San Antonio Cocktail Conference

Posted on January 19, 2012 by *Geekette*

On Thursday, January 26 through Sunday, January 29, San Antonio’s beautiful Riverwalk will be the backdrop for the first ever San Antonio Cocktail Conference!

Over the course of four days, local residents and visitors will have the opportunity to:

Partake in 27 classes
Meet with 31 different presenters
Attend 5 fabulous soirees (visit different cocktail tasting stations, enjoy Riverwalk boat shuttles from one venue to the next)
Enter in one Original Cocktail Competition
And say salutations during one Yoga for bartenders class

Stemming from Chef Mark Bohanan, the mastermind behind the critically acclaimed downtown steakhouse Bohanan’s, the San Antonio Cocktail Conference will feature educational seminars, classes, tastings, and more with experts travelling in from across the US and Australia!

Website: http://www.sanantoniococktailconference.com

Become a Fan: https://www.facebook.com/SACocktailConference

Twitter: @SACocktailConf

BUY TICKETS! Schedule: http://www.sanantoniococktailconference.com/schedule

Tasting Schedule: http://www.sanantoniococktailconference.com/schedule/tastings (view the list, tastings are from 10:30am – 4:30pm on Friday and Saturday)

Don’t feel like heading downtown for a cocktail party? Would you do it for a good cause? The San Antonio Cocktail Conference is benefiting
HeartGift, a group of medical professionals and volunteers who give their resources (surgical skills, home, hours) so that children can have access to lifesaving surgery to repair their congenital heart defects:

93% of world’s population doesn’t have access to pediatric cardiac surgery
Surgeons and physicians donate their services, for treatments normally costing $165,000
Average total expense for each HeartGift patient (includes travel and medical care) is $24,000
$8.5 million worth of medical care donated to date
130 children from 22 countries have benefitted from HeartGift services

Website: http://www.heartgift.org

Become a Fan: https://www.facebook.com/HeartGift

Twitter: @HeartGiftNews

From an interview with Chef Mark Bohanan:

The Cocktail Conference is a four-day event that is modeled after the wildly successful Manhattan Cocktail Classic and New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail Event, both of which draw more than 20,000 people…

…Classes will include topics such as ice making, crafting perfect cocktails for home entertaining, an introduction to gin cocktails and many more…

…There will also be a contest with celebrity judges, tastings, seminars and other special events designed to combine cocktail culture education with good old-fashioned fun…

…I want people to come downtown and see why it is the pulse of San Antonio. I want to remind locals of what is available to them right in their own backyards, as well as show tourists why San Antonio is a major destination for both the leisure and business traveler.

D-Box Movie Seats at Santikos Theatres

Posted on January 14, 2012 by *Geekette*

On a day off, a friend and I went to the Santikos Palladium to watch the second Sherlock Holmes movie. While were debating which show to see, we noticed that “D-box” seats were available for purchase.

Right now Santikos Theatres have D-box seats in three San Antonio locations and 1 Houston location:

San Antonio Silverado - $17.50
11505 W Loop 1604 N, San Antonio, TX 78250
Map & Directions

Houston Silverado 19 IMAX - $17.75
24720 State Hwy 249, Tomball, TX 77375
Map & Directions

San Antonio Palladium IMAX - $18.00
17703 W IH-10, San Antonio, TX 78257
Map & Directions

San Antonio Mayan 14 - $16.00
1918 SW Military Dr., San Antonio, TX 78221
Map & Directions

You’ll know which movie has DBOX seating option in the showtimes section.

D-box movie review santikos theaters buy online

By clicking on the movie time (NOT movie name) you’ll be taken to another site to purchase the tickets online with a credit card.

D-box movie review santikos theaters best seats

During the online ticket checkout, we were able to select our own seats or best available.

D-box movie review santikos theaters

Selecting your own seats shows how many seats are still free and which ones are not.

FAVORITE SEATS: WE got F5 and F4 which had a bar in front of us to rest our feet on but did not obstruct the view in any way.

D-box movie review santikos theaters

*NOTE: If you do not purchase a ticket don’t think you can catch a free ride in an unoccupied seat. The seats that were not purchased before the movie sat as still as the old fashioned kind. No ticket, no ride!

Once we got to the Palladium we were able to swipe our card at the self-service kiosk (HINT!! There’s one inside the building by customer service that NEVER has a line…compared to the three outside the box office that are always 3 deep…each.)

D-box movie review santikos theaters

Then we made it to our seats after stopping for some light, yet incredibly expensive, concession stand snacks.

Actual Review and Thoughts

Once we got into the movie theater, we noticed right away how room and what a great view we had from our seats. In the first two rows of the elevated section, we found our seats and waited to have our worlds rocked. Reviews that I found said that even the previews came to life but none of the trailers we watched were synced with our chairs. A little bored and very curious we played with the buttons underneath the right side arm rest. I believe there were 4 or 5 levels of intensity that were customizable per chair. You even had the option to turn it completely off. Once the movie got going I didn’t remember to play with these.

Types of scenes that were animated:

Bumping along a road in a car
Scenic pans of train traveling scenes, as the camera rounded the bend, so did our chair, very subtly, probably the most welcome animation to me, my friend thought it was cheesy.
Explosion scenes – no surprises here, whenever something exploded on screen our chairs reiterated each crash and fire
Peering over something – there was a scene in Sherlock Holmes where we were leaned forward a bit in the chair

The chair completely movies, not just the back vibrating, physically moving. We were concerned about our drinks spilling around but it was never that drastic, especially after we had taken some quick gulps during the previews.

