Did you know that there was a large wave of German immigrants to Texas in the nineteenth century? In San Antonio, there is evidence all around of that presence--we're staying at the Menger Hotel, for example, established in 1859.
Yesterday, my husband and I drove 20 miles north to New Braunfels, on the advice of our new friend Lori, in search of more German influence. There we saw several houses built by German settlers, including this small stucco and stone cottage built by botanist/ soldier/newspaper editor Ferdinand Lindheimer (1801- 1879.) I sat on the ground in the lovely spring garden and sketched his tiny house. (As always, click on sketch for bigger image.)
Afterwards we had lunch at Oma's House, a restaurant run by descendants of the original settlers of New Braunfels. The menu there gives new meaning to the concept of fusion cuisine, with its German nachos (filled with sausage and cheese) and its German egg rolls (filled with sausage and cheese,) recipes devised by the owner's German-turned-Texan grandmother. Mustard takes the place of tomato-based or soy sauces.
We drove back to San Antonio, where I made a sketch of San Fernando Cathedral, as seen from the City Hall park.
(I don't know why the text is underlined and hotlinked. I've tried and tried to eliminate this but have been unsuccessful. I'm tired and I'll deal with this tomorrow.) Lots more San Antonio sketches to come!
:-) Great drawings -- and nachos and sauerkraut! Whew! You've captured the beautiful south Texas sky and general light -- just wonderful.
Posted by: Linda M | March 22, 2007 at 06:49 PM
I am loving these San Antonio sketches and bits of history. Who knew about the German influence there? Sounds like you're having quite the time - as you should! xo
Posted by: Paris Parfait | March 22, 2007 at 02:26 PM
I love the fusion cuisine! I just know you're a real foodie when I see how much care you put into these food sketches!
Posted by: Katherine | March 22, 2007 at 12:07 PM
I'm told there's a kind of Hispanic/South American music that has a German influence, too, since so many went to that area to escape the Nazis 50 years ago (or WERE Nazis), taking their music with them. Can't remember the name of the music fusion, but reminds of your cuisine, which looks and sounds wonderful!
Love the botanist's house--there is similar architecture in Ste. Genevieve and Hermann, Missouri, and other little towns along the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. As you can guess from the name, Ste. Gen's is mainly French, with a lot of surviving early French architecture, but there were also German immigrants there.
The river country here is very much like the Rhine country in Germany, so we have a great deal of German influence in food, architecture, place names, and hooray, WINE. Good, good wine country...maybe when J. and I are married you and your sweet husband will come explore with us!
Posted by: Cathy (Kate) Johnson | March 22, 2007 at 10:39 AM
Laura, you crack me up! You have found such interesting things to draw in Texas! I love the architecture and food! (What else on a trip???) Fun drawings. Hope you continue to find great things to draw and post.
Posted by: lindsay | March 22, 2007 at 09:27 AM
You never said whether the food was tasty! Do tell. But the pictures are definitely delicious; I like them all, and the last one is surprising--that rich watercolor sky over the sunny pencil scene.
Posted by: marly | March 22, 2007 at 09:26 AM