Jennie Livingston’s cult documentary Paris Is Burning and — like it or not — the music video for Madonna’s derivative anthem “Vogue” will forever pop up in conversations about ballroom culture. But as famed critic Guy Trebay pointed out in a 2000 Village Voice story dubbed “Legends of the Ball,” those two 1990 works are essentially “station…
After a pandemic-forced hiatus, First Friday is back in business. The monthly festivities have slowly ramped back up at Blue Star Arts Complex, and things are just about back in full swing as we enter July. While most events in the Southtown art walk generally begin around 7 p.m., gallery hours may vary, so we…
The Alamo City will soon gain another sandwich chain in Capriotti’s, a Las Vegas-based sub outfit known for its signature sandos. The fast-casual brand unveiled plans to open 51 new U.S. shops this year, including at least one in San Antonio. Founded in 1976, Capriotti’s is known for a 40-year-old tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys…
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday he is allocating $94.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief money for higher education programs to support students as they continue to navigate college during the pandemic. The one-time funding comes from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief fund as part of the federal CARES Act. It will be distributed by the state’s…
The company behind childhood summertime favorite Fla-Vor-Ice tubes has put a boozy twist on the nostalgic treat — and they’re now available in Texas. Appearance-wise, SLIQ Spirited Ice tubes mirror the colorful Fla-Vor-Ices many of us enjoyed as kids, but that’s where the similarities end. These “spirited” versions weigh in at 8% ABV per pop,…
Morgan’s Wonderland, San Antonio’s ultra-accessible theme park, has opened a new, three-acre fitness complex that will operate with the same focus on being a place where everyone can play. The $4 million Morgan’s Wonderland Sports is located just west of the main theme park. The site includes an 8,000-square-foot covered pavilion for basketball, volleyball and fundraiser…
When it comes to the Fourth of July holiday, San Antonio-based Pabst Brewing Co. has decided it’s either go big or go home. In honor of the nation’s 245th birthday, Pabst has introduced a 1,776-pack of its flagship brew, Pabst Blue Ribbon. The number of cans, you’ve likely surmised, represents the year in which the…
The mother of slain Trinity University cheerleader Cayley Mandadi filed a civil lawsuit on Monday against the school and her daughter’s alleged killer, Mark Howerton. The civil lawsuit, filed in Bexar County by Mandadi’s mother, Alison Steele, alleges Mark Howerton, Mandadi’s boyfriend, sexually and physically assaulted her over the course of a weeks-long relationship and…
Pre-Prohibition-era blue laws governing the sale beer and wine on Sundays in Texas will get a long-awaited update this fall. Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law allowing restaurants to sell to-go alcoholic beverages with food orders. Less widely reported was a law signed the same day that will permit the sale of beer…
Alamo City-based fast food institution Whataburger has reintroduced two of its seasonal menu items to beat the summer heat. Or at least keep it temporarily at bay. First up, the burger brand is bringing back its fresh pico de gallo, featuring chopped white onion, tomato, cilantro and jalapeño. Whataburger has offered pico de gallo on…
San Antonio’s USAA, a financial services firm for military personnel, is getting member blowback for advertising on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show after the far-right pundit called the nation’s top military officer “stupid” and a “pig.” On Thursday, Carlson lashed out at Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the officer’s…
Just call it El Debut. Popular birria and mariscos outfit El Remedio will debut its third mobile kitchen this weekend at colorful new food truck park El Camino. Just weeks ago, El Remedio announced plans to expand its footprint via a shiny new birria and seafood wagon. At that point, however, it had yet to…
As a prelude to this weekend’s patriotic holiday, San Antonio’s Agarita quartet is returning to the stage for an in-person concert featuring an all-American program. In American Vignettes, the quartet will cover a lot of ground, spanning 150 years of American music. The concert will showcase the diversity of American musical output, from European-style romanticism…
When plans surfaced in April for Allora and Arrosta, a pair of fancy new Italian eateries from the minds behind Maverick Texas Brasserie, details were in short supply. Now, we have more. Back in April, we knew the full-service restaurant Allora will be overseen by Chef Robbie Nowlin. Newly confirmed, however, is that Chris Carlson will split time…
