Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa celebrates Oktoberfest

Hyatt Hill Country_gretyWhen you call the Texas Hill Country home and you happen to be the only resort in Texas that features a FlowRider® machine creating perfect waves every day of the year,  what better way to celebrate October than with terrific brews, fabulous German food and  tasty waves? Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa is throwing an Oktoberfest like no other, so come say hello to fall and make a splash during the hotel’s festive, fun-filled evening of craft beers, dancing, all of your favorite German foods and enjoy the hotel’s famous five-acres of water fun while you’re at it on Saturday, October 4, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Held on the resort grounds, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort’s Oktoberfest will fill its Luckenbach Pavilion with live music from the 2 Rivers Brass Quintet, a terrific selection of the best brews sure to put the “fest” in your October and authentic German cuisine that will make you feel as if you’re enjoying a meal in Germany itself.

Terry Vine PhotographyTickets for the event are $18 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-12, while children 5 and under are free. The admission price includes food, entertainment, one drink ticket and parking. A cash bar will be available to purchase beer, wine, cocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages for additional purchase after the use of the one drink ticket. So where does the splash come in? Tickets for the event also include access to the resort’s pools and waterpark from noon – 8 p.m. on the day of the event, making sure that you can wet both your whistle and your bathing suit during this special Oktoberfest. Tickets may be purchased by calling the resort at 210-767-7999.

130827_hyatt_cf&b-10Brews featured during the festivities include Texas Craft Beers and German Oktoberfest and Fall beers such as St. Arnold’s Octoberfest, Karbach Krunkin Pumpkin, Hacker Pschorr Marzen Amber Ocktoberfest, Erdinger Hefe Weissbier Dark, Hofbrau Maibock, and Paulaner Oktoberfest among others. There may even be a few surprises to tempt your beer taste buds—like growlers for sale—and a full bar with other beers, wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available to quench the thirst you work up while demonstrating your best German polka.

A true Texas resort that celebrates its heritage whenever possible, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort features Texas beers throughout the property—in fact, the draft lines in Charlie’s Long Bar consist of only Texas draft beers, so if you’d like to check out the selection while you’re enjoying Oktoberfest, feel free to pull up a bar stool and enjoy some Texas brews.

Happy Couple sitting in Beer gardenThere’s nothing like a fantastic German feast to accompany your beer and Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort’s delicious food stations definitely fill the bill. With traditional German favorites such as Slow Cooked Sauerbraten and Egg Noodles, Shiner Bock Bratwursts, Braised Red Cabbage, Roasted Chicken with Beer and Onion Sauce, Warm Potato Salad, Pumpernickel Bread, Pretzel Rolls, Molasses and Honey Pfeffernuesse cookies, German Chocolate cake and much more, you’re sure to feel like you’ve stepped into a German brewhouse for a meal.

Nestled in the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort is the perfect spot to celebrate Oktoberfest. The Hill Country features a rich German heritage, with language, foods and celebrations that have distinct German roots, giving the area a fun German feel. But it’s not just the Hill Country that features such natural ties to the motherland of beer—did you know that German was once the official language of the government of the City of San Antonio? That’s right—city council meeting minutes and other city documents used to be written in German, making it your official duty to mark Oktoberfest and raise a glass to the area’s German heritage! (By the way, “Prosit!” is a traditional German toast, so be sure to say that when you’re enjoying Oktoberfest.)

Terry Vine PhotographyJump In, The Water is Fine:  Five Acres of Water Fun Welcomes Oktober
Only in Texas can you enjoy Oktoberfest and a river ride at the same time, so bring your suits and jump in a tube to float in the resort’s Ramblin’ River®, or hang ten on the FlowRider® wave machine. Access to the resort’s full water park is included with admission to Oktoberfest. To ride the FlowRider®, there is an additional fee per hour of use.

Long known for its ever-popular water playground featuring three swimming pools, cascading water falls, a sandy beach, the Ramblin’ River® and more, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort’s new FlowRider® wave machine turns up the fun meter for anyone who enjoys riding the waves. The exciting attraction simulates a “barrel-less” wave, complete with a sloped wave surface featuring 40,000 gallons of water being driven up at a rate of about 18,000 gallons per minute. What does that mean?  Perfect waves, all year long, ready for guests to flowboard their day away.

