Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 13

Great Sleeps: Hotel Havana, San Antonio, Texas

Hotel Havana   1015 Navarro St., downtown, (210) 222-2008.  27 rooms.  Pets ok. 

front door at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas
Situated within a stately Mediterranean Revival-style building dating from 1914--when it was a residential hotel--this intimate boutique hotel fits the vision of an imagined Cuban hotel.  The building is listed on the National Register of Historical Places and was recently restored.  The spacious lobby invites relaxing for a while, and from there both a stairway with a natural wood banister and an elevator take guests up to their rooms. 

colorful lobby at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

grand staircase at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas
Spacious guest rooms feature dark wood details and high ceilings, and each is outfitted with custom-made white linens and a unique eclectic decor.  Rooms also feature vintage fixtures, luxurious Red Flower bath amenities, and sweet vintage SMEG mini-bar refrigerators in various colors--including pink--that are filled with favorite local foods and drinks. 

guest room at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

guest room bathroom at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas
And though the gift shop consists of just a few shelves in a case, among the goods are colorful serapi robes that are provided in-room. 

gift shop closet at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas
Though the hotel is just a 15-minute riverside walk from the center of downtown, on hot days you might want to opt for a taxi. 


Set in a gorgeous, high-ceilinged glass conservatory overlooking the River Walk, Ocho features aqua-colored trim and plenty of light.  An outdoor area adjoins.  The hotel’s restaurant offers a Latin menu and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, as well as for afternoon drinks.  Cocktails include a Margarita, a Mule, and an ice cold Michelada--plus the best Mojito I have ever had the pleasure of imbibing. 

interior of Ocho restaurant at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

bar at Ocho restaurant at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

ornate Victorian goldfish bowl on the bar at Ocho restaurant at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

drinks arrive at Ocho restaurant at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

The subterranean Havana Bar also serves drinks

entrance to subterranean Havana Bar at Hotel Havana in San Antonio, Texas

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Great Sleeps: Hotel Emma, San Antonio, Texas

Hotel Emma   136 E. Grayson, (877) 801-6134, (210) 448 8300.  146 rooms.  Complimentary margarita at check-in; full breakfast included; 3 restaurants; 1 bar.  Full-service spa.  Situated inside a building originally designed by famed architect August Maritzen in the 19th-century as the Pearl Brewery, this hotel is named in honor of Emma Koehler, who ran the brewery after her husband died.  This creatively designed upscale property is riverfront and features restored old brewery implements that are blended attractively into the decor, including a front desk that makes use of the building’s original antique mailboxes.  Its clock-tower and storehouses have been transformed into atmospheric guest rooms, a library, a lounge, a craft beer pub, and fine dining spots. 

exterior of Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

lobby of Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

lobby of Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

front desk at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

guest room suite at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

guest room suite bathroom at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

guest room suite bathroom at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

guest room suite bathroom at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas

More things to do in San Antonio.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Christmas Julefest in Solvang

I first heard of the replica Danish town of Solvang, which is located in California on Highway 101 in between Los Angeles and San Francisco, in reference to it being a great place to go for Christmas shopping.  And though I have visited it many times through the years to enjoy its charming authentic Danish architecture complete with thatched roofs and windmills, it is just within the last few years that I made it there for its annual December Julefest.

Julefest Christmas tree in courtyard in Solvang, California
The town’s hundreds of specialty shops offer unusual gift items year-round, but they add more goodies plus seasonal decorations and a festive air around Christmas.  An annual Tree-Lighting Ceremony is held in Solvang Park with live entertainment, caroling, and the arrival of Santa Claus, and a Julefest Parade features hundreds of participants marching, trotting, cruising, and strolling along festively decorated streets.  Additionally, the family-friendly Solvang Nativity Pageant is an elaborate stage presentation that includes narration, music, and live animals.  Visitors during this time also can win a prize while exploring the town in search of the hidden Jule Nisse (mischievous elf-like Danish figures).  When I visited, I witnessed Santa leave a bar, mount a motorcycle, and chug down the street singing “Jingle Bells,” although the singing might be a false memory.”

Christmas decor in Solvang Restaurant in Solvang, California

More things to do in Solvang. 

More information on Solvang.

