San Antonio – Page 2 – Hoots of a Night Al

Entertainment, San Antonio

Here’s looking at you, Santikos (+A GIVEAWAY!)

June 12, 2016 43 Comments

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Hey San Antonians have you heard what’s new?!

A brand new Santikos theater, right by you!

Their newest theater is located on the West,

And I must say it’s by far their best.

Santikos Casa Blanca is a premiere venue,

Housing a bar and café with an extensive menu!

After dining, make sure to catch a flick.

Recliners or eat-in bistros, take your pick!

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No matter the theater, you’re guaranteed perfection,

Because every screen uses LASER PROJECTION!

It’s the first in the world to be 100% laser,

The quality is amazing and sharper than a razor!

The end of your movie isn’t the night’s finale,

Since you can walk right over to the bowling alley!

Once you’ve bowled some frames on their sixteen lanes,

The jam-packed arcade still remains!

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While Casa Blanca houses some amazing fun,

Its impact on our community has just begun.

The Santikos Legacy is amazing indeed,

In San Antonio donations, they take the lead.

Their areas of giving range far and wide,

Customer service and giving exist side by side.

They’ll give $12 million this year alone,

An amount so vast, it has my mind blown!

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Do I really need to say any more?

I’m surprised you’re still reading and not out the door!

Grab your family, your friends, and your date,

For a night at Casa Blanca that’s sure to be great!

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Are you all fired up for an evening at Santikos now?! You should be! If so, enter to win a 4 pack of VIP movie tickets redeemable at any Santikos location below!

Sorry, this raffle has closed!

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*I received compensation in exchange for this post. As always though, all opinions are my own!

**All images courtesy of The Wood Agency

Food, Married Life, Recipe, San Antonio, Travel

Night Al Migrations: Black’s Barbecue

September 16, 2014 3 Comments

Hi y’all! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a bit! I started a new job, so that has definitely taken away my blogging time! I’m back today to talk about a mini road trip Louis and I took last week to Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, so we hopped in my Sunfire and drove up, get this, PICKLE PARKWAY. That was the name of the toll road we took! How cute is that? It has the fastest posted speed limit in the United States…85 miles per hour!

We enjoyed the quick drive and wound up in quaint, downtown Lockhart. If we ever make another trip out, I’d love to spend an entire day there. They have antique shops, gift shops, and three other popular barbecue joints. Maybe we can make it back one day to do a “barbecue crawl?” Sort of like a pub crawl, but more our style, since we don’t drink? I’ll add it to our “To Do” list. 😉

When we drove up, there was a line extending at least 20 people out the door! We were starving, but we figured the long line was a good sign. We only waited about 30 minutes, and it was SO worth it.

Once you get inside, the sides are served up cafeteria style and the meats are sliced as you request them. They had all sorts of sides including pinto beans, mac ‘n cheese, deviled eggs, and more, but I just couldn’t resist the green beans. I mean seriously, look at my plate. Our cashier looked at me like I was crazy, but they’re my fave veggie! Get off my back, man.

After waiting in line for so long, we didn’t want to miss out on trying anything, so we got a sliced turkey sandwich, an original sausage link, and a half pound of lean brisket. Oh, and a million green beans (but still not enough for me. Never enough.). The brisket was FOR SURE the best thing we tried. It was so moist and juicy that it didn’t even need barbecue sauce! I loved the sliced turkey sandwich, and (obvi) the green beans were probably my fave part of the meal. Who drives an hour for barbecue and fills up on green beans?? This girl. The sausage was just meh.

Overall, our meal was completely delicious, and we agreed it was totally worth the trip and the wait outside in the Texas heat! If you still need more proof that this is a quality establishment, check out this picture below of the owners…

They’re Aggies! No wonder the food is so delicious!! 🙂 The entire restaurant was filled with memorabilia gathered over the years including countless family memories. Black’s Barbecue is the oldest continuously family-owned barbecue joint in Texas (since 1932!), so it was great to see their family history represented throughout the establishment. It’s nothing fancy, but it serves its purpose by providing tons of checkered tablecloth covered tables for people to sit together and enjoy some delicious Texas barbecue (and green beans, of course).

We loved our mini trip our to Lockhart, and we can’t wait for our next trip out to Black’s Barbecue! Let me know if you’ve ever tried it, or if you know of any other Texas barbecue spots we need to try!

Food, Recipe, San Antonio, Travel

Night Al Migrations: Texas Pride BBQ

July 7, 2014 8 Comments

Summer in Texas means BBQ! Scratch that…Texas means BBQ. In our new quest to explore more, Louis and I remembered hearing about Texas Pride BBQ awhile ago. One morning, we woke up craving BBQ (like every other day), so we made the 40-minute drive from West San Antonio out to Texas Pride BBQ on a beautiful, sunny Saturday.

As soon as we pulled up, I knew I was going to love this place. The entrance is covered with amazing antiques (I almost typed “old antiques”…redundant much? Hah.) mostly centering around a Texan gas station theme (MUCH cooler than it sounds). We strolled past the rusty gas pumps and vintage Coca Cola bottles, through the screen door, and up the wooden ramp.

