5 Things You Have to Do This Week
Mon 8/11 Cheech and Chong Day #42 Roland “Nightrocker” Fuentes’ new venture Studio One Zero Three celebrates Cheech and Chong Day (August 11 since 1972 thanks to a declaration by former San Antonio Mayor John Gatti) with a night of comedic mayhem hosted by Larry Garza (of the duo Larry & Regan) and featuring stand-up…
What I Ate: That time I went on a juice cleanse
Next time I have the fabulous idea of going out on assignment and being extra method about it, can one of you remind me of when I went on a juice cleanse? That’d be awesome. Thanks! In all honesty, it hasn’t been completely awful. The cleanse is part of a story, that’ll be out next…
Activist dressed as terrorist crosses Rio Grande
This screen grab from Youtube shows conservative activist James O’Keefe crossing the Rio Grande dressed as Osama bin Laden. A controversial conservative activist filmed himself illegally crossing into Mexico and donning a mask of Osama bin Laden before illegally crossing back into the United States. In a YouTube video published Monday, James O’Keefe, who is…
Sound Bite: A.N.D.Y.: “Whitney”
Belgian producer and multi-instrumentalist Andy Faisca (aka A.N.D.Y.) photographed by Oblique Art Strategy The recently launched solo project of Belgian producer and multi-instrumentalist Andy Faisca, A.N.D.Y. channels influences of ’70s and ’80s disco, pop, hip-hop and rock into danceable nostalgia marked by an “almost religious use of old analogue gear.” On a “vintage mission aimed…
Op Ed: Is the New, World Class Luminaria Blowing off Local Artists?
Luminaria, 2013 I have been involved with Luminaria since the very first year, and between 2009 to 2013 I was a member of the Luminaria Steering Committee, representing San Antonio filmmakers and media artists. Probably, I should have gotten a watch or something by now, though I certainly did enjoy having a front row seat…
Texas teen faces life for hash brownies
Jacob Lavoro speaks to reporters outside of the Williamson County Courthouse earlier this week. He faces life in prison after police found pot brownies and an alleged 145 grams of hash oil in his apartment. Photo courtesy of the “Justice for Jacob Lavoro” Facebook page. A 19-year-old man facing life in prison on a possession…
Hi Life: The weed rap of Devin the Dude
Houston emcee Devin the Dude Lil B’s Hoop Life mixtape. Prince Paul’s A Prince Among Thieves. MF DOOM’s Mm.. Food. The concept album has a celebrated history in rap, allowing its advocates to set up creative boundaries to work within and thrive. At their best, rappers can cover a 360-degree view of their topic of choice, spitting from…
Spurs Coyote Named NBA Mascot of the Year
Congratulations Coyote! In 2014, the Spurs have been raking in the accolades: the NBA championship title, Kawhi Leonard’s Finals MVP, Gregg Popovich’s 2014 Coach of the Year award, GM R.C. Buford’s Executive of the Year award and the wide acclaim for hiring the first female coach in NBA history. Add to that prestigious list the…
Shot of the Week: Key Lime Pie
Dustin Dooling Summertime desserts in Texas come with two stipulations—they must be cold and can’t be too heavy. It’s no surprise that many people prefer their summer shot selection to follow the same rules. So, with that in mind, this week’s shot is cold, light and sweet, perfect for dessert or Happy Hour festivities. The…
6 Shows to See this Weekend
Alejandro Escovedo (Friday, August 8) SA native Alejandro Escovedo On “San Antonio Rain,” from Alejandro Escovedo’s 2012 LP Big Station, the Texas rock deity interprets his experience of leaving his childhood in the Alamo City. “My parents said we were going on vacation [to California], and we never really came back to Texas,” Escovedo told…
All Gust No Glory in Disaster-prone ‘Into the Storm’
As ridiculous and more accessible as made-for-TV/straight-to-video natural disaster B-movies have become in recent years (thanks in large part to companies like SyFy and The Asylum), makers of these campy flicks, which include titles like 2012: Ice Age, NYC: Tornado Terror and the pop cultural phenomenon that is Sharknado, know their ideas are incredibly easy…
4 Ways to Get Your Drink/Grub on This Week
Deco Pizzeria (via) Saturday, August 9: Celebrate those last few weeks of summer at nationally recognized Becker Vineyards with their “Rambling Rosé Tasting.” The event features a blind tasting by industry pros and snacks via John Brand, executive chef of the upcoming Hotel Emma. $25 per person, 1-4pm, 464 Becker Farms, Stonewall, (210) 822-9555, culinariasa.org. Sunday,…
