The best-selling novel is now a limited series on Peacock. Photo: Barnes & Noble
Book to Series: Elin Hilderbrand’s “The Five-Star Weekend” Hits Peacock
Elin Hilderbrand’s beloved summer read is officially jumping from the page to the screen, The highly anticipated adaptation of The Five-Star Weekend has officially arrived as an eight-episode limited series on Peacock.
Whether you are a longtime resident of Hilderbrand’s fictionalized Nantucket or a newcomer looking for your next dramatic binge-watch, here is everything you need to know about the book’s premise and the star-studded new series.
📖The Book Synopsis
Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is tragically killed in a car accident. (Barnes & Noble, 2026)
In the wake of the tragedy, the cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—including a strained marriage and a complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.
Seeking comfort and a fresh start, Hollis decides to host her own “Five-Star Weekend” on Nantucket. The concept? One woman organizes a trip inviting one best friend from each distinct phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife.
But this getaway doesn’t turn out to be a joyful, breezy Hallmark movie…
🎬Meet the Cast & Characters
The Peacock adaptation features a powerhouse ensemble cast to bring Hollis’s inner circle to life. Here is who is playing who in the eight-episode series:
Character
Phase of Life
Played By
The Drama They Bring
Hollis Shaw
The Host
Jennifer Garner(also Executive Producer)
A grieving food influencer trying to piece her life back together six months after her husband’s death.
Tatum
Teenage Years
Chloë Sevigny
Hollis’s childhood best friend. Her husband stirs the pot by inviting Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to the island.
Dru-Ann
The Twenties
Regina Hall
Hollis’s UNC Chapel Hill college roommate. Now a prominent Chicago sports agent, her career is on the line after a major social media misunderstanding.
Brooke
The Thirties
D’Arcy Carden
Hollis’s adulthood pal who has just discovered her husband is having yet another inappropriate workplace relationship.
Gigi
Midlife / Present
Gemma Chan
A mysterious internet stranger who connected with Hollis through her blog. She embodies unusual grace but harbors major secrets.
📺From Page to Screen
The Five-Star Weekend is a surprising and captivating story about friendship, love, and self-discovery. It promises to be a weekend like no other.
Fans of the book can expect plenty of beautiful Nantucket backdrops, delicious food blog aesthetics, and juicy, decades-spanning secrets.
The Faust Hotel in New Braunfels hosts recurring music series across the Magnolia Patio. Photo: The Faust Hotel, used with permission.
Live Music & New Menus: What’s Happening at The Faust Hotel This July
Exciting news out of historic downtown New Braunfels! This month, The Faust Hotel, the city’s newly renovated landmark destination, launched a recurring, free live music series on the Magnolia Patio, the hotel’s lush outdoor lounge. (The Faust Hotel, 2026)
Gather your friends, grab a craft cocktail, and enjoy light bites under the stars. Here is everything you need to know about what’s coming up at The Faust.
🎶Live Music on the Magnolia Patio
When: Thursday through Saturday, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Where: The Magnolia Patio at The Faust Hotel
Cost: Free admission!
This month’s diverse lineup spans everything from pop-country fusion and Americana to R&B and soul. Line-up subject to change. Here is the upcoming schedule so you can plan your weekends:
Upcoming Shows
Date
Artist
Genre & Vibe
Thursday, July 9
Bru Tunes
Versatile South Texas musician specializing in violin and guitar.
Skilled guitarist and singer blurring the lines between rock and country.
🍽️New Lunch & Weekend Brunch at Wilhelm & Werner
The music isn’t the only thing fresh at the hotel. Wilhelm & Werner, the hotel’s signature Texas-style brasserie, has just introduced highly anticipated lunch and brunch services focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Elevated Midweek Lunch
When: Tuesday through Friday | 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
The Vibe: An elevated yet approachable dining experience in a relaxed, historic setting. Perfect for business lunches or a leisurely midday escape.
Menu Highlights:Tuna Niçoise, Fried Gulf Fish Sandwich, and a rotating soup of the day.
Texas-Style Weekend Brunch
When: Saturday & Sunday | 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
The Vibe: A warm, inviting weekend atmosphere featuring refined takes on classic comfort foods and perfectly paired morning sips.
