Don't Panic!!! A Simple Solution to a Manic Monday!

Image Courtesy of Local Coffee

Every Monday without fail I hit the snooze button a few too many times. When I finally come to terms that it's another work week the first thing that pops into my mind is COFFEE. Yes, that's right I'm a coffee fiend-ask any of my friends. I love coffee so much I registered for not only 1 but 2 different coffee makers on my wedding registry (a Keurig & a Nespresso). 

Part of my journey to unravel SA is to find the very best local coffee shops in the area. Many of you know my love of a certain chain coffee store that shall remain nameless, but as I recently found out, one of the best lattes I have had wasn't from the name brand chain, but from a great local coffee shop off Sonterra (other location off Broadway in Alamo Heights). 

Image Courtesy of Local Coffee

Local Coffee

Head over to Local Coffee for one of the very best lattes you will find. This hipster joint is complete with a great barista staff, delish baked goods, and comfy couches. If you're not a coffee addict like myself, that's okay! Local Coffee offers a huge selection of hot or cold teas too! I haven't seen more than a handful of people inside at a time, so whether you're looking for a place to grab a cup and curl up on the couch and read or if you're catching up with an old friend this is the place to be! Their prices are bit higher than chain places, but who doesn't want to support a local business?!?

Image Courtesy of Local Coffee

Location: 
700 East Sonterra Blvd, Ste 1113, 78258

OR

5903 Broadway, 78209

Hours:

Monday-Sunday

Price:
$$ ($4-$6 for a latte)

Going to the Chapel- Part 2

Image Courtesy of You've Got Paper!

Finding the perfect save the date, shower invite, or formal wedding invitations can be incredibly stressful  and time consuming, but I hope my latest blog post will ease some worries for any San Antonio brides. I found the most amazing stationary shop in the Alon Market Center a few months ago and fell absolutely in LOVE with You've Got Paper! You've Got Paper!, is a family owned and operated small business with the perfect location to serve the brides of San Antonio.  They have an extensive inventory of paper brands and invitations that range from Crane & Co. to Vera Wang to Lily Pulitzer.  All the employees are extremely friendly and helpful and will take as much time as needed to make sure you find the perfect paper or stationary for your event.  Also, their customer service is just outstanding!!!  So far I've purchased "Thank You" cards and my formal wedding invitations from You've Got Paper!,  as well as used one of their templates for a bridal shower invitation. 

You've Got Paper! also carries a variety of fun gifts with a wide range of prices and is a great place to pick up a little something nice for you hostess(s).   I hope that all my readers have some time to stop by You've Got Paper! and let their saleswomen make your wedding invitation experience SO MUCH EASIER!

Location:

The Alon Towne Center | 210.479.4100

10003 NW Military Hwy #2114

San Antonio, Texas, 78231

Prices: 

Range Depending on Brand of Paper/Style/Font etc. 

Ciao!

Sarah

Image Courtesy of You've Got Paper!

 

Costa Pacifica Seafood SA Style

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A shortcut to the Mexican Pacific is exactly what you will find at Costa Pacifica.  Located off of loop 1604 between Blanco and Stone Oak Parkway lies a lovely Pacific Mexican restaurant  that offers great seafood dishes with a Mexican flair. A trio of dipping sauces is provided to each table while patrons skim the menu for their favorite seafood dish. The red and green salsas were my favorites (the yellow salsa is EXTREMELY spicey).  

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Although, I am not a big seafood fan my friends absolutely loved Costa Pacifica's tostada entrees. The tostadas were a huge hit amongst the table as everyone ordered a different kind.  The Norwegian Tostada seemed to be the table favorite (see image left image). Thankfully there is a little something for everyone on the menu.  For anyone, like myself, that isn't a big seafood fan I don't want to deter you from experiencing Costa Pacifica as their menu has many non-seafood items like the black bean fajita nachos (YUM).

I was slightly disappointed that Costa Pacifica does not have a queso on their menu; a staple on Mexican restaurant menus, but perhaps not a staple on Pacific Coast Mexican food?? Clearly I really wanted queso that night.

