Cover Story
Best of San Antonio 2021
Enduring the past 16 months has required superhuman patience and perseverance. No mincing words here: it sucked. It was a historic climb — one that required all of us to step up to big challenges. Whether it’s those of us who run the restaurants, bars, nonprofits, art galleries, retail shops — you name it — that make…
Texas House orders arrest of missing Democrats as weekslong stalemate over a voting restrictions bill continues
The Texas House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to authorize law enforcement to track down Democrats absent from the chamber and bring them back to the state Capitol, “under warrant of arrest, if necessary.” The 80-12 vote came hours after the Texas Supreme Court ordered that those missing Democrats, many of whom left the state last month to…
Big Texas Comicon returning to San Antonio this fall with Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito
After canceling its fall 2020 show due to the pandemic, Big Texas Comicon is returning to the Henry B. González Convention Center in October. The pop-culture convention is slated for October 8-10, and will bring in a variety of celebrity guests. Headlining is Giancarlo Esposito, known for his roles in Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul…
Judge sides with San Antonio and Bexar County as they ask to override governor on school masks
A Bexar County District Judge has approved a request by San Antonio and Bexar County officials that they be allowed to issue mask requirements for local school districts, Texas Public Radio reports. Judge Antonia Arteaga granted a temporary restraining order preventing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from enforcing a mandate he handed down banning municipalities from…
Texas Supreme Court allows for arrest of Democrats who don’t show up to Legislature
House Democrats who refuse to show up for the Legislature could soon be detained by law enforcement and brought back to the state Capitol, after the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday voided a state district judge’s temporary restraining order barring their arrest. The all-Republican high court’s order came at the request of Gov. Greg Abbott and…
Report names Lone Star, brewed by San Antonio-based Pabst, as Texas’ most popular ‘trashy’ beer
Given the old ad slogan that trumpeted Lone Star as “the national beer of Texas,” maybe it should be no surprise that a new report ranks it as the state’s most popular “trashy” brew. Home-project advice site Workshopedia parsed through online searches for more than 30 inexpensive American beers to determine which were most searched for in…
San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing to hold daylong frozen dessert-inspired beer fest
San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Co. is joining forces with other Texas breweries for a Saturday, August 28 event showcasing beers inspired by decadent summertime desserts. The Creamery Series party will allow beer aficionados to sample a variety of fruited sours along with Weathered Souls’ own Creamery Series IPA, which is treated with vanilla, lactose and…
Hot chicken outfit Clutch City Cluckers will launch first San Antonio location August 20
Spicy yardbird aficionados, take note: Houston-based Clutch City Cluckers will start slinging Nashville-inspired hot chicken at 7038 UTSA Blvd. on Friday, August 20. The food truck will hold a two-day grand opening from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. that Friday and Saturday, offering its entire menu at 50% off. Those opening details follow an announcement from Clutch City last month that…
San Antonio comfort food spot Mr. C’s Fried Chicken and Waffles opens new location near UTSA
Mr. C’s Fried Chicken and Waffles has expanded its Southern comfort food mini-empire with a new location near the University of Texas at San Antonio. With the opening of the spot at 6819 N. Loop 1604 West, the homegrown chain now has three locations. The new outpost began serving biscuits and gravy, fried green tomatoes and — of…
San Antonio and Bexar County sue Gov. Greg Abbott over order banning school mask requirements
San Antonio and Bexar County filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging Gov. Greg Abbott’s authority to suspend state laws that give municipal officials the ability to make rules to contain the spread of COVID-19. The lawsuit, filed in state District Court in Bexar County, seeks a temporary restraining order to stop the Republican governor from enforcing…
Ahead of San Antonio gigs, Andrew Dice Clay says he’s ‘grandfathered in’ when it comes to cancel culture
If controversial stand-up comedian Andrew Dice Clay was going to be cancelled, it would have happened 30 years ago. It’s not something the “Diceman” — as he was known during his meteoric late-’80s rise to fame — worries about today. “They didn’t call it cancel culture when my career took off, but that’s what they…
Pentagon moves to require COVID-19 vaccines for all members of the military
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III will seek to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all U.S. military service members by mid-September, the New York Times reports, citing a staff memo. “I want you to know that I will seek the President’s approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon the U.S.…
Gov. Greg Abbott’s order banning mask mandates in Texas schools faces lawsuit, defiance by big-city districts
Resistance is growing to Gov. Greg Abbott’s May executive order that Texas schools can’t require masks, with an advocacy group suing to block the order and two of the state’s biggest districts indicating that they want to mandate masks anyway. Dallas ISD officials announced Monday morning that they will require students and teachers to wear…
Lauryn Farris, a key advocate for transgender equality in San Antonio, has died
