Getting back out into New Braunfels

New Braunfels is a growing city, but there’s still plenty out there to explore. Check out some of these picturesque locations.

Mini Golf

Elizabeth Avenue, New Braunfels

Landa Park is known for its rich variety of trees, miniature train and ample parkland for visitors, but it’d be hard to blame a visitor entering the park for missing the miniature golf course. Tucked away along Elizabeth Avenue near the Wurstfest grounds and Circle Arts Theatre, the miniature golf course offers visitors a quick escape from monotony for just $3 (unless said golfers are under the age of 3, in which case they can play for free). Despite its 18 holes being dwarfed by the nearby Landa Park Golf Course, the course is no joke. The course is open daily this summer from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday through Saturday.

Panther Canyon

Landa Park Drive, New Braunfels near the gazebo

Looking to experience nature but escape the rays of the Sun? Take a turn down Panther Canyon, tucked away in the back of Landa Park, the 1-mile long trail would make you think you’ve stepped out of New Braunfels and into some sort of wilderness. While the distance might not sound intimidating to serious hikers, it’s still a good idea to throw on some decent shoes to traverse the rocky terrain. And as this is Texas in the summer, don’t forget your water!

Devil’s Backbone

Ranch Road 32 east of Canyon Lake

Getting back out in the world doesn’t necessarily mean venturing out into the great wilderness. Devil’s Backbone is a stretch of Ranch Road 32 that winds along a ridge looking out into the Hill Country. While it might be tempting to throw caution into the wind and whip your car around a corner, it’s best to heed the warning in the name. Admittedly, it’s difficult to keep eyes on the road though, because a look in the right direction can give some of the best vistas in the area. Pro tip: Stop at the picnic area for some of the best views without the dangers of traffic.

Fischer Park

1935 Hill Top Summit Road, New Braunfels

New Braunfels is well known for Landa Park, but Fischer Park doesn’t always get the same amount of name recognition. On the east side of Interstate 35, the 62-acre park sits atop a hill and features 2 miles of trails, a nature education center, fishing ponds and a splash pad. The area also offers a hilltop view of the city. The park is open from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Faust Street Bridge

Faust Street, New Braunfels

Most summer visitors to New Braunfels head straight for downtown and then straight for the Comal River, but had they taken a slight detour on Seguin Street before heading under the railroad overpass, they’d find themselves at the Faust Street Bridge. According to the city of New Braunfels’ website, the bridge was the first major toll bridge in Texas, linking San Antonio to Austin across the river.

The pedestrian-exclusive bridge today features benches and a breath-taking view of the Guadalupe River below. Below the bridge along the river is ample room for gathering and relaxing around the picturesque waters. 

Cypress Bend Park

503 S Peace Ave, New Braunfels

Cypress Bend Park is another local park on this list, but it’d be a mistake to not mention this one. The approximately 17-acre park is bordered by the Guadalupe River, and because of its location, offers a respite from some of the busier areas of the rivers without sacrificing on views.

Cypress trees mark the edges of the river with several spots for laying out a blanket or towel for relaxing. The park even features a small beach area for visitors to take a dip. 

Guadalupe South River Trail

16510 S Access Rd, Canyon Lake

The Guadalupe River once again makes an appearance on this list, but this time out near Canyon Lake. The Guadalupe South Trail runs along the river, leading hikers down a winding and often steep path with views of cypress trees and limestone peeking out from the riverbed. Although it’s a bit more of a drive than some of the other locations mentioned, the path offers a good way to get lost for an hour or so without actually getting lost.

Headwaters at the Comal

333 E. Klingemann Street, New Braunfels

Have you ever seen the beginning of a river? The Headwaters at the Comal is an area surrounding the headwaters of — you guessed it — the Comal River. Landscaped with native plants and demonstrating sustainability, the area offers ample learning opportunities for visitors.

Established in 2017 by New Braunfels Utilities, the 16-acre site is a former utility facilities property that has been transformed into an evolving conservation project that helps educate visitors on the Hill Country and its rivers.

Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail

3565 Loop 337, New Braunfels

What if you want to take your bike off-road? Look no further than the Dry Comal Creek Hike and Bike Trail. According to the Comal Trails Alliance, this is the only mountain bike-friendly trail in the local parks system. The 2.25-mile trail wraps around the Little League Ball Fields and offers up-close views of local native plant life. But if visitors just want to take a hike, they are welcome to leave the bike at home and take their time on the trail.

Good health includes the mind, too

Health isn’t limited to what’s visible. What’s going on inside a person’s head can also affect their overall health, so preventing issues can lead to a better life for individuals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental illness can affect a person’s thinking, feelings, mood or behavior and can be tied to chronic conditions. But the organization draws a line between mental health and mental illness. Poor mental health doesn’t necessarily mean a person has a mental illness, and a person with mental illness might also experience moments mental well-being, according to the CDC.

But being diagnosed with a mental illness shouldn’t be stigmatized. According to the CDC, mental illnesses are among some of the most common conditions nationwide, and more than half of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lifetime. That number sits at one in five people each year, according to the organization.

In 2020, people were encouraged to social distance, which put up barriers between people and their social networks -— not the online ones. While this might have negatively affected many people, it also presents an opportunity to better understand how to combat poor mental health in the 21st century.

According to the American Psychological Association, those who find themselves socially isolated, be it due to COVID-19 or other circumstances, it is common to experience fear, anxiety, depression, boredom, anger and irritability, among other things. Older adults can be some of the most vulnerable, according to the organization. 

In order to combat those issues, the APA recommends isolated individuals make an effort to stay connected virtually with others by maintaining connections by phone, messages, video chat and online social networks. While it might seem obvious at first, it is important to take these opportunities to discuss mental health challenges and also reach out to others who might be suffering from similar situations.

“Try not to catastrophize; instead focus on what you can do and accept the things you can’t change,” the organization’s website states.

The APA also recommends those who are isolated to read or listen to reliable sources of information to prevent increased levels of anxiety from constantly reading disconcerting news. 

One thing the CDC and APA agree on is that having a pet around can be beneficial to a person’s mental well being if they are able to regularly interact with the pet during periods of social isolation.

Getting outside can help with overall health

Being healthy isn’t limited to good blood pressure and eating well. It’s an overall well-being that requires attention to many aspects of life.

An easy way to stay healthy is making sure to take some time to get outside. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  taking time to get outside can help with mental health, reduce stress and aid in the production of vitamin D. 

Getting outside can also lead people to take part in physical activity that they might otherwise be unable to do, according to the CDC.

For those who already live in New Braunfels, they have access to multiple parks with opportunities for running, biking, walking, hiking and other physical activities. According to the National Parks Service, a 30 minute visit to a park can bring a variety of health benefits, including lowered cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation and an improved immune system. That’s not counting the mental health benefits, including reduced stress and attention fatigue, according to the NPS.

But according to the CDC, getting outside doesn’t mean an 8-hour drive to Big Bend. It can be as simple as taking a dog for a walk, participating in a yoga class, swimming at a pool or walking around the neighborhood.

For those concerned about contracting COVID-19, the CDC says outdoor activities are some of the safest things to do, so long as they don’t involve close contact with unvaccinated individuals in areas with high numbers of cases.

For information on New Braunfels area parks and trails, visit www.nbtexas.org/parks or comaltrails.org.

New Braunfels chef makes it big on TV

Flip on the television this summer, and there’s a chance you might see a familiar face. Antonio Ruiz, who previously contributed recipes and columns to New Braunfels Monthly, is appearing in Hell’s Kitchen Young Guns, a reality show hosted by Gordon Ramsay.

The world-famous chef, recognized for his fiery personality and high standards for food, brings chefs 23 and under from across the US to compete in a show of culinary action.

“Ramsay picked 18 of the top chefs in the country,” Ruiz said. “He picked his top 18 under 25 coming from across the country.”

Ruiz, who is currently a chef at Texas Bistro at 1932 S. Seguin Ave. in New Braunfels, describes the experience as somewhat transformative, challenging him as a chef. But the way the entire process kicked off was less glamorous than a Willy Wonka golden ticket.

