BS: San Antonio Trip

Subject: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 01 Apr 10 - 02:58 AM

Looks like I'll be making my first visit to San Antonio, Texas at the end of April. I'll remember the Alamo and will take in the Riverwalk, but wondered if any 'Catters had any other recommendations I should check out while there. Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: ichMael
Date: 01 Apr 10 - 08:33 PM

The Gunter Hotel. Robert Johnson recorded there. It's a couple of blocks from the Alamo and all that. Maybe you could reserve room 414:

Around 1936, Johnson sought out H. C. Speir in Jackson, Mississippi, who ran a general store and doubled as a talent scout. Speir, who helped the careers of many blues players, put Johnson in touch with Ernie Oertle, who offered to record the young musician in San Antonio, Texas. At the recording session, held on November 23, 1936 in room 414 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson_(musician)

Gunter Hotel

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 01 Apr 10 - 10:41 PM

When I went into the Gunter Hotel years ago they claimed to not know anything about Robert Johnson. No plaque - no historic marker. What a shame.

If you go into the bar at the Menger hotel across from the Alamo you'll see the bullet holes in the ceiling from when Teddy organized the Rough Riders. The in-house video of the Menger Hotel shows me playing the piano - which I really don't play. I was asked to sit there and pretend I knew what I was doing. I've had some experience with that before so I complied.

Don't miss the Mexican market down the street. They'll give you directions.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 06:07 AM

Carmen asked me to urge you to get away from the main drags and hit the side streets in order to find the very best Tex-Mex food. Asking locals where they, themselves, like to eat can lead to some remarkable "finds". Of course, sending yourself on a mission to find the world's best margarita may be worthwhile as well.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 04:54 PM

Visit the other missions, Missions National Park, the Old Governors' Palace.
It takes a little hunting around in this site, but brief info is there- Missions and Independence trip. See maps and go to the Mission Trails Map- click on it to enlarge.
You have almost a month, so order the guidebook linked in this site:

San Antonio

In one of the Mexican cafes order a Bohemia for me.

A long time ago they offered fried rattlesnake at the Zoo on Sundays- this probably has stopped.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 04:58 PM

Thanks all. I hadn't heard about the Robert Johnson connection or the Teddy Roosevelt one. Maybe I'll make a plaque or at least do a framed certificate and see if the Gunther Hotel folks would like to display it. Might be worthwhile. And yes, I plan to get off the main drag every chance I get. Love exploring. Thanks again.

Yo quiero huevos rancheros!

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: broadstairs-jen
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 05:09 PM

the best place for a breakfast: mi tiera

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 01:08 AM

I like the San Antonio missions better than the ones here in California - the architecture is much more interesting to me. I don't know if you can get in during this post-9/11 era, but Fort Sam Houston one of the most beautiful military bases I've seen. The officer housing area has excellent examples of many different periods of military architecture - and lots of wildlife, too.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 10:08 AM

Another big vote for Mi Tiera. Esp for breakfast.

And it's right close to the Mexican market I was telling you about. That's the first place I ever tried Daves Insanity Hot Sauce. Be careful. It's downright dangerous.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 12:24 PM

To Joe...My traveling companion is an officer in the USAF, so I suspect he can get us a tour of the Sam Houston Base. Thanks for the tip. Wesley & Allan C., Mi Tiera will definitely be on my "to do" list.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 12:34 PM

Fort Sam Houston wasn't that impressive when I was there, but then, I was briefly living on it. The officers' housing was lovely to drive by. You've already mentioned the Riverwalk -- go to 'Dick's Last Resort' if it's still there. The Alamo Cafe, near the airport, had great food. I'd be in SA every year until I retired from the AF, and made a point of going there for Chili Rellenos. The challenge was to not pig out on their tortilla chips, guacamole and salsa. We had folks coming home with gallon jugs of their salsa!

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 01:41 PM

Restaurants are a hard thing to recommend. If you are looking for real Tex-Mex, some of the little places near the old church were good, but I haven't been there for some time. They changed often, so ask a native in the Mexican stores.

