Book review: ‘Fearless and Free’ by Wendy Sachs

Wendy Sachs is an Emmy-award winning TV producer and a former Capitol Hill press secretary, public relations executive, media and content strategist and CNN contributor. She often writes about work and life issues and women’s issues and has appeared in dozens of radio and TV shows. Her new book ‘Fearless and Free: How Smart Women Pivot – and Relaunch Their Careers’ was released on February 7, 2017. It is a career advice reference book about how women can redefine themselves and their careers regardless of age or experience.

‘Fearless and Free’ begins with an introduction by the author where she introduces herself and what she has learned from her numerous career pivots. The rest is divided into chapters such as ‘Strike a Pose and Feel the Power,’ ‘Congratulations, You’re Fired!’ and ‘Branding Is Not Bragging.’ The job market is always evolving and workers need to adapt if they are to succeed. Some of the practical advice the author gives includes the need for women to believe in themselves, think outside the box and take risks. Most importantly, they should not be too timid to brag about themselves and their skills and should take full advantage of networking. There is also advice for women who have taken time off, sometimes years off, to raise a family. She writes about how these women can translate those experiences into transferable job skills that will help them ease back into the workforce.

Even though it may be geared towards women, both men and women can benefit from this book. The subject matter and conversational tone makes it easy to read and understand. Knowing that even the author herself has struggled makes her relatable and her advice more believable. The subject of branding may be new for some but in this day of age of social media it is more relevant than ever. It is worth nothing that she has previously worked on Capitol Hill so her political connections do come to light. Overall ‘Fearless and Free’ is an excellent resource for career advice. It is recommended for readers looking to sharpen their skills and work ethics to meet the demands of an ever evolving job market.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison

harvestofthornspic — ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ is the new novel by Corban Addison.Photo: amazon

Corban Addison is an attorney, activist, world traveler and author who supports numerous humanitarian causes including the abolition of modern slavery, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. This latest novel ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ was released in January which was also National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It tells the story of a factory fire in Bangladesh and the picture of one of its young victims that unmasked the abuses and working conditions that factory workers face.

‘A Harvest of Thorns’ begins with the Prologue set in Bangladesh at the Millennium Fashions Factory where a fire breaks out and claims the lives of hundreds of workers, most of them women. Two of those victims are Nasima and her younger sister Sonia. Nasima dies but Sonia survives by jumping out of the building and over her mouth is a mask made from pants belonging to an American retailer, Presto Omnishops Corporation. When Cameron Alexander, one of Presto’s employees, finds out he sets out to investigate but when he takes his findings to his bosses they ignore him. He has no choice but to rely on Joshua Griswold, a disgraced former journalist from the Washington Post who takes the information and uses to launch an investigation of his own. What follows is a historic case against Presto in the courtroom and the media that Joshua sees as his redemption and Cameron hopes will ease his guilty social conscience.

It is both a courtroom drama and an eye-opening account of working conditions, the enslavement of workers and the abuses that women suffer overseas at these manufacturing factories. Even though it is a work of fiction it makes readers aware that conditions such as these still exist and that they should at least stop and consider where their clothes come from. In the author’s note at the end he lists ways in which conscientious consumers can get involved and make a difference. The subject matter is intriguing and the language and pace of the story makes it a quick and easy read. There is enough character development to make them relatable and helps readers empathize with their stories. ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison is recommended for socially conscious readers who want to widen their knowledge of worker and human rights.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Movie adaptation: ‘Before I Fall’ by Lauren Oliver

beforeifallpic — The movie adaptation of ‘Before I Fall’ by Lauren Oliver is due out in movie theaters on Friday March 3, 2017. Photo: google

Lauren Oliver is The New York Times bestselling author of young adult novels including ‘Replica,’ ‘Vanishing Girls’ and the Delirium trilogy: ‘Delirium,’ ‘Pandemonium’ and ‘Requiem.’ Her middle-grade novel ‘Liesl & Po’ earned her a 2012 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award nomination. The 2010 stand-alone young adult novel ‘Before I Fall,’ about a young girl who keeps reliving the last day of her life, has been made into a movie and will be released on Friday March 3, 2017. It stars Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Jennifer Beals and Diego Boneta.

