Spring Cocktails

primaveracocktail — Cork Bar’s Primavera Cocktail. Photo courtesy of Hotel Contessa, used with permission.

It is now officially spring and several bars and restaurants in town have updated their menus to offer patrons spring drinks. Each of these new cocktails feature bright flavors that will help ease the transition to warmer weather. The following is Paramour’s Spring Cocktail Menu and cocktail recipes from the Cork Bar at Hotel Contessa and Boiler House Texas Beer & Wine Garden. (Giant Noise, 2017)

Paramour Spring Cocktail Menu
Cocktails – Missionary Reach, Smoke vs Sea, Coupe de Grâce, You Can’t Handle the Proof, De Novo Punch, A Brand, New Dance, Down South Smash, Just a Friend, Subpoenaed in Texas, Sequestered in Memphis, Walls Are, For Tyrants, One For Mahler!, G.I.L.F, Barrel Aged – Old Fashioned, Hanky Panky, Martini
Food is offered until 10p.m and incudes Charcuterie Board – a selection of cured meats and cheese, Prosciutto Sliders- prosciutto, warm brie and lemon basil aioli and Bar Snack Trio that includes chili rosemary mixed nuts, marinated olives and sweet and spicy peppers.

Paramour
102 9^th St, Suite 400
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 340-9880

Primavera (Spring) Cocktail
Cork Bar at Hotel Contessa’s Featured Cocktail
March and April
1.5 oz Seersucker Southern Gin
1 oz Simple Syrup Shrub: white vinegar, infused cucumber, rosemary and ginger candy
Topped off with 1 oz ginger beer
Garnished with cucumber slice, sprig of rosemary and lemon twist

The Hotel Contessa
306 W Market St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 229-9222

Boiler House’s ‘Come Rum with Me Julep’
2oz Bullit Bourbon
½ oz Ron Zacapa 23 yr old
Solera Rum (to float)
½ oz Honey Simple Syrup
10 mint leaves, plus more to garnish

Boiler House Texas Beer & Wine Garden
312 Pearl Parkway. Building 3
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 354-464

‘The Real La La Land’ at Jazz, TX

lalalandposter — Jazz, TX is hosting ‘The Real La La Land’ on April 5, 6 and 7. Photo courtesy of Jazz, TX, used with permission.

Coming up in April at Jazz, TX is the musical revue ‘The Real Life La La Land’ from Wednesday April 5 through Friday April 7, 2017. It mirrors the inspiration of the critically acclaimed musical movie La La Land and it is told from the perspective of former jazz club bartender and singing waiter Dave Damiani. Dave Damiani and Graham Fenton met over 10 years ago at Miceli’s Restaurant in Hollywood where they were working as singing waiters. Their ultimate dream is to bring back the class, style and swagger of places like the 500 Club and The Copacabana. Straight from Las Vegas it will feature Jazz, TX club owner Doc Watkins and special guests Graham Fenton, star of Las Vegas’ Jersey Boys, Dave Damiani, from Sinatra 100, CBS Vegas, Bijon Watson, trumpet player featured in La La Land and Watkin’s orchestra. They will be performing songs from famed jazz artists like Frank Sinatra, Frankie Valli, Dean Martin and Nat “King” Cole as well as melodies from the movie. There will be two sets each night, one at 7p.m. and the other at 9:30p.m. Tickets are $25 each and are available online. (Jazz, TX, 2016)

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

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

Television adaptation: ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher

thirteenreasonspic — ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher is coming to Netflix on March 31. Photo: google

The New York Times’ 2007 bestselling novel “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher is coming to Netflix on March 31 starring Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker and Dylan Minnette Clay Jensen. Aside from writing several picture books and middle school humor novels, Jay Asher writes contemporary novels for young adults including “The Future of Us” and “Thirteen Reasons Why.” The latter has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It is the story of Hanna Baker, a girl who commits suicide and then reveals her reasons why in a series of audio tapes mailed to a classmate.

According to Amazon, in “Thirteen Reasons Why” Clay Jensen is a high school student who comes home from school and finds a mysterious box with his name on it lying on the porch. Inside the box he finds cassette tapes recorded by Hanna Baker, a girl who committed suicide two weeks ago who also happens to be his classmate and crush. In those tapes she explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to make the hard decision about ending her life with Clay being one of those reasons. He spends the rest of the night going around town with Hannah as his guide being a witness to Hannah’s daily struggles and pain. Along the way, what he discovers changes his own life forever.

