78209www.78209magazine.com February 2014

MAGAZ I N E

TOM FROSTBanker, Leader, Model Citizen

Condo Living with Architectural Appeal

PATI RODRIGUEZCara Mia Spa and Salon Owner

AHISD NEWS

TOM FROSTBanker, Leader, Model Citizen

Condo Living with Architectural Appeal

PATI RODRIGUEZCara Mia Spa and Salon Owner

AHISD NEWS

06 Cara Mia Spa and Salon Owner,Pati Rodriguez Comes Home Again

10 Profile: Tom Frost

14 Home: Midcentury Style

18 AHISD School News

20 Neighborhood News

22 Restaurant Guide

23 09-Lives

24 Police Blotter

25 Wine & Dine

26 Vintage View

4 | february 2014

CONTENTSFEBRUARY 2014

10

ON THE COVER:Midcentury classics in comtemporary condominium

18

Published by

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PublisherJ. MICHAEL GAFFNEY

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Graphic DesignMARIA JENICEK, KEVIN HERRERA

ContributorsRON BECHTOL, JOHN BLOODSWORTH, COURTNEY BURKHOLDER, LESLIE FOLEY,

CASEY HOWELL, JENNA-BETH LYDE, BONNY OSTERHAGE, PATTI PAWLIK-PERALES,

AL RENDON, JANET ROGERS

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78209 MAGAZINE is published monthly by PixelWorks Corporation (Publisher). Reproduction in any manner in whole or part is prohibited withoutthe express written consent of the Publisher. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher or its staff. 78209MAGAZINE reserves the right to edit all materials for clarity and space and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. 78209MAGAZINE does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should suchadvertising or editorial appear. Articles and photographs are welcome and may be submitted to our offices to be used subject to the discretionand review of the Publisher. All real estate advertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise “anypreference limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make suchpreference, limitation or discrimination.” Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright ©2014 Pixelworks Corporation.

February 2014 www.78209magazine.com78209 MAGAZINE

78209FEATURE

Who says you can’t go home again? Certainly not Pati Rodriguez.

Twenty years ago, she was working as a massage therapist and estheti-

cian at Patricia’s Day Spa. Today, she is the owner of Cara Mia Spa and

Salon, located in the same building on the corner of Sunset and Broad-

way that once housed Patricia’s.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle,” says the Alamo Heights resident, who

opened the doors to her full-service salon in May 2013. “It’s like the house

kept calling me back.”

ON THE MOVEA self-described “people person,” Rodriguez has devoted her career to

making people look and feel their best. Whether it is women who need a

little “pick-me-up” or teens who are plagued with skin problems, Ro-

driguez takes great pleasure in watching the transformation that happens

on the inside when her clients are more confident in their outward appear-

ances. “Even something as simple as a brow wax or a new hairstyle can

make such a big difference in terms of how a woman feels about herself,”

she explains.

After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School and working at

Patricia’s, this San Antonio native decided to take her show on the road,

so to speak, with a mobile spa business. Working with hotel concierges,

Rodriguez traveled all across the city, sometimes accommodating as many

as 100 clients in one day. Massage therapy for Dallas Cowboy football

players or facials for Miss USA contestants were all in a day’s work for

Rodriguez and her mobile crew. After 12 years of going to her clients, how-

ever, she was ready to provide her clients with a comfortable, tranquil en-

vironment where they could come to her.

“MY BEAUTY”Rodriguez opened Cara Mia (which translates to “my beloved” or “my

beauty”) with the goal of offering clients everything they need for head-

to-toe beauty in a welcoming and non-intimidating atmosphere. “People

like being able to get everything under one roof,” she says. “This neigh-

borhood wanted a full-service salon, and I wanted to bring it to them.”

Cara Mia is divided into three very distinct areas, each with a different

feel. The bustling hair salon is home to four stylists, while a separate,

soothing nail lounge that can accommodate up to 10 customers at a time

for parties invites customers to relax and unwind. The tranquil spa features

everything from body wraps to Turkish baths and is the ideal place for the

client who wants to indulge in some serious pampering.

