Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln' celebrates the glorious mess that is democracy
Don’t let the battle scenes in the trailers fool you: Lincoln is less about rifles and cannons and more about dandified lawyers and crotchety politicians in powdered wigs pounding the desk, adjusting their waistcoats, and hurling old-timey insults at one another. In other words, director Steven Spielberg is revisiting his Amistad days, only with a…
Winter cocktails at The Brooklynite that sing holiday
The snows are falling again up north, and it’s time to go a-wassailing. Remember the song? "Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail too…" But what in jiminy is wassailing, anyhow? It’s that old Yuletide custom in England of going house-to-house singing carols; the performance rewarded at each door with a…
¡ASK A MEXICAN!
Dear Mexican: I have a problem I need your advice on. My granddaughters were born and raised in Georgia, as was their father. Their knowledge of their culture is zero and I have tried to educate them by talking to them and even writing a book of my life growing up in New Mexico which…
Holiday markets: Alternative gift options
Those wanting to avoid the chaos of Black Friday or who would simply like to present a loved one with a less commercial Christmas gift this year have an abundance of options. San Antonio is host to many holiday markets that feature unique and eclectic gifts from local, regional, national, and international artisans. Shoppers can…
Book buying and selling (and just looking!) on Broadway and beyond
There are two places one should feel safe getting lost in: one is, of course, thought, and the other is a bookstore. Both are places of the mind and both are not so easy to find let alone get lost in these days. Cheever Books (3613 Broadway) has been helping thoughtful people safely get lost in both…
Brian Eno: 'Lux'
Following the path of his pioneering Ambient recordings from the late ’70s and early ’80s, the acclaimed producer and self-described "non-musician" presents a dreamy suite that should further his stature as a master of both space and atmosphere. Its four 20-minute-long pieces stand in sharp contrast to Eno’s more bombastic recent work with Coldplay and…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Don’t think about making art, just get it done," said Andy Warhol. "Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." I encourage you to adopt that mini-manifesto for your own purposes in the coming weeks,…
Headphones worth giving for the holidays
TRENDY Urbanears $60 Make a fist — that’s the size these colorful headphones fold down to, making them super transportable, plus there’s a plug-in option to share music with friends. CUTESY SpiritHood $149 These faux-fur animal hoodies have washable speakers built into the hood and a pocket for your iPod or phone. A little ridiculous,…
Get it right this year when shopping for music aficionados
It’s not too hard to buy a gift for someone who "likes music," is it? You just go to your local record store and pick some stuff out. Of course you’re laughing uncontrollably because you’ve probably tried to buy a gift for a music fan before and, in this world of endless blogs and 1TB…
The Heroine according to themselves
Lynnwood Presley King (vocals) "He makes the show," The Kid says. "We write our music and then he comes back and puts his spin on it. Without his lyrics and conviction, we wouldn’t be where we are." Dibby Disaster (lead guitar) "He’s the comic relief and the most positively minded person in this band," King…
Soundgarden: 'King Animal'
The first album of new material by these grunge heavyweights since reuniting in 2010 was hotly anticipated by fans and just as dreaded by listeners understandably wary of nostalgia acts, but Soundgarden’s King Animal proves a pleasant surprise for both. Chris Cornell’s voice is in good form, and Kim Thayil has updated his guitar sounds…
How The Heroine became SA's next big thing
The Kid was livid. Two days after the San Antonio Scorpions were eliminated from the North American Soccer League’s semifinals by the Minnesota Stars, the rhythm guitarist of the Heroine, SA’s hardest-rocking band, was still bitching about it. "I’m still pissed and depressed," The Kid told his friend Randy Bonillas on a late October night…
Newsmonger: Transgender Day of Remembrance, Lackland’s sexcapades, Lege preview: good, bad, & weird
Investigating Lackland’s causes The Lackland trainee reported in April 2009 her trainer kept entering into her dorm after midnight, where he "harassed and flirted" with her. "While he was there, he and the victim went into his office where he kissed and hugged her so tightly to himself that she could feel his erection," according…
Niki Aguirre inspires filmmaker with striking, foreboding photo
