sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 3
20 Years | 200 Artists
Kick off the celebration of two decades of works by Artpace artists with two exhibition openings on Thursday, January 15 from 6-9pm
artpace.org 4 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
#ap20
FREE INSTALL
with a purchase of a RANCH HAND truck accessory Offer valid from January 1-31, 2015.
3 locations in the San Antonio Area 2625 BROADWAY | 210.227.5187 12257 WEST AVE. | 210.530.0073 BOERNE - 32954 IH-10 WEST | 830.249.5600
ON BE THE SAFESIDE TRUCKFITTERS.COM | 800.366.9712 sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 5
PERMANENT COSMETICS BY JEANETTE MCCRIGHT DAAM-SPCP
ur We D i g On t o H eceklpsaii n ! Ba Yoga classes,
tooso!le.com
$150 LIPS THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY!
op 410 201 NW 2Lo2.7653 210.8 ue.com iq SoleBout
SPECIALIZING IN:
EYEBROWS HIGHLIGHTER EYELINER BLUSH LIPS LIP LINER
• Now Offering: LASH PERM & LASH TINT
210-826-8836 • 8503 BROADWAY,
Heeling
SUITE 114 @ LOOP 410
LMT#047987, LMT#047987,MTI#2235 Me#2832 •• Barefoot Barefoot Massage Massage Services Services & & Classes Classes Now Open 1864 Nacogdoches, Antonio TX 78209 • 210.560.1992 COMING TO@ALAMO HEIGHTSSan IN FEBRUARY • Heelingsole.com
RECOMMENDED BY PHYSICIANS FOR 25 YEARS!
AESTHETIC OPTIONS MEDICAL SPA
Happy New Year!
TREAT YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE! THE PAMPER PACKAGE INCLUDES: 30min. Facial, Eyebrow Wax & 30min. Hydro Massage
$75 Total | Gift Certificates Available
Beautiful Skin At Any Age
TURN YOUR GAME HARDWARE INTO STACKS OF CASH!
Mon-Sat 10A-6P After hours by Appointment 210.858.6868 4025 Broadway, 78209
aestheticoptionsmedicalspa.com
9861 IH-10 West • 641-1600 3703 Broadway • 828-5525 6997 Bandera Rd. • 509-3472
803 SW Military • 928-3472 8235 Agora Pkwy • 566-9200 5201 Walzem • 650-3472
6 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
13486 US 281 • 545-3472 5442 Evers • 680-3472 6900 San Pedro • 826-2662
Art Director: Eli Miller (emiller@sacurrent.com) Food & Nightlife Editor: Jessica Elizarraras (flavor@sacurrent.com) Music Editor: Matt Stieb (mstieb@sacurrent.com) Staff Writers: Mark Reagan (mreagan@sacurrent.com); Alexa Garcia-Ditta (agarciaditta@sacurrent.com) Digital Content Editor: Albert Salazar (asalazar@sacurrent.com) Digital Developer: Jaime Monzon (jmonzon@sacurrent.com) Contributing Photographers: Casey Howell, Josh Huskin, Louie Preciado, Dan Payton Contributing Writers: Ron Bechtol, Christie Blizard, D.T. Buffkin, Ainsley Caffrey, Erik Casarez, Murphi Cook, James Courtney, Dustin Dooling, Jade Esteban Estrada, Tommie Ethington, Dan R. Goddard, Thomas Jenkins, Steven G. Kellman, Kiko Martinez, Jeremy Martin, Leonard Pierce, Patricia Portales, David Riedel, Melanie Robinson, Heywood Sanders, Thea Setterbo, Manuel Solis, Gary Sweeney, J.D. Swerzenski, Jay Whitecotton, James Woodard Editorial Interns: Misty Blaze, Cameron James, Abby Mangel, Stephen James Ross, Shannon Sweet Sales Manager: Chelsea Bourque (x102) Promotions Manager: Nina Duran (x123) Account Manager: Zach Yurcheshen (x110) Senior Account Executives: Carlos Aguirre (x117), Johnny Deosdade (x114) Account Executives: Sarah Estrada (x120), Mallory Jochen (x111), Blanca Morales (x118), Alexa Perez (x119), Erik Butler (x113) Marketing Intern: Catalina Gonzalez, Samantha Skory, Victoria Solano Production Manager: John Mata Graphic Designer: Tina Corbeil Production Interns: Robert Castaneda, Staci Collins, Greta Garrett, Nelly Padron, Kaitlin Carrol Distribution: Juanita Alpizar, Oscar Alpizar, Michael Carrillo, Pam Clepper, Joe Dominguez, Gabriella Gutierez, Terry McClelland, John Miller, Jose Trevino Business Manager: Julie Tilton Office Assistant: Tara Caballero National Advertising: Voice Media Group 1-888-278-9866, voicemediagroup.com
CHECK OUT FRESH DAILY CONTENT AT
BLOGS.SACURRENT.COM
t so Secret SA’s No uarter hoeragdaq mes & comis cs f
We pay cash for your CDs, DVDs, Games & Game Hardware!
Publisher: Michael Wagner Associate Publisher: Lara Fischer (x105) Managing Editor: Bryan Rindfuss (brindfuss@sacurrent.com)
San Antonio Current 915 Dallas San Antonio, Texas 78215 Editorial: (210) 227-0044 / Fax: (210) 227-7755 Display Advertising: (210) 227-0044 Fax: (210) 227-7733 Classified: (210) 227-CLAS / Fax: (210) 227-7733 Get listed: Send us your complete info two weeks before publication. For complete submission guidelines, visit www.sacurrent.com. E-mail: sacalendar@sacurrent.com; Mail: Calendar Editor, same address as above; Fax: (210) 227-7755. Listing submissions are not accepted by phone. Copyright 2014, San Antonio Current Co., all rights reserved. San Antonio Current Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Euclid Media Group LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising and business correspondence should be mailed to 915 Dallas St., San Antonio, TX 78215.
Now featuring: pay by the hour gaming! 14094 Nacogdoches Road 210-590-2626 facebook.com/0Charisma
Additional copies or back issues may be purchased at the Current offices for $1. Six-month domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $75; one-year subscriptions for $125.
This magazine is made with recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.
facebook.com/sacurrent twitter.com/sacurrent instagram.com/sacurrent
)
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 7
47
66
TABLE OF CONTENTS Issue 15_02 / January 14-20, 2015
23
29
32 DRINK Hangover Like No Other The San Antonio Cocktail Conference beefs up its offerings in year 4 ’Tenders to Track 3 of the city’s most notable cocktail makers Passion for Production Hot Joy’s Karah Carmack on her cocktail volunteer efforts
10 NEWS
Cocktail Know-how The Rosso Corsa is a bright red legend in the making
Newsmonger A new shelter aims to provide a safe and judgment-free space for San Antonio’s homeless LGBT youth
Your San Antonio Cocktail Conference Boozin’ Schedule Map out your plan of attack
Glitter Political Getting to know Mayor Ivy Taylor
Drink Listings 70 of the city’s bars, cocktail lounges, wine rooms and dives
14 CALENDAR
66 MUSIC
21 ARTS
Unified A Q+A with Third Root’s Easy Lee discussing music and MLK
Our top picks for the week
Exit Interview: Amada Cruz We bid adieu to Artpace’s outgoing director Woven Icons Rockefeller’s Picassos spend the winter at SAMA
26 SCREENS American Misfire Bradley Cooper’s excellent, but Clint Eastwood underwhelms with American Sniper
29 FOOD Still on Top Silo Terrace Oyster Bar scores several high notes Flavor File Brunch at Cocina Heritage, Cocktail Conference spillover and more 8 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
File Under Jazz An interview with Harvard professor, jazz innovator and electronic musician Vijay Iyer
Childish Thing Songwriter James McMurtry speaks to the folk tradition with a hesitant, but hopeful attitude Music Calendar What to see and hear this week
76 ETC
Savage Love, Free Will Astrology, Jonesin’ Crossword, This Modern World
ON THE COVER
What the heck is a porthole? Find out on page 42. Photo by Louie Preciado. Cover by Eli Miller.
