We’d taken a small siesta, gotten all gussied up and were ready for happy hour. The Cork Bar, on the River level of Hotel Contessa, was a lively place. Last minute guests were arriving for a wedding on the Las Ramblas patio and bridesmaids were being lined up for their entrance. Televisions near the bar were tuned to a horse race. Deb and I ordered up a pair of margaritas, then settled in to enjoy the activity.
Vicarious Wedding Guests Watch Acrobatic Nap Demo
The wedding was our first focus. San Antonio is a big military town, so we weren’t surprised that most of the men in the wedding party wore uniforms – and impressive uniforms they were. We didn’t know the groom, of course, but he had to be a tough guy just to carry around all those medals on his chest. The bride was lovely, but being unable to hear through the glass wall of the bar, we soon brought our attention into our immediate surroundings.
We chatted about how much we loved the hotel, how great the service was – especially the doormen and commented on the decor. About that time a woman came down and tried out a large upholstered bench close to us. She was in town with her adult son and joked about the luxury of not having to take him to the potty as she had when he was young. After several attempts at sitting on the bench in different positions she decided the appropriate one for enjoying that particular piece of furniture was to lay down, but she didn’t want her son to catch her. So her little nap was only a couple of minutes long.
The Triple Crown
The wedding continued, but we recognized quite a buzz around the bar. Someone had turned up the sound on the TV. We were almost irritated until we figured out it was the Belmont Stakes and American Pharoah was poised to win The Triple Crown. The last time anyone had done that was back in the 1970’s.
As the pre-race coverage gave us the background stories leading up to the Belmont Stakes, Deb and I reminisced about our own horse racing experiences. Chief among mine were George and Ruth, my very Baptist parents who followed the Triple Crown religiously every year, “betting” on who would win. Soon the newly married bride and groom, led their guests to a mezzanine nearby, but we noticed several guests lagged behind. It was almost race time.
American Pharaoh was a clear favorite, but the commentators hedged their bets by pointing out potential spoilers. American Pharaoh would have none of that. When the gate opened she was out and away. No one even got close. It was a thrilling outcome. When the race was over, the wedding guests made their way up to the mezzanine and the others in the crowd wandered away. Dinner time was upon us.
TRAVEL THERE: ON THE MUSEUM REACH OF THE RIVERWALK
So, on a bright Saturday morning, we strolled from the Hotel Contessa to the point where the Riverwalk connects with Museum Reach. We took a flight of stairs to the River level and made a right.
Morning on the Museum Reach
To our surprise, we pretty much had the Museum Reach all to ourselves. We saw a few bicyclists and joggers, but in a tourism city like San Antonio we were amazed more travelers weren’t enjoying the river. (Maybe the others went to the VIA Informatiaon Office and were on trolleys.) Forget tourists, why aren’t the residents flocking to this lovely pedestrian thoroughfare.
It was cooler down by the river. An occasional River Taxi offered to take us further, but we were minding our pennies. By walking we were able to enjoy the lock and dam. We saw the VFW post I’d read about, but I guess it was a little early for their libations. Gardens graced each side of the river and there were a number of interesting art installations, including some sort of grotto.
Lunch at The Pearl Farmer’s Market
It wasn’t a hard walk, but we were certainly happy to arrive at The Pearl when we did. There’s a big hotel under construction right by the Riverwalk, so we had to do some maneuvering to get past, but I’m sure it will be great when the hotel is finished.
First, stop was the NAO taco stand. NAO, the Culinary Institute of America restaurant, is one of my very favorites in San Antonio, but it’s not open for lunch. However, they do serve tacos from a stand at the Farmer’s Market. My research indicated that we had plenty of time to get our tacos, but we were hungry, so we headed on over there. We didn’t find it right off, but we should have known, it was the booth with the big, long line.
We grabbed a bit of the sidewalk and shuffled along with the slow moving line. You might assume that tacos from a food booth would be fast food, but there was nothing fast about the service. They were making some sort of beverage by hand and the aroma of cooking meat was amazing. The folks in line were both patient and congenial. We wished for some shade, but were otherwise happy to be there.
Then someone announced there were only a few orders of left. Five to be exact. There were more than five people in line ahead of us, so I was terrified we were going to miss this treat. Thankfully, in one group ahead, only one person wanted tacos. Everyone else was there for the beverage. Then the pair immediately ahead of us got an order of tacos to share and some beverages. WE WERE IN! We ordered our tacos and white sangria, paid the rather hefty price and were given a ticket for our tacos. We approached the grill and traded small pieces of paper for heaven.
