Author: Sandra Cruz

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

New book release: ‘Red Deception’ by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman

‘Red Deception’ by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman. Photo: amazon

Masters of international intrigue Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman are back with their latest, timely geopolitical thriller, “Red Deception.” When terrorists bomb bridges across the country and threaten the Hoover Dam, the vulnerability of America’s infrastructure becomes a matter of national security. But Dan Reilly, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, predicted the attacks in a secret State Department report written years earlier – a virtual blueprint for disaster, that was somehow leaked and is now in the hands of foreign operatives.  (Gary Grossman, Ed Fuller, 2021)

With Washington distracted by domestic crises, Russian President Nicolai Gorshkov sends troops to the borders of Ukraine and Latvia, ready to reclaim what he feels is Russia’s rightful territory. Tensions in Europe threaten to boil over as a besieged American president balances multiple crises that threaten to upend the geopolitical order.  With the U.S. at the mercy of an egomaniacal leader, and reporters and covert agents on his tail, Reilly may be the one man who can connect the dots before an even bigger catastrophe unfolds. Blending career insight with first-hand knowledge of global politics, Fuller and Grossman draw a chilling portrait of the fragile fault lines in Europe and the players poised to seize power.

Ed Fuller is CEO of Laguna Strategic Advisors, a global consortium providing business consulting services worldwide. He has served on business and charitable boards during his 40-year career with Marriott International where he was chief marketing officer followed by 22 years as president and managing director of Marriott International.  His book, “You Can’t Lead with Your Feet on the Desk,” has been printed in English, Japanese and Chinese. Fuller served as captain in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany and Vietnam and received the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation medals. He and Gary Grossman are co-authors of the Red Hotel series, including the 2018 thriller “Red Hotel,” “Red Deception,” and soon to be followed by “Red Chaos.”

Gary Grossman is a journalist, newspaper columnist, documentary television producer, reporter, media historian and the author of “Executive Actions,” “Executive Treason,” “Executive Command,” and “Executive Force.” In addition to the bestselling Executive series, Grossman wrote the international award-winning “Old Earth,” a geological thriller. With Ed Fuller, Grossman has collaborated on the globe-hopping Red Hotel series. He served as chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors, and is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association and Military Writers Society of America.  Grossman has taught at Emerson College, Boston University, USC, and currently teaches at Loyola Marymount University. 

“An in-depth and realistic ground-level view of the type of asymmetric Nation-state sponsored threats faced by the Agencies tasked with protecting the United States both domestically and abroad.”

Edward Bradstreet, Special Agent, Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

San Antonio Museum of Art and UTSA present Maya artworks on public view

Detail of jaguar and coatimundi way on Cylinder Vase with Animal Figures, Belize, AD 650-750, earthenware and mineral paint. Photo: The Mopan Valley Archaeology Project, Bernadette Cap, used with permission.

Nature, Power, and Maya Royals, an exhibition of thirty-four artworks and objects discovered by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) researchers in two royal Maya burials at the ancient city of Buenavista del Cayo, Belize, is now on view at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA). This exhibition is the first time the selection of works will appear for public viewing. This exhibition is an exciting collaboration between UTSA, SAMA, and the Belize Institute of Archaeology. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Nature, Power, and Maya Royals: Recent Discoveries from the Site of Buenavista del Cayo, Belize will be on view through February 27, 2022. It was organized by the San Antonio Museum of Art in collaboration with the Belize National Institute of Culture and History’s Institute of Archaeology and scholars in the University of Texas at San Antonio Department of Anthropology. It is supported by the Gloria Galt Endowment Fund, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and UTSA Maya Archaeology Excellence Endowment. The UTSA excavations that recovered the objects were conducted with the permission of the Belize Institute of Archaeology and funding from the Alphawood Foundation and Termini Endowment for Maya Archaeology.  

In 2014 and 2019, a team of UTSA archaeologists led by Jason Yaeger, President’s Endowed Professor of Anthropology at UTSA and Senior Associate Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts found finely painted ceramic vessels that display kings and symbols of authority as well as shell pendants, earrings, and bracelets worn by a king. “The objects in the exhibition are priceless to us and to the government of Belize for what they tell us about the ancient Maya. This show presents a wonderful opportunity to grow connections with institutions across San Antonio and Belize,” Yaeger said. 

