Travel There – Page 35

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Myriad Botanical Gardens, Oklahoma City OK

November 18, 2015November 18, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS, A GLORIOUS OASIS IN DOWNTOWN OKC

Warning! Downtown OKC is under construction. Your GPS won’t like it. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. It just means you need to be ready for it. We found parking close to the art museum and walked the few short blocks to Myriad Botanical Gardens.

An entire city block, being prepared for implosion.

There’s a Conversion Happening

Five or six years ago Bill and I took a few days in OKC in the days before blogging. Much of what I planned for this stopover with Deb came from my memories of the trip with Bill. I remembered OKC having a decidedly turn-of-the-century Western charm, but it was the turn from the 19th century to the 20th. OKC is moving into the 21st century whether I approve of it or not.

The two buildings above may deserve the makeover, but there were others we were sorry to see included in the “improvement”. They sported signs of architectural interest that will be lost when antiquity is replaced with skyscrapers.

The inscrpition says we are what we do. What has someone done? — The inscription says, “We are what we do.” I wondered “What has someone done?”

At least the city is trying to incorporate natural beauty in between it’s glass boxes, but Deb didn’t think much of it. This small architectural feature was carved with a platitude and accented with a large stone. In Deb’s opinion, it looked as if someone had failed to clean up after their pet dinosaur. When Bill saw this picture, he felt the same way.

The Myriad Botanical Gardens had also changed. I remembered them as having more green grass and less hardscape. Not that they haven’t created a beautiful place. It’s just not as botanical as I remembered.

The Conservatory

The gardens outside were different and I was still trying to decide how I felt about that when we arrived at the entrance to The Conservatory. The last time I’d visited there had been a festival going on and the entry area was congested with small costumed entertainers. This time everything was serene.

We made our way to the garden area and entered a wonderland. It was amazing. I won’t bother you with my ecstatic ramblings. Instead I’ll just share my pictures.

Come back next week and I’ll share another downtown treat with you. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

Accommodations, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States, WRITING

Country Inn & Suites in Oklahoma City

November 11, 2015October 23, 2015 Jane Sadek

No prickly problems at the Carlson, then on to the botanical garden

TRAVEL THERE: CARLSON’S COUNTRY INN & SUITES IN OKLAHOMA CITY,OK

The primary reason we stopped in Oklahoma City was their art museum. We also wanted to visit Bricktown and the botanical gardens. All of these sites were downtown, but for a quick overnight stay I thought the downtown hotels were a little pricey. So we opted for the Country Inn & Suites on NW Expressway. Downtown was mere minutes away and the reviews sounded pretty good.

Can You Say Mustard?

Nancy the Navigator told us the Country Inn was nearby, so we started scanning the area for a sign of our hotel. There are several in the general area. To help Deb locate it I said, “It looked yellow in the picture.” Suddenly a mustard yellow tower with brown mustard trim came into sight. We’d found our accommodations. If you have an aversion to shades of mustard, stay away at all costs. You will see more variations of mustard yellow at this hotel than you ever imagined were possible.

However, if you just need a place to spend the night in OKC, then this is a great place to stay. We got the room with two queen beds for under $100 on Expedia. With the exception of the pervasive mustard yellow and some renovations, everything about the stay was fine.

Compact But Adequate

When we first arrived all we did was throw our luggage into the room and head back out to Bricktown. Registration had taken only seconds and they had plenty of luggage carts. Our room was right across from the elevator. We noticed the bathroom had been specially equipped for handicap access, which meant a roll-in shower with no bathtub. I can’t tell you whether it’s that way in all rooms or just the bargain room we got, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. It meant I wouldn’t be having my usual bubble bath, but I’m a big girl, so I could live without it.

The other thing we noticed was that the room was tight. The sitting area is completely separate from the sleeping area, which was nice, but there’s not much space. Not a problem for overnight, but I’d want more space if I were going to be there for several days with a companion.

