Randolph- Ikea

I have been here approximately 6 months and I am bored. In fact I just informed my husband that I had been here 6 months and he told me that "well than it must be time for you to move on to your next place." LOL

We are thinking about getting a new dog. He is a 6 year old Beagle stray from Dallas. My parents found him about a week ago. At first they were very against him staying but now he won't leave their house so I guess that they are stuck with him until I come pick him up next week. He is really sweet and good with kids. My sister named him Max. I am so excited! I must admit that I was a little hesitant at first. I had heard that moving an older dog that isn't used to it can be stressful. Plus my current dog has moved every 6 months or so since birth so he is used to it. Either way this cute beagle needs a home and it seems as though God is giving him to us.

Ikea!

There is an Ikea in Austin (actually Round Rock) and it is huge! To get there get on the I35 N and continue through Austin. Once you think that you are out of Austin and must have passed the IKEA, then you will almost be there. This place is a huge home furnishing store. Everything there is cheap but good quality. Plus much of it can be disassembled for easy moving. There is also a restaurant inside that has decent and cheap (about $5 per person) food. It is an entire experience and one worth doing even if you don't need furniture. Even husbands will get hooked on Ikea although I can not explain why. However they do, so pack up your hubby and head to Austin. As for me I am off to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open as I type. Good Night

You know you are a military wife when you buy things based on how well they would move.

Randolph-Groupon

I was looking over my blog and noticed the pretty new ads on the side panel. Generally I ignore ads but the top ad was for Groupon and I must endorse. No matter where you move to Groupon is the new greatest thing.

Groupon

It is a website where businesses can advertise group discounts. The San Antonio one has Great discounts. My friends are completely hooked on it and we have all gotten some really good deals. I got a $40 for about $20 at Houlihan's through groupon. One of my friend's got a tubing trip down the river half off! There are always really cheap spa treatments on there. My friend's got me hooked to it and now I am going to get you hooked. It is a great tool to find good local businesses in your new area plus you can try them cheaply. So go now and try it. You will love it, I promise.

Randolph Thoughts

Goodness, You ever feel like you are so busy your life could explode? That is how this last month has been. I graduated from school! Hooray! Plus got and left a terrible new job....Not so Hooray. I also celebrated my 1 year anniversary with my husband. It was Awesome. He took me to Hon Machi which is this good sushi restaurant up near Stone Oak. Then he took me to Da Vinci's which is this Amazing little gelato place a few doors down. The gelato there is great, pricey, but great!

Since I have been living here i have learned that San Antonio really isn't all it is cracked up to be. I've been here about 6 months and I am already bored. Oh well, I love to move.

Someone told me this really great quote a couple days ago. "You know it is time to move when there is clutter in the corner" I think that is so true. Me and my husband haven't even been here a year but a few weeks ago he told me that he was ready to move. My husband, the man that had lived in only 2 places (including college) his entire life has taken a liking to moving! HAHA! go figure!

As for food.....
Hon Machi
1321 N Loop 1604 East
San Antonio, TX 78232
(210) 494-1199

Decent sushi, great prices, nice and intimate environment
They have a wonderful happy hour special where many rolls are $4-$6 on Mon-Thur nights.

Da Vinci's
I am so hooked. Their gelato is amazing. It is so creamy and flavorful. Just go. Its Fantastic!

Randolph-Lulu's Bakery and Big Lou's Pizza

Man v Food San Antonio!

Man v. Food came to San Antonio and showed some of the awesome local restaurants! My favorites are Big Lou's Pizza and Lulu's Bakery. Both restaurants are must visits when in San Antonio and will leave you happy and full. And when I say full, I mean FULL!

Never seen Man v. Food? Here is a clip of him at the Riverwalk

Lulu's Bakery
918 N Main Ave
San Antonio, TX 78212

Lulu's is home to a 3lb cinnamon roll and great chicken fried steak. For those of you who don't know chicken fried steak is a steak that is literally fried like chicken would be. It is a big Southern Comfort food.

Lulu's is a small diner somewhere near downtown. As soon as you walk in you can see the portion sizes and smell the grease. Not being from the south or eating anything fried growing up I felt like my arteries were clogging up on the spot. The diner itself is small and looks old but it has a charm about it.

In the Man v Food spirit my husband and I split the small chicken fried steak. It was huge! We couldn't even finish it. However, It was very good. The meat was tender and juicy and the fried shell was crunchy and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes it came with were real potatoes that were hearty and good. The bread it is served with had a great taste but was very dense and heavy. My table laughed when we noticed that despite the thousands of fried calories in front of us there was no butter for our bread, and instead they offered I can't believe it's not butter.

