South Texas Heritage Center at Witte Museum

Saturday, May 26, 2012, will be the grand opening of the Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center at the Witte Museum.  This two-story, 20,000 square foot addition will serve as the permanent home for the Witte’s South Texas collections.  Visitors will be able to experience over 150 years of change and rapid growth in San Antonio and South Texas.

Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center at the Witte Museum

Some of the new exhibits include:

  • San Antonio’s Main Plaza – a look at the famous square in the 1840s
  • Life along the border
  • Early years in South Texas – indigenous people, early settlers, the Missions
  • Oil and gas industry
  • Gallery dedicated to the 19th and 20th century early Texas art collections

With high-tech guides along the way, families can learn from cinematic robots, touch-screen computers, motion-trigger audio personas, and incredible sound and lighting effects capturing the interest and imagination of visitors young and old.

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Kids will get to see what life what like for children in the 1800s.  A wagon display has a peek inside crate full of goods from that time period.  Families can work together to balance goods on a donkey’s back.  Kids can also carry two buckets of water with a yolk like kids back then had to.  In addition to the existing exhibits at the Witte, you’ll want to set aside a lot of time to really go through everything.

GRAND OPENING

Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center at the Witte Museum

 

 

 

Saturday, May 26: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday, May 27: Noon-5 p.m.

Monday, May 28: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Address:  3801 Broadway | San Antonio, TX 78209

  • Witte Museum Boot Scoot and 5k Fun Run – opens the festivities with a morning run through Breckenridge Park
  • Demonstrations throughout the day
  • Cowboy/cowgirl dress up
  • Trick Roping
  • Horse interactions
  • Interactions with San Antonio Living History association
  • Much more!!!

 

SPECIAL EVENTS

The facility can accommodate up to 150 for a cocktail-style reception indoors and 250 for a seated dinner outside.  Please click here for more information.

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Francesca’s Culinaria Winemaker’s Dinner

No stranger to the lineup for Culinaria’s Wine and Culinary Festival, the Westin La Cantera’s fabulously romantic Francesca’s will be participating in the wine maker’s dinner on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

The toast of the evening is their featured wine, the Sommelier’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from Raymond Vineyards of Napa Valley. La Cantera’s very own Steven Krueger was one of only nine sommeliers across the COUNTRY selected to help blend this 2009 vintage. To learn more about Steven’s experience blending, check out his blog post here.

Chef Ernie Estrada has created an incredible pairing menu (view here). Call 210-558-2253 to make your reservations, this event WILL sell out! More details here or on the Westin La Cantera’s website, Facebook page, or tweets (@westinlacantera)

2012 Westin La Cantera's Francesca's Culinaria SA winemaker's dinner

Enjoy attention from guest hosts Stephanie Putnam, Director of Winemaking, Raymond Vineyards and Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker, proprietors of Becker Vineyards.

2012 Westin La Cantera's Francesca's Culinaria SA winemaker's dinner with Steven Krueger - Raymond Vineyards Sommelier's Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

(picture from Steven Krueger’s blog, “Lessons in Wine”)

I have personally attended a couple of the wine tastings hosted at the Westin La Cantera and highly recommend this intimidate experience! Served daily in the Steinheimer’s Lounge, Steven hosts a tasting that will take you across Texas vineyards for only $10. You do not have to be a guest of the hotel to take park. I learned more than I expected to about not only the wines but the wine making process, helping to deepen my appreciation for what Texas vineyards have set out to do.

Best Margarita Machine Rental | San Antonio

If you’re like me, every couple of years you’ll do a google search on “margarita machine rental san antonio” in search of a great deal on a crowd favorite. Allow me to shorten your search and recommend:

Best Margarita Machine Rental | San Antonio - Get Wild Margarita Machine Rentals

Get Wild Margarita Machine Rentals

Website:
http://www.getwildmargarita.com

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

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

Become a fan of their FB page like I did and be automatically entered to win (like I did) a discounted rental! I actually won $20 off my rental just for becoming a fan!!

  • Most competitive price in San Antonio, best rental AND delivery price ($90)…I looked at several different companies and a lot get you on the delivery charge
  • Personalize machine for FREE! Since my sister’s shower was Baylor themed they went above and beyond by ordering special Baylor themed magnets and decorations
  • FREE Personalized sign – not only do they personalize the machine, they also personalize the front with the congratulations message
  • Includes quality cups (a lot of places will give you flimsy plastic cups), straws, napkins that fit in your theme
  • They clean everything up; all you have to do is drink the margaritas!
  • Drop off and pick up were very smooth, they let me know when they were on their way and let me pick when would be a good time for me (even though it was Easter they still were very flexible!)

