Author: Sandra Cruz

Blogger, book reviewer, artist, poet, avid reader and nature/animal lover.

Upcoming new book release: ‘The Dark Hours’ by Michael Connelly

‘The Dark Hours’ is a the new Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch novel by Michael Connelly. Photo: amazon

Michael Connelly is the author of thirty-five previous novels, including the New York Times bestsellers “The Law of Innocence,” “Fair Warning,” and “The Night Fire.” His books, which include the Harry Bosch series, the Lincoln Lawyer series, and the Renée Ballard series, have sold more than eighty million copies worldwide. Connelly is a former newspaper reporter who has won numerous awards for his journalism and his novels. He is the executive producer of Bosch, starring Titus Welliver, and the creator and host of the podcasts Murder Book and The Wonderland Murders. In his new novel “The Dark Hours,” a brazen, methodical killer strikes on New Year’s Eve and LAPD detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch must join forces to find justice for the victim in a city scarred by fear and social unrest. It will be released on Tuesday, November 9 and is available for pre-order on amazon. (amazon, 2021)

“The Dark Hours” – There is chaos in Hollywood at the end of the New Year’s Eve countdown. Working her graveyard shift, LAPD detective Renée Ballard waits out the traditional rain of lead as hundreds of revelers shoot their guns into the air. Only minutes after midnight, Ballard is called to a scene where a hardworking auto shop owner has been fatally hit by a bullet in the middle of a crowded street party. Ballard concludes that the deadly bullet could not have fallen from the sky and that it is linked to another unsolved murder—a case at one time worked by Detective Harry Bosch. At the same time, Ballard hunts a fiendish pair of serial rapists, the Midnight Men, who have been terrorizing women and leaving no trace. Determined to solve both cases, Ballard feels like she is constantly running uphill in a police department indelibly changed by the pandemic and recent social unrest. It is a department so hampered by inertia and low morale that Ballard must go outside to the one detective she can count on: Harry Bosch. But as the two inexorable detectives work together to find out where old and new cases intersect, they must constantly look over their shoulders. The brutal predators they are tracking are ready to kill to keep their secrets hidden.

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa is ideal off-grid destination for group activities

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa in scenic Sonora, Texas. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, a hidden gem in picturesque West Texas is set amidst 13,000 acres deep in Texas Hill Country. The serene location allows visitors to relax, connect and enjoy the pure unfiltered beauty and peace of Sonora. (JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2021)   

JL Bar offers guests the best of Texas with warm southern hospitality, unparalleled service, and one-of-a-kind experiences. With over 30,000 square feet of unique indoor and outdoor meeting and event space and a private FBO airport, JL Bar is the ideal space for meetings, corporate events, incentive groups, and more.  

  • Location: Situated in Sonora, TX, a short drive from Austin, San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth areas, the property offers the best of both Texas Hill Country and West Texas. Guests can also arrive into  The JL Bar Ranch and Resort Full Service Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Airport, via privately chartered jet or personally owned aircraft.
  • Luxury Cabins & Cottages: JL Bar Ranch boasts 16 standalone luxury cabins and 16 spacious guest rooms with premium amenities, as well as the exclusive Archer’s Nest Villa, a six-bedroom villa that accommodates up to 12 guests and has a private swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, and a full home theatre.   
  • Meetings and Event Spaces: With more than 30,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces on property, companies have their pick of nine locations while they build morale and team spirit. The airport hangar doubles as an event space capable of holding over 1,200 people, and there are also more intimate meeting room locations that are perfect for breakout sessions and collaborative team building/grouping. 
  • Group Adventures: Groups will never need to leave the property, from a full equestrian program featuring horseback riding and a horse psychology experience to off-road ATV adventures, a Putting/Chipping Green, weekend yoga, wine tasting, Cowboy Cookouts and clay and skeet shooting, JL Bar Ranch can craft an exceptional itinerary with on-property activities and incentives for groups to enjoy.
JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa offers meeting and events spaces. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.

