The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
San Antonio will always have a special place in my heart. Not only is it my hometown, it’s the place where I leased my first solo apartment, the place where I bought my first car and the place where I have made some of my deepest connections.
I’ve left San Antonio many times — as a military child and as a young adult — and I’ve always found my way back. From Austin to New York, to Europe and beyond, San Antonio will always be my home.
It’s funny looking back at the younger version of me, the one who swore she would never live in San Antonio willingly after high school. It was that “wanting to leave your hometown and never return” teenage angst.
But that all changed when I found my apartment.
My 700-square-foot oasis in Government Hill features charming French doors and built-in shelves. The neighborhood is filled with many unique, multi-family homes, and it’s common to see people riding their bikes around or taking a stroll on warm sunny days. The bustling sounds of a vibrant, friendly community constantly remind me that there’s something to do.
The location is perfect. I’m just 3 minutes to the Pearl, 4 minutes from downtown, and 8 minutes from Southtown, with easy access to the highway that conveniently leads me right to my Nana’s house for Thursday night dinner.
With an abundance of things to do around, I am never bored. Whether I am working at a coffee shop, grabbing a drink with some friends, or picking up tacos at my local taqueria, there’s always something to get into.
Some of my favorite coffee shops nearby are Folklores Coffee House, Local Coffee, Kiki’s Coffee & Spirits, and The Newstand. Because I work remotely, I am always popping around to different shops to enjoy a vanilla oat latte and be in the soothing ambiance. Something about working at a coffee shop makes me more productive, so I tend to work there most days (unless I somehow get trapped on the couch with my cat, Penny).
Besides coffee, I enjoy grabbing drinks at Burleson Yard Beer Garden. It’s a great place to relax after a day of work, especially when the sun is out. Sometimes they have live music, which always makes sipping on a cold beer even better.
I also can’t forget about my two favorite Mexican restaurants: Olgitas Molino and El Molino, both within walking distance of my apartment. Whenever I am craving a good taco or enchiladas, best believe I am making my walk there!
Another big reason I adore San Antonio is because of the people I have met. My friend Destinie and I started a group, Lezzie Land, that is for 21+ sapphic/queer/lesbian folx looking for community. In just our short time running it, we have worked with local businesses like Burleson Yard Beer Garden, Chifladas and Bexar Collective to bring the queer community together.
It is important to us that we create spaces where people feel free to be their most authentic selves. Lezzie Land has grown so much in the past few months and continues to flourish as time goes on. Having a community like this one is so special and truly makes a huge difference to how much this city feels like a home.
It is also a joy to consistently be surrounded by Latinos. Because San Antonio has a large population of Mexican Americans, I wake up every day embracing my people and my culture.
I am honored to be from such a vibrant city. Each year, this city continues to blossom, and I am excited for all of the change to come. With more and more businesses catering to younger adults opening, I am positive that this city will be thriving even more in a few years.
Government Hill has been my bubble of expansiveness — with easy access to many of my favorite places and a charming (yet affordable) apartment to lounge in. I fall more and more in love with my hometown every day. San Antonio is truly a gem.
