Ring in the New Year

Thanksgiving is long gone, Hanukkah has passed, Christmas has come and gone the only thing left is New Year’s Eve! One of the biggest nights of the year, there are always exciting things happening on the last night of the year and the final night of 2015 is no different.

One of the best places in all of San Antonio is the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk. There are always exciting events going on along the river and the holiday season is no exception. New Year’s Eve brings with it a celebration that you won’t want to miss out on. The Hotel Valencia wants to party with you this New Year’s Eve.

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The New Year’s Eve Dinner Package includes luxurious accommodations for two where you’ll rest on custom made Hotel Valencia beds wrapped in 7 layers of designer made Egyptian cotton. It doesn’t get any more luxurious than that!

Enjoy a buffet dinner for the two of you from 8 PM until 10 PM including multiple carving stations, half shell oysters, shrimp and crab claws. Once you’ve filled up on enough of that deliciousness, make sure you’ve saved enough room for more because you’ll be able to move onto the dessert extravaganza part of the meal. You’ll need all of that fuel for dancing the night away!

Once you’ve had your fill of the buffet, head to the bar to receive your complimentary Vbar specialty cocktails. Those will get you revved up for the real party.

Your New Year’s Eve Package gains you access to the coolest party in San Antonio. Dance the night away to the DJ and sip on your cocktails. You’ll countdown to midnight with a glass of champagne and at midnight you’ll be bombarded by a balloon release! Continue to party the night away and make sure to sneak over and get some late night snacks at the late night buffet.

Before you retire to your room for the night, make sure you receive your complimentary party favor and hangover kit. With those tasty cocktails from the bar flowing all night, you’ll probably be in desperate need of that hangover kit!

New Year’s Eve at the Hotel Valencia on the Riverwalk is bound to be an amazing experience that you won’t regret attending. For information on how to reserve your spot, check here.


How are you spending New Year’s Eve? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Spend Christmas Eve Out and About

Christmas is a time for gathering together with your family and showing your appreciation for one another. Some people tend to stay in on Christmas Eve though. This year is time for a new tradition. Many restaurants are opening their doors and welcoming you in for Christmas Eve dinner this year. See where you should be dining this Thursday evening.

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Boiler House Texas Grill and Wine Garden is opening its doors this year for Christmas Eve to you and your family. They’ll be open for seating from 11 AM until 10 PM. House chicharrones and hot sauce, herb and feta marinated olives and Texas whiskey bacon caramel kettle corn are just a few options to start your meal with. For your main course you can have anything from braised Kurobuta pork belly, smoked rabbit porchetta and jumbo shrimp bacon. There’s nothing on this dinner menu that will disappoint you. To round out your meal, you can choose a mason jar mousse, dulce de leche sea salt Semifreddo or a pistachio pound cake. There are so many options at Boiler House Texas Grill that your head will spin. To see their expansive menu in full, check here. Luckily for us, Boiler House is only a 20 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera so we don’t have far to travel on Christmas Eve.

The Melting Pot in San Antonio will be welcoming you in on Christmas Eve with their regular menu which is never a disappointment. Cheese fondue to start off with is a great choice. Take your pick from cheddar, classic alpine, and spinach artichoke to dip your treats into. In addition to salads, there’s a delicious individual entree selection that’ll have you wishing you hadn’t filled up on so much cheese fondue. Try teriyaki sirloin, honey orange duck breast or sesame-crusted ahi tuna are all excellent choices from the Melting Pot’s entree menu. If you’ve got enough room left in your belly after all of that deliciousness, the dessert will knock your socks off. Chocolate fondue with tons of little treats to dip in it. Take your brownies, blondies, pineapples, strawberries, pound cake and marshmallow treats and dip them in milk, white or dark chocolate, flaming turtle chocolate and chocolate s’mores. For a look at the full offering from the Melting Pot head here. The Melting Pot is only a short 15 minute drive down the road from us at La Cantera.

If you typically find yourself at home on Christmas Eve without any plans, you should make yourself a reservation at one of these delicious restaurants!


