Aaron Sorkin’s ‘The Newsroom’ Thinks It’s Smarter Than You
“Fourteen months ago you went on the air and called the Tea Party the American Taliban.” “I did.” “And?” “The Taliban resented it.” Much of the allure to viewers of HBO and Alan Sorkin’s latest brainchild The Newsroom is its behind-the-scenes drama at a cable news channel and its intelligent, insightful dialogue. What most critics…
7 Swank Summer Soundtracks
Monster Rally – “Coral” As a person obsessed with music, and then later as a music writer, I have always had the mental habit of associating songs, albums, and even bands with a particular time of year. I don’t think that I’m particularly unique in this, but my identification of certain music as tied to…
5 Things You Have to Do This Week
1. Art Talks: N’Gone Fall Artpace’s Summer 2014 International Artists-in-Residence program guest curator, N’Gone Fall, will give a free public lecture as part of the Art Talks series, which annually invites artists, curators, and scholars from around the world to San Antonio to generate a global dialogue on contemporary art. Fall will speak about history,…
“Trigger Man”: A song for Trayvon’s shooter, by Raheem DeVaughn and Styles P
R&B singer-songwriter Raheem DeVaughn and Styles P (The LOX, Ruff Ryders) have teamed up to write a song in honor of Trayvon Martin: “Trigger Man.” The song is an open letter to Martin’s murderer, whose name I don’t want to mention ’cause it still makes me sick (bad enough I have to put up with…
San Antonio Film Receives Grant From Sundance Institute
Related: ‘Freeing The San Antonio Four’ by Michael Barajas Out of 772 submissions, 29 films were selected to receive $550,000 in grant money from Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund (DFP). Of these 29 films, one story took place in San Antonio. Directed by Deborah S. Esquenazi, Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San…
Gypsy Feed’s First-Ever Dinner Channels 1960s, Parisian Fairy Tales
Tonya Ellen Bates and Frances Minten, co-owners of Gypsy Feed. (Courtesy) Foodies, party-goers or just about anyone who’s up for a good time, will have a chance to do just that this coming Saturday, July 20. The brainchild of Tonya Ellen Bates (owner of Partridge in a Pie Tree) and artist Frances Minten, Gypsy Feed will…
George Zimmerman Is Not Guilty. But He Is Not Innocent.
Trayvon Martin, after his encounter with George Zimmerman. (From Gawker.) In 1870, just five years after the Civil War ended, a white state senator in Hinds County, Mississippi, in the very heart of the Old Confederacy, just on the southern edge of the Mississippi Delta, married a black Northern woman. This man, A.T. Morgan, wasn’t…
Pet Safety in Vehicles: San Antonio Pets Alive Guest Post
Pet Safety in Vehicles As Texans prepare for summer road trips, please think to safely secure pets when driving and never leave them in the car. Dogs can be a great traveling companion, but you may be putting your pet, yourself and other passengers in the vehicle at risk if you drive with an unrestrained…
Flash Fiction: The Final Installment
Today we have a little alliteration for story. The lilt and tone are what drew me to this piece. The sly comedy, almost Three Stoogey, takes the place of substance here. What’s this really about? Who cares? Just read it. And enjoy it. Spur yourself to action: Send your shorts to flashfiction@sacurrent.com. I’m looking for…
Abbott Announces Bid For Governor In San Antonio
A roller coaster week for Texas Democrats and progressives ends in an off-the-rails crash as conservative Attorney General Greg Abbott made his expected bid for governor official on Sunday afternoon during a staged event at Plaza Jaurez in San Antonio– apparently the chosen city for major GOP announcements these days. Attorney General Greg Abbott announced his…
Anti-Abortion Bill Passes Senate, Moves to Gov. Perry For Signature
Despite thousands of pro-choice advocates flooding the Capitol day after day and last month’s memorable 11-hour filibuster on the chamber floor, the controversial omnibus bill that would essentially decimate abortion access in Texas passed the Senate in a final 19-11 vote and now moves to conservative Republican Gov. Rick Perry’s desk for a signature. While…
Davis, Castro Energize Pro-Choice Advocates at “Stand With Texas Women Rally”