Would I do it again? Not for $18! BUT I have had other movie going friends who insist that it is the only way to experience a movie. I found it a little distracting, that instead of just getting caught up in the movie, I was paying attention to the movement of my chair. I think some movements were more subtle than others and I noticed it less…I would’ve preferred movie watching the old fashion way. That said…a scary movie would probably be 100 times more intense (to levels I’m not willing to experience.) I think anyone who considers them self a movie enthusiast should definitely give it a try.

During one review, a whopping 92% (or close to that number) of a test group surveyed responded favorably to the D-Box…so you don’t have to take my word for it.

D-box movie review santikos theaters

Additional review from the SA Current here.

Become a fan on Facebook and tweet your opinions to @dboxTech!

Pictures taken from the Santikos Palladium theatre in San Antonio, TX.

D-box movie review santikos theaters

So, a couple days before we saw this movie we saw this demo as we were leaving the movie theatre and I hurried us along, saying we didn’t need to sit in the seats. Had we, we would have experienced DBOX first hand without having to risk not liking the experience for an entire movie.

D-box movie review santikos theaters at palladium

15 Daily Deal Travel Sites

Posted on January 12, 2012 by *Geekette*

Is your New Year’s resolution to see the world? Are you obsessed with daily deal sites? In no particular order are 15 daily deal travel websites! Many are invitation only…fear not, I have an invite for you! Click on the image or link in the “About” section. About half are dedicated to just traveling deals (including packages, hotels, airfare, etc.) while others are subsets of larger daily deal sites. Definitely keep an eye out on your favorites!

Sign up and become a member of the sites today! I bookmark them all and open all the sites in the same browser window at the same time. I can quickly scan each site’s page for the latest and great deals. Many sites offer significant savings and packages. Always look at the company’s website to make sure you’re getting the best deals possible!!

P.S. And once you know where you’re headed, sign up for all the local daily deals for that city so you can be armed with Groupons once you arrive at your final destination!

P.P.S I have included the Twitter and Facebook pages…you’ll want to start following them to get additional deals and offers made only to those loyal fans!

Travel Deal Site	About	Twitter	Facebook
	Subscribe for email alerts for the cities you’re travelling to!	@amazonlocal	Become a Fan
	From the people that brought you Groupon local deals, tons of great travel deals, some lasting 24 hours, some for a couple of days!	@GrouponGetaways	None
	Living Social Escapes	@LivingSocialESC	Become a Fan
	Division of the Eversave deal site offering travel and getaway deals! Click on the “Travel Saves” link.	@TravelSaves	Become a Fan
	Click on the “Destinations” tab for additional travel deals!	@kgbdeals_usa	Become a Fan
	In addition to local daily deals, Urban Dealight also offers “Departures” for travel deals!	@urbandealight	Become a Fan
	Check out Jet Setter and check out their flash sales for your dream destination!	@jetsetterdotcom	Become a Fan
	In addition to all the sales at Haute Look, click on the Getaways tab for fabulous vacations!	@hautelook	Become a Fan
	Rue La La also offers “Travel” offers, destination packages, and hotel deals!	@RueLaLa	Become a Fan
	Another private sale site dedicated to travel deals, Snique Away rocks (and looks great too!)	@sniqueAway	Become a Fan
	Another private sale site, use this link to sign up for fabulous travel experiences.	@tabletHotels	Become a Fan
	Trip Alertz offers beautiful destination packages! Sign up and find your dream vacay!	@tripAlertz	Become a Fan
	Vacationist is a partnership if Luxury Link and Travel & Leisure to offer deeply discount trips people actually want to take!	@goVacationist	Become a Fan
	Voyage Prive is another private membership site that you can sign up for with the link!	@VoyagePriveUS	Become a Fan
	Ideeli has their own Travel section where you can check out some more great deals!	@ideeli	Become a Fan

Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips | Chevy Haul

Posted on December 26, 2011 by *Geekette*

For an entire week, I had the luxury of driving around a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, courtesy of Chevrolet’s Driving in the Heartland team, dedicated to the heartland of America! You can check out their website or follow their tweets, @ChevyTexan, for their latest adventures, offers, fantastic finds, and more.

As a savvy deal finder, I definitely wanted Chevrolet to get their money’s worth, I tweeted #chevyhaul like crazy and during Black Friday I managed to make it to 20 different stores, starting at midnight with my friend and fellow blogger Gita of the uber-fashion blog, Mimi and Chichi.

Top 10 Black Friday Shopping Tips

In preparation of Black Friday 2012, here are 10 things that every savvy Chevy Haul shopper should know:

1 – Do the math! It is very easy to think you’re getting a good deal on Black Friday. You wait the entire year for sales like these. The only day of the year Apple deems worthy of offering a discount…but to feel good at the end of the day, make sure you’re getting a good deal on quality items!

Walmart was offering an Emerson 32? 720p LCD TV for $188 but who could beat the quality and discounts offered by Best Buy’s Sharp 42” 1080p LCD HDTV for ONLY $199.99. Plus, with the Walmart horror stories on the news and talking with other shoppers in line, I doubt I’ll ever visit Wallyworld on Black Friday.

2 – Map it out! With many stores opening at midnight (and some even opening on Thanksgiving day — too early if you ask me…) you’ll not only want to make sure you understand where you’re headed but WHEN you need to head there. Before I hit the road in my Chevy Equinox, I made a list of all the stores that opened early, in the order they opened here. There tends to be a gap between the stores that opened at midnight, and the next round that opens at 4-5am…this will keep you busy.

*Another thing to consider, visit stores more out of the way. Although the drive might be longer, the wait will be shorter and more variety will be left untangled. Especially for high demand items, go the extra 20 miles to a remote location that you know won’t be as hectic!

**Many stores open earlier but end the incredible sales before 11am or noon. Get there early if you want to get the best deals!

Click on the Foursquare image below to see the stores that I stopped at and the deals at the time.