We found a table on the plaza, but were still wishing for shade. There was a sort of arbor, but the vines they are trying to grow on it haven’t made much headway. (Note to self: bring parasol next time.) Then we bit into our tacos and sipped our sangria. All other thoughts disappeared. It was suddenly well worth the trek to have the delicious treats. There were only one or two orders left when we picked up our tacos, so we were grateful to the Riverwalk gods for getting us there in time.
There was a Farmers Market going on and I had planned on checking it out, but our stroll along the Museum Reach had used up our shopping time. We decided to head back to the San Antonio Museum of Art, which was right across the river and catch a trolley there. We still didn’t know when it would arrive, but we had all of the SAMA to enjoy while we waited.
Don’t Miss Dessert!
Go ahead and take a Lick
On the way back to the river we did make one detour – Lick! This little shop offers what they call “honest ice cream”. Everything is organic, vegan, non-GMO, etc. and some of it is even gluten-free. They use honey instead of sugar. I’m not that big of a fan of ice cream (which is a good thing or I’d have more weight challenges than I do), but they did have chocolate, which I love. Deb on the other hand adores ice cream and she assured me this was equal to if not better on the ice cream scale as the NAO tacos were on the taco scale. I’m sure you can trust her opinion.
Next up? The SAMA! Will we or won’t we connect with the trolley? Come back next week and find out!
TRAVEL THERE: JUST A COUPLE MORE SAN ANTONIO MARGARITAS BEFORE THE SHOW
After the Margaritas at the Menger Bar, we took ourselves on a tour of the Menger Hotel lobby. They have extensive displays related to the history of the hotel and you can tell from the architecture she’s a grande olde dame of the accommodations world. If you like staying in historic hotels, which I usually do, I’m sure it’s quite a treat, but I’ll be staying at the Contessa for the foreseeable future.
Touring the Menger Hotel
The front of the Menger is graced with a collection of retail establishments. The antique store, which looked amazing, was closed, but we did go into a toy soldier store and an exotic trinket store. When I say toy soldiers, I’m not talking plastic bags of green army men. I’m talking historically-correct, hand-painted metal soldiers. A chapter of Deb’s life is tied to these interesting collectibles, so we usually stroll through establishments that sell them. The exotic trinket store offered interesting junk that has nothing to do with San Antonio, but it was filled with marvelous aromas and Deb found a bracelet she liked.
Dinner at Casa Rio
Our next stop was dinner and for that we went to one of my favorite places, Casa Rio. I’m not going to tell anyone that it’s the best Mexican Food in San Antonio, but it’s still on on my list of favorites. There is something about sitting there on the Riverwalk, drinking Margaritas, eating Tex-Mex and listening to live Mariachis. I’m sure there are several places to do that along the Riverwalk, but this was the first place to offer it a very, very long time ago and it’s one of my San Antonio traditions, just like pictures of The Alamo.
I have to scold them a little bit though, the Margarita was awful, even though we paid a dollar extra to get the premium tequila. Shame on Casa Rio! The food was great though and we are grateful to each person that paid the Mariachis for a song, because we sure as heck weren’t going to fork over $20!
Every time I go to San Antonio I’m reminded of all the things I want to do there that I haven’t quite gotten around to. The Casa Rosa dinner boats are on that list. You need the minimum of ten people to reserve a dinner boat to ply through the waters of the Riverwalk as you eat your tostadas and tamales. I guess that’s a pretty silly thing to want to do, but there you have it, I’m a sucker for a party. I think I’m going to serve Caronas on my boat though. I’m still upset about our awful Margaritas!
Buckhorn Saloon, Museum, Arcade etc. etc. etc.
With dinner out of the way, there was just time to squeeze in one more thing. Deb had gone to the Menger Bar for me, so I wanted to get to the Buckhorn Saloon for her. It was one place she mentioned having an interest in. Now if you’d wanted to visit the original Buckhorn back in 1881, according to my official Centennial edition of their souvenir book, you would have gone to Dolorosa Street. The bar would have been right across the street from the old Southern Hotel.
