September/October 2014

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ON THE TOWN

September/October 2014

Joyce Joyce Slocum Slocum Signature Signature Chefs Chefs Ballet Ballet San San Antonio Antonio Flat Flat Creek Creek Vineyard Vineyard Intimate Intimate Impressionism Impressionism Sebastian Sebastian Lang-Lessing Lang-Lessing The The Grill Grill at at Leon Leon Springs Springs Plus Plus 11 11 Additional Additional Articles Articles

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Features

September and October: The Two Biggest Performing Arts Months in San Antonio History

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Conductor’s Influence Begins With Programming

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Ballet San Antonio: All the Right Moves

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Features Cont.

Worldwide Exhibit Brings Paris to Life at the McNay

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A Conversation with Nancy Hunt Executive Director of Paseo del Rio Association

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Q&A with Joyce Slocum, Executive Director of Texas Public Radio

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Tuesday Musical Club’s Artist Series Features Expceptional Lineup of Acclaimed Musicians

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Arts for the Economy’s Sake

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Tina Brown’s Women in the World Texas Coming to San Antonio

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The Grill at Leon Springs Cooking from the heart, with love

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Flat Creek Vineyard & Winery: Wine and Fine Food in the Hill Country

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March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

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5 Years, 12 Artists

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Nature Connects: Art with Lego Bricks Bill FitzGibbons: Life After Blue Star

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Departments Events Calendar

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Book Talk: M.M. McAllen: Author And Scholar

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Random Thoughts: 1. Churches Embrace Performing Arts 2. Dining Out at Old and New

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Out & About With Greg Harrison

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Lair Creative, LLC would not knowingly publish misleading or erroneous information in editorial content or in any adv appear under any circumstances. Additionally, content in this electronic magazine does not necessarily reflect the view mances and exhibits, it is recommended that all times and dates of such events be confirmed by the reader prior to at

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Cover Credits Contributors Front Cover Photo: Paul McCartney Photo by Mary McCartney

Events Calendar Cover Photo: Voca People Photo by Kfir Bolotin Performing Arts Cover Photo: Disneys® Beauty and the Beast Photo by Joan Marcus Culinary Arts Cover Photo: © VanderWolf Images | Dreamstime.com Visual Arts Cover Photo: Carmen Oliver Courtesy Institute of Texan Culture Literary Arts Cover Photo: © Janpietruszka | Dreamstime.com Eclectics Cover Photo: Photo by Greg Harrison

Mikel Allen, creative director / graphic designer James M. Benavides

Dan R. Goddard Greg Harrison, staff photographer

Olivier J. Bourgoin (aka, Olivier the Wine Guy)

Christian Lair, operations manager / webmaster

Julie Catalano

Kay Lair

Lisa Cruz

Tracy Lowe

Cathy Dawson

Susan A. Merkner, copy editor

Thomas Duhon

Susan Nino

Ashley Festa Peabo Fowler Kimberly Gardner Vivienne Gautraux

Dr. Steve Niven Sara Selango Jasmina Wellinghoff

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vertisement in On The Town Ezine.com, nor does it assume responsibility if this type of editorial or advertising should ws or opinions of the management of Lair Creative, LLC. Since On The Town Ezine.com features information on perforttendance. The publisher assumes no responsibility for changes in times, dates, venues, exhibitions or performances.

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Performing Arts 8-26

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September and October:

The two biggest months of performing arts in San Antonio History.

By Sara Salengo

W

ow! I start with this one-word exclamation because the months of September and October offer extreme wow-factor per formances and mark a new era in live entertainment for San Antonio and the surrounding environs. I feel quite safe in saying, never in the histor y of this metropolitan area has there ever been s o m u c h t o s e e a n d e n j o y. T h e re a s o n i s s i m p l e . T h e o p e n i n g o f t h e To b i n C e n t e r f o r the Per forming Ar ts marks a milestone for o u r c o m m u n i t y, a s i g n i f i c a n t p o i n t i n t i m e we will remember for years to come. Paul McCartney is coming to town, as is Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band. Bill Cosby is set to make us laugh and Art Gar funkel has two per formances scheduled. Lynyrd Sk ynyrd and Carlos Santana make stops here too.

T h i s i s t h e t i p o f t h e To b i n i c e b e r g . A l s o see Jason Mraz, Charlie Daniels Band, Vikki Carr and Juanes at this brand-new venue.

Other upcoming shows include Susan Boyle, Dave Mason, The Piano Guys, Ian A n d e r s o n o f J e t h r o Tu l l , G a r r i s o n K e i l l o r a n d J e a n n e R o b e r t s o n . N i c e W o r k I f Yo u Can Get It is the first of six Broadway / O f f - B r o a d w a y s h o w s i n t h e To b i n C e n t e r Signature Series. It hits the boards for t h r e e p e r f o r m a n c e s i n e a r l y O c t o b e r.

R e s i d e n t c o m p a n i e s a t t h e To b i n a d d t o the exciting September-October mix. San A n t o n i o S y m p h o n y ’s o p e n i n g n i g h t f e a t u r e s celebrated soprano Renee Fleming with Sebastian Lang-Lessing conducting. The orchestra follows with two classical concer ts a n d a p o p s a p p e a r a n c e b y B i g B a d Vo o d o o Daddy in this two month period. Ballet San Antonio brings the nocturnal Count known a s D r a c u l a t o t h e To b i n s t a g e a n d t h e n e w O p e r a S a n A n t o n i o d e b u t s Fa n t a s t i c M r. F o x , To b i a s P i c k e r ’s o p e r a b a s e d o n t h e R o a l d D a h l b o o k . C h i l d r e n’s F i n e A r t s S e r i e s p r e s e n t s T h e Ve r y H u n g r y C a t e r p i l l a r a t t h e To b i n a n d Yo u t h O r c h e s t r a o f S a n A n t o n i o o f f e r s A New Bir th of Freedom. Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio, under the direc tion of Carlos I z c a r a y, p e r f o r m s a p r o g r a m t i t l e d I b e r i a n Epic, and God of Carnage is brought to us b y A t t i c R e p . C h e c k t h e To b i n C e n t e r f o r the Per forming Ar ts website for SeptemberOctober details plus so much more.

Shif ting gears, and venues, The Majestic also has an exceptional lineup in September and Oc tober.

The names are big, like Mar tina McBride, Rodney Carrington, George Lopez, The Beach Boys, Clint Black , Phillip Phillips and Nick Swardson. In addition, San Antonio Symphony has its first engagement there in a series called Symphony Goes To The Movies where the musical T h e s c h e d u l e i s j a m - p a c k e d a t t h e o l d score is per formed “live to pic ture” by the a u d i t o r i u m . I l o o k b a c k w i t h n o s t a l g i a w h e n orchestra. The inaugural feature is Star Trek Into t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e m a n y s h o w s I w i t n e s s e d D arkness. A one -week run of Disney ’s® Beaut y a t t h e M u n i c i p a l , a n d I l o o k f o r w a r d t o s o and the Beast is featured in late September at the m a n y m o r e a t t h e w o r l d - c l a s s To b i n . W h a t big theater on Houston Street. Nex t door at the an incredible architectural conversion.

Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, comedian Adam Carolla enter tains in early Oc tober.

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Arts San Antonio presents a five -pack of per formances over the next two months including The Bad Plus, Beatrice Rana (2013 Va n C l i b u r n I n t e r n a t i o n a l P i a n o C o m p e t i t i o n Silver Medalist) and the comedic classical music duo Igudesman & Joo at the Aztec , s i n g e r - s o n g w r i t e r S u z a n n e Ve g a a t t h e Empire, and vir tuoso trumpeter Chris Botti at L a u r i e A u d i t o r i u m o n t h e c a m p u s o f Tr i n i t y U n i v e r s i t y. A f t e r t h e s e , A r t s S A f e a t u r e s 1 4 additional per formances in their 2014-15 s e a s o n , p l u s t h e i r a n n u a l N u t c r a c k e r.

AT & T C e n t e r, h o m e o f t h e 5 - t i m e N B A Champion San Antonio Spurs, has notewor thy per formances on its docket as well. Luke Br yan, Demi Lovato and Marc Anthony play the arena in September followed by Zac B r o w n B a n d a n d t h e E a g l e s i n O c t o b e r.

next two months. Limp Bizkit, Broken Bells, J i m m i e Va u g h a n , L e d Z e p p e l i n 2 a n d L a L e y a r e a l s o o n t h e A z t e c ’s l i s t o f u p c o m i n g per formances.

Car ver Community Cultural Center recently announced its 2014-15 season of 11 shows, star ting with Grammy award-winner Dianne R e e v e s i n e a r l y O c t o b e r. L a t e r i n t h e m o n t h , t h e C a r v e r ’s d e v e l o p m e n t b o a r d p r e s e n t s T i m e l e s s Vo i c e s a t t h e L i l a C o c k r e l l T h e a t e r with Dennis Edwards, former lead singer of t h e Te m p t a t i o n s , E d d i e L e v e r t o f t h e O ’J a y s and Gerald Alston of the Manhattans.

Another timeless voice is coming to the A l a m o C i t y.

Christian music superstar Sandi Patt y will appear in concer t in midS eptember at First Baptist Church which is l o c a t e d n e x t d o o r t o t h e To b i n C e n t e r.

The Aztec, in its own presentation series, f e a t u r e s t h e l i k e s o f D a v i d N a i l , N e o n Tr e e s , N o w i n i t s 9 2 n d s e a s o n , t h e Tu e s d a y M u s i c a l Z o e , T h e F l a t l a n d e r s a n d Ta b B e n o i t o v e r t h e C l u b’s A r t i s t S e r i e s b r i n g s E TA 3 Tr i o t o t h e

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Laurel Heights Methodist Church for an a f t e r n o o n p e r f o r m a n c e i n e a r l y O c t o b e r.

This is the first of four concer ts in its series for the year with the others being organist Christopher Houlihan, pianist Simone Dinnerstein and soprano Ava Pine.

In other classical news, San Antonio Chamber Music Society offers a Sunday afternoon per formance by the Jerusalem Quar tet at Te m p l e B e t h - E l i n m i d - O c t o b e r. T h e s o c i e t y also offers four additional concer ts over the course of the 2014-15 season. Please check their website for details.

shows at Playhouse San Antonio, Harlequin Dinner Theatre, Over time Theatre and more, including some out-of-town theaters.

On the subject of out-of-towners, let me close by mentioning some surrounding area super-quality per formances that are happening in the next couple of months.

B o e r n e P e r f o r m i n g A r t s b r i n g s Vo c a P e o p l e t o Champion Auditorium in Boerne, Larr y Gatlin a p p e a r s a t t h e Te x a s T h e a t r e i n S e g u i n , M a r t y Stuar t plays the Brauntex in New Braunfels as does a per formance called Broadway to Bruantex, Chinese Dragon Acrobats appear at the Kathleen C. Cailloux in Kerr ville, singersong writer Kacey Musgraves makes two a p p e a r a n c e s a t G r u e n e H a l l a n d R a i s i n’ C a n e : A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey with Jasmine G u y c o m e s t o E v a n s A u d i t o r i u m o n t h e Te x a s State University campus.

S w i t c h i n g n o w t o c o m m u n i t y t h e a t e r, d o n’ t m i s s O n e F l e w O v e r t h e C u c k o o’s N e s t a n d T h e Tr o j a n Wo m a n a t t h e S h e l d o n Ve x l e r, M a r r i e d A l i v e ( f r o m N i a g a r a t o V i a g r a ) , S w e e n e y To d d and The Rock y Horror Show at the Cameo, plus S m o k e y J o e ’s C a f é , U n b r o k e n C i r c l e , C a r r i e the Musical and The Rocky Horror Show at the Wo o d l a w n . C h e c k o u t t h e w e b s i t e f o r S a n Wo w ! T h e r e, I ’ ve s a i d i t a g a i n . S e p t e m b e r a n d Antonio Theatre Coalition for infor mation on October are loaded. Get some tickets and go!

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Photo Credits:

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B i g B a d Vo o d o o D a d d y Courtesy bbvd.com

Renee Fleming Photo by DECCA – Andrew Eccles

P a g e 1 3 ( L- R )

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Jerusalem Quartet P h o t o b y Fe l i x B r o e d e

Carlos Izcaray C o u r t e s y c a r l o s i z c a r a y. c o m

N i c e Wo r k i f Yo u C a n G e t I t Photo by Jeremy Daniel Page 14

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Disneys® Beauty and the Beast Photo by Joan Marcus

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Dracula Photo by Still Life Photography by Alexander Devora

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Conductor’s Influence Begins with Programming

By Lisa Cruz Photography courtesy San Antonio Symphony

music director’s job in a symphony is to serve as the leader of an orchestra’s artistic vision, and that job can take as many twists and turns as a Joseph Haydn piece, calling for creativity, vision and patience.

But, a music director’s leadership begins well before picking up a baton.

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symphonies within a couple of weeks.

The creation of the Festival series is a challenge for Lang-Lessing’s planning process each season as it impacts seasons to come. But, with their creation, Lang-Lessing said he hopes to create a stronger bond between the audience and the orchestra as they experience, for example, all nine Beethoven

Lang-Lessing said he hopes this is the start of a bigger project and wants to engage the audience in the process of sharing what they like and don’t like.

He did not want to overwhelm the audience with lengthy pieces but give them a taste and reflect on what they like and don’t like.