3 – Bring a snack! If you’re always snacking like my friend Gita and I you’ll want to bring some holiday leftovers (brusselsprouts and cookies) as well as some water and energy drinks. At every store we visited, people were complaining of hunger pains, impatiently waiting for the food courts and other restaurants to open. Crabby people make impatient shoppers who are more willing to just buy things they don’t want. Give your wallet a fair chance.

4 – Leave the kids at home! We were waiting in line at Old Navy, for 30 minutes outside (so many people showed up for the free digital camera, fire hazards limited the number of shoppers allowed in at one time…) and it was fairly cold for us Texans. In front and behind us were were sobbing toddlers, begging to go home. Finally, seconds before being let into the store, the mothers staggered off with their children. MAKE CHILDCARE ARRANGEMENTS! There are a lot of children friendly daycares, gyms, and play places that offer moms and dads Black Friday shopping drop offs, starting early in the morning until the afternoon.

*With the new midnight shopping time, I also noticed a LOT of tweens running loose at the mall. Apparently their parents dropped them off with friends, while waiting for their stores to open, you could see some inappropriate makeout sessions going on. PARENTS – shopping is not the only thing that goes on at the maul…I mean mall.

5 – Go big or go home! Some of the best deals that I saw being offered were in department stores! For all your houseware needs, Macy’s and Sear’s were the way to go!

KitchenAid Pro 500 Series Mixer for $199.99 at Sears
Macy’s offered 20% off additional Black Friday sale prices! Gita got amazing sheets, retailed at $600 for less than $250!

6 – Fight the Crowds! With the explosion of online Black Friday sales, who in their right mind would consider fighting the crowds when all of your shopping can be done from the comfort of your own home? I’ll give you one reason why. Every year, without fail, there are significant online outages or slowdowns because of the crazy amounts of traffic generated from the 20 million other people who want to shop from the comfort of their own homes.

I remember one year I spent 3 hours painfully fighting Kohls website, adding things to the shopping cart, trying to checkout with them, being told they were sold out or having my cart emptied prematurely. In 2.5 hours I probably could have fought the masses, tried on clothes, AND checked out! Never again!

7 – Keep it social! Above was a list of all my foursqaure check ins. Make sure you take advantage of all the social and in-store promotions being offered! Many Foursquare venues offered additional discounts to shoppers. At Old Navy, Gita won an additional coupon for being the first to bring up a nail file during a contest. Many retailers on Twitter offered their followers Twitter only coupons AND additional #hashtag contests. With everyone else busy shopping, the chances of your winning is increased greatly!

8 – Chevy-sized vehicle for haul! This year I was blessed to have a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox to haul around all our deals! Buy a new car, borrow a friends, clean out your trunk before hitting the road!

Our Equinox offered:

great gas mileage so we could go the distance
plenty of storage space for our shopping haul
comfy seats when we needed to give our feet a rest
hiding places so we didn’t get mugged (always be wary of your surroundings, don’t be sitting ducks…)

9 – Additional tips and tricks! Here are some more helpful tips and tricks for making the most out of Black Friday:

Sign up for email alerts from your favorite stores ahead of time
Buy the newspaper on Thanksgiving for printed coupons and tons of store ads (nice consolidated view for the last minute shopper)
Download a Black Friday mobile app like BF Ads that gets updated with new ads all the time, is easy to use, and works without an internet connection (mall 3g can be shady)
Shop the off hours! Old Navy was CRAZY and had a long line at midnight, but everywhere else we visited between 2am to 7am had virtually no lines! Traffic starts to pick back up around 7am…
Make sure you get a place in line. If you’re battling it out for the best Best Buy offer, get there early and get the ticket. Ask for one. You need proof you were there at 24 hours before midnight and not some random person who waltzed up when the clock struck 12.

10 – Shop with a buddy! Bring a willing and able friend (one who won’t make you feel rushed) to:

Stand in line while your searching for clothes
Run to the car to get coupons or snacks while you’re waiting to check out
Give you a second opinion on impulsive purchases
Let you borrow your phone if yours starts to die
Think of stores you might not have gone to
Keep you safe in numbers!

+1 more – BEST tip of all! I almost didn’t want to share this secret. I’m afraid that once it gets out EVERYONE will take advantage of it. But because I love my readers so much, I will share the best Black Friday shopping tip in the entire world:

This year, on the Wednesday BEFORE Black Friday, at my leisure, I went to several retailers and tried on the clothes that I wanted to buy on Black Friday. Waiting to try on clothes during Black Friday, especially at busy stores like Old Navy, Kohl’s, etc. is adding an additional hour to each store, at least. I tried on all the close that I liked, at my leisure, without them being picked over…and then I *gasp* placed them on layaway. On Black Friday, I waltzed into the store, headed straight to the counter, asked for my clothes, and walked out in about 15 minutes (the time it took to wait in the long line.) I received glares from other shoppers and looks of envy from others.

*There are some risks. Only one store that I went to had better deals the Wednesday before than the Friday of, but it did happen. Also, the people can always accidentally put the clothes back on the shelves (happened once on a non-Black Friday shopping trip…)

Driving in the Heartland invited me to:

So, what better way to ease some of that holiday shopping stress than by taking a brand new Chevy for a spin to get all of your shopping done in comfort and style? This year, Chevrolet will be giving five fabulous bloggers a Chevy vehicle to drive while they take on their holiday shopping throughout the Heartland. Three bloggers from Texas and two bloggers from St. Louis, Missouri, will be riding comfortably in Chevy cars and crossovers in the next few weeks, and you can follow along as they navigate the madness on Twitter using the hashtag #ChevyHaul.

Check out all the details here.

