Month: October 2019

Stephen Harrigan book signing at The Alamo

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The book signing will take place Tuesday October 15 at The Alamo. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The New York Times bestselling author Stephen Harrigan will be appearing at The Alamo this Tuesday October 15 from 6p.m. to 7p.m. during a free community event presented by the San Antonio Book Festival and The Alamo. This event will feature a conversation between author, Stephen Harrigan and the San Antonio Book Festival’s Literary Director, Clay Smith. Harrigan is the  author of “The Gates of the Alamo,” a modern historical classic that retells the story of The Alamo. His latest book is “Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas.” Book sales and signing will begin at 4:30p.m. and the program begins at 6p.m. (San Antonio Book Festival, The Alamo, 2019)

Stephen Harrigan is the author of 11 books of fiction and nonfiction, including “The Gates of the Alamo,” which became a bestseller. He is a longtime writer for Texas Monthly and his articles and essays have appeared in a wide range of other publications. Harrigan is the recipient of the Texas Book Festival’s Texas Writers Award, the Lon Tinkle Award for lifetime achievement from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Texas Medal of Arts award from the Texas Cultural Trust and has been inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame. He lives in Austin with his wife Sue Ellen.

“Big Wonderful Thing” invites us to walk in the footsteps of ancient as well as modern people along the path of Texas’s evolution. Blending action and atmosphere with impeccable research, Harrigan brings to life with novelistic immediacy the generations of driven men and women who shaped Texas, including Spanish explorers, American filibusters, Comanche warriors, wildcatters, Tejano activists and spellbinding artists—all of them taking their part in the creation of a place that became not just a nation, not just a state, but an indelible idea.

The mission of the San Antonio Book Festival is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries and literary culture. A program of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, SABF was first presented in April 2013. Founding Partners are the Texas Book Festival, the San Antonio Public Library and Southwest School of Art. Through active partnerships with school districts and community organizations focused on literacy, education and culture, the Festival connects with educators, parents and students, pre-K through college. SABF reaches out to those who are well read and those who need to read well.

The Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205

Downtown Tuesday FREE parking at nearby lots:
Houston/Nolan Lot (Houston @ Elm); Convention Center Garage (850 E. Commerce) and Houston St. Garage (240 E. Houston)

Book review: ‘Love: A Story’ by Bill Smoot

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‘Love: A Story’ is the new book by Bill Smoot. Photo: Goggle

Bill Smoot is an American writer with a BA from Purdue University where he was editor of the student newspaper. He received his PhD in philosophy from Northwestern University and taught at Miami University in Ohio until he moved to California where he taught in private schools for four decades. His essays and short fiction have appeared in numerous publications including The Nation, Ohio Review, Literary Review and Salon.com. He is the author of “Conversations with Great Teachers,” a book of interviews with teachers from across the country and currently teaches in the Osher Institute of Lifelong Learning at UC-Berkley and at the Prison University Project at San Quentin Prison. His new book “Love: A Story” is filled with philosophic musings on the nature of love, life and storytelling with the dominant theme being that life is a story and that living is story telling.

In “Love: A Story,” the narrator is a casual observer who narrates and scrutinizes people’s lives and at times address an ‘audience.’ It all begins as Michael, a forty-year old prep schoolteacher in Berkeley, is driving home from school and sees a baby stroller rolling down the street toward him. He slams on the brakes, jumps out of his car and catches the stroller. This might appear like a casual event but for Michael it is symbolic and he sees it as a sign from the universe that his life is headed in the right direction. His wife Leanna is ready to have a baby and now he realizes that he is ready for fatherhood. The story then goes back to how they met when he, a photographer, hires her as a nude model for a photo shoot. Their relationship has its ups and downs, including her volatile temper, Michael’s health scare, their eventual marriage and unfortunate divorce. Even after Leanna leaves him, Michael cannot help but re-examine everything they went through in the hopes of finding meaning in it. The last part suggests that the book that Michael begins to write is the book the reader is reading and the reader is left to wonder whether the action is, in fact, ‘real’ or just ‘a story.’