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery, San Antonio, Texas

Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery   136 E Grayson St., in The Pearl, (210) 455-5701.  This dramatic restaurant and brewery operates inside the landmark 1894 building that was originally Pearl’s Brewhouse.  Chicago architect August Maritzen designed more than 80 breweries--this one in the Second Empire style--think high ceilings and plenty of brick.  Beer flights and small bites dominate a seasonal menu featuring delicious southern fare that includes deviled-ham eggs and jalapeno-cheddar grits.  Brunch is a popular time to relax with a spicy Michelada beer cocktail, a fresh orange juice mimosa, or a house-made brew.  A popular food choice then is shrimp boil, consisting of Galveston bay shrimp and corn rounds.  An eggs Benedict variation features braised country ham atop jalapeno corn bread with a Cajun cream Hollandaise.  Kids are catered to with a special menu that includes a white-cheddar grilled cheese, fish sticks, and more.  It is presented on a cooking tray with a soft ball of dough for them to twist into a pretzel.  They love it, and it keeps them quite busy while they wait for food to appear.  When they are finished twisting, their creation can be sweetened with a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar and baked into real pretzel.  My delighted granddaughter ate most of hers for dessert and took the rest home. 

drawing of the original Pearl's Brewhouse, now Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery, in San Antoniio, Texas

bar at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas

Michelada beer cocktail at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas

shrimp boil at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas



red snapper with salsa verde at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas

kid's menu and pretzel dough at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas



little girl plays with pretzel dough at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas

little girl eats baked pretzel she made at Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery in San Antoniio, Texas

More things to do in San Antonio.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Rockefeller Center at Christmas, NYC

Rockefeller Center   600 Fifth Ave.  Christmas central in NYC seems to be the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center and its 80-foot-tall tree decorated with 45,000+ lights.  The first Christmas tree was lit here in 1933, and today more than half a million people see it each day.  The Rockettes kick up their heels nearby at Radio City Music Hall, and the big department stores display their magnificent decorated windows along adjacent Fifth Avenue.  And this year FAO Schwarz is making a comeback with a new store here, complete with the famous clock tower and also a giant piano keyboard like the one Tom Hanks played in “Big.” 

ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center in NYC

ice skating rink and Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in NYC

More Christmas attractions in NYC.

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Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

Good Eats: in The Pearl, San Antonio, Texas

The Pearl   Once the home of the Pearl Brewery, this 22-acre area today is a mixed-use neighborhood with expanses of green grass for romping, a year-round schedule of music, and the largest Farmer’s Market in San Antonio (held on Saturdays and Sundays).  It is located along the North portion of the renowned San Antonio River Walk and is home to the San Antonio branch of the Culinary Institute of America as well as plenty of restaurants and boutiques.  Any day is a good day for a visit, but Sunday is a special pearl of a day for families, which show up in large numbers then to enjoy a meal and some frolicking time in the large water feature splash pad that is particularly popular in summer.

kids frolicking in the water feature in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

exterior of The Culinary Institute of America in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

*Bakery Lorraine  306 Pearl Pkwy. #110, (210) 862-5582.  Daily 7am–8pm.
Romance is part of the story here.  Owners Jeremy and Anne met while working for celebrity chef Thomas Keller at Bouchon Bakery in California’s Napa Valley.  I’ve enjoyed Keller’s pastries in California and NYC, and those here are on par.    I especially liked the raspberry croissant and was enthralled just looking at the fluffy, flower-like caramel peanut tart.  My granddaughter favored the made-from-scratch pop tart.  More extensive breakfast items are available--think barley and farro porridge and quiche Lorraine--and lunch brings on a selection of sandwiches.  Customers line up to order, then select a table inside or out.

interior of Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

colorful fruit tarts at Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

fluffy caramel peanut tarts at Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

child downs a pop tart at Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

child smushes a muffin into her face at Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

* Bottling Department Food Hall   312 Pearl Pkwy, in The Pearl.   Sun-Thur 8am-9pm, F-Sat 8am-10pm.  Some of the food booths in this bustling food hall offer the option of sitting at a bar at the booth itself, but mostly diners find an open table in the interior or outside by the grassy central courtyard, where children can play in a water feature and playground.  A vibrating pager lets you know when the order ready.  Foods specialties include burgers, chicken, ramen, donuts, beer, and more.

exterior of Bottling Department Food Hall in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

interior of Bottling Department Food Hall in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

ramen from Tenko Ramen at Bottling Department Food Hall in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

*Lick  In The Pearl, (210) 314-8166.  This ice cream shop offers some unusual flavors--think Texas Sheet Cake and Goat Cheese Thyme & Honey.  All ice creams are made with milk from Texas cows.  Limited seating is available inside and outside, but never enough in summer.

counter at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

flavors at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

child looks at ice creams at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

double-decker ice cream bowl at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

twins and older sister eat ice cream at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