When we got back from Bricktown we were exhausted and hit the sack pretty quickly. I woke up about five and decided to go ahead and write the article that had given me such a fit before we left. I dreaded fighting the log-in on the hotel’s wi-fi, which is usually a hassle, but I wanted to unburden myself from my perceived obligation. If you want to read about the exhibition I previewed, you can do that here. Being able to close the door and leave Deb sleeping peacefully while I puttered around made things easier and that wi-fi log-in? Piece of cake.

About the time I finished my article, Deb was up and about. We got ready and headed down for breakfast. Breakfast was great. The area set aside for the breakfast bar was actually quite nice. The buffet offered everything from make-it-yourself waffles to bacon and eggs to fruit and yogurt. I confess, I had the waffles. Deb opted for the protein. There was a baby who was making a lot of noise, but he was absolutely darling and it was happy noises, so we actually enjoyed him.

By nine we’d loaded up the car and headed downtown. Let the fun begin.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro – Oklahoma City, OK

November 5, 2015November 5, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: BULLS-EYE ON BRICKTOWN – LOOKING FOR FUN IN OK CITY

It’s about three hours to Oklahoma City from Dallas and we needed every minute of that to shake off all the frustrations which tried to keep us from leaving town. Deb and I both needed this trip. We were seriously devoted to radical attitude adjustment. That’s why we put the pedal to the medal so we could start our adventure in Bricktown.

Bricktown

Though we were on our way to Wichita KS for a Women’s Ministry Event we were determined to have some fun along the way. Bricktown was a great place to start.

Oklahoma City is a conglomeration of several interesting neighborhoods and I thoroughly recommend giving yourself several days to visit the city so you can enjoy them. Bricktown isn’t a neighborhood though. It’s an entertainment area. There’s a baseball stadium, tons of restaurants and even a Riverwalk. It’s not exactly San Antonio, but it’s well worth your time.

Deb and I blasted into town, threw our stuff into our hotel room and headed to Bricktown. Along the way, Deb read through some of the brochures I had on the area and decided The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro sounded like our kind of place. Boy was she ever right.

Dark and Cozy

There was still daylight left when we got to Oklahoma City. The GPS took us close to our destination but construction thwarted Nancy the Navigator’s efforts to get us to the restaurant. After a little wandering around, Nancy decided she knew where she was again and she delivered us to the front door. The exterior of the building is nothing to write home about, but there was a parking space right out front so we felt like we’d come to the right place.

The moment we stepped inside all hints of sunshine disappeared. The place has a clubby, steakhouse vibe. We were seated at a banquette. I can imagine that being romantic for a couple, but Deb sat on the upholstered seat and I opted for a chair across from her.

The waiter promptly arrived and offered drinks, but we hadn’t figure out our game plan yet, so he left us to peruse the menu and wine list. We decided to share an appetizer and an entree. The entree was fish, so we chose a nice bottle of white to go along.

Seriously Delicious

I obviously left my bad luck in Dallas. The wine selection was crisp and refreshing. The appetizer was to die for. Baked Brie is one of our favorite things in the world and when Mantel’s version of it was put down in front of us we wondered why we didn’t order two. It looked perfect and tasted even better.

The entree was every bit as good. The grilled mahi mahi was cooked to perfection and rested atop a scrumptious risotto banked by stalks of grilled asparagus. The more we ate, the more we wanted, so we allowed the waiter to show us the dessert menu. Everything sounded amazing so we asked for help. Before we could finish the question he took the dessert menus out of our hands and told us we wanted the Lava Cake.

I’m sorry to report that I failed to get a picture of the dessert. Two balls of ice cream were served next to a large ramekin of chocolate stuff. He told us it was hot, but we just had to dump it out on the plate to mix with the ice cream. The poor waiter nearly fainted when he came back to find us trying to handle the ramekin with our napkins.

Waiter Love

The waiter whipped up our plate and disappeared. He returned moments later with our freshly dumped lava cake rolling around among the ice cream balls and he was obviously amused. He told us we were the first patrons he’d ever seen try to attempt the feat. We reminded him we’d warned him about ourselves. He laughed and confessed he’d been very wrong about us. He’d pegged us as salad-with-a-glass-of-wine types. Then we’d ordered a bottle of wine, an appetizer, and an entree. He hadn’t been surprised we also wanted dessert, but us playing hot potato with the lava cake had made his evening.