Gourmet frank purveyor The Dogfather has closed after a flood last week caused extensive damage to its dining room and kitchen. In the wake of the damage, the shop initially pivoted and tried to operate from a food trailer. However, after a few days of serving a limited menu, the team realized it was an unrealistic…
Thirteen Democratic members of Texas’ congressional delegation have asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to block Gov. Greg Abbott from using COVID-relief money to build his recently announced border wall. In a letter dated Monday, San Antonio U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Lloyd Doggett and others asked Yellen to issue a rule blocking use of…
The tumult of 2020 appears to have taken its toll on yet another San Antonio-area food business. Copalli Cafe — a spot serving fresh-brewed java, home-baked treats and light-lunch eats — will close permanently on July 31 after nearly ten years serving the community of Spring Branch. It’s located at 17080 Texas Highway 46, Suite 101,…
Dinner-and-a-movie concept Flix Brewhouse has opened its first Alamo City theater, and like all the chain’s locations, this one sports a novel twist: it brews its own beer. The West Side theater, located at 845 Loop 1604 South, opened late last week, offering a lineup of flicks including the latest installments in the Fast and the…
Texans want to legalize marijuana and don’t think everybody should be able to carry a gun without training or a license. So the state Legislature passed a “constitutional carry” bill earlier this year — and the governor signed it. And the marijuana bills that were filed in the recent regular session never came to a…
Almost nine out of ten Texas voters think marijuana should be legal in some capacity, according to a new statewide poll. Only 13% of voters said marijuana shouldn’t be legal in any form, according to a survey released Friday by the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune. Of those surveyed, 27% said pot should…
Over the past year, Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations across the state for a number of tragedies: the coronavirus pandemic that killed more than 50,000 Texans, a winter storm that left millions of people in freezing temperatures without power for days, hurricanes and floods that wiped out homes and local infrastructure. The disaster declarations…
In 2004, an attorney named Jason Collins and his wife were buying a house in a master-planned community in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood in northwest Austin. He was going down the list of closing costs when he noticed a line item for title insurance. The price, about $2,000, gave him pause. “I could not understand,” he…
Fans of chef Jason Dady’s long-closed modern Asian spot Umai Mi will have their chance to relive the funky, rap-filled eatery’s vibes, thanks to a newly launched local chef series from The Farmer’s Butcher. The Eastside butcher shop, helmed by local artisan hog farmers Mark and Kelley Escobedo, will host the first of many one-night…
Folks must have gotten tired of debating whether San Antonio or Austin makes the best tacos, because the San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance is staging its first-ever Taco Rumble to settle the matter. The Thursday, July 15 charity event is exactly what it sounds like. It pits nine Alamo City taco slingers against eight from…
A group that includes Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers is asking the Texas Supreme Court to override Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent veto of a portion of the state budget that funds the Legislature, staffers there and legislative agencies. More than 50 Democratic members of the House signed a petition for a writ of mandamus, which…
It’s been more than a year since downtown-area coffee spot Shotgun House Roasters hosted a stand-up comedy show, but the caffeine haven is ready to bring the belly laughs back. This weekend, Shotgun House will debut what it hopes will be the first of many comedy sets in its spacious back garden, featuring standup sets from…
This week’s food news covered old standbys and new spots to come — from comfort food to revolving sushi. Beyond that, a chicken wing chain got smart and started offering thighs to sate yardbird cravings during a shortage. Meanwhile, a longtime burger joint shared plans to celebrate its anniversary with a steal on quarter-pounders. Read…
This week, there was one thing San Antonio Current readers could get behind — a shared animosity for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Among our most read stories was an article about a new trending hashtag that arose after Abbott vetoed an anti-animal cruelty measure. Plenty of folks also scoped out a story about a party…