“A Festival in 2017 affects 2014. We need to know early on what we will play in order to avoid certain repertoire to keep for future festivals and we need to be prepared to not showcase a certain composer for several seasons after the Festival,” he said. “But, as an While concert-goers are preparing to hear the San orchestra, it is easier to focus like this, because you can Antonio Symphony in its new home, Sebastian Lang- get much deeper into the stylistic idioms you want to Lessing, the San Antonio Symphony’s Music Director, highlight, and it is a great way to build repertoire with has been preparing the upcoming Symphony season the orchestra in a very intense way.” for several years.

Lang-Lessing also said he believes this approach will “A Symphony season needs to be planned very carefully, enhance the audience’s experience of the pieces and as various needs must be satisfied,” Lang-Lessing explains. enhance visibility for many of the arts organizations “The audience has certain preferences, but we need to in the community, as the orchestra often co-presents feed a certain curiosity and encourage the audience to concerts throughout the festival season with others discover new things, so we must keep that in balance. We like Camerata, the ballet, the opera and more. also have to think about what is good for the orchestra’s profile and how the orchestra might progress.”

In addition to the Festivals, Lang-Lessing said his planning process involves looking at what repertoire Key to arranging the season has been the establishment has baeen played in the past 20 to 30 years and what of the Symphony’s festival format, which have featured gaps need to be filled.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonín Dvořák, and Johannes Brahms. This season, the One gap the Symphony expects to fill this year is the Symphony will focus on the works of Richard Strauss. introduction of new compositions with their classical While previous festivals have ingrained audiences in the concert “Prelude” feature. Each classical concert this music of a singular composer, the Symphony is changing season will begin with a 4-minute, commissioned things this year and adding pieces that either influenced pieces from a contemporary composer.

Strauss or composers whose work he influenced.

“New music is something we present, but it is typically “This is the first time we have mixed composers, but the very random, and it is difficult for an audience to get pieces all have a relationship,” Lang-Lessing said. “For an overview of the richness of contemporary music,” example the first concert in the series will feature the Lang-Lessing explains. “This new approach allows music of Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with us to present 14 new, commissioned pieces from a a combined theme of death. In the La Valse concert, wide variety of composers from the very young to the we combine Strauss with Maurice Ravel that at first do very established. It shows the richness of American not seem to have a connection and stylistically there’s composers and reflects their works in contrast to three contrast, but they both celebrate the waltz.”

European composers.”

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“I want the audience to get involved in this process to season to explore all the possibilities the hall has to offer. keep new music alive,” he said. “An audience may like very different things than the orchestra and wish us to go “I want to show that music is alive and an expression of deeper with a certain composer.” humanity that is important and not just entertainment,” he explained. “I am confident this is the start of a new era.

And while a concert generally has a unifier among the We are featuring a lot of music we haven’t featured in the pieces, either stylistically or thematically, the Preludes Majestic that will sound so different. The acoustic is richer may or may not relate to the pieces being played. and the setting is more intimate.”

“I find that beautiful, because it doesn’t matter,” he said.

“The piece will fall into the dialogue of the program, and we aren’t afraid of finding a connection.”

Whether it is the development of a new series, the unveiling of new talent or finding the best pieces to showcase the breadth and depth of the orchestra, developing a symphony season is part art, part science The prelude project will not only give listeners an idea of and part luck. what is new on the horizon for classical music but also promote the works of new artists.

“I have to have a clear concept,” Lang-Lessing explained.

“I do a lot of thinking alone before reflecting with the “Creating new music is a very important mission for an administration, the orchestra committee, community orchestra,” Lang-Lessing said. “This moment of creation is partners, artists and people in the business I trust. a wonderful process that I look forward to sharing with The same program can change five or six times but audiences. I want them to experience how life-changing programming is not something you can debate. I need to a concert experience can be and experience all of this in have a clear direction.” a brand new concert hall.”

A season depends on availability of artists, capacity of the The Symphony’s move into the new Tobin Center for the orchestra, timing of repertoire and much more. But, in the Performing Arts had a profound effect on Lang-Lessing’s end, it all starts and stops with a vision. Lang-Lessing’s development of the upcoming season. He said he tried vision this year appears to be a salute to diversity and the to put together as much variety as possible in this year’s celebration of all that is new.

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Ballet San Antonio: ALL THE RIGHT MOVES

By Julie Catalano Photography Greg Harrison

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s the resident ballet company at the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, there’s no doubt that Ballet San Antonio (BSA) is raising the barre in San Antonio. With 32 professional dancers from all over the world now making San Antonio their home, the city has finally arrived on the dance scene with style, grace and an emerging role on the national stage.

would do. One brave phone call by Zertuche to Stevenson launched a relationship that became a turning point for the company. Barker adds: “Not only did we have Ben Stevenson here, we had his prima ballerina Janie Parker come in and stage it.” Stevenson is now on the advisory board for BSA.

For Zertuche, Stevenson’s mentorship is a dream come true. “Growing up, he was one of my all-time favorites.

I adored him and still do. He’s a terrific person.” The connection to Houston Ballet didn’t stop with Stevenson and Parker. Former Houston Ballet principal dancers Tim O’Keefe and Dominic Walsh will help stage Stevenson’s Romeo and Juliet scheduled for Feb. 12-15 at the Tobin Center with the San Antonio Symphony. In addition, BSA’s ballet mistress is another former Houston Ballet principal and fan fave, Amy Fote. “We’re very excited to work with her,” Zertuche says. “Every time we post something [on Exciting indeed. BSA joins nine other resident Facebook] about her so many people tell us how lucky we performing arts companies at the Tobin, a move that are to have her.” Rounding out BSA’s artistic staff is former was a long time in the making. “They were keeping a Milwaukee Ballet principal dancer and ballet mistress watchful eye on us,” says BSA’s artistic director Gabriel Susan Clark, répétiteur and artistic associate.

Zertuche. Who — as BSA’s ballet master at the time — worked with the late Rodney J. Smith, managing The rest of BSA’s inaugural season is equally intriguing, director of the Bexar County Performing Arts Center starting with Zertuche’s critically acclaimed original Foundation, an entity created to undertake the production of Dracula Oct. 16-19. Based on Bram massive renovation of the Municipal Auditorium into Stoker’s book, the ballet premiered in 2011, but the state-of-the-art Tobin Center for the Performing Zertuche says the Tobin Center run “is going to feel like a Arts. Later, when president and CEO Michael Fresher new Dracula.” Without giving too much away, Zertuche saw the company’s production of Cinderella, Barker plans to use the technical and lighting elements of the says, “he said we were ready to be a resident company.” HEB Performance Hall to create an eerily atmospheric, highly visual show. “It’s going to be exciting,” is all he’ll And no wonder — that was no ordinary Cinderella. It was say, with a mysterious grin.

British dance legend and former Houston Ballet artistic director and choreographer Ben Stevenson’s production Another highlight of the season is Balanchine March of the classic. When Zertuche was building the BSA 2013- 27-29 — a first for the company and for San Antonio.

14 season, he was determined that only that version A repertory program of contemporary works features Founded in 1985, the company’s prestigious association with the Tobin is “a huge platform for us,” says Courtney Mauro Barker, BSA’s executive director and former company dancer. “In the past two years we’ve grown our audience tremendously.” Barker recalls an encounter at last year’s Ballet in the Park, a free outdoor performance at Travis Park that garnered “incredible feedback. People would tell us that they had no idea we were here, and they thought it was exciting.”

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Donizetti Variations by New York City Ballet’s legendary George Balanchine, performed with special permission from the Balanchine Trust.

“I sent in our application with videos of the dancers and some of our repertory, and based on that, they said yes,” Zertuche says. A former principal dancer from City Ballet will come in to stage the Balanchine portion of the program; Zertuche’s works also will be performed.

Dance legends, revered choreography, and a magnificent new venue aside, both Barker and Zertuche say they believe strongly in the importance of community involvement by the company with the goal of making ballet accessible to everyone. To that end, their outreach efforts boast some pretty impressive credits.

“We have a tremendous program called Learning That Moves You,” Zertuche says, “that takes dancers directly into Title I and other schools. Last season, we did Peter and the Wolf for more than 5,000 students.” In 2012, a free ballet training program was formed in partnership was the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio, where BSA dancers teach at branches every week during the school year; students learn dance history, etiquette and discipline, attend BSA dress rehearsals, and tour backstage. Based on that success, BSA was approved as a partner company with American Ballet Theatre’s Project Plié, which focuses on increasing racial and ethnic diversity in America’s ballet companies.

Barker describes their jobs as 24/7. “It’s a lot of hard work,” she says. But she wouldn’t have it any other way if it achieves their ultimate goal — a sustainable ballet company that becomes a permanent part of the city’s artistic fabric.

“San Antonio deserves to have its own professional ballet company,” Zertuche says, “and if we continue to raise the quality of everything we do, there’s no reason that it can’t.”

For more information, balletsanantonio.org, 210-404-9641 ………………………………………………………

BALLET SAN ANTONIO’S 2014-15 SEASON Dracula, October 16-19 The Nutcracker, November 28-December 7 with the San Antonio Symphony Romeo and Juliet, February 12-15, 2015 with the San Antonio Symphony 22 On The Town | September/October 2014

Balanchine, March 27-29, 2015

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Tuesday Musical Club’s Artist Series features Exceptional Lineup of Acclaimed Musicians

By Cathy Dawson, Artist Series Chairman, Tuesday Musical Club

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he Tuesday Musical Club presents its 201415 Artist Series with four concerts by renowned artists: ETA3 Trio on Oct. 14, organist Christopher Houlihan on Nov. 11, pianist Simone Dinnerstein on Jan. 27, and soprano Ava Pine on March 3.

sponsored by Parker Chapel Recital Series and the American Guild of Organists, on Nov. 11. Houlihan has been called “dazzling” by The Wall Street Journal and “one of the brightest stars in the new generation of American organists” by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein will perform Jan. 27, thanks to Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts. She was the bestselling instrumentalist of 2011 on the U.S. Billboard Classical Chart, and she also topped the classical charts with Bach: A Strange Beauty when it made the Billboard Top 200 — the music industry’s sales of albums in all genres.

Kicking off the season Oct. 14 is ETA3 Trio (flute, clarinet, piano), co-sponsored by Mattie Jennie Fund and Wayne Beyer. Named after a star-forming nebula, ETA3 is a woodwind trio composed of three award-winning musicians: flutist Chelsea Knox, pianist Tomoko Nakayama and clarinetist Alexey Gorokholinsky. Formed at the Juilliard School, ETA3 has been mesmerizing audiences by Wrapping up the season March 3 is Grammy communicating the intellectual and emotional nominee Ava Pine, a Texas native who dazzles elements of life through a varied musical repertoire. audiences and critics with her rewarding vocalism and compelling commitment to creating vivid and Next up is organist Christopher Houlihan, co- captivating portraits on stage.

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All concerts last approximately two hours and — except Photo Credits: for the Houlihan concert — occur at 2 p.m. Tuesdays in Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, 227 W. Page 25 (L-R) Woodlawn Ave. Houlihan’s concert will be at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity University’s Margarite B. Parker Chapel.

ETA3 Trio October 14 @ 2pm Because of support received from arts foundations Laurel Heights United Methodist and other organizations, Tuesday Musical Club is able to offer low ticket prices for these world-class Christopher Houlihan performances. Full season tickets (four tickets) can be November 11 @ 7:30pm used at any concert, in any combination for maximum Margarite B. Parker Chapel flexibility. Single tickets can be purchased at www. Trinity University satmc.org or at the door, one-half hour before each concert. Concerts are free to students as part of the Page 26 (L-R) club’s mission to promote the performance of music as a fine art.

Simone Dinnerstein January 27 @ 2pm Founded in San Antonio in 1901, the Tuesday Musical Laurel Heights United Methodist Club is dedicated to the promotion, study and performance of music as a fine art, and is the oldest Ava Pine musical club for women in Texas. Its Artist Series, March 3 @ 2pm organized in 1923, is one of the oldest continuous Laurel Heights United Methodist musical series sponsored by women in the nation.

For more information, visit www.satmc.org, call 210494-5486, or email contact@satmc.org.

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Events Calendar 28-44

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September-October 2014 Events Calendar Music Notes Celebration of the Arts with San Antonio Symphony, Ballet San Antonio and Opera San Antonio 9/4, Thu @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Lynard Skynard 9/5, Fri @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio Iberian Epic 9/6, Sat @ 7:30pm Carlos Izcaray, conductor Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Jason Mraz 9/6, Sat @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Ruthie Foster 9/6, Sat @ 8pm Sam’s Burger Joint

South Texas Jazz Presents: Gospel!

