Book review: ‘Mangrove Lightning’ by Randy Wayne White

The New York Times’ best-selling author Randy Wayne White is best known for his crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written seven novels under the pen name Randy Striker and eleven novels as Carl Ramm. Written under his real name, his most popular is the Doc Ford series, crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. “Mangrove Lightning” is his most recent and twenty-fourth Doc Ford novel. In it Doc Ford is being haunted by the ghosts of a 1925 multiple murder.

In “Mangrove Lightning” Doc Ford is approached by Tootsie Barlow, a charter captain and guide who is distraught and muttering something about a curse. His niece has disappeared and he fears she might be in danger because his extended family have always suffered due to his family’s shameful involvement with multiple murders dating back to 1925. Together with his sidekick Tomlinson, Ford begins to investigate by following the trail that leads them from Key Largo to Tallahassee where the connection takes them to a history of Chinese slavery and rum runners from Cuba. Eventually they find Gracie at the hands of a madman as they race to solve an old murder case and save her at the same time.

Randy Wayne White begins the story with an Author’s Note at the beginning where he writes about how the events in the book are based on events that occurred in Florida during Prohibition but that he has taken liberties with the details. Since this is not the first Doc Ford novel the emphasis is on the murder mystery rather than the characters. This does not change the dynamic of the story but readers who want character background and intention will be left wanting more. While the action is fast paced and easy to follow some of the details about what the captive women go through may be too graphic for some readers. This plays only a small part of the story and overall “Mangrove Lightning” is an interesting crime novel for fans of the genre.

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

Television adaptation: ‘The White Princess’ by Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is an English historical novelist best known for her novel “The Other Boleyn Girl” which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award. Her first novel “Wideacre” became an instant bestseller and gave way to her first trilogy, The Wideacre Trilogy. Since then she has written stand-alone novels, short stories, children’s books and non-fiction books. Her other series of novels include Earthly Joys, The Tudor Court Series and The Cousins’ War Series. “The White Princess” is part of The Cousins’ War Series, now known as The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels and has been adapted into a television miniseries for Starz that will premiere on Sunday April 16. It is a sequel to The White Queen, the BBC produced miniseries that adapted the novels “The White Queen,” “The Red Queen” and “The Kingmaker’s Daughter.”

According to Amazon, The White Princess” is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville and later the wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII. After Henry Tudor kills the man she loves and becomes the new king of England, she must marry him to end the long running War of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York and guarantee the safety of her family. But Henry knows that she is still in love with his dead enemy and that her mother and half of England remain loyal to her brother, the missing heir. His greatest fear is that somewhere the rightful prince is waiting to claim his throne. When a young man who would be king invades England, Elizabeth must choose between the husband she has grown to love and the young man who claims to be her long-lost brother.

Mole & Mezcal Chef Series at Jazz, TX

jazzsign — Jazz, TX to host a Mole & Mezcal themed Chef Series with Executive Chef Lorenzo Morales on Tuesday April 18, 2017. Photo courtesy of Jazz, TX, used with permission.

On Tuesday April 18, Jazz, TX will kick off its Chef Series with Executive Chef Lorenzo Morales. Chef Morales will feature a special Mole & Mezcal inspired menu at Jazz, TX from 6p.m to 8p.m. It consists of a specialty pre-fixe menu for two including gratuity, tax, cocktail and a cover fee if guests are interested in staying for the 8:30 p.m. show of The Doc Watkins Trio. The five courses start with Duck Chilorio with tortilla and continue with Ensalada con Hierbas with Mole Amarillo Vin, Flor de Calabaza Quesadilla, Mole Rojo con Pollo and Tamale de Maize Dulce. Chef Morales will also serve bread and fried corn tortillas with salsa picante and mantequilla de champolines. The food will be paired with mezcal cocktails from the bar. This event is limited to 15 couples, or 30 guests. Tickets are available online and are $125 per person. (Jazz, TX, 2017)

Jazz, TX is the Pearl’s newest upscale music venue owned and operated by renowned musician Brent “Doc” Watkins. It is in the cellar of the Bottling House and hosts musical acts ranging from jazz to blues, big band, Texas swing, salsa, conjunto and Americana including Doc Watkins. Business hours are Tuesday through Saturday and aside from music, guests can enjoy a wider variety of food, beverages, wine and spirits.

Jazz, TX
312 Pearl Parkway, Building 6 Suite 6001
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 332-9386

Television adaptation: “The Son” by Philipp Meyer

Philipp Meyer is an American writer known for writing short stories and the novels “American Rust” and “The Son.” His short stories have been published in McSweeney’s Quarterly, The Iowa Review and Esquire UK and “The Son” has been adapted into a television series. It will premiere on AMC on Sunday April 7 and will star Pierce Brosnan as Eli McCullough, Henry Garrett as Pete McCullough, Zach McClarnon as Toshaway and Paola Nuñez as María García.