6 | february 2014

OWNER PATI RODRIGUEZCOMES HOME AGAIN

Making people look and feel their best

Cara MiaBy BONNY OSTERHAGE Photography by CASEY HOWELL

www.78209magazine.com | 7

Pati Rodriguez opened Cara Mia Spa and Salon last

May in the same building where she had worked

20 years earlier. Opposite, Cara Mia staff members

(front row) Michelle Medina, Christina Davila, Bar-

bie Gonzalez, Priscilla Fuentes, (back row) Rachel

Johnson, Rodriguez and Rafael Cantu.

8 | february 2014

Rodriguez prides herself on hiring only

the best in the business and offering the lat-

est services. One of the newest spa offerings

is the lymphatic drainage massage that

many clients choose as an add-on during a

facial. This relaxing treatment might look a

little strange at first, but it is highly effective in ridding the body of toxins. Clients zip into a

special suit that resembles an oversized pair of pants. Through a process that can best be described

as something akin to vacuum sealing, a series of squeeze-and-release-type movements pulse along

the lower body. While the toxins are being squeezed out, esthetician Cynthia Sandoval is working

her magic on your skin. The personal esthetician to San Antonio Spurs owners Peter and Juliana

Holt, as well as a host of local celebrities, Sandoval has more than 20 years of experience in skin

care, and her facial massage is nothing short of magic.

“She is the best in the business,” boasts Rodriguez. “I call her facials ‘getting Cynthiatized.’”

The entire experience leaves clients feeling refreshed and looking amazing!

PRETTY IS AS PRETTY DOESRodriguez, with her clear, smooth skin and shiny hair, is a walking testament to her business, but

this savvy business owner knows that beauty is more than skin deep. That is why she is committed to

participating in local philanthropy, giving back to various organizations within the community. Cara

Mia services and products can almost always be found at the auctions of various local charities, including

the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Rodriguez also offers a custom service for cancer patients who are suffering from hair loss be-

cause of treatment. For these special customers, Rodriguez offers free hair removal services in the

soothing salon environment.

When she is not making women feel wonderful about themselves, Rodriguez, a single mother of

a teenage son, can be found cheering him on at an Alamo Heights football game or hunting with her

fiancé. Full of energy and spontaneity, Rodriguez wears many hats — from business owner, to mas-

sage therapist, to esthetician, to mother. Perhaps that is why she can relate to the needs of the women

who come through the Cara Mia doors.

“It is my goal to provide a neighborhood facility where women can get away from daily living,”

she explains. “I want them to be able to take a break, even if only for 30 minutes, and simply do

nothing but relax.”

78209 FEATURE

www.78209magazine.com | 9

10 | february 2014

TOM FROSTEXTRAORDINARY LEADER

He’s at the top of banking and civic endeavors

orn in 1929 at the Santa Rosa Hospi-

tal, Frost has called San Antonio

home all his life. “I am probably one

of the few people you will ever know who

goes to work two blocks from where they

were born,” he states proudly. He laid his first

footprints in Alamo Heights in 1941 as a stu-

dent at TMI. Fourteen years later, in 1956,

Frost and his wife, Pat, bought their first home

on Rosemary Avenue in Bluebonnet Hills, and

they never looked back.

“The really interesting thing is I’ve had the

same wife, the same job, the same church and

the same house for over 50 years,” Frost says.

“The only thing that has changed is after 52

years, we bought a new house around the corner

from the old one. I’ve owned two homes in my

life, and both are in Alamo Heights.” A man

known for his wisdom and good decision mak-

ing, he admits he had nothing to do with their

decision to set down roots in Alamo Heights.

“Pat picked out the house because it fit our

boys and our growing family,” Frost states.

“It was the house where we wanted to raise

our kids. We were two blocks from the high

school and six blocks from the grade school.

Everything was close and convenient.” The

Frosts quickly fell in love with the small-town

atmosphere of Alamo Heights, where neigh-

bors looked out for one another and where

their children could mature in a safe and nur-

turing environment.

“It was a wonderful time of life to raise four

boys in what was a wonderful small town,”

Frost says. “A dear friend, Mr. Harper, ran the

Lone Star Ice House in Sunset Ridge. If our

boys were doing anything they shouldn’t, Mr.

Harper would call and let us know,” he recalls.

