I decided to go bigtime, with my own domain and everything!
www.goingtosanantonio.info
Come visit!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
San Pedro Springs Park
Okay, this might end up sounding like a history lesson. If it does, forgive me! It was such an exciting park that I can't help it.
According to my current favorite San Antonio site, EdwardsAquifer.net, this park is one of the most important places in the American Southwest. Now, I don't understand the whys of that yet but I will certainly begin finding out and sharing that information.
Beyond the past and into the current time-the park is quiet, dark, and lovely. When Chris and I went to the park I had been feeling anxious and upset and the huge old trees and the easy access to the lawns really turned that around for me.
I'll make fun of the difference other times, but it's certainly much different from the parks of Arkansas. In Arkansas, you would find marked trails through and signs everywhere. I love that from a knowledge point of view, but yesterday the ability to walk on the grass without worrying about damaging the habitat was exactly what I needed.
Hooray! I successfully avoided the history lesson. Be prepared-I'm working my way up to it!
According to my current favorite San Antonio site, EdwardsAquifer.net, this park is one of the most important places in the American Southwest. Now, I don't understand the whys of that yet but I will certainly begin finding out and sharing that information.
Beyond the past and into the current time-the park is quiet, dark, and lovely. When Chris and I went to the park I had been feeling anxious and upset and the huge old trees and the easy access to the lawns really turned that around for me.
I'll make fun of the difference other times, but it's certainly much different from the parks of Arkansas. In Arkansas, you would find marked trails through and signs everywhere. I love that from a knowledge point of view, but yesterday the ability to walk on the grass without worrying about damaging the habitat was exactly what I needed.
Hooray! I successfully avoided the history lesson. Be prepared-I'm working my way up to it!
Monday, May 7, 2007
Hello Carnival!
Jon, The DC Traveler, was kind enough to include my Monte Vista post on his incarnation of the Carnival of Cities. He's a gracious host, and I hope you enjoy his site in your blog wanderings.
Thanks, Jon!
Thanks, Jon!
Sunday, May 6, 2007
A love affair with aguas frescas-Market Square 5-6-07
I really wish we'd brought our camera to this one. It was left in Chris' car and thanks to that, you guys have missed out on some gooood shit.
We hit up the Market Square today..bellies first. Lord, did we ever hit it bellies first.
I don't have anything from my Arkansas life to compare this to. There were booths selling food, a few booths selling jewelry, but more than that there was music. Music everywhere. Within a block of each other there were two stages set up, though I don't think they both played at the same time.
The people were fantastic. Not too many tourists, just a few. Mostly there were families and older couples out for a wonderfully mild afternoon. The people were polite and never too pushy, it was a pleasure to be out in this crowd.
Food encounter number one was the decision on what to get for lunch. Chris decided we should eat in one of the two restaurants, but when we saw the line I decided we should try one of the vendor's booths-which is what I had hoped he would decide in the first place.
Wow, this is what I really wanted a picture of. I picked the second booth that caught my eye. I wanted something I didn't recognise, so I started looking at what people walked away with. The girl selling the food was really friendly, but she wouldn't tell me what I ordered until I took a bite of it. It was cow intestine! And it tasted like dirt! Ugh. One bite and I was done for. No wonder the girl said it was food to eat with beer.
We found other sources for real lunch, but it was just Chinese food. Kind of boring so I'll just reassure you that we did NOT have dessert for lunch. Though we did have desert! We had the best funnel cake I've had in *years*.
This funnel cake was HUGE, still the size of a regular paper plate, but twice as thick. And the lovely girl just *soaked* it down in powdered sugar. But the delicious final touch was the cinnamon she added. Oh yum! Chris officially earned the name "Sugar Britches" after this one. He jumped into that funnel cake head first and ended up wearing an awful lot of that powdered sugar before it was done.
And now for my favorite part of the day-the aguas frescas! I tried the watermelon variety and, oh my! It wasn't too sweet, and the watermelon flavor was *real*. Real bits of watermelon, real seeds, only a little bit of sugar. It was sold in huge glasses, however, and I just didn't have enough room left in my belly to drink the whole thing so I indulged in half of it and said goodbye. I'm guessing I can buy the ingredients for these drinks at the local grocery store so I'm content for now.
