On an August business trip to Arlington, TX, a friend and I decided to go up a day early and visit the Silos in Waco, TX. It’s only an hour and a half away from the airport, and maybe we’d catch a glimpse into the life of those cute TV show hosts we have grown to love (ahem, obsess) over. Either way, we wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.
We rented a car from the airport and got right on the highway to Waco. The scenery on the way there is beautiful. Lots of rolling hills, open plains, and fields of horse and cows that certainly got me singing “Home on the Range,” much to my friend’s dismay. Since I was driving, I didn’t take photos of the view, but take my word for it…the drive there is just as scenic as it seems it would be. The ride didn’t seem very long because there was just so much beauty to take in on the way there.
Getting off the interstate in Waco was a culture shock to these two city girls, but it was a great one. The area where the Silos is located is small, with tons of character and architectural details that indicate the buildings have some miles on them. Everywhere you turn there is something interesting and different that shows the town takes care of its own. But they’re not oblivious to the fact the the Silos help gather some tourists to an area that wouldn’t otherwise see as much traffic. (Think, higher prices on “regular” stuff).
One drawback…it was HOT! But hey, it’s Texas in August.
It was a rough 90 degrees in the August Texas heat. We have hot summers in New Orleans, but this was a sweaty, dry heat that made you wonder how people survived an entire summer without passing out. And…I had on jeans. Dumb choice of clothing, yes, but we were coming straight from a morning flight. This type of heat makes me think of beer and burgers, and while we thought it would be fun to sample some food trucks within the Silos, keep this in mind – there is absolutely no alcohol served within the Silos. No big deal though, since there’s a great BBQ joint within walking distance.
We parked our car in the free Silos parking lot (great plus, considering they could easily charge for it and make a killing…we appreciate you Chip and Joanna). Walking over to The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill was easy, but there’s a golf cart type thing that takes passengers over to the Silos following a meal at no additional charge. Our meal was delicious, the draft beers were cold, and the bartender was hilarious.
On the way back to the Silos, we stopped at a quaint boutique filled with everything you could imagine…clothing, purses, candles, home decor – everything suited to a perfect southern picture. We didn’t buy anything (mostly because I wanted both hands free to visit the mothership that is Magnolia). But I saw lots of little things I loved!
We took a short walk back to the Silos, and I realized quickly that no detail was left unplanned.
The aesthetic is seamless across the board, with even the color schemes remaining consistent throughout every single corner of the compound. Black and white accents are everywhere, with greenery popping in at just the right places. The large grass lawn was covered with people playing games, kids chasing each other, and couples camped out on picnic blankets sampling food from nearby food trucks. It was something straight out of a magazine. Surely, this cuteness wasn’t real life!
We walked past the main store and past a large empty stage. I could imagine music playing in the evenings while people looked on from that large lawn. There were two giant wooden swings that could easily seat 8 people, and lots of little semi-private seating areas scattered in the nooks and crannies. An antique truck parked next to the stage made for a great photo spot, and I didn’t let that moment pass me by, for sure! Oh, and see that white umbrella I’m holding? They’re all over the Silos for guests to carry around and avoid the heat. Just replace it back in one of the available bins on your way out…simple and sweet!
Other notable areas included a beautiful little garden area and store called Magnolia Seed and Feed and the Silos Baking Co. I don’t understand much about plants – basically I group them into flowers or green, dead or alive, pretty or scary. But the way these plants and store was arranged made me feel like I could learn more about herbs and flowers. The Silos Baking Co. had a line outside the store and just a few guests went in at a time. We were given cards to fill out with our selections for a faster checkout time. That’s a great touch that allowed the line to move very quickly. I got a Peach Cobbler cupcake that barely made it to the car! The smell of the peaches and the light, sweet smell of the icing was out of this world.
On the way out, we stopped in the Magnolia store – the biggest and most popular area, in my opinion.
Anything you could imagine would be there was in fact present. There was branded clothing with lots of funny little sayings (Chip-isms especially), and I snagged a Magnolia Market baseball tee that’s super soft and comfy. There was a whole section of wooden signs made by the same designer they use on the show, Jim Bob. They were truly spectacular craftsmanship. I seriously contemplated buying one until I had visions of lugging a beautiful sign down an airplane aisle. Bath bombs, floral sprigs, dishes, fluffy blankets…Basically I felt I was stepping into what it might look like inside of Joanna Gaines’ soul. It was beautiful, simple, and elegant – everything you’d imagine it would be.
I grabbed two very large coffee mugs and a Magnolia refrigerator magnet. I wish I could have shopped more, but I didn’t want to lug anything home on this short trip. All in all, this place was just as cute as I thought it would be and then some. So glad I made the ride out to Waco!
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