Enjoy a Fresh Catch at Wildfish Seafood Grille

From the sleek and swanky bar area to the sophisticated dining room, San Antonio's Wildfish Seafood Grille offers an inviting place to relax and enjoy a quality meal of surf and turf. We recommend the Chilean sea bass, the Icelandic cod, the shellfish tower appetizer, and the Midwestern steak, which is aged 28 days before being broiled. Wildfish Seafood Grille is generally always bustling, but the restaurant sees extra foot traffic during happy hour. Served between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week, happy hour offers discounts on appetizers, raw oysters, cocktails, and wines.

Wildfish Seafood Grille is located in the middle of a plaza, so parking can also be difficult to find. Despite that, regulars believe that the ambiance and quality food presented at Wildfish is worth the extra effort!

Wildfish Seafood Grille
1834 NW Loop 1604
San Antonio, TX 78248
(210) 493-1600
www.wildfishseafoodgrille.com/default.aspx?lang=en&section=locations&rID=8505

Enjoy Some Sake and Traditional Japanese Fare at Sushi Zushi

With four San Antonio locations, Sushi Zushi has established itself as a favorite among local lovers of Japanese fare. This restaurant takes a creative approach to Japanese cuisine, giving traditional Japanese dishes a Latin American twist. Returning diners recommend the salmon roll, seaweed salad, and Tampa Bay Musubi.

The happy hour specials offer cheap drinks, glasses of wine, hot sake, and appetizer-size rolls. Regulars enjoy that it is convenient to visit even during rush hour. Service is friendly and fast and regulars mention they love that drinks keep being served despite how busy the establishment is.

Sushi Zushi uses local ingredients to make modern, five-star and healthy options for its customers.

Sushi Zushi
Stone Oak Plaza II
18720 Stone Oak
(210) 545-6100
www.sushizushi.com/Locations/SanAntonio.aspx

How to Style and Organize a Bookcase

Sure, bookcases are meant to hold your book collection, but that doesn’t mean that yours should look like a jumbled mess. Turn your overstuffed bookcase into a focal point in your home with these simple, designer-worthy decorating tips.

  1. Organize all of your books in an attractive way. Whether you organize them by color to create a rainbow effect or by height for a unique pattern, you should consider book placement before anything else—it is a bookshelf, after all!
  2. Add knickknacks. While knickknacks may make you think of a cluttered grandmother’s house, modern versions will add an artistic flair to your shelves. Hunt for vintage brass or ceramic objects at local thrift stores, pick up small sculptures on your travels, or simply place green plants throughout.
  3. Fill it with frames. For a personal touch, frame photos of your friends or family and place them upright on the shelves. Or, if you want to create a more unique effect, attach the frame with a small nail to the front of the bookshelf where a corner meets.
  4. Step back and admire your work. To ensure that your bookshelf looks as good from afar as it does up close, frequently back up and reconsider the placement of each item.

How to Decorate a Bookshelf [Decoist]
How-to Beautify Your Bookcase [Coastal Living]
22 Ways to Arrange Your Shelves [Real Simple]
Flip for Decorating: The Bookcase [House Beautiful]

Read a Book, Befriend a Kitty at Nine Lives Books

Nine Lives Books is an independent book store that specializes primarily in used books and media. The selection here is quite diverse, with bargain-friendly prices. In fact, it's easy to walk in with $20 and walk out with enough reading materials for a month, according to regular patrons of this San Antonio bookshop.

What makes this place really unique are the friendly store cats that are fostered by the owners. The store will sometimes host adoption drives for the cats, and nothing pairs better with a good book than a cat purring on your lap! Some complain that the shelves aren’t as well-organized as they could be, but the staff is happy to help you search for something specific.

Nine Lives Books
4907 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229
(210) 647-5656
www.ninelivesbooks.com
www.yelp.com/biz/nine-lives-books-san-antonio-3

Main Plaza: Get In Touch With the Heart of the City

In the center of San Antonio sits the city’s Main Plaza, a historic market square that was first formed in the early 1700s, but went through a major renovation in 2008. Today, Main Plaza is the site for many of the city’s most popular community-wide events, and even when there’s nothing going on, it still makes a beautiful and relaxing place to hang out and enjoy the views.

Shady trees cover the plaza’s benches and tables while scenic fountains add gentle trickling sounds that are truly relaxing. Take a stroll through the park and enjoy conversation with a friend, or take a seat on a park bench for a little people-watching during your lunch break. Main Plaza is also known to host farmers' markets, cycling meet-ups, and numerous cultural festivals throughout the year, making it a wonderful gathering place for San Antonio residents.

Main Plaza is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Main Plaza
115 Main Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 225-9800
www.mainplazaconservancy.org
www.yelp.com/biz/main-plaza-san-antonio

Wrigleyville Grill: A Little Taste of the Windy City Near Avana Stone Canyon

Chicago’s food scene is well known for its plump, ballpark hot dogs topped with mustard, relish, and pickles and its famous deep dish pizzas, and in the San Antonio area, you’ll find a true taste of Chicago at Wrigleyville Grill. This Chicago-themed eatery features memorabilia from the Windy City hanging all over its walls, including Bears flags and Cubs jerseys, and its long, narrow dining area contains a spacious counter where you can dine on hot dogs while watching the latest sporting events on TV.

In addition to its pizza and hot dogs, Wrigleyville Grill offers gyros topped with lamb sliced fresh in front of you, cheese fries smothered in melted goodness, and Italian beef just like you’ll find in Chicago. There is even a great selection of Chicago craft beers that any local will love!

Wrigleyville Grill is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Wrigleyville Grill
602 NW Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 369-9833
www.wrigleyvillegrill.com

How to Add Mixed Patterns to Your Apartment’s Decor

Think it takes a decorator’s eye to mix patterns? Think again! With a few smart tips and some simple rules to keep in mind, you can mix patterns like the pros in any room in your home.

  1. Choose a color scheme. First, pick a color scheme that you’ll stick with throughout the room. Whether it’s basic black and white or something brighter, like yellow and blue, this will make your pattern mixing much easier.
  2. Limit the number of patterns. While it may seem overwhelming to mix a dozen different patterns, even the most novice home decorator can work with three or four. Keep things simple, but still incredibly impactful.
  3. Decide where you’ll mix your patterns. Adding a variety of different throw pillows on the sofa or the bed is one of the most popular ways to incorporate a few different patterns in a room, but you might also want to add even more fun prints. For even more depth and dimension, try a temporary wallpaper in a big, bold pattern, or use a funky rug with simpler throw pillows and curtains.
  4. Make your own. If you’re having a hard time finding pillowcases or curtains in patterns that go together, try creating your own! It’s very easy to sew these items at home, and some tutorials don’t even involve any sewing at all.

How to Mix Patterns in a Room [For Dummies]
Learn How to Mix Patterns [Better Homes and Gardens]
10 Easy Ways to Mix and Match Patterns in Your Home [Freshome]

Treat Yourself to a Pistachio Eclair at Bakery Lorraine

Delectable pastries are easy to find in San Antonio; just head to Bakery Lorraine. Founded by a California couple who wanted to bring their baking prowess to Texas, Bakery Lorraine fills its display cases with chewy cookies, pecan sticky buns, scones, flaky croissants, and other favorites. Where else are you going to find a pistachio eclair?

Here, the menu changes all the time, almost daily. The savory tarts, sandwiches, and quiches are a nice lunch option, especially when followed by a sweet macaron (be sure to take a six-pack of macarons home with you!). Get a coffee or espresso and relax in the comfy cafe or take a seat on the porch. You can even make special occasion more special by ordering your cake here.

Bakery Lorraine is open Mondays through Fridays, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bakery Lorraine
511 E. Grayson Street
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 862-5582
www.bakerylorraine.com
www.yelp.com/biz/bakery-lorraine-san-antonio

Halcyon Southtown: Enjoy Cocktails and Casual Cuisine

At Halcyon Southtown, you can enjoy all of life’s simplest pleasures all under one roof. The sandwiches are fresh and piled high with ingredients, for example, and the coffee martinis combine both of your favorite beverages.

The unique establishment doesn’t specialize in any one thing, but rather puts great care into all of its food and drinks, as well as its ambiance. Halcyon has a café-style atmosphere but looks more like a stylish bar, with a number of couches and tables scattered throughout the exposed brick seating area. There is a large bar for guests who come to enjoy drinks stronger than coffee, and you’ll find an impressive variety of spirits lining its shelves.

Free Wi-Fi throughout even makes this a cool hangout for those who want to catch up on work or studying in an environment that’s a bit more interesting than the local library.

Halcyon Southtown
1414 S. Alamo Street
San Antonio, TX 78210
(210) 277-7045
www.halcyonsouthtown.com
www.yelp.com/biz/halcyon-southtown-san-antonio

You Can’t Go Wrong With a Late Lunch at Picnikins Patio Cafe

On the next breezy afternoon, grab a group of friends and head out to the patio at Picnikins Patio Cafe. This upscale eatery is just as stylish as it is laid back, with an artistic, modern dining room decorated in shades of turquoise with interesting ceiling fixtures and artwork throughout. There is a spacious outdoor seating area ideal for lunch al fresco, and the items on the European-inspired menu are practically designed to eat outside.

Juicy burgers are served on homemade buns, the signature poblano soup is always a spicy favorite, and the very hearty salads are filling ways to eat healthy for lunch or dinner. Picnikins Patio Cafe also offers entree specials, like mushroom meatloaf, flavorful curries, and salmon Piccata. There is a selection of wine and beer to pair with your meal, as well as an ever-changing list of decadent desserts that will really round out your meal at this beloved area favorite.

Picnikins Patio Cafe
6901 Blanco Road
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 616-0954
www.picnikinspatiocafe.com

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