Home Care In Comfort, TX

The Texas Hill Country is a dream location for just about everything. Because the climate is relatively mild, the scenic views are surreal, and the outdoor attractions are unmasked, this area is at the top of many travelers’ lists whether they live in Texas or another state.

I had a remarkable time on my latest visit to the Hill Country sampling wines all over the area. This trip made me fall in love with these small towns all over again. I had been to most of them already, and they are now on my list of favorite small towns to visit in the Texas Hill Country.

If you’re a wine connoisseur and want to explore the Texas Hill Country in all its glory, a great way to do so is to purchase a Texas Hill Country Wine Trail Passport and visit as many wineries as you can on the list — there are over 40 to choose from. They offer four wine tours a year, starting with the Wine Lovers Celebration in February. We had a great time on this tour, enjoying wines we would have never tried, and met so many friendly people along the way. I can’t wait to go back for the next one.

1. Blanco

After a friend took me to the Blanco State Park, seeing the ripples in the Blanco River flowing over the bank was all it took for me to add this town to my list of favorite towns in the Hill Country. Because I love lavender and Blanco is known for its beautiful lavender fields, I’ve bumped it to the top. I can’t wait to go back to visit the lavender fields in spring when the flowers are in full bloom. My friend tells me the state park is even more gorgeous then. If you go for the lavender, do make plans to see the whole town, including the park. The photo I took (above) tells all.

Pro Tip: Blanco is a small town, and if you blink, you’ll pass right through it. Be on the lookout for Old 300 BBQ and its truck. If time allows, stop in for the best BBQ in town.

2. Boerne

I’ve been here twice in one year and still can’t get enough of Boerne’s charming Main Street. I love the slogan they came up with to describe Main Street: “The Hill Country Mile.” It’s truly more than a mile of shopping, dining, relaxing, and sipping & savoring. If you love to shop at specialty boutiques, put Boerne on your list of towns to visit in the Texas Hill Country. The best things to do in Boerne are not just on Main Street; there are also plenty of things around town to see like the Cibolo Creek, which runs through the south end of Main Street. It makes a perfect spot for a picnic and to watch the ducks swim and quack in the creek. If you’re into Texas history, a tour of the Old Jail Museum is a must. After sitting for years, new owners came in and turned that old jail into a showcase of the Boerne and Texas history. It’s quite a show … and you could get locked up in the jail cell if you’re not careful!

Pro Tip: There are two caves to tour outside of town. One is Cascade Caverns, and the other is Cave Without A Name. If you like digging for gold, as they say, make plans to visit Cave Without A Name. There, you can also enjoy sluicing and other activities on the premises. My sluicing bag was full of crystals and beautiful rock formations that literally started my rock collection at home.

3. Burnet

While some may pass this town right up when heading for Fredericksburg on Highway 281, I say stop and explore because Burnet offers what the other Hill Country towns do and may not be as busy. From scenic drives and wineries to caverns to explore and a lake for swimming — what’s not to love? I, too, drive through Burnet when I go deep into the Hill Country, but I’ve had the pleasure twice to explore several attractions outside of town and a gorgeous winery in town.

For those who like to explore outside, Longhorn Caverns and Inks Lake are minutes away. If you go out a little further (about 6 miles) on Highway 29, you’ll come up to Torr Na Lochs Vineyard & Winery, which offers gorgeous views of the rolling hills and a glimpse of Inks Lake and Lake Buchanan. The moment you turn onto the road leading up to the winery is a journey in itself. The story explained on the website will make you want to visit — even if you don’t drink wine. Food options are available as well. Torr Na Lochs tops my list of the most stunning winery on our Texas Hill Country wine tour.

Pro Tip: My only tip is that you won’t want to leave Burnet!

4. Comfort

Comfort, Texas, is an inviting town centrally located in the Hill Country and has quite a few charming house rentals. When I visited earlier this year, we stayed in a quaint bed and breakfast, had a fantastic raspberry cream cheese pie at a local coffee shop, and enjoyed a winery in the outskirts of town. I can see why locals and visitors enjoy Comfort, Texas — a small friendly town indeed. Just so you know, much of downtown is closed on Sunday and Monday and some establishments are still closed on Tuesday, but the town comes alive the rest of the week, so plan accordingly if you go for a visit.

Pro Tip: My next-door neighbor moved to San Antonio for a job, but his wife told me she couldn’t wait to move to the Hill Country. They finally got the chance and chose Comfort as their forever home. They love it there, and she found an old house to buy and fix up.

