San Antonio, Texas (SAT)
My most recent mini vacay was to San Antonio, Texas which is located in South Central Texas with a population of 1.5 million people. San Antonio is 150 miles from the Mexican border and to say the Tex Mex influence is strong would simply be an understatement (smile). Why San Antonio? Well, because my fraternal twin nephews, Marcus and Marshall who will be 40 this year, have been living there for well over a decade and up until this point, I had yet to visit them. Their sister and my niece, Dimitrica, who will be 46 this year and resides in North Carolina with her husband and son, arranged to meet me so we could share a hotel room. This was to be a short trip but one where we planned on lots of family fun, bonding and catching up on lost time.
La Fogata with L to R: Marcus, Me, Marshall, Dimitrica
Our very first meal when we arrived was at a restaurant called La Fogata. Dan Fenyn, my sales manager Jocelyn Fenyn’s husband, highly recommended it. Dan was not wrong, not only was the food we ordered delish but the ambience spoke to a highly authentic and true Mexican experience.
Canopy by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk
This is the hotel I booked for our 4 day, 3 night stay. I purposely chose this hotel because it is across the street from the Riverwalk plus it is right in downtown San Antonio where all the restaurants, shops and outdoor activity were located. Plus we needed a place that we could easily walk to and from. It’s amazing what you can do in a 4-day weekend (Friday – Monday) trip when you travel from another coast and are given an extra hour to work with (smile).
Modes of transportation
We noticed there were may different modes of transportation for those people who were not driving. Scooter rentals, Electric bike rentals, even Segway rentals lined the downtown streets. I could not help but notice the very large, very loud pick-up trucks flying up and down the downtown streets adding to the traffic congestion.
And I was blown away by the carriage rides populating downtown streets – so many at once and all decorated in different seasonal themes and colors! It seemed like everywhere we turned we would come upon a family or a couple or a group of friends on a horse drawn carriage ride! At nighttime it was super cool to see because the carriage was now brightly lit with different colored lights and music played throughout. I looked at what it cost to take a ride on the horse drawn carriage: $75 dollars for 1 person and $35 dollars for each person thereafter for a 20 minute ride. $100 dollars for 1 person and $50 dollars for each person thereafter for a 30 minute ride. And one child rides free with each paying adult.
The Alamo
Aptly described as an “18th century Spanish mission preserved as a museum.” We could not leave San Antonio without at least visiting The Alamo. It was just as I expected…
The Canopy hotel restaurants
Another reason me and Dimitrica enjoyed staying at the Canopy was because you did not have to leave the hotel for good breakfast food. We ate hearty breakfasts every morning at Domingo Restaurante and for nighttime mocktails, the rooftop deck at Otro was the place to hang out and relax after a fun-filled busy day.
The Riverwalk
We discovered the San Antonio Riverwalk on our second day. It had become a source of conversation to me by so many people the very second I mentioned I was visiting family in San Antonio. The Riverwalk is just like it sounds. It’s a miles-long pedestrian walkway with a river running through it. It is truly underground so you have to get to it by taking steps down from the street. The river is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bistros, shops, retail clothing stores, boutique hotels and the like. Every time we walked down the steps to the Riverwalk, (for short cuts or to find a new shop) we would see masses of people browsing around, shopping, eating and/or sight seeing.
Go Rio
While walking around the Riverwalk, we kept seeing river boat cruises filled with tourists passing us by. We were told by the hotel staff that if we decide to take a river cruise we should to catch one at night as it’s cooler in temperature, the boat is well lit and decorated and music is played throughout the promenade. We finally took them up on it on Day 3 of 4 – the 35 minuted guided tour was so fun and festive and the cost was a small $14.00 per person!
La Cantera Resort and Spa
We purchased a Resort Day Pass for $65 (Marshall’s brilliant idea) to the La Cantera Resort and Spa. This luxury resort and spa is known for its private villas, fine dining, wellness spas, championship golf and celebrity sightings. By purchasing a Resort Day Pass we were able to have access to the pool side of things. So on day 3 we spent half the day poolside where we enjoyed the infiniti pool, delicious lunch and laying out on lounge chairs. We also took advantage of the hot tub where we met a loud and raucous middle aged man who was pretty accurate at guessing our personality traits (smile). At the lazy river pool we played pool games with floaties and then rode down what were kiddie slides just for Ha Ha’s.
Pandora’s Bookstore & Coffee Bar/Pure Aloha Bath & Beauty
Marshall (my nephew and our unofficial tour guide) told us about an African-American owned bookstore-cafe downtown which collaborated on space with a natural plant based beauty, cosmetic and personal care shop. We were so impressed when we stepped into this cute shop which had a nice collection of goods and a real positive vibe. I enjoyed meeting the owners (who have now become good friends) of both of these shops as they complement each other in the best way. Be sure to check them out if you visit San Antonio as you will not be disappointed.
Bohanan’s
Bohanan’s (another Marshall pick) was a place Dimitrica and I had walked by during our daily recreational walks throughout downtown. The storefront truly did not do it any justice as when we entered the jazz supper club and restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised by piano bar and the funky vibe. I ordered a mocktail garnished with jalapeño peppers and Marshall and Dee each had a specialty expresso martini drink.
Marcus’s family home
My nephew Marcus, his wife Asuka and kids live in a house in the suburbs of San Antonio. His wife was gracious enough to offer up a traditional japanese meal made from scratch. We had the best time at their house that day. It rained for a spell so we stayed inside and ate handmade Sushi and Sashimi and Tofu Salad with sesame seed dressing and a deliciously prepared thinly cut beef ribs and chicken. I ate 2 plates and then understood why Marcus said he does not eat out at restaurants anymore (smile). We also played games with the kids in the game room which featured game chairs for Street Fighters, a basketball net and more.
Historic Market Square
Ironically the evening Dimitrica and I decided to walk to this collection of restaurants and shops in an indoor space, mostly all of the shops were closed. Not too surprising though because it was a Sunday night and it was about 10pm…However the much talked about Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery was still open which pleased Dimitrica, who was in search of the authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate and a sweet treat to go with it. The lively decor featured live Mexican music, mariachi dancers, a fun atmosphere, costumed staff and instagram-worthy photo backdrops! Oh and Dimitrica said the hot chocolate was delish!
Centro San Antonio
One of the most interesting things I discovered during my quick trip to San Antonio is that there are a group of uniformed ambassadors called Centro San Antonio who are based downtown and work to keep it clean, safe and welcoming for the merchants as well as City visitors. Whether you are looking for directions to someplace or need assistance or information, they are trained to help. As it turns out, there are a number of homeless people in this large City who live downtown so another very important part of Centro’s mission is to offer them a safe place to live, food to eat, clothing to wear, a drug free program if needed and a safe space where they feel welcome. Sixto or “Six,” as he is referred to on the street, was a welcoming source of information to me and my niece while we walked around downtown.
TV News station
I work in local sales at an ABC affiliated TV news station in New Haven, CT called WTNH News 8 so whenever I travel, I always look to see what the local news looks and feels like. Here is a snapshot of what I saw in in San Antonio:
And finally, if you are looking for an affordable place to live and work, my nephews (who both work in IT) tell me that San Antonio fits the bill. Housing is cheaper, jobs are available, ethnic food is plentiful, there’s lots to see and do and the residents are friendly. I am so glad I finally made the trip.
Sincerely,
TVFL