A Stroll Through Bricktown

Oklahoma City is not exactly the Big Apple and Bricktown on a Thursday night with no baseball game is a ghost town. Still we decided to wander down to the Riverwalk and take a stroll. I imagine that it can be a pretty exciting place to hang out, but it was eerie to be the only ones down there.

With nothing to distract us we went back to the car and returned to the hotel. We had a fun day ahead.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States, WRITING

Continuing on the Wrong Foot

November 4, 2015October 30, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL HERE: THE TRIP WITH NO NAME GETS BOGGED DOWN IN BIG D

So, I’m suffering from a case of the blues, I’ve had a crazy week, my computer is all screwed up, there’s a certified letter at the post office and I need to attend a media event so I can write an article before I head out of town. Easy peasy, right?

On the Way Downtown

At least Bill was up and he was working on my computer. I coached him along by running in between the master bath and my office while I got ready. Of course, the office and the master bath are on separate floors at opposite end of the house. I was a little bit late, but I had to go to the post office first, because Bill wanted to know the story behind the certified letter and he was working on my computer after all. So, I make a mad dash to the the post office in Rockwall, called Bill with the bad news the letter reported (certified letters always have bad news) and pointed my car down I-30.

I had smooth sailing all the way to Fair Park which lulled me into thinking that I might actually make it on time. Suddenly, the road ahead was filled with red brake lights. Almost simultaneously my bladder informed me that I needed to make a trip to the restroom and I needed to go as soon as I could.

Oh, and did I mention that I’d gotten a new GPS for the trip, because a map update for my old one was going to cost almost as much as a new one. I knew how to get from my house to the Arts District, but I wanted to get familiar with the new instrument’s idiosyncrasies. The GPS, which I named Nancy the Navigator, dumped me in the middle of downtown and then got mad when barricades wouldn’t let me follow her instructions. I picked my way through the construction alone and made it to the museum. My watch said I’d only be a minute or two late. I just hoped they’d have a slow start so I could visit the facilities.

Let’s Park

I pulled into the appropriate parking lot, but chose the wrong lane. Seconds ticked by as I held a frustrating conversation with the woman in the attendant’s booth. Mechanical noises flooded out of the underground lot and the woman’s speech sounded like I would if I had my mouth full of pebbles. She finally left her booth, walked over to the lane I should have entered, pulled a ticket for me and handed it to me. Then she said the only thing I had understood in the whole exchange, “Park down on level six.”

The voyage to level six was excruciating. I still needed to use the restroom in the worst way and the ramps were so steep and tight that if I’d gone any slower I would have been going in reverse. I parked the car on six, hoped I didn’t look as manic as I felt and started searching for the elevators. If they had any signs pointing to them, I didn’t see them, but then I hadn’t seen that I was entering the garage in an exit lane either, so who am I to complain.

On to the Museum

I rode up on the elevator, crossed the lobby to the mezzanine outside and then hurried down a set of stairs to the museum. They’d move the door on me since I’d visited the museum last, but I finally made my way in. I was less than ten minutes late, but the event was in full swing. The artist and a curator were in the exhibit introducing it to the assembled members of the press. I had hoped to fit right in with my peers, but I’m sure my hair was flying in all directions and I looked like a deer staring into headlights. And I was dying to go to the restroom.

I bravely attempted to ignore my personal needs and pay attention to what the artist was saying, but my bladder was having none of that. If coming in late wasn’t embarrassing enough, I had to wander away from the group and find a restroom. While taking care of the necessities I practiced deep breathing exercises and then patted my hair into place. I kept telling myself all of this frustration was not the end of the world, but right then it felt like it was.

The Day Continues

Though I felt as if I’d been wandering around down a rabbit hole, only a few moments had passed and the artist was still in the same corner he had been when I left the group. I started taking notes and making pictures like a pro. In spite of it all I had enough to write a good article – if I had a computer to write it on when I returned home.