5. Dripping Springs

With all the outdoor attractions just a few miles from each other like the Hamilton Pool Preserve, Pedernales River, Westcave Preserve, vineyards, a farmers market every Wednesday, rain or shine, how could I not love this place? Dripping Springs is a true outdoor oasis, and with 35 wedding venues, there’s a lot of “I dos” in town. Dripping Springs is less than a 20-minute drive from Austin and is known as “the Gateway to the Hill Country.” I didn’t get to spend much time here and can’t wait to return.

Pro Tip: There is always something going on in town, from live music to special events (or a wedding) — locals love to boast about that!

6. Georgetown

“The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas” has undoubtedly put Georgetown on my list. My grandson and I visited there at Christmastime, and I can attest to its given name. Now, I want to go back to see the fields of poppies in the springtime and attend their Poppy Festival. Georgetown has a small-town vibe with several delicious local restaurants, art galleries, great shopping, and historic preservation on the square.

Inner Space Caverns, Lake Georgetown, and San Gabriel Hike & Bike Trail are three places to put on your list to visit.

Pro Tip: Depending on what you want to see, Christmastime and spring are my picks for the best times of year to visit this town. There’s so much to do and see these seasons.

7. Johnson City

I was delighted to have gotten stuck in this town for 2 days when a winter storm came through in February 2022. The place where we stayed was cozy and warm, and the owner was just a text away making sure we were okay. We were able to explore a few places before the ice came through. The first place we stopped at was Farmhouse Vineyard & Winery where we trampled in the rain to the front door being greeted by their friendly pup, Kona. We also got to enjoy delicious nachos at Proof & Cooper that the folks at the winery recommended.

Pro Tip: We found folks in town to be very hospitable and eager for us to see the rest in the city. On a good day, the town is an enjoyable walk.

8. Marble Falls

Marble Falls is side by side to Burnet and shares many of the same recognition. There are lovely scenic views, rolling hills, great places to eat, and lots to do outside. My grandson and I spent a weekend in the fall here doing fun kid stuff like making a scarecrow out of hay and second-hand clothes at Sweet Berry Farms, and then taking a tour of the Longhorn Caverns. If you like beautiful picturesque lakes, you’re in for a treat as they surround the town.

Downtown Marble Falls comprises quaint boutiques, a nostalgic toy shop, a yummy ice cream shop with many flavors, restaurants, and a winery, plus Lake Marble Falls is walking distance from downtown. Many roads lead to scenic views, and RM 1431 is one. We were lucky to have found a nice rental right off this road.

Pro Tip: Sweet Berry Farms offers a bushel of things to do for the entire family. Spring and fall are the best times to visit.

This holiday season, a ballet company offers a new take on the classic Nutcracker musical in Comfortthis weekend. Ventana Ballet’s AJ Garcia-Rameau said this performance will differ from traditional versions in several ways, starting with the music.

“The music we use is…they stuck to the original Tchaikovsky score, but it was rearranged for Duke Ellington and by Billy Strayhorn,” Garcia-Rameau said. “So it's kind of a little jazzy mix of what we traditionally know as The Nutcracker music.”

And technically, this is a combination of Tchaikovsky’s story, and another one called The Watchmaker’s Song.

“The Watchmaker's Song is, we like to call it, a jazzy and immersive re-imagination of The Nutcracker. So basically, we take some elements of the traditional Nutcracker ballet and also some elements from the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann,” she said.

Also, this production has something few do: it’s interactive.

Texas Public Radio is supported by contributors to the Arts & Culture News Desk including The Guillermo Nicolas & Jim Foster Art Fund, Patricia Pratchett, and the V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation.

“In Act I, in lieu of having the audience watch the party scene, we actually invite them to have a party with us. We've got some cocktails for the audience,” Garcia-Rameau said. “It's a dance to this jazzy rendition and maybe some swing dancing here and there. And then we'll have some pop up little vignettes by some of the performers before inviting everyone into the venue for Act II.”

The venue is the historic Ingenhuett building on High Street, where the production will continue in a slightly more conventional fashion.

”The doll dances that people are familiar with from the classical ballet and then, of course, a dance by Snow Queen and The Nutcracker himself and the Sugar Plum Fairy will be a great way to kind of finish out the event before the audience gets to return to High Street,” Garcia-Rameau said.

There are two performances on Saturday evening, one at 5 p.m. and another at 7 p.m., and you can find tickets here.

Some of the performers shown in this video won't be at the Comfort performance.

The ergonomic Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition provides comfort, support, and premium quality all wrapped up into a minimalist design, proving you don’t need color to create fantastic gaming chairs.

