Day: October 11, 2021

Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life San Antonio celebrate the spooky season

Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life San Antonio have special events for the month of October. Photo: google

Throughout October, Legoland Discovery Center San Antonio and Sea Life San Antonio will offer fun events and opportunities for kids of all ages, as well as adults, to celebrate the season at the two family attractions inside the Shops at Rivercenter. (Merlin Entertainments, 2021)

• Legoland Discovery Center Brick or Treat. Mini-master builders will have SPOOK-TACULAR fun beginning October 8 through the end of the month at the ultimate indoor LEGO® playground. Families can learn to build spooky LEGO® creations with expert Builders at a Halloween-themed creative workshop, snap pics with a 6-foot DUPLO® pumpkin, and take a guess at how many pumpkins, ghosts, and skeletons are in MINILAND® San Antonio to win BRICKTASTIC prizes. All kids entering Legoland Discovery Center will receive a skeleton LEGO mini figure while supplies last.

• Legoland Discovery Center Adult Night: On Friday, October 22 from 6p.m. – 8:30p.m., adults will have the chance to unleash their inner kid for a night. Kids-at-heart will enjoy full access to the attraction rides, LEGO building contests, food and drinks by LandShark Bar & Grill, a family-friendly costume contest, and Miniland Scavenger Hunt with LEGO prizes and more.

• Sea Life Underwater Pumpkin Patch Scavenger Hunt: In celebration of Fish-or-Treat, from October 8 through the end of the month, guests of Sea Life San Antonio will enjoy the under-the-sea scavenger hunt experience while rays, sharks and sea creatures swim overhead in over 160,000 gallons of water.

Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center San Antonio
849 E. Commerce St.
San Antonio, TX

Single day tickets and annual passes for Sea Life San Antonio are available online as are single day tickets and annual passes for Legoland Discovery Center. Combination annual passes to both attractions are also available on both websites.

Merlin Entertainments is a global leader in location-based, family entertainment. As Europe’s number one and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin operates 137 attractions, 22 hotels and 6 holiday villages in 24 countries across 4 continents. Merlin’s purpose is to deliver memorable experiences to its millions of guests around the world, through its iconic brands and multiple attraction formats, and the commitment and passion of its employees.

Maja Francis’ debut full length album A Pink Soft Mess

Maja Francis brings Swedish emo country pop to the forefront with debut full-length album A Pink Soft Mess. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In taking a step back from her signature synth-laden, sparkling pop music, Swedish singer and songwriter Maja Francis rediscovered her roots—and her piano—while writing songs for her full-length debut album A Pink Soft Mess. Released worldwide last month, A Pink Soft Mess finds the daughter of a record store owner embracing her melancholy and emotional country-pop sound which matches brilliantly with the album’s shimmering pink design themes—fitting for an artist often described as “Emo Dolly Parton.” Recorded with and produced by Johannes Runemark and David Wikberg together with Maja Francis, A Pink Soft Mess can be streamed or purchased right now at this link. (Maja Francis, 2021)

A Pink Soft Mess opens with the previously released single, “Anxious Angel,” which fans may have heard on Netflix’s acclaimed series Love & Anarchy. “This song is to all my fellow anxious angels,” says Francis. “To make us feel less lonely.” “Tiny Tornados” comes next; the first song Francis wrote on her way back to loving music again. “I opened up to fall in love with writing songs and singing them again,” she recalls of the writing of “Tiny Tornados.” “It’s also kind of a tribute to my ADHD, and how it feels to live with the constant ups and downs.” Also included is a stellar cover of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work,” a song which has always made Francis “feel physical sensations.” “I love when music does that to you. Like…shakes you around like a snow globe,” she says. “I think Kate wrote this song for a movie about birth from a man’s perspective. But for me it’s about loss. Losing someone or yourself—and how painful that is.”

Album single “PMS Party” is the low-key women’s anthem of the year. “I’m having a PMS party and nobody’s invited / I wanna be lonely and do whatever I want.” “I wrote ‘PMS Party’ on a moody PMS day, it’s the fastest song I’ve ever written,” recalls Francis. “I didn’t know if the boys in the studio would get it but I took it with me the next day, they loved it and after a while I found them in a room singing ‘pms party’ backing vocals.” The final single from A Pink Soft Mess, “Mama,” is an unreleased collaboration with Johanna and Klara Söderberg—better known as First Aid Kit. A tribute to Francis’s mother, “Mama” is about feeling a mom’s love and learning how to reciprocate it. “Now that I’m all grown up, I understand so much more about her struggles and her pain, and I also see so much of myself in her,” says Francis about her “mama.” Fans should also stay tuned for an upcoming music video for “Mama.”