Austin Eastciders announces Blood Orange Cider

Austin Eastciders announces the release of their new Austin Eastciders Blood Orange Cider effective April 3. It will be available in individual, 6 pack and 12 pack 12 oz cans in bars, restaurants and other fine retailers including Costco, HEB and Whole Foods throughout Texas, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Virginia. The new flavor is a zesty, dry cider crafted with bright red Sicilian blood oranges, heirloom bittersweet apples and American dessert apples. The tangy citrus adds a unique complexity to the effervescent cider and will delight cider drinkers, beer fans and wine enthusiasts alike. (Austin Eastciders, 2017)

Other Austin Eastciders flavors include Austin Eastciders Original, Austin Eastciders Texas Honey, Austin Eastciders Hopped and Austin Eastciders Pineapple ciders. These products are naturally gluten-free, not overly sweet and have a smooth, dry flavor. Austin Eastciders Blood Orange is 5% ABV and makes the perfect cocktail base.

The Bigger, Better Cider (The BBC)
Created by: Nick Bustillos, mixologist
¾ oz lime juice
1 oz Vodka (or tequila)
¾ oz Galliano Italian liqueur
Dry shake to emulsify
Pour over ice in a tall “Collins” glass
Top with Blood Orange Cider
Add Peychauds bitters to taste
Garnish with slice of blood orange

Founded in 2013, Austin Eastciders has five cider varieties, including Austin Eastciders Original Dry Cider, Austin Eastciders Texas Honey, Austin Eastciders Hopped Cider, Austin Eastciders Blood Orange and Austin Eastciders Pineapple Cider. It uses all-natural ingredients and bittersweet apples to create authentic traditionally inspired examples of ‘The Original Drink of America.’ Their products are available at HEB, Target and Whole Foods as well as bars and restaurants throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Philadelphia and New York. They are 5% ABV and available in 6-pack and 12-pack 12oz cans and by draft. Austin Eastciders often hosts several “tap takeover” events each month, where fans can sample limited release offerings and special tasting experiences.

Devils River Whiskey launches in Texas

devilwhiskey — Devils River Whisky will be available in stores in early April. Photo by Jessica Giesey, used with permission.

Mike Cameron, president and chief operating officer of Devils River Whiskey, recently announced that Devils River Whiskey, the newest small-batch bourbon to become available in Texas, will be available in stores in early April. The Texas whiskey will capture the spirit of the water it draws its name from with bold flavors at the heart of each sip. The small-batch bourbon is made from the highest quality grains. It is high-rye bourbon because it dials back on the corn and doubles up on the rye, resulting in rich and flavorful bourbon that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in your favorite whiskey cocktail. It will begin shipping across Texas in April with a suggested retail price of $29.99/750ml bottle. (Devils River Whiskey, 2017)

Devils River Whiskey is a premium spirits company based in Frisco, Texas and is committed to creating bold Texas whiskey. Devils River Whiskey stands apart from competition because of its use of the purest water in Texas at the heart of the production process. Devils River Whiskey is distributed by Republic National Distributing Company. Devils River Whiskey is available in stores throughout Texas.

Suggested recipe:
Devils River Whiskey Buck
Ingredients
2 oz Devils River Bourbon Whiskey
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
1½ oz Chilled ginger beer

Directions
Pour Devils River Bourbon Whiskey, lime juice and simple syrup over ice in a copper mug. Stir to combine. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge.

Book review: ‘Healthy Joints for Life’ by Richard Diana MD

Richard Diana, MD is a board-certified surgeon, clinical instructor at Yale School of Medicine and attending surgeon at Yale-New Haven Hospital. After years playing football with the Miami Dolphins he retired after Super Bowl XVII to attend Yale School of Medicine and has been an orthopedic consultant to several athletic programs. In his book “Healthy Joints for Life: An Orthopedic Surgeon’s Proven Plan to Reduce Pain and Inflammation, Avoid Surgery and Get Moving Again” he applies his experiences and training to write about ways to reduce joint pain.

“Healthy Joints for Life” is a ground breaking book by an orthopedic surgeon and former NFL player. It involves no surgery, no medication and no drastic measures and is based on cutting edge research that has identified the role that the molecule known as NFkB plays in the regulation of inflammation. His plan for reducing joint pain includes an eight week program that teaches readers to take advantage of this research to reduce inflammation, relieve pain and rejuvenate their joints. It includes information about which foods to eat to reduce inflammation, simple exercises based on mobility and the right supplements to take to increase overall mobility. In the introduction, the author introduces himself and describes how his past experiences shaped his life. The book is divided into two parts: in part one he explains how joint pain works, including what joints are, how they work and how food affects them; in part two he introduces his plan and how to tailor it to meet an individual’s need. He also includes personal anecdotes and experiences.

