Hiatus Spa + Retreat’s Spa for a Cause during Earth Month

Hiatus Spa + Retreat will raffle off nine “Change Your Life HydraFacials” with proceeds benefitting charity: water. Photo: Hiatus Spa + Retreat, used with permission.

Hiatus Spa + Retreat, the award-winning Texas day spa with eight locations across the state, is delighted to announce their Spa For A Cause campaign to celebrate Earth month now taking place through April 30, 2022. Each Hiatus Spa location will be raffling off one of their most popular HydraFacial services with 100% of ticket proceeds benefiting charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to millions of people around the world. (Hiatus Spa + Retreat, 2022)

Hiatus will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win one of the nine raffled “Change Your Life HydraFacials” valued at $265 with all proceeds from ticket sales directly going toward charity: water. The Change Your Life HydraFacial® is the ultimate treatment that includes all the luxurious essentials of the HydraFacial System while balancing performance and relaxation. Guests can purchase one raffle ticket for $5 or five raffle tickets for $20 either in-spa at any of the eight locations or online here. Guests can also find the Hiatus Earth Month campaign on charity: water by searching here.

Hiatus will also offer their seasonal Epic Retreat, The Brazen Bee, featuring a sparkling citrus and honey foot soak, followed by a gentle coconut and sugar foot scrub to exfoliate and purify your skin. Available in Tips + Toes and Body Treatments. Cap it off with a sparkling Bee’s Knees cocktail and walk out feeling bold and refreshed. 

Hiatus strives to be Earth-friendly year-round and has made the environment a cornerstone of its business philosophy—from initial build-out to ongoing initiatives, 100 percent wind-powered energy, post-consumer recycled paper printed with soy ink, no-bottled-water policy, and VOC-free paint finishes, when available.

Longtime friends Sheila Garrison, Kristin Heaton Peabody, and Bill Garrison founded Hiatus Spa + Retreat in Dallas in 2007. Since the spa’s inception, Hiatus has received numerous accolades, including the Innovate Award, International Spa Association – 2013, Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies 2012 – 2020, American Spa Magazine – Favorite Day Spa 2016, D Magazine’s Best of Big D 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 – Best Spa, San Antonio Magazine’s – Best Spa 2021 and 2022 and Fort Worth Magazine’s Best Massage – 2021. Hiatus has eight successful locations in Dallas, Austin, Plano, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, and Frisco, along with the signature product line Hiatus Everyday. 

Craig Lewis books on addiction and mental health

‘You’re Crazy, Volume Two’ by Craig Lewis. Photo: Craig Lewis, used with permission.

Craig Lewis is an Expert by Experience, a Psychiatric Survivor, author, a lifelong punk rocker, a fearless activist, a workshop trainer, and international speaker. Craig has survived a lifetime of struggle and has chosen not to waste it. Craig shares his experiences, knowledge, and lessons learned in the hopes of supporting others in living happier, healthier, and more satisfying lives. This is an ongoing journey and Craig, like all of us, is a work in progress. Two of his books are “The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” and “You’re Crazy, Volume Two: First Hand Accounts of Surviving Trauma, Addiction & Mental Health from within the Punk Rock Scene.”

“The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” is written by a human being who learned the hard way the difference between being alive and truly living. This book is intended to help readers figure out their true path. If you put in the effort, you will experience improvements. The bottom line is this: You, the person reading these words, have the power within to heal and become whoever you were born to be. That is the path that this author has chosen. May your journey result in healing, peace and love. “The Craig Lewis Guide to Surviving the Impossible” features fifteen passages and worksheets intended to encourage the reader to go within themselves and figure out how to heal what is hurting them.

“You’re Crazy, Volume Two” is a collection of personal stories written by twenty punk rockers from around the world. All of the writers have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental health struggles. As you read these stories, you will know both the pain and the beauty that makes these uniquely brilliant human beings who they are today. We are unapologetic for surviving. Instead, we choose to live the lives we deserve. We hope that others like us will read these stories and recognize that they, too, have the power to create the better lives they want. After all, we are Punk Rockers!