It’s Official: No streetcar vote in November
Behind these doors, the San Antonio City Council approved an ordinance Thursday that diverts $32 million that was slated for the sidelined streetcar petition. An attempt to place the streetcar petition on the November ballot failed in a 5 to 4 vote Thursday morning during the City Council A Session. District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Fri 8/8 Loretta Lynn Words seem to mean less and less this millennium, but Loretta Lynn, who turned 82 this year, is a legend from the Time Before. “Legend” as in “best friends with Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette, 50-plus studio albums, pissed off country fans for singing the praises of “The Pill” and decrying…
Streetcar Petition: Spirit or letter of the law?
Streetcar Vote Coalition spokesman Greg Brockhouse speaks to media after the city clerk ruled the group’s petition didn’t have enough signatures to be placed on the November ballot. The streetcar petition did have enough valid signatures to make the November ballot, but it didn’t have enough circulator affidavits to back those signatures up. City Clerk…
Free RSVP for Nina Diaz’s September Show at Tobin Center
Nina Diaz of Girl in a Coma RSVP for a chance to win free admission to Nina Diaz’s show on September 6, part of the Tobin Center’s inaugural weekend. Held at the Tobin’s outdoor River Walk Plaza, the gig will be Diaz’s debut of her new solo material and five-piece band, who’ve been honing their chops…
TPR debuts In-studio Series with SA Atmospherists Bright Like the Sun
Bright Like the Sun via Facebook Taking a page from NPR’s fabulous Tiny Desk series, Texas Public Radio recently initiated an in-studio recording series, kicking off with SA’s Bright Like the Sun. An instrumental band, Bright Like the Sun’s post-rock dips into long lead guitar lines, heavily-reverbed backing guitars and textural drumming, as witnessed by the…
San Antonio Named America’s 15th Coolest City in Forbes List
Photo via instagram.com/georgieboy_velo (35 Photos of the Hays Street Bridge: an Instagram Portrait) San Antonio is the 15th coolest city in the United States, whatever that means. In order to rectify clashing definitions of cool (is cool the number of annual Renaissance fairs or the number of local farmer’s markets?), Forbes created their own criteria…
Sooner State’s Brew Boom
As Texans have enjoyed the steady flourishing of native craft beers in the wake of the reformation of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s regulations, increasing numbers of breweries have begun sending their offerings across the Red River. It may surprise some that Oklahoma—a place where, as Conan O’Brien once noted, even the state has a…
Legal Limbo: Nonprofit Concludes Screening Children at Lackland
A nonprofit that provides legal support to undocumented immigrants has finished screening approximately 1,200 unaccompanied children at Lackland Air Force Base. In June and July, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) provided “Know Your Rights” presentations and confidential legal screenings to the children. RAICES Executive Director Jonathan Ryan said he’s…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t just be smart and articulate, Aries. Dare to be wildly wise and prone to unruly observations. Don’t merely be kind and well-behaved. Explore the mysteries of healing through benevolent mischief. Don’t buy into the all-too-serious trances. Break up the monotony with your unpredictable play and funny curiosity. Don’t simply go…
Pooch-inspired hooch at Rocky’s Tavern
Rocky was a chocolate Labrador in his early teens when he passed away in April. According to his namesake bar’s Facebook page, Ole Rocky was friendly, kind, compassionate, loyal, cute and “the best friend you could ever ask for.” Although he’s no longer present at the bar, those traits are still felt at this Northeast…
‘I Origins’ Sends Michael Pitt and Brit Marling on a Futile Quest for God
I Origins seems designed to provoke more “Is there God?” debate. There’s already been enough of that bologna this year, with God’s Not Dead, Heaven is for Real and Son of God answering, “Yes, indeed, there is.” Darren Aronofsky’s Noah might fall into the bologna camp too, but Aronofsky avoided ridicule (mostly) by casting Russell Crowe and Anthony Hopkins, and not Greg Kinnear…
Punk OFF!: The Merits of Greg Ginn’s Black Flag and Keith Morris’ OFF!