Lauryn Farris, a leading voice for transgender advocacy in San Antonio, has died, according to an Express-News report. Farris was remembered for working on the Alamo City’s nondiscrimination ordinance and for fighting the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature’s failed 2017 push to bar transgender people from public restrooms. She died on July 27 following a heart attack,…
Judge blocks arrest of Texas Democrats who left Austin to thwart GOP-backed voting bill
A state district judge has granted a temporary restraining order blocking the arrest of Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives who broke quorum last month by flying to Washington, D.C. The order by State District Judge Brad Urrutia of Travis County would allow the Democrats who fled to stop the advance of a controversial Republican-backed voting…
San Antonio Puerto Rican tapas restaurant Luna Rosa eyeing a location in Southtown
Puerto Rican tapas spot Luna Rosa will soon bring its Caribbean flavors to Southtown, MySA reports. The family owned restaurant — and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives alum — serves up Puerto Rican dishes such as mofongo as well as Spanish paellas, tapas and sangria. The dining spot, which opened near Brooks City Base in 2015,…
San Antonio Creole food truck Datz It and Datz All now posted up at cocktail spot Pastiche
Creole food truck Datz It and Datz All is now slinging its soulful Louisiana-style fare at East Side cocktail haven Pastiche. The six year-old-business began service at the cocktail parlor over the weekend, offering an opening menu of smoked alligator sausage and fried alligator po’boy sandwiches, boudin and the truck’s signature Datz It Cheeseburger. Pastiche…
Gabriel Iglesias says he’ll return to San Antonio to film Netflix comedy special after COVID cancellation
In great news for local “Fluffy” fans, comedian Gabriel Iglesias tweeted that he’ll return to San Antonio to film a Netflix special after being forced to cancel his scheduled taping when he contracted COVID-19. Last month, the standup called off the last few dates in nearly a monthlong stand at San Antonio’s Tobin Center for the…
Democrats who fled Texas sue Gov. Greg Abbott, Speaker Dade Phelan, saying efforts to force their return violate their civil rights
Twenty-two Texas House Democrats sued some of the state’s top Republican leaders in federal court in Austin late Friday, alleging that GOP officials’ efforts to bring them home for a special legislative session infringed on their constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress of grievances. The lawsuit was filed on…
Texas won’t require schools to notify parents of COVID-19 cases
Texas school districts will not be required to conduct contact tracing this year if a student contracts COVID-19, according to new guidelines issued by the Texas Education Agency this week. The agency said a district should notify parents if it learns of a student who has been a close contact to someone with the virus.…
Alamo City alt-country artist Garrett T. Capps drops new single ‘I Like Austin, But I Love San Antone’
Well, this should get Austinites worked up. San Antonio alt-county artist Garrett T. Capps has dropped the first single from his forthcoming I Love San Antone album, and the song extols the virtues of the Alamo City over the self-proclaimed Live Music Capital of the World. Set against a pulsating Sir Douglas Quintet-style organ track,…
San Antonio Democrat Leo Pacheco will resign from Texas House before end of current term
State Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, will resign from the Texas House of Representatives to teach public administration at San Antonio College, the Express-News reports. Pacheco is in the middle of his second term representing District 118, which includes the southern and eastern portions of Bexar County. A special election will be called to find a replacement,…
Utah-based Crumbl Cookies will open another north San Antonio location next spring
San Antonians with a sweet tooth will soon have another spot to check out, thanks to Utah-based Crumbl Cookies, know for baking up unique flavors such as dulce de leche and chocolate potato chip. A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation confirms that the company plans to set up shop at 20811…
HTeaO, Terry Black’s BBQ: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
The Current’s biggest food stories this week included real estate news surrounding one of Texas barbecue’s royal families, and the tragic passing of a longtime molino owner. The former story shares details surrounding the purchase of a large piece of real estate near the Pearl complex — bought by family who operates Terry Black’s Barbecue…
COVID claims a GOP antivaxxer, Patty Mills is gone: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
It was a tumultuous news week as COVID-19 cases climbed again in San Antonio and as the city goodbye to beloved Spur Patty Mills, the team’s longest-tenured player, as he headed to Brooklyn. But perhaps nothing better symbolizes the senseless loss of life in what health experts are referring to as a “pandemic of the…
San Antonio-area River Rodeo music festival pushed back to 2022 amid rising COVID-19 cases
In the latest event cancelled as Texas grapples with rising COVID-19 hospitalizations, organizers of the River Rodeo Fest have postponed the outdoor music event until 2022. The festival was scheduled for Saturday, August 14 at the Rockin R River Rides outdoor concert space in Gruene, a historic town along the Guadalupe River. Indiana-based alternative blues band…
As coronavirus rages again in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott resists statewide action, hamstrings local leaders
Gov. Greg Abbott has been unwavering lately in his refusal to implement statewide safety precautions to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But as cases and hospitalizations are reaching heights not seen since February, Abbott’s pandemic playbook in recent weeks has largely focused on blocking local mandates and committing to protecting the rights of the unvaccinated.…
San Antonio locations of Twin Peaks now serving cheap AF 22-ounce beers on Wednesdays