Where do you usually spend Christmas Eve? At home with family or out to dinner? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter.

Holiday Party The Right Way

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With all of the holidays coming up, you might be considering hosting a party! Hosting a huge party of people might seem daunting but you can tackle it with some help. Taking your guests out to the beautiful rooftop garden for a little entertaining and a scenic view will make them want to come back immediately! You might never get rid of your guests! Here are some tips for throwing the best holiday party.

Yum. You can’t have a holiday party without delicious finger foods. These little stocking pizza bites are holiday appropriate and delicious! Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet 
• ¼ cup pizza sauce
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 oz)
• 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

1. Heat up your oven to 350°F. Unroll your dough and press it into a 13x8 inch rectangle. 
2. Using your stocking shaped cookie cutter, cut 12 stocking out of the dough. 
3. Bake your stockings for 8 minutes.
4. Spread sauce on each of your stockings, leaving a small sliver of border around the outside. 
5. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese at the top of each stocking for your fluffy bit.
6. Pop them back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
7. Add some basil leaves for a little garnish after you pull them out of the oven.

For more amazing and delicious recipes, check out Pillsbury’s website.


Signature Sips. If you want to make a party truly memorable, you might want to consider having a signature cocktail at the party. You’ll really impress guests if you can make it off the top of your head without looking at a recipe! We recommend a sparkling apple cider sangria; perfect for the holidays. Here’s what you’ll need to make it happen:

• 1 750 ml bottle (standard) champagne or prosecco
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup club soda
• 1/2 cup Disaronno
• 2 apples, sliced
• cinnamon sticks, for garnish

For the full concoction you can check out Pizzazzerie’s blog. A signature cocktail at a party will not only make the drink stand out in your guests minds but also the party as a whole. “Hey, remember that party we went to where they had that amazing apple cider sangria? That was a cool party!” Don’t you want people to have that reaction to your party? We thought so.

Take the party to another level with a chocolate fondue station. Melt up some chocolate and lay out some delicious holiday favorites like marshmallows, candy canes, gingerbread men, shortbread cookies and pretzels. Your guests will eat it up, literally!


When you’re planning out your holiday party, make sure you follow these tips and make sure to take your guests up to the rooftop garden! Do you have any tips and recipes for a holiday party? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Stellar San Antonio: Best Stargazing Locations

We're really lucky in San Antonio to have such beautiful weather almost all year round. It allows for many more opportunities to get outside and enjoy the good ole outdoors. A great way to spend time outdoors is to stargaze. Throwing down a cozy blanket, sipping a cup of hot chocolate and lying back to gaze at the universe spread out above you, it doesn't get any better than that. Here are some of the best places around San Antonio to catch a glimpse of the cosmos. Be prepared for a drive: since San Antonio is such a bright and bolstering city, the lights make it a little hard to see the sky at night.

Image courtesy of Anne Dirske

2 hours away from San Antonio, you'll find the Canyon of the Eagles Resort. The Texas Hill County resort brings you comfort and hospitality while still letting you be at home in a nature setting. They say, "Where the road ends, the adventure begins" and that's no lie at Canyon of the Eagles Resort. Staying at the resort will give you access to the beautiful Eagle Eye Observatory. Observe the stars, planets and constellations from the comfort of the observatory. You'll be able to see it all from here. Check out their website for more information.

Guadalupe River State Park is located a short 30 minute drive away from our home at the Residences at La Cantera so you don't have to travel far to be able to see the stars. Not only can you enjoy the stars from the ground but you can hop into a canoe or a tube and enjoy it from the comfort of the river too. with four miles of river in the park, there are plenty of places to put in and float while you gaze into the sky.

If you join the Austin Astronomical Society you can receive access to 2 different observation parties where you can join other skyward gazing individuals in observing the universe. You'll also receive training and certification in how to use the telescopes and operating the Eagle Eye Observatory. This Saturday, in fact, their monthly Members Only Star Party is taking place at the Eagle Eye Observatory. Find out how to join the AAS here.