Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/1054424
DREAMSCAPES WINTER 2018/2019 16 T his is just one of many art installa- tions along an eight-kilometre stretch of San Antonio's famous River Walk. In fact, San Antonio is a city made for walking, and what better way to explore it than along this beautiful, cypress-shaded pathway. It meanders alongside the river one storey below street level. Downtown, the River Walk is lined with restaurants, shops and hotels. However, unexpected gems pop up along its entire length. PEARL DISCOVERIES A huge bronze statue of a cowboy wrangling Texas longhorns catches my eye. It leads me to the Briscoe Western Art Museum, where historical artifacts and striking art celebrate the history of the American West. It's one of my happiest finds. Near the northern end of the River Walk is another delightful discovery—San Antonio's newest foodie destination. The old Pearl Brewery here was nearly destroyed to make way for a Walmart warehouse. Res- cued by local billionaire, Kit Goldsbury, the brewery and environs now form Pearl, a.k.a. foodie nirvana. At Pearl's centre is Hotel Emma, a master- piece of industrial chic created from the original brewery building. Combining luxury and elegance, it yet retains the archi- tectural and even the mechanical elements of the brewery. Everything that could be saved was catalogued and reused. Manufac- turing tools and components are everywhere, whimsically incorporated into stylishly designed spaces. Everywhere I turn, I find myself playing a game of "Spot the Historical Artifact." From its inception, Pearl set out to attract San Antonio's most innovative chefs. "Food brings us together; food helps us tell stories about who we are and where we come from. I wanted Pearl to be something beautiful and really cool," said Goldsbury. "And I wanted food to be at its centre. A vibrant food district is at the heart of any healthy community." A CITY ON A MISSION A SCHOOL OF GIANT SUNFISH HANGS OVER MY HEAD. SUNFISH ARE NATIVE TO THIS PART OF TEXAS, BUT I'M NOT UNDERWATER. I'M GAZING AT DANIEL LIPSKI'S COLOURFUL ART INSTALLATION UNDER ONE OF THE MANY BRIDGES THAT SPAN THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER. Editorial & Photography by Liz Campbell