Picking the perfect gaming chair is never as easy as it seems. You need to find the right support, comfort, and design to fit the space around you and your preferences. This is why a lot of gamers opt for a more minimalistic aesthetic, focusing on the game and avoiding the distraction of RGB lights or bright designs.

Luckily, the creative and highly popular Noblechairs have provided just that, straying away from their expansive gaming brand designs and opting more a more simplistic yet undeniably effective ergonomic experience with their new Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition gaming and office chair.

Coming in at £419.99 (UK) or $639.00 (US), the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition sits comfortably in between the likes of Secretlab’s Titan EVO 2022 and the minimalist Boulies Master Series, suiting those looking for a more low-profile design with the same high-quality material.

Buy the Noblechairs Legend here

Assembly and setup

Coming in a rather large box, the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition instantly felt like a sturdy and simple chair. Each piece was easy to put together, taking an inexperienced furniture builder around 30 minutes from start to finish.

On top of that, along with the clear instructions, came a variety of tools and extra resources, just in case you lose a bolt or two, bringing in that reassurance behind the chair’s safety, security, and simplicity.

An inexperienced builder should be able to put this chair together with ease, needing little to no aid when screwing the bolts in, although you may need a bit of help moving the ultra-large, and rather heavy box into your desired location.

Design

When it comes to finding a great ergonomic gaming chair, many look for either simplicity in its design or fantastical colors, light, and artwork. If you’re interested in the former, then the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition is perfect.

It uses a simple yet attractive color throughout, only changing the traditional chair design by placing a handle-like hole in the top back. While initially, we thought that hole would be a concern, testing the fully built chair proved us wrong, with the comfortable pillow seamlessly blocking the plastic coating.

On the topic of pillows, one of the best things about the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition’s design is its adjustability and focus on posture. Its solid surface pushed our back into the right posture, while the optional back and head pillow provided a degree of luxury and comfort, complementing the often rigid style many see in similar gaming chairs.

Sign up to Dexerto for free and receive:

Fewer Ads|Dark Mode|Deals in Gaming, TV and Movies, and Tech

Email

However, while perhaps rather solid, the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition is extremely adjustable, boasting a multifunctional tilt mechanism on the back, 4D armrests, highly adjustable pillows, and a relatively large seat base, allowing any gamer to sit how they want, even if it’s not great for their back.

Comfort

This chair will keep you comfortable no matter how long you spend at your desk.

While the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition is perhaps on the more expensive side of ergonomic gaming chairs, this is a fantastic product to purchase if you’re wanting to stray from an office chair and into something new. It also still costs less than the Herman Miller Vantum.

The simplistic design may not be for everyone but it’s hard to deny the soft materials, adjustable structure, and comfortable nature. If you’re looking for a chair that works perfectly for short or long periods of time, the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition is a fantastic choice.

The verdict – 5/5

Combining a minimalistic style with a high-quality and versatile design, the Noblechairs Legend TX Anthracite Edition is an outstanding chair with very few elements to comment on negatively. While the design may not be for everyone, it’s hard to deny the chair’s soft texture, comfortable structure, and fantastic attention to detail.

USA TODAY Sports

COMFORT, Texas — Drew Brees has another title before the New Orleans Saints' season even starts. He was honorary mayor Wednesday in this small town in his home state. His first order of business was to make a promise he admitted he couldn't deliver.

Via his endorsement deal with Wrangler, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brees presided over activities at the Comfort High School football stadium to kick off the national launch of Wrangler Advanced Comfort jeans.

"Well, now down to business. Now that I am the mayor, NO taxes," Brees told a crowd of about 1,500 from a platform on the field.

Big cheers for that one.

But Brees, flown Wednesday from New Orleans to nearby San Antonio on a Wrangler corporate jet, quickly added, "I don't think I have that authority."

Diehard Saints fan Jackie Freeman, 60, attended with several family members, including a 5-year-old grandson – named Drew.

"Of course, he's named after Drew Brees," said Freeman, who arrived here in the dark at 5 a.m. local time, more than two hours before Brees' scheduled arrival.

Freeman now lives about 45 minutes away in Universal City, Texas, but she grew up on the Mississippi coast and was a Saints' fan from their first season in 1967. Through the team's first two struggling decades, she never lost faith.

"I never wore a bag on my head and I never called them the 'Aint's,' ''said Freeman. "No, no, true, loyal fans did not do that."

There was no chance Brees would be stepping on the toes of the actual mayor. Comfort, an unincorporated community of about 2,300, has no mayor.

