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forest that surrounds the museum. July 11 – September 27, crystalbridges.org. ABILENE "The Grace Collects Women Artists," The Grace Museum If you want to avoid the traffic in a big metroplex, consider Abilene, a little hamlet well worth the visit. The Grace Museum is housed in a historic 1909 building that was once a hotel on the railroad line between Fort Worth and El Paso. The Grace Hotel was renamed The Drake in 1946, but it fell into disrepair when downtown Abilene declined in the '60s. In 1987, the Abilene Preservation League purchased the property. It took on a few iterations before the 55,000-square-foot building was renovated to become The Grace Museum. The institution has a long history of investing in women artists for its permanent collection. More than 100 which opened in 1983, is a carnivore's nirvana and a favorite of past presidents (George W. Bush had them cater the annual Congressional Picnic at the White House while he was in office) and celebrities (Robert Duvall has been spotted numerous times at a corner table). If your mouth is watering just thinking about it, Perini Ranch (as well as Bergdorf Goodman) ships its meats all over the country. Perini Ranch Steakhouse, 3002 FM 89, Buffalo Gap, periniranch.com. AUSTIN "Torbjørn Rødland: Bible Eye," The Contemporary Austin This little jewel in downtown Austin currently features the photographs of Norwegian artist Torbjørn Rødland, whose work pays homage to the seductive allure of commercial and fashion photography — but with a conceptual bent, presenting the everyday through an uncanny perspective. For this presentation, Rødland displays a selection of recent and older works alongside new images created in Austin. Through August 15, thecontemporaryaustin.org. Where to score a res: How did we make it this long? Texas has its own Soho House. Entrepreneur cum disruptor cum bon vivant Nick Jones' eagerly anticipated outpost of the member's-only institution of revelry and respite is just a stone's throw from Lady Bird Lake on South Congress Avenue. Beyond spaces to eat and drink, the three-story club has a rooftop pool and bar, screening room, and 46 bedrooms. Designed by Soho House Design, it's classic Texas Modernism with a contemporary Spanish aesthetic. The art collection includes works by 72 artists born, based, or trained in Texas, from the established (Deborah Roberts) to emerging talent (Tsz Kam and Santiago Escobedo Garcia). Like all Soho Houses, you must be a member to take advantage of all the amenities (hotel rooms are open to the public), so apply soon before the Austin techies take every last slot. 1011 S. Congress, sohohouse.com. works of art including paintings, fine art prints, and photography are included in this exhibition. Get ready for some incredible pieces by Lee Krasner, Alice Neel, and Mary Ellen Mark. Through October 2, thegracemuseum.org. Also on the itinerary: Just a short drive from Abilene is Buffalo Gap (population just over 600), home of the renowned Perini Ranch Steakhouse. Tom Perini's namesake restaurant, Clockwise from top: Carmen Herrera's Cerulean, 1965, at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Collection Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Marion Post Wolcott's Negro Men and Women Working in a Field, Bayou Bourbeaux Plantation, Natchitoches, Louisiana, 1940, at The Grace Museum. Collection The Grace Museum, Abilene. Torbjørn Rødland's Dancer, 2009, at The Contemporary Austin. Courtesy the artist. Ebony Iman Dallas' And Justice For …, 2014, at the Oklahoma Contemporary, Oklahoma City. Courtesy the artist. (continued from page 54) 56