Just Sayin’

Well, I’m excited to say I checked it off the ol’ bucket list, friends; my Fixer Upper dream came true! I went to Waco and did all things Chip + Jo! Are you equally as obsessed? Thinking of taking a trip to Texas to check out Magnolia? Here are some tips!

Plan on spending a day, not a weekend. In fact, plan on going during the week! We made the trip on a Saturday. It. Was. Packed. There was an hour-long wait to the Silos Baking Co., so we walked across to the Magnolia store. There was a long line, but it moved quickly. The problem was once inside the store, there was a line to look at everything, literally shoulder to shoulder and then an even longer line to check out. I was so giddy and excited to be there, the lines didn’t necessarily bother me, but I just didn’t feel like I really got to enjoy looking at the merchandise! Needless to say, I walked away with $350 in purchases, so clearly, I found some goods! HA!

After we shopped, took 8,000 pictures, let the kiddos run around and scoped out the food trucks, we decided to drive to Chip + Jo’s new restaurant, Magnolia Table! They do not take reservations. The wait was four hours. Yes, four. So, my advice is, try to be first in line or go when you’re not hungry and assume you will be by the time you get seated. Or, just do like we did; take a bunch of pictures and grab some stuff from the take-away area! It was really cool to see it all, but I do wish we could’ve actually eaten there!

You will likely NOT see Chip + Jo…anywhere! I mean, it’s not like I thought they’d just be walking around chatting it up with the customers! But a girl can dream, right?! I asked the lovely sales girl at Magnolia Market if they ever swing by to check things out. She said that they definitely do, but it’s usually on a Tuesday afternoon when there is much lighter traffic!

There is no tour to take you around and show you the houses they’ve remodeled. Again, this was a great idea in my head, but let’s get real. People actually live in these homes and the last thing they want is a busload of crazy Fixer Upper fans peeking through their windows! There’s a Tour of Waco bus tour you can take (they’re stationed right outside of the silos), but that’s not what it’s all about.

Plan to spend a few hours getting your Magnolia fix. But, after that, what to do? Shop, of course! There are a ton of adorable boutiques very close to the silos! I loved Spice Village; it’s a boutique collective with lots of really cool shops under one roof. Women’s clothing, baby and kid stuff, home décor, a little something for everyone! They’ll also direct you to the other boutiques nearby, many within walking distance.

I’m gonna be completely honest with you; I’m not a foodie. I know this probably makes me sound super boring. So, I can’t give any personal recommendations. The menu at Magnolia Table looked amazing! The food trucks offered a nice variety! And I did get some personal recommendations from one of the locals. You might try La Fiesta, Mexican; Schmaltz’s Sandwich Shop; Baris, Italian; Cafe Cappuccino, breakfast, lunch, dinner; George’s Restaurant, grill and bar.

We had the best time. It was so worth the drive. I pretty much geeked out over every little thing. If you’re a big fan of the show and of Chip + Jo in general, you’re just gonna love it! I hope these tips help while planning your own adventure! Enjoy! ■

Written by: Mix 93.3 personality Jenny Matthews
Jenny Matthews is the host of Mix 93.3’s ‘Jenny Matthews Show’ 10am – 3pm, Monday – Friday. She is also the co-founder of www.sheKClifestyle.com. She lives in the Northland with her husband, Matthew, and their two kiddos, Julianne and Miles. Connect with Jenny at jmatthews@mix93.com!