“I remember one time, Mr. Harper called Pat

during a heavy rainstorm and told her our boys

were sitting on the side of the road on New

Braunfels watching the water rush by. Now

there’s a small town for you!”

Frost readily admits that although that

small-town feeling remains, Alamo Heights

has experienced considerable growth in the

past six decades. “The government seems to

have enlarged significantly, and we are acting

more like a larger town,” he explains. “But it

is still basically a community where we are

able to deal with the city government or the

school district as individual people. San An-

tonio has grown around us, but Alamo Heights

is still a relatively tight community.”

www.78209magazine.com | 11

78209PROFILE

By COURTNEY BURKHOLDER Photography by CASEY HOWELL

There are few names that

resonate in San Antonio and

across Texas like the name Frost.

As the chairman emeritus of

Frost National Bank, one of the

largest and most successful banks

in the country, Tom Frost is a

fourth-generation banker and

long-time resident of Alamo

Heights. His San Antonio roots

date back to 1868, when his

great-grandfather, Col. T.C. Frost,

founded the first Frost Bank

in San Antonio.

BB

78209

12 | february 2014

PROFILE

Today, Frost dedicates much of his time to the civic endeav-

ors he has championed for years, many right here in Alamo

Heights. “I have always been involved in community devel-

opment,” he says. “Our whole philosophy of the bank was that

we needed to help grow the community. The only way the

business could grow was if the community grew. I’ve never

forgotten that.”

Currently, he serves as chairman of TMI and chairman of

the board of trustees of the McNay Art Museum and is on the

vestry of Christ Episcopal Church, to name a few. “I’ve spent

a lot of time raising money for entities for which I have had a

lot of interest over the years,” he explains. “Most recently, I

realized the most important element for education we have in

San Antonio is UTSA, so I have been involved in capital fund

raising for them, as well.”

Although Frost still goes to the office every day, his most

important job these days is the one he has at home: “Family

occupies a big part of my life. I am the helpmate to a profes-

sional grandmother, who is now a great-grandmother. Manag-

ing a grandmother is a full-time job in itself!” Alamo Heights

is blessed to have the Frosts as long-time residents.

14 | february 2014

Creative CoupleFind SustenanceIn Midcentury

StyleBY JOHN BLOODSWORTHPHOTOGRAPHY BY AL RENDON

www.78209magazine.com | 15

78209 AT HOME

Nestled on a quiet, tree-shaded lane between Old Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills, Torrey and Ed

Carleton’s contemporary condominium exudes midcentury élan.

Architect Allison Peery, who worked for O’Neil Ford in his early career, designed the four-unit com-

plex. The late architect — unknowingly — helped to shape Torrey’s architectural acumen. Her parents,

while building a home in Terrell Hills, leased an apartment designed by Peery as a temporary residence.

When Torrey moved into her first high-rise condominium as an adult, it was a Peery design. And

when she and Ed moved into their condo, they later discovered Allison Peery had also designed it.

As executive director of the American Institute of Architects San Antonio chapter, Torrey has a pas-

sion for good architecture. And architects. She married one. Ed is a senior project architect with Du-

rand-Hollis Rupe, Inc.

“My sense of style is ‘Early Savings & Loan,’” Torrey quips. Way ahead of the curve, she began

acquiring pieces of midcentury furniture during the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s. “When the

recession hit, powerhouse companies with contemporary design began dumping important furnish-

ings,” she says.

The talented pair continue to add midcentury selections to their well-edited home. A recent purchase

of two Castelli m_sit lounge chairs in black leather and chrome flank a sofa by the same designer. Two

Platner side tables in stainless steel and clear plate glass keep cocktails at bay when entertaining. The

perfect complement to the setting, a Barcelona coffee table in chrome and glass exudes modern style

and simple sophistication.

Discerning guests dine in 20th-century style in Warren Platner cylindrical mesh steel chairs with up-

holstered seats. A massive marble-topped dining table rests on a sculptural base of nickel-plated steel

rods resembling a shiny sheaf of wheat, also by Platner. A contemporary painting that was the first pur-

chase made by Torrey’s parents after their marriage hangs above the grouping.