No such luck. I had a text from my bestie letting me know she could leave work early and the day had not exactly gone as planned, so I still had things I needed to do. I resolved to focus on the trip and if the article was posted on Monday instead of Friday, then who but me was going to care. It’s not like anyone was paying me for writing about the exhibition opening. This blog is a labor of love.

I changed out of my member-of-the-press outfit and put on my traveling clothes. I loaded up the car and had some lunch. I fritzed around with my computer some more, hoping beyond hope that it would just miraculously fix itself, but in the end it didn’t and I had to start Norton again. I gave it up and left the house.

Is it any surprise that when I got to the 7-11 to fill up my car the 7Rewards app wouldn’t open up, so I had to pay for what should have been my free soda? Are you at all surprised that traffic was awful and even though I’d left with time to spare I barely got to my friend’s office at the appointed time? Or that I turned on the wrong street even though I actually knew where to go? Or that my friend had fallen the night before while packing and was barely ambulating?

The Trip With No Name hadn’t even begun and I already had a few choice appellations for it! Come by on Wednesday and we’ll head off towards Oklahoma City.

ART, DESTINATIONS, Museums, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States, WRITING

Starting Off on the Wrong Foot

November 3, 2015October 30, 2015 Jane Sadek

AT HOME IN HEATH: THE TRIP WITH NO NAME STARTED OUT ON THE WRONG FOOT

It’s not unusual for someone to go on a long weekend to brighten their outlook on life, but along with failing to inspire me to come up with a better name than The Trip With No Name, things seemed destined to get more frustrating for this recent road trip.

Booking a Room

After I ordered tickets for Living Proof in Wichita, KS, I sort of ignored the hotel information in my confirmation packet. I’m such a huge fan of Expedia and Trip Advisor that I assumed I’d be able to get a great room at a bargain price which would blow away the conference’s negotiated deals. I was wrong.

What’s worse is that my assumption led me to put off making my reservations. I mean really, who was going to go all the way to Wichita for a Bible Study? Well, it turns out thousands and thousands of ladies from all 50 States were going to make their way to the city and thousands more were going to watch on simulcast.

But I didn’t know that, so I waited until about a month before the conference before I finally sat down and researched rooms in Wichita. I quickly found out that the conference had negotiated some pretty amazing deals, but I also found out most of them were already booked. My first inclination was to find a room within walking distance of the arena. Total fail. Then I cast my net further. I ended up getting the conference rates, but they were at a DoubleTree at the airport. Not the end of the world, but not exactly my vision for the weekend either.

An Exciting Invitation

As I continued my planning for Wichita, I received an invitation to a media event from one of the local museums. I’ve been blogging about local attractions for quite awhile now, but until recently I hadn’t made it to their media list. I have a few publicist in New York and Chicago who send me invitations from time to time, but my budget doesn’t exactly cover flights to the Big Apple or the Windy City. Gas to the Dallas Arts District is much more affordable. Since Deb and I weren’t leaving until after she got off from work, I’d have plenty of time to pop by the museum and write the article, right? Well, not exactly.

A Mixed Up Week

I don’t exactly live in a rut, but I do seem to get along better when things happen according to routine. The week of the trip had nothing routine about it. Monday was a holiday and my videographer client was having a picnic for all of us who work for him. It was just the beginning of a strange week. Tuesdays are the day I usually go into the videographer’s office, but Bill was having dental surgery, so I went in on Wednesday instead. As I pulled into the garage Wednesday afternoon I had the realization that in a mere 24 hours I’d be picking up my bestie and we’d be heading north. I hadn’t even thought about what I was going to wear and I hadn’t done the laundry either. It was going to be a long evening. At least I’d picked up sushi on the way home, so I didn’t have to fix dinner.

Dinner was easy, but other things challenged me. Things like my dog, who chose that particular day to have gooped up eyes. And things like the certified letter notification that had been in the mail. Those never have good news, so I promised Bill I would go by the post office on the way to the museum. It should have been easy. The media event didn’t start until ten. It would be a cakewalk – right?

