Summer Activities in San Antonio

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

School’s out for summer! With kids home for the summer, it can be hard to find things to keep young ones occupied and entertained with when they have so much free time. This month though, there are plenty of options for kids to not only keep them entertained but to enrich them and further their educations. Check out what San Antonio has in store for kids this month:

This Friday, July 17th, the La Cantera Barnes & Noble (a quick 5 minute walk from the Residences at La Cantera) is holding a free Minion Fun Event in honor of the new Minions movie in theaters now! At this fun-filled event you can become a certified minion and attend Villain-Con where you can help in the search to find the most evil villain to follow! Sign up in the store or call to reserve your space. Register soon, as all the good villains tend to get taken quickly!

Saturday, July 18th at 10 AM at the Rainbow Gardens join the Kids Garden Club in creating your very own terrarium! Bring your own soda bottle or wide mouthed jar to create your very own living ecosystem. This event is free but spots fill up quickly so reserve your child’s spot soon! The Rainbow Gardens are only a 20 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera which should make it pretty easy to get there!

On Friday, July 24th, the Harlem Globetrotters’ Summer Basketball Camp will be dribbling into San Antonio for one day only! The coaches will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball while the Globetrotters will be on hand to encourage the players and impart knowledge that will help them sharpen their skills. Campers will take part in games, ball handling tricks, and plenty of fun. Stars of the Harlem Globetrotters will be available after the camp to sign autographs and take photos with the campers. The Mission Concepcion Sports Complex is only a 20 minute drive away from the La Cantera Apartments.

If your child is a bit of a ham, then you definitely need to sign them up for Happily Ever After Summer Theatre Camp. Starting July 27th through August 7th, your little performer can perform songs as their favorite princess, pirate, hero or villain. Final performances will take place August 7th and 8th. The classes take place from Monday to Friday 9AM to 4PM and before and after care is available if needed. Register early as spaces fill up fast! The Woodlawn Theatre is only a 15 minute drive away from La Cantera.

This month is heating up not just with the heat but with plenty of fun things to keep kids happy and entertained. There is something for all ages and interests, from basketball to theater to gardening classes, your kids won’t have time to sit down! Do you know of any other kids’ activities happening in the area this month? Let us know on Facebook or on Twitter.

Sources Cited
SA Current 1 2
Rainbow Gardens

National Picnic Month in San Antonio

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Grab your checkered blanket and your wicker baskets because July is National Picnic Month! San Antonio has an abundance of beautiful parks just asking for you to throw down a picnic blanket and break out the snacks. Just make sure you clean up after yourself when you’re done! For a full directory of San Antonio's gorgeous parks go to the city of San Antonio's website.

Brackenridge Park is a 343 acre park located north of the city, just a short 20 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera. Within the park, you can find the San Antonio Zoo which contains over 750 different species of animals! You can also find the Japanese Tea Gardens or the Sunken Gardens, which found their home in an abandoned rock quarry. Within the park grounds you can take a ride on the San Antonio Zoo Eagle Train Ride. Brackenridge Park is a beautiful place to plant yourself for a weekend picnic. After your meal you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied!

McAllister Park, an 18 minute drive from La Cantera apartments, might not have a zoo located within its boundaries but it has so much for you to do! The park is outfitted with baseball, soccer and rugby fields for some pick-up games. The 15 miles of scenic trails will have you huffing and puffing your way through them. And don’t forget the dog park! Bring your furry four-legged friend down to the McAllister dog park and set him/her free to play with other pups.

Government Canyon State Natural Area has over 40 miles of hiking and biking trails for you to explore and navigate. The park is rife with opportunities for geocaching, guided hikes and ranger programs. The Natural Area is also home to 110 million year old dinosaur foot prints! So follow in the footprints of ancient dinosaurs and take your picnic baskets to Government Canyon State Natural Area.

While exploring these gorgeous parks make sure to follow the Leave No Trace 7 Principles to minimize human impact on the lands. The only way we can continue to enjoy these beautiful parks is if we maintain them and do our part to keep them clean.


Each of these fascinating parks has something to offer from hiking and biking trails to dog parks to geocaching, there’s something for everybody. After your picnic you can stick around and see what events are happening in the parks. Check the event calendar to see what's happening this weekend. Bring your picnic baskets but don’t leave anything behind!