A gift from Ed’s mother on his and Torrey’s wedding day, a baby grand piano resides in the foyer.

FURNISHINGS REPRESENT THE BEST OF THE ERA

16 | february 2014

78209 AT HOME

It has been in the family since it was

purchased by his great-grandmother for

his father when he was 13. A painting

from the ‘70s that was recently given to

the couple hangs in the stairwell.

When Ed went to pick up the paint-

ing, he packed the piece in the back of

his small convertible. The huge painting

protruded out both sides of his vehicle.

Torrey exclaimed, “You are going to

take off like the flying nun if you go too

fast!” the painting made it home without

an aerial episode.

“I think that architecture can change

the way you look at the world and how

you respond to it,” Torrey says. “And

for me, having a thoughtfully designed

home is very important.”

www.78209magazine.com | 17

18 | february 2014

78209AHISD NEWS

Focused Instruction to Meet the Needs ofIndividual Learners

During the spring of 2013, the three ele-

mentary campuses partnered to redesign the

way the three-tiered Response to Intervention

(RtI) services are offered to AHISD students

at Howard, Cambridge and Woodridge Ele-

mentary.

The most important component of the ele-

mentary RtI framework is the quality of the

primary prevention level (the core curricu-

lum), where all students receive high-quality

instruction that is differentiated according to

individual needs and is aligned with the cur-

riculum standards (Texas Essential Knowl-

edge and Skills—TEKS).

Thanks to the financial support of the

Alamo Heights School Foundation, new uni-

versal screeners were purchased in reading

and math for all elementary students. The

screeners provide teachers with meaningful

information regarding student needs in the

areas of fluency, comprehension, vocabulary,

spelling and phonemic awareness, as well as

mathematical computation and mathematical

concepts in grades K-5.

These tools provide screening and progress

monitoring data that can be aggregated and

used to compare and contrast the effectiveness

of the core instruction as well as the effective-

ness of different instructional strategies.

Teachers are sharing the results of the begin-

ning-of-the-year data from the universal

screeners with parents during fall conferences

and will continue to monitor student progress,

as screeners will be administered again at se-

mester and in the spring. These tools provide

AHISD elementary teachers with meaningful

data to help differentiate their instruction to

best meet the individual needs of all learners

in the classroom.

www.78209magazine.com | 19

78209 AHISD NEWS

Students at Howard Early Childhood Center take their science lessons to the kitchen with the im-

plementation of the new Science Kitchen. Designed to help teachers engage their students through

interactive, thought-provoking scientific lessons, the Science Kitchen was made possible through the

collaborative efforts of the Alamo Heights School Foundation, Howard ECC and Alamo Heights

High School.

With the kids in the kitchen, science is definitely more hands-on, challenging and engaging.

Howard Takes Science to the KITCHEN

20 | february 2014

By LESLIE FOLEY

CURIOUS ABOUT

Guess who’s back in business? LA POSADA DEL REY has re-opened

in Carousel Court. Owners Ramiro and Jo Ann Valdez have opened a cozier,

more intimate restaurant. Same owners, same chef, and same workers are

providing the same food you’ve known and returned for many times. This

Alamo Heights favorite features such best-sellers as enchiladas, fajitas, flau-

tas, bistec ranchero and, of course, the homemade flan and sopapillas. And

one other thing to cure my Mexican fix — the La Posada Giant Margarita.

Muy bueno!

I spoke with Luke Holland, who works in the construction services de-

partment at the Lynd Company. He is on site daily at the MERIDIAN

APARTMENTS and responsible for overseeing the rehab of all 146 units

— a $2.5 million undertaking, including all new flooring, tile, stainless ap-

pliances, lighting, hardware, granite countertops, sinks, plumbing fixtures,

paint, 2-inch blinds and shower door replacements in each unit. Other up-

grades include a newly redesigned clubhouse and fitness center with a yoga

room and juice bar.

Exterior improvements include rebranding with a new sign package, land-

scaping, energy-efficient LED parking garage lighting, pool decking repairs,

waterproofing and structural repair. This gated project is right across from

the Quarry and Lincoln Heights shopping areas. Targeted completion is set

for early 2015.