Places like Mi Tierra are really eclectic. If you are a 'foodie' look at the menus of San Antonio cafes and restaurants on the net, and pick to suit. A lot there.

Someone mentioned the Gunter; had a wedding party there in WW2 time. I am told that they still serve eggs benedict for breakfast in the restaurant. And they have their own bakery.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: pdq
Date: 03 Apr 10 - 02:00 PM

As another graduate of Fort Sam Houston's AIT medic program, I would to proudly say...


WELCOME TO BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER

Located on the historical Post of Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) is one of eight United States Army Medical Centers. BAMC has a proud and venerable history dating back to 1870 when the first post hospital endured as a small medical dispensary located in a log cabin. During the early years, the post hospital was in temporary structures until 1886 when the first permanent hospital was built. It was in this facility that many of Teddy Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" were treated for injuries received during pre-invasion training conducted here at Fort Sam Houston before the Spanish-American War. This stone structure was replaced as the hospital in 1907 when a new 84 bed facility was built. This new hospital was among the nation's most modern health care facilities without equal in the military.

BAMC's namesake, Brigadier General Roger Brooke assumed command of the post hospital in 1929 holding that position for 4-years. A true visionary among his peers, General Brooke is credited with instituting the first routine chest X-Ray in military medicine. This, along with his other outstanding contributions to medicine and his remarkably warm relationship with the local community, later resulted in a successful campaign naming the facility "Brooke General Hospital" in 1942.

In July 1936, the cornerstone was laid for the construction of yet another post hospital and by November 1937 the 450 bed hospital became operational. The total cost of construction was $3 million dollars. This new hospital's opening was the first in a series of events that changed Fort Sam Houston from an infantry post to a medical post.

The year 1941 saw BAMC again growing, as it prepared for the expected flow of WW II combat casualties, by converting a 220 bed enlisted barracks into additional patient wards. This was not the last conversion of existing facilities to medical service. In 1944, BAMC identified the need to recuperate soldiers injured on the WW II battlefield and converted a Cavalry battalion's barracks into a convalescent unit. This building later named "Beach Pavilion", served BAMC well, supporting the over 9,000 battlefield admissions BAMC received in June 1945 and the over 16,000 total admission by the year's end.

In 1946, Fort Sam Houston was chosen as the new site for the United States Army Medical Field Service School and the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (ISR). These decisions to centralize the Army's medical research and training at one location resulted in the renaming of Brooke General Hospital to Brooke Army Medical Center.

Through the years, Brooke Army Medical Center has continued to provide quality, responsive tertiary health care to our U.S. servicemen, service women, retirees, and their families. From WW II to Operation Desert Shield and Storm, BAMC personnel have answered the call on numerous occasions to sustain effective medical operations both at home and abroad.

Our new medical center was dedicated on March 14, 1996 is a Level I Trauma center and consisting of 1.5 million square feet of operational space, and features 450 inpatient beds; the world renowned Army Burn Center; 4 intensive care units; bone marrow transplant laboratory and unit; 13 radiographic suites of various types; 3 ultrasound suites; 3 mammography suites; 3 linear accelerators and 1 simulator; 1 magnetic resonance imager; 1 CT scanner and 1 Electron Beam CT scanner; 12 operating suites with two special procedure rooms; a separate same day surgical center; specialized cardiology facilities; over 30 health care specialty service areas; nearly 100% digital radiographic imaging; DODÆs largest installation of an automated clinical information system; a fiberoptic network providing telecommunication support to remote sits through telemedicine; and an administrative pneumatic tube transport system servicing over 70 stations, all of which are protected by an advanced security and fire detection/suppression system. BAMC continues its mission credo of "Dedication, Duty, Service", while once again becoming the most modern medical facility in DOD...

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 May 10 - 06:35 PM

So, BD, how was it? What did you see and do? What impressed you most?

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 May 10 - 04:04 PM

Yeah - We want an update......

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 02:48 AM

Carmen and I will be there for the next few days. I hope to discover some new treasures. Will post upon return.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:52 AM

We're back! San Antonio was all it was expected to be and more! This trip goes on the list of all time favorites. Our plan from the start was to eat as wide a variety of TexMex food as we possibly could as well as to find the best margarita in town. We accomplished both missions with undreamed of success.

