BUY SAN ANTONIO BEER FESTIVAL TICKETS TODAY!

Best Of 2014

Best Unique Attraction

South Texas Popular Culture Center
1017 E Mulberry, (210) 792-1312, stpcc.org

San Antonio is home to several eccentric museums and attractions. They’re all charming and earnest and DIY in that puro San Anto way, plus they’re marvelously affordable and accessible. While by now places like the Toilet Seat Art Museum and the Magic Lantern Castle Museum are fairly well known, one has largely evaded mention: The South Texas Popular Culture Center, or Tex Pop for short.

Founded by Margaret Moser (a SA native best known as the Austin Chronicle’s forever music critic) and Michael Ann Coker with much assistance by Hickoids’ Jeff Smith and neighboring business Planet K, Tex Pop endeavors to “collect, document, exhibit, preserve and interpret South Texas music and music-related art and history,” and basically prove that while the state capital gets much of the credit for defining pop music in Texas, our region has a muy hip history, too.

Since opening in 2012, Tex Pop has made its case via exhibits spotlighting Doug Sahm, the Sex Pistols’ 1978 performance here, Chicano Soul, Augie Meyers and legendary music venue Teen Canteen. The current exhibit on radio personality Bruce Hathaway is the first in a series titled “Alamo Airwaves” that will revisit some of SA’s best-loved music radio stations and DJs. According to Coker, upcoming exhibits will likely include one on the accordion and Flaco Jiménez, the Rolling Stones’ 1964 performance here (“Everybody hated them,” said Coker) and something related to heavy metal. Tex Pop has recently doubled in size, as well, allowing for one permanent collection and one rotating exhibit, plus more space for live music. Stop on by weekend afternoons and like them on Facebook to keep up with all their events.

Best Art Gallery

1. Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum
116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960, bluestarart.org

Despite the “museum” moniker, San Antonio’s longest-running contemporary art space has always felt more like a big gallery. Last year, amid a swirl of leadership changes, Blue Star managed to host the gargantuan centerpiece group show for the Texas Biennial. More recently, the institution wisely chose Mary Heathcott as the latest executive director, sure to help this star shine even brighter.

2. Cinnabar Art and Custom Jewelry Gallery
1420 S Alamo, Ste 147, (210) 557-6073, cinnabarart.com

3. Gravelmouth Gallery
1906 S Flores, (210) 367-2528, gravelmouthgallery.com

Best Authentic Jukebox

1. Bar America
723 S Alamo, (210) 223-1285

The votes came in before the announcement that Bar America’s new owner would switch the vintage, LP-playing juke box for a streaming number, so let’s consider this a eulogy to the best juke in town. But don’t worry—Roger Miller, Patsy Cline, Ella, various Fats-es and all the favorites of yesteryear will be uploaded into the new machine.

2. Tucker’s Kozy Korner
1338 E Houston, (210) 320-2192, tuckerskozykorner.com

3. Mary Ann’s Pig Stand
1508 Broadway, (210) 222-9923, sanantoniospigstand.com

Best Bathroom to Sneak into as a Non-customer During Fiesta

Starbucks
Multiple locations, starbucks.com

We’re going to break our own rule here and nominate a non-local business as the best place to sneak into as a non-customer during Fiesta. For one, locally owned businesses downtown have it tough as it is without your cheap, stanky asses fouling up their joints. For two, Starbucks is known as the haven for weenie bladders worldwide, because the bigwigs realize that once one has relieved oneself, a venti iced sugar-free hazelnut latte suddenly sounds much more appealing. And for three, there’s plenty of Starbucks downtown alone: one by River Center Mall, one on St. Mary’s and Houston and one on McCullough and Quincy. Just remember, while it’s corporate policy to give furtive whizzers a pass, employees themselves may be less understanding. Since they’re the ones watching the Sbux thrones, make nice and be respectful if they ask you to take your pee-pee dance somewhere else.

Best Bed & Breakfast

1. King William Manor
1029 S Alamo, (210) 222-0144, kingwilliammanor.com

Once known as “The Columns on Alamo,” this 1892 Greek revival mansion boasts a stately bohemian character, with previous reincarnations as a community theater and a bookstore. A modern touch of vintage spans nine distinctly themed guest rooms; a few lead out to the veranda overlooking Southtown. Guests enjoy strolling to galleries and restaurants, and breakfast is served at Madhatter’s
Tea House.

2. O’Casey’s Bed & Breakfast
225 W Craig, (210) 738-1378, ocaseybnb.com

3. Eva’s Escape at the Gardenia Inn
307 Beauregard, (210) 223-5875, evasescape.com

Best Bike Route

1. Mission Reach
sanantonioriver.org/mission_reach/mission_reach.php

2. Leon Creek Greenway
sanantonio.gov/parksandrec/greenway_trails_leon.aspx

3. McAllister Park
13102 Jones Maltsberger, (210) 207-7275

Best Bowling Alley

1. University Bowl
12332 I-10 W, (210) 699-6235, ubbowl.com

2. Bandera Bowling Center
6700 Huebner, (210) 523-1716, banderabowlingcenter.com

3. Oak Hills Lanes
7330 Callaghan, (210) 344-6251, oakhillslanes.com

Best Childcare

1. Block and Dreeban School for Young Children
Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio, 1200 NW Military Hwy,
(210) 302-6846, jccsanantonio.org

The JCC’s daycare and pre-school covers children ages six weeks to five years old. The program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Jewish culture and traditions are integrated throughout daily activities. There are also afterschool programs for grades K-12. And rest easy, staff members are college-educated and well-credentialed to take care of your little one.

2. TIE: Colonial Hills United Methodist School
5247 Vance Jackson, (210) 349-1092, colonialhills.info

Discovery World Learning Center
Multiple locations, discoveryworldsa.com

3. Country Home Learning Center
Multiple locations, countryhomelearningcenter.com