Month: December 2020

San Antonio Charter Moms launches new podcast

San Antonio Charter Moms’ podcast provides in-depth, timely education solutions and resources. Photo: San Antonio Charter Moms, used with permission.

Whether distance learning, homeschooling, micro schooling, traditional on-campus or virtual schooling, San Antonio Charter Moms offers support, guidance and resources for parents and caregivers as they navigate the unchartered waters of pandemic parenting and schooling. For the first time, Charter Moms Chats are available in podcast form through Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Charter Moms Chats cover hot button topics between Host and Founder of San Antonio Charter Moms, Inga Cotton, and regional education experts. (San Antonio Charter Moms, 2020)

Recent podcast highlights include: Fighting Cyberbullying in the Age of Distance Learning, Charter and Choice Schools Open Enrollment Season Up to Date Insights and Using Insights from Previous Standardized Testing Results

DECEMBER 2020 PODCAST SCHEDULE:

  • December 14: Special guest Ambika Dani, CEO and Superintendent of Promesa Academy Charter Schools, covers enrollment and school vision.
  • December 15: Special guests Soner Tarim, CEO of Royal Public Schools, and school board members discuss enrollment and what to expect from the new charter.
  • December 16: Special guest Wendy Gonzalez-Neal, the Founder of My Child My Voice, shares a parent’s perspective about her school choice journey and being a parent advocate.
  • December 17: Special guest Barry LeMaitre, Principal at Brooks Lone Star, discusses enrollment and what student life is like at Brooks Academies of Texas.
  • December 18: Special guest TBA on the topic of Legislative priorities

San Antonio Charter Moms offers several online communities designed to fulfill the nonprofit’s mission of being the most trusted information source on education in the region. The Owl’s Education Express e-newsletter offers weekly updates on recent posts on the San Antonio Charter Moms blog, a list of upcoming events and important dates, and links to local education news. The Facebook discussion group serves as a sounding board and support group to more than 7,000 members seeking guidance on navigating school choice options, distance learning struggles and other educational challenges that families are currently facing. SACM developed San Antonio’s first free school finder app in 2019 called “San Antonio Charter Schools” and now includes the finder function through the nonprofit’s website for easy browsing. Charter Moms Chats are first broadcast live on Facebook several times a week at 4p.m., where Cotton and guests answer viewer questions and share additional learning resources. The education-focused nonprofit reaches a digital audience of more than 21,000 through its various social media channels, website, school finder mobile app and e-newsletter.

San Antonio Charter Moms (SACM) began as a blog in 2012 when Founder Inga Cotton was inspired to help San Antonio families more easily find good information about high-quality school options. Starting with a focus on the growing local charter school offerings, the blog has evolved into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that shares fair information about all types of schools. Established in 2018 as a nonprofit, SACM can accept funding that enables it to grow in ways that support accomplishing its mission of being the most trusted information source on education in the region. This growth includes Spanish-language blog post translations, surveying target publics, holding meetings with decisionmakers, supporting public speaking, community outreach and enhancing mobile technology.

“We aim to make our resources more equitable to all to empower families to make informed decisions about their child’s education. We hope this new format makes accessibility even more convenient for busy families.” – Inga Cotton, Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms

Christmas-themed trivia at Pluckers Wing Bar

Pluckers Wing Bar is hosting two nights of Christmas-themed trivia nights. Photo: Melissa; Skorpil, used with permission.

This month, Texas’ favorite wing restaurant, Pluckers Wing Bar, will be hosting two virtual Christmas-themed trivia nights on Sunday, December 20 and Wednesday, December 23, 2020. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2020)

Christmas-themed family trivia game night

On Sunday, December 20 beginning at 6p.m., Pluckers’ weekly Sunday Family Trivia Game Night will return on Facebook Live for three rounds of Christmas-themed trivia and fun physical challenges, both kid-friendly.  Pair with a Pluckers’ family meal pack and you are sure to have a safe and fun night with the kids.

Christmas-themed trivia

On Wednesday, December 23 beginning at 7:30p.m., participants can access the Christmas-themed live stream trivia on Facebook Live.  Round up your team for an evening featuring 10 questions in each round: sports, nerd, movie lines, movie quotes, name that tune, random, and more. Guests can complete the form to participate and all participants will receive a freebie menu item on their next order, just for playing.  Just submit your entry before the start of the following week’s trivia night to receive your coupon code in your confirmation email.  The order must be $30 or more to qualify.

