stephanie "theothersteph" w.'s Profile

Despite living in San Antonio, and going downtown too many times to count, I had never once been to the Menger. A friend invited me there for lunch today, and after looking at their website I decided to arrive a little early so that I could stroll around. I am totally paranoid about getting lost, so I made sure to write down directions. It's a little misleading that the hotel address is not where you enter to park/check in. That is on a totally different street and if there is traffic, it can be pretty easy to get lost trying to find your way back to the appropriate entry. If you are eating at the hotel restaurant - The Colonial Room - valet is free. Just remember to have your server validate your ticket.

The hotel itself is pretty breathtaking. Its got multiple lobbies strewn with historical memorabilia (mostly tied to the Alamo), paintings, antique furniture, and soft jazz playing in the background. There is also a courtyard which is stunning. There were few flowers when I went today, but the gardeners were busy planting new spring blooms. I can't even imagine how much prettier it would be when full of flowers and not just greenery.

Enter into The Colonial Room and you are immediately in another world. High class dining in a moderately sized dining area with views of the courtyard. If you choose, there is a lunch menu which consists primarily of a variety of sandwiches and salads. OR you can choose to have the lunch buffet. Be wise, go with the buffet. The selection is limited, but everything was scrumptious. I am not sure if the menu is different daily, but that's what I would assume since the options were so limited. Today the entree's were pork chops glazed with an apple chutney, baked tilapia with wilted kale, and fettuccine with sausage and peppers. I went with the tilapia and it was seasoned well (so that it actually had flavor), was deliciously succulent, and was a perfect combo with the kale. The sides of brown rice, green beans, and garlic mashed potatoes were done well, but not superb by any means. There was also a salad bar consisting of pasta salad, cheese/crackers, a couple different types of soup, fresh fruit, and a delicious salad of field greens. By far though, the best things on the buffet were the desserts. And oh man, there were tons of them... like disproportionate to the amount of entrees. There was bread pudding with accompanying rum sauce and vanilla ice cream, strawberry shortcake, italian wedding cake, pecan pie, some layered trifle looking thing (which I didn't try because one of the layers was lima bean green and not very appealing), and a few others that I cannot remember. They were all great, but the bread pudding was definitely the star of the dessert line-up.

Service here was also top notch. I think some of it had to do with the fact that my friend comes here often with business clients, but everyone made a point to go out of their way to chat us up. Our waitress Sonia was prompt in filling our drinks and asking if we had any needs. Even the manager came by at one point to ask how we were enjoying everything. I definitely felt important and special :)  Overall, this was a fantastic experience and I will definitely come back with my family for a top notch dining experience.

I'm totally wavering between 2 and 3 stars because I have never been to a school before to have any services completed. On my way home from a stressful day last night a girlfriend called and asked if I wanted to go get a mani/pedi with her. Seeing as I am broke as hell right now, my instant response was no. However, when she told me that the total cost would be $16 I was in!

We arrive about 5 minutes early for our 6pm appointment and proceeded to wait, and wait, and wait. I was taken back around 6:20, and my friend about 10minutes later. We are escorted to the back of the salon where they have you sit in a plastic lawn chair at a little rolling desk. After all that time waiting, you would have thought that they would have all their supplies ready. NOPE. The girl spent about another 15minutes repeatedly getting up to get more things like nail polish remover, q-tips, etc... ??? Finally, she tells me its time to soak my piggies... and she points to one of those plug in pedicure baths that you can buy at Target sitting under the rolling table. The water was totally overfilled, and I felt bad that it spilled all over the place when I put my feet in. No worries, no one cared nor bothered to clean it up off the slick floors. On top of that, the water was just barely warm and became pretty cold within a few minutes. I ended up taking my feet out pretty early cause it was soooo cold, and I was also grossed out that I hadn't witnessed anyone clean it beforehand. When they work on your nails, you have to awkwardly lift your leg up under the table and basically put it in the crotch of the person working on you. STRANGE! I kept hitting my knees on the bottom of the table.  

