Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center presents 6th Annual Noche de Romance

Noche de Romance, San Antonio’s premier mariachi event, returns to the Guadalupe Theater on April 23 and April 24, 2022. Photo: google

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s 6th Annual Noche de Romance, San Antonio’s premier mariachi event, returns to the Guadalupe Theater on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 8p.m. and Sunday, April 24, at 5p.m., featuring the award-winning Mariachi Azteca de America performing an array of traditional Mexican love songs, boleros, baladas and rancheras. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)

Audiences return year after year for the romance and grandeur of the night, along with the intimate setting of the historic Guadalupe Theater in San Antonio, located at 1301 Guadalupe St. Led by Guadalupe Traditional Music Program Director Gino Rivera, Mariachi Azteca de America’s versatile ensemble of musicians delivers dynamic performances of classic songs by Mexican musical luminaries such as Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Juan Gabriel, and Agustin Lara. This year, concert-goers will be treated to a special tribute to the legendary Vicente Fernandez, also known as “El Rey,” along with special featured guest Arturo Vargas, a world-class vocalist and member of the renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Local talents Rhonda Garcia and Mateo Lopez will also participate in the program, which will open with the Guadalupe Youth Mariachi Ensemble.

Gonzaba Medical Group is sponsoring Noche de Romance performances, which are open to the public, on Saturday April 23 at 8p.m. and Sunday April 24 at 5p.m. Tickets cost $25, $30 and $35, and table sponsorships are available. The Saturday performance includes a preconcert reception for sponsors and members of the music academy. Noche de Romance supports the continued expansion and development of Guadalupe’s Traditional Music Academy and Youth Mariachi Ensemble. Funds from the concert help to ensure that the mariachi tradition lives on for future generations while supporting students’ public performances and the annual summer mariachi camp.

The medical group also is sponsoring special private concerts for the local senior community and area schools. The concerts are offered by invitation and will take place on Friday, April 22 for seniors and on Monday, April 25 for students.

Public Concerts:
Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 8p.m.
Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 5p.m.

Special Private Concerts by Invitation:
Friday, April 22, 2022, for Seniors
Monday, April 25, 2022, for School Students

Guadalupe Theater
1301 Guadalupe St.
San Antonio, TX 78207

Admission:
Tickets available: $25/$30/$35
Table Sponsors available

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1980 as a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary organization. Located in the heart of San Antonio’s westside, the Guadalupe is one of the largest community-based organizations in the US with the mission to cultivate, promote and preserve traditional and contemporary Chicano, Latino and Native American arts and culture through multidisciplinary programming.

Children’s Ballet of San Antonio debuts ‘Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp’

Aladdin dancers at Estancia del Norte. Photo: Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, used with permission.

A poor young man, a beautiful princess, a wealthy Sultan, a powerful sorcerer, and a magical genie come together on stage in the enchanting, exotic adventure that is the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s debut production of ‘Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp’ at the Majestic Theatre. Set against the mystical background of the Arabian city of Agrabah, the ballet tells the story of Aladdin and how his quest for self-discovery ultimately becomes an adventure in true love. From flying carpets to other big surprises, this debut production will take audiences on a journey to far-off lands where wishes do come true. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2022)

Based on one of the most famous folktales from “The Book of One Thousand and One Nights,” the show features all the splendor and richness of the culture. Award-winning CBSA founder and artistic director Vanessa Bessler spent countless hours researching and immersing herself in all the details to provide the most authentic production for her audiences. The show will feature a combination of the classic Disney orchestral scores audiences loved from Aladdin, along with original live scores created specifically for CBSA by local French Lebanese composer Gabriel Nohra. Using traditional Arabic instruments including the Oud, Bendir, Darbuka, and Kanun, Nohra provides the musical backdrop for the talented array of young performers to showcase their skills. Award-winning choreographers Bessler and Nick Fearon, along with Feleacia Quezergue have created spectacular numbers that highlight the abilities of each dancer while integrating traditional numbers choreographed by Karen Barbee, who specializes in the cultural dances of the land of Aladdin. It is the perfect combination of culture and creativity, enhanced by the dazzling costumes brought in from London, Moscow, and the Far East. The final effect will cause the audience’s hearts to soar—no magic carpet required.

