The Round Top Dispatch

Tales from the Fields

Round Top may have only 90 residents, but don’t let that small-town number fool you—it’s an absolute whirlwind. The antiques show, stretching across 11 miles, might start with dusty fields, but the high-falootin’ gals aren’t exactly out there digging through crates. No, you’ll find them at late-night shopping sprees, exclusive chef dinners, and front-row seats at fashion shows, or cozying up at the bar at Ellis Motel after a long day of shopping.

This town is so much more than antiques—it’s a test of endurance, a fashion-forward oasis, and a treasure trove of stories waiting to be uncovered.

History overload? Absolutely. But also, it’s a book I’m living and writing every time I visit, with each dusty relic and sparkly find adding a new chapter to the tale.

We had that little hiccup when we rolled into Round Top the night before—one of those moments that throws off the plan but somehow makes the trip better. After settling into our Airbnb in Schulenburg, we set off for happy hour at one of the fields. From there, in the way only Round Top can deliver, we somehow crashed a chef’s dinner.

We’d met the chef the night before at the bar at Ellis Motel, and there he was again—serendipity at its finest. While we couldn’t partake in the dinner, he welcomed us for drinks and oysters, and suddenly, we were exactly where we were supposed to be.

Look at the guy with the feather in his hat, rings on every finger, and a scarf tied around a belt loop. As much as I try, I can’t be that cool. But I can appreciate it in others. And more than that, I can let it inspire me.

Because that’s the thing about Round Top—just when you think you’re on the outside looking in, you realize you’re part of the story too.

My dad was a Midwesterner (Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas) and a Tennessee Baptist minister. He'd rock cowboy boots, bolero ties, and short jackets, and I’d cringe so hard. I was mortified. But now? I’d call him hip... with a side of holy.

At every turn, there’s a composition waiting to be framed—a vignette, a fleeting moment, a scene so perfectly lit it begs to be remembered. Something beautiful catches my eye, and before I even think, my camera is in my hands. All I want to do is capture it—bottle up the feeling, the colors, the light—so I can hold onto it just a little longer.

Maximalism is storytelling—layered, rich, and full of life.

Every antique, every relic, carries a history, a past life waiting to be rediscovered. It’s a conversation between eras, a tapestry of color, texture, and meaning. Beige minimalism may whisper, but maximalism speaks—boldly, unapologetically, and with a story far more interesting than a blank canvas.

The Round Top story is far from over—there’s still more dust to kick up, more treasures to uncover, and more characters to meet. I’ll be back soon with more adventures from the fields of Round Top, Texas. Stay tuned.

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I really do have to say thanks to…

Jason Wilson

from Everyday Drinking. It amazes me how one recommendation on Substack can be so impactful. I appreciate it very much!