Fredericksburg Peach Market and Free Country Concert Series

eatingpeaches — The Fredericksburg Peach Market will take place at The Shops at La Cantera on Saturday July 13 along with the first concert in the Country Music series. Courtesy photo: used with permission.

The Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau brings a taste of the Texas Hill Country to The Shops at La Cantera on Saturday July 13 from 10a.m. to 6p.m. Peach growers from the Hill Country Fruit Council will sell prized fresh peaches, while other specialty producers and wineries from Fredericksburg will offer wine, jellies, jams, salsas, soaps, lotions and more for sale in the mall’s common areas from Center Court to Forever 21. Later that day, Thomas Michael Riley will open The Shops at La Cantera’s free Country Music series in conjunction with Luckenbach Texas at 7p.m. on Main Street. Weldon Henson, Tessy Lou & The Shotgun Stars and Two Tons of Steel round out the line-up for the summer. (The Shops at La Cantera, 2019)

Shoppers are encouraged to bring the family, including canine companions, on leash or in carrier, and enjoy The Shops at La Cantera’s open container policy which allows visitors to sip and shop. Luciano’s Pizzeria and Tiny Cantina sell and serve beer and wine and issue wristband to wear while consuming the beverage on property.

Summer Concert Series on Main Street, 7p.m.

Saturday, July 13 – Thomas Michael Riley – Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Texas Music Awards

Wednesday, July 17 – Weldon Henson – Prepare to dance to what people think is arguably the best Texas Made Honky Tonk

Wednesday, July 24 – Tessy Lou & The Shotgun Stars – A mix of mountain, country, Americana, originals and bluegrass. Paramount featured one of their songs in Downsizing, starring Matt Damon and Kristen WiigWiig.

Wednesday, July 31 – Two Tons of Steel – “Band of the Year” on 12 separate occasions; “Album of the Year;” “Best Country Band” S.A. Current ten times; ‘Best Male Vocal’ honors four times. Before Americana or Texas Country, Two Tons of Steel rocked a sound that blends the best of musical worlds and pushed the envelope with a signature brand of country meets punk.

The Shops at La Cantera
Peach Market in the Common areas from Center Court to Forever 21, Music on Main Street
15900 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210) 582-6255

Book review: ‘General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War’ by Robert Kofman

General Meade Cover — ‘General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War’ is Robert Kofman’s new book about the Civil War. Courtesy photo: used with permission.

Robert Kofman is an American author born in Bellefonte, PA and a graduate of Penn State and Duke Law School. He became a labor lawyer with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia before entering private practice in Miami, FL as a management side labor and employment attorney. After retiring from practicing law, Kofman desired to keep intellectually engaged by writing a historical novel as a way to help educate people in an engaging fashion about the Civil War. His new book “General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War” resulted from that effort. (Smith Publicity, 2019)

In “General Meade: A Novel of the Civil War” Robert Kofman has written a work of historical fiction detailing a fascinating character, who has been relegated to the margins of history, with credibility and intrigue. It begins with a note by the author where he explains that the novel covers many significant events of the last three years of the American Civil War from the perspective of Major General George Gordon Meade, sometimes in his own words through letters that he wrote to the person he most trusted: his wife Margaret. The Prologue describes what happens in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln becomes President, specifically how the Southern states begin seceding from the Union before he even takes office.

Just three days after taking command, General Meade confronts Lee’s army at Gettysburg, resulting in the bloodiest and most dramatic battle of the war. After that incredible victory, at first he is heralded as a hero who turns the tide of the war, but he then falls victim to a smear campaign that threatens to ruin his reputation and his career. He is forced to muster all of his strength to persevere against an onslaught of political and newspaper attacks, all while leading the Army of the Potomac and serving his superiors: General Ulysses S. Grant and President Lincoln.

Much more than a novel of historical fiction, “General Meade” is also a view of the issues plaguing the nation then and now. Themes include a country divided by social issues, polarized political parties, partisan newspaper attacks, false news stories, war heroes and villains and an unscrupulous Congressional Committee out to destroy the careers of generals who do not share its political ideology. Considering that the main subject is history, the language is easy to understand and the action flows from page to page aided by maps when appropriate. Highlights include the mention of history in the making, like the big story in the paper about Lincoln’s preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and details of vicious hand-to-hand combat: “Blood and brain matter splattered the combatants. A Rebel flag-bearer climbed atop one of the Napoleons and waved his colors. Seconds later, his bullet-ridden, lifeless body fell to the ground.”

