April events at Pearl

diadelnino,jpg — For the first time, A Día del Nino celebration is coming to the Pearl this April. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

April at Pearl is setting up to be a busy one with various activities planned for the whole family. Programming for the month includes Poetry at Pearl, a Mi Golondrina retail pop-up, the First Thursday Night Market, Bidi Bidi Party, a Battle of Flowers After Party and Día del Niño. Also, Gustav’s Geysers have reopened at Pearl Park, making it the perfect destination for spring time fun. (Pearl, 2019)

Poetry Month at Pearl in April – Various activations throughout Pearl Campus all month
In honor of National Poetry Month, Pearl will celebrate the art of the written word with various poetry-themed activations throughout the property. Pearl has commissioned local poets to create works in collaboration with select stores. Celebration of Things: Window Poems features the work of three San Antonio Poet Laureates and three Texas Poet Laureates; poems are installed on the storefronts of The Tiny Finch, Niche, Local Coffee, Bakery Lorraine, LeeLee, Vintage Bouquet Bar and The Twig. Typewriter Rodeo will also be at the First Thursday Night Market on Thursday, April 4, where Poem Wranglers will create free, custom poetry for visitors on their vintage typewriters. The Twig will have a book signing with Kari Anne Holt and Sean Petrie of the Typewriter Rodeo where they will sign copies their recent publication “Typewriter Rodeo: Real People, Real Stories, Custom Poems.” All events are free and open to the public.

Mi Golondrina Pop Up – March 5 – June 1 from 11a.m. to 5p.m.
Mi Golondrina, a collection of handcrafted high-end artisan clothing and accessories made in Mexico, returns to Pearl. Guests can shop the collection at the Pearl pop-up store, located next to Niche and The Sporting District.

First Thursday Night Market – Thursday April 4 from 4p.m. to 8p.m.
First Thursday Night Market returns to Pearl for the month of April. Visitors can shop with their favorite local Farmers Market vendors and artisans while enjoying music by regional performers. Mojo-Ramba will perform at Pearl Park from 5:30p.m. to 7:30p.m. and. St. Duke’s in Pearl Parkito from 4p.m. to 8p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Bidi Bidi Party – Tuesday April 16 from 6p.m. to 9p.m.
Pearl will host a Bidi Bidi Party on Tuesday, April 16 from 6p.m. to 9p.m. at Pearl Park. DJ Manolo Black will spin the best of cumbia and Latin music to honor the Queen of Tejano. The event is free and open to the public with food and drinks for sale at the Bottling Department.

Battle of Flowers After Party at Pearl – Friday April 26 from 12:30p.m. to 5p.m.
Pearl will host its annual Battle of Flowers After Party at Pearl Park. Guests can enjoy specials from the Bottling Department while dancing along to Sound Cream and DJ Catwalk. The event is free and open to the public with food and drinks for sale at the Bottling Department and Southerleigh Oyster Bar.

Día del Niño – Tuesday April 30 from 4p.m. to 6p.m.
Since 1925, Día del Niño is an annual celebration in Mexico honoring children and this year, Pearl brings the celebration to Pearl Parkito. Pearl will honor this tradition by partnering with the Instituto Cultural de México (ICM) to bring an evening of bilingual storytelling, traditional Mexican games, face painting, and more. Día del Niño is free and open to the public with food and drinks available for purchase throughout Pearl property.

Pearl
303 Pearl Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260

San Antonio Book Festival announces The Moth storytellers

sabf19 — The San Antonio Book Festival takes place this Saturday April 6. Photo: San Antonio Book Festival, used with permission.

The San Antonio Book Festival (SABF), the free and family-friendly literary-themed event, is taking place this Saturday April 6, along with The Moth. In the age-old tradition of true stories told live, The Moth is an international storytelling show that features five storytellers on stage sharing an authentic experience from their own personal lives. The Moth shows are renowned for the great range of human experience they showcase and the performances dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience. (San Antonio Book Festival, 2019)

This year’s lineup has just been revealed and includes:
Visual artist from the Eastern Shawnee Nation of Oklahoma Alistair Bane
Bestselling author Kate Braestrup
Mexico native and bestselling author Reyna Grande
Acclaimed novelist Ernesto Quiñonez
Award-winning designer Lori Weitzner of Lori Weitzner Design

The Moth will be at The Majestic Theatre on Friday, April 5 at 7p.m. and will showcase five authors as they share their own personal story. General Admission tickets range from $25-$45 and are available online. VIP tickets are $100 and include admission to the exclusive afterparty with The Moth storytellers and producers, San Antonio Book Festival authors, and complimentary food and beverages.