The discovery is particularly extraordinary because looters had previously trenched the building in which one of the royal burials was located, missing it by just a few inches. Finding the site and objects following the looters’ destructive actions is incredibly lucky and makes the discovery particularly special. “We are delighted to share these beautiful and precious artworks. Visitors will also be able to view images taken during our excavation in Belize. The recovery of the objects such as these from known, well documented locations provides essential information for interpreting similar Maya art held by museums,” said Bernadette Cap, Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Postdoctoral Fellow at SAMA and curator of the exhibition. 

The artworks date between AD 450 and 800, a period when Maya kings and queens reigned over large populations and lived in elaborately designed cities. The exhibition highlights how two Maya rulers commissioned artwork that featured commanding iconography to express and legitimate their power. For example, a common theme in rulers’ art was the portrayal of jaguar pelts worn as clothing and used as decorative elements of royal palaces. The Maya admired the jaguar for its strength and skills as an apex predator, and rulers retained exclusive rights over jaguar imagery and products.

One of the most outstanding pieces in the exhibition is a large, elaborately carved pendant made of marine shell. Incised Maya glyphs appear on it and have been deciphered to read, “This is the pendant of Naah Uti’ K’ab, king of Komkom.” The discovery of the pendant confirms that the buried individual is a king. Given the context of recovery, Komkom is likely the original name of the site we now call Buenavista del Cayo. Maya texts at nearby sites state that Komkom had been attacked and conquered in the AD 600s and 700s. The shell pendant dates to around AD 450, however, and thus provides the earliest reference to the site of Komkom.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community. 

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a Hispanic Serving University specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic development. With more than 34,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property—for Texas, the nation and the world. 

Book review: ‘Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?’ by Bella Mahaya Carter

‘Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?’ by Bella Mahaya Carter. Photo: amazon

Bella Mahaya Carter is a creative writing teacher, empowerment coach, speaker, and author of an award-winning memoir, “Raw: My Journey from Anxiety to Joy,” and “Secrets of My Sex,” a collection of narrative poems. She has worked with hundreds of writers over the past eleven years and has degrees in literature, film production, and spiritual psychology. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, articles, and interviews have appeared in Mind, Body, Green; The Sun; Lilith; Fearless Soul; Writer’s Bone; Women Writers, Women’s Books; Chic Vegan; Bad Yogi Magazine; Jane Friedman’s Blog; Pick The Brain; Spiritual Medial Blog; Literary Mama; several anthologies, and elsewhere. In her new book “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?: Finding Peace of Mind While You Write, Publish, and Promote Your Book” she shows writers how to use their present circumstances as stepping-stones to a successful and meaningful writing life.

“Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” begins with an Introduction where the author shares her personal experience about how a hammock she received from her husband and daughter for Mother’s Day helped her conclude that peace and happiness come from within. She thought she had placed it in the perfect spot in her backyard but when the neighbor cut down a tree that gave her shade, she was furious about it for a month. It was not until she gave in, relocated it and found another ‘perfect spot,’ that she found that the bliss was not in the hammock itself, but in the permission she “gave myself to let go and be completely present and alive there.” Her goal is that this book will “encourage readers to lean in to their work and their lives with greater freedom, curiosity, and celebration.” It is divided into five parts: Dream (Universal Doubt, Stories That Create Suffering), Nourish (Small Adjustments, Body Breaks), Write (Journal Writing Is Good For Your Writing, The Time It Takes), Publish (Why We Write, The Dream), and Promote (Author Expectations, Hiring a Publicist). Each part stands alone and some chapters end with writing prompts to help readers dig deeper into the subject as it pertains to their lives. Throughout, she also shares her seven major crossroads moments on her path to publication, known as MYHM (move your hammock moment). This must-read resource is meant to give writers inspiration and help authors overwhelmed by the publishing process.

