acre farm like well-trained soldiers, and pay $25 per person for the privilege of early buying. I swear every year I’m not going to pay to get into the show early, but I just can’t seem to resist. By 9:30 a.m. I have wormed my way behind the security ropes next to wealthy trophy wives, fellow shop owners, top designers and even celebrities. There are groups who come strapped with walkie talkies and strategically send their forces into four tents, each large enough to cover a football field, five big-top circus tents, and twelve vintage Texas buildings. It doesn’t matter if Dennis Quaid or Martha Stewart is standing next to you, opening morning is serious business. I usually have Rachel Ashwell and her Shabby Chic entourage on my heels, and if I can’t make my mind up fast enough, Mary Emmerling will come through and swoop up my new found treasure, before I can ask “how much?”

After a long day of shopping we head back to base camp, where the Outpost at Cedar Creek sits on a beautiful 48-acre compound, just five miles from Round Top’s town square. It has 6 guesthouses perfectly placed on the property, and each one is wonderfully appointed with the finest linens and perfectly placed furnishings. The inn has been featured in most every magazine you can name, and recently won Best Inn in the Southwest & West. Each morning all the guests walk up to the great Texas barn, called Rangers Lounge, and eat a fabulous breakfast before heading out for the day. We all meet back at the end of the day and talk about our finds while drinking a glass of wine as the sun sets over a fresh-mowed pasture.

Of course, the day is far from over because a trip to Round Top is not complete if you don’t eat at Royers Round Top Café. Bud Royer is an institution in Round Top, and his family-run cafe is half the fun of going there. While helping yourself to a bottle of beer, on the honor system, everyone sits on bales of hay in front of the café waiting for Bud to call their name. The café looks like the kind of place that only serves chicken fried steak and hamburgers; but behind the old screen door, Royers can dish out one of the best steaks around, and has a great wine list to boot. We got to know the Royer family a few years back when Texas Monthly Magazine voted The Dove's Nest and Royers Round Top Café two of the top ten best small-town restaurants in Texas. We also published our cookbooks with the same company. If you are lucky, Bud will seat you at one of the community tables, which can be the highlight of your trip. Over the years, we have made great friends with many of our nightly dining companions. One year he put us at a table with actress Mary Steenburgen.

You just never know who is going to show up in Round Top, Texas...population 72.I hope you get the opportunity this fall, to come experience Round Top. The Zapp Hall show in Warrenton opens Saturday, September 25 www.zapphall.com. Opening day at Marburger Farm will be Tuesday, September 28 www.roundtop-marburger.com, and the original Round Top show starts September 29 www.roundtoptexasantiques.com. See you at camp!

RESTAURANT RANT

Its the most wonderful time of the Year!

No, not Christmas, although that is a wonderful time. But Back to School! OK, maybe not wonderful for all, but for some. And especially for you, as we have some great new BTS merchandise that you are gonna love!

'Hachie Mom Custom Tee Shirt

Show your colors and show your Spirit as a 'Hachie Mom! Or a Lion Mom. Whatever the school or colors we can create a customized shirt (or bag) for you. We now do personalization at The Dove's Nest and we are always happy to ship as well.

Let us make a custom bag or tee for you! Many styles to choose from.

A cute little design, or monogram can be created for you for tees, bags, towels and more.

Miley has one and so does Taylor Swift, now you can get one too! MOGO!

And of course, you'll need a bracelet to go with that terrific new tee and the new hot thing is MOGO! Yep, Miley thinks they are hot, and so you will you. You can make the band customized by adding your choice of charms. Three bands together will make a head band. No end to the fashion possibilities here.

Calendars can keep track of all those games and practices for you.

And you'll need a new calendar to keep up with all those social events that will soon be happening. This one is cute, chic and works. A magnetic base makes it easy and fun to change each month and day's and they hold notes, photo's, fun numbers and more. Stylish and practical it makes great decor as well as a calendar.

So come by the shop and see some of our great new BTS goodies and fun. We look forward to seeing you!

New Views at The Nest

Outside the temps may be soaring, but inside The Dove's Nest you will find really "cool" new merchandise for Summer. Our new Trade Winds collection is wonderful! This great colorful line includes matching kimonos, bracelets, bags, carry-alls, wraps and more. Fun for a bright summer look that is hot!

Mix in a few things, like a frame or a lamp, to freshen up your existing Summer decor. Boxed paisley soaps make a great hostess gift, as do the fun colored trays. Sushi or oysters would be great served on our fun cobalt fish plates.

Need a pretty new outfit for date night? Nothing says summer cool like linen. And we have some great new pieces just in. Oh so summery in pale blue and white. But lots of great styles and other colors to choose from as well. Add some great jewelry and you will turn heads.

Hand made goodies are gracing our funky, new cool, neutral area in the back of the store. We've got a great new mix of vintage, new and hand-made which is just a little bit different.