The main theme of “Healthy Joints for Life” is that “to control joint pain, you need to control the information.” Richard Diana does his best to keep the science behind this information at a level that can be easily understood. For those wanting an in-depth explanation he includes a longer explanation in an Appendix. Other than that, everything else is within easy grasp of most readers and includes diet and exercise information that anyone can use to lessen their joint pain. It is an excellent reference guide for anyone interested in learning more about how the body works and how external factors affect it.

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

Whataburger to host Boots and Badges event

In the past Whataburger has hosted events to bring the community together. On Tuesday March 28 from 5p.m. to 7p.m. Whataburger will host a Boots and Badges celebration at the Balcones Heights location on Fredericksburg Road. The celebration is meant to honor the community’s first responders and will feature family friendly activities including tours of Balcones Heights police cars and fire trucks, meet and greet with members from the 100 Club of San Antonio, a face painter and a spin wheel with prize giveaways. Children 12 and under will receive a free kid’s meal. Whataburger App members will also be eligible to register for the Whataburger for a Year drawing where one customer’s name will be drawn to win the ultimate prize-a free Whataburger every week for a year. (Whataburger, 2017)

Whataburger has been making burgers since 1950 when Harman Dobson opened a humble hamburger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. He wanted customers to take one bite and say “What a burger” so he named his stand on Ayers St “Whataburger.” Since then Whataburger now has over 700 locations across the country and continues to deliver fresh, made to order meals everyday with superior customer service. Community support includes charitable giving and volunteerism to nonprofit organizations that focus on children’s charities, cancer research, hunger assistance, disaster relief and military support.

Whataburger
4502 Fredericksburg Rd (near Northwest Loop)
Balcones Heights, TX 78201
(210) 732-6570

Evening with the Authors event April 20

The Texas Book Festival, in partnership with the Texas Library Association, will be hosting an ‘Evening with the Authors’ event on Thursday April 20 at 6p.m. at La Orilla Del Rio Ballroom. Guests will be able to enjoy dinner overlooking the San Antonio River Walk in La Orilla Del Rio Ballroom while five acclaimed national authors read from their latest literary work. They will also be able to meet with any of the participating authors and attend a special book signing immediately following the dinner. Tickets are $45 and available online. Since seating is limited, anyone interested should act fast. Deadline to purchase tickets is Friday April 7. (Texas Book Festival, 2017)

Authors scheduled to appear include international bestselling and award-winning author of “Shotgun Lovesongs” Nickolas Butler, acclaimed author of mystery-horror “The Winter People” Jennifer McMahon, author of the female private investigator Warshawski series and international philanthropist Sara Paretsky, Young Adult crossover novelist Ruta Sepetys, whose latest novel “Salt to the Sea” is a New York Times #1 bestseller and critically acclaimed author Amanda Eyre Ward.

La Orilla Del Rio Ballroom
203 South Saint Mary’s St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 207-2753

Radney Foster part of unity rally in Del Rio, TX

Radney Foster is a country music singer, songwriter and musician and a fourth generation Texan whose family grew up along the border. On Saturday March 25 he will return to his hometown for a unity rally scheduled to take place in Del Rio, TX. Residents of Del Rio, TX and Ciudad Acuña, Mexico will participate in a unity rally by joining hands across the border on the International Bridge. Del Rio mayor Robert Garza and Ciudad Acuña mayor Hector Arocha will form the first link in a hand to hand chain stretching into both cities. The event will begin at 3p.m. and will feature addresses by both mayors and other dignitaries and a performance by Radney Foster, followed by receptions in each city. This event is sponsored by the We Are One Foundation and is one of several rallies being held in other border cities including Laredo and San Diego. (The Press House, 2017)

“This non-partisan rally is to promote the spirit of friendship and unity that exists between our two communities,” Rally organizer Jorge Urby

Movie adaptation: ‘The Sense of an Ending’ by Julian Barnes

Julian Barnes is an English writer who has published collections of essays, short stories, non-fiction works and nine novels. His works have been translated into more than forty languages and three of his novels have been finalists for the Booker Prize including “Flaubert’s Parrot,” “England, England” and “Arthur & George.” His book “The Sense of an Ending” won the Man Booker Prize and has been adapted into a movie which is now in limited release. It stars Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, Harriet Walter, Emily Mortimer and Michelle Dockery.

According to Amazon, “The Sense of an Ending” is narrated by a retired man named Tony Webster who is reminiscing about how he and his friends met Adrian Finn and vowed to remain friends for life. He thought he had left his past behind until those friends return, one from the grave and another from the present. His career has provided him a comfortable retirement and he has a stable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter who now has a family of her own. When presented with a mysterious legacy he is forced to confront his past and reflect on the path he and his friends have taken as well as his place in the world.

SA Examiner

Your Insider Source For Entertainment And Business Headlines