SAFUN

You either hate or love Fiesta. As a San Antonio native and one that enjoys celebrating San Antonio, I love Fiesta. San Antonio puts together an 11 day celebration filled with over 100 events.

Fiesta really is one of America’s truly great festivals. It began as a way to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto.

NIOSA (Night in Old San Antonio)  is one of my favorite events. It is an evening of food and drinks in La Villita (heart of San Antonio). It is open from 5:30pm to 10:30pm Tuesday through Friday. Various areas represent different cultures, serving their respective foods such as German, Italian and Asian. I go to taste different foods,  have a few beers and visit with family and old friends. It is quite an adventure and not for everyone. It does get crowded in some areas. Here is a clip of an area that got really crowded.

And then of course, NIOSA brings the best out in my parents. It’s really hard to out do this couple.

It’s official. I am married! What a year it has been preparing for that one special day. We had a wonderful wedding on Saturday, April 19th, the kick off weekend for Fiesta San Antonio.

As stated in a previous blog entry, Jason proposed to me on the night of March 9th, 2007 on Pier 39 in San Francisco. When we announced the news to everyone the next morning, we received two comments: “Congratulations!” and “So when is the wedding?” So I guess we were going to have a wedding.

I always imagined myself getting married one day but I never imagined what my wedding would be like. I never had a particular vision of what I wanted. This could be good and bad. Good in the sense that since you don’t have certain expectations for particular things in your wedding, you are more likely not to get let down if something doesn’t go right. Bad in the sense that if you don’t make the decisions, everyone else will try to make them for you and that can turn into sticky situations.

We first set the date. We wanted to do a wedding in the spring and preferably during Fiesta week. Jason and I celebrate Fiesta every year together so we thought it would be fun and memorable to have it during this time. Also, when our out of town guests came in, they had other activities they could do while visiting.

Everything else seemed to fall into place.

The Rehearsal Dinner at Paesano’s in Lincoln Heights

We had the loveliest rehearsal dinner anyone could ask for. It was a three-course meal in a private dining room at Paesano’s, a well-known San Antonio Italian restaurant. Jason’s mother made individual place settings for everyone. She made hand-sewn bags with our initials on them. In them were mini wine bottles with our pictures on them, cheese sampling, cheese slicer and crackers. There were also personalized wine glasses and hand crafted candles that were shaped as roses with a saying for each rose color. It was beautiful! And the food was outstanding. The most special thing of the entire event was that Jason’s parents chose Paesano’s because that was where they first met me.

I remember that day clearly. Jason and I were just friends at the time and he wanted to introduce me to his parents. So I chose Paesano’s because they wanted Italian.

The Rehearsal Dinner was perfect and it was a perfect preparation for the big day.

The Ceremony at St. Mary’s Church Downtown

Of course we wanted to have our ceremony at the church we belong to,
St. Mary’s Church downtown. April 19th was the only date they had available and perfect because it was Fiesta kick off weekend so we booked it.

This Church is unlike most churches. Built in 1852, it is in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The architecture is so unique and beautiful and really a sight to see.

The Reception Venue at Pearl Stables

For our reception we chose Pearl Stables, a recently refurbished venue. It was built in 1894 and served as a home for the Pearl Brewery’s draft horses. We chose this venue because of its unique architecture and antique feel. You didn’t need decorations in this building because it was beautiful as it was. April 19th was open so we booked it.

The Wedding Gown – Alfred Angelo

I started with my wedding dress. Everyone says that your dress will set the tone for your wedding. I received a $250 coupon for Alfred Angelo Bridal via email. Since I didn’t even know where to start, I figured it was a sign that I should just start there. I went to their website to get an idea of what they had to offer. I knew the exact dress I wanted to try on right when I got there. I tried on a few dresses but the one I loved the most was the first one I tried on. I did go to other bridal shops such as the Bridal Salon and Debi’s Bridal but went back to Alfred Angelo for 2 reasons: I felt the quality of the dress I tried on was better and I felt the service was better. I ended up purchasing the first dress I tried on.

My dress was part of the Piccione line at Alfred Angelo and it was a mermaid style dress. I loved it, it was perfect.

The Catering – Page Barteau Catering

We wanted an upscale, sophisticated meal with exceptional service. There are many big name catering companies in San Antonio and we received quotes from most of them. We chose Page Barteau although they weren’t one of the big names. When we received quotes from most of the big name catering companies, they never followed up 2-3 weeks later to see what we thought or what decision we had made. Page followed up. Although they work on many events, they made you feel like you were the only client they were working on. Our tasting experience was great, the food was great and the staff was great too. They really had that personal touch, yet they were professional. Another plus was that they could do the flowers and decor.
I am not a big flower person so I wanted something simple on the tables. I didn’t want this huge floral piece where you weren’t able to see the person across from you. We chose huge clear vases that were full of fresh limes and water and one lily curved inside the vase. Simple but made a statement.
We chose salmon and filet mignon for the dinner portion. We served mojitos, 3 different beers and white wine from the open bars.

The Cake – Buono Dolce Desserts

I prefer taste over presentation but it’s nice to have both. We went with a company called Buono Dolce mainly for convenience. Their cakes tasted great. Their presentation, eh, ok I guess. So the key for me was to go with something simple and traditional. White on white with classic piping. We bought a beautiful, modern cake topper. It was two joined silver hearts with crystals lined up on the corners. The groom’s cake was a traditional chocolate cake with tuxedo strawberries. They did a fantastic job on the presentation and of course the cake was tasty!

The Band – Texas Chili Peppers

My family likes to dance so music was a major decision for our wedding. Not knowing where to start, we just looked up various gigs in San Antonio and started scoping bands out. Jason and I and my parents went to Pasion Restaurant one night to check out a band called the Texas Chili Peppers. It was five piece band and they put on quite a show. We looked them up on-line and saw that they had been playing together for 10 years and they did weddings all the time. Also, their playlist was a very wide variety. They could play anything from Pop to Rock to Tejano, it was just what we needed. I cannot commend the Texas Chili Peppers enough. I didn’t even give them a playlist because I didn’t have enough time. They had the guests dancing from 8pm to midnight sharp. There was only one song that not everyone danced to. Everything else, the dance floor was packed.

More Music – Mariachi’s

Mariachi’s are a San Antonio tradition. We needed mariachi’s at the Church and at the reception. We had mariachi’s play as we exited the Church at the end of the mass. We also had them play during the cocktail hour at the reception and for Jason and I as we made a grand entrance into the reception.

The PhotoBooth – TNT Photobooth

So this was a last minute idea. When I went to the bridal extravaganza, I saw a vendor (TNT Photobooth) that rented out photobooths for events. I thought it was cool but it wasn’t within our budget so I forgot about it. As the wedding got closer, I started stressing over if everyone would have a good time. I remembered the photobooth so I looked them up and contacted them. They had the 19th open and they were running a special for the month of April. We went ahead and booked them and thank goodness we did! Besides the band, this was seriously the biggest hit the entire night. Everyone made their way to the photobooth and put their pictures into a scrap book where they could write messages for Jason and I. It was so awesome and I am so happy we did it. Check the pictures out here: http://tntphotobooths.com/clients/0419087408/strips_color.html

The Wedding Favors – The Fiesta Medals

Ok, this was also another huge hit for the wedding. Fiesta week is a San Antonio tradition. It is a week of celebration to honor the heroes of the Alamo and the diverse cultures of San Antonio. One tradition of Fiesta are Fiesta medals. People will collect medals that represent certain things. They will wear them on their shirts, as sash or even a hat throughout Fiesta week. So since we were having a Fiesta Wedding, why not have a Fiesta Wedding Medal? So we did and it was such a fabulous idea. We went through a local company, Hot Promotionals. We told them what we wanted and they sketched it out perfectly. It was a man and a woman dancing with confetti splattered around them. A Fiesta Wedding 2008, Jason and Angela is what it read. Everyone loved them and actually wore them at the wedding and throughout Fiesta week.

The Photography – JMark Photography

This has to be one of the most important decisions you make for your entire wedding preparation. The pictures will are all you have to remember your wedding day so you want them to express your wedding day as clear and as real as possible. I went to J Mark Photography based on a referral. They are out of Round Rock, TX and I went to meet with them at their home. They are a husband and wife and photography was their business. They had done many weddings before so I was able to see their portfolio. Their work was very high quality. I liked them because they had that personal touch, yet they were professional. Their pricing was also reasonable. They don’t through in a lot of extra costs, they give you want what you want.
I am happy we chose them. They did a fantastic job.

Based on what our guests said, we had an awesome wedding. I know Jason and I had a good time! It’s sad that you plan for such a long time for something that occurs for one day. It goes by way too fast. Jason and I did a good job with dancing and visiting with people. It’s tough being the center of attention, well for Jason and I it was.

Fiesta is an important time of the year for me. So what did I do this year? Let me give you the low-down:

Monticello Park Fiesta Home Tour

Monticello Park is a historic neighborhood full of beautiful historic homes. Each year, the neighborhood association gets 6 homeowners to open their home for a full day so people can walk through and appreciate the homes. My home was on the tour this year! We are actually also putting it up for sale. Take a look at inside410.com, it is the red and yellow brick house. Our house was built in 1927 and it has all wood floors, working fire place and original crown molding and tile.

So we had about 400-500 people walk through our home. What a day! It was the perfect way to start off the Fiesta Week. It was beautiful outside and everyone coming through were true Fiesta goers.

Texas Cavaliers River Parade

The River Parade is run by the Texas Cavaliers. It is held on Monday evening at the beginning of the Fiesta period. The parade features river barges all decked out running down the beautiful River Walk. My fiance works at the Weston Center in downtown San Antonio located right on the River, where the parade comes through. So each year, the Weston Center throws an amazing Fiesta party for all the tenants right before and during the River parade. They have catering by Fresh Horizons, who always do an amazing job with food and decor, very creative! They have an open bar and 2 bands. It is truly an amazing Fiesta party and you can walk a few feet to sit directly on the River and watch the parade. We had a good time!