As with most places we have visited, by the time we got so that we more or less knew our way around, it was time to leave. Arriving at that point had its down side. One of our first discoveries is that there are signposts on nearly every street corner that point the way to the Riverwalk (where most of the touristy stuff is). What it takes some time to grasp is that the Riverwalk has four sides to it - that is, the Riverwalk area is formed like the letter "D" with the main body of the San Antonio River extending northward and southward beyond the upright portion of the "D". For those of you who attended the Getaway when it was near Havre de Grace, Maryland, you will know what I mean when I say that wherever you needed to be was never anywhere near where you were at the moment. Thus, the signs that lead to the Riverwalk were only marginally helpful.

Carmen and I carried no less than three maps at all times, each of which was alternately helpful and nearly useless. We almost invariably walked much farther than might have been necessary in order to arrive at our chosen destination. But, then, getting lost is, I believe, all part of the fun. Fun, that is, until poor Carmen developed numerous blisters on her feet.

After we have unpacked and gotten back to "normal" I'll post some details about some of the places where we pigged ou....I mean dined and what we found to be among the secrets to the best margaritas.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 11:54 AM

Sounds neat, Allan! I look forward to reading more about your trip.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:03 PM

I hope you sampled the cabrito while you were there.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: DougR
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 06:21 PM

Just don't expect to find any REAL Mexican food like we have here in Arizona! :>) (Thought I'd stir the pot a bit).

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 07:31 PM

And here I thought the people of Arizona thought there was too much Mexican food in the state.......

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: DougR
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 07:52 PM

No, Wesley, we love the food!

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: open mike
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 09:52 PM

What's normal?

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 08:48 PM

Anyway - for real Mexican food you need to travel to Texas. End of story.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 05:29 PM