New book: ‘Million Dollar Miracle’ by Michael E. Bash

Millionaire and former financial advisor to US presidents shares get rich method in new book. Photo: amazon

After borrowing $30,000 from a friend of his father to finance his first real estate deal, Michael E. Bash officially became a millionaire. Since then, he has been involved with major planning and zoning projects and building and developing shopping centers, hundreds of homes, office buildings, water and sewer systems, and nearly 3,000 apartment units and condominiums throughout New York State. His charitable contributions included helping to fund Danny Thomas’s annual telethon for St. Jude’s Hospital which raises $10-20 million per year. He also participated in building the Laniado Hospital in Netanya, Israel, and is one of the founders and contributors to the Jerusalem Great Synagogue. In addition, Bash has contributed $1 million to Ben Gurian University in Israel. (Michael E. Bash, 2021)

In his latest book, “Million Dollar Miracle: How to Make a Million Dollars in One Day and Never Have to Work Again,” former adviser to President Jimmy Carter, Michael E. Bash reveals the strategies and tactics that led him to amass his multi-million-dollar fortune. These same techniques helped elevate him as a businessperson and human being. “Million Dollar Miracle” provides the proven, easy formula for transforming a simple piece of land into a one-time million-dollar payoff and spending the rest of your life living off the interest. It also explains how to repeat the process for additional paydays. Michael E. Bash has used this formula all his adult life to augment his luxury lifestyle and to fund his pet projects in the arts, medicine, and religion – as well as support the careers goals of people around him.

“Given the current population growth in many parts of the US, the demand for affordable housing is greater than ever. Therefore, now is the right time to educate yourself about real estate, and to grab the next opportunity to become a millionaire.” – Michael E. Bash

“Million Dollar Miracle” provides actionable steps for finding and acquiring properties to develop or to rezone, the latter of which generally means changing the zoning of a property from single-family to commercial – thereby exponentially increasing its value in the marketplace. The same powerful technique can be used for enhancing all aspects of life – personal and professional.

To illustrate the power of Michael E. Bash’s skills, he relates many fact-based stories of opportunities that came his way – from fantastic real estate deals to the mentoring of an inexperienced rich kid and how he was able to recognize and fulfill their huge potential. “Million Dollar Miracle” is captivatingly crafted to educate, entertain, and inspire readers to reach for their own highest potential.

Million Dollar Miracle is available on amazon.
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1737349723
Hardcover Price: $29.95
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Oxford Select Publishing

 

Twang and Martin House Brewing announce a new limited time only beer

The new beer, Twang-a-Rang. is inspired by Mango Chili Twangerz. Photo: Martin House Brewing Co., used with permission.

Twang and Martin House Brewing Company are excited to announce a new beer inspired by Twang’s Mango Chili Twangerz. Twang-a-Rang is brewed in Fort Worth and is available throughout the state of Texas at select retailers, H-E-Bs, and bars while supplies last. (Twang, Martin House Brewing Company, 2021)

Twang-a-Rang has an initial sweet mango profile followed by chili and salt notes that are reminiscent of the Mango Chili Twangerz from which it was inspired. Brewed with mango flavoring, mango puree, and a blend of salts and spices, Twang-a-Rang boasts an alcohol content of 6.5% while excellently emulating the sweet and spicy flavor of Mango Chili Twangerz. Martin House describes the beer as tasting like a sweet mango candy with a spicy chili finish.

“Twang is really excited to be a part of this collaboration with Martin House Brewing Company. This is a great opportunity to come together with another Texas brand to create something that’s unique, but also tastes great. We encourage consumers to dress the beer with Mango Chili Twangerz to give it a Latin twist.” – Twang’s Director of Marketing Edmundo Macias.

Twang-a-Rang is available now at select retailers and bars that already carry Martin House beers throughout the state including in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas/Fort-Worth, and more. It can also be found at select H-E-Bs, Total Wines, Spec’s, Trader Joes, and will be sold in packs of 6 for a suggested range of $10-$12. Twang-a-Rang will also be available in Twang’s hometown of San Antonio at local bars: Growler Exchange, Park Bar at Pearl, Faust Tavern, and others.

“San Antonio has shown us so much love over the recent years, that it really is special to be able to team up with Twang and start a new friendship. We are looking forward to many more flavors of Twang-a-Rang and many more hangouts with our new San Antonio family.” – Martin House Brewing’s Director of Marketing Shugg Cole.

Founded and based in San Antonio, TX, Twang is a family-owned and operated creator and manufacturer of premium-flavored salts, sugars and seasonings. Credited as being “The Original Beer Salt,” Twang has produced the highest quality products designed to enhance the taste, appearance and enjoyment of both food and beverage since 1986. It’s brands include Beer Salt, Twangerz, Twang-A-Rita, Clamato Salt, and Twang Reserve Michelada Cocktail Mix. Alongside these brands Twang has successfully collaborated with some of the top food and beverage companies around the world to create innovative custom blends for a wide variety of use occasions. You can find Twang products on grocery, convenience, liquor and specialty store shelves across the country as well as available for shipping nationwide via their website.