78209 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

vacant buildings, construction, unfinished business and wondering what’s moving in?Streets are torn up, roads are in-need of repair, black tarps are the décor over at Artessa at Quarry Village,

and around the corner the Meridian has been undergoing some costly and much-needed update and repairs.Have you noticed some new street signs or that you couldn’t get to point A from point B anymore? Just whatis going on? I will try to find out.

www.78209magazine.com | 21

KENDRA SCOTT, the Texas-based designer, jeweler to the celebs and

fashion magazine favorite, has hung her shingle in the Quarry

Village.Austin-based Kendra Scott Jewelry is a multimillion-dollar global

brand regularly seen on celebrity A-listers, featured in leading fashion

magazines and carried by retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Whether you’re giving to yourself or as a gift, it’s fun to shop and select

from statement necklaces, delicate earrings, dazzling bracelets, cocktail

rings and more. Guys, don’t be left out — there are cufflinks to add the

perfect touch.

Shopping can be lots

of fun when you visit

BAKER TATUM, a

new homeware shop on

Broadway in Alamo

Heights specializing in

flower containers, gor-

geous linens and garden

party-worthy decora-

tions.

You’ll find Jon Hart

and Nest Candles, ex-

quisite statement pieces,

unique furnishings or

fabulous linens and

napkins. Make someone

happy with a wonderful gift — a unique container filled with orchids, a

favorite in the store — or purchase artistic glassware to sit on the coffee

table or to dress up a bookshelf. The women behind Baker Tatum are Jody

“Baker” Cochran and Nicole “Tatum” Nugent. Together they share a pas-

sion for finer things and now will share that passion with you.

If you have information to share, then drop me a line atleslieLfoley@ yahoo.com and let’s explore together.

78209 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

78209RESTAURANT GUIDE

AMERICAN20NINE255 E. Basse, #940798-9463

410 DINER8315 Broadway822-6246

ANNE MARIES’S BISTRO555 Funston Place826-5800

BIRD BAKERY5912 Broadway804-2473

BOARDWALK BISTRO4011 Broadway824-0100

BROADWAY 50/505050 Broadway826-0069

CAPPY’S5011 Broadway828-9669

CAPPYCCINO’S BISTRO5003 Broadway828-6860

EARL ABEL’S2101 Austin Highway, #175822-3358

EZ’S BRICK OVEN & GRILL255 E. Basse804-1199

EZ’S BRICK OVEN & GRILL6498 N. New Braunfels828-1111

GOOD TIME CHARLIE’S2922 Broadway828-5392

J. ALEXANDER’S255 E. Basse, #1300824-0275

MAGIC TIME MACHINE902 N.E. Loop 410828-1470

MAMA'S CAFE2442 Nacogdoches826-8303

NOSH1133 Austin Highway826-6674

SILO ELEVATED CUISINE1133 Austin Highway824-8686

STONE WERKSBroadway at Basse823-3508

TWIN SISTERS BAKERYAND CAFE6322 N. New Braunfels822-0761

ZEDRICK’S5231 Broadway824-6000

ASIANHSIU YU8338 Broadway828-2273

KOI KAWA4051 Broadway805-8111

MON THAI BISTRO4901 Broadway822-3253

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAK AND SUSHI4902 Broadway822-0300

