SAN ANTONIO, TX--Day One

I’m happy every time a conference I attend gets booked into San Antonio—whether I’m escaping Chicago’s nasty winters or braving the dog days of a Texas summer.  No doubt, the city offers loads of touristy gems, but I also discovered a pair of great local yarn shops as well.  If you find yourself in the Alamo City, here’s where to launch your yarn adventures:

The Pearl

Bordered by Avenue B, Isleta, Grayson and Newell Streets

San Antonio TX

(210) 212-7200

atpearl.com

What once was the Pearl Brewery has now become an charming selection of restaurants, shops, residences, and outdoor space.  Even the old stable has become an event venue. Spend your morning wandering around the place, making sure you take in:

Bakery Lorraine

306 Pearl Pkwy

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 862-5582

bakerylorraine.com

Desert for breakfast is a DestiKNITions tradition, and the Snickers Tart or croissant paired with an excellent coffee and a few splendid French macarons was the perfect way to launch my day.  The Turtle Tart is just as yummy—and I won’t tell if you get both.

Properly inspired to culinary greatness, head to:

Melissa Guerra Latin Kitchen Market

303 Pearl Pkwy Ste 104

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 293-3983

melissaguerra.com

All manner of creative cookware and gift items await you, most with a distinctive ethnic flare.  For some unusual fun, ask to see the Big Chill retro refrigerator and fantasizing about out which of the fun selection of custom colors you’d order for your own kitchen.

The Twig Book Shop

306 Pearl Pkwy Ste 106

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 826-6411

thetwig.com

Be a loyal destiKNITter and patronize the cozy little book shop for a thoughtful selection of local authors, local interest books, children’s literature, and an impressive schedule of events.   “Yea Local!”—I heartily agree.

Hotel Emma

136 E Grayson

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 448-8300

thehotelemma.com

I love to walk around gorgeous hotels, and this one is not only stunning, it’s an outstanding repurposing of a “neo-industrialized” space.  The library made me drool (but it’s only open to guests, so I just pressed my nose against the glass).  The bar, with its tables tucked inside old brewery tanks, offers an inventive place to share a cocktail.  I probably could only afford to stay five minutes in a swanky place like this, but it sure is fun to visit.

When you’re hungry, head here: 

Boiler House Texas Grill and Wine Garden

312 Pearl Pkwy

Bldg. 3

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 354-4644

boilerhousesa.com

Another gorgeously re-purposed building!  They’re known for great burgers, but I was in the mood for something different, so my friendly server talked me into the Hudspeth Ranch Lamb & Wild Boar Bolognese.  Really, how could I turn down a chance like that?  (No “knitter eating lamb” jabs, please).  It was delicious—a perfect taste combination for the unusual meats.  

Chef Jeff White also sent over his signature house chicharones & hot sauce when I mentioned I’d never had such a thing.  Yummy, but WAY too spicy for my weak northern tastebuds.  A great place for lunch or dinner, or a stand-out Sunday brunch.

Save room for desert, because we’re off to:

Lick Honest Ice Creams

312 Pearl Pkwy

Ste 2101

San Antonio, TX 78215

(210) 314-8166

ilikelick.com

Artisan ice creams are always a fun place for adventure, and this shop is the perfect place to find a one-of-a-kind treat.  My sources sent me in for the  “goat cheese and candied nut” flavor, but I confess it wasn’t really my thing.  The server let me taste a bunch of suggestions until we hit on “grapefruit with champagne marshmallows”—fabulous!  An inventive combination of sweet and tang.  The menu of available flavors rotates constantly, so who knows what new favorite you’ll discover?

Ready for yarn?  Make the drive to:

Unraveled - The Chic Yarn Boutique

815 E Rector Suite 104

San Antonio, TX 78216

(210) 951-4891

unraveledsa.com

Husband-and-wife owner Kellie Lewis and Rob Thompson—both knitters—let their passion for the craft launch this newest addition to the Texas yarn shop scene.  

“We only carry fibers we’re 100% passionate about,” says Kellie.  Rob’s big on alpaca, Kellie’s a fan of cottons, so you can imagine that their selection of both (as well as linen, silk, and other warm-weather fibers) is outstanding.  Their fun, inventive style comes through all over the store and extends to the friendly, go-the-extra-mile staff as well.  

The store offers a strong selection of stock displayed by weight, and as Rob and Kellie love gift-giving projects, there are tons of great samples all over the store to inspire your generosity (or self-indulgence).

Open form classes—where you can come with any project and any skill level—are kept to a nice, intimate size.  Open knitting night happens each Thursday from 6-8.  Unraveled offers a few technique classes as well, and has joined the growing number of stores offering tatting instruction.  It’s gratifying to see this once-dying art form enjoying such a resurgence.