Menu Highlights:Duck Confit Hash, Caprese Benedict, and a crowd-favorite Cinnamon Roll Pancake Flight.
Planning to Dine? While walk-ins are always welcome, they highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time on OpenTable to secure your table.
Visit The Faust Hotel
📍 229 South Castell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130
About the Hotel:
Originally opened in 1929 and now part of the boutique hotel portfolio of Lark Hospitality, The Faust Hotel stands as a landmark destination blending timeless Texas charm with modern hospitality. It offers a welcoming retreat just steps from downtown New Braunfels and the scenic banks of the Comal River.
Book Review: I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours
By: Nat Cassidy
Featuring an Introduction by: Stephen King
The first collection from author Nat Cassidy features his unique blend of gleefully terrifying short fiction, including the hit novella Rest Stop.
“These stories are f*cking great. They rule. So read them.” — Stephen King, from his introduction
Synopsis
There are locations in this world where the light doesn’t seem to reach. Where, no matter how illuminated the place might be, shadows creep in too strongly to fight back.
These locations and more are your destination, and bestselling author Nat Cassidy will be your guide. Featuring the Bram Stoker Award-nominated, critically acclaimed novella Rest Stop (one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2024), along with a number of other original short stories—some of which have never been published before—I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a travelogue down twisting side streets and through alleyways where the darkness has eyes and teeth.
Let’s hope you make it home in one piece.
The Table of Contents (Stories):
Rest Stop
Meet-Cute #1: The Unluckiest Girl
Generation
Nice
The Art of What You Want
The Lunar Eclipse
Laughlines
Run for Your Life
Jubilee
Juncture
Come Into the Life of Things
Meet-Cute #2: The Scariest Thing
A Fruiting Body
My Review: Creeping Dread in Everyday Places
Nat Cassidy is a Stephen King fan, and his influence absolutely shows. King has a keen gift for turning ordinary situations into absolute nightmares, and this collection proves that Cassidy has that exact same superpower.
I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a chilling collection that proves horror doesn’t need haunted castles or isolated mansions to unsettle readers. Instead, Cassidy transforms the mundane—a lonely highway rest stop, a doctor’s office, a cramped apartment, even a modern kitchen—into landscapes of creeping dread where something always feels just a little wrong.
Anchored by Rest Stop, which absolutely lives up to its award-nominated reputation, the book delivers relentless tension and a growing sense of unease. Throughout the collection, Cassidy expertly blends psychological horror, supernatural terror, and deep human emotion. His characters feel completely authentic, making their encounters with the bizarre all the more impactful.
Standout Highlights
Rest Stop – Abe is in a band that has a gig coming up, but for now, he’s on the road in the middle of the night to visit his grandmother in the hospital. He has a complicated relationship with her, but she’s the only grandparent he has ever known. When he sees a sign for a gas station, he takes the next exit for a much-needed break. What could possibly go wrong? Next time you stop at an isolated gas station in the middle of the night, try not to think about this story.
Nice – Mitchell is a six-year-old boy obsessed with Santa, much to his parents’ chagrin. When Twinklebottom the Elf visits him in the middle of the night to ask for his help in easing the elves’ workload by not being too nice, he’s unprepared for how far Mitchell will go.
The Lunar Eclipse – A woman waiting for an eclipse looks back at her life and the man she met when they were six years old. They eventually became romantically involved but have since moved on. He has passed away, but she can’t help but remember the promise they made 50 years ago while witnessing another eclipse: no matter what happened, they’d be together for the next one. No matter what…
The Verdict
Each story explores different shades of fear, from grief and guilt to obsession and isolation, while maintaining a distinctive voice that is equal parts unsettling and compassionate. Cassidy’s vivid prose creates immersive settings where darkness seems to seep through every crack.
“This parking lot has gotten too dark and it feels like that van, with its impenetrable windows, is swelling in size, blotting out what little light there is.”
He takes places we all instinctively distrust, like an empty midnight gas station littered with googly eyes, and injects them with a creeping, visceral malice. The atmosphere throughout the anthology is thick and heavy; no matter how well-lit these venues claim to be, the shadows always fight back with teeth.