PP

Izaak Opatz’s new single Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies

Izaak Opatz has a real It’s a Wonderful Life moment on new single ‘Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies’ from upcoming album Extra Medium, due out April 29. 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Songwriter Izaak Opatz has a thing for words. More specifically, fitting them together in couplets and verses of wry humor, thoughtful simile, and close observation—a therapeutic process of narrating his own life that, almost as a byproduct, turns out savory nuggets of literate, confessional pop, processing life’s tough stuff into downright enjoyable musical moments. Extra Medium, Opatz’s upcoming release—out April 29 via Mama Bird Recording Co.—splits time between his native Montana, up the East Coast, and in faraway Los Angeles. (Izaak Opatz, 2022)

Montana and LA become the main characters of more than a few tunes on Extra Medium, including the freshly debuted “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” which was written after Opatz was suddenly dumped in Montana by a lady friend who, a couple months later in LA, refused to acknowledge their previous relationship. “She’d visited me in LA when we were dating, and the contrast in feeling between the two visits almost gave me the sense that I had gone crazy, and maybe our relationship never existed, similar to George Bailey’s experience of having never been born in It’s a Wonderful Life,” remembers Opatz. “We went for a walk in Glendale’s Forest Lawn cemetery, where a number of celebrities are buried, and only after finishing the song did I find out that James Stewart, who played George Bailey, was actually buried there!” Opatz released the tremendous, perfectly-disjointed music video for “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” directed by Aaron Curry. Fans can hear “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Extra Medium ahead of its April 29 release right here. 

Extra Medium features Opatz’s bandmates and collaborators, Malachi DeLorenzo and Dylan Rodrigue, who he met in Los Angeles while working alongside Jonny Fritz at the infamous Dad Country Leather. DeLorenzo, Rodrigue, and Opatz worked together on taking the album’s songs from demo form to the quirkily-arranged, ever-evolving final track list of Extra Medium. Utilizing varying instrumentation, creative engineering, and blends of non-traditional hooks with classic song forms, the trio creates a living, breathing work, at once familiar—borderline nostalgic—and wholly unique. Fans of country and Americana will be just as likely to enjoy Extra Medium as those who lean more indie rock or experimental, perpetuating Opatz’s hard-to-describe but easy-to-listen-to style, one that Opatz and his band have dubbed dirtwave. From the feel changes and horn stabs in the previously-released single “Chinook Wind,” to the tension of the unison melody line that opens “Wild-Eyed George Bailey Heebie Jeebies,” Opatz provides never ending excitement for adventurous listeners, windows-down fun timers, and jaded industry vets alike. If Izaak Opatz’s life outside of music was noy interesting and free-wheeling enough, a step inside of his sonic world is sure to enrapture fans and fans-to-be upon first listen.

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Niche celebrates 25th anniversary with multiple events

Events include a fashion show, trunk shows, an in-store birthday party, stitching lessons, and more. Photo: Niche, used with permission.

Beloved local clothing store, Niche, is celebrating 25 years in business this spring and summer with multiple events from April through August. The fashion brand was founded in 1997 by mother/daughter team Nilgün and Ayse Derman. Niche’s flagship boutique is located at Pearl. In honor of the brand’s 25th anniversary, the clothing company will host sewing classes, trunk shows, a birthday party featuring special sales, a fashion show, and more. (Niche, 2022)

The Niche 25th Anniversary Fashion Show, scheduled for May 19, will be the highlight and largest event of the series, featuring an in-store fashion show with special discounts, a selfie wall, wine, cocktails, and gift bags for guests. Space is limited so guests are encouraged to reserve a spot through the Eventbrite link HERE.

“We are so excited to celebrate 25 years in business! People tell us that when they wear Niche, they can count on always getting compliments on their outfits,” said Niche Co-owner Ayse Derman. “Not only do we want you to feel good because you look good, but we pay attention to the cuts and the textiles so it also feels good to wear.” 

A full list of Niche’s 25th anniversary events include:

  • April 13, 2022: Stitch at Niche Sewing Workshop – Niche Store from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.
    • The topic for this class is the Sashiko method of mending. Participants will learn basic hand sewing stitches used to mend and reinforce garments. Materials will be provided. RSVP via the Eventbrite link HERE, space is limited.
  • April 28 – 29, 2022 – Fall Trunk Show – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Browse and place advance orders for the Fall 2022 collection, delivered in July/August. Each Niche clothing item is locally designed and made with the majority of products used being sourced from environmentally responsible companies. This both helps reduce the shipping cost and remove unnecessary waste associated with fashion.
  • May 7, 2022 – Claudia Lobao Trunk Show – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 3p.m.
  • Meet the designer and shop the new collection from San Antonio based jewelry designer Claudia Lobao
  • May 14 – Pop-Up with La Coronita hats – Niche at Pearl store from 11a.m. – 3p.m.
    • Shop handmade and customizable hats from local company La Coronita. In store with owner Roma Villavicencio.
  • May 19, 2022 – 25th Anniversary Fashion Show – Niche Store from 6p.m. – 8p.m.
    • Niche will host an in store retrospective fashion show during an evening that includes special discounts, wine, cocktails, and gift bags for guests. Space is limited – to reserve your spot on the guest list visit HERE.
  • May 20 to 31, 2022 – 25th Anniversary Gallery – Niche Store from 11a.m. – 6p.m. Monday – Friday / 10a.m. to 6p.m. on Saturday / 11a.m. – 4p.m. on Sunday
    • Visit Niche for a gallery style retrospective of highlights from 25 years of Niche collections. Guests can also shop special reissues of some of the most beloved styles from seasons past. Garments will be on view during store hours, and open to the public.
  • June 9, 2022 – Swap + Shop – Niche Store Courtyard from 4p.m. – 7p.m.
    • Guests are invited to bring a new or gently worn Niche item from past collections and swap it with another Niche garment. Wine will be available for customers 21+.
  • June 15, 2022 – Stitch at Niche Sewing Workshop – Niche Store from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. 
    • The topic for this class is the Sashiko method of mending. Participants will learn basic hand sewing stitches to be used to mend and reinforce garments. Materials will be provided. RSVP via the Eventbrite link HERE, as space is limited.
  • June 25, 2022 – Nilgün & Ayse’s Birthday Party – Niche Store from 10a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Celebrate the dynamic mother-daughter duo’s birthday and their 25 years in business. Guests will receive 25% off one clothing item and will be able to enjoy some sweets and bubbles.
  • August 18 – 19, 2022 – Sidewalk Sale – Pearl from 11a.m. – 6p.m.
    • Join Niche and additional Pearl retailers for a sidewalk sale. Niche will have some deep discounts for guests to take advantage of on these two dates. Subscribe to Pearl’s newsletter for more information closer to date plus additional event information here.

Niche is a modern apparel collection with rich textiles & textiles and distinctive architectural details. It is available in high-end boutiques across the country. Designer Nilgün Derman founded the brand in the mid-90s in a small cottage nestled in a “niche” of live oak trees in Castle Hills, Texas. What started as a small artwear group evolved into the ready-to-wear collection it is today. Nilgun, her daughter Ayse Derman, and their dedicated team continue to design and make the collection in Central Texas. The flagship boutique, Niche at Pearl is located at the Historic Pearl in San Antonio, Texas across the San Antonio River from company headquarters. The collection draws inspiration from this energetic district of culture and creativity in the Alamo City. Stitch at Niche, a curated fabric store & project space, is also located within the boutique where you can find unique DIY kits, gorgeous textiles by the yard, trims, interesting buttons and sewing thread.

First taste of Ladino: an exclusive meal by Chef Berty Richter

Richter to partner with Chef John Brand for Ladino preview dinner on April 19; proceeds to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank. Photo: Ladino, used with permission.

For one-night only, the highly anticipated restaurant from Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, Ladino will be hosting a sneak peek ticketed dinner in the Elephant Cellar at Hotel Emma on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30p.m. Executive Chef of Ladino, Berty Richter is partnering with Chef John Brand to create a pre-fix menu featuring some of the dishes that will be at Ladino, which is slated to open in summer 2022. A portion of proceeds from the dinner will go to San Antonio Texas Food Bank. (Ladino, 2022)

Tickets are $225 and will include wine pairings. The menu is as follows (please note items are subject to change):

WELCOME DRINKS
Raki Cocktail

DIPS
(served with warm pita)
Zaalouk- fire roasted eggplant
Spiced green tahini
Muhamarra
Spicy whipped feta
Hummus
Schug, Amba

COLD MEZE
Fennel/Pomelo salad
Apio- Celery root in orange and olive oil

HOT MEZE
Saganaki- greek style fried cheese
Shishbarak- beef and chard dumplings, smokey tomato

MAIN
Lamb Shawarma- Roasted shoulder (think middle eastern “barbacoa”)
Fish Kebabs
Chicken-Halloumi Kebabs