Kofman provides sources and a bibliography for anyone interested in reading more on the subject. An interesting section is the Afterward, where he lists what happens to the people in the story: “Robert E. Lee was indicted but never tried for treason,” Ulysses S. Grant “created the Justice Department and used it to prosecute the Ku Klux Klan, which was using violence to deny freed blacks their civil rights” and how Old Baldy, General Meade’s warhorse outlived him by ten years. At Meade’s funeral, “Old Baldy followed the caisson carrying Meade’s casket as the rider-less horse.” “General Meade” is an extraordinary work of historical fiction that spotlights the lesser-known side of history’s legends. It is recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction at its finest.

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

‘Wanderer: The Ultimate Hippy Trail Journey’ by F.T. Burke with Steve Reifman

F.T. Burke is a lifelong resident of the state of Michigan, where he now lives with his wife, Lorie. He previously enjoyed a prior career in the high-tech sector, serving as a systems engineer and project manager. His debut novel “The Bohemian Adventure” traces the main character’s self-enlightenment journey while traveling with devoted deadheads who followed the psychedelic rock group, the Grateful Dead. In this latest novel “Wanderer: The Ultimate Hippy Trail Journey” he fictionalizes and is inspired by true adventures in the life of Steve Reifman, co-author. (Ascot Media Group, 2019)

Steven W. Reifman is a practicing lawyer and businessman. He took a journey similar in time and place to that of Wanderer’s main character, Woodstock. Steve was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and has three children, two grandchildren and an enduring, love-filled marriage of over 40 years.

In “Wanderer: The Ultimate Hippy Trail Journey,” during the chaotic latter days of the Vietnam War and after the protest march on Washington, D.C., many American youth asserted their rebellious freedom by doing drugs, having sex, sleeping outside and backpacking through Europe, North Africa and Asia. Still living at home was Steve, a young man coming of age, just out of college, with no clear future and unable to pay rent. Envious of the free-spirited revelers, Steve, who adopted the nickname “Woodstock” after attending the music festival in New York, joined the throngs of intrepid youth to wander the world and search for his soul.

This enchanting novel follows Woodstock’s year-long journey to scratch his nomadic itch. Upon beating the draft, Woodstock crosses the Atlantic to the Old World, without any particular itinerary, no set time to return home and not much money. He finds God everywhere no matter how hard he tries to hide and look away. His spontaneous, free-wheeling adventures of raucous, hilarious incidents all weigh heavy against the need to come home and grow up.

Wanderer will appeal to the wanderlust in the souls of hippies young and old. A fast read with a lot of laughs, the story was inspired by the true adventures of the co-author. Come along for this unforgettable adventure of a lifetime.

“Wanderer: The Ultimate Hippy Trail Journey” by F.T. Burke and Steve Reifman
Purple Whale Publishing
ISBN: 9781733624640 (softcover)
ISBN: 9781733624657 (EPUB)
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online book retailers

Hopscotch announces San Antonio opening

matrixinstallation — Hopscotch is now accepting submissions through August 15. Photo: Hopscotch, used with permission.

Hopscotch, a new and uniquely curated immersive art experience created by Texas entrepreneurs Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman, recently announced its permanent home of San Antonio, TX at the Travis Park Plaza Building, opening late 2019. Hopscotch has just released its Request for Proposals (RFP) for artists and is now accepting submissions through August 15, 2019. (Hopscotch, 2019)

Criteria for the RFP includes preference for immersive works which utilize multimedia, visual and sound elements. Suggested approaches include, light art installations, projection mapping, experimental architecture, surreal environments and more. Themes of inclusivity, social commentary and ‘art that leaves a lasting impression on visitors beyond their Instagram feed’ are encouraged. The budget range for most accepted proposals is between $5,000 to $20,000.

All interested artists may submit a proposal to showcase their creative works to proposal@letshopscotch.com. Written proposals should be in PDF format; video and sound clips that further illustrate the concept will be accepted. The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2019. Full RFP, as well as guidelines to submit, is available online.

Hopscotch will be located at Travis Park Plaza at 213 East Travis Street on the corner of Travis and Navarro Streets, near The St. Anthony Hotel. The Hopscotch gallery and event space will be over 18,000 square feet. The two-story space will be comprised of individual gallery rooms. Each artist or collective of artists, selected to create an installation, will work within their independent room. Hopscotch aims to showcase works from a number of talented local, national and international artists.

Jensen and Inman are also currently hiring for several full-time positions including a number of creative and design roles. For hiring opportunities, please email join@letshopscotch.com.

“We are excited to have a permanent home in downtown San Antonio and are grateful to have the opportunity to work with so many talented artists. Community is very important to us and we are eager to become a valued participant of this one.” Nicole Jensen, co-founder.

