5 Things You Have to Do This Week
Tue 2/25 Kids’ World Music Festival In the past year, Musical Bridges Around the World (a nonprofit founded by Russian-born pianist Anya Grokhovski in 1998) celebrated the grand opening of a new office/gallery space and announced plans for the inaugural Music Without Borders: a festival with a mission of “bonding different cultures together and promoting…
Flynn’s Bar Hopes for Early April Grand Opening
(Courtesy) He might be taking over the old Leon (8123 Broadway) space, technically, but Kaufman, the owner of Flynn’s, is hoping to revive the old Rev Room feel within Flynn’s. Kaufman will utilize the space much like Rev Room did before Leon. The front room or pub (though no food will be served) will feature…
COSA Busts a Move To Broadcast B Sessions
The City is in talks to boost transparency at their ‘B session’ meetings, according to Texas Public Radio. While COSA’s Thursday Council meetings are streamed online and available on TV (given the provider carries it), the Wednesday session is not viewable, which is bad news for citizens unable to attend the afternoon informal question-and-answer based meetings in…
Hawaiian Franchise Heads to SA
Yep, that’s ramen. (Courtesy) The island is coming to SA. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue will open its first location in the city at 1302 Austin Hwy, Ste 1. The company, known for its fusion of American and Asian eats carries Hawaiian ‘cue, chicken katsu, kalua pork, Loco Moco (patties placed over rice, covered with brown gravy…
Historic Olmos Bar and Diner’s New Prescription for Fun
A couple of years ago, Carlos Padilla was ready to give up on the Olmos Bharmacy. Owning a bar is an uphill climb, Padilla complained to a bar patron one Friday night. He was thinking about selling. Later, the patron’s wife showed up and joined him at the bar. The couple talked for a while and left,…
An Introduction to SA
Bienvenidos, I see you’ve recently moved to San Antonio. Excellent choice. Or maybe you’re just visiting and wondering what it’s like to live here on the regular (you may have noticed a distinct lack of locals on the River Walk). In any case, we’re here to help. This year we’ve reorganized our City Guide in…
Five Choice Apps for SA Living
San Antonio 311: Report It Do you need to request a dead animal pick up? Report graffiti in the park? Gripe about your neighbor’s overgrown yard? This app makes it easy to file a report, tag the location, attach a photo of the problem and make a city service request. Official Spurs Mobile App With…
SA’s Shadiest (in a good way) Parks
For anyone in charge of a child or two, knowing where to find the nearest playground is information as essential as the numbers for poison control and your pediatrician. (South Texas Poison Center: (800) 222-1222, just FYI) The Parks and Recreation website is a fantastic resource. It has a full park directory with links to…
Shopping Inside the Loop
One of my favorite learning curves in a new city is finding places to shop. It’s a necessity and a treat—everyone needs both staples and sprees. But, while retail-friendly developments will catch your eye, it can be tough to discern if they indeed hold what you’re looking for. Here’s central SA’s three main shopping locales,…
Northside Bars and Coffee Shops to Combat the Mega-chain Blues
Ah, San Antonio suburbia: Your vast strip mall centers, chain stores and impersonality compel one to take the first exit south for a touch of edge. Sure, SA’s North Side can feel a little unoriginal, but don’t fret if you just signed that Stone Oak apartment lease—we tracked down these hoppin’ local neighborhood bars and…
Owner’s Guide for Rehabbing Older Homes
An older home, like many clustered in central SA’s historic neighborhoods, can bring mixed emotions. The heart starts pumping. The thrill begins as you look around and imagine what that room would be like if you moved that wall, stripped the wallpaper from the ceiling, painted it that great color you saw last summer. You…
Uptown Style in a Southtown Zip Code
Casa Lavaca 502 Eager , Debra Maltz: (210) 224-2213 centroproperties.net/property/casa-lavaca-2 In the heart of Southtown, just across from the Southtown community garden and down the street from favorite area eateries such as Bite, Bliss, Taco Haven and many others, Casa Lavaca offers intimate (and pet-free) apartment living in the historic and recently renovated Marlow Chiropractic…