Condiments
Onion Parsley sumac salad
Rocket
Beef fat “kaymak”

DESSERT
Knafe- with salted cream and smoke

Hotel Emma at Pearl
136 E Grayson St
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 448-8300

The team behind Emmer & Rye, the Austin-based, nationally renowned hospitality group, is excited to announce their latest concept and first concept for San Antonio, Ladino. Led by Executive Chef Berty Richter, Ladino will pay homage to Berty’s Sephardic roots with a menu centered around the charcoal grill which plays a lead role in the Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Described as a Mediterranean Grill House, Ladino will be a celebration of all the cultures combined, starting from the decor, the ambiance and the music, to the beverages and food. Using a wood burning oven, Ladino will feature freshly made pita and other regional specialties accompanied by an abundance of Mezze, vegetables, spices, and herbs that are playful and bold. Ladino will be located in the Pearl at 200 E Grayson St #100, San Antonio, TX 78215 and is slated to open in summer 2022.

Discover warm weather in Colorado with Auberge Resorts Collection

Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado. Photo: Auberge Resorts Collection, used with permission.

Colorado is an amazing vacation destination year-round, and summer is no exception. Auberge Resort Collection’s luxury Colorado properties are unveiling new, immersive seasonal activities and offerings; from Via Ferrata to Aspen Food & Wine. (Auberge Resorts Collection, 2022)

Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection (Aspen, CO)

  • Aspen Food & Wine x Hotel Jerome Epicurean Passport: Hotel Jerome is giving guests unprecedented access to one of the most exclusive cultural happenings in town, the highly anticipated Aspen Food & Wine Festival.  With the Hotel Jerome Epicurean Passport**, guests receive insider access to an array of exclusive events and curated programming from June 16 -19, including:

○      Black on Black Dinner in the Garden

○      Black on Black After Party at Bad Harriet

○      La Grande Dame Lunch in the Garden

○      La Grande Dame Garden Lounge

○      Death & Co (TBC)

○      Bartender Bash at Bad Harriet

○      Casa Dragones Cocktail & Caviar Lounge

○      Madre Mezcal After-Hours Speakeasy

  • Theatre Aspen Summer Cabaret Series: This summer season, take in performances by top performers as Hotel Jerome’s Grand Ballroom transforms into a Summer Cabaret. Enjoy a seated chef’s dinner followed by a special Theatre Aspen production.
  • Aspen’s Hottest Speakeasy, Bad Harriet: Nestled beneath the historic Aspen Times building, discover Hotel Jerome’s newest bespoke cocktail experience, now featuring a refined menu of small bites and cocktails inspired by powerful women throughout history, the destination offers master alchemists and a lively, dynamic atmosphere.
  • Miron Crosby x Hotel Jerome, VIP Experience: Send a message of absolute adoration to the person you love most with a stay at Hotel Jerome and a pair of custom Miron Crosby boots. This summer season, the highly coveted bespoke cowboy boots from Highland Park Village, in Dallas, TX will walk the streets of Aspen, and Hotel Jerome guests will have the opportunity to engage in a truly unique experience. Pen a handwritten message that the Miron Crosby team transcribes onto leather for that special someone. The Miron Crosby message box will be waiting in the room with a bespoke invitation to bring their message to the (brand new) Miron Crosby studio for a private consultation to choose and customize their perfect boot, with the message sewn into the liner for the ultimate gift (and heirloom to treasure forever).

Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection (Telluride, CO)

  • Private Fishing & Picnic: Gain access to the pristine and secluded wilderness of Telluride. Among the most naturally gifted stretches of the entire Dolores, Lightenburger Ranch is an angler’s dreamscape of spectacular fly fishing and picture book ambiance. Guests will enjoy a private fly fishing lesson followed by an exquisite picnic lunch prepared by the Madeline culinary team.
  • 2nd Annual Alpine Cookout: Madeline Hotel & Residences invites epicureans to celebrate the spirit of Southwestern cuisine at Taste of Auberge: Annual Alpine Cookout at Madeline on July 2, 2022. The second annual event will draw visiting culinary icons, such as Salt Lake City celebrity Chef Viet Pham, Texas all-star Chef Dean Fearing, Phoenix famed chef Mark Tarbell, and Santa Fe legend Mark Kiffin, who will collaborate with Executive Chef Bill Greenwood on a mouthwatering menu, including Chef Pham’s famed Pretty Bird signature hot chicken sandwich.
  • Blues x Brews Multi-Course Dinner: The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Brewers Showcase will kick off in style on Thursday, September 15 at 6p.m. with an evening of brews, world-class fare and, of course, music. This culinary experience will pair six courses of curated, modern mountain cuisine from Executive Chef Bill Greenwood with unique craft beers and conversation with brewers. Stay tuned for the menu, brewery lineup and pour list, along with additional event information.
  • Madeline x RESET: The property has debuted an exclusive partnership with RESET Telluride, a private, ultra-luxury wellness and trekking retreat launching in May 2022.