Co-founded in 2018 by Austin entrepreneurs Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman, Hopscotch provides distinct experiences through the curation of local-centric, immersive and experiential art. Recently, Hopscotch presented an exhibition in Austin, TX that featured 13 distinctive installations and showcased works from a variety of local Austin artists as well as a selection of national and international artists. Following the limited run exhibition, Hopscotch announced their move to a permanent gallery and event space in downtown San Antonio. This space will rotate similar interactive and immersive exhibitions beginning in late 2019/early 2020. These exhibitions will feature different Central Texas based artists as well as a selection of national and international artists.

Greater Tuna’s Jaston Williams in ‘Don’t Blame the Car!’ at The Classic Theatre

jastonwilliamscar — Jaston Williams’ ‘Don’t Blame the Car!’ opens on Thursday June 27 at The Classic Theatre. Photo: The Classic Theatre, used with permission.

On Thursday June 27, The Classic Theatre is opening their Second Series production of Greater Tuna’s Jaston Williams’ ‘Don’t Blame the Car!’ It will run until Sunday June 30 with only six performances: June 27 at 8p.m., June 28 at 8p.m., June 29 at 2p.m. and 8p.m. and June 30 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and available online. There will be no late seating at any performance. Written and Performed by Jaston Williams. The theatre is handicapped accessible. (The Classic Theatre, 2019)

Jaston Williams’ first driver’s license read 4 feet 11 and 85 pounds. He learned to drive from his mother who assured him that passing on the right was permitted even on a two-lane road. The day his father tried to teach him to drive a standard shift, the man had to cut the lesson short and return home for bed rest. Hear this along with other stories including the one about the twirler who repeatedly injured herself with her own baton and the true account of why Jaston holds a lifelong grudge against potatoes.

The Classic Theatre of San Antonio
1924 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 589-8450

Pluckers Wing Bar announces opening of second location

pluckerslogo — Pluckers Wing Bar will opens its second San Antonio location on Monday July 8. Photo: Melissa Skorpil, used with permission.

Pluckers Wing Bar, Texas’ favorite sports bar and wing restaurant, just announced the official opening of its second San Antonio location in the Landmark Center at 15651 I-10 W on Monday, July 8. The new San Antonio location will open daily from 11a.m. to 12a.m. and will feature the iconic Pluckers menu, including fan favorites Fried Pickles, Holy Macaroni, The Bypass Burger topped with bacon, cheddar, grilled onions and jalapeños, and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Pluckers will also offer their famous wings paired with signature sauces Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, and Spicy Ranch, along with unique flavors, like Fire in the Hole, Ginger Peach Sriracha, Gochujang, and Spicy Mandarin. (Pluckers Wing Bar, 2019)

Once open, the new restaurant will offer Pluckers’ signature rewards program, Pluckers Club, for just $10 until July 21. Pluckers Club members enjoy a variety of rewards, including, but not limited to, free birthday meals, invitations to exclusive events, food and drink specials and more. After July 21, Pluckers Club memberships will cost $20. The Pluckers club membership is now available through the app on iTunes and Google Play – a treat for current and aspiring members. As Pluckers continues to open new stores, they are expanding their platform via social media and the app that connects, serves, and grows with their fans.

Owners Mark Greenberg, Dave Paul and Sean Greenberg opened their first Pluckers restaurant in Austin in 1995. Over the past 23 years, Pluckers Wing Bar has opened 23 locations, expanding to Baton Rouge, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen, San Marcos and San Antonio. Pluckers is known for their signature wings and is consistently recognized as the best sports bar and chicken wing restaurant. They offer guests a fun, laid-back atmosphere where friends, family, and co-workers can enjoy a great meal and watch sports. Pluckers has been named in USA Today’s “Top Ten Wing Restaurants” and ESPN’s “Top 5 Sports Bar in North America,” along with being named one of “Austin’s Best Places to Work 2017” by the Austin Business Journal and Dallas Observer’s “Best Sports Bar.”

“We are so excited to open our second San Antonio location. It’s been a year since we opened our first area location in Selma and San Antonians have really shown how much they love the Pluckers experience. We are thrilled to open our second San Antonio location close to UTSA and to continue to grow our Pluckers community in this city.” – Dave Paul, co-owner of Pluckers Wing Bar.

