Experience Hill Country Hospitality at the JW Marriott San Antonio (#ReoRoadTrip - Part 3)

Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided a hotel night's stay at the JW Marriott San Antonio for purposes of this review. However, all the comments and photos are my own. 

Last week we took on the challenge if it possible to see Austin in two hours with a five-year-old. This week, I'm excited to share part three of our Texas Hill Country adventure: our stay at the JW Marriott San Antonio.

After more than an hour on the road after our Austin Duck Tour, we were ready to get a little R&R at our hotel, the JW Marriott San Antonio. While I had stayed in San Antonio many times, it was nice to see another part of the area, especially one that was as devoted to the Texas Hill Country as this hotel works to be. Additionally, as it also emphasized family, I was really excited to let my little man go crazy at their water park area at the resort. Perhaps I was also really excited to get in the Lazy River with a drink in my hand as well. After all we had done a lot of work that day, so it was time to enjoy ourselves. 

The suspense of driving through the hills was about to kill me when we finally reached Oz...I mean the JW Marriott San Antonio. Nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country in the Cibola Canyons, the JW Marriott welcomes you from the moment you lay your eyes on it. And soon as you open your car door, there's a staff member ready to welcome you, assist you with your luggage, open the doors and lead you straight to the check-in desk. 

Only a few minutes later, we were sitting in our room, putting on our swim suits for an evening swim, but not without doing a real once-over on the room. Considering I had done event planning in my last life, I had been to some really nice hotels. And the JW Marriott was certainly is one of them. The room kept within the Texas Hill Country theme with many hints of the environment; however, done with a sophisticated and modern twist. I really loved the artwork in the room as well, as it was unique rather than having that "I bought 5000 of these at a time." If there was a way to bring home the wooden piece over the bathtub or the cowhide ottoman, I would have stuffed it in my suitcase (or at least purchased one at the amazing gift mall downstairs that had everything.) 

Our hotel room was just the beginning of the beauty, historical reflection and distinction of the hotel. As you can see I have a love of lighting fixture and this place has truly awe-inspiring lamps and chandeliers. Walking into the conference "side" of the hotel, I noticed these colorful glass "sculptures" over the escalators. They were breath-taking and reminded me of the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Later when I walked into the gift store, I noticed more of the same hand-blown glass art pieces from a rather famous San Antonian artisan named Gini Garcia. (More about her later when I would visit San Antonio.) 

Just taking a walk around the property, there was something fun to find and admire, especially the large number of conversation areas. All over the resort you could find all kinds of nooks and crannies designed to make you take a load off, get comfortable and either enjoy your alone time or strike up a conversation with someone around a beautiful outdoor fireplace or overlooking the picturesque landscape. 

One of the coolest features I would be remiss to mention was the River Experience. Appropriately named from the nearby Riverwalk in San Antonio and the nearby rivers that attract floaters, the River Experience is enough reason to keep you at the resort and not have to venture out at all. While we really enjoyed the lazy river, the water slides proved to be a great time for both of us. And I really loved the outdoor bar area which felt a lot more like a Mexican vacation than a four-hour jaunt from home. However, the nightly smores offered to guests to roast over an open flame were the highlight of each evening. And believe me, even if you didn't bring your kids, adults were lined up to get their little taste of graham-cracker-marshmallow-chocolatey deliciousness! 

And it would be an experience from me if it didn't mention the FOOD! While there so many options from casual to white tablecloth on property, we chose to dine at Cibola Moon, the hotel's main dining establishment for Texas cuisine. Finding the perfect view al fresco, we were able to enjoy dinner together and then when little man was ready to get up, only a few steps away, he could play in the grass while I enjoyed my drink. It was like an open green space for families to enjoy the outdoors together. I definitely recommend the bacon-wrapped scallops and the homemade papardelle pasta with spit roasted chicken, mushrooms and bacon (and yes, I added a little spinach to mine too! And let's not talk about the tequila flight; let's just say I slept well!