P. F. CHANG’S255 E. Basse507-1000

SUSHI ZUSHI999 E. Basse826-8500

TONG’S THAI1146 Austin Highway829-7345

BARBECUEBUN ‘N’ BARREL1150 Austin Highway.828-2829

THE BARBEQUE STATION610 N.E. LOOP 410691-3332

EUROPEANCRUMPETS3920 Harry Wurzbach821-5454

FREDERICK’S7701 Broadway828-9050

HOFBRAU & BEER GARDEN7310 Jones Maltsberger290-8066

LA MADELEINE4820 Broadway829-7291

LION & ROSE ENGLISH PUB5148 Broadway822-7673

GREEKPAPOULI’S GRILL255 E. Basse, #384804-1118

HAMBURGERSCHEESY JANE’S4200 Broadway826-0800

CHESTER’S HAMBURGERS1006 N.E. Loop 410805-8600

FIVE GUYS BURGERS260 E. Basse, #107822-6200

FUDDRUCKERS8602 Botts Ln.824-6703

LONGHORN CAFE1003 Rittiman at Harry Wurzbach822-7272

ORDER UP999 E. Basse824-9600

ITALIANCERRONI’S PURPLE GARLIC1017 Austin Highway822-2300

MILANO RISTORANTE1907 Nacogdoches821-6373

PAESANOS555 E. Basse828-5191

PIATTI255 E. Basse832-0300

SORRENTO5146 Broadway824-0055

TRE TRATTORIA4003 Broadway805-0333

MEXICAN/LATINADELANTE21 Brees Blvd.822-7681

BETO’S8421 Broadway930-9393

LA FONDA SUNSET RIDGE6402 N. New Braunfels824-4231

PALOMA BLANCA5800 Broadway822-6151

PICANTE GRILL3810 Broadway822-3797

SOLUNA COCINAMEXICANA7959 Broadway930-8070

TACO GARAGE8403 Broadway826-4405

TOMATILLOS CANTINA3210 Broadway824-3005

URBAN TACO290 E. Basse, #105332-5149

PIZZACALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN255 E. Basse 424-2014

FLORIO’S PIZZA7701 Broadway805-8646

GRIMALDI’S PIZZA330 E. Basse, #101832-8288

VOLARE GOURMET PIZZA5054 Broadway828-3354

SOUTHWESTERNCANYON CAFE225 E. Basse225-0722

STEAKSTHE BARN DOOR8400 N. New Braunfels824-0116

FLEMING’S STEAKHOUSE255 E. Basse824-9463

RUTH'S CHRIS7720 Jones Maltsberger821-5051

22 | february 2014

www.78209magazine.com | 23

San AntonioGardenia & MusicalClub

Book &AuthorLuncheon

Poinsettia Ball

7820909-LIVES

Alcohol Violation 01/18/144900 blk. Broadway18-year-old female found walking duringearly morning hours under the influenceof alcohol. Subject issued citation for con-sumption of alcohol by a minor and trans-ported to local university. Released toon-duty campus officer.

Theft 01/17/14300 blk. CardinalJewelry reported stolen from home. Resi-dent suspects contractors who were per-forming work at residence betweenNovember and December.

Alcohol Violation 01/17/145100 blk. BroadwayVehicle stopped for speeding found tohave 7 occupants all under age 21 and allunder influence of alcohol with exceptionof driver. 6 passengers received citationsfor consumption of alcohol by minor andreleased to driver who transported themback to dorm units of nearby university.

Identity Theft 01/15/14100 blk. E OakviewResident discovered someone used hisidentity to open several charge accountsand purchase cell phone.

Narcotics Violation 01/15/14700 blk. CoronaDriver of vehicle found to have several ac-tive warrants issued for his arrest by BexarCounty and San Antonio Municipal Court.Officers found 3 bags of methampheta-mines on his person along with drug para-phernalia. Driver transported to jail.

Criminal Mischief 01/11/14200 blk. ViescaUnknown subjects entered swimming poolarea during overnight hours. Subjectsdamaged property, threw trash and debrisinto pool.

Arrest Warrant 01/10/1412200 San PedroAHPD Detectives secured arrest warrantfor carpet installer involved in theft ofproperty from residence on College Blvd.Subject arrested without incident.

DWI - Enhanced 01/09/145100 blk. BroadwayDriver stopped found to be under the in-fluence of alcohol and impaired. Driverbooked on enhanced DWI charges due tohaving 1 previous conviction for DWI and2 pending cases for DWI.

Theft 01/08/145100 blk. BroadwayWallet reported stolen from unsecure of-fice left unattended for a brief period.

Public Intoxication 01/07/144700 blk. BroadwayIntoxicated male suffering from lacerationto head found stumbling along roadway.Subject treated by EMS and transported todetoxification facility.

Theft 01/05/14200 blk. HarrisonResident reported jewelry stolen fromhome sometime since December 15th.Resident suspects new housekeeper.

Public Intoxication 01/02/13100 blk. ArcadiaMale subject left residence after fight withgirlfriend. Subject returned a short timelater and began kicking the door. Officersdetained subject found to be under the in-fluence of alcohol. Caller refused to pros-ecute, subject released to relative.