Residents of Northeast San Antonio who enjoy drinks, dancing and darts just got lucky — Lucky’s Icehouse, that is. The new drinkery has opened in the space that used to house American Legion Post 592, offering a dance space, outdoor deck and a separate room dedicated to darts, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Located at…
Multiple voting-rights groups are preparing lawsuits in anticipation that Texas lawmakers will revive a widely decried voter-restriction bill that died during the last legislative session, a top voting-rights expert said. “I do know for a fact that lawsuits are being planned and that teams are being staffed right now,” said Henry Flores, a St. Mary…
San Antonio-based Papa’s Burgers is getting in on the growth in the city’s booming burger scene. Robert Walker, owner of two existing Papa’s Burgers locations, shared a first look via Facebook of a new space the nationally-acclaimed burger chain is building on the far North Side. The spot will be its first to offer a drive-thru…
Most folks may consider the grill the quintessential Independence Day cooking companion, but Southern-style eatery Ida Claire is choosing to break free from expectation via a take-home shrimp boil kit. The kitschy kitchen has put together a $65 to-go kit, now available for preorder. The package includes two pounds of shrimp, a spice mix, fresh…
If you thought the drama was over with Supernatural’s fall 2020 finale, well, you were wrong. Not only is a new spinoff series in the works at the CW, but one of its original stars has been left out in the cold. On Thursday, Jensen Ackles, who starred as Dean Winchester in Supernatural, tweeted a…
“Only thing I can say right now, as far as when I get back home, is that I’m not going to go to work anymore,” Anthony Mendoza Martins tells me over the phone as he leaves Record Parlor in Los Angeles. Martins, a 28-year-old electronic musician and producer better known by the moniker ARK, was…
For the second year in a row, Pride San Antonio is forgoing in-person events and instead broadcasting a virtual Pride Celebration via Facebook and YouTube. The streaming event is being held in an abundance of caution at a time that COVID-19 seems to have reached its peak but can still pose problems for those who…
People traveling on a Joe Biden campaign bus that was harassed by a caravan of Trump supporters north of San Antonio last fall have sued alleged participants in that so-called “Trump Train,” the Texas Tribune reports. The plaintiffs, which include former State Sen. Wendy Davis, also filed a separate suit against San Marcos’ director of…
There’s plenty for country and Americana fans to enjoy in San Antonio this weekend, but the Alamo City’s live music offerings are rounded out with some standouts in other genres. Looking to catch a show? Read on to find out what SA has to offer: Friday, June 25 Emily Wolfe Austin resident Wolfe is bringing…
The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has demanded that the Archdiocese of San Antonio add 12 more Marianist clergy members to a list it maintains of priests accused of sexual abuse. SNAP is also asking Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller and St. Mary’s University President Thomas Mengler to search for possible victims of the accused abusers.…
Tex-Mex eatery Don Benito’s Cocina y Cantina is scheduled to open July 5 on the city’s Southeast Side, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Don Benito’s is a new Mexican restaurant from the owners of Tio’s Tex-Mex and Tia’s Taco Hut, offering classics such as tortilla soup, menudo, tacos dorados and cheese enchiladas, as well as…
If NIOSA celebrations are a little too crowded for your liking, Southtown fixture Beethoven Männerchor is offering a scaled-down option for folks looking to partake. Of course, when a venue has prepared eight hundred pounds of potato salad, half a ton of bratwurst and 200 kegs of beer, the term “scaled-down” is relative. Beethoven Männerchor’s…
With temps threatening to break the century mark, San Antonio-based Alamo Beer Co. has released Summer Shandy, its first seasonal summertime suds of 2021. The new brew is crafted with lemon, lime, honey and Limoncito from Alamo City-based Southside Craft Soda. The handcrafted soda is based on a lemon agua fresca and features notes of…
Longtime San Antonio staple Biff Buzby’s Burgers is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this Saturday by offering up its quarter-pounders for just $2.22. The burgers, considered one the family-owned restaurant’s signature items, usually sell for $6.59. Set into the corner of an unassuming Northeast San Antonio shopping center, Biff Buzby’s is known for hand-formed beef patties, sweetened sourdough…
San Antonio was the U.S. city most targeted by criminals running phone scams related to COVID-19 stimulus checks, according to a new study by tech firm Hiya. Stimulus check scams doubled in each of the past two months, reaching an all-time high of more than 1.1 million calls so far in June, according to the…