Texas pro-choice advocates may, “lose the battle,” but they’ll “win the war,” lawmakers assured attendees at the “Stand With Texas Women” rally on Thursday. San Antonio marked one of several bus stops (which includes Austin, Houston and Ft. Worth) on the statewide tour coordinated by Planned Parenthood. Sunset Station turned into a venue for political…
Stand With Texas Women at San Antonio’s Sunset Station
Since Senator Wendy Davis’ filibuster of the anti-abortion bill at the Texas State Capitol in Austin almost 3 weeks ago, the Stand with Texas Women campaign has morphed into a household topic intriguing the morals and ethics of both men and women throughout Texas. In efforts to spread the word and promote pro-choice principles, Senator…
Sneak Preview: Artpace’s “New Works 13.2” Opening Tonight
Tonight (6-8:30 p.m.), Artpace San Antonio unveils the second chapter of its 2013 International Artist-In-Residence cycle. Curated by Hou Hanru (whose recent credits include the 5th Auckland Triennial), the exhibition unites Houston-based Clarissa Tossin, New Yorker Trevor Paglen, and Hong Kong’s Pak Sheung Chuen (aka Tozer). In a media preview this morning, Hanru (far right)…
Cycle-In Cinema’s Debut + Three More Outdoor Film Series
It’s said we burn more calories sleeping than we do watching television, making movie night (popcorn and candy, anyone?) fantastically fatty. That will all change when Main Plaza Conservancy hosts Texas’ first SATX Pedal Power Cycle-In Cinema tonight, beginning at 5 p.m. Every Thursday from now until Aug. 29, Main Plaza will be screening movies…
July 12 is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A
Sourced from Chick-Fil-A’s 2012 Cow Appreciation gallery. Craving a chicken sandwich? If you don’t mind looking a bit silly, participating in Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A might be something to consider. On Friday, July 12, the restaurant chain is encouraging people to “eat mor chikin” by offering a free combo meal to anyone “fully dressed…
Today is Free Slurpee Day!
Courtesy Put that raspa down for a second and pick up a free 12-ounce Slurpee from your nearest 7-Eleven. Here’s a list of 7-Eleven’s in SA: 7-ELEVEN #36623, 802 San Pedro Road 7-ELEVEN #36635, 1303 Hildebrand Avenue 7-ELEVEN #36606, 2302 W Avenue 7-ELEVEN #36258, 7655 Jones Maltsberger Road 7-ELEVEN #36626, 526 W Cevallos You’ve got until 7 p.m. to get your free…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
1. “New Works 13.2” The second chapter of Artpace’s 2013 International Artist-In-Residence cycle unites a trio of artists selected by Hou Hanru, an accomplished curator whose recent credits include the 5th Auckland Triennial. Origami-folded satellite images of Mars and photographs of tinfoil-covered windows are among the components Houston-based Clarissa Tossin has used in multimedia series…
Norman Rockwell’s Subversive Side
Norman Rockwell, Prom Dress, 1949 Related: Norman Rockwell’s Proto-photorealism at the McNay The works of Norman Rockwell, the go-to artist of the American Dream, are currently being exhibited at the McNay Art Museum in the travelling exhibit “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera.” The exhibit delves into Rockwell’s methods for creating the classic depictions of American…
This Bytes: Peach Sangria Recipe
There are three things we know summer brings out: hotties with beach bodies, hot summer nights, and alcohol, alcohol, alcohol! Technically that’s five things, but who’s counting? In Texas, everyone’s go to drink is the margarita (obviously). We know for us a great margarita can’t be beat, but recently we’ve been testing out different sangrias,…
5 Places For Great Italian in San Antonio
A sample of the food offerings found at Tre Trattoria. (Photo Credit: Steven Gilmore) Add these to your list of molto buono ristorantes to visit when craving Italian: Dough Pizzeria Napoletana (6989 Blanco Road): Featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Dough is owned by chef Doug and wife Lori Horn. Fresh ingredients, creamy burrata, and…
Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013: The Full Lineup
The lineup to the 8th annual edition of Fun Fun Fun Fest, which will be held November 8-10 at Austin’s Auditorium Shores, was announced Tuesday night. Weekend passes will be on sale on Wednesday, July 10, at 10 a.m., and you can buy them here. Here’s the full lineup: ORANGE STAGE MGMT, M.I.A., Cut Copy,…