I

Somehow in our schedule, I was able to sneak off for an early massage at the largest spa in Texas, the Lantana Spa at the JW. Since it was early in the morning (7 AM), I was able to enter the spa and snap a few photos to share of the beautiful "sanctuary." Continuing with its committment to hospitality, I was provided a robe, a cup of tea and a few options to begin my relaxing moment away before the massage. One of the most interesting things I had the pleasure of experiencing was the Seven Knots Ritual, where spa guests are given a red ribbon and asked to tie seven knots (with the last one completing a circle) to release your worries and stress. While I hadn't started my day to be that stressed yet, I was ready to get rid of whatever I had brought with me and leave it there. Then my name was called to enjoy an hour-long Swedish massage. (Heaven.) 

While we were pretty happy just hanging out at the JW and didn't even get to check out the kids' club (the onsite hourly "camp" that allows mom and dad to enjoy the spa, golf or a quiet dinner at the property), it was time to get along to continue our Hill Country journey - Hello, Schlitterbahn!

And if you want to get caught up on our road trip adventure in the Toyota Highlander,check out our first adventure in West and How to See Austin in Two Hours with a 5-year old!

Yabba - Dabba - Doo! Bedrock Brownies {Recipe}

Disclaimer: This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Post Pebbles but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PebblesBTS http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO. 

Sharing bits and pieces (and in this case Pebbles) with your children is part of the fun of being a parent. However, during a trip to Walgreens I picked up a box of Post Cocoa Pebbles and my son pointed to Fred and Barney on the front of the box and asked, "Who's that?" 

Oh, Hanna Barbara. We had work to do. 

Kinda a fail on my part I felt for never airing an episode of "The Flinstones," until I was able to find only  few clips of the classic cartoon online. Thankfully, iTunes gave us some options to make a real formal introduction, but it seemed like unlike the recent surge in my favorite childhood boy bands reclaiming the limelight, the Bedrock buddies I watched as a kid, had slipped into an oblivion. 

After my enjoying my own moment of nostalgia, I decided to use the opportunity to talk about the Flinstones' prehistoric period (how people did it then) with a little Cooking 101 using our box of Post Cocoa Pebbles  - with both the almost-two-year old and five-year old. (I'm pretty sure my head was full of rocks.) 

After a huge fight about who got to stand next to mama in the chair, who got to crack the egg and who got which apron (they are exactly the same color), we began putting together a dessert that we later would call "Bedrock Brownies," a layered "rocky-road type" desert using brownie mix, cheesecake filling, crushed Cocoa Pebbles, marshmallows, chocolate chips, nuts and icing. And you're right, it ain't fat-free. 

We talked about measurements, learning patience (all of us during the process), taking turns putting in the ingredients and of course, stiring the mix. Things were going pretty well at this point until my oldest asked if we created another episode of "his cooking show." Always happy to share my blogging adventures with my kids, I was elated to go behind the camera to direct while he set up for his intro...

Unfortunately after about the 20th take, I gave up on this time creating the next Bobby Deen. He was tired, I was tired and by this time the toddler had escaped with a couple of tastes of the mix and fled to the living room to play with her dolls. We just needed these sweeties to get done, so we could break "brownies" together. 

 You too can create this Yabba-Dabba delicious dessert that is creamy, chocolately and crunchy. It's so good you might consider running your car around the block with your bare feet in order to burn off the calories just so you can have another one. 

It's a whole new way to eat your milk and cereal!

Bedrock Cheesecake Brownies

Ingre­di­ents

• First layer:
• 1 pkg favorite Brownie Mix
• 
  
• Second layer:
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup gran­u­lated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter–softened
• 2 table­spoons flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semi-sweet choc chips

• Third Layer:
• 2 crushed Cocoa Pebbles

• Fourth Layer:
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

• Fifth Layer (Frost­ing):
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup milik
• 3 cups pow­dered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup Cocoa Pebbles
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 
  