Assault - Family Violence 01/01/135700 N New BraunfelsUncle arrived home creating disturbance.Situation escalated to assault when unclebegan physically pushing family memberand child. Uncle taken into custody forfamily violence and transported to jail.

DWI 3rd 12/28/136500 blk. BroadwayVehicle stopped for crossing into oncom-ing lanes of traffic. Driver found to beunder the influence of alcohol and im-paired. Driver charged with Felony DWIdue to 2 previous DWI convictions.

Evading Arrest 12/27/136100 blk. BroadwayVehicle stopped for erratic driving. Femaledriver ran away from officer on foot. Sub-ject apprehended short distance away andplaced under arrest.

Vehicle Burglary 12/25/13100 blk. BarillaParked vehicle unlawfully entered to gainaccess to purse left in open view.

Theft 12/24/13400 blk. College BlvdJewelry and camera reported stolen byhomeowner. Resident suspects contractorsworking in area.

Vehicle Burglaries 12/23/13Various locationsSuspicious vehicle observed driving aim-lessly on residential streets. Investigationrevealed stolen property and narcotics in-side vehicle.

Theft 12/22/13100 blk. WildrosePackage delivered to front porch by UPSstolen while resident was away.

24 | february 2014

ALAMO HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENTCriminal InvestigationsDivision

6116 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209(210) 822-2164 FAX (210) 822-7111

POLICE BLOTTER

www.78209magazine.com | 25

By RON BECHTOL

Piatti@The Quarry

Some restaurants seem to twist in the wind, constantly in search of the nextnew thing. Alligator kale? You bet — at least until roasted cauliflower takesover as the darling of the day. And while we’re at it, let’s throw some porkbelly on both of them. Piatti is not this kind of restaurant.

True, a look at the current menu suggests that a previous emphasis on locallysourced produce seems to have diminished. But otherwise a certain familiarityprevails. Pollo alla matone may now be described only (and less romantically)as “chicken breast grilled under a brick,” the locally raised, all-natural part ofthe description having been deleted, but it’s basically still the same appealingproduct. Personal favorite ravioli alla limone, stuffed with spinach and ricottaand sauced with a wine-lemon-cream sauce remains steadfast. With a variationon that lemon sauce firmly in mind, I moved into only slightly new territoryfor a recent visit.

Piatti’s cannelloni filled with lobster and crab and napped with the lemonsauce embellished with capers and diced raw tomato (small portion $12.95,large portion $16.95), is an almost perfect dish — tender pasta, well-developedflavors, luxurious appearance. The only issue, and some might consider it al-together minor, is with the texture of the uniform filling: It would be encour-aging to encounter a chunk of lobster from time to time. Just so you know, asmall portion of two tubes is plenty for the average diner.

Especially if he or she (and it’s a mixed crowd at noon with businessmencoexisting happily with daddies taking kids to lunch and women chatting ingroups) has ordered one of Piatti’s signature salads. Salads here are not onlythoughtfully composed, but (and these, too, can be had in small or large size)they are generously portioned. A small baby spinach rendition with fried “to-bacco” onion rings, romano cheese and a mellow balsamic vinaigrette mighthave made an entire meal on another day, with the ample serving of good breadand spicy olive oil dip filling in any gaps. Dessert didn’t seem necessary.

But I ordered it anyway, wanting just a little more time in the light-filled,flower-accented space. The choice of a custard tart made with fresh lemonjuice and served with pillowy whipped cream on the side will not come as asurprise; Piatti seems to have a way with the citrus, and the tart was no excep-tion. Attentive service only adds a grace note to the experience.

The dining space at Piatti’s newest outpost in the Eilan development on IH-10W has quite a different look, with more emphasis on the bar, and that loca-tion deserves investigation. But for those perfectly happy to keep revisitingThe Quarry, happy hour here is both a social experience and a way to samplewell-priced appetizers such as the excellent vegetable fritto misto with, onceagain, limone—this time in the form of a lemon caper aioli.

78209WINE & DINEPhoto by Ja

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26 | february 2014

78209VINTAGE VIEW

Centennial photo showcases one of the first libraries in Alamo Heights Independent School District.

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