Featuring performers ranging from internationally acclaimed classical dancers to gifted special needs artists ages 3-19, the production showcases a variety of disciplines and talents. Award-winning dancers including hip-hop, jazz, tap, and contemporary will take the stage with a talented array of young performers including actors, musicians, gymnasts, and singers for this larger-than-life production. Leading this talented cast is founder and former Prima Ballerina and seven-time Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher Award winner Vanessa Bessler. Under her watchful eye, CBSA has become a gateway for young artists interested in pursuing a professional dance career. The elite artists have had the privilege to train in some of the world’s best academies including the Royal Ballet School in London, the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, and the School of American Ballet in New York City, to name a few. Through recognition, awards, and scholarships from the most prestigious ballet competitions and schools in the world for many of its dancers, CBSA has elevated San Antonio to the world stage, making it a strong player in the arts world.

Performance dates and times
Friday, May 6, 7p.m. to 9p.m.
Saturday, May 7, 2p.m. to 4p.m.
Saturday, May 7, 7p.m. to 9p.m.

The Majestic Theatre
224 E. Houston Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Tickets are available on the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio website.

Admission proceeds directly benefit CBSA in fulfilling its mission 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. Donations from the event will benefit dance scholarships for special needs and underserved youth, as well as the transportation and organization of several hundred Title 1 school students to attend each performance. Funds also go to the production costs of theatre, costumes, lights, and special effects that allow these dancers to perform in San Antonio’s top theatres in professional productions as part of their professional-level training.

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. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) seeks 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.

Former Lost Boy of Sudan turns adversity into opportunity

Paulino Mamiir Chol’s ‘Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Story’ tells the story of his extraordinary personal journey from kidnapping survivor to leader. Photo: amazon

Paulino Mamiir Chol is an author and current PhD candidate dedicated to using his experience, expertise, and education to help his current community in the US as well as his East African homeland, South Sudan. For decades, despite multiple kidnapping attempts by the radical militias, airborne assaults, and the murder of his friends and family, Mr. Chol rose in the leadership hierarchy and helped over four thousand Lost Boys to come to America. Mr. Chol has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in Law and Policy from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He looked death in the eye multiple times, surviving abduction, a 3,000-mile barefoot trek in searing heat across South Sudan, and unspeakable starvation during the Second Sudanese Civil War. His memoir, “Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Journey” tells of his extraordinary journey from kidnapping survivor to leader, showing how tragedy can be turned into triumph. (Mac Foundation, 2022)

As a member of the Lost Boys of South Sudan who led over 700 boys across three African countries, from refugee camp to refugee camp, Paulino Mamiir Chol is the only one in a position to tell this story. A testimony to the atrocities happening at that time—the killings and kidnappings committed by radical militias before and during the Second Sudanese Civil War—the book describes how the author had to build the grit, determination, and sheer organizational ability to save lives, and find freedom. In so doing, he also offers hope in the power of the human spirit to overcome trauma and tragedy—especially when we focus on serving others. “Leading The Lost Boys: The Untold Journey” is part of Paulino Chol’s effort to fight the inhuman darkness we are all capable of, and to empower and inspire the hearts of those suffering.