Pluckers Wing Bar
15651 I-10 W
San Antonio, TX 78249

Dads eat free at Pluckers Wing Bar on Father’s Day

Pluckers Wing Bar is thrilled to announce that this Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, dads eat free at ALL locations. All dads can enjoy a complimentary entree, side and non-alcoholic beverage, up to a $15 value, from Pluckers’ extensive menu when they show their Pluckers Club or Pluckers Club Lite membership on the Pluckers mobile app upon arrival. The Pluckers app is now available on iTunes and Google Play and allows members to ditch the Pluckers Club card and explore more ways than ever to earn points and keep up with the latest specials, events, and competitions.(Pluckers Wing Bar, 2019)

Pluckers menu includes such fan favorites as Fried Pickles, Holy Macaroni, the Bypass Burger topped with bacon, cheddar, grilled onions and jalapeños, and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Additionally, Pluckers will offer their famous wings paired with signature sauces Buffalo, Spicy BBQ, or Spicy Ranch, along with unique flavors Fire in the Hole, Ginger Peach Sriracha, Gochujang, or Spicy Mandarin.

Pluckers Wing Bar
14881 IH-35 North
Selma, TX 78154

Book review: ‘Deep Water Blues’ by Fred Waitzkin

Fred Waitzkin is an American novelist and writer for The New York Times, Sunday Magazine, New York and Esquire. His works include the books “Mortal Games,” “The Last Marlin” and “The Dream Merchant” but he is best known for his memoir “Searching for Bobby Fischer” about his son Josh Waitzkin, a chess prodigy. It was made into the 1993 Academy Award nominated movie of the same name. His new book “Deep Water Blues” is based on a true story about a Bahamian island that becomes a battleground for a savage private war. Illustrations courtesy of American artist John Mitchell.

“Deep Water Blues” takes place on the Bahamian island of Rum Cay, where Bobby Little, a charismatic character who is loved by many, uses his gifts to create businesses where rich tourists can live it up. He has many friends, but like anything else, his success elicits jealousy from others. The tranquility of this fisherman’s haven is spoiled when tragedy strikes. A boat transporting Haitian refugees crashes into the reef and capsizes, spilling everyone into the sea. Bobby and his friends try to help but end up burying most of them. The former paradise is now engulfed in gloom and horror and soon after, Bobby leaves for his annual European trip. He returns to find shoal covering the marina entrance, the beaches deserted and the small cemetery desecrated with bones sticking up through the sand. To top it off, someone has begun to develop the marina and undoing everything that Bobby had done. Dennis, his old friend, is responsible for all the changes and at first Bobby takes it lightheartedly but soon, he and Dennis lock horns and all hell breaks loose.

Fred Waitzkin successfully translates his love of the ocean, boats and fishing onto the written page in this delightful new book. By combining poetic prose “Stella’s dark blues were thickly textured like roiling ocean with intimations of agony rising from below like the cries of drowning sailors” and deep character development, readers get a front row seat to the majesty that is the beach life. His real boat, the Ebb Tide, makes an appearance, as do his friends, especially John Mitchell, whose drawings punctuate the storyline. The only downer is when some of Bobby’s dogs are poisoned but he eventually bounces back from that. The language is easy to understand and the story flows easily without any extraneous narration. With colorful characters and beautiful beach scenery, “Deep Water Blues” is the perfect summer beach read. It is a small book, only 140 pages, but its enchanting yet haunting story is recommended for fans who appreciate plot twists where good triumphs over evil.

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

Independence Brewing Co. releases beer to spark voter engagement

Ahead of its fifteenth anniversary, Independence Brewing Co. announced the release of Freak Power, a new blood orange hefeweizen named in honor of Hunter S. Thompson’s groundbreaking campaign for sheriff of Aspen in 1970. The beer debuts just in time to kick off the voter registration period for Texas residents ahead of state elections in 2019 and national elections in 2020. Just as Thompson created the “Freak Power Party” to inspire fellow “freaks” to vote, Independence Brewing aims to inspire the inner freak in everyone to participate in our democracy. (Independence Brewing Co., 2019)

Freak Power is part of Independence Brewing’s upcoming initiative to help spread political awareness and civic engagement among eligible voters in markets where their beer is sold. As part of the Freak Power rollout, team members will be deputized as volunteer voter registrars for Travis County and the South Austin brewery will host voter registration drives ahead of Texas state elections on November 5, 2019. In addition to the brewery’s efforts in Austin, Independence Brewing’s sales representatives throughout the state will organize promotional events at local bars and retailers and assist on-site voter registration.

The recipe for Freak Power is a twist on the classic Bavarian hefeweizen, balancing the sweet clove esters with the citrusy tang of blood orange. The result is a hef that starts like a traditional German wheat beer and ends with a crisp finish that does not linger too long on the palate. It pairs best with light, starchy, and lemony foods, and at 5.4% ABV, Freak Power is an ideal candidate to engage and mobilize voters of all stripes, without clouding their judgment. As far as the taste is concerned, Head Brewer Brannon Radicke states – “The tanginess of the citrus cuts a little bit of that sweetness and dries out the finish. Plus, the fruitiness of the blood oranges pairs nicely with the style’s signature clove and banana esters.”

