SAN ANTONIO

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• MELISSA GUERRA TIENDA DE COCINA read more ›
  (200 E Grayson St, Ste 122. Tel. 210-293-3983)
  www.melissaguerra.com
  Get ready for a fi esta with Melissa Guerra’s rainbow-hued Mexican folk art, jewelry, cookbooks and cookware. You can trust her recipes—Guerra was featured as a cooking expert on PBS’s Texas Ranch House.
• SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART & CRAFT read more ›
  (300 Augusta St. Tel. 210-224-1848)
  swschool.org
  The gift shop at this downtown art school features treasures by artists from all over the US, including scarves, shawls, jewelry, ceramics, lamps and art glass. Look for psychedelic metal sculpture from Michele Friedman.
• EL MERCADO read more ›
  (514 W Commerce. Tel. 210-207-8600)
  marketsquaresa.com
  Good fi nds at this massive bazaar—which claims to be the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico—include onyx chess sets, embroidered dresses, guayabera shirts and silver earrings from Taxco.

• MUSEO ALAMEDA read more ›
  (101 S Santa Rosa. Tel. 210-299-4300)
  www.thealameda.org
  A Smithsonian affiliate focusing on the Hispanic experience, this distinctive museum with a hot-pink exterior boasts exhibits on conjunto musicians, the golden age of Mexican cinema, Latin American cuisine and other fun topics.
• LUMINARIA: ARTS NIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO read more ›
  (Downtown San Antonio. Tel. 210-207-6960)
  luminariasa.org
  San Antonio celebrates its artists, musicians, performers and cultural organizations with this free arts extravaganza. It features streetscape art, light installations, live performances and gallery exhibitions. March 13.
• GUINNESS DYEING O’ THE RIVER GREEN AND ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE read more ›
  (San Antonio River Walk. Tel. 210-227-4262)
  thesanantonioriverwalk.com
  Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the River Walk magically becomes the green “River Shannon” of the Emerald Isle. (Don’t worry: The dye is eco-friendly.) Merry-makers drink stout while listening to Irish music and watching fl oats cruise past in a river parade. March 13.

• ÁCENAR read more ›
  (146 E Houston St. Tel. 210-222-2362)
  www.acenar.com
  This riverfront restaurant riffs on Tex-Mex by adding modern fl avors to old regional Mexican favorites. Order the duck crêpes with tamarind-tomato-onion sauce. $$$
• BISTRO BAKERY read more ›
  (4300 McCullough Ave. Tel. 210-824-3884)
  Buttery croissants, luscious pastries and savory quiches make this authentic French bakery one of the best in town. The rich almond croissants are a meal in themselves. $
• CARMEN’S DE LA CALLE read more ›
  (720 E Mistletoe Ave. Tel. 210-737-8272)
  carmensdelacalle.com
  Spanish tapas and live jazz, fl amenco and world music bring people to this brightly painted, cozy café just off the popular North Saint Mary’s Street strip. Start with the prosciutto-wrapped dates. $$

• JOHN T FLOORE COUNTRY STORE read more ›
  (14492 Old Bandera Rd, Helotes. Tel. 210-695-8827)
  liveatfl oores.com
  Don your cowboy boots and get down to live country and Western music at this honky-tonk. You can also dance under the stars on the patio or chow down on hearty Texas grub.
• BLUE STAR BREWING COMPANY read more ›
  (1414 S Alamo St. Tel. 210-212-5506)
  bluestarbrewing.com
  This microbrewery in the heart of the arty Blue Star complex in Southtown serves excellent beer and plenty of food. On Tuesday nights there’s live Big Band jazz.

• FREDERICKSBURG, TX read more ›
  (70 miles northwest of San Antonio. Tel. 830-997-6523)
  www.fredericksburg-texas.com
  In late March and throughout April, head to this town in Texas Hill Country to see blooming bluebonnets and wildfl owers. Take a break by shopping on the historic Main Street.

This month...

Fun Fact!
Many of San Antonio’s downtown streets are not laid out in a grid because they once followed the meandering acequias—irrigation canals that brought water from the San Antonio River to settlers’ homes.