One of the Lonestar State’s most well-known radio personalities, Charla Corn Barrett is also an entrepreneur, speaker, vocalist, author and, above all else she says, a wife and mother. Here, she is spotted cooling off at Gemelle in Fort Worth. Photograph courtesy of Andrew Frazer.
Charla Corn Barrett knows a thing or two about navigating the summer season in style
We tasked the Lonestar luminary with scouting the best ways to stay cool this summer, and she did not disappoint.
Have A Date Night: “My husband and I love to hit up several places on one date night. It’s rare when we can break away from the kids for a little time alone, so we prefer to restaurant and bar hop at some of our favorite spots. We head to Coco Shrimp in Southside for a flavor explosion with the sampler platter. Then, it’s off to Tinie’s for the carrots and tuna tostadas. We sneak in some live music and a beer flight at HopFusion Ale Works. Finally, the perfect finish to any date night is the Amber Room for a smooth atmosphere and fancy adult beverages.”
Summer Day-Trip with the Kiddos: “The Fort Worth Zoo with its new Elephant Springs is sure to wow the kids. Seeing the littles feed the giraffes is worth every penny. Get wet and go wild by cooling off at Safari Splash. The grand finale for the kids is a stop into Steel City Pops for a coconut popsicle.”
Cool Off: “My husband and I have 3 rambunctious kiddos from one year old to eight, so we’ve definitely gotten our money’s worth out of Hawaiian Falls season passes. However, nothing makes our hearts happier than taking a sunset ride in a boat on the lake.”
Shop Local: “Hale House on Camp Bowie has adorable finds. Update your wardrobe with trendy tops and summer dresses from Esther Penn on West 7th. If you’re in search of the perfect hat, opt for hats with a powerful purpose. The Power Hat Co. provides transitional employment for survivors of sex trafficking. It’s the only hat you’ll see me wear. I’m obsessed with their story and mission.”
Catch Live Music: “Lola’s Trailer Park or the new music venue at Tulips is a blast. You can always catch a good mix of indie, rock and Texas Country acts.”
Sneak a Staycation: “The Presidential Suite at Springhill Suites by Marriott in the Fort Worth Stockyards gives you a sprawling view of downtown. It’s my favorite splurge and hidden gem. If you’d prefer to be right in the thick of all the action, the new Hotel Drover is incredible. Perfect for treating your sweetheart to a special night away from the kids. Wink, wink.”
Soak Up Nature: “Lake Mineral Wells is a state park with lots of activities and trails. If you’d rather enjoy nature ‘sitting’, head to Woodshed or HG Sply Co. on the Trinity River.”
Touristy, but Worth It: “Hands down, the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Try to time it right to catch the authentic cattle drive down East Exchange Avenue. Then, head to the Cultural District for culture and education at our museums.”
Cruise Around: “Take to the sky for a stunning sunset tour with Epic Helicopters. They have sizzling summer specials on the Friday-night tours right now.”
Impress Out-of-Town Guests: “Spoil your guests with brunch at Wishbone & Flynt with the wild rice and blueberry pancakes. I love that they’re made with locally- sourced gluten-free flour (local oven from Frisco, TX), in a Swedish-style pancake with cooked wild rice in the batter, are thin and crispy, with blueberries from east Texas, and drizzled with local zip code honey.
Stage a Photo Op: “By far, the backyard at Tim Love’s new Italian restaurant, Gemelle. Order the frozen Aperol Spritz and strike a pose with a slice of their pepperoni and banana peppers pizza.”
Enjoy a Summer Read: I’d be honored if you’d pick up a copy of my book Letters To My Daughter: Timeless Lessons From the Bible’s Most Remarkable Women.”
Get to know Charla Corn Barrett
Website: charlacorn.com
Instagram: @charlacorn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlacorn
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CharlaMusic
Trend Setter: Each month, we task plugged-in locals to provide a scouted, curated look at the best of the West. Have a burning question or suggestion? Email Tory Dwyer at tory@360westmagazine.com.
THE DETAILS
- Coco Shrimp: 318 Bryan Ave, Fort Worth, (817) 720-6235, cocoshrimp.com
- Tinie’s: 113 S Main St, (682) 255-5425, tiniesfw.com
- HopFusion Ale Works: 200 E Broadway Ave, Fort Worth, (682) 841-1721, hopfusionaleworks.com
- Amber Room: 334 Bryan Ave, Fort Worth, (817) 945-2433, https://www.wishboneandflynt.com/the-amber-room
- Fort Worth Zoo: 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, (817) 759-7555, https://www.fortworthzoo.org
- Steel City Pops: 5924 Convair Dr #400, Fort Worth, (833) 588-7677, steelcitypops.com
- Hawaiian Falls: Roanoke, Mansfield, Garland, The Colony, Waco, https://hfalls.com
- Hale House: 4900 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, (817) 349-0535, shophalehouse.com
- Esther Penn: 3328 W 7th St, Fort Worth, (682) 841-1360, https://www.estherpenn.com
- Power Hat Co.: thepowerhatco.com, info@thepowerhatco.com
- Lola’s Trailer Park: 2736 W 6th Street, Fort Worth, (817) 759-9100, https://lolasfw.com
- Tulips: 112 St Louis Ave, Fort Worth, (817) 367-9798, https://www.tulipsftw.com
- Springhill Suites by Marriott: 2315 N Main St, Fort Worth, (682) 255-5100, www.marriott.com
- Hotel Drover: 200 Mule Alley, Fort Worth, (817) 755-5557, https://hoteldrover.com
- Lake Mineral Wells State Park: 100 Park Rd 71, Mineral Wells, (940) 328-1171, https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-mineral-wells
- Woodshed: 3201 Riverfront Dr, Fort Worth, (817) 877-4545, woodshedsmokehouse.com
- HG Sply Co.: 1621 River Run #176, Fort Worth, (682) 730-6070, hgsplyco.com
- Fort Worth Stockyards: East Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth, (817) 626-7921, https://www.fortworthstockyards.org
- Epic Helicopters: 3951 Lincoln Ave, Fort Worth, (817) 625-1800, https://epichelicopters.com
- Wishbone & Flynt: 334 Bryan Ave, Fort Worth, (817) 945-2433, wishboneandflynt.com
- Maggie’s R&R: 1264 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, (682) 255-5442, maggiesrr.com
- Gemelle: 4400 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth, (817) 732-9535, gemelleftw.com