Cassidy’s writing is remarkably adaptable. He bounces effortlessly between psychological unease and sharp, bloody terror, ensuring that each detour feels uniquely dangerous. It’s a sharp, terrifying read that reminds us exactly why we look over our shoulders in empty rooms.
For those brave enough to step off the main highway, I Know a Place is a brilliant, dark journey that’s well worth taking. Just be prepared for the nightmares that may follow. Perfect for fans of atmospheric horror and unsettling short fiction, this exceptional collection showcases Nat Cassidy’s remarkable imagination and storytelling skill.
“It was a joke, more or less. He had to have known that.”
According to Deadline, Gary Dauberman’s Coin Operated has secured the rights to Rest Stop for a future feature film. Cassidy will adapt the screenplay with Dauberman and Mia Maniscalco as producers.
** Thank you to Eve Bailey and Flo Communications for my gifted copy for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Austin’s Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol. Photo: Chris Wilson, used with permission.
New Music: Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol Drop Melodic Sludge-Bomb “The Disappearing Man”
Austin’s favorite “doom wop” and heavy metal trio, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, is back with a brand new single: “The Disappearing Man.” (US/THEM Group, 2026)
The track comes as a fresh taste of their highly anticipated forthcoming album, CA$H GRAB. Formed in 2017 by Boston-area transplants Leo Lydon (lead vocals/guitar) and Sean St. Germain (drums), alongside Georgia native Aaron Metzdorf (bass/backing vocals), the band has spent years perfecting a wildly unique sonic lane.
With “The Disappearing Man,” they showcase an absolute mastery of heavy, hook-filled riffs and rhythms couched in an earworm melody that would make Green Album-era Weezer jealous.
Loud, Lean, and Relentlessly Catchy
The new single doubles down on the band’s signature blend of crushing riffs and off-kilter melody. It’s loud, lean, and balancing sludgy heaviness with an infectious groove that refuses to let go.
Beneath the wall of fuzz lies an undeniable melodic instinct, proving the band can deliver massive hooks without sacrificing an ounce of raw power. It’s a confident preview of an album that promises to push their self-proclaimed “big dumb riffs” philosophy even further. If this single is any indication, CA$H GRAB is shaping up to be their strongest release yet.
The Album Update: While CA$H GRAB is still in production—with official release details dropping at a later date—you can already stream the phenomenal run of singles leading up to it: “The Disappearing Man,”“Bough Down,” and “Peaches.”
Catch Them on the Road
RBBP just wrapped up a massive, highly successful 6-week headlining tour across North America, packing out rooms with multiple sold-out shows alongside fellow Austin punk-metal trio American Sharks.
If you missed that run, you’re in luck. The band recently announced they will be hitting the road again for Fall 2026 supporting the legendary Death From Above 1979.
Check out the full list of live dates below and secure your spots early!
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol: 2026 US Tour Dates
09/05 Cookeville, TN – Muddy Roots Music Festival 10/01 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades * 10/02 Berkeley, CA – UC Theater * 10/03 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre * 10/04 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater * 10/06 Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall * 10/08 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco * 10/09 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC * 10/10 San Diego, CA – The Observatory San Diego * 10/11 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee * 10/13 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre *
July at Pullman Market means Chef collabs and Mariachi Nights. Photo: Robert J. Lerma, used with permission.
There’s something for everyone at Pullman Market this July! From returning favorites like Two Step Tuesdays and Mariachi Nights to a month-long collaboration with Porc Slab and an exclusive guest chef dinner at Isidore, there is something for every food lover this month. (Pullman Market, 2026)
Here is your ultimate guide to July at Pullman Market.
📅 July Programming & Events
🤠 Two Step Tuesdays
When: July 7 & 14
The Details: The weekly series continues on the Karnes Patio. Dust off your boots for a free lesson at 7 p.m. followed by live music at 8 p.m.
🍕 Fife & Farro x Porc Slab Collaboration
When: July 1 to 31
The Details: Chef Javi Gutierrez’s Porc Slab pop-up is joining forces with Fife & Farro all month long. Stop by to try the limited-time porchetta pizza—5% of all proceeds will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.