The reasons we decided to visit San Antonio were essentially two-fold. First, Carmen had attended a week-long conference there in 2000 and had enjoyed every minute – well, except for the conference part! My association with San Antonio was by way of my mother who was born two blocks from the Alamo and whose grandparents house was also in San Antonio. I, myself, had never been there.
We decided upon taking a late September trip to San Antonio in order to avoid the most searing part of the summer. The plan worked well. Weather forecasts for the area promised temperatures in the mid 80's and only a chance of an afternoon thunderstorm. The forecast turned out to be extremely accurate.
Our journey began at 2 in the morning when we awoke and got ourselves together enough to make the hour and a half drive to the airport parking lot. A quick shuttle ride later we zipped through the security and were soon sipping coffee and munching Cinnabuns while we awaited our flight. As luck would have it was announced that our flight was to have an hour's delay. We were allowed the option of taking an earlier flight that was leaving immediately. Great! This meant we would arrive in Atlanta substantially early for our connecting flight. Our original arrival time would have had us literally running to make the connection. Once we arrived at the Atlanta airport I decided to check to see if we might be able to switch to a flight that would leave right away. We lucked out again. A wonderful ticket reservationist pounded the keys on her computer for awhile and we were on our way! Thus we were able to maintain our hour lead on our arrival time in San Antonio. We were determined to take good advantage of the added hour.
Within moments of settling into our hotel room, (which, like so many others, overlooked the Riverwalk,) Carmen and I began exploring to see what San Antonio had to offer. We scouted the Riverwalk briefly until we encountered La Villita. La Villita, (Little Village,) is a gathering of small buildings, now shops for the most part, that once comprised the original Spanish settlement from which San Antonio grew. Here we encountered the Guadalajara Grill where we very much enjoyed our first margaritas of the trip while we munched on a huge platter of nachos complete with the best refried beans we found anywhere. Those turned out to be among the best margaritas we found.
After some more trekking around La Villita, a portion of the Riverwalk, and the Alamo, we wandered westward to El Mercado, (The Marketplace,) where we found Mi Tierra Restaurant. Now, everyone seems to speak glowingly only of the breakfasts they have had there. We ate an excellent dinner at Mi Tierra. As it happened, we were seated next to a table at which I spotted an elderly man seated beside a most beautiful guitar. The back of it was all I could see, but it was clearly a very old, handmade guitar. The back was made in two pieces with a dark, possibly walnut strip down the middle that joined the two lighter and somewhat less than perfectly smooth pieces. Although there was nothing particularly ornate about it, there was just something special in the appearance of this instrument. Impulsively, I struck up a conversation with the guitar's owner and soon got a better look. Again, it was only sparsely ornamented with just a bit of inlay here and there. But when the gentleman strummed a few chords on it, the simple beauty of it became at once magnificent. What lovely tone!
Carmen and I soon came to know that the gentleman was one third of a trio of men of similar age who had been performing together at Mi Tierra for some thirty years. The other two men played maracas and a second guitar. Their stated rate per song was six dollars. Feeling that the price was much too low, we paid them considerably more than that to play "Adelita", "Cuando Caliente El Sol" and "Volver,Volver", all of which they did exceedingly well. The other two men played maracas and a second guitar.
I should point out that at a good many restaurants we encountered quite a few small musical groups, variously instrumented, who most often began their conversations with potential customers by offering to perform "Cieto Lindo", which I suppose may be the song most commonly known by the majority of tourists. Alternatively, they might have offered "Malaguena Salerosa" which we also heard a number of times.
The restaurant, by the way, was cleverly decorated with thousands of small, white "Christmas" lights which shown down from the ceiling. Small, thin sheets of shiny, silver foil (Wow! Just try to say that rapidly a few times!) were strung across the ceiling at regular intervals. Each rectangle of foil was decorated with a variety of intricate cutouts of stars, birds, sunrays, etc.. The lights and their reflections added brightness to the room as well as to the atmosphere.
