Costa Bella

Catch Up on Older Movies at Cinemark in San Antonio

Jamie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:42:57 +0000

If you’re a little late to the game when it comes to movie-watching, don’t worry. You’ve still got an opportunity to catch up a bit! Make a visit to Cinemark and view a movie that is no longer out in regular theaters. If you’re a little bit behind, it’s time to head out and catch up today!

Cinemark Movies 16

5063 N.W. Loop 410 San Antonio, TX 78229

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Serve Snack Favorite Soft Pretzels for the Super Bowl Party!

Jamie — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:03:20 +0000

Satisfy your guests with delicious soft pretzels

It’s almost Super Bowl time; what does that mean? Fun, football and…food! If you are still scouring the internet for recipes for your party, look no further. I did the scouring for you! Here is a recipe, courtesy of the Food Network, for homemade soft pretzels – a great addition to any party and a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Before you start cooking, here is what you’ll need:

1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour (approx. 4 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda

Follow this recipe and you’re on your way to pleasing your guests with a snack favorite. Get cooking!

Photo credit: BarbaraLN

Enjoy a Fabulous Meal for Breakfast or Brunch in San Antonio

Jamie — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:30:20 +0000

Whether you’re a breakfast person or you prefer to sleep in a little, San Antonio has you covered, since there are a lot of places you can go for breakfast or brunch. How does that sound? Check out some of the reviews from Yelp users so you can see which spot you’d like to try next:

Source: Yelp
Name: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
Location: 11030 W Ih 10 San Antonio, TX 78230
Reviews: 13

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
I absolutely love this place. The down home country atmosphere is very welcoming and relaxing. My family and I have made this place our sunday breakfast…Read More…

Mmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmm. Tasty ya’ll!

Love the cute little country store that you can hang out in until your name is called. Also, LOVE the rocking chairs…Read More…

I LOVE Cracker Barrel! I wish we had one here in San Diego! Their store before you head into their restaurant is VERY “country cute” and has many old school…Read More…

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Source: Yelp
Name: Magnolia Pancake Haus
Location: 606 Embassy Oaks – Ste 100 San Antonio, TX 78216
Reviews: 173

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
Worth the wait, and worthy of its reputation. The automated text notification system is genius. I think all restaurants with long wait times should adopt…Read More…

After several visits since my last review, I needed to update on how much better things have gone.

The service is consistently great. I am not sure if I…Read More…

A bit disorganized at times but overall better service than you’ll ever receive at IHOP or Denny’s.
The food is great. Wait can be long at times especially…Read More…

Magnolia Pancake Haus

Source: Yelp
Name: Los Cocos Fruteria Y Taqueria
Location: 1502 Bandera Rd San Antonio, TX 78228
Reviews: 18

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
Best fruit cup stand in San Antonio!

Ok, so it’s not a stand, but the walk-up fruteria sort of feels like one. And this review focuses on the fruteria,…Read More…

I was ssssooooooooooooooooooooo impressed! The service was excellent, the fruit water was nothing like I have ever had, and the tacos were cheap. If I…Read More…

Food – 5/5
Service – 5/5
Price – 5/5
Atmosphere – 4/5

Best Dish: Fruit Cups

It took two years of continuously hearing about Los Cocos from co-workers and…Read More…

Los Cocos Fruteria Y Taqueria

Source: Yelp
Name: The Egg & I Restaurant
Location: 16668 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, TX 78288
Reviews: 13

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
Good place for breakfast. Jim’s is ok, but I prefer this place for hearty breakfast fare. The portions aren’t overwhelming, the coffee is always nice and…Read More…

A-OK experience. I ordered a corned beef meal and it was decently priced — about 8 or 9 dollars. A coffee pot is brought out to the table for refills,…Read More…

Great place, highly recommend. A little higher priced, but the food makes up for it. The portion sizes are perfect and the place is clean. Great place…Read More…

The Egg & I Restaurant

Source: Yelp
Name: The Egg and I
Location: 16668 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, TX 78232
Reviews: 7

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

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I’m not the biggest fan of breakfast food you’ll ever meet and this place didn’t make me a believer. I thought it was fine for a morning meal. I got the…Read More…

not too bad. But the Egg’s Benidict sauce needs workRead More…

Had a really good experience. The selection is good, and the food is prepared well.

Went there for lunch and plan to go again.

Tasty, not pretentious. I…Read More…

The Egg and I

Get Your Coffee Fix Here in San Antonio

Jamie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:38:35 +0000

Need a cup ‘o Joe, Costa Bella? If you’re bored of your regular coffee spot but still need a dose of caffeine, check out one of these places, ranked highly by Yelp users:

Source: Yelp
Name: Olmos Perk
Location: 5223 McCullough Ave San Antonio, TX 78212
Reviews: 88

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
As a former barista and café manager, I’m more than a bit of a coffee snob. This place gets my nod of approval. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable….Read More…

I’m not a big coffee guy, in fact I don’t drink it at all, so a lot of the java love is lost on me.