The Brent Watkins Trio 9/9, Tue @ 7:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Vikki Carr with Mariachi Cobre 9/10, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Lisa Morales 9/11, Thu @ 8:30pm Sam’s Burger Joint

Wagon Aces 9/5, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Gary P. Nunn 9/6, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Los Lonely Boys 9/12, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Aaron Watson 9/5, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Natalie Rose 9/6, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Miss Leslie 9/12, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Siempre San Antonio featuring Nina Diaz, Lonely Horse and David Garza 9/6, Sat @ 7pm River Walk Plaza Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Trace Adkins with special guest Mary Sarah (A free USO Show only for the Troops) 9/7, Sun @ 6:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

The Georges 9/12, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

28 On The Town | September/October 2014

Joe Ely 9/12, Fri @ 9pm Sam’s Burger Joint

George & Friends Variety Show 9/12-10/31 Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4:30pm & 8pm Rock Box Theater Fredericksburg Sandi Patty First Fine Arts Series 9/13, Sat @ 7pm First Baptist Church Dada Life Presents The Dada Land Compound: Texas 9/13, Sat @ 7pm Whitewater Amphitheater New Braunfels Alejandra Guzman 9/13, Sat @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Charlie Montague 9/13, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Thomas Michael Riley 9/13, Sat @ 9pm Luckenbach Dancehall Max Stalling 9/13, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

September/October 2014 | On The Town 29

Tomoki Sakata, piano Fredericksburg Music Club 9/14, Sun @ 3pm Fredericksburg United Methodist Sunday Jazz at the Witte Primetime: The Music of Count Basie 9/14, Sun @ 3pm Will Smith Amphitheater Witte Museum Mid-Texas Symphony Piano & Pastorale 9/14, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Sean Chin, piano Jackson Auditorium at TLU Seguin Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and Children’s Chorus of San Antonio Peter and the Wolf 9/14, Sun @ 4pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Alyson Dawkins, viola Music from St. Mark’s 9/14, Sun @ 5pm St. Mark’s Episcopal Heart of Texas Roadshow with Larry Gatlin 9/14, Sun @ 2pm & 6pm Texas Theatre Seguin

Antonio Pompa-Baldi, piano Texas State International Concert Series 9/16, Tue @ 7:30pm Recital Hall Texas State Performing Arts Center San Marcos The Diamonds 9/16-17, Tue-Wed @ 7:30pm Rock Box Theater Fredericksburg Charlie Daniels Band with special guest Mallory Hope 9/17, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Luke Bryan: That’s My Kind of Night Tour 2014 9/18, Thu @ 7:30pm AT&T Center Demi Lovato 9/19, Fri @ 7:30pm AT&T Center Led Zeppelin 2 9/19, Fri @ 8pm Aztec Theatre Tessy Lou and the Shotgun Stars 9/19, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall Kevin Fowler 9/19, Fri @ 8pm John T. Floore Country Store

30 On The Town | September/October 2014

The Whiskey Sisters 9/19, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Cody Canada & The Departed 9/19, Fri @ 9pm Sam’s Burger Joint Heart of Texas Roadshow with Darrell an Dona McCall, Dottsy, T. Graham Brown & Kay Toalson 9/20, Sat @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm Texas Theatre Seguin Limp Bizkit 9/20, Sat @ 6:30pm Aztec Theatre Marty Stuart 9/20, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Theatre for the Performing Arts New Braunfels San Antonio Chamber Choir A River Runs Through Us 9/20, Sat @ 7:30pm St. Joseph’s Catholic 9/21, Sun @ 3pm Mission Concepcion San Antonio Symphony An Evening with Renee Fleming 9/20, Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Louden Wainwright III 9/20, Sat @ 8pm River Walk Plaza Tobin Center for the Performing Arts The Bellamy Brothers 9/20, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Max Stalling 9/20, Sat @ 9pm Luckenbach Dancehall Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison 9/20, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Tamela Mann with Special Guests 9/21, Sun @ 6pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts One Direction: Where We Are Tour 9/21, Sun @ 7pm Alamodome The Piano Guys 9/23, Tue @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Mixfest 2014 featuring Afrojack 9/25, Thu @ 7pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

September/October 2014 | On The Town 31

Almost Patsy Cline Band 9/26, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Marc Anthony 9/28, Sun @ 7pm AT&T Center

Cody Jinks 9/26, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Citizen Cope: The Clarence Greenwood Recordings - 10th Anniversary Tour 9/28, Sun @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Chris Knight 9/26, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Reverend Horton Heat 9/26, Fri @ 9pm Sam’s Burger Joint Martina McBride The Everlasting Tour 9/27, Sat @ 8pm Majestic Theatre The Best of Jethro Tull Performed by Ian Anderson 9/27, Sat @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Delbert McClinton 9/27, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Zane Williams 9/27, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Heart of Texas Concert Band Marches and Other Curiosities 9/28, Sun @ 3pm Dr. Mark Rogers, conductor McAllister Auditorium at San Antonio College

Experience Hendrix 9/29, Mon @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts The Bad Plus Arts San Antonio 9/30, Tue @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre Santana: The Corazon Tour 9/30, Tue @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts A Very Special Evening with Paul McCartney to Benefit the Tobin Center 10/1, Wed @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Beatrice Rana Van Cliburn Silver Medalist Arts San Antonio Presentation 10/2, Thu @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre

32 On The Town | September/October 2014

Symphony of the Hills Journey Across Europe 10/2, Thu @ 7:30pm Dr. Jay Dunnhoo, conductor Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville

Wagon Aces 10/3, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

An Evening with Juanes 10/2, Thu @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Musical Evenings at San Fernando Cathedral Viva la Cuba - featuring Habaneros Quintet Presented by Musical Bridges Around the World 10/5, Sun @ 6:30pm

Early Music-Amsterdam Music from St. Mark’s 10/3, Fri @ 7pm St. Mark’s Episcopal Camerata San Antonio Russian Soul 10/3, Fri @ 7:30pm Boerne First United Methodist 10/4, Sat @ 3pm Kerrville First Presbyterian 10/5, Sun @ 3pm San Antonio Christ Episcopal Anastasia Storer & Mathew Zerweck, violin Emily Freudigman, viola Ken Freudigman, cello Viktor Valkov, piano

Del Castillo Farewell Show 10/3, Fri @ 9pm Sam’s Burger Joint

Cody Canada & The Departed 10/4, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Zac Brown Band: The Great American Road Trip Tour 10/5, Sun @ 7pm AT&T Center Broken Bells 10/5, Sun @ 7pm Aztec Theatre

Randy Rogers Band 10/3-4, Fri-Sat @ 8pm John T. Floore Country Store

The Anomaly Tour featuring Lecrae with Andy Mineo and DJ Promote 10/5, Sun @ 7pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Van Wilks 10/3, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Zoe 10/6, Mon @ 7pm Aztec Theatre

Phillip Phillips 10/7, Tue @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band 10/7, Tue @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts The Beach Boys 10/8, Wed @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre An Intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel 10/9-10, Thu @ 7:30pm Fri @ 8pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Tobin Center for the Performing Arts San Antonio Symphony Resurrection 10/10-11, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor Nadine Sierra, soprano Kelly O’Connor, mezzo soprano San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers John Salantien, conductor H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Tessy Lou and the Shotgun Stars 10/10, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

John Slaughter 10/10, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Robert Earl Keen 10/10, Fri @ 9:30pm Gruene Hall Cory Morrow 10/11, St @ 9pm Gruene Hall Sunday Jazz at the Witte The Westside Horns 10/12, Sun @ 3pm Will Smith Amphitheater Witte Museum Erasure: The Violet Flame Tour 10/12, Sun @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts ETA3 Trio Tuesday Musical Club 10/14, Tue @ 2pm Laurel Heights United Methodist Texas Jazz Presents: An Evening with Brent Watkins 10/14, Tue @ 7:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Eagles 10/15, Wed @ 8pm AT&T Center September/October 2014 | On The Town 33

Manuel Barrueco, classical guitar Texas State International Concert Series 10/16, Thu @ 7:30pm Recital Hall Texas State Performing Arts Center San Marcos Suzanne Vega Arts San Antonio 10/17, Fri @ 7:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Mela Dailey, soprano Fredericksburg Music Club 10/19, Sun @ 3pm Fredericksburg United Methodist San Antonio Choral Society 50th Anniversary Alumni Celebration Concert 10/19, Sun @ 3pm Travis Park United Methodist

Hal Ketchum 10/17, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Jerusalem Quartet San Antonio Chamber Music Society 10/19, Sun @ 3:15pm Temple Beth-El

San Antonio Symphony Star Trek Into Darkness 10/17-18, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor Majestic Theatre

Alamo Metro Chorus of Sweet Adelines Annual Show 10/19, Sun @ time tbd Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Willie Nelson & Family 10/17-18, Fri-Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

An Intimate Evening with Clint Black 10/19, Sun @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

Enrique Iglesias & Pitbull 10/18, Sat @ 7:30pm Alamodome Broadway to Brauntex 10/18, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Theatre for the Performing Arts New Braunfels

Igudesman and Joo and Now Mozart Arts San Antonio 10/21, Tue @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre An Evening with Susan Boyle 10/21, Tue @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

34 On The Town | September/October 2014

Voca People Boerne Performing Arts 10/23, Thu @ 7:30pm Boerne Champion Auditorium Crowder: Neon Steeple Tour 10/23, Thu @ 7:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Kacey Musgraves 10/23-24, Thu-Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall Jason Aldean: 2014 Burn It Down Tour 10/24, Fri @ 7:30pm AT&T Center Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam 10/24, Fri @ 8pm River Walk Plaza Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Chris Botti Arts San Antonio 10/24, Fri @ 8pm Laurie Auditorium San Antonio Symphony Pops Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 10/24-25, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Almost Patsy Cline Band 10/24, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Kip Moore with Charlie Worsham and Sam Hunt 10/25, Sat @ 7pm John T. Floore Country Store Tab Benoit with Guy Forsyth Blues Band 10/25, Sat @ 7pm Aztec Theatre Carver Development Board Presents Timeless Voices: Eddie Levert, Dennis Edwards and Gerald Alston 10/25, Sat @ 8:30pm Lila Cockrell Theatre Ziggy Marley 10/25, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Thomas Michael Riley 10/25, Sat @ 9pm Luckenbach Dancehall Spectrum Winds First Fine Arts Series 10/26, Sun @ 3pm First Baptist Church Mid-Texas Symphony Pictures at an Exhibition 10/26, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Canyon HS Performing Arts Center New Braunfels

Youth Orchestra of San Antonio New Birth of Freedom 10/26, Sun @ 7pm Troy Peters, conductor H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Casting Crowns 10/26, Sun @ 7pm Freeman Coliseum Canned Heat 10/26, Sun @ 8:30pm Sam’s Burger Joint Neon Trees: First Things First Tour 10/27, Mon @ 6:30pm Aztec Theatre La Ley 10/29, Wed @ 7pm Aztec Theatre David Nail I’m a Fire Tour 10/31, Fri @ 7pm Aztec Theatre Matisyahu: Built to Survive Tour Featuring Radical Something 10/31, Fri @ 8pm River Walk Plaza Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

San Antonio Symphony Tchaikovsky 4 Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor Kirill Gerstein, piano 10/31-11/2, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Jeremy Steding 10/31, Fri @ 8pm Luckenbach Dancehall

Live Theatre Oscuridad 9/4-6, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Jump Start Performance Co. Arms and the Man 9/4-7, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm The Classic Theatre San Antonio One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 9/4-20, Thu @ 7:30pm Sat @ 8pm, Sun @ 2:30pm (no shows on Friday) Sheldon Vexler Theatre @ Barshop Jewish Community Center The Cemetery Club 9/5-7, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun (7/27) @ 2:30pm Playhouse 2000 @ VK Garage Theatre Kerrville September/October 2014 | On The Town 35

Smokey Joe’s Café 9/5-14, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm Woodlawn Theatre Married Alive! From Niagra to Viagra 9/5-21, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 4pm Cameo Theatre Queen’s Castle 9/5-27, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm The Stables Theater @ The Overtime Theater Sin City Burlesque 9/6, 13 & 20, Sat @ 10:30pm Cameo Theatre God of Carnage Attic Rep 9/10-11, Wed-Thu @ 8pm 9/13, Sat @ 2:30pm & 8pm 9/14, Sun @ 2:30pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

You Can’t Take it With You 9/19-10/4, Thu @ 7:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Boerne Community Theatre Unbroken Circle 9/25-28, Thu-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm 10/2-5, Thu-Sun @ 7:30pm Woodlawn Theatre The Rocky Horror Show 9/27-11/1, Sat @ 10:30pm (show added 11/1 @ 8pm) Cameo Theatre Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (touring) North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio 9/30-10/5, Tue-Thu @ 7:30pm Fri @ 8pm, Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

Young Frankenstein 9/12-10/5 Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm The Wimberley Players

Telling: San Antonio The Telling Project 10/1-5, Wed-St @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm & 7pm Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Tuesdays with Morrie / Haiku 9/12-10/5, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Circle Arts Theatre New Braunfels

McBeth at Stonehenge 10/2-12, Thu, Sat & Sun (Times TBD) Hill Country Arts Foundation Ingram

36 On The Town | September/October 2014

Nice Work if You Can Get It (touring) Tobin Center Signature Series 10/3-4, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Godzilla Never Dies 10/10-25, Fri-Sat @ 8pm The Rose Theatre Company

Wizard of Oz 10/3-11/2, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Russell Hill Rogers Theatre @ Playhouse San Antonio

The Rocky Horror Show 10/16-11/1, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 11pm Woodlawn Theatre

Aron Houdini - Houdini Heir Magician & Escape Artist 10/4, Sat (time TBD) Palace Theatre Seguin Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 10/4-26, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 4pm Cameo Theatre Golden Dragon Acrobats Cailloux Performance Series 10/5, Sun @ 3pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theatre Kerrville Skin Deep 10/9-25, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (optional dinner @ 6:30pm) Sun (10/19 & 26) @ 4pm S.T.A.G.E., Inc. Krause House Theatre Bulverde