6 Eclectic Shopping Spots in ’09 and Beyond
In the market for a bronze chandelier with alabaster bobesches? Desperately seeking a pair of Wonder Woman-inspired go-go boots? This short list will help you find them (and lots more you never knew you needed) in the surprisingly eclectic bubble surrounding Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Terrell Hills. Charlott’s Antiques When you think of “hobbies,”…
Four Fun Northside Restaurants for the Whole Family
We as parents are morally and legally obligated to feed our children. Sometimes, it is truly joyous to share a meal with them—other times, not so much. But before you pass a nice restaurant with your kids in tow, sigh, and dutifully proceed to the nearest drive-thru instead, listen up. Fight the urge, and instead…
Making the North Side More Bike-friendly
To those who don’t bike, cyclists are often aggravating road hazards—and to cyclists, those who don’t bike are aggravated road hazards, so why do riders put themselves in some of the most trafficked places in town: the North Side access roads? “I ride my bike to kind of get away … to exercise. To ride…
8 Cultural Gems on the North Side
“Outside the Loop” is used as a pejorative by Downtown-centric cool kids, but oases of culture can be found in the sprawling suburbs of the North Side. One-stop Culture Shop Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio 12500 NW Military, (210) 302-6820, jccsanantonio.org Vexler Theater box office, (210) 302-6835 Holocaust Museum, (210) 302-6807, hmmsa.org The…
5 Westside Breakfast Spots to Try
So what if the sun rises in the east? San Antonio’s West Side still corners the market on best breakfasts. The Original Donut Shop 3307 Fredericksburg, (210) 734-5661 This cash-only drive-thru or dine-in joint offers what many consider to be the best breakfast tacos in SA. It also has amazing, fresh-made donuts served piping hot…
Northside Groceries Go Far Beyond H-E-B
You don’t have to leave the North Side for much these days if their grocery stores are to be believed. While downtown is still working on its first H-E-B, our neighbors to the north of 410 have all the groceries money can buy. Here’s the lowdown on some of the less ubiquitous supermarket chains. Green…
7 Great Restaurants Near Randolph and Ft. Sam
Sometimes, you’ve just gotta get away, but boozing all night or hopping the next Aeromexico flight isn’t always an option if you’re active duty personnel on Randolph Air Force Base or Fort Sam Houston. But, hey, you can at least escape for a quick bite, right? Here’s some East and Northeast Side suggestions for when…
12 Off-campus Spots for Trinity, SAC and UIW Students
If you’re just starting at one of the three college campuses located in central San Antonio (or you just never made it off campus last semester), consider adding a little extra-curricular exploration to your course load. Thanks to prime locations, students at Trinity University, San Antonio College and University of the Incarnate Word can find…
Southside Tex-Mex
There’s something about the south side of almost any city. Most may not have the notoriety of Boston’s Southie—despite Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, it’s still “too fucked up even for a reality show,” in the words of one Beantown journalist. But where diversity reigns, so does authentic food. As exemplified by the following four…
Social Sports Clubs In and Around Downtown SA
Trying to find a new way to have fun and exercise? We know you don’t normally associate the two words, but here’s a few suggestions that just might change your mind. Join these social sport clubs in central San Antonio for some good exercise, fun happy hours, parties and the opportunity to meet some new…
Chef Andrew Weissman’s River Empire
To the chagrin of some, chef Andrew Weissman’s name comes up over and over again amongst the serious eaters of SA. That’s because he’s opened three restaurants in the past five years—each concept more inventive than the last—and is about to revamp one of the two older establishments with which he’s still directly involved. Oh,…
The Renaissance Guild Brings Theater To the Black Community and Vice Versa
