Table of Contents

1

ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR CREEK PRESENTS

MARCH 7, 2015118 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN BLVDTHE SHOPPES AT COLONY VILLAGEAT HIGHWAY 71

INVESTOR VIP RECEPTION 6PMGENERAL PUBLIC 7PM

Cedar Creek Rotary is a non-profit organization raising money for numerous organizations with specific needs in the Bastrop community.

A Night at Club 71 is an event benefiting the fundraising efforts of the Rotary Club of Cedar Creek, Texas. For the event, the first floor of the Shoppes at Colony Village, located on Highway 71 between Bastrop and Austin, will be transformed into a warehouse-style nightclub with the best DJ spins, decadent decor and full-service bar offering premium liquor, wine and beer, as well as non-alcoholic choices. Cover includes fabulous hors d’oeuvres, 7-8:30 pm. Dress attire is chic casual. Credit cards accepted. Must be 21 or older.

INVESTOR LEVELS$1,000 - 8 GUESTS8-seat reserved tableVIP parking by request8 passes to Investor VIP party, including spirits and chef’s feature

$500 - 4 GUESTS4-seat reserved table

INVESTOR CONTACTclub71@gmail.com, 281-455-2549

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS $40, http://71club.eventbrite.com

A N

IGHT AT

one

club

Introduction

3

5

7

Sugar Shack114 Loop 150W,Bastrop,Texas • 512-321-3777

Open Mon-Sat til 9 pm • Sun 12-5 pm

The RomanticHeadquarters foryour Valentine’s…

WeDeliver!

Chocolate Dipped

StrawberriesSTARTING FEB. 1ST!

Order online atwww.sugarshackbastrop.comOrder online atwww.sugarshackbastrop.comOrder online atwww.sugarshackbastrop.com

Sugar Shack114 Loop 150W,Bastrop,Texas • 512-321-3777

Open Mon-Sat til 9 pm • Sun 12-5 pm

The RomanticHeadquarters foryour Valentine’s…

WeDeliver!

Chocolate Dipped

StrawberriesSTARTING FEB. 1ST!

Order online atwww.sugarshackbastrop.com

#1 Gift Store in Bastrop County

9

10

11

12

15

It’s no wonder that food became an essential language in my life. Cooking for others is how I learned to make friends in college. It’s how I survived uncomfortable parties. It’s how my family bonds.

Once we moved to Bastrop, I started to realize that we were eating out as a family more and more often. Sunday mornings at Maxine’s. Friday nights at Hasler Brothers, now Piney Creek Chop House. Lunch getaways to Gracie’s or Roadhouse or Paw Paws. After a while, we didn’t need a special occasion to go out and eat. Food became the way I interacted with the town itself, how I became a part of the community.

“Bastrop’s becoming somewhat of a foodie town,” said Danny Oviedo, co-owner with his brother Joe of Viejo’s Tacos y Tequila on Main Street. It’s true. Bastrop’s downtown is home to 18 independently owned restaurants and many more food-related businesses that make up the

Culinary District. There is richness in the food

culture downtown that is starting to really shape the way that business is happening in town. Nancy Wood, Director of the Main

Street Program, talked about how a community of strong restaurants can benefit the entire downtown economy. “If you can get people into downtown to eat, they’ll park, they’ll stay longer, they’ll shop the other places... And they’ll come back.”

Bastrop is offering plenty of reasons to come back. Out of the 18 restaurants that make up the culinary district, you don’t find many that totally overlap each other. Each restaurant has its own identity and flare on the cuisine that demands to be experienced. There is a tremendous amount of diversity that lies downtown, from fried catfish to world class steaks and sushi to handmade pizzas and gourmet tacos. You can revel in exquisite Mediterranean tastes or

enjoy good home cooking all within walking distance of each other.

Growing up in Katy, Texas I had no idea what I was missing. That you could go out and find great food, that was unique and authentic. Throughout my entire high school career I don’t think I ever ate at an establishment that wasn’t connected to a larger chain. While there is not necessarily something wrong with those establishments, there is a certain callousness that you don’t notice until you spend a lot of time in restaurants where you see the owners every day.

The “Culinary District” title is a fairly new designation, only being set up in 2013. But the new title allows for the city and programs such as Wood’s Main Street Program to help market and promote the collective of restaurants. These independent owners now have an ally in the constant struggle of getting one’s name out there. Now that the initial push of creating the district and its boundaries (which extend from Roadhouse on Hwy 21 to Coffee Dog near the Texas 150 Loop) is complete, Wood would like to start finding new and exciting ways to strengthen the district.

