By Kevin B. Kalley

Historic downtown Grapevine “defines” nostalgia.
nos·tal·gia [no-stal-juh]
noun
1. a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time

There was a time, not too long ago, when traveling to another city or town afforded the opportunity for unique shopping. Each town had their own clothing stores, general stores, five & dimes, candy shops and such. A stroll down almost any Main Street provided the option of finding items of clothing, decoration or food that you wouldn’t see duplicated by all of your friends and neighbors, or in their homes.

These were individually owned businesses, not chain stores or huge corporations. Nowadays most of our purchases take place in enormous malls or big-box stores that offer the same merchandise over and over again.

But that’s not what you’ll find in historic downtown Grapevine. Chain-stores aren’t even allowed. As a recreational shopper you can choose from more than 80 exceptional boutiques, galleries and shops. Here, the closest things you’ll find to a mall are a couple locations, such as The General Store or The Corner Store, that have upwards of 30 individual vendor’s booths under one roof.

Gifts, decorator items, artwork, clothing, jewelry, gourmet food, antiques, vintage clothing and collectibles, and all variety of things you’ll cherish can most likely be found here. And knowledgeable owners and sales-folk eagerly help you find that “just right” specialty item. All of us seem to have a friend or relative that is almost impossible to shop for, but we guarantee you’ll find something that will let them know you were truly thinking of them.

A few of our favorites include: Antique Revival for fine European antiques; Coyote Cowboy for western apparel; Grapevine Olive Oil Co. for gourmet food, Napoli’s for “penny” candy (well nostalgia has its price, and that candy does cost a little more than a penny now); Hollyhocks for vintage décor and apparel; and Miscellaneous for … just about anything.

If all of this strolling and shopping whets your appetite and thirst, you can choose from an outstanding selection of restaurants, bakeries, ice cream shops, cafes, and wineries, too. Consider Napoli’s Confectionary for a homemade gelato, Main Street Bread Baking Company for a delicious pastry and a latte or espresso, or choose from seven winery and tasting rooms located right in the historic downtown district.

There is ample free parking along Main Street or in convenient lots scattered throughout the Grapevine Historic District. Sidewalks are wide, some are even covered, and there are crosswalks that allow you to easily traverse Main Street so you can further investigate a shop whose colorful window display catches your eye.

And if you “just gotta have” that mall experience… well, Grapevine has one of the country’s premier, destination malls. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

 

More Information
817.410.3185
www.DowntownGrapevineTexas.com

By Kevin B. Kalley

 

What colors come to mind when you think of Valentine’s Day? Red, pink, white? Well it’s no coincidence that those are the three colors of most wines.

And what could be more romantic than sipping wine with your special Valentine as you stroll along Grapevine’s scenic Main Street and quaint downtown area? (You can drive the wine trail if you prefer as there is ample parking at each location.)

You’ll visit seven wineries including Cross Timbers Winery, D’Vine Wine, Farina’s Winery, Homestead Winery, La Bodega Winery, La Buena Vineyards and Su Vino Winery.

Grapevine’s Sweetheart Wine Trail will take place on Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12 and includes three tastings at each winery, a large souvenir crystal wine glass, food samplings at each winery and a bottle of premium Texas wine.

At Cross Timbers Winery, housed in Grapevine’s historic Dorris/Brock House (circa 1870), you may be sampling some of its own award-winning wines or those from Grapevine’s International Sister-City, Parras, Mexico.

The boutique D’Vine Wine on Main Street will offer some of its award-winning wines, and you’ll also find out how you can return and make some of your very own private-label wines.

View gorgeous antiques at Farina’s Winery including a European bar from the 1800s and a one-of-a-kind, glass, grape-cluster chandelier while tasting a variety of their wines.

Homestead Winery is known for its rich, full-bodied wines that are produced in the Red River Valley area of North Texas. Taste them while enjoying the ambiance of an historic 1890’s Victorian-style home.

You might be familiar with La Bodega Winery from its two tasting rooms located at Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport (The first in-airport winery in the U.S.). The Grapevine location is a special treat as it teams up with La Buena Vida Vineyards in a lush, gardened, patio setting with Spanish tile fountains.

Su Vino Winery allows you to custom bottle your own wine and create unique labels to celebrate any occasion. The winery and tasting room also feature an elaborate selection of wine related items such as; clothing, gifts, gourmet food and more.

The Grapevine Wine Trail begins at Cross Timbers Winery in its big, red, (of course, and not just for Valentine’s Day) barn. It’s where you’ll pick up your tickets, crystal wine-tasting glass, gift bottle of wine and a wine-trail map. Cross Timbers is the perfect place to start, as it is at the very top of the wine trail at the northern-most end of Main Street.

More Information:

February 11th and 12th, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$45.00 per person in advance ($50 at the door)
Tickets are limited to 500 per day.
All tickets will be for will-call pickup at Cross Timbers Winery (805 N. Main St.).
www.grapevinewinetrail.com
817.488.6789

By Kevin B. Kalley

 

In fictitious Eden Falls, Georgia, SPA-DEE-DAH is an abandoned church turned day-spa, and the setting for this rollicking comedy. The show is so Southern it makes Steel Magnolias seem like it was set in Boston.