End of the Rainbow 10/10-11/2, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Cellar Theatre @ Playhouse San Antonio

Carrie, The Musical 10/17-11/9, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm Woodlawn Theatre Blithe Spirit Fredericksburg Theater Company 10/17-11/2, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Steve W. Shepherd Theater Fredericksburg The Beasts of Braverly Grove 10/17-11/15, Days/Times TBD The Stables Theater @ The Overtime Theater The Game’s Afoot 10/24-25, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm 10/30, Thu @ 7:30pm 11/1, Sat @ 7:30pm 11/2, Sun@ 2:30pm 11/7-8, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Playhouse 2000 @ Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater Kerrville

The Trojan Women 10/25-11/15, Thu @ 7:30pm Sat @ 8pm, Sun @ 2:30pm (no shows on Friday) Sheldon Vexler Theatre @ Barshop Jewish Community Center

Ballet San Antonio Dracula 10/16-19, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

America’s Test Kitchen Live with Christopher Kimball 10/28, Tue @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Comedy

A Very Special Evening with Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home Companion 10/29, Wed @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Opera Opera San Antonio Fantastic Mr. Fox 9/23, Tue @ 7:30pm 9/26-28, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Dance So You Think You Can Dance: Season 11 Tour 10/6, Mon @ 8pm Majestic Theatre

Mike Yard 9/3-7, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Bob Biggerstaff 9/3-7, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Mike Burton 9/10-14, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Bryan Callen 9/12-14, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Willie Barcena 9/17-21, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club September/October 2014 | On The Town 37

Jim Short 9/17-21, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Todd Glass 10/2-5, Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Joe DeVito 10/22-26, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Bill Cosby: Far From Finished 9/19, Fri @ 8pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Lisa Landry 10/8-12, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

George Lopez: Listen to My Face Tour 10/24-25, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Majestic Theatre

Corey Rodrigues 9/24-9/28, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Rodney Carrington: Laughter’s Good 9/26, Fri @ 8pm Majestic Theatre Bruce Bruce 9/26-28, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Andy Beningo 10/1, Wed @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Hypnotist Gary Conrad 10/1-5, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Sat @ 5:30pm (family friendly show), 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Felipe Esparze 10/9-12, Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Adam Carolla 10/10, Fri @ 8pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Ward Anderson 10/15-19, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Pat Hazell 10/16, Thu @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Kevin Nealon 10/17-18, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

38 On The Town | September/October 2014

Nick Swardson: Taste It Tour 10/29, Wed @ 8pm Majestic Theatre Andy Gross 10/29-11/2, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Sean Donnelly 10/29-11/2, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Jeanne Robertson 10/30, Thu @ 7:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Children’s Shrek The Musical 9/3, Wed @ 10:30am 9/5, Fri @ 10:30am & 7pm 9/6, Sat @ 2pm 9/9-27, Tue-Thu @ 9:45am & 11:30am Fri @ 9:45am, 11:30am & 7pm Sat @ 2pm The Magik Theatre

Disney Junior Live On Tour!

Pirate & Princess Adventure 9/7, Sun @ 1pm, 4pm & 7pm Lila Cockrell Theatre The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia Children’s Fine Arts Series 10/6, Mon @ 9:45am, 11:45am & 6:30pm H-E-B Performance Hall Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Miss Nelson is Missing 10/10, Fri @ 10:30am & 7pm 10/11, Sat @ 2pm 10/14-11/8, Tue-Thu @ 9:45am & 11:30am Fri @ 9:45am, 11:30am & 7pm Sat @ 2pm The Magik Theatre Theater Tots Children’s Theater Little Red Riding Hood 10/15-30, Wed-Thu & Sat @ 10am Rose Theatre Company

Exhibitions ARTPACE Summer 2014 International Artist-In-Residence Exhibition Kader Attia Margaret Meehan Jungeun Lee N’Gone Fall, Curator Now thru 9/14

September/October 2014 | On The Town 39

Fall 2014 International Artist-In-Residence Takashi Arai Tokyo, Japan Adam Helms Brooklyn, New York Anna Krachey Austin, Texas Mika Yoshitake, curator In Residence – 9/16-11/17 Exhibition – 11/13-1/11

BIHL HAUS ARTS

Hudson Showroom Invasive Species Landscapes by Justin Boyd, Adriana Corral and Joey Fauerso 9/11-1/4

BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM

Window Works Jimmy James Canales 9/11-1/4 BLUE STAR CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM Code-Mixing Caroline Santa 9/4-11/9 Dark and Lovely Jennifer Datchuk 9/4-11/9 Emergence Catherine Lee 9/4-11/9 Lane Pittard 9/4-9/28 Tommy Gregory 10/2-11/9

Hot! Now – 9/13 Anthropocene Paintings and Drawings

by Antonio Serna Opening mid-October (exact dates TBD)

Yanaguana Indian Arts Market 10/4-5, 10am-5pm INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES

Converging Texas Now thru 10/5

Adam (Public Artwork)

By Arturo Herrera 25’ h x 98’ w, Frost Bank Garage Commerce at Main Now thru 12/2016 McNAY ART MUSEUM Intimate Impressionism from the National Gallery of Art 9/3-1/4 GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER Museo Gaudalupe Flatland Now thru 10/11 SAN ANTONIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

Texas Contemporary Artists Series Now thru 10/26

Art in the Garden 2014 (In conjunction with Blue Star Contemporary Art Center) Now thru 1/31/15

Texas Art Quilts and Modern Masterpieces 9/5-1/11

Nature Connects: Art with Lego ® Bricks 9/6-1/4

LINDA PACE FOUNDATION

SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART

Pace Gems: Selections from the Linda Pace Foundation Permanent Collection SPACE:The Linda Pace Foundation Gallery Now thru 9/13

Diego Rivera in San Antonio: A Small Focus Exhibition (On Display at Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art at SAMA)

40 On The Town | September/October 2014

Matisse: Life in Color Now thru 9/7 The Art Books of Henri Matisse: Works from the Bank of America Collection Now Thru 9/7 Sylvia Blocher: The Color of Confusion 9/20-12/28 Racies Americanos: Recent Acquisitions of Pre-Columbian Art Mid-October – February SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART Altering Space 9/11-11/9 Corona: Kate Ritson 9/11-11/9 Long, Long Journey to the Sea: Timothy McCoy 9/11-11/8 WITTE MUSEUM Julian Onderdonk in New York: The Lost Years, The Lost Paintings Now thru 9/1 Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body Now thru 11/3

Two Women Look West: Photographs of King Ranch by Rancher Helen C. Kleberg and NY Fashion 9/19-1/4 H-E-B Body Adventure Now Open

Miscellaneous Tejas Rodeo Thru 11/29, Sat @ 7:30pm Tejas Rodeo Company Arena

Zootennial Thru 12/31 San Antonio Zoo San Antonio-The Saga 9/2-12/31, Tue, Fri, Sat & Sun @ 9pm San Fernando Cathedral Main Plaza Primer Sabado y Domingo Mariachis y Folklorics 9/6-7, Sat-Sun / 1p-6pm Market Square Pearl Farmer’s Market 9/6-10/25. Sat / 9am-1pm Pearl Brewery Complex

Bud Light Taste of the River Walk 9/9-11, Tue-Thu / 6-8pm San Antonio River Walk Good Taste with Tanji Girls Night Out 9/10, Wed / 3:30pm8:30pm The Club at Sonterra 2014 Alzafar Shrine Circus 9/11, Thu @ 7:15pm 9/12, Fri @ 10am & 8pm 9/13, Sat @ 10:30am, 3pm & 8pm 9/14, Sun @ 10:30am, 2:30pm & 7:30pm Freeman Coliseum

International Accordion Festival 9/13, Sat / 12-11pm La Villita Historic Arts Village

Fiesta Patrias 9/13-14, Sat-Sun / 12-11pm Market Square San Antonio Charro Association Charreada 9/14, Sun @ 3pm Charro Ranch Arena

September/October 2014 | On The Town 41

Jazz’SALive 9/20-21 Travis Park Old Gruene Market Days 9/20-21, 10/18-19 Sat-Sun / 10am-5pm Gruene Historic District San Antonio Rodeo Bar-B-Que Cookoff & Festival 9/25-27, Thu-Sat / Times TBD Freeman Coliseum Grounds / Expo Hall Alamo City Comic Con 9/26-28, Fri-Sun Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Hispanic Heritage Celebration 9/27-28, Sat-Sun 12-10pm Market Square 17th Annual Huevos Rancheros Gala 10/4, Sat / 9am-12pm Guadalupe Plaza Jazz at Leon Valley 10/4-5, Sat-Sun @ 12pm Raymond Rimkus Park 28th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Fest 10/9-12 Gruene Historic District

2014 San Antonio Beer Festival 9/18, Sat / 1-6pm Maverick Park Women in the World Texas 10/22, Wed @ 9am Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Dance with the Dead 10/24, Fri / 8-11pm Intitute of Texan Cultures

Sandi Patty Courtesy First Baptist Church

Marc Anthony Courtesy marcanthonyonline.com

Max Stalling Courtesy maxstalling.com

Page 35 (L-R)

Larry Gatlin Courtesy gatlinbrothers. musiccitynetworks.com Page 32 (L-R) Antonio Pompa-Baldi Courtesy dianesaldick.com

Beatrice Rana Photo by Neda Navaee Phillip Phillips Courtesy phillipphillips. com Page 36 (L-R)

22nd Annual Texas Clay Festival 10/25-26, Sat-Sun Buck Pottery-Gruene Historic District

Demi Lovato Courtesy demilovato.com

Ringo Starr Courtesy Tobin Center for the Performing Arts

Kevin Fowler Courtesy liveatfloores.com

The Beach Boys Photo by Robert Matheau

Photo Credits

Renee Fleming Photo by Decca – Andrew Eccles

Kelly O’Connor Photo by Dario Acosta

Page 28 (L-R) Carlos Izcaray Courtesy carlosizcaray.com Jason Mraz Photo by Justin Ruhl Gary P. Nunn Courtesy liveatfloores.com Vikki Carr Courtesy vikkicarr.com Page 30 (L-R) Los Lonely Boys Courtesy loslonelyboys. com

42 On The Town | September/October 2014

Page 33 (L-R) Bellamy Brothers Courtesy liveatfloores.com Almost Patsy Cline Band Courtesy liveatfloores.com Page 34 (L-R) Chris Knight Courtesy chrisknight.com Martina McBride Courtesy martinamcbride. com Ian-Anderson Courtesy jethrotull.com

Jerusalem Quartet Photo by Felix Broede Page 37 (L-R) Clint Black Courtesy clintblack.com Voca People Courtesy Boerne Performing Arts Page 38 (L-R) Two Tons of Steel Courtesy twotons.net Kacey Musgraves Courtesy kaceymusgraves. com

Dave Mason Courtesy davemasonmusic.com

Kirill Gerstein Photo by Marco Borggeve

Chris Botti Photo by Fabrizio Ferri

Beauty and The Beast Photo by Joan Marcus

Page 40 (L-R) Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Courtesy bbvd.com Tab Benoit Photo by Native New Orleanian Fine Photography-Jerry Moran

Page 41 (L-R) Nice Work If You Can Get It Photo by Jeremy Daniel Lisa Landry Courtesy lolsanantonio. com

Page 42 (L-R)

Page 43 (L-R)

Kevin Nealon Colurtesy kevinnealon. com

Nice Work If You Can Get It Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Adam Carolla Courtesy Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Tomoki Sakata Courtesy cliburn.org

Pat Hazell Courtesy lolsanantonio. com George Lopez Courtesy Majestic Theatre

Sebastian Lang-Lessing Courtesy San Antonio Symphony Troy Peters Courtesy Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

September/October 2014 | On The Town 43

44 On The Town | September/October 2014

Culinary Arts

46-56

September/October 2014 | On The Town 45

46 On The Town | September/October 2014

THE GRILL AT LEON SPRINGS Cooking from the heart, with love

By Olivier J. Bourgoin, a.k.a. Olivier the Wine Guy Photography Greg Harrison

M

ost of the tables were full, late on a midsummer weeknight at the popular Grill at Leon Springs. The meal revealed the reason why it’s so popular: the snapper was cooked to ” perfection, tasty and well-seasoned, as expected at a restaurant known for its plum fish dishes.

Executive chef Thierry Burkle, originally from Paris, has worked in San Antonio for about 30 years, including at L’Etoile, formerly in Alamo Heights, which he co-owned with his current business partner Armand Obadia and Frédérick Costa (who now owns Frédérik’s restaurant and Frédérik’s Bistro).

for the season. The fruit, as well as all the produce is farmto-table, grown locally, Burkle said.

Next was a splendid agnolotti, a moon-shaped ravioli filled with lamb, pork, spinach and mushrooms in a parmesan and sour cream sauce with a hint of nutmeg. For dessert, there was a passion fruit mousse without reproach.

In French (since we are both natives), Burkle described his philosophy about food and cooking: “Our food is prepared with a lot of simplicity. We don’t use flour in our sauces, just simple reductions, to bring out the full flavor of the ingredients themselves. You have to But what Burkle is best known for in San Antonio’s inner respect the ingredients. In France, we don’t use too culinary circles is not just his talent as a chef in general many spices. We do the same here. You have to let the but for being especially gifted when it comes to the ingredients speak for themselves.” preparation of fish. As recently as two months ago, during an unrelated interview, John Russ, executive chef The consensus is that Burkle is well-liked by his patrons, at LÜKE’S Restaurant on the River, praised Burkle as one not only for the food he serves but also for the friendly of the individuals who paved the way for the tremendous atmosphere of his restaurant. Burkle’s congeniality is contagious, and on the evening of my visit he interrupted culinary strides San Antonio is experiencing today. his dinner a few times to greet his regular customers, “There is so much going on in our profession in San even kissing a few ladies on the hand.

Antonio right now; it’s exciting,” Russ said. “Much of the groundwork was done by some of the chefs who Before it became a restaurant, the building that hosts established the standard for excellence in this city: Bruce the Grill at Leon Springs was a stable and then a barn. It (Auden, of Biga), Thierry (Burkle, of the Grill at Leon is reputed to have been a stagecoach stop in the 1850s, Springs), Mark (Bliss, of Bliss Southtown) and Andrew as well as an airplane hangar and hardware store in the Weissman (Il Sogno, Sand Bar, The Luxury). They paved 1970s. Then it became home to Phil Romano’s original Macaroni Grill until a flash flood reduced the venerable the road for what is happening today.” building to an unusable shell of its former self. After On the day of my meal, the courses that preceded Burkle and Obadia took it over, the building underwent the snapper also were worthy of mention, offering massive renovations, including flood-prevention measures. A new entrance, adorned with massive refreshingly cool tastes on a warm summer day. wooden doors, was punched into the south wall, and The meal began with cold tomato soup with crab what had previously been the front door was walled-in meat, a chilled bowl of fragrant, silky smoothness to become an extension of the kitchen. interrupted only by the generous chunks of delicious crab meat floating in it. The main course was a delight In addition to the dinner menu, the Grill offers a lunch menu as well, served with fresh haricots verts and homemade and an early bird menu, as well as expansive happy hour fare linguini, accompanied by a lovely wine from Stags Leap. and a Sunday brunch that twice was voted the best brunch in San Antonio in the San Antonio Express-News.

A surprise combination awaited in the salad course: watermelon and feta cheese, delicious and appropriate Other popular dishes featured on the current menu (which September/October 2014 | On The Town 47

changes seasonally) are blackened Gulf drum, topped with avocado relish, with roasted potatoes in lemonbutter sauce; smoked pork tenderloin in a poblanomushroom sauce, served with scalloped potatoes; and the Grill’s famous crab cakes, accompanied by a crisp Asian slaw in a sweet sesame soy vinaigrette. “I like to use rice vinegar because it is fragrant, yet light,” Burkle said.

“We put out a fantastic spread for Sunday brunch,” he said. “We offer 18 different salads, five main courses and an omelette station, a waffle station , two kinds of soups, and it’s all prepared from scratch, nothing frozen. We try to mix it up with usually a fish dish, some beef, veggies, some pork and always with at least one dish with focus on a different region, like maybe a Thai-inspired dish or a Mexican specialty. We want our clients to enjoy different options with each visit, or they can choose a more classic dish like our eggs Benedict.”

and we make very small profit margins, but it’s a tradition and our customers enjoy it.”

The early bird menu is available seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., offering a three-course meal for a fixed price, with healthy and delicious entrée options such as snapper with beurre blanc. Also, every Tuesday wines are half price.

But even the regular menu features something for everyone. “If you’re on a budget, we have some options for you as well. Overall, we keep our prices very reasonable,” the chef said.

Burkle said that within the next several months, he plans to add a taco truck, with food only to go or to eat on the patio.

The truck will be open only in the afternoon, during the hours between lunch and dinner, when the restaurant is not open. The menu will include some classic Mexican dishes.

The 10,000-square-foot restaurant employs 60 people with room for about 250 guests inside, plus “We are not going to re-invent the wheel,” he said. “We another 3,000 square feet of patio space with room to are going to mix Mexican classics with French savoir faire, a mixture of simplicity and flair. In our kitchen, we don’t accommodate an additional 100 patrons. work like robots; we are conscientious about what we do.

“The top five or six entrées we serve are all fish or seafood: We cook everything from the heart, with love.” redfish, halibut, scallops, sea bass, snapper or grouper, crab cakes and tilapia -- pretty much in that order,” the THE GRILL AT LEON SPRINGS chef said. “We also have our annual Lobster Festival 24116 IH-10 West, San Antonio, TX 78257 (during the month of August). We don’t charge much, 210-698-8797, www.leonspringsgrill.com 48 On The Town | September/October 2014

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FLAT CREEK ESTATE VINEYARD & WINERY:

Wine and fine food in the Hill Country

By Olivier J. Bourgoin, aka Olivier the Wine Guy Photography by Peary Photography

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.lat Creek Estate Vineyard & Winery in Marble Falls started out with a bang – an April Fools bang that is, but it was no joke. On April 1, 2000, the winery staff along with 60 dedicated volunteers planted 6,000 vines in only six hours.

purposely calls “Grigio: and “Bianco,” instead of “Gris” and “Blanc”).

The names were selected to make the wines more reflective of an Italian style, rather than a French style, said Amanda Koraska, director of business operations.

“We also grow three other varietals for the making of our port: Touriga, Tinto Cão and Tinto Madera.”

Today, Flat Creek Estate grows 10 types of grape varietals, including Muscat Canelli, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Syrah and Montepulciano, as well as “My favorite is our ’Super Texan,’ ” Koraska said. “Super Pinot Grigio and Pinot Bianco (which Flat Creek Texan (is) a clever play on words and a reference to 50 On The Town | September/October 2014

the more well-known ‘Super Tuscan’ wines hailing from the famous Tuscany region of Italy. Our Super Texan has won two gold medals at the San Francisco International Competition in what was only its second vintage. I also like our Estate Syrah. The current vintage is 2010.” As its name implies, all the grapes for this wine are grown at Flat Creek Estate.

“Because of the summer heat, I also enjoy our Pinot Grigio because it is crisp, clean and refreshing,” Koraska said.

produced axis venison and locally raised beef.”

In fact, that is exactly what owners Rick and Madelyn Naber wanted to create when they started Flat Creek Estate. They wanted not only to build a top-notch winery but also for it to be a destination winery. To that effect, they hired chef Sean Fulford, who was named as one of the best new chefs by the Austin American-Statesman in 2005. On the company’s website, Fulford said, “It has been my experience that beautiful surroundings and exceptional wine Another important aspect of the Flat Creek Estate will always inspire amazing food. Outside Northern operation is the chef-driven restaurant. “Because California, there are few place in the country a chef there are no other wineries nearby, we want to be would have the opportunity to craft signature dishes known as a destination where people can come and alongside a winemaker of this caliber and owners spend all day -- a place to enjoy either fine dining or this passionate.” a more family friendly experience with pizza and a salad,” Karaska said. “We offer both, the fine dining Of the 80 total acres on the property, 20 are currently and the wood-fired pizza oven. Not to be missed under vine. In a good year, Flat Creek Estate will grow is our chef-prepared three-course lunches which about 50 percent of its own grapes with another 30 include wine pairings. There is always something new percent to 40 percent coming from other parts of on the menu. Our menu is full of very Texas-centric Texas (some from the High Plains-Lubbock area and offerings; seasonal berries, fruits and veggies, locally also from other growers in the Hill Country). The other September/October 2014 | On The Town 51

10 percent to 20 percent comes from California, and those grapes are used to make wines that are mostly sold to Flat Creek Wine Club members.

“A few years ago, we ran into some problems with Pierce’s Disease (or “Xylella Fastidiosa,” a common plant pathogen that kills grape vines),” Karaska said.

“We worked with Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Extension Service to find different treatment options, and we got that under control now. More recently, though, we have been dealing with another disease called Cotton Root Rot, and we are working with A&M again to develop some solutions.”

one. Yesterday I had the special featured steak but otherwise, if I’m having pizza it’s usually the smoked salmon pizza.” The pizza is made with homemade smoked salmon, almond dill pesto, Meyer Lemon zest, fresh ricotta and shredded mozzarella. Its suggested pairing is Pinot Grigio 2013. “Otherwise, one of my all-time favorites is the wood-fired grilled mixed seasonal vegetable plate,” Naber said.

Every first Saturday of the month, visitors can experience a four-course wine dinner which includes new menu items paired with current and library vintages, some of which are available only with those dinners. The courses menu changes monthly When I spoke to Madelyn Naber recently, the day and features clean, rustic fare such as roasted after harvest, she said: “Harvest was excellent this cauliflower soup, stuffed quail and braised short ribs. year. We had good moisture early, followed by some Daily flatbread specials, cheeses and extraordinary nice hot days with cooler nights, and the quality of desserts also are included in the Bistro’s offerings. the grapes is excellent. When you see 2014 on the label it should be a great vintage.”

It may never be quite like Sonoma, nor does it need to be, but the Texas Hill Country viticulture area was Asked about her favorite offerings on her restaurant’s named one of the 10 best wine travel destinations menu, Naber said: “Oh my goodness! That’s a tough in the February 2014 Wine Enthusiast magazine. Flat 52 On The Town | September/October 2014

Creek Estate Vineyard & Winery was named one of Food and Wine magazine’s “50 Most Amazing Places to Taste Wine in America.”

Many people are unaware that with more than 270 bonded wineries -- and counting -- Texas now ranks as the fifth wine-producing state in the nation behind California, Oregon, Washington and New York. With an annual production of nearly 9,000 cases, Flat Creek Estate is doing its part.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Flat Creek Estate Winery: 24912 Singleton Bend East, Marble Fallsa, TX 78654 512-267-6310, www.flatcreekestate.com Tasting room hours: Closed Monday. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Bistro hours: Closed Monday. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Reservations required.

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MARCH OF DIMES SIGNATURE CHEFS AUCTION Oct. 24 at Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa

By Kimberly Gardner Photograph courtesy March of Dimes

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t the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction, signatures make more than just a mark on paper. They make a mark on someone’s life.

With this support research can be done. Vaccines can be discovered. Babies can simply be babies.

54 On The Town | September/October 2014

Join co-chairs Sanjie Garza-Cox and Erica Castro at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa for an exciting evening while raising funds and increasing awareness of the March of Dimes’ mission to improve the health of babies.

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ead chef Heather Nañez from Bohanan’s and other top local chefs will prepare their signature dishes to honor stronger, healthier babies. In addition to sampling cuisine from San Antonio’s finest restaurants and chefs, guests also will enjoy premium wine tastings and have the opportunity to bid on exclusive auction packages (donated by chefs) that may include fine dining, resort stays, spa vacations and more.

Confirmed 2014 Signature Chefs and restaurants are: Heather Nañez (Bohanan’s), Derek Lomax (Bob’s Steak and Chop House), Jeff White (Boiler House), Eduardo Franco (Brio Tuscan Grille), Isaac Cantu (Cordillera Ranch), Steven McHugh (Cured), Justin Johnson (Max’s Wine Dive), Stephen Paprocki (NuStar Energy), Chuck Hernandez (O’liva), Samuel Boisjoly (Omni Colonnade), Scott Ronczkowski (SeaWorld), Mike Bomberg (Spice of Life), James Draper (Spring “We are very grateful for the leadership of this year’s House Cafe), Tyler Horstmann (Tejas Rodeo), Jason chairs, chefs and committee members -- all of their hard Dady (Umai Mi), Diana Barrios Trevino (Viola’s work and dedication are making this event a reality,” Ventanas), Nedra Harris (Werner’s) and James Moore. said KJ Feder, March of Dimes San Antonio Division executive director. “Signature Chefs is the idea that a dish Signature Chefs Auction’s elegant combination of or mark on paper can translate into saving babies’ lives fabulous food, great wines, good company, priceless through financial support. Without it, we would not be auction packages and a great cause will cook up an able to carry out our foundation’s mission on a local level evening to remember. through research, programs, education and advocacy.”

All proceeds will benefit the March of Dimes and its For more information, contact calvarado@marchofdimes. mission to improve the health of babies by preventing com or 210-515-4842. birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Coriander Encrusted Salmon With Orange Vinaigrette Recipe courtesy chef Heather Nañez, Bohanan’s • 2 salmon filets (7 ounces each) • 6 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate (separated) • ½ teaspoon kosher salt • ½ teaspoon coriander • ¼ teaspoon brown sugar • ¼ teaspoon peppercorn mélange (ground) • 5 cups fresh spinach • 1 medium orange, peeled segmented • 2 green onions, thinly sliced • ¼ cup chopped walnuts (toasted) • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 garlic clove (minced)

Brush salmon with 4 tablespoons orange juice concentrate. Season with salt, coriander, sugar and pepper. Grill salmon covered over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

In a small bowl whisk vinegar, oil, garlic and remaining 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, orange segments, green onions and walnuts. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and top with salmon.

Note: The spinach in this dish is high in folic acid, a B vitamin that is essential in reducing the risk for birth defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects (NTDs). The best way to get enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid before pregnancy and eat healthy foods. To learn more, visit www. marchofdimes.com/folic-acid.

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56 On The Town | September/October 2014

Visual Arts

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Five years, 12 artists

By James M. Benavides

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rt lends a fascinating, self-reflective quality to culture. Artists use their surroundings and life experiences as the inspiration for their work.

When life experience includes years in Texas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and the Hill Country, the art becomes a chronicle for a way of life, perfectly suited to display at the Institute of Texan Cultures.

