Everyone has a story worth telling.
Joanna Gaines
Have you ever seen the show Fixer Upper? I am sure you have heard about Chip and Joanna Gaines and the Magnolia brand. After seeing a show on the Magnolia Silo project, I was definitely curious to check out Waco, Texas.
Our first stop was the Waco Mammoth National Monument located just outside of the city. Here they found bones for a group of female Columbian Mammoths and their young. Apparently one of the largest groupings of fossils found together. Interestingly enough we did not think the mammoths ranged so far south. This site is co-managed through the National Park Service, Baylor University and the city of Waco. It was quite interesting from an archeological standpoint and well worth the price of admission.
However, the main attraction for me was the Silos which are located in downtown Waco. There is a small brick building on the corner of the property; now the bakery. Apparently, this was a flower shop where Chip used to buy Joanna flowers when they were dating. Joanna always wanted to purchase this building and turn it into her office. When it came up for sale the Silos were also included in the price. It amazes me what they created out of these rundown abandoned silos. Their investment has helped rejuvenate some of the downtown area. They have created an incredible family friendly space for kids to play and people to eat, shop or just relax.
We decided to try some of Joanna’s baked goods at the Silos Baking Co. I am not sure if it is this busy all the time or if it is so busy because of spring break. It was definitely worth the wait though. Other than the wait I was really impressed with the quality, quantity and price of the treats as they were comparable to any specialty coffee shop.
In exploring Waco, I managed to find a chocolate shop that was open today “Splendid Oaks Chocolate” Lovely little spot 😊 and in true Jo and Steve fashion we did find a couple of breweries to check out. We had lunch and a beer at Southern Roots Brewing; ranch dip with pizza who knew? Met a couple of fellow RVers from California at Bare Arms Brewing, Nancy & Charlie, who are planning a trip to Nova Scotia for the fall of this year. We hope to meet up with them while they are here.
Did you know that Waco is the home of Dr. Pepper. This sweet cherry & caramel flavoured soda drink was created by a pharmacist named Charles Alderton in 1885. Apparently it predated Coca-Cola by a year. I really wanted to go to the museum, however the line up for tickets was over 30 minutes long as was the line up to get a soda. So, walking around the outside would have to do. I so wanted to try a Dr. Pepper though. I did learn that the numbers 10, 2 and 4 on the label refer to times in the day that our blood sugars may drop…..you guessed it, time for a Dr. pepper to perk you up!
We also finally found a Rudy’s BBQ on this stop. Steve has talked about finding a Rudy’s BBQ for the last 73 days! Now according to Steve, this is Texas Best BBQ. According to me it is another meal I don’t have to cook!