The Hallelujah Girls are six middle-aged, wild women (if it was a Western, five would wear white hats and one would wear black) who gather Friday afternoons for delightfully unexpected goings-on that challenge each of them as they attempt to overcome their pasts and ensure brighter, fun-filled futures.

Sugar, Carlene, Nita, Crystal and Mavis share antics and heartache, mayhem and mischief while gossiping about former and (hopefully) future romantic interests, all the while trying to ward off their scheming arch-nemesis, Bunny (the afore-mentioned black hat).

The costuming is vibrant. Be sure to keep track of all of the holiday-related outfits (even Groundhogs Day) that one of the wackier characters wears (you may never settle for just hanging a flag or wreath to mark a holiday again).

The script is by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. The show is rated PG-13

Grapevine’s Runway Theatre is an all-volunteer organization, and has been providing quality live entertainment for more than 25 years. Call the box office, or visit the website for information on the remaining four productions in the 2012 season, as well as special packages and events available.

More Information:

January 27 - February 12 (Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m. , Sundays at 3 p.m.)
Ticket Prices – Adults $15, Students/Seniors $12

www.runwaytheatre.com
817.488.4842

By Laura Smith

"As you wish." Those three words might be reminiscent for those of you who spent their childhood during the late 80s or early 90s and fell in love with Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride. The film is one of those great, iconic movies that we still quote to this day and still serves as a prime example of a classic love story.

The story of Westley and Princess Buttercup will be shown this Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Palace Theatre in downtown Grapevine. Choose to wear your favorite pirate or princess costume and you will receive a free small popcorn.

More information:
$5 per person
Rated: PG

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit palace-theatre.com or call 817-410-3100.

By Laura Smith

Calling all former boy/girl scouts, current scouts and future scouts! The 34th Annual Dallas National Trade-O-Ree will take place Jan. 20 and 21 at the Grapevine Convention Center.

The Trade-O-Ree is an event organized by International Scouting Collectors Association (ISCA), which is a non-profit organization that promotes education regarding the history of the scouting movement through the collecting and trading of scouting memorabilia. The nation-wide Trade-O-Ree events allow people to buy, sell and trade Boy Scout and Girl Scout memorabilia. They also provide an opportunity for members to gather for education, display their collections and trade face to face.

More information:
January 20 - 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
January 21 - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Admission: $5

214.770.3574
www.scouttrader.org

By Eric Miller

 

Few towns go to such an extent to decorate for the holidays like Grapevine. Dozens of volunteers spend untold hours working to make Main Street the pride of the Christmas Capitol of Texas. Moving into the peak week of the holiday season, there is still time to make your way to Grapevine and make your holiday experience complete.

One popular feature is the 49 Nights of Twinkling Lights, a nightly, 25-minute synchronized light display that runs on the hour and half-hour starting at 6 p.m, with the last show starting at 11 p.m. The show can be seen at the Town Square Gazebo, 325 S. Main St.

You may also want to take in some of the best live holiday music in North Texas at the Grapevine Opry. This is a great New Year's Eve activity. Shows are $25 and begin at 7:30 p.m.

To make the enjoyment more affordable, area hotels are offering special rates:

The Gaylord Texan is offering packages beginning at $199, which includes the opportunity to take in the many holiday-themed events at the resort including ICE! featuring DreamWorks’ Shrek the Halls and Gingerbread Decorating with Gingy.

The Hyatt Regency DFW offers 15 percent holiday events rate discount. The hotel offers special displays including a holiday gingerbread replica of the hotel, Terminal C, DFW Airport control tower and Skylink, the high-speed train located inside security, created by Executive Chef Mark Rowston and his culinary team.

Several other area hotels also offer holiday discounts inclucing the Baymont Inn, Hampton Inn Grapevine, Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt Place Dallas/Grapevine, Residence Inn and Super 8 Hotel. A complete list is available here.

By Eric Miller

 

In California's Napa Valley, wine tasting means driving around and visiting vineyards. In Grapevine it can mean a stroll along Historic Main Street to visiting tasting rooms. Some make the wine on premises from grapes grown in California and elsewhere, and some make it from grapes grown in Texas.

One winery is Su Vino Winery (120 S. Main Street), a custom winery founded in 2003. Su Vino means “your wine” in Italian and Spanish. Su Vino makes its own wines and provides special opportunities to participate in the wine-making process by bottling and corking. It even offers personalized labels.

Grapevine was named for the wild Mustang grapes that were abundant when the settlers first arrived. Texas is now the fifth largest wine-producing state in the country. One winery which uses grapes from Texas is Homestead Winery (211 East Worth Street). The original facility at the family farm in Ivanhoe, Texas, as well as a tasting room in Grapevine offer sampling opportunities. It is situated in a 1890s Victorian home just off historic Main Street. Ask to taste Santa's Nightcap - a crisp, spicy, sweet white wine introduced for Christmas in 2010.

