Day: February 22, 2022

PechaKucha San Antonio at the San Antonio Botanical Garden

PechaKucha returns for its first in-person event in two years. Photo: Jessica Giesey, used with permission.

PechaKucha San Antonio – the global arts and culture series that hosts speakers who share their passions in a unique format – is excited to announce its first in-person event after a two year hiatus due to the pandemic. The outdoor event is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 2022, for the first time at the Betty Kelso Center lawn at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (555 Funston Pl, San Antonio, TX 78209). The night begins with a welcome reception at 6:30p.m., followed by presentations starting at 7:30p.m. (PechaKucha San Antonio, 2022)

Vol. 40 will feature a talented group of locals. The seven presenters include:

  • Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist
  • Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, Best Quality Daughter
  • Heyd Fontenot, Artist (*mature content)
  • Mara Nathan, Rabbi
  • Erika Prosper, First Lady of San Antonio
  • Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, Poet Laureate
  • Tyler Ybarra, Coffee Pioneer

Emcee for the evening will be local musician and PechaKucha SA former presenter Alyson Alonzo. The welcome reception will feature music by DJ Anita Boogie and complimentary bites curated by local chefs and restaurants including Naco 210 Mexican Eatery & Patio, Bandit BBQ, Bakery Lorraine and Jardin. The event will also feature a cash bar. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Advance tickets are available HERE. 

PechaKucha San Antonio would not be possible without the support of annual sponsors, including:

  • Centro Properties
  • San Antonio Food Bank
  • Schroeder Art
  • Lake Flato Architects
  • San Antonio River Foundation
  • Zurich International Properties
  • Southwest School of Art
  • RYNO General Contractors
  • 500 Sixth

In-Kind sponsors for the event include: 

  • San Antonio Botanical Garden
  • Naco 210 Mexican Eatery & Patio
  • Bandit BBQ
  • Bakery Lorraine
  • Jardin
  • Josh Huskin Photography
  • AiAdvertising
  • Giant Noise
  • Sprocket Productions
  • Slab Cinema
  • Direct Motion Technologies
  • Gary Sweeney
  • Alejandro Dehoyos

PechaKucha San Antonio is presented in partnership with the Las Casas Foundation. For more information about PechaKucha, visit PechaKucha online and follow along on Facebook and Instagram. 

Pronounced “PEH-chuh KOO-chuh,” PechaKucha is a 20 image x 20 second arts and cultures series. We host speakers who share their passions in a unique format: Each presenter gets exactly 20 images, and each slide advances automatically every 20 seconds (for a total time of 6:40). San Antonio’s first quarterly PechaKucha Night was held in February 2011 and now attracts hundreds of attendees to venues throughout San Antonio. It highlights a broad range of individuals, including architects, artists, makers, academics, community leaders and more. PechaKucha (Japanese for “chit chat”) is an event format developed by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture to encourage creative professionals to share projects and ideas that they are passionate about. Since it began in 2003, PechaKucha has expanded to more than 1200 cities around the world. 

Hotel Contessa announces programming to celebrate the Margarita

Ambler at Hotel Contessa announces food and beverage programming to celebrate National Margarita Day. Photo: Hotel Contessa, used with permission.

Hotel Contessa is excited to announce a host of programming to celebrate National Margarita Day on February 22. To celebrate the holiday accordingly, the hotel will extend the celebration throughout the week with various specials and events throughout that week at the hotel’s restaurant Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails. (Hotel Contessa, 2022)

The programming is as follows:

National Margarita Day Happy Hour – Tuesday, February 22, 2022 starting at 4p.m.
On National Margarita Day, Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails will offer four unique twists on the traditional margarita for $8 during happy hour in the restaurant’s bar lounge between 4p.m. and 7p.m.

The cocktails include:
• Fire in the Sky – Casamigos Blanco tequila, orange liqueur, smoked paprika, and bell peppers
• Knocking on Desert’s Door – Desert Door Sotol, Chareau, prickly pear and citrus, garnished with lime and mint
• Misty Step – Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Santa Teresa 1976 rum, Benedictine, pineapple, and bitters
• Oaxaca Old Fashioned – Corralejo Reposado tequila, Del Maguey Vida mezcal, and Ambler bitters

***The bar’s regular hours are 12p.m. (noon) to 12a.m. 

Margarita Making Class – Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 6p.m. 

Continuing the celebration of National Margarita Day throughout the week, Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails will be offering a margarita making class with its new beverage director, Brandon Vela. The class kicks off at 6p.m. at Hotel Contessa’s third floor terrace overlooking the San Antonio River. Participants will learn the proper techniques and make their own margarita while enjoying light bites from Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails. Guests will also receive a 20% discount toward a meal at the restaurant. The cost of the class is $45 per person and tickets for the class are available here.

Casamigos Tequila Dinner – February 24, 2022 at 6p.m.

Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails will host a special five course dinner featuring Casamigos tequila and mezcal. The ticketed dinner is limited to 50 guests and tickets are $125 a person, which includes the cost of dinner, gratuity, tax, and valet parking at Hotel Contessa. Tickets for the dinner are available here.

See below for the dinner menu featuring unique cocktails made with, and inspired by, Casamigos tequila.

  •  Welcome Cocktail – Aloe, It’s Ambler – Casamigos mezcal, Chareau and lemon
  • First Course
    • Scallop Ceviche – grapefruit, lime, blood orange juice and habanero syrup 
    • Featured Cocktail – Pineapple Express
      • Casamigo Blanco, Casamigo Anejo, Ancho Reyes, citrus, serrano and bitters
  • Second Course
    • Grilled octopus – grilled octopus, frisee lettuce, roasted pears, toasted almonds, watermelon radish and roasted pear vinaigrette
    • Featured Cocktail – Another Sour
      • Casamigo Reposado, citrus, egg white and Texas bitters
  • Third Course
    • Al Pastor Taco – deconstructed with blue cornmeal cake, avocado crema and pickled red onions 
    • Featured Cocktail – Call Me Kiwi
      • Casamigos Blanco, kiwi, pineapple, citrus
  • Fourth Course
    • 6oz Filet – pozole bath filet, fried red peppers, pozole broth and crispy plantains
    • Featured Cocktail – George Clooney lost in the Rio Grande
      • Casamigos Reposado, grapefruit cordial and bitters
  • Fifth Course: 
    • Salted chocolate flan with a tequila caramel
    • Featured Cocktail – Mama’s Mexican Hot Coco
      • Casamigos Anejo, caffee del fuego and orange