Dan and Lori will help make your special event even better!

Best Margarita Machine Rental | San Antonio - Get Wild Margarita Machine Rentals Baylor Themed

Best Margarita Machine Rental | San Antonio - Get Wild Margarita Machine Rentals

Best Margarita Machine Rental | San Antonio - Get Wild Margarita Machine Rentals

2012 Culinaria Wine & Food Arts Festival

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Culinaria 2012 will commence May 16, 2012 and end May 20!

Culinaria San Antonio

It’s almost time for the 13th annual Culinaria Wine & Food Arts Festival! From May 16-May 20 there will be upscale affairs featuring sumptuous gourmet creations, elegant wine dinners, extravagant tastings with expensive bottles from many of best global and local wineries and roadside taco trucks, too.

New & Different:

  • Tickets to the Grand Tasting will be limited this year to about 1,200 (down from 2,000 normally available – BUY NOW!)
  • Food Truck Competition - featuring Latin, Asian and New American cuisine – and yes, tacos, too – served from rolling roadside kitchens.
  • Sabado at Casa Hernan - an intimate dinner with Chef Johnny Hernandez

2012 Culinaria Wine & Food Arts Festival

Sip, Savor & Shop
    6 p.m. , Wednesday, May 16

The Shops at La Cantera

$35 in advance, $50 at the door

The festival week once again begins with Sip, Savor & Shop at The Shops at La Cantera on Wednesday, May 16 and the chance to seek your festival fashion for the week through models on display for specific events and shopping incentives at participating retailers.


Food Truck Competition at Alon

    6 p.m., Thursday, May 17

    Alon Market

    $10 in advance, $25 at the door. Ticket entitles bearer to beer, wine and water, guests then purchase items direct from the Food Truck vendor of choice.

San Antonio’s top chefs and mobile chefs serve their fine cuisine right from their mobile trucks! Here, some of the more popular food trucks will gather in one place providing an opportunity to attendees for a stroll around that includes wine, shopping and live entertainment. It’s a casual evening of gourmet foods and, of course, wine and beer. Seize the opportunity to gather and dine with these esteemed guests.

Winemaker Dinners
    7 p.m., Thursday, May 17

    Various Locations, visit culinariasa.com

  • Luke San Antonio’s Winemakers Dinner featuring Pedernales Cellars (details here)
  • Westin La Cantera‘s Winemakers Dinner featuring Raymonds Vineyard and Becker Vineyards (details here)
  • Max’s Wine Dive Winemakes Dinner featuring Hogue (menu here)

    Price varies by restaurant, visit culinariasa.com

Best of Mexico

7 p.m., Friday, May 18

Villita Assembly Building

$50 in advance, $65 at the door

A little bit of action, plenty of spicy flavors and so much fun all in one event – the Best of Mexico. Our local chefs create an event that reflects the tastes from south of the border. Of course, this event also highlights the winners from our Tequila competition but also delivers wine as part of the package along with live entertainment and a silent auction.

Becker Luncheon

    Noon, Friday, May 18

    Becker Vineyards

    $65 (Advance Sales Only)

Friday may be the end of the work week, but, for Culinaria, it signals the start of a weekend full of activities, starting with the popular Luncheon at Becker Vineyards. The Beckers play host to three local chefs each taking one course of the meal and pairing it with the festival’s guest winemakers for the week. The result is an afternoon that is tasty, informative and the perfect way to kick off the weekend.

Sabado at Casa Hernan

11am-1p.m., Saturday, May 19

411 E Cevallos St | San Antonio, TX 78204

$50

Ethnic flavors come together to celebrate this Mexican tradition. Start your Saturday of festival festivities experiencing variations of barbacoa as Chef Johnny Hernandez takes you through the journey through sight, smell and plenty of taste accompanied by fantastic cocktails and entertainment.

 

Sommelier Tasting Seminar

11am-1p.m., Saturday, May 19

411 E Cevallos St | San Antonio, TX 78204

$50

Sommeliers know a thing or two about wine – it’s their business. Guests at this seminar will experience a blind tasting with the experts and our special guests Virginia Philip, Master Sommelier and Guy Stout, CWE, Master Sommelier along with our local wine experts, Dr. Richard Becker, Becker Vineyards and Steven Krueger, Resort Sommelier for the Westin La Cantera. These experienced palates will give you the chance to taste wine like a pro with a combination of white and red wines and certainly a surprise or two along the way.