“This book is a form of defense, and I promise to fight against inhumanity and human rights abuses. This fight consolidates my belief, faith, and hope in humanity, and human rights.” – Paulino Mamiir Chol

All proceeds will go to the Mamiir Chol Foundation (MACH), which will provide funds to villagers in Twic County for clean drinking wells, clinics, schools, and community centers. Proceeds will also support organizations working for human rights, homeless children, widowed mothers, disabled people, and to protect women and girls from sexual abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence. “Leading the Lost Boys: The Untold Journey” is available in digital and paperback on amazon and other major retailers.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar 4/20 holiday special

Hopdoddy margaritas. Photo: Hopdoddy, used with permission.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar is ready for 4/20 this year. The nationally recognized burger bar wants to celebrate the holiday by offering some unique menu items for a limited time only. (Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 2022)

Burger and pizza lovers can satisfy their cravings with the Hopdoddy Pizza Supreme Burger – a Certified Piedmontese beef patty under yet another patty made of house-made, fried mozzarella and red chili flakes, all topped with sauteed peppers, onions, pomodoro sauce, and a sausage mushroom oregano mayonnaise. Not enough? Enjoy it with the restaurant’s Garlic Bread Fries, which are hand-cut and tossed with fresh garlic and parmesan cheese, then down it all with Hopdoddy’s Creamsicle Shake made with Orange Crush and vanilla custard. 

The best part: Get free delivery with the purchase of all three items, which will only be available on 4/20 while supplies last. All Hopdoddy orders can be placed in-person at any Hopdoddy location or online for pickup.  

Hopdoddy’s Happy Hour just came back in time for spring and summer.

HOPDODDY HOPPY HOUR:

Monday – Friday from 3p.m. – 6p.m.

All Hopdoddy Locations: 

Menu Options: (Dine-in)

  • $5 Schooners
  • Any draft beer
  • House margaritas (frozen or on the rocks)
  • Draft cocktails (paloma, mule, and seasonal options)
  • $5 Happy Hour Food
    • House Fries (Hand-cut Chipperbeck Sharable)
    • New Pretzels and Beer Cheese

New movie release: Reed’s Point

Reed’s Point is now available on digital and DVD. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Reed’s Point is a psychological-thriller/creature-feature that tells of Sarah and Alex, two survivors of an RV crash near the New Jersey Pine Barrens. On the anniversary of the accident, Sarah and Alex drive to Reed’s Point to investigate the crash site. Things quickly go downhill as they find themselves stuck in the woods unsure of who they can trust and questioning if monsters really do exist. Written by Tricia Aurand, Suzanne DeLaurentiis and Sandy Lo, and directed by Dale Fabrigar (D-Railed), Reed’s Point stars Sasha Anne, Julia Kelly, Evan Adams, Madison Ekstrand, Anthony Jensen, Joseph Almani, Lanett Tachel, and veteran actor Joe Estevez (Soultaker, No Code of Conduct). (Uncork’d Entertainment, 2022)

Reed’s Point
Genre: Horror/Fantasy
Run time: 1hr 17 min
Release date: April 12, 2022
Available on digital and DVD.
Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, 

Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk’s Landrace Dinner Series is back

The four course dinner, set for Thursday April 21, will be paired with spirits from Blackland Distillery. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk Dinner Series is officially back. This month, the hotel’s signature restaurant Landrace has partnered with Texas based distillery, Blackland Distillery. Blackland is a grain to glass distillery in Fort Worth, Texas that uses North Texas grains from TexMalt, a Fort Worth craft malt house that partners with local Texas farms to grow, produce, and source high quality grains from Texas farmers and supplies breweries and distilleries all over the state of Texas. (Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk, 2022)

Similarly, Landrace, from James Beard Award finalist Chef Steve McHugh, is Steve’s ode to Texas products, farmers and producers. “Landrace” refers to an heirloom strain of plant or breed of animal that has been nurtured and allowed to remain unchanged. Guiding Steve’s concept is his fascination with ingredients, his deep appreciation for Texas’ heritage farmers and growers, and his belief that something tastes better when it is prepared and served near where it was grown.

Change up your date nights or dinner gatherings and join Chef Steve Mc for a four-course dinner on Thursday, April 21 from 7p.m. to 10p.m. This dinner will be paired with spirits from Blackland along with menu items including Tuna Ceviche, White Asparagus Salad, Coal Fired Roulade of Organic Chicken, and Springtime Smores. You can find the full menu below. Tickets are $120 per person.