Part love story, part philosophical musings, “Love: A Story” is mainly one man’s experience with love and the effect it has on his psyche. Both Michael and Leanna are trying to overcome a troubled past, but Michael, still haunted from being unable to help a distressed cow on the family farm, is bound and determined to make Leanna happy, sacrificing his own well-being. At the end she leaves him anyway, so she becomes yet another woman who wronged him. This is why some readers get a misogynistic vibe, but this is Michael’s story (or the author’s?). It is not a “happily-ever after” romance and it admittedly takes a depressing turn when he gets sick, but since the overall theme is stories and the people who experience them, it might inspire readers to tell their own and hopefully learn more about themselves. With easy to follow action and down to earth language, this novel is a page turner. The characters are well-developed, multi-dimensional and relatable because no one is immune to life’s hardships, romantic or otherwise. “Love: A Story” is recommended for fans of philosophy who appreciate love stories yet do not mind when they go awry.

“Nietzsche wrote, ‘Die at the right time.’ Stories reach a point at which they must end.”

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

‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

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‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ opens Friday October 11 at the Woodlawn Theatre.

The next production at the Woodlawn Theatre is ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,’ which opens on Friday October 11 and runs through Sunday November 3. ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ tells the story of two drag queens and a transgender woman who contract to perform at a resort in Alice Springs, a resort town in the remote Australian desert. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets are available online or by calling the Box Office at 210-267-8388. Ticket prices are: Adults $30, Senior/Military/First Responders $24, Children/Student $18. Groups of 10 people or more receive a 20% discount. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2019)

‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ is a musical with a book by Australian film director-writer Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, using well-known pop songs as its score. Based on the smash-hit movie of the same name, it is the heartwarming, uplifting adventure of three friends, Tick, Bernadette and Adam, a glamorous Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback. They hop aboard a battered old bus nicknamed Priscilla searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they ever could have ever dreamed of. Cast includes Ronald Watson as Bernadette, John Berring as Mitzi/Tick and Jesse Beere as Felicia/Adam. Christopher Rodriguez is Director/Choreographer and Andrew Hendley is Music Director.

During the entire run of ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,’ Woodlawn Theatre will be partnering with the nonprofit San Antonio AIDS Foundation and from October 11 through November 4, Woodlawn Theatre will be collecting toiletries.  Please drop off donations during normal box office hours Tuesday through Friday 2p.m. to 5p.m., Saturday 11a.m. to 2p.m. or anytime before the performance.

Promotional Nights:
Student Night – Saturday October 12 – $10 Student/Child tickets with code STUDENT
Pride Night – Friday October 25, 25% off tickets with code PRIDE
ASL (American Sign Language) Night – Saturday November 2, 25% off tickets with code ASL

Please note: ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,’ contains adult themes and adult language. It may not be suitable for patrons ages 18 and under.

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

La Cantera Resort & Spa named top resort in Southwest and Texas

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La Cantera Resort & Spa ranked in the top 10 in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Photo: La Cantera Resort & Spa, used with permission.

Condé Nast Traveler recently announced the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards with La Cantera Resort & Spa recognized as the #1 resort in the Southwest & Texas and #8 resort in the US. La Cantera Resort & Spa is the only Texas resort to be ranked in the top 10 throughout the US. More than 600,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers across the globe submitted a recording-breaking number of responses rating their travel experiences to provide a full snapshot of where and how people travel today. (La Cantera Resort & Spa, 2019)

The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” The 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards are published on Condé Nast Traveler’s online and celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler US and UK print editions.

Poised at the pinnacle of 550-acres, La Cantera Resort & Spa offers a pristine oasis with stunning views of the Texas Hill Country. The resort boasts two world-class, championship golf courses, never-ending culinary discoveries for every palate at 12 dining venues including Signature, Inspired by Chef Andrew Weissman; and Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness – a 25,000 sq. ft. wellness mecca. Carved into the hillside with dramatic views of San Antonio’s distant cityscape, guests enjoy holistic, meditative and restorative treatments that blend indigenous Texas elements with complements of European influences.

While La Cantera Resort & Spa has focused on creating several adult-minded escapes, new kid’s- activities provide younger guests several escapes of their own, “parents-optional.” This gives families the chance to revel with time together and guilt-free time apart. Together, new offerings include an expanded arcade that has tripled in size and is equipped with pool table, foosball, air hockey and high definition adventure and skill video games. The original arcade space features games for younger kids. The expanded Kid’s Club offers an array of diversion to keep the little ones entertained; movies, art-explosion, crafts, video games, outdoor excursions, smores and even a Naturalist Program which benefits the San Antonio Zoo.

