Television adaptation: Resident Alien comic book series

The television adaptation of Resident Alien premieres on Syfy on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Photo: google

Resident Alien is a comic book series created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. The series has been published by Dark Horse Comics in installments of four-issue miniseries since 2012. The story is about an alien who crash lands on Earth, then poses as a doctor while he awaits rescue. He is pursued by a government agency and passes his time solving murders and other mysteries. The series has received positive reviews from critics and a television adaptation for Syfy starring Alan Tudyk will premiere on January 27, 2021. (Wikipedia, 2021)

In Resident Alien, narrative flashbacks provide the background to the plot. Captain Hah Re, an alien biologist, is shot down by a fighter plane and crashes in the Southwestern United States desert. At night, he takes money from an ATM and it captures his face on video. Men in black, who are investigating his crash site, learn of the image and begin to track him by the ATM bills. Hah Re has empathic abilities that prevent others from noticing his odd appearance. Six months later, Hah Re uses advanced technology to win one million dollars from a slot machine in Las Vegas. The men in black lose track of him but assume he will continue moving in the same direction toward the Oregon-Washington area. One year after his crash, Hah Re has taught himself English and human anatomy, among other things. He has also developed an interest in mystery novels and films. Taking the identity “Harry Vanderspeigle,” he introduces himself as a retired doctor and buys a remote cabin near Patience, Washington.

New music release: Nowhere Sounds Lovely by Cristina Vane

Nowhere Sounds Lovely by Cristina Vane will be out April 2. Photo: amazon

The origins of American music are prevalent with sounds and styles from all reaches of the globe, but over the last century or so, the roles have somewhat reversed themselves with blues, jazz, and mountain music being re-dispersed and re-interpreted by musicians worldwide. Cristina Vane, born in Italy to a Sicilian-American father and a Guatemalan mother, grew up between England, France, and Italy, and was fluent in four languages by the time she moved to her fathers’ native United States to attend university at 18 years old. Unlike most of her contemporaries in the music industry, Vane has a taste for pre-war American blues from the likes of Skip James, Robert Johnson, and Blind Willie Johnson. Add a splash of slow western waltzes and haunting Appalachian melodies for good measure and she has tapped in to the very well from which rock and roll sprung. (IVPR, 2021)

Vane’s debut full-length album, Nowhere Sounds Lovely, explores the depths of her new home’s musical history from her unique perspective without ever sounding like a re-hashing of old tricks. Out April 2, Nowhere Sounds Lovely flows naturally from the album-opening slow-burn blues of “Dreamboy” to the clawhammer banjo driven lament of “Will I Ever Be Satisfied.” Last week, American Songwriter premiered “Badlands,” the album’s closing track–a haunting and visceral nod to the Dakota’s rocky, windy plains–noting, “Like a young Bonnie Raitt, Vane sings from both her voice and her supple, bluesy guitar playing almost simultaneously–her sound as earthen as the South Dakota landscape…” Preview available here.

Vane’s perspective on American music is a decidedly unique one, but absolutely an authentic one; pieced together through sights, sounds, and experiences just like the pioneers of the music she so dearly loves. If Nowhere Sounds Lovely is any indication, Vane’s ability to carry the torch of her forebearers is strong and she is just getting started.

Nowhere Sounds Lovely track list:
Dreamboy
Dreaming Of Utah
The Driving Song
Heaven Bound Station
Prayer For The Blind
Satisfied Soul
Travelin Blues
What Remains
Will I Ever Be Satisfied
Wishing Bone Blues
Blueberry Hill
Badlands

Teatro Audaz presents ‘Frida Vice Versa’

Teatro Audaz’ ‘Frida Vice Versa’ opens on Thursday February 18, 2021. Photo: Teatro Audaz

Mark your calendars, clean your paint brushes, and ready your canvases. Teatro Audaz presents ‘Frida Vice Versa’ by Marian Licha and R. Dennis Green. Starring San Antonio’s Victoria Gutierrez and directed by Laura T. Garza, this will be a LIVESTREAMED PERFORMANCED only. This San Antonio and Texas premiere production will run from Thursday February 18 through Sunday February 28 with showtimes on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 2p.m. Tickets are available online. All performances will be in English and streamed live from The Public Theater of San Antonio‘s main stage. Audience members will be able to enjoy from the comfort of home or wherever they choose. (Teatro Audaz, 2021)