What to expect from your pedicure:
- Foot soak in cold water
- No nail trimming/filing
- No cuticle trimming, they just jammed them back with a little wooden stick.
- No scrubbing your feet with pumice, or anything for that matter
- A short foot rub with some lotion (although my girlfriend did not get this)
- A polish job

While working on my pedicure, I reminded the girl that I was supposed to be getting a manicure as well. She informed me that this was not listed on my appointment. I begged to differ. So she got up and went and got more materials to work with. She has me soak my fingers in some solution while working on my feet, which means that I am hunched over the table in a really awkward position. I had to move back in the chair at one point because my back hurt so badly. Although she was friendly enough during the experience, I was the one having to initiate all of the conversation. I understand that if you are a student you are nervous, but your just painting my nails!

What to expect from your manicure:
- Hand soak in some cold solution
- No nail trimming/filing
- Again no cuticle trimming, just jammed them back with the wooden stick... which really hurt
- A short hand massage
- A really crappy polish job.

The following morning I noticed that the polish on my fingers had already started chipping pretty badly. When I started picking at it, I was shocked at how easily ALL of the polish peeled off my finger. I was literally able to remove all of the polish by hand in about 5minutes. I am sorry, but while you do get what you pay for... this SHOULD NOT be advertised as a manicure or a pedicure. It was basically a glorified polish job that took almost 1.5hours to complete. All total we were there for just about 2hours!

The salon itself is also a little sketchy. There were far more students than instructors, and no one ever came to check on us... not even when she was finished with me. When I asked my "stylist" if they got a portion of the proceeds when they have clients she said no, they just work for tips. She said the money is not put toward their tuition either. In fact, she had no idea what the money went to because she said that the supplies are purchased out of their tuition money. I felt bad and ended up leaving her a $5 tip since she used up 2 hours working on me.

All in all... I will never come here for another service. I could do my own mani/pedi for less money, less time, and better results. Save your time and go somewhere full priced... its TOTALLY worth it.

Oh my word... how I love Enchanted Rock. This is seriously one of my favorite places in the whole world!!! Everything from the drive through old town Fredericksburg, the long winding hills, and then the majesty of when that big pink dome pops up. If you have never been before, this definitely needs to be on the top of your "Things to do in Texas" list. Enchanted rock is the largest batholith in the US, which means that it is the largest piece of exposed granite. From the bottom to the summit is 1.4miles! And man, it is a trek! Even for athletic people, this is a hard hike to complete. If it seems too daunting, there are plenty of other, easier, trails to select from. Or you can do what I enjoy and just wander around and get lost :)

Definitely take a backpack with plenty of water, and healthy snacks for your excursion. The rocky landscape takes a lot out of you, and the better you treat your body, the longer you will be able to stay and enjoy the park. Also layer up when dressing. Although it may be hot outside, it can be particularly windy when you get up high and can get a little chilly. As other people have said, this place can get pretty crowded on the weekends. I recommend arriving early in the morning to beat the masses. You can also reserve camping grounds here, although I have yet to do this. It looks like it would be a lot of fun. They also have food trucks that set up near the campsite, which is pretty cool. I have never tried the food though since I always pack a picnic lunch. The food kinda seemed like fair type food, and not the most ideal for pre- or post-hiking.

Another definite plus about ER is that it is totally dog friendly. You see tons of dogs here, and its super fun! I have taken my dogs on a few different occasions, and they have always loved it. Make sure to take a travel water bowl and enough water for you, as well as the pooches. They get just as dehydrated as us, if not more since they don't sweat. Sometimes in the early spring there are little pools of water that collect in the granite from recent rain, and the dogs LOVE this. My dog hates water, and she has been known to jump right in and cool off in these refreshing pools of water. Just don't let your dogs drink out of them :(  Standing water es no bueno.