Overall, I think Costa Pacifica is worth a try and although it was not my favorite restaurant you can't beat their happy hour specials...especially on Mondays. 

Location:

434 N Loop 1604 W  

San Antonio, TX 78232

Price:

$10-$20 

*Mondays-all day Happy Hour*


Dine On!

-Sarah

Going to the Chapel-Part 1

Image Courtesy of The Ultimate Cheesecake Bakery

Well....I'm headed to the chapel in about 4 months and I wanted to share with my readers some of the AMAZING businesses I've found in San Antonio for my wedding or showers.  So, let's start with something sweet-CAKE. Everyone loves cake!! It's almost always one of my favorite parts of a wedding. I wanted to let my readers in on a little gem bakery in SA, the Ultimate Cheesecake Bakery. With two convenient locations in San Antonio, as well as in Austin and Corpus Christi, the Ultimate Cheesecake Bakery offers cakes in a variety of flavors and styles. Founded in Corpus Christi, this small business expanded to San Antonio in 1984 has as easily made a name for itself as one of the best cake places in town. 

I recently had one of their amazing cakes at my bridal shower.  This yummy sheet cake had extremely moist white cake with raspberry filling; delicately iced, my cake completed matched the floral arrangement on my shower invitation. Let's all take a moment and marvel at this cake............time's up. This cake was probably the second most delicious cake I've ever had; the first being my cherry almond bridal cake (YUM). Unfortunately there wasn't ANY cake leftover for me to take home.....it's safe to say even the non-sweet lovers loved this cake.

Locations:

Lincoln Heights Shopping Center
999 E. Basse, Suite 194
San Antonio, Texas 78232
210.826.1505

The Arbor Park Shopping Center
17700 Hwy. 281 N., Suite 308
San Antonio, Texas 78232
210.494.5496

Check out their website for cake listings and order information.  


Cheers!

-Sarah

Ein Prosit-Schilo's Delicatessen

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Ich liebe Schilo's!! That's about all the German I know after taking 4 college German classes, but that's okay!!! If you're looking for some authentic German food and drink head down to Schilo's Delicatessen on Commerce; located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Schilo's offers an array of mainland German dishes from bratwurst to potato pancakes to Leberkäse and  knockwurst. 

Schilo's takes its patrons on a trip through time; framed along the walls of the old deli you will find pictures and photos of the past.  Old German ads align the walls and sprinkled throughout you will find photos of San Antonio over 100 years old. Never remodeled, Schilo's offer's guests a feel for a deli scene from 70 years ago.   

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Ordering off a German inspired menu can become daunting for someone unsure of what to order, as many aren't fans of bratwurst or knockwurst. For those that are looking for an authentic German meal, without sausage, might I suggest the potato pancakes or the split pea soup and deviled egg.  I am a soup fiend and love trying new kinds of soups and this split pea is one of my favorite restaurant soups of all time. Made from scratch daily this soup offers a warm creamy soup that will fill you up for the rest of the evening. Sprinkled atop with pepper, this soup is wonderful year around. I always order my soup with a side of deviled eggs. These eggs rival my own deviled egg creation that only make an appearance on Easter.  Schilo’s potato pancakes are rich in flavor, light and fluffy to the touch. Accompanied by apple sauce, the pancake’s taste has the right amount flavor with a hint of sweetness. 

Diners daring enough to fancy an authentic German wurst have the option to choose from either red or white sausage, bratwurst or knockwurst.  Born of German heritage, I am always excited to try all different types of wurst, but my personal opinion is bratwurst is far better than knockwurst- patrons should try both as everyone has a different pallet. 

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Homemade root beer should always be ordered when eating at Schilo’s.  This root beer is by far the  very best soft drink ever created; made with natural sugar and brewed in a whiskey style barrel, this root beer is reminiscent of old soda fountains from the 1950’s.  Adorned in a frosty mug and complete with a free refill, this drink is an absolute must for everyone! For those looking for an authentic adult beverage, Schilo’s also offers a few beers on tap including Spaten, Shiner Boch, and seasonal surprises.

