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I am from Tiffin, Ohio, a small town of less than 20,000 people. I grew up calling my neighbors “aunt” this and “uncle” that, heard all the gossip about at least half the town from my great-aunt, and would make the weekly rounds with my grandmother to check in on all her neighbors. 

Being surrounded by such a tight-knit community can bring a sense of security and community (although can sometimes become stifling) and when we moved away to a larger city, there was a huge hole in my life where that community used to belong. Years later, motivated by a sense of curiosity and adventure, I moved to, as my grandma would call it, “the big city.” I loved the hustle and bustle of a large city. I loved the access to culture: art, theatre, music, food, museums, parks; these treasures have never lost their luster.

However, sometimes one can feel lost in a sea of people, and I often longed for my small town connections. Small town relationships and big city culture: San Antonio is an interesting mix of both. This is the smallest big city in which I lived, and why I love living in my San Antonio neighborhood, Beacon Hill.  

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Lindsay Byrne walks her dogs Freya and Patti through the Beacon Hill neighborhood, as her husband Rick follows well behind. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report

I live in a 1920s bungalow in Beacon Hill with my husband and menagerie of animals. I still pinch myself sometimes in disbelief, as a house similar to ours in a larger city would be out of our reach. I love the character of our house, and the houses in our neighborhood.  Hardwood floors, French doors, wrap-around porches, interesting gardens, quirky holiday decorations: there is always something interesting and new to see when I walk around Beacon Hill. Our neighborhood is full of character and I am always inspired by my neighbors and their creativity.

As someone who likes to go out, but does not like to travel far, we are so fortunate to have amazing spots to gather just walking distance away. I often meet friends for happy hour at Copper Rose Wine or join my husband for a game night at The Roundabout. Julia’s makes a mean martini and is a great place to meet friends for dinner or a cocktail. And last, but certainly not least, is Bright Coffee. Bright offers not only my daily fix of caffeine, but amazing social connections, as I get to see my friends and neighbors who work and hang out there. It truly is the bright spot of my day (pun intended)!

Lindsay Byrne responds to e-mails at Bright Coffee, her favorite spot in the Beacon Hill neighborhood to work from home. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report

I love taking my dogs for walks around Beacon Hill and then across the railroad tracks to Alta Vista, over San Pedro to Monte Vista, then back home again. I love the variety of the different neighborhoods, all within blocks of each other. We often see wildlife on our walks as well: foxes, owls, hawks, all different types of songbirds, and of course the Beacon Hills mascot, skunks.

We have an amazing garden we have cultivated full of native and xeriscape plants.  Every year we have butterfly visitors, including monarchs and queen butterflies and we are always lucky to have a few caterpillars hatch. I have a habitat for the caterpillars just in case it gets too cold, and have more than a few successfully hatch in the habitat. Releasing them back in the wild is always such a thrill! We also have hummingbirds who visit in spring and summer, and a wide variety of songbirds that we feed, including woodpeckers, a pair of Carolina wrens, and my favorites: a family of black-crested titmice. Along with our visiting wildlife, we have a slew of rescue cats and dogs, and two aquariums to keep us on our toes!

Lindsay Byrne waters the plants in the greenhouse that she and her husband Rick constructed in the backyard of their Beacon Hill home. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report

Beacon Hill has a lot to offer, but the reason I most enjoy living here is the people. We have an amazing group of neighbors who help each other out, invite each other over for holidays, and simply look out for each other. I have gotten to know so many people in the neighborhood, it is impossible for me to go up to Bright or Copper Rose without seeing someone I know and stopping for a chat. There are so many interesting, friendly and engaging people here, and I feel very lucky to be a part of this community.

Downtown San Antonio is a short ten-minute drive away, and we can enjoy art, theatre, music, restaurants and everything a city has to offer.  But we can stay right here in Beacon Hill and be surrounded by a tight-knit community that brings me back to my small town roots. Our neighborhood truly offers the best of both worlds and I would not have it any other way.

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