Mother’s Day specials

raspberryrose — Bakery Lorraine is one of the area restaurants that will have special offers for Mother’s Day. Photo: Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday May 14 and area restaurants and businesses are offering specials to celebrate Mom on her special day. Some of these include Boiler House, Bakery Lorraine, Hotel Contessa, Southerleigh, Hotel Emma, Paramour and Krause’s Cafe. Detailed information is available online. (Giant Noise, 2017)

Boiler House will have specialty Mother’s Day menu and regular brunch items served on Sunday. Brunch Entrees include Lobster and chorizo benedict, Texas bison Frito Pie and Crab Louie quiche. Dessert consists of coconut cream pie with Italian meringue and topped with toasted almonds and fresh shaved coconut
Brunch hours are from 10 a.m. to 3p.m.

Bakery Lorraine will have special pastries available on days leading up to and on Mother’s Day including Raspberry Rose Japonaise: A beautifully spiraled macaroon filled with Raspberry Rose mascarpone cream and fresh raspberries garnished with a rose petal and another raspberry. Bakery Lorraine will also have special macaron flavors for Mother’s Day priced at $3 each.
Business hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hotel Contessa’s restaurant, Las Ramblas, is offering a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and reservations are required. Prices is $55 per person, $20 per children ages 6-13 and free for children under 5.
Brunch hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Southerleigh will be offering its full brunch selection and each mom will receive a complimentary signature glass of Rosé Sangria.
Brunch hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hotel Emma:
Supper will be offering complimentary Sangria and Frose and non-alcoholic Strawberry Shrub all day long. Supper hours are: Brunch: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Dinner: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Larder will be offering all Mothers a complimentary coffee or a glass of wine on the patio with every purchase. Larder hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Paramour will have a specialty cocktail menu, “Mother’s Medicine Bag” and a Champagne and Rosé menu, “A Toast to Mom,” serviced by a glass and by the bottle. Paramour will also have special charcuterie boards.

Krause’s Cafe will have a special Mother’s Day menu and regular menu items served on Sunday for both brunch and lunch. All meals include a fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa. Brunch Entrees include Nutella Stuffed Pancakes for $10, served with fresh strawberries and maple syrup and Fresh Market Quiche for $11. Lunch Entrees include Crab Cake Salad or Sandwich for $14 and Grilled Pesto Shrimp with Summer vegetable risotto for $20.
Brunch hours are 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New release: ‘Golden Prey’ by John Sandford

John Sandford is the pseudonym for John Roswell Camp, a former journalist turned best-selling author of thriller novels, short stories and non-fiction books. His first two novels of the Kidd series were written under his real name but when he started the Prey series he published under John Sandford. He has written the Prey series, the Kidd series, the Virgil Flowers series and the Singular Menace series but the Prey series has proved the most popular. It features Lucas Davenport, a former detective with the Minneapolis Police Department who is known for his unorthodox and manipulative behavior as a detective. Throughout the series, he has also worked as a Deputy Chief, an investigator for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and later as a United States Marshall. The twenty-seventh Prey novel, “Golden Prey,” was released this month and Lucas Davenport is back in his first case as a U.S. Marshall which sends him into uncharted territory.

According to Amazon, in “Golden Prey” Davenport ends up in Biloxi, Mississippi where a drug cartel counting house has been robbed and suitcases full of cash have disappeared. Five bodies are left behind including one of a six-year-old girl and the case quickly spirals out of control. Things go from bad to worse as cartel assassins, including a torturer known as the “Queen of home-improvement tools” and Davenport get caught up in a race to find the Dixie Hicks shooters who hit the counting house. They do not care who Davenport is so he must solve the case before he ends up another victim of the cartel and the men who held up the counting house.

Movie adaptation: ‘The Dinner’ by Herman Koch

thedinnerpic — The movie adaptation of ‘The Dinner’ by Herman Koch is due out in theaters on Friday May 5, 2017. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Herman Koch is a Dutch actor and writer who has written short stories, novels and columns. He is best known for his 2009 international best-selling novel “The Dinner.” It has been translated into 21 languages and has been adapted into three films. The new American adaptation will be released on Friday May 5 and stars Richard Gere as Stan Lohman, Steve Coogan as Paul Lohman and Laura Linney as Claire Lohman.

According to Amazon, “The Dinner” is a suspenseful and controversial story of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives all during one meal. The story is narrated by Paul Lohman, a former history teacher. His wife is Claire and they meet his older brother Serge, a politician and his wife Babette at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between courses the conversation at first remains polite but they are aware of the underlying topic that they will eventually have to discuss. Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son named Michael and Rick respectively who committed a crime that was filmed by a security camera and shown on TV but they have yet to be identified. The point of the meeting between the parents is for them to decide on what to do. Eventually the meal ends and politeness and friendship break down as each couple displays just how far they are willing to go to protect those they love.

