Magnolia Pancake Haus

Some years ago, Rob and I were in New York City, and in the mood for an authentic deli experience.

We were walking near Radio City Music Hall at the time. We came upon two delis next to each other. One had a very long line, and one had no line at all.

Ravishingly hungry, I headed toward the one that would have a table right away.

Rob wisely steered me away, though.

"Look at all the locals at this one. It must be good if everyone is lining up to go here."

I saw his point, and we joined the throngs of New Yorkers waiting to eat at the Blue Flowers Deli.

Rob's point was further proven when we got a table more quickly than we expected, and we were treated to a mile-high, mouthwatering pastrami sandwich, a fruit bar with blueberries the size of baseballs (slight exaggeration!), and a front-row seat of daily New York life.

This was early in our marriage, and since then, I have been a subscriber to Rob's belief that for good food, go where it's busy.

Nowhere in my travels have I seen this proven to the same degree as our Big Apple experience, than in our own San Antonio.

Magnolia Pancake Haus - darling with its black and white awning reminicient of a European restaurant - is seemingly out of place in a so-so strip mall next to a Laser Quest. But the telltale sign that there is something special there are all of the people waiting on the front porch to get in.

On the weekend, getting a seat may easily take you an hour. Weekdays in the late morning are a more ideal time to come. However, even on the weekend, you will wait as your appetite grows, and you won't mind, knowing that you are making room for just one more pancake....

When you finally get in, the inside is as charming as the outside. The waitstaff hustles and the patrons are buzzing with light conversation.

At last, you are seated, and settle in to reading the menu the way you might dive into a much-loved novel.

Do I order a big stack of their famous buttermilk pancakes? Or, do I choose a gourmet omlette, knowing that I can order a side of pancakes instead of toast? Do I wait an extra fifteen minutes for them to make the German Munchener Apfel Pfannekuchen, an apple pancake delight that is like having dessert for breakfast?

Personally, my eyes usually wander to the omlette page - eggs AND pancakes, the best of both worlds. I fall into my old bad habit - going with my favorite stand-by, rather than try something else. At Magnolia Haus, my favorite is the Bodega Bay Omlette - it has applewood smoked bacon, arugula, goat cheese, and is drizzled with creme fraiche. One bite makes me think that I am back in San Francisco, and that stepping outside would lead me to a view of the foggy Golden Gate Bridge.

But, back to reality. Even the freshly squeezed orange juice added to my bill will remind me that I am in San Antonio, where the prices are more friendly to families than in the Bay Area, the reason that we moved here in the first place.

I am not alone in my praise for this Alamo City favorite. Texas Highways Magazine rated it "the best breakfast in Texas", and added, "Retire the trophy, these guys are the champs." They've also won nearly every "Best Breakfast" award possible locally.

My opinion of the breakfast here can be summed up by saying this: when I go somewhere, I am often inspired to write about it. I soak in the ambiance, collect details in my mind, and bring it home to my readers. I've been visiting the Magnolia Haus frequently, and have been intending to write about it. However, when I go there, I am so wrapped up in the deliciousness of the meal, that I am blinded to the details going on around me. This is why I haven't updated my blog in months, and thank you to the many people that have been asking for more!

All I can answer is that I have known that Magnolia Haus deserved to be the next place written about, but it's taken me this long to force myself to focus my attention away from my plate.

I hope that endorsement, along with the masses of people waiting on the porch on weekend mornings, will entice you to try it, and make it your own new favorite.

Magnolia Pancake Haus
606 Embassy Oak, San Antonio
210-496-0828
Visit the Magnolia Pancake Haus Website!   (Log on just to enjoy reading the online menu!)

Forbidden Gardens - Katy, TX

The misty air gave us a solemn feeling as we walked over the Bridge of Turtles towards the majestic red gates. We were about to enter a secret world - the Forbidden Gardens.

It's too bad that my blog doesn't have sound effects. This is where you would play the sound of a screeching vinyl record bringing you back to reality.

Our day driving towards Houston was very Texan, not very majestic. We passed a buffalo ranch outside of Seguin, Frank's truck restaurant in Schulenberg, and miles and miles of farms and ranches. The approach to Katy was a bit more cosmopolitan as we drove past the Katy Mills shopping center.

The Mapquest directions told us to turn on Grand Ave., one of the last exits before entering the Houston suburbs. We passed some road construction and some cookie-cutter neighborhoods, barely missing the quick driveway for our destination.

I don't remember where I first heard of the Forbidden Gardens, but being the field-trip hunter that I am, it was always on my list. I won't be in China any time soon that I know of, so this is the closest we could get.