The Alamo City locations of “breastaurant” chain Twin Peaks will host Wednesday Brew Days throughout the rest of August, where guests can purchase 22-ounce pours of its proprietary beers for $3.75 each. The beers — given the thematically appropriate names Dirty Blonde, Knotty Brunette and Dropdead Redhead — are made at a brewing operation in…
After going virtual, San Antonio’s Lonesome Lounge Sessions will make in-person return next month
After operating as a virtual event amid the pandemic, the fourth installment of Texas Public Radio’s Lonesome Lounge Sessions will again feature live audiences when it returns in September. The intimate music series will take place at St. Mary’s Strip honky tonk Lonesome Rose and feature performers as diverse as legendary Louisiana fiddler Doug Kershaw…
New Canopy Hilton hotel holding yoga and cocktail event overlooking San Antonio River
The new Canopy San Antonio Riverwalk hotel has tapped local instructor Molly Oczkowski for a Wednesday, August 18 event that will combine yoga and cocktails. Billed as “Asanas and Agave,” the gathering will include a 50-minute open-air yoga session on the Otro terrace bar plus one tequila-based cocktail inspired by the session. The cantilever area hangs…
Swanky Texas cuisine spot Bar Loretta now open in San Antonio’s Southtown neighborhood
Bar Loretta, a hotly anticipated eatery specializing in modern Texas cuisine, is now open in the swankily remade Southtown space that previously housed Madhatter’s Tea House. The new eatery is a partnership between San Antonio native Roger Herr and chef Paul Petersen, a fellow Alamo City native. A Monday sneak peek offered diners a sample…
Ted Cruz calls infrastructure bill ‘reckless’ days after he pushed to include a pet highway project in it
When it comes to the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, Sen. Ted Cruz appears to want to have it both ways. One one hand, the Texas Republican delivered a fiery speech Thursday warning fellow GOP lawmakers the legislation would spur runaway inflation and that it was those sneaky Dems’ “downpayment” on the Green New Deal.…
Gov. Greg Abbott announces special legislative session starting Saturday, covering elections, federal COVID-19 funding, quorum rules
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that the second special legislative session will begin at noon Saturday — and with an expanded agenda. The 17-item agenda still includes well-known Abbott priorities like the election bill that caused House Democrats to flee the state at the start of the first special session, which ends Friday. But it…
Blue Star Contemporary pairs First Friday festivities with COVID-19 vaccination pop-up
This month, Blue Star Contemporary is resuming its extended First Friday hours for the first time since the onset of the pandemic last spring. As a bonus, the contemporary art gallery has teamed up with UT Health to host a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic, offering the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to people of…
San Antonio Zoo introducing themed days to its Dragon Forest, tying in movies, other pop culture
The San Antonio Zoo has once again amped up its ren faire-themed Dragon Forest attraction. Starting this weekend, the zoo will offer Dragon Chronicles theme days, which will take place twice a month on Saturdays through October. Each will feature themed programming based on movies, books and even role-playing games — all showcasing dragons. Attendees can…
AT&T Center booking comedy acts, starting with Andrew Dice Clay, as it waits for return of big tours
With major concert tours likely not experiencing a full return until later the year or even 2022, San Antonio’s AT&T Center is hoping it can bank on comedy. The arena has transformed its Terrace restaurant into a 300-seat comedy venue in hopes of lassoing touring comedians too big to work clubs but unable to fill…
San Antonio’s Tobin Center launches discount program for active-duty military, veterans
In a move fitting for its location in Military City, U.S.A., San Antonio’s Tobin Center for the Performing Arts has introduced a discount program for members of the armed forces. Sponsored by Silver Eagle Beverages and the company’s President and CEO John Nau, the Tobin Heroes program will provide active-duty military, retirees, veterans and their…
Nearly 60 San Antonio eateries participating in Culinaria’s summer Restaurant Weeks, August 14-28
Nearly 60 San Antonio restaurants will offer three- or four-course fixed-price menus during Culinaria’s end-of-summer Restaurant Weeks, which runs August 14-28. As part of the two-week event, participating eateries offer the fixed-price menus at lunch and dinner. Lunch menus are set at $20 and dinner at either $35 or $45. Part of the ticket for…
Texas-based Deep Ellum Brewing celebrates National IPA day with launch of new Hop Seeker ale
Local hopheads may already be planning a daylong celebration of National IPA Day, which falls on Thursday. But leave it to Dallas’ Deep Ellum Brewing Co. to take things a step further. The brewer is using the brew holiday to launch the first beer in a new series of Hop Seeker IPAs. The first heavy-hitting…
Owners of San Antonio’s Feliz Modern gift shop opening new concept, Rancho Diaz, next week
Those who have perused the Pearl’s funky gift shop Feliz Modern are familiar with the eclectic, colorful style of owners Ginger and Mario Diaz. Next week, the pair will launch the second concept in their retail mini-empire in the space next door. Dubbed Rancho Diaz, the couple’s latest endeavor will also place a big emphasis…
A Texas Republican leader who repeatedly mocked masks and vaccines has died of COVID-19
In April, when CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen tweeted out her excitement about trials showing the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine, Texas GOP firebrand H Scott Apley had choice words for the public health expert. “You are an absolute enemy of a free people,” he fired back on Twitter, adding the hashtag #ShoveTheCarrotWhereTheSunDontShine. The…
Stoner comic Doug Benson coming to San Antonio for a pair of shows that start at 4:20 p.m.