Reservations for Fife & Farro are available on OpenTable.
🦪 Tides of Texas
When: Weekly (Fridays–Sundays & Tuesdays)
The Details:
Fri–Sun: Enjoy $2 oysters all day at The Raw Bar.
Tuesdays: Learn to make fresh ceviche from scratch during Pullman Market’s interactive ceviche-making classes (with optional wine pairings available!).
Tickets for the weekly ceviche-making class are available on OpenTable.
🎺 Mariachi Nights at the Mezcaleria
When: Every Thursday
The Details: The Mezcaleria kicks off Thursday evenings with happy hour specials from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by tequila tastings starting at 6 p.m. Stick around for live mariachi music beginning at 7 p.m.
🍽️ Texas Anthology Dinner Series at Isidore
When: Sunday, July 12 | 5:00 p.m.
The Details: Join Isidore for the next installment of its Texas Anthology Dinner Series. Chef Toby Archibald of Dallas’ Quarter Acre is joining the team for a collaborative dinner highlighting regional ingredients, thoughtful cooking, and a shared commitment to honoring the Texas landscape.
The Details: After a month of incredible pizza, Fife & Farro and Chef Javi Gutierrez’s Porc Slab pop-up are teaming up one last time for a one-night-only collaboration dinner. Enjoy an exclusive, specialty menu available only that evening. Just like the pizza collab, 5% of proceeds will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.
Click HERE for more information and to make your reservation.
🏛️ About Pullman Market
Located at Pearl in San Antonio, Pullman Market is a massive 53,000-square-foot culinary destination by the award-winning Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group. Created as a celebration of Texas ingredients and community connection, the space features a specialty grocer, whole animal butcher, sourdough bakery, tortilleria, five quick-service eateries, and four full-service restaurants.
📍 Location & Visit
Pullman Market 221 Newell Ave. San Antonio, TX 78215
‘How to Build an AI-Powered Business’ is Book 2 in the AI for Small Businesses series of books by Mo Rousso. Photo: Amazon
📚Book Spotlight: How to Build an AI-Powered Business Without Losing Control, Trust, or Your Mind (AI for Small Businesses Book 2)
By Mo Rousso
AI is already changing how decisions are made inside your business, often without your explicit consent.
Teams are using artificial intelligence to draft plans, analyze data, shape customer communication, and move faster than ever. While productivity might be up, accountability is becoming less clear. Many leaders feel pressure, noise, and a creeping loss of control, even when results look fine on the surface.
This book explains why.
How to Build an AI-Powered Business Without Losing Control, Trust, or Your Mind is a practical leadership guide for executives, founders, and managers navigating artificial intelligence in real organizations. This is not a technical manual; it’s a leadership and management book focused on decision rights, accountability, trust, and organizational discipline.
In this fully revised Second Edition, Mo Rousso shows leaders how to use AI as a business tool without surrendering judgment or culture.
What You’ll Learn
Each chapter includes real-world business case examples that show how AI adoption succeeds—or fails—in everyday companies, from operations and sales to leadership teams and customer service. By reading this guide, you will learn how to:
Define clear decision-making authority between humans and AI
Prevent artificial intelligence from quietly eroding accountability
Build guardrails that scale across teams and departments
Improve operational throughput instead of creating more noise
Protect customer trust while increasing speed and efficiency
Lead calmly and decisively in an AI-driven business environment
This Book Is Ideal For:
Business leaders and executives looking for strategic direction
Founders and entrepreneurs scaling their companies
Managers responsible for AI adoption and implementation
Organizations integrating AI into daily operations
Anyone interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership, and management
AI will continue to accelerate. Tools will keep changing. Leadership responsibility does not disappear. This book helps you stay in control when AI is everywhere.
Mo Rousso’s clients know him as the catalyst for change, transforming potential into measurable growth. During his journey as a founder and CEO, he’s faced the same scaling challenges you’re grappling with. He doesn’t just talk about overcoming obstacles, he helps you break through them using proven business frameworks and a relentless commitment to building exceptional teams and cultures.