*La Gloria  100 E. Grayson St., in the Pearl, (210) 267-9040.  L-D daily.  Dedicated to celebrating the tasty street foods of Mexico, this cheery spot serves up a varied menu.  A good start is the molcajetes--a super-hot bowl of melted Mexican cheeses with salsa mixed in that is prepared dramatically at the table, then diners spoon it into tortillas.  Two of those plus one sope and I was good to go.  Panuchos topped with a sort of salad are also very good.  Tacos are small and come three to an order.  Quesadillas, tostadas, tortas, and ceviches are also available.  Drinks include aguas fresca, beer, and margaritas in many varieties.

twins and older sister eat ice cream at Lick in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

child and mother study menu at La Gloria in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas

sope and margarita at La Gloria in the Pearl in San Antonio, Texas





Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery  COMING

Hotel Emma   COMING


More things to do in San Antonio.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images and video ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: River Walk, San Antonio, Texas

River Walk /Paseo Del Rio  (210) 227-4262.  Free.  Following the San Antonio River, the 15-mile-long River Walk is below street level and offers meandering walkways that connect to hotels, museums, sidewalk cafes, theaters, and more.  You’ll hear mariachis serenading diners and see colorful river taxis carrying guests along the spring-fed river.  Only 5 miles of the walk runs through the heart of the city.  From there, the Mission Reach section extends 8 miles from Lone Star Boulevard to the last of the missions--Mission Espada.  This stretch features aquatic life, 15 miles of recreational trails, picnic and seating areas, pedestrian bridges, pavilions, and access to four Spanish colonial missions.  Another stretch in the Pearl connects to the San Antonio Museum of Art. 

River Walk in San Antonio, Texas

colorful restaurant on River Walk in San Antonio, Texas
River cruise   $12, 60+ $9, 1-5 $6.  Flat-bottomed river boats leave regularly from several spots along the busiest part of the river.  This relaxing half-hour narrated cruise is the perfect way to get the lay of the downtown land and to check out waterside restaurants and bars.

popular river cruise in San Antonio, Texas


More things to do in San Antonio.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Main Plaza, San Antonio, Texas

Main Plaza   115 Main Plaza, (210) 225-9800.  Free.  Situated in the city’s center, San Antonio's historic Main Plaza dates back to the early 1700s.  This innovative public space enhances the city's core with mature trees and bubbling fountains.  Known historically as the "Heart of the City," this plaza is home to San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the nation.  Additionally, Main Plaza hosts a variety of events that include farmer's markets, food trucks, and art installations.

exterior of San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio/The Saga (Tu, F, Sat, Sun at 9pm, 9:30pm, & 10pm.  Free.) is a beautiful 24-minute video art installation created by renowned French artist Xavier De Richemont.  Using lights and music, it projects on the façade of the cathedral and takes you on a colorful visual journey through the history of San Antonio.  The Saga is Richemont’s first outdoor art installation in the U.S.  Other works by him can be seen in France, Germany, Spain, Morocco, Mexico, and Canada.

San Antonio/The Saga projected on exterior of San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas

Downtown Tuesday    
●On Tuesday nights, parking is free after 5 p.m. at downtown city garages and meters.

● The Briscoe Western Art Museum ‘s stellar collection of western art is also free for the viewing on Tuesdays  from 4 p.m. to closing. 

"Walkara--Hawk of the Mountains" by Greg Kelsey at Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas

● The Esquire Tavern   155 East Commerce St., (210) 222-2521.  Celebrating the end of Prohibition when it opened in 1933, this watering hole has been popular ever since.  It is located on the River Walk and makes a great place to enjoy a casual meal.  Newly updated, a cabbie who dropped me here quipped that “it went from tomato to tomahto.”  Now, downstairs is for drinking and upstairs is for dining on tasty tavern fare. 

downstairs bar at The Esquire Tavern in San Antonio, Texas

●Arrive at San Antonio's Main Plaza by 9 p.m. for the evening’s first projection of San Antonio/The Saga light show (always free).



