Carlton's Chocolate Log!

How cool is this? The hotel where we stayed is gearing up for the holidays. Part of their celebration is inviting the kids from the town to come into the lobby for Santa's Reading Hour. They have set out trees decorated in burnt orange, red and gold, and also set up this lovely display of chocolate sculptures.

Pastry Chef Daniel Keadle created the sculpture to depict the holiday stories from all faiths from all over the world. It took him 30 days and 300 pounds of chocolate! You could smell the wonderful scent as you walked into the lobby!

Carlton's Log: River Walk Cruise part two

Carlton's Log: River Walk Cruise part one

Carlton's Log: poking around the Mercado

O.k. first off: Happy Thanksgiving!
Second off: Read this then shut off the computer and go visit with your family or friends.

How much do I love this guy? But at $240.99, um, wow. Talk about being stuck! Oh well.

But still. Have you ever seen such a cool porcadillo? (I can't really see this as a porcupine, and armadillos do not have spikes, so I dub this a porcadillo)

Carlton's Log: Mi Tierra Cafe

"We Never Close" is their slogan, so I am at a loss to understand when they manage to dress the place up. Holy Guacamole! This place was jumpin'! It's obviously the place to be if you want a good south of the border meal, tons of eye candy, and tons of shops to wander through just steps away.

The place was as crowded as I have ever seen any eatery, and we got there about 5 in the evening. As the night progressed so did the crowds, but even at 7 we only had to wait about ten minutes for a table.

The place was covered, literally with all manner of glitteratti and twinkle lights. After exploring as much of the restaurant as I could, an older worker informed me that the place was done up in anticipation of Christmas. O.k. but how do you explain all the other permanent decor?

The Madonna and chandeliers in the bathroom? The band instruments everywhere? The murals that have taken over two main dining areas with famous and important people in Latin history? The giant swordfish over the bar? This place is electric with energy, and I presume, not just during the holiday season.

Perhaps in Mi Tierra there's always a holiday to celebrate. I noticed the old signage paint on the interior walls that seem to be a reminder that perhaps where the bakery/entrance lobby of the restaurant used to be an exterior. I don't know. There were life sized and over life sized paintings every where of friends and again, famous Latins who demand you take notice. Oh and the one of Bill Clinton jogging in a Mi Tierra tee shirt (available at the counter for a small fee!) Out side on the mercado side there was a rather large Dios de los Muertos shrine set up to pay tribute to the owners family, which I might add, was awesome!

Seriously, this is the kind of place you will want to come back to just to see what they have done to it since you have been gone.

John Dingle (real name) was our extremely friendly waiter, chatted us up a bit about the local marathon and other trivial happenings, but all the staff on hand were informative, friendly and assisting when I asked questions and took photos. I actually got to take a few photos of other patrons in the restaurant. I'm not sure if they thought I was on staff or just a crazy lady walking around taking pictures, but it was kind of fun to go from one table to the other taking strangers photos!

So there you go. Mi Tierra - We Never Close - so 365 24/7 you can go and feel the fiesta they provide, sit and watch the people, glance upwards and feast on eye candy, or just wait three minutes for the Mariachis to perform in front of you.

Oh, and the food was great!

Carlton's Log: Meeting the Artist

Can not believe my luck! I went back to Mi Tierra today to look around and on my way out I met a woman in the foyer/shrine. We had a great conversation about the artwork and design that goes on in this place. Turns out she was head designer ( I later found out she is the owner's daughter!) and how much she does to make sure the whole place is fresh and new each time people visit. I can tell she is full of enthusiasm and passion for the things she does in her job.

The place we were standing she called "The first Shrine, the shrine of the entrance." She said it was very important for the owners to keep the heritage they came from and to share it with others and inspire their costumers. She was on her way into the restaurant when I was walking out. Her arms full of bags filled with "secret" decorations that would be going up in the wee hours of the night when they -depending on the availability of the room and amount of diners- could get in and "close" just one room at a time. She said it usually goes on about 2:30 or 3:00 in the morning!

Then a gentleman came up and said hello to us, and come to find out "Robert" is the resident muralist and portrait artist! He too was passionate about his work and the way the whole restaurant begs you to stay, ponder and find new things to look at each time you come by.

I really appreciated their time and conversation, the way they stopped to talk with me, the things they explained and especially the way they were so very proud of the work they do and the feeling of their work for others. It truly was important for them to keep the "mission of heritage and culture alive for [their] customers." Seems to me, everyone I talked with really enjoyed working there and had a sense of fun, family, and pride in the whole experience.

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts

Seems like wherever I went in the city I could see the top of this tower, The Tower Life building. It's really cool with its' metal framework spire, green tiled roof and graduated structure which made it the tallest building in San Antonio up until 1988 when Marriott put up a hotel. The white and tan brickwork glows deep green when it is lighted at night. (SO wish I had a good photo of that, Fabulous! But there is no way with my camera!) It is so tall that my eyes couldn't really focus at the top; but around the facade there are amazing Gothic sculptural details - scroll work, florals and leaves, and faces! Creepy faces.


When sis and her family came to San Antonio to give me the insider's tour, I asked about the Tower. Cathi told me this is the building where they shot the last scenes in Ghost Busters! As soon as she pointed it out I remembered all the gargoyles and there they were, way up at the top, lunging over the edge and spewing whatever down onto the unsuspecting public below. They were everywhere once I began to look for them.

While on the river tour our guide informed us that back in the day, two brothers, Ayres& Ayres, built the Tower, purposely adding the gargoyles to ward off evil mojo and/or spirits and bad luck. The building was finished in 1929, the same time as the Great Depression...when the brothers lost everything, including the Tower.

So much for those gargoyles. Hopefully the Ayres Brothers were still around to bask in the glory of their beautiful Tower life building making it onto the big screen.

on the level

Here's that missing shot of the potty seat cover dispenser. If you know me at all you have got to know how much this drove me crazy. It was all I could do to get out of there without ripping it off the door and hot gluing it back on LEVEL!

If it weren't for the tissue roll flying over the door like a possessed demon, I probably would have gone to the nearest Target and grabbed the tools to fix it.

Oy. I need help.