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE & CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 9
NEWS
Thrive Youth Center will provide a roof and safe space for San Antonio’s LGBT homeless youth ALEXA GARCIA-DITTA
Sandra Whitley has known she was a lesbian since she was 13. Growing up in a small Panhandle town, Whitley remembers being mistreated by her classmates. It was 1975, and after a while, she lost friends and her school threatened to expel her. She thought about running away, something many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are forced to do when things get bad at home after they come out to their families. Whitley understands how tough that can be. So last year she sold her business and now she has plans to provide a safe place for youth in those situations. “I know what I experienced in 1975,” she said. “Now, you jump 40 years and the problem is worse, as far as homeless kids … I experienced a lot of harassment, so I know a little bit about what they’re going through.” It’s estimated that an average of 40 percent of the 1.7 million of the nation’s homeless youth and young adults are LGBT, though data is limited. Here in San Antonio, volunteers and nonprofits that serve homeless youth think that number could be higher. Melody Bentley, with Stand Up for Kids, which provides basic essentials like food, soap and toothbrushes, as well as job interview tips to homeless youth, says that closer to half of the teenagers and young adults that her organization serves are LGBT youth who have left home because of rejection or abuse from family. “The kids have come out, they’ve decided to tell their parents, who can’t deal with it,” Bentley says. “They have a preconceived notion that everybody is 10 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
BRYAN RINDFUSS
Newsmonger
supposed to be a girl or boy, and they either throw the kid out or make life at home so miserable for the kids, trying to change them, that the kids leave home.” That’s where the Thrive Youth Center, a homeless shelter for LGBT youth, comes in. Whitley, who serves as executive director, and Assistant Director Josh Yurcheshen want to provide a safe and judgment-free place for homeless LGBT youth to sleep at night. With rented space at the Travis Park United Methodist Church Downtown, Whitley, Yurcheshen and church member Joseph Tanasi plan to start small: Three nights a week, one of the three will supervise eight homeless LGBT youth, from 17 to 25 years old, overnight at the church’s former day center for the homeless, which lost funding several years ago when Haven for Hope opened. The shortterm rental agreement will last six months while Whitley and Yurcheshen find a permanent shelter. “We first want the kids to have a safe place to be,” Whitley said. “You can’t expect somebody to even start thinking of what their dreams are until they feel secure, and feel secure with us.” The shelter was originally slated to open on November 18 of last year, but Thrive and the church ran into a bit of a technical hiccup with the City. After the Current’s sister publication Out in SA profiled the forthcoming center, the City notified the church that it was not properly zoned to house individuals. Travis Park United Methodist Church, despite having provided services to San Antonio’s downtown homeless for two decades, would have to be rezoned as a “human service campus” before Thrive could begin operating. “Any church is a human service campus by definition,” said the church’s Rev. Pastor Dale Tremper. “To require rezoning for a church to do what a church does is odd.” City staff originally recommended against the church’s rezoning request, citing a City policy intended to centralize services for the homeless at Haven for Hope on the West Side. However, with community support and the organization’s strong case for filling a need, the Zoning Commission ultimately voted to rezone the church at its December meeting. “The church is trying to provide a little bit of space for these teenagers who are not presently being served,” said Mariana Ornelas, who represents District 1 on the zoning board and voted to rezone
Josh Yurcheshen, Sandra Whitley and Joseph Tanasi will staff Thrive Youth Center
the church. LGBT youth are “not being served adequately, and that’s why I voted to recommend rezoning.” Now the ball is in City Council’s court. At this week’s meeting, council will decide whether to approve the zoning board’s recommendation. Lauryn Farris, a local LGBT activist who is also a foster parent, says Thrive will fulfill a tremendous need, as San Antonio’s homeless LGBT youth don’t have many options in the city. Haven doesn’t accept teenagers under the age of 18 without a parent. Other organizations in town don’t have specific accommodations or services for the LGBT community. The other local shelters, including Haven for Hope’s Prospects Courtyard, aren’t always the friendliest environments for the gay and transgender community. Transgender individuals have specific privacy and medical needs, but despite this and the potential for a hostile environment, they are sometimes housed according to their official ID or anatomical attributes rather than their gender identity. This can be especially traumatic for individuals who are in the process of transitioning. Scott Ackerson, vice president of strategic relationships at Haven, said originally the organization’s policy was to place transgender individuals in dorms based on the gender listed on their official ID cards. Now, he says, Haven staff work it out directly with the individual, giving them the option of female, male or single dorms.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, nearly one in three transgender men and women reported being turned away from homeless shelters because they are transgender. “There are some additional needs that LGBT homeless need and additional guidance that is needed for those individuals beyond the services that are generally provided for the homeless,” Farris said. Whitley, Yurcheshen and Tanasi have a long-term vision for the center, which includes a day center with a full spectrum of medical and counseling services, an emergency shelter and transitional housing. They see Thrive as adding to the services offered for the homeless at Haven. Officials at both organizations confirmed that they are developing a plan to work together, which could include Thrive’s permanent shelter being located at Haven. Over the last few weeks, Whitley says she’s received an outpouring of support and interest from volunteers. She also knows the need is pressing: She’s already received emails from struggling youth, including a 17-year-old lesbian who is thinking about leaving home. Once the City approves the rezoning recommendation, Thrive can open as planned. “An LGBT youth on the street is twice as likely to commit suicide as other homeless youth on the street, so three nights a week, four nights a week, even a night or two a week, at least there’s hope out there,” Whitley said. “At least they know that somebody’s out there trying and has their back.” C
drum sets EPIC GUITAR WALL
FREE guitar
3 locations • 210.545.3131
with 12 lesson sign up
Bill’s saving aBout 20% on his energy use with home manager. save Bill, save.
18130 U.S. Highway 281 North, Suite 112 • 11654 Bandera Road, Suite 109 • 3703 Colony Dr. (At Wurzbach Road)
TURN YOUR PASSION MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
INTO A
Start saving with Home Manager.
PROFESSION
Bill loves his free Home Manager because it gives him all the data he needs to control and reduce his energy use. Sign up and start saving today at cpsenergysavers.com.
• Financial Aid available to those who qualify • Comprehensive 1-Year Programs • Job Placement Assistance after Graduation • Accredited School, ACCSC 512.447.2002 | www.mediatech.edu 4719 S. Congress Ave | ATX 78745
cpsenergysavers.com
Find Disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.mediatech.edu/disclosures. Mediatech can not guarantee employment or salary. 14-CPS-0615 ES Ad_SA Current_BILL.indd 1
7/14/14 4:00 PM
NOW ENROLLING! GRADES K-9
IDEA Public Schools is a nationally-recognized network of college prep schools. 100% of IDEA Public Schools seniors have been accepted to college eight years in a row, and their college graduation rates are FIVE TIMES the national average.
Free. Focused on College. For All. www.ideapublicschools.org/apply
210-239-4332 sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 11
NEWS
GLITTER POLITICAL
Mayor Ivy Taylor: The accidental politician JADE ESTEBAN ESTRADA
It’s two weeks before Christmas Day and I’m sitting across from Ivy Ruth Taylor in the mayoral office at City Hall. Her necklace bends with the weight of a golden cross, fashionably framed by a black and white scarf tied in a single knot. I recall my last sit-down with the former District 2 city councilwoman—a brisk morning in 2011 at the Eastside Landmark Cafe, the secondstory sunlit room filled with the smell of fresh biscuits. Taylor was a lecturer at UTSA teaching urban planning and urban management. How fortunate, I thought, that those students had the opportunity
Mayoral Horse Race
12 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
to learn from an instructor with working knowledge of the industry. Last July, when she was appointed interim mayor, my thoughts returned to her students. But, then again, would she still be holding down a teaching job as mayor of the seventh-largest city in the nation? “[The City’s] still not paying me, Jade,” she says with a smile and slow shake of the head. “So I have to have a job.” She was, however, given a course release. “They said, ‘Oh, since you’re the mayor, you only have to teach two classes.’” Taylor hasn’t felt the burden one might expect of carrying on her predecessor’s signature projects; most were already underway or completed, she says. But she would like to build upon the Castrovian initiatives of which she approved (the streetcar plan was not among them) and make improvements to the governance system in general. In this way, she does feel “the weight of the compressed time frame.” Taylor’s term expires May 31. “It’s tiring, but it’s fun,” she says. Of course, she’s had to take the good with the inevitable. After the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, Taylor posted her response on social media and received some heated reactions. “Some folks just didn’t feel comfortable with me speaking about it,” she says. Taylor has had plenty of work to do in the short time allotted to her, including dealing with new ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft and the opposition they’ve drawn from the city’s taxi industry. “I’m 44, so I’m kind of limited in my foray into
new technology. There’s a lot of people who are still going to use taxis is my point,” she says. “We’ll continue to have these challenges as people figure out how to harness new technologies.” Are you running in the mayoral election? I ask. “You see, there was no transition there!” she says to her Communications Officer Cary Clack with a laugh. “There was no buildup at all!” After a short pause she says, “I don’t know. “When I put my name out there for this position, what I wanted to bring for the council and for the city was someone who was going to be focused on the job and the tough issues that we have without the distraction of a political campaign.” But the February 28 filing deadline is looming. And she’s been warned by insiders that if she waits that long, most of the local campaign money will already be pledged to other candidates. But as her five-year track record on City Council has proven, Taylor isn’t one to do what others expect. “This is not something I aspired to do or be,” she says. “I’m an urban planner who is very interested in inner-city redevelopment and, at the end of the day, creating ladders of opportunity, especially for disadvantaged individuals.” If she can serve her community in this way, she says, she would be content with her career, whether she’s in an elected position or not. This self-described “accidental politician” can also serve memorable quotes—which could be an asset or a liability on the campaign trail.