At the end of the ramp is a signed photo of Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. His show is actually how we first heard about Texas Pride BBQ, so shout out to you for that one, Guy. The rustic, vintage decor continued inside with all sorts of Texas artifacts but more exciting at that point was the smell of delicious BBQ.

We were greeted by a friendly worker who walked us through the menu and gave us his recommendations. We decided on sliced brisket and ribs for our meats, but they also have sausage (so dumb that we didn’t try this!), chopped brisket, pork tenderloin, and turkey. Everything looked and smelled amazing!

Louis ordered fresh cut fries for his side, and they don’t fry them until you order them, so they were fresh and delicious when they came out! I went with mac n’ cheese and green beans, which were both super yummy. We carried our tray of food to the indoor seating area, where they have tons of delicious BBQ sauce (original or spicy), pickles, onions, and all the fixin’s for a delicious meal. Below is a little snapshot of what we enjoyed.

If you’re not stuffed after your meal, they also have hand-scooped Bluebell, Pecan Cobbler, and a delicious looking Peach Cobbler I was begging my stomach to find room for somewhere…next time for sure. After we enjoyed our DELICIOUS BBQ, we strolled out the back of the restaurant to the amazing outdoor area.

We climbed up to the huge rooftop deck that would be so perfect to sit on during a crisp October night enjoying some BBQ and live music. That’s definitely on my To Do List! I bet it is so fun at night with all of the colored lights lit. From the upstairs patio there is a great view of the seating, game room, and stage below.

Texas Pride BBQ is really the gift that keeps on giving. Outside they have a stage where they have live concerts, a precious antique store, a game room full of arcade games, a playground for the kids, tons of unique photo ops, and plenty of seating for your entire group.

We loved wandering around in the antique store. We spent a long time talking with the owner, who told us about several of the pieces she acquired, and her love for seeking out Texas specific antiques. She was so kind, and we had a blast exploring all of the neat stuff she had for sale!

One funny find was a Texas vs. Rice football program from October 1948 with an ad for Camel Cigarettes on the back! Can you imagine seeing a cigarette ad in a college football program today?? I guess a lot’s changed in 65 years.

My personal favorite find was this cute Dr. Pepper wood crate. If I thought we had a spot for it in our apartment, it definitely would have come home with us. Dr. Pepper is my fave! Can’t you picture it full of some bud vases and baby’s-breath?? Love. Also, baby’s-breath…what a creepy name.

We went on Saturday afternoon, but it would be fun to plan a trip out to Texas Pride when they’re having one of their weekly events going on. Thursday is Bike Night, and apparently tons of motorcyclists come and park their bikes under the awning to enjoy BBQ. On Friday, they have a big Fish Fry at their back bar and live music on stage. Saturday evenings also have live music, and on Sundays, they have Classic Car Night. Apparently several of the car owners come dressed to match the decades of their cars…so fun! I’d love to go back one Sunday and see that!

Texas Pride BBQ totally has something for everyone! ….Except for vegetarians maybe? Sorry, y’all. We spent a couple of hours just enjoying the atmosphere and admiring all of the neat items they’ve gathered. It is a really unique place, and it reminded me how much I love Texas. 🙂 If you’re heading to San Antonio anytime soon or you live close by, I’d definitely recommend a trip to Texas Pride! It’s going to be our new spot to take visitors!

Humor, San Antonio

A Tour of Lolli and Pops

June 27, 2014 6 Comments

Hello friends! Today, we’re going to take a little tour of a glorious gourmet candy shop that recently opened at La Cantera, Lolli and Pops.

With its succulent filled window boxes and old-fashioned globe light fixtures, you can’t miss the precious, mint colored store front. Upon arriving at Lolli and Pops, you are greeted by an adorably dressed employee who offers you some scrumptious sweets.

While you munch on whatever delicacy they offered you, you spot glass cases full of decorated truffles and decadent fudge.

You will probably be stunned into silence by the wonder of all of the beautiful delights that surround you. Just pause and take it all in.

If you become choked up with emotions, look to your left where a freezer is full of delicious old-fashioned sodas to quench your thirst.

They have everything from classic Coca Cola to Avery’s SODAsgusting “Kitty Piddle” flavors. (It’s actually a delicious orange and pineapple combination…I don’t think it’s possible for anything coming out of Lolli and Pops to be anything short of amazing.)

If you turn to your right, the walls are covered with international sweets from several different countries.

At first you’re probably like, “Oh, nice to meet you, international candies.”

Then, as you turn around, you’re greeted by an entire wall of Texas themed candy.

And you remember, “Oh ya…I live in the greatest place in the world. No need to branch out to other countries.” Yay, Texas.

Once your head stops spinning from traveling around the globe, you’re greeted by adorable chalkboard signs leading you into the vintage candy room.

You can hear the yummy candy calling your name…

You can smell its sweet aroma beckoning you…

Then suddenly, you arrive in another candy hub! This vintage room is overflowing with classic candies that you grew up with like PEZ, candy buttons, and every flavor of jelly bean.

