Just entering the city limits of San Antonio after an auto pilot-style drive (straight and due west!) on Interstate 10, you’ll sense a welcoming change of pace. You’re in “mañana land,” as a dear friend of mine used to call the Alamo City’s tempo. So relax, enjoy and savor what I like to refer to as my top must-does (“M”s) of San Antonio.

BUT WHAT ABOUT…?
You’re absolutely right: What about the Alamo (doesn’t start with an M) and the River Walk (no M there, either)? So what the heck are you going to do? Do keep those historical and nationally renowned landmarks on your to-do itineraries for another visit.

THE MISSIONS

Entering San Antonio, travel south of downtown off Roosevelt Avenue to immediately put yourself in a San Antonio frame of mind: The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, where tours led by knowledgeable docents of these grand structures, gracefully standing down a curving road from one another, are available 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Retrace the footsteps of the missions’ Native Americans and Franciscan friars, the latter there to acculturate and Christianize the native population. The impressive architecture of each mission immortalizes Spanish missions, which were communities where the church stood as the focus. Lofty bell towers, enchanting arched doorways and amazing frescos haunt at one look. They memorize at another.

On the grounds, find portions of native habitat excellent for birding at Mission San Juan. See Mission Espada's 270-year-old aqueduct irrigation system. Mission Concepción, a stone church dedicated in 1755, appears very much as it did more than two centuries ago. Stand in awe of the “Queen of the Missions,” Mission San José.

I first met the missions from an exterior, architectural point of view at a dusk setting, with golden, late sun-lit buildings and extended, end-of-the-day shadows. Quiet. Peaceful. Magnificent.

MEALS
You definitely won’t go hungry (or thirsty) on a trip to San Antonio. Of course, authentic Mexican food establishments are in abundance. Let’s stay within our doable day-trip territory, as it’s probably after lunch time, and you’ll find plenty of options for great restaurants in the vicinity of The Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, your next stop.

Twin Sisters. Just behind The McNay on North New Braunfels Avenue. A before-its-time “green” food establishment, with sprouts served on about every sandwich and offering housemade parmesan bread. Try the heart-healthy muffins, with the sweet potato ones being my choice of baked goods. Casual.

Tong Thai. Across Austin Highway from The McNay. Every bowl dish is filled with delicious authentic ingredients. The Thai tea is extremely refreshing, and the traditional Thai bubble drinks are yummy … and conversation pieces! Casual.

Cappy’s. On Broadway in the heart of ’09 (Zip Code 78209, a prominent location). Owned by restaurateur and civic leader Cappy Lawton, Cappy’s is a favorite lunching (and dining) spot for ‘09ers. Choose from a chef-driven menu ranging from delicate ahi tuna salads to pot roast soup to Kobe burgers. Casual to whatever you want it to be.

Paesanos. Near the Alamo Quarry Market off Basse Road, Paesanos offers an extensive wine selection and delicious Italian food. Not on the menu, but a local staple from the restaurant’s original location on Main Avenue: The “special salad,” complete with avocado slivers, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts and tomatoes served over a bed of mixed lettuces. The shrimp paesano is excellent, too. Casual or whatever you want it to be.

OK, Mexican Food

Paloma Blanca Mexican Cuisine. Hostest-with-the-mostest Nelly Mendoza Olsen, general manager, will treat you right with excellent fare in her hacienda-inspired establishment on Broadway. Whether you choose appetizers by a soothing fountain or a leisurely lunch on the terrace, welcome to a diverse menu. Again, casual or whatever you want it to be.

FINALLY, WE’RE THERE
Marion Koogler McNay (1883-1950) lived an exciting, bold and daring life for a woman of her time … maybe for a woman of any time. She married four or five times, but always resumed using her first husband’s last name.

She was seen in New Mexico, where she frequently traveled in a passionate self-driven pursuit of collecting Southwestern art (including Georgia O’Keeffe pieces), donning and dancing in Native American celebratory attire, And she so loved peacocks that she purchased a flock of them to run free at her delight in the mansion’s courtyard (where, I should mention, she insisted her pond be in the shape of the Rose Window at Mission San José, which was carved by a Spanish sculptor in tribute to his sweetheart, Rosa.) During her lifetime, Mrs. McNay amassed more than 800 pieces of artwork.

Thanks to Mrs. McNay, The McNay stands as the bequest of most of her fortune and there's an ever-expanding art collection in the 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival-style mansion that sits on 23 acres landscaped with fountains, broad lawns with mature trees and a Japanese-inspired garden and fishpond.

The museum focuses primarily on 19th- and 20th-century European and American art by such artists as Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Diego Rivera, Alexander Calder, Mary Cassatt and Edward Hopper. The collection today consists of more than 14,000 objects and is considered one of the finest collections of contemporary art and sculpture in the Southwestern United States.

A note: If you see a docent leading a group of young children on a tour of the museum, quietly join them as an observer. Being a McNay children’s docent myself, I know these visitors don’t just say the darndest things, but they ask the BEST questions.

The McNay: A San Antonio treasure not to miss.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (FOR ANOTHER TIME)

The Majestic Theater


San Antonio philanthropist Joce Straus deserves an encore for leading a massive fund-raising drive to save San Antonio’s oldest and largest atmospheric theater from the wrecking ball. For many years, The Majestic remained the largest theater in Texas and the second largest movie theater in the United States.

Listed in 1975 on the National Register of Historical Places, The Majestic made it to designation in 1993 as a National Historic Landmark. Thankfully so, as it’s absolutely so breathtaking inside you may get lost in its grandeur and leave any performance in the background.

On the orchestra level, secure seats in rows A through F for a clear view of the ceiling, where stars float and sparkle high above the stage surrounded by a replicated renaissance Italian village. If you have friends with a Starlight Suite, a corporate-studded area at the very front of the mezzanine level, go for it and enjoy the plush comfortable lounge seating, granite-topped cocktail tables … and drinks!

Park in the multi-level lot on Travis Street behind the historic Sheraton Gunter Hotel, once the Frontier Inn built in 1837 just one year after the fall of the Alamo. Opened in 1909 as The Gunter, the luxury hotel was officially added in 2007 to the National Register of Historic Places.

Stroll through The Gunter’s lobby on your way to a Majestic performance, and even stay there for a night in the hub of downtown San Antonio (and within walking distance of the River Walk). Have a pre-show cocktail or even dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

And then sit back and enjoy the show.

Viva San Antonio!