When it is all said and done, A Pink Soft Mess is distinctive, emotional, personal, the result of a variety of strong sources of inspiration, experiences, and collaborations. With this new material, Francis has abandoned the world where music creation is captivated by demands and expectations and where commercial success becomes the only significant point of assessment. Now, when Francis returns with her new music, it comes straight from the heart.

A Pink Soft Mess Track list:
1. Anxious Angel
2. Tiny Tornados
3. PMS Party
4. Mama (ft. First Aid Kit)
5. Lava Love
6. This Woman’s Work
7. Lucky
8. Emo Butterfly
9. How Are We Doing

October releases from Metal Assault Records

Zych’s Dante’s Inferno Part I will be released on October 22, 2021. Photo: Metal Assault Records.

Happy October, heavy metal fans! Here are this month’s upcoming new releases from Metal Assault Records. (Metal Assault Records, 2021)

ZYCH
Solo artist Zych’s eponymous debut album, the epic progressive power masterpiece Dante’s Inferno Part I, will be released October 22 via Metal Assault Records. The album’s second single “Canto V – Lust” is now live, along with an awe-inspiring guitar play through video. Pre-orders for the album (digital, CD, merch bundles) are available now.

Dante’s Inferno Part I will begin a series of solo albums dedicated to the poetry of Dante Alighieri. Unlike other albums based on Dante’s Inferno, this album goes in-depth into each canto. The album is nearly 70 minutes long with eight intense songs (No fillers). This is a progressive metal album that drops the boundaries between all genres. Every track takes on its own direction with an all-star musical cast of internationally well-known musicians. Also included for each song will be a work from a well-established visual artist. This is a heavy metal soundscape as you read the first eight cantos of The Inferno.

Dante’s Inferno Part I track listing:
1. Canto I – Overture (8:56)
2. Canto II – Gates Of Sorrow (5:23)
3. Canto III – All Hope Abandon (8:27)
4. Canto IV – Limbo (10:04)
5. Canto V – Lust (6:37)
6. Canto VI – The Gluttonous (8:24)
7. Canto VII – The Avaricious & The Wrathful (9:08)
8. Canto VIII – Into the Depths of Hell (11:21)
Total Runtime: 1:08:20

DAEMONELIX
A collaboration between musicians from the US, Canada, Australia and Spain, Daemonelix will release their four-track stomper Devil’s Corkscrew on October 15, 2021 via Metal Assault Records. Engineered and mixed by bassist / rhythm guitarist Derek W. Phillips and mastered by the prolific Maor Appelbaum (Candlemass, Armored Saint, Faith No More, Halford, Dream Theater and several others), Devil’s Corkscrew will be released on digipack CD and digital platforms. CDs, merch bundles and digital downloads are now available for pre-order.

Exhibiting a wide range of influences from Black Sabbath to Tool to Clutch to Lamb Of God and everything in between, Daemonelix has created a sound that is as unique as it is instantly identifiable. Devil’s Corkscrew hits the listener hard with elements of doom, death and groove metal, among several other styles and sub-genres within the heavy music spectrum. Romanian artist Mihai Manescu a.k.a. Obsidian Nibs designed the cover art for Devil’s Corkscrew.

Devil’s Corkscrew track listing:
1. Daemonelix (3:57)
2. Raise Crows (3:37)
3. In the Name of Freedom (5:02)
4. Sing For The Moon (5:58)

Daemonelix is:
Vocals – Ana Garcia Lopez (Spain)
Bass / Guitar – Derek W. Phillips (USA)
Drums – Pat Labuda (Canada)
Lead Guitar – Andrew Luddy (Australia)

ABSOLUM
Louisiana heavy metal band Absolum will unleash their debut album Grand Design October 15 via Metal Assault Records. The album’s second single + video “Black To Red” is now live, and pre-orders for the album (digital, CD, merch bundle) are now available. Tearing through the confines a single sub-genre; Absolum bellows with aggression and groove on Grand Design. Thick, heavy and thrashy, Absolum exhibits a broad range of talent across each track while maintaining their distinctly Louisiana metal vibe throughout the album.

Grand Design track listing:
1. Believer (4:09)
2. Grand Design (3:48)
3. Chemical Abyss (3:29)
4. Black to Red (5:34)
5. The Apath (2:58)
6. Exordium (3:26)
7. Thin Skin (2:43)
8. Bloodlust (4:07)

Total Runtime: 30:14

VANDALIZER
New York City heavy rock ‘n rollers Vandalizer will release their three-song spinner Ride on October 29, 2021 on Metal Assault Records. The anticipated EP is available to pre-order now and will be issued on cassette tape and on all digital platforms. Pre-orders include exclusive merch bundles in addition to the release format of your choice, available now.

