The San Antonio Missons

Jul 22-28, 2015 / Vol. 29 / No. 29

Cover Story

What’s Next For The San Antonio Missions?

Little did Richard Oliver know how easy it would be to sell the Alamo City to the British. Yet that’s precisely what happened when Oliver, communications director for the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, visited England a year ago. Oliver, who was there promoting SA in Europe, was surprised to learn how much they…

10 Reasons To Go Get Excited About San Japan: 8-Bit

Cosplay/Cosplay Contest  If you’ve ever dreamed about being your favorite anime/comic/cartoon character, but society restrains you from living out your fantasy in public, San Japan: 8-Bit is the opportunity you need to be who you long to be. In general, cosplay means to become one with the character being portrayed, with most cosplayers making the…

Little Aussie Bakery Has Closed

Whoa. The Little Aussie Bakery has closed its doors, gluten-free eaters. The last day of business was Saturday, July 25. Here’s what the business owners, Rita Sturzbecher & John Apostolovic, posted on Facebook this Sunday.  Dear Friends, We are writing to let you know that we have decided to close The Little Aussie Bakery and Café.…

Fitzgerald’s Hosting Tribute Bands For The Smiths, The Cure And More

Sing and mope-a-long to The Smiths (Marr-Moz Experience) The Cure (Boy’s Don’t Cry) Joy Division/New Order ( Substance SATX) tribute bands in the comfort of other heavy-hearted individuals wanting to get their groove and woe on. Real-life rivals, Morrissey of the Smiths and Robert Smith of the Cure battled it out in a contest of…

Happy Birthday, Manu Ginobili!

Happy Birthday, Manu Ginobili; the Argentinian-superstar turns 38 years-old today! During his 13-year career in San Antonio, Ginobili has provided Spurs fans with numerous highlight-reel plays including amazing passes, incredible shots, and unbelievable defense. Ginobili, who is known for his cat-like bat-like like reflexes, has provided a spark off the bench for the Spurs during much of…

Was SA Metro Health’s Director Fired For Saying Sugary Drinks Are Bad?

Why exactly was Thomas Schlenker, former director of San Antonio Metro Health, fired last week? After City Manager Sheryl Sculley terminated Schlenker, he spoke with KENS 5, alleging his strong stance against sugary drinks, like sodas, cost him his job. This week, Schlenker told Texas Public Radio the same thing. “She just would not accept…

San Antonio’s Ellis Redon Featured On Sirius XMU

Sirius XMU, the indie rock channel on satellite radio, has San Antonio standout Ellis Redon on light rotation, maybe the first SA musician not named Augie, Doug or Nina to be featured on the medium. On the XMU show Blog Radio, in which notable music nerds take over the programming, Carles.buzz played two cuts from…

Congrats To The Cocktail Rebel Winners

SPONSORED On Friday, July 24, the San Antonio Current hosted its annual Cocktail bash, Cocktail Rebel. This year’s event, located at the McNay Art Museum, was highlighted by the sights and sounds of the 1950’s. Lost amongst the Rockabilly-tunes, old-fashioned automobiles, and sea of white T-shirts was the fact that there was an actual cocktail…

SA Food Pics: A Week In Pie Obsession

Welcome back, foodies! This week’s edition of SA Food Pics features pictures from the three most important meals of the day: breakfast, dinner, and dessert.  You can start your day with a bright banana acai berry smoothie bowl. Filled with bananas, blueberries, bee pollen, and acai. Talk about healthy! Follow up your healthy breakfast with…

Texas Lawmaker Compares Planned Parenthood To Genocidal Nazis

When Adolf Hitler took over Europe, he and his evil cronies built a deadly network of concentration camps where jews and minorities were systematically killed in horrible ways — women, children, boys, men and the elderly were all victims. Approximately 11 million people were murdered during the Holocaust. Somehow, anti-abortion crusader Rep. Jodie Laubenberg managed…