Tip Toe Photography | San Antonio Baby, Children, and Family Photographer

Posted on December 4, 2011 by *Geekette*

When Beth, of Tip Toe Photography, offered me a complementary mini-session (also look at her “belly to baby” and “baby’s first year” packages as well as different sessions) I knew that I would get some amazing pictures of my daughter. Little did I know though HOW absolutely fantastic they would be. With an artistic eye and quick trigger finger, she snapped up 15 of the best pictures of Jaden (and with some convincing a couple of Jaden with me). To be honest I had a couple tears in my eyes when she posted the pictures that night. They all looked very natural (even though Jaden doesn’t normally feel at ease in front of the camera.)

Website:
http://www.tiptoephotography.net

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TipToePhotography

In a remote field, just outside of Boerne, with a SUV parked nearby that she transported her beautiful suede couch in, Beth captured the moments I knew existed but I never had been able to catch before. (Another plus, she delivered them without any prompting from me! She just knew!)

When I received the cd with all the pictures, it came in an adorable cd sleeve with detailed printing recommendations (see her interview below for more details!) If I haven’t convinced you to give Beth a call to book your session immediately, her interview responses will! She talks about what led her start the business she passionately loves, suggestions for keeping photo sessions natural, best outfits to wear for sessions, and much more.

Beth is very laid back, your entire family will feel at ease as she patiently the moments you’ll want to remember and cherish for forever. As someone who had never hired a professional photography, I never realized how much of a good investment you are making.

Check out her beautiful portfolios of children, families, maternity, and newborns to see the different techniques and styles she leverages during her sessions. LOVE them all!

*Click on any of the images for more detailed, related information.

Beth pictured below with her two precious babies:

From her blog, she immediately posted sessions the day of with a couple more pictures to follow the next day of our mini session.

Did you grow up wanting to be a photographer? What did you originally want to do?

When I was younger, I don’t think I ever really knew what I wanted to be. I’ve always loved photography, to be honest, but never thought about making it into a career. I went to college and got my degree in business and then went to culinary school where I became a pastry chef. But then I realized I only really enjoyed baking for my family and friends, so I never made a career out of it. It was only after my daughter was born that I realized how much I truly loved photography and set out to learn as much as possible.

What is some “standard” advice you give people before to prepare for their first session?

Advice I give before their first session is mostly related to clothing! Nothing matchy-matchy because not many people look back on pictures where they’re all wearing the same thing and are thrilled with them. My photography is all about a family being themselves, so I don’t want anything too manicured, too perfect. I want to take the pictures that you look back on and remember just being yourself with the ones you love, so don’t worry if your baby has her hand in her mouth all the time because she’s teething or your toddler is running around crazy while I’m trying to take pictures – those are the memories you’ll want in ten years.

What do you think about as your photographing your clients?

As I’m photographing, I’m mostly just thinking about technical aspects of pictures. I keep reassuring people to just be themselves and don’t worry about the rest, that’s my job!

It must help to have a supportive husband! Does he enjoy being a model?

My husband is definitely not a model for me, lol. He much prefers being behind the camera with me to grab the attention of our less-than-cooperative children while I take their pictures. He’s a wonderful support system and I would never have come so far without him. He is my best friend and my biggest fan.

What outfits photograph the best?

Outfits that photograph the best definitely depend on the person wearing them. It’s completely case-by-case. If you’re a mom to a one week old and we’re doing the newborn session, I always recommend you don’t dress up in a fancy dress and put on all of your make up – there’s nothing less realistic than a well-rested new mom, lol. For newborn parents, I always strive to have them wear something very simple and comfortable – plain black or white shirts that will leave the focus on baby. For families, something coordinated but not matching. In this time of year, navy, maroon, browns and creams all go together well. Or you could change it up and go all bright, retro colors like oranges and teals. Yellow and gray is an awesome combo right now (and what we did when we had our family pictures taken in the spring!). Some people like to get dressed up for pictures, others like to wear something similar to their every day garb – it’s all about how YOU feel comfortable and how you want to remember yourself in pictures. Of course, letting your 3 year old pick out his or her own outfit is always fun and exciting too )

Thanks to the information you provided with our photo cd, I now understand that not all print developers were created equally. What are some of your favorites?

For clients, I usually recommend mpix for printing. The quality is not going to be quite the same as prints that I do for clients, but they are still good and reasonably priced. Never, ever use your drugstore or grocery store. All printers are NOT created equal.

With the holidays coming up, do you offer any personalized gifts for purchase with the sessions. Do you have any suggestions or favorites?

With the holidays, lots of people love giving mini accordion albums. They’re 3×3 albums that fold accordion style and have between 7 and 10 images in them. They’re adorable and make awesome little gifts for grandparents, aunts and uncles. Of course my absolutely favorite idea for gifts is the Organic Bloom frames that I sell. These frames are completely awesome and make a real statement. Then there’s always the classic gallery wrapped canvas, one of my other favorites )

Some Tip Toe Photography products:

Gallery Wrap Canvas
are
dramatic, with the image printed onto a piece of canvas and then stretched over a 1.5? thick wooden frame:

Tip Toe Photography | San Antonio Baby, Children, and Family Photographer Photo Canvas

Check out 28 variations/examples of the Mini Accordion Albums:

Tip Toe Photography | San Antonio Baby, Children, and Family Photographer Mini Accordian photo albums

Example of the Organic Bloom frames and the incredible customizations included:

12 Days of Christmas Sales and Giveaways

Posted on December 2, 2011 by *Geekette*

Although the “12 Days of Christmas” normally occurs the day after Christmas, December 26 leading to the Feast of Epiphany, on the twelfth day, on January 6, the following retailers and talk show hosts are offering 12 days of giveaways, discounts, and prizes to get you in the holiday spirit!

Check back daily from now until the 12 of December (depending on the website…) and take advantage of their that day only sale or surprise. Enter to win giveaways or use special coupon codes! Online only.

