February Events in San Antonio

Phew! We’ve (almost) made it through the first month of the new year! How did you feel about it? Did it exceed your expectations or did it fall flat? Either way, February is ready to knock you off of your feet! Are you ready for what February has in store for you, San Antonio?

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January 31st

While not technically February, SeaWorld is opening back up January 31st for some more aquatic shows. There are so many animals and shows to see that you’ll have to come back another weekend! From the alligators to the penguins to the killer whales, you’ll be amazed at all of the animals contained in one park. February means four weekends of SeaWorld Wild Days are back. Get up close and personal with some wild animals that you won’t get to see anywhere else. Learn about each creature and how it gets food, how they behave and where they live. Any animal lover will go wild at the chance to see this! Find out more on their website here.

February 13th

The Institute of Texan Cultures wants to showcase the unique cultures and traditions of Asia. The Asian Festival will take place on Saturday February 13th from 10 AM until 5 PM. See music and traditional performances and learn the history behind each. Enjoy authentic Asian American food from 15 different local vendors offering Japanese, Korean, Thai, Laotian, Philippine dishes that you’ll love! Catch a glimpse of your future by getting your palm read and decorate yourself with traditional henna painting. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about Asian tradition and culture. Read more information on their website here. The Institute of Texan Cultures is located only 20 minutes away from the Residences at La Cantera so you don’t have far to travel to experience this cultural festival.

February 27th

San Antonio’s most exciting and death defying amusement park is ready for you again! They’ve been closed for the winter season but they’re preparing, and by the end of the month, you’ll be back on the Goliath, the go karts and the Scream. This year, you’ll have three new thrill rides to whirl you around. Located on the Fiesta Bay Boardwalk, you’ll see the Fireball, which features 360 degree loops, the Hurricane Force 5, sit facing outwards on a spinning disk while you go back and forth on a track, and finally Spinsanity will spin you around other riders. Head to their website to see their full schedule and their full list of rides.

February is ready to give you the best it’s got! With all of these exciting events going on, you’ll have no excuse to sit at home.


What are you most looking forward to next month? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

San Antonio Winters: The Pros and Cons

While most of the rest of the country suffers through single digit weather and feet of snow, San Antonio is sitting pretty with 60 degree averages. We’re pretty lucky to have such fabulous weather here. It allows us to do things that others might not get to do during the winter months.

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Pro: We can go to Six Flags Fiesta basically anytime we want.

Most parks in the country shut down come October and don’t open back up until late springtime. Six Flags Fiesta might be closed right now but it’ll open back up in about a month on February 27th. You can get your fill of the Batman coaster, the Boomerang and the Crow’s Nest all year round. You can find out more about ticketing information and the rides here on their website.


Con: We don’t get to have snowball fights.

We’re not that sad about this one. Who wants a face full of snow when you can have thrill rides all year round? We’ll settle for a snow cone at one of the concession stands at Six Flags instead. 

Pro: You can eat outside basically anytime you want.

The next time you’re strolling down the San Antonio River Walk and you stop at a restaurant for a bite to eat, you can take it outside. Sitting riverside while you munch on your delicious dish from the Esquire Tavern or Bourdro’s on the Riverwalk. Eat your chalupitas from Esquire then head on over to Boudro’s for a glass of wine from their massive selection. Enjoy outdoor dining while everyone else in the United States sits indoors and watches the snow pour down.


Con: Your air conditioner works overtime.

It might be comfortable during the winter time to live in San Antonio but during the summer months, the weather can be absolutely unbearable. You’re sticky and sweaty by the time you get to work every morning. So you have to work your air conditioner to get back to a comfortable body temperature to even think about getting any work done. It can be a little bit of a drag.

There are ups and downs to having such mild, warm winters every year. But we like to think that the pros outweigh the cons!

What’s your favorite part about San Antonio winters? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter.

Culinaria: San Antonio's Restaurant Week

We’re very lucky in San Antonio to live in a hub for amazing restaurants and delicious food. Even more lucky for us, San Antonio’s Restaurant Week begins next week allowing you to go on a culinary tour of our beautiful city. Sample the best of the best without forking out tons of cash. Chefs will be going all out during the week to show off for the new patrons who will be making their rounds. Make sure you don’t miss out on this spectacular opportunity. 

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You can take your pick between lunch or dinner at Tier 1 and Tier 2 restaurants. The Tier 2 restaurants will be a little pricier but worth the extra dough.

