Dan Antion

Micheladas, Mona Lisa & … I Forget

In honor of Barb
Cheryl makes a pretty good Michelada

This post was inspired by Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, but I think my discussions with Cheryl constitute a little too much in the way of planning. If you want to make the attempt:

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘spoke.’ Use it somewhere, in some form, in your post. Bonus points if you don’t use it in the first sentence. Enjoy!”

If we were having a beer, you’d be grilling me about my recent business trip.

“So, where did you eat?”

“Yes, it’s good to see you, too.”

“Sorry, welcome back. Where did you eat?”

“You know he’s always concerned about food, Dan. On the other hand, I’m interested in beverages. Would you like a Michelada? A.K.A. a Corona dressed Mexican San Antonio Style.”

“You read my mind, Cheryl.”

“Maybe just your blog, but I remember the spiced salt, so I made some for you.”

“I think you misspoke, Cherly.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit of a grammar-nerd. I think you meant to say you remember him writing about the salt.”

“No, I remember the salt. I used to live in San Antonio.”

“Oh, sorry. Maybe I should have a Margarita today.”

“Or Sangria. Or, you know, a glass of Meiomi.”

“Or some John Howell’s Bourbon. He used to live in San Antonio, too.”

“What, am I the only native New Englander around here?”

“Probably not, but you’re the only one here who hasn’t ordered, so…”

“I will go with the bourbon.”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Why would you correct Cheryl? I’m sorry – I misspoke – why would you try to correct Cheryl?”

“Grammar is important. Errors like that bother me.”

“Grammar errors or assumption errors?”

“Grammatical errors – Let’s change the subject. Did you visit the Alamo?”

“I forget.”

“You are such a jerk.”

“I did visit the Alamo. I took the self-guided audio tour.”

“There’s thirty-five minutes of your life you’ll never get back.”

“Actually, I waited in line longer than that.”

“You’re dumber than you look.”

“Not a fan of the Alamo?”

“I thought it would be bigger. It was almost as disappointing as the Mona Lisa.”

“Wow! I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the Mona Lisa used in a simile for disappointment.”

“It’s barely the size of a magazine cover.”

“One Michelada and one glass of Willet. You diss’n on the Alamo?”

“No offense to your old hometown, Cheryl, but I after watching the movie, I just expected it to be bigger.”

“The Ron Howard movie with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton?”

“This Michelada is perfect, Cheryl. Can you say ‘Dennis Quaid’ again, I thought I heard a touch of swoon there.”

“No swoon, but if he walked into the bar, he could have your seat.”

“Are you two done? I was talking about the John Wayne movie. The one with John Wayne and Richard Widmark.”

“That was before my time. Let me get your water and ice.”

“Ouch.”

“Ouch is right, I think that was a dig, she’s not much younger than you.”

“You had it coming, besides westerns in the 60’s were more of a little boy thing.”

“I remember. Did you have a Davy Crockett coon skin cap?”

“Of course I did, and a Mattel Shootin’ Shell Rifle.”

“Well, didn’t that movie make the battle seem larger than what you saw last week?”

“It was larger, they’ve only preserved a small portion of it.”

“Here’s your snifter of seltzer and your ice. If the movie had John Wayne, you knew it was going to be larger than life.”

“I guess you’re right, but it just didn’t seem Army-Fort-like.”

“First off, it was a mission. Second, the battle wasn’t for some lone outpost, it was for San Antonio.”

“Good points, Cheryl, I just didn’t expect to be able to walk to it from my hotel.”

“What were you expecting?”

“A helicopter tour, I’ve always wanted to do one of those.”

“I think you watched too many John Wayne movies – Drink your bourbon.”

“She’s right. You know, you can take a helicopter tour around Manhattan. You don’t have to go to Texas.”

“I have no desire to be fished out of the East River.”

“You boys want some food? We have some Mexican specials today: Barbeque Chicken and Beef Quesadillas and Shrimp Enchiladas”

“I think I had enough Mexican food, Cheryl.”

“OK, but these are Jose’s grandmother’s recipes.”

“Food, that reminds me: where did you eat last week?”

“Most of the meals were at the conference, but I had a couple breakfast tacos and I went to a Mexican restaurant on the Riverwalk, twice.”

“You were traveling, and you went to the same restaurant twice?”

“I had lunch there Tuesday, because I could eat at the bar. Then I had dinner with a friend on Wednesday. We wanted to catch up, more than explore the town.”

“You guys ready for a second round?”

“Yes! And an order of those Quesadillas.”

“And some Enchiladas.”

“I thought you had enough Mexican food?”

“I wouldn’t want to offend Jose’s grandmother.”

Today’s gallery has the final San Antonio photos, for a while. For those of you missing a certain redhead, she and I will be walking today and I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t make an appearance on Monday. Please take a moment to visit Cheryl’s page. This is her most recent post (which will be updated if she adds a post today).