Former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro left a bad taste in the mouths of Bexar County Republicans. “What we saw in the last mayor is he stepped out into the national scene and spoke at the Democratic National Convention and things were obvious where he was,” Bexar County Republican Chair Robert Stovall said, explaining that City Charter requires the office to be nonpartisan. But politics will be politics, and thus far, the three most well-known candidates are all longtime Democrats: Mike Villarreal, Leticia Van de Putte and Tommy Adkisson. And according to Stovall, all three have called his office seeking meetings. So far he’s chatted with Villarreal, Van de Putte and Independent Paul Martinez. One question that Stovall asked Villarreal and Van de Putte was if the mayoral spot would be a
When I tell her that I wrote, “We got the right sister” on my Facebook page the day of her appointment, she acknowledges the reference with a hearty chuckle. Within the online LGBT community, her original statement, which was attached to her vote against expanding the Non-Discrimination Ordinance to include sexual identity and orientation, went viral. “‘You got the wrong sister’ … really spoke to the fact that regardless what the issue is, I think people nowadays expect political correctness, and that is very frustrating to me,” she says. “I had been told that, ‘You’re black, it would look bad for you if you don’t vote this way.’ And I didn’t like that at all. This is supposed to be nonpartisan government, right?” Following up on a promise she made during the appointment process, Taylor has formed an LGBT citizen advisory group to help create a process for addressing complaints filed under the updated NDO. She remembers the vote as challenging. “I did the best that I could do given the information that I had. And [with] my personal beliefs and convictions … I didn’t see a path at that time. I believe in equality, [but] those issues—however [LGBT people] live their lifestyle—that shouldn’t come into [a] public forum as far as whether I’m going to vote for you.” If Taylor does decide to run, she has an advantage—or perhaps another potential liability: Voters have had a taste of her at the helm. “Yeah,” she says with smile, “you know what you would get with me.” C
steppingstone to the national scene for them, like it was for Castro, whom President Barack Obama appointed as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Stovall said Van de Putte told him this was the “end of the line” for her while Villarreal expressed his intention to finish his dissertation in public policy. As for Adkisson, he is touting himself as a “stay at home” mayor, too. Martinez echoed similar sentiments in an interview last year. While Stovall would love it if a conservative entered the race, he said he hadn’t heard of any who were planning to run. So Republicans are watching the candidates closely, because according to Stovall, conservative voters make up a third of San Antonio’s turnout and could swing the race toward the candidate of their choice. The Republican Chair, however, declined to say who that might be because he doesn’t want to endorse anyone. —Mark Reagan
O P E N T I L M I D N I G H T 7 D AY S A W E E K - S I N C E 1 9 9 0 - P L A N E T K T E X A S . C O M
Happy hour app
@camillacrown
NOW OPEN 427 N. Loop 1604 W. Bldg, 1 Suite #105, SA, TX 78258 Mon-Sat 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM | SUN: 12:00 PM- 6:00 PM shopcamillacrown.com | facebook.com/shopcamillacrown instagram.com/camillacrown
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 13
CURRENT EVENTS
GO TO SACURRENT.COM/CALENDAR FOR EVEN MORE EVENTS
Albert Alvarez’s Sabrosura de los Raros, from “Stuck on Nothing”
WED
14
‘Stuck on Nothing’
ART Over the years, the Current has kept close tabs on local artist Albert Alvarez, whose obsessively rendered works depict disaster in myriad forms. A scan through our archives unearthed a blog describing his painting Codename Doomsday as an “apocalyptic retablo” and a review likening the haunting oddities of his show “La Chamba/Dirty Work” to the offspring of the Garbage Pail Kids and Goya’s The Disasters of War. AnArte goes out on a limb to unveil the Rhode Island School of Design grad’s “Stuck on Nothing,” which cracks open with tequila, wine and music by George and Aaron Prado. Free, 6-8pm, AnArte Gallery, 7959 Broadway, (210) 826-5674, anartegallery09.com. —Bryan Rindfuss
14 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
THU
15
Creatura
Félix González-Torres’ Untitled(Beginning) at Artpace
‘Hare & Hound Press + Artpace’
ART They’re separate entities that operate in different ways, but Artpace and the Linda Pace Foundation share the vision of late founder Linda Pace, who believed “contemporary art is essential to a dynamic society.” In celebration of Artpace’s 20th year, and a gift to LPF from a longtime local collaborator, Pace’s institutions unite for “Hare & Hound Press + Artpace: The Art of Collaboration.” Culled from 100plus printer’s proofs, the exhibition opens concurrently with the similarly nostalgic “Untitled(Beginning),” an installation first unveiled at Artpace in 1995 by the late Cuban-American artist Félix GonzálezTorres. Free, 6-9pm, Artpace, 445 N Main, (210) 212-4900, artpace.org. —BR
FRI
16
Creatura, Transit Method, White Elefant
MUSIC This Friday, shake off the wintry blues with an excellent and diverse lineup of bands at Bottom Bracket. For starters, SA’s Creatura, who released one of our favorite local albums last year, plays throwback psychedelic rock music, living well in the house that Gracie Slick built. Up next, ATX’s Transit Method makes music that’s a wild amalgam of styles. From prog-rock to grunge to funkified psych-rock, these guys put it all together and make it work exceedingly well. Closing the night, local indie garage-rock act White Elefant just keeps getting sharper and ignoring the status quo. Free, 10pm, Bottom Bracket Social Club, 1603 N Colorado, (210) 267-9160. —James Courtney
FRI
16
‘Anti-Fertility Garden’
ART What do neem, papaya and myrtle have in common? Each purportedly holds the power to make men sterile. Dallasbased artist Mary Walling Blackburn’s “Anti-Fertility Garden” is a two-part experience comprised of a garden filled with those sterilizing plants, and a gallery of drawings, sculpture, video, and handmade anti-fertility soap by Sophy Naess. Regardless of where you stand “genitals abound, but they aren’t what they seem.” Selected by guest curator Laurence Miller, Blackburn arrives amidst the tides of change as Anjali Gupta takes over for Hills Snyder as director of Sala Diaz. Free, 6-9pm, Sala Diaz, 517 Stieren, (972) 900-0046, saladiazart.org. —Murphi Cook
GO TO SACURRENT.COM/CALENDAR FOR EVEN MORE EVENTS
CURRENT
Dawn of the Phoenix
SAT
17
Creative Creatures
MUSIC + ART Celebrating its one-year anniversary on Saturday, Creative Creatures is an event series that brings artists and musical acts together in an intentionally eclectic way. Part concert and part exhibit, it’s a fantastic one-stop for getting yourself better acquainted with the local art and music scenes. This weekend’s incarnation will feature over 35 creators, showcasing their talents in art, crafts, fashion and more. For music, we’re looking forward to Tex-Mex flavored, ska-infused, punk rock thrashers Nada Mas Basura sharing the stage with dark and brooding synth poppers Dawn of the Phoenix. $5, 8pm, Fitzgerald’s Bar, 437 McCarty, (210) 629-5141, facebook. com/creativecreaturessatx. —JC
SAT
17
Burlesque & Variety Show
BURLESQUE While most San Antonians dig into their coat closets for the first time in recent history, the Pastie Pops are prepping to peel off layers in a racy variety show mixing neo-burlesque, boylesque and lots in between. Hosted by Katie Red, the evening showcases troupe mainstays Pelvis Costello, Olympia DeWinter and Jasper St. James, along with such special guests as Elle Du Jour, Vixy Van Hellen (aka “The Bare Bottom of Bexar County”) and Dallasite Missy Lisa. Founder of Dallas’ Ruby Revue, Lisa took home the Most Classic award at the 2014 Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend in Las Vegas. $10-$30, 9pm, The Uptown Studio, 700 Fredericksburg, (210)3871617, facebook.com/pastiepops. —BR
Burlesque starlet Missy Lisa
SAT-SUN
17-18
ZZ Top
MUSIC Recently, a friend asked me the name of “that one ZZ Top song, the one that’s about a brothel.” I replied that he was talking about the 1973 blues rock gem “La Grange,” but I felt like it could have been any of the band’s songs. The trio’s trademark sound almost always calls to mind the sleazier side of life. Maybe it’s their delightfully dirty approach to the blues or those sunglasses that seem meant to reflect the neon lights of some shitty dive. At any rate, these dudes are legends who have been as consistent as any classic rock band over the years—and their live shows really cook. $45-$125, 8pm, The Majestic Theatre, 224 E Houston, (210) 226-3333, majesticempire.com. —JC
ZZ Top
SUN
18
Spurs vs. Jazz
SPORTS The Utah Jazz have been a thorn in San Antonio’s side going back to the days when John Stockton ran the point and Karl Malone roamed the paint. More recently, the Jazz helped usher in a December to forget, when Kawhi Leonard injured his shooting hand during a loss in Salt Lake City. While remnants of the holiday hangover appear to be lurking in the shadows, Leonard is expected back on the hardwood sometime this week. While an appearance by Leonard Sunday would be a welcome boon, next Friday night against the Lakers and Kobe Bryant feels like a safer pick for his much welcomed return. $25-$310, 6pm, AT&T Center, One AT&T Center, (210) 4445000, attcenter.com. –M. Solis
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 15
AMMENITIES & LUXURY FIVE STARHOME APPOINTMENTS. ENJOY LUXURIOUS APARTMENT LIVING!MIDRISE LIFESTYLE. REFINED CRAFTSMANSHIP. CULTURED SERVICE. CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE A TOUR OF YOUR NEW HOME. 5114 MEDICAL DR, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78229 (210) 294-4470
America's Greatest Big Band Show “A Meticulously researched recreation of the Swing Era”
—Peter Donnelly, Australia
ADVANCING THE VOIC E S O F DIV ERSITY, EQUALITY A N D TO L E R A N C E
FOR A FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS VISIT DREAMWEEK.ORG
LILA COCKRELL THEATRE Monday January 19 2 pm Matinee & 7:30 pm
(200 East Market St.)