Next time you find yourself in downtown San Antonio make sure to stop by for a quick bite of lunch or dinner from the most wonderful diner of the past.    

Location:

424 East Commerce Street  

San Antonio, TX 78205

Price:

$5.00-$15.00

 Prosit!

-Sarah 

Check out Schilo's website!

Deals & Steals- CarpetMasters SA

Image Courtesy of CarpetMasters SA

Not all great deals & steals come from Groupon or LivingSocial, but by word of mouth. Today's deal & steal is carpet cleaning. Okay, I know what you're probably thinking...carpet cleaning really?? Yes, REALLY! Summer is the season of moving, whether you're buying a house or moving into an apartment  it's an absolute must to get your carpets cleaned. I recently moved into a new house and being the germophob that I am, I had every inch of that new house cleaned from top to bottom. In my research of companies, I found that the best company in SA with the best price was CarpetMasters SA. Right now, they are offering a great deal- 3 rooms for $99.95. I spoke with their lead technician, Doug, and he explained their carpet cleaning process and why they are the best in SA. Doug has over 20 years of carpet cleaning experience, which would make me 5 years old when he began his trade.  I think one of the best things about CarpetMasters SA is that they are a locally owned and operated small business run by a dynamic husband and wife duo that also own a disaster restoration company - FloodMaster Restoration . What really impressed me about both Doug and the owners is their love for their customers.  Although their hours consist of normal business hours of 8:00a-5:00p they are frequently cleaning carpets before or after that time with little to no extra charges.  

Location: 
13127 Lookout Way
San Antonio, Texas
78233

Hours of Operation:
M-F 8:00a-5:00p (Can make special appointments between business hours)

Contact: 
210-650-0500


Check back soon to read about FloodMaster Restoration and what to do if disaster strikes!

Team Bright Pink Quilt Raffle

Image Courtesy of Kali Chatham

I am so excited to be a part of Bright Pink San Antonio this year!! One of my dear friends will be running the Chicago Marathon to benefit Team Bright Pink and is raffling off an amazing hand stitched quilt to benefit the organization. I would love for all of my readers to donate at least $5 to Kali's cause and help her reach her goal of  $1,500; and as an added plus you could possibly win a lovely quilt.  


I recently spoke with Kali about why she is running the Chicago Marathon to benefit Team Bright Pink. For Kali breast cancer hit close to home, "I’ll never forget the shock I felt when I learned my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She was too young, too healthy, and too full of life to have cancer thrown into her path. Why my mother?" Kali soon decided that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping families affected by breast and ovarian cancer. "In the years following her [Mother's] diagnosis and treatment, my search for understanding, hope, and answers to these questions combined with my passion for science to lead me into the field of genetic counseling. I knew that as I prepared to become genetic counselor I wanted to specialize in cancer genetics and help families affected by hereditary cancer syndromes. I discovered Bright Pink in graduate school while familiarizing myself with the valuable resources and organizations available to my future patients. This incredible organization has helped countless young women and I feel so fortunate (both as a now practicing genetic counselor and as a patient) to have Bright Pink as an invaluable resource." 


Kali strives everyday to help educate others about breast and ovarian cancers. As one of only a few genetic counselors in the San Antonio area, she is able to spearhead a growing industry while continuing to work for her passion. 


Please make sure to check out Bright Pink's national website. 

Stella & Dot Trunk Show to Benefit BrightPink!

Image Courtesy of Bright Pink San Antonio

Happy Thursday San Antonio!! It's almost time for the weekend, and that means we're all looking for some fun things to do! Bright Pink will be hosting a Stella & Dot fundraiser on Saturday at the Quarry Hofbrau beginning at 11:00a.  Bright Pink is a wonderful organization that educates and empowers high risk men and women on the signs and symptoms and early detection of breast cancer.  If you can't make the trunk show but would still like to support Bright Pink please visit www.stelladot.com/christina and select "Bright Pink" as the event hostess. I will be attending the trunk in support of Bright Pink and can't wait to learn more about this organization and how it can help you and me! And don't worry I'll also be sharing the amazing jewelry finds too!