The mission of the San Antonio Book Festival is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries and literary culture. The signature program of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, SABF was first presented in April 2013. Founding Partners are the Texas Book Festival, the San Antonio Public Library and Southwest School of Art. Through active partnerships with school districts and community organizations focused on literacy, education and culture, the Festival connects with educators, parents and students, pre-K through college. SABF reaches out to those who are well read and those who love to read well.

The Moth is a non-profit group based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of stories told live and without notes.
Moth shows are renowned for the great range of human experience they showcase. Each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Since each story is true and every voice authentic, the shows dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience.

The Majestic Theatre
224 East Houston Street
San Antonio, TX, 78205

San Antonio Book Festival 2019

sabookfestival — This year’s San Antonio Book Festival will take place on Saturday April 6. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The San Antonio Book Festival is a family friendly event that brings over 20,000 festival-goers to downtown San Antonio for free fun activities suitable for all ages. Set for Saturday April 6 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. at the Central Library and Southwest School of Art, the 2019 schedule features over 100 renowned authors participating in panels, book signings, book sales, children and teen activities, ghost story telling and more. The festival showcases first-time novelists and established writers while introducing attendees to new literary talents and connecting them with their favorite authors. (San Antonio Book Festival, 2019)

Events worth noting include the Stories of the Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley with David Bowles for teenagers and adults looking for a thrill, a performance of Dr.Krashundbang! presented by The Magik Theatre for the kiddos, a book signing and discussion with Cristela Alonzo, Oscar Cásares and Fernando Flores about their new books, talks with New York Times bestseller Tayari Jones about her novel ‘An American Marriage’ and much more. The complete schedule is available online.

San Antonio Central Library
600 Soledad St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 207-2500

Southwest School of Art
300 Augusta St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 200-8200

First presented in 2013, the mission of the San Antonio Book Festival is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries and literary culture. Founding Partners are the Texas Book Festival, the San Antonio Public Library and Southwest School of Art. Through active partnerships with school districts and community organizations focused on literacy, education and culture, the Festival connects with educators, parents and students, pre-K through college and reaches out to those who are well read and those who love to read well.

New release: ‘The Ultimate Droodles Compendium’

Roger Price was an American humorist, author and publisher who created Droodles in the 1950s and later collaborated with Leonard B. Stern on the Mad Libs series. His Droodles books sold more than 1 million copies between their debut in 1953 and his death in 1990. His Mad Libs have sold more than 150 million copies, and counting, since he co-created them with Leonard Stern in 1958. On March 6, what would have been Roger Price’s 101st birthday, Tallfellow Press will release ‘The Ultimate Droodles Compendium: The Absurdly Complete Collection of All the Classic Zany Creations of Roger Price.’ It is arranged and annotated by Emmy-winning writer Fritz Holznagel and features a foreword by America’s best-known film historian, critic and author, Leonard Maltin. Always funny and often provocative, Price was one of America’s most original comic voices. (Smith Publicity, 2019)

Before he delighted fans with Mad Libs, comedian Roger Price invented Droodles – absurdly funny drawings that joined hula hoops and UFOs as one of the biggest fads of the 1950s. At the peak of their popularity, Droodles had their own TV show, daily newspaper column, bestselling books and even cocktail napkins. Until now, Droodles, and the remarkable legacy of Roger Price, have been forgotten by all but a few diehard fans. Featuring over 350 hilarious Droodles, from the most popular to the wonderfully obscure and even “Kinda Croodles” that are more than a bit insensitive from today’s modern viewpoint, ‘The Ultimate Droodles Compendium’ is the first and only full retrospective of Price and his creations.

In ‘The Ultimate Droodles Compendium,’ longtime fans and newbies alike will be captivated by this forgotten genius of American comedy. This is a one-of-a-kind collection of humor and history and Millennials and Baby Boomers alike are in for a treat. It is now available in paperback wherever books are sold.

Lit ‘n Lunch 2019 at the Witte Museum

cilantrodiaries2 — Lorenzo Gomez, author of ‘The Cilantro Diaries’ will be the keynote speaker at the 2019 Lit ‘n Lunch on Tuesday, March 5.

Assistance League of San Antonio will be hosting its 2019 Lit ‘n Lunch on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at The Witte Museum’s Mays Family Center. Lorenzo Gomez, III will keynote the event. (Assistance League of San Antonio, 2019)

Lorenzo Gomez is a San Antonio native and author of the celebrated book, ‘The Cilantro Diaries: Business Lessons From the Most Unlikely Places,’ which provides practical and entertaining advice for business-starters young and old. A local celebrity known for thinking outside the box and keeping it real, he is the Chairman of the Board of Geekdom and the 80/20 Foundation and co-founder of Techbloc. He is also an expert in ecosystems development, a public speaker, an author, a podcast host and a compelling storyteller. Now the Chairman of the Board for both Geekdom and The 80/20 Foundation, Mr. Gomez has had a notably positive impact on the tech industry in San Antonio, the city’s economic growth and its tremendous revitalization. ‘The Cilantro Diaries’ is the story of how Mr. Gomez went from a grocery stockroom to the boardrooms of two private companies, and beyond, without a college degree. He is a dynamic speaker and eager supporter of Assistance League of San Antonio.