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Hiatus Spa + Retreat’s Spa for a Cause during Earth Month

Hiatus Spa + Retreat will raffle off nine “Change Your Life HydraFacials” with proceeds benefitting charity: water. Photo: Hiatus Spa + Retreat, used with permission.

Hiatus Spa + Retreat, the award-winning Texas day spa with eight locations across the state, is delighted to announce their Spa For A Cause campaign to celebrate Earth month now taking place through April 30, 2022. Each Hiatus Spa location will be raffling off one of their most popular HydraFacial services with 100% of ticket proceeds benefiting charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to millions of people around the world. (Hiatus Spa + Retreat, 2022)

Hiatus will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win one of the nine raffled “Change Your Life HydraFacials” valued at $265 with all proceeds from ticket sales directly going toward charity: water. The Change Your Life HydraFacial® is the ultimate treatment that includes all the luxurious essentials of the HydraFacial System while balancing performance and relaxation. Guests can purchase one raffle ticket for $5 or five raffle tickets for $20 either in-spa at any of the eight locations or online here. Guests can also find the Hiatus Earth Month campaign on charity: water by searching here.

Hiatus will also offer their seasonal Epic Retreat, The Brazen Bee, featuring a sparkling citrus and honey foot soak, followed by a gentle coconut and sugar foot scrub to exfoliate and purify your skin. Available in Tips + Toes and Body Treatments. Cap it off with a sparkling Bee’s Knees cocktail and walk out feeling bold and refreshed. 

Hiatus strives to be Earth-friendly year-round and has made the environment a cornerstone of its business philosophy—from initial build-out to ongoing initiatives, 100 percent wind-powered energy, post-consumer recycled paper printed with soy ink, no-bottled-water policy, and VOC-free paint finishes, when available.

Longtime friends Sheila Garrison, Kristin Heaton Peabody, and Bill Garrison founded Hiatus Spa + Retreat in Dallas in 2007. Since the spa’s inception, Hiatus has received numerous accolades, including the Innovate Award, International Spa Association – 2013, Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies 2012 – 2020, American Spa Magazine – Favorite Day Spa 2016, D Magazine’s Best of Big D 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 – Best Spa, San Antonio Magazine’s – Best Spa 2021 and 2022 and Fort Worth Magazine’s Best Massage – 2021. Hiatus has eight successful locations in Dallas, Austin, Plano, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, and Frisco, along with the signature product line Hiatus Everyday. 

Craig Lewis books on addiction and mental health

‘You’re Crazy, Volume Two’ by Craig Lewis. Photo: Craig Lewis, used with permission.

Craig Lewis is an Expert by Experience, a Psychiatric Survivor, author, a lifelong punk rocker, a fearless activist, a workshop trainer, and international speaker. Craig has survived a lifetime of struggle and has chosen not to waste it. Craig shares his experiences, knowledge, and lessons learned in the hopes of supporting others in living happier, healthier, and more satisfying lives. This is an ongoing journey and Craig, like all of us, is a work in progress. Two of his books are “The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” and “You’re Crazy, Volume Two: First Hand Accounts of Surviving Trauma, Addiction & Mental Health from within the Punk Rock Scene.”

“The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” is written by a human being who learned the hard way the difference between being alive and truly living. This book is intended to help readers figure out their true path. If you put in the effort, you will experience improvements. The bottom line is this: You, the person reading these words, have the power within to heal and become whoever you were born to be. That is the path that this author has chosen. May your journey result in healing, peace and love. “The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” features fifteen passages and worksheets intended to encourage the reader to go within themselves and figure out how to heal what is hurting them.

