I knew I would love The Pearl and I certainly did…read more This is a very clean, updated, and walkable historic district dotted with outdoor spaces, eateries and shops, and the beautiful Hotel Emma which is the gem of the whole thing. We spent a few hours here for lunch and then came back for dinner before driving to Austin.

While I temporarily lived in San Antonio for a few months, the only reason I would make a trip to…read morethe Pearl was to stop by Stable Hall for a show. There's so much more that the Pearl has to offer. On the weekend, they run one of the best Farmers Markets in the city, and when that's not going on, it's a fantastic space to exist with places like Bakery Lorraine and Local Coffee for some drinks and pastries, Pullman Market or Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery for some good eats, Lick if you need a little treat, Jazz, TX for JAZZ MUSIC, and of course, Stable Hall for an incredible space with a consistently fantastic lineup. That's just the tip of the iceberg at the Pearl. The former spot for the Pearl Brewery has become one of the best mixed-use spaces in the 210. There is now the recently opened Pearl Putt mini-golf space for a quick recreational activity, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, cute locally-owned shops, plenty of green spaces to run around in and relax, a book shop, a wine bar, and so much more. There are plenty of outdoor bars, with some connected to the larger establishments, to grab a drink at and wander. The Pearl District is the new Riverwalk without feeling like a tourist trap. It's such a beautiful area of town and a spot that makes San Antonio remain one of the best major Texas cities (outside of Austin, of course). The Pearl forever. RIYL: The best 25 acres in the 'tone.

Like the food nerd that I am, I researched all 32 participating chefs weeks before the event. I…read moreconcentrated on their culinary training, foods they like to eat themselves, & heritage even. This was my Superbowl! I needed to know stats to build a game plan. I made notes and drew out plans of attack. I went over it many times with my eating assistant (aka my husband) and felt confident that we would be able to hit up every station, take great photos, try all the amazing food, & chat with the chefs. November 3rd... Game Day - Meatopia was finally here. I was pumped! We arrived at 11:58am. Easily found parking off Grayson. Crossed the street to the event area and was immediately accosted by the wonderful aromas of grilled and roasted meats....aahhhh...happy dance! Butterflied carcasses, organ meats, musicians, the media, foodies, chefs & assistant chefs galore...water stations, beer stations, food stations... it was a lot to take in at once. I started to take pictures of where we entered - by the big yellow Pearl can. My "assistant" was supposed to trail after me and help take notes, carry my bags etc. Next thing I know, he's in my frame and was heading towards the food like a hypnotized man. He was grabbing lamb chops, quail, ribs, chicken feet and was devouring everything like the Tasmanian Devil. Dude...we had a plan!!! So I spent the next few hours sampling like crazy without having a clue as to what I was eating exactly. My husband would dash off, grab something & dash back to me with several offerings. "Honey, which station did these come from?" I'd ask. "Don't remember," he'd reply in between greedy bites and satisfied sighs. Oy vey! Each portion was very generous. Some beautifully garnished. All tasting pretty darn good! Overall, I don't remember any clunkers. There were some standouts for me such as the lambs chops by HEB, sigsig by Chef Paul Qui, the breast, shoulders, knees, and toes of chicken by Chef Ford Fry, grilled lamb ribs by Chef Ned Elliot, the chicken by Chef Jeff Balfour and the bacon (yes, BACON!) brownie by Chef Laura Sawicki. I shared each plate with my husband. But there was one dish that I had to go back for more of and that was the Trifongo by Chef Nelson Millan. I want that recipe! The event was a home run in terms of food, entertainment, and layout. The lines moved quickly and we never felt squashed. However, the entry points and staff could use some tweaking and extra training. We were eating our way through Meatopia for almost half an hour before we realized we didn't have wristbands like everyone else. Doh...we totally forgot to check-in and no one called us out on it! In addition, we'd ask people in gray Meatopia Tshirts where XYZ was located and many would not know. Great 1st run overall. PLEASE COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO, MEATOPIA!!!!! I have a game plan! Need to find a better assistant though :\