‘Seasons of Art – A SAMA Celebration’

The public can now enjoy San Antonio Museum of Art’s ‘Seasons of Art – A SAMA Celebration.’ Photo: google

Last Friday, December 4, the San Antonio Museum of Art held their first-ever virtual fundraiser, ‘Seasons of Art – A SAMA Celebration,’ which featured a beautiful live streamed performance by several area performers. As a gift to the San Antonio community this holiday season, SAMA has now made the virtual performance available to the public for viewing for free, with a suggested donation. The performance may be viewed on YouTube. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2020)

In addition, SAMA has opened their raffle to the public. Those interested can purchase raffle tickets starting at $25 for one ticket or $100 for five raffle tickets. Prizes include: 1) an exclusive dinner for eight in the Museum catered by Tre, Trattoria 2) a one-night stay at Hotel Emma and dinner for two at Supper 3) an autographed, limited edition Vincent Valdez print of former Spurs player Manu Ginobili and four courtside Spurs tickets (date to be determined) and 4) a spectacular piece of vintage Mexican silver from the SAMA shop.

Tickets may be purchased online. Raffle winners will be announced on Thursday, December 17, 2020. All proceeds will benefit SAMA, allowing the Museum to continue to provide extraordinary experiences with art, digitally and in person, to the San Antonio community.

Big Day of Play: Winter Wonderland at The DoSeum

Big Day of Play: Winter Wonderland is this Saturday, December 12 at The DoSeum. Photo: The DoSeum.

On Saturday, December 12, The DoSeum celebrates the Holiday Season with Big Day of Play: Winter Wonderland when families will spend the whole day embracing curiosity and wonder. This holiday themed day-long celebration will bring hands-on and minds-on fun to the entire family. Activities are focused on STEM, the arts, and literacy and will inspire everyone to learn through play. Families will enjoy learning about holiday traditions from around the globe and learning about the science of ice and snow. The DoSeum’s Winter Wonderland is set to be the coolest activity in town. (The DoSeum, 2020)

The event is free with a General Admission ticket purchase and includes admission to the DoSeum’s special exhibit Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage, an art and science exhibition that explores the successes of those who think outside the box when faced with the challenges of dyslexia. The exhibition defines some of the tools and resources for identification, intervention, and pathways to success. Activities for the day include: Cool Science: Unfrozen, Ice Mountain Excavation, Bamboo Brush Artistry, Microscope Décor, and Buche De Noël Cake Decorating. Guests who would like to attend the Buche Noël Cake Decorating during Winter Wonderland need to RSVP for the preferred time.

The DoSeum, San Antonio’s museum for kids, is one of the leading children’s museums in the nation; a place where children learn by doing. The DoSeum offers innovative exhibits and experiences to get children excited about concepts in science, math, art, and literacy and encourages them to take the excitement into the world. The DoSeum is a 501 c3-non-profit organization.

H-E-B Feast of Sharing to distribute holiday meals and produce

H-E-B’s Feast of Sharing will be this Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at the AT&T Center. Photo: google

Because of the pandemic, after 28 years of putting on their annual Feast of Sharing dinners for San Antonio, H-E-B is changing their way of setting the table for families this year. H-E-B is donating 10,800 H-E-B Meal Simple holiday dinners, along with 40,000 pounds of fresh produce, to add to the San Antonio Food Bank’s upcoming mega distribution at the AT&T Center on Tuesday December 15, 2020. H-E-B also will have more than 200 H-E-B Partner volunteers to help distribute the food to the expected 2,000 households that morning. There is still time to pre-register for Tuesday’s distribution which will be held at the AT&T Center at 9a.m. sharp. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2020)

In addition to H-E-B, other partners are joining in to bring additional holiday cheer to families. Those partners, anchored by Spurs Give and Spurs Sports & Entertainment include: Frost Bank, Valero, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, EVO Entertainment, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and Silver Eagle Beverages, Jack Daniel’s, and Décor IQ. Non-food items being donated by these generous companies include gift cards, water bottles, gas cards, coloring books, crayons, candy canes and chocolate candies, blankets, masks, children’s books, movie passes, and vouchers to illumiNight: A Magical Drive-Thru Experience.