“So I actually just got a random message on Facebook from one of their assistants, and they sent it to me,” Ruiz said. “I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was kind of outlandish.

“He was just like, ‘Hey, I’ve seen a lot of things, I’ve seen — when I used to write for [New Braunfels Monthly] — I’ve seen your recipes in there. I’ve seen you in a couple of competitions. Would you be interested in trying out?’”

Ruiz said his response was a resounding yes.

“I signed up the next week, ended up going to LA and tried out for everything and two months later it’s like hey, you are leaving next week, and I was on a plane in Vegas and I was there,” Ruiz said. “It was all really quick. I think they sent me that message in February and I was gone by May. So it was a couple month span, but it went really quick.” 

But unlike the quick and easy experience of being approached to be on the show, Ruiz said the entire experience was challenging. 

“It’s nerve-wracking,” he said. “I like talking to people, don’t get me wrong. I work in the back for a reason, as opposed to being out here (in the dining area). I’m good in my element, but I feel that’s anybody, where if you take them out of their element it’s a little different. And then there’s that whole aspect of having cameras everywhere and being mic’d up. It’s a live set and … having Ramsay there and his intensity, just his persona, it’s a whole other experience.”

But despite that, Ruiz said it was good for him.

“It definitely makes you better,” he said. “Being around (Ramsay) is different from anybody I’ve been around — in a sense of with him it’s not about being good or good enough, it’s about being perfect and if it’s not perfect, you feel the wrath.”

Ruiz said that high standard the world-famous chef is known for is part of what made the entire experience unforgettable. 

“That’s why it’s so intense,” he said. “There’s lots of things that went up that were good, but they weren’t perfect. When it’s not perfect, that’s when you see him start throwing things and the real Ramsay comes out.”

Unlike at a regular restaurant — despite their sometimes long and grueling hours surrounded by heat and an endless stream of orders — Ruiz said his experience participating in the show resulted in long days that even challenged him as a chef.

“You are waking up at 5 a.m. every day and going to bed at like midnight,” he said. “They want to push you to the breaking point and see what happens and see if you can still maintain that level of cooking skill.”

And that can be a challenge, he said. Because while it’s a show for entertainment, there is a battle between competing personalities as 18 chefs narrow down to smaller teams as the 20th season of the show goes on.

“Everyone there thinks they are going to win, so they show how big and bad they are, so not everyone is necessarily working as a team,” Ruiz said. “You have that on one end of things, and then on the other you have Ramsay over here, and then on top of that you are trying to compete. It’s a managing experience like no other.”

Ruiz wasn’t able to disclose how long he would appear on the show.

According to Ruiz, the show is structured so each day there is a challenge, then a reward or punishment  phase and then a dinner service session.

“At dinner service, the losing team has to pick one person to leave,” Ruiz said.

While Ruiz has lived around the US, including Montana and Central Texas, he said the locations and backgrounds of other contestants varied.

“On this one, there’s three people from Texas. Myself and Emily, she’s a girl from San Antonio. … And then another one from Denton. There’s people from Arkansas, Alaska, California and a couple people from Baltimore,” he said.

That made for some interesting dynamics between personalities and experience, Ruiz said.

“There’s two people on the show who had never even been outside their city. And so then you have people like Emily and this girl from Alaska, and they are influencers so they’ve been all across the US and had all these experiences.”

Hell’s Kitchen: Young Guns airs at 8/7 p.m. central on Mondays on Fox. Ruiz and fans gather at Texas Bistro to watch new episodes as they air.

Try going native when landscaping in Central Texas

As people continue to move to New Braunfels from across the country, they bring with them their own preferences for landscaping. But a lush green yard that requires lots of water and care might not be the right solution for the unique environment of Central Texas and New Bruanfels.

Lauren Strack, assistant manager at the Headwaters at the Comal, said there are plenty of options for homeowners looking to decorate their yards with plants that will have minimal impact on the local environment and might just save homeowners money in the long term.

“I would say, certainly look into xeriscaping,” she said. Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping that relies on drought-tolerant plants and often features rock and gravel instead of green grass.