It looks bigger on the poster, too. That’s because it was bigger.
No, this isn’t my hotel.
The walking tour was fun, and look at the morning that I had to walk in. Sorry fellow northern folk.
It was so nice walking around in so much green.
Cheryl makes a pretty good Michelada
Jose’s grandmother must have been a pretty good cook.
The Alamo Cenotaph, a.k.a. the Spirit of Sacrifice, is a monument commemorating the Battle of the Alamo
That’s the Federal Building back there. In the 1830s, that spot was within the walls of the Mission.
That’s the Federal Building back there. In the 1830s, that spot was within the walls of the Mission.
The long barracks. During the battle, troops withdrew into this building where they made a last stand against Santa Anna’s soldiers.
I loved walking around the many stone walls, buildings and iron gates.
One of the most recognizable buildings in the United States. The Church at the Alamo Mission.
It’s hard (OK, impossible) to read, but it describes an area much different than the preserved features.
I saw this and thought “The Alamo must be near – I didn’t realize it was right next door. It is pretty small today.
Very pretty stone buildings.
This was the line to enter the church. No pictures were allowed inside.
I love this gnarled tree in the compound.
Texas – hot and, I’m guessing dry.
Side wall of the church

57 comments

  2. Hi Dan. Your friend from Blighty – AKA England – calling. I did the helicopter trip around Manhattan before a swim was compulsory. I have also done the helicopter trip around Oahu, Hawaii. Mind you, the next day after we took the trip, we saw the helicopter on its side in the water on Waikiki beach. It had flopped over on take off. Not how you want to spend your Hawaii time!

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    • Oh my. Have you thought about a ride since Hawaii? I see the ones in NYC and they just seem too casual for me. I know they are reliable but I’d like to see a cursory safety check between flights. It seems they are unload-load-go.

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  3. We went to see the Alamo many years ago. Normally, as a nation, we do an exceptional job of preserving our historic sites. Having read and also watched John Wayne defend the Alamo, I was so looking forward to it. But, they certainly didn’t retain enough land around it to give you a visual of the original historic battle. I understand it was probably a zoning and financial issue, but since that visit when I hear anyone say they visited the Alamo I think of the department stores and such surrounding it. Too bad. But, it sounds like you had a great trip in general followed by some delicious food. The Mexican food we have access to up here in our part is not quite the same. We miss good chili rellenos. :-) Have a great weekend walk with Maddie, and it looks like you will have good weather.

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  4. I’ve heard from other people that the Alamo wasn’t what they expected, that they thought it would be bigger. From your photos, though, it looks like a very pretty place to visit.

    Random thought: Did you ever notice that Number One walks like John Wayne?

    Hope Maddie enjoyed her walk. It’s going to be sunny and warmer here, which will feel 100% better than last weekend.

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    • You’re right. He’s that same king of stiff and deliberate. He also doesn’t know how to swear. It’s always forced and awkward. It needs to flow better.

      The Alamo was a great size for a busy week. Took the tour, saw the whole thing and still had time for a breakfast taco 🙂

      I hope you have plenty of warm sun.

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  5. Nothing is ever what we expect especially if we’ve seen the movie! My post tomorrow touches on that, quite strongly. As for grammar, it is important but how well you speak is not as important as how well you are understood.

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  6. I love your insight into the Alamo I would have never thought that they would have build a city around it. As for the grammar correction…. I love all of you grammar fans who stick with my writing. I have had a few drop off after a few posts because…. well you know….. because I am not a great writer and stubble with grammar often…. Have a great weekend Dan!

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    • Thanks JoLynn. I am not the grammar fan in this house, which is why my wife truly is the Editor. I enjoy your writing very much. You write about interesting subjects, you share stuff you know and you write from the heart (and it shows) and I love that!

      I hope you’re having a nice spring weekend. We seem ready to have our first one.

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    • Thanks! I’ve had other drinks in salt-rimmed glasses, but never beer. It was very good, and the spiced salt was a nice touch. A frosted glass makes any beer better, but this actually was pretty good out of a can.

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  8. I enjoyed the Alamo tour. Closest I’ll ever get to it. What a shame that history is preserved using budget and zoning laws as the guidelines. But at least some of the Alamo remains….they didn’t just whittle it down to a statue and a plaque!

    Great photos. I agree, that gnarled tree is a beauty. And there’s enough salt on that glass to give you a heart attack ! Lol.

    Have a fun walk with Maddie. Have a great weekend.
    🔹Ginger 🔹

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    • Thanks Ginger. The small size actually worked well. There was enough to see, and yet I was in and out with time to see other sites and find a breakfast taco. I think the city just naturally grew around the Alamo, because there was never any plans to preserve it at the start. That notion came much later, but the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

      Maddie and I have been for our walk, she wasn’t taking ‘no’ or ‘later’ for an answer. Enjoy the weekend – I hope your weather is nice.

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  9. 👏💕Thanks for the memories! Wish I could have seen the Riverwalk, barges, mall, La Villita Village, barbecue, Old Town Mkt, and…and….and.. lol..sigh. Yes, I was astounded by how utterly empty the Alamo was considering the fee to get in. But when you consider the history, that this small band of people fought off the ENTIRE Mexican army from inside there, a reverence just sort of grips you. I did it once. That was enough. It does strike a nice sillhouette against the skyline though, doesn’t it? I’m sure my Dad would have preferred the John Wayne version. Me? I am not even a western fan. Think I must have had a bad former life lived out west. And, tell your friend that any grammatical errors I may make are likely to be the fault of my devices and not my brain. Thanks for the defense! 👍

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    • I didn’t mean to pick on you, but I had to work the prompt in. Thanks for the input on this one!