It’s the punk equivalent of John Lennon and Paul McCartney playing the same venue two days apart from each other. In a cosmic event of synchronicity, or just some coincidental booking, Black Flag and OFF! both visit San Antonio this week. Though Flag’s Greg Ginn and OFF!’s Keith Morris aren’t on speaking terms today, in…
The Mayoral Horserace Leads with Dollars and Sense
Running for mayor of San Antonio is expensive. And according to Christian Archer, a political consultant with Adelante Strategy who also spearheaded former Mayor Julián Castro’s campaign, State Rep. Mike Villarreal has the upper hand as far as a war chest goes because of his early start. “Here’s the trick, so Mike Villarreal is the…
SA Sound: Saakred revived and the cassette culture of Yippee Ki Yay
Saakred Revived “This is an important night for me as I revisit where I started and where I am now,” says Saakred. On hiatus for eight months, Saakred returns to Hi-Tones this weekend to revisit their 2013 LP FLY HI and introduce us to some new sounds. Though Saakred gained momentum late in 2013 with the enigmatic, emotional FLY HI,…
The Playhouse closes season with ‘The Who’s TOMMY’
When rock opera first evolved, out of the tumultuous counterculture of the late 1960s, it seemed to many a refreshingly populist alternative to the magniloquence of grand opera. Stage productions such as Hair (1967), Jesus Christ Superstar (1970) and Godspell (1971) appropriated the idioms and instrumentation of popular music to the kind of bombastic storytelling…
Spanish Masters Collection brings Dalí, Picasso and Miró to La Cantera
“Dalí used to say that my father was more ‘Dalinian’ sometimes than himself,” says Christine Argillet. Her father is the late Pierre Argillet, prominent art collector and publisher of Salvador Dalí’s etchings, books, prints and other original works, and whose friendship with the artist lasted from their meeting in 1934 until Dalí’s death in 1989.…
Savage Love: Married Ladies
I am a 38-year-old married woman. My husband of 18 years is 22 years my senior. I credit my husband for giving me a good life and helping me pursue goals. But my husband is a type A professional, and that has played out in the bedroom. He has always been disinterested in my pleasure.…
Flavor File: New menus and details on Culinaria’s Restaurant Week
Sisters Silvia Alcaraz and Lupita Rivero, owners of Cocina Heritage Catering bit the bullet and opened their first full-service storefront location at 118 N Medina. Cocina Heritage Restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. serving up pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexican dishes from family recipes. Patrons can expect to find breakfast…
Artful Plates inside Southtown’s Starfish
I believe my second review on the job took me to 210 Ceviche, which was heavy on the kitsch. Too many anchors, nautical ropes and whimsical nets filled with faux aquatic life. This tends to be the way seafood restaurants are presented throughout the city—but not Starfish. Doors opened in June, as Rene Fernandez (owner…
Cityscrapes: Streetcars, debt and us
The big local news, beyond the change in the mayor’s office, is the city’s turnaround on the proposed VIA Downtown streetcar. Faced with a flood of signed petitions and the possibility of a streetcar vote on the November ballot (which would just happen to coincide with streetcar proponent County Judge Nelson Wolff’s re-election bid), the…
Just Happens to be LGBT: Transcending the LGBT label in politics and beyond
Last year at this time, I began writing this monthly column with the intent of showcasing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in San Antonio. The key was to spotlight the community and the culture, and not necessarily the politics. At least not exclusively. When asked to think of a perspective from which to…