In Tier 1, you’ll find restaurants like Bavarian Brauhaus, Cover 3 and Kimura Ramen Shop. You’ll find some really fabulous meals all for a really great price at every restaurant on the list but we wanted to give you a little pre-taste of what you’ll find at a couple of the restaurants.

Betos Alt-Mex has a small but delicious menu ready for you for this year’s Culinaria. For lunch, you’ll receive a cup of fideo as a starter and then you’ll get to take your pick from an empanada, taco or quesadilla. You’ll also receive a dessert empanada and a coffee. For their dinner menu, you’ll receive their famous Chalupa Cabra appetizer as well as Peruvian style ceviche. For the main course you’ll get your choice of any two empanadas, tacos or quesadillas. Drink a glass of wine with your dinner and make sure you save room for your dessert empanada with ice cream. Follow it up with a coffee to round out the meal. To see their menu check it out here. Beto’s is a short 15 minute drive away from us at the Residences at La Cantera.

Zocca Cuisine d’Italia is situated right on the Riverwalk so not only will you have a delicious meal, you’ll also have a beautiful view. Take a seat in their restaurant or take it outside to the riverside patio. Their Tier 1 menu is to die for, of course! With three courses for both lunch and dinner, you’ll be so full and happy you’ll never want to leave this riverside restaurant. For the first course of lunch take your pick from some soups or locally grown lettuces. For the main course, choose between spaghetti or a Muffaletta panini. Don’t forget to save room for the final course! Tiramisu or Opera Torte are your choices but you can’t go wrong with either. For the dinner menu, you’ll have your choice between bruschetta or kale and figs. For the main course, chicken fettuccine or linguini pescatore are your options. The third and final course includes either a chocolate pizza or creme brulee. There are no wrong choices here. Zocca Cuisine d’Italia’s fabulous Restaurant Week deliciousness is only 20 minutes away from La Cantera at the Riverwalk.

Tacos and Tequila is stepping it up for its Tier 2 menu selections. Their tacos, skewers and burritos come straight from the grille to your plate so it’s fresh as can be. For their lunch offerings, their first course will bring with it smoked tomato soup or tortilla soup. The main course consists of a street taco plate with your choice of tacos followed by mini churros for dessert. Dinner will take it up a notch with TNT “Not”chos for 2 as your starter. The main course will get you a TNT Taco combo with 2 tacos of your choosing and your choice of side. Don’t forget to save room for the amazing Bolsa Cheesecake for 2 that’s coming your way after dinner. Tacos and Tequila is located only 20 minutes away from the Residences at La Cantera so you won’t have to worry about a long drive home with a full belly.

Culinaria is one of the best weeks of the year in San Antonio. Don’t miss out on your chance to try some of the best food in the city at some really amazing prices.


Which restaurant’s deals are you most looking forward to?

New Year's Resolutions: Making Them and Keeping Them

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It’s a brand new year which brings with it tons of opportunities to start over. Whether it’s in your personal life, your work life, with your health, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make a change. It may seem difficult but hey, you’ve got the whole year to make a difference!

As we get older and grow up, it can seem like our relationships suffer at the hands of other aspects of our lives. Our work gets in the way, school gets in the way, family gets in the way, life just gets in the way! This year, make an effort to reach out to those friends that you might have let fall by the wayside. Invite them over to spend time in our beautiful club house. You might find yourself with a new neighbor once they see our rooftop garden.

Even better than rekindling old friendships is creating new ones. The easiest friends to make are the ones that are near to you and that means your neighbors! Say hello the next time you see a neighbor leaving their apartment and invite them over for dinner one evening. One day you might find yourself in need of some assistance and the only people there to help will be your close neighbors. It can’t hurt to introduce yourself!

One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to get healthy in the new year. However, a lot of excuses can pop up when it comes time to actually get to it. The gym is too far away or the membership prices are outrageous are just two of the typical complaints. Here at the Residences at La Cantera, neither of those are a problem! Our gorgeous state of the art fitness center has everything you need to get up and moving towards your new healthy lifestyle. We have something for everyone! Interested in growing stronger? Our strength equipment and weights will get you there. Want to increase your endurance? The aerobic machines will help you! If a regular gym isn’t your style and you’d prefer something a little different, our yoga classroom with scheduled classes is where you’ll want to be! If you’re not feeling particularly motivated, our personal trainers will be there every step of the way with you to encourage you. There’s nothing in your way between you and health here at the Residences at La Cantera.

What are your goals for the new year? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.


From everyone in our Residences at La Cantera family, Happy New Year! Good luck to you on achieving your goals.

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.