Five years ago, UTSA art specialist Arturo Infante Almeida approached the Institute of Texan Cultures about starting a Texas Contemporary Artists Series. Five years and 12 artists later, the series has reached its conclusion with a group show on display through Oct. 26.

58 On The Town | September/October 2014

The series’ five-year run exhibited photography, canvases, sculpture, textiles and more. Subjects have included abstract and surreal pieces, folk-inspired renditions of classic portraits, a year captured in photographs, signs and symbols from a city’s collective memory and a variety of other subjects.

The Te xas Conte mp orar y A r tist s S eries wa s est ab lished to showc ase t he t al e nt s o f s o me of Texas’ p remier ar t ist s. Alm ei da de s c r i b e d t he feat ured ar t ist s and unifying t h e me o f t h e ser ies: t heir wor k emb od ies a b ol d vi s i o n a n d an unb r id led exub erance t hat e n c a p s u l ate s Tex an c ult ure.

Participating artists either were born in Texas or have perspective and depth to our identity and humanity. It been long-time Texas residents, with Texas inspiring enables us to contemplate and understand the world and informing their work: landscapes, people, customs around us.” and cultures, colors, cities and symbols.

In the first year of artworks, Luis Valderas incorporated “We’ve seen unique perspectives of big Texas cities and classic Aztec iconography into contemporary styles small towns,” Almeida said, “and we’ve seen landscapes and images. Leigh Ann Lester created amalgamations captured in painstaking, hand-drawn detail. We’ve seen of Texas plant life and speculated on what could be styles and techniques that recall great Texas artists from created if humanity intervened in the development of the past. The range of subjects and styles these artists new plant species. have shown us has been fascinating and brilliant.”

Later in the series, Henry Cardenas experimented Almeida does not point at any particular artist as a with shape, color and space in a series of abstracts. favorite, but looks at the entire body of work as a single Rex Hausmann incorporated San Antonio landmarks, narrative, telling us about ourselves and where we live. including the Olmos Pharmacy marquee, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q signs, Butterkrust Bread packaging and more “That’s the very definition of culture,” said ITC into his “Ithaca” series. Franco Mondini-Ruiz drew executive director Angelica Docog. “Culture is the inspiration from Onderdonk and Salinas, who famously sum of everything that defines a way of life. Art adds captured Texas landscapes and bluebonnets.

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A video accompanying the exhibit includes conversations with Rex Hausmann, Franco Mondini-Ruiz and Carmen Oliver, each expressing their thoughts on how they create art, their processes, inspirations and actual techniques as they apply paint to canvas.

Almeida’s goal for the series was to showcase the work of some of today’s Texas stars, as well as “diamonds in the rough” – artists he has followed, on the verge of great breakthroughs. When the series began, Almeida opined that Texas is fast becoming one of the most progressive and exciting art scenes on the horizon.

The full roster of participating artists includes: · Luis Valderas · Leigh Ann Lester · Carmen Oliver · Henry Cardenas · Luis M. Garza 60 On The Town | September/October 2014

· · · · · · ·

Rex Hausmann Henry Catenacci Franco Mondini-Ruiz Ana Fernandez Luisa Wheeler Pepe Serna Lauren Browning

Art exhibits at the Institute of Texan Cultures will continue with Modern Masterpieces by Texas Quilters and Texas Art Quilts, Sept. 5 through Jan. 11; and the Fifth Annual Distinguished Artist Veterans Exhibit, Nov. 6 through Jan. 4.

More details are available at TexanCultures.com The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures is located in HemisFair Park, 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd., a short distance from the Alamo and the River Walk. Regular hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m.

Sunday. 210-458-2300.

Ph oto Cre d i t s :

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Page 58 (L-R)

Kyle Rex Hausmann

El Principe Carmen Oliver Linear Topography Henry Cardenas Page 59 (L-R) Wildflowers II Franco Mondini-Ruiz Figure Ana Fernandez

La Ezperanza Pepe Serna Page 61 (L-R) Boy in Summer Henry Catenacci Tres Rothko Mariachis Luis Valderas

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62 On The Town | September/October 2014

Nature Connects:

ART WITH LEGO BRICKS Garden-inspired sculptures at San Antonio Botanical Garden

By Tracy Lowe

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et ready to see incredible LEGO brick sculptures this fall at the San Antonio Botanical Garden.

Beginning Sept. 6 and continuing through Jan. 4, Nature Connects: Art With LEGO Bricks features 500,000 LEGO bricks, 27 amazing sculptures and 14 incredible displays, for one unique experience.

As an adult with a desk job for 10 years, Kenney would come home from the office every day and play with his LEGO bricks. One day he hung up his tie, left the office, and devoted his life to merging his interest in the visual arts with his love of LEGO toys. Kenney also has written a series of bestselling picture-book building guides for children, Walk under an 8-foot-tall hummingbird, stand several of which will be for sale in the Garden Gate beside a 7-foot rose, go nose-to-nose with a 5-foot Gift Shop, including Cool Cars and Trucks, Cool City, butterfly, and then try your hand at building and Cool Robots. in the LEGO Brickyard. Inspired by nature and built from nearly half a million LEGO pieces, the Unlike traditional media, the LEGO brick exhibit features 27 larger-than-life sculptures that immediately connects with many people on a represent the web of incredible connections that personal level because it’s part of their childhood. sustain life on Earth, created by artist Sean Kenney. Kenney sparks creativity in viewers, especially children, who visualize creating something great Kenney doesn’t work for the LEGO company, but he and then go home and do so. might be their best customer. He was the first of now only 13 LEGO certified professionals worldwide, How does he do it? Kenney’s favorite way to start who are not LEGO employees but are officially a sculpture is to sit down with a big pile of LEGO recognized as trusted business partners because pieces and just start building. He’s been doing it of their building proficiency, their enthusiasm that way since he was a child. The largest sculpture for the LEGO brick and building system, and their at the garden will be the mother bison, made from professional approach toward other LEGO fans and 45,143 bricks. the broader public.

For more information about the artist, and to view The New York Times calls Kenney ’s work the “artistic other works, visit http://www.seankenney.com. elite” of LEGO building. The award-winning “professional kid” (Kenney likes to tell people Nature Connects: Art With LEGO Bricks is made he’s really only 12 years old) uses LEGO pieces possible by the sponsorship of the Robert J. to design and create contemporary sculpture for Kleberg Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, the high-profile clients, including botanical gardens USAA Foundation, Gretchen Swanson Family around the country and currently four exhibits Foundation Inc., the Ruth Lang Charitable Fund and Frances Margaret Seaver Fund of the San Antonio touring internationally.

September/October 2014 | On The Town 63

Area Foundation, City of San Antonio Department for Cultural and Creative Development, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dickson-Allen Foundation, Candy Katz Gardner, Genevieve and Ward Orsinger Foundation and Nathalie and Gladys Dalkowitz Trust.

Take the family and enjoy a full day at the garden.

Stop in for a beverage or bite to eat at the Carriage House Bistro, open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, and for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Entrance into the exhibit is included with garden admission. San Antonio Public Library cardholders will receive $1 off general admission by showing their card when purchasing admission.

The San Antonio Botanical Garden is operated under the auspices of the City of San Antonio Department of Parks and Recreation and is open year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. For more information, visit www.sabot.org or call 210-207-3250.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Photo Credits: Page 62 Fox and Rabbit Page 64 (Above) Goldfinches (Below) Koi

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66 On The Town | September/October 2014

Bill FitzGibbons: After Blue Star

By Dan R. Goddard Photography Greg Harrison

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orders and underpasses have been occupying Bill FitzGibbons’ time since he stepped down last year after more than a decade as director of the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum to concentrate on his career as a socially engaged public artist and sculptor. He’s garnering international acclaim for his exhibits and his public art projects utilizing LED light installations.

On the border, FitzGibbons has a timely oneman show, Right Side/Wrong Side, at McAllen’s International Museum of Art & Science that runs through Sept. 14. Featuring a life-size replica of a section of the 12-foot high border fence, the exhibit examines the volatile issues sparked by illegal immigration. But the fence has a gap in the middle of it, symbolic of the only partially completed sections of the federally funded fence along the border, as well as ladders that can be easily used to climb over the border barrier.

“We had dancers from Mexico on the U.S. side, and I used an American dancer to represent an immigrant trying to cross the fence as a way of challenging people’s perception of the problems along the border,” FitzGibbons says.

Performers included Jenny Brown and Meg Brooker, faculty members at San Antonio’s Northwest Vista College, and three dancers from Tempo Danza Jazz Flamenco based in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, México: Liliana Balberto, Bianca Chávez and Abraham Lezama.

A video of the Right Side/Wrong Side performance can be found on the Facebook page for Forecast Public Art.

Along with the border fence installation, the McAllen exhibit includes several of FitzGibbons’ “fire drawings” created using an oxy-acetylene torch to burn ghostly, circular patterns on the surface of primed birch plywood.

“The choice of fire as a drawing medium was made not “I always welcome the opportunity to go into a only for its characteristics of light, but also in reference community and engage with social issues through to my earlier pyrotechnic sculpture performances,” sculpture and performances,” FitzGibbons says. FitzGibbons says. “Light in all forms has always been a “Right Side/Wrong Side is a response to the geo- medium that influences my work – light as color, space political environment that raises the question of and medium.” which is the right side and which is the wrong side of the border. The border fence becomes a platform One of his most recent public art projects, LightRails, for a multicultural dance performance intervention.” an LED light installation in Birmingham, Ala., in a 1931

Art Deco railroad underpass connecting the city center He collaborated with San Antonio composer Chris to the newly developed Railroad Park, was nominated Guerra and dancers from both sides of the border for a national design award. on a performance piece that debuted in McAllen at the exhibit opening and was later repeated along a “I got a lot of international attention for my LightRails section of the actual border fence in Brownsville – project in Birmingham with write-ups in publications staged without the consent of the Texas border patrol. in Japan, Paris and Milan,” FitzGibbons says. “Nearly September/October 2014 | On The Town 67

every big city around the world has underpasses that are underused and neglected. But they make a perfect setting for an LED installation, which can completely change the character of an underpass making it more appealing, especially for pedestrians.”

With his brilliantly colored LED installations, FitzGibbons specializes in transforming once-dark and avoided urban underpasses into resplendent public thoroughfares, such as his Light Channels animating the I-37 underpasses at Commerce and Houston streets connecting downtown San Antonio to the East Side.

Currently, he’s working on plans for LED installations for four underpasses in Washington, D.C. He’s also created architectural installations, such as the San Antonio Colorline that emblazons the downtown Brady Green Clinic of the University Health System, and public spaces, such as the Culebra Plaza with a circle of 14-foot-tall LED-lit steel “beacons” at Gilbert Garza Park. On the drawing board are projects for VIA’s West Side Transit Center and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

Currently, FitzGibbons is included in Texas Sculpture Group 2014 curated by sculptor James Surls on view through Sept. 27 at Houston’s Lawndale Art Center. In early 2015, he will be one of six Texas artists featured in a group exhibit at the Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Art) in New Delhi, India. He’s also been invited to participate in San Antonio’s DiwaliSA, the Festival of Lights, which will be held Nov. 1 at Alamo Plaza.

“I’ve had a pretty full plate since leaving the Blue Star, but I’m not slowing down,” FitzGibbons says.

For the future, he’s planning to develop a mixed-use, multistory building across from his studio in the Lone Star Art District, also known as the South Flores Arts District. He’s been a driving force behind the sprawling Second Saturday in SoFlo art walk.

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“This is truly a grassroots artists community and one of the most active scenes in Texas,” FitzGibbons says.

“My plan is to develop a three-story building on the three lots we own across the street. The first floor will be retail, the second floor will have studio lofts for rent, and the top floor will be living quarters for Anne (his wife) and me. We’re talking to an architect and hope to begin construction in the fall of 2015. It’s an exciting time to be an artist in San Antonio.”

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Worldwide exhibition brings Paris to life at the McNay S

By Dawn Robinette

an Antonio’s international flavor takes on a distinc tly French accent this fall as the McNay Ar t Museum hosts Intimate Impressionism From the National Galler y of Ar t, an ex tensive exhibition of I mpressionist and post-Impressionist paintings on its first- ever worldwide tour. Organized by the National Galler y of Ar t, Washington, the exhibition will be on view at the McNay from Sept. 3 through Jan. 4 and comprises nearly 70 paintings, including works by Pierre -Auguste Renoir, 70 On The Town | September/October 2014

Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh.

Featuring a selection of intimately scaled still lifes, portraits and landscapes that are among the most beloved paintings at the National Gallery of Art, the exhibition is visiting Rome, Tokyo, San Francisco, Seattle and San Antonio, a true opportunity to enjoy such treasures so close to home. The collection has never toured before and offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy works on a smaller, more

intimate scale. The largest paintings are about 24 by 29 inches in size, while many are smaller.

Most of the works in the exhibit came to the National Gallery of Art from the personal collections formed

by Ailsa Mellon Bruce and her brother Paul Mellon, children of the museum’s founder, Andrew Mellon.

The efforts of Paul and his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon, on behalf of the gallery’s collection cemented the institution’s role as one of the world’s leading repositories of French modernist painting.

American collectors of the time — including Ailsa Mellon Bruce — was for French painting. Both women appear to have shared a love of painterly, spontaneous works that clearly show the artist’s hand. Their taste for freely executed, small-scale pictures was serendipitous, and the parallels between the collections will allow McNay visitors to compare and contrast intimate works by Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Bonnard and van Gogh, as well as Boudin, Sisley, Manet, Vollon, and Vuillard,” said William J. Chiego, McNay Art Museum director.