The theme of The Renaissance Guild’s 2013-2014 season could not be more appropriate—We Are Who We Are: The Migration Project. Since 2001, San Antonio’s “Premiere Black Theatre Company” has been producing and promoting quality black theater on San Antonio’s East Side. Now, with the help of new Artistic Director Bill Lewis, word is spreading and…
Living On the Cheap … In Alamo Heights
Pre-dating the Dominion and Stone Oak, an Alamo Heights address was often the signifier of wealth and class in San Antonio. Nowadays, the tony vibe remains, but we set out to find non-chi-chi entertainment in the Heights that doesn’t require a) club membership, b) wads of cash or c) a dress code. While I admit…
First Friday vs. Second Saturday
Even when the stars align and they fall within the same weekend, First Friday and Second Saturday don’t compete but complement one another like an eccentric pair of fraternal twins. While both warrant an exploratory stroll, these are our don’t-miss picks for both sides of the tracks. First Friday The mother ship of the Blue…
A World of Ethnic Food On the West Side
Yes, there are other “ethnic” restaurants in SA apart from the cornucopia of Mexican eats. There’s even whole markets devoted to other parts of the world beside ‘Merica and south of the border. If you’re looking for worldly spices or your favorite brand of hummus, consider visiting the multitude of international markets on the west…
A Basic Guide to City Services
CPS Energy 1-800-773-3077, cpsenergy.com Get those lights turned on. This City-owned utility will hook you up with electricity and gas. San Antonio Water System (SAWS) (210) 704-SAWS (7297), saws.org … And get your shower on, while you’re at it. SAWS is your ticket to water and sewer services. Recycling (210) 207-6428, sarecycles.org Don’t Mess With…
5 West Side Ways to Experience Conjunto
Music is an integral part of the makeup of San Antonio, but if you peel off all the city’s sound layers (rock, hip-hop, metal, country, Tejano, Americana, et al), at the center of it you’ll find conjunto—literally, a group; etymologically, it comes from the Latin coniunctus, meaning “adjoining, connected,” which makes complete sense: Conjunto is…
Tucker’s Keeps Thriving On the East Side
Tucker’s Kozy Korner knows a thing or two about change. Originally a food stand, the bar has seen its share of identities since its inception some 66 years ago. By the ’70s, what started as a humble hotdog and burger joint had evolved into a cool, no-gimmicks cocktail lounge. Blocks away from downtown and a…
A Promise to Revitalize the East Side
Historically, San Antonio’s East Side isn’t particularly known for its pristine streets and trendy nightlife. Rather, some perceive it as a place beleaguered by socioeconomic plight and in need of revitalization—so much so that now the federal government is involved. Earlier this year, the White House gave the area a boost by designating it one…
South Side’s Newest One-Stop Shopping Heaven
In San Antonio there are plenty of flea markets, swap meets or mercados de pulgas, whatever you want to call them—but only one PPP. Inaugurated on December 1, 2012, PicaPica Plaza (roughly translated as “SpicySpicy”) is a 130,000-square-foot retail/entrepreneur center carrying everything you could find at a swap meet and much more—but please, don’t call…
Yes, Healthy ‘Fast’ Food Exists in SA
Sure, tacos and Tex Mex might get the glory in San Antonio’s food scene, but let’s give some recognition to the delicious islands of healthy, clean livin’ food throughout the city, shall we? From their tiny building on the near-eastside of Downtown, Sweet Yams (218 N Cherry St, (210) 229-9267, facebook.com/sweetyamsorganic, pictured) serves healthy versions…
Southside Strolls
On the south side of town, there are plenty of rugged and not-so-rugged ways to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Nestled in the South Flores arts district, CHRISpark (111 Camp) provides a lovely and peaceful escape from the bustle. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Monday, the beautifully landscaped…
10 Places to Hang Out Near UTSA, St. Mary’s and OLLU
If you’re a new college student at UTSA, St. Mary’s or Our Lady of the Lake University, we have a few hot spots you should check out. From awesome pizzerias to scenic parks, San Antonio’s West Side has plenty of fun places to explore. UTSA Main Campus Munchies for Everyone The Block 14530 Roadrunner…