The Buckhorn Saloon
When I first the Buckhorn, sometime around its Centennial, it was out at the Lone Star Brewery, which is now the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA). When the SAMA took over, the Buckhorn had to find a new home. So nowadays, you’ll find it right around the corner from the Majestic Theater, just a hop, skip and a jump from the Riverwalk.
The Buckhorn establishment now has a very long name, because it houses two different museums, a saloon and an arcade, but when Deb and I arrived, the museums had closed for the day and the bar wasn’t yet patronized by the evening crowd. Nonetheless, Deb and I ordered up Margaritas (for the sake of research you understand) and made ourselves at home in the virtually empty bar.
Memories, Margaritas and Rattlesnake Tails
Rattler Tail Art from the Footnotes of the Buckhorn Souvenir Book
As we sat there comparing notes about our previous visits to the Buckhorn over the years, we agreed the museum part of the Buckhorn is a treat for kids – particularly the rattler tail art. I started my visits to the Buckhorn when I was knee-high to a Longhorn steer and Deb brought her sons when they were young. The whole Texas Ranger thing we can’t attest to. We think the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco is the place to go for history of that sort, but you’ll have to follow up on that, because it was now time for the show.
Come back next week and find out about the best $15 dollars we each spent in San Antonio – and it wasn’t on Margaritas.
It’s not very often that buying tickets rates as part of the fun, but then it’s not everyday that you’re buying tickets on the Riverwalk for the Alamo Kiwanas Fiesta Noche del Rio.
Deb and I enjoy life as if we were still the twenty-somethings we were when we met. We strolled over to the theater and found a cute Kiwanas guy selling tickets along the Riverwalk, just as their advertisement had promised. By the way, the advertisement promised they would be selling tickets. It said nothing about cute guys. We just got lucky.
Neither Deb or I have any use for any guys (on a permanent or even semi-permanent basis), because our husbands are more than enough (thank you very much). But if you’ve got to buy some tickets anyway, it’s nice to do so from a personable young man who also happens to be cute.
He was probably young enough to be a child of either one of us, but we won’t go there. As he rattled off the price of the tickets, he mentioned that seniors got $5 off regular admission. We asked what age made you a senior. Thankfully, he looked at us as if to say, “Not any age either one of you will be any time soon,” but what he actually said was, “No gentleman asks a lady her age. If you’re willing say you’re seniors then that’s good enough for me.” When we revealed our actual ages he remained incredulous, so he was immediately became one of our favorite people – but we did get the tickets for $15 instead of $20.
Visiting The Alamo
And there she is – The Alamo!
The show would start at 8:30 so we still had hours and hours to fill. We decided to head over to the Alamo. Deb had a friend who said a relative of hers was in a picture on the Gift Shop wall. We also felt somewhat obligated to go take a picture. It’s like a rite of passage each time you visit San Antonio.
The landmark was about to close for the day, so we high-tailed it to the gift shop, but they must have remodeled since the Alamo defender’s descendant last visited. No historical photographs were displayed in the gift shop.
Margaritas at the Menger
With the obligatory picture in our cameras, we decided to hit the Menger Bar for some Margaritas. Now the Menger Bar is another of those spots I’ve wished to visit, but I never talked anyone else into it. “You mean it’s just an old bar?”, I’ve been asked several times. Well, nanny nanny poo poo, Deb and I went and we had fun. The proximity of the bar to the Alamo and the prospect of margaritas, probably had as much to do with Deb’s cooperative nature as anything else, but who am I to complain about getting what I want.
Tom and Lula Mae on their 50th wedding anniversary.
See, the Menger Bar is not just any old bar. It’s been around for a very long time. Notable figures ranging from Robert E Lee and Theodore Roosevelt to Lillie Langtry and Mae West have sidled up to the Menger Bar to wet their whistle. It’s most famous for Teddy Roosevelt using it as a recruiting station for the Spanish American War, but it’s also the place where barbed wire got its start. I’m partial to the Teddy Roosevelt story, because my grandfather, Thomas Byron Mobley, fought in that altercation and Lula Mae, his wife, was the last one to receive widow benefits from that war. A senator showed up one day to give my grandmother the check in person, but I don’t think Tom signed up down in San Antonio. At least not that I’ve heard.
All that being said, the bar is a small dark hole in the wall with low ceilings and some historical memorabilia spread around. It was great for people-watching, because several large family groups were there scarfing down their evening meals. I can assure you the toddler who was so entertaining didn’t know or care about Teddy or Tom. The bar also had a GREAT Margarita. Perhaps the best we had the whole time we were there. Certainly the best on that particular night.