According to Amazon, “The Son” is a family saga of land, blood and power and follows a Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20^th century. The main character is Eli McCullough who at the age of twelve is taken as captive after a marauding band of Comanche storms his Texas home and kill his mother and sister. During the years that he is kept captive he adapts to life with the Comanche by learning their ways and their language and after taking on a new name he eventually accepts his place as the chief’s adoptive son. Even though he fights alongside them he is conflicted by his sense of loyalty and vengeance. When the Comanche are annihilated by disease, starvation and westward expansion he finds himself in a world where he does not feel like he belongs. His story as an adult tells of his ruthlessness and his drive to power despite his status as an outsider. The McCullough family becomes one of the richest in Texas fueled by ranching and oil.

Easter Sunday specials in San Antonio

bakerylorrainebunnies — Bakery Lorraine will have dessert options like Neapolitan Bunnies for the Easter holiday. Photo courtesy of Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

Easter this year is on April 16 and several restaurants are offering Easter Sunday specials for their guests who would rather eat out with their families. Boiler House, Bakery Lorraine, Hotel Contessa, Southerleigh and Hotel Emma will have special holiday themed menus and desserts. (Giant Noise, 2017)

Boiler House – Boiler House will have specialty menu items and regular brunch items served on Easter Sunday. Brunch Entrees include Bunny & Brie Pierogies, Maple Cured Bone-In Pork Belly and Lobster Pot Pie. Dessert includes Poteet Strawberry Parfait. Special Libation includes Southtown, basil-serrano infused lime juice, local honey and Monopolowa Gin. Dinner hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Bakery Lorraine – Bakery Lorraine will have special pastries available on Easter Sunday and throughout the beginning month of April including: Egg-Shaped Moonpies: Colorful Easter pastry eggs that’s made with homemade graham cracker cookies filled with marshmallow in the center ($4 each). Neapolitan Bunnies: Cute bunnies made with vanilla cream, strawberry and chocolate ($6 each). Lemon Berry Chicks: Designed baby chicks in a basket of lemon berry filling ($6 each). Carrot Cake: Bakery Lorraine’s specialty carrot cake ($6 each). Hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hotel Contessa – Hotel Contessa’s restaurant, Las Ramblas, is offering a special Easter brunch on Sunday, April 16 between 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., reservations required. Prices is $55 per person, $20 for children ages 6-13, free for children under 5. Brunch hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Southerleigh – Southerleigh will be offering Easter brunch specials as well as its full brunch selection. Business hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hotel Emma – Supper will be offering an Easter special that includes Hudspeth Farms lamb patty melt on pumpernickel with gouda and pickled Vegetables. Lunch hours are 11a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner hours are 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Larder will be offering an off the menu Easter Special of an Egg Salad Tartine with avocado, radish and carrot top salsa verde. Larder hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Southerleigh celebrating National Beer Day with specials

beertalk1 — Southerleigh will be having beer specials this Friday April 7 to commemorate National Beer Day. Photo by Nick Simonite, used with permission.

This Friday April 7 is National Beer Day and Southerleigh, located at the Pearl, will be celebrating the occasion with a happy hour. The restaurant and brewery will be doing a special Progressive Happy Hour on April 7 only during specific times:

3p.m. – 4 p.m. – $1 per pint
4p.m. – 5 p.m. – $2 per pint
5p.m. – 6 p.m. – $3 per pint
6p.m. – 7 p.m. – $4 per pint

Guests will be able to enjoy Southerleigh favorites such as the Gold Export Lager and the Pale Moon Rising American Pale Ale. There are no beer exclusions to this special happy hour while supplies last. Special pricing ends after 7 p.m.

Southerleigh is the first brewery at Pearl since 2001 and has a 15-barrel brew house, six serving tank and a firkin/wood barrel-aging program. It is a 7,900-square foot dining facility with multiple seating options including bar seating, patio seating and a private dining room that can seat up to twenty people. The private dining in the north dining room seats up to seventy five people with the capacity to host parties of up to two hundred people.

Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery
136 East Grayson, Suite 120
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 455-5701

Rainforest Cafe hosts Easter adventure

Rain Forest Cafe: A Wild Place to Shop and Eat in downtown San Antonio is getting into the Easter spirit by hosting Cha! Cha!’s Egg-Cellent Easter Adventure this Saturday April from 8a.m. to 10a.m. Children and families are invited to spend a morning with Cha! Cha! and the Easter Bunny for a special buffet. This brand new breakfast buffet menu features favorites such as scrambled eggs, pork and turkey sausage, pancakes, hash browns with diced peppers and onions and biscuits and sausage gravy. This event will also include a family friendly Easter egg hunt, Easter basket raffle and complimentary goodie bags filled with additional treats and prizes for the children. Tickets are available online. (Rain Forest Cafe, 2017)