These great pillows are so cute and perfect for adding a few vintage photo's or jewelry pieces of your own. They look perfect on an iron bench or stacked on a white linen bedspread. What a great way to show off those precious family heirlooms.

We've been busy here at the Nest. We've just returned from Market and thoughts of Christmas are keeping us cool in these 90 plus temps. We've got some great new goods lined up and you know, Fall really is just around the corner.

-Cindy

A DOVES NEST WEDDING

A BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION AT LOMA LINDA.
We catered it, Teresa Choate with At It's Best Events was coordinator, Courtney Flores at Villa Flora did the beautiful flowers,Charlesa Sims made the cakes and Marie Q photographed awesome pics, which are much better than these I took http://marieq.myshowit.com/bates/

new ad

In Full Bloom at The Doves Nest

We have been busy in the store getting ready for Spring and Easter. One of our dealers and artists, Cindy Mayfield, took some great pictures yesterday. We have some darling nests, eggs & bunnies in stock. We are also loving the new Bella Notte whisper linen we have on our robin's eggs blue iron bed.

HAPPY FEET....HAPPY STORE

HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY AROUND HERE. I OWE A HUGE THANKS TO ALL MY GALS FOR THEIR HARD WORK GETTING THE DOVES NEST DRESSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS..TAKE A LOOK.....

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP

My new blogger friend, The Blushing Hostess, emailed me the other day, to say she had a bushel of avocados that needed to be used in a good recipe. Our Chilled Avocado Soup is the perfect choice this time of year. I am always happy to share a Doves Nest recipe. Thanks Catherine...enjoy.

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP
Yields 10-12 servings

4 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
5 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos with juice
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3 cups sour cream
1 cup buttermilk
8 cups chicken broth, chilled, fat removed
Slat and pepper to taste
Chopped green onions

Process the avocados, garlic, 4 green onions, cilantro, jalapenos and Tabasco sauce in a blender until smooth. Add the sour cream. Process until blended.
Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk and chicken broth.
Season with salt and pepper and chill covered for several hours. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and green onion

A CURIOUS ROUND TOP

Me and Deb Dusenberry at Royer's

I took my mom to Round Top. It was her first time and she had a ball. Of course we ate dinner each night at Royers Round Top Cafe, and the second night Bud put us at his community table with Curious Sofa's Deb Dusenberry, and her junkin gal pal , Sandee. We all had such fun sitting around Royers big table talking shop. My favorite rep from One Coast Dallas market, Ed Greer, and his darlin wife Katy, was also with us. I told Debbie my girls back at The Doves Nest would never believe I got to have dinner with her..so she wrote each of them a personal note on the back of her Curious Sofa business cards, and then Ed took this picture of us. For all you Curious Sofa "groupies", Miss Deb is just like she reads....full of curiosity, creativity and charm.

Everyone has been postings their Round Top experiences, since the Spring show ended a couple of weeks ago. For me, and many others I have talked to, the show was a huge success. I found GREAT things and have already sold quite a few of the pieces I bought for the store. I mostly found good shabby pieces to add to our cottage look we have going these days. Our friend, known as RUGMAN, who sets up in Warrenton, had his best show EVER...and he has been coming to Round Top for over 10 years. He sold antique oushaks to some of the top designers in the country, including Rachel Ashwell. He was really nervous flying in from Istanbul, with over $300,000 worth of rugs in his inventory but as I told him we are NOT feeling this so called recession down here in Texas. Last year was our best year EVER and we are right on target to repeat it this year. Our Waxahachie realtor's say the housing market is still good, our local car dealers are selling new SUV's everyday, and our customers are buying and dining just as they always are. If other parts of the country are feeling a crunch, we are thankful and blessed it hasn't trickled down yet.

COOKBOOK REVIEW

I recieved an email last week from Catherine Coughlin, a retired fashion executive from North Salen, New York. She bought our cookbook in a gift store in Park City, Utah and wrote the most awesome review on it...THANK YOU CATHERINE

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN TEXAS
Waxahachie, Texas, outside Dallas, has it's own little Paula Deen who might be a bit more of an upscale, southwestern food matriarch in the making. Cindy Burch, runs restaurant and catering business there called the Dove's Nest Restaurant. More importantly, Cindy wrote a little book with a big, big impact. This book is non-offender on the book shelf: Paper cover beautifully embellished, all of 144 pages. It is light as a feather. But inside this book are many things carefully honed down and perfected, the instructions to food you can actually eat, and might even want to make because they do not seem as though they will be lengthy, painful experiences (ala The Brisket). The book will get used time and time again. As I looked at a long shelf yesterday trying to think what else I might do to avoid the side of beef, my eyes floated to that little book as they so often do. For something comforting in the face of that beef. For something written with as little extraneous motion that it reminds one of the way great chef's move: Arms in, efficiency in every movement, get to the task, make it perfect.