Through initiatives such as events like a Shop and Cook with a Chef or tastings and competitions, Wood hopes to see more and more people engaging with the Culinary District in fun ways. There are also plans to continue to bridge the relationship between local farmers, producers and these independent restaurant owners. Wood remarks, “That’s a larger

Previous Page: Bone In Thickcut Pork Chop

w/ sweet Red Wine Sauce at Piney Creek Chop House

in downtown Bastrop

16

Eat

story, I think, for Bastrop County. How do we make sure that our local growers and ranchers are viable? These independent downtown restaurants are more likely to [offer locally sourced options on the menu] than a chain.” Creating those connections would only prove to further Bastrop’s burgeoning status as a town that is very serious about its food.

The community of restaurateurs has largely been receptive to downtown’s new designation as a culinary district. While improved marketing and new initiatives are valuable assets to these businesses, none is more important than the relationships and partnerships that the business owners forge with one another. “I’m friends with 90% of the business owners down here and I talk to them on a friendly basis,” said Oviedo. It’s important, especially in such a competitive climate, for business owners to support one another to ensure the strength of the ecosystem they’ve created. “It’s very easy to be selfish in this industry,” Oviedo continued. “I don’t want to be the only place t h a t ’ s

packed all the time. I don’t want to see anyone else fail.”

It’s the relationships in Bastrop that allow the Culinary District to thrive. When original owners of Hasler Brothers and Cindy’s Downtown decided they were going to sell the restaurants, Kevin Plunkett and his wife decided to buy the much beloved restaurants and keep them going. A whirlwind chain of events led to Plunkett and his partner Patrick Gannon looking at the property on a Friday and then taking ownership of the business the following Monday. Even through the process of rebranding the restaurants to the new names of Piney Creek Chophouse and The Old Town respectively, they never once shut down operation.

“I can’t say enough about how welcome and appreciated we feel,” said Plunkett about how Bastrop has accepted the change in ownership. “That was the thing that struck me the most in the first month of being here. I mean, people wanted to help.” A first time restaurant owner, he would regularly call old neighbors back

in Austin saying, “You want another reason

why you would love Bastrop?” This town and its

community have a way of rallying around those who come in and want to make town better by doing things the right way. The comradery shown between business owners and customers alike are what will keep the culinary district thriving and growing.

“Culinary tourism is probably the fastest growing segment of tourism,” remarked Wood. With destination restaurants such as Maxine’s (one of Texas Monthly’s 40 Best Small-Town restaurants) and Roadhouse, whose Jalapeño Cream Cheese Burger is one of Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Burgers in Texas, there has been significant buzz about Bastrop’s hidden gems. But the formation of the Culinary District offers Bastrop that next level of credibility to make its name larger on the map.

According to Plunkett there are two reasons people go out to eat, “When they leave the house, they either know where they’re going or they go to an area and decide what to eat when they get there… If you don’t have a lot of good choices in your area, they don’t come to your area. You get none of that business.” The Culinary District’s strength will really be shown in the coming year as Wood and her volunteers start to really build awareness, not o n l y outwardly but within

our own community. The restaurants

Perhaps the Culinary District’s most decorated item: The Roadhouse’s Jalapeño Cream Cheese Burger.

that populate Bastrop’s Culinary District serve as ambassadors to our community in a way. That is why Roadhouse owner, Amy Bruder, believes in bringing a personal touch to her business. “My husband and I are really of the mindset and have really tried to touch or speak to every table that comes in,” said Bruder. Our Bastrop restaurant owners, especially as culinary tourism in town continues to increase, are the ones who first get to extend that famed Bastrop hospitality to new travelers. The impact of having savvy business owners who believe in the importance of their work, not just for themselves but for all other businesses in downtown, is vital to the continued growth of the district.

“I want to be more involved,” said Oviedo. “I think we should push [other restaurant owners] to be more involved. See that’s been my thing since we opened, everyone should come together and make this town something different.”

I believe that Wood and Oviedo are on to something. Food is an inherently communal experience. We gather for family meals during holidays, we go out to discuss business or to distract us from business. We fall in love over candle lit dinners. Food and the restaurants we visit play an incredibly important role in our

lives that we usually take for granted. So why not give it its due in Bastrop? As Bruder says, they’re “changing lives one burger at a time.”

Bastrop is poised to do something big very soon. Change is in the air. With a growing percentage of business owners in town under the age of forty-five and expansion constantly happening every day, there is the potential for a revolution in the way downtown Bastrop operates. “I never want Bastrop to become a party town,” said Oviedo. “But we can have massive growth while keeping that

class.” As box stores pop up more and more frequently along Hwy 71, initiatives such as Bastrop’s Culinary District are crucial in allowing downtown to remain pure while forging its own identity.