 

The Grand Tasting (bubble Room)

7 p.m., Saturday, May 19

Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
$100 advance sales, $125 at the door

BUBBLE ROOM: Early access to the Grand Tasting, a designated area for our Bubble Room patrons and bubbles along with a few small bites make this a truly grand night. The first-ever Grand Tasting Bubble Room will be limited to a small number of guests. Purchase of this ticket includes access to the Bubble Room and to the Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tasting Presented by Ambhar Tequila: The name says it all. This Saturday night spectacular features the absolute best of restaurants in town and the culmination of the wines featured throughout the festival. Live entertainment – and room for dancing this year – with a silent auction all set against the backdrop of the San Antonio Riverwalk make this the event to attend.


Burgers, BBQ & Beer, (The Pearl)
Noon, Sunday, May 20

    The Pearl

    $35 advance sales, $50 at the door

The only way to follow an evening of grandeur is to kick back and relax Texas-style. And, the best way to do this is to enjoy Culinaria’s backyard barbecue, also known as Burgers, BBQ and Beer. San Antonio chefs enjoy creating their own spin on burgers and barbecue and attendees have the chance to sample all of the goodness. Live entertainment at the Pearl Amphitheater and eclectic shopping are the best ways to complete this relaxing afternoon.


TICKETS: Call Culinaria at 210.822.9555 or click on the hyperlink name to Eventbrite.


SA Chef Coalition’s First Supper

In one meal, @SAChefCoalition has set an incredible tone for the SA culinary community as this alliance of chefs strives to live up to their ambitious mission statement (from their inaugural dinner worddoc):

  • Community involvement and dedication to charitable work
  • Helping Local Farmers and Artisanal Producers
  • Education of our Craft, Passion and Drive behind Chef Driven Restaurants
  • Food & Fitness, Leading the way for making positive changes for our youth

The money raised during the 1st supper will go towards 3 SAISD high schools’ culinary programs. Only stipulation to the schools (Burbank, Lanier, and Sam Houston) was that it could not be spent on food…could be used for equipment, training, resources, etc. Learn more about the high school culinary program at Sam Houston here. Especially dear to Burbank 1994 alum Chef Jesse Perez’s heart!

The chefs (and sommelier) behind the Coalition:

 

The pictures will speak for themselves but it was an amazing dinner. Easily worth the $95, from the second you wandered onto the porch of Tre Trattoria, you knew you were in for a treat. Beautifully set up, each guest received a different potted herb (basil, lavender, and more). Not only were you surrounded by engaging chefs who passionately presented meals made with TLC, the people who signed up for this grassroots meal were self-proclaimed foodies trying to feed their addiction to food porn which ended up being the perfect recipe for a high energy evening full of fun and surprises.

Menu

  • For Starters:  Rebecca Creek whiskey sours and charcuterie (which was FABULOUS, accompanied by the perfect mustard), carrot purée, grilled spring onions, and butter nut squash.
  • Salads:  Beet salad with crisp green beans, simple leafy salad.
  • Leading Ladies and Supporting Acts:  Farm-raised roasted chicken, AMAZING beef cheek with huge cloves of garlic, mushrooms, pomegranates (easily the show stealer of the evening),  polenta, grits, kale, rutabaga, and a farro dish.
  • Sweet Ending:  Fresh strawberries in whipped cream and pop rocks.
And as if that meal was not enough, each foodie friend left with a bag of homemade granola for a breakfast fit for a king!

Fresh ingredients were provided for by the following local farms or vendors:

 

Beautiful pictures from the event captured by @DavdRangel
here on Flickr.  Even more pictures from Chris Saucedo!

Make sure to follow @SAChefcoalition as they announce the next event, this Thursday!

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

Amazing charcuterie

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

Chef Andrew Weissman with John Griffin of SavorSA.com

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

show stealer for sure - beef cheeks = phenomenal!

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

#foodiemamas from left to right: @ohmypuddin @definedelicious @safoodnazi @TaraBurkholder & me (@geekettebits)!

San Antonio Chef Coalition | @sachefcoalition

Savings Nation | Erin Chase

What:  Savings Nation, a workshop hosted by Savings.com

When:  March 30 from 6:30-8:30pm

Where:   Alamo Heights United Methodist Church in San Antonio

Cost:  $5 plus a canned good (both of which go to the San Antonio Food Bank!)