Flowboarding resembles surfing, but is a combination of skateboarding, wakeboarding, boogie boarding, snowboarding and surfing—a fantastic mix of fun for any board sport fan. The wave machine spans an impressive length of 54 feet and is 22 feet wide, with a water depth of between 3 to 4 inches, perfect for bodyboarding, kneeboarding or stand-up boarding. The FlowRider® is heated seasonally, meaning guests are able to enjoy this adrenaline-packed thrill all year long, though guests must be at least 42 inches tall to boogie board and 52 inches tall to stand-up ride/surf.

In addition to the wave machine, the resort recently added a 22-foot-tall tower waterslide to its already amazing water park which now offers five acres of hydrated fun and relaxation. Perfect for guests more than 42 inches tall, the slide is a great complement to the water park’s 950-foot Ramblin’ River® and sandy beach. The park also features an activity pool equipped with water volleyball and basketball, an adults-only Texas-shaped pool, 2 hot tubs and a zero-entry kiddie wading pool, ensuring wet fun for everyone, no matter what their height. And the pools are all heated, making them a great spot year-round.

Terry Vine PhotographyMake it a Getaway!
If you’d like to turn your Oktoberfest into a fall getaway, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort has a special rate to help your fest last all weekend. With special Oktoberfest weekend rates starting from $189 for Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4, it’s easy to relax and recharge while enjoying Oktoberfest and water fun, an afternoon on the links at the Hill Country Golf Club or a relaxing massage at Windflower-The Hill Country Spa. The resort’s traditional Hill Country architecture complements the site’s inherent beauty, highlighted by thousands of native Live Oak trees, limestone-banked creeks, mossy springs and rolling wildflower meadows, making Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa an ideal location for a fun-filled weekend or relaxing family vacations year-round.

Located just 16 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio and the San Antonio International Airport, Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa offers a retreat that feels a world away, but the convenience and fun of San Antonio is just outside your door. Built in 1993, the AAA Four-Diamond resort features a 500-room luxury hotel, championship 27-hole golf course, a full-service state-of-the-art spa. The resort also boasts a tennis court, award-winning dining, walking/jogging path and nature trail, health club facility, five-acre water park with a FlowRider® wave machine, tower water slide, three swimming pools and cascading waterfalls, two outdoor whirlpools, Camp Hyatt children’s program and a 950-foot Ramblin’ River intertwined with lush gardens.

About Hyatt Regency Hill Country
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa is located on 300-scenic acres in the heart of San Antonio. The recently renovated 500-room resort features 53,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and 165,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space.

Resort amenities include the full-service Windflower-The Hill Country Spa featuring 21-treatment rooms with world-class services, a five-acre water park with a FlowRider® wave machine, 22’ tower waterslide, four swimming pools, Ramblin’ River and regulation sized sand volleyball court. With five restaurants, a lounge and tavern, guests can enjoy superb epicurean dining or cocktails with colleagues overlooking a lushly landscaped 27-hole Arthur Hills-designed golf course. For reservations or information contact 210-647-1234 or visit us at hillcountry.hyatt.com.

About Hyatt Regency
The Hyatt Regency brand is an energizing hotel brand that connects travelers to whom and what matters most to them. More than 140 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in over 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion – from efficient business meetings to memorable family vacations. The brand offers a one-stop experience that puts everything guests need right at their fingertips. Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; the space to work, engage or relax; and expert planners who take care of every detail. For more information, visit hyattregency.com or facebook.com/HyattRegency.

H-E-B ‘Market at Stone Oak’ and Oak Crossing restaurant now open to the public

HEB_logo_plainStone Oak community leaders, neighbors and customers joined H-E-B leadership on Friday, June 19 to celebrate the completion of the one-of-a-kind H-E-B Market at Stone Oak, located at 23635 Wilderness Oak. The ribbon cutting ceremony included remarks by Richard Perez, President and CEO of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and Duane Wilson, President and CEO of the North Chamber of Commerce.

The new 80,000-square-foot market is the first of its kind in San Antonio, and the second in the entire state to feature an H-E-B restaurant adjacent to the store. The Stone Oak location now offers customers thousands of unique product selections in hundreds of expanded departments, and also features an outdoor children’s playground. The store and restaurant combined employ a total of 350 people.

