The Spanish Governor's Palace

by Celia Hayes

The single-story adobe ramble on the corner of Military Plaza (or that which is left, with Town Hall plunked down in the middle of it) is the oldest existing domestic structure in San Antonio, It dates from the 1700s; that period when Texas was a far-flung outpost of Spain, and the entire town was a huddle of similar houses around the margins of Military and Main Plazas. So – the Spanish part of the description is justified. It definitely wasn't a palace by any stretch of the imagination. But it was a vast improvement, living-situation-wise over a windowless, dirt-floored jacale-hut made by planting upright timbers in a trench and plastering them inside and out with mud, so on that basis it certainly

Comfort Food – Mac & Cheese

by Celia Hayes

When my younger brother and sister and I were in elementary school, my father was a grad-student in hot pursuit of a doctorate in zoology, and my mother was – in the tradition of the time – a full-time stay-at-home mom. This was in the late 1950s to early 60s, and it was the commonly accepted practice. As there were three of us (later to be four) it was really the only practical option – and one of the reasons that it worked was that Mom was a fair to middling cook, very much into the traditional D-I-Y household arts (including sewing childrens' clothes and decorating our home with cast-off and inexpensive furniture. I would hasten to add that it was usually quality stuff; ages later, when Mom and Dad were

Guten Tag, Y’All - This is Texas!

by Celia Hayes

When I first came to Texas, at the express request of the US Air Force some (mumble) seventeen (mumble) years ago I thought I knew all there was to know about the place: the Alamo of course, and the Riverwalk, too. I knew that Houston had a Grand Opera, that Lubbock was a flat as a pancake griddle with some Monopoly houses set on it, I had read Edna Ferber's Giant, and I knew about cattle drives and the King Ranch, and that Texas was called the buckle of the Bible Belt ... I knew pretty much what any well-read traveler could pick up through the medium of pop culture and the base library.

What I did not know, until well after I got here and began to look around – was how very much more there was.

Woof Wednesdays at the Animal Defense League

by Celia Hayes

... At the Animal Defense League; every Wednesday until the end of this month, the adoption fees for dogs over the age of puppy are reduced ... which is a very generous concession indeed, considering that the dogs available have been spayed or neutered, chipped, and up to date on things like rabies vaccinations and heartworm medication. We are not in any particular need of another dog at present, as the pair that we have are completely satisfactory, fairly young and in good health. But if we were looking for another dog, and the fates that dictate these matters didn't present us with a suitable candidate straight off the streets of our own San Antonio neighborhood (as was the story with

Fiestas Patrias

by Celia Hayes

So – the rough translation is 'patriotic festival' – to observe and celebrate the independence of Mexico from Spain, and my daughter had happened to hear that there would be a more or less 'free' event scheduled at the Freeman Coliseum complex this weekend – so, what the heck? I've lived in the Texas borderlands for fifteen years, and grew up in another borderland – Southern California, where  . . .  to put it mildly, the Spanish and Mexican cultural influence is so strong, and so permeates the atmosphere so richly that you take it in without even realizing it, and only realize how powerful it has become when you go to someplace without it. As my daughter wondered, upon participating in a nationwide Lutheran church

The Cowboy Way

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I never quite understood the appeal of the cowboy, when it came to the whole western-frontier-nostalgia-gestalt, even after coming to live in Texas and write whole books about the frontier, and Texas. How did that frontier archetype manage to sweep all others before it, in dime novels, movies and television shows... given that the classic "cowboy" functioned only in a very specific time period - for about twenty-five years after the Civil War. Even though the Western cattle industry seemed to be co-located with spectacular scenery, and the frontier as it was offered all kinds of

Gingerbread Houses

My mother was fairly adventurous about food and recipes, back in the day. One of her culinary adventure involved a subscription to the Time-Life series "Foods of the World." While we never really got into experimenting with Moroccan cuisine, the more accessible and familiar varieties got a good work-over.

One of the wild successes from this series was a recipe and patterns for making gingerbread houses, which was came from the volume on the cooking of Germany. We did gingerbread houses for some years thereafter: most as gifts, and very elaborate. It is possible to make the house entirely of gingerbread, and held together with icing only - but the directions must be followed exactly.

Created Tuesday, 19 June 2007 09:37

Guadulupe Cultural Arts Center

Written by Randy Watson

 The city of San Antonio is known for many things - great food, wonderful colonial architecture, and a rich history - but its burgeoning dedication to the arts is quickly making it one of the most important cities for Latino artists in the United States. San Antonio is home to some of the finest museums in the state, and has long been home to artisans, craftsmen, and artists of all sorts. The city\'s Latino community makes up the backbone of the community, and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is one such organization that certainly does its part to keep San Antonio\'s art scene thriving and relevant.

The center was formed in 1980, and since then has

Created Thursday, 12 April 2007 02:00

Fiesta San Antono Notable Events

Written by Randy Watson

The Fiesta® San Antonio is a ten-day celebration with no shortage of events to choose from.  Whether you attend the party the entire 10-days or you only enjoy a portion of the festivities, you are sure to have a spectacular time.

The Official Opening Ceremony starts at 9am on the morning of Friday, April 20.  The free event is hosted by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Alamo Heroes Committee.  You can enjoy singing and dancing as the Fiesta officially begins.

After the opening ceremony, you can head downtown to an all-day free event, the Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square.  Enjoy an eclectic mix of live entertainment on five