Writing and getting published can be intimidating and there are more than enough books out there dealing with the subject. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” is not only a how-to book, it is also meant to help readers be mentally prepared for the entire process by dealing with fears and feelings of inadequacies and giving them coping skills. The book is brilliantly divided into different stages so that readers can choose what to focus on depending on their needs or just read all the way through. The chapters are short and to the point, without unnecessary ramblings, and the language is easy to understand, true attributes of an educator. Highlights include chapter 38. Craft: Six Ways to Improve Your Writing where the author gives writing tips such as avoiding general terms and writing using your natural speaking voice; chapter 69. Marketing Versus Publicity (marketing is an ongoing process while publicity is a targeted media campaign), and chapter 81. How to Plan a Successful Book Tour. An interesting concept she shares is that “readers want to see their own lives reflected in what they read;” this is why we read and why we write, to connect with others, so we should not be afraid to write about our experiences. It is updated for the modern age with the inclusion of using social media, Facebook and Zoom. “Where Do You Hang Your Hammock?” by Bella Mahaya Carter is an extremely useful and inspiring guide designed to bring out an individual’s creativity. It is recommended for readers looking for ways to improve their writing and tips for how to handle what comes after a book is published.  

“Perhaps one of the greatest skills I know in service to dreams is the understanding that growth takes place at the edges of one’s comfort zone.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

 

New book release: ‘The Shadow’ by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

‘The Shadow’ is the new thriller by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. 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. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. In his new book with co-author Brian Sitts, “The Shadow,” he reimagines one of America’s iconic thriller heroes. Released today, it is now available everywhere books are sold. (amazon, 2021)

“The Shadow” – Only two people know that 1930s society man Lamont Cranston has a secret identity as the Shadow, a crusader for justice. One is his greatest love, Margo Lane, and the other is fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. When Khan ambushes the couple, they must risk everything for the slimmest chance of survival, in the future. A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a knowledge of the legend of the Shadow. Most disturbing, Khan’s power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. And only the Shadow knows that he is the one person who might succeed before more innocent lives are lost.

Celebrate National Tequila Day with Hopdoddy

Celebrate National Tequila Day with margaritas from Hopdoddy. Photo: Hopdoddy, used with permission.

Saturday July 24 is National Tequila Day, so why not try Hopdoddy’s Roadie — a half-gallon bag of frozen house margarita —  so you can easily share and celebrate with a crowd. This frozen, to-go margarita is made with fresh, hand-squeezed juice, and the 64 oz. is enough to bring the whole party with you. If you are looking for a tasty tequila drink for one, there are even more options to choose from at the to-go bar, like Hopdoddy’s classic Strawberry Margarita or Doble Fina Margarita. All Hopdoddy orders can be placed in-person at any Hopdoddy Burger Bar location or online for pickup. (Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 2021)

In 2010, four friends had a goal: to set a new standard for burger bars. Hopdoddy pushed the boundaries of what is expected by bringing together craft beer and unique burger concoctions – all with high-quality ingredients and even higher standards. With every purchase of a Goodnight Good Cause burger, a portion of the proceeds give back to Hopdoddy’s favorite community charitable organizations.

 

2021-07-24T10:11:00

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National Tequila Day

Ava Earl releases second single from upcoming album The Roses

Mountain Song is the second single from upcoming album The Roses, due out July 23, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Ava Earl, an 18 year old songwriter and outdoor enthusiast hailing from Girdwood, Alaska, has released the second single “Mountain Song” from her forthcoming album titled The Roses which will be available on July 23, 2021. “Mountain Song” is, in Earl’s own words, “about a real life experience that I had when I was a bit too confident in my mountain climbing skills. I usually pride myself in my spontaneity, but this experience reminds me that caution is a necessary consideration. This song is also about understanding my lack of control in the universe.” Earl is known in Alaskan music circles and folk worlds nationally for her keen sense of self, intricate fingerpicking, and graceful melodies—“Mountain Song” being the perfect example of all three. (Ava Earl, 2021)

The Roses was recorded in Nashville and produced by JT Nero, one half of the Americana-outfit, Birds of Chicago and features hauntingly beautiful background vocals from Allison Russell and Awna Teixeira.