According to Amazon, ‘Before I Fall’ is the story of seventeen year old Samantha ‘Sam’ Kingston who is killed in a car accident in her hometown of Ridgeview. It is written in first person narrative as Sam is forced to relive the day of the accident every day for a week. Because she is trying to figure out why this is happening to her she does things differently everyday hoping for a different outcome. Some of her actions seem out of character for her and surprise her family and friends. When she died she was the type of girl who seemed to have it all including popularity, a boyfriend and unfortunately the kind of social life that made life unbearable for outsiders and social misfits. The novel is a combination of Mean Girls and Groundhog Day that has Sam trying to solve the mystery behind her death and discovering the true value of everything she is in danger of losing. At the end the Sam who inevitably accepts her fate is vastly different than the girl at the beginning of the book.

‘Rent’ karaoke competition

rent17 — There will be a ‘Rent’ karaoke competition on Wednesday March 1 at The St Anthony Hotel for a chance to win tickets for the performance on Friday March 3. Photo: Gayle McCracken, used with permission.

The 20^th Anniversary Tour of ‘Rent’ is coming to the Majestic Theatre from March 3 through March 5 and to get things rolling The St Anthony Hotel is teaming up with the Majestic Theatre to bring the Broadway stage to Peacock Alley for one night. On Wednesday March 1 there will be a karaoke competition in the hotel’s famed Peacock Alley from 5.m. to 7p.m. The public is invited to enter for a chance to win two tickets to ‘Rent’ on Friday March 3 at 8p.m. Two winners will be chosen by crowd applause and judges from The St Anthony Hotel and the Majestic Theatre. Guests will be able to enjoy a “La Vie Boheim’ cocktail with a special twist on the classic French 75 for $7. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2017)

‘Rent’ will play for five performances only as part of the North Park Lexus 2016-2017 season. The winner of the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical, it is a re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème and follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven struggling artists in New York’s Lower East Side. With its universal themes of love and hardships it has become a pop culture phenomenon that appeals to people of all ages. Its message of joy and hope in the face of fear reminds people to measure their lives with love, which is the only thing that matters. Prices for tickets begin at $35 and are available at the Majestic Theatre box office, online, through Ticketmaster online or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

The St Anthony Hotel
Peacock Alley aka temporarily as the ‘Life Café’
300 East Travis St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 227-439

National Margarita Day at Pearl

dirtymextini — The Dirty Mextini is just one of the many margaritas that can be enjoyed on National Margarita Day this February 22. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

National Margarita Day is this Wednesday February 22 and the Pearl is making it easy to celebrate hump day with a margarita crawl. Guests can start with Sternewirth’s La Babia margarita which is usually given to Hotel Emma’s guests upon arrival. Boiler House has their version of a margarita made with local honey and orange bitters. Southerleigh has the citrusy Margarita Gose beer which has notes limes, oranges and tequila and is brewed in house. (Pearl, 2017)

The following are two margarita recipes featuring different Twang salts and seasonings.

Dirty Mextini
Ice
3oz anejo tequila
½oz olive brine
1 ½ oz fresh lime juice
1 ½ oz Cointreau
Splash of orange juice
TwangARita Gold Salt for rimming glass

Add ice to cocktail shaker.
Add in tequila, olive brine, lime juice and Cointreau. Shake vigorously for several seconds.
Moisten rim of glass with lime wedge. Turn glass rim a few times in TwangARita Gold Salt.
Strain martini into rimmed glass.
Top with a splash of orange juice. Garnish and enjoy!