Oh the day was beautiful! It was our first outing in San Antonio, other than to various shops, and it was perfect. Chris and I are really going to enjoy living here.
We hit up the Market Square today..bellies first. Lord, did we ever hit it bellies first.
I don't have anything from my Arkansas life to compare this to. There were booths selling food, a few booths selling jewelry, but more than that there was music. Music everywhere. Within a block of each other there were two stages set up, though I don't think they both played at the same time.
The people were fantastic. Not too many tourists, just a few. Mostly there were families and older couples out for a wonderfully mild afternoon. The people were polite and never too pushy, it was a pleasure to be out in this crowd.
Food encounter number one was the decision on what to get for lunch. Chris decided we should eat in one of the two restaurants, but when we saw the line I decided we should try one of the vendor's booths-which is what I had hoped he would decide in the first place.
Wow, this is what I really wanted a picture of. I picked the second booth that caught my eye. I wanted something I didn't recognise, so I started looking at what people walked away with. The girl selling the food was really friendly, but she wouldn't tell me what I ordered until I took a bite of it. It was cow intestine! And it tasted like dirt! Ugh. One bite and I was done for. No wonder the girl said it was food to eat with beer.
We found other sources for real lunch, but it was just Chinese food. Kind of boring so I'll just reassure you that we did NOT have dessert for lunch. Though we did have desert! We had the best funnel cake I've had in *years*.
This funnel cake was HUGE, still the size of a regular paper plate, but twice as thick. And the lovely girl just *soaked* it down in powdered sugar. But the delicious final touch was the cinnamon she added. Oh yum! Chris officially earned the name "Sugar Britches" after this one. He jumped into that funnel cake head first and ended up wearing an awful lot of that powdered sugar before it was done.
And now for my favorite part of the day-the aguas frescas! I tried the watermelon variety and, oh my! It wasn't too sweet, and the watermelon flavor was *real*. Real bits of watermelon, real seeds, only a little bit of sugar. It was sold in huge glasses, however, and I just didn't have enough room left in my belly to drink the whole thing so I indulged in half of it and said goodbye. I'm guessing I can buy the ingredients for these drinks at the local grocery store so I'm content for now.
Oh the day was beautiful! It was our first outing in San Antonio, other than to various shops, and it was perfect. Chris and I are really going to enjoy living here.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
South Monte Vista
Chris and I went on our first walk through the neighborhood and it was phenomenal. We went around 7.30pm; the wind was blowing with rain on its breath. The streets were quiet, everyone must have been in eating dinner while we played tourist in our own neighborhood.
We were met at one house by a greeting committee of kitties. Two were lounging on a car hood and the little tabby above came trotting up from elsewhere, yelling "Hi! Hello! Welcome!" She has a cute little squished Persian face and is built like a little feline pit bull.
Little pitbull tabby was joined by our little midnight escort. Midnight kitty followed us further than the other two kitties-she was such a tease too. When we weren't looking she'd trot along behind us but if we went to pet her she would raise her tail, walk away, and lay down like she wanted her belly rubbed..but she would run away if we went near her.
I was kind of sad to say goodbye to her. She reached her stopping point and just stood there and yelled goodbye to us in her little kitty voice.
Take a look at some of the houses she was showing us though. Just incredible! I really love this neighborhood.
Within the past year, I've discovered the quality of the neighborhood can be determined by how friendly the kitties are. I think our greeting committee proved to us today that at least the south part of the Monte Vista area will make us very happy to be here.
We were met at one house by a greeting committee of kitties. Two were lounging on a car hood and the little tabby above came trotting up from elsewhere, yelling "Hi! Hello! Welcome!" She has a cute little squished Persian face and is built like a little feline pit bull.
Little pitbull tabby was joined by our little midnight escort. Midnight kitty followed us further than the other two kitties-she was such a tease too. When we weren't looking she'd trot along behind us but if we went to pet her she would raise her tail, walk away, and lay down like she wanted her belly rubbed..but she would run away if we went near her.