More things to do in San Antonio.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio Museum of Art   200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100.  Tu & F 10am-9pm, W, Thur, Sat, Sun 10am-5pm.  $15, 65+ $12, under 13 free; free Tu 4pm-9pm & Sun 10am-noon.
          San Antonio is a master at reworking old factories and industrial buildings into museums and living spaces.  This slick museum was once the circa 1884 Lone Star Brewery complex.  To efficiently tour its two wings, start on the ground floor of one and work your way up to the top floor, then cross over to the other wing and work your way down.  Be sure to use the trippy glass elevator situated in the center.  The museum is known for its Latin American Art Center and Asian Art wing.  Collection highlights include a painted gourd Crane that was one of Nelson Rockefeller’s favorites, a collection of animal mummies, and a colorful Chihuly blown-glass flower ceiling similar to the gigantic one that is displayed in the lobby of the Bellagio casino hotel in Las Vegas.

painted gourd Crane at San Antonio Museum of Art in San Antonio, Texas


falcon mummy at San Antonio Museum of Art in San Antonio, Texas


Chihuly ceiling at San Antonio Museum of Art in San Antonio, Texas

  You can walk to or from here easily from The Pearl via the River Walk pathway.  It take about 10 minutes.  On the way you’ll view more art installations.  On the west side of the river, “The Grotto,” by Carlos Cortes (2009), consists of a cave-like installation with water falls and a hidden grotesque face.  A school of fish also enhances the walk.





hanging school of fish on the River Walk near the San Antonio Museum of Art in San Antonio, Texas

More things to do in San Antonio.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images and video ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: King William Historic District, San Antonio, Texas

King William Historic District   122 Madison St., (210) 227-8786.  Free.   Located on the south bank of the San Antonio River, the sprawling King William Historic District is filled with 19th-century residences.  Many have been preserved, and some have been transformed into cafes, art galleries, museums, and shops.  It was originally settled by prominent German merchants who brought with them a distinct architectural style, and in the late 1800s this district was the most elegant residential area in the city.  It is now zoned as the state's first historic district and remains a fashionable neighborhood.

● The Guenther House   205 E. Guenther St., (210) 227-1061.  Built in 1859 as the home for the founder of Pioneer Flour Mills, this stone house opened in 1988 as a museum and restaurant.  The flour mill is still in business today and operates across the street, which makes it the country’s longest continually family-owned and -operated mill.

Pioneer Flour Mills in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

Guenther House Restaurant  Daily 7am-3pm.  The restaurant's main dining room here was added to the house later and is known as the Tea Room.  Another interior room and an expansive outdoor patio are also available.  Locals especially like to come here for the breakfast items, which are served all day.  Favorites include a strawberry waffle and buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy.  Among the pastries is a very big cinnamon roll.  Sandwiches include a club and a BLT with cheddar that--in true Texas style--is mostly apple-wood smoked bacon.  A taco salad and chicken enchiladas are also on the menu.  Items are made with flour milled at the founder’s original flour mill.

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dining room at Guenther House Restaurant in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

lunch entrees at Guenther House Restaurant in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

Guether House Museum  Free.  A self-guided tour of this small house is available when the restaurant is open.  The museum is in the house’s original library.  It displays mill memorabilia, including antique baking accessories, cookie cutters, and some Dresden-made and American-made china plates that were given to customers as premiums.

library at Guenther House Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio River Mill Store  (800) 235-8186.  M-Sat 8am-4pm, Sun 8am-3pm.  This shop is well stocked with enticing kitchen items.  Selections include housemade preserves and a variety of mixes for items made in the restaurant, including biscuits, waffles, and cornbread.

baking mix in San Antonio River Mill Store at Guenther House Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

dessert plate in San Antonio River Mill Store at Guenther House Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas
● Edward Steves Homestead Museum   509 King William St., (210) 227-9160.  Daily 10am-3:30pm.  $10, 65+ $7.50, under 12 free; $5/person for guided tour.  When Edward Steves opened his first lumberyard in San Antonio in 1866, he lived in a modest little house.  About 10 years later he made the big move up to this grand Victorian period home with a French mansard roof.  It cost him $12,500 then, but is worth about  $4,500,000 now.  The family’s lumber business is still going strong, but they no longer are affiliated with this house.  Restored to its original grandeur, it has many furnishings that are original to the house (you can see more in the Witte Museum).  With 13-inch-thick limestone walls and 14-foot-high ceilings, the temperature inside is naturally cool.  The house has no fireplaces but does have a wood-burning stove in every room.  Unusual for the time period is that the house had running water and built-in closets, and one particularly noteworthy architectural feature is a set of oversize pocket doors with ornate glass.  It is interesting to note that back in the day the neighborhood kids visited to skate on the attic’s wood floor (the attic is not accessible to visitors).  Out buildings beside the river include the servants quarters (now the visitor center), a wash house, a small carriage house, and a natatorium (indoor pool) built in 1910 that is now boarded over.

exterior of Edward Steves Homestead Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

hedge maze at Edward Steves Homestead Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

interior stairwell at Edward Steves Homestead Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas

bedroom at Edward Steves Homestead Museum in King William Historic District of San Antonio, Texas


More things to do in San Antonio.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers