Earth Day in San Antonio

46 years after its inception, Earth Day is still leading by example each and every year, moving towards a cleaner and healthier planet. While conservation efforts shouldn’t be confined to a single day out of the year, Earth Day is the main force behind the conservation movement. We have to do what we can to preserve the planet we live on for the generations that will come after us! But how can we do it?

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Around 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year to create the bags, bottles, and packages that we use every day. Not much of this plastic is being recycled or reused so it sits in landfills. By reducing the amount of plastic we’re using, we can make a huge difference. Invest in one good water bottle that you can refill when you’re thirsty and a couple of canvas bags that you can use for all of your shopping needs.

The next time you head to Starbucks in The Shops at La Cantera, bring your own cup or purchase your own reusable cup there. You receive a .10 cent discount by using your own cup for your beverage. Save some money while you’re saving the environment.

Even though snail mail has become a somewhat outdated form of mail, you can still find yourself inundated with tons of things in the mail each day. Most of it, you probably didn’t even sign up for! Around 28 billion gallons of water are wasted producing and recycling our junk mail. Cutting down on the junk mail cuts down on the waste. But what can you do about it? Signing up for one of these three services can have your name removed from widely distributed consumer mailing lists. Reducing the amount of junk mail you receive might seem insignificant but it can make a huge difference.

If you’re a resident at the Residences at La Cantera, you’re already doing a great thing for the planet. Did you know about our green initiative? We already have in place a plan to protect and conserve the existing trees around us as well as an erosion control plan. We want to take care of our planet and the best place to start is at home!

Do you do your part to protect the planet? Share with us your conservation tips on Facebook and Twitter so we can share them with others!

¡Fiesta San Antonio!

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In San Antonio, it’s the most wonderful time of year. No, it’s not Christmas. It’s Fiesta! From April 14th through the 24th you can party your faces off with the rest of the city in the biggest celebration of the year. Fiesta began all the way back in 1891 as a way of honoring the lives of the people who participated in the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. What began as just a single parade has exploded into a week long festival of celebration.

April 14th marks the beginning of San Antonio Fiesta and the opening ceremonies are not something you want to miss. Greet Fiesta royalty along with other special guests. Participate in Pin Pandemonium so you can buy, sell, and trade your Fiesta pins and medals. (Get your Residences at La Cantera medals from us at the front desk!) The festivities kick off at 5 PM with the annual shouts of “Viva Fiesta!” Celebrate the history, heritage, and culture of San Antonio at the Opening Ceremonies.

Throughout the entirety of Fiesta, you’ll be able to attend Fiesta Carnival, an exciting collection of thrilling rides, tasty food, and fun performances. Admission into the Carnival is free but you’ll have to pay to ride the carnival rides. Are you a daredevil or not?

In the heart of the city, you’ll find Fiesta de los Reyes. A showcase of live performances that will make you move and shake is what awaits you. Multiple stages will host the artists and performers so there won’t be a dull moment at any point during the week. Sample treats from over 30 different food vendors shelling out Cajun shrimp, Mexican cuisine, hamburgers, and fresh fruit drinks. Will you be dancing yourself dizzy or stuffing yourself full?

Fiesta isn’t complete without the amazing Oyster Bake! 2016 marks the Fiesta Oyster Bake’s 100th anniversary too so this year will be one for the books. With more than 100,000 oysters to taste how will you sample them all? Listen to musical acts serenade you and your oysters while you munch. Learn more about admission and ticket prices here. Funds from the Oyster Bake will go towards student scholarships at St. Mary’s University as well as to support the university and the alumni association.

The enormity of Fiesta can’t possibly be summed up in just a few paragraphs. You simply have to attend and soak up as much of it as you can. If you don’t get the opportunity to see everything, don’t worry: you always have next year! What are you most looking forward to this year for Fiesta? If you haven’t gotten your Fiesta medals yet, make sure you come see us!

World Health Day in San Antonio

Each year on the anniversary of the World Health Organization’s inception, they celebrate the occasion by choosing a cause to advocate for. This year, on April 7th, they’ve chosen to raise awareness for diabetes. Diabetes affects over 29.1 million Americans with 8.1 million of them being undiagnosed. Experts recommend exercise as one of the number one methods of both preventing and managing the disease. If staying active can help you keep it at bay, how do we start?

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It’s not difficult to be active when San Antonio has such great weather almost all year round. There’s nothing quite like a little sunshine and fresh air to motivate you to get moving. San Antonio has some pretty beautiful parks (and we don’t mean Six Flags Fiesta) with some beautiful scenery to motivate your exercise. At Leon Creek Greenway Park, you have access to 52.6 miles of trails to wander along. No matter if you’re walking, jogging, running, or biking, your blood will be pumping, your heart thumping, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you. Make sure you make your way over to the creek, you might catch a glimpse of some wildlife. To learn more about the trails and see a map, head here.