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has made good on its promise to fire a lieutenant who posted Facebook photos of herself near the U.S. Capitol at the time of the January 6 insurrection. Lt. Roxanne Mathai, 46, was terminated from her job five months after Sheriff Javier Salazar pledged to remove her from the force, KSAT…
San Antonio’s official Independence Day celebration is returning to Woodlawn Park, offering a full day of food and fun capped off with nighttime fireworks. Presented by the San Antonio Parks Foundation and City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, the event will feature food trucks and vendors serving barbecue, hamburgers, tacos, aguas frescas and more.…
Hop on your computer and celebrate the 20th anniversary of A.I. Artificial Intelligence with Texas Public Radio’s Cinema Tuesdays. The film, directed by Steven Spielberg and originally conceptualized by Stanley Kubrick, takes the classic Pinocchio fairy tale and thrusts it into the future. Focusing on the existential odyssey of David (Haley Joel Osment), the film…
SA’s gourmet hot dog outfit The Dogfather will operate in a slightly different fashion for the next few weeks, as a flood has caused extensive damage to its San Pedro Road shop. The shop — known for gourmet, loaded franks — took to Facebook to alert fans of the incident, as well as plans to…
The Pastie Pops are back and taking the stage at the Overtime Theater for their first in-person show in over a year with not one, but two back-to-back performances in one night. The show is hosted by Jasper St. James and Topsy Curvy and includes Pastie Pop favorites as well as two special guests: Chola…
The revolving sushi bar, a staple of modern Japanese food culture, is about to make its debut in the Alamo City, thanks to a future Kura Sushi location, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. Kura Sushi — a Japan-based chain that offers sushi carried along on a revolving conveyor belt — will open a location…
Lowcountry, the self-proclaimed “sweetest lil bar in Southtown,” appears to be living its rep this summer with a month-long undergarment drive for the local homeless population. The initiative, dubbed “Drop Your Drawers,” will collect new, in-the-package underwear and sports bras, which local organizations will distribute to people experiencing homelessness in San Antonio. The mostly-outdoor bar…
St. Paul Square’s Concerts in the Courtyard is getting in on the Fiesta action. Austin-based Latin rock trio Tiarra Girls will play Saturday in what the free, outdoor concert series is billing as its “Fiesta Finale.” Sisters Tiffany, Tori and Sophia Baltierra have made waves with a sound that draws not only on rock and Latin influences…
San Antonio visual artist Rafael Gonzalez Jr., who grabbed headlines last week with a blunt message to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, is leveraging that attention into a party. No, not a new political party. Instead, he’s throwing a Friday, June 25 bash featuring paletas, beer and — of course — merch bearing his “F*ck Greg…
This summer, Pride is for the whole family. Centro San Antonio and SA Lovelist are hosting the second annual Family Pride Night at Madison Square Park next Tuesday. The event, which took a hiatus last year due to the pandemic, will feature a musical performance by local alt-R&B artist Alyson Alonzo, drag performances by Kristi Waters and Los…
After being celebrated virtually last year, the Sixth Annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival returns to San Antonio in October at a brand new location — Confluence Park. Organized by Texas Butterfly Ranch, the festival celebrates the peak of the annual monarch butterfly migration through Texas each fall with workshops, screenings, butterfly tagging and other educational…
If you thought this year’s Texas Legislative Session was a white-knuckle ride, prepare yourself for the sequel. Gov. Greg Abbott’s office on Tuesday afternoon set a special session of the Lege that will kick off July 8. The Republican governor didn’t specify which priorities he expects lawmakers to address. However, based on his punitive veto…
Twenty-six years ago, at nine years old, journalist Maria Garcia came home to her mom in tears over the news that Selena Quintanilla was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club — news that would change Garcia’s life. In her podcast Anything for Selena, Garcia explores Selena’s role as an incomparable symbol for…
For better or for worse, we’re hard-pressed to find a food item that screams “America” more than the hot dog, and the Tex-Mex peddlers over at Taco Cabana seem to agree. Starting July 2, the San Antonio-born chain will offer Sonoran hot dogs to celebrate Independence Day. The dogs originated in the Mexican state of…