All in all, I dont think I have one negative thing to say about this park. It is majestic, beautiful, serene, exciting, and affordable. The park is extremely well maintained. This is also a fun activity for a variety of events - hanging with friends, spending quality time with family, a first date, a date with your honey, alone time for reflection, or just hanging with your dog! Check it out, you will NOT be disappointed :)

I really don't get what the big deal is about this place?!?! I recently visited this location as my man's cousin stated this was the "best" place to go in Burleson. I had pretty mediocre hopes going into the experience seeing as I had my heart set on BBQ. Upon arrival, I was astonished at how dark and gloomy the interior was. Like some others have said... pay the electric bill already. It was odd how dark the place was. Combined with the creepy decor, my man's nephew was totally freaked out. He was convinced that monsters lived inside the housing facade, and could not concentrate on anything but that for the entire dinner.

At first I thought it was cool that there were no menus and the sides were unlimited... but the options are really slim. My man and his cousin opted for the chicken fried steak, while I had the fried chicken. The "salad" arrived first, and I was pretty appalled. Iceburg lettuce drenched in sugar and vinegar is really not my idea of a salad. The food arrived and I was pretty famished by the point. The chicken fried steak was alright, but pretty greasy. So much so that about half way through eating it, my man noticed that the batter had started falling off of it. Blech. The fried chicken was ok, but again really greasy. It was really dark, like it had been sitting in the fryer a little too long. Subsequently, the chicken was pretty dried out and not super flavorful. The sides were really the only thing that saved the meal for me. You can't really go wrong with mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and green beans. I think I ate more sides than anything. The creamed corn was pretty delicious, although extremely unhealthy (like everything else there).

When the checks arrived, I felt completely ripped off. For two people, our total came out to $30!!! I am not sure how this is considered to be a good deal at ALL! If I had known it would have been that expensive for me and my man to get two separate meat selections, I would have sucked it up and eaten chicken fried steak with him. To make matters worse, if you have leftovers at the end of your meal you DO NOT get a to-go container. They literally give you a plastic bag to load your meat into. I guess this is because they don't want people loading up on "free" sides. This place was a total bust, and I will not be returning.

After an early morning failed Hypnotic Donut attempt with Tricia S., we were both pretty hungry after spending some time at the dog park. We decided to do brunch in my Lakewood hood and decided on Dixie House. Neither of us had been there before, and I didn't realize that they are the "original" Black Eyed Pea. MUCH better than the BEP I remember back in the day.

What initially drew us in were the massive posters outside advertising their brunch specials. We walked in and were promptly served, tho I cannot remember our waiters name. I started with a $1.99 bloody mary that was just ok. I like mine a little heavier on the tomato, and this one was pretty watered down. Still had good flavor tho. They then brought out the cornbread and rolls that were little pillows of heaven. Tricia and I both ate too much bread! I ordered the shrimp and grits and Tricia had the chicken and waffles. I did find it kind of odd that our waiter thought chicken and waffles was super bizarre and seemed to have never heard of the combo. Whateva. The shrimp and grits came with a carrot cake-ish bran muffin and a side of fresh fruit. The grits were super cheesy and loaded with bacon. The bacon could have been cooked just a little longer because it seemed a little chewy and lacked the crunch I was hoping for. As for the shrimp, they were also just meh. There were only about 5 of them, they were super small, and they were really lacking on the cajun seasoning. All in all it was still a good dish though and extremely filling. I took my muffin home and had it for breakfast the next day. It was fantastic. Tricia's chicken and waffles were also a little bit of a miss. While the fried chicken was well seasoned, moist, and delicious the waffle was off. We both thought it had a strange banana-esque flavor to it even though the waiter assured us there was no banana in the batter. It was just odd and kinda ruined the chicken in my opinion.

All in all I would definitely come back here again. This is definitely the type of place to come with family or nonadventurous eaters. I would like to try the chicken fried chicken and other lunch options as many of them sounded fantastic. Other plus, I can walk there and back home and work off all the calories :)

So does it really matter which Bill Millers location I review? Negative. If you are any smart San Antonian then you learned the magic behind the consistency to Bill Millers' BBQ long, long ago. Deep in the heart of San Antonio is an industrial sized kitchen where all of the real bbq and cooking is done. Most things are cooked to near done-ness, as well as many that are completed there specifically. Items are then distributed amongst various locations throughout the city. Only some things are cooked on a daily basis on site. Interesting. Who cares though... I love it.

