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.

I'm so upset that some people can just have no regard for other living beings. I sincerely hope…read morethose jerks (keeping it PG, folks) are caught soon! And that they get what they deserve. On my weekend runs/walks down the Riverwalk, I would usually see him perched by a tree or wandering about minding his own business. On the rare times I'm at the Riverwalk at its busiest, I've caught him making rounds to different tables - basically looking for any scraps any friendly person was willing to give him. He was such a sweet duck and I'm gonna miss seeing him hangin' out. Hopefully, he's found happiness in that big duck pond in the sky. RIP, Georgie.

I miss George! It's too bad that he was taken away from the…read moreCity of San Antonio too soon. He was somewhat of a mascot on the Riverwalk. But some out of towners took it upon themselves to dispose of this duck. It's too bad. I really miss George. He used to quack along the river to all of our tourists. Now, there's a memorial to him somewhere along the river. We're going to miss you, George!

Just snap a pic as you walk over the bridge. Not a place to spend any time or make a point to visit…read moreon purpose if it's out of the way.

I visited this small San Antonio bridge dedicated to love right after a breakup, and it stung like…read morea thousand needles hot off a fire. Too soon. But, man, it was just so romantic to see the thousands and thousands of locks that lovers had dedicated to the fences on both sides of the bridge. Locks of all shapes and sizes, from super elaborate to basic in design, all with initials, symbols, small love letters, and names from couples all over the world, were left right here. This small spot on earth where love has been cemented. It was a pretty cool sight to see, even during sadness. And it's a whole lot better than The Gum Wall in Seattle, where people collect and leave their smelly, sticky gum. Yuck!

I blinked and missed it. I tried coming here. I put the address found on the Yelp page into my…read moreGPS. I didn't see any mansions. Maybe it was my Asian driving? It couldn't be. I made three passes into the area. Where were all the mansions at? My phone GPS can't be wrong! OK is a good rating for this district...Okay...where is it? Okay, are we there yet? Okay, I look for it the next time I go to San Antonio. Don't use the address on Yelp. It got me lost. Go to the King Williams Association website and print out a walking map to find this place! https://www.ourkwa.org/

Beautiful old homes. And the people are so nice. I just love all the older things in that place…read more Wish I could live there

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.

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.

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!

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.

Historic sculpture on the Commerce Street Bridge. Commissioned by the San Antonio Express, Waldine…read moreTauch created a seven foot tall sculpture to honor the Native Americans. Ms. Tauch was a very well known sculptor in Texas. She was paid $1000 for her sculpture. The sculpture features a First Native American in a full headdress holding shallow bowls in each hand. Each bowl served as public drinking fountains at some point. Pause to think about the historical significance and history that happened here as you visit the San Antonio Riverwalk.

Yanaguana! This is one of my favorite places to hang out…read moredowntown San Antonio. If you can figure out how to get here without a car, this is a great vantage point to see San Antonio, and a great place to start off an adventure downtown. I've always wondered who built this, and Helene S.'s review was quite illuminating! So this sculpture is next to Sebastian's International Torch of Friendship, a maybe 30-40' high red sculpture that's hard to miss. Between this sculpture and that one is the famed Portland Loo- an outdoor free restroom. There's also the elevator that takes you down to the Riverwalk here. Standing on the bridge where this First Inhabitant sculpture is, this is a good spot to eavesdrop on the river cruises below, or just smell the Mexican food coming from Casa Rio. The Indian depicted in this carving must be a Yanaguana Indian chief, as they were the first Indians who were known to inhabit the San Antonio River area thousands of years ago. They covered an area a bit more up river near the University of Incarnate Word down along this river to where the Missions are today. Today, down the street at Hemisfair Park, you'll find Yanaguana Gardens, which celebrates this tribe.

Cool spot with incredible artists, tons of photo ops. There is a community of artists all around…read morethe area too. Love taking my dogs out here to snoop around & see what's been added.

Amazing artist and experience. Culture and cohesion in a medium of art that helps create unity in…read morethe art community.