San Antonio Current owner Euclid Media Group — a media company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio — has purchased the LEO Weekly, an award-winning Louisville alternative newsweekly publication, formerly owned by Aaron Yarmuth and founded by John Yarmuth. The LEO Weekly has served the Louisville area since 1990 with cultural and political reporting, entertainment previews, food and drink…
A group of former top aides to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reiterated in a court filing this week that they believe Paxton committed crimes while in office, and suggested that Paxton is intentionally mischaracterizing witness testimony in their whistleblower case against him for political reasons. The aides are taking issue with a brief and…
The bracing botanical flavors of gin are part of what makes Tom Collins, gin rickey and el chapo cocktails refreshing summertime sippers. Now, just in time for scorching summer temps, a fancy Scottish gin has arrived on U.S. shores for the first time with a promise of distinct coastal notes. Multi-award-winning Isle of Harris Gin…
Fiesta medal chasers, listen up: each of San Antonio-based Burger Boy’s four locations is handing out free, location-specific medals with every meal purchase. The chain known for its old-fashioned burgers and rich milkshakes is giving away a different color of medal at each of its locations, presenting an apparent challenge to die-hard Fiesta flair fanatics…
San Antonio-based Freetail Brewing Co. may be known for tasty suds, but the craft brewer has also landed international recognition for something a little less obvious: a super-stylish can design. The Craft Beer Marketing Awards — yes, that’s a thing — last week announced that Freetail was among its 2021 winners, landing a gold medal…
A federal jury on Monday found a San Antonio man guilty of staging a social media hoax in which he claimed he’d paid a person with COVID-19 to lick food in local supermarkets. Jurors convicted Christopher Charles Perez, 40, on two counts of spreading hoaxes and false information after making a pair of threatening posts on…
Start your engines, because Monster Jam is finally returning to San Antonio. The monster truck rally will roar into the Alamodome July 3-4. The dome will host three shows over Fourth of July weekend, plus a pit party at noon on Sunday that will give attendees an up-close look at the trucks and a chance to…
Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed 20 bills passed by the Texas Legislature this session, but none may come back to bite him quite like a measure that would have banned people from tethering their dogs outside with heavy chains. After vetoing Senate Bill 474, which also would have expanded and clarified Texas’ animal cruelty laws, the hashtag…
If your idea of paradise encompasses Astro Turf, photo booths and gaming consoles housed in shipping containers, then do I have a vacation destination for you. Hello Paradise, yet another project by Jeret Peña’s Boulevardier Group, is a lightly reworked makeover of the former Shuck Shack on Grayson Street, itself the product of fellow serial hospitality…
Slab Cinema will keep the movie action rolling at Legacy Park on Tuesday with a showing of the 2004 Spanish-language road film The Motorcycle Diaries. The movie recounts an early expedition of famous Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara as first told in his trip diary. Guevara and companion Alberto Granado are transformed over their journey as…
During an appearance Monday in San Antonio, Laredo Congressman Henry Cuellar lit into Gov. Greg Abbott over his recent rhetoric likening the current surge in border crossings to an “invasion.” Cuellar, a moderate Democrat, said Abbott’s repeated claims that the U.S.-Mexico border has become an out-of-control security crisis are untrue and actually increase the risk…
Followers of nationally recognized San Antonio eatery Mixtli Progressive Mexican Culinaria can plan to belly up to its brand new Southtown bar on Tuesday. Opening just a few weeks after the originally projected date of June 1, the restaurant — helmed by chefs Rico Torres and Diego Galacia — will feature a larger dining room, an…
Chefs Kristina Zhao and Ceasar Zepeda will partner up for the second event in a six-week Chef Swap collaborative dinner series celebrating San Antonio culinary pros. A portion of proceeds from each Chef Swap dinner will be donated to restaurant-focused nonprofit Culinaria to support its mission of funding scholarships for local residents trying to further…
A cat that lives at San Antonio’s Rainbow Gardens is having his 15 minutes of fame. Moose, an orange tabby who resides at the Thousand Oaks location of the plant nursery, was featured in a post by the viral Bodega Cats social media account on Monday. In the photo posted by Bodega Cats, Moose is…
As chicken wings fall into short supply, restaurants are adding wing surcharges and grocery stores are limiting purchases. Meanwhile, Dallas-based chain Wingstop Inc. just created a whole new brand to get around the problem, Nation’s Restaurant News reports. Thighstop, the new delivery-only brand from Wingstop, offers easier-to-acquire thighs, which it offers naked or tossed in its…