If memory serves, the margaritas we had at Mi Tierra were made with Cazadores Reposado tequila and Gran Gala. (I have always considered Gran Gala to be an inadequate imitation of Grand Marnier.) Neither the Grand Gala nor the lemon-lime mix with it were quite what we would have wanted but they were good enough for us to order a second – just to be certain. I had the Chiles Rellenos and Carmen had Enchiladas Verdes Mexicanas. The former consisted of Poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg batter then deep fried. The latter was 3 rolled tortillas filled with chicken then smothered with green tomatillo sauce and topped with añejo (aged) cheese. Carmen discovered the green sauce during her previous visit to San Antonio and could hardly wait to savor it again. Unfortunately, although the enchiladas were otherwise very good, the flavor Carmen sought was not in this particular sauce. Notwithstanding that, what I can say with certainty is that the meal was most enjoyable in no small part due to excellent service, atmosphere, and music.
Although we didn't do an extensive search, it seemed to us that good coffee, other than that of Starbucks, was a bit hard to find in San Antonio. Our hotel's "continental breakfast" was a horrid experience at which was served some brownish water which they insisted upon calling "coffee". Thus, each morning of our stay was begun with a short trek to the Starbucks at the Riverwalk. We sipped our coffees while sitting at a table on the veranda where we gazed at the beautiful San Antonio River through the branches of two hundred year old cypress trees. The trees were filled with dozens of sparrows who hungrily eyed the crumbs of my banana bread and Carmen's zucchini and walnut muffin.
Our next meal was a late brunch at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called La Jalesco that a salesperson had recommended. Carmen wanted to compare their "green enchiladas" to those of the previous night. She gave it a "thumbs down". The chicken seemed to have been microwaved rather than braised and the salsa tasted like a few tomatillos had simply been put through a blender. I had much better luck with a dish of what was essentially Mexican-style pork barbeque. It was accompanied by, (as nearly all TexMex dishes are,) refried beans, some Spanish rice, a few chopped onions and tomatoes – a.k.a, pico de gallo, perhaps some guacamole and/or some sour cream. Flour tortillas were at one side. The pork was prepared with some slices of cactus in a sauce that had just enough jalapeno to give it a bit of a bite. It was absolutely delicious!
The evening meal was at the Casa Rio Restaurant on the Riverwalk. We primed our appetites with some wonderful margaritas, made with Patron Anejo tequila and Gran Marnier. This time the citrus mixer was just right. By the time we finished eating we had gone through two each of the 20 ounce margaritas. The meal consisted of a Flauta Plate for me and the Casa Rio Deluxe Dinner for Carmen. Flautas, (flutes,) are corn tortillas filled with Chicken and spices, rolled and fried. Carmen's selection included three enchiladas - a beef, a cheese, and a "Green Chicken" enchilada topped with different sauces and cheeses. Apparently accustomed to dealing with people unfamiliar with tamales, our waitress advised Carmen, "Hon, be sure to remove the corn husk before you eat that".
This meal was also accompanied by some Mariachi music. Further entertainment was furnished by the skilled begging of a few Mallard ducks and a cowbird that wandered around beneath and beside our table. One adolescent duck extorted "payment" by gently nibbling at Carmen's exposed calf. The trick worked. A few taco chips strayed from the table to the ground despite the signs requesting that customers not feed the wildlife. We later saw more than one restaurant employee hand feeding various feathered creatures.
After the meal and the floor show offered by the ducks, Carmen and I wandered along the Riverwalk where we encountered the Arneson Riverwalk Theatre. This is an open air stage upon which there was a Folklorico dancing troupe whose show was already in progress. We later discovered that they put on such shows each evening, Thursday through Saturday. Because of our late arrival we were allowed to watch the show for free. But we would have gladly paid the five dollar admission price. The male dancers were outfitted in black shirts and trousers, each highly decorated with silver conchos and other smaller shiny bits. Their wide, black hats were similarly decorated. The women wore "peasant" blouses, some pulled down to reveal shoulders; some not. Their skirts were each different from one another, each with wide, raucously colorful, concentric rings of material. All had numerous petticoats beneath. Each and every dance move was accompanied by a manual swirling of skirts creating eye-popping, undulating waves of color.
In her very early years my mother and her mother moved to western San Antonio to live with Mom's grandparents at a house on West Commerce Street. Early on our second morning of our visit Carmen and I took a taxi out to that address. Or I should say, to what was once that address. The house no longer stands. Instead there is a wide driveway usurping the space where my Mom undoubtedly once played. Mom always spoke fondly of the time spent with her grandparents. While seeing the house where she once lived was somehow important to me, the fact that it no longer was there was not terribly surprising and only a little disappointing. After all, I was able to get some feel for the neighborhood as it once may have been. That had to be enough.