Having worked the circuit for years, Doug Benson is a man that needs no introduction for comedy fans. If you don’t know him, these shows start at 4:20, which hints at his favorite subject matter. But he’s not just doing weed jokes. On Saturday, he’ll tape his podcast Doug Loves Movies, which started back in…
For in-person return, San Antonio Film Festival showcases 2020’s virtual slate alongside 2021 films
Like most film festivals during the pandemic, SAFILM was a virtual event last year. As such, the event’s director, Adam Rocha, has decided to give the same films featured in that installment a chance to make a big-screen debut for this year’s 27th annual in-person independent showcase. “We’re returning to our roots,” Rocha said in…
Energy industry showers Gov. Greg Abbott, other Texas politicians with campaign cash after they passed power grid bills
Fixing Texas’ power grid was about the only thing Republicans and Democrats in the legislative session seemed to agree on earlier this year. Power companies were in the hot seat, as millions of Texans who endured a week of subfreezing temperatures with no power demanded sweeping, multibillion dollar improvements to prevent another deadly disaster —…
Forget Christmas in July — it’s Halloween in August at Bear & Ink Gallery this First Friday
San Antonio loves spooky shit, and local artist and curator Vidvad Scare always understands the assignment. For his latest exhibition, “The Duality of Monsters,” he’s rounded up a massive roster of artists to showcase their takes on beings and creatures with dual natures — for example, the infamous Dr. Jekyll and his monstrous alter ego Mr.…
San Antonio leaders plead for residents to get vaccinated as COVID-19 hospitalizations jump
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg warned during a Wednesday press briefing that the area’s COVID-19 threat level has risen from “moderate” to “severe” as hospitalizations continue to swell. As of Wednesday, 920 people were hospitalized in the San Antonio with COVID-19, up from 620 a week prior, Nirenberg said. As a result hospitals are pushing…
Texas-based Pizza Hut is latest food chain to debut oddball clothing line, including a $100 tracksuit
Plano-based Pizza Hut has launched its first-ever streetwear collection, including a $100 tracksuit, and the ubiquitous chain has dubbed the clothing items “Hut Couture.” We can’t make this shit up. The collection includes apparel and accessories in the company’s trademark red-and-white color scheme, such as sandals boasting a design inspired by Pizza Hut’s red roof…
That show from all the billboards is coming to San Antonio — but what is Shen Yun, really?
If Shen Yun sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve whizzed past its brightly colored billboards along San Antonio’s highways. Widely known to the American public via its annual marketing blitz, Shen Yun bills itself as “the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company.” Its touring productions feature a corps of dancers and singers, as…
Reese Bros Barbecue snags a brick and mortar location east of downtown San Antonio
After years of serving up barbecue in the West Texas town of Marathon, San Antonio natives Nick and Elliott Reese are ready to set down roots again in their hometown. The brothers revealed this week on social media that, after doing food trailer pop-ups in San Antonio and Austin, they’re ready to open brick and mortar location…
San Antonio’s Sari Sari Filipino launches dinner series ahead of opening second location
This fall, fans of Sari Sari Filipino Restaurant’s fare will have another brick and mortar location in which to indulge. In the meantime, owners Adrian and Camille De Los Reyes have launched a supper club series at their existing Wurzbach Road space to introduce fans to the upcoming eatery. The new spot, dubbed Sari-Sari Supper…
With special session’s end looming, Texas Democrats and Republicans mull their next moves
Uncertainty is running rampant among Texas Democrats and Republicans as the final days of the special legislative session dwindle away. The session officially ends Friday, and lawmakers are already gearing up for a second special session as House Democrats show zero interest in returning from Washington, D.C., and restoring quorum in the lower chamber for…
PETA asks feds to penalize San Antonio lab after 159 of its baboons suffered amputations from frostbite
Nearly 160 baboons in captivity at San Antonio’s Texas Biomedical Research Institute (TBRI) suffered amputations due to frostbite from February’s disastrous winter storm, according to documents filed with federal regulators. A March 15 noncompliance report from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare noted that the storm caused frostbite to 159 of the federally…
Federal judge issues temporary halt to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s order to pull over migrants
A federal judge has blocked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order asking state troopers to pull over vehicles suspected of transporting migrants who “pose a risk” of transmitting COVID-19. El Paso-based U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Cardone on Tuesday granted the Justice Department’s request for a temporary restraining order to prevent Abbott’s mandate from taking…
White House says if Gov. Greg Abbott can’t lead on COVID-19, he should ‘get out of the way’
During Tuesday’s White House press briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki said that if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won’t act to slow the spread of COVID-19, they should “get out of the way and let other people do the job.” The remark came after a Yahoo News correspondent asked her how much…
Patty Mills is leaving the San Antonio Spurs for the Brooklyn Nets
Patty Mills, the last remaining player of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2014 title team, is packing his bags for Brooklyn. The Alamo City fan favorite signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Nets, according to ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who broke the news in a Tuesday afternoon tweet. Free agent G Patty Mills…
San Antonio is home to Texas’s last Shoney’s restaurant, but it will close permanently on Wednesday
Shoney’s will permanently close its last San Antonio location Wednesday, ending the 70-year-old family dining chain’s presence in the Lone Star State, MySA reports. An employee at Northeast San Antonio eatery, located at 8206 Interstate 35 North near Walzem Road, confirmed the closure to the news site. It’s unclear whether the chain is shuttering the…
San Antonio Tiff’s Treats locations will give away free chocolate chip cookies on Wednesday
Texas-based warm cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats is celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day by giving them away. All five of the chain’s San Antonio locations will dole out one free chocolate chip cookie per customer all day Wednesday, August 4, the date of the food holiday. The stores will also discount the childhood favorite…
Terry Black’s BBQ buys prime real estate near downtown San Antonio, plans mixed-use development
The family behind Terry Black’s Barbecue in Austin and Dallas has purchased roughly a city block of land in San Antonio, though their plans for it don’t yet spell “barbecue joint,” the San Antonio Express-News reports. The mostly vacant 1.4-acre site is a few blocks north of the thriving Pearl development, according to the report. Family…
Two years after Walmart mass shooting, El Paso leaders see inaction and betrayal by Texas officials
Days before its official unveiling on Tuesday, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego walked through the healing garden planted to honor the victims of the 2019 Walmart mass shooting. Since the hate crime that took the lives of 23 people and left dozens more injured, Samaniego has been involved in every painstaking detail of the…
San Antonio’s Box Street Social to open brick and mortar restaurant at Hemisfair by end of year
The team behind popular food truck Box Street Social will open its first brick and mortar space — dubbed Box Street All Day — in downtown’s Hemisfair complex by the end of the year, MySA reports. Chef-owner Edward Garcia and co-owner Daniel Treviño had planned to open the restaurant in spring of last year, but…
Gov. Greg Abbott’s $250 million ‘border wall’ is a chain-link fence
The state-funded “border wall” initiated by Gov. Greg Abbott is actually a chain link fence that South Texas officials say is unlikely to keep migrants from crossing into Texas, according to new media reports. Recent stories by Texas Monthly and the San Antonio Express-News describe a 1.2 mile completed section of Abbott’s border barrier west of Del Rio…
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Cypress Hill, Aaron Watson and more
Hip-hop heavyweights Cypress Hill will bring their weed-fueled rhymes to the outdoor Whitewater Amphitheater this week, but that’s not all local music fans have to look forward to. This week’s slate of live shows also includes something for those who follow indie rock, real-deal country and eclectic Americana. Thursday, August 5 Carver Commodore Alabama’s own Carver…
San Antonio’s Central Market turns up the heat this week via 26th annual Hatch Chile Fest
It’s that time of year again, hotheads. Central Market’s 26th annual Hatch Chile Fest will kick off Wednesday, August 4, bringing the pepper’s complex heat back to the Lone Star State. Named after the village of Hatch, New Mexico, where they’re harvested only a few weeks out of the year, the chiles have earned a cult…
Owner of West San Antonio restaurant Sergio’s Molino killed in fire that ravaged his restaurant
A fire broke out at West Side eatery Sergio’s Molino around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, destroying the building and taking the life of the owner, KENS 5 reports. Sergio Salcedo, 65, was identified Sunday by family and coworkers as the man found inside the building whom firefighters struggled to save. According to the station, the San…
With school openings near, parents and teachers say state leaders have stripped them of weapons against COVID-19
Lindsey Contreras feels backed in a corner. The first day of school is just a couple of weeks away. The mother of two, whose older child attends school in Allen, has been watching COVID-19 cases surge again in Texas, spurred by the emergence of the much more contagious delta variant. “I am absolutely scared to…
If you’re going to smoke weed in a bong, might as well make it an interesting one
Marijuana is legal for limited medical use in Texas and entirely legal in many other states, meaning you can enjoy your high in a plethora of ways. Of course, that’s preferable to the days when you had to know a guy who knew a guy whose brother sold the cheapest and worst dirt weed that…
Texas Attorney General candidate Joe Jaworski says legal weed is one of his top four priorities
At least one candidate for Texas Attorney General is eager to make marijuana legalization a key part of what’s shaping up to be one the most hotly contested statewide races. Democrat Joe Jaworski, a former Galveston mayor and the grandson of Watergate special prosecutor Leon Jaworski, told the Corpus Christi Caller Times on Saturday that…
100 state legislators joining Texas Democrats in Washington to turn up pressure on voting-rights bill
With the Texas Legislature in the final week of its special session, 100 lawmakers from other states will join Texas Democrats in pushing for Congress to pass new voting-rights legislation. Lawmakers from at least 30 states are heading into Washington D.C. to kick off a “week of action” urging federal lawmakers to pass elections packages…
San Antonio chef Johnny Hernandez’s La Frutería reopening Monday with new look and menu
SA chef Johnny Hernandez’s La Frutería is reopening Monday, after a months-long renovation hiatus. The space, now rechristened The Frutería-Botanero, will debut new menu offerings, ranging from ceviches to mole dishes, starting at 4 p.m., according to a social media post. Hernandez’s nine-year-old Southtown spot was primarily known as a breakfast and lunch haven that…
Cops in San Antonio suburb arrest man, say he repeatedly hurled bags of cat poo from his vehicle