A carnivore's carnival! A meaty adventure! A protein spectacular!…read more Here's how it works: You buy a ticket, and you never get your wallet out again! It's a block party in Pearl Brewery, so even though there were close to 3,000 people in attendance, it was never shoulder to shoulder and the lines moved swiftly. Parking was, well, parking. They did their best to keep it organized and as uncomplicated as possible. Suffice it to say that the bang for your buck is pretty freaking remarkable at this event. $75 (they were even selling $50 tickets at times) for all you can eat and drink, and these chefs weren't skimping on the portions. My friends and I were wishing we hadn't eaten anything that day in preparation. These aren't measly bite-sized samples, but rather full on appetizer-sized servings per person. Adam Perry Lang's slider, as simple as it sounds, was barbecue comfort food at its finest. Those homemade spicy pickles kicked it up a notch. The lamb neck gyro from The Whole Beast was like melt in your mouth lamb barbacoa. And, of course, our local SA chefs represented our fine city wholeheartedly! Stuffed veal breast from Andrew Weissman, lamb heart anticuchos from The Monterey, Porchetta from Jason Dady, whole hog gumbo from Steve McHugh. Our guys are truly special, and I believe it's because of people like them that Meatopia chose San Antonio as it's Texas location. It's a pretty big honor! What I would change: I know better than most how things work when you have a beer sponsor situation and that when it's free, beggars can't be choosers, but I would have rather paid to drink better beer than Corona or Michelob Ultra. There were so many amazing chefs serving elevated meat dishes that better beer would've just rounded out the entire experience. Again, even if I had to buy it at the bar.

Easy to access. Just outside a smaller sized mall with Saks 5th Ave, Lego store, Cheesecake…read moreFactory, and other familiar shopping. Clean area. Close to the airport. So if you're visiting the area and are flying, be sure to make a quick stop on you're way back to the airport (as just as you leave it). Fun photo op.

When you're in Texas, you have to see the World's Largest Cowboy Boots. Located at the entrance to…read morethe North Star Mall, it's very hard to miss. Its hard to get to safely if you want to take pictures with it. My husband and I were able to dodge traffic to get to see them up close. This is a nice little sightseeing tourist attraction.

So many memories came back after visiting this traditional Mexican market area…read more I found the cutest pouches for my mom to store her many items in her purse. So many colorful stores with handmade items , leather goods, vanilla and Mexican toys. Parking was easy since parked at 1 of the bakeries and walked over. Everyone was friendly and eager to get us to look in their shops as I remembered from years ago. Would return.

Sometimes you do not truly appreciate something until its gone even it is temporary. Growing up in…read moreSan Antonio, TX I took the Historic Market Square (sometimes referred to as the largest Mexican market in the US) for granite. I thought it was perfectly natural to be immersed in a deeply cultural experience. It was commonplace to experience authentic mariachi's singing in the courtyard or inside the buildings within the Market Square. The mariachi "greto" is so distinctive - a loud, emotion yell that is used to convey joy and passion. Also, to watch the folklórico dancers perform was just beauty incarnate. During the holidays choirs sang both in English and Spanish. My heart melts just thinking about all these wonderful experiences over the years. Historic Market Square captures the essence of San Antonio. One key element of the Market Square is the food and beverages...authentic Mexican food and beverages. Churros are staple in many Latin cultures but certainly in San Antonio. There are two key restaurants within the Historic Market Square that are extremely authentic - La Margarita and Mi Tierra's. When eating at these restaurants you feel like you are in a totally immersive experience from the homemade tortillas to pan dulce. Also, let us not forget about every permutation of margaritas. My heart skips a beat when I think about Historic Market Square. So, totally happy I had chance to return home.

St Mary Street is a mural center in San Antonio. Definitely a must stop place and enjoy the food…read moresurrounding. This greeting is located at French Place and St Mary Street. The sign is popular. Many come to here to get a shot that they have visited San Antonio. Along the St Mary Street, you can find cowboy riding armadillo, Beastie Boy, let fiesta, king portrait, raven, guitar men, and more mural. It is definitely a street to visit. And don't forget to visit the St Mar Street below I-35. The pillars are mural by various artists.

such a great mural if your visiting san Antonio area. i do try to remember and make it a habit…read morethese days where ever i go i try to find a mural of that city and take a picture, this is one of them that i have been able to visit with my kids. this mural is right on the main road with occasional traffic, its kind of a bit hard if you want a straight picture being its not much sidewalk, you would have to somehow go on the street to get a good shot with the family or friends. but i dont recommend you doing that be safe doing so. the area as some really narrow streets with cute little homes and few places to eat and drink and its only few minutes away by car from downtown. if your into art this a good spot to see along with other murals painted around the area.

Every year, Windcrest homeowners light up the streets for the holidays!…read more We're talking dozens of homes participating and having holiday lights up for the season. Here you'll find some of the best light fixtures in town! Best part? It's absolutely free and open to the community! My family would always take us to see the holiday lights when we were younger, it was an annual tradition growing up. I absolutely loved it, and still do. There's so many elaborate displays, and it's different each year! Be sure to pick up a map from Windcrest's Fire Department to help map out your holiday light route. You can spend hours here just checking out these beautiful light displays! We went on a Sunday and a sweet lady informed me that we need to head out at 11 pm. Not sure if that's the case for every night!

The best Christmas Decorations in the entire Central Texas. Every year My Family and I are amazed…read moreby their pay attention to details ornaments and beautiful lights. It is a great place to drive around and enjoy the Holidays Spirit and Peace on Earth. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to bring us the best enjoyment year after year! God blessed.