Erin will teach participants smart and simple ways to save BIG at the grocery store…basically how to spend less making small changes to the way you shop, use coupons and meal plan. She shares top tips and tricks for saving big…all while being healthier (she’s big on cooking from scratch and eating healthy).

 

Erin Chase, founder of $5 Dinners.com, been The ViewThe Rachel Ray Show and ABC News. She grew up in San Antonio, lived outside the country for a while, came back and started her little blog…which sort of blossomed into a national phenomenon which led to a gig on Rachel Ray and two best selling cookbooks.

 

Register:  http://www.5dollardinners.com/2012/03/san-antonio-coupon-class.html

Why should you go??

  • Learn how to save 50% on groceries with coupon strategies for  local stores
  • Get valuable and exclusive tools to find the best deals and plan out meals every week
  • Connect with neighbors, make new friends, and find a savings buddy to help along the way
  • AND you’ll be supporting the local San Antonio Food Bank!

Savings Nation | Erin Chase

Directions:

Alamo Heights United Methodist Church – 825 E. Basse Road | San Antonio, TX 78209 {map}

Brought to you by Savings.com who believes the key to being a happy, healthy consumer is saving money on the things that you need in order to spend on the things that you want.  Find additional savings from them on their social media channels:

 

Sunset Grill American Bistro | Fredericksburg, TX

During a girls weekend in Fredericksburg, TX, I stopped by Sunset Grill American Bistro to enjoy take out and use my breakfast coupons from the B&B I was staying at.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful.  There was a great menu selection of farm fresh options and I was in and out within 20 minutes, after figuring out what I wanted and ordering.  I was also pleasantly surprised when instead of just sending me on my way he walked my to my car and placed my to go bags comfortably inside! Fredericksburg hospitality at it’s finest.

Although we just enjoyed crisp bacon, their homemade, fresh yogurt and fruit, and their delicious baked goods (once they’re gone they’re gone! …and they were gone quickly and I was there at 8am!) I can imagine their lunch and dinner menu is equally tempting.

Sunset Grill on Urbanspoon

DIRECTIONS:

Don’t let you GPS fool you, mine actually took me to the parking lot of Denny’s.  From Main Street in Fredericksburg - Go South on Adams Street approximately .8 mile and it’s located on your right.  If you pass Denny’s you’ve gone TOO far.

Sunset Grill American Bistro | Fredericksburg, TX

San Antonio Cocktail Conference

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!

san antonio cocktail conference schedule buy tickets

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)

san antonio cocktail conference benefits Heartgift

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

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.

D-box movie review santikos theaters

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

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

 


silverado san antonio d-box
Houston Silverado 19 IMAX - $17.75
24720 State Hwy 249, Tomball, TX 77375
Map & Directions

 


palladium san antonio theater d-box
San Antonio Palladium IMAX - $18.00
17703 W IH-10, San Antonio, TX 78257
Map & Directions

 


Mayan theater san antonio d-box
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

D-box movie review santikos theaters

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

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

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.)

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

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.

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

Beth pictured below with her two precious babies:

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

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

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

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 :o )

 

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 :o )

 

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

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:

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

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

Eversave San Antonio

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!

Eversave San Antonio

** 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!

Eversave San Antonio | Dallia's Hair and Nail Studio

 

Become a fan on Facebook:

Eversave San Antonio Facebook

Follow their tweets, @EversaveSAT:

Eversave San Antonio Twitter

The winner will be selected randomly on Tuesday, November 22! Check back to see if you won!

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar | San Antonio, TX

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.

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar on Urbanspoon

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!

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - ESCARGOT

ESCARGOT

Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar - 2-ALARM HUMMUSZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - SPICY SPINACH ARTICHOKE AU GRATINZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - BOUDRO’S TABLESIDE GUACAMOLEZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - BOUDRO’S TABLESIDE GUACAMOLEZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - ZINC SALADZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - CHURRASCOS OF GRILLED SHRIMPZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - GULF BLUE CRABCAKESZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - STEAK & FRITESZinc Bistro & Wine Bar - PASTA PORTOFINOZinc Bistro & Wine Bar
Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar

Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations

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:

Red Cross of Central Texas - Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations for Central Texas Fire

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:

Capital Area Food Bank of Texas - Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations for Central Texas FireRound rock Express - Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations for Central Texas Fire

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.

Austin Disaster Relief - Greater Austin | Bastrop Fire Relief, Donations for Central Texas Fire

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.

