Celebrate Tax Free Weekend at Taco Cabana this Friday August 6 through Sunday August 8, 2021 with special meal deals. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.
In celebration of Texas Tax Free Weekend, Friday August 6, 2021 through Sunday August 8, 2021, Taco Cabana is offering a limited-time meal bundle that the whole family will enjoy. Continue the savings all weekend long with two large cheese quesadillas, twelve chicken flautas, and three 3.25 oz. quesos for just $19.99. Offer valid at all participating Taco Cabana locations in Texas. (Taco Cabana, 2021)
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 June 1, 2021, Taco Cabana operates 142 company-owned restaurants in Texas.
Pastry selections during my visit. Topo Chico is also available. Photo: Sandra Cruz
There seems to be no shortage of coffeeshops in Brownsville nowadays, so it does not matter what part of the city you are in, a java jolt is certainly within reach. Such was the case for me recently when I was at North Park Plaza shopping at Amor Y Pan that I noticed a new coffeeshop. Last time I was in the area, I saw construction going on but this time it was open for business – Nerve Coffee. From the outside, it looked clean, organized, and inviting so I decided to get a coffee to go.
The interior is decorated in neutral colors with minimal furnishings but enough tables to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. At the far corner, there is a retail station where they sell t-shirts and shopping bags with the cute company slogan – “Pa Los Nervios” as well as bagged coffee. With such a cute slogan, you get the feeling that coffee is their number one priority, yet they also sell baked goods and cold beverages. I like that the barista station is close by and out in the open so you can see, or supervise, as your coffee is being prepared. The front counter has samples of their baked goods and during my visit, this included cookies and brownies. I have a feeling the selections change frequently, as with some small businesses. I will have to go back again to verify this.
I knew I wanted coffee, but I was unsure what kind, so the patient cashier guided me with several questions: hot or cold? definitely cold; sweet? Yes, please. Any flavors? I opted for mocha and of course, made with almond milk. It was exactly what I expected – sweet and refreshing because in this South Texas heat, I cannot imagine drinking hot coffee in the middle of the afternoon. I also bought two chocolate chip cookies and lingered awhile to enjoy my coffee and survey my surroundings. I noticed that the majority of the patrons were young, so I get the impression that some do their studies while they are here. Not a bad idea. It might just be a hip place to hang out because a recent Facebook post announced live acoustic music last Saturday. The latte art on their hot coffee is amazing.
Nerve Coffee might be off my usual route, but next time I am in the neighborhood I will no doubt return for an iced coffee and maybe pick up one of their cool t-shirts. Everything is reasonably priced, so it is not out of the question. The customer service is top notch and the baked goods pair deliciously with their coffee. Next time you are craving a treat, stop by and support your local coffee shop. Remember: shop small, shop local. We might just run into each other next time.
Krause’s Café & Biergarten in New Braunfels. Photo: Krause’s Café, used with permission.
With International Beer Day fast approaching on Friday August 6, New Braunfels based beer garden, Krause’s Café & Biergarten, will be having beer specials all day to celebrate. Krause’s will be offering half price pints on all Altstadt Brewery products with an all-day Altstadt tap takeover. Guests can find Altstadt lager, Kolsch, amber, hefeweizen, pilsner, IPA, and more at Krause’s. Kick off the weekend with Krause’s and get a taste of German tradition in the Texas Hill Country. (Krause’s Café & Biergarten, 2021)
Krause’s Café & Biergarten is a New Braunfels historic restaurant opened in 1938 and successfully run until 1995. Today, Krause’s Café honors the previous traditions of the restaurant with the addition of a ‘biergarten,’ live music, and more. The menu reflects New Braunfels’ German heritage as well as South Texas flavors. Over one hundred beers are available on tap with local, regional, and international options. The restaurant also features cocktails and wines on tap. Krause’s Café is located at 186 S Castell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130, next to the popular New Braunfels Farmers Market.
‘Billy Summers’ is the new novel by Stephen King. Photo: amazon
Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His first crime thriller featuring Bill Hodges, “Mr. Mercedes,” won the Edgar Award for best novel and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Both “Mr. Mercedes” and “End of Watch” received the Goodreads Choice Award for the Best Mystery and Thriller of 2014 and 2016, respectively. King co-wrote the bestselling novel “Sleeping Beauties” with his son Owen King. Several of his books have been adapted into celebrated films and television series including The Shawshank Redemption, Gerald’s Game and It. King was the recipient of America’s prestigious 2014 National Medal of Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters. In 2007 he also won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His new book “Billy Summers” is out now and is the story about a good guy in a bad job. (amazon, 2021)
“Billy Summers” – Billy Summers is a man in a room with a gun. He is a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he will do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong? How about everything. This spectacular novel is part war story, part love letter to small town America and the people who live there, and it features one of the most compelling and surprising duos in King fiction, who set out to avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. It is about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption.
