20th Annual Culinaria Wine + Food Festival

culinaria19 — This year’s Culinaria will take place September 26 – 29 at La Cantera Resort & Spa. Photo: Culinaria, used with permission.

Culinaria is celebrating two decades of wine, food, spirits and fellowship during this year’s Culinaria Wine + Food Festival. Raise your glasses and get ready to say “Cheers to Twenty Years” during the 20th annual Culinaria Wine + Food Festival, this September 26-29, as organizers serve up some of the greatest hits from the last two decades while also preparing exciting twists on some past favorites. After being held in the spring for years, Culinaria Festival is returning to its roots by moving back to September, not far from the date when the first Culinaria launched nearly two decades ago. (Culinaria Wine + Food Festival, 2019)

La Cantera Resort & Spa will host the Culinaria Festival as it has for the past four years. More than 10,000 people are expected to take part in everything from Bubbles, a celebration of champagne, sparkling wine and cocktails at Topaz, the resort’s adult pool, that also boasts the most breathtaking sunsets in San Antonio, to the Festival’s most popular smoky finale of Burgers, BBQ and Beer.

The 20th Culinaria Festival will introduce a twist on the ever-festive Best of Mexico event with Arte Agave, an art and tequila extravaganza on Friday, September 27. Guests will be able to enjoy tequila and mezcal infused with Mexican art, with the musical backdrop provided by Selena tribute band Bidi Bidi Bom Bom. Culinaria Festival, organizers are bringing back the Masquerade component of the Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 28. Don your finest masks and come prepared to be dazzled by mysteries and surprises galore. Returning to Culinaria Festival after a five-year hiatus is the Hole in Wine Golf Tournament, teeing off on Saturday, September 28 at the La Cantera Resort Course.

“La Cantera Resort is proud to host Culinaria’s annual celebration of wine and food. We applaud its ongoing commitment to promoting San Antonio as a major culinary destination, highlighting San Antonio’s unique confluence of flavors and culture.” – Michelle Robertson, director of marketing and PR for La Cantera Resort & Spa.

Culinaria was created to highlight San Antonio’s passion for food and to spotlight the city as a premier 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: Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

beautyandbeastset — Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is playing at the Woodlawn Theatre through Sunday July 28. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Now playing at the Woodlawn Theatre is Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ the musical based on the award-winning animated movie that revolves around Belle, a young woman in a small town and the Beast, who is actually a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. This family friendly production opened on Friday July 5 with much acclaim and will run through Sunday July 28. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets prices range from $18 to $30 and are available online or by calling the box office at (210) 267-8388.

After the Overture, Disney’s ’Beauty and the Beast’ begins on a cold winter’s night. An old beggar woman (Madeline Gutierrez) comes to a young spoiled prince’s castle and offers him a single rose in return for shelter but the prince (Chris Fuglestad) turns her away because of her appearance. The old woman warns him not to be fooled by appearances because true beauty lies within but the prince rejects her again. She then transforms into a beautiful enchantress and turns him into a hideous Beast and all his servants into various household objects. She gives him a rose and tells him that the only way to break the spell is to find someone to love and someone to return that love by the time the last petal falls. “Prologue”

Years later, a beautiful young girl named Belle (Reagan Wilson) comes into town one morning on her way to the local bookseller and expresses her wish to live in a world like the ones she reads in her books. “Belle” Her eccentric father Maurice (James Frazier) is an inventor and gets lost in the woods on the way to an invention fair and wanders into the Beast’s castle. He is thrown into the dungeon for trespassing and when Belle comes looking for him and finds him imprisoned, she strikes a deal with the Beast. She agrees to stay behind as long as her father is freed. At first Belle and the Beast clash, but eventually they become friends and end up falling for each other. Just before the last petal falls, Belle admits she loves him and her declaration breaks the spell and the Beast is transformed into a human again. “Transformation”

Friday night’s performance was to a nearly full house and it did not disappoint. Even though the show is based on an animated movie, it has something for everyone, from romance to comedy. During “Belle,” the first musical number, Gaston (Cary Farrow IV) becomes an audience favorite, bringing to mind the lovable cartoon character Johnny Bravo. Other beloved characters include Lumiere (Nick DeGraw) and Cogsworth (Brian Zavala). Standout performances include “Be Our Guest” by Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and the ensemble, which ends in a confetti explosion, and “Human Again” by Lumiere and the ensemble when they desperately wish to be human again. Belle’s “A Change in Me” is sweet and heartwarming and the Beast’s “If I Can’t Love Her” is one of the show’s most poignant moments. Just watching the Beast and Belle dance during “Beauty and the Beast” was a treat in and of itself. Overall, Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is an unforgettable show that the whole family can enjoy. The story, characters, gorgeous costumes and amazing singing and dancing makes this a show not to be missed. An outstanding job by the talented cast and crew.