Condé Nast Traveler is the world’s most distinguished travel title providing inspiration and advice for discerning travelers. Authoritative and influential, Condé Nast Traveler is a multi-platform, transatlantic brand. Publishing US and UK print editions under Editor-in-Chief Melinda Stevens, Condé Nast Traveler offers award-winning expertise in luxury travel from around the world.

“We take pride in our world-class property, team and services, and we are elated and humbled to be ranked so highly especially since it comes directly from readers and travelers who have experienced our Hill Country oasis. We look forward to continuing to provide elevated service and experience to our future guests.” John Spomer – vice president and managing director

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

October events at the Pearl

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The Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival is one of the events taking place at the Pearl in October. Photo: Matt Buikema, used with permission.

Pearl recently announced its campus-wide programming throughout October. The property will host numerous family-friendly and fall-focused events including the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival, San Antonio Herb Market, Pumpkin Patch and more. (Pearl, 2019)

October programming includes:
Bottling Department Two Dollar Tuesdays
The Bottling Department is excited to launch Two Dollar Tuesdays which kicked off on October 1. The following $2 specials will run all day every Tuesday at the food hall:

  • Maybelle’s: $2 soft serve cones
  • Bud’s Rotisserie: $2 jambo
  • Tenko Ramen: $2 edamame
  • The Good Kind: $2 corn in a cup
  • Fletcher’s Hamburgers: $2 large fry
  • Bar at the Bottling Department: $2 Pearl beer

San Antonio Herb Market – Saturday October 19 from 9a.m to 2p.m.
The 28th annual San Antonio Herb Market kicks off on Saturday, October 19 from 9a.m. to 2p.m. during Pearl Farmers Market. The featured herb of the year is Agastache Foeniculum (Giant Blue Hyssop), a perennial plant that belongs to the mint family. From 12p.m. to 1p.m., there will be a cooking demo held outside of Pearl Stable conducted by La Botanica Chef/Owner Rebel Mariposa. Pearl patrons can stop by to try recipes that use the highlighted herb.

Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival – Sunday, October 20 from 10a.m. to 2p.m.
Pearl and The Texas Butterfly Ranch are proud to host the fourth annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival on Sunday, October 20 from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Promising a weekend of science, education and fun, the festival will celebrate the Monarch Butterfly’s majestic migration through Texas on their way to Mexico to roost for the winter. The event will include a people for pollinators parade, monarch butterfly tagging, educational demonstrations, live music and the world debut of the Waggle Dance at noon. Costumes are encouraged. More information about events taking place around the city is available online.

Pumpkin Patch at Pearl Farmers Market – Saturday, October 26 from 9a.m. to 1p.m. and Sunday, October 27 from 10a.m. to 2p.m.
A weekend pumpkin patch provided by Braune Farms is set for right before Halloween and will take place during the Pearl Farmers Market. The annual Teal Pumpkin Project initiative will also be on site offering teal pumpkin painting to help grow awareness of a worldwide initiative that aims to cultivate inclusiveness of all children, especially those with food allergies, during the fall season/Halloween. Paint, brushes, and decorations are provided and families are encouraged to purchase small pumpkins from the patch to participate.

Pop-Ups at Pearl
Pearl is excited to continue its pop-up experiences during October at Pearl’s Dielmann Building. The Dielmann Building, located in the old Il Sogno space, will host retail shops Miron Crosby and Period Modern. Miron Crosby, a bespoke boot brand from Dallas, occupies the space in the beginning of the month, followed by Period Modern, a brand offering hand-selected vintage and authentic Danish mid-century furniture. Period Modern regularly features the work of makers such as Knoll and Herman Miller, as well as designers Milo Baughman, Paul McCobb and many of the Danish masters. Their vast collection of original vintage art pieces, fixtures and decor is updated daily. Period Modern often collaborates with other San Antonio business owners to sponsor live music shows and art exhibitions both in-house and off-premises. The October schedule includes:

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

Voter registration deadline is Monday October 7

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Deadline to vote in the November 5 election is Monday October 5. Proposition 5 will protect Texas’ natural areas and historic sites. Photo: google

On November 5, Texans will head to the polls and vote in a constitutional amendment election. Voters will determine whether or not to pass Proposition 5, one of 10 on the ballot, which will create a dedicated stream of revenue to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. This is important for protecting Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history, and it is vital to our economy. (Texas Coalition for State Parks, 2019)

For Texans, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming constitutional amendment election this fall is Monday, October 7, 2019, as voters must submit their voter registration at least 30 days before the election date. Those interested in voting on ballot items on November 5, 2019 can find out if they are registered to vote in the state, how to register if not, and discover where they can cast their ballots by visiting the links on the Texas Coalition for State Parks’ elections page.

Proposition 5 is a constitutional dedication of revenue from the existing sales tax, so those dollars can only be used by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission on public parks and historic sites and not for any other purposes. This Proposition requires no new taxes or fees. A “YES” vote on Proposition 5 on November 5 will protect Texas’ natural areas and historic sites, so Texans do not lose the very things that make Texas a special place in which to live.

The ballot language of Proposition 5 is: “The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”

The Texas Coalition for State Parks, was launched by a group of former Texas Parks & Wildlife Commissioners and park advocates with the sole purpose of advocating for a constitutional dedication of the Sporting Goods Sales Tax to state parks funding. The Texas Coalition for State Parks PAC was formed to engage voters ahead of the November 5, 2019 election and encourage them to support Proposition 5.

“As our state population grows, we must promote and protect our public parks and state historic sites. We can all agree that these special places are vital to our economy and to our Texas heritage, culture, and way of life. A reliable source of funding for state parks and historic sites is an investment in our future and a gateway to the outdoors for every Texan.” – State Senator Lois Kolkhorst

“For too long, state lawmakers have entrusted the hardworking leaders and personnel of our state parks system with a very important job, but did not give them the resources they needed to accomplish it. This amendment will change that and provide the funding system necessary to preserve these natural treasures for future generations.” – State Representative John Cyrier

Book of the week: ‘Becoming Starlight’ by Sharon Prentice, PhD

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‘Becoming Starlight’ by Sharon Prentice, PhD. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

“Becoming Starlight” is a memoir about the process of grief and its relationship to the mysteries concerning the afterlife. This book will bring comfort to those who are feeling unrelenting sorrow over the loss of loved ones. This memoir is a story of surviving grief and mending the wounds of loss.

In this deeply personal book, Sharon Prentice shares her long and difficult journey to find inner peace and cope with the death of her daughter and husband, all while trying to reconnect with God. Even though the subject matter may be difficult at times, including the details of her husband’s illness and deteriorating health, some readers may find solace in knowing that others have experienced such hardships. The language is easy to understand and the story flows from chapter to chapter and makes it a page turner for the target audience. In this case, it is the religious community that may find themselves questioning their faith and are looking for reassurances that in the end, their faith is not in vain. Sometimes the tone is unforgiving to scientists, science and those who do not believe in the afterlife and may turn off some readers. Regardless, the highlight is definitely the author’s description of her Shared Death Experience as it comes across as a beautiful experience that surrounded her with love, hope and comfort when she needed it most. “Becoming Starlight” is recommended for readers who are genuinely interested in the afterlife and need the comforting words of someone who, despite her personal losses, came out a better person.

“Dr. Sharon Prentice, in her book Becoming Starlight, assists all of humanity by transmuting our collective fear of death into love when she journeys to that mysterious place we call Heaven and returns to share her experiences with us. This messenger is worth listening to.”
— Tim Miejan, editor of The Edge Magazine

“In Becoming Starlight, the author teaches us the most important lesson of all—that love is the eternal fiber connecting all existence, living and beyond. Her extraordinary true story provides faith and ease to all who wonder what happens when our loved ones or we die.”
—Randi Fine, Author of Close Encounters of the Worst Kind, Podcast Host of A Fine Time for Healing

Dr. Sharon Prentice is a psychotherapist and spiritual counselor whose work focuses on helping patients process the grief of losing a loved one. “Becoming Starlight” is her memoir of healing from the devastating loss of her daughter and husband. She experienced a unique spiritual experience, known as a Shared Death Experience (SDE) which gave her a peek into forever and a sense of peace that was otherworldly.