The timing worked very well. My 9-year-old was just studying ancient China in her history lessons, and the Beijing Olympics are nipping at our heels. I always try to make current events and school studies relevant and tangible for my children, so this accomplished both.

The sky threatened a deluge, and my guidebook warned us that the Forbidden Gardens would close at the first sign of rain. We hurried past that bridge of turtles, much to the disappointment of my kids, but I was determined at 1:10 to talk my way into the 1pm tour and do what we could to miss the rain.

Whew! They let us in, but reiterated that if it rained, the tour would end, and we would not be refunded.

We rushed past two bald lion-like sculptures and entered the area that I was most excited to see - the terracotta soldiers.

Discovered in 1974, the real terracotta soldiers in China are loosely called the "Eighth Wonder of the World", and the title would not be far off. 6000 life-sized soldiers, each different from one another, were sculpted to protect the emperor in the 3rd Century BC.

Here in Katy, all 6000 soldiers were recreated at a 1/3 scale. It seemed that as far as the eye could see, these soldiers graced and protected the Texas fields. It was a spectacular sight, and would have been worth the admission and the drive all by themselves.

But our guide had more in store for us. We left the soldiers and visited a room full of ancient Chineses weaponry, learning that it was considered cowardly to wear a helmet in battle.

Our walk took us next to yet another wonder - a complete recreation of the Forbidden City in Beijing.

In real life, the Forbidden City is a gated sanctuary that is over 17 miles long, and would take seven hours to walk end-to-end. This must be the most elaborate palace grounds ever built. We towered over the city, seeing it from our bird's-eye view and watched as soldiers guarded, unichs served, concubines groomed, and children studied.

The skies broke just as we entered the shelter of this covered replica, and the blowing rain all around us added to the serious ambiance of the place. Trapped by the storm, we spent more time than usual with these miniature residents. We got to hear in more depth the tales of the beautifully-named highlights in the city - the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and on and on. Wow! The ancient Chinese could be modern-day spindoctors.

The rain subsided just long enough for us to run across the courtyard into the room of Chinese architecture. We saw exhibits modeling the brilliance of the structures, but were most impressed with their version of a security system. They would put cages of crickets outside all four corners of their homes. The crickets would perpetually chirp. However, if someone approached, the crickets would get quiet, and the family would know that there was someone outside that part of the house. Fascinating!

Our final walk took us by a wedding carriage and to a table laid out with an emperor's feast. We discovered that it was an honor to eat the emperor's half-eaten leftoveres, and the men would eat just bear's feet for weeks hoping that it would make them more likely to produce sons.

The rain pounded us again, and the kindly staff pulled out their umbrellas and walked us back to the safety of our cars. We were again in modern Texas, a bit culture-shocked, a bit more educated, and a bit more grateful for living in 2008.

When we watch the summer Olympics, they will surely feature the Forbidden City in their festivities. We can't say we've been there, but we've been to the next best thing.
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Forbidden Gardens
23500 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493
281-347-8000
Visit the Forbidden Gardens Website!

San Antonio Zoo

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"

Dorothy unknowingly started a litany of the menegarie of wildlife found at our beloved San Antonio Zoo.

I fell in love with the zoo when I was a child. I have pictures of me with my Aunt Missy sitting under orange umbrellas near the hippo habitat when I was not much bigger than the Madagascan lemurs across the way. My children think those pictures are sooooo old. However, the zoo pre-dates my birth by 62 years.

Stared in 1914, the zoo grew from just a few animals donated by Colonel George Brackenridge, to the habitats and educational centers that encompass it today. Over 3500 animals, representing 750 species, call it home.

Enthusiasm for the zoo is wild, no pun intended. Every time I go, there is something new to discover. Last year, my daughters were enthralled with the free-flying butterflies, and a few days ago, they discovered that amphibians are "Toadally" terrific. This new exhibit made them realize that there is a spectrum of the croaking creatures beyond the ones that visit our backyard pond in the spring.

Enough with the alliteration.

The newest feature of the zoo is the "Africa" exhibit, which is near completion. It expands the previous habitats for the elephants, zebras, giraffes, and ostrich.

Besides all of the special displays, the kids delight in all the old favorites - the fish, the monkeys, the jaguar, the komodo dragon, etc.

There's so much to learn from taking the time to read the signs. We've studied the continents through going to the zoo and finding on a map where each animal came from. We've learned that flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp that they eat, and that bats are nocturnal creatures. We came face-to-face with a giant anaconda on our last visit. My nine-year-old daughter read that it was a carnivore. "Although today, it's an herbivore", she said, "because it's a Friday in Lent." Ha, ha, I suppose you can even create Catholic humor at the zoo!

