A River Runs Through It

San Antonio is two cities in one: at street level the Alamo and 18th
century mansions are steeped in history, while down below is a bustling
riverside nightlife where the nachos are endless and the tequila is
smooth.

sleep
Come
dusk, staff at Liz Lamberts recently refurbished Hotel Havana light red
tea candles all over the heritage building. We half expected to see the
ghost of Hemingway himself sipping rum in the overstuffed club chairs.
Our King
Suite had dark hardwood floors, a wrought-iron bed and pink SMEG
fridge filled with marzipan candy, jalapeño tortilla chips and Patrón
Tequila and Chile salt. Rooms from $150. Hotel Havana, 1015 Navarro St.,
Austin, TX, 210-222-2008, www.havanasanantonio.com

do
Just a few steps down from the Havana, the San
Antonio River winds through the city attracting flora, fauna and
loved-up couples doing their best PDA. Take a leisurely stroll south
towards the hip-happening River Walk area or hop on and off a River
Taxi boat ($10/24hrs).

art and eat

North of downtown, the San
Antonio Museum of Art is in a former brewery thats home to Latin
American cherubs, Egyptian mummies and paintings by Philip Guston (tickets
$8). Stop for lunch at the museums picturesque Café des Artistes. We ate
Lobster Bisque ($13) and Tuna Tartare ($15) on the terrace overlooking a
pretty bend in the river. San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave.,
Austin, TX, 210-978-8100, www.samuseum.org

shop
We
picked up a fetching black and white Bailey Panama ($65) at Paris
Hatters and Audrey Hepburn-esque black wool pedal pushers at The
Violet Hour, an eclectic boutique carrying Elizabeth & James and
T-shirts featuring Chevy Chase.
Paris Hatters, 119 Broadway, Austin,
TX, 210-223-3453, www.parishatters.com
The
Violet Hour, 6346 N. New Braunfels, Austin, TX, 210-829-0388, www.shoptheviolethour.com

See more from Montreal editor Marianne Wisenthals San Antonio trip on
our Editors
Diary.