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

Book review: ‘You Can See More From Up Here’ by Mark Guerin

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“You Can See More From Up Here” by Mark Guerin Photo: google

Mark Guerin is a playwright, copywriter and journalist who has an MFA from Brandeis University. A graduate of Grub Street’s Novel Incubator program in Boston, he is the winner of an Illinois Arts Council Grant, the Mimi Steinberg Award for Playwriting and Sigma Tau Delta’s Eleanor B. North Poetry Award. His debut novel “You Can See More From Up Here” is a coming-of-age story about the illusion of privilege and the power of the past to inform and heal the present. As of October 1, it is available everywhere books are sold.

“You Can See More From Up Here” begins with a memory that Walker Maguire would rather forget. He is in the medical exam room at American Motors with his father, the company’s doctor. The elder Maguire, an unhappily retired Air Force coronel, is making him take a summer job there and he needs a pre-employment physical. This memory takes place in the summer of 1974 but in the present, it is 2004 and a middle aged Walker is called to the deathbed of his estranged father in Bedford, Illinois. That summer, while working at the plant, he witnesses a bloody fight falsely blamed on Manny Camarasa, a Mexican immigrant but because he fears his white co-workers and his tyrannical father, he keeps quiet.

He thinks it is just a small lie, but it slowly leads to more lies, betrayals and the eventual disappearance of the Camarasa family and a lifelong rift between father and son. For years, Walker tries unsuccessfully to have an honest conversation with his father regarding the events of that summer but with him now in a coma, it seems that he will never get answers. It is up to him to find out what really happened and since too much time has passed, his memory is foggy so he starts a memoir. His father eventually passes so Walker never gets to hear his side of the story but some of his old demons are put to rest and he starts a new life in Bedford, after decades of running away from it.

In his debut novel, Mark Guerin paints a believable portrait of a Midwestern working class community and their everyday struggles. It contains the universal themes of family, first loves, racism and classism which are relevant at any time period. Growing up, Walker, whose father is a doctor, not only has to deal with family drama at home but also with resentments from those around him because of some imagined privilege that comes from being a doctor’s son. The author toggles back and forth between the past and the present without it becoming confusing. With easy to understand language and down to earth dialogue, the story flows easily from page to page, making it a natural page turner. The characters are well-developed and relatable but Piper, Walker’s little sister, remains a spoiled entitled brat in the past and the present. It is difficult to get through terms like “wetback” used to refer to the Mexican immigrants, but it brings the ugly truth of racism to light. “You Can See More From Up Here” is recommended for readers who appreciate a poignant coming of age novel that deals with racism, family drama, friendships, romance and the daily lives of the working class.

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

Hopdoddy Burger Bar celebrates anniversary with month long specials

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The Truffle Mac and Cheeseburger will be the first special this month to celebrate Hopdoddy’s ninth anniversary. Photo: Hopdoddy, used with permission.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar, the Austin-born burger joint, is celebrating its ninth birthday, aka Doddy-versary, this month with a month-long celebration of fan-favorite burgers. They will be throwing it back to celebrate with customer-favorite off-menu burgers that were previously run as specials. There will also be weekly giveaways on the Hopdoddy Instagram page. Doddy-versary will kick off on Thursday October 3 and run through the end of the month at all Hopdoddy locations. (Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 2019)

The specials for the month are as follows:

  • Week 1: October 3-9 – Truffle Mac and Cheeseburger
  • Week 2: October 10-16 – Big Parma Burger
  • Week 3: October 17-23 – Au Jus Burger
  • Week 4: October 24-30 – Boss Hog Burger

Hopdoddy Burger Bar was founded in 2010 in Austin and is a nationally-recognized burger and beer joint. The menu includes burgers, hand-cut Kennebec fries, farm fresh salads and handcrafter milkshakes. Hopdoddy also carries a variety of local craft beers on tap, can and bottle and a has a full bar featuring regional spirits, house-made liqueurs and freshly squeezed juices. Named “The Best Burgers in America” by Food & Wine, Hopdoddy has locations in Texas, Arizona, Colorado and California with more to come.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar at the Rim
17623 La Cantera Pkwy Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210)434-2337