H-E-B has been a longtime and critical partner to the Food Bank’s mission of setting the table for those facing hunger. Along with its year-round support of hunger relief organizations, H-E-B supports San Antonio Food Bank through several company initiatives such as the H-E-B Help End Hunger donation campaign, which raises funds for local food banks in Texas, and large-scale donations during National Hunger Action Month in September.

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non‐profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to over 530 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas serving those in need. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long‐term food security.

With sales of $28 billion, H-E-B operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 115th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience and lowest prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 120,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities.

“The pandemic has seen thousands more hurting in our community. Imagine the anxiety the holidays bring, and then add on top of it not having food. It breaks your heart.  H-E-B bring both hope and meal ingredients to our hurting neighbors, and we could not be more grateful.” – Eric Cooper, President & CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank

Pluckers Wing Bar holiday gift guide

Pluckers Christmas Bundle. Photo: Pluckers Wing Bar, used with permission.

Pluckers Wing Bar is having a Holiday Gift Card Promo and a Christmas Bundle offer perfect for gift giving season.  (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2020)

Now through Christmas Eve, when a guest purchases an e-gift card of $25 or more, 20% will be added free to the purchaser’s e-gift card account on January 1, 2021. When a guest purchases a physical gift card of $30 or more, 10% will be added free to the purchaser’s physical gift card on January 1, 2021.

For the devoted Pluckers’ fan, there is the Pluckers Christmas Bundle, valued at $45 and includes the following below items. When purchasing a Christmas Bundle, add a sauce bottle of your choice to your cart and get it FREE.

  • Ugly Christmas Stocking
  • Ugly Christmas Sweater Shirt
  • Button Pack (6-count)
  • Chicken Wing Keychain
  • Chicken Wing Socks
  • Bumper Sticker
  • Choice of Sauce Bottle (FREE with purchase of Christmas Bundle)

Festive holiday offerings from all around San Antonio

La Panaderia’s personal size Christmas pies. Photo: La Panaderia, used with permission.

This holiday season, most people will be staying home and getting creative with holiday shopping. Whether celebrating with family or alone, local businesses are making it easy for San Antonio residents to celebrate the festive season. EVO Entertainment’s Movie Night Holiday Box will provide the ultimate home theater experience and La Panaderia and Bakery Lorraine are offering a variety of delectable treats sure to boost anyone’s holiday cheer. See below for a full list of Christmas offerings in the Alamo City this year. (Pearl, 2020)

Pearl and its Farmers Market Curbside debuts a variety of curated boxes filled with holiday gifts from regional producers and family farms that are perfect for gifting. Holiday shoppers can pre-order their products packaged in a beautiful, hand-printed Pearl gift box starting NOW through December 15 for pick up, or through December 18 for shipping (select boxes are available for shipping). Orders can be placed at Pearl Farmers Market and a full menu is available online.

Bakery Lorraine will offer a selection of festive desserts perfect for sharing. Offerings include their Apple Cranberry Pie made with a unique fusion of fresh ingredients and perfectly dusted with Christmas spice. A twist on the classic apple pie, the Dutch Apple Pie is made with four types of fresh apples and topped with a delicately crafted apple assortment and their legendary Whiskey Pecan Pie is made with a kick of Jack Daniels No. 7 Whiskey. All holiday pies are available for $26. The yearly treat, Buche De Noel ($48), is handcrafted with edible whimsical art that changes yearly and features a fluffy vanilla mousse, cherries, and a dreamy chocolate sponge cake saturated in a special kirsch syrup. 

All items can be pre ordered in-store or online. The last day to place a pre-order will be Friday, December 18 for Christmas Eve pickup. The Buche De Noel is available for pickup from December 12 through 31. Items will be available for pre-order at all Bakery Lorraine locations in San Antonio and Austin.

EVO Entertainment is offering a Movie Night Holiday Gift Box this holiday season for those missing the movie-going experience. The box will provide movie lovers with everything needed to create the perfect movie viewing experience at home: two limited-edition EVO tumblers, two boxes of classic candies and a large bag of movie theater popcorn. The Movie Night box is $24.99 and is available online or in store.