Having built and scaled multiple companies, Mo understands the roadblocks and frustrations firsthand. He’s leveraged frameworks like Scaling Up and Metronomics to create a business acceleration system that delivers exponential growth and lasting transformation. His journey is proof that when leadership, teamwork, and culture are aligned, businesses not only overcome obstacles, they thrive.
His business books will give you the clarity, confidence, and strategy to embrace AI without fear or confusion. He strips away the tech jargon and delivers real-world insights through engaging storytelling and practical, step-by-step guidance. Whether you’re a skeptical traditionalist or a forward-thinking entrepreneur, Mo shows you how AI can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive growth, all without losing the personal touch that makes your business unique.
If you want to stay competitive, work smarter, and future-proof your company, this series is your ultimate roadmap to success.
Book Review: Reaping of Hellfire by Aurora Ramsden
Synopsis
Reaping of Hellfire is the scorching second installment in the Guardians of Death series, continuing the paranormal chaos through the eyes of the wildest Blackwood sister, Rue. Rather than a standalone, this novel serves as a crucial chapter in a planned four-book dark romantasy saga.
The Blackwood sisters—Nyx, Opal, and Rue—are triplet hellhounds who were abandoned as babies and adopted by a kind, loving couple.
The Backstory
The novel kicks off with a prologue set 104 years in the past. On his 12th birthday, an orphan named Xander Drakonis undergoes the ceremony where a scythe chooses its master. Desperate to escape his boys’ home, Xander is transformed into a reaper and granted twin scythes: Terra and Shade.
The Present Day
In the modern timeline, Rue, Nyx, and Opal are celebrating their 25th birthday with their adoptive parents. It’s an important day for Ryker Calix (Nyx’s mate), who is meeting the parents for the very first time.
But the cozy family time doesn’t last long. The sisters are gearing up for their second year at Death University in the Soulmere Realm. They’re hoping for an easier year—fewer near-death experiences, more advanced courses, and plenty of naps.
They are in for a rude awakening.
Welcome to the Abomination Games
Upon returning to campus, they are immediately summoned for the Bone Rite. Headmaster Calix delivers the grim news: they have been selected to compete in the deadly Abomination Games. The order comes directly from Grand Deity Zeraphina, a volatile, five-year-old, glitter-happy deity. Saying “no” to her is the fastest way to get smote into cosmic confetti.
Between grueling coursework and a lethal competition, Rue also has to manage her growing obsession with Xander, a man who is fast becoming impossible to ignore. This year is shaping up to be one hell of a ride, and Rue plans to enjoy every sinful, sparkly second of it.
Review: Hellfire, Humor, and Unapologetic Spice
Reaping of Hellfire turns up the heat, delivering a wildly entertaining blend of dark fantasy, sharp humor, romance, and nonstop chaos. The story wastes no time throwing readers directly into the deadly Abomination Games, where survival is anything but guaranteed.
Character Dynamics & Perspectives
Told through a dual first-person narrative shifting between Xander and Rue, Ramsden gives us an intimate look at two incredibly compelling leads:
Rue Blackwood: An irresistible heroine whose sarcastic wit, reckless decision-making, and unapologetic personality make every chapter a joy to read. Her inner monologue is packed with laugh-out-loud moments that perfectly balance the book’s darker elements. Beneath her chaotic exterior lies a deeply resilient competitor.
Xander: The romantic tension simmers beautifully throughout the novel. The men in Rue’s life provide an intoxicating mix of sinful temptation and explosive chemistry, driving an irresistible dynamic that expertly balances suspense with playful “smut-book” tropes.
World-Building and Prose
Ramsden brilliantly expands her imaginative world this time around, introducing dangerous new creatures and unpredictable magic. The pacing is relentless; as alliances shift and secrets unfold, you can’t help but stay hooked.
What elevates this book above standard romantasy is Ramsden’s beautifully poetic prose. She seamlessly transitions from laugh-out-loud comedy to striking, visceral imagery:
“I scream without air—a sound ripped from somewhere deeper than lungs, deeper than ribs, deeper than bone.”
Core Themes
Agency vs. Divine Control: The characters must constantly navigate the reality of being mere pawns for unreliable, fickle deities.
