As the year ends, I’ve come to reflect on many milestones I’ve reached this year. SALoveList grew to be one, and I hit 10k followers. So, with that comes the coveted who’s who on my list.

The places I’ve picked are where I feel most at home. For me, finding places that I can return to time and time again is what makes them places I want to recommend. I take people there because while they're experiencing something new, I can sit back and focus on my favorite thing: talking.

I am pleased to share these things that I hold ever so dearly.

1. Toro Kitchen and Bar:  If you've been following me for a while then you know I love to travel. You also know that you fell in love with Spain and paella. It's no secret that this place serves my favorite version of paella and they make the most amazing octopus dish. It makes missing Spain a little easier but it also makes me want to plan another trip there.

2. The Courtyard at the McNay: I will get hyper-specific and say that I became a member of the McNay exclusively to sit and hang out there regularly so I can work on my writing. I feel really at peace with the plants and colors all around.

3. Essex Modern City: I stumbled upon this place a few months ago and lost it. What makes my blog different from most is that I drive around looking for the most amazing walls in the city that celebrate our diverse collective of artists and this is the place that inspires me to want to create more.

4. Las Mangonadas: Whenever you walk into a place, and they speak Spanish to you, you know that place is legit. I've been going here at least twice a month since a follower shared it with me. The horchata is so creamy, and the mangonadas are made from real fruit. They have ice cream flavors like gansito and las marias; best of all is their paleta selection. Spending time in Mexico exposed me to so many fruits that I can get the paletas there to remind me of home.

5. The Art of Donut: I'm not a sweet tooth. I love savory. That's why I love their Bacon Donut. In a perfect world, I'd be the girl ordering the donut with no toppings, just fried dough, but I crave this donut.

6. Sangria on the Burg: When you can walk into a restaurant and are greeted with such genuine happiness, you know you're winning. The smells, smiles, and overall vibe of the place makes fighting for parking completely worth it. The food speaks for itself, but you're not going to leave hungry.

7. Soundcream Airstream Wednesdays at the Historic Pearl: You know you're bound to find me posted up on the quad from mid-May until late fall when this event starts. I have a picnic blanket, wine, snacks, and everything ready to spend the night under the stars with good music. Plus Kris Jenner and Hypeman make the night iconic.

8. Modernist: Watching people work on something they're passionate about is meaningful magic. I didn't really start drinking until this year due to some reasons but I'm really glad I did. I love that you can tell them what you're feeling and what you like and get a glass full of art.

9. Karolina's Antiques: When I partnered with Fiesta this year, I gathered all my medals and realized I had packed most of them away in the great move. So I needed to get more because who are you without medals? I found this place and instantly fell in love with its charm. I also found the cutest bags, so it was a win.

10.  Evergreen Garden: I love being outside and I love plants. So, for most of my plants, I go here or I take 900 pictures to look at when I'm sad.

11. RIP: The Patio at El Mirador: I am an "outside, please," sitter. I will pick that over the window seat and sit there pretty much in Texas summer heat. But next year, I won't be able to because RIP—unless the new owner keeps these same patio vibes.

12. Brackenridge Park: I won't stop writing endless love letters to outdoor living in the big city, but walking around for hours in this park is something I do when I have a lot on my mind.

13.  Lucky Noodle: Lifting noodles lifts moods. It is also really close to my job, so I can head there on my lunch break and get my fill of hand-stretched noodles and dumplings. Because it doesn't matter how big the bowl of soup is—you always get dumplings.

14. Ro-ho Pork & Bread: Tortas ahogadas were pretty much a food group growing up as a dual-country child. I remember going to different food stands in Guadalajara as a kid and getting ever so messy. So when we found this place, it was like being a kid again.

15. Hanzo: or where I'll take you when I want to know the innermost workings of your soul because I will. The lengthy Sunday and Monday happy hours mean we're going to sit in my usual spot, and we're going to get deep. It's cozy, dark, and moody, and that means you'll be more open to spilling the tea.

16. Press Coffee: Coffee shops are normally loud and daunting, but both locations this coffee shop was at were not. I love reading, writing, or creating here because I know distractions will be minimal, but the new home of Press is a dream. Those windows let me feel outside and inside; the lighting was just energizing.

17. Worth Repeating at Brick at Blue Star: If you haven't caught the overall vibe of my lovelist it's that I live for getting to know things. I ask too many questions and enjoy knowing what makes up people. So what better way to do that than sitting and listening to people share their stories in a room with many other people? 7 stories, $7, and two beers that's a huge win. I loved it so much that I signed up to be on the storyboard this year.

18. El Bucanero: again another place where my first language is spoken just as commonly as English. It's also a place where Christine and I go to bond and ceviche is also life.

19. Love Will Always Be There Mural: I love love. I always have and no matter how hard life gets or how uncertain it really is, this mural serves as a reminder that love will be there no matter what.

20. Fiesta Oyster Bake: Even though I didn't go to St. Mary's, I still love this event. Hands down, it has my favorite chicken on a stick, and it's got a carnival, music, and everything. Basically, it's a happy place for me, filled with a lot of memories.

21. Feliz Modern: if I were to list places I'd avoid if I wanted to keep money in my bank account, this would be at the top of the list. I love flamingos, they have plenty of flamingo things. I love cards and a wall full of cute carts. Their iconic IG-like notification is always with me, and I may or may not IG window shop their feed on a daily basis.

22. Taquitos West Avenue after 11 p.m.: Late-night eats are a luxury for me, and there's something magical about standing in line knowing that at the end of the line are tacos. Again, growing up in Mex, I had the best tacos of my life because Al Pastor is life, and finding trompo was the ultimate win for me.

23. The Rustic: Say what you wanna say but a place with live music and patio vibes is a winner in my book. I have a special place in my heart for the Rim because I went to UTSA and mostly go here for nostalgia and to make my friends mad that they have to drive to my side of town.

24. Barbaro: I have Erin to blame for this one and Modernist. She's always on the bougie cocktail life and I feel that sitting at the bar in this establishment is the only way to enjoy the experience fully. I'll choose indoors over outdoors here any day. Plus, as mentioned earlier, does late-night eat anyone? This place has pizza and a cocktail for $10 after 10 pm EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!

25. Denman Estate Park: is my hideaway in the city. It was built for one of the SA's sister cities, and the vibes are breathtaking. I love going there often with Quebec, walking in circles, meditating on different things. Plus, that pavilion is gorgeous.

26. 2M Smokehouse: no good Texas Lovelist is complete without meat, and by meat, I mean BBQ, which is basically a large portion of my diet. Sausage is how I judge a place; they have one of the best… because it has cheese! That’s not the only thing that makes this worth the drive. I should mention that I spent some time growing up in Charleston, SC, and I know BBQ. So trust me when I vouch for this place.

So there ya have it, SA. Here's the 2018 lovelist faves. And between you and me, 5 of these are my ultimate favorites, but that's a secret I'll never tell.

xoxo,

gabby