FOODIES

Godiva

Starbucks 12 festive holiday gifts

RETAILERS

Dell

Netted

CELEBRITY GIVEAWAYS

Ellen Show Tune in to see these fantastic prizes and watch all show long to see the names of the 25 lucky winners.

Oprah Twelve lucky readers will win the Favorite Things chosen by Oprah

TRAVEL

Norwegian Cruise Line

Thai Airways 12 days special fares

2011 Frost | Westin La Cantera

Posted on November 26, 2011 by *Geekette*

For people living in Sam Antonio or just visiting, the winter holidays are one of the best times of years. One family tradition we have enjoyed for the past two years is provided by the Westin La Cantera. This luxurious resort paints a beautifully festive backdrop to kick off the yuletide season with plenty for families, couples, and friends to do.

During a complimentary “mommy bloggers” preview, my daughter and I, her best friend’s family, and a couple other families were able to see firsthand all the excitement and Christmas spirit the Westin is returning to the Hill Country.

When: Nov. 18th through Jan. 8

Where: Westin La Cantera | 16641 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256

Phone: (210) 558-6500

Website: http://www.westinlacantera.com/holidays.html

The fun kicks off with Frost – imagine be able to skate outside on a 1,200-square-foot synthetic outdoor iceless skating rink, whether it’s in the 20s or 80s!

This activity is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Cost is $10 for 45 minutes of skating and skate rental.

*A portion of the proceeds will go to the George Gervin Youth Center, Inc.

**Guests who skate will instantly be included in a prize drawing. The grand prize includes: a 2-night stay, daily breakfast for two at Brannon’s Café and a personalized memento from Spurs legend George “Iceman” Gervin

Santa’s Workshop

When: Dec. 13 to Dec. 24

Drop by Santa’s Workshop where guests or locals can take a photo with Santa, make a holiday toy or decorate cookies with the elves. A portion of the proceeds will go to a local charity.

Legendary Holidays

When: Dec. 13 to Dec. 24

The resort’s 13th annual Legendary Holidays program is sure to dazzle kids of every age. This one-hour resort tradition takes place daily at 5 p.m. Guests are guided around the property by the popular storyteller, Bandera Cowboy ‘Makin’ Dust’, who sings and tells holiday stories.

The program concludes with ‘snow’ magically falling from the sky as the choir begins to sing a holiday song at the top of Plaza San Saba.

Holiday Menu and Cocktails

Celebrate the season with culinary delights, including a special Thanksgiving Day Brunch as well as delectable Christmas and New Year’s Eve menu selections.

The Magik Theatre

San Antonio’s local children theater presents a holiday comedy “The Pirate’s Holiday”!

Cost is $5.00 for adults; children under 3 are free.

Shows start at 7:30 p.m. The kids (ages from 3-8) and the adults (slightly older) in our group all laughed throughout the show, everyone having a TON of fun!

December: 12/3, 12/10, 12/16, 12/17, 12/19 through 12/23
December: Special show times on 12/17 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Arrive 30 minutes early, seating is limited.
The show is 45 minutes long.

Below are some more pictures from our visit!

Black Friday 2011 Deals

Posted on November 24, 2011 by *Geekette*

BlackFriday is in an hour and a half if you are on CST, sorry for the crudeness of the post but I had to get the information to the people!

I couldn’t find these stores’s ads on Wednesday so I went to each one and asked the clerks.

NY and co: additional 10% off between midnight and 8am

gap – same deals as now with additional door busters

Black and White market: 25% off entire store open at 7am, tote with $8 purchase or more

Express: opens midnight. 40% off until noon then 30% off

Guess: 4am opens

8am opens aveda. Gift sets already discounted

8am-noon loft something additionally special

Victoria secret: midnight sales

Forever 21: 6am everything in yellow still on sale. Everything else more down.

Anthropology: 6am-11am 50% sale items. 25% off weekend sale items.

Bebe: 8am 25% off entire store until noon. 40% off select items now.

William Sonoma: 6am Door busters.

Ann Taylor: opens midnight. 50% off

Brooks Brothers: 20% off everything with MasterCard, 15% off with other cards. Til noon. Open at 8am

Coach: 8am nothing special.

BCBG: opens at 7am. Pick 2 items for 50% off. 50% off jackets leather and boots out wear.

Sony opens at 8am

Banana: midnight 40% off entire store

Zara opens at 8, check website for black Friday sales for women, kids, and men’s (just posted)

Limited: opens at 7am

Off Saks 5th: 6am 30% store wide. 40% clearance

Eversave San Antonio

Posted on November 18, 2011 by *Geekette*

Does anyone here like to win free stuff?! (I know I do!!)

Thanks to Eversave San Antonio, one of my fabulous readers is going to walk away with a gift certificate to Dallia’s Hair and Nail Studio ($55 value!!)

Multiple Ways to Enter and Win:

Simply leave a comment at the end of this blog post on which local San Antonio restaurant or retailer you’d like to see featured on Eversave next!
Tweet: I want to win an @EversaveSAT deal on @geekettebits.com! Pls RT! http://bit.ly/tsnVtW #gbcontest
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/geekettebits
Become a Fan on Facebook: http://facebook.com/geekettebitsfan
Tag “Geekette Bits” in a wall post on Facebook with a link to this blog post!

** All winners must have already signed up for Eversave San Antonio! **

Did you know?? Eversave San Antonio:

Local deals offered DAILY! National deals offered as well!
Get $2 off coupon just for signing up today!
Convince you’re friends to sign up too, you’ll get $10 for EACH friend as soon as they make their first Eversave purchase!

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2011 Black Friday Store Hours

Posted on November 14, 2011 by *Geekette*

Don’t forget to check out my 2009 Black Friday post and my 2010 Black Friday posts for my past Black Friday shopping plans and favorite websites. I read through them and both still absolutely apply!