Instruc­tions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. But­ter the bot­tom and sides of a 9x13 pan.
2. In mix­ing bowl, com­bine the ingre­di­ents for the bot­tom layer until mixed well. Press/spread bat­ter into the bot­tom of the pre­pared 9x13 pan. Set aside.
3. For the second level, in mix­ing bowl, beat the soft­ened cream cheese, gran­u­lated sugar, 1/4 cup soft­ened but­ter, 2 table­spoons, 1 tea­spoon vanilla and 1 egg at medium speed until smooth. Stir in the 1/4 cup pecans and pour over choco­late layer in bot­tom of pan. Sprin­kle the choco­late chips over the cream cheese layer. 
4. Now layer the crush Cocoa Pebbles over the cream cheese covering the last layer. 
5. Bake 26–28 min­utes, until fill­ing is start­ing to lightly brown on top. Take out of the oven and sprin­kle the mini marsh­mal­lows evenly over the top. Bake an addi­tional 2 minutes.
6. Mean­while, in a medium saucepan, melt 1/2 cup but­ter over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa and milk. Heat to boil­ing while stir­ring con­stantly. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in the pow­dered sugar. Stir until well blended. Add the vanilla, 1 cup Cocoa Pebbles (and 1 cup chopped pecans.) 
7. When the two min­utes of roast­ing the marsh­mal­lows is fin­ished, remove the pan of rocky road bars from the oven and imme­di­ately pour the frost­ing mix­ture over the marsh­mal­lows. Spread evenly to cover and let cool 30 minutes.
8. Refrig­er­ate about 2 hours to set. Cut into small squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Get to the Heart and Soul of Family and Food with El Corazon de Tejas

Food Fridays: 

Dislaimer: I was invited to sample foods from this restaurant for the purposes of this review. However, all my comments here are my own. 

And in the heart of Oak Cliff in Dallas, you'll find El Corazon de Tejas. While this Tex-Mex restaurant is relatively new to the restaurant offerings here in Dallas, the family that opened this neighborhood must-go is definitely not new to the Dallas Tex-Mex scene.

Owned by John and Gilbert Cuellar, grandsons of Adelaida Cuellar of the The Cuellar family, are well-known for their roots in opening the first El Chico and their hands in many other restaurants in Dallas. Taking their experience, family recipes and renovating a beautiful building in the OC from the early 1900s, these brothers have put their heart and soul into making El Corazon de Tejas something we can all appreciate: good food made from local foods from the hands of even more members of this incredible family. 

During the two-hours I dined, I met around 10 family members who either had come in to dine, make our meal or serve it to us. And as I looked around the large dining room, complete with a beautiful newly painted mural of a Mexican maiden and an incredible restored chandelier that like the name of the restaurant, sets as a heart in the circular-like room. Together, you would never know which of the fixtures has been there longer. 

Starting off the smorgasbord was a queso flameado with mushroooms that easily could make for a perfect meal for one, but who can stop there when there are warm, handmade tortillas brought to your table? Then the lineup of food began with all things that make Tex-Mex great: echiladas and tacos! However, the menu also includes parillas, taqueria tacos and some family specialities. 

Once the dishes came out to the table, I already felt that I may need to rethink my form-fitted pants for a pair of sweats. However, like any good experience eating with friends and family, you find a way to make it work, taking tastes from each of the plates and washing them down with fresh mango and watermelon margaritas, sourced from Urban Acres. While both were refreshing, the watermelon flavor tasted like the flavor of summer and paired perfectly with the chipotle quesadillas I kept being drawn to for seconds and thirds. 

There was something for everyone at the table - from vegan and vegetarian options to the more Mexican purist with rich and flavorful mole. And of course, everything came with delish rice and beans (both with bacon and vegan made.)

One of my favorite dishes we tried was a Mexican Fajita Martini - a fun presentation of some of the best things you love about Tex-Mex with guacamole, pico, sour cream, rice and fajita meat. Created from one of the owners' daughter wedding, this dish isn't on the menu right now, but it will be -- and certainly is the great way to start the fiesta you are bound to have at El Corazon de Tejas.