A new Texas law clears the way for the state to study the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, or “magic mushrooms,” to aid military veterans with PTSD. The measure became law last Friday without the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott, according to a Marijuana Moment report. Days earlier, the Republican governor signed…
San Antonio-born comfort food staple Luby’s Inc. has agreed to sell its remaining cafeterias and its iconic brand for $28.7 million, industry publication QSR Magazine reports. The deal encompasses all 32 Texas restaurant locations and the Luby’s Cafeteria brand. Not included are real estate owned by Luby’s, its culinary contract service business or corporate stores…
It’s summertime, and there are few better ways to cool off than with a refreshing, citrusy cocktail. Unless, of course, you’re one of the many Americans who suffer from sensitivity to citrus fruits. San Antonio bartender Karen Tartt is one of those, and she’s organized a Summer Without Citrus pop-up series at swanky downtown bar…
“People seldom eulogize the wisdom and virtues of their fathers, but to excuse some folly or wickedness of their own. … America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody,…
If you grew up in San Antonio, you may know the term “chismosa” is often tied to an abuela or tía who has a penchant for knowing — and sharing — everyone’s business. But that term may take on a new meaning with the opening of Chismosas Cantina y Comida Texicana, a new North Side establishment…
Editor’s Note: The following is CityScrapes, a column of opinion and analysis. “Development” has long been a magic word for San Antonio. Downtown business folks wanted “development,” so the city did things like expand the convention center, over and over. It also subsidized hotels. Lots and lots of hotels. Then Mayor Julián Castro gave us…
This article was produced through the NPR NextGen/Texas Observer Print Scholars program, a new collaboration designed to offer mentorship and hands-on training to student journalists and recent graduates interested in a career in investigative journalism. Every morning when Viridiana Edwards wakes up, she says her body feels like a roll of aluminum foil crumpled up into a…
Gov. Greg Abbott followed through Friday on a threat to veto a section of the state budget that funds the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies. The governor’s move targeting lawmaker pay comes after House Democrats walked out in the final days of the regular legislative session, breaking quorum, to block passage of Senate Bill…
Thousands of San Antonians line up to nosh on Fiesta fan-favorite snacks such as chicken on a stick, but partygoers this year will have to pony up some extra cash for the crispy fried bite, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Due to a nationwide chicken shortage, prices for jumbo wings, jumbo tenders and boneless thigh…
You scream, I scream, even Food & Wine Magazine is screams for Lick Honest Ice Creams. In a newly published roundup of the best ice cream in each state, Food & Wine named Lick tops in Texas. Founded in 2011 by Austinites Chad Palmatier and Anthony Sobotik, Lick makes its frozen treats with high-quality milk and…
Fiesta isn’t the only thing on San Antonians’ minds right now. As evidenced by the Current’s most-read stories of the week, the Alamo City zeitgeist also seems to be consumed by the slow-mo train wreck that is our current political climate. Readers clicked on a story about the outrage surrounding a local high schooler’s brave…
This week’s food news brought opening dates for three new spots — and free frosty treats, to boot. Hey, “frosty” sounds good to us too as June heat settles over San Antonio. Read on for more details about how to take advantage of free milkshakes next week, or frozen to-go daiquiris as early as Friday…
On Saturday, San Antonio performing arts organization URBAN-15 will host an official Fiesta dance party. And you don’t even have to leave the house to show off your best moves. The free, livestreamed event makes it easy to pull on your favorite dancing shoes and dance the night away, so long as you’ve got a…
A fan of Alamo Drafthouse’s Westlakes theater doesn’t want to see the chain’s first San Antonio location, opened some 17 years ago, also be its first to go out of business. Julian Wagstaff, 23, started an online petition calling for the Austin-based chain to reopen the eatery-cinema, which it recently confirmed it will permanently shutter after…
Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke is offering to bus people from San Antonio and other cities to a Sunday voting-rights rally at the Texas Capitol, saying public pressure is needed to safeguard U.S. democracy. O’Rourke, one of the state’s highest-profile progressives, said his rally will urge the U.S. Senate to adopt the For the People Act,…