Pet Primpin’: Feeding and grooming your furry friends
Fur-children deserve the occasional pampering. Several local shops cater to the four-legged crowd in more ways than just grooming. Here are some local opportunities to spoil Fido. A Stay at Pawderosa Ranch Whether you’re boarding your pooch for the weekend or for the day, the staff at Pawderosa helps the process along the way. Applications,…
For Some of the City’s Best Burgers, Head East
When we’re talking serious buns on SA’s East Side, we’re talking about The Lord’s Kitchen and Mark’s Outing. The two are neighborhood favorites for a reason. Mark’s Outing Mark’s Outing (formerly Fatty’s Burgers and More, 1624 E Commerce, (210) 299-8110) knows to stick to the basics, while offering literal novelty twists like the ice cream…
Festival and Parade Planner
If you’re new to San Antonio, you need to know that one thing we do extremely well is party. Here’s a list of some of our biggest and best parades and festivals so you can start planning for them now. February: San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo AT&T Center sarodeo.com It’s not just about the barrel…
4 Downtown Dive Bars to Embarrass Yourself In
In the last few years, San Antonio has made great strides when it comes to its mixology doings. Many good (and some great!) cocktail bars have been springing up left and right all over Downtown. But while our libation IQ is on the rise, we shouldn’t forget the simple pleasures. Even Downtown, there’s still plenty…
Sunday Night Sound Bite: Joie Tan’s Cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”
Not that there’s anything at all wrong with the original, but something about Singaporean singer-songwriter Joie Tan’s cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” totally works for me—especially in this remixed version by emerging Brussels-based DJ Teemid. Yesterday the track broke a million listens on Teemid’s Soundcloud page, which likely has a little to do with it landing…
What I Ate: Girl Scout cookies, Cured brunch and sushi edition
This week’s What I Ate features my own personal odyssey of finding Girl Scout cookies, several brunches and a few late night taco runs. I’m starting to think I drink too much coffee. For more food porn, follow me on Instagram at @JessElizarraras. Muahahahahha! The #girlscout cookies are mine! Dewey eyeing my samoa. #backoff #corgi…
Aural Pleasure: Schoolboy Q ‘Oxymoron’
Schoolboy Q / Oxymoron / Top Dawg/Interscope To those in the know, Schoolboy Q has been an established hip-hop force since his generally brilliant 2011 LP Habits & Contradictions and a slew of killer verses as part of the Black Hippy collective. Despite all this, Q has played Scottie Pippen for most of his career, backing…
Aural Pleasure: St. Vincent, ‘St. Vincent’
St. Vincent / St. Vincent / Loma Vista After catching David Byrne and St. Vincent’s highlight-filled tour last year, what best stuck in my mind was the dancing of Ms. Annie Clark, who spent the evening jittering about stage like a broken marionette teetering on high heels. As it turns out, St. Vincent, Clark’s fourth…
Aural Pleasure: Beck ‘Morning Phase’
Beck / Morning Phase / Capitol Beck can do whatever the hell he wants at this point in his career. The Grammy-winning sonic astronaut has repeatedly won the adoration of critics and audiences alike and, throughout his 20 year career, has reinvented himself more times than a pathological liar. On Morning Phase, his 12th official studio…
SA Produced Music Video Spinning on MTV
San Antonio’s own Daniel Basulto and Jaime Sanchez won this week’s Freshman pick on MTVU, MTV’s college channel. On The Freshman viewers vote for an emerging artist’s video play in on-air rotation for MTV. Basulto, who had lived in Brooklyn for a spell, produced the song “In Music We Trust” specifically for young Will Apollo (aka…
San Antonio Fifth Least Literate City in US
Sheila Maldonado at a Twig Book Shop reading last December. Credit: Nelly Rosario According to an annual study, San Antonio ranked among the five least literate cities in the country. The silver lining? We’re only the third least literate city in Texas—El Paso and Corpus Christi both scored lower than us. Central Connecticut State University ranks…