“You’re Crazy, Volume Two” is a collection of personal stories written by twenty punk rockers from around the world. All of the writers have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental health struggles. As you read these stories, you will know both the pain and the beauty that makes these uniquely brilliant human beings who they are today. We are unapologetic for surviving. Instead, we choose to live the lives we deserve. We hope that others like us will read these stories and recognize that they, too, have the power to create the better lives they want. After all, we are Punk Rockers!

PP

Izaak Opatz’s new single Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies

Izaak Opatz has a real It’s a Wonderful Life moment on new single ‘Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies’ from upcoming album Extra Medium, due out April 29. 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Songwriter Izaak Opatz has a thing for words. More specifically, fitting them together in couplets and verses of wry humor, thoughtful simile, and close observation—a therapeutic process of narrating his own life that, almost as a byproduct, turns out savory nuggets of literate, confessional pop, processing life’s tough stuff into downright enjoyable musical moments. Extra Medium, Opatz’s upcoming release—out April 29 via Mama Bird Recording Co.—splits time between his native Montana, up the East Coast, and in faraway Los Angeles. (Izaak Opatz, 2022)

Montana and LA become the main characters of more than a few tunes on Extra Medium, including the freshly debuted “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” which was written after Opatz was suddenly dumped in Montana by a lady friend who, a couple months later in LA, refused to acknowledge their previous relationship. “She’d visited me in LA when we were dating, and the contrast in feeling between the two visits almost gave me the sense that I had gone crazy, and maybe our relationship never existed, similar to George Bailey’s experience of having never been born in It’s a Wonderful Life,” remembers Opatz. “We went for a walk in Glendale’s Forest Lawn cemetery, where a number of celebrities are buried, and only after finishing the song did I find out that James Stewart, who played George Bailey, was actually buried there!” Opatz released the tremendous, perfectly-disjointed music video for “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” directed by Aaron Curry. Fans can hear “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Extra Medium ahead of its April 29 release right here. 

Extra Medium features Opatz’s bandmates and collaborators, Malachi DeLorenzo and Dylan Rodrigue, who he met in Los Angeles while working alongside Jonny Fritz at the infamous Dad Country Leather. DeLorenzo, Rodrigue, and Opatz worked together on taking the album’s songs from demo form to the quirkily-arranged, ever-evolving final track list of Extra Medium. Utilizing varying instrumentation, creative engineering, and blends of non-traditional hooks with classic song forms, the trio creates a living, breathing work, at once familiar—borderline nostalgic—and wholly unique. Fans of country and Americana will be just as likely to enjoy Extra Medium as those who lean more indie rock or experimental, perpetuating Opatz’s hard-to-describe but easy-to-listen-to style, one that Opatz and his band have dubbed dirtwave. From the feel changes and horn stabs in the previously-released single “Chinook Wind,” to the tension of the unison melody line that opens “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” Opatz provides never ending excitement for adventurous listeners, windows-down fun timers, and jaded industry vets alike. If Izaak Opatz’s life outside of music was noy interesting and free-wheeling enough, a step inside of his sonic world is sure to enrapture fans and fans-to-be upon first listen.

1651235820

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Extra Medium release date

Niche celebrates 25th anniversary with multiple events

Events include a fashion show, trunk shows, an in-store birthday party, stitching lessons, and more. Photo: Niche, used with permission.

Beloved local clothing store, Niche, is celebrating 25 years in business this spring and summer with multiple events from April through August. The fashion brand was founded in 1997 by mother/daughter team Nilgün and Ayse Derman. Niche’s flagship boutique is located at Pearl. In honor of the brand’s 25th anniversary, the clothing company will host sewing classes, trunk shows, a birthday party featuring special sales, a fashion show, and more. (Niche, 2022)

The Niche 25th Anniversary Fashion Show, scheduled for May 19, will be the highlight and largest event of the series, featuring an in-store fashion show with special discounts, a selfie wall, wine, cocktails, and gift bags for guests. Space is limited so guests are encouraged to reserve a spot through the Eventbrite link HERE.