El Corazon de Tejas
110 W Davis St
Dallas, Texas 75208
214.943.8610
http://elcorazondetejas.com

Get Ahead of the Class for Back-to-School with $15 Giftcard from Just Between Friends Fort Worth!

To-do Thursdays: 

Disclaimer: I was provided a gift card in exchange for writing this post. But my stories, my photos and my love of saving is all my own. 

I. cannot. believe. I. have. a. kindergardener. 

(Give me a minute, a need to take a breather.) 

That means it's the start of 12 more years for him of back-to-school preparations - supplies, clothes, backpacks and getting back to a routine (that's a lot to digest and even more to have to spend.) And of course, I've got a 2 year old little girl to go right behind him very soon!

Can you figure out which of these Ralph Lauren Polo items were consignment sale finds?
(All of them but the two on the left!) 

Thankfully, my mama taught me the value of a dollar, so since day one, I've been a huge fan of consignment sales to keep my kiddos dressed nice on our budget. I've even been told my daughter has the cutest clothes and most the time they are outfits I have purchased from a seasonal consignment sale. With just $100 I can get my kids suited up for a whole season plus a little more. And considering we like brand names, it's a great way to stock up without paying full price! 

While there are all kinds of consigment sales in Dallas-Fort Worth, the one that started it all was Just Between Friends and the one in Fort Worth is huge. They've things you wouldn't even think you need, but the price is so good you buy it anyway. The upcoming JBF Fort Worth sale is August 31 - September 7, but goodness knows I need a reminder...

Lucky for both of us, my friend/optimizer/tightwad Jill over at Real Life Notes has answered both our prayers with a handy calendar to keep us in line on DFW consigment sales this fall. (Isn't she organized?)

Since JBF is all about saving you money, they are making this year even sweeter by offering you a chance to win a $15 giftcard! That means you probably are getting $50-$60 worth of clothes for free just by entering.) 

So let's get back-to-school this year with money already in our pocket! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See #Austin in 2 Hours with a 5 yr. old - #ReoRoadTrip Continues

Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided the opportunity to drive a 2013 Toyota Highlander for the purposes of a review on this roadtrip. All the comments and photos are my own. 

Last week I shared the beginning of our mini adventure as I introduced my little man to the Texas Hill Country. After our initial stop for the obligatory kolache at the Czech Stop in West in our 2013 Toyota Highlander we were graciously given for our road trip, we moved on down I-35 for a couple of hours in one of my most favorite cities in the world (yes, world) - Austin.

It's about an hour and half (or two sometimes) from West to Austin, so it's mandatory road trip music time. Once I had gone through our Road Trip Playlist (hey, it was only 10 songs) it was time to get something playing to keep the fun of this drive moving. Oh, Toyota - I was in for a surprise! I discovered this thing had apps! Actual apps to play in the car just like I do with my iPhone. There sat my Pandora waiting for me to stream it through and play for hours.

Once you've downloaded the Entune App to your smartphone and connect your bluetooth (in one step), you have all kinds of cool stuff at your finger tips for your car. I not only could play Pandora, but I could easily locate gas stations with lower fuel costs, book reservations for restaurants along the way, check out traffic, and even look at things to do, all from my Highlander. (What did we do before smart phones and these "smart" cars?) So we created a "Joe Cocker" station and we headed down the road. 

Now that we had our groove, we were on to the home of the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin.

There's no where I've ever been to like Austin. And I love it so much when I can't go visit, I drive 15 miles up the road to the Bishop Arts District in Dallas just to get me a feel of what that special vibe in Austin has (if you've never been, I'll be happy to show you!) Unfortunately, it's so great that many very educated people from the local University of Texas at Austin choose to stay there and get paid far under their worth in any job to be in the same place that actor/dream boat Matthew McConaughey likes to sit naked and play his bongos (but that's a whole other story...) Anyhow, it's hard to move there, so I just try to take as many visits there as I can and I enjoy everyone of them.