La Panaderia will once again be offering their traditional holiday pies this season and will include family size or personal size of the Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, and Mixed Berry pies.  The Apple Croissant, the pan dulce holiday favorite, is available now for purchase for $5 online and in-store and the Christmas pies will be available for pre-order beginning December 15 through December 23 at select prices.  Pies may be picked up prior to Christmas Day.

For the first time, La Panaderia will be serving gooey and delicious s’mores cookies. The scratch-made chocolate cookies are packed with chocolate chunks and toasted marshmallows. The unique Christmas cookies come in a package of 6 for $18 and can be pre-ordered starting December 15.

La Panaderia is also offering Mimosa Kits to take home this year. The kit comes with a 750 ml bottle of JP Chenet Brut and half a gallon of fresh orange juice for $36.  Mimosa Kits are available for curbside pickup or dine-in.

Later this month, guests can pre-order the traditional pan dulce, Rosca de Reyes, starting on Tuesday December 29 in preparation for Epiphany Day on January 6, 2021.  Guests will have the option to purchase a small Rosca de Reyes for $4.50, a six-pack of small Rosca de Reyes for $24, or a family size Rosca de Reyes for $24.

The Jerk Shack’s family packs are designed to feed groups of six, making them the perfect option for a small Christmas gathering, which is an all too real situation during a pandemic. Guests can order Jerk Ribs, Jerk Tacos and Jerk Chicken with shareable sides to feed the group. Orders can be placed prior to Christmas Eve as the Jerk Shack will be closed for the holidays. Jerk Ribs with four sharable sides ($55), Jerk Tacos with two sharable sides ($45), Jerk Chicken with three sharable sides ($45)

“After a rollercoaster year, it is important now more than ever to support local businesses, and in turn for businesses like us to continue to do our part to bring joy to the San Antonio community. La Panadería was built on tradition, so it is always an honor for us when guests choose to share our seasonal items with their families and make us part of their own family traditions.” – David Caceres, La Panaderia co-founder

 

Taco Cabana caters for the Holidays

Taco Cabana’s catering options include enchilada casseroles and individually packaged Taco Boxes. Photo: Giant Noise, used with permission.

This holiday season let Taco Cabana ease the stress of meal preparation with a wide variety of catering options featuring all of Taco Cabana’s favorites.  Guests can now order Taco Cabana’s new 24-pack Enchilada Casserole, individually packaged Taco Boxes, and other delicious TC menu options as part of TC Holiday catering. Catering packages are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Taco Cabana, 2020)

As a special incentive, any Taco Cabana guest placing catering orders for pick-up or delivery through December 31, 2020 by calling 1-855-4-MYTACO, or online using code M05328, will receive a 15% discount off their order if placed by Friday, December 18, 2020.  

The 24-pack Enchilada Casserole is the latest addition to Taco Cabana Catering and is the perfect easy-to-serve addition to any holiday season. Guests can enjoy the Enchilada Casserole for $89.99. The casserole is topped with the guest’s choice of two sauces, including Queso, Ranchero, Green, Suiza, Sour Cream or Tex-Mex. Each casserole is served with Taco Cabana’s signature refried beans, rice, pico de gallo and salsa roja. The TC catering menu is available online. Catering is available at all participating Taco Cabana locations in Texas.  

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGI), was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, burritos, tacos, flour tortillas and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of beer and tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up, and delivery. As of November 1, 2020, Taco Cabana operates 144 company-owned restaurants in Texas.

Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc., owns, operates and franchises Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana® restaurant brands. The brands specialize in the operation of fast casual/quick service restaurants that offer distinct and unique flavors with broad appeal at a compelling value. The brands feature fresh-made cooking, drive-thru service, and catering.

Streaming guide: new releases and family friendly programming

Locas Por Cambio is available on Amazon Prime Video. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The holidays are a time to spend with family and some of those moments are spent watching television.  The following is a guide for family-friendly shows and films to watch this season.  (H + M Communications, 2020)

Family Friendly

Universal Pictures – The Croods: A New Age Release date: December 18 on PVOD.  The Croods have survived their fair share of dangers and disasters, from fanged prehistoric beasts to surviving the end of the word, but now they will face their biggest challenge of all: another family.

Focus Features- Half Brothers Release date: December 4. Renato, a successful Mexican aviation executive, is shocked to discover he has an American half-brother he never knew about — the free-spirited Asher. The two vastly different brothers are forced on a road trip together, masterminded by their ailing father, to trace the path he took as an immigrant from Mexico to America.