You could probably spend all day just chowing down and living life in this room.

However, your heart knows you have to continue, so you venture further into the chocolate room.

Resist your urge to frolic around the shelves of every color M&M, chocolate covered nuts, coffee beans, and more! Or don’t.

Suddenly, on your chocolate filled journey you are stopped in your tracks by a larger-than-life golden gummy bear. It smiles at you, beckoning you to taste the miniature versions of the statue that are created with real fruit juice in flavors you haven’t even thought of.

The gummy bear mecca is surrounded with sweet and sour gummy candies all gathered in one place for your enjoyment. There’s a solid chance I could live comfortably for weeks in this room.

By this point you’ve probably gathered nine pounds of candy in either cellophane bags or an adorable mason jar Lolli and Pops provided for you. You return back to the front to assess the damage on your wallet where you realize the preciousness of the store continues into their package branding.

Suddenly the price of what you’ve acquired doesn’t even matter because you know you’ll get to transport it home in an adorable gold-rimmed box or a classic mint bag. You’re practically begging the employees to take your money.

You may want to save those paper bags though, because trips to Lolli and Pops can become quite addictive.

Married Life, San Antonio

Night Al Migrations: Government Canyon State Natural Area

June 26, 2014 4 Comments

I’m back to share our most recent adventure! This past Sunday, we took a short, fifteen minute drive from our apartment to Government Canyon State Natural Area. After almost two years, we had no idea it even existed, let alone how close it was! The area is almost 9,000 acres and boasts over 40 miles of hiking trails for biking, hiking, or running (if you’re asking for a twisted ankle.). You can also camp overnight if you’re just wild and crazy.

As soon as I realized how close Government Canyon State Natural Area was to us, I mentioned it to Louis, and he was eager to go. We’ve been trying to explore San Antonio more lately, so this jumped to the top of our “To Do” list. After some research, we found out that there are DINOSAUR TRACKS IN THE AREA. What!?!?!? So magical. We made that our #1 destination and set off to achieve our paleontologist dreams.

As soon as we hopped out of the car, Louis pointed to some animal poop and said, “Scat!” I immediately told him if we were part of a nature troop, he would be awarded the Scat Badge, and we spent the rest of the hike pointing out scat. Anyway…after our scat discovery, we came upon the visitor center. It was very quaint and housed a gift shop along with a rentable picnic pavilion and restrooms.

After asking a ranger the best way to reach the dinosaur tracks, we headed out on Joe Johnston Trail to begin our 5-mile hike. The trail was very well maintained, with benches every mile or so to rest. There were some rocky patches, and I almost busted my face about 78 times, but thankfully I managed to stay upright the entire journey. So much for looking outdoorsy and adventurous in front of Louis. (Like he doesn’t already know me after 8 years. Wishful thinking.)

Our hike was mostly flat, but there was some beautiful cliffside scenery along the way. It was so peaceful; we barely passed any other hikers on our journey. All we could hear was the wind rustling through the trees, birds singing, and the occasional “Oh crap!” from me as I tripped over another rock.

Before we knew it, we reached the dinosaur tracks! It was so cool! They were just out there in the open for anyone to admire! I feel like stuff like that is usually behind glass at a museum, so we felt pretty special getting up close and personal with the giant footprint? Clawprint? Track…?

Look at how little our feet look! It was basically a modern day Jurassic Park.

The tracks were located next to a beautiful bluff, along what is probably a creek during rainier months. We spent at least 30 minutes wandering around the area, and we had the whole place to ourselves! It felt like a hidden oasis.

Louis even miraculously found this adorable, teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy frog! How precious is it? Have you ever seen anything so tiny??

We made sure to snap plenty of pictures with our Dino Discovery and wondered together what the dinosaur was like and if he was running after prey, drinking some water, or just chilling when these tracks were made. Probably chilling.

We got creative with my iPhone and managed to take a panoramic including both of us! Aren’t we just the smartest.

Thankfully, a nearby rock kindly offered to take our picture via self-timer, so we posed together for one more shot before heading back to the car. (AKA another 1.5-hour hike back the way we came.)

I’m so glad we went to explore Government Canyon Natural State Area together! Our hike and exploration lasted around three hours and provided exercise, great memories, and a fun, new experience together. The area costs $6 a person (free for kids under 12) and is open Friday-Monday, 7am-10pm. After 10pm you’re locked in the canyon to battle the wolves TO THE DEATH. Just kidding. You do actually get locked in though…and I’m pretty sure there are wolves, too. If you’re in the San Antonio area, I’d recommend visiting if you’re looking for something different to do! It really felt like we were hours away from the city, and I hope we return soon to watch a sunset with a picnic or do some stargazing!

P.S. Make sure to bring sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and LOTS of water with you! Snacks may be a good idea depending on how long you’re hiking, too. We only hiked 5 miles on a relatively cool day, and we easily finished a gallon of water while there. It’s always better to be prepared!

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