Halcyon’s Latte Artist Shares His Secrets
The Dude There’s an overwhelming sense of guilt that comes from drinking a latte’s perfect foam tulip. I struggle with this at Local and Il Sogno, often, so I was intrigued by Halcyon Southtown’s Facebook posts which featured itty bitty portraits on their lattes. I had to investigate. I met with one of the resident…
After ‘Achievements’ Of Texas Women’s Health Programs Noted, Let’s Count The Failures
During a Senate Health Committee hearing at the Capitol yesterday (made available via livestream) that partially focused on the progress of women’s health in Texas, a leading Republican overshadowed the crippling impact legislative budget cuts and restrictive laws have placed on the reproductive health network by offering up praise for Texas’ investment in women’s health programs.…
5 Ways to Get Your Grub/Drink on this Week
via flickr.com/photos/mmitchell Saturday, February 22: Make like Rick Bayless and make all your Mexican favorites with this “South of the Border” class with the staff at the Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio. The 5-hour class includes hands-on experience on cooking chiles and preparing traditional enchiladas, pollo pibil, salsas and Veracruzana-style fish. $250, 9:30am-2:30pm; 312 Pearl…
Bonehead Quote of the Week: Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson On Tejanos
In a rosy news release announcing the opening of a new exhibit showcasing Hispanics who participated in the Battle of the Alamo, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson gushes about the heroism of Tejanos who defended the Alamo. via votepatterson.com “With immigration on the forefront of public discussion, it’s important to remember that Texas began as a…
Rick Dyer’s Bigfoot Show Sells Out (Really?)
Chewbacca’s drunk and deformed distant cousin “Y’all can choose to believe or not,” said Rick Dyer to a group of skeptics standing in a line that wrapped around the Alamo Drafthouse Park North. Dyer wants you to believe that he shot Bigfoot. And let’s get this out of the way: No, he did not. Make…
First Course Fodder: NAO’s six-course alumni dinner, Whole Foods Quarry Bar and Sustenio’s New Chef
A little something you might expect from NAO. (Courtesy) It’s back to school for six of San Antonio’s most impressive chefs. NAO New World Flavors at The Culinary Institute of America at San Antonio will bring back six of their alumni for a six course dinner Thursday, March 13 at 7 p.m. Enjoy food and…
Shot of the Week: Tuaca Lemon Drop
The Tuaca Lemon Drop will leave you wanting more. (Dustin Dooling) As the annual Blue Norther settles on the horizon, San Antonians begin to grapple with the idea that, maybe winter isn’t so bad. Minus the sporadic drop in temp, we are set begin our spring to summer incubation. The layers come off, in more…
Flesh Suspends on Hays Street Bridge
via instagram.com/third_eye_perception Third Eye Flesh Suspension held a session on the Hays Bridge last Saturday night. The San Antonio – Austin collective were breaking in an new steel rig, a gift from Tom Moore of SteelFetish. They picked the bridge location in order to “get some height, skyline, and be in close proximity to coffee,”…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 2/20 Sleepy Sun Nearly every write-up of Sleepy Sun mentions that the five-piece band (Jack Allen, Bret Constantino, Matthew Holliman, Evan Reiss and Brian Tice) hails from San Francisco and has toured with the Black Angels. That’s typically critic-speak for “best enjoyed with one or more items listed under schedule one of Uncle Sam’s…
Restaurant Gwendolyn Owner Throws Water on ‘Decade of Downtown’
In a frank blog post for The Rivard Report, chef Michael Sohocki of Restaurant Gwendolyn (which occupies space in the Downtown building that previously housed Le Reve and Sandbar Fish House and Market), explains why he stopped lunch service at his well-respected, high-concept restaurant. Basically: not enough customers. Chef Michael Sohocki, credit: Michael Barajas Sohocki…
The Average Texan Lasts About Three Minutes During Sex
Texas is number one in a lot of things: the uninsured, greenhouse gas emissions, pet adoptions, fried turkey-related fires. But one thing Texas is not number one at is the longest average sex session. According to Nerve, that website you used to read in 1999, but have since forgotten about, Texas comes in at 20. Texas can do better. The…