Grand opening of The Baked Bear in San Antonio

bakedbearsandwich — The Baked Bear will opens its first San Antonio location this Friday July 12 after a 7p.m. ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo: The Baked Bear, used with permission.

The Baked Bear, a San Diego, California-based ice cream shop well known for its colossal ice cream sandwiches and original recipes, is excited to announce the opening of its first-ever San Antonio location, on Friday, July 12, at The Shops at La Cantera. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7p.m. after which it will open to the public. (The Baked Bear, 2019)

Located in San Antonio’s top luxury shopping district, the ice cream shop will feature ice cream sandwiches made with fresh-baked from scratch cookies and brownies, in addition to craft ice creams like Blackberry Crumble, Toasted S’mores, Bear Batter and more. The Baked Bear allows guests to customize their sandwich order to find their favorite combination with the option of rolling ice cream sandwiches through colorful toppings, such as fruity pebbles, resulting in its Instagram-worthy reputation. The San Antonio location will also offer rotating, seasonal flavors and a Cookie of the Month.

The Baked Bear concept was started by childhood friends, Rob Robbins and Shane Stanger, who left their careers to follow their true passion: serving up inventive sweets in their hometown of San Diego, California. The Baked Bear quickly became a phenomenon, known for high quality desserts, and has been recognized by Forbes and Business Insider. The favorite shop has now grown to 24 current locations in eight states, with Texas locations in Austin and El Paso. Due to its growing population, The Baked Bear sought San Antonio as its third Texas location.

The Baked Bear
15900 La Cantera Pkwy, Suite LS3320
San Antonio, TX 78256

Tasting at Pluckers Wing Bar

pluckers3 — The new Pluckers Wing Bar location will open officially on Monday July 8. Photo: Joel Cruz

Pluckers Wing Bar, Texas’ favorite sports bar and wing restaurant, will officially open its second San Antonio location in the Landmark Center at 15651 I-10 W on Monday, July 8. The new San Antonio location will be open daily from 11a.m. to 12a.m. and will feature the iconic Pluckers menu, including fan favorites Fried Pickles, Holy Macaroni, The Bypass Burger topped with bacon, cheddar, grilled onions and jalapeños and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Pluckers will also offer their famous wings paired with signature sauces Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, and Spicy Ranch, along with unique flavors, like Fire in the Hole, Ginger Peach Sriracha, Gochujang, and Spicy Mandarin.

All this week, the new Pluckers Wing Bar has been opening their doors to the public during their training shifts for lunch and dinner. With today being a holiday, I had the opportunity to see the new location for myself during lunch. The line of people waiting to get in was not long but by lunchtime, they had seen approximately 375- 400 people. While waiting at the bar for a table, I tried the tasty Strawberry Margarita and once able to order food, I tried the Pluckers Nachos, tortilla chips topped with chicken (on the side, for my taster), queso, Honey BBQ sauce, red onions and cilantro. Everything was delicious and the inside is spacious with plenty of televisions for a sports bar. The managers on site, Courtney, Jason, Morgan and Keegan had service running smoothly and server Myranda and her trainer Tra were helpful and polite. Looking forward to a return trip to try the Impossible Burger.

Once open, the new restaurant will offer Pluckers’ signature rewards program, Pluckers Club, for just $10 until July 21. Pluckers Club members enjoy a variety of rewards, including, but not limited to, free birthday meals, invitations to exclusive events, food and drink specials and more. After July 21, Pluckers Club memberships will cost $20. The Pluckers club membership is now available through the app on iTunes and Google Play – a treat for current and aspiring members. As Pluckers continues to open new stores, they are expanding their platform via social media and the app that connects, serves, and grows with their fans.