Rain Forest Cafe – River Walk
110 East Crockett
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 277-6300

Whataburger announces WhataGames Finalists

Whataburger recently announced the 23 teams advancing to compete during the 2017 WhataGames Finals. Created in 1996, WhataGames is a company tradition committed to enhancing the Whataburger experience for team members and customers. Finalist advanced by proving their knowledge and expertise in operations, company history and customer service. The WhataGames Finals are the featured event during the Whataburger Family Convention which will be held in April at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. This convention hosts Whataburger corporate and regional representatives, franchisees and suppliers and the WhataGames national finalists. (Whataburger, 2017)

The 23 finalist teams advanced from a pool of 126 semifinalists who beat out their competitors among Whataburger’s more than 800 restaurants in 10 states. Teams will face off during three days of high-intensity elimination rounds at the WhataGames Finals where one team will be awarded the Gold Medal and honor of being named WhataGames 2017 Champion. Whataburger will also award more than $200,000 in cash prizes to all members of the Gold, Silver and Bronze winning teams including those who stayed back to operate and manage their stores while their peers represented them in the competition.

Finalists from South Texas include: Unit 1008 from18303 W Interstate 10, San Antonio, Unit 839 from 2203 E Evans Road, San Antonio, Unit 740 from 6100 FM 802, Brownsville, Unit 777 from 3580 W Alton Gloor Blvd, Brownsville, Unit 4 from 510 S 14th St, Kingsville and Unit 631 from 10315 S Highway 6, Sugar Land.

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. He wanted customers to take one bite and say “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Since then Whataburger now has over 700 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals everyday with superior customer service. Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

‘Sister Act’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

sisteractpic — ‘Sister Act, The Musical’ opens at the Woodlawn Theatre on Friday April 7, 2017. Photo courtesy of Woodlawn Theatre, used with permission.

Coming up this month at the Woodlawn Theatre is the local production of the Broadway Blockbuster ‘Sister Act, The Musical.’ This family friendly musical is a premiere for San Antonio’s local theatre community and opens on Friday April 7 and will run until Sunday May 7, 2017. Show times are every Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. On Sunday April 16 the 3p.m. matinee performance will be replaced with a special Easter evening performance at 7p.m. Tickets are now on sale and are available online or by calling the box office at (210) 267-8388. Prices are $18 for students and children, $24 for seniors and military and $29 for adults. Groups of ten or more receive a 20% discount. Please note that a $3 service fee applies. Woodlawn Theatre’s exclusive 2017 Fiesta medal will be available for purchase at the theater for $10. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2017)

Based on the 1992 hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, ‘Sister Act’ is the story of Deloris Van Cartier who works as a singer in a nightclub. When she witnesses a murder she is put in protective custody in the one place no one will look for her – a convent. Disguised as a nun, at first she finds it hard to fit in with the rigid lifestyle of the convent and the uptight Mother Superior. She soon finds that she can use her singing ability to help the choir and in turn breathe new life into the church. When she blows her cover she has to go on the run but her new found friendship with the nuns turns out to be a lifesaver. This hilarious and glorious tribute to friendship stars Sherry Gibbs-Houston, Kate Ragan, Anna Gangai, Krystal Newcomer and Bryd Bonner. It features original music by Tony® and eight-time Oscar® winning composer Alan Menken.

Woodlawn Theatre
1920 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 267-8388

Television adaptation: Midnight Texas Trilogy

midnightcrossroad — The television adaptation of The Midnight Texas Trilogy will premiere on NBC on July 25. Photo: amazon.

Fans of True Blood might recognized the name Charlaine Harris as the author of “The Southern Vampire Mysteries” which was later adapted into the highly popular HBO series. She is The New York Times’ best-selling author of mysteries that includes several series of books with the most recent being The Midnight Texas Trilogy. The series includes “Midnight Crossroad,” “Day Shift” and “Night Shift.” It has been adapted into a television series and will premiere on NBC on July 25, 2017 and will star François Arnaud as Manfred Bernardo, Dylan Bruce as Bobo Winthrop and Parisa Fitz-Henley as Fiji Cavanaugh.

According to Amazon, Midnight, Texas is a small quiet town where most of its inhabitants have chosen to live there because it is one of the best places to hide. Being normal is strange and only outsiders fit in. “Midnight Crossroad” is the first book in the series and introduces the characters. In this small town it citizens are stranger than usual. Bobo Winthrop is the proprietor of the local pawn shop and knows something about everyone because everyone has secrets. The new tenant in the pawn shop’s basement only comes out after dark and Fiji Cavanaugh claims to be a witch. When Bobo’s girlfriend Aubrey disappears, people start to ask too many questions and that leaves everyone concerned that their own pasts will be exposed along with Aubrey’s.

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Month: April 2017