      I crammed a lot into a few days. San Antonio seems like a nice city, but I doubt I could take the heat.

      We have a lot of very small historic places throughout New England, and nobody complains. I think the perception stems from the movie – it looks like the battle was for the entire state of Texas. I enjoyed westerns and western TV shows while growing up. I haven’t seen any of the remakes (I generally don’t like remakes) of the classics. I suppose history is there for everyone to interpret, but I’m comfortable with the movies I saw as a child. I think they left more to the imagination.

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  10. San Antonio is a lovely place, isn’t it. I don’t really remember from my one trip there, but I know there’s a really pretty riverwalk, too. I’d stand in line for the Alamo, although I prefer not standing in line. I grew up watching all those old westerns, too. Good stuff and not graphically bloody like so many movies are today.

    janet

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    • The line moved along pretty quickly. They were taking pictures (that they later tried to sell) in front of the door. I do prefer the older, less graphic movies. The Riverwalk is a beautiful feature.

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  13. Off point but… you can take a helicopter tour around Manhattan? This I did not know, nor can I fathom why anyone would want to do it. A helicopter ride of Kauai? It was gorgeous. But looking at a bunch of buildings from above… why?

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    • The church seems in pretty good condition, but it’s a simple tructure, for sure. It was used for military purposes for many years. It didn’t even have a permanent roof until the Army took it over. There’s a lot of “almost disappearing” in the history of that site.

      As for Mexican food, you’re absolutely right. It’s a special kind of comfort food. Thanks for the comment.

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  17. Awww love that you showcased my home town. Too bad you could not have stayed longer to experience Fiesta. We have work guests from CA taking in the Alamo this weekend. I am looking forward to Monday to get their take on it. I am pretty sure their comments will be along the line of how much bigger they expected it to be. Like John said “To some the Alamo is disappointing. To Texans, it is a shrine”

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    • We saw the advertising for Fiesta. Given the street party we had as part of our conference, I would have love to have stayed. I enjoyed the tour of the Alamo, and I understand the historic significance. San Antonio is a wonderful city.

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  18. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit of a grammar-nerd. I think you meant to say you remember him writing about the salt.” If your friend is a true grammar-nerd, he should know to say, “I think you meant to say you remember HIS writing about the salt.” A gerund takes the possessive. (Thanks, Mom!)

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    • Indeed – thanks. When a grammarphobic writer tries to make a grammar joke, results like this are to be expected. I’m surprised the Editor didn’t catch it, but #SoCS posts are always a last minute order. I do have a bunch of grammar nerds in my life – I love them all.

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  19. I will never forget how stunned I was the first time I saw the Mona Lisa painting. It was ever so much smaller than I had in my mind. I think prior to that every image, or reprint in an art book made it seem so big in my mind that I was stunned, stunned that it is actually small.
    Still glad I’ve seen it…a few times now so I’m over it being smaller than I had thought. :)

    I’ve never been to San Antonio, but He-Man has for business and he toured the Alamo and brought home images. I remember thinking…is this all that left? I’m grateful that we have that much left. Maybe someday I’ll see it for myself.

    I did a helicopter tour over the North Rim of the Grand Canyon two yrs. ago. It was awesome. Someday I’ll have to share an image or two. Those images have been marinating awhile now. :)

    I could eat Mexican food every. day. That enchilada looked good so did the drink.

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    • Thanks Deborah. I haven’t seen the Mona Lisa but my best friend was as stunned as you were. He’s the one who made the comment and was the seed for this post. It’s funny when we see things that we expect to be a different size. I always have that feeling when I go back to places I visited as a child. The helicopter tour you took is one I’d like to take.

      Yes to Mexican food on a regular basis. We don’t have many good Mexican restaurants here, but the chef at my regular hangout is Mexican and he does make some family recipes now and then. They are wonderful.

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  20. I love that you had the same kind of reaction I had when I saw it. I said, “It’s not very big” and was accused of being immature. I wonder if kids these days have textbook photos that reflect the modern day Alamo? I liked what Judy wrote about the land around it. That’s exactly what went wrong there.
    Been to gobs of forts and sites no one’s ever heard of, and they’re huge and intentionally isolated, but this mission that is so important and famous? Meh. Pity.
    Anyway, I totally want the salty rimmed beer and whatever enchiladas those are. Yessir. Jose’s grandmother done it up right.

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    • I think my assumption of size stemmed from the movie. It was originally a mission and there were no immediate plans to preserve it. I guess it’s hard to roll that back.

      That beer was amazing! You can buy beer salt, or you can use Seasoning Salt, or make your own with some chili powder and cayenne pepper mixed in with the salt. Uncertain what it might do to my blood pressure, but I’ll try it again for sure.

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