Burro Borracho, AKA Mexican Mule
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz grapefruit juice
1 oz orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
2 oz ginger beer
2 oz tequila
Ice
TwangARita Paloma Salt

Dance lessons and drinks specials at Jazz, TX

jazzdance — Jazz, TX and Semeneya have partnered to offer dance lessons and drinks specials every Saturday. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Jazz, TX announces a partnership with Semeneya, San Antonio’s number one studio for Latin and Salsa dancing, to host salsa lessons and provide guests a special drink menu for them to enjoy after the lessons. These lessons are every Saturday from 1p.m. to 4p.m. and will feature a different style of salsa dancing taught by Semeneya. Following the lessons there will be a social free-style salsa dance with live music on the dance floor. Jazz, TX will have drinks specials including a Jazz, TX infused Bloody Mary, a Jazz, TX style Michelada, Fresh Fruit Mimosa, The Cha Cha made with blanco tequila, fresh lime, Mexican cola and crushed ice, an Aperol Refresher and La Isla Hernandez made with black strap rum, blanco rum, gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon, simple syrup and Mexican cola. Each session is $12 and drink specials are available for $8 to $12. Students of all levels are welcome to join the fun and learn new dancing skills. Tickets can be purchased at the door. (Jazz, TX, 2017)

The schedule for the dance sessions is:
1p.m. – Salsa 1 lesson
2p.m. – Salsa 2 lesson
3p.m. – 4 p.m. -Salsa Social with live music

Jazz, TX is the Pearl’s newest upscale music venue owned and operated by renowned musician Brent “Doc” Watkins. It is located in the cellar of the Bottling House and hosts musical acts include jazz, blues, big band, Texas swing, salsa, conjunto and Americana including Doc Watkins. It is open from Tuesday through Saturday and aside from music guest can enjoy a wide variety of food, beverages, wine and spirits.

Jazz,TX
312 Pearl Pkwy, Building 6 Suite 6001
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 332-9386

Artpace to host first Open Studios of 2017

Artpace is a contemporary art space located in downtown San Antonio created to support artists with residences, exhibitions and educational programs to foster the creative process. Since it opened in 1995 Artpace has housed more than 200 artists through the International Artist-in-Residence program. Every year they host three residencies that include a Texas-based artist, one national artist and one international artist who are each chosen by a guest curator. After an eight week residency the artists will have their exhibits on site for two months. The purpose of these residencies is to give artists every opportunity to grow by giving them the resources they need.

On Tuesday February 14 from 6p.m. to 8p.m. Artpace San Antonio will be presenting a first look into its first 2017 International Artist-in-Residence program. Visitors will be able to get an insight into each artist’s process by getting an informal behind the scenes look into their workspaces. The spring 2017 International Artists in Residence, Nicholas Frank from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Robert Hodge from Houston, Texas and Kate Newby from Auckland, New Zealand, will be on site to speak with visitors about their work. There will be a panel discussion with the artists at 7p.m. where they will talk about their residencies and the works they created. It will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience. This event is free and open to the public with complimentary drinks and food for purchase from a local food truck. Doors open at 6p.m. This open studios event is for one night only and the exhibits will be be on view from March 16 to May 7, 2017. (Artpace,2017)

Artpace
445 North Main Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 212-4900

Book review: ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ by Stephen King

bazaarpic — ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ is Stephen King’s newest collection of short stories.

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than fifty books and is known the world over as the master of horror. He received the 2014 National Medal of the Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. His body of work includes everything from short stories to full size novels that can be more than 1,000 pages long. Most recently he has written The Bill Hodges Trilogy: ‘Mr Mercedes,’ ‘Finders Keepers’ and ‘End of Watch,’ ‘Doctor Sleep’ and the collection of short stories ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.’

This collection of stories have the universal themes of mortality, the afterlife, guilt and the questions of what would people do if they could see the future or go back and correct mistakes that they have made. Long time King readers, who he describes as ‘Constant Readers’ know that he starts each book with an introduction that describes what they are about to read. In these introductions he addresses the ‘Constant Reader’ and the tone is familiar, as if they have known each other for years.

“Everything you see is handcrafted, and while I love each and every item, I’m happy to sell them, because I made them especially for you. Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth.”