Martin House Brewing was established in 2012 in Fort Worth, TX. What began with just four year-round brands has evolved into a beer program that distributes a new flavor every week. Brew master and owner Cody Martin empowers his team to explore an indefinite amount of beer styles. Mostly known for their Best Maid Pickle Beer, Martin House Brewing is never afraid to tackle a new beer and the adventure that comes with it. You can find Martin House beers at grocery stores, liquor stores, and independently owned craft beer retailers throughout the state of Texas.

Upcoming new book release: ‘Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel’ by Patricia Cornwell

‘Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel’ will be released on November 30, 2021. Photo: amazon

Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime authors with novels translated into thirty-six languages in more than 120 countries. Her novels have won numerous prestigious awards including the Edgar, the Creasey, the Anthony, the Macavity, and the Prix du Roman d’Aventure. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Patricia has written a definitive book about Jack the Ripper, a biography, and three more fiction series, among others. Cornwell, a licensed helicopter pilot and scuba diver, actively researches the forensic technologies that inform her work. Her new novel “Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel” will be released on November 30, 2021. In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. (amazon, 2021)

“Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel” – Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia as the chief medical examiner, the state where she launched her storied career. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she has inherited not only an overbearing secretary, but also a legacy of neglect and potential corruption. She and her husband Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria where she is headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that is been torn by civil and political unrest. Just weeks on the job, she is called to a scene by railroad tracks where a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine, and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.

At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top-secret laboratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she works the first potential crime scene in space remotely, an apparent serial killer strikes again remarkably close to home.

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La Panadería welcomes fall with seasonal items and Happy Hour

La Panadería’s Happy Hour Brunch is available Monday through Friday from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Photo: Giant Noise for La Panadería, used with permission.

This Fall, La Panadería is ushering in the season with new offerings and seasonal favorites. For a limited time, San Antonians and visitors to the Alamo City can enjoy new pan dulce treats, seasonal offerings for Día de los Muertos and enhanced brunch hours and menu items. (La Panadería, 2021)

What is the fall season without a pumpkin-themed treat? For a limited time, visitors to La Panadería can now enjoy a Pumpkin Pecan Croissant at any location. Developed by co-owner and Chef David Caceres, the seasonal treat brings a delicate taste to the classic autumn flavor. Nestled between La Panadería’s signature croissant, the light pumpkin cream filling is folded with cinnamon and topped with candied pecans. 

Brunch lovers can now revel in La Panadería’s Happy Hour Brunch Monday through Friday from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Guests can enjoy buy one get one free mimosas and beers during happy hour, and can also enjoy a discounted price of $10.99 on La Panadería’s brunch burger, formerly the patty melt, which has been reimagined to feature a brioche bun sandwiched with a hearty patty and topped with melted cheese and a fried egg. 

Highlighting Mexico’s “Bread Cultura,” La Panadería is now offering their classic Día de Los Muertos pan dulce like Pan De Muerto and specialty pan dulce boxes. Guests can order their family-sized Pan de Muerto online.

Hoping to share their Mexican heritage with citizens in the U.S., José and David Cáceres opened La Panadería in San Antonio, Texas in 2014. The bakery, which specializes in handmade bread, pan dulce and pastries inspired by Mexico’s Golden Era, or Epoca de Oro, draws influence from French, Italian and American bread making techniques. La Panadería’s unique approach to breadmaking includes a minimum 48-hour fermentation process that results in artisan bread and pastries unlike any other. La Panadería has three locations in San Antonio, Texas.

 

WB Liquors & Wine announces online Bourbon Vault Auction

WB Liquors & Wine’s online Bourbon Vault Auction will benefit Home For Our Troops (HFOT). Photo: google

WB Liquors & Wine has launched its exciting online Bourbon Vault Auction, which will give customers the chance to bid on 15 different bundles of rare and highly coveted bourbon bottles. The auction is only available in San Antonio, and will run from Thursday, October 14 at 10a.m. (CST) through Wednesday, October 27 at 1p.m. (CST). (WB Liquors & Wine, 2021)

The Bourbon Vault Auction will include fifteen bundles with various assortments of 2-5 bourbon bottles, including Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, W. L. Weller, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and more.