If green scenery isn’t quite enough to keep your mind occupied while you walk or run the trails, we’re certain this next destination will capture your attention. The San Antonio Aquarium has thousands of exhibits filled with aquatic life that will wow and impress you. Stroll through the tanks and get your legs moving while you learn a little something. Exercise doesn’t have to be tedious. If you can keep your mind occupied while you do it, it usually doesn’t even feel like you’re working out at all! Find the Aquarium’s schedule here and learn a little bit about what you’ll find there.

When nothing captures your attention quite like your phone screen or a television screen in front of your face, sometimes you’ll need to take the exercise to a more stationary place. Luckily for you, the Residences at La Cantera has its very own fitness center. Sit on a stationary bike and pedal to your heart’s content while you watch Netflix on your iPad or run on the treadmill while watching your favorite cooking show. Your heart will be working hard but you probably won’t notice with your mind wrapped up in its favorite distractions. If the fitness center is a little too high impact, retreat to the yoga studio where you can practice in peace. Yoga has been known to decrease stress and lower blood pressure, so you’ll be getting more benefits than you anticipated!

Staying active doesn’t have to feel like a chore. There are ways of doing it without driving yourself crazy with boredom. What’s your favorite way of staying active? Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter.

April Showers Bring...

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They say April showers bring May flowers but, April also brings with it tons of exciting events that we know you’ll want to hear about. April hasn’t even arrived yet but we’re already pumped for everything that’s going on in our first full month of Spring. Are you ready for Spring? We are!

The month of April is Earth Month! Take some opportunities to step back and appreciate the world we live in and everything it gives us but also realize that we have a lot of work to do. San Antonio wants to help. On Wednesday April 6th, kick off the month with the film Gasland, a documentary centered on communities in the United States impacted by the gas drilling industry. Continue the theme on Wednesday April 13th with Tapped, a documentary about the bottled water industry and it’s connection to ocean pollution. On April 21st, Earth Day, gather at the large oak tree near ATT Science Hall for a presentation of the William Mulcahy Stewardship Award beginning at 12 PM. Learn what you can do to protect the planet we live on here and learn more about San Antonio’s Earth Month celebrations here.

One of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio is hosting a neighborhood-wide yard sale. This Saturday, April 2nd, you’ll be able to browse the neighborhood, bouncing from house to house and sift through the wares. You never know what you’ll be able to unearth from the piles. One man’s trash is another’s treasure and we’re sure that you’ll be able to find something that suits your fancy. If you’re planning on heading out to the neighborhood yard sale, check here for more information. Alta Vista is located about 15 minutes away from the Residences at La Cantera so you won’t have to tote your findings very far.

Calling all fashionistas: if you have a passion for brunch and fashion, Fashion Fiesta is your sanctuary. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity # 2661 are hosting the 4th annual Brunch and Style Show to kick off the fiesta. This Saturday from 9-1, get a glimpse at this season’s freshest trends from Chico’s Stone Oak Village at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The Fiesta will also include a vendor market of unique fashions so you can do a little shopping while you take in the newest styles. We’re only a 12 minute drive away from this season’s trendiest fashions. To see more about Fashion Fiesta, check here.

April isn’t even here yet but we’re already fired up for all of the exciting events and festivals that are coming our way next month. What are you most looking forward to?

Easter in San Antonio

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Easter is almost upon us and that means there will be a lot of Easter-centric events going on this week. Not every family celebrates the holiday but that doesn’t mean that you can’t participate in the fun that goes along with the day of pastels and eggs. Make sure your bunny ears are on tight and your baskets are at your sides and hop to it!

Spend your Easter weekend at SeaWorld for an Easter egg hunt! From Friday through Easter Sunday, you can participate in an egg hunt at SeaWorld San Antonio. Hopefully your eyes are sharp so you can find the most pastel eggs before everyone else. In addition to the hunt, a lovely Easter lunch spread will be available for families. When you get too hungry from searching, you can retire to the picnic to get your fill. Carved brisket, BBQ chicken, hot dogs and a dessert station await you after your egg hunt. SeaWorld is only a 10 minute hop away from the Residences at La Cantera. Find out more about the egg hunt here.

Nothing brings the family all together quite like a delicious brunch spread. With so many restaurants opening their doors to us for Easter brunch, how will we choose just one? Chart House Restaurant in the Tower of the Americas is serving up fresh seafood and gorgeous views of downtown San Antonio. At Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse children ages 7-12 eat for half price and children 6 and under eat for free! The whole family can enjoy Easter brunch together this Sunday. See other brunch deals here.