Pluckers Wing Bar
15651 I-10 W
San Antonio, TX 78249

41st Annual CineFestival

cine19 — Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center recently announced the official film lineup for the nonprofit’s 41st Annual CineFestival sponsored by the San Antonio Film Commission. This year’s festival will take place Thursday July 11 through Sunday July 14 with the theme ‘Frontera in Focus.’ Of the films featured in this year’s lineup, 30 of the films were shot in Texas or directed by Texas filmmakers with 17 of the films directed by San Antonio filmmakers or shot in San Antonio. The four-day Latino film festival will feature 42 films from Latino artists, including the Texas premiere of Phoenix, Oregon, starring San Antonio native Jesse Borrego. Now celebrating its 41st year, CineFestival is the longest running Latino film festival in the country. Festival details and schedules are available online. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2019)

‘The Infiltrators,’ directed by Alex Rivera and Cristina Ibarra, will open the festival on July 11 at the Guadalupe Theater. The festival’s opening night will serve as the South Texas premiere for the film, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the NEXT Innovator Award. The Infiltrators tells the true story of young immigrants who get arrested by the Border Patrol and put in a shadowy for-profit detention center on purpose. Marco and Viri are members of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance, a group of radical Dreamers who are on a mission to stop deportations. The best place to stop deportations, they believe, is in detention. When Marco and Viri try to pull off their heist, a kind of “prison break” in reverse, things don’t go according to plan. By weaving together documentary footage of the real infiltrators with scripted re-enactments of the events inside the detention center, ‘The Infiltrators’ tells this incredible true story in a boundary-crossing new cinematic language.

‘Premature,’ directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green, will close out the festival on July 14 at the Guadalupe Theater. The critically acclaimed film follows Ayanna, who is making the most out of her last summer in Harlem before heading to college. She is bold, confident and not really looking for love, until she meets the slightly older Isaiah. After one of those rare first dates that last for hours, she knows there is something different about him. Ayanna has found herself at an intimidating crossroads: one foot is still under her mother’s roof, while the other is primed to step out on her own with Isaiah. ‘Premature’ debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and makes its South Texas premiere at CineFestival.

CineFestival will also feature the Texas premiere of ‘Phoenix, Oregon’ directed by Gary Lundgren on July 13. Starring Jesse Borrego and indie film veterans James Le Gros (Drugstore Cowboy, Living in Oblivion), Diedrich Bader (Napolean Dynamite, Office Space) and Kevin Corrigan (Pineapple Express, True Romance), ‘Phoenix, Oregon’ takes a comedic look at the existential crisis many face when trying to find meaning and relevancy at midlife.

Tickets can be purchased online. Ticket options include:
• Festival Badge – $50 (Includes all Films)
• Evening Film Tickets – $10
• Daytime Film Tickets – $8
• After Parties Admission – Free (beverages available by donation)

Guadalupe Theater
1301 Guadalupe Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 271-3151

Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

beautyandbeast — Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ opens this Friday July 5 at the Woodlawn Theatre.

Good news for anyone who cannot get enough of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ This Friday July 5 is opening night of the local production of the beloved tale at the Woodlawn Theatre. This family friendly production will run through Sunday July 28. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Ticket prices range from $18 to $30 and are available online or by calling the box office at (210) 267-8388. This classic story revolves around Belle, a young woman in a small town and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2019)

Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a musical based on the 1991 movie of the same name with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. It is the story of a prince who is transformed into a hideous beast as punishment for his cruel ways and the young woman he keeps captive in his castle. When an old beggar woman comes to the prince’s castle asking for refuge from the cold he cruelly turns her away. The woman then changes into a beautiful enchantress, turns the prince into a beast and his servants into household items. She gives him a rose in an hourglass and tells him that the only way to break the spell is to learn to love another and earn her love before the last petal falls. Years later, Belle, a young beautiful woman from a small town, wanders into the woods looking for her lost father. She finds him imprisoned in a castle’s dungeon and strikes a deal with Beast that allows him to go free but she must remain behind. Soon they become friends and eventually break the spell when they fall in love and Beast is returned to his human form. Musical performances include audience favorites ‘Be Our Guest’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

Cast includes Reagan Wilson as Belle and Chris Fuglestad as Beast, Cary Farrow IV as Gaston and Michael Parisi as Le Fou. Christopher Rodriguez is Director/Choreographer, Josh Pepper Music Director and Kristin McGregor Assistant Director/Choreographer.

Throughout the run of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ the Woodlawn Theatre will be collecting donations to benefit SA Reads. Founded in 2010, SA Reads is a project of Literacy San Antonio, Inc. whose mission is to successfully teach children to read by training and inspiring teachers.

Special promotional dates:
Saturday July 6 Student Night: $10 Child/Student tickets with code STUDENT
Friday July 19 Pride Night: 25% off all tickets with code PRIDE
Friday July 26 ASL Night: 25% off all tickets with code ASL

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

Fourth of July specials around town

southerleighjuly — Celebrate the Fourth of July with drink specials at Southerleigh. Photo: Southerleigh, used with permission.

