Hoots of a Night Al

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!

Monthly Favorites

June Favorites!

July 2, 2014 8 Comments

Howdy folks! Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things in June!

How to Train Your Dragon 2: If you saw How to Train Your Dragon, you probably fell in love with Hiccup and Toothless and cried when *SPOILER ALERT* Hiccup lost his leg, and they had a major bonding moment. I have to be honest though, the original is better than this sequel. Hiccup reconnects with his mom in Dragon 2, and she’s basically like, “Sorry I left you for 20 years, but I was hanging out with these dragons, are we cool?” and Hiccup is like, “Ya totally!”….so that was kind of dumb. There are a few other parts about the movie that I don’t want to spoil, but I didn’t like. Having said that, the movie has several funny moments and was a fun movie to see with Louis. If you enjoyed the first one, it’s worth making a trip to the theater for.

Chef: Chef was a light-hearted, funny movie following a chef’s decision to leave his restaurant and open a food truck. He travels cross country with his son and friend, and it was an enjoyable journey to witness. Don’t see this movie on a empty stomach though…there are countless scenes of mouthwatering food! Also, as a warning, there is a LOT of bad language. If they took out the curse words, this movie could easily have a PG rating, so I’m not sure why they thought it was necessary to include them? Regardless, if you aren’t bothered by foul language, you’ll probably enjoy Chef!

MasterChef: Speaking of chefs, Louis and I are loving MasterChef this season. It came on a few weeks ago, and we already have our favorites and least favorites picked out. I have no idea why we enjoy this show because we’re totally NOT foodies! Almost all of the “successful” dishes they present aren’t something either of us would even try! I do love the drama between the contestants and the challenges outside of the kitchen though! If you’re watching, who’s your favorite contestant right now?

Amazon Prime Music: Recently Amazon Prime released Amazon Prime Music, and I’m loving it! If you are an Amazon Prime member, they have created a collection of millions of songs that you can instantly add to your library and play at anytime for “free” (if you pay to be an Amazon Prime member). It’s a lot like Pandora, except you can skip an unlimited amount of songs, and there aren’t any ads! You can instantly add any songs to your library, which can be accessed from any of your devices. I downloaded the Amazon Prime Music app for my iPhone, and I constantly have my music playing from there now. They have an amazing selection of artists and songs available, so if you have Amazon Prime, definitely don’t let this new resource go to waste!

Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber Bath & Body Works Set: When I visited home a few weeks ago, my mom surprised me with this set of goodies from Bath & Body Works. It smells so yummy! The scent is very light and fruity and perfect for summer. I love using the lotion and body splash before heading out for the day because the scent is fresh without being overwhelming, and the shower gel is great for bubble baths! The adorable bag they came in is precious, too. It’s perfect for carrying the set in, or it can be used for storing makeup! Thanks, Mom! 🙂

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Facial Cleanser & Hydrating Gel Moisturizer: I recently started using the Clean & Clear Morning Burst face wash, and I love the way it smells! It sort of reminds of cucumber melon, but it smells even more refreshing. It does a great job of getting all of my makeup off when I use it at night as well. The gel moisturizer has a unique, light texture that is great for my daily moisturizer to wear under my makeup. I would give this set a try if you’re looking for some new products.

Garlic Salmon: I made garlic salmon with some sautéd squash and onion and garlic butter green beans last week, and it was to-die-for. I love salmon, but I haven’t cooked it in so long. I forgot how yummy it is! I think this is going to be one of my new go-to meals!

San Antonio Adventures: Louis and I have really been trying to make it a point to explore San Antonio more and embrace this city, and it has made the last few months so fun. Our most recent adventures have created some really fun memories and broken our pattern of dinner and a movie for every date (though we still love our movie nights!). I’m excited to see what other neat places we discover! Any suggestions?

San Antonio Public Library Card: This may be a nerd alert, but I am SO excited about getting a San Antonio Public Library Card! I have NO idea why I didn’t get one sooner! It is an awesome resource that our taxes pay for, and I feel dumb I haven’t been taking advantage of it because I love reading so much. I didn’t realize that they offer eBooks I can download to my kindle, streaming of movies, TV shows, and music, and hard copies of books, movies, CDs, and more at the library! Seriously, check into what your local library offers…I bet you’ll be surprised! I’m so excited to start utilizing my membership. Any book recommendations? I usually go for young adult fiction. Not even joking. Also, check out how awesome my local library is! I will definitely be using my membership a LOT in the near future.

The One: Speaking of books, I finally got around the finishing The Selection series by Kiera Cass. The One was the final book in the trilogy, and it was great! I’ve talked about this series before and how they are basically The Bachelor, but with prince selecting his future wife (plus way less trashy). If you’re looking for a trilogy that is light-hearted, full of fun characters, and a quick read, try out these books!

I haven’t done a monthly favorites it a couple of months, so I obviously had a lot of catching up to do! 🙂 If you check out or enjoy anything I listed, let me know! I’m excited to be starting July off with a long-weekend with Louis and looking forward to heading home later this month for some family celebrations! Happy July!

Beauty

Beauty Blurbs: e.l.f. Golden Goddess Flawless Eyeshadow Palette

June 30, 2014 8 Comments

Whether I go home to visit for a holiday, when Louis is out of town, or just to see my family, my mom often has little gifts waiting for me on my bed when I arrive. She’s just thoughtful that way. 🙂 On one of these occasions awhile ago, one of the surprises she had for me was an e.l.f. eyeshadow palette along with some other goodies. This particular palette, Golden Goddess, included four neutral eyeshadows meant to be worn together for a complete eye look.

I finally gave them a try last week, and they work together to create a great, everyday eyeshadow combo! As you can see, each color is labeled with where it should be applied on the eye: Base, Lid, Crease, and Line. These palettes are great for someone just starting out with makeup because it allows you to see what should go where.

I think these colors would work on most skin tones, and I loved that they had a hint of orange to bring out my blue eyes. I did use my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded as a sort of eyeshadow primer to help the colors stay on longer and apply brighter. Other than that though, all of the shadow is from the palette.

I used the Line color to line both my eyelid and underneath my eye, and I think it definitely added some definition. I usually wear liquid or pencil liner, but I decided to just use the shadow as liner with this palette to see the full effect. I think it works great for a lighter daytime look and especially for someone who wants to define their eyes some without wearing a heavier liner.

As a whole, I’m impressed with the e.l.f. Golden Goddess Flawless Eyeshadow palette. I’m always a fan of e.l.f. products because they are priced great and can be found at almost any drugstore or grocery store. If you’re wanting to try a new eyeshadow look or just starting out with makeup, this palette is a great way to go without breaking the bank. They have seven different color combos in this palette type alone, so feel free to experiment away!

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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