The seasonal brew is available through September at the taproom and at local retailers throughout Texas. The can will be easy to spot since the bright pink and orange graphics against a matte-black backdrop will make this beer a standout on store shelves.

“The design decisions for Freak Power are inspired by ideas and aesthetics tied to the free thinkers and radical minds of the late 60s,” said designer Lauren Dickens. “The color palette and energetic rays behind the illustration are a nod to the burst of blood orange flavor in the beer.”

“Now, more than ever, we need to encourage each other to speak up and enact change. The 2020 election is a critical moment for our nation and will set the political agenda for the coming years. With Freak Power, we sought to create something that ignites enthusiasm the way Hunter S. Thompson did back in 1970.” – Amy Cartwright, President and Co-Founder of Independence Brewing Co.

COVER 3 launches Women’s World Cup programs

cover3soccer,jpg — COVER 3 has several activities this month in support of Women’s World Cup. Photo: COVER 3, used with permission.

Attention soccer fans:
COVER 3, Austin’s premier sports bar and restaurant, is excited to announce that the locally-owned-and-operated restaurant group is launching a brand-new initiative in support of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup, which kicked off Friday, June 7 through the championship match on Sunday, July 7. All COVER 3 locations, along with COVER 2, will be offering a month-long, multifaceted campaign that includes a variety of incentive-laden punch card programs and limited-time-only in-store offerings. (COVER 3, 2019)

To help kick off the “Wings of the World” World Cup promotion, COVER 3 hosted a bracket competition last week for local patrons to pick the ultimate winner of this summer’s Women’s World Cup. The grand prize for the bracket competition is free wings-for-a-year and a $500 Gift Card, although the competition required a $5 buy-in to participate. 100% of proceeds raised from the bracket competition will be donated to local Partnerships For Children (PFC), COVER 3’s official charity partner in Austin, to help cover the cost of local foster children participating in organized team sports activities and recreational leagues.

All COVER 3 locations will host a drive for new team sports equipment to help stock PFC’s Rainbow Room with the overwhelming number of requests received specifically for sporting equipment. Key items include soccer balls, goalie gloves and shin guards, baseball bats and batting helmets, footballs, basketballs, cleats of all sizes and types and gift cards to Academy which will be used to purchase child specific sporting equipment needs.

PFC is a local nonprofit that provides critical resources to abused and neglected children in Central Texas who are in the care of Child Protective Services, and The Rainbow Room is PFC’s 24/7 resource center where caseworkers can gather essential items for children in crisis. Research supports that extracurricular activities increase a youth’s likelihood to not only stay in school, but to also maintain a certain GPA. The state of Texas does not cover the expense for any of these normalizing activities and nonprofit organizations, like PFC, work to fill this gap.

COVER 3 also had a special “Wings of the World” poll on its main Facebook and Instagram pages to ask fans what team they think will be the 2019 winner. Based on these findings, COVER 3 will create a custom chef-driven menu of five distinct World Cup-themed new flavors for the restaurant’s popular chicken wings, which have been named “Best Wings” at the Austin Chicken Wing Festival in recent years. One lucky fan will also be gifted a $50 gift card just for participating in the Facebook poll.

Finally, COVER 3 is creating a special Women’s World Cup Passport, a punch card and raffle contest, for which patrons are encouraged to participate in all facets of this month-long summer program. The punch card will have seven total holes which fans must complete in order to be entered in the larger Women’s World Cup raffle. Patrons must not only submit a completed bracket (#1) and donate a piece of children’s sports equipment (#2) at any COVER 3 or COVER 2 location, but they must dine at least four times at any COVER 3 location or COVER 2 during the period of June 7 to July 7, 2019.

The passport raffle will feature a variety of prizes, including a grand prize for one lucky fan:
• Grand Prize (x1): Free wings-for-a-year
• Second Prize (x5): $100 gift card
• Third Prize (x1 each):
o Two general admission tickets to an upcoming Austin Bold FC (at Circuit of The Americas)
o Merch bundle feat. t-shirt, tank top, and cap
o Branded product bundle feat. canteen, wine tumbler, wine key and bartender’s bottle opener

In addition to this month-long campaign, COVER 3 and COVER 2 will be hosting a variety of watch parties for those looking to catch some of the World Cup matches, including all of the early round games confirmed for Team USA on June 11, June 16, June 20. Specific promotions, discounts, and watch party information will be revealed closer to each game on Facebook and Instagram.

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