Police in a Northwest San Antonio suburb nabbed a man whom they accuse of flinging more than 20 bags of cat poo along a stretch of roadway, including some that landed on residents’ driveways and school crosswalks. In a Facebook post, the Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department said it arrested Donald Erwin Schwartz, 71, on…
San Antonio pour-your-own-beer spot The Dooryard will host August 14 luau
San Antonio’s The Dooryard is saying aloha to the summer season with a Door Jam Tiki Slam luau featuring a pig roast, tiki-inspired craft beers on tap and live music by local surf rockers King Pelican. The Saturday, August 14 soiree will take place at the pour-your-own-beer spot, which plans to tap luau-appropriate kegs for…
Texas Republican Party sent out fundraising email repeating debunked voter-fraud claim
The Texas Republican Party sent out a fundraising email last month repeating a now-debunked claim that a partisan audit shows Arizona experienced widespread election fraud during the November election, Politifact reports. A fundraising email sent July 20 by Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi touted the Arizona claim at a time when members of his party in…
San Antonio’s Swine House and Vista Brewing join forces for Thursday roast beef pop-up
Roast beast guru Joe Saenz of sustainable butcher shop Swine House will post up at San Antonio’s new Vista Brewing tasting room on Thursday, August 5 to host a roast beef sandwich pop-up of epic proportions. Using some of the best retail cuts of sustainable meat available — that’s kind of Swine House’s jam —…
Neoclassical guitar shredder Yngwie Malmsteen took San Antonio’s Tobin Center by force
It’s been two years since Yngwie Malmsteen last played in San Antonio, but on Sunday night, the Swedish metal maestro unleashed an onslaught of fleet-fingered fury at the Tobin Center. The guitar god, who made his recorded debut some 40 years ago, released his newest album Parabellum on the July 23, and just like the…
New delta variant studies show the pandemic is far from over
The coronavirus’s delta variant is different from earlier strains of the virus in worrying ways, health officials are discovering. And those differences may mean a return to some of the restrictions that vaccinated people thought were in the past. The variant is not only more contagious than earlier strains, it also makes people sicker. And…
Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security initiative rolls out with confusion, missteps and a whole lot of state troopers in Val Verde County
DEL RIO — Nerio stepped out of the Rio Grande with his wife last week, put his feet on the sandy Texas ground and quickly found himself in handcuffs. He should not have been arrested. But law enforcement on the Texas border has become a blur of overlapping agencies as Gov. Greg Abbott floods the region…
Justice Department follows through with threat and sues Gov. Greg Abbott to stop anti-migrant order
The U.S. Justice Department sued Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott Friday to block an executive order that would allow state troopers to pull over vehicles they suspect are carrying migrants who have COVID-19, Reuters reports. The order interferes with the administration of federal immigration law, the Justice Department said in a petition filed with the…
Iced-tea chain HTeaO will open a second San Antonio store in the Medical Center on August 13
HTeaO, the Amarillo-based chain that specializes in quenching thirsts with 26 varieties of flavored, freshly brewed iced teas, will open a second Alamo City store on August 13. “We are officially 2 weeks from opening day! We cannot wait to open our doors to serve you San Antonio,” a Friday Facebook post from the new…
Best of San Antonio, Isis Romero: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
We certainly weren’t surprised that the Current’s readers were all over this year’s Best of San Antonio rankings, but we could never have predicted that Isis Romero — voted this year’s Best News Anchor — would be fired by KSAT right before her win was announced. And that wasn’t the only surprise the week had…
Burger spot Mark’s Outing will be latest San Antonio eatery to appear on Food Network
Eastside burger haven Mark’s Outing announced on social media that it will appear on a Food Network show featuring celebrity chef Robert Irvine. “Join is for the live taping, we need our community support! Come out and #EatAtMarks,” reads a post shared Friday afternoon. A separate announcement posted Thursday and subsequently removed featured the logo…
Mr. Juicy Ends Legal Beef, Ice Ice Baby: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
The Current’s most-read food stories of the week included the end of simmering legal dispute between two local burger chains and some cool news about the expansion of a shaved-ice shop. In the case of the first, Chef Andrew Weissman was allowed to register the name of his two Mr. Juicy burger joints over the…
Daily Beast editor torches Ted Cruz with four words after his rant against Anthony Fauci
Good thing Sen. Ted Cruz has got a big mouth. Some folks would argue he’s had his foot in it pretty much his entire run as Texas’ junior senator. In the latest such incident, Cruz took to the Senate floor Thursday to argue the far-right talking point that masks are stripping red-blooded Americans of their…
San Antonio craft beer haven Big Hops will open far West Side location this fall
Craft-beer chain Big Hops will soon be slinging suds on San Antonio’s far West Side, MySA reports. Big Hops founder Rob Martindale told the news site that a 12991 Potranco Road location outside Loop 1604 is coming “soon.” That means October, if Texas Department of Licensing filings are to be believed. Martindale also told MySA…
Ninth annual Día de los Muertos festival returning to San Antonio’s Hemisfair this fall
San Antonio’s ninth annual Día de los Muertos fest will bring its mix of community altars, live music, art vendors and workshops back to Hemisfair on the weekend of October 23-24, organizers revealed Friday. The free, family-friendly event, popularly known as Muertos Fest, is one of the largest Day of the Dead celebrations in the…