When we returned from our taxi sojourn into the past we decided to seek out a place to have brunch. The Original Mexican Restaurant was, as its name implies, the first Mexican restaurant in San Antonio as well as the first in the United States. I selected their Huevos Rancheros and helped Carmen to finish her dish of Nachos. Both were excellent! The Original Mexican Restaurant has two locations, one on Commerce Street and another on the Riverwalk. It fit our plans better to try the one on Commerce. As with some of our other eating adventures, we wished we could have returned to sample more of their menu. I'm reasonably certain that we had margaritas before and/or with our meal; but I can't dredge up any details as to how they were made or with what except that Triple Sec may have been involved.
This, our final full day in San Antonio was crammed with events. After our visit at the Original Mexican Restaurant, we took a short, very informative carriage tour of the city surrounding the Alamo. Afterwards we strolled through a three storey antique store. Somehow we wound up on the west side of town near a restaurant called La Margarita. I think you can guess what we did next. They made very good margaritas. We opted to have them made with Patron Anejo tequila and Gran Marnier. The mixer they used was just right. I think we agreed that those and the ones we had at Casa Rio were probably the best we had in San Antonio. But just to be sure, we revisited the Guadalajara Grill and tried theirs again. I think Carmen would agree that all three places make excellent margaritas. Later we took a very well guided boat tour of the Riverwalk. In retrospect I believe we probably would have benefitted more by having taken the boat tour on our first day in order to become better oriented to the area.
Our final TexMex meal of the visit was at Rita's on the River. As the name implies Rita's is on the Riverwalk, but we were happy to sit under roof due to an impending thunderstorm. The cloudburst began moments after we ordered our first margarita. Now for a word of advice: avoid ordering 40 ounce margaritas! However, this admonishment is not for the reason you may envision. The real problem with the huge margaritas we ordered was that the ice melted before we could finish them. The price seems at first to be worth the difference; but the enjoyment diminishes with the exponential dilution of the flavor.
I chose the steak and chicken fajita dish, "3/4 pound of fajitas served on a hot skillet with sautéed peppers and onions". Carmen had the burrito plate, "Our large, flour tortilla filled with your choice of chicken or steak fajita topped with our enchilada sauce and melted cheeses". Somehow after all that I still managed to make room for some of the best Mexican fried ice cream I ever had.
Again, the meal was accompanied by another group of three musicians. One played trumpet, who, like all of the other trumpeters I saw, always pointed his trumpet toward the river and away from the diners. I thought this was extremely considerate. Another played a small guitar, the name of which I promptly forgot, which sported all nylon strings – no wound strings at all. The third musician played a guitarron, (a large bass guitar,) giving me an opportunity to see one up close. I had always marveled at the way this instrument is usually held, with its face pointed upward at a sharp angle. I discovered there is no choice in the matter. The body of the instrument comes to a broad point in the back, leaving no alternative in how it is held. I only saw this one guitarron being played. I understand that there are some that are flat-backed and simply look like a very big guitar. I noticed that on many of the songs played on the guitarron the bass line consisted of two-note chords or octaves rather than the alternating notes that perhaps may be heard more often.
We began the next morning as we did all of the others. We sipped coffee on the Starbucks veranda while watching the river go by. It was earlier than on previous mornings and so we got to watch the Riverwalk come alive. All too soon it was time to return to the hotel to pack and before long we caught the shuttle to the airport. As we began our journey homeward we congratulated ourselves for seeing and doing so much within our allotted time. We had eaten as much TexMex food as was humanly possible, perhaps with an unconscious wish to take it home with us. We had tasted enough margaritas to learn that there are three requisites for a good one: top shelf tequila such as, Patron Anejo, Gran Marnier, and a quality, flavorful mixer. We had seen as much of San Antonio as time allowed and were deeply impressed by the experience. We don't know if we will ever afford a return visit; but we will certainly treasure our memories of San Antonio for the rest of our lives.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 12:46 PM