Climate Change Report Projects Bleak Outlook For Texas Economy

Another report on climate change, another batch of bad news for Texas. The report, “Risky Business: The Bottom Line on Climate Change,” examines climate change’s economic impact in each state.  A consortium of left-leaning public policy heavies, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, backed the report.…

10 Free Events Happening This Week

Tuesday, July 28 Anime at the Alamo 10 Year Hostiversary Anime at the Alamo celebrates a decade of bringing free anime to San Antonio audiences with screenings of Kamen Rider Gaim (a tokusatsu adventure series set in a castle town inhabited by monsters and dance crews) and Steins;Gate (a sci-fi drama surrounding a microwave that…

Shitty Cilantro Caused Several Years Of Intestinal Illness In America

What a bunch of crap! After three years, the Food and Drug Administration has finally found the source of contaminated cilantro that has sent hundreds of people in Texas running to the nearest toilet. This is probably no surprise, but poop is responsible for cyclosporiasis outbreaks in the United States. Cyclosporiasis is a virus that…

San Antonio Film Festival Kicks-Off Tonight With Free Screening

The 21st annual San Antonio Film Festival begins tonight at Pearl. We’ll have detailed coverage in this week’s issue when it comes out tomorrow, but here’s some details on opening night.  Screenings will occur tomorrow through Sunday at the Tobin Center of the Performing Arts, but the festival kicks-off with a free screening of four…

Boy Scouts Of America To Allow Gay Adult Leaders

The Boy Scouts of America will no longer ban gay adults after its National Executive Board ratified new membership standards yesterday by a 45-12 vote, according to the Associated Press. The new rules don’t require complete inclusion though. Faith-based organizations which sponsor troops can still exclude gay adult leaders for religious reasons. But the move…

It Might Never Be Cold Again

Remember a couple months ago when it wouldn’t stop raining? Wouldn’t say no to a little bit of that now. After an early-summer reprieve, the heat is here to stay. Here’s your forecast for the next 10 days, according to weather.com: Brutal. I won’t use this space to complain though, because if you live in…

Tex Pop Announces Terror In Taco Town Punk Exhibit Opening August 9

Tex Pop, San Antonio’s weird little sanctuary of Texas music culture, announced its next exhibit: Terror in Taco Town. Opening on Sunday, August 9, the show focuses on San Antonio punk in its halcyon days from 1978 to 1986. Like many of the gallery’s exhibits, Taco Town will tell its story through gig posters, photos…

Astronaut Tweets Texas From Space, But Mostly Misses San Antonio

Need a picture of (most of) Texas from space? Astronaut Scott Kelly has got you covered. Kelly tweeted out this image on Friday from the International Space Station: #GoodMorning #Texas! Looking good down there! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/KyrKhwYMDc — Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) July 24, 2015 Unfortunately, the image — astonishing as it is — gives short shrift…

Five Shows To See This Week

Monday, July 27 Tera Ferna Tonight, San Antonio pop-rockers Tera Ferna release the video for “Sundown Shadows” on the Alamo Drafthouse big screen. Free, 6pm, Alamo Drafthouse Park North, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 677-8500 Tuesday, July 28 Joe Reyes Whether he’s performing solo, with Buttercup, Mitch Web or Demitasse, guitarist Joe Reyes is one of…

Whataburger Rightly Named Best Burger In America

In an age where Donald “They’re All Rapists” Trump is leading in national polls, it’s reassuring to know that democracy still works sometimes.  How do we know? Because Whataburger was named the best burger in America in a bracket-style poll issued by Fast Company.  We can talk about how the bracket picked eight chains each…

5 Things You Have To Do This Week

Monday, July 27 The Mr. & Miss Texas Continental Pageant  Co-hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Alyssa Edwards and Shangela, this “Aztec Goddess”-themed pageant judges contestants in five categories (interview, swimsuit, talent, evening wear and onstage Q&A) and features performances by Joey Taylor, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Xavi Mathews, Sasha Andrews, Tommie Ross, Taryn Taylor and…