Good Morning Meltdown

I’m an early riser. On the morning of the trip I was in my office about 5:30, even though I’d been up late getting ready to leave. The first thing I did was open up my email. As I perused the inbox, it seemed as if an email from my husband was the most important item, so I clicked on it. Suddenly, a weird article about some celebrity opened up. At first, I assumed I had just clicked the wrong thing, but it was quickly apparent that something was seriously wrong.

My husband is not an early riser. At 5:45 he would not have welcomed a hysterical bedside visit, so I ran Norton while I tried to work around the fact that I had no computer. I did have the laptop from work, but it’s not optimized for all of my sites and passwords, nor is it synched to my printer. So I limped along hoping everything would be alright.

Norton got through at just about the same time my husband woke up, but I had a sneaky suspicion Norton had not killed the beast on my drive. A few clicks confirmed my fears. Then, I broke one of the sacred laws of our house. I told Bill about my problem before he had his coffee. Then I spent the next hour or so trying to get ready to leave while I coached Bill through saving my computer.

Things only got more interesting, but I’ll tell you more about it next week.

DESTINATIONS, Road Trips, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

The Trip with No Name

October 28, 2015October 23, 2015 Jane Sadek

Hibiscus, Myriad Botanical Garden & Conservatory, Oklahoma City OK — And where did we find this in Oklahoma City?

TRAVEL THERE: THE TRIP WITH NO NAME, OKLAHOMA CITY AND WICHITA

It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. I was in a funk. The funk had been building for a long time and wouldn’t seem to go away. I kept trying to think up things that would make it disappear, with little success. My usual chipper mood would bob to the surface from time to time, but I couldn’t shake off the funk. I even thought about going to Mastermind, a motivational event I used to attend back in my real estate days. If anything from my real estate days seems desirable, that means I am in bad shape. That’s when I got the email from Lifeway. Beth Moore was having an event in Wichita, Kansas. Certainly that would beat a real estate seminar!

I Love Beth Moore

If you are a real estate agent I thoroughly recommend Brian Buffini’s coaching system to you and Mastermind is a wonderful event. But I hated real estate, in spite of the fact that I was making more money than I’d ever made in my life. So wanting to go to Mastermind was a weird thing.

On the other hand, I love Beth Moore. She’s a Bible teacher from down Houston way and she gets me. I can’t think of any other way to put it. She’s real, she’s honest and she’s transparent. Her Bible teaching is well researched and well prayed-over. Her teaching gets inside me and squishes around on my private places. Then she makes me do something about all those things I was trying to ignore in the first place. After all that uncomfortable stuff I feel much better. What I love most about her is that she keeps me laughing all the time she’s squishing around in my hidden sins.

I Love My Husband

Bless his heart, he was completely over my funk. He’d sent me off to San Antonio not so long ago and I came back worse than I’d been. He knew I needed something, and he didn’t think it was Mastermind, but he was willing to send me. When I found out about the Beth Moore Event he was like, “Go! Please go. Do something anything to help me get my wife back.” Oh and he wanted me to take my bestie with me.

I Love My Bestie

“Hey, Bestie! How would you like to drive six hours to Wichita, Kansas, spend all day closed up in an arena and then drive six hours back home?” How could anyone resist an invitation like that?

And here’s why I love my bestie. The answer was yes and she wanted to stop in Oklahoma City to visit the Chihulys at the art museum there. I’d told her about them years ago, before I even started blogging, and she’d been looking for an opportunity ever since.

The Trip with No Name was launched. We left on a Thursday after work, spent the night in Oklahoma City and then drove on to Wichita. We stuffed all the fun we could have into those three days and when it’s Deb and me, we can do a lot of stuffing. Come along over the next few weeks and I’ll share the good times with you.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Strolling Away from San Antonio

October 21, 2015October 23, 2015 Jane Sadek

Gristmill Restaurant, Gruene, TX — Lunchtime in Gruene, TX

TRAVEL THERE: FROM SAN ANTONIO TO DALLAS VIA GRUENE

All good things do eventually come to an end, one way or the other – even a girl’s trip to San Antonio – but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun on the way home!

Though everything had not gone exactly as planned, Deb and I had a pretty amazing time in San Antonio. Now it was time to go home. We left San Jose Mission after the Mariachi Mass and headed north on I-35.