Pink Out!!!
-Sarah

Yoga Day in the Park!!!!! THIS SATURDAY

Image Courtesy of BikramYogaSA.com

I am super excited to attend Yoga Day in the Park THIS Saturday! It's a great organization that reaches out to San Antonians that might not normally participate in yoga.  I will be posting a formal blog after the event but I wanted to let all of my readers know about this great event beforehand!!!




Bend it like Bikram!


Sarah

Young San Antonio

Image Courtesy of Facebook.com/YoungSanAntonio

For all you 20 somethings in San Antonio, the place to be on the first Thursday of every month is at Young San Antonio. Founded by young San Antonians Blake Stouffer and Todd Hunter in 2010, the duo aims to connect other young people in the San Antonio through monthly happy hour events.  Each month Blake and Todd choose a different hot spot for happy hour. Venues have included the Quarry Hofbrau, La Gloria, and Stonewerks. Each venue has allowed patrons to experience a different restaurant/bar while exploring the surrounding area.  YSA's goal is to "shed more light on the attractiveness of San Antonio." If you're new to San Antonio or are just looking to have a great Thursday night with friends make sure to check out YSA on the first Thursday of each month!

Thanks Blake & Todd for shedding light onto some GREAT local places in San Antonio!

Make sure to "Like" their facebook page to find out where the next YSA Happy Hour event is. 




Next YSA is August 2nd!

Explore!

-Sarah

Date Night-Il Sogno Osteria

Image Courtesy of FedManWalking.com
          

Image Courtesy of the NY Times

I recently had the pleasure of eating one of the best meals of my life at Il Sogno Osteria.  Master chef Andrew Weissman pairs contemporary Italian flavors with old world Italian classics.  I was immensely impressed with the layout of Il Sogno.  As patrons walk into the restaurant they are immediately able to see the kitchen-I have a small obsession with being able to "see" the kitchen while I'm dinning. Il Sogno has a very contemporary vibe with some amazingly artistic pieces situated throughout the restaurant.

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Chef Weissman prepares a wonderful Antipasti table for patrons to self-serve as an appetizer. It is key not to rush your dinning experience, but enjoy every savory bite of the Antipasti before moving on the the main course.  The main menu has to die for meals, but the daily specials far exceed the regular menu items. Part of unraveling San Antonio was to allow me (somewhat forcefully) to step outside of my comfort zone and many of my friends will attest that I DO NOT step out of my comfort zone ever...for example I order the same drink at Starbucks every day and eat the same PB&J sandwich for lunch since 1st grade. My comfort zone was put to the test when I ordered one of the specials instead my usual go to pizza meals. I can honestly tell every reader that the shrimp and gnocchi was of the most delicious meals I have had in a long time! Situated on a plate coated with a light buttery cream sauce the shrimp and gnocchi excited my taste-buds and filled my stomach to the brim.  I plan to get out of my comfort zone a lot more frequently after this great experience.   

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A few of my girl friends did order off the main menu and I was very impressed with both the pizzas that were ordered. I am a traditional pizza eater-pepperoni or cheese is just fine with me. Luckily, my friend ordered the pizza and I was able to snatch a quick bite and snap a picture. I quickly entertained the idea of ordered the cheese pizza to go and eat it the next day, but I was too full at this point to even think about eating again.

I was not able to partake in what looked to be another great course, the dessert menu. I attended dinner at Il Sogno Osteria for my close friend's birthday and came bearing cupcakes from Pam's Patio Kitchen (you can read my post about Pam's Patio Kitchen here). Now I have the PERFECT excuse to go back to Il Sogno....desserts. 