Well, I’ve about worn out my welcome for the day, but it’s still not time to go see Fiesta Noche del Rio. Come back next week for a tour of a few more Margaritas before the show.
TRAVEL THERE: KING WILLIAM HISTORICAL DISTRICT IN SAN ANTONIO TX
If it’s art, I love it. If it’s Decorative Arts, Architecture and History, well I’m there. That’s the reason we spent our first morning in San Antonio at the McNay. It’s also the reason our next stop was the King William District.
The Guenther House
To be exact, our next stop was The Guenther House, because I also like food. The Guenther House is one of the jewels in the crown of The King William District. The Guenther Family founded the Pioneer Flour Mills. Ever hear of Pioneer Biscuit Mix. Yep, that’s them.
The mill is still producing and you can sample their wares at the restaurant, right there at the home of their founder. The home also serves as a museum and has a great gift shop. Deb and I took a look at it all while we waited for a friend to arrive.
I met Clark in my SFA days and stay in touch on Facebook, but it’s always great to get a chance to chat in person. We were able to get a seat right there on that covered patio. Deb had a salad, I opted for the Champagne Chicken Enchiladas and Clark just kept us company.
Of the two dishes, I think Deb chose the better one. Not that mine was bad – it just wasn’t everything I’d dreamed of when I read, “Tender slices of chicken breast and Monterey Jack cheese wrapped in Pioneer’s White Wings flour tortillas. Baked in our special sauce made from San Antonio River Mill Champagne Chicken Gravy mix, garnished with jalapenos and cilantro.” The tortilla was a little tough and by the time the melted cheese made it out to the patio, so was it. The flavor was great, but I’m a real stickler for texture.
The Steve’s Homestead
The King Willam Walking Tour
Soon Clark had places to be and I had the map a walking tour of King Williams in my hand. Now I’ve been to the King William District numerous times, but I’ve never been to San Antonio with anyone else who is as patient with my passions as Deb is. Every time I’ve been to San Antonio I’ve told my traveling companions how great it would be to walk through the district and spend some time looking at each house. So far no one had taken me up on it. I’d been through it on a trolley tour, I’d gone on the Steves Homestead Tour and I’d driven through on the way to Guenther’s, but walking tour and San Antonio had not clicked with any of my potential walking tour companions.
Villa Finale
Of course, Deb thought it was a great idea and it turned out to be just that. We left Guenther’s and figured out where we were on the walking tour map. Then we did just what I’d wanted to do, strolled along and discussed all the beautiful homes with the Walking Tour Map & Guide as our reference. Along the way we did take in the Steve’s Homestead Tour – delightful, by the way. We were a few minutes late for Villa Finale, so we just enjoyed the grounds. As beautiful as these homes are they only scratch the surface. Each home in the five block area is a treasure.
So, yes, if you go to San Antonio you should do the walking tour. San Antonio is notoriously hot and humid, and we walked the whole thing in ninety something weather, but it was fine. In fact, the tree-shaded sidewalk made it very pleasant. On the way back to Guenther’s we dropped down to the River and enjoyed the serenity. This is one of my favorite memories of this trip.
But the Riverwalk was calling. We had reservations at Hotel Contessa and we wanted to see the Fiesta Noche del Rio at the Arneson River Theater. Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about it! In the meantime, enjoy these pictures from the King William Walking Tour.
In the Villa Finale Garden
The Joske House – important because my Mom worked for Joskie’s Department Store for years.
The view at Chart House atop the Tower of the Americas
TRAVEL THERE: SAN ANTONIO’S CHART HOUSE RESTAURANT
If there is one thing I hate, it’s a reviewer that can’t find anything good to say about any place they stay or eat. I wasn’t loving the place we stayed the first night in San Antonio, but I wasn’t going to let that color the rest of my experience.
Going with the Flow
I was the one who wanted to stay in a cheap hotel, but I had high hopes for the rest of the stay. One of the reasons I’d opted for the first night in a bargain was because I really didn’t expect to arrive in San Antonio until late that night, but travel is really all about dealing with change.
I’d expected sight-seeing in Austin, another town I love, but taking the tollway just got me to my favorite city a little faster. Having a meal in the Tower of the Americas had been on my list for a long time and the change in plans gave me the opportunity to do just that.