Lawrence Fernandez, author of “Jackass Flats” will be at the Brownsville Public Library for a book signing event on August 24 and 26. Photo: amazon
Coming up this month at the Brownsville Public Library, there will be a book signing event with Lawrence Fernandez, author of the book “Jackass Flats: Tales of the Deltaland of the Rio Grande.” He will be at the Main Branch as well as the Southmost Branch location on August 24 and 26, 2021 from 7p.m to 8p.m. There will be copies of his book available for purchase on the day of the event. (Brownsville Public Library, 2021)
“Jackass Flats” (amazon, 2021) This book is a virtual fireside chat with the great storytellers of the delta region of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It is appropriately named “Jackass Flats,” paralleling it with the vanished prairie herds of wild horses and jackasses that inhabited a thin range of land in the Lower Nueces Strip. Just as these mythical beasts are now gone, so stands the feared endangerment of a species of “tellers of yarns” who kept the oral traditions alive, perpetuating a lifestyle that was colorfully filled with customs which were unique to South Texas colonization.
Four or five generations of close friendships, inter-marriages, business dealings, and even the occasional fights bring these accounts over the line, into being “personal stories.” You know it is personal when you open up your family cedar chests and discover a whole cross-section of photographs of non-family, and recognize them for the impact that each one gave to the community at large. You close your eyes and you can still vividly recall the scenes where the old chats were carried out; the chiseled features of the “old folks”, the smell of pipe tobacco, the salt spray of the gulf, mesquite wood campfires. You tried your darnedest to lap up all of the words of these tales.
Even though your grandmother sometimes altered the details with each presentation, you dare not correct her – that was part of the flavor. There will always be something special about reflecting back to what it was like in a bygone era. It is like going to a costume party and dressing out your fantasies. The storytellers are a strong example of reincarnation. They left a verbal, oral legacy that will live for as long as there are those who will light a fire to rekindle the message.
When: Main Branch – August 24, 2021 from 7p.m. to 8p.m. Southmost Branch – August 26, 2021 from 7p.m. to 8p.m.
Brownsville Public Library
Main Branch 2600 Central Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78520 (956) 548-1055
‘The Noise’ by James Patterson and J.D. Barker will be released on August 16, 2021. Photo: amazon
James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett, and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers. He also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries, and Max Einstein series. J. D. Barker is the international bestselling author of numerous books, including “Dracul” and “The Fourth Monkey.” His novels have been translated into two dozen languages and optioned for both film and television. Their new thriller book, “The Noise,” will be released on Monday, August 16, 2021. (amazon, 2021)
“The Noise” – If you hear it, it is too late. Can two sisters save us all? In the shadow of Mount Hood, sixteen-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister Sophie when the girls are suddenly overcome by a strange vibration rising out of the forest, building in intensity until it sounds like a deafening crescendo of screams. From out of nowhere, their father sweeps them up and drops them through a trapdoor into a storm cellar. But the sound only gets worse . . .
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‘The Star Trek Book New Edition’ is the updated edition of ‘The Star Trek Book.’ Photo: amazon
Paul Ruditis has written over 30 books based some of the best shows on TV, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, The West Wing, Alias, and Prison Break. While he continues to work on these media tie-ins, he has also focused a great deal of attention on his own original fiction, including his teen series DRAMA! and the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy Love, Hollywood Style. He currently lives in Los Angeles. His new book out today, “The Star Trek Book New Edition,” is the new edition of “The Star Trek Book and takes readers even further into one of the greatest science fiction universes ever created. (amazon, 2021)
This unique, insightful, and comprehensive examination of an enduring, much loved franchise features every era of Star Trek in one volume, from the pioneering 1960s TV series to the latest movies and streaming shows, including Star Trek: Beyond, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Short Trek. Written by Star Trek experts, this book is packed with stunning film and TV stills, illuminating infographics, and incisive, specially curated essays that unlock the mysteries of the ever-expanding Star Trek Universe. From new and legendary heroes such as James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, and Michael Burnham to iconic villains like Khan, Q, and the Borg, to fascinating alien species like the Vulcans, Klingons, and Ferengi, this book explores the central characters, technology, civilizations, and events that have shaped the complex, epic story of Star Trek. Resistance is futile. This is the (star) trek of a lifetime you do not want to miss.
