A Lalique rose bowl, a set of embroidered hand towels, picture frames, ladies’ shoes in a size 7 narrow, a vintage fur coat, sterling silver, an original oil painting, bric-a-brac, tools, glassware, antique salt cellars, a 17th-century secretary, a comfy sofa, a lawn...
The Business of Bling: A visit with four local jewelry designers
Silver, silver and gold, silver and gold — everyone wishes for silver and gold. How do you measure its worth? Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth …” sung by Burl Ives. Everyone loves silver and gold, and during this season of lights, tinsel and glitter, it’s...
Hill Country Aerie: Villa is perfect home away from home
The drive from the entry of Cordillera Ranch to the Villas of Di Lusso is quite enjoyable in the late afternoon, when the long golden rays of the sun stretch across the undulating hills. Long shadows from the oak trees spill across the winding road that climbs up the...
Fleming’s Steakhouse
There’s something Mad Men retro about most steakhouses —whether they serenade you with Sinatra or simply shake a stylish martini. Or both. But as these are not boom times, we suggest a stratagem for struttin’ your own style at a reduced rate: Hit happy hour. This is...
Festive and Fun: Music, dance, humor make the holidays bright
Tis the season to be merry, and arts organizations are certainly contributing more than their fair share to the mood. From festive concerts and ballet spectaculars to theme-park celebrations and artsy shopping, the city will be awash with holiday offerings for all...
Finding Contentment in Your Life
If only, if only, if only ... Moms, these two words are the bane of contentment in my life, and maybe in your lives, too. If only I had more money, then I would be happy. If only the kids made better grades, then I could relax. If only I were 10 pounds lighter... If...
Fabulous Wine Pairings for Your Holiday Dinner
The holidays are here, a special time of the year to celebrate with friends and family — all the excitement of catching up on the new and the old, football scores, latest movies and a much anticipated holiday dinner along with great wine. Whether you favor a riotous...
Low back pain? Suffer no more!
Back pain affects 80 percent of Americans at some time in their lives. It’s the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years of age, according to the National Institute of Health Statistics survey. Indeed, more than 26 million Americans between the ages of...
Born to Excel: Whitney Solcher
By bloodline, upbringing and inclination, Whitney Solcher was born for business. President of San Antonio Capital Management, LLC, an investment firm founded in 2009, she’s the great-granddaughter of the late Walter McAllister, former San Antonio mayor and founder in...
Women In Law: Women are flocking to careers in law
Most of us know personally or are familiar with female attorneys, judges, law school professors, law students, clerks and paralegals pursuing successful careers. Women at work in the field of law are certainly not uncommon today — though that’s not always been the...
Overcoming Obstacles: 3 women put a difficult past behind for success
The women you are about to meet in this article changed my life. I once considered myself a godly woman of faith, with a heart for the less fortunate, a strong will, honorable in my intentions and striving to do my part to make this world a better place. But I was...
In Full Swing: Fotoseptiembre opens the season with multiple exhibits
The biggest event in September is the Fotoseptiembre USA Festival founded 16 years ago by artists/producers Michael Mehl and Ann Kinzer. It’s a huge, city-wide showcase of photography, from documentary and narrative to all sorts of experimental explorations of the...
An Artful Life in Olmos Park
A drive through the winding roads of Olmos Park affords glimpses into the diverse architecture of the neighborhood — Tudor mansions, ranch houses, skeletons of old homes undergoing major renovations. Around a bend on one of the dappled streets lie two houses, one of...
Roaring Fork: Beef and pork entrees win applause
Opt for the bar, that’s our suggestion. The Roaring Fork main dining room seems better suited to groups and families, but the bar provides some good couples-scaled seating. Besides, if your waitress’s watch is running a tad late (wink, wink), you may just make it in...
The Significance of Birth Order
For generations of psychologists and parents alike, birth order has been an intriguing area of study and debate when it comes to raising children. How do children that come from the same parents and are raised in the same environment each turn out so differently? As...
The Latest Word in Fall Makeup, Hair & Fashion
Big, bold, bright. OR demure. This fall, the range for makeup goes from one extreme to theother. Overall, make-up can be very heavy or very soft. Red! Lips can be any shade as long as they’re some shade of red. Although true red is preferred, the range goes from...
Kymberly Rapier: The Joy of Generosity
Philanthropist Kymberly Rapier is conflicted: She wants to encourage others to give, but she isn’t comfortable talking about herself. “I wasn’t brought up to brag,” she says. Inside and out, her house — built around the turn of the last century for a West Texas cattle...
Defining Civility Today: Have texting, cell phones and Facebook changed the old rules?
What is civility? A courteous nod to a familiar face; an “excuse me” when passing by someone in a narrow corridor; using please and thank you to show appreciation for another’s actions? In olden days, the word civil brought to mind a cold but correct conversation...