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. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
Buying my first home on my own was a big deal. I knew I wanted something in a nice, quiet neighborhood with quick access to Interstate 35 because I was teaching at Texas State University at the time. I also wanted something with enough room for my parents, who I was planning to bring up from Eagle Pass. I was living with a friend in Live Oak back then and really liked the area, so when I saw this house for sale, I knew I had to have it.
That was in 2009 and all these years later, I still love living in Live Oak. Though it’s definitely grown over the years, it’s still quiet and safe. My neighbors are all friendly and come from diverse backgrounds. And the location is convenient, with grocery, shopping, and the airport nearby. I can also get on I-35 easily for a quick trip up to San Marcos or Austin or down to Eagle Pass to visit friends and family.
For shopping, we have The Forum at Olympia Parkway, where you can also catch a movie at Regal Live Oak. Then there’s IKEA, which is always a fun time. I love to go and just walk around, even when there’s nothing in particular I’m shopping for.
Small businesses have really taken a hit during the pandemic, but we’re starting to see some recovery. I’m glad my favorite local restaurant, Taqueria Guanajuato, has managed to stay open and happy to see others bouncing back.
The neighborhood spot you’re most likely to find me at is Woodcrest Park. It’s nice to see my neighbors out walking, children enjoying the playground, and deer and other critters sharing the space with us. A good friend of mine lives nearby in Universal City and will sometimes join me on my walks. He was my first college roommate, and when I first moved to the area and found out he lived in the next neighborhood over, we reconnected and have been close ever since.
I’ve actually reconnected with a lot of friends from college and high school who all made the move to San Antonio like I did. It’s been nice to host birthday parties and other get-togethers with friends in my home, which have been some of my favorite memories here.
But what I look back on most fondly was the time I spent with my parents in their last years. My mother had Alzheimer’s and my father had dementia, so it was important for me to be able to care for them and spend as much time as I could with them.
One of my sisters, who lives in Illinois, came down and lived with me for about three years during that time to help care for our parents. In those years, we learned a lot about each other and became very close. Since she’s 16 years older than me and moved to Illinois when she got married, we had never really had a chance to get to know each other on that level before. We found we got along very well and still talk almost daily.
I’m grateful for the time I’ve had with my family in this home and the time I’ve had with friends in San Antonio. Though I sometimes think about retiring to my hometown of Eagle Pass, I know I want to enjoy Live Oak for at least a few more years.
Disclosure: Alberto Méndez is San Antonio Report editor Blanca Méndez’s uncle.