The Genius of Tex-Mex Legend Joe King Carrasco
When you go searching for the sound of Texas, you’ll find out that it’s as multifaceted and bafflingly huge as the state itself. While many see Texas as a hyper-diverse musical landscape, singer-songwriter Joe King Carrasco isn’t too interested in choosing a single direction. And that’s what makes him so refreshingly unpredictable; from country to…
Free Matisse: a SAMA Surprise Pop-Up
Young Woman at the Window, Sunset by Henri Matisse (1921) This Wednesday evening, the San Antonio Museum of Art is offering free admission to its exhibition “Matisse: Life in Color.” While general admission is usually $25, tickets for “pop-up free hours” (as billed by SAMA) will be available at the door from 5 p.m. to…
Lick Ice Creams to Open Tuesday, August 12
(Via) Get ready to scream for ice cream, or you know, head down to the Pearl in a civilized manner (up to you) as Lick Ice Cream opens on August 12. We first shared the news of the newest addition to the Pearl in late April. Co-owned by Chad Palmatier and Anthony Sobotick, Lick has…
Aural Pleasure Review: Common’s ‘Nobody’s Smiling’
Common | Nobody’s Smiling | Def Jam | *** 1/2 There are very few albums in which the opening seconds are able to set the tone for everything to come. We all hesitated the first time we heard Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, then Ye spoke up, “I fantasized ‘bout this back in Chicago…” and you knew…
Rich Hands debut video for “I Get By”
e The cover of the Rich Hands’ Out of My Head Hop in the van for the new video for the Rich Hands’ “I Get By,” debuted last week by Impose. The SA trio’s take on the classic tour vid, “I Get By” takes us through the mundane, stupid and unforgettable moments that make up…
Spurs Announce Becky Hammon as NBA’s First Female Assistant Coach
Stars point guard and future Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon The San Antonio Spurs announced today that Becky Hammon will join the coaching staff for the 2014-2015 season. Hammon, who is currently playing in her final season with the San Antonio Stars, will be the first female assistant coach in NBA history. “I very much look forward…
New Projects on the Way Inside Former Ciao Lavanderia
(Via) There’s some big changes coming to the Olmos Park area. Three members of the Texas Cooks’ Co-Op are taking over the former Ciao Lavanderia space, first launched by Damien Watel, to open three separate projects. Luis Colon (formerly with Biga on the Banks, Luke Riverwalk and Bella on the River), Cecilia Barretto (co-owner…
12 Essential Justin Timberlake Songs
Sadly, I won’t be attending what will likely be one of the best shows of the month, nay, year at the AT&T Center. Instead I’ll hold myself over with this 12-song playlist that illustrates why 12-year-old Jessica ditched her crush on Backstreet Boy Nick Carter in favor of curly-headed Justin Timberlake. Star power? Check. Pro-dancing…
‘Condé Nast Traveler’ Names San Antonio America’s Third Friendliest City
Photo Credit: Condé Nast Traveler The wonderful, amazing people over at Condé Nast Traveler are just so, so sweet. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they named San Antonio the third friendliest city in the nation. They actually think that we as a city are generally amiable and hospitable. That was really nice of…
Cibolo Resident Wins Dallas Episode of Spike’s ‘Frankenfood’
Frankenfood Spike TV’s Frankenfood, which hosts mad scientist cooks that create outrageous dishes and pits them against each other in a foodie battle royale, aired its Dallas episode this past Sunday. David Page, Cibolo resident and St. Philips culinary program alum, went on to win the $10,000 cash prize for his PB & Jellumbo…
