Parking at the Tower - $12.00.
The Tower of the Americas, built in 1968 for Hemisfair, the World's Fair held in San Antonio. My very first job was at Hemisfair, working for Pepsi Cola-Frito Lay, at the flying Indian exhibit, serving frito pie and Pepsi.
Waterfalls at the base of the Tower of the Americas, adjoining the Institute of Texan Cultures, site of the 2008 Folklife Festival.
Beautiful blue plumbago.
At the Folklife Festival.
Dancing at the Cajun booth.
It was 99 degrees! My car thermometer said 102! In the bright light, my camera had a big challenge getting the contrast just right.
On the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures.
The Tower of the Americas.
Not exactly a Texas tradition, but here's Spam.
The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures, with the Alamodome in the background.
At the Chinese booth. Here I bought an embroidered, black silk fan. Lovely for $3.00.
Dixie Flag Co. of San Antonio.
This huge piece of equipment somehow moves large logs. I didn't read the display card.
The Polish booth. On the left is the serving booth; on the right is the patio/dining/cafe area.
Red and white -- the colors of the Polish flag.
The booth is sponsored by the Father Leopold Moczygemba Foundation. Father Leopold brought the first Polish settlers to Texas in 1854 from a region in Europe called Silesia, now Poland. To learn more about our Polish heritage, visit www.FLMFoundation.org and www.SilesianTexans.com.
At the booth we served kielbassa (Polish sausage) and pierogi (pasta pockets stuffed with homemade farmers cheese and potatoes).
Dorothy Collins takes orders for delicious Polish food.
Isabel Syamken and Charlotte Bitterly Shodrock are perfect examples of the famous beauty of Polish women.
Dorothy takes coupons for kielbassa and pierogi.
In front of our booth. Additionally, we have two wonderful websites full of photos, news, history, events and ways to learn more. Visit www.FLMFoundation.org and www.SilesianTexans.com.
Our booth.
Another view of our booth, with a little bit of Texas walking by.
Much thanks to Gerry Piegza for decorating our booth every year.
The patio/dining area of our booth.
Dorothy Collins flashes her ever-present smile to our guests.
L-R: Dorothy Collins, Isabel Syamken, Gerry Piegza, Nancy Kolodziej, Charlotte Shodrock. These are just a few of the volunteers who helped at the booth during the three day festival.
I wish we had photos of the other helpers, Al and Liz Helmke, Rudy & Evelyn Lyssy, Tim & Shirley Baney, Jerry & Charlotte Truss, Gladys Koenig, Mike Kowalik, Michelle Morris, Adeline Coimperlik, Dorothy Moy, Emily Kolodziejcyk, Elaine and Virgil Moczygemba, Theresa Carrington, Louise Bukowski, Ruben and Sandra Villanueva, Dennis Stout.
Foreground: Isabel, Charlotte, Nancy. Background: Jerry and Dorothy.
Nancy serves pierogi into a paper bowl.
Kielbassa (sausage) and pierogi. note: without flash.
With flash.
Kathy Kelley did a wonderful job as our friendly greeter/cashier/hostess.
Dorothy is ready to serve the popular kielbassa.
Fresh pierogi.
Drizzled with hot bacon topping.
Steaming hot pierogi in boiling water.
Keeping the kielbassa hot and perfect.
Dorothy shows guests what a pierogi is. A sample was in the ziploc bag.
He decides to buy!
Left, Sam Kolodziej. Right, Robert Piegza.
More customers.
Sam and Nancy Kolodziej.
The guys were cooking as fast as they could so the broilers were full of hot Polish food.
The patio area was always clean and comfortable.
Gerry and Nancy serve more pierogi.
Soon it is time to fill the broiler (on loan from Snoga's restaurant).
Kathy calls out, "one pierogi and one kielbassa, please!" and the order is filled right away.
Guests ate the Polish food and studied the recipe for pierogi.
Everything is ready for the next visitors to our booth.
This good-lookin' guy, and his green friend, enjoyed the good Polish food.
Dzien dobry! (Hello)
Kathy Kelley (seated) welcomes more famous Poles to our booth. This is the President of the Polish American Center PNA Lodge 2540. Someone please give me his name. He was so nice!
Sam Kolodziej, one of our chief cooks, prepares the hot kielbassa. Additional cooks were Al and Lillian O'Berg, Charlie Boehm and Patty Bernard.
Into the broiler to keep them hot and ready to serve.
Pruski's on Highway 87 in Adkins supplied all the DELICIOUS sausage!! They didn't pay us to say this, but their sausage is truly outstanding and very authentic!!
Hot pierogi. 4000 pierogi were handmade by Regina, a faithful helper to Father Frank Kurzaj, our FLM President.
Pani Elaine Mazurek Stephens (me) and Pani Nancy Kolodziej.
Panna Maria visitors to our booth, declaring, "It tastes just like Grandma's!"
More of our friendly volunteers, L-R: Stephanie Norwood, Anna Alvarez, Warren Kolenda, Dorothy Collins and Gerry Piegza.
They had such great smiles, I had to take another picture of them!
The Cajun booth was right across from us, so we enjoyed plenty of music all day long.
Plenty of colors in the sun, but the people stayed shaded.
This is the view looking out the back of our booth. The building in the background is the Federal Building.
It's a family affair! Stephanie Piegza Norwood and her parents, Robert and Gerry Piegza.
Warren Kolenda and Anna Alvarez take orders for good Polish food. To learn more about your Polish heritage, visit the Father Leopold Moczygemba Foundation, www.FLMFoundation.org. To learn about the Silesian heritage in Texas, visit www.SilesianTexans.com. Find out about upcoming trips and events, see photos, read history, learn about the people who have influenced us and much, much more! Hope to see you soon! Do widzenia! (Goodbye)