The Way It Was Before
Way back in the summer of 1968, on a family visit to the Hemisfair, we did not have dinner in the tower. If memory serves me right, I’m pretty sure we didn’t pay the price of ride up the elevator either. I think something like that would have stuck with me. I remember the wonder of walking through all of the amazing pavilions and adored the Institute of Texan Cultures, but all my memories of the tower are from the ground looking up.
In subsequent visits other things kept me from visiting the tower:
budget
bad reviews of the restaurant
not enough time
traveling companions who thought it was a tourist trap
I thought that the “not enough time” issue might come into play on this trip, too. I always have so many favorite things to return to in San Antonio that it’s hard to find time try new experiences. Arriving hours before I expected to, paved the way for an experience I’d wanted to have for a long time.
The Way It Was This Time
With a map, instructions from the hotel clerk and a GPS we set out for downtown San Antonio. Just as the clerk promised we found parking at RiverCenter Mall with no trouble. Somewhere inside my head is a map of the Riverwalk, but it always takes a little while for that map to sync with all the development around the popular attraction. We could see the tower and my mind told me where we should go, but we kept running into obstacles that my old mental map didn’t know about.
It didn’t help that the “You Are Here” map provided by the city next to the river did not have the promised red dot telling me where we were. Still it was only a minor irritation, because I followed my gut around the obstacles and soon recognized we were on the Hemisfair grounds – then all we had to do was look up.
The tower at night
If I was ever in San Antonio with time to kill, I think I’d kill some of it just enjoying Hemisfair Plaza. It’s a very pretty place, but I had my eye on the top of the tower. There was a booth selling elevator rides and the ticket salesmen pointed us to the other side of the tower for the Chart House Restaurant. We sidled up to the desk and asked if they had room for us. To my great joy, they did.
We had to walk back around the tower to the elevator, but this time we were inside. After a short wait and a quick conversation with a couple of guys who were also on their way to dinner, we arrived. From the picture above, you can tell that it was a pretty spectacular experience. The view alone was amazing. The restaurant was also nice.
I’ve been in Dallas’s Hyatt Regency Reunion Tower and the Westin’s Peachtree Plaza Tower in Atlanta, so I can tell you that the experiences are very similar. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the same architect designed them all. I can also tell you that this was not just a me-too experience. San Antonio is a town very different from Dallas and Atlanta. The spontaneous opportunity turned into a evening I won’t forget for a long time.
We were not seated immediately, but that was OK. We hadn’t had reservations and it was obvious that a lot of other people did. What was not OK, was that if I was going to wait I would have liked to enjoy a drink. The hostess pointed us at several groupings of leather chairs and told us to wait. I assumed it would be a short wait. There was an observation deck above, which may or may not have had a bar, but if I’d known we’d be cooling our heels for a while I would have at least gone exploring.
Still, I wasn’t an unpleasant experience. I sat in the big comfy leather sofa and enjoyed the view. I also enjoyed the arriving dinner patrons. Many were dressed to the nines, suggesting the meal was a special event. The restaurant was also recovering from a big busload of diners. Observing them go down the elevator in batches of a dozen was somewhat interesting.
After the noisy bus tour was back on the ground, a sort of calm settled of the restaurant and I smelled a fragrance I couldn’t at first identify. I pointed it out to Deb and we agreed it wasn’t a food smell and kept trying to guess what it was. Saddle Soap!! The leather sofas had been recently cleaned with saddle soap. There was no residue and the fragrance was subtle, but I enjoyed the little smell association game. Finally, they seated us.
Seated at the Top of San Antonio
We were looking north-ish when we first sat down – sort of toward our lovely Microtel. Not that we could pick it out from up there. As the evening played out we enjoyed the view until we were south-ish, but by then the city had disappeared into the darkness and all we could see was the lights. One disappointment was that you cannot see the Alamo for the big Marriot which is attached to the RiverCenter. That would have been quite wonderful.
What was wonderful was the food. The prices were a little steep. Not that they were expensive for what they offered, they were just more than I usually pay for a meal. We made choices around the outskirts of the menu, not so much for the cost, but because that’s what sounded good. And of course, we ordered Margaritas!