Alamodome Box Office 100 Montana Street, Info: 210-207-8500 www.sahbgcc.com Ticketmaster.com ~ 800-745-3000 16 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Seniorific
GO TO SACURRENT.COM/CALENDAR FOR EVEN MORE EVENTS
CURRENT WED
14
The Train to Crystal City
THU-MON
In The Train to Crystal City: FDR’s Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America’s Only Family Internment Camp During World War II, local author Jan Jarboe Russell brings to light what literary authority Kirkus Reviews described as “a shocking story of national betrayal.” Informed by research, archival photos and personal accounts from survivors Ingrid Eiserloh (of Ohio) and Sumi Utsusjogawa (of California), the book looks beyond Texas’ FDR-approved Crystal City Internment Camp (which housed more than 6,000 people before closing in 1948) to explore the covert “quiet passage” program that employed detained immigrants and their American-born children as “a ready source of exchange” for more “important” Americans behind enemy lines in Japan and Germany. In advance of The Train to Crystal City’s January 20 release, the Southwest School of Art hosts a reading and signing with Russell—who is a Nieman Fellow, a contributing editor at Texas Monthly and the vice president of the Linda Pace Foundation—to be followed by a 1940s-themed after-party across the way at literary arts center Gemini Ink’s new digs (1111 Navarro). Free, 5:30pm, Coates Chapel, Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta, (210) 734-9673, geminiink.org. —Bryan Rindfuss
ART Art opening: Mike Fisher: “Goofa Man Art” Halcyon hosts a reception for
local artist Mike Fisher’s retro sci-fi art, which is influenced by comic books, pulp magazines and B-movies of the ‘60s and ’70s. Free, 7-8:30pm Thursday; Halcyon Southtown, 1414 S Alamo.
Art opening: Timothy Lai: “Black Trees” “Black Trees” is based on a
relatively free and painterly analysis of tree forms at night and the way in which light is both filtered and blocked by the structure of these massive forms. Artist Timothy Lai’s paintings explore and build on the visual language of which Joan Mitchell is the principal exponent. Free, 6-9pm; Mercury Project, 538 Roosevelt, (210) 478-9133.
“Ancient to Modern: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics and their Sources” Featuring the work of several
leading artists, including Takahiro Kondo, Eiko Kishi and the late Yasukage Kato, this exhibition explores five themes: ancient ceramics and the tradition of unglazed wares; high-fired stoneware and the Six Ancient Kilns; porcelains, blue and white, and enameled glazes; tea ceremony vessels from Mino and Kyoto; and new techniques in contemporary ceramics. $5-$10, 10am-5pm Sunday, 10am-9pm Tuesday; San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W Jones, (210) 978-8100.
“Homegrown: Austin Music Posters, 1967 to 1982” Poster artists in the late
‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s visually evoked the sound and defined the culture of Austin just as the city was establishing itself as one of the most vital music scenes in the country. More than 125 vintage pieces from the Wittliff Collections’ poster archives document this history and testify to Texas artists’ mastery of the poster form using drawing and creative print techniques. Free, 8am-5pm Wednesday-Friday, 8am-5pm Monday-Tuesday; The Wittliff Collections, Alkek Library, Texas State University-San Marcos, (512) 245-2313.
”Intense and Fragile”The Southwest School of Art’s “Intense and Fragile” explores “the conjunction of physical properties and conceptual frameworks in contemporary porcelain sculpture.” Featuring artists from all around the country, including SA’s own Jennifer Ling Datchuk and Ryan Takaba, the group show highlights a wide range of work— from meticulous miniatures to grand wall and floor installations. Free, 9am-5pm Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm Sunday, 9am-5pm Monday-Tuesday; Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta, (210) 200-8228.
Margaret Craig: ”The Great Trash Reef”
Although she’s got three art degrees, Margaret Craig cites her degree in biology as a major influence on her artwork, which often references ecological issues
15-19
DreamWeek
Presented by the San Antonio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and DreamVoice, DreamWeek soars into its second week. The 12-day summit, which seeks to “inspire and motivate the community to action,” includes speakers, workshops, performances and celebrations that revolve around 12 key themes: city, sports, cuisine, health, youth, environment, technology, education, arts, spirit, justice and business. This week’s highlights include The MLK Jr. commemorative lecture by anti-racist essayist, author and educator Tim Wise (free, 7:30pm Thu, Laurie Auditorium, Trinity University, One Trinity); Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni’s one-woman show One Drop of Love—a multimedia performance produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck that explores race, family, love and pain ($34.50, 2pm & 8 pm Sat, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle); and Roxy Roca’s expressions of love and soul music with “Happiness Is A Choice” presented by Muze Collective Magazine. The week culminates with one of country’s largest MLK marches, an unforgettable 2.5-mile journey uniting thousands of individuals along with civic, social and religious organizations. For route information visit www.sanantonio.gov/ mlk (free, 10-11:30am Mon, MLK Jr. Academy, 3501 Martin Luther King Jr.). For a full schedule of DreamWeek events visit dreamweek.org. —Murphi Cook
and natural occurrences such as pond scum and cracked earth. Among other accomplishments, Craig—who serves as Chair of the Southwest School of Art’s printmaking department—is credited with inventing the Tar Gel Pressless Etching technique. Her installation “The Great Trash Reef” addresses marine debris collections like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (aka the Pacific Trash Vortex). $3-$5, noon-8pm Thursday, noon-6pm FridaySunday; Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960.
Michael O’Brien: “The Face of Texas”
In this series, based on his latest book published by University of Texas Press, renowned portrait photographer Michael O’Brien celebrates the individuality and independent spirit of Texans. Writer and former Life reporter Elizabeth O’Brien offers insightful verbal vignettes for the portraits and also brings viewers up to date with the lives of the subjects. Free, 8am-5pm Wednesday-Friday, 8am-5pm Monday-Tuesday; The Wittliff Collections, Alkek Library, Texas State University-San Marcos, (512) 245-2313.
“Northern Triangle” Led by artists Jason
Reed and Mark Menjivar and art historian Erina Duganne, Borderland Collective’s installation “Northern Triangle” functions as a history museum, community center and classroom by employing a collaborative approach that addresses the long and complicated relationship between the Northern Triangle (comprised of El
Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) and the United States through photographs, maps, art objects, personal stories and political documents. $3-$5, noon-8pm Thursday, noon-6pm Friday-Sunday; Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, 116 Blue Star, (210) 227-6960.
”Sweet and Just” Hello Studio’s “Sweet
and Just,” pairs works by Brooklynbased musician, writer and artist Blake Schwarzenbach and Houston painter Tra’ Slaughter. Curated by Brandy Black and named in reference to Wilfred Owen’s poem “Dulce et Decorum Est,” “Sweet and Just” comprises works that are “not always explicitly depictions of combat” but allude to “its persistent presence in the social landscape over the past decades.” Free, by appointmnet; Hello Studio, 1420 S Alamo, (210) 291-8640.
“World War II in Photographs: Looking Back” The exhibition “World
War II in Photographs: Looking Back” commemorates the 70th anniversary of the war’s end and honors San Antonio’s great military heritage with an exhibition of iconic images by some of the great photojournalists of the time. It also documents the war effort on the home front in San Antonio. A special feature is a group of photographs of the Monuments and Fine Arts Officers. $5-$10, 10am-4pm Wednesday, 10am-9pm Thursday, 10am-4pm Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday, noon-5pm, 10am-4pm Tuesday; McNay Art Museum, 6000 N New Braunfels.
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 17
EXPLORE EXPERIENCE
Special Event This Week
E V O LV E
TOMMY DAVIDSON In Living Color, Showtime, FOX
Whole Earth Provision Co.
JAN 16-18
Special Event
Norm Macdonald NBC’s SNL, The Norm Show
January 23-24
Photo: Pascal Shirley
WholeEarthProvision.com
Quarry Market 255 East Basse 210-829-8888
THE CENTER FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Mental Health & Substance Abuse Solutions
Special Event
Paul Rodriguez
Now offering expanded hours for all Adult Mental Health Outpatient Services:
Mon, Wed, Fri: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Tues and Thurs: 11 am - 8 pm 1st and 3rd Sat: 8:30 am - 2 pm
Latin King of Comedy
February 20-22
Downtown Since 1993
This Week
Brad Upton Las Vegas Comedy Festival Winner
sanantoniocomedyclubs.com 18 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Proud to serve the San Antonio community. Must be at least 18 years of age. Most insurance plans accepted.
(210) 261-3100 • www.chcsbc.org
GO TO SACURRENT.COM/CALENDAR FOR EVEN MORE EVENTS
CURRENT THEATER
SPECIAL EVENTS
Echo Written by the Overtime’s own
El Placazo’s 200th Issue Release El Placazo,
Christopher Lombardo and directed by Edward Wise, Echo tells the story of a young man who comes down with a terminal illness and is split between listening to his father’s advice or following the peculiar Sera to explore the world. $10$14, 8pm Friday-Saturday; The Overtime Theater, 1203 Camden, (210) 557-7562.
WORDS Ernie Wood: One Red Thread Ernie Wood’s novel One Red Thread is a tale of time travel and its consequences. When Eddy McBride travels to the past and learns about his family history, he attempts to fix mistakes that alter the natural course of events. Free, 5:30-7:30pm Tuesday; The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste 106, (210) 826-6411.
SA’s Westside community newspaper, celebrates the release of its 200th issue. Guests can enjoy food, fun and a photo booth at the offices of San Anto Cultural Arts and receive a screen print of the 200th issue cover (designed by artist Juan Ramos) while supplies last. Free, 5-8pm Friday; San Anto Cultural Arts, 2120 El Paso, (210) 226-7466.