I enjoy many things from Bill Millers: crispy fried chicken legs, succulently juicy yet crispy chicken breast tenders, thick cut steak fries, crispy hash browns, green beans, pinto beans, coleslaw, vegetable beef soup, sausage, extra lean brisket, chopped beef. The possibilities are endless. I honestly have a different meal every time I come to Bill's, not something I do often. I do admit however that the prices are a little high for FAST food BBQ. If you want a 2 meat, 2 side platter and drink expect to pay just under ten dollars per person. Don't get me wrong, it is delicious... just not something I would get all the time. I indulge myself when in town visiting family and always glad that they aren't here in Dallas. I would probably add on about ten pounds, easily :)  Oh, and get the sweet tea - best around.

As the name implies - this is a burger and fry joint. Do not come in expecting chicken tenders, grilled/crispy chicken sandwiches, garden salads, etc. Burgers and fries people, burgers and fries.

With that said, let's start the adventure. Walk in and proceed to counter. Order burger.... anything that's dubbed "little" comes with one patty, everything else is an automatic two. The options are simple: plain, with cheese, with cheese and bacon, with bacon. Toppings are all served to order, unlimited, and all at no additional charge. Sadly guacate is not an option.... waaa waa. I cannot remember  if you could get a wheat bun or not. We ordered a regular side of fries for 4 ample people and I wondered if that would be enough... little did I know. While we waited in the very fast food style lobby jam packed with small tables and chairs we enjoyed Spanish peanuts - compliments of the house. On a side note, don't take the nuts out with you. They are super concerned about nut allergies and don't want anything traced back to them. I think there is something secretly wrong with their nuts for that very reason. Alas, I ate them anyway. They were salty and delicious. Mmm. Burgers and fries arrive and I was astounded at the amount of fries we had been given. They literally opened a brown paper sack and dumped fries into it. Thick, freshly cut, Idaho potatoes. Seasoned lightly. Scrumptious with well peppered ketchup. The burger itself was nothing out of this world. While tasty it was seriously lacking in seasoning and flavoring. The majority of the luxuriousness came from my chosen sides of fresh jalapeno slices, sauteed onions, pickles, cheese (american) and mustard. I could have also gone for something other than american cheese. These burgers are the old fashioned style of thinly pressed, done on a flat-top burger. Nothing fancy, but a good bite none the less.

Business was bumping and I'm pretty sure I will be back here - the next time my dad wants to go to dinner :)

The craziest dog lady of them all (Janie) and I recently came to check out HP. Janie normally brings her dogs here and mentioned that parking can be really difficult. The lot is fairly large so I didn't really know what to think. She was definitely right... pulled in and the place was jumpin. Luckily we quickly found a spot and were able to start our puppy adventure. As we approached the dog park I noticed that the walkways and trails were all well maintained. At the entrance to the park Janie informed me that there is only one entrance inside and that we would have to cross the large dog park in order to get to the small dog area. While this isnt a big deal for my dog, I know there are some small dogs who become terrifed. Case in point: Janie picks up her 7lb-ish chihuahua as we walk through. As if out of nowhere, this large black lab charges up to us and jumps up to see the dog. If Janie hadn't moved back so quickly, I'm sure that it would have knocked her over!!! While I love big dogs and their fun energy, little dogs and some people can get really scared by them. I would definitely suggest the addition of a separate entrance for the lil babes.

Things I appreciated about this park:
1. Absolutely no grass! I love the fact that it is mulch instead. Other dog parks tend to become muddy and down trodden after rain and subsequent play. Our regular dogpark often becomes a mudpit. The mulch definitely makes this a MUCH cleaner option.
2. Ample seating! The addition of concrete benches and tables allows for many people to enjoy the scenery.
3. Dog obstacles! A clubhouse, ramp, benches, and tables to jump on!!! It was so cute watching the pups bounce around.