Aural Pleasure: The Rosedale Highs Self-Released ‘4×4’
The Rosedale Highs, a garage-rock via power-pop quartet that has become one of the stalwarts of the SA scene, released their latest effort as something of a surprise yesterday. The new EP, 4×4, is a follow up to 2012’s solid Go Down LP and showcases a band that learns fast. 4×4 was written and recorded…
‘Absolut Texas’ Vodka Launches with Bottle Designed by San Antonio Artist Cruz Ortiz
Since its launch in 2007 with Absolut New Orleans, Absolut Vodka’s Limited Editions Portfolio has bottled up the distinct flavors of Los Angeles, Boston, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago. Unveiled this week, Absolut Texas (the brand’s first and only state-inspired flavor) features notes of cucumber and a spicy Serrano kick and comes in a…
7 Places to Get Cajun/Creole Eats in SA
Mardi Gras is days away and we’re hungry for something spicy. Test out these local spots and see if they have what it’s got when it comes to boudin, beignets, crawfish and King Cake. Lagniappe Today Food Truck (Mobile, (210) 551-2391) Boudin balls. (Courtesy) Pronounced “LAN-yap,” Lagniappe Today Food Truck starts with bringing authentic Louisiana …
Alamo Beer’s Siege Week Begins Sunday, Feb. 23
Alamo’s Golden Ale (Courtesy) Brace yourself. This Sunday, February 23 marks the beginning of Alamo Beer Company Siege Week at Tycoon Flats (2926 N St. Mary’s) at 1 p.m. Siege Week is a commemorative tour honoring the original siege of the Alamo in 1836, only this time we’ve got a lot of beer. Siege Week…
San Antonio Tapped For Google Fiber
San Antonio could be home to the ultra high-speed Google fiber network, Mayor Julián Castro announced today during a noon press conference. The Alamo City along with eight other metro cities across the nation are working with Google to bring consumers and businesses Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than average broadband. Mayor Castro says…
Lilith Fund in SA Adds a Face to “I Fund Abortions”
Sure, the title can force a double take, but “I Fund Abortions” is not a stunt to publicly shame providers and incite gun-toting outrage. In fact, it’s a bold feminist tumblr profiling, and uniting, abortion funders across the country. Lauren Rankin, a board member of New Jersey Abortion Access Fund, manages the feed, and its…
Nestle Issues Recall of Hot Pockets for Possible “Diseased and Unsound Animals”
(Courtesy) Gross, gross, gross. Any Hot Pocket fans out there? Stop it, seriously. Nestle, the parent company of the glorified hand pies, is calling for a voluntary recall for two varieties of its Philly Steak & Cheese pockets because the company indirectly purchased meat via Rancho Feeding Corporation, which is undergoing its own recall…
A Camouflaged Rebellion at FL!GHT Gallery
Cosby Lindquist’s “Pure Landscape,” currently on view at FL!GHT Gallery, offers a multi-layered view of the landscape, literally. The works employ layered imagery to camouflage and distort multi-environment images. The digitally altered and nearly obscured scenes of the physical world create a push and pull between the foreground and background elements. The uncertainty elicited by these vague images also…
Beartooth is a Step in the Right Direction for Metalcore’s Caleb Shomo
The casual listener likes to say that music is good as long as it “comes from the heart.” Bullshit. Too frequently, sentimentality’s very nature causes the artist to lose focus on the art’s purpose: to communicate an idea. An outpouring of artistic emotion often indicates artistic poverty; the artist is so caught up in trying…
Guilty Pleasures: Local brewers confess to Lone Star, Coors and more
You won’t have to feel as bad about your beer choice next time you slip a Dos Equis into your michelada. We all have a beer we’d rather keep on the down-low, the go-to beers for when we’re too tired or cheap to hunt down and splurge on the hippest, weirdest, newest find on offer…
Know Your ’Tender: Friendly Spot’s Junaid Syed