On Ride, Vandalizer mixes 1980s NWOBHM with the sounds of ’70s Punk N’ Roll for an exhilarating listen. Stream the EP’s lead single “Time Can’t Count” originally premiered September 3 and is now on YouTube. Vandalizer first entered the scene with their debut EP New Curse in 2015, followed by the Desensitize EP in 2017, giving listeners concise doses of exactly what they describe themselves as – a thoroughly enjoyable hybrid of old-school punk, rock ‘n roll and heavy metal.

VANDALIZER is:
Mike McWilliams: Vocals/Guitar
Stosh McMichael: Drums/Backup Vocals
Sam Harris: Bass/Backup Vocals

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou fall menu

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou features French comfort food that showcases simple, earthy, flavorful dishes from regions throughout France. Photo: Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, used with permission.

Welcome to Fall. Celebrate the new season at Brasserie Mon Chou Chou. Brasserie Mon Chou Chou is a part of the Southerleigh Hospitality Group, which practices a culture of service first and is in one of the most recognizable modern-day developments in the U.S. at the Historic Pearl. The menu features French comfort foods that highlight flavorful dishes from regions throughout France. (Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, 2021)

This fall, we are thrilled to highlight our new seasonal all-day menu and brunch menu, highlighting French cuisine with epicurean dishes inspired and created by Mon Chou Chou’s executive team including Executive Chef Laurent Réa.

CHOU CHOU FALL MENU

-All Day MENU –
Addition :

First Course:

Os a moelle, Sauce Vierge – 14
Wagyu Bone Marrow, Sauce Vierge, Toasted Batard

Terrine du Jour per slice – Mkt Price
Paté of the day, Baguette and Classic Accompaniment

Homard à la Parisienne, Caviar domestic – 38
Chilled Parisian Style Lobster, Domestic Caviar

Steak Tartare au Couteau – 18
Chopped Filet Tartare with Caper, Quail egg, Shallot and White Anchovy

Salads & Sandwich

Salade Lyonnaise – 15
Mâche Salad with Poached Egg, Lardon, Crouton and Comté cheese

Sandwich Chaud Poulet à la créme d’Estragon – 18
Warm Rotisserie Chicken, Tarragon Cream, Petite Salad, Herbed Bun

Avec Les Frites:
Moules Sauce Poulette – 24
Normandy Style Mussels in White Wine and Cream, Mushrooms

Cordon Bleu de Veau à la Chou Chou – 29
Veal Cordon Bleu Sandwich in a Magnol Bakery Bun, Aioli, Cornichons

Pomme de Terre en Robe des Champs, Sauce Fromage Raclette – 14
Baked Potato with Gratinée Raclette Cheese Sauce and lardon

Entrée:
Poêlée de St Jaques, Purée de Celery – 45
Pan Seared Sea Scallops, Celery root Purée, braised seasonal mushroom,
beurre blanc and Trout roe

Tagliatelles aux Champignons – 25
Tagliatelle Pasta, Seasonal Mushrooms, Truffle and Porcini Cream

Traditionnel Boeuf Bourguignon – 29
Braised Beef Cheek in a Burgundy Wine Sauce, Marble Potatoes,
Pearl Onions, Bacon

Sides:
Polenta Crémeuse au fromage – 7
Soft Cheese Polenta

Choux Rouge Braisé au lard et 5 épices – 7
Alsatian Style Braised Red Cabbages, 5 spice

Dessert:
Tarte Tatin, Crème Fraîche – 9
Caramel Apple Tart, Crème Fraîche

Iles Flottantes, Crème Anglaise – 8
“Floating Island,” Vanilla Meringue, Toasted Almond

– Brunch MENU –

Brunch Entrées

Polenta Crémeuse au fromage, Oeuf Poché, Ragoût de Champignon – 17
Soft Cheese Polenta, Poached Egg and Mushroom Ragout

Merguez et Oeufs – TBD
Sausage and Eggs, Merguez Style Sausage, Sunny Side
Up Eggs, French Country Potatoes

Pomme de Terre en Robe des Champs, Sauce Fromage Raclette – 14
Baked Potato with Gratinée Raclette Cheese Sauce and lardon

Salades & Sandwiches:

Cordon Bleu de Veau à la Chou Chou – 29
Veal Cordon Bleu Sandwich in a Magnol Bakery Bun, Aioli, Cornichons

Dessert:

Tarte Tatin, Crème Fraîche – 9
Caramel Apple Tart, Crème Fraîche

Iles Flottantes, Crème Anglaise – 8
“Floating Island,” Vanilla Meringue, Toasted Almond