What’s for Lunch

I’d suggested a few lunchtime possibilities which would be within striking distance of our ride home. Deb agreed they sounded interesting and we decided on the Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar in Gruene.

Back in 2013, on my South Texas Ramble, Bill and I stopped by Gruene – a place I’d heard of but never visited. We enjoyed the town for several hours, but we’d just had a late breakfast in Austin and weren’t interested in a meal. We did meander through the Gristmill and I made a mental bookmark, because it looked like my kind of place.

Small Town Traffic Jam

When Deb and I pulled into Gruene on the beautiful Sunday afternoon in June, we realized just about everybody else in Central Texas must have also decided it was a good day to visit. We inched along at a snail’s pace until reaching the public parking lot, found a spot and headed toward the restaurant.

Watch the Board

The Gristmill has no pagers, they don’t call your name over a PA system and you don’t have to wait in line. You head over to the outdoor stage to enjoy a little music and keep an eye on the board. This was by far the most unique, most elaborate and most entertaining seating method I have ever seen or heard of.

Cute young things in cut-off shorts work themselves to death in this particular arrangement, but it’s a lot of fun. One group of girls stay busy writing names up on this board of folks whose tables are ready and erasing names of seated parties. Another group of cute girls play messenger between the hostess stand and the board monitors. I was just beginning to get the rhythm of the set up when they added my name to the list of parties being seated. Since I was hungry, I was glad to see it, but I confess I’d hoped to watch the activity just a little bit longer. I’d been so engrossed I hadn’t even paid any attention to the musician who was supposed to be entertaining us.

Onion Rings, Gristmill Restaurant, Gruene TX — Be Sure to Order the Onion Rings

The Gristmill really is an old mill, but it was a cotton-gin, not a place to grind meal. I’m still wondering why they didn’t call it The Cotton-Gin or just The Gin, but who can argue with success – and are they ever successful. The riverside venue was just made for throwing back a few cold ones while you nibble away at tasty vittles. Folks of all ages are gathered around the tables, but it did appear the lion’s share were college-aged or recently-college-aged. I’m not sure how they managed to get an occupancy permit, because the place looks like it might fall down during the next rainfall, but so far it hasn’t.

I had the Chicken Salad Sandwich. I think Deb had something with lettuce and chicken too, but in another configuration – though it might have been a burger. Before the main course, we did indulge in the house specialty – fried onion rings. It’s a good thing we declared the weekend a “no-calorie zone”. Even with all the walking we did, I’m sure there was the potential for more calories than our steps would have walked off.

Ready for the Last Leg

After our pleasant respite on the patio with great food and warm sunshine, it was time to do get back to the Metroplex. We did stop at the Buc-ee’s in Temple, but soon afterwards we were home. There’s no place like home, but there’s also no place like a road trip with your best friend.

Come back by next week and see what other kind of trouble I have managed to get into.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Gardens, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

On the Mission Trail

October 14, 2015October 15, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: SAN ANTONIO’S MISSION TRAIL

Mission Concepcion

Deb and I both had been on San Antonio’s Mission Trail before, so our visit was just a refresher course. We started at Mission Concepcion and arrived during a break between services.

Very modern families shared the latest news on the mission lawn. White-frocked priests chatted with parishioners. A large black dog wove among pants legs and teased children, earning a pat or two along the way. Some version of this scene has played out, right there, for several centuries. I found it heart-warming.

Espada Mission

We stayed a few minutes and then passed by San Jose Mission, because we would be returning shortly for Mariachi Mass. With only 45 minutes to spare, we chose to see Espada over San Juan. Deb couldn’t remember which was which, but I knew Espada was my favorite.

When we pulled into the parking lot Deb knew I had chosen correctly. It’s her favorite mission too, even though she couldn’t remember the name. She recalled it from a previous visit, long ago when her boys were young. We sauntered among ruins and enjoyed the rustic feel of the old church.

Big News for the Mission Trail

As we chatted with each other about the lovely place a gentleman overheard our appreciative comments and shared some news. Mission Espada has been chosen as a World Heritage site. Since the official announcement didn’t come out until July 5th, finding this out in early June was a big deal.