The Blue Prison’s self-titled album will be out on September 17, 2021. Photo: google
The Blue Prison will release their anticipated self-titled debut full-length album on September 17, 2021 on Metal Assault Records. Comprising four brand new tracks and newly mastered versions of two singles and one song each from the four EPs previously released by the band; The Blue Prison will be available to purchase on digipack CD and on all digital music platforms. Pre-Order The Blue Prison now via Bandcamp, full length album slated for official release September 17 on Metal Assault Records. (The Blue Prison, 2021)
In celebration of their forthcoming album, the instrumental progressive metal duo Keigo Yoshida (guitar) and Jaime Munoz (drums) have filmed their first ever music video and recently unveiled their new single “Kaleidoscope.”
Through four EPs and one single released over the past six years, The Blue Prison has presented a stellar blend of sweeping progressive metal patterns, heavy dissonant guitar riffs, groovy rhythms, as well as shades of jazz fusion and ambient music. Their debut album explores all of these elements and more. The Blue Prison is a standout album, a multifaceted collection of melodic prog that is heavy as hell and teeming with technical prowess and compelling musicianship.
The Blue Prison track listing:
Beacon (1:22)
Alchemist (4:57)
Shadows (5:27)
Artemis (3:34)
Kaleidoscope (4:28)
River (1:30)
Tyrant (4:16)
Vengeance v2.0 (5:35)
Los Angeles (3:23)
Rosetta (3:50) Total Runtime: 38:22
The Blue Prison is: Keigo Yoshida (guitar) Jaime Munoz (drums)
The Blue Prison is Keigo Yoshida and Jaime Munoz. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
“The Pariah” by Anthony Ryan is set for release on August 24, 2021. Photo: amazon
A new month means new books on the horizon. These are some notable new releases for the month of August in my favorite categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, History and Biography, Mystery and Thriller, Science fiction, Historical fiction, and Fantasy. If I could pick just one this month, it would be “The Manningtree Witches” by A.K. Blakemore simply because I enjoy historical fiction, especially the time period of the witch hysteria. (amazon, Goodreads, 2021)
Fiction: “We Are the Brennans” by Tracey Lange Release date: August 3, 2021 When twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. But it is not easy. She deserted them all—and her high school sweetheart—five years before with little explanation, and they have questions. Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the east coast, even if it means tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, the only way to protect them is to upend all their secrets—secrets that have damaged the family for generations and will threaten everything they know about their lives. In the aftermath, the Brennan family is forced to confront painful mistakes—and ultimately find a way forward, together.
Nonfiction “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” by Lizzie Johnson Release date: August 17, 2021 On November 8, 2018, the people of Paradise, California, awoke to a mottled gray sky and gusty winds. Soon the Camp Fire was upon them, gobbling an acre a second. Less than two hours after the fire ignited, the town was engulfed in flames, the residents trapped in their homes and cars. By the next morning, eighty-five people were dead. In “Paradise,” Johnson documents the unfolding tragedy with empathy and nuance. But she also investigates the root causes, from runaway climate change to a deeply flawed alert system to Pacific Gas and Electric’s decades-long neglect of critical infrastructure. A cautionary tale for a new era of megafires, “Paradise” is the gripping story of a town wiped off the map and the determination of its people to rise again.
History and Biography: “The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women” by Nancy Marie Brown Release date: August 31, 2021 In 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden was actually a woman. “The Real Valkyrie” weaves together archaeology, history, and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined. Nancy Marie Brown uses science to link the Birka warrior, whom she names Hervor, to Viking trading towns and to their great trade route east to Byzantium and beyond. She imagines her life intersecting with larger-than-life but real women, including Queen Gunnhild Mother-of-Kings, the Viking leader known as The Red Girl, and Queen Olga of Kyiv. Hervor’s short, dramatic life shows that much of what we have taken as truth about women in the Viking Age is based not on data, but on nineteenth-century Victorian biases. Rather than holding the household keys, Viking women in history, law, saga, poetry, and myth carry weapons.
Mystery and thriller “A Slow Fire Burning” by Paula Hawkins Release date: August 31, 2021 When a young man is found gruesomely murdered in a London houseboat, it triggers questions about three women who knew him. Laura is the troubled one-night-stand last seen in the victim’s home. Carla is his grief-stricken aunt, already mourning the recent death of yet another family member. And Miriam is the nosy neighbor clearly keeping secrets from the police. Three women with separate connections to the victim. Three women who are – for different reasons – simmering with resentment. Whether they know it or not, they are all burning to right the wrongs done to them. When it comes to revenge, even good people might be capable of terrible deeds. How far might any one of them go to find peace? How long can secrets smolder before they explode into flame?