Amplify Music Magazine pointed out in a recent interview that “Earl has always been drawn to powerful lyrical storytellers, which has weaved into her own lyrical consciousness. Endlessly inspired by and propelled by community found through music, Ava has always put herself in spaces to find and nurture that inter-musical connection and camaraderie.”

Previous to this single drop and album announce, Earl has written and co-produced three full-length albums which includes Am I Me Yet?, her previous album, was released in July 2018. Am I Me Yet? is a 15 song collection recorded at The Hallowed Halls studio in Portland, Oregon, and features Earl on guitar and vocals, Andy Mullen on guitar and bass, and Anna Tivel on violin. The album was engineered by Hawkins Wright, who is also the album’s co-producer.

An engaging performer, Earl thrives in a live concert setting, drawing audiences in with her music and stories. Highlight performances over the years include opening dates for Maggie Rogers, Rhett Miller, and Tim Easton.

The Roses Track list:
Springtime
Mountain Song
The Roses
New Light
On A Page
Up Here in the Sky
Chaos
Do You Know Me By My Name?
Wintertime
Butterflies

 

Mountain Song by Ava Earl
2021-07-23T13:03:00

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Upcoming new book release: ‘Steel Fear’ by Brandon Webb and John David Mann

‘Steel Fear’ by Brandon Webb and John David Mann will be released on July 13, 2021. Photo: amazon

Brandon Webb is a combat-decorated Navy SEAL sniper turned entrepreneur who has built two brands into an eight-figure business. As a U.S. Navy chief he was head instructor at the Navy SEAL sniper school, which produced some of America’s most legendary snipers. John David Mann is co-author of more than thirty books, including four The New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers. His writing has won multiple awards, including the Living Now Book Awards Evergreen Medal for its “contributions to positive global change.” Webb and Mann have been writing together for a decade, starting with their bestselling memoir “The Red Circle.” Their debut novel “Steel Fear,” is their seventh book together and the first thriller of many to come. It is the story of an aircraft carrier adrift with a crew the size of a small town, a killer in their midst, and the disgraced Navy SEAL who must track him down. Release date is Tuesday July 13, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

“Steel Fear” – The moment Navy SEAL sniper Finn sets foot on the USS Abraham Lincoln to hitch a ride home from the Persian Gulf, it is clear something is deeply wrong. Leadership is weak. Morale is low. And when crew members start disappearing one by one, what at first seems like a random string of suicides soon reveals something far more sinister: There is a serial killer on board. Suspicion falls on Finn, the newcomer to the ship. After all, he is being sent home in disgrace, recalled from the field under the dark cloud of a mission gone horribly wrong. He is also a lone wolf, haunted by gaps in his memory and the elusive sense that something he missed may have contributed to civilian deaths on his last assignment. Finding the killer offers a chance at redemption, if he can stay alive long enough to prove it is not him.

Them Coulee Boys are at it again with new LP Namesake

Them Coulee Boys’ Namesake will be out August 6, 2021. Photo: google

With three full-length albums and an EP behind them, including 2019’s Die Happy (produced by Trampled By Turtles’ Dave Simonett on Lo-Hi Records), Them Coulee Boys has garnered international attention and earned press in American Songwriter and The Bluegrass Situation, as well as tours with Trampled By Turtles and a spot on the songwriter’s Cayamo Cruise. In 2020, they were named Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Band to Watch and were nominated for band of the year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry. When the world stopped in early 2020, the band holed up in their practice space and began writing. The result is their brand new effort entitled Namesake, available on August 6, 2021. (Them Coulee Boys, 2021)

Soren Staff and Beau Janke—co-founders of folk/rock/Americana outfit Them Coulee Boys—met as counselors at a bible camp in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Having both grown up amidst a stretch of glacial melt-carved river valleys in the upper Midwest, otherwise known by French fur trappers as coulees, they became fast friends. “Them coulee boys are at it again,” the other counselors would tease. Fast forward to 2021 and the only thing that warrants the phrase “Them Coulee Boys are at it again” is the announcement of a brand new album from Staff, Janke, and the three other band members who have joined since camp days—Soren’s brother, Jens Staff, on mandolin, Neil Krause on bass, and Staš Hable on drums. On August 6, Them Coulee Boys are set to release Namesake, a rollicking ten-song collection that spans from leaping, countrified rock and roll to pure and genuine ballads, all in the Boys’ signature, punched-up Americana sound. The Bluegrass Situation recently premiered the first single from Namesake, a summertime-feeling, Petty-esque strummer called “Given Up.” Under the feel-good 12-string melodic lines of “Given Up” lies an examination of failing the ones we love; a perfect example of Them Coulee Boys’ ability to repeatedly wrap tough subjects in sing-along-able tunes. Fans can hear “Given Up” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Namesake ahead of its August 6 release right here. 