The Fourth of July holiday is almost here and local businesses have special menus, activities and offers to celebrate the holiday in style. (Davila’s BBQ, Pearl, Southerleigh, La Panaderia, Hotel Emma, 2019)

Davila’s BBQ
Davila’s BBQ will offer a brown bag special available to pick up or to eat in the restaurant on the Fourth of July. The special features two Davila’s freshly ground cheeseburgers with crispy French fries and a fountain drink of choice for $12.99. Davila’s BBQ will be open from 11a.m. to 5p.m. that day.

Pearl
Join Pearl for a Great American Picnic in honor of the Fourth of July. The Bottling Department will offer picnic specials and a special pop out by Bud’s Southern Rotisserie who will be selling BBQ chicken with corn and watermelon, as well as bacon-wrapped jalapeño sausage-on-a-stick for guests to purchase and enjoy while listening to live music by the Peterson Brothers. This event will be free and open to the public in Pearl Park.

Southerleigh
This Fourth of July Southerleigh will offer drink specials at their outdoor oyster bar. Pearl patrons can stop by to get $1 off the famous house punch, frosé, frozen Bellini and canned wines. This is the perfect option for those enjoying Great American Picnic in Pearl Park or who are interested in enjoying the outdoors that day. Southerleigh’s oyster bar is located outside nearest Pearl Park.

La Panaderia
The popular San Antonio bakery will be open to visitors this Fourth of July at both locations so guests can stop in and treat themselves to decadent pan dulce while taking a break from the heat. Guests can also try new menu items at the restaurant, like the La Panaderia Patty Melt, a unique twist on the Texas favorite.

Hotel Emma
Hotel Emma will offer the perfect staycation for the Fourth of July. Readers can book a hotel room that week and receive complimentary valet parking, a La Babia Margarita upon check-in to kick off the celebration, nightly turndown service and access to the rooftop pool to cool off in the Texas heat.

Book review: ‘Off the Grid’ by Robert McCaw

Robert McCaw is an American author who graduated from Georgetown University and served as a lieutenant in the US Army before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia. He was a partner in a major international law firm with offices in Washington, DC and New York City and maintained a home on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This allows him to bring a unique authenticity to his Koa Kāne Hawaiian mystery novels in both his law enforcement expertise and his ability to portray the richness of Hawai’i’s history, culture and people. “Death of a Messenger” is the first book in the series and the second, “Off the Grid” is due out on Tuesday July 2. In “Off the Grid” Hilo police Detective Koa Kāne investigates two deaths that at first seem unrelated but when he discovers how they are linked, the crimes could rewrite history or cost him his career.

Chapter One of “Off the Grid” begins on a poetic note “The plume of smoky steam rising like a sulfur cloud from a volcanic vent told Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kāne he’d been called to a nasty scene” but ends with a staged accident that left a woman dead. That leads him to the second murder of the day: the tortured remains of an unfortunate soul left to burn in the path of an advancing lava flow. He soon discovers that the two murders are related when they turn out to be a reclusive couple living off the grid. They are mysterious fugitives, so naturally the CIA, the Chinese government and the Defense Intelligence agency try to impede all attempts to get to the truth of who wanted this couple dead. Despite growing political pressure, Koa digs further only to find himself drawn into a web of international intrigue. His investigation uncovers a government conspiracy that culminates in the arrest of Nāinoa Nihoa, the Hawai’i state representative running for governor, for murder in the deaths of the couple.

Robert McCaw brings the beauty of Hawai’i to the average reader and softens an otherwise grisly tale of murder and conspiracy. Espionage, treason and murder makes for a fascinating read and the action flows effortlessly through the pages. The language is easy to read and understand including the law enforcement and military lingo. An interesting detail is that the protagonist, Hilo Detective Chief Koa Kāne has a secret: as a young man, he killed a sugar mill manager to exact revenge on behalf of his father. He still feels guilt and remorse, yet he has not told anyone, including his girlfriend, and it affects his crime solving decisions. How long will it take for the secret to catch up to him? Stay tuned. “Off the Grid” is an intriguing crime mystery novel with enough plot twists to keep the reader turning pages until its jaw dropping ending. It is recommended for fans of mystery/crime novels with a flawed leading man who would not mind learning a thing or two about Hawai’i’s culture and its people. A definite must-read.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

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Month: July 2019