The SA Zoo Has New Lion Cubs

Tiny lion cubs will soon be available for viewing at the SA Zoo.  Here’s what the organization released this morning via Facebook: The San Antonio Zoo is excited to announce the birth of three African Lion cubs born on Saturday, July 25, 2015. First time parents, “Tau” and “Sarabi”, came to the Zoo in November…

Federal Judge Rules That Detained Immigrant Women And Children Should Be Released

A federal judge ruled that holding immigrant women and children in detention facilities violates an 18-year-old court settlement, and they should be released.  U.S. District Court Judge Dolly Gee cited “widespread deplorable conditions” for women and children in U.S. Homeland Security Department facilities in her ruling. Such conditions violate a 1997 ruling that defined how…

Casino Night With Former-Spur George Hill

It looks like San Antonio is still a second-home for Indiana Pacers’ point-guard, and former Spurs’ fan-favorite, George Hill. While playing his first three NBA seasons Hill became popular with the Spurs’ fans not only for his play on the court, but also for his charitable work in the San Antonio community. Since finishing his…

Trial Run Begins For Blue Bell Ice Cream Plant

As gloom and despair from a summer without Blue Bell settles into the hearts of Texans, the iconic creamery holds up a flicker of hope.  The company notified state health officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Wednesday of planned test production runs at their Sylacauga, Alabama plant, the Associated Press reported. Blue Bell recalled…

Femina-X Travels To Colombia For ‘INKA’ Video

Whenever you tune into a Femina-X cut, it’s clear that the band is steeped in a heady, spiritual feel. Most of the time, it’s hard to parse out what sort of altar the ethereal pop quartet worships at, only that the movement involves the deep and healing power of music. But the video for “INKA”…

‘The Power Of A Dream’ Premieres Sunday At The Palladium

A locally produced, inspirational documentary, The Power of a Dream, will premiere at the Palladium IMAX (17703 West IH-10) at 6 p.m. on Sunday night. The films tells the story of San Antonio native, Eric Castillo, this film tells the story of 2001 John Marshall High School graduate who pursued his dream of playing college football…

Appeals Court Throws Out 1 Of 2 Charges Against Rick Perry

The Texas Third Court of Appeals threw out one of the two criminal charges against former Governor Rick Perry today. The charges — abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant — stem from Perry’s 2013 veto of funds for the Public Integrity Unit, housed in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. Perry…

10 Things You Have To Do This Weekend

Thu 7/23 – Sun 7/26 Cristela Alonzo The comedian from San Juan, Texas, who “once had a show named Cristela,” as she so eloquently wrote in her blog back in May, returns to the stage for the first time in SA since her semi-autobiographical comedy series was cancelled by ABC after only 22 episodes. Alonzo…

Robbie Nowlin Takes Over Rosella Starting July 26 For Pop-In Plates

For take two of its Pop-In Plates dinner series, Rosella Coffee Co. is welcoming guest Chef Robbie Nowlin into the kitchen. Nowlin, formally of The French Laundry, The Lodge and most recently Citrus at Hotel Valencia, will be serving his exclusive dinner menu at the downtown coffee house starting Sunday, July 26 through Saturday, August 8.  Starting…

The Hangar Bar & SA Pets Alive Team-up For Yappy Hour

On Friday, August 7 The Hangar Bar (8203 Broadway, 210-824-2700) and San Antonio Pet’s Alive! (4710 Hwy. 151, 210-370-7612) will be partnering in an effort to raise money for the animal shelter. The Hangar Bar will be hosting the “Yappy Hour” fundraising event between 3 and 7 p.m., and for those of you who actually need an incentive…