So whether you’re looking for the perfect spot for a Valentine’s dinner or you’re just passing through, tasting your way across America, take a look around downtown and struggle with the eternal debate, “How do I possibly choose between all of that goodness?”

Viejo’s Tacos y Tequila takes a culinary approach to its bar: fresh fruit juices, garnishes & agave nectar

18

Eat

19

Eat

20

22

Ah, yes…the fun doesn’t truly begin for 2015 until federal income tax filing is undertaken! But all humor aside, there are a few extra perks involving taxes to be paid for 2014 – “about faces” in the law – but there are also requirements involving the Affordable Care Act. Some are referring to it as “the granddaddy of tax law changes” this year.

First off, filing by April 15, 2015 is still mandatory, unless one has applied for an extension to Oct. 15, 2015. “No reason is needed” to file an extension, but it still must be filed for, if one plans not to submit income tax forms by April 15, said Wanna Phillips, franchisee for the Bastrop office of H&R Block.

Some other items to keep in mind concerning tax laws/credits involve unemployment benefits, foster care, education/tuition and teacher “classroom supply” credits, etc.: (More information overall, on tax law/requirements, can be obtained from various sources: www.irs.gov; call the IRS information line 1-800-829-1040, or the Bastrop H&R Block office 512-303-0134.)

Itemized deductions are allowed in Texas for state sales taxes paid for 2014, Phillips reminded. They are based on income and number of people in a household. “People can go to www.irs.gov to see the formula,” Phillips said.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could well be the biggest change to taxes in 2014. According to the IRS, the health care law addresses health insurance coverage and financial assistance options for individuals and families, including tax credits. It also includes the individual shared-responsibility provision and health coverage exemptions from that provision. The IRS administers the “tax provisions” included in the law, which can be easily understood at www.irs.gov., or visit www.HealthCare.gov for more information on Affordable Care Act’s coverage options and assistance.

Individuals who fail to purchase coverage might be subject to penalties. Individuals will not receive tax credits but could be eligible for subsidies that help them purchase coverage through state or federal health insurance exchanges.

Other credits: In a turn-around for the IRS, payments received (from either the state or a certified Medicaid provider) for providing “non-skilled” medical care for a person living in your home, can be excluded from your taxable income. “In the past, this was taxable (income), but that’s no longer the case,” Phillips said. Those payments can be excluded from your listed income even if the person is related to you.

Standard deduction amounts have also increased a little. Single or married filing separately is now $6,200, a $100 increase from 2013; “head of household” is $9,100 – a $150 increase; “married filing jointly” or qualifying widow(er) is $12,400 – a $200 increase.

For students, there’s a change involving educational Pell Grants. Pell grants for students can now be allocated as “living expenses” even if a student’s college applied the Pell Grant to his tuition and fees. Congress also extended some of the tax benefits from the original American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, that expired in 2013. These include: allowing taxpayers to deduct between $2,000-$4,000 of “qualified tuition expenses;” allowing teachers to claim up to $250 of unreimbursed classroom expenses; and “energy credits” for home improvements that improve energy efficiency. (Other information sources: Huffington Post.com).

BY TERRY HAGERTY

Start the new year off right...sign up for e-statements today!

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NI NG R E E N

FIRST NATIONAL BANKBastrop County’s Bank...Since 1889

Member FDICwww.fnbbastrop.com

Visit our website for more information or

login to Online Banking to enroll!

Live Well

Cornering The Market with Realtor Nik Shehu

As the calendar page turns to January, so begins a new chapter of New Year’s Resolutions. None of us are immune from this good ole ritual of making promises to ourselves but unfortunately most of us fail to keep them. Typically the resolutions involve self-improvement goals, but rarely do they involve real estate. This year, let’s make resolutions for your home or the home you would like to buy. Whether you are selling, buying or want to improve your real estate investment, here are some resolutions to get you started.

As a home owner, resolve to tackle that nagging To-Do list that never seems to go away. Life can get busy and that list keeps getting longer, but now it’s time to start crossing them off one by one. I don’t mean to add extra work, but it’s always a good idea to do a walk-through and mark items that need attention. Don’t forget about your regular maintenance such as your water heater and

air conditioning. Simple maintenance if left unattended can easily turn into big ticket repair items.

