The Experience

Having this blog has been such an amazing experience. I have always been a big fan of blogs and having a reason to push myself to have my own, helped me see behind the scenes of it all. Not only has it made me be more active and present on social media, but it has also helped me promote my personal brand. Since I am a public relations major, creating my online presence and brand is an important part of my career. This blog has taught me many different things and theres many things that I would change if I were to start over.

If I were to make any changes to my site, the biggest one would be to write about something that is more personal to me. I loved reviewing restaurants and trying new things but there are other things that I feel as though I could have given my all to. I also could’ve promoted all my posts more. Although I shared them on twitter, I think it would have been beneficial to share them on other social media outlets such as Instagram and Facebook. That would’ve brought in a lot more traffic and reached a bigger audience. The best experience that I have had while creating and posting blogs would definitely be the fact that I have improved my writing skills. I have always had a passion for writing and this site has given me the outlet to do so. I believe that this will help me in the future, whether it be in my desired career field or just for fun, because it has shown me that there is a lot that goes on behind the screens and it just helped me gain more experience in the digital media field.

Throughout the process of creating this site, I noticed that there were some common trends when it came to the number of clicks I would receive on my posts and how many people were actually reading them. My most popular week was the week of October 14, 2019, and I received 26 views on the specific post and 19 visitors. The post that gained the most traffic would be my Who I Am post with 34 views. I think it was my most popular post because it was my first post and it was more about my personal goals. Out of all the stats of my site, I was most shocked to see that I had viewers from the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Sweden.

PIZZA, PIZZA, PIZZA

Everyone I know seems to love a good pizza. Located in New York, New York, Joe’s Pizza is an all time classic! They offer a wide variety of different toppings and styles of pizza that never disappoint! They have been open since 1975. If you ever go to New York City, there is a good chance anyone you speak to will have had a slice!

When ordering at Joe’s, it is very casual. They have two sections to their restaurant. One side is made specifically for take out orders and deliveries while the other side is made for people wanting to sit and enjoy their meal. When I went to New York City in June of 2018, Joe’s Pizza was on my bucket list of places to try. I have always been told that the pizza in NYC is an entirely different experience and it definitely was!

When ordering, I got the Margarita Pizza Classic. It came with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil and pepperoni. We had it delivered to our hotel room one night and I have never gotten food delivered so fast before! It was there within minutes!! If you ever find yourself in New York, I highly recommend trying Joe’s Pizza!

Best of the Best

1. Lucky Duck Cafe

Everyone I know seems to love a nice home cooked meal but is not always able to get one. A place that helps curve that crave would be the Lucky Duck Cafe. It is located in the small town of Taylor, Texas. It is best known for their fried catfish and chicken fried steak, both of which seem to draw people from all over. Not only is their food amazing, but so are their prices! There are not many places that you can get a really good chicken fried steak for only $11!

The tasty chicken fried chicken seems to be, not only mine, but also a fan favorite!

2. Southside Market Barbecue

Located in the sausage capital of Texas, Southside Market Barbecue seems to be one of the best places in Texas to get some authentic barbecue. They have a multitude of different things. For example, they have three to four different types of sausage, that included cheesy jalapeño. My favorite thing to order from Southside would be their brisket. It is made to perfection and seems to just melt in your mouth.

Southside Market offers a wide variety of different plates and meats.

Southside Market Barbecue is just one of the famously known barbecue restaurants located in Elgin, Texas.

3. Meyers’ Elgin Smokehouse

Meyers’ Elgin Smokehouse has been around for over 75 years and still never disappoints. All of their food is made fresh and is the best barbecue I have ever eaten. They have expanded to multiple locations but the original, and best, is located in Elgin, Texas. People from all over the country travel to get a taste of one of the famous Meyers’ sausage! Not only is their barbecue good, but so is their cream corn. Whenever I go to visit Elgin, all my friends beg me to bring them some back!

Meyers’ is known for their saying, “Real Texas, Real Good!”

They have an expansive menu that has something for everyone!

Lucy’s

Have you ever craved a good home cooked meal? At Lucy’s Kitchen you’ll definitely find that there. Located just thirty minutes outside of Austin, in Elgin, Texas, Lucy’s has a home-like feel that you can not find anywhere else. It opened up about seven years ago and has been a hit ever since. It is truly a hidden gem of Elgin, Texas.