Restaurant Gwendolyn

I really don’t need to say much in this blog post as the pictures explain the incredible meal we enjoyed at the still relatively new Restaurant Gwendolyn.  We were a party of three sets of couples enjoying a celebratory birthday dinner next to a table of six celebrating something special as well. Very close to the Majestic Theater, we were able to valet at the Crown Plaza (111 Pecan Street East, 78205) across the street from the restaurant that sits above the river.  (Although they were doing construction on Pecan St., you normally can give your server the valet ticket to have your car brought to the restaurant.)

Of course we opted for the 5 course meal which was a fantastic culinary time travel to 150 years ago when food was not pre-processed, everything was made from scratch, and everything was homegrown good (everything served is created from ingredients found within an 150 mile radius.)

At the end of the meal, Chef Michael Sohocki made rounds to each of the dinner party tables (other smaller groups came and went while we were there) humbly curious if  everyone enjoyed their meal.  His dishes focused on individual ingredients, marrying them to bring out the best in each other.

I definitely recommend this special treat for any warranted (or unwarranted) occasion.  We went on a Thursday night and made reservations in advanced.  I’m sure it gets much dressier on the weekends (jackets appreciated, which we met in various degrees coming from a casual work environment.)

Find them on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restaurant-Gwendolyn/115635658516708

Restaurant Gwendolyn on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Gwendolyn

The menu changes daily highlighting the various local ingredients selected for that evening:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Homemade bread and butter covered with poppy seeds and topped with thyme and other various herbs growing in pots at the restaurant’s entrance:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Enjoyed homemade raspberry soda – soda water and raspberry syrup is brought to you with an accompanying miniature pitcher with additional syrup to add to your taste:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

The ginger beer was also great!

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Our amuse bouche included a fried potato (server still hot), topped with cod and red peppers:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Potage of zucchini was rich and creamy!

Restaurant Gwendolyn

This fabulous course served an impressively tasty braised pork and savory crepe:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

One of the people in our party was not able to enjoy the pork course for religious reasons and the kitchen instantly accommodated with a tasty salad:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Before our main entrees we enjoyed plum sorbet that was so ridiculously fresh, if you had closed your eyes you’d have thought you just bit into the ripest plum:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Entree choices were bangers and mash, the sausage made in-house of course:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

and rabbit with polenta that the table agreed exuded the comforts of a Thanksgiving holiday meal:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

For dessert we struggled between the choices of rum raisin and almonds with homemade ice cream:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

and peach piece with honey ice cream:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

We were also surprised with THREE more sweet treats!  Cookies shared around:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Bite-sized candies:

Restaurant Gwendolyn

and a wrapped cookie for each of the ladies to take home.

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Reading other reviews about Restaurant Gwendolyn suggested the freshness of siphon coffee for two, although I am not a java drinker (just Java writer…) thankfully someone in the group ordered it.  We all watched in wonder as the water was heated to eventual boil, the pressure eventually moving the water to the top container before filtering the brew down to the original jar.

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Restaurant Gwendolyn

Francesca’s at Sunset | Westin La Cantera

One of my favorite recent experiences (complimentary, courtesy of the Westin La Cantera) received from our staycation at the Westin La Cantera (more posts to come!!!) was the two intimate hours spent in the kitchen of Francesca’s at Sunset with executive chef John Armstrong and chef de cuisine Ernie Estrada. This restaurant is opened daily from 6pm to 10pm and offers “South Texas cuisine with a Southwestern flair”. The chefs pride themselves on their menu items almost all containing “Farm to Table” ingredients provided by local Central and South Texas farmers and ranchers.

This fabulously romantic restaurant has so much heart behind it in the kitchen. You would not believe how welcomed and gracious Chef Armstrong and Chef Estrada were to our small group. We bombarded them with every question we could come up with and they answered them all in strides and smiles, welcoming us to ask more by emailing them anytime (like other frequent patrons already do!) Everything we ate that afternoon tasted as good as it looked and will definitely remain a top 10 memory in my mind. The chefs offer frequent opportunities to meet with them on a more personal level at the restaurant and we all felt truly welcomed into their world.

Francesca's at Sunset on Urbanspoon

*Brunch menu found here (served Sundays from 10:30am-2pm)!

How Francesca’s got her name?

This restaurant has an equally passionate story behind its namesake. There’s a Wild West legend that involves a young man named Ferenor who was preparing to enter into priesthood by taking his final vows when he met and fell in love with a beautiful girl named Francesca’s, who returned his love. Dismissed by the leaders in the church, they ran away together, unfortunately straying from the path and becoming lost. Leaving Francesca to find help from a light in the short distance, Ferenor never found the light or help that eventually diminished. In his hast to return to Francesca, Ferenor lost consciousness when he struck his head on a rock after stumbling in the darkness. Regaining consciousness the next morning, he found the village searching for himself and Francesca. Setting out in search of Francesca again, neither Ferenor nor Francesca was ever found again.