The cinnamon roll was huge! They warmed one up for us and it tasted like cinnamon roll heaven. We had 5 people eating off of it and still took half of it home! Despite it's giant size Lulu's was able to keep the roll soft with a lot of sugary flavor. The only complaint my party had was that since the roll is so big not every bite has cinnamon in it. We also brought one home. It still tasted good however, it was a little dry. We did warm it up in the microwave and that helped, however, if given the choice eat the cinnamon roll at the diner.

Overall, Lulu's was great. The Southern comfort cuisine is delicious. The price was also right at $10 for the small chicken fried steak and $7 for the cinnamon roll. Lulu's is a must visit when stationed in San Antonio!

Big Lou's
2048 South Ww White Road
San Antonio, TX 78222
(210) 337-0707

Big Lou's Pizza is probably my favorite pizza place ever! The biggest they serve is a 42'' pizza! Let that size sink in for a moment and then watch the movie. The pizza itself is always wonderful. There are a lot of toppings that you can get. The 42'' pizza will run around $70-$80 if I remember right however it feeds around 10 people easily! The restaurant is a cute family owned place that has a lot of personality. The servers are nice and often times you will see the owner walking around asking how everyone's meal is. Their are all sorts of crazy things on the walls, including a cafeteria tray from OTS if you look hard enough. The food is great, the price is decent (if you have enough people), and the atmosphere is good. Big Lou's is a must visit when stationed in San Antonio!

Groupon

Have you ever heard of Groupon?

It's this wonderful coupon site that uses big groups to get big discounts anywhere in town. Many of the coupons they offer are for local events, restaurants, and spa's. It is a fantastic way to cheaply see a new city your stationed in. Check it out!

Groupon San Antonio

Randolph- Papouli's

Papouli's
8250 Agora Pkwy suite 120
Selma, Tx

I must say that the moment I walked in to Papouli's I was disappointed. The music was new age and the environment as that of a dirty cafe. The dining room was small and dark even though it was the middle of the day.The employee that took our orders had no idea what it meant to be in the service industry and much of our conversation consisted of "is that all?" The font on the menu was tiny and even I (with my 20/20 vision) could not read it. To top it off they had a tiny coke machine with the "low ice" light blinking.

However, my opinion completely changed the moment I bit into my Greco Roman Pita Sandwich with steak. It was heaven in a pita. The flavors mixed together very well and the steak was juicy and flavorful. My husband had ordered the traditional plate with chicken and also found it delightful.

Overall, the atmosphere is terrible but the food makes up for it, and that is saying something!

Maxwell- Lek's Railroad Thai

Lek's Railroad Thai Restaurant
Union Station
300B Water Street Montgomery, Al 36104
334-269-0708

Lek's railroad thai is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the country! It is a small sushi restaurant located next door to the Embassy suites downtown. It has good selection of sushi rolls. The prices are very good too. My husband and I used to both eat for under $30 including tip. Plus the restaurant is always clean and the health department gave them an A. To top it off the employees at Lek's are always friendly.

Some of my favorite items include the miso soup, spider roll, philadelphia roll, eel roll, and edameme. However, my absolute favorite is the beauty and the beast roll which is made of tuna, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, and cream cheese topped with topigo.

Overall, Lek's Railroad Thai is the only good thing about being sent back to Maxwell and one of my favorite memories from OTS. As I write this review my mouth is watering in anticipation of the next time I can go to Lek's.

Randolph-Sea Island Shrimp House

Sea Island Shrimp House
8223 Agora Pkwy
210.658.1100

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of dining at a Sea Island Shrimp House. I was first told about this restaurant by a coworker and apparently it is a San Antonio phenomenon. Every weekend there is a line out the door. When we first walked in we were greeted by a friendly gentleman who explained the restaurants concept to us. You first go to a cashier and order your food, next you pick a table and wait until your number is called, and then you go to the counter to get your food. After we sat down at our table we sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere. It is a very family friendly place. Our food was taking a while when suddenly a very friendly "waitress" inquired about our food. When we told her that we had yet to receive it she went back into the kitchen and came back out with our food. It was touching that she took the time to look for our food.

The menu is definitely southern cuisine. Almost all of their food is fried and greasy plus they offer things like hush puppies and onion rings. My partner and I ordered Chipolte Fish Tacos and SEA ISLAND SHRIMP HOUSE 40-YEAR FAVORITES. The tacos themselves were ok, but descent when the chipolte sauce was added. Everything in the favorites platter was good however the charbroiled shrimp were definitely the best. The charbroiled shrimp were definitely the best part of the entire trip.

Overall, we enjoyed Sea Island Shrimp House. The food is of great quality and the prices are fair. Our only big complaint is that there are So many fried options.