When you walk in the doors you immediately feel a sense of comfort. The staff shouts a “Hello” and then you are able to pick your table and seat yourself. A waitress will then come to give you a menu to look over and get your drink order. I don’t know what it is about the whole interaction but the staff really tries to make you feel at home and comfortable. Throughout the whole visit, the staff puts their all into making you feel at home.

I have one word to describe the food at Lucy’s: AMAZING. Lucy’s is by far my favorite place to eat when I go home to visit. My favorite thing to order is the chicken fried chicken. It’s cooked to perfection and has the perfect balance of meat and breading. Each plate comes with two sides and my favorite sides to get would be their french fries and green beans. I literally hate vegetables but there’s just something about their green beans, they’re amazing. If you ever find yourself near Elgin, Lucy’s is a must have.

Chili Dog Stand

The Chili Dog Stand is such a San Marcos classic. It has been around for forever and one of the places that best describes the vibes of San Marcos. It is located off of Invasion Street and super easy to spot. It has been around since 1952 and been a huge success. It was opened by Dawson Wilson Tabor and his wife Mabel Juanita Taber and then passed down to their son and then later sold to their family friend, Tony Garza.

The Chili Dog Stand is one of the most popular places in San Marcos. Known for its amazing chili dogs, it has really made a name for itself. People from all over travel to come get a bite of one of their chili dogs. The Chili Dog Stand has a sense of familiarity because they treat you like family. It is a very laid back atmosphere and makes you feel comfortbale whenever you go to order.

When I tell you that they have really good food, I mean they have REALLY good food. Not only do they serve chili dogs but they also serve Frito chili pie, beef tacos, and sausage wraps. They are most known for their “All The Way’ chili dog. It is by far my favorite. It has mustard, onions, and homemade San Marcos chili on a steamed bun and it is to die for. Whenever I go home to visit, my older brother always asks if I brought him some chili dogs and gets mad if I don’t. If you are ever in the mood for chili dogs, the Chili Dog Stand is the way to go.

Alike but Different

When I made this blog, I had to get inspiration from somewhere. I had no clue what I could write about that, not only I would find interesting, but what my readers would find interesting too. I began my search by googling, “good blog topics.” So many different topics popped up but the one that stuck out the most to me was reviewing restaurants. I decided to put a spin on it and not just talk about restaurants, but small local ones that many people might not know about. Roadfood stuck out to me not just because we were both reviewing food, but because they reviewed a bunch of different types of food in different states.

When going through Roadfood’s blog, I loved how it was separated by state/territory. It made it super easy and was helpful when trying to find restaurants when traveling. They currently have fifty-five different states and territories that they review food in and are always growing and adding more.

When reviewing food, they first have a page introducing the state and what they are most known for. For example, on the Texas page, they mention barbeque, chicken fried steak, chili, and a bunch of different things.

Once you have gone through the overview, it shows you a list of twenty-five restaurants that they reviewed. Each state has a different amount of restaurants that they have gone to, but Texas has 121 restaurants reviewed as of now.

Each review talks about different things. One restaurant that they reviewed is Ranch 616 that’s located in downtown Austin, Texas. In this review, the dish the author tried, the atmosphere, and over all experience was included. Roadfood’s website is easy to navigate and so helpful. I have been using it to explore different types of food all over Texas and if you like to try new things and places, I’d definitely check it out!

Azteca

Just an hour away from San Marcos lies a hidden gem. Taqueria Azteca De Oro, also known as Azteca, has been around for as long as I’ve been alive. It is located in Elgin, Texas in a small building just off Main Street. Growing up, my family and I would always go whether it was breakfast, lunch, or dinner because everything there is so good. It is my all-time favorite place to eat not only because of the amazing food but because of the amazing prices. 

My favorite thing to order from Azteca is their beef fajita taco with an iced tea. Sometime’s I like to switch it up and get the cheese enchilada plate which is one of my all-time favorites. Now, I am, what some people would call, a salsa fanatic. Salsa counts for about seventy percent of my diet, so when I tell you that they have amazing salsa, you can trust my judgment. I don’t know what they do, but trust me when I tell you that they have the best of everything. From their chips and salsa to their enchiladas to their tacos, no place has ever been able to outshine the little hole-in-the-wall.