“It was important for to us to build a store that is able to serve the unique needs of Stone Oak’s diverse and rapidly expanding community,” said Kim Harle, H-E-B Public Affairs Manager. “From families and young professionals to seniors in the area, the Market at Stone Oak will provide everyone with unique, high-quality products at an affordable price.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, H-E-B also made a dream come true for 15-year-old cancer survivor, Kaylee Carew. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, H-E-B surprised Carew by fulfilling her wish to stay at the Disney Resort in Hawaii with her family. In addition, H-E-B donated $1,000 each to the following organizations: Johnson High School, Lopez Middle School, Wilderness Oak Elementary, Hardy Oak Elementary and the Mays YMCA. All commemorative donations for the day amounted to a total of more than $20,000.

“At H-E-B, we view each store opening as an opportunity to give back to the communities we serve and say thank you to our customers for their continued support,” said Suzanne Wade, H-E-B President of the San Antonio Food and Drug Division. “Today’s donations demonstrate our ongoing commitment to our San Antonio customers and to education in Texas.”

Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant known as Oaks Crossing will serve a variety of chef-inspired meals, rare wines and a wide selection of Texas craft brews on tap. Menu items will include: locally sourced barbeque with traditional sides, Neapolitan-style pizzas, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, pasta bowls, Asian-inspired bowls, small appetizer plates, hamburgers, Mexican food, a children’s menu and variety of desserts. Customers can choose to enjoy their meal in the indoor café seating area, or on the expansive outdoor patio which will feature misters, fans, heaters, televisions and live entertainment.

Oaks Crossing will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to Midnight and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will feature live jazz music on the patio.

Highlights from the new store include:

  • An in-house pharmacy with dedicated pick-up and drop-off counters, immunizations, a patient education room, two-lane drive-through service and prescription delivery service
  • A dedicated seafood department with specialty products and additional frozen and fresh options including fish, shellfish and fresh seafood burgers
  • Healthy Living department with over 200 bulk food items, spices, tea, fresh-ground nut butters, local honeys, bulk jerky and organic beauty products
  • The largest beer and wine section of any San Antonio H-E-B location, featuring over 600 beer brands and hundreds of local and international wines
  • A produce section with over 100 local and organic selections, fresh juice station, and in-store fruit and vegetable cutting station
  • Full-service meat market offering USDA Prime, natural and organic meats
  • An expansive deli featuring over 250 fresh-cut artisanal cheeses, over 30 varieties of hummus, charcuterie plates and in-house roasted meats
  • A bakery department with custom, “to-order” cake decorating, scratch flour tortillas and bread and individual pastries
  • A general merchandise department with expanded offerings in the following categories: Sports Nutrition, Cosmetics, Organic baby assortments and Pro hair Care

San Antonio Chamber of Commerce President Richard Perez and North Chamber of Commerce President Duane Wilson both thanked H-E-B for their investment in San Antonio and for their commitment to area nonprofit organizations.

“H-E-B has a long history in the San Antonio area, and we are thrilled to be here today to help celebrate the opening of this wonderful new store,” said Perez.  “The City of San Antonio is also very lucky to have H-E-B as a corporate partner who understands the importance of local initiatives and support for nonprofit organizations,” added Wilson.

HEB_stoneoak1Members of the Johnson High School choir sign the National Anthem during the H-E-B Market at Stone Oak ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday.

HEBstoneoak215-year-old cancer survivor Kaylee Carew was presented with an award for bravery and a special trip to the Disney resort in Hawaii with her family. Pictured: Kimberly Harle – HEB Public Affairs, Harry Hauck – H-E-B Market at Stone Oak Unit Director, & Kaylee Carew.

HEBstoneoak3Stone Oak community members and store leaders cut a red ribbon in front of the first-ever H-E-B Market at Stone Oak.

HEBstoneoak4Stone Oak community members and store leaders of the first-ever H-E-B Market at Stone Oak celebrate completion of the first-of-its-kind H-E-B during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 19.

H-E-B ‘Market at Stone Oak’ slated to open Friday, June 20th

HEB_logo_plainSan Antonio community leaders, neighbors and customers are invited to join H-E-B leadership on Friday, June 20 to celebrate the much-anticipated opening of the one-of-a-kind Market at Stone Oak, located at the corner of Hardy Oak and Wilderness Oak.

The new 80,000-square-foot store will offer customers thousands of unique product selections in hundreds of departments, an outdoor children’s playground and a family-friendly restaurant adjacent to the store named Oaks Crossing.