Photographer Niki Aguirre swears she had no premonition of Superstorm Sandy hitting the East Coast when she took a photo of her young niece standing in the dark waters of the Potomac River looking at the ominous sky behind her. Two weeks prior to the hurricane, the photo, which Aguirre titled "Quiet Before the Storm,"…
A Tempo aspires to bring back quality dishes to Olmos landmark
In musical terms, a tempo signifies a return to a previous tempo after, say, a rallentando, or slowdown. If there were a culinary equivalent, it might be represented by the hopeful rechristening of the former Valentino’s di Olmos/Olmos Park Bistro/Etcetera. A Tempo, the restaurant, has resiliently rebounded from an amazing number of rallentandos — really…
The Heroine: So far, so good
The new Heroine album (and first original one with EMG) will come out next year. But you don’t have to wait — besides catching them live (they’ll blow you away), get their first two recordings, available everywhere. The Heroine The Heroine Self-released (2007) ★★★ Hard-rocking local heroes The Heroine fired their first shot with this…
Log out of Amazon and snap up these fifty nifty (locally sourced) gifties
Open publication – Free publishing – More holiday guide
Volunteering to give back
Food4SA Food Drive is the largest food drive in the city. Donate at collection centers across town (H-E-B, Security Service Credit Union, and Goodwill) to collect an anticipated million pounds of food for the hungry. Find other ways to help at (210) 431-8388 or safoodbank.org. Habitat for Humanity needs construction volunteers every Friday and Saturday.…
Specialty doggie treats made in SA hard to come by
Diana Farrar, owner of Fifi and Fidos Pet Boutique, swears her customers’ dogs know when they’re going to get a treat from her store. "We have people that don’t want me to put the treat in a bag because their dog will recognize the bag," Farrar said. "I even know people who can’t drive down…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: The Art Lovers’ Cookbook
Following the success of The Art Lovers’ Cookbook, Orange County, Cali-based Houston native Suzy Casey is expanding her series to include other destinations with vibrant art markets. Casey and co-editors Rita Goldberg and Claire Rhodes Stevenson assembled a roster of 36 culinarily inclined artists for the San Antonio edition, which debuts Monday at Gallery Nord.…
At Our Lady of the Lake, a call for President Pollack to resign
Alumni Weekend at Our Lady of the Lake University kicked off with less boosterism and more protest than in years past. On Friday, students delivered a petition with more than 200 signatures to President Tessa Martinez Pollack. Organized under the banner of “Save the 12,” the students denounced plans by Pollack to eliminate 12 majors…
Documentary filmmaker Catherine Scott and sex worker Rachel Wotton on ‘Scarlet Road’
Documentary filmmaker Catherine Scott (right) follows Australian sex worker Rachel Wotton in the film “Scarlet Road.” Wotton serves clients who are disabled. In the film The Sessions, Oscar-winning actress Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets) plays Cheryl Cohen-Green, a professional sex surrogate who specializes in servicing clients with disabilities. The film is based on…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Eurydice
Pulitzer-nominee Sarah Ruhl casts a quirky spell on the Orpheus myth with Eurydice, a play the MacArthur “genius” penned after her father’s death as a “love letter to parents.” Without losing sight of its poignant message, Ruhl remixes the legend, sending Orpheus’ fallen wife Eurydice to a through-the-looking-glass version of Hades in an elevator plagued…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Gobble A-Go-Go
Award-winning local singer/choreographer/columnist/comic Jade Esteban Estrada hosts the 2nd Annual Gobble A Go-Go, a “delectable feast for the eyes” featuring burlesque performances (by the likes of Aliska Wolfbane, Violette Von Muerte, Kassy Luvjoy (pictured), Annabella Lugosi, Gaige, Lillith Black, Robyn Rouxlette, Saterra Shattered Veins, Sassy D, Miss Chevious, Sexy Angel, Stephan, Bobby Jo, Courtnie, Sandy…
Unite Here! targets city agreement with Hyatt
Local Unite Here! union organizers claim the Grand Hyatt is shirking responsibilities outlined in agreements the hotel signed with the City of San Antonio before it first opened in 2008. Given tax abatements, city financing, and built on prime city-owned land, the Hyatt signed a management agreement clearly stating “[a]ll employees of the Hotel shall…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Alt 2 Hunger
KSYM’s 15th Annual Alt 2 Hunger benefits Boysville of South Texas, a comprehensive residential care facility that’s been providing food, shelter, clothing, and medical services to children in crisis since 1943. On Friday, five cans of food or a well-spent fiver makes a difference and gets you into VFW Post 76 for an eclectic lineup…
Nonprofits: public opinions and overhead?