Revenge of the Synth: Austin’s Holodeck Records

Attention local space cadets: this Friday, a delectable and debauched cloud of electro-psych thunder will descend upon K23 Gallery, the delightful wild card of SA’s music/art scene. Speaking to the San Antonio Current over the phone last week, Jon Slade (not his real name, but the best we can get), who runs Austin’s far-out tape…

Can That Hair Handle The Heat? Trump To Visit Laredo

The circus is coming to town, South Texas. Republican presidential candidate and one-man sideshow Donald Trump will visit Laredo today to meet with U.S. border patrol agents. He announced the trip on Twitter, saying that he “will be seeing some really brave people”: I'm going to the BORDER tomorrow. Will be seeing some really brave…

Jimmer Fredette Signs With The Spurs

It’s Jimmer Time, San Antonio. Multiple sources reported today that the San Antonio Spurs signed Jimmer Fredette, a shooting guard who most recently played for the New Orleans Pelicans.  Fredette is a folk hero in Utah, where he led the BYU Cougars to a Sweet Sixteen berth in the NCAA tournament, and won the National…

Check Out The Central Texas BarCamp “Un-conference”

Conferences. They have those things for everything. You buy tickets and in an orderly fashion, listen to speakers droll on about the scheduled topics.  Sure, there’s time for some networking while rushing between presentations and nudging elbows for a good seat. But what about an un-conference? What would that be like? “What that means is…

“Texas Churned” Free Ice Cream For The Alamo City

Free ice cream is here! Ben & Jerry’s has finally brought the “Texas Churned” tour to the Alamo City. From now until August 14, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream trucks will be giving out free samples of their two new Texas flavors. “How does Ancho Peach Ice Cream with Peaches and a Bar-B-Que Caramel Swirl…

SA Food Pics: Bunch-a-Brunches And More

Long time no see, foodies! This week on SA Food Pics we have a legit ice cream slider in honor of National Ice Cream Day from Gable’s Ice Cream (9708 Business Pkwy. #102) and a table top of brunch favorites from Commonwealth Coffeehouse and Bakery (118 Davis Ct.).  Don’t forget to tag your own plates…

Restaurant Settles In Wrongful Death Lawsuit Of Marquise Jones

Chacho’s and Chalucci’s has settled in the wrongful death lawsuit of Marquise Jones, KENS 5 reported. An off-duty officer, Robert Encina, while working security for the restaurant shot and killed Jones after investigating a fender bender in the parking lot. Jones was a passenger in one of the vehicles. More than a year has passed…

Check Out This Spot-On Tim Duncan Impersonation

What Spurs fan hasn’t pretended to be Tim Duncan in their driveway? Lowering the backboard a few feet, backing down your little brother, throwing it down like the Big Fundamental, not saying anything afterwards. This guy went a little further than most, though.  Brandon Armstrong, a pro basketball player who’s spent time in Europe and…

Texas DPS Released The Full Dashcam Video Of Sandra Bland’s Arrest

Video of Sandra Bland’s arrest shows Texas Public Department of Safety Officer Brian Encinia threatening the 28-year-old woman from the Chicago area with a Taser after she refused to put out a cigarette.  That was July 10. Three days later, Bland was found dead in Waller County’s jail. Initially, law enforcement officials said she committed…

12 Hot Restaurants: Where To Eat And Drink Right Now

1. Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery 136 E. Grayson St., Suite 120, (210) 455-5701, southerleigh.com At three months in, Southerleigh, the latest eatery to debut inside the Pearl, is hitting its stride. The overwhelming task of training a massive back-of-the-house crew and a knowledgeable service staff, inside what was arguably the most hotly anticipated restaurant…

5 Ways To Get Your Drink/Grub On This Week

Thursday, July 23 Southerleigh Beer Dinner: Stella Public House welcomes its new lineup of handcrafted brews out of The Pearl’s latest eatery with a five-course dinner. The lineup includes a Gold Export Lager, Darwinian IPA, Texas Uncommon Ale, Putin’s Revenge and Smoke on the Water paired with sautéed mussels, fried and stuffed avocado, orange sesame…