Sources Cited
San Antonio.gov

4 Events for Your 4th of July

This week we celebrate the birth of the United States of America. The 4th of July marks the anniversary of the day we adopted the Declaration of Independence, signifying our emancipation from Great Britain. There are plenty of ways to celebrate. This Saturday, San Antonio has tons of fun things to do to commemorate the day.

1. For three days, from July 2nd until July 4th, you can browse through the craft show taking place at the San Antonio River Walk. Starting at 11 AM each day, different vendors will gather to display their crafty wares for sale. Only 20 minutes away from La Cantera apartments.

2. Starting early in the morning on the fourth, you can get the celebrations going early. Starting at 8 AM you can participate in the first annual Zumba-thon by the SA Parks Foundation, take part in a cook off, proudly march in the children’s parade, and listen to live music and see fireworks, until 11 PM that night! Woodlawn Lake Park is a quick 20 minute ride from La Cantera apartments.

3. From 6 to 10 PM you can bring the whole family to the Alamodome. Stars and Stripes Over San Antonio will have live music, all the food trucks you can count and a kids zone for the little ones. Make sure to stay for the fireworks display at 9:30! From the Residences at La Cantera, the Alamodome is only a 20 minute drive!

4. For the first time since 2010 the fireworks display at Jones Beach is back for 2015! The fireworks show will last 30 minutes and start at 9:30. The fireworks will be bursting alongside patriotic music to top it off. Jones Beach is only a 40 minute drive from La Cantera.

Celebrating patriotism in San Antonio is easy. There are so many choices this year if you’re looking to have fun for the Independence Day this year. There are options for the kids, adults and everyone else in between! For more information on all of these events you can check out each of their respective websites listed at the bottom of the page.


Sources Cited:
Jones Beach
SA Parks Foundation
Stars & Stripes Over SA
SA River Walk

Long Table Dinners Take You to Mexico for a Night

Calling all San Antonio foodies: have you attended one of the very exclusive Long Table Dinners at the Distillery yet? Every fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30 at the Dorcol Distilling Company you can enjoy a delicious meal.

Limited to only 20 people this meal is put on by Cocina Heritage the Restaurant. Cocina Heritage offers a multitude of homemade, seasonal meals from Central Mexico to Southern Mexico, celebrating the vibrant flavors of the country. They pride themselves on using their own original recipes from as far back in time as is possible. Not only are the meals diverse and delicious but they also use traditional processes to create the meals to ensure authenticity.

Cocina Heritage has received sparkling reviews from food critics and guests alike. In 2014 their Pastel Tres Leches was named one of the top 10 dishes in San Antonio’s Taste Magazine. Not only will you get the chance to enjoy four courses of amazing Mexican cuisine but you can experience delicious pairings of specialty cocktails to match your meals.

Attending one of these dinners gives you access to the up and coming South Flores district as well as well as a private tour of San Antonio’s very first rakia distillery. Not to mention your tastebuds will take a trip to Mexico during the fantastic meal!

The dress code is casual formal but it is recommended the guests dress a little more warmly as it is kept quite cold in the distillery. Admission to the dinners is a bit steep at $75 per person but it’s well worth it! Guests must be 21 or older to enjoy this dinner and cocktail extravaganza. The Dorcol Distilling Company is only a 20 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera. The dinners will continue throughout 2015 until October 22nd. Make sure to reserve your spot soon as there are only 20 places and they fill up quickly! Reserve your tickets by emailing info@CocinaHeritage.com. Don’t miss out on this delicious opportunity to experience Mexican cuisine as you’ve never had it before!

Sources Cited:
SA Current

The San Antonio DoSeum

Courtesy of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope

On Saturday June 6, San Antonio officially got a new museum: The DoSeum. The 47 million dollar children’s museum opened its doors for the first time to children from the ages of birth to 10. Previously a car dealership, the museum is now full of exciting hands-on activities for children.

After three and a half years in construction the museum is finally open to the public. Aimed at elementary aged children, the brand new museum includes an outdoor exhibit and play area. With over 65,000 square feet of exhibits and 30,000 square feet of outdoor exhibits, there is no shortage of fun to be found at the DoSeum.

Creators of the DoSeum wanted to provide the children of San Antonio with the absolute best. Now that it is finally completed it is a marvel to behold on 5.5 acres of land. The goal of the DoSeum is to educate young children, not with books and slideshows but with activities and experiments. The exhibits focus on STEM, science, technology, engineering and math, in a way that’s fun and engaging for younger kids. Children can interact with Baxter the robot or make-believe as secret agents in the math-oriented spy area. Upon entering the museum one of the first things you will encounter is the Puppet Parade which allows children to control a projection of 2 giant birds using only their hands and a motion sensor. And don’t miss out on the musical staircase. You’ll know which one it is from the moment you step foot on it!