Viva! Selena! Drag Brunch at Paramour

paramourbar This Sunday April 30 from 11a.m. to 4p.m. Paramour will be having another Drag Brunch and this one is Fiesta themed. Hosted by Kristi Waters, Viva! Selena! will give guests the opportunity to enjoy themed music by the Queen of Tejano Selena Quintanilla and performances by Kristi Waters, Nilaya Mathews, Jorgeous Waters and from Corpus Christi, Honey Andrews. This event is free and open to the public and will also feature music by DJ Ramm, breakfast tacos and specialty Selena and Fiesta themed cocktails available for purchase. (Paramour, 2017)

Paramour
102 9^th St, Suite 400
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 340-9880

Book review: ‘Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity’ by Ronald Epstein MD

attendingpic

Dr. Ronald Epstein is a practicing family physician, a professor of family medicine, psychiatry and oncology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry where he also co-directs Mindful Practice programs. His landmark article “Mindful Practice” has revolutionized the way physicians view their work and how it affects patients across the board. Mindfulness is one of the topics of his new book “Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity” and it shines a light on how doctors think and how they can provide safe, effective, patient-centered and compassionate care.

Mindfulness has become popular recently as people look for ways to deal with the stresses of everyday life. Webster defines it as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something” and “a mental state achieved by focusing on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” In his first book, Dr. Epstein brings his innovative programs in mindful practice and combines it with clinical stories to give patients a voice. He gives healthcare professionals a guide to refocus their approach to medicine. By using the four foundations of mindfulness which include Attention, Curiosity, Beginner’s Mind and Presence, he concludes that they can make the biggest impact by simply looking inward. He begins by defining Mindfulness and each of these foundations becomes a chapter where he further defines what they are and how they can impact patient care.

Dr. Ronald Epstein learned a valuable lesson as a third-year medical student that brought medical practice into perspective. He learned that focus is one thing and that mindfulness is another. It can mean the difference between just going through the motions and giving a patient the quality healthcare they deserve because it makes them less stressed, more effective and more human. In down to earth language, he shares how mindfulness-based skills benefits everyone from physicians to patients and the healthcare system. With its personal anecdotes and insights into the mind of physicians it reaches a wide audience and makes healthcare easier to navigate.

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

‘Bus Stop’ at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio

busstopcast — The cast of ‘Bus Stop,’ opening at The Classic Theatre on Friday May 5, 2017. Photo by Siggi Ragnar, used with permission.

The Classic Theatre of San Antonio is getting ready for the fourth and final production of their 9th season. ‘Bus Stop’ is set to open on Friday May 5 and will run through Sunday May 28, 2017. It is a drama with romantic and comedic elements and is set in a diner in rural Kansas in early March 1955. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sundays at 3p.m. Tickets are available online and are $25 for general admission, $20 for senior, military, educator or SATCO and $10 for students. On opening night, there will be a complimentary champagne reception and after the Saturday May 20 performance there will be a Community Talk Back. (The Classic Theatre, 2017)

‘Bus Stop’ is a 1955 play by William Inge, an American playwright and novelist, whose works rooted in the American heartland earned him the title of “Playwright of the Midwest.” The story unfolds in the middle of a howling snowstorm as a bus out of Kansas City, Missouri pulls up at a roadside diner about 25 miles west of Kansas City. The weather-enforced layover forces the passengers to hole up in the diner until morning. One of those passengers, Cherie, a nightclub singer, is being pursued by a cowboy on the bus. Romantic relationships form within the group as they wait for sunrise. Virgil is the older, wiser cowboy and Will is the local sheriff and both are the authority figures in the group.

The Classic Theatre
1924 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 589-8450

Television adaptation: ‘American Gods’ by Richard Gaiman

There is another book based series coming to television this month. This one is by Neil Richard Gaiman, British author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. He is best known for his comic book series The Sandman as well as the novels “Stardust,” “Coraline,” “The Graveyard Book” and “American Gods.” The first season consists of eight episodes and will premiere on Starz on Sunday April 30, 2017 and stars Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon and Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday.

According to Amazon, “American Gods” is a mixture of Americana, fantasy with elements of ancient and modern mythology centering around a mysterious character named Shadow Moon. The central theme is that gods and mythological creatures exist if people believe in them and their power diminishes as people’s beliefs decline. Due to America’s new obsessions with media, celebrity, technology and drugs, new gods have arisen. Shadow Moon is a man serving three years in prison who is unexpectedly released with only days remaining on his sentence after his beloved wife Laura is killed. He meets an enigmatic man named Mr. Wednesday who offers him a job as a bodyguard, driver and overall errand boy. The truth is that Mr. Wednesday is the god Odin who is making his way across America reuniting the old gods to confront the new gods, including Media and Technology, who are growing stronger.