“This is more of a desert climate, and green grass yards are not something that would be found naturally,” Strack said. “So, I would encourage people to replace some of that grass with sand or rock.”

But that doesn’t mean a homeowner’s yard needs to be all rock. She said there is plenty of information available to residents through the Native Plant Society of Texas as well as at the Headwaters at the Comal.

“Mealy Blue Sage is a great plant,” she said. “It gets pretty big and showy and it has nice color. It really supports pollinators and so I like that plant. The best part of native plants is they aren’t very labor intensive. They don’t require a lot of watering.”

And living in the Hill Country, despite its sometimes dry environment, can still support some native grasses sustainably.

“There are some really beautiful grasses. … A Lindheimer Muhly or Indian grass will give color throughout the year,” Strack said.

Beyond general aesthetics, Strack said focusing on native plants when landscaping can also save money through rebates.

“I would suggest they check out the rebates [New Braunfels Utilities] has,” she said. “There are turf removal rebates, irrigation zone removal rebates. If you are looking to add trees to your yard, there is a list of native, drought-tolerant trees. If you buy something off that list, that’s available for a rebate too.”

Strack said the Native Plant Society has classes at different levels throughout the year to help residents identify what kind of plants work well under what conditions.

For information about the Native Plant Society of Texas, visit https://npsot.org/wp/lindheimer/.

For information about the Headwaters at the Comal, visit https://headwatersatthecomal.com/. Information about rebates can be found at https://nbutexas.com/rebates/

New Braunfels housing market is red-hot

If there’s one story regarding housing over the past several months that stands out, it’s the hot market for sellers and the uphill battle some buyers are experiencing.

But according to local real estate agent Megan Callahan with Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors, located at 532 South Seguin Ave., that shouldn’t scare buyers off. They just need to consider their options.

“There really wasn’t an issue before with houses selling for tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars above their list price sight unseen, appraisals being waived,” Callahan said. “So, the market has been incredibly, incredibly fluid.”

Tight inventory of housing on the market has made for a competitive environment when purchasing a home, that being spurred by homeowners reluctant to leave their current residence. Those who do can find themselves with a great sale price, but then need to find a new place to move into.

“It makes it super frustrating and really hard for buyers, and sellers are getting the sweet end of the deal,” she said. “It’s a seller’s market. But those people also have to worry about where they are going to go.”

Home sales in the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area increased 16.6% in March, compared to a year ago, the Herald-Zeitung previously reported.

So what are buyers looking for?

“They want the biggest amount of upgrades they can get for the amount, but definitely open concept (kitchens),” Callahan said. “People always want a covered porch. We live in Texas and it’s really hot. When they go in the back yard and there’s absolutely no coverage, that’s usually a dealbreaker.”

She said upgraded bathrooms and kitchens can often make or break a buyer’s interest in a home. 

But what matters goes beyond the walls of the home.

“People definitely want a yard, now more so than ever,” she said.

She attributes this attitude to likely being tied to buyers being stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. That and a two-car garage can make a home a hot commodity.

“If they are buying, they definitely want a two-car garage,” she said.

But buyers sometimes come to the market with their expectations already set, and Callahan said new buyers could sometimes benefit from opening up their options.

“I would say a lot of them want the newer builds and stay away from the older ones that may need more work,” she said. “I would really just encourage them to consider them because a lot of times those older homes have really good bones.”

She said the role of a real estate agent is often to know the market, and make sure the buyer gets what they want, even if they don’t initially realize it’s what they are after in a home. That’s why Callahan said she encourages buyers to not rush into a purchase and consider their options.

“I think that most people in this day and age understand that because of the way the market is,” she said. “They are coming to Realtors now more than ever, but there’s a wealth of knowledge that comes with having a real estate agent that you’re not going to get the same information or incentives.”

As for who is buying, she said there isn’t one group.

“It really isn’t a certain demographic that’s looking to buy,” Callahan said. “I can’t say that at all because in my experience, I have people who are buying who are older looking to buy their second home they are looking to use as an investment property — they want to rent it out because the rental market is really hot right now. There’s younger people who are looking to buy their first home.

“I’m seeing a really wide range of buyers. … It’s really everyone,” she said.