Based on the stores listed by Black Friday 2011, I sorted the stores by open hours (a LOT of stores are opening their doors at midnight this year!!) so that you can strategically forgo sleep and pace yourself like I plan to from midnight to 10am (at which point the major deals are mostly over…)

After spending one year fighting Kohl’s website outages (let’s performance test people!!) I have been paranoid about doing all my shopping online. Where do you plan on shopping? The list of over 40 stores below link to their Black Friday newspaper ad.

*I’ll update this list the week of Black Friday with more stores and store hours!

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BlackFridayFans

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/BlackFridayFans

iPhone App:
http://www.blackfriday2011.com/app

Black Friday Store Ad	Black Friday Hours
Bealls	12am
Best Buy	12am
GameStop	12am
Little Tikes	12am
Macy’s	12am
Old Navy	12am
Shopko	12am
Walmart	12am
Toys R Us (Holiday Express)	12am-10pm most stores
Target	12am-11pm
Kohl’s	12am-12am (open 24 hrs)
Sears	4am-1pm
Avenue	5am
Fred’s Super Dollar	5am
Gordman’s	5am
Lowe’s	5am
Michael’s	5am
Sam’s Club	5am
A.C. Moore	5am-10pm
Babies R Us	5am-10pm
Electronics Expo	5am-10pm
Burlington Coat Factory	5am-11pm
Radio Shack	6:30am
Five Below	6am
Jo-Ann	6am
Office Max	6am
Tractor Supply Company	6am
Gander Mountain	6am-10pm
Fashion Bug	8am-9pm
Walgreens	9am-6pm
La-Z-Boy	9am-9pm
Bon-Ton	Sale hours: 12am-1pm
JC Penney	Sale Hours: 4am-1pm
Kmart	Sale hours: 5am-11am
Sports Authority	Sale Hours: 5am-3pm
Menards	Sale hours: 6am-11am
Cabela’s	Sale: 5am-10am
Dick’s Sporting Goods	Sale: 5am-2pm
Bass Pro Shops	Sale: 6am-11am

Zynga Poker Pumpkin Carving

Posted on October 23, 2011 by *Geekette*

As someone who aspires to be Martha Stewart when it comes to pumpkin crafts, I thought I would try my hand at a poker themed pumpkin!

Make Your Own Poker-themed Pumpkin

First, start with a pumpkin:

And make sure you have the right tools…obviously; this wasn’t the first time I’ve carved pumpkins. In addition to the traditional 5 piece set that includes the scoop and different serrated knives, last year I also splurged and got the linoleum cutters from Michaels (with a 40% off a single item coupon, of course!)

Then we thought about what we wanted to make and got inspiration from the Zynga iPad apps:

And sketched out our ideas. I normally cut the bottom of the pumpkin, instead of the top…this prevents the pumpkin from rotting as quickly and it keeps the top of the pumpkin pretty.

We got all the seeds and goup out:

With just our hands and the scoop that comes in the pack.

Since I didn’t have a pattern and it’s very easy to make a mistake and cut the wrong line, I visulized everything by cutting out my design and taping it to the pumpkin.

Then I traced on what I wanted to make:

After tracing the basical outlines with a market that could easily be wiped off, I drew in the details since I was going to be cutting around the lettering and cards.

Then with my linoleum cutter I started shaving away.

I used a lamp to sign under the pumpkin so I wouldn’t have to play with fire everytime.

Eventually I was done! I used the smaller blade to edge out the details…then I shaved away the excess pumpkin.

Tejas Rodeo Company | Bulverde, TX

Posted on October 9, 2011 by *Geekette*

This past Saturday, my family enjoyed visiting the Tejas Rodeo Company’s Saturday rodeo with 6 other families from work. We all had children ranging in ages from preschool through elementary school. EVERYONE had a blast! As someone who (proudly) did NOT grow up in Texas, I don’t always agree with everyone’s Texas-sized ideas of fun. This was a blast though. Rodeo events running from March through November each year, is a must do for anyone living near San Antonio.

The actual rodeo starts at 7pm on Saturday nights with live music to follow, around 930pm. The tickets were a very reasonable $10 each with discounts for children and military. Details here. The gates actually open at 5pm and we got there around 6:30pm. That gave us a chance to secure premium seating and get some grub before the long lines formed. I have it on good authority that while the actual rodeo is going on, the lines take forever! They do have a loud speaker to let you know when you’re food is ready, as long as you’re listening for your name you should be fine. And get the fries, they’re the slender, crispy kind. Addicting!

The rodeo started at 7pm and lasted through 9pm with bull riding, barrel races (even some 7 year old competitors!), mutton races (children riding buckin’ sheep!), and a calf run where children under 12 years old are invited to chase calves with tickets pinned to their tails. Children who capture the flag get free McDonalds kid meals! All the girls in our group had a blast during this event, even a little girl, originally scared of horses!

Don’t let the small town feel fool you. The cowboys and cowgirls had impressive resumes as long as the food lines! Many had awards and prizes from the prominent, national rodeo circuits and one cowgirl had been inducted not once but twice into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. The kids stood on the fences around the rodeo, with cowboys bringing their horses up close for some petting love.

In the middle of the rodeo, they announced a woman winning a free steak dinner at the next door steakhouse. They then proceeded to surprise the wife of a soldier, deployed to Iraq but on leave for two weeks with her husband! They just hugged and hugged while the audience gave them a standing ovation. Not only did they pay tribute to the military with this, at the beginning they also prayed over the event and asked God to keep the soldiers and their families safe. Very sweet and something you might not get at the big time rodeo productions.