If you’ve stopped by the Friendly Spot sometime in the last three years, you’ve met bar manager Junaid Syed. The personable Chicago transplant stumbled upon Friendly after leaving a job in the Stone Oak area, which kept him away from his Southtown home. The 29-year-old talked to the Current about hopping on board at Friendly,…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): A woman from New Mexico wrote to tell me that after reading my horoscopes for three years in the Santa Fe Reporter, she had decided to stop. “I changed my beliefs,” she said. “I no longer resonate with your philosophy.” On the one hand, I was sad that I had lost…
Savage Love: Cuck you
I am a straight male, married to a woman for 25 years. Our marriage started to go sour about 14 years ago. Sex was infrequent and stultifying. Finally, when the kids were old enough, I made plans to separate. When my wife got wind of these plans, she finally agreed to work on our relationship.…
Mouthwatering Finds from a Southside Culinary Adventure
The thing about being a published writer is that you have to keep your word, especially when it’s in print. Back in December when we compiled our magazine-wide New Year resolutions for the city and ourselves, I decided to venture outside my central San Antonio comfort zone. In an effort to stick with my resolutions,…
The Curator Diaries: A new column for Contemporary Art Month
First of all, Leslie Moody Castro isn’t much of an “outsider,” she’s maintained strong ties to the city since her 2010 internship at Artpace. But, Moody Castro has gone on to a successful career as an independent curator based in Austin and Mexico City. Most recently, she helped organize Mexico City’s inaugural Material Art Fair,…
Texas’ Medicaid Expansion Refusal Hits Working Single Moms and Latinos Worst
Irma Aguilar, a 28-year-old San Antonio native and single mother of four, struggles to make ends meet. As an assistant manager at Pizza Hut burdened with health problems, Aguilar finds herself caught in an almost unbelievable circumstance; she makes too much to be enrolled in Medicaid and too little to afford the program under the…
Hall & Oates Singer Hated the Late ’80s, Too
It’s hard for musical duos to survive. Garfunkel felt slighted, Cher never needed Sonny and the Captain could never get a word in edgewise with Tennile. When asked last year how Hall & Oates managed to survive the decades, Daryl Hall gave all the credit to John Oates. The famously mustached half of Hall &…
7 Must-See Films Screening at CineFestival (and 1 Must-Avoid)
Although it has done a fair amount of globetrotting in the past, don’t assume this year’s 36th annual CineFestival will include films from Latin or South America. It’s a conscious decision curator Jim Mendiola made when he joined the team in 2010. He wanted to provide the nation’s longest-running Latino film festival with a primary…
‘In Secret:’ This movie’s better than the book
One of the least pleasant leisure activities any human being can experience is the drudgery of reading Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin. Zola’s exploration of naturalism—a bleak worldview wherein characters are placed in realistic situations and play out parts dictated more by their social environment than anything else—is grim. Zola further maintained that the characters in Thérèse Raquin are…
The Please Help Is a Sonic 180 for a SA Rock Godfather
Phillip Luna is a San Antonian, a multi-instrumentalist and a visual artist who has been active in the community for nearly three decades. He has fronted the hardcore/hard-rock band Worm, the psychedelic goth-grunge outfit 1.0 and the space-rock group Shit City Dream Girls. He plays, or has played, in such bands as Royal Punisher, Fear…
The McNay Goes Full Frontal with Works on Paper
On a black chair in the Jerry Lawson Print Gallery at the McNay, I sit surrounded by a panorama of male nude drawings and prints that span nearly 150 years. The erotic undertones remind me of a jiu-jitsu class I once attended, although this exhibition is clearly more deliberate. The pieces range from lithographs to…
Sweet Toof: Chocolate-covered strawberry milkshake
Sometimes Sweet Toof means having to dive deep into the fast food abyss. If Dairy Queen has a stronghold on Texas roadways, then Sonic has the city limits and suburbs covered. And as much as I hate to admit it, America’s Drive-In does have a great lineup of shakes (let’s leave the cone dipping to…