Science fiction: “Light Chaser” by Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell Release date: August 24, 2021 In Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell’s action-packed sci-fi adventure “Light Chaser,” a love powerful enough to transcend death can bring down an entire empire. Amahle is a Light Chaser – one of a number of explorers, who travel the universe alone (except for their onboard AI), trading trinkets for life stories. But when she listens to the stories sent down through the ages she hears the same voice talking directly to her from different times and on different worlds. She comes to understand that something terrible is happening, and only she is in a position to do anything about it. And it will cost everything to put it right.
Historical fiction: “The Manningtree Witches” by A.K. Blakemore Release date: August 10, 2021 England, 1643. Puritanical fervor has gripped the nation. And in Manningtree, a town depleted of men since the wars began, the hot terror of damnation burns in the hearts of women left to their own devices. Rebecca West, fatherless and husbandless, chafes against the drudgery of her days, livened only occasionally by her infatuation with the handsome young clerk John Edes. But then a newcomer, who identifies himself as the Witchfinder General, arrives. A mysterious, pious figure dressed from head to toe in black, Matthew Hopkins takes over the Thorn Inn and begins to ask questions about what the women on the margins of this diminished community are up to. Dangerous rumors of covens, pacts, and bodily wants have begun to hang over women like Rebecca—and the future is as frightening as it is thrilling.
Fantasy: “The Pariah” (The Covenant of Steel #1) by Anthony Ryan Release date: August 24, 2021 Born into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the freedom of the woods and the comradeship of his fellow thieves. But an act of betrayal sets him on a new path – one of blood and vengeance, which eventually leads him to a soldier’s life in the king’s army. Fighting under the command of Lady Evadine Courlain, a noblewoman beset by visions of a demonic apocalypse, Alwyn must survive war and the deadly intrigues of the nobility if he hopes to claim his vengeance. But as dark forces, both human and arcane, gather to oppose Evadine’s rise, Alwyn faces a choice: can he be a warrior, or will he always be an outlaw?
Jesus, Haggard & Jones. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
With over 22 million combined streams on Spotify and over 17 million views on YouTube with past releases, “Life of A Workin’ Man,” “The Way That I Am,” and “This Place Called USA,” Texas-born and bred country artist Creed Fisher has released a new single and lyric video “Jesus, Haggard & Jones,” off his forthcoming new album, due out later this year. The track is available today on all streaming services here and the lyric video is available here. (Creed Fisher, 2021)
“Jesus, Haggard & Jones” sets the tone for what fans can expect from Fisher’s upcoming original full-length project. A creative collaboration written by Fisher and his good friend Mark Jones, listeners can feel the truth and experience in Fisher’s voice over the steady strum of a guitar. This track stays true to Fisher, himself, and his past releases. It is an authentic, traditional acoustic country mixed with storytelling life experience.
With lyrics, “Hanging out on a barstool I learned about drinking… Hanging out with the police I learned I’m not Jesse James…Hanging out with Mark Jones I learned he still can’t get laid…Some things in This Town ain’t ever gonna change…It turns out in this life…That in the long run…The only thing you can count on…Jesus Haggard and Jones..” – Fisher uses his voice with rugged ease in the track to explain his own take on life. He elaborates on his realization that the only things people can count on amidst all of life’s lessons are the three legends – Jesus, Merle Haggard, and good Ol’ George Jones.
Authentically Creed Fisher, this single and lyric video leave fans craving more. More album details will be released in the coming weeks. Until then, fans can keep up with Fisher on his current tour and enjoy his most recent album release, How Country Music Sounded Before It All Went to Shit, Vol. 1, which is experiencing success at Texas radio.
With his last three albums debuting in the Top 5 on iTunes, Fisher hopes his new album Whiskey and the Dog will continue to help him defy the odds. Like a steely-eyed gunslinger from a Sergio Leone western, he is a man of few words and lets his music tell his story. Fisher has never been one to sell his soul to trends. Keeping it real means writing songs that real people can relate to; the good, bad, and even the ugly. His previous singles, “Rock & Roll Man,” “Be the Hope,” “I’m Growing Older, But I’m Not Growing Up,” and “A Few Good Ol’ Cowboys” all hit Top 10, Top 25, or Top 30 on the Texas Charts. He was also named the BigStar97 Outlaw Country artist of the Year in 2018.
Fisher has upped the ante, joining forces with record label Dirt Rock Empire for the release.
Creed Fisher. Photo: Sabrina Schmidt, used with permission.
SA Examiner 