It’s my home state, my background, my culture. Like so many people from Texas, the state’s identity flows through me like the free-flowing Dr Pepper that you find in every fast food chain. My Texas blood is as thick as the fancy ketchup from Whataburger. Most Texans have a lot of pride for their state; …

When I visited my hometown of Grapevine, Texas for Thanksgiving last year, I had the opportunity to visit several of the city’s tourist attractions. One of the ones I was most interested in visiting was Grapevine’s Legoland. LEGOS! These Legoland Discovery Centers aren’t in many places around the world—Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, Manchester…and Grapevine. GRAPEVINE!?! Most …

Most small towns in America are known for certain kitschy appeal—a main street with an old-town cinema, a friendly neighbor or a local bakery. Grapevine somehow manages to keep all that kitsch, but add a sizable amount of modernity to the mix, too. If you’re any sort of hipster like myself, the trendy coffee shops …

On my recent trip back to the United States, I took a few days to explore my old stomping grounds: Grapevine, Texas. Now first things first: when people ask me where I’m from, I typically answer “Boston via Texas.” I spent my childhood growing up in Texas but after high school graduation, I was pretty …

On part of my hometown tour of Grapevine, I visited the Gaylord Texan—a resort and convention center. I remember when the huge building complex was built a few years ago because everyone in town was talking about it. It’s your typical conference center except that it’s in Texas—which means it is even bigger. There’s a …