Mother’s Day specials in San Antonio

miradorjarras — El Mirador is one of the local restaurants offering guests Mother’s Day specials. Photo: El Mirador, used with permission.

Mother’s Day is this weekend and for anyone looking last-minute gift ideas for mom, here’s a guide from Hiatus Spa + Retreat, Vintage Bouquet Bar, Bakery Lorraine, Cover 3, The Granary ‘Cue & Brew and Mirador. (2018)

From Hiatus Spa + Retreat:
Mom 2.0: Upgrade mom’s operating system with two hours of me-time and she will be ready to take on the world. The Comeback Massage and The One & Only Pedicure give Mom some much-needed time to re-charge. (2 hours $165 | $190 value; H-Circle $119)

Happy + Happier + Happiest: The three most popular services combined—The Signature Massage, The One & Only Mani-Pedi and The Tailor-Made Facial—for a fantastic finish. (3.5 hours $260 | $320 value; H-Circle $189)

The Shangri-La: The Yours, Truly Massage, The Best Facial Ever and The Epic Mani-Pedi come together for a spa day for the ages. (4.5 hours $425 | $515 value; H-Circle $369)

The Big Chill: The 90-minute Signature Massage followed by a super-charged plant peel in The Perfectionist Facial for that inner glow. (2.5 hours $240 | $305 Value; H-Circle $189)

Hiatus will be offering a special Monthly Retreat, Springtime in Paris:
Begin with an invigorating exfoliation of Sea Salt, Lemon Peel, Lavender Blossom and Juniper Berry. Savor a refreshing massage with an exhilarating Vichy rainfall, followed by a sprinkle of fragrant body oil. Afterwards, delight in a French 75 made with a lavender infused gin. (80-minute, $139 H-Circle | $195 Non-Member)

Around San Antonio and the Pearl:
While supplies last, The Bottling Department at Pearl will be giving away free Vintage Bouquet Bar flowers to all Mothers that visit that day and will have a mom mimosa special at the bar.

Bakery Lorraine will have dark chocolate zinfandel macarons in honor of all the love moms share with their children.

Cover 3 will show their mom appreciation with free rosé and mimosas to all moms who stop by that day.

The Granary ‘Cue & Brew will have a popup Sunday brunch on Mother’s Day featuring buttermilk French toast, pastrami hash, southern Benedict made with buttermilk biscuits, country ham and more.

At El Mirador
The restaurant celebrated for its classic Mexican cooking and outdoor space is helping guests who come to brunch at the Southtown favorite on Mother’s Day celebrate in style. Specials include $10 off all jarras of cocktails during regular brunch hours from 10a.m. to 3p.m. Jarras (pitcher) offerings range from margaritas and palomas to fresh-fruit sangria. Guests can fill up on delicious bronche items like Chorizo con Huevos and papas, panqueques, griddled pancakes, with cane sugar syrup, Don Julian’s Favorite, eggs scrambled with beef machacado & salsa rancher, Nachos Compuestos and Queso Flameado. Besides this excellent special on jarras, the patio at El Mirador makes for a beautiful view when toasting to mom.

May happenings at Pearl

pearlfarmersmarket — May at the Pearl is full of activities for the whole family. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

The Pearl is brimming with activity this month. Whether it be music, food, shopping or fitness, there is something for everyone. (Pearl, 2018)

Fitness in Pearl Park at 5:30p.m.
Pearl hosts a free Fitness in Pearl Park every Tuesday, May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, at 5:30 p.m. in May with CrossFit classes from MBS Fitness. After class, enjoy specials in the Bottling Department from The Good Kind and the Bar. Sign up is not required for this event.

Sunset Sessions is back at Pearl Park for the 2018 summer season. DJ sets are every Wednesday starting on May 2 from 5:30p.m. to 9p.m. Dates and details for the June through October sessions will be forthcoming.

May DJs include:
May 9 – DJ Plata
May 16 – JJ Lopez
May 23 – DJ Nandez
May 30 – Benjamin Boogie

Sunday, May 13: Mother’s Day at Pearl
Mother’s Day at Pearl is jam packed with family-friendly activities and brunches worthy of spoiling moms. The Bottling Department will be giving away free Vintage Bouquet Bar flowers to all moms that walk in that day and will have a mom mimosa special at the bar. Bakery Lorraine will have dark chocolate zinfandel macaroons and The Granary ‘Cue and Brew will have a first ever pop-up brunch from 11a.m. to 3p.m. featuring buttermilk French toast and more. Granary is not usually open on Sundays, so this will give guests an exclusive chance to try their brunch for the first time. Retailers at the Pearl will also be open during normal business hours for guests to buy the perfect Mother’s Day present. The Farmers Market will be open from 10a.m. to 2p.m. as usual that day.

Starting Saturday, May 19 through June 3: Elena Gallego’s Rare Books Pop-Up Shop at Pearl from 11a.m. to 7p.m.
Elena Gallego Rare Books will be hosting a special pop-up at the Pearl featuring antiquarian books, manuscripts, maps and posters from Texas and Spain. The pop-up will start on May 19 and go through June 3. There will be an official opening party on Tuesday, May 22, starting at 5p.m., with cocktails provided by La Merienda Catering. To RSVP for the opening party, please RSVP to mariana@elenagallego.com or 210-789-5824.