○      Madeline x RESET Retreat: This first-of-its-kind private retreat combines ultra-luxury wellness with guided backcountry trekking in the stunning beauty of the San Juan mountains. Three personalized pathways empower every RESET guest to challenge and indulge in equal measure, while experiencing boundless hospitality, in the greatest outdoors. Break out of tired patterns and tap into your highest potential.

○      Madeline x RESET In-Room Meditation: Take a moment to unplug and recharge with a five-minute guided sleep meditation to promote a restful night in partnership with RESET.

Easter specials and items from San Antonio restaurants

Bakery Lorraine’s Chocolate Nest Tart. Photo: Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

As Easter approaches, two of San Antonio’s beloved restaurants are offering holiday deals and special offers. (Bakery Lorraine, The Jerk Shack, 2022)

Bakery Lorraine – Multiple locations
Bakery Lorraine will begin offering special Easter themed pastries and baked goods at their locations. Guests can pre-order their items online now. The last day for pre-order is Wednesday, April 13 at noon. Orders can be picked up on Saturday, April 16 or Sunday, April 17 during business hours.

Their Easter menu includes:
General Pastries: Lemon Cake, Opera Cake, Cheesecake, Lemon Blueberry Frangipane Tart, Seasonal Fruit Tart

Bunny Tart, $6
White chocolate mascarpone mousse and strawberry centers on dark chocolate shortbread

Chick Tart, $6
Tangy lime mousse on vanilla cake (still pending the jam it will sit on, blueberry or strawberry)

Easter Moonpies, $4
Fluffy honey marshmallow sandwiched between house made graham crackers

Chocolate Nest Tart, $6
Salted caramel and dark chocolate ganache in a vanilla pastry shell topped with chocolate eggs nested in chocolate phyllo

7” Carrot Cake, $65
Made with pineapple, coconut, walnuts and generously layered with cream cheese frosting
*The Carrot Cakes are available for pre-order only.

The Jerk Shack
10234 TX-151
San Antonio, TX 78251

The Jerk Shack is offering family packs to make Easter prep easy. The family packs include 14 pieces of Fried or Jerk Chicken, or Mixed Chicken for a $3 add on, choice of 3 shareable sides, and an order of plantains. Family packs are available for $65. The Jerk Shack’s hours on Sunday are 11a.m. to 4p.m. Orders can be placed online for drive-through pickup or can be ordered in store.

Easter Brunch at Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails

Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails serves up Easter brunch at Hotel Contessa with specially curated apps, entrees, bubbles, and more. Photo: Jessica Giesey & Hotel Contessa, used with permission.

Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails, located inside Hotel Contessa, is excited to announce that they will be hosting Easter brunch next Sunday, April 17 from 7a.m. to 3p.m. Ambler has curated delectable apps, entrées, bubbles, and more for the arrival of Spring this Easter. The brunch will be available for all guests to reserve a table online here or by contacting the restaurant at (210) 229-9222. (Hotel Contessa, 2022)

Full brunch menu below.

Appetizers include the following:

  • Greek Yogurt Parfait – topped with mixed berries and grist mill pecan granola
  • Deviled Eggs – contains bacon, cheddar, and green onions
  • Crab and Guacamole – incorporates charred onions and peppers
  • Avocado Toast – comes with a pickled egg and Fresno chilis 
  • Sliced Pineapples and Berries

Brunch entrées consist of the following:

  • Farm Fresh Eggs – served with your choice of house potatoes or fresh cut fruit and berries
  • Eggs Contessa – poached eggs with Canadian bacon, an English muffin, and green chili mornay sauce
  • The Alamo Omelet – chicken apple sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, and queso fresco 
  • The Texan Omelet – smoked bacon, jalapeño, cheddar cheese, and fire-roasted tomato salsa 
  • Egg White Frittata – spinach, asparagus, and pico de gallo
  • Steak and Eggs – 6oz. filet mignon and over easy eggs
  • Lobster Benedict – poached eggs, Canadian bacon, butter-braised lobster, and lemon hollandaise

Griddle options are between the following:

  • Cinnamon French Toast & Pork Belly – includes pickled Fresnos and maple butter
  • Buttermilk Pancakes – topped with fresh berries and maple syrup
  • Belgian Waffle – topped with berries, whipped cream, and maple syrup
  • Breakfast Burger – includes a sunny side up egg, bacon, brioche bun, and a side of fries
  • Beef Short Rib Hash – made with a sunny side up egg, avocado, and fingerling potatoes
  • Chicken & Waffle – made with buttermilk chicken and cinnamon butter maple syrup

Ambler will also be highlighting their tableside mimosa kit for only $42. The mimosa will consist of La Marca prosecco and choice of two juices from options of orange, grapefruit, pineapple, blood orange, and watermelon. Additional bubbles and drinks include the following items: 

  • French 77 – La Marca prosecco, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, and cold-pressed lemon juice
  • Strawberry Beret – strawberry-infused aperol, La Marca prosecco, and Icelandic sparkling water
  • Espresso Martini – Tito’s Handmade Vodka, caffe del fuego, and espresso syrup
  • What’s Up Doc – Tito’s Handmade Vodka, carrot juice, pineapple-ginger syrup, and lemon

Ambler Texas Kitchen & Cocktails
306 West Market Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 229-9222

 

Television adaptation: ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St. John Mandel

The limited series adaptation of ‘Station Eleven’ is available on HBO Max. Photo: amazon

Emily St. John Mandel is a Canadian novelist and essayist. She has written numerous essays and five novels, including “The Glass Hotel” and “Station Eleven,” which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and has been translated into thirty-five languages. “Station Eleven” has been adapted into a limited series, which premiered on December 16, 2021, on HBO Max. It is an audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse—the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. (amazon, 2022)

“Station Eleven” – Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end. Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. When they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. As the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Excerpt is available here.

Celebrate National Poetry Month at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe Western Art Museum presents The Poetry of Art: National Poetry Month Celebration and Reading. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Celebrate National Poetry Month by enjoying an afternoon of poetry inspired by art as the Briscoe Western Art Museum hosts “The Poetry of Art:  National Poetry Month Celebration and Reading” in honor of San Antonio’s 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest on Sunday, April 10, 2p.m. – 4p.m. The free reading and celebration is part of National Poetry Month San Antonio and will be held in the Briscoe’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, 210 W. Market Street, San Antonio. Admission to the reading is free. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

Showcasing poetry inspired by select artworks at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the McNay Art Museum, Ruby City, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Witte Museum, “The Poetry of Art” will feature local poet laureates reading their work and Jim LaVilla-Havelina, San Antonio’s National Poetry Month Coordinator, as well as adult and youth winners of San Antonio’s 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest. Former San Antonio poet laureate Carmen Tafolla will read a poem inspired by a piece of art from the Briscoe, while other San Antonio poet laureates will be on hand to read their poems based on works from other local institutions. The pairings featured in this year’s ekphrastic poetry effort include Jenny Browne, the McNay Art Museum; Jim LaVilla-Havelin, San Antonio Museum of Art; Octavio Quintanilla, the Witte Museum and current San Antonio Poet Laureate, Andrea Vocab Sanderson, Ruby City.

An ekphrastic poem is based on a piece of art, taking an existing piece of visual art and using written words to describe and expand on the theme of that work of art. Many of these poems explore hidden meanings or an underlying story. Each local art institution selected one work from their collection to feature in the 2022 Ekphrastic Poetry Contest for adult and youth poets.

The featured works include:

  • The Briscoe Western Art Museum, With No Roof but a Resistol, Bruce Greene.
  • The McNay Art Museum, The Sole Sitter, Willie Cole.
  • Ruby City, Hub, 3rd Floor, Union Wharf, 23 Wenlock Road, London N1 7ST UK, Do Ho Suh.
  • San Antonio Museum of Art: Landscape of Four Seasons, Unkoku Togan.
  • The Witte Museum, Carretta Wheel from a Tejano Freighter.

From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.