The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story.
When my parents got married over 40 years ago, they moved to Leon Valley. Back then, that was the up-and-coming area. My mom is from the South Side of San Antonio and my dad is from the West Side, so I grew up a hybrid of the two.
After I moved out to attend the University of the Incarnate Word, I experienced a lot more of the city. Ultimately, when it came time to look for my own house, I headed back to the Northwest Side. My parents had since divorced and my mom stayed in Leon Valley while my dad returned to his childhood home on the West Side, so I wanted a neighborhood in between the two.
I bought an older home that had been flipped, so the exterior still has that unique charm but inside it’s all updated. The house has a big front yard and big backyard, which I especially appreciated during the pandemic. It’s been such a blessing to have that space for my daughter. I grew up playing outside and I wanted to give her that same experience, although I don’t make her drink from the manguera like I did.
My neighbors are a good mix of working professionals like myself and older retired people, and we all look out for one another. The area reminds me of where I grew up in Leon Valley because there are police everywhere, so if you go one mile over the speed limit on Fredericksburg Road, you’re getting a ticket. But the police also know all the neighbors, so it helps us feel safe and taken care of.
Los Barrios on Blanco Road is one of my favorite restaurants in the area, and Jim’s on Fredericksburg is my favorite coffee meeting spot . I love La Michoacana when I don’t have time to do a full grocery run at H-E-B. The selection is much smaller, but they have everything you need and you can be in and out quickly. Plus they have fresh pan dulce and street tacos on deck so that’s always a win.
You’ll often find me running around with my daughter at Woodlawn Lake Park nearby. We love it but quickly learned not to feed the ducks. They’re not as friendly as they used to be! We also enjoy the events held at the park, especially the annual Fourth of July celebration.
We’re getting new stores like Five Below at Wonderland of the Americas, which I still call Crossroads, and the former Bijoux Theater space was renovated to be the new home of the Wonder Theatre company. I’m excited to see all of the growth in this area, I feel like I don’t have to go far for anything I need, it’s the best!
During the pandemic, the mall was so central to the community, with testing and vaccines. It’s also a voting center during elections and serves and many local events are hosted there, another big win!
What we are missing in the immediate neighborhood is a park and a swimming pool. We have to drive to Woodlawn Lake and to the nearest public pool, so it would be nice to have better access to outdoor recreation spaces within walking distance. And to be able to walk to these places, we would need sidewalks.
I see myself staying in this neighborhood for a long time and continue building fun memories for my daughter and I.