You’ll have to travel a little to reach the Natalia Bluebonnet Festival and Parade but you’ll certainly have fun seeing it. All this week you can attend the festival and explore the festival grounds to your heart’s content. See live bands perform such as Roy Reyes Band, Matt Hawk, and Whiskey 2 Step. Admission to the festival is free so you can come back everyday of the festival! Learn more about the Natalia Bluebonnet Festival here.

You don’t have to celebrate the holiday itself to appreciate the traditions and events that go along with it! Everyone loves brunch. How does your family celebrate the holiday?

San Patrick's Day: Celebrate on the Riverwalk

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Two months of 2016 already come and gone! Where does the time go? They say time flies when you’re having fun so we must have been having a blast with how fast these first two months have gone. Thankfully, we’ve got the luck of the Irish on our side this month. St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner which means the festivities are piling up beginning this weekend. So whether you’re Irish or not, throw on some green and celebrate the culture and traditions of this holiday.

The San Antonio Riverwalk is always bustling with people and exciting events but this month is extra full of St. Patrick’s Day fun. From March 12 at noon until March 13 at 6 PM you can revel in the Irish festivities at the San Antonio Riverwalk for Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day River Parade and Festival . You don’t have far to travel for Murphy’s River Festival because it’s only a 20 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera.

All weekend you can experience the best local bands and musical groups. Starting right at noon you’ll be able to see musical acts such as Boru Celtic Music, Fire on the Mountain Cloggers, Tennessee Valley Authority and Ravenmoor. You can find each and every one of the musical acts at the Arneson River Theater, located right on the riverfront.

You’ll want to be there at 2 PM both on Saturday and Sunday. If you’ve ever wanted to see them actually dye a whole river green, this is your chance. See the river run green with Irish pride all weekend while you celebrate.

Starting even earlier than the actual festivities is the St. Patrick’s Day Artisan River Walk Show. Admire artists hard at work and browse their projects to see what you can take home with you. The Artisan River Walk Show will last from March 11th through the 13th so you have extra time to peruse the craft stands.

Last but not least, you can’t have a St. Patrick’s Day celebration without an extravagant parade, so an extravagant parade we will have! San Antonio doesn’t do parades in a regular fashion, we take them to the river! The San Antonio River Walk’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will consist of 15 decorated barges, cruising down 2 ½ miles of the San Antonio River with bagpipes and drummers, Irish step dancers, music and Kelly singers. This is definitely not your average parade so you won’t want to miss out on this!

Find more information about the River Walk and Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival here. What’s your favorite way of celebrating this green holiday? Do you go all out or keep it quiet? Show us your green on Facebook and Twitter.

The Day of Unplugging

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Living in today’s modern world can be draining. We’re always on the go with our faces buried deep in the world of our phones, tablets and laptops. It can be hard to remember to look up every once in awhile and take in everything around you. This week, in honor of the Day of Unplugging, take a step back and disconnect yourself. Embrace the spirit of the olden days and put your phone down!

One of the best ways to get your mind off of your electronics is to take it to the outdoors. Spend some time outside and you’ll forget all about your iPhone. At the Residences at La Cantera, your very own private balcony is the best place to set the scene for your electronic escape. Lounge in a comfortable chair while you gaze out at the hilly country views. Outdoors, you’ll forget all about the obligations of your cell phone or your laptop.

The best place to forget about your phone is to go to the movies. A cinematic escape will immediately take your mind off of your electronics and the world of your cellphone. Not only will you forget about your phone but the pressure of your fellow moviegoers will prevent you from trying to peek at your phone in the middle of the movie. The Regal Cinemas Stadium 16 has everything you’ll need to relax into the world of your movie. Grab your popcorn, drink and maybe some candy too and then head into the theatre. Don’t let your phone distract you from the excitement of your movie experience.

Heading to a place where you actually can’t even use your phone is a great way to avoid it. At Six Flags Fiesta Texas, you’ll be having so much fun you’ll forget that you shouldn’t be on your phone. Thrilling roller coasters don’t bode well for cellphone use. Chuck that phone in a locker or leave it in the car because it has no place at Six Flags Fiesta Texas! This weekend is only the second that they’ve been open this season so you’ll be one of the first ones back in the park since last year.

Phones are useful in everyday life, we can’t argue that but too much dependence on it can turn it into a ball and chain. Take some time to step away from the electronic world.

Do you enjoy taking time away from your electronics or do you prefer to be always connected?