WTF food news: Panera launches broccoli and cheddar soup-inspired swimsuit collection
Just in time for summer poolside lounging, Panera Bread earlier this month launched a WTF-ish line of swimsuits inspired by its broccoli and cheddar soup — complete with bread bowl flotation device. Yeah, we don’t get it either. Then again, this is the same casual-dining chain that launched a stupid-ass bread bowl glove back in…
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jeremy Affeldt to open craft brewery just north of San Antonio
Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt has his sights set on Boerne for a new craft brewery, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The athlete, who spent 14 seasons in the Major Leagues as a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds along with the Giants, is renting the old Boerne Liberty Stable and…
U.S. attorney general blasts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest border directive and threatens a legal battle
The Biden administration has threatened to legally challenge Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that state troopers pull over drivers transporting migrants who pose a risk of carrying COVID-19, calling it “dangerous and unlawful.” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland told Abbott in a letter Thursday that the governor’s executive order “violates federal law in numerous respects, and Texas…
Popular San Antonio food truck Naco Mexican Eatery to open first brick and mortar location this fall
This fall, popular food truck Naco Mexican Eatery will make the jump to a brick and mortar location in Northeast San Antonio’s Los Patios complex. A concept by husband-and-wife team Francisco Estrada and Lizzeth Martinez, Naco serves up Mexican plates, tacos, tortas and chilaquiles for breakfast and lunch service. “We are blessed to be in a…
San Antonio mayor says Abbott shows ‘callous disregard for life’ by tying cities’ hands on COVID
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg harshly condemned Gov. Greg Abbott for issuing an executive that further strips local governments of tools they say are needed to combat the state’s rapid resurgence of COVID-19. Abbott’s order, issued Thursday, bars governmental entities from requiring anyone to obtain a “COVID-19 vaccine administered under an emergency use authorization.” It also strips…
San Antonio gallery Hopscotch to host LGBTQ-friendly installation from the Human Rights Campaign
Immersive art experience Hopscotch will debut extended hours and new shows in August, including an installation from LGBTQ+ advocacy organization the Human Rights Campaign. The HRC installation will open on Thursday, August 5. The acrylic panel and LED light installation, dubbed GAZE, “transports guests into a world that encourages them to see beyond their own experience…
San Antonio birria and ceviche joint El Remedio will be featured on Food Network show in August
Looks like the Food Network isn’t done with the Alamo City just yet. Uber-popular birria taco-and-mariscos food truck El Remedio will be the latest SA eatery to be filmed by the network, MySA reports. El Remedio owner Joshua Palacios told the news site that the food-focused cable channel will shoot at his food truck’s 2924…
New exhibit at San Antonio’s Artpace draws inspiration from legendary hip-hop figure DJ Screw
The newest opening at San Antonio nonprofit gallery Artpace takes its cue from a late and legendary Houston hip-hop artist. Originally exhibited at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, “Slowed and Throwed: Records of the City Through Mutated Lenses” centers on the legacy of DJ Screw, known for his “chopped and screwed” technique. The group exhibition opens…
Thieves rip off San Antonio cocktail guru Jeret Peña’s 3 Star Bar prior to opening date
Highly anticipated Government Hill eatery 3 Star Bar is asking for help after thieves made off with thousands of dollars in kitchen equipment during a burglary early Thursday morning. The group helming the concept — local cocktail gurus Jeret Peña and Rob Gourlay and chef Josh Calderon — created a crowdfunding campaign to raise $15,000…
Top LULAC attorney says Abbott’s order to pull over migrants will soon result in racial profiling suits
Texas will soon face lawsuits over Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that state troopers should pull over vehicles whose drivers they suspect of transporting migrants who pose a risk of transmitting COVID-19, a top civil-rights attorney said. The order, issued Wednesday amid a flurry of hardline immigration moves by Abbott, is unconstitutional because it promotes racial profiling,…
Sprouts Farmers Market will open a third San Antonio location on the far West Side
Fresh produce haven Sprouts Farmers Market will build a new grocery on San Antonio’s far West Side, the Express-News reports. Citing a filing a state licensing filing, the daily reports that the chain plans to open a 23,000-square-foot store at 9702 Texas 151, near the intersection of Texas State Highway 151 and Southwest Loop 410.…
San Antonio’s Celebrity Fan Fest canceled after headlining stars pull out of con
One day before the event was set to commence, San Antonio’s Celebrity Fan Fest has been canceled. After celebrity headliners Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor and Owen Wilson pulled out of the convention, organizer PMX Events yanked the plug on the entire event. “Last night at approximately 7:30 p.m. CST, we were formally notified by the…
Texas health department kicks off campaign in San Antonio urging young people to get vaccinated
Texas’ health department will kick off a statewide campaign Friday in San Antonio that encourages families to get younger members vaccinated as the school year opens amid rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will launch the campaign with an event Friday at the Walmart Supercenter at 8923 W. Military Drive…
Best Sandwiches
Gino’s Deli
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Texas Thrift
Best Caribbean Restaurant
The Jerk Shack
Best Mascot