Lit ‘n Lunch provides a wonderful opportunity for corporations and individuals to support Assistance League of San Antonio’s charitable programs while enjoying a local author-focused lunch. In addition to the keynote speaker, the event will also include a Wall of Wine raffle, a decadently themed basket auction and a Clothe A Child Auction conducted by KENS 5 Evening Weather Anchor, Bill Taylor. The auction will provide an opportunity for guests to raise their bid card and donate to Assistance League of San Antonio’s key programs, Togs For Tots and Operation School Bell®. Togs For Tots provides new clothes for infants to 4-year-olds, while Operation School Bell provides new school clothes to kindergarten through fifth graders. Nearly 500 guests attended Lit ‘n Lunch in 2018, raising almost one-quarter of Assistance League of San Antonio’s annual program budget. Each year at Lit ‘n Lunch, Assistance League of San Antonio grants the Rising Star Award to a high school student who has shown great literary potential. A student from Judson Independent School District is the recipient of the 2019 Rising Star Award.

Artist Gary Sweeney launches book based on installation

sweeneyartinstallation19 — ‘Manhattan Beach Memoir: Artist Gary Sweeney Says Goodbye to His Childhood Home’ is now available everywhere. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Gary Sweeney, a San Antonio-established artist known for his humorous text-based work and art installations throughout the United States, debuts his new book, ‘Manhattan Beach Memoir: Artist Gary Sweeney Says Goodbye to His Childhood Home,’ based on his most popular art installation, A Manhattan Beach Memoir: 1945-2015. (Gary Sweeney, 2019)

‘Manhattan Beach Memoir’ documents the installation at 320 35th Street in Manhattan Beach, California, made as a tribute to his family as they owned and occupied the home for over 70 years. The site-specific installation pays homage to his upbringing, family and the Manhattan Beach of the past. The photography exhibit consisted of 112 large-scale graphics of personal family photos, which were printed on MDO plywood and covered the entire outside of the artist’s childhood home. The installation was featured in national and international publications, including the Daily Mail UK, People.com, ABC News, Dwell, Architecture Lab, and more.

The project was on display to the public during the entire month of February 2015, after which the photos were removed and the home was replaced by a new development. The collection of photographs were originally taken by Mike Sweeney, Gary’s father. He took hundreds of pictures documenting family events and even built a dark room located in the upstairs of the home where he developed most of the photos. Gary selected images that tell a story of a family and a home across 70 years.

Writers of the book, Wendy Weil Atwell and Neil Fauerso, also discuss the social and economic factors that shaped Sweeny’s childhood, the astronomical increase in real estate values, the meaning of home, photography’s role in society and the Southern California art movements that inspired and influenced Sweeney’s art. ‘Manhattan Beach Memoir: Artist Gary Sweeney Says Goodbye to His Childhood Home’ is available for purchase on Amazon and on the publisher’s website, Material Media.

Gary Sweeney is an artist who works in many forms—from photography to painting to sculpting, resulting in a body of work ranging from neon signs, billboards and murals to wooden furniture, books and flower arrangements. Born into the fertile artistic climate of 1950s Southern California, Sweeney was surrounded by art and artists. He has become known for his appealingly nostalgic and humorous artwork and gained notability for his project Post-Obsessive, where he mailed more than 20,000 personalized, handwritten postcards that were altered with witty images, clippings and quotes taken from newspapers around the country. He also has permanent collections on view including America, Why I Love Her at the Denver International Airport, which is inspired by family road trips and bizarre monuments and roadside attractions, and Nostalgia, Texas at the San Antonio International Airport, where Sweeney designed neo-retro tourist posters with tongue-in-cheek slogans.

Television adaptation: ‘The Passage’ by Justin Cronin

Justin Cronin is an American author who has written five novels: ‘Mary and O’Neil,’ ‘The Summer Guest’ and the vampire trilogy consisting of ‘The Passage,’ ‘The Twelve’ and ‘City of Mirrors.’ He has won the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, the Stephen Crane Prize and a Whiting Award. ‘The Passage’ is the story of Amy who was abandoned by her mother at age six and is now being pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. The television adaption will premiere on Fox on Monday January 14 and stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Brad Wolgast and Saniyya Sidney as Amy Bellafonte.

