The Esquire Tavern in San Antonio, Texas:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

On my first river boat tour with the ladies on Saturday evening after the football game, I spotted this cool establishment and took a picture of it.  Doesn't it draw you in, making you want to check it out?  Doesn't it remind you somehow of New Orleans?  No?  Well that is how I felt when I first saw it:

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The next day, Sunday afternoon, January 14, 2012, Cary and I hopped on a river taxi along the River Walk in the fine city of San Antonio, Texas.  The boat tour guy, Doug, that mentioned that The Esquire Tavern had the longest old wooden bar in the city, at 100' long.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

We found it on the River Walk side (versus the street side), and climbed up the stairs, taking photos along the way: 

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

From the back entrance, you need to climb up these steep stairs.  Cary and I both thought that nobody could get away with this entrance in Oregon.  Because it is a bar, there is a likely chance that somebody could get hurt entering or exiting on those stairs.  I suppose, even if it wasn't a bar that could happen.  However, we were in Texas, and it seems that people just might need less babysitting in Texas.  Either that, or they don't allow as much government regulation.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

When we got up the stairs and came through the back door of the bar, I began taking pictures.  This is how you get into the Esquire Tavern from the street level.  The Esquire originally opened in 1933, which was six years before the River Walk itself opened.  I am still trying to find out the whole history here, but it was closed from 2006 until April 2011 when it reopened under new owner Chris Walker.  Here is a link to what it looked like during the refurbishing process, just " CLICK HERE".

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

This cheerful sign greets you at the front door.  If you turn left at the front door, you will find a very dark and scary hallway with a big (clean) and scary bathroom.  It was still in the middle of the day when we were there, but that area of the joint gave me the creeps.  I wouldn't be surprised if something bad has happened there over the years, but I have no evidence to back that up right now.  I do hope that there are surveillance cameras where the bartenders can monitor the hallway though.  Or at least please light up the area a bit more.  I'm just sayin'.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The decor is simply beautiful.  The booths and bar stools have beautifulyl re-worked leather upholstery.  The bar is indeed long and old.  There are several taxidermied animals scattered about here and there, from bobcats to game birds.  The windows and door above open up to the backdoor and balcony overlooking the San Antonio River.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

This bar/restaurant is HUGE!  They call it a tavern, but it isn't like your typical Oregon tavern, which is generally something small and cozy, with a pool table here and there.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Look at the old lights.  The ceiling is copper and is so beautiful!

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Cary and I were promptly greeted, and sat down at the bar.  We were not hungry, so he ordered a gin and tonic and I ordered a glass of Merlot.  But they didn't have Merlot.  By this time, I was getting used to San Antonio not offering Merlot.  The friendly bartender gave me some other wine options, but I decided to have a Margarita instead.  It was fine, but I have been reading the reviews of The Esquire, and they brag on how each drink is made extra special, by trained mixologists and are the best to be found anywhere.  Still, my drink was nothing like the best ever Margarita that I have ever had in my life, which was at McMenamins Old St. Francis School  in Bend, Oregon.  Those things are made with fresh fruit and are simply to die for.  Again, I'm just sayin'.  We must have been at The Esquire at happy hour, because our drinks were about $6 each, not  too expensive.  The reviews also mentioned that some of their specialty drinks are $13.00 each.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The bartender and other peeps were very friendly, and they gave me a copy of their bar menu to take home.  We enjoyed our time there, and if we go back to San Antonio, we were sure go back to this place again and try the food. 

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Here are a couple of You Tube videos featuring The Esquire Tavern in San Antonio:

Links:

The Esquire Tavern.com

The San Antonio Current Article on The Esquire Tavern

So, that is my take on this historical place.  We liked it, and we will certainly return if we get the chance.  Hope you enjoyed the review.

~ Kathy M.

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.
 

Winter Has Finally Arrived: The Pacific Northwest Storms of January 2012

After months of clear, not so cold weather, winter finally arrived this week. High winds, snow and then, very unfortunately rain and flooding to those in the Willamette Valley. Here in La Pine things are fine. We are supposed to have some high winds and more snow, but so far it hasn't been anything out of the usual. We still have our roof covered with a tarp though, and are hoping that the tarp will do its job until the weather clears enough for the repair work to get done.

On Wednesday, we got 18" of snow in our yard, in about 10 hours. 

