When I was stationed in southern Italy, we had this bridge just outside the base on SS16 that was referred to as the "S" Bridge because along an otherwise straight roadway, they built a bridge over a railroad, but it was in the shape of an "S" (kinda). The road then continued straight there on. Who knows why? Supposedly, that stretch of road was one of the deadliest sections of highway in the country and in Southern Europe, or at least, that is what they told us.
Though not nearly as deadly, probably because the speed limit is only 40 as opposed to "whatever you can handle", I drive along a stretch of road here in San Antonio each day on my way to and from work, and seriously, there is a wreck there at least a several times a month. 
This is what Callahan Road between Culebra and Commerce looks like, just outside of Southwest Research Institute.
And of course, today there was another mishap, though by normal standards, this was a mere "mishap". Usually, someone goes through the fence at SWRI, and a day or two later, it is repaired.
Here is the ironic thing about it. The government pays SWRI millions of dollars a year to research various things, or private industry or organizations like Consumer Reports pays them to test all these different things. Why don't the fine folks at SWRI publish a paper on the obvious danger of Callahan Road just outside their fence line, and simply show the number of times each month cars fly through the fence? Wouldn't they have the receipts?
Further, perhaps they could come up with some form of government subsidy that I might qualify for to recover the amount of pain and suffering I endure each time my trip to or from work is delayed by these silly accidents. I'z gots ta get paid!
Bust out the Tasty Treats; I finally made it downtown to eat at Schilo's Delicatessen on Commerce Street.
If you have read this blog for the occasional reviews of places my wife and I eat, you know that I have a thing for a good Reuben Sandwich. I can't even explain why I like Reuben's, since I don't think I had one before the age of forty, but since the first one while on a trip to DC, I can't seem to stop wanting to find, the best one.
Schilo's has been in San Antonio since the early 1900's, and continues to be a favorite amongst people who recommend a place for lunch downtown.
Since we were attending the Houston Street Market & Fair anyway, we thought we would skip the funnel cakes and Margaritas and instead enjoy some sandwiches and root beer.
I love the interior of the place. I could see this being a good place to film a scene in a movie. We chose to sit in a booth, but the tables were easily movable so you could accommodate a couple or a family.
I ordered up a root beer and I have to tell you, it was awesome. I don't really go for sodas, usually opting for an unsweetened iced tea, but I had heard that the root beer at Schilo's is a definite must. It was great. Don't drink it too fast though, only one refill comes with a purchase.
Naturally, I ordered the Reuben and opted to try the hot potato salad. Not hot as in spicy, but hot as in they serve it to you hot. I was so eager to eat the Reuben, but I took my time and ate the potato salad so I would not try the sandwich in a state of hunger. I had never experienced it this way. It was very good, but I'm gonna try the cold tater salad on the next visit.
My Reuben was simply awesome. They do not skimp on size; it was a full meal for sure. The sandwich came cut in halves, and having tempered my appetite with the hot potato salad, I was ready to taste the Reuben in a way that a sophisticated wine connoisseur might inspect a solid bottle of T-Bird 2007. I simply inhaled the first half of the Reuben and quite nearly lost consciousness.
Having regained my composure, I proceeded to slowly and methodically enjoy every bite of the second half, occasionally stopping to sip from the root beer mug before me. 
Meanwhile, my wife had ordered up the Club sandwich, and as much as I was enjoying my sandwich, she was equally pleased with hers. The Club has some sort of thick bacon on it that really gave it a great taste. Yes, I ate some of her sandwich too. I don't know if they use Hellman's or some special home made mayo, but it was creamy and tasty.
The service was top notch. Our order was in and out and considering the place was pretty full, we expected a long wait. We didn't partake in any of the dessert, but imagine one of the pies in the deli case covered with ice cream! 
Good food, good atmosphere. Eeee-yum from my wife, and an easy Tasty Treat from me. What should we try next time? Tell me about it.
I had heard about this little event that takes place once a month in San Antonio called the Houston Street Market & Fair, and thought my wife and I ought to take a little investigative trip downtown to see what all the hullabaloo was about. We went, had a grand old time, and I present to you the pictures we took.
This event takes place the last Saturday of every month along a portion of Houston Street and extends to in front of the Alamo. Think of it as a place for the city and the the county to set up informative booths for the purpose of educating citizens, then, combine that with performers doing things like singing or doing some reenacting of old times, and then add in a mix of vendor booths so you can purchase stuff, or pretend that this is a mini-Fiesta, and get a few beers or Margaritas to chase down some funnel cakes and flautas, and you've got yourself the Houston Street Market & Fair.
The price was right - free. We paid $7.00 for parking on the next street over, and walked around, enjoyed the sights, took pictures and such, then (what else would you expect) went to eat.
Oh, and were you aware that the COSA now has an official mascot for Code Compliance? I had no idea until I met up with, The Enforcer. I suddenly had the urge to mow my yard and get the truck on blocks off the front of our lawn after seeing this spirited fella.
Here is an interesting tidbit. Have you ever heard that expression about "Getting hit by a bus"? You know, people tell you to plan for your family or train co-workers to do your job because you never know, you could step off a curb and get hit by a bus. Then what?
So my wife pointed out this little seal placed in concrete above a sewer drain on Commerce Street. She tells me I ought to take a picture of it. I have to tell you that when I am downtown looking for things to look at, I am often just in my own little world. So, I stepped off the curb into the street, pointed the camera at this little disk and took the picture, then stepped back up unto the sidewalk. As I looked up to continue walking, this huge tour bus was maybe three feet away from me and the driver gave me the official look of, "You sir, are a complete and utter dumbass, and they have a saying for people like you and it involves getting hit by a bus."
Those were his exact words, (had he said them), given to me with his grumpy bus driver look. Do you suppose he sees this type of thing often? My question is, why didn't he blast me with the horn so I could have had a heart attack and fallen beneath his tires? Who knows?
Oh, the seal was some sort of warning not to pour oil down the drain. Geeze, I hope we didn't spend a lot of money on that. A person could get killed.
Okay, I'm sure you have either been to the Alamo or at least seen it via Pee Wee's Big Adventure. The basement is a must see. What you not have seen was a bunch of actors recreating life around the Alamo back during the times that it was getting famous.
Sure enough, as part of the HSM&F, they had a bunch of period actors living it up amongst the tourists and locals.
Good stuff. 
Feeling somewhat cheated, what with me having a special moment with "The Enforcer", my wife took a moment to pose with some of San Antonio's finest. I like to see a large police presence downtown. They do a good job during Fiesta, so handling the small and well behaved crowd here was not even worthy of a good tasering. Good times, either way.
Did you get a chance to do anything fun this weekend? Tell me about it, or leave a comment.
This is what Callahan Road between Culebra and Commerce looks like, just outside of Southwest Research Institute.
And of course, today there was another mishap, though by normal standards, this was a mere "mishap". Usually, someone goes through the fence at SWRI, and a day or two later, it is repaired.
Here is the ironic thing about it. The government pays SWRI millions of dollars a year to research various things, or private industry or organizations like Consumer Reports pays them to test all these different things. Why don't the fine folks at SWRI publish a paper on the obvious danger of Callahan Road just outside their fence line, and simply show the number of times each month cars fly through the fence? Wouldn't they have the receipts?