The McNay is an ideal venue for presenting Intimate ENJOYING ART FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES Impressionism: like the Mellons, Marion Koogler McNay assembled an art collection for her home, When the museum opens its doors to Intimate building a private collection ultimately destined Impressionism this fall, visitors will be greeted by for public enjoyment. a fantastic calendar of events and activities to entertain and delight everyone from the seasoned “Mrs. McNay’s preference, like that of many art aficionado to the casual observer who simply September/October 2014 | On The Town 71

enjoys viewing beautiful works of art.

To complement the exhibition, the McNay will feature special music performances, films, workshops and lectures created to entertain and engage guests and enhance the experience of viewing the exhibition. For instance, “OUI! Wednesdays,” a first of its kind series to be held on Wednesdays throughout Intimate Impressionism, will allow McNay visitors to fall in love with French countryside, culture and cuisine during weekly programs held at 2 p.m.

The McNay also is offering an array of special tours spotlighting different aspects of the collection for adult groups of 10 or more. From lunch and a tour to savoring sweet treats, coffee or cocktails with friends, “Bonjour Impressionism,” “Tour D’Art and Lunch,” “C’est Magnifique” and “Lovingly Marion” are a few of the special Intimate Impressionism tours created to help visitors savor every minute of the special exhibition.

A FAMILY AFFAIR To make sure no one misses the opportunity to enjoy Intimate Impressionism, the McNay is hosting a special family day from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26. “Bonjour Les Artistes!” will let visitors travel to Paris without leaving San Antonio, celebrating Impressionist artists while featuring activities throughout the museum. The event is free, allowing visitors to enjoy the museum and the Intimate Impressionism exhibition at no charge and is the only opportunity to see the masterworks featured in Intimate Impressionism at no cost throughout the exhibition’s stay in San Antonio.

LE MENU

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The McNay also is offering several opportunities to savor art and food during the exhibition.

Take advantage of “Tour D’Art and Lunch” every Wednesday, when visitors can enjoy a tour of Intimate Impressionism preceded or followed by lunch from Fresh Horizons Creative Catering, or enjoy “French Thursdays” from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday with a docent-led tour of the exhibition as well as curbside food-truck fare to the tune of a French music soundtrack. End the weekends on a high note with “Voila Sundays,” featuring extended exhibition

hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and another opportunity to enjoy food-truck fare and French music.

Leave the passports at home and head to the McNay Art Museum to celebrate the best of French culture, food, cuisine and art. For more information, visit www.mcnayart.org.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • Photo Credits: Page 70 Vincent van Gogh, Flower Beds in Holland, ca. 1883.

Oil on canvas on wood. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon.

Page 71 Auguste Renoir, Madame Monet and Her Son, 1874.

Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection.

Page 72 (Above) Auguste Renoir, Woman with a Cat, ca. 1875.

Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin E. Levy.

(Below) Paul Gauguin, Self‑Portrait Dedicated to Carrière, 1888 or 1889.

Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon.

Page 73 (Above) Edouard Vuillard, The Yellow Curtain, ca. 1893.

Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection.

(Below) Edgar Degas, Dancers Backstage, 1876/1883.

Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection.

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Literary Arts

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Book Talk:

76 On The Town | September/October 2014

M.M. McALLEN Author and Scholar Story and Photography by Jasmina Wellinghoff

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an Antonio author Mary Margaret McAllen – or M.M. McAllen – grew up around people with a strong interest in history. So it’s hardly surprising that she eventually earned a master’s degree in that discipline and ended up writing historical accounts of life in South Texas and Mexico. Her first book, I Would Rather Sleep in Texas, covers 200 years of tumult and change in the U.S.Mexico border region where her ancestors lived and ranched for generations. Her second work, A Brave Boy and a Good Soldier: John C.C. Hill and the Texas Expedition to Mier, written for young readers, is a biography of the little-known Texas boy named John C.C. Hill, who was captured and eventually adopted by Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who later became president of Mexico. Both books won the San Antonio Conservation Society’s Publications Award, in 2005 and 2007, respectively.

This year, Trinity University Press published McAllen’s newest oeuvre, Maximilian and Carlota, a meticulously researched account of the brief yet memorable reign of Prince Maximilian of Habsburg and his Belgian-born wife, Carlota, as emperor and empress of Mexico from 1864 to 1867. With the support of Mexican royalists, the Catholic Church and some European rulers, the young royal couple was chosen by Napoleon III of France (nephew of the great Napoleon Bonaparte) to establish a new monarchy in Mexico heavily supported by the French military. Napoleon was interested in exploiting the country’s resources and regaining a foothold in the New World while the United States was engaged in its Civil War and unwilling to intervene. Despite the couple’s eagerness to do

right by their new subjects, the whole affair ended tragically, with the execution of Maximilian by Benito Juarez’s forces.

A Publishers Weekly review described the book as “authoritative, detailed and engrossing.”

JW: Tell us a bit about your background and your interest in history.

MMM: I grew up on a ranch in South Texas with a handful of historians. All we did is talk about history. My grandmother (Margaret McAllen) wrote history books. I went on to major in English but some time later I completed a master’s in history. I try to tell history in a way that people can understand, as a narrative. Many historians don’t write in a narrative form anymore. But that’s one thing my grandmother as well as (historian) T.R. Fehrenbach used to tell me:”You have to tell history in a way that the general public can relate to.” My grandmother was passionate about history.

She started what is now a big museum, called the Museum of South Texas, near McAllen.

JW: Your first book, I Would Rather Sleep in Texas, was, in part, about your own family.

MMM: Yes, that’s how I started. My family has papers dating back to the 1700s because, before we were Texans and before we were Mexicans, we were Spaniards. My grandmother was the first to undertake writing a family history. In 1995 when she was dying, she said, “I won’t be able to finish this book. I want you to finish it.” It was heartrending to September/October 2014 | On The Town 77

me because she was like my mother. After she died I started looking through the documentary materials at the ranch and found letters our forebears wrote about major history-changing events in Texas and Mexico … It was interesting to see how the melding of people from north and south influenced history and how both the old-timers and newcomers had to adapt to survive in a harsh region. So I decided that the story could be much bigger than just about our family. It became a history of the region as affected by large historical changes.

JW: How did you develop an interest in Maximilian and Carlota’s reign?

MMM: As a child I traveled in Mexico a great deal.

I had an aunt and uncle in Cuernavaca, and they and other people would talk about Maximilian and Carlota almost as if they were still alive.

Memories of their court and the European ways they introduced were still around in Cuernavaca.

As a child I visited a lot of the sites (related to the empire), including Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City (the former imperial residence). One day about 10 years ago, I was in New York and walked into a gallery on 57 th Street where I found this photograph of Maximilian in his coffin and bought it. It’s in the book. Simultaneous to that, two friends of mine had purchased collections of memorabilia from the court of Maximilian, which included various documents. I took it as a sign that I could undertake new research on Maximilian and Carlota, whose story intrigued me. (Following the completion of her master ’s degree, McAllen started serious research for the book that led her to Washington, D.C., Vienna, Trieste, Brussels and Paris.)

J W: Co u l d yo u e x p l a i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t b r o u g h t t wo yo u n g E u r o p e a n r o y a l s t o r e i g n o ve r M e x i c o, d e c a d e s a f t e r i n d e p e n d e n c e from Spain?

MMM: In the 40 years following independence, Mexico had 54 presidents. The old monarchists and other conservatives wanted the stability that monarchy had provided in the past. Also, then-president Benito Juarez had antagonized the Catholic Church by confiscating great swaths of its lands, and so the Catholics were calling for undoing the land reforms and bringing a Catholic 78 On The Town | September/October 2014

prince to the country. At the same time, France saw an opportunity to enrich itself and prevent further U.S. influence in Latin America. It wasn’t unusual back then for (European royals) to go and rule someplace else. Maximilian had a cousin who was the ruler of Brazil, for example. Maximilian visited Brazil, and I think that that experience made him think that by running another Hispanic country in America he could redeem it. That’s what Napoleon III told him: “We will raise these people to a higher level of civilization by bringing the European ways to Mexico.”

JW: Reading the book, I felt sympathy for both Maximilian and Carlota. They had such good intentions. Did you feel the same way?

MMM: Definitely for her. You know what they say, don’t fall in love with your subject, but the great historian Barbara Tuchman said in her book about writing that it is necessary to fall in love with your characters so that you can relate their plight to readers. I felt bad for Maximilian, too, because he was so sadly manipulated. He should have listened more to his wife. Her, I felt really bad for. She worried about everything. She was brilliant and worked from sunup to sundown but she came from an orderly, functioning country like Belgium to the chaos of Mexico. I think she just got really tired.

(Carlota returned to her native Belgium and lived a long life but became mentally unstable.)

JW: Ultimately, why did the empire experiment fail?

MMM: There are two key factors: the withdrawal of French troops and the end of the U.S. Civil War. The U.S. began supplying munitions, arms, money, medications and all kinds of other supplies to Juarez’s forces. And some officers went to fight for Juarez. In fact, General Sheridan said, “The Civil War will not be over until the French leave Mexico.”

Americans wanted a republic south of the border.

No more Europeans on North American soil.

JW: Are there any memorials to them in Mexico?

JW: Besides being a personal tragedy, what is the historical significance of the Second Empire in Mexico?

MMM: I think it brought to the Mexicans once and for all a sense of wanting to be Mexican, under no other influence by their own and to be their own people.

It gave them a sense of pride and nationalism, which had been difficult to achieve because there are so many indigenous groups in Mexico.

JW: You spent seven years researching, writing and editing this work. How easy or difficult was it to find a publisher?

MMM: The first publisher we approached was worried that this book was not analytical enough for the academic market because I tell the story through the characters in a narrative way. So we went to Trinity. Barbara Ras ( Trinity University Press director) was very comfortable with this being a narrative. The book is already in its second printing. I am very proud of that.

JW: Your research was hugely facilitated by the fact that people wrote a lot of letters back then and those letters have been preserved. Would it be possible to write a similar book about our contemporaries who communicate by phone and email?

MMM: I don’t think you could do it unless you had their hard drive. That’s why everybody who has something to say for the future should print all their emails or their legacy will be lost because even hard drives start deteriorating after a while. In addition to writing letters, Carlota and Maximilian’s contemporaries used letter copy books. They would write a letter and it would get copied into a ledger. But a lot of living people also helped me.

Friends introduced me to other friends who are historians or descendants of the characters in the book, French or German or Austrian. Quite a few Habsburg descendants gave me interviews. This project brought together so many people who think that this story should not be forgotten. It was a magical time for me.

MMM: Yes, in Queretaro where Maximilian was executed there’s a chapel on the Hill of the Bells and there’s a memorial on the actual spot where he was killed. And, of course, the Chapultepec Castle (now Ms .McAllen’s comments have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. a museum). His body was transferred to Vienna.

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Eclectics 82-94

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A CONVERSATION WITH NANCY HUNT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PASEO DEL RIO ASSOCIATION

By Ashley Festa Photography Susan Nino 82 On The Town by | September/October 2014

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.here in San Antonio do six people take on the Taste of the River Walk and the Bud Light River Fest/Battle responsibility of making more than 11 million of the Bands, also are popular. The Military River Parade – people happy?

Hunt’s personal favorite – is broadcast across the country several times during the year, on Memorial Day, Veterans That would be the Paseo del Rio Association and its tiny Day, Sept. 11, and on other commemorative days. staff, who plan 24 major events on the River Walk each year. And 11 million is a conservative number, said Nancy “We say we appreciate our military, and this is a very Hunt, the executive director of the nonprofit organization. visible way for our community to come together and She estimates the number at closer to 18 million people celebrate them in a meaningful way,” Hunt said. who visit the River Walk annually.

She recalls one year when the Visitors Bureau’s float “My kids like to say, ‘Really, Mom? They pay you to throw carried two World War II veterans and a Pearl Harbor parties on the River Walk? That’s a good gig!’” Hunt said. “I survivor. “The two World War II vets said it was the biggest tell them, ‘Yes, but it’s more than that.’” honor they’ve ever had,” Hunt said.

Indeed, her job encompasses much more than just party planning. Besides being an advocate for the River Walk and moderator between the association’s members and the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hunt and her staff are also charged with preserving and protecting the top tourist attraction in Texas.

For example, the association works with River Walk businesses as they plan their appearance on the river, creating or changing signage, colors and more. “The city wants to ensure the River Walk doesn’t become a Las Vegas or Bourbon Street,” Hunt said. “We want to keep it family-friendly. The city is our partner to make the River Walk experience the best it can be for both locals and visitors.”

All river parades come with their share of headaches, especially dealing with wind and water. “River parades are fluid things,” Hunt said. “Driving a boat on water is not the same as driving a car on the road. It’s always a challenge for our drivers to protect the people on the floats and also protect the props.”

Of course, the association takes precautions with inspections and spare parts on hand, and always has a backup plan, which saved the day when the water pump on the grand marshal float broke two years ago. The mechanics barge also sports minimal decorations so that, in a pinch, people on a broken float can be transferred and not miss out on the fun.

In addition to guiding business policy, the organization also keeps its members informed about special events and other activities that could affect the business and its customers. When the city is planning construction on the river, businesses need to be aware of closures. And when a big convention heads to town, association members want to be prepared with extra staff on hand.