Spurs Coyote
Best Hot Dog
The Dogfather
Best Antique Store
Alamo Antique Mall
Best Urban Legend
Ghost Tracks
Best Cryo Therapy
CryoFit Alamo Heights
Best Infrared Sauna
Sweat Equity
Best Pet Adoption
San Antonio Humane Society
Best Farmers Market
The Pearl Farmers Market
Best Vegetarian Restaurant
Green Vegetarian Cuisine
Best Charcuterie
Cured
Best Date Night Restaurant
The Pearl
Best Stand-Up Comic
Cleto Rodriguez
Best Pizza
Big Lou’s Pizza
Best View
Tower of the Americas
Best Gay Bar
Bonham Exchange
Best New Bar
The Moon’s Daughters
Best Pet Boarding
Lucy’s Doggy Daycare and Spa
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Pappadeaux
Best Bakery
La Panadería
Best Chicken Fried Steak
Good Time Charlie’s
Best Local Poet
Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson
Best Ice Cream
Lick Honest Ice Cream
Best Bicycle Shop
Bike World
Best Yoga Studio
Black Swan Yoga
Best Dental Practice
Sonterra Dental — Dr. Kara Tapangan
Best IV Hydration
Drip IV Lounge
Best Pet Groomer
Lucy’s Doggy Daycare and Spa
Best Flea Market
Traders Village
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
Pho Kim Long
Best ‘Chicken’ Sandwich
Project Pollo
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Duck Donuts
Best Visual Artist
Adriana M. Garcia
Best Poke Restaurant
Hula Poke
Best Apartment Community
Rivera on Broadway
Best Dermatology Practice
Sonterra Dermatology
Best LASIK Provider
Parkhurst NuVision
Best Piercing Studio
Dandyland
Best Soul Food
Mr. & Mrs. G’s Home Cooking
Best Barbacoa
Tellez Tamales & Barbacoa
Best Bloody Mary
Liberty Bar
Best Local Radio Show
The Billy Madison Show
Best Indian Restaurant
India Palace
Best Book Store
Half Price Books
Best Art Gallery
Blue Star Contemporary
Best Happy Hour
Wurzbach Ice House
Best Sports Bar
Little Woodrow’s
Best Place to Get Pampered
Hiatus Spa + Retreat
Best Furniture Store
The Rustic Modern Boutique
Best Wings
Wing Stop
Best Chinese Food
Golden Wok
Best Enchiladas
Blanco Cafe
Best International Market
La Michoacana
Best Puffy Tacos
Henry’s Puffy Tacos
Best Dry Cleaner
Five Star Cleaners
Best Med Spa
The Injection Room
Best Place to People Watch
The Pearl
Best Steakhouse
Chama Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse
Best Barbecue
Smoke Shack
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Local Coffee
Best Family-Friendly Restaurant
The Cove
Best Italian Restaurant
Paesanos
Best Car Dealership
Ancira Enterprises
Best Barber Shop
Service Cuts Barbershop
Best Hookah Bar
Naara
Best Sunday Funday
The Friendly Spot Ice House
Best All-Time Spurs Player
Tim Duncan
Best Bar Food
Lucy Cooper’s Texas Ice House
Best Cocktail Bar and Cocktails
Bar 1919
Best Meteorologist
Bill Taylor
Best Juice Shop
Revolución Coffee + Juice
Best Ramen
Nama Ramen
Best Bowling Alley
Bowlero
Best Family Attraction
San Antonio Zoo
Best Movers
Swift Movers
Best Place to Work
H-E-B
Best Attorney
Ashley Morgan
Best Sushi
Sushi Zushi
Best Woman-Owned Restaurant
Frida Mexican Restaurant
Best Local Actor/Actress
Tommy Lee Jones
Best Food Truck
Naco Mexican Eatery
Best Adult Store
Adult Megaplex
Best CBD Shop
DAB House of Hemp
Best Bucket List Activity
Biking the Mission Trail
Best Hotel Bar
Sternewirth Tavern (Hotel Emma)
Best Wine Bar
Little Death
Best Plumbing Company
Caliente Plumbing, Heating & Air
Best Burlesque Troupe
Pastie Pops Burlesque Revue
Best Plant Nursery
Rainbow Gardens
Best Black-Owned Restaurant
Wayne’s Wings
Best Comfort Food
Luby’s
Best News Anchor
Isis Romero
Best Korean Restaurant
Seoul Asian Market and Cafe
Best Restaurant
Clementine
Best Chiropractor
The Nest Chiropractic and Wellness
Best Fitness Studio
Amor Cycling + Fitness Studio
Best Movie Theater
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Best Roofing
Design Roofing and General Contractors
Best Chef
Johnny Hernandez
Best Tacos
Taquitos West Ave.
Best Bar Games
Slackers Sports Bar
Best Country Bar
Thirsty Horse Dance Hall & Saloon
Best French Fries
Whataburger
Best Late Night Place To Eat
Whataburger
Best Clothing Boutique
Broadway Pinups
Best City Park
Phil Hardberger Park
Best Hair Salon
Moxie Hair Salon & Spa
Best Mural
And yet, we bloom by Kat Cadena
Best Drag Performer
Kristi Waters
Best Tamales
Delia’s Tamales
Best Breakfast Tacos
Las Palapas
Best Local Celebrity
George Strait
Best Photographer
Julián P. Ledezma
Best Local Brewery
Alamo Beer Co.
Best Restaurant for Special Diets
Pharm Table
Best Dance Club
Bonham Exchange
Best Karaoke Bar
Dad’s Karaoke
Best Museum
Witte Museum
Best Instagram Influencer
@s.a.foodie
Best Record Store
Hogwild Records
Best Breakfast
Magnolia Pancake Haus
Best Concha
La Panadería
Best Fried Chicken
Earl Abel’s
Best Mediterranean Restaurant
Pasha Mediterranean Grill
Best Comic Book/Game Shop
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy — Alamo Ranch
Best Comedy Club
Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club
Best Hospital
Methodist Hospital Metropolitan
Best Nail Salon
Feral Nails TX
Best Jeweler
James Avery Artisan Jewelry
Best Thai Restaurant
Thai Dee Restaurant
Best Bar
Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen
Best Craft Beer Selection
Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Best Politician
Ron Nirenberg
Best Menudo
Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia
Best Solar Company
Texas Family Roofing
Best Dive Bar
The Bang Bang Bar
Best Margaritas
La Gloria
Best Nonprofit Organization
San Antonio Food Bank
Best Salsa
Rosario’s Mexican Cafe y Cantina
Best Smoke Shop
Smokerz Paradize
Best Brunch
Magnolia Pancake Haus
Best Local Filmmaker
Alex Ramirez
Best Frutería
Las Nieves Fruit Cups & More
Best Mexican Restaurant
Rosario’s Mexican Cafe y Cantina
Best Spa
Turquoise Springs Medical Spa
Best Cosmetic Surgery
Alamo Plastic Surgery
Best HVAC/AC
Champion AC
Best Orthodontist
Stone Oak Orthodontics
Best Dispensary
Bee’s Wellness Cafe
Best Vegan Soul Food
Sweet Yams
Best Burger
Burger Boy
Best Crawfish
Smashin Crab
Best Realtor
Stephanie Stone
Best New Restaurant
Frida Mexican Restaurant
Best Tattoo Shop
Element Tattoo
Best Drink Specials/Cheap Drinks
Brass Monkey
Best Music Venue
Paper Tiger
Best Patio
Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen
