San Antonio Traditions

A popular Texas tale recounts how a striking mulatto woman named Emily Morgan "entertained" General Santa Anna in his tent just before the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. According to the story, the amorous general was so smitten that he neglected pressing military matters – and thus Sam Houston and his ragged troop of pioneers were able to defeat the Mexican army and gain freedom for Texas.

While many contend that there’s little evidence to support this story, others are equally adamant there is. Whatever the case, the hotel that now bears Emily’s name is every bit as charming as the legendary "Yellow Rose of Texas" herself was reputed to be.

The Emily Morgan was originally built as a Medical Arts Building in 1926 but was converted into a hotel in 1985. The distinctive, wedge-shaped Gothic Revival building looms above nearby Alamo Plaza. In fact, my upper-floor room overlooked the Alamo and the gardens behind it. Not only was I just an elevator ride and few steps away from that most hallowed of Texas shrines, but San Antonio’s famed River Walk, its lively Mercado, la Villita arts district, Rivercenter Mall, and other agreeable spots were all within walking distance.


The Emily Morgan Hotel at the Alamo
My roomy, high-ceilinged room had a to-die-for (or at least perchance to dream on) feather-topped king bed with white bathrobes laid neatly out on the counterpane as if anticipating that, yes, there was nothing I’d like more after a long flight than to slip into something more comfortable. A soak in the Jacuzzi in the large bathroom followed by a cup of tea and perusal of some intriguing magazines set out on the coffee table in the sitting area were other small seductions that bid me dally rather than set off on my originally planned campaign.

I reveled in the spacious bathroom, which featured a nice array of Aveda bath products on the marble-topped vanity. Even more, I reveled in that wonderful king-sized bed with its four plump pillows and silk-like cotton sheets. Everything that I could reasonably have wished for was provided, from an ironing board in an ample closet to a complimentary paper on my doorstep each morning.

As befits a boutique hotel, the Emily Morgan has a distinctive look and hip vibe. The decor may be modern, but the overall impression created is traditional. The attractive lobby features a sleek bar and comfortable sitting areas, the perfect place to meet friends or just relax and unwind. There’s also a lovely wood-paneled library off the lobby, a cozy place to curl up with a book near the fireplace. The staff at the Emily Morgan are obliging, handling most requests with ease, and the doorman in particular was helpful in giving walking directions.

In short, the Emily Morgan completely won me over with its beguiling combination of creature comforts and gracious ambience.

In a city renowned for its Mexican restaurants, the Zuni Grill wisely avoids head-to-head competition by focusing on Southwestern cuisine, with a menu that looks westward rather than southward.

Without setting out to do so, I ate breakfast at Zuni on three separate occasions. And while I can’t speak with any authority about lunch or dinner, I can testify that breakfast is a very popular meal here. Part of the appeal is the location – right along one of the busiest stretches of the Riverwalk, in a picturesque spot near a lovely stone bridge, where putdoor tables are set up in the shade. Crested herons perch in nearby cypresses, and interesting snatches of narrative from tour boat guides echo across the river. In fact, I’d say it was this appealing outdoor scene that brought me back a second time. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast; once I find a comfortable spot, I feel no compulsion to look further.

Zuni has a number of signature breakfast dishes, such as Chilaquiles (pronounced ‘chile killies’), which I ordered the first time I ate at Zuni. This is also known as Scrambled Eggs San Antonio style, with strips of corn tostadas cooked with the eggs, then topped with Monterey Jack cheese and salsa verde. The texture of the corn tostadas, softened by cooking them with the eggs, was intriguing, and the generous portion was accompanied by skillet fries and a cup of diced fresh fruit.


While I was tempted by the breakfast tacos on my second breakfast, as I’d heard they were very good, I caved in instantly once I saw the weekend buffet breakfast (served from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) There’s always a danger of becoming satiated to the point of stupor at these types of spreads, but Zuni reduced the odds by including generous amounts of fruit and other light fare, balancing out the sausages, waffles, and other indulgences. One thing that struck me as slightly odd, though, was that juice was not part of the buffet and needed to be ordered separately.

I’d planned to branch out for my final breakfast in San Antonio, honestly I did, but when a friend who lives in town suggested we meet for breakfast, she said she knew "just the place" to go.

"Where might that be?"

"The Zuni Grill."

Who was I to argue with a locals choice? After all, I hadn’t yet had the breakfast tacos. As it turns out, I still haven’t had them, as I was instantly overtaken with an intense desire for "applewood smoked salmon on a cream cheese bagel with capers and lemon" once I spotted it on the menu at my third and final breakfast at Zuni. I enjoyed every savory bite as we sat chatting and watching the river boats drift lazily by.

Guess I’ll just have to return to Zuni for those breakfast tacos the next time I’m in town.

I had no idea. Really, I had no idea that the Lone Star State was so ethnically diverse. Even though I was born and partly raised in Texas, I assumed the Texas "cultures" on display at the Institute of Texan Cultures would run the gamut from cowboy to Mexican and then maybe to, well, Tejano and rancher. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

The institute is housed in a spacious building which originally served as the Texas Pavilion at HemisFair in 1968. While I can remember being taken to HemisFair as a child, I have no real recollection of this hall, which ultimately proved to be so successful that it continued to be run under the auspices of the University of Texas after the fair ended. Today, the building is devoted to lively exhibits on twenty-six separate ethnic groups that were originally in Texas or migrated there over the course of settlement.


One of the most eye-catching displays is right in the entrance corridor. There, a long glass case that stretches a good 50 yards or so displays photos of prominent Texans – alongside their footwear. Mia Hamm’s soccer shoes, Don Henley’s scuffed cowboy boots, Lady Bird Johnson’s elegant black-and-white pumps, Tara Lipinski’s skates, and Mary Kay Ash's (of the famed cosmetics company) hot pink high heels are just a few of the pairs of "plain and fancy" footwear on display.

A central area under a large dome is given over to periodically showing a kaleidoscopic video presentation featuring images of the state’s diverse people and communities. Although this presentation may not be up to present-day Imax standards, it’s a good introduction to the rest of the exhibits, which are largely given over to thematic displays on important aspects of Texas culture and the many diverse groups who all now call themselves Texans.

I was fascinated by the displays on German culture, for instance, reading about how German musical instruments and forms, most notably the accordion and traditional dance music, were taken up and fused with Tejano music, becoming conjunto, a musical form which is still very much alive and kicking today. It became clear that the influence of German culture is very strong in Texas, but other cultures as diverse as Greek, Lebanese, Swiss, Chinese, Danish, Hungarian, Italian, and Polish also make up the vibrant "quilt" of Texan cultures.

Each June the Institute's grounds are the site of the Texas Folklife Festival, four days celebrating the state's diverse heritage. The institute also hosts various educational and cultural events throughout the year as well as maintaining a research library and a vast historical photo collection. These resources are open to the public. Admission to the Institute’s main exhibits is $7 for adults, $4 for children, seniors, students, military, and those in tour groups.

Preserving a Rich Architectural Heritage

San Antonio was one of the first cities west of Mississippi to make a concerted effort to preserve its historic buildings, beginning back in 1924 with the foundation of the San Antonio Conservation Society. Not only has this guaranteed that the city’s architectural riches are left intact for future generations, but the preservation of these structures has added considerably to San Antonio’s appeal as a tourist destination.

In a particularly clever move, many of the graceful older buildings have been converted, or are in the process of being converted into visitor-friendly attractions and hotels, while others are entering a second life housing new businesses and attractive condominiums.

Frankly, I hadn’t come to San Antonio expecting such architectural largesse, but the city’s varied mosaic of older buildings alongside interesting new ones quickly seized my attention. Here just are a few of the many architectural sights that caught my eye while visiting San Antonio.

Spanish Colonial Treasures

San Antonio is best known for its cache of wonderful Spanish Colonial buildings, especially the Spanish Governor’s Palace and the five missions that comprise the Mission Trail. The imposing San Fernando Cathedral, which underwent considerable expansion in 1868, as well as the historic district known as La Villita, dating from the earliest settlements of the city, are other remnants of the days when the Spanish rather than the U.S. flag was flown.


It goes without saying that Spanish Colonial Revival buildings are also extremely popular in San Antonio as throughout the Southwest, and many of the city’s hotels and upscale residences boast tile roofs, adobe walls, and lovely arched courtyards.

The 1880s-1920s Building Boom

The second half of the nineteenth century brought waves of immigrants and newcomers to San Antonio, ushering in an era of boom-town growth and prosperity. These immigrants bought with them the building traditions of their homelands, including German decorative woodwork and Italian stonecutting techniques.

Just as importantly, the leading citizens of this period had grandiose designs and expectations for the city, resulting in the sort of architectural smorgasbord that many prominent American cities display, with a profusion of Beaux Arts, Italian Renaissance Revival, Greek Revival, Second Empire, Late Gothic Revival, and other fashionable styles. San Antonio’s City Hall, for example, is a fine example of a French Second Empire Building, while the striking Bexar County Courthouse, constructed of vivid Pecos red sandstone, was inspired by the Romanesque Revival.

During the 1920s, the city went on a skyscraper-erecting binge, perhaps as part of the successful campaign to wrestle away from Dallas the distinction of being Texas’ largest city, an honor that Big D was soon to reclaim. The 13-story Medical Arts Building (which is now the Emily Morgan Hotel), The 30-story Tower Life Building, the 24-story Nix Professional Building, and the 21-story Milam Building were all erected during the 1920’s. These structures were not just tall, they were profusely ornamented, with stone gargoyles, decorative tiling, art deco motifs, and terra cotta flourishes on the outside and opulent marble, brass, and bronze surfaces on the interior.


Many of these buildings can be enjoyed by simply strolling along San Antonio’s famed River Walk. As you walk along, look up, for the Tower Life Building, the Bexar County Courthouse, and the Nix Professional Building among others suddenly seems to spring up from behind the trees, a reminder that you are, after all, right in the heart of downtown San Antonio.


Opulent Theaters

The renovation of San Antonio’s historic theaters has been central to the emergence of a vibrant theater and arts district. The Majestic Theater, built in 1929, was once the largest theater in Texas and the first in the state to be completely air conditioned. No ordinary movie palace, the Majestic boasted a vaulted ceiling onto which twinkling stars and drifting clouds were projected by a then state-of-the-art projection machine. A splendid melding of Spanish Baroque and Mediterranean architectural styles, the Majestic fell on onto hard times and eventually closed its doors in 1974. However, soon after that the theater was donated to a foundation which raised $4.5 million dollars for its restoration and reopening in 1989.

Nearby another historic theater, the Empire, followed a similar trajectory, and was reopened in 1998. The older and smaller Empire, which opened in 1913 and became a prominent theater on the vaudeville circuit, was modeled after a European palazzo, albeit with such modern (for the time) touches as electrical lighting and fans.

But perhaps the most unusual of San Antonio’s historic theaters is the Aztec, which reopened in April of 2006 after an ambitious restoration and expansion. The Aztec was one of the few Mayan Revival style theaters in the country. It featured an ornate interior with colorful murals depicting Mesoamerican themes, elaborate relief carvings, huge columns, and an immense two-ton chandelier. The Aztec now houses an entertainment complex with an iWERKS (similar to IMAX) screen, a special effects show, and shops and restaurants. The new complex is striving to become an "anchor" for the west end of the River Walk.


Façade of the Texas Theater
Finally, the historic Alameda Theater, the largest Spanish-language movie palace ever built in the U.S., has been restored and is part of a larger project intended to showcase Latino cultures. Along with the soon-to-open Museo Americano, which is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the 2,400-seat Alameda provides a unique venue for Latino performing arts.

River Walk

It may be hard for visitors to today’s San Antonio to imagine, but one of the city’s most beloved features, the River Walk, was a project that was nearly paved over – literally. The river was an unruly one, and after a particularly bad flood in 1921 which killed fifty people and destroyed a number of businesses downtown, a proposal was made to put the river safely underground beneath a carapace of cement.

Fortunately, an alternate plan emerged to tame the river by means of floodgates, while at the same time developing the areas along the bank as an entertainment area with cafes, shops, hotels, and restaurants. The project got a real boost during in1968, when HemisFair brought an infusion of cash and visitors to the area. I visited San Antonio that year with my mother, and while I retain virtually no memory of HemisFair itself, I can still vividly recall the colorful café awnings and picturesque vendors along River Walk.

Coming back to the area again this past fall, I found River Walk even more alluring than I’d remembered, for not only have the trees and gardens matured, especially in some of the serene park-like stretches, but new hotels and other ventures have emerged. In fact, some fear that the River Walk may have become too successful for its own good, as large chain restaurants and glitzy tourist attractions have become more prominent. Hopefully wiser heads will once again prevail and measures will be taken to preserve the unique character of the river.

Looking forward

While you can’t spend a day in San Antonio without absorbing at least a little of its history, you also can’t help but notice that the city is as obsessed with the future as it is with the past. This is Texas, after all, so the local movers and shakers think on a grand scale.

One such vision for the future is the conversion of the former Pearl Brewery into an ambitious combined residential and educational complex. The old brewery now houses both the Center for Foods of the Americas and the Aveda Institute beauty school, but future plans call for hundreds of condominium units as well as retail and office space surrounded by a lush public gardens, plazas, and public pathways along the San Antonio river.

Projects such as these, which find new uses for old structures, are truly what San Antonio does best.

Traditions Live On in San Antonio

One thing that becomes immediately apparent to even a casual visitor is that San Antonio is a composite, blending diverse ethnic groups and heritages. German, American Indian, Eastern European, African-American, Southern, Western, but above all a vibrant Hispanic legacy combine in a rich cultural mélange that sometimes yields surprising results. The best traditions in San Antonio are a blend of the old and new, and the city is at its finest when its ethnic diversity shines through the tourist façade.

Musical Traditions

San Antonio hosts a rich musical scene, especially when it comes to conjunto, a boisterous accordion-driven music which fuses European dance forms such waltzes and polkas with the pulsating rhythms and dramatic lyrics of traditional Mexican music. Conjunto’s soul, however, is pure American. Like the blues, jazz, rock ‘n roll, and other seminal American musical forms, it changes with the times yet always preserves its roots.

Several conjunto festivals are held in San Antonio each year, not to mention that each autumn San Antonio hosts the International Accordion Festival. Having recently discovered Tejano conjunto and having long been a fan of other accordion-rich genres such as Cajun, zydeco, and klezmer, I’d give my eye teeth to attend this world-renowned gathering of accordionists.


Of course, there’s far more to San Antonio’s musical scene than conjunto. The city abounds in bars and clubs featuring country and western music, not to mention jazz clubs and larger venues for everything from classical to hip-hop. And if it’s a good old-fashioned honky-tonk you’re after, San Antonio is the place to go. The city is also famous for its fiestas, and needless to say music (along with food and drink) is the main fuel at these festivities. Chances are if you can’t find music to your liking in San Antonio, then you simply aren’t trying.

Glorious Foods and Vibrant Marketplaces

Anyone who comes to San Antonio expecting to dine primarily on burritos and tacos had better take a closer look at the city’s sophisticated restaurants and lively markets. Each fall the city stages an ambitious New World Food & Wine Festival, which showcases not only regional cuisine but focuses on the city’s role as a cultural gateway to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. You can find those burritos and tacos in San Antonio, sure, but you can also find world-class cuisine as well.

I had the pleasure of attending the 2005 New World Food & Wine Festival (which I hope to write about it in more detail in a separate journal), where I sampled everything from wild boar tenderloin to fine "reposado" tequila. San Antonio has just about any type of restaurant you can name, plus a few you might not have thought of yet.


The city is famous for its Tex-Mex cuisine, of course, not to mention its "chili queens," long since departed but still fondly remember. The tradition of chili queens dates back to the 1880’s, when San Antonio was a bustling cattle, railroad, and military town. Hispanic women would make a special homemade stew from beans, chilis, and beef. They’d load their chili onto colorful wagons to transport it to the market, where they’d keep their wares warm in big pots hung over mesquite fires. The "chili queens" would dish out their fiery concoction to eager customers. Crowds would gather, and as the sun set lanterns were lit and the night was filled with the music. It must have been quite a scene.

Alas, the chili queens are now but a distant memory (public health regulations put an end to this in the 1930’s), but you can still enjoy a night of music and song, especially at San Antonio’s El Mercado, a large and colorful indoor market similar to a Mexican market. I stopped by El Mercado one evening to visit Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery, a San Antonio institution. This lively place features wonderfully detailed murals featuring portraits of local personalities, restaurant employees, and the Cortez family, which has run this likable eatery since 1941. Mariachis strolled from table-to-table in the packed dining room, which was lit by thousands of twinkling colored Christmas lights left up year-round.

El Dia de Los Muertos

Flanking Mi Tierra’s entryway are two windows, which during my visit were filled with displays for El Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, celebrated at the end of October and early November in San Antonio as it is in Mexico. At first glance, Dia de los Muertos displays may seem garish or simply macabre, with skeletons, skulls, coffins, and votive candles vying for position on the ofrenda or offering for the day.

But look more closely and it becomes clear that these offerings are an enticement to the spirits of the departed to return to the earth. Typically, an ofrenda will include the favorite foods and items of loved ones, and candles and incense are lit to help the departed find their way back home. Sweets (including skulls and coffins fashioned from sugar), specially baked bread, flowers (especially marigolds and cockscombs), elaborate wreaths, and cut-paper decorations are also placed on the altar in honor of the spirit guests who are said to return to earth for this special occasion.


I saw a number of ofrendas for Dia de Los Muertos while in San Antonio, including a very poignant one dedicated to troops stationed in Iraq at the Institute of Texan cultures. The city got into this traditional celebration in a big way in 2005 beginning in mid October with exhibits, lectures, performances, and workshops around town. What impressed me most about the displays I saw was that unlike Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos is still relatively untainted by commercialism. While many of the displays may seem whimsical, there’s a reflective side to this distinctive celebration.

Religious Traditions

The earliest of San Antonio missions, Mission San Antonio de Valero, founded in 1718, is better known today as The Alamo, but this was but one of a chain of missions the Spanish established. Today Missions Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan, and Espada comprise the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, one of the few urban national parks in the country.


What interested me most about these historic missions is that with the exception of the Alamo, all of them are still active parish churches. One afternoon while visiting Mission San Jose (1720), the largest and best restored mission, I found worshippers seated in quiet contemplation and prayer inside the lovely church, while elsewhere park volunteers gave interpretive demonstrations on life during Spanish Colonial times. There’s a sense of continuity in these places that is quite special.

If the missions provide a sense of religious tradition, in the geographic center of the city stands what is perhaps San Antonio’s spiritual center, San Fernando Cathedral. Founded in 1731 by settlers from the Canary Islands, it is said that several heroes of the Alamo, most notably Davy Crockett, William Travis, and James Bowie, are buried there, but historians and archaeologists have pretty much discredited this claim. That does little to detract from San Fernando’s glory, however, for not only is it the oldest continuously used cathedral in the U.S., but it is also still very much the at the heart of the city’s spiritual life, with over 5,000 people attending weekend masses.

The afternoon that I visited testified to the vibrancy of the cathedral. Camera-toting tourists stood admiring the altar and religious statues while at the back of the nave a priest blessed visiting children. Outside, a cluster of thirsty patrons thronged an umbrella-shaded refreshment cart, while across the street in the main plaza, the inevitable breadcrumb-tossing old lady drew a flock of cooing pigeons.

Echoes of the Wild West

Let’s not forget that San Antonio was once a frontier town, a meeting place for ranchers, cowpokes, traders, Native Americans, and any number of colorful characters. Teddy Roosevelt mustered his Rough Riders at Fort Sam Houston, and a local citizen who refused to brand his cattle and let them roam the plains freely, one Samuel A. Maverick, gave rise to the eponymous term for an independent cuss.

To get a taste of San Antonio’s storied Wild West past, I spent an entertaining hour at the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum, a somewhat touristy but impressive collection of mounted trophy animals ranged alongside and above a old western style saloon. A true testimony to the art of taxidermy (and every animal-lover’s nightmare), the collection began back in 1881 when the saloon’s original owner began dispensing liquor in trade for deer antlers – a surefire way to appeal to the hard drinking if-it-moves-shoot-it set.

Whether it’s a vintage tequila or a quiet place for reflection, chances are one of San Antonio’s enduring traditions has it covered.