Exploring Midland: Part 2

We finally took some time to go check out more places in this beautiful town we call home. We also wanted to show some favorite places to my sister-in-law. I have to say, we were not disappointed! 

The Cat's Meow:

My sister-in-law had seen this while driving by and asked if we would want to go in. I, of course, said yes! It was quite the antique store. They had vintage postcards, clothing, hats, shoes, even Barbies! Jewelry crowded in cases, furniture was everywhere, books. Most things were out of my price range, though all of it was in excellent condition. I did consider getting some of the vintage doll clothes. Like a suit for a Ken doll that was only $5. Maybe next time. They had a great book that was right up my alley, however, way out my budget. It was costumes from Star Wars, signed by the author! The photos were stunning. The book was mint. And all for a whopping $200! My 6 year old love the mink wrap. Even after she learned that it was a real animal before it became a women's wrap. My sister-in-law lamented at not finding one of the vintage night gowns in her size. What was with women having tiny wrists?? My oldest son wished he could afford a robe that was embroidered with a colorful dragon on the back. So, something to hit every individuals interests. There was even a customer visiting from New York who found goodies to take home. 

The Cracker Barrel:

My husband and I visited this one for our anniversary dinner. He had gotten a gift card for his birthday and it just seemed perfect for the two of us to steal away for a little bit. We laugh every time we go as we remember Tim Hawkins' jokes about southerners and the 'Barrel. 

While this visit was pleasant enough, I was a little disappointed. The server might have been new, as she had to ask about things I questioned on the menu. And then even after saying yes, didn't get the order right. Food was good, albeit a bit more rich than my husband and I were used to. His order was the Steak n'Egg Hashbrown Casserole.

It wasn't anything like what we expected. No tomato, not colby cheese - they had cheddar on it, no green onion, and didn't give us the buttermilk biscuits either. It was a bit on the greasy side too. The beef tips were cooked to perfection, the hashbrowns were lightly seasoned with garlic. They should have crisped the fried onion a little more. Instead they were limp, mushy and greasy.
My food was about the same. I ordered the Cheesy Bacon Homestyle Fried Chicken. No biscuits, I asked for the cheese to be swapped, but was still served the cheddar. Limp and greasy onions. Even the bacon was limp. And no green onion or tomato was brought. And I don't recommend the dumplings. Maybe I'm spoiled from the ones my grandmother made, but these just didn't cut it for me. The dumplings were in a huge clump together and the soupy gravy was almost without taste.

I think we agreed on two things this go around. Firstly, the drinks were the best part. We had the Southern Half'n'half tea and lemonade. Wasn't expecting the strong flavor. Not too sweet, but not sour either. Perfect blend. We also tried a Jack Daniels Watermelon Punch. Delicious! Loved the flavor. The second thing we agreed on, was that the fried pickles (which arrived after the main course), were the best food part of the meal.

Centennial Park was amazing!

This place takes up about a full city block. There is a splash pad, field and grassy hill for kicking a ball around, and a small playground for climbers to enjoy. There was also a large selection of books for all ages to chill with. Tables are shaded for snacking in between play. Benches are placed around the splash pad for parents wanting to watch as the kids play. I was pretty impressed by this place. Parking was easier to find than I expected as well. 

Centennial Library

I told you last time that there were two libraries here. Well, we finally got around to visiting that second library. It is the Centennial Branch. I think this one was built more with kids in mind. Open floor plan with a lot of sensory teasers. There were a lot of faux trees inside that showed kids various trees native to Texas.

The girls and I set up the dolls in one of them. I believe this was the Live Oak tree. 

SK Arms

My husband has been wanting to check this place out since the first time we drove by it. It was a lot cooler than I expected! The guys that work there aren't overly salemen-ish. They are there to help, but not to push. There are so many guns to check out, something they encourage you to do, by the way. They have emergency kits you can get for your shooting outings as well as parts and accessories. I have my eye on one of their bags... The ammo wall was pretty nicely stocked, though I think shortages are still going on for some types. 

Mural City

Midland has murals all over the place. Sides of businesses, on electrical boxes - you never know what you will see. This one was along a highway in town. Not sure what business it was on, but we loved it all the same. 

That is all for this round. Don't worry though! There are still more places on our list. The more we see and visit, the more we want to go out and find new places. Haven't been too disappointed yet. Really love living here! Which place would you want to see? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!