Luckily our love affair with Francesca’s kitchen was more lucky and we started with Peach cider with grill roasted peaches, pecan oil, and a micro arugula salad:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - local cooking ingredients

Chef Armstrong patiently explained how to prepare everything:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - san antonio brunch

Including the rub he quickly made:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - servers brunch in san antonio

With the paprika he brought from his home kitchen since they didn’t have any at the restaurant that day:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - local cooking ingredients

To how to sear the peaches:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - romantic dining

He also explained that micro arugala was just arugula that was harvested when it was in it’s infant stages of growth:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - romantic dining

Plating the beautiful salad with a sample of locally made peach cidar.

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - romantic dining

And happily marched to one of Francesca’s long-time favorite staple menu items: Francesca’s Guajillo Chile Rubbed Filet of Beef

We did a sniff taste in the kitchen to figure out the ingredients below (that included chipotle chiles, corriander, carmelized onions, cipotle, burgundy, and roasted tomato):

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - romantic dining

The locally grown and butchered filet mignons:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio restaurant

Rubbed down with a few different spices:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio romantic restaurant

And enhanced after being grilled with a veal reduction (that was homemade and reduced for over 18 hours!!!)

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio restaurant

Topped with a fabulous southwestern queso fresco and micro cilanotro.

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - Chef John Armstrong

Perfection on a platter.

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - Chef Ernie Estrada

Brioche French Toast stuffed with blueberries and bananas with pecan maple syrup:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - Family Restaurant

Homemade brioche bread (which I enthusiastically believe makes for the BEST French toast ever!!)

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio vacation

The chef sliced bananas and combined with fresh blueberries in a bowl, mashing them together:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - romantic San Antonio restaurant

Which would be stuffed into the bread later:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio dining

We got to use tasting spoons to sample the batter that included a tasty standard recipe kicked up a notch with heavy cream, egg, sugar, Tahitian vanilla bean, and rum:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio restaurant

The maple syrup also included pecans and bananas:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio restaurant

The bread was sliced thickly so that the chef could slice in half and then stuff the seasonal fruit in:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - hill country restaurant

Pressed down and sealed in once stuffed:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio resort restaurant

And then submerged in the batter for several minutes:

Francesca’s | Westin La Cantera - San Antonio tourist restaurant

Cooked on a hot skillet:

Francesca’s restaurant | Westin La Cantera

And toasted to perfection:

Francesca’s restaurant | Westin La Cantera

Drizzle and server…voila!!

Francesca’s restaurant | Westin La Cantera

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs

Free stuff for reading? Yes please! Check out this list of retailers and local libraries offering incentives for kids to read with their families or on their own this summer! Beat the heat and reap the rewards, literally! In no particular order here are a bunch of great programs!

 

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs Barnes and Noble

 

Barnes & Noble’s Summer Reading program encourages kids to read by asking them to download a journal, read 8 books, and then pick a FREE book at the nearest store near you. Now through 9/6/2011!

 

Downloads:

 

 

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs Borders Books

 

Borders book store is offering you a free book after the 10th book read! Now through 9/5/2011! Download the reading form here. You get to pick which 10 and Borders is offering a great selection of freebies to choose from (see complete list of freebies here!)

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs Chuck E Cheese

Even Chuck E Cheese is getting in the spirit by offering this reading calendar in exchange for tokens!! Print our calendar here.

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs HEB Buddy

 

From now until 10/1/2011, you can join the HEB Summer Reading Club and after reading 10 books you’ll get a cool prize!

 

After printing out the form (download here), mail it in to this address:

 

H•E•Buddy® 2011 Summer Reading Program,

10530 Sentinel, San Antonio, Texas 78217

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs Half Price Books

 

Download your summer reading log from Half Price Books here and spend your summer keeping track of all the great books you read! Start turning in completed logs between July 25th through August 7th and receive $5 Back to School Bucks reading rewards cards!

 

2011 Kids Summer Reading Programs Scholastic Books

Scholastic if also offering freebies in their summer reading program here. Log your minutes to win rewards! This is by far the most modern and technologically filled summer reading program. Your child will sign up for an account where they log the hours they read each day. Meet the reading challenge each week and win FREE downloads and other prizes.