In fact, the River Walk is so much fun that visitors come not only from the United States, but also from around the world.

But it’s the events at the River Walk that draw the largest crowds, especially the association’s signature event: the Ford Holiday River Parade, which is in its 34th year. The illumination of the Christmas lights draped throughout the trees lining the river attracts an estimated 200,000 visitors to the downtown area. The association sells 15,000 tickets, which allow attendees to get down to river level to view the tree lighting ceremony.

“People describe it as such a surprise when they go down the steps,” Hunt said. “How can this be right in the middle of downtown? Unless you hear an ambulance go by, you’re transported and don’t even realize you’re downtown.”

Other holiday events, such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with its dyed-green river, and Mardi Gras, the only time you can throw beads from the arches, also bring thousands of visitors – as many as 20,000 – to the River Walk. Smaller events, such as the eight arts and crafts shows held every year, the Ford Lucky Duck Race, the Ford Canoe Challenge,

“I once got an email from a gentleman from Australia who said he thought it was the coolest place he’d ever been,” Hunt said.

It takes about $1.5 million in fundraising to keep the association afloat. Membership dues, event sponsorships and advertising revenue from Rio Magazine all help keep the organization running smoothly.

“I’ve lived in San Antonio for almost 40 years, and I’ve always loved the River Walk,” Hunt said. “I’m one of the unique locals who comes down to the River Walk a lot, even before my job. It’s just a magical place.”

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Random Thoughts:

1.

Churches embrace performing arts

2. Dining out at old and new

By Vivienne Gautraux

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don’t know if you’ve noticed, but numerous churches in San Antonio and the surrounding area are significantly involved in the per forming ar ts arena, as either presenters or as venues for concer ts.

Patty, the iconic Christian-music singer known as “ The Voice,” on Sept. 13. After that, the series features an additional 17 events, including performances by Spectrum Winds, South Texas Jazz, SOLI Chamber Ensemble, Olmos Ensemble and soprano Linda Poetschke, to name a few.

Take for example First Baptist Church of San Antonio. Under the direction of Aaron Hufty, Also presenting a season is Coker United Methodist. the church offers the First Fine Arts Series. The Arts at Coker, as the series is known, is now Inaugurating their season is a concert by Sandi in its 28 th year guided by Elaine Ehlers. Check 84 On The Town | September/October 2014

their website for details. Coker also serves as a the Culinary Institute of America at Pearl and Pearl venue each year for Cactus Pear Music Festival itself. We are now a community brimming with performances and for the symphony’s Messiah. exceptional chefs offering a myriad of delectable new epicurean experiences.

St. Mark’s Episcopal enters its 23 rd season of Music from St. Mark’s. The announcement of their 2014- It’s an exciting time, to say the least, but with me 15 season is coming soon. it’s offset by the sage advice of a very wise friend who said, “new is wonderful, but don’t forget the The aforementioned Olmos Ensemble plus San restaurants that have served the citizenry so well Antonio Chamber Choir, Camerata San Antonio, San over time, in many cases 30, 40, 50 years or more.”

Antonio Brass, Tuesday Music Club, San Antonio The appeal set forth in the statement is obviously Choral Society and Fredericksburg Music Club utilize to continue patronizing the likes of Little Rhein churches as their primary venues as well, while the Steak House, Cappy’s, Paesano’s, The Fig Tree, Biga San Antonio Chamber Music Society calls Temple on the Banks, Aldo’s, La Fonda on Main, Bohanan’s, Beth-El its performance home. Surf the net and The Palm, Josephine Street, Los Barrios, Golden you’ll undoubtedly find even more churches that Wok, Grey Moss Inn and so many other erstwhile offer stimulating performing arts opportunities. veteran establishments that have earned their culinary stripes over decades of service. You know On a completely different subject, every time I your favorites. Find a balance by supporting them turn around I spy a new restaurant, no matter as well as the new eateries on the block. where I am in the city. I’m thinking San Antonio has never experienced such an incredible culinary There you have it, random thoughts to think explosion, I presume spurred by the existence of about a bit.

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86 On The Town | September/October 2014

Q&A with Joyce Slocum, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO

By Peabo Fowler Photography courtesy Texas Public Radio

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.t’s been almost a year since Joyce Slocum, formerly the Chief Administrative Officer at NPR in Washington, D.C., made the decision to return to the Lone Star State to lead Texas Public Radio, the 30-year-old organization comprised of KSTX 89.1 FM (NPR News and local public radio), and KPAC 88.3 FM (Classical Music), as well as three stations that serve Central Texas and Scurry County. In the CEO’s chair since January 2014, Slocum has quickly connected with community leaders and initiated significant developments at TPR, including an updated strategic plan, new training opportunities for staff, and a renewed focus on external marketing.

What led you to your decision to move back to Texas?

Many organizations have a five-year plan, a vision for what’s ahead. But what’s the oneyear plan? What do you hope to see in a year that will lead TPR toward some of those longterm goals?

One of the things I hope to do is to continue to build strength in our newsroom. We are hiring a News Director, and we’re looking at training for our reporters and journalists. We’d like to be in the position to give them the time to do more enterprise reporting--that is, instead of reporting on an event that has happened or is about to happen, to give them the the opportunity to dig in to a subject matter area, to know who the players are, and provide context to our audience, explaining to them the various interests that are in play and why somebody may be taking one position or another. We want to give the audience in-depth information to allow them to formulate their own opinions and conclusions. That type of reporting is something that is very time-consuming. It’s not something we have the capacity to do on a regular basis just now, but I hope that we will soon.

I am a Texan for a number of generations back. I enjoy living in Texas, and have a great loyalty to the state. I really saw TPR as a healthy organization that is poised for growth. And I felt like I had sort of ‘checked all the boxes’ at NPR, if you will, and found this an exciting opportunity to come back to my home state and lead an organization in a period of what I think will be exciting growth.

I am also eager for us to provide local reporting for our communities outside of San Antonio. We do a What else attracted you to TPR? little bit of that now, but not nearly what we should I spent a lot of time listening to the programming, be doing to properly serve those communities. I also and I think it’s well done. I also like the fact that want us to be very much involved in collaborative part of TPR’s expressed mission is to reach out efforts with other non-profits, particularly our arts and serve unserved and underserved parts of the and cultural organizations, to make sure we’re state of Texas. You will hear the statistic cited that shining a spotlight on what they’re doing. public radio is available to 96% of the American What inspires you today on public radio? public. And while that is true, I’m sad to say a goodly portion of the 4% that is not served by I think it’s an invaluable service. It’s hard nowadays public radio is in my home state of Texas. And I love to find really credible journalism that goes in-depth the fact that TPR’s mission anticipates outreach into topics, and that is something that public radio to those parts of the state, providing them with continues to do, and I think it distinguishes us from public radio service.

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most other media organizations. We report news from around the world as well as our local community. We also provide vital arts and culture reporting, which is a little hard to come by these days. And we satisfy our listeners’ intellectual curiosity.

What are the greatest challenges that face TPR? Garnering enough resources to provide the local coverage for all the communities that we serve.

We’re spread across a pretty broad geography.

There are vital things that are happening in Marble Falls, in Boerne, in Fredericksburg… and we currently don’t have the capacity to report on all of those. [At the same time], I also want to ensure that we are in-depth in our San Antonio community. There are fabulous things going on in this community with bio-medical, with our military, all sorts of things that I would love to have a huge staff of people reporting on… that requires resources.

What’s been the most surprising thing you’ve discovered about San Antonio since moving here?

What’s surprising is the amount of activity going on in a number of different areas. Biomedical, and the technical and entrepreneurial push here is pretty amazing. There are great things going on with the arts and culture community. The educational community here is incredible. And it’s all sort of a well-kept secret from the rest of the country! One of the things we’re working on with our reporting staff is working on their style of reporting, so that we get more national uptake of what we’re reporting, so that stories we do at TPR are picked up by NPR and spread to the rest of the country to shine that spotlight on all the amazing things that are happening in our community.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • In addition to its five radio stations, Texas Public Radio also maintains a robust website of original and local content at TPR.ORG, and recently launched an updated app for Apple and Android mobile devices, so you can follow TPR’s developments wherever you go.

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90 On The Town | September/October 2014

Arts for the Economy’s Sake

By Steve Nivin, Ph.D., Director and Chief Economist, SABÉR Institute and Assistant Professor of Economics, St. Mary’s University Photography courtesy San Antonio Symphony

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.have been studying and researching how urban economies develop for about twenty years. One thing that is clear is that an economy thrives on the quality of its labor force. In the past, research and anecdotal evidence showed that workers located in the cities where they could find jobs, so in other words, it was the location of jobs that drove the decision about where people would live. Ovetr the past several years, however, this has been flipped on its head. This is not to say that workers still don’t locate to cities where they can get jobs, but it is the case that more and more workers are moving to cities where they want to live and then finding jobs. Thus, the characteristics of the place are driving worker location decisions, especially with those in the millennial generation, and companies are starting to locate where the workers are instead of workers locating where the companies are.

because they really like what the city has to offer in the form of various quality of life amenities. Once they get there, they will look for a job, or they will focus their particular job search in that city. Lastly, my wife and I recently had dinner with a college professor and mentor of mine and his wife, and of course, the conversation eventually turned to talking about how our kids are doing. He shared with us that when his son and daughter-in-law both graduated from graduate school, they moved to a city in the Northwest just because they really liked it there. They moved without either one of them having a job, but they made ends meet until they were able to find jobs in their chosen careers, and they have settled into a community that they love and that provides the quality of life they seek.

Additionally, in today’s economy, much of the value created in production of either goods or services, One key element to creating a place with a quality of is derived from the ability of the workforce to life that attracts skilled workers is the arts, and the think creatively. This means that arts education performing arts certainly play a big role in creating is increasingly important in developing such a this quality of place. This fact was poignantly creative workforce. However, with the decline in driven home to me about ten years ago when I funding for the arts in many schools throughout was still working in economic development at the the country, the local arts organizations are now City of San Antonio. We were meeting with a senior providing much of the arts education to students executive from a company that was considering of all ages who will be the workforce of the future. moving their operations to San Antonio. As we began the meeting, the first question he posed In order for the San Antonio economy to reach the to us was, “How is the symphony doing?” He was next level of development, it is important to have not as concerned about the tax incentives we were world-class arts organizations of all types. Even if going to offer; his biggest concern was whether or one does not have much interest in the symphony, not this was a place where his employees would ballet, opera, or other forms of art, I encourage be happy and where he could attract and retain everyone to still give consideration to supporting the workforce necessary for the business to be arts organizations however possible because they successful. Additionally, as an economics professor, are a key component of a healthy economy, and a I get to see first hand the decisions our students strong, vibrant economy is of interest and benefit make about where to live after graduation, and to everyone. Thus, we should not just support the again, it is not uncommon for one of them to tell arts for arts sake, but we should support the arts me that they are going to go live in a particular city also for the sake of the health of our local economy.

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Eva Longoria

Deeyah Kahn

Tina Brown’s Women in the World Texas coming to San Antonio Featuring Gloria Steinem, Diane von Furstenberg, Eva Longoria and Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe

By Dawn Robinette

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.omen in the Wor ld is tak ing its signature l ive e ve nt o n th e ro a d to th e Lone St ar St ate. Tin a B row n w i l l co - h o st the O c t.

2 2 e vent i n S an Anto n i o w i th Gl o r i a Steinem, S en. K ay Bail e y H utch i so n , a mba ssa dor K aren Hug h e s, Di an e vo n Fu rsten berg, for m er Wh i te H o u s e ad vi so r to Presi dent G eorge W. B ush an d Fi rs t L a dy L a u ra B u sh S onya 92 On The Town | September/October 2014

M ed ina William s, aut hor and jour n a l i s t M a r i e Brenner, ar t p at ron and ac t ivi s t A a ro n e t t a Pierce, p resid ent of 3N Group G u i l l e r mo N icolas, S an Antonio c it y m ana g e r Sh e r yl S c ulley and S an Antonio M ayo r I v y Tayl o r.

The program also features:Filmmaker Deeyah Khan, who will share footage from her awardwinning documentary about honor killings.

Diane von Furstenberg ·

·

· ·

Gloria Steinem

The inspirational Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, who is bringing a girl from her Ugandan orphanage, which shelters those fleeing violence and civil war.

City manager Sheryl Sculley says, “As a city on the rise, San Antonio is the ideal location for Women in the World Texas – a singular event that will draw national and international spotlights not only on Lydia Cacho, one of Mexico’s most fearless our great city but on critical issues and women journalists, who has risked her life to report on change-makers.” international sex trafficking.

Women who serve on the front lines and at home.

The forum will be held at the Charline McCombs Empire Theater in downtown San Antonio. A portion of ticket proceeds will go to the Foundation for Education of Young Women.

Plus actress, director, producer and activist Eva Longoria; Houston Mayor Annise Parker; and Latina activist Rosie Castro and her son, Women in the World Texas is supported by Congressman Joaquin Castro. presenting sponsor Toyota and leadership sponsors Women in the World founder and CEO Tina the City of San Antonio and Credit Suisse.

Brown says, “We are thrilled to expand Women in the World to Texas. San Antonio’s diversity To learn more about Women in the World and and commitment to education make it a cutting see highlights from past events, visit www. tinabrownmedia.com/events.

-edge American city for collaboration.”

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Out & About with Greg Harrison 96-102

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