MLK Wreath Laying Ceremony This DreamWeek event brings together
businesses and organizations to lay wreaths at the MLK statute to honor the life, struggles and accomplishments of Dr. King. This year’s guest speaker is Jim Wyatt, president of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce. Free, 2pm Sunday; Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza (E Houston at N New Braunfels).
Winter Survival Part of the Middle School
Winter Discovery Series, Winter Survival invites students 10- to 14-years-old to learn about ways animals survive during the winter and how they adapt to changes
in the environment. To register, call (210) 207-3280. Free (donations accepted), 9:3011:30am Thursday; Phil Hardberger Park West, 8400 NW Military Hwy.
WWE Live WWE superstars John Cena,
Dean Ambrose, “Money in the Bank Contract Winner” Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt, Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler, Luke Harper, the WWE Divas and many more descend on the Freeman Coliseum for a night of pro wrestling. $20-$95, 5pm Sunday; Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E Houston, (210) 226-1177.
SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM of ART
Lewis Fisher: American Venice: The Epic Story of San Antonio’s River In his novel
American Venice, Lewis F. Fisher uncovers the evolution of San Antonio’s beloved River Walk and shares how San Antonians refused to give up on the vital water source. In 1941, neglect, civic uprisings and bursts of creativity culminated in the completion of a Works Projects Administration project designed by Robert H. H. Hugman. Free, 4-6pm Saturday; The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste 106, (210) 826-6411.
COMEDY Tommy Davidson A native of Washinton,
D.C., veteran comic Tommy Davidson is possibly best known for his appearances on In Living Color, Adult Swim’s Black Dynamite and the Showtime special Chocolate Sundaes. $20, 8pm & 10:15pm Friday-Saturday, 8pm Sunday; Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, 618 NW Loop 410, (210) 541-8805.
January 23, 2015 | 6:00–10:00 p.m. This night only:
Buy one Nelson Rockefeller’s Picasso Tapestries exhibition ticket, get one free. Tickets available only at the door.
Music • Art-making • Flamenco performances Special tours • Scavenger hunt Jason Dady’s Duk Truck • Cash bar
San Antonio Museum of Art | 200 West Jones Ave | (210) 978-8100 | samuseum.org/datenight
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 19
“You have to be creative. You have to come up with new ideas. Give people something they can not experience anywhere else.” In Loving Memory
Mentor.Visionary. Philanthropist. Locally sourced & handmade. Old school with no apologies. 152 E Pecan st #100 | 210.222.1849
Looking for the
Perfect
Date Night? 5005 Broadway | 210.826.7246 For our full calendar, visit: TheRoyalCanvas.com
20 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
ARTS
Artpace director goes west SARAH FISCH
This ain’t Artpace Director Amada Cruz’s first time at the San Antonio rodeo; previous to her appointment as Director in 2012, Cruz curated several International Artist-in-Residence exhibitions in 1999-2000, and has served on the organization’s board. She was also a friend of the late founder Linda Pace. Cruz relocated to San Antonio during a troubled time for Artpace; then-Director Matthew Drutt left his post abruptly in January 2011 after a five-year term. Then, during Cruz’s tenure, Maura Reilly left the Linda Pace Foundation just as abruptly. (It should be noted, however, that the Linda Pace Foundation and Artpace have two different boards). We’re sorry to see you go. Well, I’m sad to go, of course. Any transition like this is bittersweet, and Artpace will always be dear to my heart. Then why are you going? (Laughs) It’s really a result of several forces, none of which [had to do] with Artpace. I truly believe that Artpace is very important, completely unique in its mission. But I was offered [the Directorship] at the Phoenix Art Museum, and for a number of reasons, including some family reasons, it’s really an opportunity I couldn’t justify not taking. I’m guessing you wouldn’t have taken it if it [were] a lateral move. What do you feel is your directive at the Phoenix Art Museum? My focus at Artpace has really been the Artist-inResidence program, which is a different type of work than I’ll be doing [in Phoenix]. I was already invested in [Artpace’s residency program] before I came to San Antonio. I curated and co-curated several of the Artist-inResidence programs when Linda was still director. And what was that like? Linda was just such a positive force. She had a great feeling for art, had passion for art all over
There are artists who really made a bond with Linda and with Artpace. Somebody like Felix Gonzalez-Torres … [his residency] was very early on but towards the end of his life, and the billboard project in 2010 … San Antonio was so lucky to have these amazing images just quietly taking place in the city. I think it’s not as well-known here that there are artists who started projects at Artpace that went on to inform later work. There’s a reason the Artist-in-Residence program is so well respected in the art world. Artists with Turner Prizes, Guggenheim and MacArthur [fellowships]. In some ways, [Artpace] gets more attention from the international art world than in San Antonio. What are some of your proudest achievements at Artpace? Well, when we got the NEA [National Endowment for the Arts] grant [author note: for $60,000, in 2012], and in general some really important outreach. I want, and Artpace wants, to open our doors to the local community [and be] a real resource. So not to be seen as so ivory tower. That’s right. More public events, more educational [events], I’m happy with [the increased profile of] Chalk it Up … like with most museums and arts organizations, everybody is wanting to include a younger audience. It’s interesting that you’re going from a part of the country with a strong Latin influence to another part of the country with a strong Latin influence. Yes, that is true. I feel like there’s this emerging cultural voice in both places. Yes, that’s true, and it is an area I care about. I’m originally from Cuba and have spent some time in Mexico, and these are strong influences. But I should point out, I’m not going to be doing the same kind of curation in Phoenix.
World War II in Photographs: Looking Back JANUARY 13 | MAY 10
COURTESY
EXIT INTERVIEW: AMADA CRUZ
the world [and] loved San Antonio. She could have gone anywhere, but she used her resources to bring contemporary art to her hometown. [Linda wanted] Artpace to be a laboratory for national and international artists, [but also to] include local and Texas artists, [and this] made it unique in the country.
What will be the focus there? And will you keep in touch with the scene here? Less hands-on curation, which is good and bad. We’ll see. [The Phoenix Art Museum] is more of an all-purpose museum, with more high-profile traveling exhibitions and a different mission. But my heart will always be more in contemporary and emerging art. But I’ll always care about San Antonio, and I will stay connected to Artpace. What’s a particularly memorable experience you had in Texas that will stick with you? Let’s see … (laughs), well, I visited a lady at her ranch, she has a beautiful house, and I loved the whole Texas ranch experience. This was early on. And there was some beautiful taxidermy—of this giant wild boar. I had no idea there were these … feral hogs? Is that what they’re called? And I said something to her like “I have family who hunts, this is a beautiful pig!” Because, you know, Cubans love their pig (laughs), and she said that I should come hunting with her sometime, but that it’s much more fun to do it by helicopter. I told a friend, “I’ve just gotten to Texas, and somebody invited me to shoot wild boars from a helicopter!” I don’t know where else that would have happened! C
mcnayart.org Carl Mydans, Japanese Surrender on Board the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945. Courtesy of Monroe Gallery of Photography, Santa Fe, New Mexico; LIFE Magazine / Time Warner Inc.
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 21
The Weight is over, and SliMedica is in town to start your year off on the right track! We Offer the ZERONA LASER TREATMENT! Remove Fat & Reduce Inches! ZERO Surgery. ZERO Pain. ZERO Downtime.
Text SLIM CURRENT to 91944 to Win 2 FREE weeks of Zerona Laser Treatment! Mention this ad for our special San Antonio Current Offer! Zerona Laser Treatments only $166 each, regular price $300!
Lose 3-9 inches in the first 2 weeks. Call now to schedule your FREE no hassle consultation! 210-971-4000
210-971-4000 | 12770 Cimarron Path, Ste. 104 SA, TX 78249 22 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
ARTS
COURTESY
WOVEN ICONS Nelson Rockefeller’s Picasso tapestries celebrate the Spanish master’s greatest hits DAN R. GODDARD
Imagine being able to ask Pablo Picasso, the most renowned artist of the 20th century, to help decorate your basement. For Nelson Rockefeller, it was more than a tycoonish whim. Between 1958 and 1975, he commissioned Picasso to create large-scale tapestries based on some of the Spanish-born artist’s best-known paintings to hang in Kykuit, the Rockefeller family estate in Westchester County, New York. Providing a spectacular panorama of Picasso’s greatest hits, 14 of the 18 tapestries are on view through March 8 at the San Antonio Museum of Art. SAMA, home of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art, has borrowed these masterpieces of weaving while Kykuit, now a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is closed for the winter. This is the first time so many of the tapestries have been shown together outside of the estate, and the spacious, well-lit Cowden Gallery probably provides a better viewing experience than the crampedlooking, subterranean gallery devised by Rockefeller to house his sprawling collection of modern art. If SAMA could have borrowed the original paintings, this truly would be a once-in-a-lifetime blockbuster, but it would have been immensely difficult to wrangle loans for so many icons of 20thcentury art from New York’s Museum of Modern Art, London’s Tate Gallery, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, and the Centre Georges Pompidou and Picasso Museum in Paris. However, the tapestries reflect Rockefeller’s philosophy that art should be made accessible to everyone.