Regardless, Olmos Perk is a fun little location with a…Read More…

Chic, clean looking place that is a great place to study or catch up with friends. The pumpkin spice latte is tasty. They etch designs in their drinks, and…Read More…

Olmos Perk

Source: Yelp
Name: La Taza Coffee House
Location: 15060 San Pedro Ave San Antonio, TX 78232
Reviews: 23

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
Love La Taza! Great coffee and free wireless internet! Excellent place to get some work done, have a meeting or hang with friends!Read More…

Ya know, when I first began “Yelping” I was all about finding new and interesting places to write reviews on. I suppose it didn’t occur to me immediately…Read More…

I dig this place. I am a big supporter of indie coffee spots. Great service from the owner. Great place to chill, read a book, play games or have a…Read More…

La Taza Coffee House

Source: Yelp
Name: Lone Star Espresso
Location: 7050 Bandera Rd San Antonio, TX 78238
Reviews: 6

Link: Read the Yelp.com Review

More Reviews
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Not only do they carry a variety of coffee specialty drinks, but they also have things for the kids like hot chocolate, Italian cream…Read More…

Only San Antonio coffee spot on yelp that serves Mexican Mochas. For those of you not familiar, Mexican Mocha is a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso and…Read More…

Purely Awesome coffeeRead More…

Lone Star Espresso

San Antonio in Pictures

Jamie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:31:58 +0000

Welcome to our great city of San Antonio! If you’ve never stopped in to see the city then we’d like to introduce you to the place we call home. With that, Costa Bella presents scenes from San Antonio:

Photo credit: Corey Leopold

The San Antonio River, which originates in central Texas, runs approximately four miles north of downtown and eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River.

Photo credit: StuSeeger

The San Antonio River Walk is lined by restaurants, bars and shops and is considered to be a major part of the city’s urban fabric. It is an important part of tourism in the city.

Photo credit: Lindsay Sorensen

The downtown area houses many districts including the Alamodome District, Central Business District, Market Square District, King William Historic District and Convention Center District.

Head Out to the Movie Theater in San Antonio, TX

Jamie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:52:07 +0000

It’s movie time, Costa Bella! That’s right; it’s Friday night and you know what that means…new releases! Check out the list of movies currently playing at Regal Cielo Vista Stadium 18, listed below, and take your pick. Have a great time!

Regal Cielo Vista Stadium 18

2828 Cinema Ridge San Antonio, TX 78238

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Random Acts of Kindness Around San Antonio

Jamie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:18:08 +0000

Use that extra change to help the person behind you

The other day, I was with a friend at the Starbucks drive-through when she realized that the barista had handed her too much change. Rather than taking it back, she told him to use it to pay for a drink for the car behind us. I see her do little things like this all the time, and I just know that it makes someone else’s day. Who knows; the money for a drink might just have been the last few dollars that person had until pay day. She does the same at the toll booth.

What my friend does is called a random act of kindness, which is recognized by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, established in 1995. The organization strives to provide ideas to those looking to make a difference in the life of another person, regardless how big or how small the act might seem. Their site features free resources for you to use at work and in the community. I would love it if you would go on there and pick at least one thing to do today, perhaps for a fellow resident.

What have you done so far this month that could be considered a random act of kindness, Costa Bella?

Photo credit: haiwyre

Happy New Year from Costa Bella!

Jamie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:35:31 +0000

Hey there, Costa Bella! Are you prepared for New Year’s yet? In just a day we will all be celebrating and enjoying the company of family and friends. Here’s to a wonderful 2012 following a great 2011! We wanted to remind you that the office will be closed on January 1st in observance of New Year’s Day. If there is anything you need, feel free to stop by before we close and we’d be happy to help!

Happy New Year, residents!!!

Eat Up These Foods Said to Bring Good Fortune in the New Year, Costa Bella!

Jamie — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:07:16 +0000

Long noodles are said to represent longevity

By the time the New Year begins, we look forward to the promise of a great one to come. For those of you that had a less-than-stellar year, you may be looking for a little luck for 2012, and according to superstition, you can do some things to make your chances higher. One of the things suggested is to consume certain foods on New Year’s Day to start your year off well. Here are some of the suggested foods that are highly regarded as being “lucky”:

Black-eyed peas: These are said to bring good luck to those who eat them, as they look like little coins.

Long noodles: Long noodles mean long life in Asian cultures. When eating them on New Year’s Day, eat quickly so as not to break the noodles, which is bad luck.

Cooked Greens: Greens, which look like folded dollar bills, are believed to bring money and prosperity. In German cultures, cabbage is made into sauerkraut and served with pork.

Pork: Pork signifies abundance in life and in food. Also, pigs signify progress, as they root forward in the ground.

Fish: Fish’s silver skin is thought to bring general good fortune.

Have you heard of any other foods that bring luck?

Photo credit: roluss

Saving Space in Your Costa Bella Apartment

Jamie — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:02:45 +0000

Use your furniture for electronics, clothing and more

Hey there, residents and future residents at Costa Bella! Are you looking to optimize the space you have in your apartment? If so, you’ll want to consider using each furniture piece for multiple purposes. Doing this will save you space AND money! Are you ready for some suggestions? Here are some that come from Rental Decorating Digest in an article titled Typical Multipurpose Furniture Items:

-Store items in mobile furniture like drawers and cabinets on wheels. You can easily change around your room with furniture like this and can store everything from clothing to books and everything in between.

-Purchase an armoire to use for your books, clothes, electronics and more.

-Use resin stackable chairs and you’ve got easy-to-access furniture and more items you can decorate.

Do you have any other decorating ideas? If so, leave us a comment below!

Photo credit: saaby