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Namesake was recorded at The Hive in the band’s hometown of Eau Claire, WI, a small Wisconsin city infamously blessed with a wealth of musical talent. The record was produced by Grammy-winner Brian Joseph who has worked with the likes of Paul Simon, Sufjan Stevens, Ani Difranco, and The Indigo Girls, and earned his Grammy producing and engineering Bon Iver’s Bon Iver. The Hive itself is an intimate room, with ceilings draped with nautical rope, and bookshelves adorned with all manner of things antiquarian, living and dead. Joseph’s fingerprints are everywhere on the record, and the warm feel of home left the band trusting further expansion of their sound. The result is a record that is equal parts bear hug, gut punch, and a steadying hand.

Namesake finds Them Coulee Boys following a new trajectory, combining their signature take on folk-grass and Americana with comfort on electric instruments playing rock and roll. The record lives and breathes. It is both intimate and bombastic. It is the sweet aunt who makes delicious pies and the wily uncle who is not afraid to hit a bit of the hooch. At the bottom is the acceptance that comes with family and old friends; none of us are perfect, but there is enough love out there to make up for it.

Namesake Track list:
Namesake
Given Up
Phil’s Song
April 1st
Knuckleballer
Canyon
Repurposed Frowns
Just Friends
1st Team All-American
Hallelujah

 

2021-08-06T10:43:00

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Jeremy Pinnell’s new LP Goodbye L.A.

Jeremy Pinnell finds the sweet spot between rowdy and reborn on Goodbye L.A., out October 1, 2021. Photo: google

When Jeremy Pinnell released OH/KY in the summer of 2015 to stunned acclaim, it felt like an entire career compressed into one knock-out album. Hailed as, a “Mind-blowingly good” (Greg Vandy/KEXP)  “tutorial on classic country music” (Popmatters), Pinnell’s debut immediately was set apart as authentic and unflinching. Dogged touring through Europe and the States and celebrated radio sessions followed, cementing Pinnell’s position as a no-fuss master of his craft. (Jeremy Pinnell, 2021)

His 2017 album, Ties of Blood and Affection presented a canny lateral move. Instead of doubling down on the stark themes and values of his debut, the sophomore album found Pinnell finding comfort in his own skin, achieving the redemption only hinted at in his previous batch of haunted songs. Pinnell’s newest album Goodbye L.A., is set to be released on October 1, 2021.

The opening notes of Jeremy Pinnell’s new tune “Wanna Do Something” are a touch less swung and twangy—and a pinch more Laurel Canyon upbeat—than anything he has put out before. With the bass thumping on root notes and a pleasantly round-sounding slide guitar playing the intro’s hook, “Wanna Do Something” gives way to a verse that quickly reminds listeners this is still Pinnell’s wheelhouse; his perfectly-worn voice singing honestly crafted songs. Raised Rowdy recently premiered “Wanna Do Something,” the first single from Pinnell’s upcoming album Goodbye L.A., out October 1 on SofaBurn Records. Raised Rowdy noted that the song feels like the balance between soaking up the sights on tour and keeping the idea of home close in the background, saying, “‘Wanna Do Something,’ finds [Pinnell] in a familiar place – somewhere in the endless in-between, set against a backdrop of sweeping classic country influences and a hard-worn, gritty edge.” Fans can hear “Wanna Do Something” now right here and pre-order or pre-save Goodbye L.A. ahead of its release at this link.