As a home buyer, resolve to get your finances in order so you are prepared when the perfect home comes around. As a Realtor I always recommend my clients to meet with a local mortgage professional. Local is always important, because it’s hard to replace the value of face-to-face communication especially when it comes to dealing with your lender. Knowing your credit score and your financial situation from the lender’s point of view will help guide your purchasing decisions. Secondly, resolve to start learning the market early. Most people start looking when they are absolutely ready to buy. This approach leaves no time to fully understand the market. Once you start the home search, it will take a few months to get familiar with the neighborhood prices, home values and market trends. Attending open houses and scheduling house showings will give you market knowledge and experience. Become an informed buyer by doing your home search training early.

As a home seller, resolve to be proactive. Whether your house is currently on the market or you are thinking about listing it, make sure the marketing plan is effective. Your home should make a splash that grabs buyer’s attention. Make sure the property photos showcase your home and its features. Don’t forget to incorporate a virtual tour or even a video of your property. All the marketing elements should be intentional to invite the potential buyers to see the property. Also resolve to finish those few home projects you know will ultimately increase the value of your home. Being a Realtor I often advise clients to consider doing a few updates that are usually high on the priority list of potential buyers. Changing the bathroom vanity and mirrors, a new kitchen back splash and a new coat of paint are a few home improvement projects that can potentially increase the price tag of your home.

Because your family, finances and dreams matter, make the right choice with your Real Estate.

25

26

Where to Get FitBASTROP

A+ FITNESS CENTER 512.321.1098apluslifestylemedicalgroup.com

ANYTIME FITNESS 512.321.1005 anytimefitness.com

BODY TONERS FITNESS 512.321.4284 bodytonersfitness.com

CROSSFIT STRIVE 512.394.4328 crossfitstrive.net

CURVES 512.985.6674 curves.com

FIT CLUB FITNESS 512.922.2801fitclubfitness.net

GARNER AND RILEY PHYSICAL THERAPY 512.321.9659garnerrileypt.com

JAZZERCISE 512.988.1259 jazzercise.com

SETON PHYSICAL THERAPY & FITNESS CENTER 512.304.0331seton.net

REDEEM FITNESS 512.988.7513 redeemfitness.com

YMCA512.321.9622bastropymca.com

SMITHVILLE

RECREATION CENTER512.237.3282 x7ci.smithville.tx.us

THE LOOKING GLASS 512.237.4700on.fb.me/14e4VDD

WELLNESS 1ST

512.321.8336 serenitystar.org

27

Live Well

Extreme Lash ExtensionsPermanent Make-up

Lash and Brow Tinting Medical Facial Treatments

Microdermabrasion Chemical Peels

Dermapen Acne Scar Correction BOTOX

Dermal Fillers Rejuvenating Laser Facial

Laser Hair Reduction Laser Vein Therapy

Laser Nail Fungus Treatment Anti-Aging Laser Fractional

Zerona Body ContouringIdeal Protein Weight Loss(512) 304-0302

Soulage Med Spa New Year Specials

*Offers valid until February 28th, 2015

Refresh with us…just in time for Spring

PERMANENT MAKE-UP20% off Eyebrows

LASER HAIR REMOVAL20% off Lower Legs!

HYDROFACIAL20% off Soothing Hydrating Facial

UPGRADE YOUR MASSAGEWith purchase of 60 minute relaxation massage, enjoy either free therapeutic upgrade OR 10 minute scalp massage!

!3101 Hwy 71 E, Suite 100 Bastropwww.soulagemedspa.com

28

BASTROP STATE PARK 100 Park Road 1Atpwd.texas.gov

BOB BRYANT PARK 600 Charles Blvd.cityofbastrop.org

FERRY PARK 502 Water St.cityofbastrop.org

FIREMAN’S PARK 600 Hill St.cityofbastrop.org

FISHERMAN’S PARK 1200 Willow St.cityofbastrop.org

JEWELL HODGES PARK 1200 Linden Streetcityofbastrop.org

JUNE HILL PAPE RIVERWALK TRAIL Along the Colorado Rivercityofbastrop.org

KERR COMMUNITY PARK 1308 Walnut Streetcityofbastrop.org

MAYFEST PARK 25 American Legion Drivecityofbastrop.org

MCKINNEY ROUGHS NATURE PARK 1884 Hwy 71 West Cedar Creek, TX 78612lcra.org

NORTH SHORE PARK 603 FM 1441lcra.org

SOUTH SHORE PARK 375 South Shore Rd.lcra.org

BUESCHER STATE PARK TRAILS 100 Park Road 1Etpwd.texas.gov

SMITHVILLE RECREATION CENTER 106 Gazley Streetci.smithville.tx.us

VERNON L. RICHARDS RIVERBEND PARK 107 Highway 71 Westlcra.org

BASTROP SMITHVILLE

Parks and Rec

2929

Live Well

Live Well

31

Live Well

33

The Bastrop music scene is definitely a thriving entity.