The Cheap Eats Round-up

Baller El Siete Mares3831 W. Commerce St., (210) 436-6056, elsietemaressa.com At El Siete Mares you can find delicious weekday specials. The menu includes enchiladas de camarón, which comes with two shrimp enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce and mozzarella cheese. The $5.99 special is served with rice, salad, French fries and shrimp-based garlic soup. Guillermo’s618 McCullough…

Boozy Nostalgia: An Open Letter To Alcoholic Milkshakes

For some, the idea of hooch and dairy might make them queasy. Given that milk might make for an unpleasant evening, but for those with an iron gut, a high-tolerance for lactose or just an insatiable craving for a milkshake, we know where you can jack up dessert with a little bit of tequila ……

Bar Crawl: Finding The Bermuda Triangle Of Bars

Who needs only one bar when you can barhop from dive to dive in search of the next best adventure? We’re heading across town in search of the bar trifecta. The expedition begins just outside 410 with stops to Crazy Ape, Marty’s Cocktails and Clark’s Bar’s Coco Beach. Grab some friends and off you go.…

6 Summer Beers We Love

While beer is a year-round preoccupation for most of us, there’s something to be said for drinking seasonally. I took a look at six of the brews most palatable for the typical scorching South Texas summer, keeping an eye on the ideal plates to accompany them. If by chance they’re sold out (Spec’s forbid!) or…

A Cross-Border Look At Vigilante Groups In ‘Cartel Land’

Beyond the usual genre themes of heroism and sacrifice, the greatest war films tend to project a sense of an intractable and ultimately unwinnable situation. Whether it be WWI in All Quiet on the Western Front or WWII in They Were Expendable or the Korean War in The Steel Helmet or the Vietnam War in…

10 Wines For Your Summer Cookouts

It’s not just beef we’re burning on the grill these days — from pizza to pineapple, it’s all fair game. And it’s not just beer we’re drinking, either. Wines of all kinds work. White and sweet? You bet. Red and fizzy? Absolutely — all at $20 or under, and found at local wine shops. Burgers:…

Keeping Tabs: Channeling French Monks At TBA

There are many potions, lotions and libations that thrive on the notion of secrecy. Skipping over snake oil and hair restoration tonics, one such elixir is the estimable liqueur labeled Chartreuse. Said to be in production since 1737, this product of French Carthusian monks is alleged to employ 130 herbs, plants and flowers in its…

A Guide To Gourmet Camp Cooking

For the first time in years, Texas’ outdoor enthusiasts can revel in the burn ban being lifted across most of the state. This means aspiring campfire chefs can cook over an open flame when venturing into the backcountry or road-tripping to surrounding parks. To make the most of the culinary opportunity, we turned to Kayla…

Bruk Out Offers Locals A Taste Of Jamaica’s Popular Club Riddim

Cumbia is as commonplace as paleta trikes in SA, but for DJs IsaiahFromTexas and Sonora, it’s just one facet of the postcolonial dance party. For the past year, their collaboration Bruk Out has mixed familiar baile tunes with the rubberband basslines and brash exuberance of dancehall, soca and every shade of tropical bass, bringing the…

7 Farmers Markets To Check Out Now

There isn’t much in the way of traditional art hanging on the walls of Cured, the farm-to-table restaurant housed in the Pearl Brewery’s former administration building. Slabs of hanging meat take center stage, while a nearby shelf displays canned beets, banana peppers and a summer peach jam that often accompanies their staple charcuterie board. “Having…

SA’s Reggae Scene Poised For Revival

It wasn’t an easy transition for Richard “Romie” Barr when he moved from Jamaica to join relatives in the Alamo City a decade ago. It was immediate culture shock. “I was getting miserable and just wanted to go home,” Barr, 35, told the San Antonio Current last week. “I didn’t think there was anything for…