All bundles have a starting price of $100 and additional bids can be placed at increments of $100. All bids require online registration before placing a bid. While bids will be placed online only, the location for pick-up of the bundles will be at 9801 IH-10 West San Antonio, TX 78230. Individuals can view the bourbon bundles, register an account and submit bids online. 

All proceeds from the auctions will benefit Home For Our Troops (HFOT) – a nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.

WB Liquors & Wine has partnered with HFOT since 2017 and this year they have chosen to support Marine Corporal Raymond D. Hennagir III of Arlington, Texas. Marine Corporal Hennagir was serving as a combat engineer on his second deployment in Iraq, when he was severely injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion. The blast resulted in the loss of both his legs and several fingers on his left hand. He underwent more than 50 surgeries within two months before learning how to walk on prosthetics.

“Last year, we were able to donate over $40,000 to various food banks across Texas with our Pappy Van Winkle auction. We’re excited to try something completely new with this year’s auction, but more importantly it will allow us to build something really meaningful for veterans like Raymond Hennagir and his family – a new home.” – John Herrmann, President of WB Liquors & Wine.

WB Liquors & Wine has helped Texans across the state celebrate their special occasions for more than 50 years. As a family-owned business, the brand specializes in convenient locations and a great variety of liquor, beer and wine – along with fast, personalized and expert-level service. As of October 2021, WB Liquors & Wine operates 59 locations across the Texas region, which includes 34 WB Liquors & Wine stores and 25 WB Liquor stores adjacent to COSTCO.

Photo: WB Liquors & Wine, used with permission.

Halloween events and specials in San Antonio

The fan-favorite Pumpkin Spiked Milkshake is back this month at EVO Entertainment this month. Photo: EVO Entertainment, used with permission.

This Halloween season, some San Antonio businesses are offering special events, specials, recipes, and more to help San Antonians celebrate the spooky season. (San Antonio Museum of Art, Taco Cabana, EVO Entertainment, Bakery Lorraine, Twang 2021)

San Antonio Museum of Art
Families can enjoy the San Antonio Museum of Art in a new way by trick-or-treating throughout the museum on Sunday, October 31 from 10a.m. – 5p.m. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes as they explore the museum’s galleries. Swords, scepters, weapons, wands, and full-face masks will not be permitted.

Taco Cabana
This Halloween season, Taco Cabana is celebrating with the return of its popular Bean and Cheese taco coupon booklets. For a limited time and while supplies last, guests can purchase the booklets for $2 each at any Taco Cabana location. Each booklet will include five coupons for a free TC classic Bean and Cheese taco, and the $2 donation from each booklet sold will directly benefit local food banks. Offer is valid until October 31 and coupons are redeemable through November 30, 2021.

EVO Entertainment
Austin, Schertz, New Braunfels and San Marcos locations
On Saturday, October 30, families can check out “Pumpkins & Popcorn” at EVO locations featuring a specialty screening of Scoob! at 11a.m. Tickets to the event include a wooden pumpkin, painting and decorating supplies, and a popcorn and candy snack bag. Limited tickets are available for purchase here.

Kyle, Schertz and San Marcos locations
On Wednesday, October 20 EVO’s Kyle, Schertz and Springtown locations will host the annual Drunken Pumpkin Parties. Guests will each get a large pumpkin, carving tools and stencils, a snack bag and hidden prizes while they enjoy a screening of the Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. This event is 18+ and costumes are encouraged. Tickets are available here.

Throughout the month of October, select EVO locations will also be serving themed cocktails perfect for spooky season. “The Symbiote” is a strawberry margarita with a black salted rim created in honor of the highly-anticipated film Venom: Let There Be Carnage and will be available through October 31. The fan-favorite Pumpkin Spiked Milkshake is also making a return this fall, made with vodka and Baileys Pumpkin Spiced Irish Cream. A non-alcoholic version of the milkshake is also available.

Bakery Lorraine
Beginning Thursday, October 28 and through the end of the month, Bakery Lorraine will be offering a special Halloween menu at both Austin and San Antonio locations. The menu will include a black cat tart for $6 made of chocolate mousse with a vanilla filling, a lemon mummy tart for $6 made of lemon curd topped with meringue and two chocolate chips for the mummy’s eyes, a chocolate caramel tart for $6 made of a caramel filling topped with chocolate ganache, a phantom of opera cake slice for $6 layered with pumpkin spice sponge cake and buttercream topped in a rich dark chocolate glaze, a voodoo doll gingerbread cookie for $5 made of gingerbread cookie dipped in a rich dark chocolate, and a ghost moon pie for $5 made of homemade graham cookies with a honey marshmallow filling dipped in a white chocolate. 