This time though I was experiencing Austin through the eyes of a five-year old. And while history is all around us in our state capital, it's hard to explain history to someone who doesn't have much of a concept of history except last week we ate macaroni and cheese for dinner and last month was his Mickey Mouse Birthday party. But I was going to try to at least show him some cool stuff and maybe grab a bite to eat. After all, we only have about 5-6 hours to spend in Austin for this trip, so we were going to make the best of it.

Jumping off I-35, I made a quick exit to one of the bestest places in Austin to eat - Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill. While I'm not sure if it's one of the best, I often have eaten there when I have had work events at the Austin Convention Center over the years. It's easy to get to right off Caesar Chavez and Red River, there's seasoned popcorn on the table waiting for me, has amazing shrimp corndogs with blueberry honey mustard and warm brie cheese with cranberry-apple chutney with toast points and you have to wash it down with a hard lemonade. It's just good food and good service and they don't have a dress code. We only gobbled down our apps and drink so we could make our reservation for our next adventure - the Duck Tour! (It took us about three minutes to find it, book it and GPS with the help of our Toyota bluetooth and GPS features!) 

I didn't even know they did "Duck Tours" in Austin, but had seen them in other cities, but the idea seemed to be perfect to educate and entertain my son, so off we went for the next one that started in a just 15 minutes. If you've never seen a Duck Tour - well it's a great way to do both land and water with an amphibious tour of downtown Austin and beautiful Lake Austin inside a US coast guard inspected, Hydra Terra vehicle. During the 75-minute tour of sightseeing you see Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building, Bob Bullock State History Museum, the Governor’s Mansion, and Lake Austin. For a little man with a short attention span, it was perfect and we could fit in one of my favorite parts - the lakes - all at one time!

To start off our tour we boarded our land/water vessel on 6th Street at the Austin Visitor Center by the beautiful Driskill Hotel. We found our seats, were given our quackers (not exactly Duck Dynasty worthy, but a call we could use on signal to say "hello" to passerbys as we continued throughout our tour. The tour guide whisked us around some of the highlights of Austin's landmark buildings like the Capital and the Tower at UT Austin, sharing a little history and humor along the way. Thankfully, Jackson wasn't bored by the history and together we also pointed at cool things we saw along the way.  



Once we approached Hula Hut (another great restaurant that sits on Lake Austin), we quickly rolled into the water and became a boat. Yes, really. It was actually pretty cool and we began our small tour of the lake and scenic home tour complete with some "Island tunes" courtesy of Bob Marley. We even say the lake home that Dennis Quaid was building and his elaborate deck. However it was really the home that had an attached "home" for his boat that I was impressed with. Then we were off back to home base, but not before the kids got another few opportunities to use their calls by making quacking noise to people we passed along the way. 

While the price is a little steep for a large family ($25+tax for adults and $16 for kids over 3), the company does run discount deals like Groupon from time to time. So if you know you are going to head to Austin, it might be a good to sign up for Groupon a few weeks in advance in hopes to score one if you are trying to save money. I'm always a fan of any tour when you have a short time in a city and want to get a good look at the highlights, so this was worth the cost for me. However, the next time I take my kiddo, I'll pick out some of my favorites and we can do our own tour of the Mount Bonnell and the bats under the bridge since he's gotten the historical look for now.

Now back on the road with the Toyota Highlander 2013 and Willie to our next stop - the JW Marriott San Antonio.

And if you want to get caught up on our road trip adventure in the Toyota Highlander, check out our first adventure in West! 

Flip Flops That Make Your Feet Fit

Mom Mondays:

Disclaimer: I received these products for purposes of this review. All comments expressed here are my own. 

It's no secret I'd prefer to be barefoot to wearing shoes any day of the week. However, since it's kinda gross to walk around like that most the time, I'm always on the lookout for shoes that are good to my feet and hopefully are fashionable to wear as well. 

So when one of my favorite pairs of summer sandals bit the big one the other day, I was almost in a panic. Then like a little FedEx fairy, a box arrived at my doorstep with new flip flops that claimed with every little step my butt, hips and thighs are doing reversed incline stretches while toning my muscles. So basically, I walk and and the worst parts of my body get a little more toned? So like any woman would, I tore the box open and put these babies on my feet immediately.