Location:
200 East Grayson Street #100  
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 223-3900


Hours: 
Closed Mondays
Tuesday-Friday 7:30a-9:30p
Saturdays 8:30a-9:30p
Sundays 11:30a-9:00p


Price:
$25 and up (depending on if you order a drink or two)


PERFECT DATE NIGHT SPOT!


Ciao!
-Sarah

Good Eat & Sweet Treats- Lunch at Pam's Patio Kitchen

Image Courtesy of Pam's Patio Kitchen

Many of my friends know about my restaurant obsession... Pam's Patio Kitchen. Nestled in the corner of a shopping center at the corner of Lockehill-Selma & Wurzbach lies a wonderful lunch and dinner spot perfect for a quick lunch bite or a relaxing evening on their patio.  Pam's Patio mixes quick order at the counter lunches with seated dinners with great selections of beer and wine.  Their lunch selections include soups, salads, and sandwiches but with a twist.  One of the great things about Pam's Patio is their take on the standard sandwich.  Who wants to eat a plan Jane turkey sandwich? I know I don't.  So, let's take a look at their two turkey sandwiches and some other yummy lunch dishes.  

Claire's Turkey & Avocado Sandwich- Turkey, Avocado, Cream Cheese, Sprouts, Baby Spinach, & Tomato on your Bread choice (YUM)


Val's Special- Focaccia Bread spread with Cream Cheese & Guacamole, with Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato & Marinated Red Onion (YUM)


Each day Pam's Patio Kitchen features 3 soups, one of which is will always be chicken tortilla soup. The other 2 soups vary from creamy potato, tomato basil, fall harvest, Tom Kai Gai (beware this soup is VERY spicey), Cajun gumbo, chili poblano, cream of asparagus, or fire roasted red bell pepper. My personal fav is the creamy potato; this delish soup has big chunks of potatoes, black pepper, bacon bits and cheese. It is the absolute perfect soup for a cold winter day. 


If you're looking for some leafy greens, Pam's Patio Kitchen, makes a wide variety of fresh homemade salads. Make sure to get the spinach and strawberry salad this summer. Its light and refreshing-perfect for a hot summer day. 

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Make sure to save room for their wonderful desserts. Baked daily, the dessert spread ranges from Key Lime tarts to their infamous black bottom cupcake. This isn't the type of cupcake you should share with your friends/date; ordered it for yourself and enjoy every savory bite!


Location: 
11826 Wurzbach Road  
San Antonio, TX 
78230


Lunch Hours:
11:00a-3:00p


Price:
$6.00-$12.00






Check back soon to read about dinner at Pam's Patio Kitchen!

Girls Night Out-Westin La Cantera Margarita's & Mani's

Photo Courtesy of Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort

Westin La Cantera's Margarita's and Mani's is the PERFECT week night out! This event has become a monthly ritual for me and my girlfriends. Setup in the Steinheimer's Lounge,  overlooking the beautiful hill country and elegant hotel pool lies Margarita's and Mani's. On the 2nd Thursday of every month the Castle Rock Health Club & Spa provides low cost manicures or hand massages to local ladies in San Antonio. For $20 (what a steal!!!) you can choose from either of those two options, get a margarita, and order half off appetizers. Not only is this a perfect setting to enjoy the wonderful Hill Country, but it is also a great place to catch up with your girlfriends while being pampered. Not only is the manicure great, but so is the food. Their trio of queso, salsa, and guac is very tastey as is their calamari, but the best item to order isn't on the menu-pulled pork nachos. Just ask, they will make it!