The DoSeum is an exciting new museum for young children of all ages. Even parents will find themselves wowed and amazed by the fun happening in the new children’s museum. This is definitely fun for the whole family! Stop by and strengthen your learning skills. Located on Broadway St., only a 20 minute drive from the Residences at La Cantera.

National Iced Tea Day: Where to Get It & How to Make It

If you want good tea you better head south. Northerners don’t get to appreciate delicious tea quite like we do. Today we get to celebrate the tasty beverage with Iced Tea Day! Instead of reaching for a hot coffee to boost you up, grab yourself a frosty iced tea.

At Grampa’s Tea, you’ll find teas from all over the globe right here in sunny San Antonio. Any kind or flavor you could possibly dream of is here at Grampa’s, served hot or ice cold. You can even get a free tea tasting for you and 5-10 of your friends. Grampa will bring everything, the tea, the pots, the water, he’ll even clean up afterwards for you.

Jamaica Jamaica Cuisine is here to dish you out some reggae music and some delicious meals flavored with pineapples and ginger. Don’t miss out on the mango tea. Juicy and yummy, it goes so well with the fruit flavored dinners. Actually, it goes well with everything!

You don’t have to leave the house to get a good glass of tea. You can brew them yourself right at home.

This recipe will help you honor not only Iced Tea Day but also Bourbon Day! Try this yummy Peach Infused Bourbon Iced Tea.

All you’ll need is:

• 3 Large peaches
• 3½ to 4 Cup good bourbon (such as Woodford Reserve)
• 2 Family-size tea bags (or 8 regular black tea bags)
• 1 Cup Light brown sugar, packed
• Fresh peach slices and lemon wedges, for serving

Strawberry Lemonade Sun Tea will take you a little more time but it’s worth the wait. You’ll have to let it sit in some sunshine for optimum flavor before you drink it.

For this recipe you’ll need to get:

• 24 ounces Filtered Water
• 2 Tablespoons Truvia (or preferred sweetener) - optional
• 1 Family Size Iced Tea Bag (or 3 regular tea bags)
• 1 Lemon - sliced
• 5-6 Large Strawberries - tops removed and cut in half
• Sunshine
• Ice

Combine everything and mix in the sweetener before sealing it into a container and placing it in direct sunlight for 1-2 hours. Or leave it overnight for even more flavor.

Do you have a favorite place to get iced tea? Tell us where on the Facebook and Twitter.

June Events

June is here! If April showers bring May flowers, then May flowers bring… June festivals and so many events for you to enjoy. June is jam packed with exciting events for you to enjoy. You won’t have an excuse to stay in the house.

Movies by Moonlight
Every Tuesday in June

For the entire month of June you can enjoy movies out on the lawn. Every Tuesday in June at Travis Park, there will be a different movie playing. Starting with Big Hero 6, everyone is invited to bring a picnic basket and a blanket and watch a great movie under the stars. Bring the whole family!


Mamma Mia!
June 9th-14th

For a week you can see the ninth-longest running Broadway musical. Mamma Mia is at the Majestic Theater! The story of a girl searching for the identity of her father before she heads to the altar. But what happens when three men step up and claim to be her father? You won’t want to miss out on the laughs.


The Texas Folklife Festival
June 13th-14th

The 44th annual celebration of the great state of Texas takes place over 2 days this June. Over 40 cultural groups come together to represent their home. Take part in the music, the food, the arts and crafts and most importantly, the fun.


Dog Days of Summer 5K
June 14th

Bring your furry friend to join you on this mutt strut about town. Keep your pups on a leash at all times but feel free to let them run with you. All humans must pick up any droppings left behind. Proceeds from the race benefit the Guide Dogs of Texas.


Missions vs. Rockhounds
June 25-28

There are 4 opportunities to catch the Missions play the Rockhounds in this 4 game streak home series. Each night has something different in store for fans: Thursday is dollar night, Friday will feature a cap giveaway, Saturday will see a firework after-show and on Sunday, the first 500 kids will go home with sticker packs.

You won't want to miss out on any of these exciting events and festivals coming up in the month of June. There are things for people of all ages even your four-legged family members. What events are you excited about this month? Let us know on our Facebook.