Give a Gift of Groceries

Christmas is over and the gifts have all been given and received, but there's one more gift you can give... and it will help feed people all year long.

Feeding America wants to fill 3.3 million bags of groceries to help feed hungry families. They need your help to reach their goal by December 31st. They still have 1,552,289 bags to fill and need to raise $390,000. A grant from Ameriprise Financial matches every $5.00 you give; it doubles to provide not just 10, but 20 bags of groceries. Let's help feed hungry people. It's only $5.00 and we can do it!!

If you want to support your local food bank to feed the families in your community, there's a food bank locator on their site.

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone has a really wonderful Christmas!!

Holiday Farmer's Markets

It's a beautiful day in San Antonio... the sun is shining and the temps are in the mid-60s... a really nice change from the gray, cloudy, windy, cold weather we've been having. It's a great day
to be outside and tomorrow is supposed to be just as nice.

Want to get away from the holiday crowds at the mall? Two great places to be this weekend are at the farmer's markets. I love living in San Antonio... we have year-round farmer's markets.

Saturday, Dec. 19th, Pearl Farmer's Market, at 200 East Grayson, is having a Holiday Festival with extended hours from 9 am to 4 pm. In addition to the regular vendors, they'll also have an artisan's gift market, arts and crafts for the kids, and I heard that Santa was going to be there. Tamales are a tradition here in San Antonio and Chef Johnny Hernandez will be making homemade tamales. Bunuelos are a wonderful treat; the CIA of
SA will be there making delicious buneulos for everyone to enjoy.

Want more fresh food and fresh air? Stop by the Legacy Outdoor Market, Sunday, Dec. 20th, from 10 am to 3 pm, at the Legacy Shopping Center,
NE corner of 281 and 1604, featuring fresh produce, and arts and crafts.

Totally Texas

Just got an email from the really nice folks at the New World Wine and Food Festival announcing that the 2010 event is being moved to May to coincide with the Valero Texas Open.

A few posts back I mentioned that I had attended Totally Tejas, signing and selling copies of my cookbook, Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, and that I'd had a totally wonderful time and couldn't wait to do it again. YAY!! I don't have to wait another year... just five more months.

The NWWFF will be held May 9th - 16th, 2010, and Totally Tejas -- now changed to Totally Texas -- will wind up the event on Sunday, May 16th from 1:00 to 6:00 pm at the Rio Cibolo Ranch. Mark your calendars; this is one event you don't want to miss... lots of wonderful wine and food.

Silver Bells in the City

Just got my electric bill and was reading the newsletter-blurby thing that accompanies it and discovered that CPS Energy has invited me (and everyone in San Antonio) to Main Plaza on Saturday, December 5th, from 4 pm to 8 pm to celebrate Silver Bells in the City.

They're offering cookies and hot chocolate while we're serenaded by a variety of holiday music performances, including the River City Ringers hand-bell choir. If you have kids, bring them for a photo with Santa. But the highlight of the evening is the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Photo Credit: My San Antonio