15 Ways To Get Your Drink/Grub On This Season

August Culinaria Fall Restaurant Weeks During this year’s Culinaria, San Antonians can grub on some of the best food from the finest restaurants in the Alamo City for two entire weeks. Restaurants will feature three-course prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner ($10-$15 and $25-$35, respectively). Some of the participating restaurants thus far are Cured, Bliss,…

Savage Love: Soft Service

My wife and I have been together for more than 10 years, practicing some kind of nonmonogamy for more than seven. We tried different things — open, dating others, FWBs — but after a bi-threesome with another guy a year ago, we knew that was our thing. For a while, everything was great, but roughly…

‘How Music Got Free’Details The Fall Of The Music Industry Empire

In the 1990s, music executives reveled in unprecedented piles of cash. Pressing CDs for under a dollar and selling them for $17 at Borders, F.Y.E and other extinct retailers, the Big Six label conglomerates were eating fine in the industry’s salad days. In 1999, music sales peaked at $14.6 billion. But a let-them-eat-cake attitude toward…

SA’s Second In The Country For Elderly Food Insecurity

Pay for rent, pay for prescriptions or pay for food. No senior citizen should have to make such a choice, but many do — at a higher rate in San Antonio than almost anywhere else in the country. “It’s heartbreaking when you have someone in their twilight years and they’re struggling to stay alive,” said…

Skip Swimming For A Day And Go Lakeside To Dine At Gennaro’s

It’s hot out. Hitch the boat to the pickup and head straight for Canyon Lake. No boat? No problem. Head for the lake anyway. Stop just short of the shore. Destination: air conditioned and endearingly kitschy Gennaro’s Trattoria. Tarred by red sauce and red carpet alike, Italian-American cuisine has fallen on hard times lately. But…

Welcome To Flavor (Summer 2015)

We can’t blame you for not keeping up with the deluge of openings going on in our fair city. Since our last Flavor in December 2014, more than a dozen eateries joined the ranks, with more coming in the next few months. With this edition of the San Antonio Current’s Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide, we…

Try The Pecan Meringue Treasures At Romelia’s

Hidden almost in plain sight in the Huebner Oaks shopping center and sandwiched between dance studios and Brindle’s Ice Cream is Romelia’s Bakery and Specialties (11255 Huebner Rd., Suite 110), a little-known treasure. Opened in May 2014 by Monterey natives Romelia Garza and Eduardo Valenzuela-Garibay, the bakery is a playground for head chef Garza to…

Gourmet And Insane Hot Dogs In San Antonio

Our great city still has a long way to go before carts line downtown sidewalks and grabbin’ a hot dog for lunch becomes commonplace. Until then, inroads are being laid through San Antonio with more than the usual suspects. Though a chili cheese dog, a brightly colored Chicago dog or a ‘kraut-filled New York-style dog…

Free Will Astrology, Week of July 20

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Latin motto “Carpe diem” shouldn’t be translated as “Seize the day!”, says author Nicholson Baker. It’s not a battle cry exhorting you to “freaking grab the day in your fist like a burger at a fairground and take a big chomping bite out of it.” The proper translation, according to…

Grilling Safety: Or How To Not Give Yourself Salmonella

Be clean. The Spurs want some nasty, but not us. Wash your hands and scrub your utensils before you begin to prepare your food. Would you rather spend the night over the toilet or just 20 seconds over the sink with soap and water? Make sure your ingredients are prepared before you begin cooking. Make…

Açaí Bowls Make It To SA, Charc Week Is In Full Swing And More

Move over, froyo — there’s a new frozen treat in town. Berry Healthy Bowls (3131 Thousand Oaks Dr., 787-530-6683) has opened its food trailer window in the same shopping center as JonesN4Crossfit serving variations of frozen açaí bowls topped with all sorts of good stuff. Owner Danny Rigau, a Puerto Rican who left the island…


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