On the surface this sounds like a good thing, but I really don’t know whether I want UNESCO messing with my favorite mission or not. All five missions are included in the designation, but Espada has been singled out as the site of the interpretive center.

Deb and I both feel a very spiritual connection to this particular mission, because it seems to be the least modernized. We feel as if there is still a link to the men who originally suffered and sacrificed to bring the Good News to the New World. We know that not every priest who came to the Americas had the best interest of the natives as their goal, but something about Espada makes us believe the men who came there did.

What we really don’t want is a bunch of people in costume making like they’re historical figures and signs all over the place explaining how abusive us Europeans were to the natives. Sure there were abuses, but we’re afraid new abuses are about to be perpetrated on the beautiful Espada Mission. It is a church first and it should stay that way.

After hearing the news we entered the chapel and spent some time in prayer. It was a holy moment for us, touching both our hearts. We hope we can have that experience the next time we visit Espada.

Time for San Jose

Mission San Jose, Mission Trail, San Antonio,TX — Mission San Jose

A peek at our watches told us we had lingered too long. We made a mad dash back to San Jose. Of course, we parked in the boonies and raced around wildly trying to find the worship center. A woman took us in hand and found us a seat.

The Mariachi Mass

I have bad news. The Mariachi Mass isn’t what it used to be. The last time I was at San Jose, parishioners were excited about the renovation about to occur. I’m afraid they did to San Jose exactly what I don’t want them to do to Espada. They improved it above and beyond my recognition.

Not The Way It Used to Be

I have memories of a small dark sanctuary filled with the exhilarating music of mariachis laced with the intoxicating smell of incense. The new sanctuary is big, bold, bright and completely out of touch with my memories.

Back in the old days, the mariachis wore incredible costumes sparkling with silver conchos. The new uniforms have stamped metal conchos, but only the color is silver, not the metal. The old mariachis wore the complete costume. Sombereos atop their heads, heavily embroidered suits with silver conchos and heavy black leather boots. The new mariachis wear white shirts with mariachi bowties, but it’s not the same. Someone once told me the same family had performed as a part of the mass for many generations. I don’t think any of them are still there. One of the violins was so off key that I actually thought I was going to have to leave. It was like nails scraping a chalkboard.

Here’s how bad it was. One of the choir members recognized us as strangers and apologized to us. That’s pretty sad.

It was time for us to head towards Dallas, but one more adventure awaits. Come back next week for lunch at Gruene’s Gristmill. In the meantime, enjoy the Mission Trail photos below.

San Jose’s Famous Rose Window

San Jose

Concepcion

Espada, the soon to be interpretive center

Espada

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, Shopping, TRAVEL, United States

A Little More Strolling in San Antonio

October 7, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

Mi Tierra, San Antonio, TX — In the Mi Tierra Bar

TRAVEL THERE: MORE SAN ANTONIO STROLLING

On this trip we’d already hit some of my favorite culinary spots in San Antonio: The Guenther House in the King William District, Casa Rio and Boudro’s on the Riverwalk and NAO street tacos at The Pearl Farmer’s Market. We’d also tried and fallen in love with a new place, The Chart House at Tower of the Americas. Now it was time for brunch at Mi Tierra.

Mi Tierra

I’ve always known about Mi Tierra, but until I went with Bill back in 2013 I’d never managed to get anyone to go with me. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more, so it immediately moved to my list of favorites – and since it’s open 24 hours I should always be able to find a way to squeeze it in.

Brunch

Sunday morning Deb and I packed up our belongings, checked out of Hotel Contessa and toted our belongings to the car, but we decided to walk to Market Square. It seemed as if every time we left the Contessa we either headed north or east. We’d been neglecting the west, something we were ready to correct.

Market Square is one of the oldest parts of town and during its long history it’s always been an area of mercantile. The actual old El Mercado isn’t what it used to be. It probably deserves the “tourist trap” slam many folks have given it on sites like Trip Advisor, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater – especially if that baby is Mi Tierra.