The local slogan is "I found Comfort … in Texas." It was a natural fit for Wrangler.

In a proclamation, Brees was declared mayor for the day and the town itself was dubbed "Advance Comfort, Texas" for six months.

In his proclamation, Kendall County Judge Darrel L. Lux described this as a "hard-working town, with a proud history and down-home charm where people in the close-knit community enjoy the small comforts of life."

The Wrangler distinction comes with a $10,000 gift from Wrangler to the town. The big check facsimile presented by Brees was made out to Advanced Comfort.

"You all are now in Advanced Comfort Texas," said Brees, sporting an orange T-shirt with "Advanced Comfort, Tex.'' on the front and, of course, the jeans.

Free jeans and T-shirts were handed out by Wrangler in the parking lot outside the stadium. Wrangler estimated it gave away about 5,000 pairs of jeans. Attendees were allowed to ask for multiples for family members.

The jeans are for men. They were won on the field by dozens of guys who took part in football drills dubbed the "Wrangler Comfort Challenge."

In inviting participants onto the field, Brees said, "I'm gonna supervise. I might jump in there. You never know. … We're going to put these jeans to the test.''

Flipping a football around in his hands, Brees directed participant through foot-shuffling drills – and did some himself to demonstrate.

Brees, who grew up about 90 miles northeast of here in Austin, said the Wrangler jet was also taking him to the Saints training camp in West Virginia. The team is due to report Thursday to camp at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.

West Virginia. Brees led the Saints to a Super Bowl title in the 2009 season.

He's one of Jackie Freeman's favorite all-time Saints' quarterbacks, but not her only one.

"My true favorite Saints' quarterback was Archie Manning,'' said Freeman. "I still have Archie first and Drew Brees is second. … I've liked Archie since I was in high school and he was at Ole Miss."

Nick Alvarado, 23, of Kerrville, Texas, is also a Saints fan. Alvarado grew up in Texas but he was a fan of Reggie Bush when he was at Southern Cal and Brees when he was with the San Diego Chargers.

"And when the two got together in New Orleans, that was it. I was a Saints fan," said Alvarado, wearing Brees' No. 9 Saints jersey.

He likes the team's chances this year. "They lost a couple of players, but they still have Drew Brees," said Alvarado.

James Alexander, 67, of Comfort, came with his grandson, Hunter Ledlow, 7. "It won't be long before he (the youngster) is up here on this field playing football," said the grandfather.

Where does Comfort's NFL allegiance lie?

"I would say a lot of them are probably Dallas Cowboys fans," said Alexander. "Then I'd say it's fairly well split (with the college football allegiance) between Texas A&M and the (Texas) Longhorns.

But Wednesday belonged to Brees and the Saints.

"Everybody okay with me being mayor today?" said Brees. "I was looking for any excuse to come back here for a while."

***

Powered By

The Houston area is home to some of the best coffee shops in the US (source: us); from a coffee shop inside a motorcycle repair shop, to a cafe built from containers, the city seems to have a wide variety of quirky, unique cafes. Just outside Houston, however, there’s a coffee house a notch above the rest – at least from an elevation standpoint.

Located in the timbers of Magnolia, nestled in a zombie garden among a colony of turtles, is Tree House Cafe – a coffee shop and restaurant built in the fashion of a treehouse. Opened in 2012 – then as Family Tree Recipes – the Tree House Cafe quickly became a staple of the community.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by THAT’S MY HOUSTON (@thatsmyhouston)

Housed in a quirky wooden structure, Tree House Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner specializing in homespun comfort foods. For breakfast, visitors can choose from a variety of classics such as omelettes, pancakes, sandwiches, and combination options.

Lunch and dinner options also feature comfort classics, offering an array of salads, burgers, and steaks, along with sides ranging from sweet potato fries, potato salad, cole slaw, chili cheese, and more. Visitors can put a cherry on top of their meal with the restaurant’s staple banana pudding.

The Treehouse Cafe also provides spirits. Options include: wines, prossecco, Bloody Marys, margaritas, draft and import beer, and mimosas.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rosie Calvillo (@rosie1calvillo)

The restaurant offers a variety of daily specials including Happy Hour everyday from 2 – 6 pm, with $1 off beer and wine, and $5 Bloody Marys and margaritas. Also on Wednesday, kids (12 and under) can eat for 99 cents.

Treehouse Cafe is located at 12202 FM 1488 in Magnolia. The restaurant and bar is open from 8 am to 8 pm Wednesday through Saturday, and from 8 am to 3 pm Sunday through Tuesday.