From left: large-scale tapestries depicting Pablo Picasso’s paintings Harlequin and L’Aubade
Rockefeller became interested in modern tapestries in 1955 when he acquired the one Picasso had created based on his famous anti-war painting, Guernica. The country’s most prominent proponent of popularizing art, Rockefeller felt that if he could transform Picasso’s key works into tapestries, they would be easier to tour, exposing a broader audience to one of the world’s most important artists. Tapestries are more durable than paintings and can be rolled up for easy shipment. The Guernica tapestry, which now hangs in the United Nations building in New York, was displayed at SAMA in 2012 and inspired this exhibit. All of the tapestries on view were woven by hand at Atelier Cavalaire, the studio of Jacqueline de la Baume Dürrbach in the Var region of the south of France. Rockefeller’s full-time curator, Carol Uht, oversaw the project, but she battled against the increasing size of the tapestries, which grew because Madame de la Baume Dürrbach was “paid by the square inch.” Four of the best tapestries are based on paintings from MOMA’s collection, including the Three Musicians, a landmark of Picasso’s synthetic cubist
phase. Alfred H. Barr Jr., MOMA’s Walter at work on a sketchpad. Pitcher founding director, recommended the and Bowl of Fruit is distinctive for thick painting because its flat planes of color black outlines mimicking stained-glass translated easily into weaving. He also windows. Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny recommended the Harlequin, Picasso’s Tellier) is the last tapestry that Rockefeller alter ego, and The Studio, a fairly simple commissioned, but it’s made of silk and is geometric composition that includes a the earliest work of cubism in the show. stylized Picasso standing at his easel Along with the Rockefeller tapestries, holding a paintbrush and gazing at his SAMA is showing two large-scale model, his beloved muse Marie-Thérèse tapestries that belong to Mexico City Walter, represented by an abstract white collectors Vicky and Marcos Micha. Both plaster bust. are variations of Picasso’s interpretation But Barr was dubious about the choice of Édouard Manet’s scandalous of Night Fishing at Antibes, a complex Luncheon on the Grass. But the largest painting in hues of blues, purples and was rejected by Rockefeller, perhaps greens. During late-night walks, Picasso because, as Uht speculates, there were observed night fishermen attracting their “so many colors.” catch with acetylene lamps. With a cubist While the tapestries may not provide fisherman holding a trident with four an exact match for the color schemes of arrows pointed down at the fish and stars Picasso’s paintings, they are close enough reflected in the dark water, Night Fishing for anyone who wants to know Picasso at Antibes is the most better but doesn’t have dramatic tapestry in the the means to jet off to exhibit, but it’s also the New York, London and Nelson Rockefeller’s Picassos: Tapestries Commissioned for Kykuit most confounding and Paris. More importantly, $10-$20 chaotic. similar to Picasso’s 10am-5pm Wed-Thu, 10am-9pm Fri, Three of the tapestries ceramics, these 10am-5pm Sat-Sun, 10am-9pm Tue San Antonio Museum of Art are based on paintings tapestries show weaving 200 West Jones Avenue from Rockefeller’s own is an art form that (210) 978-8100 collection. Interior with shouldn’t be dismissed samuseum.org Through March 8 a Girl Drawing shows as mere craft. C sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 23
24 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
YOUR STYLE IS WORTH
CASH We pay cash on the spot for your trendy gently used clothing and accessories. 1604 AND BANDERA | SILVERADO 16 | 210.372.1311 PLATOSCLOSETNORTHWESTSANANTONIO.COM 630 NW LOOP 410 | 210.979.7711 PLATOSCLOSETNORTHSTARSANANTONIO.COM
We are desperate for denim! Sell yours now for top dollar! sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 25
SCREENS
WARNER BROS.
AMERICAN MISFIRE Star Bradley Cooper gives a strong performance, but director Clint Eastwood struggles with Navy SEAL Chris Kyle’s story DAN HUDAK
Navy SEAL Chris Kyle was the most lethal sniper in American military history. He served four tours of duty in the Middle East, had more than 160 confirmed kills, was called “Legend” by his fellow soldiers, and was an emotionally distant husband and father while actively enlisted. Kyle’s story is inherently fascinating. Clint Eastwood’s telling of it in American Sniper is not. Even with the above and more to work with, Eastwood’s final product registers as a mundane bore that has the life sucked out of it from the get-go. The first deflating moment comes when we see Chris (Bradley Cooper) on a lookout post in Fallujah targeting a woman and child who are potentially carrying explosive devices. Before the moment pays off, there’s a flashback to scenes of him learning how to shoot, bull riding, his girlfriend cheating on him, bonding with his brother, Navy SEAL training that offers nothing new and meeting his future wife Taya (Sienna Miller). On their wedding day, his unit learns they’re going to the Middle East. Only then, roughly a half hour into the film, do we return to Chris on the lookout targeting the woman and child. Writer Jason Hall, working from Kyle’s book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History, seems to be marking off a checklist of war movie clichés. For the opening half hour to be effective, all those details need to 26 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller share a tender goodbye in American Sniper
collectively feed into Kyle at the lookout, but the segment is so crammed with unnecessary details that it’s too scattered for its own good. As a result, when we get back to the lookout we’ve forgotten about it, and all the suspense is lost. Remember: Just because it’s factual doesn’t mean it should be in the movie. It is Eastwood and Hall’s duty to provide an entertaining story, not worry about getting things right. If Taya Kyle wanted a more fact-based biographical film that would be accurate, she should’ve sold the story rights to a documentarian. More alarmingly, Chris’ most interesting trait—his shooting ability—is given precious little insight. One would think a film about the deadliest sniper in U.S. history would take us inside his head to see how he views his targets. Not from the scope on his rifle, but from the thought process he goes through when spotting a target, focusing on the subject and deciding to fire. But Chris is kept at a distance and Eastwood misses
the chance to use the medium of film effectively to tell Chris’ story. Part of this could be because Chris kept himself at a distance. Between tours he returned home to Taya and their children but wasn’t mentally and emotionally there, which provides a brief glimpse of his home life but is over too quickly to really register. His need to focus and not quit and be in the action is well documented, so none of the content of him at home in Texas feels necessary. If you’re going to make a movie that glorifies a great soldier, do it. Don’t waste time with him as a terrible father and husband. And when you are glorifying him as a soldier, do so with focus and style. Eastwood saps the inherent curiosity from Kyle’s exploits by using muted colors and allowing scenes to run far longer than they should. Although there’s a rival sniper named Mustafa (Sammy Sheik) that Chris is trying to catch (the rivalry between Chris and Mustafa would’ve been an interesting subplot to develop
more), the story is episodic and lacks a clear narrative arc. “The Exploits of an American Sniper” might have made for a nice television series in which Chris goes on one mission after the next, but it doesn’t play well in a 134-minute movie. Clint Eastwood was handed two prime properties in 2014 (remember Jersey Boys? Didn’t think so.) and the results have been underwhelming. The truth is there aren’t many directors we’d rather have working on American Sniper. They can’t all be Oscar winners, right? Potential spoiler: Chris Kyle was shot and killed in Texas in February of 2013 by an American veteran he was trying to help. American Sniper (R) Dir. Clint Eastwood; writ. Jason Hall (based on a book by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen and James DeFelice); feat. Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner Opens Friday, Jan 16
HH
We're Pawderosa Ranch.
The doggie play and stay professionals. TUES-SUN 12P-8P www.weloveyourdog.net
SCHERTZ: 210-566-4222 | AIRPORT: 210-404-9941
2423 Austin Hwy • 210.654.0211 • themotorcycleshopsa.com
517 E. WOODLAWN 210-320-1710
Your resolution to save money begins here!
517 E. WOODLAWN 210-320-1710
HAIR • NAILS • MASSAGE
f election o Largest S
s r e t o o c S in town! 2102 McCullough, San Antonio, TX | 210.320.1556
NURSE PRACTITIONER ASSOCIATES
BYOB
Paint & Sip!
Dramatic Weight Loss 15-20 lbs/month (before exercise)
A personalized weekly, medically supervised program using oral medications and weekly lipotropic injections. $200/month, $140/month w/ accepted insurance LOSE WEIGHT, NO WAIT!
Full Family Practice Office NURSEPRACTITIONERASSOCIATES.COM
Call for an appointment! 210-995-3681
CHECK OUR CALENDAR FOR FULL CLASS INFO! 2211 NW MILITARY HIGHWAY STE.116 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78213
WhimsyArtStudio.com | 210.460.6610 |
Offering Botox, Fillers, And Chemical Peels and Hormone Replacement Therapy
ACCEPTING ALL NEW PATIENTS
$50 PER MEDICAL VISIT/ ACCEPTING MOST INSURANCE Initial Consultation $140 Monthly housecalls available for elderly. sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 27
-From Ga llo
Buy Any Large Pizza,
Get A Medium
FREE! expires 01/21/15
DINE-IN, PICK-UP, DELIVERY & CATERING
saebthainoodlesa.com
226 W Bitters Rd #124, San Antonio, TX 78216 • (210) 545-3354
Happy Hour: 4:30-7 PM (Mon - Thurs)! Half-priced apps! Open for Lunch & Dinner 7 Days a Week
Lunch Specials starting at $6.50 HAPPY HOUR 3-6 $2 off Appetizers, Spirits, and Cocktails $1 off Beer and Wine
OPEN DAILY|FULL BAR SERVICE
12651 Vance Jackson Rd #108 @ De Zavala | 210•558•2018
San Antonio’s Best DAILY Happy Hour!