I started with Lobster Bisque – thick, creamy and delicious – just the way I like it. It was not the best I’d ever had, but it was a treat. Deb chose a salad and it was HUGE. Our next course was side orders – sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and an OMG order of Lobster Mac & Cheese. Good thing Deb and I had decreed that nothing had any calories during this entire weekend, otherwise we would have just scored about two days worth of them. OH – and we had a souffle for dessert. My mouth and stomach were in heaven and the view was out of this world.
Farewell to a lovely experience.
Since this trip was my belated birthday celebration, when we met Cousin Brenda she had a belated birthday present for me. Along with some lovely fragrance gifts for my house, she also gave me one of those gift cards you can use for whatever you want. What I wanted was dinner at the Tower of the Americas. Thank you Brenda. We didn’t have to wash dishes to leave the tower.
Maneuvering back to the car was no problem. My internal map had synced with the city. We did have an adventure getting back to the hotel. First the GPS couldn’t figure out where we were when we left the parking lot and then there was the back road approach to the hotel, but all’s well that ends well – right?
Our next stop? The McNay! You’re going to love it, so come back next week.
Any day I’m traveling is a good day. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good hair day. Looking in the mirror for the first time that morning was a startling experience. Maybe I should have just washed my hair again, but instead I decided a few hot rollers would do the trick.
The taming of Big Hair!
On the Road Again
Bad hair aside, I was almost giddy at the prospect of traveling. Deb texted she was on her way, so I stacked my luggage outside the garage and went about those last minute things you have to do before you leave home for several days. Hubby was going to be there, so I didn’t have quite as many to do. He’d keep the home fires burning.
My partner-in-crime arrived. We loaded up the car, took a few photos and headed south. The first stop was a brief one in Waco. No sightseeing, even though Waco is a great little town for that. Just a little restroom break, a morning snack and a some gas – then we were back on the road.
The morning snack was pretty darned good. I don’t usually go to Burger King, but it was convenient. Deb had some kind of coffee concoction that was really more like a chocolate shake with a little coffee flavoring. Since we decreed nothing we ate during the weekend would have any calories, I had a cinnamon roll.
Dining and Shopping in Round Rock
Cousin Brenda and the sneaky ‘fro. It’s trying to make a comeback!
Next stop was lunch with my Cousin Brenda in Round Rock. The city’s biggest claim to fame is that it’s just north of Austin, but they also have a pretty good outlet mall. We met Brenda at Mimi’s Cafe.
Can you say Cinnamon Spice Muffin? When they said Cinnamon Spice, I thought Spice Cake, but am I ever glad the waitress set me straight, because I almost opted for a Blueberry Muffin. Instead, out came this amazing pastry filled with walnuts and dusted with cinnamon sugar. My official entree, which was delicious, was a chicken crepe, but the muffin stole the show.
With Round Rock Premium Outlet Mall just next door, we should at least drop by right? We’d thought about making a sight-seeing stop or two down in Austin, but Brenda said the traffic wasn’t worth it. She told us about a new toll road and said we should be headed south by three. That only left us an hour and a half, so we shopped with some very good luck.
This year has been so crazy that even though my bestie gave me a handful of gift cards to Bath and Body Works for Christmas, I had never gotten around to using them. Since this was the first store we saw, I whipped out my cards and went to town. I love my daily bubble bath, but I usually opt for whatever bubbles I can find in the grocery store. The gift cards allowed me to stock up on all kinds of amazing scents the grocery store will never smell.
A few more steps down the sidewalk a few steps were a pair of my favorite clothing stores, Jones of New York and Kasper. The good news was the great sale they were having. The bad news? It was a store-closing sale – and not just those stores, all the JNY and Kasper outlet stores. I can’t tell you how much of my wardrobe comes from those two outlet stores.
Apparently, someone bought them and decided to get out of the outlet business, to focus on their department store business. That makes me sad, because I am not a department store shopper. I really don’t need any clothes because I still haven’t worn everything I inherited from Mom and Aunt Edie, so I don’t hang out in department stores. I’ll visit an outlet mall, because it’s less hassle and I find real bargains on clearance. Every once and a while I’ll stop by and find a few items at give-away prices to keep my look fresh or to replace something I’ve worn to thread-barrenness. Kasper and JNY have been two of my favorites, I guess because they were favorites of Mom and Aunt Edie.
I did virtually steal a navy blue sundress and a sweater set, because the prices were jaw-dropping. If you have an outlet mall near by, run over there and check out the savings. Gorgeous stuff, great prices.