Website: http://www.tejasrodeo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TejasRodeo

Address: 401 Obst Road, Bulverde, TX 78163

Phone: 830-980-2226

Event Calendar: http://www.tejasrodeo.com/calendar.php

Tejas Rodeo Company | Bulverde, TX

Love and Respect Experience | Dr Emerson

Posted on October 8, 2011 by *Geekette*

The Love & Respect Experience

A Husband-Friendly Devotional that Wives Truly Love

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

The Love & Respect Experience | Devotional by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

WARNING!! This book may change the course of your relationship for the rest of your life. For the better! Emerson (accessibly referred to by his first name) has come up with a year-long relationship devotional, based thousands of surveyed couples. It’s not a daily devotional because real-life couples can’t commit to every day. Life happens. And when it does, you want to have Love & Respect under your belt.

I love reading relationship books. I feel ridiculously empowered after understanding the ways other people might perceive things, especially in ways I had never considered. I felt just this way after reading this book. Being able to offer a comparable selection of self-help/relationship books to any mainstream bookstore, it’s hard to find something I haven’t heard before. Emerson surprised me with a couple great thoughts. I would recommend this devotional for any adult, whether you’re in a marriage, a couple’s relationship, or single. We have to nurture relationships all around us, at work, in our extended families, and networks…this book gives you the tools to understand where people of the other sex are coming from. And it’s not always even a guy/girl thing. Emerson very clearly states that there are two kinds of lenses people see through, pink and blue. Sometimes guys can see through “pink” lenses and girls can see through “blue.” Sometimes you see purple. The important part is to understand where the person is coming from, why they’re reacting the way that they are, and how to get off the “crazy cycle.”

Additional Love & Respect Resources:

Website: http://loveandrespect.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/loveandrespect

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/loveandrespectministries

*They’re very engaged and active on their social media channels as well! Have had direct conversations through Twitter!

God Gave Us the World | Lisa Bergren

Posted on October 8, 2011 by *Geekette*

God Gave Us the World

Written by Lisa T. Bergren

Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

This delightful children’s story uses a wise mama bear to help her cubs understand- the beautiful world that God has made, full of all types of different bears. They journey across the globe to see bears in different habitats that enjoy different types of foods. The book has a very genuine tone and does not succumb to clichés or cheesiness which many children’s stories do. The mama bear also uses excellent imagery to really drive the important messages home.

The book also ends on a perfect note, using the example of the God being sad when we don’t take care of His earth…just like the brother bear gets frustrated and hurt when his younger twin siblings hurt his toys.

My 8 year old enjoyed the story but would definitely be appropriate for someone as young as preschool aged.

Discussion Questions

Another thing that I love about the publisher’s website, there is a FREE downloadable PDF of questions for the entire series to discuss with your child afterwards. Sometimes parents don’t want to come up with all the thought provoking questions…or maybe you’re a Sunday School teacher, looking for a new lesson. These colorful discussion questions are worth checking out here as well.

Coloring Sheets!

Download these printable PDF coloring sheets from the beloved series:

God Gave Us the World - Download
God Gave Us You - Download
God Gave Us Two - Download
God Gave Us Love - Download
God Gave Us Heaven - Download
God Gave Us Christmas - Download

Learn more about all of Lisa Tawn Bergren’s books, here. She’s the best-selling author of over 30!

Although Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes, my opinions, positive or negative are my own.

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar | San Antonio, TX

Posted on September 25, 2011 by *Geekette*

Yesterday we celebrated a birthday at Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar! I was very excited to finally get a chance to eat here. I’ve been meaning to go during Restaurant Week (or any other time) because I am Boudro’s Bistro‘s biggest fan and also because of a Yelp event which was catered by Boudro’s in the private Firewheel area! If you’re looking for the perfect backdrop for any private event, you would be hard pressed to find one better than those offered at Zinc! Check out their beautifully romantic courtyard area, their wine cellar for parties of 50 and their reception area with both an upstairs overlooking the floor.

We enjoyed all of our appetizers and lighter entrees! The hummus disappeared especially quickly, and I LOVED that the bread was backed around the dish. A big fan of escargot, the dish was well-prepared, full of garlic buttery goodness. Everyone agreed that they left feeling wonderfully full and satisfied.

We also had some fun drinks from their extensive cocktail and wine menu, some opting for a Chilean Malbec while others enjoyed a “perfect” Bloody Mary (that was served with crisp pickled green beans that everyone enjoyed!)

Although we were celebrating a birthday, we didn’t get a chance to enjoy anything from their dessert menu. I was a little surprised when none was offered but we had such a fabulous meal that it was an ignorable, minor detail.

Don’t forget to become a Facebook fan and follow their tweets! They’re great about updating both sites individually in response to customer comments and to post yummy food pictures and daily specials.

Facebook here and @zincbistro on Twitter!

ESCARGOT

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - 2-ALARM HUMMUS Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - SPICY SPINACH ARTICHOKE AU GRATIN Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - BOUDRO’S TABLESIDE GUACAMOLE Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - ZINC SALAD Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - CHURRASCOS OF GRILLED SHRIMP Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - GULF BLUE CRABCAKES Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - STEAK & FRITES Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - PASTA PORTOFINO

Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations

Posted on September 6, 2011 by *Geekette*

Please consider going through the list below to see how you can donate to help the victims of the massive fires sweeping across Central Texas right now. Already tens of thousands of acres of land with people’s home and personal belongings have felt the wrath of this natural disaster. Although there is so much tragedy engulfing the area right now, neighbors, Texans, and people across the US are banding together in support of the cities. Below are links to the local Red Cross chapters, churches, food banks, shelters, and even baseball teams looking for donations of food, clothing, personal items, and money to help continue to fight the fires and the devastation left in its wake.

Picture courtesy of http://www.kvue.com.