The collective sound of Goodbye L.A. is not so much polished-up as it is intentionally steered to fit Pinnell’s goal of making a fun record. “[Production-wise] I wanted like 80s Waylon, ZZ Top. My idea was that I wanted to write a record that made people happy,” he says. “I want people to dance and have fun and love each other.” A big part of getting the desired result was bringing in Jonathan Tyler to produce Goodbye L.A., the result hitting the desired mark dead-center. Rooted in his steady acoustic guitar, Pinnell’s songs are shot through with honest and classic elements. The rhythm section, all snap and shuffle, find purpose in well-worn paths. The pedal steel and Telecaster stingers arrive perfectly on cue, winking at Pinnell’s world-wise couplets. A slippery Hammond organ insinuates gospel into the conversation. Listeners can feel the room breathe and get a sense of these musicians eyeballing each other as their performances are committed to tape.

Goodbye L.A. Track list:
Big Ol’ Good
Wanna Do Something
Red Roses
Nighttime Eagle
Never Thought Of No One
Doing My Best
Rosalie
Cryin’
Goodbye L.A.
Fightin’ Man

2021-10-01T14:35:00

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July events at Krause’s Café & Biergarten

Bier stein-holding competitions are still going on at Krause’s Café before the finals on August 21, 2021. Photo: Krause’s Café & Biergarten, used with permission.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten is hosting a variety of live music and events throughout July including the musical stylings of the Rick Cavender Band, Masskrugstemmen competitions, UEFA EURO Championship watch parties, and more. This is a sampling of upcoming events; a full list is available online. (Krause’s Café & Biergarten, 2021)

UEFA EURO Championship Watch Party, July 11: Finals
Guests are encouraged to stop by Krause’s Bierhalle to catch the final “football” championship and grab a pint. Krause’s will be hosting a watch party for the UEFA EURO 2020 Championship on Sunday, July 11 at 2p.m.

Masskrugstemmen Competitions – Saturdays, July 17 and 24
There are only five more bier stein-holding competitions before the finals. On select Saturdays, guests are invited to try their hand at the traditional Bavarian contest in which contestants hold a full bier stein at arm’s length for as long as they can. Winners of the men’s and women’s competitions receive a $50 gift card and are invited back to compete in the finals on August 21. Champions will receive airfare plus a two night hotel stay in New York City. There is also a kid’s version with Root Beer for some family fun.

Rick Cavender Band – Friday, July 9
Rick Cavender is known to many as the voice and face of his family’s auto dealerships, but when the lights are off in his showroom, Rick leads one of South Texas’ favorite party bands. He has shared a stage with well-known artists Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Alabama, Glen Campbell, and George Strait. Guests can expect a fantastic ride through songs from all decades and genres from the Eagles to Creedence, from George Strait to Robert Earl Keen, from Lady A to Fleetwood Mac to Marty Robbins and Roy Orbison. The Rick Cavender band will start their set at Krause’s at 6:30p.m. on July 9.

Terry Cavanagh Duo & The Alpine Express – Sunday, July 11
Terry Cavanagh and the Alpine Express is one of America’s best German bands. The group energizes the stage with traditional German music stylings. The upbeat and interactive band will play at Krause’s Cafe on July 11 as a duo at 10a.m. and the entire band will perform at 2p.m.

Rochelle & The Sidewinders – Friday, July 16
Austin-based blues rock band Rochelle & The Sidewinders will take the stage at Krause’s Friday, July 16 at 7p.m. Guests can expect a quality show provided by Austin’s Number One Blues Band, according to the Austin Blues Society.

Mark Halata & Texavia – Saturday, July 17
Mark Halata began playing the accordion at an early age and has used it as a means to connect with his Czech-Moravian heritage. The band plays traditional polka music, notable for its upbeat tempo and rhythmic sounds. Mark Halata & Texavia will be playing at Krause’s Cafe Saturday, July 17 at 5:30p.m.

Das Ist Lustig – Sunday, July 25
Das Ist Lustig translates to “That’s Fun” and this German Band based in Houston, TX promises to deliver. The traditional German band performs nationally and throughout Texas year round, sharing their energetic style with all who come to listen. Das Ist Lustig will be performing at Krause’s Cafe Sunday, July 25 at 2p.m.

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 100 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.