My previous visit to Mi Tierra had been during a freak winter storm that blitzed out about half of what I wanted to do. We made a mid-week visit for lunch and then headed over to the McNay. The crowd was primarily business people grabbing a quick lunch and a few of us tourists who had braved the cold. There had been no wait for a table.

Things were a little more lively on this Sunday morning. The bakery counter was busy and you had to wait for a table. Deb and I settled in the bar and watched for our buzzer to go off. Remarkably we only had a few minutes of cooling our heels, so I think they opened up the patio.

Once seated, we made selections from the breakfast menu and sat back to enjoy the show. Mariachis entertained us on the patio and just outside vendors were setting up booths from which to sell their trinkets. The food was delivered fresh and delicious. It was a little early for a margarita, but I couldn’t help wishing I had one.

Back to the Car

When we headed back to the car I spotted that one of my favorite shops was open. I never can remember the name of it, but you can’t miss it. It’s right next door to Mi Tierra. They have clothing and jewelry on the first and second floor and wonderful ceramics in the basement. Maybe next time I’ll actually write down the name. I’d love to be able to afford some of their beautiful embroidered dresses on the second floor, but I’m not paying three figures for a sundress.

Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX — Main Plaza

Along the way back to the car, we enjoyed the beautiful Main Plaza, but we agreed that the western part of downtown couldn’t compare with the eastern side. It won’t be my last trip to Market Square or Mi Tierra, but I won’t walk next time. I’ll either grab the trolley or hop in my car.

Next we’ll head out on the Mission Trail, so come back next week. You’ll love it.

DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Budro’s Texas Bistro on the Riverwalk

September 30, 2015August 11, 2015 Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: BUDRO’S ON THE RIVERWALK

In spite of all the strolling we’d done so far in San Antonio, there is something about the Riverwalk which inspires ambulatory activity. After happy hour margaritas at The Cork Bar, Deb and I made another circuit of the Riverwalk to shop for a dining spot.

Bodacious Budro’s

We settled on a riverside umbrella at Budro’s Texas Bistro. Confession: I’d been hoping this was where we’d land. My mouth still had fond memories of my previous visit and I knew Deb would love it. We started with wine and worked our way around the menu.

The whole experience was perfect. I was determined to eat al fresco, but there was only one table left on the patio and another couple was discussing it with the hostess when we arrived. They stepped aside to consider their options, so I stepped right up and took the table. The couple ended up with inside seating, which I hope is what they preferred.

Our waiter seemed delighted we joined him for dinner. He rattled off the specials. Deb chose a seafood something and I went further down the menu to the meat. We were having so much we could have been eating hamburgers and it would not have mattered. We people-watched, nibbled at our dinners and polished off a bottle of great wine. Does it get any better than that?

The Evening Winds Down

When the meal was over we were, too. We’d been non-stop for three days and for most of that we’d been hoofing it. We discussed options our options, all of which sounded like entirely too much effort. We chose a movie in our room, but I needed a Diet Dr. Pepper. I always need a Diet Dr. Pepper, but this was an acute case, so we went on the hunt for a convenience or drug store. We found a CVS and I’m pretty sure something chocolate followed me back to the hotel.

Back at the room we put on our jammies and vegged out in front of the TV. I have no recollection of what we might have watched. Seems like it might have been an Ancient Aliens marathon or something equally paranormal, but then again maybe not. Lord knows we’ve watched enough episodes of Ancient Aliens that we feel like Giorgio Tsoukalos is one of our buddies, but if he really were he’d have better hair. I promise.

Have I mentioned how much we loved our room at the Hotel Contessa? Yes, of course I did. I just didn’t want you to forget. It was perfect for a couple of worn out girls. Each of us had our own sofa and a large round coffee table to prop our feet on. At bed time we each crawled into our own queen size bed and dreamed sweet dreams.

What’s Next?

Our final day was approaching. We had to be out of the room by eleven, but we’d be up and out before that, because we wanted brunch at Mi Tierra, the Mariachi Mass at 12:30 and if there was time a little bit of the Mission Trail. Come back next week and see if we squeezed it all in.

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