Flavor File: Southtown BBQ, an affordable pop-up and Rosella Coffee Co details
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re in the know about Southtown’s latest restaurant. Steve and Jody Newman are joining forces with the Jason Dady Restaurant Group to launch a barbecue and beer concept inside B&D Ice House (1004 S Alamo, (210) 224-2337; the name will remain intact), which was operated by Bruno D’Zanski…
Happy Hour Hound: Add Variety to Your Margs at Cha-Cha’s Mexican Cuisine
With locations on Bandera Road and Babcock, Cha-Cha’s Mexican restaurants are readily accessible for most Northwest San Antonioans. With a focus on “premier food,” going to a Cha-Cha’s for an authentic Tex-Mex meal is a no brainer. But going for a great and varied happy hour? You might want to think twice. Of the two…
Share Your Taco Land Memories with the Current
Pretty sure this won’t be included in the new business’ signage The moment some have been dreading for months has finally come. Like storied venues before it (CBGB, Emo’s, etc.), Taco Land has now been thoroughly gentrified, as evidenced by tomorrow’s soft opening of a new outdoor bar at the same location, with the…
Tacoland Sets Wednesday, Feb. 19 Soft Opening
Former Taco Land owner Ram Ayala. Huge news, gente. Legendary music venue/dive bar Tacoland (103 W. Grayson) is finally re-opening. The bar will open its doors Wednesday, February 19 at 5 p.m. Jason Dady’s DUK Truck will come out of its winter hibernation to sling its famous eats along with Umai Mi fare (tacos have gotten a…
“The Beginning was the End”: Robert Casale Dead at 61
Robert Casale Jeff of Hyperbubble shares this tribute to Devo founding member Robert “Bob 2” Casales. Jeff of Hyperbubble It was October 14, 1978, and I had just finished watching a Journey concert on PBS. Journey had a cool lead singer with an unbelievable range, virtuoso musicians, sexy stage moves, great hair, tight pants, and a…
Booze News: Little Woodrow’s in SA, Fat Tuesday at The Hangar and More
Big hops, big gulps (Courtesy) Booze News slings up the latest gulp downs around town every Tuesday. Little Woodrow’s of Austin and Houston is making it’s way to San Antonio. The neighborhood pint spot with drink specials all week just may give us another reason to drink every night of the week. Hopefully Woodrow’s will…
Wine on Film: Our Favorite Wine Lushes
Today is National Drink Wine Day so to celebrate we’ve compiled our favorite wine lushes from television and film. 1. Jules Cobb from Cougar Town Drink up, Ladies. (Courtesy, ABC) With a tag line like “Sip happens,” it’s no wonder that the show tips its glass to the delectable drink proving that wine can solve…
Arcade, Barbaro & The Granary Land Nods Via Texas Monthly
Pizza and cocktails, please! (Courtesy) No surprise here, kiddies. Texas Monthly released its lists of Top 10 Best New Restaurants and Bars in their March 2014 Food issue (which is totally drool-worthy, by the way) and three local faves made the cut. Unsurprisingly, barbecue badass Tim Rattray’s and little bro brewmaster Alex Rattray’s The Granary…
SA Playwright Gregg Barrios’ ‘I-DJ’ to Open in NY’s East Village Tomorrow
San Antonio theater fans and faithful Current readers will no doubt remember local playwright/poet/journalist Gregg Barrios’ play I-DJ, which premiered at the Overtime Theater in July of 2012 and earned its star Rick Sanchez an Alamo Theatre Arts Council (ATAC) Globe Award. A slightly remixed version of the play—surrounding a gay Mexican American DJ who…
Eagle Ford Shale Fracking Report Slams Lax Regulation
An eight-month critical investigation into the Eagle Ford Shale, released today, sheds more light on the devastating health effects on human life correlated with hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking.’ Mike Cerny at his home in Karnes County. Photo by Michael Barajas. Written by reporters from Inside Climate News, the Center for Public Integrity and The Weather…
Granary Announces Collaboration Dinner Details
The Granary’s pastrami ribs. (Courtesy Sunni Hammer) Does it get any better than surf and turf? The Granary ‘Cue and Brew (602 Avenue A) has announced their Chef Collaboration Dinner with Chef John Tesar of Spoon Bar and Kitchen on Monday, March 17. Chef John Tesar, who foodie you might know from “Top Chef Masters,” and…