Such a cool side of town! There's all kinds of great things…read moreto do around here. Awesome food- try out Beto's, which has been on Diners, Drive ins and Dives. Or Taco Garage, where it's impossible to walk away hungry. Sol y Luna is pretty great too, if you're looking for some awesome Mexican food and powerful margaritas. There's all kinds of great little salons and spas around here, so if you ever get stressed out, the strategy is to go by the spa, and then off to one of the many excellent bars in the neighborhood! There are a bunch of great houses around here, and a lot of friendly people! Keep an eye out for the cops at the corner of Sunset and Broadway. They like to hide out there.

What a great area of town…read more Lots of great places to eat, shop and live. So close to downtown and the airport. I suggest using Yelp to find things in the area that interest you then bookmark them and start exploring. Finding new gems is always fun.

I really enjoyed being able to bring my kids to the Alamo. I'm homeschooling this year, so getting…read morethe chance to take something they've learned about in books and let them actually walk through a piece of history made the visit feel even more special. There was plenty of information to take in, and it was nice being able to slow down, look around, ask questions, and turn the visit into a real-life history lesson instead of just another stop on the trip. It's definitely one of those San Antonio visits that I think is worth making at least once. Informative, meaningful, and a really nice experience to share with the kids.

Was there a basement? Yeah there is!! Kidding no there isn't you silly Pee Wee…read more This is one of those iconic historical places that are from the beginning of this country so for that you should visit Is it going to be overwhelming or incredible ... well not really but if you are interested in history and appreciate what happened and what it is or stand for it's a great visit in the heart of San Antonio and it's super close to the river walk!

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - JFK…read more One of the last things that JFK ever did was visit Alamo Heights. He came to San Antonio with his car the day before he went on to Dallas that fateful day in November '63. The moment was immortalized in this big brass plaque. It's really cool how they engraved the brass with a photograph of the President driving by Cambridge Elementary on Broadway, and all the smiling kids. So the Alamo Heights High School class of 1971 got together and raised some money for this memorial to that moment. They juxtapose the range of emotions for Alamo Heights in those twenty-four hours, from pride, excitement, and hopefulness, to grief the following day. It's a cool idea for a monument! The kids pictured waving at the president are a lot of the class of '71 who paid for the monument, I believe. I'm not really quite sure what's going on with the Legos on sticks in a bucket are, but it's artistic.

People who remember November 22, 1963 can often tell you where they were and what they were doing…read morewhen they heard the news that JFK had been assassinated. The day before, JFK, Jackie, and the Connallys spent an idyllic day in San Antonio, including a drive down Broadway past Cambridge Elementary in Alamo Heights. This monument, dedicated in 2019, captures that moment. Take a moment to pause on the sidewalk and look at the images of children, some of whom felt like the President was smiling and waving just at them in particular.

It was a nice surprise to be a plus one this time around thanks to my friend Meghan. It was also…read morewonderful to experience such good food and good company on a Monday evening. I've driven past Taco Garage quite a few time in the past and never stopped. But after this cool Yelp event I'm going to make more stops and more often. My next visit going to be for breakfast and i can't wait. I had the pleasure to order the tacos al pastor , and Meghan ordered a Tex-Mex plate. My plate came with four mini tacos on corn tortillas with onion and cilantro. It also came with some delicious borracho beans. Every item on my plate was nice and hot to my liking. Meghan's plate looked wonderful it had two enchiladas and a beef taco. Thanks to Gloria, and the wonderful staff at Taco Garage. My first time was awesome. You have gained another customer and i will make sure to brings some friends to enjoy all the goodies this spot has to offer. PS. To the newbie on the Taco Garage staff you did a great job for your first day on your job. Good luck!

Yay! I'm a fan... of Gloria's parties!!!... Her event planning is always over the top!... I feel…read morelucky to have been included in any and all of what she has going on with Yelp! Nah... I'm not a fan of Taco Garage... sorry, I really hate to say it but it is true. TG did not impress me. It's Taco Garage. Give me Tacos as that should be their specialty. The marque outside said "Try Our Fish Tacos" but they were not offered during the party. It would have been nice to have that option. Our choices were Tex-Mex plate which were cheese enchiladas, crispy taco, rice and beans. Or Tres Amigos which were three enchiladas: cheese, beef, chicken with rice and beans. (I personally would have liked to see Fish Tacos in place of this choice) Or Tacos al Pastor with shredded pork, rice beans. The evening started out with one specialty Margarita, either frozen or on the rocks. I am picky about my Ritas. Yay! I'm a fan of their patio space. It is large in the front with a band stand and it goes along the side as well so a lot of people can enjoy the outdoors... but since there were not people out there, not sure if smoking is allowed on the patio. My personal opinion, smoking should not be allowed in public I would hope not whether or not they serve food out there.