Things I did NOT appreciate:
1. No doggie bags or receptacles for poo within the boundaries of the park! Gross. There was a lot of poo on the ground. I just kicked some of the mulch over it though and hoped for the best.
2. Parents allowing their children to play on the dog obstacles! This is not a park for children... it is for the dpgs! Get off and let the dogs have their day :)

I recently came here with a girlfriend after a small splurge at the mall. We were looking for something easy, quick, delicious, and inexpensive. Not an easy task. Then Janie remembered Guajillos and their inexpensive taco plates. We immediately turned the car around and headed in their direction. Upon arrival we were immediately seated and promptly tended to. Our waiter (I did not ever catch his name) was nice enough and very attentive to our needs. The place itself is nonassuming and very plainly decorated; however, they were not crying for business. I knew I would be in for a good meal.

The chips and salsa, oh the chips and salsa. What a heavenly combination! Thick cut, freshly fried tortilla chips sprinkled with salt and lime. Smokey, delisciously spiced salsa.... oh, it was like walking on sunshine! I could have eaten a few dishes all by myself. In hindsight I wish that I had asked for some to go. I ordered the bistec tacos and Janie had the pork carnitas with cheese. When Janies arrived she was slightly disappointed that the cheese on the tacos was more of a runny sauce than shredded cheese, but they looked good none the less. The one thing I did find somewhat strange though was that the meat was cooked separately from the onion and cilantro. Instead, the condiments are served on the side. For this reason I felt that the meat was a little undereseasoned. The plate consisted of six corn tortillas and a heaping pile of thinly cut beef. The beef was also slightly dry/chewy which I chalked up to the lacking of prep time with the veg. With the addition of all the acoutrmonts (to include the heavenly salsa), they made for some extraordinary bites :) Janie's pork carnitas were scrumptious but I made her scrape off the cheese sauce. By the time I tasted one the cheese had developed an odd, congealed texture which did not look particularly appetizing. The meat was very flavorful as hers had been cooked along with onion and peppers.  I also ordered a side of refried beans. They were a little salty, and heavier than I'm normally accustomed to; I ate them all none the less. For under $10 this was truly a fantastic meal... I will be back again.

Over the summer I was in desperate need of some landscaping, if you know what I mean, but didn't really know where to go in Dallas for the best maintenance. After doing a ton of research online I was getting pretty discouraged. Prices varied widely, appointments were next to impossible to get, and no one really seemed to want to help my girl out! I finally did what I should have done from the beginning... asked Tricia S! She never steers me wrong with great recommendations.

She recommended me to Avalon, and more specifically her "stylist" Patricia (smirk). I excitedly made my first ever Brazilian appointment. Wasn't too sure what to expect when I walked in that fateful morning. I was totally hung over and really not sure I was going to be able to handle the pain. Much to my surprise, and later fortune, Patricia was running horribly late. I sat alone in the day spa area nursing my hangover with free tea, relaxing music, and dim lighting. I may or may not have helped myself to a few heaping handfuls of free tea bags during my 40min lag time. They offered to make me another appointment, but seeing as it was a lazy morning and I had no other plans I decided to wait around. I knew they would give me a discount if I waited.

Patricia finally arrived and she completely put me at ease. She described the Brazilian, talked about her master skills, and then started into conversation with me. I was expecting extreme awkwardness, but to be completely honest that was one of the best conversations I have had in a salon! Patricia cleaned up my lady in no time and I was really surprised at how not surprised I was by the pain. Not too bad! Patricia ended up discounting the rate, and then also gave me a %20 discount on my purchase as well as a %10 coupon for the next visit! I ended up getting a Brazilian for about 50 bones (with generous tip)! Sadly she is now at a location in Plano... but I will definitely go back just to see her... she is that amazing :)