In ‘Frida Vice Versa,’ the legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s unconventional art class, the first lesson becomes the final lesson; death can be life and vice-versa. Frida inspires her students to live life with passion. Her teaching unfolds as a personal story — packaged as ten “lessons.” It reveals itself with the black humor of tragedy, accidents, opposites, and irony that have ruled her memorable life. In this one-woman show Frida Kahlo’s spirit prevails. Although a product of a patriarchal society, Frida finds her identity, passion, and love by becoming an artist in her own right.

Texas style Valentine’s Day getaways

Commodore Perry Estate in Austin, Tx. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

This year for Valentine’s Day, couples may be looking for romantic weekend getaways that are close to home. These two Lone Star State destinations offer couples escapes from the daily grind and are perfect for Valentine’s Day weekend. (JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa; Commodore Perry Estate, 2021)

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa – Sonora, TX
Lonestar Lover’s Weekend: The boutique ranch and resort located on a sprawling 13,000 acres in the heart of Texas Hill Country is offering several romantic packages for couples seeking a secluded, naturally distanced getaway this Valentine’s Day between February 10 – 14, including:

Romantic Dinner for Two: Guests and locals alike can enjoy an intimate happy hour with live music before enjoying an exclusive 4-course dinner developed by the JL Bar culinary team. The 4-course meal will include an array of Texas’ finest locally inspired dishes alongside elevated favorites, such as Seared Scallop with Citrus Shaved Fennel and Grapefruit; Bone-in Beef Filet with Yukon Gold potato puree, roasted fennel and asparagus, and a red wine demi-glace; and Chocolate Caramel S’mores Tartlet. Seatings at 5p.m. and 7:30p.m. ($150/couple, alcohol not included)

Lover’s Weekend Getaway: Starting at $499 per night ($399/night when booked alongside other couples), guests will experience couples activities and romantic amenities including a “Wine Down Happy Hour” with live music on Friday; a complimentary bottle of Prosecco and chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival (option to upgrade with additional bottle of wine, fresh flowers, and more); complimentary Valentine treats in-room daily during their stay; and additional daily activities including horseback riding, hiking, spa and salon services, and wine tasting.

Commodore Perry Estate – Austin, TX
Cupid’s Arrow Heads to Austin: From the rosy hues of the Mrs. Perry Suite to the fragrant rose gardens, every corner of the estate exudes an intimate romance. Spend the day on a sprawling picnic blanket or cuddled up by a fire. Foster harmony in the body and mind with couples yoga or add a little spark with a private tequila tasting. Surround yourself with flowers as you sip on cocktails and chef-prepared snacks in the elaborate Library of Flowers installation by Gypsy Floral. Plan the perfect date or gather for Galentine’s in the Mansion Library for a memorable experience within a cascade of fragrant florals. Abundant range of experiences exclusively available throughout the long weekend. Receive a flexible $200 resort credit to utilize for dining and activities; two night minimum required. Reserve online.

Library of Flowers: Surround yourself with flowers as you sip on cocktails and chef-prepared snacks in the elaborate Library of Flowers installation by Gypsy Floral. Plan the perfect date or gather for Galentine’s in the Mansion Library for a memorable experience within a cascade of fragrant florals. Reservation required, Private bookings for 1.5 hours, Friday 4p.m. – 9:30p.m., Saturday 11a.m. – 9:30p.m., Sunday 11a.m. – 9:30p.m. Includes 2 cocktails per person, spread of canapes and mignardises (5 kinds). Polaroid camera provided to capture snapshots of the experience – Price: $75 pp

Brownsville Repertory Theatre presents ‘Hamlet’

Brownsville Repertory Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ this January 29-31. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Coming up this week is the Brownsville Repertory Theatre’s production of ‘Hamlet’’ presented at St. Joseph Academy’s Garza Student Center.  ‘Hamlet’ centers around the death of the King of Denmark. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet determines to avenge his father’s apparent murder, with devastating consequences for his family and the Kingdom. Cast features seven student actors and one member of the Brownsville Repertory Resident Artist Company including Madelynn Gonzalez as Ophelia and Mariclara Rivera Marrero as Polonius. Showtimes are Friday January 29, Saturday January 30, and Sunday January 31 at 7p.m. both in person and via livestream for those interested. Tickets are $15 General Admission and are available online. (Brownsville Repertory Theatre, 2021)

‘Hamlet’ is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare and set in Denmark. It depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. The King of Denmark’s ghost tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet fakes madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. The play ends with a duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet’s opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed.