Farina's Winery and Cafe is located in the heart of Grapevine's Historic District. Unlike many of the tasting rooms in town, Farina's has a full-service restaurant. Farina’s Winery makes two wines, a red and a white, both using Texas Texas grapes from Lubbock. The wines are produced in Frisco.

Other wineries to visit on your walking tour are D'Vine Wine at 409 South Main Street and with a little bit of a walk, you'll find La Buena Vinyards at 416 East College Street. Also don't miss Off the Vine, a wine and gift store with around 200 labels! Off the Vine is located at 324 S. Main Street.

Photo by Eric Miller

By Eric Miller

 

Toy trains have long been part of Christmas celebrations in the U.S., typically seen circling a decorated tree. But everything is bigger in Texas. At the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, the large "G-scale" train actually goes through a 20-ft. tall tree. The elaborate setup at the hotel is likely one of the largest displays of its kind in the Southwest.

Part of the Lone Star Christmas at the Gaylord Texan Resort, the displays also include a winter wonderland with 1.5 million holiday lights, a 52-ft. rotating Christmas tree, a life-sized gingerbread house, 12,000 ornaments and Santa Claus.

As big as the trains at the Gaylord Texan are, they're smaller compared to the real-sized experience on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad's North Pole Express. Of course this trip doesn't get any closer to the North Pole than Fort Worth, but you wouldn't know it from the extensive decorations and spirit they provide around the station.

While waiting to board the North Pole express, children will discover the magic of Christmas with a pre-boarding holiday stage show, a  journey through the Christmas tree maze, Christmas music, ornament making, caroling, Santa and more. Children are encouraged to wear their Christmas pajamas for this family-friendly event. Kids also receive a gift and a complimentary hot chocolate is offered to those under 12.

Tickets for the North Pole Express are $18 per person and children 2 and under can sit on your lap, but must have a complimentary ticket to board. The North Pole Express runs December 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21. Grapevine Vintage Railroad, 705 S. Main St. in Grapevine.

It's free to visit the trains at the Gaylord Texan. They run from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily through January 1. Parking is free if you spend $25 at one of the hotel restaurants.

By Eric Miller

 

If you were to travel to medieval England this holiday instead of Grapevine, you would surely encounter some traditions that seem less conventional. Even today when you visit the British Emporium in Grapevine, puddings and Christmas cakes seem like something the past British culture would make. My guess is those with roots stemming across the pond still do.

Christmas pudding is a treat traditionally served on Christmas Day and there are some pretty specific instructions surrounding making it. One of those is for each family member to take turns stirring and make a wish.

When I was in the British Emporium last week, I noticed a large display of these items right inside the door, ranging in price from about $15 and up. I haven't tried any yet, but to imagine bringing such an unfamiliar, yet time-honored tradition into the home on Christmas would help make it particularly memorable.

You could try making your own with the medieval instructions about 13 ingredients and taking turns stirring from east to west, or you could make your way to Grapevine, where there's plenty more available to help bring home a very British holiday.

This weekend you'll even have the opportunity to ask Royal Chef Darren McGrady about his favorite pudding recipes. McGrady has worked in Buckingham Palace and was private chef to the late Princess Diana. He will be the special guest at the store's annual Christmas Open House Saturday, December 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. He will also be signing copies of his book "Eating Royally.”

Also on Saturday, British Father Christmas will also be on hand to greet children from noon to 3 p.m. with sweets and comics. Complimentary tea and British holiday fare will be available for customers to sample.

The British Emporium is located on North Main Street in Grapevine near Northwest Highway.

By Eric Miller

 

Santa has arrived in Grapevine. Mayor William D. Tate made the big announcement this week just as Santa and Mrs. Clause rounded the corner in their horse-drawn carriage. The North Pole may be home, but it probably seems empty this time of year with Santa spending so much time in North Texas.

It's no wonder; Grapevine is the Christmas Capital of Texas and there are many reasons to make the city a big part of your holiday this year.

First, there just are not many places as well decked out for the holidays. A stroll along Main Street alone will fill your heart with the holiday spirit. Up and down the street every storefront seems to be brimming with cheer. Garland is strung all the way from City Hall to the Train Station and in the center, the Gazebo park features one of the largest trees around.

A special time to see the decorations will be during North Texas' largest lighted Christmas parade, The Parade of Lights. Thousands of merrymakers will participate with a captivating display of more than 100 colorfully lighted floats, which pass through Historic Downtown Grapevine to the tunes of festive holiday music provided by colorful marching bands. The parade will take place on Dec. 1 and will begin at Main St. and Hanover St. to head north on Main St. to Wall St.

There's also plenty more to do. Rides on the North Pole Express, holiday movie favorites at the Palace Theater, the Grapevine Opry Christmas Spectacular as well as ICE and a Lone Star Christmas at the Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine all come together to make the city the undisputed Christmas Capital.