Television adaptation: ‘Einstein: His Life and Universe’ by Walter Isaacson

einsteinlife — The television adaptation of Walter Isaacson’s ‘Einstein: His Life and Universe’ premieres on Tuesday April 25, 2017. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Walter Isaacson is a writer, journalist, the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, the chairman and CEO of CNN and Managing Editor of Time. As an author, he has written biographies of Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and Henry Kissinger. His best-selling biography of Albert Einstein, “Einstein: His Life and Universe” has been adapted into a ten-episode series for National Geographic making it the network’s first scripted series. It premieres on Tuesday April 25 and is executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and stars Johnny Flynn as a young Einstein, Emily Watson as his second wife and Geoffrey Rush as the older Einstein. This series takes viewers beyond the academic life of Einstein and focuses on his struggles to be a good husband and father and a man of principle during an era of global unrest.

According to Amazon, in “Einstein: His Life and Universe,” the author writes about how Einstein’s scientific imagination was born out of his rebellious personality. It is the story of how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk and struggling father became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos. His success was the product of his constant questioning of conventional wisdom and an appreciation of the mundane. His work led him to embrace a lifestyle based on respect for free minds, free spirits and free individuals.

Mother’s Day brunch at SweetFire Kitchen

Next up on the calendar is Mother’s Day and SweetFire Kitchen at La Cantera Resort & Spa is having a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday May 14 for $65 for adults and $26 for children. Reservations are available through open table or by calling (210) 558-6500. (SweetFire Kitchen, 2017)

Some of the brunch offerings include:

The breakfast station: smoked bacon, chicken apple sausage, SweetFire Benedict- smoked ham organic eggs and blood orange hollandaise, Breakfast Quiche – house made ricotta, preserved lemon and charred leeks, roasted red bliss potatoes, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, Waffles, butter, pecans, berries, whipped cream and maple syrup and a made to order Chef’s omelet and egg station.
The Raw Bar: oysters on the half shell, crab salad and gazpacho shooters, Old Bay and Shiner Bock poached shrimp, horseradish cocktail, house made hot sauce and champagne mignonette.
Cheese and Charcuterie: house cured meats and Texas cheeses, spiced lavosh, seasonal jams and local honey.
Salad table: baby romaine, brown butter croutons, shaved parmesan and roasted garlic dressing, bluebonnet green, summer berries, feta cheese and candied pecans, charred broccoli, bacon, almonds, grapes and dill mustard vinaigrette, red quinoa salad, Persian cucumbers, fennel, olives and preserved lemon, seasonal melons and fruit.
The bakeshop: pecan shortbread cookies, opera cake and white chocolate coffee ganache, chocolate hazelnut tortes, lemon meringue tarts, eclairs, spring berries and vanilla cream, black financier and pistachio streusel, plum tarts and almond cream, flourless oatmeal banana cakes, vanilla cheesecake and peach cream, chocolate pot de crème, croissant bread pudding and caramel cream.

SweetFire Kitchen is located on the lobby level of La Cantera Resort & Spa and features an open-air style kitchen. Guests can enjoy home style cuisine and signature dishes as well as a full-service bar with unique craft cocktails, an extensive wine list and draught beers.

SweetFire Kitchen
16641 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 558-6500

Fiesta Like a VIP package at The Hotel Contessa

hotelcontessaatrium — The Hotel Contessa is offering guests its Fiesta Like a VIP package during this year’s Fiesta San Antonio. Photo courtesy of The Hotel Contessa, used with permission.

Fiesta San Antonio is well under way and The Hotel Contessa, the only Four Diamond all-suite hotel on the Riverwalk, is offering guests its Fiesta Like a VIP package from April 20 through April 30, 2017. The package starts at $900 per person per night and it is only available during Fiesta. Reservations may be done online. (The Hotel Contessa, 2017)

The Fiesta Like a VIP package includes:

Overnight stay in the Contessa Suite, Hotel Contessa’s 1,000 sq. ft. signature suite located on the top floor and offering modern furnishings, spacious living room, dining table and wet bar, master bedroom and double vanity bathroom with garden tub.
Complimentary in-room amenity of two traditional Margaritas.
Hotel Contessa’s Commemorative Fiesta Medal, a custom-designed hotel medal not available to the public.
Two tickets to NIOSA conveniently located along the Riverwalk and within walking distance from Hotel Contessa.
Traditional Cascarones Confetti Eggs to celebrate Fiesta like the locals.
Fiesta Recovery Breakfast for Two featuring a hearty selection of traditional Fiesta breakfast items, including Huevos Rancheros, Andalusian Breakfast Skillet or Traditional Eggs Benedict.

The Hotel Contessa
306 W Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 229-9222

SA Examiner

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Month: April 2017