This is also a great event to take an out of town guest or your mother/mother-in-law

• 
  
• Location:
• The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort

• 16641 La Cantera Parkway

• San Antonio, TX

• 78256

Contact:
events@dasaspa.com
(210) 558-2252


Price:
$20


To see their complete event calendar for the remainder of 2012 click here

Bikram Yoga en Español

Image Courtesy of Bikram Yoga San Antonio

Bikram Yoga San Antonio has started teaching yoga classes once a week in Spanish. Unknowingly, I went to take a class last night and ended up spending 90 minutes in the hot room for Spanish yoga. Disclaimer- I wasn't planning on blogging about yoga two days in a row, but I really wanted to share with my readers how awesome Spanish yoga is! (A few of the instructors at BYSA are from Mexico/South America).  Spanish yoga is a great concept for San Antonio, the city has a huge Spanish language influence with many of its residents speaking Spanish as their first language.  Bikram Yoga can be very overwhelming the first time as you try and following 26 postures in a 105 degree heated room for 90 minutes.  Spanish yoga reaches out deeper into the community and allows more first-timers to come try this amazing yoga that could change your life (it definitely changed mine). For the non-Spanish speakers, don't be deterred for taking a Spanish class, I thoroughly enjoyed the class and it challenged me to pay even more attention to the instructor and focus deeply on my postures.   

Here is the Yoga en Español schedule for the remainder of July 

Classes en Espanol

July 22 - 12:00pm @ Hollywood Park
July 31 - 9:00am @ Huebner Oaks

Locations:

Hollywood Park Studio

18130 US Highway 281 North (also known as San Pedro Ave.)
Suite 94
San Antonio TX, 78232

Huebner Oaks Studio

11255 Huebner Rd., Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78230

Price:

Single Class $15

First Timers Special $20 (10 days of consecutive yoga)

FYI-I recommend getting to your first yoga class 30 minutes to pay, hear the introduction, and get acclimated to the hot room.

Image Courtesy of Bikram Yoga San Antonio

Sweat On!

-Sarah

Deals & Steals-Lululemon's FREE Saturday Yoga

Okay San Antonians who doesn't love something FREE??? The super trendy and pricey Lululemon offers a free yoga class each Saturday morning from 9:00a-10:00a at their Quarry Market Store.  My fellow yoga lover Maria introduced me to their great steal, and let me tell you it's a steal!!

Normally I am a Bikram girl, but I couldn't resist trying out Lululemon's Saturday morning series, and let me tell you, Lululemon does Saturday morning yoga right! Each month a different yoga studio from the San Antonio area is featured in their in-store class. For those yoga rookies, this is the PERFECT way to preview a studio before buying a package or signing a contract.  This month Yoga Shala SA is their featured studio. 

Image Courtesy of Yoga Shala San Antonio

Lululemon's Saturday Morning Series-Yoga Shala SA 

I went to Lululemon this past Saturday with 2 of girl friends and fellow yogi's. The first thing that really impressed me about the instructor (Kornelia) was that she went around the store and introduced herself to every person in the room-first impressions go a long way with me and she already exceeded the bar.  We began this class with the traditional "OM" and began to practice Vinyasa style (or flow yoga) for the next hour. Kornelia challenged me in new postures that tested my balance and endurance and I could already begin to feel the soreness in my muscles. Overall, it was a great class, but the one con was that the instructor would sometimes get ahead of herself and would almost skip half of a posture. 

One IMPORTANT thing to know-this class fills up fast, and I would recommend arriving no later than 8:40a to insure a good spot in front of the instructor (this is a MUST if this is your first yoga class ever). 

Location: 

255 E. Basse Road 
San Antonio, TX
78209

Class Time:

Saturdays- 9:00a-10:00a

Price:

FREE!!!!!!!!

Check Lululemon's community events calendar click here .

Get ReVIVED

Image: redwingaerials.com

Many of my readers might feel like San Antonio is boring, full of Mexican food, and tourists, but that's just not the case.  It took me a few years to figure out that San Antonio ACTUALLY has so much to offer a young 20 something looking to have a great night out with the girls, or shop at a hip and trendy boutique, spend an afternoon at a vineyard (within driving distance of SA), or go on a fabulous date with their other half. I want to share with everyone all the fun things I do with my great group of girl friends and romantic date night spots with my fiance.  I want to unravel all the great things that San Antonio has to offer, many of which took me years to find and probably many more years before I unravel this great city!

Stay Cool SA!

-Sarah