Is it just us, or does beer taste better when it’s raising money for charity? Freetail Brewing, at the request of theater chain Santikos Entertainment, has created a beer that honors its late founder, John Santikos, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. Legacy Lager, a German-style helles lager, aims to carry on Santikos’ legacy of…
Turns out Americans don’t have the market cornered when it comes to drinking games. This summer, Krause’s Café & Biergarten in New Braunfels will give folks a chance to test their strength with a traditional Bavarian stein-holding competition. The prize is a two-night trip to New York City. The competition, known as Masskrugstemmen in Germany,…
San Antonio’s birria scene is hopping, and local food truck empire El Remedio is looking to further expand its footprint. The company took to social media Thursday to share the layout of its shiny new birria and seafood wagon — and to ask locals where it should post up. “New food truck getting ready for…
A veteran Democratic operative’s tweet calling out Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s skewed spending priorities is going viral. After Abbott said Wednesday that he’ll use $250 million in state funds for a border wall, Sawyer Hackett — a senior advisor to 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro — pointed out that the state, meanwhile, “has spent $0 to help Texans…
Alamo City beer lovers gained a new place to raise a glass Thursday with the opening of a Stout House location near the intersection of TPC Parkway and U.S. Highway 281, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The homegrown chain’s fourth location took over a space at 22810 U.S. Highway 281 that formerly housed the bar…
Tell us what you really think, Lyle. State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, lambasted Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during an appearance on Express-News columnist Gilbert Garcia’s Puro Politics podcast, calling the leader of the Texas Senate a “jerk.” “You look into his eyes and there’s nothing there,” said Larson, a six-term member of the Texas…
In Coming 2 America, the sequel to the classic 1988 comedy Coming to America, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and many of the original cast members return for another cross-continental adventure. This time, Prince Akeem (Murphy) and his best friend and aide Semmi (Hall) travel back to New York City to find the prince’s estranged son…
Names: Jessica Marinez and Amber Hernandez Job: Co-owners of Picks Bar and The Amp Room Birthplace: Marinez in Corpus Christi; Hernandez in El Paso Years in the Industry: 25-plus years, collectively Impact: The pair offer unique experiences to music lovers of SA, from live band karaoke to mobile party wagons. Money Quote: “I think we…
Texas officials have emptied a prison to prepare it to hold immigrants arrested by state troopers as Gov. Greg Abbott ramps up the state’s law enforcement presence on the border. Officials began transferring prisoners Wednesday from Dolph Briscoe Unit in Dilley — a small city around an hour drive southwest of San Antonio — to other…
Surrounded by a pro-gun crowd, Gov. Greg Abbott appeared Wednesday on the grounds of the Alamo to sign seven pieces of legislation loosening firearms restrictions in the state. The most controversial of those, Senate Bill 1927, allows Texans to carry handguns without a license or training starting on September 1. That so-called constitutional carry proposal was…
If you were planning a Tuesday Fiesta outing around the prospect of free parking, sorry to burst that bubble. The city’s Downtown Tuesday program has offered free city-center parking from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Tuesday for the past nine years. However, officials are suspending it next week due to Fiesta. Event parking rates…
If this isn’t wearing your heart on your sleeve, we don’t know what is. The San Antonio artist Rafael Gonzales Jr., known for his work on a hilariously accurate Pandemic Lotería project, has released new merchandise with a message about Texas’ governor that manages to be both festive and a little confrontational. The artist’s new line of T-shirts…
We believe every anniversary deserves a toast, but Bombay Bicycle Club is bringing the whole dang bar to celebrate one year of Oak Room success. A year ago, amid the peak of the COVID-29 pandemic, SA staple Bombay Bicycle Club debuted a spacious, 1,850-square-foot seating area they dubbed the Oak Room. This week, the burger…
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday shot down a challenge to the Affordable Care Act led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that would have ripped medical coverage from an estimated 2 million Texans. The justices ruled 7-2 that a group of Republican-led states and the former Trump administration didn’t have legal standing to challenge…