Randolph-Youse Guys

Youse Guys Philadelphia Cheesesteak
316 Pat Booker Rd
Universal City, TX

Youse guys is this little local restaurant right outside of base. It serves Philadelphia cheese steaks and other similar foods. The decor is all based on Philadelphia and the patches of servicemen. A little birdie even told me that you can trade your patch for a free meal. If you can't trade a patch then you will notice their fair prices. A sandwich will run you about $5. The food is great. The cheese steaks are full and meaty. I also had the chicken strips which were made of juicy white meat. The chicken strips were the best I had ever had. This place is great for a quick lunch or dinner with the guys however it would make a terrible date spot.

Overall, Youse Guys was priced fairly and incredibly tasty.

Randolph-The Lion & Rose British Restaurant & Pub

The Lion & Rose British Restaurant & Pub
8211 Agora Pkwy
Selma, TX

I must admit that I am not an expert in pubs. In fact, the only reason I go to them is because my husband loves fish and chips. Thus I must allow my husband to write the following review.

Hello! I am Mike.
This pub's food was mediocre. I ordered the fish n' chips with beer batter mushrooms on the side. I am still on the lookout for good fish n' chips in the Randolph area.

As a guy I did notice that this place seemed like the Irish Pub version of Hooters. All of the employees were attractive young women in sexy outfits. Okay back to getting ready for my Monday!

Randolph-The Cove

The Cove
606 W Cypress
San Antonio

A car wash, laundry mat, and award winning restaurant? This restaurant has the #1 burger in Texas and has been featured on diners, drive inns, and dives. They are well known for their Texas burger which is delicious and other things like their lamb burger and portabella mushroom sandwich. The food is also organic and the meat is grass fed.
The food here was fantastic! I was very surprised. First, its in a terrible part of town. As me and my guests got out of the car we worried if the car would still be there when we were done. You order in this small room near the laundry mat and they give you your number. After that you can sit outside on picnic tables near the playground, or on picnic tables near the bar. We chose outside where alot of families were and all the kids were playing. We ordered the Texas burger and the bella mushroom burger plus reg and sweet potato fries. Everything was great. However, the meat on the burger itself was good but the Texas toppings of refried beans, corn chips, salsa, avocado, and onion were amazing! The Texas burger was definitely my favorite.
Overall, I thought that the Cove was wonderful and I plan to bring my parents there the next time that they visit.

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Now playing: Superchick - Perfect Day

Randolph-Riverwalk & Alamo

The Riverwalk

The Riverwalk is a famous attraction in San Antonio and for good reason. It is full of bars, restaurants, beautiful hotels, stores, and a mall. There is always something to do there. Plus during Christmas time they hang thousands and thousands of lights and its beautiful. The Riverwalk is one of my favorite places in all of San Antonio.

Gelato
Majestic Theater

There is a gelato place inside the majestic theater on the right. It opens at 1pm and is family run. He makes all of his own gelato right on site. Plus they give military discounts. It is a little pricey but is worth every penny and is a frozen piece of heaven. When we went in the owner insisted that we try every flavor. We ended up choosing cookie dough which was good. However, He also had this raspberry flavor that was wonderful.


Other Riverwalk attractions include...
Hooters
Hard Rock Cafe
Joe's Crab Shack
Salt Grass Steak House
Sea Island
Starbucks
A million Tex mex restaurants
Coyote Ugly
Ice cream
Imax theater
Rivercenter mall
Boat Tours down the Riverwalk

The Alamo
Near the Riverwalk
(Park next to the Rivercenter Mall)

The concept of going to the Alamo is great. There is lots of history and its a great tourist spot that is free. However, I was not impressed. The people who run the Alamo are rude and mean. You are not allowed to take pictures, where a hat, or really talk above a whisper. If you do they get upset at you, and there are many "guards" standing watch. Also they consider it a shrine if that puts there strictness into perspective. The alamo itself is ok. It is only one building and there is very little to see inside. The gift shop/museum (yes they are the same) is full of fun Texas trinkets. There are also some fun Alamo artifacts that you can look at. There is also a beautiful courtyard with a stream and giant goldfish. I must say that the court yard is my favorite of the Alamo.

Parking.

The best place to park is near the Rivercenter mall. The best stuff on the riverwalk is near the mall, plus the Alamo is across the street. There are many little lots that range from $7-$12 for all day parking. Make sure to bring cash though. I haven't heard of a lot of crime down in that area but I wouldn't leave anything in the car just in case.

p.s. Lots of places down at the Riverwalk have military discounts. Don't forget to ask

Randolph-To Do List

When I came to San Antonio I began a list of all the things I wanted to do while here. Many of these are places I have heard are fun or have really good food.

1. River walk
2. Coyote Ugly
3. Seaworld
4. Six Flags Fiesta Texas
5. Lulu's Bakery and Cafe (918 N Main Ave)
6. Taco Cabana
7. Find a good sushi restaurant
8. Alamo
9. Ripleys Believe it or not
10. San Antonio Zoo
11. see the ocean
12. Eat and shop at Ikea Austin
13. Visit Houston
14. San antonio botanical gardens
15. Try tazzas
16. La Fiesta Patio and Cafe
17. Big Lou's 42'' Pizza

So far I have completed the Riverwalk, Taco Cabana, the Alamo, Ikea, Tazzas, La Fiesta Patio and Cafe, and Big Lou's

I am so excited to try some of the others. Like Lulu's Bakery, they have 3 lb cinnamon rolls!

