Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Back East

A number of us were in San Antonio this week for the RWA Conference. I had to travel a bit further than Texan Mindy but it was worth it, as a writer and a reader.  I came back with requests for my manuscripts from agents and publishers and lots of good memories. 






I fell in love with San Antonio back in the 90s and was thrilled to introduce Man O to the city. But wasn't thrilled about this:
Every day!
I was thrilled about the beauty of the city, The Alamo at sunset, the Riverwalk.

ManO photobombed me, of all people.
Numerous meals had this view.

I made new friends and spent time with my friends like my Golden Heart nominated buddy Piper:

Man O and I watched Miss Congeniality, the quintessential San Antonio set movie. Still such fun.



And we knocked Fredericksburg, Texas off of my twenty year old bucket list. I fell in love with it from a magazine article in Southern Living. Can you tell why? So many neat stone houses and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Antique shops. And they grow everything bigger in Texas, including the M&Ms.

Enjoyed the food (will be talking about it more in the future) but I am really glad to be back home in my own home, lower humidity and being able to cook again. That means the vacation did it's job!

Have you been to San Antonio? Do you have a favorite cute little town you like to visit? What places are on your bucket list? 

 

28 comments:

  1. I'm less than 4 hours from there and have only been a couple of times. I want to go again once I'm pet-less (IF that happens - will probably have to act quick aftr Sasha before I get another) but travel ha been very sparse since I had dogs - would do a few quilt retreats here and there when my mom dogsat for me but otherwise I've been at home. I love the restaurants and view a friend lives this side of San Antonio about 30 min from New Braunfels they have Gruene Village I think it's called and I love the antiques and food and the restaurants on the river there - beautiful when you sit outside (not doing it in the summer though!) the hill country is beautiful nothing like where I am in Houston blech!
    glad you had f un I enjoyed seeing all the pics!
    Susanna

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  2. I really enjoyed my time. We passed New Braufels but were already tired from the heat so didn't stop. Would love to see pictures of your quilting. I have so many friends and a sister who quilts.

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  3. It's great to go away, but it's so nice to come home!!!! Actually, I often use that as a Ruthy-excuse to stay home, LOL! I love occasional breaks in the action, but I find conferences to be a major interruption in my work. Now probably that's because I'm a full-time worker and I have to delegate hours to writing, hours to work, hours to family, etc..... But the plus side of that is that I've learned to try to make my life an Alleluia, to live my prayer in how I handle others. These babies, their parents, my writing buds, my family, my friends. Julie, it looks like you guys had a marvelous time and I told Dave I'd love to go to San Antonio sometime... when the weather's about 25 degrees cooler.... and treat him to a walk on the Riverwalk! It looks gorgeous and he loves visiting historical sites. We'd have a ball!

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    1. Yep Texas is best how hen it's cooler but you don't like spicy so there goes a lotta food! Actually tex mex doedsnt have to be spicy..
      Susanna

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    2. When not how hen..iPad really hates me

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    3. Ruthy, I know what you mean. There's no place like home. This was our test to see how ManO does traveling again. Who knew the heat wasn't going to be dry. But it was so gorgeous.

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    4. Suzy makes a good point too.... I love the taste of Tex Mex food but it has never sat well on this Yankee Cheese Biscuit gut, and as I watched from afar at the great lunches and dinners, I realized there really wasn't a lot I could eat at the chosen places. So then you look like a wet blanket or a pouter (I hate looking like a pouter!!!!) if you go somewhere else.... and the default meal is chicken strips and french fries, LOL! Or an over-priced salad.... Now regular barbecue, well, gosh, that's a FAVE of mine, so if there were barbecue places, I'd be happy with servings of this meat and that meat and the other meat, LOL! But it's always, always nice to come home.

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    5. have you tried chicken quesadillas with guacaomole? or chicken taquitos with quacomole or queso? fajitas aren't usually too spicy unless you add the pico- pico has the pepper and cilantro. fajitas have some seasoning though so if that bothers you then you're outta luck I'm afraid. but they're not pepper spicy hot like some other texmex
      Susanna

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    6. I am so glad to be home to my NC barbecue and sweet tea. I can't tell you.

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  4. Ugh to 100 and humidity!!!! I thought Texas had dry heat but any kind of heat is not my idea of fun. Glad you had so much fun and you got requests for manuscripts. :-)

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    1. A common misconception, Kav. But we are coastal, so much of Texas is filled with humidity. Great for the skin, but makes for many bad hair days. :P

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    2. I had to use up my whole can of hairspray while I was there.

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  5. I'm so glad you enjoy your trip to Texas! I know the heat/humidity of SA can sap the energy right out of you, but the sights and food are so worth it.

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  6. How fun! I watched Miss Congeniality just before I left. I hadn't realized it was set in San Antonio. Lovely city.

    Bucket list city...ROME!!

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    1. We are such outskirts people that we would want to go to the countryside of Tuscany but the art, the food of Rome? We have it on our list too.

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    2. Rome…Venice…Florence…

      I think once the kids are out of college we'll take that trip. :)

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  7. Julie, I love Fredericksburg, but haven't been in forever. Did you know that all those little houses in town are called Sunday houses? The ranchers would come to town on Sunday for church, then stay over to tend business on Monday and they needed someplace for their family to stay, so they built Sunday houses. I suppose it's the equivalent of a cabin. Except their's was in town, whereas most of us escape to the country/lake/mountains. :D

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    1. P.S. One of my favorite things about conference was FINALLY meeting you (an ManO, of course). ;)

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    2. Mindy, I loved meeting you too. I read that somewhere long ago. The Herb Farm where we ate was also a b and b of little Sunday houses too. Just lovely.

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  8. It looks like you had a wonderful time in San Antonio! We spent several weekends there during the years we lived in West Texas - two of hubby's brothers live there and the in-laws would winter there, so we tried to do as much family time as we could.

    But the key to enjoying SA? Don't go in the heat of the summer :)

    Bucket list...bucket list... It has to be Alaska. or Australia. But hubby doesn't fly, and I'd rather be with him somewhere drivable than alone in Australia.

    I keep telling him Alaska is within driving distance. My grandparents drove there back in the early '70's!

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  9. Wow, now that would be an adventure.

    Yep, the problem with conventions and conferences is they offer the best rates when no one else wants to be there!

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  10. My favorite cute little town? Blowing Rock, NC, where the temps rarely reach 80. lol. So glad to FINALLY meet you face-to-face, Julie. You're as sweet and genuine in person as you are online. xxoo

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    1. I love Blowing Rock and the mountains all around. Never get there near enough.

      And ditto to you, Dora. So glad we could get together.

      Peace, Julie

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    2. Blowing Rock sounds like a "Mitford" style town. I love Jan Karon's Mitford series, one of my faves.....

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  11. Love San Antonio! That's a cute version of a Fiesta wreath with your souvenirs. And so glad you got to Fredericksburg. The peaches there are fantastic. You should see all of that area in the spring. The wildflowers are amazing. Thanks for sharing the pix!

    Nancy C

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    1. Yes, my friends post pictures of blue bonnets all the time. Next time!

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  12. I'm sorry I missed yesterday! I spent most of the day dealing with my son, who's studying abroad and had his checking account cleaned out. Had to get the poor kid some money. And also dealing with daughter who had her open house at the school (had to get schedule straightened out).

    Thanks for sharing your fun photos! It was so good to see you!

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