Several years ago, I met Denise Barkhurst when writing a story on Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas. Denise became the 4th President & CEO in August 2008 after working for the program for 10 years in other roles. As CEO, she leads one of the top 10 largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates…
Seeking the Bubble Reputation by Gabriel Fernandez
The Canícula and the Bard. Who would have thought they would make such wonderful bedfellows? Perhaps a touch uncomfortable with each other, hands awkwardly entwined, sweaty and slick. But that’s what makes for interesting reading (who wants to read about those two people sleeping perfectly wrapped up together and carefree?). Send your epiphanies and bedfellows…
San Antonio Spurs: Ball Don’t Lie
That collective sigh of relief you probably heard on Monday morning was Spurs fans across San Antonio reacting to the news that the Los Angeles Lakers passed on Hall of Fame Coach Phil Jackson in favor of offensive guru Mike D’Antoni to replace former Head Coach Mike Brown. Perhaps more than any figure outside of…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: New Works: 12.3
Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson of the Aspen Art Museum curates New Works 12.3, showcasing Artpace’s new round of resident artists: Tel Aviv’s Dor Guez, Los Angeles-based David Benjamin Sherry, and SA’s own Sarah Sudhoff. Drawing from his family history, Guez (who works with video, photography, archives, and scanograms) addresses the sociopolitical landscape of the Middle East…
“The Best” of Brokencyde is here. Literally.
Brokencyde The Best of Brokencyde (BreakSilence Recordings) * Teenage Houston rapper J Xavier recorded a single and video supporting former gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami during the 2010 election cycle. It was a poorly realized, Auto-Tune-saturated mess that deserved note only for having the huevos to endorse an Arab running for the governorship of frickin’ Texas.…
All good men not gone: Atticus Finch comes to SA
TCM Event Series Presents To Kill A Mockingbird ****1/2 Dir. Robert Mulligan; writ. Harper Lee, Horton Foote; feat. Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, John Megna, Robert Duvall (NR) One night only: Thu, Nov 15 at 7 PM. At Cielo Vista 18, Huebner Oaks, and McCreeless Mall. In 2003, the American Film Institute compiled a…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Steve Treviño
Since scoring a fateful gig as a 19-year-old opening for Carlos Mencia in Corpus Christi, Steve Treviño has emerged as one of the Third Coast’s most successful comedic exports. Now based in Los Angeles, the Portland native has racked up some impressive credits — including joining Mencia, Pablo Francisco, and the late Freddy Soto on…
Freeing the San Antonio Four
Doctor Nancy Kellogg thought she saw Satan’s hand in the unspeakable crimes described by the two young girls. Aged 7 and 9, the pair described in alarming detail a weeklong visit to their aunt’s small West Side apartment in the summer of 1994 that devolved into a sadistic, orgy-like nightmare. They described their aunt, Elizabeth…
The Rolling Stones evolve from villains to heroes in 'Crossfire Hurricane'
With Crossfire Hurricane (8 p.m. Thursday, HBO), the Rolling Stones have produced a worthy 50th-anniversary documentary. It chronicles their journey from being "the band everybody hated to the band everybody loves," in Mick Jagger’s words. We learn that the group consciously set out to become the bad-guy counterparts to the Beatles in the mid-1960s. "The…
Veliz family's immigration fight revisited with 'Cartoneo y nopalitos'
January 21, 2009, was an ordinary afternoon like any other for 23-year-old Benita Véliz. But after picking up lunch in Helotes, Véliz was pulled over by a police officer for not making a complete stop at a stop sign. As an undocumented immigrant living in the U.S. since the age of eight, Véliz, who was…
AG: 'The Beatles' (EP)
After her publishing company ended up with the rights to the only six songs not owned by Sony, singer-songwriter AG (Adrianne González, from LA band the Rescues) took it upon herself to completely reinvent and claim ownership of them. "I Wanna Be Your Man," "From Me to You" "I Saw Her Standing There," "Misery," "There’s…
Kim Wah delivers stellar authentic dishes … mostly
A Chinese barbeque joint doesn’t need ducks hanging in the window for you to know it’s good, but it certainly helps. Hanging the duck helps slowly stretch and dry the skin, ensuring that when you cook it, the skin will sizzle and crisp, turning salty and crunchy. Kim Wah must have rows of ducks hanging…
Thanksgiving prep assist and Boiler House noise
Ever since the Pearl Brewery transformed from a place to brew beer to a foodie destination, restaurants have been moving to the fast-developing complex. The Boiler House Texas Wine & Grill Garden (312 Pearl Pkwy, Building 3), from the same group that owns Max’s Wine Dive, is the most recent Brewery resident. Boiler House officially…
¡ASK A MEXICAN!