I was kind of sad to say goodbye to her. She reached her stopping point and just stood there and yelled goodbye to us in her little kitty voice.
Take a look at some of the houses she was showing us though. Just incredible! I really love this neighborhood.
Within the past year, I've discovered the quality of the neighborhood can be determined by how friendly the kitties are. I think our greeting committee proved to us today that at least the south part of the Monte Vista area will make us very happy to be here.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The San Antonio River isn't a ditch
I'm from Arkansas, so I'm used to really huge drainage ditches criss crossing many of the cities in the state. I'm also used to the Mississippi river, the Arkansas river, and the White river. Well, the Mississippi doesn't start in Mississippi, the Arkansas doesn't start in Arkansas, and the White starts in a lake.
However, the San Antonio river IS a river and it DOES start in San Antonio. How novel is that?
Every time you mention San Antonio to someone, the Riverwalk is mentioned. For the longest I thought the Riverwalk was just a goofy tourist attraction but I was so wrong!
The river starts a few miles north of downtown and wanders "fifteen miles across six miles of city blocks". It then flows another 180 miles to the Guadalupe. I really had no idea it was a viable, original river. I thought it was a big fancy ditch. Yeah, I'll admit it. You know cities do things like that to attract tourists.
However, the San Antonio river IS a river and it DOES start in San Antonio. How novel is that?
Every time you mention San Antonio to someone, the Riverwalk is mentioned. For the longest I thought the Riverwalk was just a goofy tourist attraction but I was so wrong!
The river starts a few miles north of downtown and wanders "fifteen miles across six miles of city blocks". It then flows another 180 miles to the Guadalupe. I really had no idea it was a viable, original river. I thought it was a big fancy ditch. Yeah, I'll admit it. You know cities do things like that to attract tourists.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Witte Museum
The Witte Museum looks to be a great little place. I just found out about it today and I can't wait to visit!
The museum describes itself as:
What got me excited is their exhibit titled "Gems of the Collection". The exhibit is a collection of favorites chosen by past visitors to the museum. It will be really interesting to see the best of the best as determined by actual 'consumers' of the past.
This exhibit will be available until July 29 of this year. Their operating hours vary a bit. On average they're open from 10am to 5pm, the variables are that on Tuesdays they're open until 8pm and on Sundays they open beginning at noon.
And check this out! They have a (stuffed)wingless bird!
It's called an Apertx and I've never heard of one before in my life. Have you? Google's not even heard of it. I wonder what the story is?
How to find the place looks pretty simple, they're on Broadway just south of Hildebrand and east of Brackenridge park. I can easily see Chris and I visiting the museum and then playing in park for a while, maybe visiting the zoo.
All images and quoted text from the Witte Museum website. Will remove upon request. Thank you!
The museum describes itself as:
. . .San Antonio's premiere museum of South Texas history, culture, and natural science. Located in Brackenridge Park, on the banks of the San Antonio River, the Witte offers permanent exhibits that include dinosaur skeletons, cave drawings, wildlife dioramas, and even some live animals. Several historic homes have been reconstructed on the campus, which also features the very popular H-E-B Science Treehouse. Changing galleries include Texas artists, textiles and showcase exhibits, some locally produced and some traveling national exhibits.
What got me excited is their exhibit titled "Gems of the Collection". The exhibit is a collection of favorites chosen by past visitors to the museum. It will be really interesting to see the best of the best as determined by actual 'consumers' of the past.
This exhibit will be available until July 29 of this year. Their operating hours vary a bit. On average they're open from 10am to 5pm, the variables are that on Tuesdays they're open until 8pm and on Sundays they open beginning at noon.
And check this out! They have a (stuffed)wingless bird!
It's called an Apertx and I've never heard of one before in my life. Have you? Google's not even heard of it. I wonder what the story is?
How to find the place looks pretty simple, they're on Broadway just south of Hildebrand and east of Brackenridge park. I can easily see Chris and I visiting the museum and then playing in park for a while, maybe visiting the zoo.
All images and quoted text from the Witte Museum website. Will remove upon request. Thank you!
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