Found Family and Survival: The fierce bond between the sisters anchors the story, contrasting the grim, dark magic of the university with glittering humor.
The Verdict
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (An absolute must-read for dark romantasy fans!)
Reaping of Hellfire by Aurora Ramsden is a thrilling, addictive ride that perfectly captures the joy of embracing the chaos. If you love morally gray characters, supernatural competitions, and high-stakes romance, you will devour this book.
This sequel leaves readers desperate for the next adventure in the series—which will feature Opal taking center stage!
“A pack is what a hellhound treasures most. Family-whether by blood or bond. Pack can be defined through love, loyalty, or friendship.”
Intended for mature readers (18+). It contains graphic and potentially triggering material such as:
Strong language and frequent profanity
Explicit sexual content and dominant/submissive dynamics
Graphic violence, blood, gore, and dismemberment
Supernatural, horror, and demonic elements
On-page and ritualistic killing
** Thank you to Aurora Ramsden for my gifted ARC for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Paris Baguette is celebrating the Fourth of July with festive limited-time treats. Photo: Paris Baguette, used with permission.
The Ultimate Texas 4th of July Weekend Guide: Where to Eat, Celebrate, and Relax
Independence Day weekend is here! Whether you are looking for rooftop fireworks with a DJ, a family-style Texas barbecue, or a relaxing post-holiday spa day, Texas has something spectacular lined up for you.
From San Antonio to Austin and Frisco, here is your curated guide to the best food, events, and celebrations for the Fourth of July. (The Gunter Hotel, Paris Baguette, La Panadería, Freight Fried Chicken, Kimpton Santo San Antonio Riverwalk, Otto’s Ice House, Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, The Faust Hotel, Briscoe Western Art Museum, Omni Hotels/2026)
Celebrate the Fourth at Jots, the Gunter Hotel’s signature restaurant. Indulge in a special holiday dish or stick around for their famous Sunday Jazz brunch.
The Special: Steak & Frites ($35) on Saturday, July 4.
Jots’ Jazz Brunch: Sundays from 10 AM – 1 PM featuring live music from The Dirty River Jazz Band and a historic supper-club-inspired menu.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with limited-time patriotic treats perfect for any holiday gathering.
Stars & Stripes Berry Trifle Cake: Three layers of vanilla sponge cake filled with soft cream, strawberries, and blueberries. Serves 8. (Available now through July 5)
Red, White & Blue Mochi Donut: A colorful, seasonal festive donut. (Available now through July 19)
Heading to the downtown parade? All San Antonio locations will be open serving artisan pan dulce, pastries, and café favorites.
Pro-Tip: The Houston Street downtown location is the perfect pitstop before or after the city’s Stars & Stripes on Houston Street Fourth of July Parade.
312 Pearl Parkway, Building 6, San Antonio, TX 78215 James Beard-nominated chef and veteran Nicola Blaque invites veterans and community members to enjoy her nationally recognized recipes.
The Special: A limited-time fried chicken plate (two pieces of fried chicken with any side) for just $10.
When: Saturday, July 4 through Sunday, July 6.
Hours: Friday – Saturday (10 AM – 10 PM), Sunday (11 AM – 9 PM).
111 Newell Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 If you are looking for a casual, all-day hangout along the San Antonio River, this is your spot. Located right near Pearl’s shops, it’s an easy go-to for cold drinks and quality time with family.
Holiday Weekend Hours: Friday – Saturday (11 AM – 12 AM), Sunday (11 AM – 10 PM).
Tenfold Rooftop | Red, White & Blue Skies Celebrate Independence Day above the city at this all-day pool party sponsored by Aperol. Expect rooftop poolside vibes, specialty cocktails, live DJs, and prime views of the city’s official firework demonstration at Hemisfair.
Dean’s Steak and SeafoodEnjoy incredible fine dining alongside a unique pop-up experience. Tried & True Leather will be at the bar offering custom and pre-made leather works for the holiday.
When: Saturday, July 4 from 6 PM – 10 PM.
Reservations: Strongly encouraged through OpenTable.