Twang
In the spirit of celebrating Halloween on October 31, family-owned salts and seasonings company, Twang, has a themed cocktail to enjoy at home using their Twang-A-Rita Nectarberry. The cocktail is appropriately named Witch’s Brew and is composed of 2 oz. cinnamon liqueur, 3/4 pomegranate syrup, 3oz. apple cider, and topped with champagne for a single serving. If wanting to celebrate with a bigger group, their punch recipe is composed of 16 oz. cinnamon liqueur, 6oz. pomegranate syrup, 24oz. apple cider, and 1 full 750ml bottle of champagne. Recipe courtesy of  Aaron Peña, Owner of Amor Eterno and Squeezebox in San Antonio, Texas.

Bakery Lorraine’s ghost moon pie and voodoo doll gingerbread cookie. Photo: Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

New book release: ‘Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems’ by Misha Collins

‘Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems’ is the new poetry collection by Misha Collins. Photo: amazon

Misha Collins is an actor, author, and activist focused on inspiring change through art and by gamifying civic engagement and social good. Misha was a lead on Supernatural, the longest-running sci-fi/fantasy series in U.S. history, where he portrayed the angel Castiel. When not in front of the camera, Misha connects with his millions of social media followers to promote social change through projects like GISH, his Guinness World Record-setting global scavenger hunt that fosters creative mayhem to inspire social activism, and Random Acts, his nonprofit, which has raised millions to complete grassroots charitable projects. Misha is a published poet and author of bestselling book “The Adventurous Eaters Club.” A University of Chicago graduate with a B.A. in Social Theory, Misha is a former White House intern who has campaigned extensively for progressive candidates nationwide. His debut poetry collection “Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems” is both a celebration of and aspiration for a life well lived. (amazon, 2021)

“Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems” – This book is a compilation of small observations and musings. It is filled with moments of reflection and a love letter to simple joys: passing a simple blade of grass on the sidewalk, the freedom of peeing outdoors late at night, or the way a hand-built ceramic mug feels when it is full of warm tea on a chilly morning. It is a catalog and a compendium that examines the complicated experience of being all too human and interacting with a complex, confounding, breathtaking world, and a reminder to stop and be awake and alive in yourself. Trademark wit and subtle vulnerability converge in each poem.

Movie review: Demigod

Demigod is coming to theaters and On Demand on Friday, October 15, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Just in time for the Halloween season, Demigod, starring Rachel Nichols, Jeremy London, and Elena Sanchez opens nationwide in theaters and On Demand on Friday, October 15, 2021. Upon the death of her grandfather, a woman and her husband return to her birthplace in Germany’s Black Forest, only to find a terrifying secret awaits them. Directed by Miles Doleac. (Demigod, 2021)

After her grandfather dies, Robin (Rachel Nichols) and her husband Leo (Yohance Myles) travel to Germany to return to her childhood home in the Black Forest. She grew up there surrounded by the wonders of the forest and has memories of spending time with her grandfather. The more time she spends there, the clearer those memories become and they are not all pleasant ones. Soon after, a group of local witches captures the couple and they, along with other captured locals, become part of an ancient hunting ritual meant to appease Cernunnos. Cernunnos was an ancient Celtic god who represented nature, flora and fauna, and fertility. He is frequently depicted in Celtic art wearing stag antlers or horns and usually a torc around his neck.

Demigod is a horror movie composed mostly of suspenseful horror instead of the type of horror that scares people and haunts them after the movie is over. The Black Forest is the perfect location for this type of dark movie that centers around witches, a demigod, and winter solstice rituals. It also provides excellent cinematography that envelops the action and makes it come alive. Cernunnos’ dark red eyes stand out against the bleak background for dramatic purposes. Having a group of people struggling to survive reveals the strength of the human survival instinct and how far they are willing to go to protect a loved one. Prepare for a plot twist at the end.

Overall, Demigod is entertaining, suspenseful, and at times creepy. The violence is not too graphic, which might otherwise turn off more sensitive viewers. At only an hour and a half long, the story is short and to the point. There is some German dialogue with subtitles.

Digital platforms: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, Xbox/Microsoft, Comcast/Xfinity, and more.
Demigod, 2021
1 hr. 35 min.

*The author received an opportunity to pre-screen this movie for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Cernunnos. Courtesy photo, used with permission.