Our family in Olympia, Washington were thrilled with all the snow that they got, which was close to 2 feet.  Their power has been out for several days now though, and it is still really cold there.  Tree limbs sound like gunshots as they pop and fall off.

Friends and family in the valley were dealing with flooding as the 5" of rain that followed the snow melted the snow and caused disaster.  Oregon has even been on national news, which rarely happens.  The small towns of Marcola, Turner and Scio were evacuated, as were many other individual families.  It was once again very interesting to see how helpful that Facebook was for communication.

This woman captured the flooding of Mapleton and Cushing as they attempted to go to the coast and check on their vacation home.  She did a fantastic job, if you want to check it out:

We are supposed to get more winter storm activity, but we have been given a break.  Much of what they have predicted hasn't come to pass for us here in Central Oregon, and I can say that I am pretty happy about that!  I sure do feel bad for all of those who have lost family members or have property damage due to this winter's storms. 

Here is another flood video featuring the McKenzie, Willamette and Mohawk Rivers:

Hope you are all safe and sound on this January weekend.  Take care. 

~ Kathy M.

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.
 

Sepia in San Antonio: Can you spot some ghostly faces in these places?

Some of these photos are just developed as sepia and black and white, and some of them seem to have ghostly faces in them.  I'll do another post like this with color photos soon.  I was very surprised at how many things that my camera picked up on this trip.  When there is a blurry spot, I look closer and see if there is anything else that I can see in it.  Though, in San Antonio, heads just sometimes seemed to be in trees or open space as clear as day.  Hint, look for the eyes and if there are any, you'll probably be able to see the rest of the face.  Sometimes the faces are huge and distorted.  Trees and water seem to be favorite hang outs!

Not everybody will be able to see them, and in that case, I hope that you just enjoy the photos as they are.  ~ Kathy M.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.
 

MLB Former Catcher Jamie Burke Now Managing the Cedar Rapids Kernels:

One of my prized items is the baseball signed by one of my favorite MLB players, fellow Oregonian Jamie Burke.  The first part of this post was written last January, giving you a little background information.  The second part tells about the great news of Jamie being hired as the new head coach for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, with links to news articles. 

Congratulations, Jamie, Cary and I are very proud of you!  We would love to make a trip with Dobie and fly out to watch you guys soon, if we can.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Jamie Burke grew up in Roseburg, and played college ball for Oregon State University.  Cary and I met Jamie and his lovely wife Katrina at the funeral of a mutual friend several years ago.  Jamie was wearing his World Series ring that he received while playing for the Chicago White Sox.  The following season, Jamie became a Seattle Mariner, which is the team we follow the most.  After leaving the Mariners, Jamie played for The Washington Nationals and then retired as a player.  The following pictures were taken when he was a Mariner:

 Source:  Bing Images.  Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

During hunting season a couple of years ago, Jamie was here in La Pine, and Cary and I were invited to go to pizza with the family friends.  That is when Jamie gave me the baseball above.  I love it!

Source:  Bing Images. Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Adrian Beltre and Jamie Burke

 Source:  Bing Images. Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Looking good, Jamie.

 Source:  Bing Images.  Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Jamie giving Felix Hernandez a huge hug.

 Source:  Bing Images.  Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

High fivin' Ichiro.
Man, I'm Jonesing for baseball season to begin.

Click here to read more about Jamie Burke.

Following are some news releases and articles about Jamie and The Cedar Rapids Kernels that I got off of the Kernels Facebook page and off of The Cedar Rapids Kernels website.  Here is the Wikipedia link about the team, which is affiliated with the LA Angels: just click here.

Article from The Gazette:

CEDAR RAPIDS — Jamie Burke was asked about his memories of playing professional baseball in Cedar Rapids.

“A championship, baby,” he said. “A long season, but it turned out to be a very good season.”
Burke played in a team-high 127 games at first and third base for the 1994 Cedar Rapids Kernels, a club that got hot in the second half and won the Midwest League title. That’s the last time the local nine has won it all, though if you believe in signs, that streak will finally end this summer. 
 
The 40-year-old Burke was announced as Kernels manager Friday. It’s the first coaching stint for the Oregon native, whose 18-year playing career ended in 2011.  He played bits and pieces of eight major league seasons as a backup catcher for the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals, a .277 hitter in 191 games. Burke spent last year away from the game before deciding to get back into it as an instructor.