Corinne San Antonio & Anaqua Garden Bar Enjoy family-style barbecue favorites, festive summer cocktails, live music, and outdoor dining on the shared downtown patio. Budweiser will also be on-site as the featured beer vendor.
The Spa Plaza San Antonio | Wellness in the Garden: Reset Day Recover and recharge after the holiday. This rejuvenating experience invites you to slow down, refresh, and prioritize self-care in a relaxing outdoor setting.
Wilhelm & Werner – 229 South Castell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130 Escape to New Braunfels for an elevated Texas-style brasserie lunch and brunch service inside this historic hotel.
When: Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM.
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with heavily discounted and free admissions while checking out the stunning Selena Forever / Siempre Selena photography exhibition.
700 San Jacinto Blvd. Austin, TX 78701 Head up to the rooftop pool and Cloud Bar for a special 4th of July edition of their popular Summer Saturdays series.
When: Saturday, July 4 – Sunday, July 5.
Access: Complimentary for overnight guests; public day passes start at $60 via ResortPass.
8212 Barton Club Drive, Austin, TX 78735 Celebrate under the Hill Country sky with classic Texas barbecue, lawn games, a fireworks finale, and live music from multiplatinum country artist Neal McCoy (with opener Mason Lively).
When: Friday, July 3.
Admission: Open to resort guests and country club members.
Upgrade: The Star-Spangled VIP Experience ($160/person) offers premium food/drinks and front-row terrace views of the fireworks.
4341 PGA Parkway, Frisco, TX 75033 Grammy Award-winning artist Darius Rucker takes the stage for an unforgettable evening! The event features a massive combined drone and fireworks display, carnival games, face painters, and festive food.
When: Saturday, July 4.
Tickets: Available via Eventbrite (Resort packages available for guaranteed access).
212 W Crockett St, San Antonio, TX 78205 If you want to skip the crowds entirely, celebrate self-care all month long. The Forbes Four-Star rated Mokara Spa is offering a specialized Red, White & Bloom Facial for $155.
When: Available all month long in July.
For anyone looking to make a weekend of it, take advantage of Omni’s America is Calling offer, which extends 15% off two nights and 20% off three or more nights. Additionally, kids 10 and under eat free from the Omni Kids menu for breakfast and lunch through September 7.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Which event are you hitting up first? Let me know in the comments below.
A.A. Williams’ new album Solstice is out now. Photo: another side, used with permission.
Cinematic Darkness & Radiant Renewal: A.A. Williams Releases ‘Solstice’
A.A. Williams steps into a new era. Out now via RPM, Solsticearrives as Williams’ most powerful and poetic work to date, an album shaped by extremes of light and darkness, weight and fragility, devastation and renewal. (another side, 2026)
Thunderous highs, intimate lows, and vivid emotional shifts unfold across a record that feels both deeply personal and cinematic in scale.
A Sonic World of Extremes
Long celebrated for her haunting vocals, immersive dynamics, and striking emotional clarity, Williams expands her sonic world with an album that moves like a ritual through changing seasons.
The Instrumentation: Guitars churn like gathering weather, while strings glow with a fragile warmth.
The Vocals: Her voice unfolds seamlessly from restrained intimacy into a commanding emotional force.
Solstice captures A.A. Williams at a major creative turning point. Inspired by years of global touring, acclaimed collaborations, and genre-defying reinterpretations, the album finds her fully embracing both vulnerability and power.
Balancing crushing heaviness with moments of startling beauty, Solstice invites listeners into a world where silence can feel as immense as sound itself. It’s intimate, dramatic, and quietly radiant; music for endings, beginnings, and the long road between the two.
About A.A. Williams
Making her debut live appearance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands off the back of a self-titled EP, A.A. Williams has since toured across the globe with heavyweights like:
Cult of Luna
Explosions in the Sky
Russian Circles
Sleep Token
The Sisters of Mercy
Alongside these massive support slots, she has established herself as a formidable headline artist, including a landmark show at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall inside London’s Southbank Centre.
A Track Record of Critical Acclaim
Her standout festival appearances have dovetailed with two widely acclaimed album releases: 2020’s Forever Blue and 2022’s As The Moon Rests. Both records placed Williams at the forefront of a wave of artists taking textured, epic, and folk-rooted heavy music into progressive new directions. A live BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios further bolstered her credentials.