Through a partnership with Revival of Cultural Arts (ROCA), Brownsville Repertory Theatre is professional theatre committed to providing live theatre education by means of creative, thoughtful, and high-quality year-round programming.

Valentine’s Day at Briscoe Western Art Museum

Enjoy Valentine’s Day at the Briscoe’s ‘Sips and Sounds of the West’ this February 12. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Start your Valentine’s weekend under the stars at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s “Sips and Sounds of the West” series on Friday, February 12. With live music, drinks, and tasty bites in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, kick up your heels with your Valentine or enjoy a night out with friends surrounded by the beauty of the fantastic bronze sculptures and lush greenery that create the perfect getaway on the banks of the River Walk. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Each Sips and Sounds ticket includes chocolate covered strawberries from Choco Fresitas and a Pony Express Love Letter calligraphy kit with everything you need to pen a love letter to your valentine. A virtual option includes a front-row livestream with contact-less curbside pickup of your Pony Express Love Letters calligraphy kit and sweet treats. The calligraphy kit is a nod to the Briscoe’s beloved annual Pony Express Love Letters program, cancelled this year due to COVID. With the antiqued stationary paper and envelopes, mock wax seal, decorative stickers, calligraphy pen kit and ink, a how-to guide and Western love poetry prompts, everyone who enjoys Sips and Sounds will take home all they need to craft the perfect love letter.

Sips and Sounds of the West is the Briscoe’s seasonal music series that kicked off last fall with a safe, socially distanced, limited attendance sold out evening. The second event in the series is the perfect way to kick off Valentine’s weekend with Ty Dillon, a singer-songwriter who will fill the garden with a fantastic acoustic set. The socially distanced evening features a margarita bar and food available on site by True Flavors. Doors open at 6p.m. with music, drinks, and food until 9p.m.

Sips and Sounds of the West flows in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, a lush public outdoor space featuring a beautiful courtyard surrounded by bronze sculptures that depict iconic figures of the American West. The sculpture garden offers the perfect respite during any River Walk visit, with tables, chairs, and benches to rest and enjoy the view. With the lights of downtown in the background, and the River Walk’s famous holiday lights glowing through Valentine’s, the garden becomes magical at night, making it the perfect spot for a date night or a night out with friends.

If purchased in advance, tickets for Sips and Sounds of the West are $20 per person for museum members and $25 per person for future members and include an admission ticket to come back and enjoy the Briscoe’s full collection during regular museum hours, as well as a 20% off coupon to the Museum Store. To safely ensure proper social distances are maintained, groups are asked to purchase tickets in one transaction. A minimum of two tickets must be purchased to ensure guests are seated appropriately. Groups of three to five are seated at a larger round table. Groups of two are seated at intimate cocktail tables. Tickets will be sold at the door as available and are $25 per person while supplies last. To enjoy the at-home livestreamed evening, a single ticket reserves your front row seat and includes four chocolate strawberries for sharing, as well as a Pony Express Love Letters calligraphy kit.

The museum’s health and safety protocols require that both staff and guests wear masks. Temperature checks are also part of this protocol.

San Antonio Museum of Art to host virtual lecture with Dr. Peniel E. Joseph

The virtual lecture will be on Friday, February 5, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In conjunction with Black History Month, on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 6p.m., the San Antonio Museum of Art will host a virtual lecture with Dr. Peniel E. Joseph. Dr. Joseph is the author of the award-winning book, “The Sword and Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.,” noted as one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Must-Read Books of 2020.” “The Sword and Shield” brilliantly weaves the biographies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. and provides a detailed analysis of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and their relationship toward one another while re-examining the Civil Rights Movement and the era they both came to define. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Dr. Peniel E. Joseph holds a joint professorship at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the History Department in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. He is the founding director of the LBJ School’s Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD), and his career focus has been on “Black Power Studies,” encompassing interdisciplinary fields such as Africana studies, law and society, women’s and ethnic studies, and political science. He is also a frequent national commentator on issues of race, civil rights, and democracy.