Pantaya – Celebremos: Eterna Navidad Release date: December 4. Juanes hosts a group of A-list Latinx celebrities in his home.  Not the typical holiday special because there is a fun story intertwined with music, food, and fun.  Premieres on the Spanish language streaming service Pantaya.

Peacock – Saved By The Bell Release date: available now. California Governor Zack Morris closes low-income high schools, relocating the affected students to Bayside, the richest school in the state. The new students give the oblivious Bayside kids a much-needed reality check.

Peacock – Shrek Release date: available now. To save his home, a monster with a donkey makes a deal with a mean lord to rescue a beautiful princess.  Available free with ads to all Peacock users.

Peacock – Trolls World Tour Release date: available now. When a rock ‘n’ roll king and queen set out to destroy other forms of music, Poppy and Branch embark on a daring mission to unite six different troll tribes to save the diverse melodies from becoming extinct.

Adventure/comedy

Amazon Prime – Locas Por Cambio Release date: available now. Tells the funny story of Paula (Mariel Molino) who has had a life full of privileges that have led her to feel satisfied with her life, and of Paulina (Sofía Sisniega) who has experienced the opposite and who feels overwhelmed with the responsibilities of modern life. Everything will change one fateful day when they step into each other’s shoes and discover that not everything is what it seems.  Between tangles and adventures, they will experience what makes them so different and similar at the same time.

Amazon Prime Video – El Cid Release date: December 18. El Cid is a Spanish Amazon Original series about the man behind the legend of El Cid Campeador (played by Jaime Lorente). A journey that narrates the trajectory of the young “Ruy” until he became a faithful vassal, knight, and hero of the Spanish crown in the 11th century.

Children’s Ballet and Bird Bakery present ‘Children’s Nutcracker’

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents a feel-good virtual fundraiser for the whole family. Photo: Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, used with permission.

The holidays would not be the same without Tchaikovsky’s timeless holiday tale ‘The Nutcracker.’ This is why the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is keeping the tradition alive, but in a safe and socially distanced way with an interactive virtual fundraiser that offers fun for the entire family. It is set to take place virtually Friday, December 18 at 7p.m., and Saturday, December 19 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. and then again Friday, December 25 at 7p.m. and Saturday, December 26 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. The fairytale comes to life with a full-length production featuring dazzling costumes, multimedia integrated scenery, award-winning dancers, and a talented array of young performers (including special needs artists) in a variety of disciplines. This year’s interpretation will have a 2020 twist with masks and Zoom family gatherings integrated into the storyline.  So put on your holiday PJs, throw a log on the fire, grab a cup of cocoa, and prepare to be enchanted as Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen and more, dance their way into your living room—and into your hearts. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2020)

To sweeten the tradition, Bird Bakery will be providing cookie decorating kits designed for boys and girls featuring six of their mouthwatering cookies in the shapes of ballet slippers, ballerinas and, of course, Nutcrackers, along with three tubes of their special Royal Icing in blue, pink and white for creating your culinary masterpiece. Need inspiration? The piping pros at Bird Bakery will offer a cookie decorating tutorial during intermission to guide you through the process of creating the perfect cookie. Bird will also offer sandwich platters for both children and adults that include chips and their famous Monster cookies as well as a Cupcake for a Cause topped with an iced ballet slipper from December 7-13. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this decadent dessert will go to CBSA.

Tickets for this special event start at $50 with tax-deductible sponsorship packages ranging from $100 to $10,000 depending on the package and can be purchased online where viewers can also find Bird Bakery order and pickup deadlines.  All sponsorships of $100 and up include at least one link to the showtime of choice plus a Bird Bakery cookie decorating set. Cookie decorating sets and sandwich platters are also available to purchase a la carte.

The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is an authentic, professional-level ballet company that produces professionally staged productions showcasing San Antonio’s most talented children. Dancers are selected by invitation or audition. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit organization 501(c)3 whose mission is to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds.

“We are thrilled to bring the tradition of the Nutcracker home for the holidays. This year more than ever, families are searching for ways to focus on the silver linings and create memorable moments at home. We hope this interactive experience will make the holidays that much richer.” – Vanessa Bessler, CBSA Founder.