EMERGENCY COUNTY BROADCASTERS

Check out information from the local emergency response government sites about the fires, shelters, and more detailed information here:

Texas Forest Service

Texas Road Closures

Hays County Fire & Evacuation Information

Bastrop County Emergency Management

Red Cross of Central Texas

Travis County Information

LOCAL NEWS

Local news channels and radios provide more links and donation facilities here:

KLBJ Radio 99.7 FM	Lots of detailed information and links, frequently updated.
KGSR Austin	When: All day Wednesday, 6am-7pmWhere: Rudy’s @ 2400 North IH-35, Round Rock (I-35 and between 1431 and 620) Taking donations for fire relief.	All day Wednesday, 6am-7pm, KGSR will be at Rudy’s @ 2400 North IH-35, Round Rock (I-35 and between 1431 and 620) taking donations for fire relief.
KLBJ 93.7	When: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 – 6am-7pmWhere: 11570 Research Boulevard KLBJ-FM will be at Rudy’s @ 11570 Research Boulevard, Austin (183 and Duval) taking donations.
ABC KVUE	Lots of detailed information and links, frequently updated.

DONATIONS

Donation stations accepting food and/or clothing and other supplies this week:

Organization	Address	Phone Number	Details
Spicewood TX	Spicewood Community Center 7901 CR 404 Spicewood, TX 78669		The Legacy Fund has been established by the Lions Club and are accepting donations and asking for assistance at the location listed.
Saint William Catholic Parish	St. William Catholic Church (map) 620 Round Rock West Dr Round Rock, TX 78681		Donations will be accepted at St. William Catholic Church in the church Pavilion, starting September 6, between 7:30am – 9pm.
Hill Country Bible Church	12124 RR 620 North Austin, TX 78750	512-589-7675 (for prayers or help)	We will continue to need donations of the following items which may be brought by the church between 8am and 8pm
Catpial Area Food Bank of Texas	1201 Pine Street Bastrop, TX 78602	512-303-0033	Bastrop Emergency Food Pantry is receiving food donations and is open 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. for donations the rest of the week.*Looking for non-perishable items listed on site. Also have a list of shelters here.
Capital Area Food Bank	8201 S. Congress Avenue Austin , TX 78745		8-5 p.m. or leave in boxes on dock outside of those hours
Caring Place	2000 Railroad St. Georgetown, TX 78627	512-869-4735	Looking for non-perishable donations.
Round Rock Serving Center	1099 East Main St. Round Rock, TX 78664	512-244-2431	Looking for non-perishable donations.
Old Wind’s/Dollar General Store	210 Main St, Smithville, TX		Clothing Donations
Zion Church	151 Shiloh Road Bastrop TX	512-308-9344	Clothing Donations
St. Vincent de Paul South Congress Store	South Congress Ave Austin, TX	512 442-5652	Clothing Donations
St. Vincent de Paul Yager Collection Center	18 West Yager Ln Austin, TX	(512) 238-6737	Clothing Donations
Red Cross of Central Texas
Diocese of Austin	1817 E. Sixth StreetAustin, TX 78702	(512) 651-6102	8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Catholic Charities of Central Texas in AustinMake donations online here.
The Independent	14251 W. SH 29, Suite BLiberty Hill, TX	(512) 778-5577	Food, water, personal hygiene and household items will be accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Round Rock Express	3400 East Palm ValleyRound Rock, Texas 78665	512.238.2217	Beginning Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., The Dell Diamond, home of the Express, will become a central drop-off point for household items and clothing intended for victims of the fires.All items can be dropped off at The Railyard, the official team store of the Express, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays and during upcoming playoff games.
Palm Valley Lutheran Church Round Rock	2500 East Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665	512-423-4862	There is a big need for diapers, wipes, baby food, nonperishable food items, trash cans, trash bags, underwear and socks, water, toiletries and kennels for dogs and cats.
Austin Disaster Relief Network	Fellowship SW Church in Buda (3870 FM 967, Buda)T-F from 9-5PMAustin Christian Fellowship (6401 Riverplace Drive, Austin) M-F, 10AM-8PM Church of the Resurrection (2008 Justin Lane, Austin) M-F, 9AM-6PM Celebration Church (1202 Rabbit Hill Trail, Georgetown) M-F, 9AM-5PM Hill Country Bible Church (Office – 12124 RR 620, Austin, Tx 78750) M-F, 9AM-5PM	Volunteer Hotline: 512-331-2200	Diapers, Baby Food, Adult Food (non-perishable), Trash Cans, Trash Bags, Underwear, Kennels for Dogs, Socks, and Water
OASIS on Travis Lake	6550 Comanche TrailAustin, TX 78732	512.266.2442	The OASIS on Lake Travis will be a drop site for Steiner Ranch evacuees. Austin Christian Fellowship is asking for bottled water, flashlights with batteries, tolietries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving products, shampoo, etc.), heavy trash bags, and work gloves.
Austin Christian Fellowship*More detailed information on their Facebook page here.	6401 River Place BoulevardAustin, TX 78730-1112	(512) 381-5700	We are open WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 6AM to take donations.ONLY THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NEEDED: ::Please no clothing or toys at this time:: disposable breathing masks cleaning supplies (Lysol or Clorox wipes preferred) flashlights and batteries heavy trash bags heavy work gloves
The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection	2008 Justin LaneAustin, TX	512-459-0027	The Thrift Shop at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection is accepting donations of clothing, housewares, and toiletries for victims of the Austin-area wildfires.Between 9am and 6 pm someone will be here to receive donations personally. After hours use the drop box at the back end of our parking lot at 2008 Justin Lane, or leave donations at the front door of either the Thrift Shop building or the Parish Hall building.

UPDATED (9/14/2011): Blankets for Bastrop is recruiting crafty people to make blankets for the families once they relocate or get back into their homes:

http://blanketsforbastrop.wordpress.com

And learn about how you can donate supplies or precious quilts to keep them warm in the winter and bring love into their new surroundings.