A man suspected of stabbing a woman at the Santikos Entertainment Palladium movie theater earlier this month turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday, the San Antonio Express-News reports. According to San Antonio police, 24-year-old Andrew Alexander Pantaleon has since been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Officer Corey Schuler told the daily…
For many, the 1973 opening of San Antonio Country, a popular downtown bar owned by openly gay real estate developer Hap Veltman, marked the emergence of LGBTQ+ nightlife in the city. In reality, queer spaces existed in and around San Antonio decades earlier, according to Melissa Gohlke, an urban historian who serves as assistant archivist…
During an event steeped in rhetoric comparing the current rise in border crossings to an invasion, Gov. Greg Abbott said he’ll commit $250 million in state money as a “down payment” for Texas to build its own border wall. At a Wednesday press conference, Abbott offered no timetable or budget for the project but said…
A California investment firm has purchased La Cantera Resort & Spa, the 496-room luxury resort near Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. Ohana Real Estate Investors, which focuses exclusively on full-service hotels, added the 550 acre property to its portfolio, one of multiple acquisitions it’s made since the onset of the pandemic.…
The Alamo City has only seen the beginning of scorching temps, and those looking to beat the heat via frosty treats can do so at local Wayback Burgers locations next Monday. The Connecticut-based chain — which offers classic American fare such as burgers and hot dogs — will host their annual “Free Shake Day” promotion…
Though many San Antonians are distracted by the start of this year’s postponed Fiesta, this weekend marks another important holiday — Juneteenth. Though the holiday itself lands on Saturday, local celebrations commemorating emancipation get started as early as Thursday. This weekend’s slate of Juneteenth events includes opportunities to learn about San Antonio’s Black history and…
We’ve all been there: that backyard barbecue where overcooked, under-smoked brisket casts a culinary black cloud over the party. A group of Texas barbecue gurus is out to change that by turning aspiring San Antonio backyard chefs into graduates of their “BBQ School.” Their Houston-based Backyard Pitmasters cooking school is expanding into the Alamo City, where local…
Already facing $1 billion in costs from February’s freeze and statewide blackouts, San Antonio’s CPS Energy has also amassed $2.5 million in outside legal fees related to the disaster, TV station KSAT reports. The city-owned utility paid five outside law firms a total exceeding $2 million for work related to the outages, according to data it…
San Antonians are marking their calendars for summer vacay, but those who can’t get away may find an escape in Lone Star Beer’s latest release, High Desert Days. The San Antonio-born brand’s latest offering is a 4.6% ABV wheat-style beer inspired by Texas’ Big Bend region. Brewed with white wheat and Pilsen malt, then finished…
Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark. When it comes to the border, Gov. Greg Abbott certainly has a case of Selective Outrage Syndrome. After spending years ignoring President Donald Trump’s cruel policies of caging kids, the Republican governor in April made flimsy accusations of child abuse at a temporary shelter set…
After an extended closure during the pandemic, Ruby City is finally reopening its doors to the public. With that return, the contemporary art center will debut two new installations, Isaac Julien’s five-screen film installation Western Union: Small Boats (2007) and Margarita Cabrera’s The Craft of Resistance (2008), which is comprised of 2,500 monarch butterflies made…
San Antonio music fans have lots of opportunities to jump into the wayback machine this week. That holds true whether you’re more prone to taking in ’90s party rock, classic vocal jazz from the middle of last century or real-deal country that draws on influences from a more eclectic era. Check out your wealth of…
The pandemic can’t keep San Antonians from a proper celebration of Pride Month. Whether you’re in the mood to celebrate virtually, widen your understanding of LGBTQ+ culture or just get your party on, there’s an event for you. SAY Sí: Youth Voice Youth Pride San Antonio’s youth aren’t just the future of Pride — they’re…
With an extra year to plan, this year’s Fiesta celebration will be big. Revelers can start the week with the official Fiesta kick-off celebration at Hemisfair in the heart of San Antonio on Thursday, June 17. Hosted by the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, locals and tourists alike are welcome to partake in live music, locally…