Makes me laugh

Have you ever read Jenny Spouse? I think that she is hilarious. And it is so nice to know that I am not the only one going through this type of stuff. If you haven't read her click here.

Randolph-Las Palapas

Las Palapas
8151 Agora Pkwy
San Antonio, Tx 78154
(At the Forums Mall)

By now I am sure that you have seen 100 of these around San Antonio. It seems as though they are Everywhere! That is because it actually started in San Antonio in 1981. They are a local favorite and I am hoping that one day they will go national.
Anyways, Las Palapas is this awesome Tex Mex restaurant. The prices are really cheap. The concept throws me off alittle because it is a cross between sit down and fast food. I say this because you seat yourself but you have a waitress. You order to the waitress and she quickly delivers your food to your table but you pay up front. The system just surprised me.
As far as food goes it is delicious! The chicken tacos are our favorite and are only about $1.79! My husband eats a lot (He is a big guy) and he can only eat two of them.

Overall, Las Palapas is great and now I am craving a taco.

Adios!

Randolph-Freebirds

Freebirds World Burrito
8603 State Hwy 151
San Antonio, TX 78245
or
11224 Huebner Rd.
Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78230

Ok, I know that this is far away but trust me when I say that you won't have experienced all the good things in Texas until you have been here. And I must confess that I am cheating on this post. My first encounter with Freebirds was at one of the Dallas locations. However, due to my love of it in Dallas I made the journey to one of the San Antonio locations and found it to be just as wonderful.

Freebirds is like the Subway of the taco world. There is a lot of options about what you can choose o put in your burrito. There are 4 different burrito sizes but unless you can eat an entire cow I would stick with the smallest two. I personally go with the 3 taco meal of $5.99 but there are also salads that I hear are wonderful. After you pick your size you tell your associate what you would like in your burrito. The options are numerous but my favorite is rice, refried beans, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, mixed cheese and then 2 beef and one chicken taco. I also put bbq sauce on my burritos. Don't ask me why its good, it just is.
Other reasons to Love Freebirds...
-they grill there own meat right there
-nothing comes out of cans or bags, it's all fresh
-no msg
-you can be as healthy or as bad as you want

Plus, the environment in Freebirds is a blast. They always have Libby the lady liberty riding a motorcycle. The walls are painted with words of songs or sayings. The best thing though is the aluminum foil art. As soon as you walk in you will notice little aluminum foil sculptures all over the walls. If you want to create one yourself just grap some aluminum foil, create, and then set it on an empty place on the wall.

Overall, Freebirds is cheap, has great food, and is a fun enviroment.

Randolph-China Moon

China Moon
832 Pat Booker Rd
Universal City, TX 78148

I thought this would be a great restaurant to start with since it has quickly become a favorite. On the outside this little chinese restaurant looks like a hole in the wall. The colors are basic red and white and there is nothing special about the building. Their dining room is small but simple and elegantly decorated. On the kitchen door they display their health department grade of an A. I find it very important to eat at clean restaurants with good health code grades. It is not hard to get a B and I am incredibly hesitant to eat at anything less than a B because of it. The food is delicious. Each dinner meal is under $10 and comes with soup, rice, egg roll, entree, and choice of wontons, pork or other fried yumminess. Some of our favorites include the sesame chicken, low mein, and general chicken. The only thing there I was not impressed with was the mushroom beef. The meat tasted dry to me but there are so many other options to choose from. Plus their egg drop soup is some of the best I have ever tasted. Also, the staff is nice and friendly.

Overall, I love China Moon. I think that they do a great job.

Randolph

For the first time in my life I am at a loss for words. Normally people can not get me to stop talking, and here I am with no idea how to start.


My name is Amanda. I am an Air Force wife currently placed at Randolph AFB. Back in college I majored in restaurants and loved every bit of it. I am a fortunate one in that my husband's job keeps him home right now. This is a great comfort to me and it is a joy having him around. We have a crazy dog named Clark. He is a 1.5 year old blue heeler and is about the size of me when he stands up. Clark is a blast to have around and he keeps me well entertained. I enjoy photography, scrap booking and reading.

I have only been here a few weeks yet I have already seen so much of San Antonio, and there is still so much more to see. When my husband and I arrived here we made a goal to try every single restaurant near the base and in the Forums shopping center for these areas seem to be the excitement of the Randolph world. So here I am, starting my adventures of seeing, experiencing, and blogging about all that I find in San Antonio.