The new season of The Classic Theatre is in full swing and it is off to a good start with ‘The House on Mango Street.’  It opened last Friday to a nearly full house and it is generating positive feedback.  Based on Sandra Cisneros’ book and adapted by Amy Ludwig it tells the story of Esperanza Cordero.  She is a Latina growing up in a rough neighborhood in Chicago and the play follows a year in her life told in flashbacks.  The young Esperanza (Bella Villarreal) and the adult version of herself (Gypsy Pantoja) narrate the story.

It opens as the Cordero family is excitedly moving into their new home. They are filled with expectations but find reality much harsher than they thought.  The house is small and run down and the door has to be pushed in order for it to open.  As she privately aches for a real house she introduces the different people in the neighborhood that make her life both interesting and heartbreaking.  This includes Lucy and Rachel, sisters from Texas, and Sally, who uses boys as an escape from her abusive father.  For every dark storyline there are joyous ones filled with child-like delight.  For example, when Esperanza and her friends go on a joyride on a bicycle they just bought and when she and her friends are learning how to walk on heels.

‘The House on Mango Street’ is a splendid combination of heart and humor and is proof that quality live theater is alive and well in San Antonio. The talented cast portrays several characters and effortlessly switches between them.  Gypsy Pantoja and Bella Villarreal are strong leads but Bella should be commended for a job well done even though on opening night she relied on her script cleverly disguised in a book.  The dramatic role is demanding but she delivers a strong performance.  It runs until Sunday September 25 at The Classic Theatre with show times on Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission, $20 for senior, military, educator or SATCO and $10 for students.  They may be purchased online or by calling the box office at (210) 589-8450.

Tony Cointreau was born into a life of wealth and privilege as a member of the French Cointreau liqueur family. He was surrounded by the rich and famous and he himself had his own successful singing career. Despite all this he felt he needed more out of life. Eventually his search led him to Calcutta and Mother Teresa after which he spent twelve years as a volunteer in her hospices in New York and Calcutta. He spent his days helping numerous people through the process of dying and she became a mentor and a dear friend. Today marks the release of his new book “A Gift of Love: Lessons Learned From My Work and Friendship with Mother Teresa” where he chronicles his experiences and lessons learned while caring for those who for one reason or another had no one and nowhere else to go.

In the Foreword, Tony Cointreau delves into what compelled him to do his volunteer work. It began in 1979 when he saw a magazine photograph of one of Mother Teresa’s volunteers carrying a dying man in his arms. It was not a religious calling but rather an urge he had to comfort those who were dying. His work took him deep into a world filled with drugs, poverty and crime during the worst of the AIDS crisis. When people heard about what he was doing they kept asking him for advice. They had someone in their life who was facing death and wanted to know what they could do for them in their last days. The book is divided into sixteen chapters with such titles as “Never Assume Anything,” “Doing Whatever You Have to Do” and “Unconditional Love.” The one that stands out the most is Chapter 7 “Helping Each Other” because in it the author writes about how everyday people have the ability to encourage others even while they themselves are facing their own crisis.

“A Gift of Love” by Tony Cointreau is a poignant account of one man’s courageous journey to help those facing their last days. Eventually everyone will have to either be a caregiver or know someone who is a caregiver or facing his or her last days. This may be a small book but it is filled with heartfelt stories and useful advice. The subject matter may be difficult but it pulls the reader in with the compassion that flows from its pages. It is an excellent read for anyone looking to gain perspective and empathy and especially recommended for caregivers and nurses. Now that Mother Teresa has been in the spotlight in the last few days this is the perfect book to read to learn about her work with the dying.

*Disclaimer: A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this article are solely the author’s.

On Tuesday August 30 Botika launched its new happy hour scheduled for Monday through Saturday from 3p.m. to 6p.m. with seating limited to the bar and sushi bar area for happy hour prices. The menu includes House empanadas with spicy aji for $5, Chicken and Veggie eggrolls with ginger-citrus sauce for $5, Tuna Tartar with crispy rice crackers for $5 and Japanese peanuts for $4. The drink menu includes draft beer for $5, Botika selected wine for $5, Sake by the glass for $5 and select spirit of the day for $5. (Botika, 2016)

Botika is one of the newest restaurants at the Pearl and it’s described as a Peruvian-Asian restaurant. It features “Chifa,” Chinese-Peruvian and “Nikkei,” Japanese-Peruvian cuisines as well as new takes on traditional dishes from across Asia and Latin America. The bar offers classic cocktails and a wide variety of sakes, rums, piscos and cachaças. The layout includes a sushi-ceviche bar, a cocktail lounge and an outdoor dining space. Business hours are Monday through Thursday from 5p.m. to 10p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday late night from 11p.m. to 2a.m.

Botika
303 Pearl Pkwy #111
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 670-7684