1/2 OFF ALL DRINKS FROM 2-6PM! 115 North Loop 1604 East • San Antonio, TX 78232 • (210) 370-9219 28 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
FOOD
Silo Terrace Oyster Bar lands in a stellar location
DAN PAYTON
STILL ON TOP JESSICA ELIZARRARAS
There were a few reasons why I may have been apprehensive about the Silo family’s latest endeavor. Silo Terrace Oyster Bar, sister restaurant to Alamo Heights’ Silo Elevated Cuisine/ Nosh and a second eatery off Loop 1604, had a fairly innocuous opening this past November off I-10 and directly across from The Dominion. Immediate notions of stuffy patrons danced through my head, but I wasn’t going to stay away from the eatery’s selection of freshly flown-in oysters. And to the eatery’s defense, this iteration takes on a much more approachable spin. Parking is ample on weeknights and during lunch, but I expect that changes come the weekend as neighbor eatery Aldaco’s draws in its own set of diners (coincidentally, that’s also the third location for the local chain owned by Blanca Aldaco). Like its predecessors before it and like its name suggests, STOB features a terrace-level dining experience. It’s easy enough to find the entrance—the gleaming walls of wine hold passport into the dining room via a tile-lined elevator. The space, possibly 3,000 square feet of it, is just as posh as its sister locations with tiled walls and floors, which could come off as cold, but don’t. Instead, Silo Terrace Oyster Bar is inviting, cool and comfortable and the scene persists from evening to daytime as the featured lighting keeps things bright at night and sunlight pours into the space during the day. The almost freezing temperatures, along with the tiny monster known as cedar pollen kept us from sitting on the covered patio, but come springtime, the space will likely draw a bustling crowd if only for the oysters and sparkling wines. There was a surprising amount of diners out on a
Stop in for oysters and stay for much more
recent Monday night during my initial visit. Considering how January can often be a slower time for eateries, the bustling scene was encouraging. Clearly the kitchen, open and steely, must be doing something right. The dinner and lunchtime menus vary slightly. Dinner includes a daily prix fixe option complete with a mixed green salad, which includes a Maine lobster roll, Crystal Hot Sauce fried chicken, braised lamb loin, Florida stone crab, and fish and chips. Otherwise the rest of the offerings include selections from the cold bar, soups and salads, small plates, big plates, sharable sides and signature cocktails.
A note on the service staff: It would be easy for Silo to hire a slew of uppity, pro-servers, but that’s not the case here. Instead, the staff expertly toes the line between consummate professionals, enthusiastic sales people and knowledgeable eaters. Our server turned us onto the tuna carpaccio made using a slightly thicker cut of fish and dotted with a hint of lemon-dill oil, topped with capers (which, let’s face it, make everything better) and finely chopped radishes and parsley. Served with toasted bread rounds, the small plate can easily be shared with a group, and is just rich enough to get the meal started. From there, my dining partner took aim at the lobster ravioli, while the shrimp fra diavolo called my name. When someone reviews restaurants for a living, it’s easy to get into a culinary rut, but the pasta dish (created by chef Gary Boatman, previously at Silo Elevated Cuisine/Nosh) hit all the right notes with perfectly cooked shrimp, delicate squid ink tagliolini, and a mix of sautéed spinach, sun-dried tomato strips and diced zucchini. Across the table from me, my partner’s ravioli was perhaps the only miss of the evening. Although the butter-poached lobster was superb, the pasta was on the wrong side of al dente, and could have used a minute more to soften the dough. A lunchtime visit brought in more hits, with equally pleasant service, as a new dining companion and I shared an order of signature chicken-fried oysters on a bed of sautéed spinach and braised pork belly. The ingredients for the dish might not have been the newest or trendiest, but the execution was flawless. My companion enjoyed his lobster roll piled high on a buttery roll and mixed with mayo, chopped celery, a touch of tarragon, parsley and chives, though at $22, I can’t say I was rushing to order it. My seared mahi mahi proved a suitable option, as a colorful display of layered tomato-fennel coulis, saffron rice and sautéed broccolini arrived at the table. The meaty mahi was flavored simply with a dose of salt and pepper, which showcased the dish’s other flavors. Silo Terrace Oyster Bar follows in the footsteps of its sister eateries, and nails food presentation, service and ambiance. I’ll be making my way back to enjoy the patio and more oysters once cedar levels stop destroying my senses. C
Silo Terrace Oyster Bar 22211 I-10 W, (210) 698-2002, silosa.com The Skinny Silo’s third location lands in a stellar spot with a seafood-heavy menu, “oysterology” and comforting favorites. Best Bets Any and all seafood including oysters (duh), lobster roll, seared mahi mahi, tuna carpaccio Price $6-$35 lunch; $7-$39 dinner Hours 11am-3pm Mon-Sat; 5:30-10pm Mon-Thu, 5:30-11pm Fri-Sat; closed Sunday
EAT AT PEARL! local flavor since 1883
Start off 2015 with delicious dishes from the restaurants at Pearl and find out why Pearl is the culinary gathering place of San Antonio.
Visit :
ARCADE MIDTOWN KITCHEN | BAKERY LORRAINE |
BLUE BOX BAR | BOILER HOUSE | CURED |
MORE INFO ≥ ATPEARL.COM
THE GRANARY | GREEN | IL SOGNO OSTERIA | LA GLORIA | LICK HONEST ICE CREAMS | LOCAL COFFEE | NAO | ONE LUCKY DUCK | SANDBAR
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 29
Fresh Pastries Free Coffee
Breakfast & Lunch Croissants
Daily Breads 8055 West Ave, Suite 107 • SA, Tx | hours: 7am-6pm 210.259.8359
Happy hour app AUTHENTIC GERMAN FOOD IN THE HEART OF S.A. Daily Lunch Specials Include n/a Drink
Indian & Pakistani Cuisine
Happy Hour All Day Everyday!
Buy One Get One 1/2 OFF
With the purchase of another lunch entrée of equal or greater value. Monday-Friday 11-4 Not valid with any other offers.
$2 Domestics • $2.50 Imports • $3 (& up) Well Drinks Every plate achieves that elusive, cuisinedefining balance of spice, try our Butter Chicken and Tandoori Meats. Monday-Sunday 4pm - 1am | 21003 Encino Commons #110 | KoylaGrille.com | 210.481.5555
OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH AND DINNER SUNDAY BRUNCH 10 A-3P 300 West Bitters Rd. @ West Ave
210-396-7170
1/2 Price Appetizers during Happy Hour 3-7 Monday-Friday (in bar only)
www.bavarianbrauhaus.com
SOUTH TEXAS SPICE COmpany Your Hometown
Spice Store
Since 1985.
Retail - Institutional - Specialty Blends 8oz. - 300lbs. or more
210.436.2280 • 2106 castroville rd • 78237
2 FOR 1
Coffee beans roasted in house. Espresso bar Now open! 2nd location Slow Bar 8434 Fredericksburg Rd. @ wurzbach 15502 Huebner Rd • 210.492.9544 • Facebook.com/Mildfire 30 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
BUY 1 ENTREE & 2 BEVERAGES, RECEIVE 2ND ENTREE
$1 OFF LUNCH BUFFET 11a-2:30pm
CANDLELIT DINING
5-10pm (call for reservations)
BELLY DANCES
1st friday of month 1031 PATRICIA DRIVE | 210.366.1030 | WWW.INDIAOVEN.BIZ
FOR FREE! MAX VALUE $10 DINE IN ONLY SUNDAY-THURSDAY NO HOLIDAYS MENTION AD
FOOD
COURTESY
Restaurant Week’s back for a winter edition
FLAVOR FILE
Cocktail Conference spillover and curing that hangover with January’s Restaurant Week Ready the Topo Chico, aspirin, menudo, breakfast tacos or whatever go-to hangover cure is in your arsenal—the San Antonio Cocktail Conference is here. You can read all about new changes, updates and get a full schedule online and on page 32. If you somehow missed out on tickets, area bars and restaurants are lining up casual events for the cocktail-loving set that didn’t get their shit together in time. Blue Box Bar (312 Pearl Pkwy) will host the fourth edition of DEUCES!, a synchronized bartending competition that pairs Texas bartenders into duos using Aviation Gin, Rhum Clemen, Rhum JM, Encanto Pisco, Auchentoshan Single Malt Whiskey and more. Stop by Friday, January 16, 5-8 p.m. and buy a few cocktails; a portion of the proceeds will benefit Houston Street Charities. Or you can join The Bon Vivants for something called “Burlesqu-oke” at Tito’s Restaurant (955 S Alamo) on Friday, January 16, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. for cocktails via Alex Straus of LA, Scott Baird of San Francisco, Jacyara De Oliveira of Chicago and Whitney Hobbs of Austin using Ancho Reyes, Tequila Ocho, Atlantico Rum and more as the Austin’s Jigglewatts bring the titillation. Reserve your spot at goo.gl/forms/WeNFg7Nwyf. If beer is more your jam, Branchline Brewing (3633 Metro Pkwy, (210) 403-2097) will celebrate year two of badass brews with a weekend’s worth of activities. Tickets for the sessions, 4-8 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m.-3p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Saturday (where you can sample different wares, including sour and barrel-aged beers, cask brews and seasonal and rare tappings, respectively) are $15 before Friday, January 16, $20 at the door (if available). Admission includes an anniversary glass and four beer tickets. Cheers! Cocina Heritage Restaurant (118 N Medina, (210) 267-5124) is adding brunch, with table service, to the lineup starting Saturday, January 17 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The seven-item menu will include pozole blanco, huevos ahogados, torta cochinita pibil, chilaquiles verdes and other breakfast favorites with prices ranging from $4.50 to $13.50. Finally, once SACC ends, you can start planning what restaurants to visit during the winter edition of Culinaria’s Restaurant Week from Monday, January 19 through Saturday, January 24. Last year’s newly implemented price tiers remain, so you can technically save some dough on your excursions out with the $10 and $25 price tier added to help accommodate mid-range restaurants, while the $15 and $35 lunch and dinner options remain for high-end joints. Like last August, restaurants will donate $1 and $2, based on tier, to the nonprofit. Make sure to put those reservations in ASAP. —Jessica Elizarraras, flavor@sacurrent.com
LIFE’S SHORT. LOVE WHAT YOU DO. Like the Lynyrd Skynyrd song we’re named after, we believe in freedom of expression, charting your own course and enjoying every minute of it. Your job shouldn’t be an exception. At Freebirds World Burrito, we’re a diverse team with a hundred things that make us different, special and memorable. Better known as the Tribe, our people live to guide our guests through the burrito-building experience – and they love every minute of it. Our Rollers know the ropes when it comes to filling your belly. And our Guest Service Ninjas will make you feel at home. The Freebirds Tribe knows our brand inside out, from our heritage to the perfect temperature to grill our farm-fresh ears of corn. These guys are the experts and they’re what make us great. And with great work comes reward. We take care of our folks because we know they’re the best in the business – driven, hardworking and passionate about food. With a full range of benefits and added perks, we offer each Tribe Member the tools to reach their full potential. Sound good? From culinary to operations, this is the place for you. We’re looking for talented, energetic people who want to take their career to the next level. Learn new skills and open doors. Apply at careers.freebirds.com.
