After a filling lunch at Rosario's near downtown San Antonio, Emily and I decided to burn off some of calories yesterday with a self-guided walking tour down the tree-shaded sidewalks of King William National Historic District. With grand manors, carriage houses, and even the occasional modern era dwelling lining a couple streets parallel to the San Antonio River, the neighborhood of King William is a hidden gem of architectural splendor, as it's mostly been protected from any conversions or tear downs, making it a fascinating historical peek of how the richest of San Antonio Texans once lived...

"The district’s 450 plus structures include frame vernacular dwellings that were little affected by stylistic movements except for decorative details. There are, however, many finely crafted houses that illustrate the stylistic eclecticism emblematic of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century architecture. Bungalows dominate the southern portion of the district and commercial structures are largely limited to South Alamo Street. The district is characterized by the high concentration of dwellings sharing form and stylistic elements, its cohesive architectural fabric, and the law percentage of intrusive structures."

Though we currently do not have any plans of moving to Texas, if we were to call San Antonio home, King William area would no doubt be our first desired place to call home. House prices in the area, although in the upper range for local property, is ridiculously affordable from the perspective of a Angeleno. We were starry-eyed during our walks, day dreaming of adopting a Texan's pride and calling one of these grande dames home. Residents walked and jogged along the river, as cardinals, grackles and herons entertained us on a very peaceful walk we cannot recommend enough. And when you're done, treat yourself to some soda pop or a margarita over at nearby Rosario's. Doesn't get much better than that for an afternoon saunter.