Monday, May 28: Memorial Day at Pearl from 12p.m. to 4p.m.
Celebrate Memorial Day at Pearl with a crawfish boil and pig roast by Bud’s Southern Rotisserie. Activities will include live music by the Gulf Coast Playboys and more.

Pearl
303 Pearl Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260

Emma Willmann in San Antonio with The Every Woman Comedy Tour

Get ready for some comedy at the Tobin Center when The Every Woman Comedy Tour comes to town on Saturday May 12 at 8p.m. General Admission tickets are $25 and VIP General Admission tickets, which include prime General Admission sitting and a meet and greet, are $49.50. Tickets are available online.

This show features some of the brightest and funniest young comics around, including:

Emma Willmann – one of New York City’s top comedians who made her late-night debut in 2016 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She has performed standup on Fuse’s Uproarious, Seeso’s Night Train with Wyatt Cenac, The Guest List and AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live. She just shot her own Netflix special as part of the Quarter Hours Season and recurred as ‘Beth’ on the new season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Accolades include being named one of the 10 Funniest Women in NYC by Time Out NY and one of the 100 Women We Love by GO Magazine.

Aida Rodriguez – one of ten to make it to the finals on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and has been featured on Comedy Central’s “The Nightly Show.”

April Macie – also a finalist on “Last Comic Standing” and a regular guest on the Howard Stern show.

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
115 Auditorium Circle
San Antonio, TX 78205

Texas Taco Showdown new addition to Culinaria

culinaria18 — The Texas Taco Showdown is a new addition to the popular Culinaria Wine + Food Festival coming up next week at La Cantera Resort & Spa. Photo: Culinaria, used with permission.

The Culinaria Wine + Food Festival is coming up next week from Thursday May 17 through Sunday May 20 and among the new additions to the festival this year is the Texas Taco Showdown. Also new to the festival are pop-up restaurants and the opportunity for guests to mix and mingle with up-and-coming chefs. (Culinaria, 2018)

The Texas Taco Showdown will take place on Saturday May 19 when thirty chefs from across the Lone Star State will descend on La Cantera Resort & Spa in the heart of the Texas Hill Country to take part of this exciting new competition. On the line are bragging rights and the chance to take home the title of taco champion. The Texas Taco Showdown is set for 12 noon to 5p.m. and will be divided into three categories: Modern, Classic and the ever-popular Breakfast Tacos. A panel of ten celebrity judges featuring chefs, media personalities and foodies will make the final determination about who earns the Top Taco titles.

The Texas Taco Showdown is just one of many new activities that Culinaria has planned for this year. For example, guests will be able to mingle with up-and-coming chefs working alongside executive chefs from the city’s top restaurants on Friday night at the Texas Grand Tasting.

Restaurants currently signed up to participate in the pop-up restaurants are Grayze on Grayson Street, La Cantera Resort & Spa, Baklovah Bakery and Pasha Mediterranean Grill. Pasha will offer a Hookah lounge, a pop-up bakery featuring baklava and a food truck.

Culinary education remains a major part of the festival and will feature cooking and wine demonstrations. The Lone Star State’s most delicious resource –Gulf Coast shrimp – will be featured at a station sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Guests will be able to quench their thirst at the Wine Garden, the Beer Lounge or at the Yes Way Rosé Lounge.

The Burgers, BBQ & Beer event returns on Sunday when Chefs will set up grill stations for a backyard barbecue like no other. Expect exotic burger offerings featuring wild game alongside sumptuous beefy favorites as chefs go bun-to-bun to earn the top burger title. New this year is a fry station for French fries and onion rings for burger pairings. Guests will also can enjoy the Culinary District happening in and around Burgers, BBQ & Beer. This will provide festival-goers with ample opportunity to have access to tasty seminars, demos, wine, cocktails and shopping at the Culinary District with pop up restaurants, a variety of experiential hospitality and more; culminating to make Burgers, BBQ & Beer a Texas-sized experience of astonishing culinary and beverage proportions.

Culinaria was created to highlight San Antonio’s passion for food and to spotlight the city as a premiere food and wine destination. In the beginning, it was just a weekend of food and wine on the Riverwalk. Now it has expanded to include events as diverse a food competition and a barbeque extravaganza.

La Cantera Resort & Spa
16641 La Cantera Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 558-6500

Theater review: ‘The Book of Mormon’ at the Majestic Theatre

The Tony Award winning ‘The Book of Mormon’ is back at the Majestic Theatre this week and there are still two chances of catching this production. This religious satire musical follows Mormon missionaries Elder Kevin Price and Elder Arnold Cunningham who are sent to Uganda for a two-year mission. It features book, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez. Stone and Parker are the creators of South Park and Lopez is one of the composers of Avenue Q. Next show times are Sunday May 6 at 2p.m. and 7:30p.m. Please be aware that it contains explicit language and adult themes.