The shop is just the right size to be both comfy and still provide a robust selection.  With a warm atmosphere and friendly staff—as well as friendly customers—you’re sure to make new yarn buddies on your visit.

Here are a few projects I wouldn't mind casting on:

Alma Lou Shawl

All you need is one ball of self-striping yarn such as Noro Taiyo Sock or Manos De Uruguay sock to whip up this colorful wrap.  Not too lacy, not too basic, the interplay of garter and eyelet lets the yarn do most of the talking here.  The picot border adds a touch of delicacy.  A great choice for your first shawl.

Summer Escape Wrap

Crave something with a contemporary, dramatic touch that still won’t tax your summer brain cells?  Stitch up this color-blocked shawl with three balls of Berroco Modern Cotton in the colors of your choice.  If you’re like me, you’ll need some guidance for color combos, but the staff will surely lend a hand.  Perfect to keep any blasting AC from ruining your evening.

Bob’s Extra Large Stockings

Talk about unique!  Who wouldn't enjoy stuffing a stocking this size?  The photo doesn’t do justice to the fact that they’re several feet long (no pun intended)!  Felting chunky weight yarn sounds like a hefty task, but the results are clearly worth it.  You’ll need 4 balls of Borroco Peruvia Quick or 4-5 Balls of Debbie Bliss Roma and some king-size needles if you take on Bob's super-sized design.

Linen Stitch Bag

True to Unraveled’s gift-knitting specialty, our knit-along from this shop is a bag designed by Rob.  Three skeins of chunky yarn—in this case Araucania Huasco Chunky merino hand dyed—combine to make this colorful drawstring carry-all.  I’m looking forward to a quick, clever, and useful project.

When you’re done for the day, I recommend for dinner:

Beto’s Alt-Mex

8142 Broadway

San Antonio, TX 78209

(210) 930-9393

betosaltmex.com

Featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, this place offers “Alt-Mex,” a self-proclaimed fusion of Mexican street food and Latin American Soul Food.  

Guy favors the Chalupa Cabra, but I went for the duo of a grilled fish and grilled veggie taco and didn’t regret it. The real star of the evening was the amazing sweet empanadas in a variety of mouthwatering flavors.

All in all, a great day in San Antonio.  Next post I’ll give you a shorter day visiting another SA store—so you’ll still have time to get in all your sightseeing.

NEAR WEST CHICAGO: OAK PARK, ILLINOIS

Up and down Marion Street...

There’s a great value to playing tourist in your own town.  Fiber tourist?  All the better.  And so I’ve come to look forward to those times in the DestiKNITions schedule where I get to wander close to home, exploring shops I ought to know but haven’t yet met.  Today and in our next episode, we’ll meet two great shops in Chicago’s near western suburbs.  Lucky for us, we’ll also get to explore two great neighborhoods with lots to offer the curious fiber tourist.

To begin: A DestiKNITions tradition—sugar for breakfast!

Sugar Fixé

119 N. Marion Street

Oak Park, IL  60302

708-948-7720

www.sugarfixe.com

Longtime readers know my passion for French macarons, and Sugar Fixé did not disappoint. Delicate, lushly colored, and perfect, I ate one in every available flavor and would have gone back for more.  They boast a nice selection of “Breakfast pastries,” so they get my morning sugar vibe just fine.  Top it off with Julius Meinl coffee and espresso drinks, and the day is off to a fabulous start.

Lucky you, you’re only steps away from today’s fiber fix:

Knot Just Knits

1107-1109 Westgate St

Oak Park, IL 60301

708-948-7943

http://www.knotjustknits.com/

I had heard about this shop several times, always from devoted fans who raved about the friendly vibe.  Walking in on a rainy weekday morning, I saw that welcoming atmosphere in action.  Owner Ellizabeth Halpern called nearly every customer by name, asking many about their family, their work, or some other personal detail.  “I could never understand knit shops that felt ‘mean.’” Elizabeth offers.  “I sought to ensure Knot Just Knits has a community feel.”

It does.  From the table in the sunny corner inviting “sit and knit” conversations to the generous supply of cookies and chocolate on that table, Elizabeth has created an atmosphere of instant comfort.  As if I didn’t like her enough already, she mentioned she had already been given and had read a copy of Homefront Hero!  If you’re a fan of Malabrigo—their sock yarn or any of their fabulous fibers—this is the store for you.  And Knot Just Knits is just that—not just knitting.  You’ll find supplies for needlepoint and other needle arts here as well.