Developed by famed fitness icon Tony Little (you know the guy with the blonde ponytail exercising on the Gazelle trainer), his new footwear line appropriately named “Cheeks” is constructed with an inclined sole that imitates uphill walking. The shoes work by placing the body at a three-degree angle; most of the weight rests on the heels, thus promoting improved posture. 

I was able to wear these sandals every day, all day for going to work out, walking around Schlitterbahn, the grocery store - well everything. And because of the design, I could easily wear them with many outfits.  While I didn't take my measuments before I began weating the shoes, I can tell you I could feel a little strain on my legs after I wore them for hours - just like I had been running up a hill. Success. 

And they have all kinds of styles too - from black, pink with some bling and even some interchangeable straps so you can coordinate your look by flipping it over! 

Starting at $24.95 this line is definitely worth a walk around the block. 

Available for purchase on HSN.com and TonyLittle.com. 

Anytime Dr. Oz makes a recommendation, we all come running and buying. And these sandals from Wellrox were high on his list for improving balance, better posture or just a more comfortable stride. So of course, I was quick to give these "bear claws" a try. 

By separating and providing individual thongs for each toe, Wellrox has developed "GRABS" technology, a revolutionary sandal that reduces the risk of slippage and enables a more surefooted gait. The GRABS™ technology offers added grip, relief, alignment, balance and support, so when spreading your toes, you’re redistributing your weight more evenly and begin using your proper foot muscles to walk as intended. This concept is well known throughout Yoga and wellness circles (yogitoes.)

These sandals bring much needed relief to your aching feet and leg muscles. You can wear them every day, or whenever you need recovery - before or after a workout or a Yoga session, or after a day of wearing constrictive shoes. You can even wear them for a pedicure. (At least they are much better than those throw-away shoes they give you at the pedi place!) 

You can buy these summer sandals at Macys.com and local Macy retailers. For more information, visit wellrox.com.

So now you have options to work out your feet and then give them a massage by just putting your shoes on!

Happy Walking!

Get More from Your GoGo squeeZ with Carrot-Cake Bars {Recipe}

Food Fridays:

Being a part of the Go Go squeeZ squad team has many advantages including Go Go squeeZ at your fingertips! My daughter loves the stuff even though she won't touch a whole apple or apple slice! Sometimes even the pickiest of eaters need a little extra push to eat food that is out of the norm.

Last weekend I met a mom and daughter duo at Whole Foods and asked them if they wanted to try Go Go squeeZ. The mom confidently informed me her daughter doesn't like fruits or vegetables and wouldn't like it. I said, "well perhaps she could just take it to try and if she hated it she could just bring it back and throw it in the trash. It was totally ok."

They continued up the aisle and then a few minutes later made the loop to the other side. When she returned to the end of the aisle, the mom stopped me. "Wanna hear the good news?" she said. "That's the first apple my daughter has ever eaten - she loved it!" I looked down at her cart and saw four packages of Go Go squeeZ.

While I get a smile everytime I think about it, I admit sometimes I like to mix it up! There's all kinds of ways to use Go Go squeeZ, one of favorites is in my hearty apple pie pancakes I made on Dallas Good Morning Texas and this healthier version of carrot cake bars!

Carrot Cake Bars

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

Nonstick Cooking Spray
2 cups whole wheat Flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
8 egg whites slightly
About 3 packagesGo Go squeeZ Apple Cinnamon or Apple Apple
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 cups finely shredded carrot
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

Instructions: 

Prehead the overn to 350 degrees. Grease a 15X10 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients together: flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.

In another bowl, stil together egg whites, Go Go squeeZ, and oil.

Mix both bowls of ingredients together and then stir in shredded carrots.

Spread batter in pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.

For icicing, beat together sifted powedered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.

Spread frosting over cooled cake and slice!

Optional: To add a little more to this cake, you could add 1/2 coupts of chopped walnuts.