‘The Book of Mormon’ starts off as the future missionaries are finishing up their training, “Hello!” and are paired off with their partners. Elder Kevin Price’s dream missionary destination is Orlando, but he ends up paired off with Elder Arnold Cunningham “Two By Two,” who is an insecure compulsive liar and sent to Uganda. Upon their arrival the villagers share their experiences of living with famine, poverty and AIDS, “Hasa Diga Eebowai.” Price and Cunningham try to teach them about the Book of Mormon, but they have trouble connecting with the natives because they are more concerned with everyday life than they are about religion. Eventually they meet the other missionaries who are stationed there but have been unable to convert anyone to Mormonism. When Elder Price backs off, Elder Cunningham mans up and ends up converting the village using his own version of the book he has never actually read.

Wednesday’s performance was well received by the audience and most were pleasantly surprised by the “definitely different” show. The laughter began early with the first scene and was constant throughout this irreverent but hilarious production. Kevin Clay and Conner Peirson bring the roles of Elder Price and Elder Cunningham brilliantly to life, but Holmes stands out as the naïve but lovable Cunningham. The highlights of the show include “Man Up” when Cunningham decides to stop being a follower and “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” when Price dreams he is in hell with Jeffrey Dahmer and Hitler, among others. Despite the adult content and language, ‘The Book of Mormon’ delivers a tale overflowing with good intentions and heart and appeals to audiences not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone and have a good laugh.

‘The Cherry Orchard’ opens Friday at The Classic Theatre

Opening this weekend at The Classic Theatre is the play ‘The Cherry Orchard’ by Anton Chekhov. Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short-story writer and is considered one of history’s greatest writers of short fiction. ‘The Cherry Orchard’ centers around an aristocratic Russian landowner who returns to her family estate, which includes a large and well-known cherry tree, just before it is auctioned off to pay off debts. It opens on Friday May 4 and will run until Sunday May 27 with show dates Fridays and Saturdays at 8p.m. and Sundays at 3p.m. Tickets are available online with prices at $32 for general admission, $28 for senior, military, educator or SATCO, and $17 for students. On opening night, there will be a complimentary champagne reception. (The Classic Theatre, 2018)

‘The Cherry Orchard’ is translated by Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky and directed by Andy Thornton. The Cherry Orchard takes place in 1904 Russia and 2018 USA, at the same time. It is Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece about a family on the edge of ruin and a country on the brink of revolution. Early one May morning, after a five-year absence, the widow Madame Ranevsky returns home to her family estate to find that it has been heavily mortgaged to pay for her extravagances and that it is to be auctioned off. Madame Ranyevskaya and her brother find themselves scrambling to retain a vision of gentility amidst a climate of huge social and economic transition. Chekhov described the play as a comedy with some elements of farce.

The Classic Theatre of San Antonio
1924 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 468-3900

Book review: ‘Take Off Your Shoes’ by Ben Feder

takeoffyourshoespic — Ben Feder’s new memoir ‘Take Off Your Shoes’ is now available everywhere. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Ben Feder is President of International Partnerships for the U.S. at Tencent, the Chinese Internet titan and formerly CEO of Take Two interactive. He is also the publisher of the smash video game hits, Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K. With all his success, he also experienced the inevitable cost it took on his family and personal life. This led to a self-imposed sabbatical in Bali with his family and in his new memoir ‘Take Off Your Shoes: One Man’s Journey from the Boardroom to Bali and Back,’ he shares his experiences and what he learned from his journey of self-discovery.

‘Take Off Your Shoes’ begins with an introduction in which Ben Feder explains that he wrote this memoir mainly for his children. Not only did he want them to understand why he embarked on this journey, but he also wanted it to serve as a memento of the special time they shared as a family. One thing that led him to take a sabbatical was his curiosity about brain plasticity and how people can change their lives by changing their minds. It all started one evening when Ben came home late from work and his wife Victoria approached him with the idea. After weighting the pros and cons, which included sacrificing careers that they both worked hard to attain, they decided that any increased time together as a family was worth any downside.

Ben Feder did what most people caught up in the everyday rat race only wish they could do and took the time to share his experiences. His memoir reads like a journal because not only does he write about the journey, he writes about his personal development and struggles as well as his personal growth through it all. Like adults, children can also become overwhelmed with their busy lives, so it is admirable that the author and his wife chose to involve them in this life-changing experience. Seeing the poverty in other countries made them thankful for what they have and made them more conscientious citizens of the world. Along the way, Ben learns to appreciate how activities like meditation and art can help him handle stress and the family gets a different perspective on life. Not everyone can afford to pick up and travel the world with the family, but they can find ways to lead a more mindful life. All they must do is think outside the box and dare to step outside their comfort zone. Overall, ‘Take Off Your Shoes’ is easy to read with language that is easy to understand and will appeal to readers who are looking for ideas to enrichen their lives. It is insightful, personal and humorous with something for everyone.

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

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Month: May 2018