While many stores rely on a hefty class schedule, Not Just Knits takes a different approach.  “I have a love-hate relationship with classes—I prefer the private lesson model,” Elizabeth says.  “That way you can make whatever you want whenever you can.”  Given today’s busy lifestyles, the idea has real merit.  Still, the store does offer some classes and class-like events.  A store favorite is the “Year Long Afghan Knit Along,” complete with a “Show and Tell” party in December.  How much fun is that?

My favorite quote from the day came from a discussion of knitting perfection and mistakes.  “If someone is close enough to see that mistake, they’re [also] close enough to hit.”  The saying makes me smile every time I drop a stitch—but I’ve no plans to slug anyone in the near future, and I suspect neither does someone as personable as Elizabeth.

The shop is stock-full of great ideas, but here are some specific projects to tempt your needles:

image from Strickmich

The Leftie Shawl

Our Knit-Along from Knot Just Knits, this clever design by Martina Behm utilizes simple garter stitch sections interspersed with leaf-motif stripes that can follow a color scheme or simply eat up all those left-overs sitting in your stash drawer.  For my shawl, Elizabeth gave me Malabrigo Sock and a five color palate of “Cheshire Cat” mini skeins from Wonderland Yarns.

The Fallingwater Hat

Oak Park is an architecture town.  It’s a haven for Frank Lloyd Wright fans, and this hat from the book “Knitting Architecture” takes its inspiration from the master’s famous “Fallingwater” home.  Done up in Tosh Vintage, the clever loop top sets this cap apart from the ordinary.

Watermelon Baby Hat

I’ve made an apple baby hat for years, but this is a new twist on infant fruity headwear.  Taken from the “Spud & Chloe” blog and utilizing their Sweater yarn, this hat would make any tiny head that much sweeter.

Interrupted Cable Cowl

Chicago is home to “The Fiber Friend,” Amy Kaspar, who also makes her Chi-town mark as The Chicago Knitting Examiner.  Aside from stringing together clever sentences, Amy also is an accomplished pattern designer, as this inventive cowl shows.  Malabrigo Rasta has been used in many a cowl pattern, but this is one of my new favorites.  Think of all the fun you can have with those buttons!

Cabled Mitts

Want a small scale project to dip your toes—or in this case your wrists—into the world of cables?  Designer Colleen Powley creates a simple but elegant project for the novice cable knitter.  Choose a bright or light color, and your wrists will be the best dressed and coziest in town.

When you’ve stocked your knitting bag, it’s time to stock your shopping bag.  Marion Street is a perfect little retail experience, with a variety of stores and boutiques to lure you.  Two of my favorites were:

Scratch N Sniff

120 North Marion Street

Oak Park, IL  60301

708-725-3043

www.scratchnsniff.biz

Homegoods, handbags, and pet accessories together in one store?  Why not? I wanted several of the handbags as badly as I wanted several of the dog collars.  Somehow it feels less guilty to spend money on both me and my dog.

Muse

106 N. Marion Street

Oak Park, IL  60301

708-948-7052

www.museoakpark.com

I especially liked the clothing in this artsy boutique, and the nice conversation I had with the sales staff about how to fit someone of my height.

Once you’re ready for lunch, I have two options.  If you are vegetarian or vegan, head to:

Munch 

104 N. Marion Street

Oak Park, IL  60301

708-848-4225

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Munch-INC/254351477909822

How can you not love a place where one of the most popular dishes is “The Groovy Plate”? I like that there are deserts offered along with those kale tacos.  The menu changes constantly, so every trip here can be a new experience.  My sources tell me the weekend brunch is fabulous!

You other option:

Marion Street Cheese Market

100 S. Marion Street

Oak Park, IL  60302

708-725-7200

www.marionstreetcheesemarket.com

I loved this place.  I mean really loved this place.   The service was attentive, the atmosphere lovely, and the food was exquisite.  When I asked to try a particular cheese that the folks from Knot Just Knits recommended, they bought me the artiest little plate with the Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam, a mango sauce thing, some figs, and a little bowl of nuts. I felt such a foodie!  

Then came the sandwich.  Now, I am generally not a sandwich person, and I doubted when my server raved about the Cauliflower Melt because I am also not much of a cauliflower fan.  “Try it,” my server encouraged, “it was just featured on the Food Network and everybody loves it.”  Trust your servers, people, they know their stuff.  It was divine.  The best sandwich I think I’ve ever had, certainly the best one in recent memory. Go eat this.  Truly, you must.

That high note marks the perfect place to wrap up my Oak Park Adventure.  There’s plenty more to enjoy in this lovely town, so come explore.

Next up, we travel just a bit west to another hidden near west gem, Forest Park.