Pushing Boundaries & Companion Pieces
Never one to rest on her laurels, Williams has continuously released innovative companion projects, including:
“Exit In Darkness”: A collaborative single with Japanese post-rock titans MONO.
Songs From Isolation (2020): A solo covers collection recorded during the pandemic lockdown that drew praise from icons like The Cure’s Robert Smith and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.
arco (2021): Perhaps her most impressive feat, where the multi-instrumentalist drew on her classical training to completely rework her debut EP from rock instrumentation into a stunning string ensemble.
Solstice is out now via RPM. Stream or purchase the album here.
Explore stars, black holes, and galaxies in a fully immersive journey beyond Earth that brings the universe within reach like never before. Photo: Smithsonian Starstruck, used with permission.
The Universe Awaits: ‘Smithsonian Starstruck’ Immersive Experience Launching in San Antonio
The universe is officially within reach, Texas! San Antonio is about to become a major gateway to the cosmos with the arrival of Smithsonian Starstruck: An Immersive Experience. (Smithsonian Starstruck, 2026)
Opening this week at The Shops at Rivercenter, this free-roam, interactive journey invites visitors to witness the birth and death of stars, explore distant galaxies, and come face-to-face with a black hole, all without ever leaving downtown San Antonio.
Here is everything you need to know about this upcoming celestial adventure.
📅 Event Details at a Glance
Feature
Details
Opening Date
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Location
The Shops at Rivercenter, Lower Level (San Antonio, TX)
Science Meets Magic: Built From Real Astronomical Data
Developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)—a pioneering research center founded in 1890—Starstruck draws on decades of genuine astronomical research.
This isn’t just a standard digital exhibition. By translating complex scientific data into a fully immersive, walkable universe, the experience dissolves the boundary between the observer and the observed. Visitors will be able to touch, hear, and navigate the wonders of the cosmos using all of their senses.
🚀 Cosmic Travel Partners: During the journey, guests will travel alongside humanity’s most powerful space observatories, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the Chandra X‑ray Observatory.
🌟 Experience Highlights
What can you expect once you step inside? The journey breaks down into some truly breathtaking segments:
Launch from the Summit: The experience begins atop SAO’s Whipple Observatory, where a cosmic guide named Astro awaits to launch you into deep space.
A 3D Galactic Drift: Glide past thousands of galaxies, race through the Milky Way, and soar close to the Sun to witness its immense energy.
The Edge of Infinity: Encounter extreme exoplanets, stand beside a dying star, and walk right up to the edge of a supermassive black hole.
Celebrating Innovation & Human Accomplishment
Beyond the stunning visuals, Starstruck honors centuries of scientific curiosity. From the Big Bang to our modern solar system, the experience places you inside the story of discovery itself, reminding us that humans are not just observers of the cosmos, but an active part of it.
“This project demonstrates how immersive experiences can make complex scientific ideas more tangible and engaging. It’s exciting to see astronomical data translated into an experience that encourages curiosity and exploration.” — Randall Smith, Associate Director for Science at the Center for Astrophysics at SAO.
Bringing Starstruck to San Antonio marks the latest addition to Fever’s growing worldwide portfolio of cultural experiences, aiming to make science and art completely accessible through cutting-edge technology.
♿ Commitment to Accessibility
Developed in close collaboration with the Smithsonian Office of Visitor Accessibility, Starstruck has been thoughtfully designed to ensure a welcoming experience for everyone. Accessibility features include:
Captions and visual descriptions
Wheelchair-optimized viewing pathways
Assistive listening devices
Complimentary companion access
Monthly low-sensory days alongside a fully trained staff
About the Organizers
About the Smithsonian
Since 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. It consists of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, and various research facilities housing roughly 157 million objects and specimens.
About the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)
As part of the largest astrophysics research center in the world, SAO has been a pioneer in space exploration since 1890. Today, they perform groundbreaking research and operate multiple satellites, including NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Minor Planet Center tracking solar system asteroids.
Ready to explore deep space? Head over to Fever to secure your tickets for opening week!
SA Examiner 