Foodie Finds: Ron Bechtol’s NYC
Introducing the first in a three-part series from Current food writers reporting on the hottest dining and drinking trends found during their summer travels to culinary meccas. San Antonio is not a cauldron of culinary trends. Sure, we can claim credit for chili — produced in real cauldrons, for that matter, but that was 150…
Tribeca’s Italian Fare Hopes to Defy Cursed Olmos Park Location
Jean-Francois Poujol knows a thing or two about opening a restaurant. The lifelong restaurateur behind the shuttered Soleil Bistro and Wine Bar and downtown’s Le Midi (now Toscana Ristorante), and until recently Tost Bistro (he’s now a consultant for the restaurant), is trying his hand at Tribeca di Olmos, a farm-to-table concept offering what he…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Space Needle is a tourist attraction in Seattle. It’s taller than the Washington Monument but shorter than the Eiffel Tower. Near the top of the structure is a circular restaurant that rotates slowly, making one complete turn every 47 minutes. The motor that moves this 125-ton mass is small: only…
Three Walls and Cactus Bra Re-Emerge at Sala Diaz ‘Duplex’
With a terse three sentences sent in late June, Michele Monseau simultaneously cleared the air and paved the way forward for her Three Walls gallery: “Three Walls announces that it has declined to accept a space at Blue Star Arts Complex. Founder/Director Michele Monseau plans to continue Three Walls. The first new project is the…
‘The Last of Us’ Creates a Monstrous Journey
Perhaps one of the greatest evolutions to occur to the post-apocalypse genre has been taking the “afflicted” out of the spotlight and instead shining it brightly on the poor souls struggling to survive from one day to the next. The Walking Dead has proven this formula well with their TV series and the episodic game…
5 Reasons to Attend the Josiah Media Festival
Named after Josiah Miles Neundorf, a local media artist who passed away in 2006 from osteosarcoma (a form of bone cancer), URBAN-15’s Josiah Media Festival is one of the best film fests in San Antonio. Every year, the shorts films sent from all over the world by filmmakers under 21 years of age confirm what…
Norman Rockwell’s Proto-Photorealism at the McNay
Norman Rockwell is considered by his detractors to be an anti-modernist upholder of traditional American values. But in this travelling exhibition, the New York-born artist emerges as a shrewd conceptualist in tune with his pre-television audience. If that doesn’t grab you, the exhibit’s exploration of how Rockwell employed photography to create the richly detailed, naturalistic…
GOP Rule-Wrangling During Davis Filibuster Draws Fire
“At what point must a female Senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over the male colleagues in the room?” asked Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) to presiding chair, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, sparking those in Senate gallery seats to rise and deliver thunderous, sustained cheers and applause in the…
Stone Oak’s Got Talent? Karaoke at Rad Bar & Grill
Finding a bar in the Stone Oak area is about as difficult as trying to find a burnt orange shirt during a protest at the Capitol these days; but finding one as diverse as Rad is a bit of a challenge. Sitting opposite from the packed Nektar Lounge, which offers valet service to its Louboutin-heeled…
On the Rocks: The 86 Company is Easy On The Eyes and The Tastebuds
Conventional wisdom has it that women are more easily seduced by the packaging of wines and spirits. True or not, does this mean that men don’t pay attention to bottles and labels? The founders of The 86 Company are betting that both they and their female colleagues behind the bar do, as their newly launched…
Hip NYC Eateries Meet Their Match in SA
San Antonio might seem like a mild-mannered city with its gently flowing River Walk, but don’t count us out completely when it comes trendy eats and sips. We might not have cronuts yet, but our burgeoning food and nightlife scene is keeping pace with some of the Big Apple’s and Brooklyn’s most buzzed-about joints. Jaded…
Cryin' D.T. Buffkin & the Bad Breath: 'Tattooed Rose'
