Welcome to Episode 8,
Let’s Fiesta!
I’m Lisa Blank and this is How Did I Miss That?
Welcome back to Feature Friday!! And if you’re in San Antonio, Happy Fiesta! This weekend kicks off a week and a half of non-stop partying in the Alamo City. From Oyster Bake and King William Fair to NIOSA and the Battle of Flowers Parade, the city comes to life for Fiesta. And no one does Fiesta like my maker friend Stephanie Peña-Frost, with The Princess and the Monkey. Named for her two youngest step-children, she started her business after becoming the bonus mom to 6 children. She felt the need to stay home and care for them and wanted to show them how to follow your dreams and be successful. All these years later she still says her business is all for them and the name reminds her of why she started and the reason for her life’s passion.
Stephanie’s business outside of Fiesta focuses on her incredible talent for painting. She hand paints drinkware, charcuterie boards, planters and vases, and the most beautiful hats. All with a Texas flare of bluebonnets, yellow roses, and cactus. During Christmas, she has hand painted ornaments and makes these amazing GnomeCrackers…think of a nutcracker but as a gnome instead of a soldier. And because I’m gnome obsessed, I of course have one that I absolutely love.
During Fiesta is when she really comes alive though. She hosts Fiesta wreath and hat making parties around town. You see her on all the local morning shows talking about where to find the best decorations and how to make your own. But most notably, you get to experience her talent in the Hotel Contessa on the Riverwalk. Every year, Stephanie is awarded the honor of decorating the hotel for Fiesta. And every year, she seems to outdo herself. Hours and days and months of planning and production go into the task. She and her team hang massive banners of Fiesta ribbons, put up what seems like miles of garland, and adorn almost every surface with piñatas and paper flowers. It’s a huge undertaking, but the outcome is nothing short of magnificent.
And she comes by her love of San Antonio and Fiesta honestly. Her parents were beloved members of the community, served on the Fiesta Flambeau Parade Association, and were Duke & Duchess of Piñatas in the Barrio, which was a dream of her mom’s to one day become Fiesta royalty. Stephanie’s business even started because of Fiesta. Twelve years ago, she began making and selling Fiesta wreaths. Six years later, she picked up a paint brush and started painting the famous San Antonio Missions. And the creativity hasn’t stopped flowing. Her love of all things Texas, San Antonio, and Fiesta shines through is everything she makes. Her true inspiration, though, is attributed to her grandfather, Lazaro “Larry” Pena. He was one of the last makers of Mexican concrete mosaic tiles in the area. He was featured in the San Antonio Museum of Art and National Geographic. And his work is still seen around town in the courthouse, high schools, museums, and restaurants. Mr. Peña’s last major job was the Mariachi Bar at Mi Tierra. With inspiration like that, it’s no wonder Stephanie is as talented and tied to the San Antonio community as she is.
Most importantly though, is her love of community and lifting others up. Stephanie finds incredible joy in what she does and wants to share that with the world. And if you ever have the chance to meet her, jump on the opportunity. She’s truly a fabulous person through and through, incredibly kind, always positive, and loves what she does. There definitely isn’t a shortage of places you can find Stephanie and The Princess and the Monkey around town either. She has the most filled market calendar of any maker I’ve ever seen. Almost every weekend, you can visit a market in the area to get your hands on her amazing works of art. I’ll leave all of her social links in the show notes for you to check out and follow. She also has a space inside Handmade on Main in Boerne, TX, where you can shop her pieces throughout the week.
If you love to party, San Antonio during Fiesta is where it’s at! And I definitely suggest starting off right with a visit to the Hotel Contessa. Grab a margarita, take a seat in their bar overlooking the Riverwalk, and get in the Fiesta spirit surrounded by all of The Princess and the Monkey’s festive décor. Then yell out Viva Fiesta and hear the cheers from the crowd.
Thanks for listening! If you like what you’re hearing, please make sure to share this podcast with all your friends and neighbors. And don’t forget to click follow or subscribe. Then join me every Tuesday and Friday as I uncover another interesting tidbit of knowledge and wonder… how did I miss that?!