NIOSA-Wednesday Night

NIOSA (Night in Old San Antonio) starts on Tuesday but we started on Wednesday this year. NIOSA is a party held in La Villita in downtown San Antonio from Tuesday through Friday, 5pm-10:30pm. There are different areas that feature different foods and bands such as the Irish Pub, Clown Alley, Frontier Town, French Quarters, China Town…just to name a few. NIOSA gets extremely crowded so if you do not like crowds, it is not a place for you. If you can relax, have a few drinks, eat some good food and not have a care in the world (even if someone spills beer on you) you are will be fine at NIOSA.

NIOSA-Friday Night (My Birthday too!)

We went to NIOSA on Friday night, the last night of NIOSA. My birthday ends up in the middle of Fiesta Week every year, how convenient is that? Whenever someone asks me what I am doing for my birthday, I just say that the city of San Antonio is throwing me a party. Usually, the last night of NIOSA, I go crazy on the food. I eat everything! Just because I won’t be able to eat until the next year. My favorite are the fried mushrooms; they are huge, not too bready and have the perfect spice. Yum! I also like the Maria’s Tortilllas. They have these ladies making homemade tortillas and they put some cheese and salsa in that warm tortilla and the cheese melts nicely and… you get the idea. The meat on the stick is good too. So this year, I spent my birthday with my whole family. We all went to NIOSA together and I had such a good time!

King William Fair

The King William Neighborhood is a historic neighborhood located South of downtown San Antonio. They feature old Victorian homes, most of which are mansions. Absolutely gorgeous homes and great location too. So each year, there is a Fair that is held right in the middle of the King William area. This Fair is a good event to bring children as it is a good family affair. There is food and drinks but most importantly, there are vendors selling jewelry, art, clothing and other cool items. You are allowed to bring chairs and and ice chest. There is a big grassy area in the middle of the Fair where the gazebo is located and this is where we park our chairs and ice chests and kick back and listen to the band that is playing. King William is one of my favorite Fiesta Events. I ate so much but the most memorable was the Turkey Leg and the gordita that I spent an hour in line waiting for! It was well worth it. My dad spent an hour in line for a turkey leg for my little brother and definitely tore it up!

Fiesta Flambeau Parade

There is a Battle of Flowers Parade held on Friday during the day and the following evening on Saturday, the Night Parade (Fiesta Flambeau) is held. Although my family attended the day parade, I only attended the night parade. It is the largest parade in the nation. This year, my uncle reserved a parking slot on Broadway, one of the main streets the parade comes through. He had a huge trailer parked with a platform built on top and canopy. All my little cousins were able to sit down and have a good view of the parade. It was a really cool set up. The parade was really cool and it opened up with the University of Texas band. Following was the Grand Marshall with a special float for Mario Lopez (aka AC Slater). Since it is at night, all the floats and bands coming through have really cool lights to brighten things up. It is a really neat sight!

So Fiesta was good this year. There are 100 events to attend and I only did a few (I do have to work!). I had a great time though. One thing I did notice is that there were NO RECYCLING BINS at any of the events. All the beer bottles, plastic cups, paper items were being thrown away as trash, I couldn’t believe it. I am definitely going to have to get involved with the Fiesta Commission and see how I can some how change that next year. It’s just so unfortunate to waste all those items.

So that is a wrap for 2007 and I will make sure to post in 2008.

 

My very own brother, Jose Miguel Ramirez, was crowned King Fiesta. If you are not a San Antonian, you might be a bit confused. Fiesta Week is 10 day long party in San Antonio, literally. Fiesta Week started with the “Battle of Flowers” which started back in 1891 to honor the heroes of the Alamo and Battle of Jacinto. It started off with a Parade of Flowers initiated by women and although the tradition continues, it has grown tremendously. There are around 100 official events that go on during this 10 day period. It involves good food, cascarones (egg shells filled with confetti that you crack on people’s heads), dancing, beer and margaritas…it’s just a huge party. The culture in San Antonio is culture derived from Spaniards and Mexicans and it is evident in the way people are…friendly, happy and ready to party with friends and family.
So back to King Miguel. There is Fiesta Royalty. It was started by the Texas Cavaliers with King Antonio. Although it was started to pay tribute to Alamo heroes, it has evolved into a role that is dedicated to charities and schools. So Fiesta Royalty is a huge part of Fiesta. Miguel’s school, Sunshine Cottage, had a Fiesta Court and my brother was voted King! He was crowned and he will be presenting a gift to King Antonio. It was a special event for Miguel as he was extremely proud to be the King (as you can imagine).
So Fiesta is a fun time. It is a time to spend with family and friends, a time to kick back, drink and eat and be a proud San Antonian.