The hour and a half we had for shopping disappeared into the plastic bags hanging on our arms, so it was time to go. We hugged my cousin’s neck and took her toll road to San Antonio. Come back next week and I’ll tell you all about our interesting stay at an not so marvelous hotel bargain.
It was our last day in LA. The family had arrived in waves, and now Bill and I would be the first departing wave. There were only a few hours left. At 1:18 AM, my nephew texted me the location where we’d meet at 10 AM for brunch. At 4:13 AM he texted me to let me know it would actually be 11. The nieces and nephews were keeping different hours than Auntie Jane.
Brunch at Le Pain Quotidien
Before Steven married and moved up to San Francisco, he and Bassem were a pair of young studs enjoying the single life in LA. I can imagine them landing at Le Pain Quotidien to break their fast after a wild night on the town or even for a quiet Sunday morning reading the LA Times.
However, with thirteen people ranging in age from toddler to retired teacher, perhaps we should have gone to IHOP. The little ones couldn’t find anything they wanted to eat and for that matter, neither could I. It was all very healthy, fresh and chic, but I’d been awake since 4:13 AM and I was seriously hungry. Also, we were spread out over several tables in a corner of the cafe and I’m sure our chatter was disruptive to everyone else.
Next Stop
When brunch was over everyone turned to me for our next adventure. I was honored that I hadn’t been disbarred from the family after the Huntington Garden fiasco, but maybe Bill’s telephoned assurance that there actually were amazing things behind the tall hedges saved face for me. Problem was, I’d seen everything I’d put on my wish list except one and I was afraid the Venice Canals might not be appropriate for this huge crowd of people.
I confessed that my bag was empty except for the Canals, but suddenly I had a groundswell of support. Steven and Shannon had courted nearby and Bassem thought the area was amazing. Bill, too, was anxious to see the canals. So we loaded up and headed out.
The Venice Canals
Saturday afternoon with a caravan of cars is not the optimal time to see the canals – still I’m awfully glad they were included at the last minute.
The Venice Canals
You can’t see much from the car, so the entire caravan had to find places to park. I think that privilege came with a price tag of twenty-something dollars per vehicle. I thought that was outrageous, but everyone else took it in stride.
The Venice Canals is a neighborhood built on a series of man-made canals just a few blocks from Venice Beach. The cute bungalows were affordable back in the day. Now if you’ve got two or three extra mil laying around, you too can live there.
Except for the parking, it actually turned into a great outing for our large group. In ever-changing groups of three or four folks, we strung out all along the canals with everyone strolling along at their own pace.
Auntie Jane at the Venice Canals
The canals were a real boon to me. I don’t see my grandniece and grandnephew often enough for them to remember me. So, I was about to leave, but they’d finally decided to let me into their special circle. I pushed their stroller around the canals. We made up a silly game to play as we went over the bridges. We laughed, giggled and sang nonsense songs. I’m sure the residents hated it, but I was in heaven.
Farewell to the Golden State.
Finally, we couldn’t put it off any longer. There was a episode of fruit basket turnover as we re-arranged everyone to accommodate Bassem driving us to the airport. We were going to have to return the Maserati to him. I would miss it. My real car is a Nissan.
I’ll share a few more shots of the picturesque canals, but come back next week. Who knows what I’ll have up my sleeve!
TRAVEL THERE: ORANGE HILL RESTAURANT IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
This vacation is almost over, but there’s one more treat I want to share with you, Orange Hill Restaurant. It’s one of my favorite places to go and on this trip I enjoyed my meal with one of my favorite people – the one who introduced me to Orange Hill in the first place.
Friends Tell Friends About the Best Places
My buddy Lizbet and I met in Dallas while working for the same company. She’s an extraordinary person, a great friend and a lot of fun. After I moved to California, she made the move a few years later. She settled in another part of the state and she plans on staying.
The first time I drove down to her part of California for a visit, she took me to Orange Hill Restaurant. She tried to tell me how cool it was ahead of time but I guess I didn’t pay any attention. Now I’m going to tell you, but you’ll probably doubt me, too.
