Rob and Camille Di Maio

Our New Blog on San Antonio's Best Neighborhoods!

Best Neighborhoods of San Antonio

Good Morning!

This is the first installment of our new blog about San Antonio neighborhoods. For now,we will focus on North San Antonio, since that is where we live, play and do the majority of our work.

We will start with the North Central area of San Antonio. This is roughly the area bordered by North Loop 410 to the South, I10 to the West, 281 to the East and 1604 (and just North of it, including Stone Oak, Rogers Ranch, etc) to the North.

As San Antonio continues to expand, homes in North Central San Antonio homes are in greater demand. While many people orignally loved the idea of being north of 1604 in a big,a new house, many have grown tired of the traffic and longer commutes that being outside the loop often entails. As a result, we have seen a good number of people relocating to be inside 1604 in the North Central area.

North Central has evolved into a prime location in San Antonio. Acclaimed NEISD schools, easy access to major highways, great neighborhoods, nearby shopping,close proximity to Medical Center, parks and other amenites make North Central a great place for people to call home, regardless of their stage of life. Whether single, married, with kids, empty nesters, retired, etc., North Central has a neighborhood to fit just about anybody.

In many ways, North Central offers the best of many worlds. You can get newer homes in recent developments or older homes in established neighborhoods. Different neighborhoods abound, with prices starting in the low $100,000 range for smaller homes in older developments to the multi-million dollar range for luxury homes in prestigious locations like Shavano Park and Elm Creek.

Once considered to be at the geographical fringes of the city, North Central is rapidly becoming an extension of the heart of the city -- close to downtown and all major amenites but maintaining more of the tranquility that we expect from a surburban location.

Well, this concludes our first installment of our Neighborhoods Blog. Future postings will have infomation on specific neighborhoods of North Central San Antonio. We hope you'll come back and join us as we tour through this great part of the Alamo city.

For more information about relocating to North Central San Antonio and the surrounding areas, you can contact Rob and Camille DiMaio at 210-488-1144. You can also visit their website at www.TexasFamilyHouses.com

What's in a name? Or, rather, what's in a nickname?

A nickname indicates familiarity, or affection.

I've had a lifelong disdain for the makeover that my grandmother gave my name. Christened "Camille Elizabeth", a parental decision which I have always appreciated, my grandmother called me "Cammie Liz". I had to let her get away with it. But just anyone else try it, and watch out!

It was important to name my children nickname-free names: Claire, Gina. Our third is Mary Teresa, at the insistance of my husband. I love her name, but I find even myself calling her "M.T.", and I could probably make up a hundred more nicknames from those two words if I had to.

Nicknames are not all bad, though. They can be a sign of affection. My sister and I, both born in the wrong decade, have shortened Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra to a simple "Dean and Frank". She and I know immediately know who were talking about when we talk about Frank. Then, we break into a can-can chorus of "New York, New York".

Such is the case with the Gourmet Burger Grill. Although it is aptly named, in our appreciation for this fantastic new San Antonio restaurant, we've nicknamed it simply, "GBG". A dangerous thing to do when talking to someone who hasn't been there - such a vague moniker could mean anything - "Care to eat at Garbage Bin Gunk tonight, anyone?"

Thankfully, the GBG we know and love is exactly the opposite.

It is certainly gourmet - Angus beef, sweet-potato fries, twenty-six sauces, thirteen kinds of cheese. Oh, yes, they carry American and cheddar, but have you ever asked for a lettuce-wrapped burger with feta cheese and basil garlic aioli? Or, a tropical burger with mango avocado salsa? Well, you could ask for it at GBG.

But, traditionalists, have no fear - a regular, old-fashioned bacon cheeseburger is a main menu staple.

I almost always skip the menu, though, and just look at the specials board. This is where the owner becomes an artist, continually creating something new and tempting. Yesterday, I didn't hesitate when I saw the word "Caprese" on the board. My delicious burger came with buffalo mozzerella, tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar.

The only speciality I haven't seen yet is an unusual Maui staple, which is a cheeseburger with an egg fried on top of it. But, if I were inclined to order it, the owner would, no doubt, whip one up for me.

The restaurant is small, and always busy, but the staff seems to have a special talent for magically rearranging tables to accomodate everyone.

Hurry to try what will soon become a San Antonio favorite. GBG has everything going for it - quality, selection, affordability, creativity, and it could no doubt become the flagship for a major new brand. Come say that you ate at the original.
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Gourmet Burger Grill
18414 US Hwy 281 N Suite 116 @ The Legacy ,San Antonio, Texas. 78259
Tel.(210) 545 3800 Fax. (210) 545-5529
www.gourmetburgergrill.com

If you ask a child what they think they will find in Heaven, you might hear answers like "Disneyland", "cotton candy", or "puppies."

Aside from the obvious spiritual aspects of Eternal Life, I hope that Heaven has copious chocolate and books.

I fulfilled my chocolate dreams by having lived for several years near Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the air smells of cocoa and the streetlamps are kiss-shaped.

However, it is in San Antonio that my book dreams have been answered.

The Scholastic Warehouse on Perrin Creek is Book Heaven.

Think back to when you were in school, and the teacher would pass out those newspaper-like flyers with book lists. My mom would let me pick two each time, and I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices. I was the kid that chose to go the library at recess. (Sister Charles Marie was concerned that I might have a life of crime in my future, merely because I tore through the entire Nancy Drew collection in record time. Why didn't she think I was destined to become a detective?)

I'll never forget the first time I walked into the Scholastic Warehouse. It is literally a working warehouse, complete with concrete floors, cinder-block walls, with exposed pipes and industrial lights in the ceiling. If it has central air or heating, you wouldn't know it, because it is cold in the winter, and hot in the summer, especially as the loading dock garage doors are usually open.

But who needs ambiance when before your eyes are countless rows of books, nearly floor to ceiling, and overflowing into carts and bins?

There must be a secret system known only to employees because a book about Spiderman can be found next to a cookbook, which is next to a pop-up book about Tutankhamun, which is next to a Clifford-the-Big-Red-Dog paperback. It almost confuses my German sense of order, but instead I love the necessity of walking down each aisle, looking at every single book to find what I want.

And, oh, do I want them all! I don't believe in being materialistic, but I do make an exception in regards to books. After all, books are the gateway to new life, new civilization, allow you to boldly go where no man has gone before.

I'm confusing that with an old "Star Trek" episode I watched last night. But, the point is the same. Books, in my opinion, are an experience, not a collection of items.

The catch to the Scholastic Warehouse is that it is only open to the public several times a year, and even then, they have restrictions. The sales are open to teachers, homeschoolers, and other people directly involved in the education of children. Admittedly, they have a fairly loose definition of this, but if you are interested in going, and cannot claim one of the catagories, you can sign up as a volunteer, and thus have access to the sale.

The sales are fantastic. Every book is at least 50% off, and sometimes much more. There is usually a clearance section where the prices are even better. One time, the had a sale where you could load up an HEB-sized plastic bag with as many books as possible, and only pay a dollar.

Although the majority of books relate to children, there are definitely selections for an older crowd. Cookbooks, self-help books, novels, history books, etc. can be found on many shelves if you have the time and patience to walk through the hallowed halls slowly and methodically.

I never walk out of there without several boxes taking up room in the cart, and a sudden lightness to my wallet.

I'm looking around my house, trying to figure out where we can add more bookshelves.

Scholastic Warehouse
4646 Perrin Creek
San Antonio, TX
800-633-4270
www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/events/warehouse/
(Register for a Fast Pass, which expidites your payment on-site, and give you a $10 coupon off of purchases of $50 or more.)