Dear Mexican: Lately, I’ve noticed a few bands, como Voodoo Glow Skulls, have embraced ska music in both at home and in Mexico. I was curious what the appeal is for Mexicans to ska music? Also, if you had to turn people to Mexican ska, what would be your top five recommendations? Tommy milagros Dear…
Deftones enjoying their second wind
As Deftones were preparing for the release of Koi No Yokan on November 13, the feeling within the band could not have been better. "I’m just thrilled to be where we’re at now," drummer Abe Cunningham said in an early October phone interview. Cunningham isn’t really talking about the level of popularity of the Deftones,…
'Catfish' hooks online lovers for reality checks
Jungle Gold (9pm Fri, Discovery) When most of us go into debt, we cut back on expenses, maybe work a few more hours. Scott and George take a different approach: They head to the Ghanaian jungle to dig for gold. In this reality series, the driven young protagonists leave family and friends for a dangerous…
Social Distortion's Mike Ness credits success to determination, stubbornness, and luck
They’re old school rock ‘n’ roll rebels with swaggering attitude, a rootsy backbone, and lots of loud guitars. Social Distortion may not have aged like wine, but they were never a fit for the cask. Their bathtub brew was designed gruff — mirroring frontman Mike Ness’ own voice and character — and time hasn’t changed…
Newsmonger: Q&A with Cecile Richards
Should the courts rule that Texas must allow Planned Parenthood to remain a provider in the widely successful Women’s Health Program, Governor Rick Perry would rather end the WHP altogether. Perry made that crystal clear at a Halloween press conference in Georgetown, saying, "Texas will now allow a program that includes abortion providers or their…
Mitch Webb and friends celebrate the reissue of Doug Sahm's posthumous classic
"Blue Bonnets on the hillside…" opens Doug Sahm’s moving last album, released in 2000 shortly after his unexpected death the previous year. The opening track, "Beautiful Texas Sunshine," leads into a fantastic country album made by a man born in San Antonio, relocated to Austin, but with a heart full of love for everything Texas,…
Climate chaos: Hurricane Sandy's wake-up call
Leading up to the just-completed presidential election, President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney engaged in three prime-time debates that lasted about 90 minutes each. In addition, VP Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan squared off in their own confrontation, bringing the total to about six hours’ worth of debate between the men who want…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In old Christian and Islamic lore, the dove was a symbol of the holy spirit. The bird was considered so pure and sacred that the devil, who was an expert shapeshifter, could not take on its form. The dove had a different meaning in other traditions, however. Among the ancient Greeks,…
Mark Knopfler: 'Privateering'
On Mark Knopfler’s seventh solo release, his storytelling is still top notch. His delivery is unwavering no matter if he’s singing about escaping death (“Redbud Tree”) or prepping for a night out on the town (“Today Is Okay.”) Impeccable instrumentation pervades as the former Dire Straits frontman rounds out his signature guitar sound with everything…
Value Vino: Uncorking the new whites
Probably not. Until recently, godello was a white wine grape that had not even been a blip on my radar. But as is often the case with wines-new-to-me, godello, a product of Spain’s eastern Galicia, was brought to my attention by Woody de Luna of Vintages 2.0, and it became an instant favorite. No, it…
Aerosmith: 'Music From Another Dimension'
Bands that have been around as long as Aerosmith rarely have the talent, inspiration, and dedication to remain creatively relevant after 30-plus years in the business. Most settle into a comfortable groove of hit-focused reunion tours and give-the-people-what-they-want albums, and that’s fine. But there’s always a few who think they’re still dynamic and inspired, and…
Girl in a Coma + Carla Morrison + Teri Gender Bender = Heavenly sessions
When I saw this photo on Facebook yesterday… … my first reaction was, “Holy shit.” These weren’t just some female musicians getting together at the studio; that happens all the time. But everything about the photo (the timing, their happiness) was incredibly appealing to me. Girl in a Coma (from left: Phanie, Nina, Jenn) is…
Stay Current with the Pick of the Day: Twiztid
In the deranged world of horrorcore hip-hop duo Twiztid, “pop music is a bloated, rotting corpse and The Wicked Shit is the undead pulse hidden deep within.” A menacing-looking niche outfit comprised of perpetually Halloween-ready Madrox and Monoxide (born Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric), Twiztid emerged from Detroit’s underground rap scene in the late-’90s with…