I love that they have made an air-conditioned spot for the little ones, called the Tiny Tot Nature Spot. You can find it about halfway through the zoo, and it is such a respite on our hot Texas days. The first steps to the spot are over a lily pad, which leads to an aquarium tunnel where some of the fish are as big as the children! Later, you encounter a turtle pond, and then go inside where even more fun awaits the kids. The first room features animal toys, a puppet theater, and a ticket stand. The second room has a "fishing" hole. Then, you move on to what appears to be underground earthworm tunnels. The kids are one with the bugs as they crawl through and come face to face with tarantulas and other critters. At the end, they can tunnel up and mingle with a field of groundhogs.

The indoor part also features clean bathrooms, and even has a room with rocking chairs for nursing moms!

Back outside, a mini-petting zoo features roosters and goats, and hand sanitizer. A tot-sized water park is another great hot-weather spot.

My favorite thing about the zoo, though, it its size. I have seen a lot of zoos in a lot of cities, and have visited the remarkable San Diego Zoo several times. As fantasic as the S.D. Zoo is, it is too large to take in in one day, is quite expensive, and is a stroller nightmare as you have to navigate many hills.

The San Antonio Zoo, in comparison, can be completed in about four hours. A perfect day there features going through half of it, stopping in the Tiny Tot are for some down time, walking through some more of the zoo, and finishing it off with an ice cream.

A great value for families is their season pass. At only $60 per family, you will discover over and over the treasure that has been in San Antonio for 94 years.
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San Antonio Zoo
3903 N. St. Mary's St.
San Antonio, TX 78212
210-734-7184
Visit the San Antonio Zoo Website!
Please visit the website for an online coupon, and more information about classes for children - EdZoocation.

Gourmet Burger Grill

What's in a name? Or, rather, what's in a nickname?

A nickname indicates familiarity, or affection.

I've had a lifelong disdain for the makeover that my grandmother gave my name. Christened "Camille Elizabeth", a parental decision which I have always appreciated, my grandmother called me "Cammie Liz". I had to let her get away with it. But just anyone else try it, and watch out!

It was important to name my children nickname-free names: Claire, Gina. Our third is Mary Teresa, at the insistance of my husband. I love her name, but I find even myself calling her "M.T.", and I could probably make up a hundred more nicknames from those two words if I had to.

Nicknames are not all bad, though. They can be a sign of affection. My sister and I, both born in the wrong decade, have shortened Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra to a simple "Dean and Frank". She and I know immediately know who were talking about when we talk about Frank. Then, we break into a can-can chorus of "New York, New York".

Such is the case with the Gourmet Burger Grill. Although it is aptly named, in our appreciation for this fantastic new San Antonio restaurant, we've nicknamed it simply, "GBG". A dangerous thing to do when talking to someone who hasn't been there - such a vague moniker could mean anything - "Care to eat at Garbage Bin Gunk tonight, anyone?"

Thankfully, the GBG we know and love is exactly the opposite.

It is certainly gourmet - Angus beef, sweet-potato fries, twenty-six sauces, thirteen kinds of cheese. Oh, yes, they carry American and cheddar, but have you ever asked for a lettuce-wrapped burger with feta cheese and basil garlic aioli? Or, a tropical burger with mango avocado salsa? Well, you could ask for it at GBG.

But, traditionalists, have no fear - a regular, old-fashioned bacon cheeseburger is a main menu staple.

I almost always skip the menu, though, and just look at the specials board. This is where the owner becomes an artist, continually creating something new and tempting. Yesterday, I didn't hesitate when I saw the word "Caprese" on the board. My delicious burger came with buffalo mozzerella, tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar.

The only speciality I haven't seen yet is an unusual Maui staple, which is a cheeseburger with an egg fried on top of it. But, if I were inclined to order it, the owner would, no doubt, whip one up for me.

The restaurant is small, and always busy, but the staff seems to have a special talent for magically rearranging tables to accomodate everyone.

Hurry to try what will soon become a San Antonio favorite. GBG has everything going for it - quality, selection, affordability, creativity, and it could no doubt become the flagship for a major new brand. Come say that you ate at the original.

(Update - May 2008 - We just celebrated Mother's Day at GBG, and they didn't charge any moms to eat! They are going to do the same with Father's Day - dads get a free hamburger. They will be doing something similar for veterans later in the year, but I do not have a date yet. I will keep you posted.)
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Gourmet Burger Grill
18414 US Hwy 281 N Suite 116 @ The Legacy ,San Antonio, Texas. 78259
Tel.(210) 545 3800 Fax. (210) 545-5529
Visit the Gourmet Burger Grill Website!

Scholastic Warehouse

If you ask a child what they think they will find in Heaven, you might hear answers like "Disneyland", "cotton candy", or "puppies."

Aside from the obvious spiritual aspects of Eternal Life, I hope that Heaven has copious chocolate and books.

I fulfilled my chocolate dreams by having lived for several years near Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the air smells of cocoa and the streetlamps are kiss-shaped.

However, it is in San Antonio that my book dreams have been answered.

The Scholastic Warehouse on Perrin Creek is Book Heaven.

Think back to when you were in school, and the teacher would pass out those newspaper-like flyers with book lists. My mom would let me pick two each time, and I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices. I was the kid that chose to go the library at recess. (Sister Charles Marie was concerned that I might have a life of crime in my future, merely because I tore through the entire Nancy Drew collection in record time. Why didn't she think I was destined to become a detective?)

I'll never forget the first time I walked into the Scholastic Warehouse. It is literally a working warehouse, complete with concrete floors, cinder-block walls, with exposed pipes and industrial lights in the ceiling. If it has central air or heating, you wouldn't know it, because it is cold in the winter, and hot in the summer, especially as the loading dock garage doors are usually open.

But who needs ambiance when before your eyes are countless rows of books, nearly floor to ceiling, and overflowing into carts and bins?

There must be a secret system known only to employees because a book about Spiderman can be found next to a cookbook, which is next to a pop-up book about Tutankhamun, which is next to a Clifford-the-Big-Red-Dog paperback. It almost confuses my German sense of order, but instead I love the necessity of walking down each aisle, looking at every single book to find what I want.

And, oh, do I want them all! I don't believe in being materialistic, but I do make an exception in regards to books. After all, books are the gateway to new life, new civilization, allow you to boldly go where no man has gone before.

I'm confusing that with an old "Star Trek" episode I watched last night. But, the point is the same. Books, in my opinion, are an experience, not a collection of items.

The catch to the Scholastic Warehouse is that it is only open to the public several times a year, and even then, they have restrictions. The sales are open to teachers, homeschoolers, and other people directly involved in the education of children. Admittedly, they have a fairly loose definition of this, but if you are interested in going, and cannot claim one of the catagories, you can sign up as a volunteer, and thus have access to the sale.

The sales are fantastic. Every book is at least 50% off, and sometimes much more. There is usually a clearance section where the prices are even better. One time, the had a sale where you could load up an HEB-sized plastic bag with as many books as possible, and only pay a dollar.

Although the majority of books relate to children, there are definitely selections for an older crowd. Cookbooks, self-help books, novels, history books, etc. can be found on many shelves if you have the time and patience to walk through the hallowed halls slowly and methodically.

I never walk out of there without several boxes taking up room in the cart, and a sudden lightness to my wallet.

I'm looking around my house, trying to figure out where we can add more bookshelves.

Scholastic Warehouse
4646 Perrin Creek
San Antonio, TX
800-633-4270
Visit the Scholastic Bookfair Website!
(Register for a Fast Pass, which expidites your payment on-site, and give you a $10 coupon off of purchases of $50 or more.)

Goliad

You might argue that Goliad, being at least two hours from the Alamo City, does not belong in a blog called "My Hidden San Antonio". However, as I told several people where we were going today, only to be met by blank stares, I think we can safely consider it "hidden". And, considering its historic relationship to the battle at the Alamo, we can certainly see the link to San Antonio.

I was reminded today of our many childhood roadtrips when my parents called us this morning to see if we'd like to go to Goliad. This is Texas History in real life, rather than a textbook, and we jumped at the chance to take our daughters.

The road to Goliad is uneventful - the land is flat, and a dull, wintry brown. My daughters brought books to read, and my parents tried to convince me of the marvels of Global Positioning technology. I'm proficient on my compter, could program my VCR back when they existed, set up our home's surround sound system, and love my iPod immensely. I just haven't made the jump to a GPS from the tactile satisfaction of a good map as my traveling companion. However, as I was the guest and a passenger, I tolerated "Sophie" (their nickname for it, meaning "wisdom") for the duration. I will admit that she got us there without error, monitored our speed, calculated our estimated arrival time, washed the dishes, served us coffee.....oh, not those last few.

Like many small towns in both Texas and elsewhere, the entrance to Goliad is quiet and somewhat non-descript. Then, a large, proud sign appears, pointing the way to the historic district.

The historic district in Goliad is charming. In the middle of the square towers a breathtaking county courthouse made of stone and trimmed in red and green. Multiple turrets make it visible from far away. To its side stands an impressive tree, famous for hanging the county's criminals once upon a time. In fact, the tree is the square's claim to fame, being the namesake of several businesses around it.....The Hanging Tree Antiques, the Hanging Tree Restaurant, etc.

We opted for a later lunch and drove around the corner to the historic state park. The entrance hints of what lies ahead, as the stone pillars, ornamented with Texas stars, welcome you. To your right is a gleaming white mission church, Espiritu Santo. This is where, in 1749, Spanish missionaries lived and worked among the native people, evangelizing as they went along.

A little further down the road is a another white structure, this one much smaller, much more humble. It is the birthplace of Ignacio Zaragosa, a general in the Mexican Army, and the leader of the battle for which "Cinco De Mayo" is celebrated. (I just had to backspace while spelling that - at first, I typed "Di Maio", which is our last name, prounced the same. Habit, I suppose. People have suggested that we name a dog "Cinco", but our children have named our two canine companions Kate and Sugar. Alas, no historical significance there.)

Just across from that is the structure that most people drive to Goliad for - The Presidio La Bahia. The name means "The Fort of the Bay", and one look around will make you question where the water is. A video inside will inform you that Spanish originally established the fort in 1721 at Lavaca Bay, but moved inland when it didn't meet their needs.

The first site is a chapel, resplendent with a floor-to-ceiling mural of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary. But this is most definitely a fort, not a mission. The perimeter is marked by a vast stone wall, the corners rounded by watchtowers and canon holes. There are also smaller holes interspersed throughout the walls, presumably for rifles. Our daughters made a game of finding all of the rifle holes. My husband, the Marine, was just happy that they were taking interest in something other than dolls and stuffed animals.

There were some rooms, many with beautiful wooden beams. Heavy wooden doors were decorated with copper accents, green from the touch of time. On the walls are two flags - one with a canon, meant to taunt the enemy, saying "Come and get it." The other has a red arm, used by the Texans to indicate that they would rather give up their right arm than live under the dictatorship of Santa Anna any longer.

Many events occured at the presido between the Spanish settlement, and the Texas occupation of the fort. In the 1770s, the Spanish sent their army from the fort to the Gulf to fight the British and assist the colonists in the American Revolution.

The name of the town was changed in 1829 from "La Bahia" to "Goliad", as an attempt at an anagram of a Father Hidalgo in the Mexican Revolution, as the Mexicans now claimed the area.

In 1835, the Texans stormed the fort and took it as their own. In the chapel, 92 citizens signed the first Texas Declaration of Independence, and flew the Lone Star flag for the first time.

Perhaps now, it is most well known for the day of March 27, 1836 when Col. James Walker Fannin and 341 of his men were captured and subsequently massacred by General Santa Anna. "Remember Goliad" joined the cry of "Remember the Alamo", and the United States took notice.

Today, the Presidio is run by the Catholic Diocese of Victoria, and Mass is celebrated in the chapel every Sunday evening. It is recognized as the only completely restored Spanish fort in the Western Hemisphere.

History may overwhelm the mind, but the stomach can't be fed on musings of the past. Hungry, we drove the short distance back to the historic square, and chose between the two restaurants available. We selected The Hanging Tree (surprise, surprise). Open for only a month, this eatery was a real find. The building had most recently housed a Dollar Store, but now was made elegant by white triple dental mouldings, cranberry-colored walls, and white beadboard all around. The decor was equaled only by the service. Our waitress could not have been more helpful. The meal was very affordable - the kids menu was only $2.99, which is much less than what I have seen elsewhere.

We all wavered over the daily special - beef stew in a bread bowl, or blackened catfish, but the stew won out with 3 of us ordering it, and 1 ordering the catfish. The girls ordered chicken fingers (a childhood staple), and grilled cheese. This grilled cheese was open-faced on French bread - mighty gourmet for a little mouth. Surprised that our 7-year-old was actually torn between the proposed sides of salad, green beans, or French fries, the waitress brought ALL of them out to her, thus giving us more to sample.

It was all wonderful. The beef stew was perfect, the meat just falling apart at your touch. The broth saturated the bread bowl, and reminded me of what we used to order at Boudin's when we lived in San Francisco. We agreed that this was actually better than the Bay Area's famous menu item.

We left after meeting the owner, complimenting the cook, and taking a look at the old pictures of the town, hung on the walls. We wished that The Hanging Tree had a branch (no pun intended) in San Antonio. We would be frequent patrons.

We drove back, feeling a "good tired", content with full bellies, and entertained by the belated Christmas songs that our 3 year old was singing. "Sophie" led the way, accomodated our detours around traffic, and almost won me over. Almost.

Visit the Goliad Chamber of Commerce Website!