Great reportage, Allan.
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Allan C.
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 06:23 PM

Thanks, Roger. And no, Wesley, I missed an opportunity to try a cabritas dish. I really meant to order it but became distracted by something else equally interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Sep 10 - 07:49 PM

Allan, I love it. YOU have a future as a FOOD CRITIC...I can see it now...that's how you could afford to go to all the places you'd like. Very well written AND tasty-sounding!!*bg* Thanks for giving us a Taste of old San Antonio!

It's neat that you went out to your mom's grandparent's place...sad it was gone, but it must've felt good to at least see the spot.

Where to next?:-)

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 10 - 10:54 PM

Next time you come to Texas I'll take you to a little hole-in-the-wall place here in Fort Worth called La Playa Maya. Do you know that one, Wesley? It's a family restaurant with four locations, one way out in Weatherford, the rest around Fort Worth. I think the one on my end of town (on a section of Hemphill Street that only locals travel, because everyone else thinks it is full of hookers and junkies) is oldest.

Wonderful, and this is the closest to the Mexican food I used to eat when I lived at the border in Arizona. I went to Sonoyta, Sonora several times a week (this was before the border got to be so rough in Arizona). The seafood came from the Sea of Cortez, about 70 miles south. Wonderful. This Fort Worth restaurant cooks food much the same way.

TexMex has a lot more cheese sauce on it that most of the Mexican food I ate in Mexico. This place has a few cheesy dishes for those who can't live without it, but dishes like the camarón mojo en ajo (shrimp soaked in garlic) served alongside rice and beans is simply soooooo good. And there are some marvelous fish dishes and soups.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 11:59 AM

Refresh - I'm headed back to San Antone and this time will come back here to tell about it (though I doubt I can approach Allan's tale-telling technique):-)

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: artbrooks
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 05:24 PM

Song circle in SAT this Friday night (4/1).