There are half a dozen downtown venues hosting rock, blues, folk, jazz and classical on most weekends. And close to a dozen local bands play fairly regularly. A little further out from downtown – including at Olde World Bakery & Café in Smithville and venues in Elgin – there are more live music offerings. As the weather warms in the coming months, those offerings will likely extend into midweek.

There’s also a roster of home-grown musicians who have shared the stage with some of Texas best-known musical legends. One particular local treasure – Smithville native and jazzman extraordinaire Hannibal Lokumbe – has had his composed works performed by national orchestras.

Larry Wilson, owner of LarryLand Music in The Crossing in Bastrop, has “seen the scene” blossom in recent years. “I’ve definitely seen the music scene here evolve recently, with more camaraderie and interaction among musicians,” Wilson said during a recent interview. “There’s quite a variety of music right here in Bastrop – from bands playing originals to bands playing covers, from rock to blues and more.”

Wilson’s store has become an informal gathering spot for many musicians, some buying new equipment,

some getting vintage instruments repaired, and some just stopping by for a chat. Wilson and his employee Ben Zuniga – lead guitarist and writer for the band Princeton Runaway – host the vastly popular Pickin’ on the Porch (Just East of Weird!) series the first Friday of every month. It is an acoustic-instrument jam session that often draws two dozen or more pickers.

Bobby Runkle, a talented multi-instrumentalist with The Suspects, has seen an uptick in the local scene: “The music scene has been growing for sure the past few years around Bastrop. There are musicians and non-musicians moving here from A u s t i n , ” R u n k l e said.

The crowds have been building for several bands. “There are definitely a handful of bands that play regularly around town and have a strong following – like Princeton Runaway, The Shop Dawgz, The Peterson Brothers and The LarryLanders,” Wilson said. The Peterson Brothers have a regular Monday ‘happy hour’ gig at Austin’s famed Continental Club on South Congress Avenue; they have also played at Willie Nelson’s annual birthday and in New York City. Bastrop native Jimmy Watts, a highly respected “blues slinger” on guitar who has jammed with Texas blues legend W.C. Clark Wilson said there is also a noticeable presence of recording studios around Bastrop. “There’s about a half dozen, I would say, including ‘home studios’ and

more developed ones,” Wilson said.

By Terry Hagerty

The Shop Dawgz rock out downtown.

Brenda Bush, owner of The Grace Miller (Gracie’s) on Pine Street, points out that her popular restaurant and watering hole helped ignite Bastrop’s burgeoning music scene. “I feel like I

started (the music scene) downtown in 2005 when I started having bands consistently on every Friday and Saturday night, and Sunday lunch, too,” Bush said, referring to country guitar picker Kirby James who has been playing a regular free Sunday gig for years. Bush said she would pay her bands “whether the business was there or not. I knew the band

scene would develop downtown.” Bush pointed out other popular local bands who have graced her stage have included The Suspects, The Roadhouse Rockers, the Cody

Calame Band, Shawn Galvan and The Hookups, Nu Mystics and Last Tango.

Zuniga concurred there is a strong mutual support among bands and musicians in Bastrop. “We’re all friends. Everyone is so excited to play with each other’s bands and see their friends doing well,” Zuniga said. He said bands appreciate the number of musical venues in the Main Street area

including The Lumberyard, Gracie’s, Neighbor’s Kitchen & Yard, Viejos Tacos, and occasionally – Baxters on Main and Maxine’s. There’s also live music to be found on weekends up in Paige, at the new Roadhouse Paige at 147 Old Hwy 20 East (site of the previous Papa Woody’s) and Paige Icehouse at 277 Old Hwy 20 East.

Meanwhile, the music scene’s growth here continues: “People are starting to realize there’s a real music scene in Bastrop – it’s a very fresh and vibrant scene,” Zuniga said.

Larry Wilson & Ben Zuniga are mainstays of the Bastrop music scene.

Photography by Terry Hagerty

Jeff Brister’s conducts Bastrop Community Chorus and Orchestra.

Kirby James, a regular performer at Gracie’s, has been performing weekly since the start.

Hannibal Lokumbe, shown in his Bastrop studio, has composed pieces for major city orchestras.

Jimmy Watts performs a show for downtown audiences.

36