“We are so excited to celebrate 25 years in business! People tell us that when they wear Niche, they can count on always getting compliments on their outfits,” said Niche Co-owner Ayse Derman. “Not only do we want you to feel good because you look good, but we pay attention to the cuts and the textiles so it also feels good to wear.” 

A full list of Niche’s 25th anniversary events include:

  • April 13, 2022: Stitch at Niche Sewing Workshop – Niche Store from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.
    • The topic for this class is the Sashiko method of mending. Participants will learn basic hand sewing stitches used to mend and reinforce garments. Materials will be provided. RSVP via the Eventbrite link HERE, space is limited.
  • April 28 – 29, 2022 – Fall Trunk Show – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Browse and place advance orders for the Fall 2022 collection, delivered in July/August. Each Niche clothing item is locally designed and made with the majority of products used being sourced from environmentally responsible companies. This both helps reduce the shipping cost and remove unnecessary waste associated with fashion.
  • May 7, 2022 – Claudia Lobao Trunk Show – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 3p.m.
  • Meet the designer and shop the new collection from San Antonio based jewelry designer Claudia Lobao
  • May 14 – Pop-Up with La Coronita hats – Niche at Pearl store from 11a.m. – 3p.m.
    • Shop handmade and customizable hats from local company La Coronita. In store with owner Roma Villavicencio.
  • May 19, 2022 – 25th Anniversary Fashion Show – Niche Store from 6p.m. – 8p.m.
    • Niche will host an in store retrospective fashion show during an evening that includes special discounts, wine, cocktails, and gift bags for guests. Space is limited – to reserve your spot on the guest list visit HERE.
  • May 20 to 31, 2022 – 25th Anniversary Gallery – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 6p.m. Monday – Friday / 10a.m. to 6p.m. on Saturday / 11a.m. – 4p.m. on Sunday
    • Visit Niche for a gallery style retrospective of highlights from 25 years of Niche collections. Guests can also shop special reissues of some of the most beloved styles from seasons past. Garments will be on view during store hours, and open to the public.
  • June 9, 2022 – Swap + Shop – Niche Store Courtyard from 4p.m. – 7p.m.
    • Guests are invited to bring a new or gently worn Niche item from past collections and swap it with another Niche garment. Wine will be available for customers 21+.
  • June 15, 2022 – Stitch at Niche Sewing Workshop – Niche Store from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. 
    • The topic for this class is the Sashiko method of mending. Participants will learn basic hand sewing stitches to be used to mend and reinforce garments. Materials will be provided. RSVP via the Eventbrite link HERE, as space is limited.
  • June 25, 2022 – Nilgün & Ayse’s Birthday Party – Niche Store from 10a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Celebrate the dynamic mother-daughter duo’s birthday and their 25 years in business. Guests will receive 25% off one clothing item and will be able to enjoy some sweets and bubbles.
  • August 18 – 19, 2022 – Sidewalk Sale – Pearl from 11a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Join Niche and additional Pearl retailers for a sidewalk sale. Niche will have some deep discounts for guests to take advantage of on these two dates. Subscribe to Pearl’s newsletter for more information closer to date plus additional event information here.

Niche is a modern apparel collection with rich textiles & textiles and distinctive architectural details. It is available in high-end boutiques across the country. Designer Nilgün Derman founded the brand in the mid-90s in a small cottage nestled in a “niche” of live oak trees in Castle Hills, Texas. What started as a small artwear group evolved into the ready-to-wear collection it is today. Nilgun, her daughter Ayse Derman, and their dedicated team continue to design and make the collection in Central Texas. The flagship boutique, Niche at Pearl is located at the Historic Pearl in San Antonio, Texas across the San Antonio River from company headquarters. The collection draws inspiration from this energetic district of culture and creativity in the Alamo City. Stitch at Niche, a curated fabric store & project space, is also located within the boutique where you can find unique DIY kits, gorgeous textiles by the yard, trims, interesting buttons and sewing thread.