When I first caught Cryin’ D.T. Buffkin and the Bad Breath a year ago at the Esquire, I made the mistake of thinking them some sort of permanent fixture in the space. The sound seemed carefully calculated to fill the venue’s speakeasy vibe, the whole old-fashioned act mixing equal parts Tin Pan Alley songcraft and…
Industry News: La Fogata tequila tastings, SA Pops, and a new Hoppy Monk
It’s hotter than a Louisiana swamp orgy these days. The mere thought of ingesting anything resembling hot makes me want to cut a bitch. I’ve been craving ice cold beverages and chilly foods, which is why I’m so glad SA Pops (3420 N St. Mary’s, near Brackenridge Park) is now open. The popsicle parlor offers…
Repent Now: Christian Metalheads Take Over SA
As part of the mostly Christian Screaming the Prayer heavy metal tour, Dallas’ Fit for a King comes to S.A. as proof that, at the very least, praying doesn’t hurt: the band’s initial output, Creation/Destruction, holds the record for most debut album first-week copies sold in their label’s, Solid State Records, history. Originally planned as…
¡Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I live in La Habra, and I’ve noticed that the local Mexicans have a real affinity for palm trees — the more, the better. Some houses have over 50 planted in a 10×20 front yard, so many you can’t see the house. What’s up with this? Is this some kind of Mexican status…
Beaches Be Trippin’: Five Texas Coast Spots Worth the Drive
Let’s face it, most of us Lone Stars view the Texas coast as a poor man’s Waikiki. Hell, maybe just a poor man’s Panama Beach — only to be used when there are no other viable options. Scarred by a jellyfish- and seaweed-infested early childhood visit to Galveston, I vowed never again to hit the…
Leticia Rodríguez, Eva Garza’s Niece, Presents ‘La Americana’ at Esperanza
Leticia Rodríguez has big shoes to fill — those of her aunt Eva Garza (1917-1966), the San Antonio singer who achieved international fame in the ’40s and ’50s with hits like “Celosa” and “Sabor de Engaño.” But Rodríguez will fill those shoes the only way she knows how: by doing her own thing. Her 2012…
Anti-Abortion Bill Officially Advanced by House
Bill author Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R-Parker) struck down more than 20 amendments to her abortion-restrictive legislation. Photo courtesy of Texas House of Representatives. Update: The Texas House officially passed HB2 in a 96-49 vote this morning. San Antonio Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon offered an amendment that would assist children, born as a result of unintended…
Top 20 Pieces of Advice for Rick Perry
Gov. Rick Perry announced yesterday, after humble-bragging about all his accomplishments in office for the past 13 years, that he will not seek reelection as Governor of Texas. And he did it right here in San Anto, at the HoltCat facility on the city’s southeast side. Perry was coy about future plans, though his announcement…
Happy Hour Alert: The Monterey’s Summertime Peace Offering
In tribute to San Anto’s hundred degree weather, Southtown gastropub The Monterey is rubbing some liquid courage salve on the pain of this midsummer heat. Identified by its lax atmosphere, expansive beer and wine menu, and roomy candlelit patio, The Monterey is now opening their arms to say “sorry dudes!” to their faithful followers for…
Heads up: Nat’l Mojito Day is July 11
Craving a refreshing, minty beverage in this sweltering Texas heat? Try a mojito, a refreshing Cuban rum cocktail. In honor of National Mojito Day this July 11 (we don’t know who decides these things, but we abide), we’ve gathered a few options for you to get your sip on. Ocho at Hotel Havana (1015 Navarro…
Anti-Abortion Bill Debate Waging on House Floor
A Texas House floor debate among lawmakers is now underway at the Capitol to determine the fate of a controversial bill that would ultimately decimate access to abortion in the state. Mostly Democratic lawmakers are in the process of proposing a flurry of amendments – being shot down one by one by the GOP majority –…
M.I.A. on her “blacklisted” movie and her “terrorist” father
Is it all a publicity stunt? Is it real? All we know is that director Steven Loveridge and M.I.A. have been working on a documentary of the Sri Lankan star, but production has been halted due to, reportedly, funding problems. On his website, Loveridge said “I get an email every few weeks from Roc Nation…