‘The Passage’ focuses on Project Noah, a secret medical facility where scientists are experimenting with a dangerous virus that at best is a cure-all for all diseases and at worst has the potential to wipe out humanity. When Amy Bellafonte is chosen as a test subject, Federal Agent Brad Wolgast has to bring her in to Project Noah but instead bonds with her as a surrogate father and vows to protect her at any cost. Their journey will force them to confront Project Noah’s lead scientist, Major Nichole Skyes and the hardened ex-CIA operative in charge of operations Clark Richards, whom Brad trained. It also brings them face-to-face with a dangerous new race of beings within the walls of Project Noah.

Television adaptation: ‘A Discovery of Witches’ by Deborah Harkness

discoveryofwitches Deborah Harkness is an American scholar, novelist and wine enthusiast best known as a historian and the author of the All Souls Trilogy. The series consists of The New York Times’ best-selling novel ‘A Discovery of Witches’ and the sequels ‘Shadow of Night’ and ‘The Book of Life.’ The story centers around Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches. It was adapted into a television series by Sky One, a British network, and will premiere on Sundance Now on Thursday January 17. Cast includes Matthew Goode, Alex Kingston and Teresa Palmer.

In ‘A Discovery of Witches,’ Diana Bishop discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Despite a long-held mistrust between witches and vampires they form an alliance and set out to protect the book and solve the mysteries hidden within while dodging threats from the creature world.

Movie adaptation: ‘Mortal Engines’ by Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve is a British author and illustrator of children’s books and is best known for the 2001 young adult novel “Mortal Engines” and its sequels. “Mortal Engines” won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in ages 9-11 years and made the Whitbread Book Award shortlist. The book is the first in a series called the Mortal Engines Quartet which includes “Predator’s Gold,” “Infernal Devices” and “A Darkling Plain.” This was followed by the Fever Crumb prequel series: “Fever Crumb,” “A Web of Air” and “Scrivener’s Moon,” which depict events many years prior to those of “Moral Engines.” The books feature two young adventurers, Tom Natsworthy and Hester Shaw, who live in a lawless post-apocalyptic world inhabited by moving cities. The movie adaptation of “Mortal Engines,” directed by Christian Rivers and a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, opens this Friday December 14. It stars Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery and Stephen Lang.

“Mortal Engines” is set in a post-apocalyptic world that is a product of a “Sixty Minute War” which caused geological upheaval. To escape the earthquakes, volcanoes and other instabilities, a nomadic leader named Nikola Quercus installed huge engines and wheels on London and enabled it to dismantle (or eat) other cities for resources. London is now hunting again, chasing a terrified little town across the wastelands and soon, it will eat. The book focuses on a futuristic steampunk version of London, now a giant machine striving to survive on a world running out of resources. Tom is a young Londoner who has never lived outside his traveling hometown. His first taste of the outside world comes when he gets in the way of an attempt by the masked Hester to kill Thaddeus Valentine, a powerful man she blames for her mother’s murder and both Hester and Tom end up thrown out of the moving “traction” city to fend for themselves.

‘Cowboy Barbecue’ by Adrian Davila

davilasalsas — Adrian Davila’s “Cowboy Barbecue” celebrates the culinary legacy of the original Texas Vaqueros. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Adrian Davila is a third generation BBQ restauranteur, BBQ Chef and Pit Master at the acclaimed Davila’s BBQ in Seguin, TX. He spent most of his youth in the restaurant’s kitchen mastering the techniques until he could prepare everything on the menu to perfection. In his debut cookbook “Cowboy Barbecue: Fire & Smoke from the Original Texas Vaqueros,” he shares authentic Texas barbecue with a uniquely Latin twist. It highlights the flavors and stories of the Mexican-American community from the simple, everyday cooking to the celebratory feasts that bring family and friends together. Co-authored with Ann Volkwein. (Countryman Press, 2018)

In “Cowboy Barbecue,” chef and restauranteur Adrian Davila celebrates traditions of Latin America and Texas, taking inspiration from the vaquero lifestyle and his own family history. His signature dishes trace their culinary roots back to the vaqueros, the Latino cowboys who once roamed the plains of Texas and Mexico. These vaqueros may have been the first “pit masters” who combined the local ingredients with the bright flavors of the Iberian Peninsula. For three generations, Davila’s BBQ has infused classic brisket, ribs and sausage with Latin flavors. Aside from grilling tips, he also offers techniques for smoking, cooking directly on the embers, underground, on a spit and more. Recipes include Mesquite Brisket, Vaquero Chili con Carne, Fire-Roasted Tomato, Onion and Serrano Salsa and more as well as more than fifty color photographs. Available on Amazon.

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