The View’s the Thing
Orange Hill Restaurant is actually up on Orange Hill. Most of Orange County is a flat plain, but right there just past the corner of Chapman Road and Canyon View is a small road with a sign pointing up a hill that promises Orange Hill Restaurant. Even though the address is on Chapman Road, follow the sign. You still have a way to go. Just wait until you’re up the hill to enjoy the view. Orange Hill Restaurant has a great patio and there won’t be any on-coming cars.
At the top of the drive you’ll arrive at a porte-cochères where a valet will park your car. Don’t fall into the koi pond as you admire the unique masonry of natural stone. Inside there’s an elegantly appointed dining room, but you won’t see it. You’ll be bowled over by the view. Spread beneath you like a carpet is all of Orange County.
Sunset from Orange Hill Restaurant
But the Meal’s Pretty Good
There’s nothing extraordinary about the menu at Orange Hill Restaurant. There’s nothing wrong with it either. Steak, seafood and for the health nuts – Vegetarian Pasta Primavera. The prices will set you back a bit, but they’re not unreasonable. We ordered a table-ful of food and it was all delicious – but with a view like that, who cares?
Lizbet and I hadn’t seen one another in a long time, so we had a lot of catching up to do. I’m sure our waitress hated us. We camped out for hours. As we sat there in our window seat, the sun disappeared from view and the plain below us lit up. It was quite a sight. I guarantee you, the patio was at maximum capacity.
All This and Fireworks, Too
Here’s one thing I failed to mention – the fireworks. You know how Disneyland has fireworks most evenings right at closing time. Well, guess what! You can see them from Orange Hill. That’s right. Give yourself a pat on the back. If Disneyland has fireworks on any given night, then you can see them from Orange Hill Restaurant.
That’s why, with all of LA and Orange County to choose from, I drove from San Marino to Orange Hill and back to Studio City. Lizbet would have met me anywhere I suggested. Like Moonstone Beach and the Getty Villa, I wasn’t going to miss the chance to share one of my favorite places with one of my favorite people.
All that’s left on this trip is a couple of loose ends. Join me next week for a great brunch spot. Then I’ll have to think of someplace else to go.
TRAVEL THERE: THE UPPER CRUST TRATTORIA IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
No, I’m not talking about the Central Coast‘s social elite. The Upper Crustis a great little Italian Restaurant on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo.
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
One thing led to another. After I moved to the San Luis Obispo area I researched churches and discovered Grace Church in SLO. At Grace Church, I met Marilyn, who invited me to Bible Study. After Bible Study we went to the Upper Crust. All three of these were pivotal events. Grace Church and Marilyn were foundational to my life in SLO and Upper Crust was my go-to restaurant.
When we wanted pasta, we’d go to Upper Crust. When we wanted a pizza, we’d go to Upper Crust. If we wanted a a salad, a quick bite, a romantic meal, a glass of wine, to entertain clients, to entertain guests… The bottom line was, we went there a lot. Since this was beach country, we went to seafood restaurants quite often too, but for everything else, it was Upper Crust.
THREE WORDS – RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE SALAD
The pizza was good. Their pasta was great. The Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad – to die for. Fresh greens, candied walnuts, out of this world dressing, add chicken if you need protein – OMG. If a had a nickel for every time I ate it, I would at least have enough to buy several more.
I heartily recommend anything on the menu. You can’t go wrong. However, if you leave without someone at the table ordering a Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad, you’ve made a huge mistake. My friend Marilyn always maintained that another place had a better Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad, but she was wrong. In all other things, I thought Marilyn was one of the smartest people I ever had the opportunity to befriend, but she didn’t know her Raspberry Vinaigrette Salads.
CENTRALLY LOCATED
Wherever you live or visit in San Luis Obispo County, no one outside SLO county residents will recognize the name of it. Mention Heart Castle or Cal Poly and some people might say, “Oh yeah” – or you might have to resort to explaining it’s halfway between LA and San Fran. The whole county doesn’t have as many people in it as Garland, a suburb of Dallas.
When I lived there, I sold real estate all over the county and Highway One was the main thoroughfare. The Upper Crust is right off Highway One on Los Osos Valley Road. That was an intersection I passed almost daily for one reason or another, so that made eating there or meeting there that much easier. It also means that wherever you go in the area, you won’t have any trouble including the restaurant in your itinerary.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Do not miss The Upper Crust! If you’re driving between LA and San Fran, it is just about halfway and it is worth the stop.
From SLO we drove on to LA. I’ll tell you about that next week.
jane sadek 