Those interested in registering for the Zoom lecture to learn more about “The Sword and Shield” and Dr. Joseph’s studies can do so online by selecting the event date. Tickets are $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

New book release: ‘The Push’ by Ashley Audrain

‘The Push’ is Ashley Audrain’s debut novel. Photo: amazon.

Ashley Audrain is a Canadian author who previously worked as the publicity director of Penguin Books Canada. She describes her debut novel, “The Push” as a “psychological drama told through the eyes of motherhood.” A January release, it is a tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family, and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for, and everything she feared. (amazon, 2021)

In “The Push,” Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had. But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter—she does not behave like most children do. Her husband, Fox, says she is imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well. Then their son Sam is born—and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she had always imagined with her child. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth. Read an excerpt here.

La Panadería introduces Power Bowls to menu

La Panadería’s new Power Bowls. Photo: La Panaderia, used with permission.

With the New Year and renewed goals for health and wellness, San Antonio staple La Panadería has expanded their popular menu to add new Power Bowl options. Each power bowl is made with organic mixed greens, rice, and pickled onions, paired with the guest’s choice of protein and La Panadería’s fresh baked bread. Guests can choose from the Avocado Power Bowl, Grilled Chicken Power Bowl, Hawaiano Power Bowl (with grilled pineapple and pork chops) or Mexicano Cubano Bowl (with bacon, Kiolbasa sausage, and ham). (La Panadería, 2021)

Brothers José and David Cáceres opened bakery-cafe La Panadería in 2014 to share their Mexican heritage and love for baking with the people of their adopted hometown of San Antonio, Texas. The Cáceres’ passion for baking began when they were young boys selling loaves of their mother, Doña Josefina’s fresh baked bread on the streets of Mexico City. Eventually José and David took over their mother’s homegrown business and started baking on a large scale, supplying bread and pan dulce for businesses throughout Mexico. After finding financial success in Mexico, the brothers realized they wanted to get back to the basics, and they decided to bring their passion for bread cultura to Texas.

Bovino’s Churrascaría opens first U.S. location in San Antonio

Bovino’s Churrascaría’s first U.S. location will open at La Cantera on January 26. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The owners of Grupo Bovino’s are bringing its mouth-watering Brazilian steakhouse concept ─ Bovino’s Churrascaría ─ to the United States, opening its first location on Tuesday, January 26, in San Antonio, at The Shops at La Cantera. From its opening through February 28, a portion of proceeds will benefit Culinaria, a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting San Antonio as a culinary destination and supporting the hospitality community during times of financial hardship. (Bovino’s Churrascaría, 2021)

Conceived in Cancun, the company opened its first eatery in the popular tourist destination in May 2009. Six years later, the company opened in Playa del Carmen. Menu highlights include the best all-you-can-eat prime meat cuts and gourmet specialties from ceviche, paella, cold-cuts, jumbo shrimp, lobster, oysters, octopus, salads, gourmet cheeses, pastas, breads, and savory desserts. Full-service bar boasts an extensive selection of cocktails, wine, and beer options to complement the palate.

Bovino’s Churrascaría will have elements familiar to its restaurants in Mexico: brick walls, dark hardwoods and a mix of contemporary and traditional décor combine to offer sophisticated ambience for dining indoors or out. Take-out and curbside dining is also available.

Due to COVID-19 requirements, the Bovino’s buffet will be available via menu and delivered to your table by your server. The health and safety of our diners and staff is our highest priority. We are following the lead of city, state, and federally elected officials, as well as implementing strategies recommended by public health authorities. We are distancing guest, require masks be worn, and are taking extra precautions to clean and sanitize the establishment frequently throughout the day, not only the dining area, but behind the scenes in the kitchen and prep spaces, including equipment.

“We are thrilled to have found the ideal environment for our concept at The Shops at La Cantera. Its open-air lifestyle with retail and lush surroundings is a destination that caters to locals and tourists.” – Dev Bassnet, general manager for Bovinos, San Antonio.