H-E-B stoneoak2Open for lunch and dinner, the Oaks Crossing eatery will serve a variety of chef-inspired meals, rare wines and a wide selection of Texas craft brews on tap. Menu items will include: locally sourced barbeque with traditional sides, Neapolitan-style pizzas, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, pasta bowls, Asian-inspired bowls, small appetizer plates, burgers, Mexican food, a kid’s menu and variety of desserts. Customers can choose to enjoy their meal in the indoor café seating area, or on the expansive outdoor patio which will feature multiple televisions and live entertainment. The restaurant will be open from 11 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Thursday and 11 AM to 12 AM on Friday through Saturday. On Sundays, the hours will be 10 AM – 10 PM with a jazz brunch from 10 AM – 2 PM.

“H-E-B is thrilled to add another uniquely tailored neighborhood store to our San Antonio community,” said Dya Campos, H-E-B Public Affairs Director. “Bringing low prices and great service to San Antonio is an H-E-B tradition, and we look forward to serving the Stone Oak community for many years to come.”

heb-stoneoak-piThe Market at Stone Oak will showcase an array of specialty departments, including: an expanded H-E-B Organics section, a produce selling station and fresh juice bar, a sushi shop, a nut butter station and a specialty cheese shop. The unique store layout will also feature the largest beer and wine section in the San Antonio region and a Primo Pick Kitchen.

Additional highlights from the new store will include:

  • An in-house pharmacy with dedicated pick-up and drop-off counters, immunizations, a patient education room, two-lane drive-through service and prescription delivery service
  • A dedicated seafood department with specialty products and additional frozen and fresh options including fish, shellfish and fresh burgers
  • Healthy Living department with over 200 bulk food items, spices and tea. Choose from fresh-ground nut butters, local honeys, bulk jerky and natural and organic beauty products.
  • A beer and wine section with over 600 beer brands, 37 percent of which will be craft offerings, as well as a wine selection featuring local and international offerings from Greece, Israel, Yugoslavia and South Africa
  • A produce section with over 100 local and organic selections, fresh juice station, and in-store fruit and vegetable cutting station
  • Full-Service Meat Market offering USDA Prime, natural and organic meats
  • An expansive deli featuring over 250 fresh-cut artisanal cheeses, over 30 varieties of hummus, charcuterie plates and in-house roasted meats
  • A bakery department with custom, “to-order” cake decorating, scratch flour tortillas and bread and individual pastries
  • A general merchandise department with expanded offerings in the following categories: Sports Nutrition, Cosmetics, Organic baby assortments and Pro hair Care

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo comes to town February 6

SARodeo logoHeld annually in February, the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. (SALE) (dba) San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is the largest regular season PRCA rodeo and one of the top 3 richest rodeos in North America. The event awards over $1,279,000 in prize money to its contestants each year. The event offers a family-friendly carnival, family fair, interactive and educational exhibits, a wildlife area, over 650 vendors for shopping, horse and livestock shows, auctions, high impact PRCA Rodeo action, and live concert entertainment following each Rodeo performance. What you might not know is that it is a non-profit 501 C3 organization. The organization is “a volunteer organization that emphasizes agriculture and education to develop the youth of Texas.”

Along with preserving western heritage, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is one of the largest educational assistance providers in the State, with $134.6 million committed since inception. This year alone, this generous non-profit organization has provided over $11.3 million in the form of scholarships, grants, endowments, auction proceeds, a calf scramble program and show premiums paid to youth.

Entertainers for the 2014 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo include Lee Brice, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Jeremy Camp, Heart, Dierks Bentley and many more. For the full entertainment lineup, visit our website. Along with main stage entertainment in the AT&T Center, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo hosts 4 live outdoor stages filled with daily musical entertainment.

New additions for the 2014 Show include an interactive Bat Exhibit and a fun, family-friendly Monkey Show, along with new rides in the carnival and new food in the food court area.

True to its iconic tagline, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo truly is ‘more than an 8 second ride,’ with something for everyone! Join us for the 2014 Rodeo, February 6-23, 2014 at the AT&T Center/Freeman Coliseum grounds.

For additional information, go to www.sarodeo.com or find the Rodeo on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. Tickets for the 2014 San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo are now on sale.

Let’s Rodeo San Antonio!

SARODEO_MatineeMadness_13