In this particular collection he also starts each story with comments on when, why and how each story was written, or in some cases rewritten. There is a total of twenty stories including Mile 81, Premium Harmony, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Bad Little Kid, A Death, The Bone Church, Morality, Afterlife, Ur, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Blockade Billy, Mister Yummy, Tommy, The Little Green God of Agony, That Bus Is Another World, Obits, Drunken Fireworks and Summer Thunder. As with any other collection of works, some appeal to readers while others may miss the mark completely. Standouts include Mile 81, which is similar to ‘Christine,’ Afterlife where the main character repeatedly relives his life and death with no chance to change anything and Ur where a Kindle is a portal to a parallel world. There is even a narrative poem in the mix ‘The Bone Church’ which proves that even Mr King has written poetry. Overall ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ will appeal to his faithful readers even though some stories are weaker than the others. It makes a perfect addition to any Stephen King library.

Sweethearts Dance at Pearl

pearlnewpic — Sweethearts Dance is a family friendly Valentine’s Day celebration that will be held at the Pearl on Saturday February 18. Photo courtesy of Pearl, used with permission.

On Saturday February 18 there will be a family Valentine’s Day celebration at the Pearl Stable especially suited for the little ones. This family friendly celebration will take place from 5p.m. to 8p.m. and will feature music and dancing, love-themed arts and crafts, a photo booth, sweet and salty treats and a champagne bar for the adults. Tickets are available online and are priced at $25 for one adult and two children, $10 for each additional adult and $5 for each additional child. Children under two years old are free. To make the evening extra fun, fancy whimsical attire is recommended. (Pearl,2017)

Pearl Stable
307 Pearl Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-9539

Broadway In San Antonio announces 2017-2018 season lineup

North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio recently announced the line up for next season and theater fans are in for another unforgettable season of fabulous shows. The 2017-2018 season at the Majestic Theatre will include eight productions including four market debuts, Tony Award winning shows, family classics and returning favorites. It was also announced that the national tour of ‘Hamilton’ will play the Majestic Theatre as part of the 2018-2019 season. Season subscribers can choose a six show package starting at $211 or seven show package including ‘The Book of Mormon’ starting at $250. The benefits of being a season subscriber include avoiding possible ticket price increases closer to the show, priority ticket opportunities, lost ticket replacement and seat exchange privileges. More information is available online or by calling Broadway in San Antonio at 800-215-SHOW (7469) from 9a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2017)

In 2017 the season begins with ‘The Bodyguard’ from September 19 through September 24, ‘The King and I’ from October 17 through October 22 and Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ from December 12 through December 17. ‘The Bodyguard’ is based on the hit film and tells the story of former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. It includes the hit songs “Saving All My Love,” “I Have Nothing” and the iconic “I Will Always Love You.” ‘The King and I’ is set in 1860s Bangkok and is the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher who is hired to tutor his many wives and children. Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ is based on the 1954 movie starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It is the story of a song and dance team who put on a show at a Vermont Inn and end up falling for a stunning sister act. Hit songs include “Sisters,” “Happy Holiday” and “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.”

In 2018 the season continues with season option Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ from January 12 through January 14, ‘The Color Purple’ from February 6 through February 11, ‘On Your Feet’ from March 13 through March 18, ‘The Book of Mormon’ from May 1 through May 6 and ‘An American In Paris’ from June 12 through June 17. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ is the Tony Award winning musical that has delighted audiences with its contemporary take on the classic fairy tale. It includes the beloved songs “In My Own Little Corner” and “Ten Minutes.” ‘The Color Purple’ won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival and is about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South. ‘On Your Feet’ tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s humble beginnings in Cuba and how they came to America and became a crossover success in the pop music world. ‘The Book of Mormon’ is the outrageous musical comedy that follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries who are sent halfway around the world to share the good news. The season ends with ‘An American In Paris,’ the new hit musical about an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city all longing for a new beginning after the war.

Majestic Theatre
224 E Houston St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 226-5700

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