It’s at home feel and charm makes you feel welcomed right when you walk through the door. They offer the best service and always go above and beyond. Since I have been going there for all of my 20 years of life, most of the workers know me by name. It’s comforting being able to walk in and have the waitresses greet me by name and already have my order memorized. Last weekend, I went home to visit my family and brought my friend Emily along with me and we, of course, just had to go to Azteca. They treated her just like they treat me, like family. It’s so refreshing going back and being able to have such a welcoming atmosphere that I can share with my family and friends.

Garcia’s

Another cult classic of San Marcos would be Garcia’s. They first opened up in 1988 by the Garcia family right across from Cheetham St. Warehouse. Curtis and Antonio Garcia decided to open the restaurant and used their family recipes to bring people authentic Mexican food and it was definitely a success. The people of San Marcos hold the restuarant so near and dear to their heart that they actually had to open another location on Wonder World Dr. Since opening, they have always strived to to provide the best customer service and give people a taste of what home feels like.

The food is literally out-of-this-world good. Their chips and salsa are amazing and definitely remind me of home. The chips are super crunchy yet airy at the same time and it compliments the salsa and queso really well. My favorite thing to get would be their beef fajata plate. It comes with rice and beans and tortillas and is super spicy yet I can’t seem to ever stop eating it. They’re definitely the best fajatas in San Marcos.

Since they have been open for over 25 years, it definitely has a home-like feel. They have pictures hung up all around and are continuously adding to it. Whenever someone hosts their birthday party there, they take a picture of the whole party and add it to the collection. My grandmother was close friends with Curtis and Antonio’s mother and when I walk through the door, I feel right at home. Their customer service really makes the entire experience. From the moment you walk in, to the moment you leave, the staff really tries to make you feel like you’re apart of the Garcia family.

The Taco Hut

If you’ve ever been to San Marcos, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Herbert’s Taco Hut. It has been around since 1976 and been a key aspect of the town. It was opened by the Rizk family and grew on the hearts of everyone around in San Marcos. People come from all over to get a taste of their amazing salsa and mini street tacos. The restaurant is still in the orginal building that it opened in, located on Riverside Drive near the heart of downtown and is known for their classic red letters on their roof.

My mom grew up in San Marcos and when she comes to visit me, the first thing on her to-do list is to visit Herbert’s. They serve classic tex-mex food, that is just amazing. My favorite thing to order would definitely be their t-bone ranchero dinner plate. It literally explodes with flavor and I can never get enough of it, I get it every time I go for lunch or dinner. For breakfast, I get their bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos and let me tell you, they are the BEST breakfast tacos I’ve ever had. They make their tortilla’s fresh every morning and it definitely adds to the home like feel of Herbert’s.

The atmosphere of Herbert’s is truly the best. When you walk through the doors, you’re greeted almost immediately and made to feel like you’re home. Since they have been around for so long, they have made a huge impact on the San Marcos community. There are pictures all over the walls from customers that have ate there and even famous people that have stopped by to grab a bite. To me, knowing how many people have visited Herbert’s and really love everything about it makes it my favorite spot to eat in San Marcos.

Who I am

Hey guys, my name is Madalyn Hardi. I’m from a small town called Elgin, Texas which is just outside of Austin but is known as the sausage capitol of Texas. I attend Texas State University and am currently enrolled here for my second year. My plan is to get my degree in Public Relations and a minor in International Studies and then graduate May 2022. My dream is to move to New York City after I graduate and work for international corporations and help with branding/rebranding their companies. I spend most of my time with my friends or family and really enjoy going out and experiencing life with their help. 

Throughout my life, I grew up in a small town and with small towns comes good local restaurants. With this blog, I plan to go to small hole-in-the wall restaurants and review the meals and overall atmosphere. I’m a huge foodie and all of my money goes to food so I figured I might as well try new places while getting graded for it. My hometown has really made my love for local food grow. I believe that not only is it about the food, but supporting small businesses and helping them flourish.

Along with this blog, I plan on improving my other social media accounts. This will not only help with how I present myself to the world, but will help me be ready for my career after college. Being more conscious of what I post or repost will only help me in the long run. Social media has had such an enormous impact on todays society that I am genuinely excited to see where this blog will take me and how it will improve my understanding of my chosen career path. Being twenty years old, I am very well versed in social media but exploring the depths of it and how far it can take someone is something I’m very excited to know more about.