“I took last year off to do some things with my family that I haven’t been able to do for 17 years,” Burke said. “I feel like I’ve got a master’s degree in this field. I’ve been through the ups and downs of a career, feel like I will be able to relate to my players.

“Everybody said they knew this was what I was going to do. I want to be a manager in the big leagues some day.”

Burke said he is still very good friends with former Kernels teammate Tony Moeder, who settled in Cedar Rapids after he quit playing. The rest of the Kernels 2012 field staff is Mike Eyward (hitting coach), Chris Gissell (pitching coach), Omar Uribe (trainer) and Joe Griffin (strength coach).
Eylward was last season’s hitting coach. Gissell played in the Chicago Cubs farm system and had a cup of coffee in the bigs with the Colorado Rockies.

The Kernels also announced this week they are seeking a home clubhouse manager to replace longtime clubbie Ron “Roady” Plein, who will tend to the visitor’s clubhouse this season.
The Kernels will hold their 16th-annual Hot Stove Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Cedar Rapids. The season opener is April 5 at Wisconsin, with the home opener April 9 against Clinton."

News Release from Cedar Rapids Kernels:

 Source: The Cedar Rapids Kernels website.

 
"Cedar Rapids, IA - The Cedar Rapids Kernels, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, announce their field staff for the 2012 season.


Taking over as the Kernels Manager is Jamie Burke. The native of Roseburg, OR was drafted by the Angels in the 9th round of the 1993 draft out of Oregon State University and played for the Kernels in 1994, hitting .264 with a HR and 47 RBI in 127 games. He made his MLB debut with the Angels on May 9, 2001 and played 191 Major League games with the Angels, White Sox, Mariners and Nationals as a catcher and infielder. He retired at the end of the 2010 season and this is his first season as a manager in the Angels organization.


Chris Gissell takes over as the Kernels Pitching Coach. He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the fourth round of the 1996 Free Agent Draft out of Hudson's Bay HS in Vancouver, WA and pitched for the Rockford Cubs in 1997 and 1998, going a combined 9-11 with a 3.76 ERA in 31 games. He made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies on August 22, 2004 and appeared in five major league games with an 0-1 record over 8.2 IP. He has also pitched for the Seibu Lions in Japan in 2006 and Uni-President Lions in Taiwan in 2009. He was signed by Oakland as a free agent in 2007 and pitched for the Sacramento River Cats in 2008 and 2009. This is his first season as a coach in the Angels organization.


Mike Eylward returns to Cedar Rapids as the Kernels Hitting Coach. He played for the Kernels in 2001 and 2002 after being drafted by the Angels in the 44th round of the 2001 Free Agent Draft. In 2002, he hit .263 with 8 HR and 43 RBI in 98 games for the Kernels. He played eight seasons in the minors and has been the hitting coach for the Orem Owlz the past two seasons (2009-10).


Omar Uribe rejoins the Kernels staff as the team's Athletic Trainer. Born and raised in northeast Los Angeles, Omar graduated from Long Beach State with both a Bachelor's and Master's in Kinesiology. He also holds a Career & Technical Education Credential in California. For the past 6 years, he has taught and provided sports medicine at Culver City High school and then Los Angeles Senior High School. While at LA High he also served as the athletic director. In the past Omar provided coverage for Cal State Los Angeles, USC, Claremont Colleges and various therapy clinics and gymnasiums. In 2002, Omar served as an intern for both the Atlanta Braves & Long Beach State Dirtbags baseball. He currently resides in Los Angels with his wife Norma.


Joe Griffin returns as the Kernels Strength Coach. He has a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Along with various other certifications he had a 15-year baseball playing career and a strong knowledge base in nutrition for athletes. Before coming to Cedar Rapids, he was with the Washington Nationals and has worked with various universities in the Mid-Atlantic area. In addition he is the owner and founder of ESX Athletics LLC and has worked with hundreds of high school and collegiate athletes for over the past five years.


The Kernels open the 11th season in Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Monday, April 9 at 6:35 pm against the Clinton LumberKings. Season tickets and 10-game anytime coupon books are on sale now at www.kernels.com, or in person at the stadium. Individual game tickets go on sale Monday, March 19, 2012 at 10 am."

This is just so cool.

~ Kathy Matthews 

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.