dr. pepper – Hoots of a Night Al

Night Al Migrations: Texas Pride BBQ

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!

April Favorites!

It’s May! I’ve been looking forward to May for months because this is the month my 2nd nephew arrives!!! (Unless he’s super late…just kidding, Amy…that isn’t going to happen!) April was great, but it flew by! Here’s a little roundup of some of my favorite things of the month….

Dr. Pepper IN A CAN: Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda by far and my favorite drink after water. On snack runs, road trips, or to accompany popcorn it’s always my top pick. However, this month, I thankfully remembered what really sets it over the top. Drinking it out of a can. It may sound stupid to you, but I promise. Out of a can it’s a different consistency, a different flavor, a different experience. Don’t judge me until you try it. And if you disagree, don’t tell me. Because you’re wrong. Dr. Pepper out of a can for life. (Striped straw not necessary.)

Springy Jewelry: I’m all about these “statement pieces” lately. I guess the statement I’m making is, “I love this $9.80 necklace from Forever 21 that is probably turning my neck green at the moment.” Seriously though, I can’t bring myself to spend a ton of money on this fun jewelry, so my current collection is all from Forever 21 and under $15. I love pairing these necklaces with my Old Navy chambray tunics, and I wore these earrings with my Easter dress.

My Easter Dress: Speaking of my Easter dress, it was one of my favorite outfits from April. I found it on the clearance rack at Target, and I knew it would be perfect for Easter Sunday! It had such a fun pattern with so many pretty colors, so I paired it with my nude pumps and faux stone (thanks for the clarification Forever 21…I thought I was spending $5.80 on REAL diamond earrings) earrings for a fresh, pretty look. Perfect for celebrating Jesus and all that Easter means!

Easter: Easter was so great. It was filled with confetti eggs, Peeps cupcakes, Easter egg hunts, church, laughter, fun, and most importantly FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY. It’s hard living in a different city from our families, but it makes the time we spend at home so much sweeter. If I’m being honest, one of the best parts of the weekend was when my nephew called me “Alla.” He’s at the age where he’s really starting to talk, and I felt so special that he knew my name! Totally melted my heart. Side note: How precious are the chocolate covered strawberry “carrots” my mom made below? Love.

Pappasito’s: If you aren’t from Texas, first of all, I’m sorry. Secondly, you wouldn’t understand the magic that is Pappasito’s Cantina. Their thin, salted tortilla chips dipped in delicious roasted salsa followed by perfectly marinated beef fajitas wrapped in fresh tortillas and dipped in mantequilla is a heavenly experience. Louis and I have been craving it basically every day lately, but unfortunately they don’t exactly have Taco Bell prices. We’ve limited our visits to weekends, but I can’t get enough! Seriously, next time you eat Mexican food, make it Pappasito’s.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: There haven’t been many movies we’ve wanted to see lately, but Captain America was a must-see! We love the Avengers movies, and Captain America may be my favorite Avenger…I just love America so much. Anyway, this movie was great! It was a little darker than the first Captain America, but it still had several funny moments, great action sequences, and crazy special effects. If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend it!

This GIF: Because it is everything.

See ya, April. Howdy, May!