Subject: RE: BS: San Antonio Trip
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 31 May 11 - 01:07 PM

I just read Allan's description of his trip and enjoyed it greatly. I wish I'd kept a journal there last year. I had a whole week there, and though I did a lot of exploring, feel like I barely scratched the surface. I meant to return here a year ago to post an update on my San Antone trip, but better late than never, verdad? I arrived in San Antonio Saturday (April 24, 2010) afternoon. I was excited to see my old friend approaching me in the airport. He's stationed in Germany and we're lucky if we manage to get together even once a year. He was dressed in civilian clothes but wore his uniform during the days that he had to attend the conference. After greeting each other, we ran into an acquaintance of his from the USAF and the three of us shared a taxi ride to our hotel. Or almost to our hotel. Because the annual San Antonio Fiesta was still going on, our taxi driver had to drop us off a few (long) blocks from the hotel, as the streets were pretty much closed. Once we checked into the hotel, we headed for our room on the 10th floor and settled in. We went down to the "free 5:30 Kickback®," where we joined a number of other USAFE (United States Air Force Europe) personnel while we enjoyed our free drinks and food. About the hotel, the following is from the Drury Plaza's own description: "Formerly the Alamo Bank, this 24-story skyscraper was renovated to maintain its historical character while creating modern comfort. The lobby features 50-foot ceilings, travertine flooring and stained glass windows—forming the perfect ambience while you indulge in biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and sausage at our free Hot Breakfast, mingle at our free 5:30 Kickback® and snack on our free popcorn and soda as a supplemental dinner. The rest of the hotel doesn't cut any corners. … guestrooms feature Flat Panel LCD TV's, comfortable beds and free wireless Internet throughout the hotel." Not to leave out the "relaxing rooftop pool." All in all, a really nice hotel.
    Back in the room we relaxed a while before walking down to the Riverwalk. We stopped along the way at a rather elegant hotel bar for a drink or two, then proceeded onward. I have to say I was absolutely enchanted by the beauty of the Riverwalk by night. The tropical plants and trees were artfully illuminated. The combination of aromas from the many restaurants that lined the way made for quite an appetizer! We stopped at the first restaurant we came to which was Tex's Sports Bar and Grill. Like all other restaurants along the Riverwalk, one can sit indoors or out. We chose to sit outside because the evening weather was so nice and because there was a really loud band playing just inside. We ordered Mexican combination plates (very good) and it was there I had my first Shiner Bock. Why had no one told me before now of this wondrous brew? After dinner we walked some more of the Riverwalk and then went off in search of a dive bar where we could shoot some pool (one of our favorite pastimes, way back when). We discovered a bar called Eagle Gulch, where we shot pool with each other as well as the locals, singly and in pairs. This place had a noisy jukebox, badly abused restrooms, really cold beer (here we chose Dos Equis), really rough-looking customers (who treated us as equals), and one very used pool table. We found ourselves winding up there nearly every evening.
    I should mention that at the time of my trip, I had a seriously deteriorating ankle (long story), so when walking became too painful, I resorted to the wonderful public transportation of San Antonio.
    Day two was Sunday. Great free breakfast at the hotel. Hung out in and around the hotel for a while, then took a walk. This was thirsty business and we soon headed to Durty Nelly's, an Irish pub on the Riverwalk. We chose Blue Moon on tap while we listened to a spirited, if somewhat off-key singer accompany himself on an old piano. What he lacked in talent, he made up for with his good-natured humor and vitality. I have to say I hadn't performed in a while, and listening to this fellow inspired me to get my guitar out upon returning home and start playing again. Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest places. So here we sat, two guys from Michigan (one of whom was stationed in Germany), at an ersatz Irish pub in Texas drinking a Belgian beer that is brewed in Golden, Colorado, listening to a Texan sing pseudo-Irish songs. Only in America, verdad?   
    While my buddy was occupied during the day, attending his conference, I was free to roam the streets of San Antonio. I made a number of trips to the Alamo, enjoying the beautiful, green peaceful oasis of its grounds in the heart of a bustling city. I freely admit that I was moved to visit this hallowed spot because of its iconic place in American (and Mexican) history. Having been one of those coonskin-cap-wearing kids in the 1950s, this place had always had a special place in my heart (and always will). Along the way in my rambles I discovered "Sip" on Houston Avenue. This is a corner coffee café with very friendly and helpful baristas. And great coffee. Just down the street is a wonderful store featuring a variety of art and handcrafted items from Mexico (Casa Salazar). A few blocks away is La Villita (here's a description from their website: "Located on the south bank of the San Antonio River, La Villita was San Antonio's first neighborhood. It was originally a settlement of primitive huts for the Spanish soldiers stationed at the Mission San Antonio Valero (the Alamo). After a flood in 1819, brick, stone and adobe houses replaced the earlier structures. In 1836, La Villita was the site of General Santa Ana's cannon line in the Battle of the Alamo and a map from early that year showed the village to be of considerable size". Today La Villita is a collection of a couple of dozen shops, a café, and restaurants. The shops range the gamut from typical touristy Texas souvenirs to the usual Mexican imports, to fine hand-crafted items created by local artisans. All in all, it's a charming place.
    One evening we had dinner at Casa Rio. It's a family-owned restaurant (since 1946) that sits right on the river. Great Mexican food, beers and of course, the ubiquitous Margaritas. Service was as good as the food and ambience. Con mariachis, of course. Another evening or two we dined at Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery, another old family-owned place (since 1941) situated near El Mercado. This place is a feast for all the senses, with a separate bar area, in-house bakery and remarkable restaurant. And it never closes! No, really. This place is open 24/7. The bakery, with its incredibly colored Mexican baked goods and candies has to be seen to be believed. The restaurant interior is as awe-inspiring as the Riverwalk by night. There are hundreds, if not thousands of tiny lights twinkling everywhere, reflected by dozens of hanging papel picado, apparently cut from tissue-thin foil. Here again, the food was great (and, of course, the drinks). Wonderful mariachis here as well as Casa Rio.
    One day for lunch my companion and I walked across the street from the hotel and ate at Sushi Zushi, a nicely-appointed sushi restaurant. It was my first foray into sushi territory. While I admired the tasteful presentation of our combination plates, I had pretty much decided (as I'd already suspected) by the meal's end that I'm just not a sushi kind of guy. To be fair, I believe this probably really is as good a place for this cuisine as my buddy said it was. Just not my thing.
    One day while walking to the Alamo, I stopped in at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum on Houston Street. While I didn't do the tour, I sat at the oversized old wild west bar, had a Shiner Bock (or two) and enjoyed a side order of fried okra (yum!) while engaging in witty (or maybe witless) repartee with a couple of other customers who were in town to film a commercial.
    Except for some of the "touristy" places along the Riverwalk, we pretty much stuck with local, family-owned businesses and were glad we did. My friend told me of some people that he and his wife know, who traveled to Australia and came back telling how much fun they had shopping in malls, eating at the Outback Steakhouse, etc. Almost like they never left home.
    As my ankle gradually deteriorated, I appreciated more and more the great city trolley system that runs about town.
    We spent our final evening bar-hopping with a few of my friend's Air Force companions. We went back to Durty Nelly's, the Mad Dog British Pub, the Club Rive
(one of those techno places where you can't hear yourself think. Looks like something out of the old Miami Vice TV series). Ended up as usual at Eagle Gulch for more drinks and some pool.
    My buddy and I left Saturday morning, sharing a taxi to the airport with another USAF acquaintance. We separated at the airport as we had different departures. I had to fly back to Michigan, he was driving to Oklahoma to visit his daughter before flying back to Germany.
       Upon returning home, I realized that what I appreciated most about San Antonio was that, in spite of being a large city, it really felt more like a village, with quick and easy access to everything, and feeling secure walking its streets by day or night. And the weather. And the food (and beverages). As with most trips I've made, I came back with a mental list of all the things I want to do there on my next trip. Which I made this spring with my wife and son. Now if I can just get around to typing up my recollections of that trip...