FREEBIRDS.COM
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 31
DRINK
FILE
‘Tenders, ‘tails and tasty chef-created bites will fill the Majestic come Thursday
HANGOVER LIKE NO OTHER
Year 4 brings more change, growth for San JESSICA ELIZARRARAS Antonio Cocktail Conference The eyes of Texas are about to descend on San Antonio’s coupes, flutes and tumblers as the city kicks off the fourth annual San Antonio Cocktail Conference. I’ll be frank—I’m never quite ready for what the conference brings. Unfamiliar with what exactly goes down? Here’s a brief synopsis of what the SACC is, what transpires and why it matters. The almost-week-long event began in January 2012 as a way to bring attention to the city’s Downtown and its burgeoning cocktail scene with seminars and parties that highlighted great ’tails and spirits. And you can thank chef Mark Bohanan, NYC’s Sasha Petraske (who trained the staff at Bohanan’s then-relatively new downstairs bar) and his management staff (Scott Becker, Jenny Rabb, Carlos Faz) for the success of the first year. The festivities included a packed Thursday opening night soiree at Bohanan’s; daytime classes at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel on Friday and Saturday; a Friday night party with stops at SoHo and Ocho at Hotel Havana aboard Rio San Antonio Cruise barges (where cocktails were also served) and a Saturday night closing celebration at The Esquire Tavern. That was then. The SACC, which technically operates as part of Houston 32 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Street Charities, a nonprofit that donates 100 percent of the event proceeds to children’s charities (Children’s Shelter and Transplants for Children will be new recipients this year in addition to ChildSafe and HeartGift San Antonio), has ballooned much like the cocktail culture in San Antonio (though it’s difficult to say which spurred the other). This year’s conference lineup is still being tinkered with to include more participating bars, brands and the imbibers who want to soak it all in. Changes to the conference started with the appointment of Cathy Siegel, who formally joined Houston Street Charities, as executive director. For Rabb, who technically serves as catering manager for Bohanan’s when she’s not helping coordinate the conference, the addition of Siegel was instrumental. “It’s been amazing to have someone here right next to me, 365 days a year working on this … It’s been a huge help,” Rabb said over the phone with the Current. With Siegel as added (wo)manpower, the conference looks to expand and tweak to guarantee a good experience for all. Because the conference outgrew Bohanan’s Courtyard almost immediately, the opening night festivities shifted to the Majestic Theatre in its second year. Now the third opening night affair held
at the picturesque Majestic will feature a different floor plan. “This year we’re putting a stage over the seats [inside the theatre] and opening up more space,” Rabb said. That means a better flow on the first floor and access to the second and adjoining Starlight patio, which overlooks a twinkly Houston Street. For opening night ($100, 7-11pm) party-goers, who should don their finest cocktail attire, can expect 28 spirit stations and 16 food stations with noshes by the Art Institute; Guerilla Gourmet; Mixtli; The Granary ’Cue & Brew; The Friendly Spot; Inspired Occasions; Restaurant Gwendolyn; The Cookhouse; Folc; The Monterey; and Austin’s La Condesa. The beefed up food offerings, curated by chefs Elise Broz of Biga on the Banks and fiancé John Russ of Lüke San Antonio, will carry on into the next two parties—including a throwback to The St. Anthony’s early days with Friday’s Waldorf on the Prairie event ($85, 7-11pm) that will flow throughout the Anacacho Room, Peacock Alley and Georgian Room. Earlier versions of the Friday night event included the use of both river barges and double-decker buses, but Rabb’s quick to point out the SACC isn’t in the “transportation business.” The consolidated venue will hold 24 bars and another 16 food stations (Biga on the Banks; The St. Anthony Hotel; Navy chefs; Feast; Citrus; El Machito; Austin’s Noble Pig; Tre Trattoria; Max’s Wine Dive; Tuk Tuk Taproom; Lick; Sol y Luna Baking Company; Barbaro; and Whiskey Cake), and live music, including soul via The Night Owls, classic jazz from The Doc Watkins
Trio and a Latin DJ. Minimal, but significant changes are lined up for Saturday’s big blow out, the Stroll on Houston Street ($85, 6-10pm) bookended by Bohanan’s and Lüke San Antonio. The IBC Plaza will open its expansive patio to include more food stations (17 throughout the stretch of Houston including Tiny Pies; SA Pops; Hot Joy; Sway; The Boiler House; Two Bros. BBQ Market; Knife and Fork Gastropub; Tycoon Flats; The Cove; The Original Hot Dog House; and Acenar) and half a dozen craft beer offerings. You’ll want to keep your spirits and energy high if you’re to make it to the Rock & Rum Revival After-Party ($75, 11pm-2am) sponsored by 86 Co., which takes over the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre with Texas bars such as Austin’s Half Step, Houston’s Moving Sidewalk, Dallas’ Parliament, Abilene’s Public-Haus and San Anto’s own The Last Word. In case anyone is still hungry, El Mirador will keep stomachs happy with fresh breakfast tacos, because San Antonio. If you’ve got any juice left in you by Sunday, the Original Cocktail Competition ($40, 4-9pm) will pit eight finalists against each other at the Aztec Theatre, leading into the conference’s closing party. But the four days don’t stop at imbibing and partying—bar enthusiasts can look forward to plentiful seminars, 35 to be exact, from new techniques for bartenders to continued studies into specific spirits (for a list of seminars, see page 48). We CONTINUED ON PG 35 ►
SNUS
©2015 R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO CO.
WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer. sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 33
34 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
DRINK
FILE
Keep your energy up for SACC’s 86 Co. After-Party
talked to a few presenters on what we need to learn about Champagne, mezcal and white whiskey. If you’re hoping to better acquaint yourself with mezcal, then “Scotland vs Mexico: Parte Dos” ($45, 1:30pm Friday, The Last Word) will be worth checking out. Milagro rep, Juan Pablo De Loera and David Allardice, Glenfiddich brand ambassador, hope to expel some myths about tequila and other agave distillates during this presentation that points out similarities in aromas and production for both spirits. “We’ll taste some of Milagro’s aged expressions with rare casks out of Glenfidddich, and add mezcal to the mix,” Loera said of the Oaxacan espadin mezcal made by Montelobos, which he hopes will bridge the other two spirits. “I want to show people how approachable tequila really is.” Continue the agave crash course with “Mezcal” ($45, 1pm Saturday, Bohanan’s). The presentation will celebrate master mezcaleros Aquilino Garcia Lopez of Oaxaca’s Mezcal Vago and Emilio Vieyra of Michoacan’s Siembra Metl. “They’re from different states, use different agave varietals and there are significant differences in what they do,” Virtuoso Selections’ John Garrett said of the presenters. “Most mezcales worthy of their weight will have the mezcaleros name printed on the label … We want them to tell their story so people can ask for their spirits by name.” The presentation will include a chat with the producers who will share how they’re hoping to preserve their specific
distilling style across generations. Then, because we should all aim to drink responsibly during these next few days, Lynnette Marrero (cocktail consultant at DrinksAt6 and the mind behind Speed Rack) will join Meaghan Dorman (with Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails’ NYC Chapter and Raine’s Lawroom) for a “Shake it up with Champagne” ($45, 1pm Saturday, Sheraton Gunter). “The seminar’s for anyone interested in Champagne cocktails, either when making menus or working with Champagne at home. We’ll be addressing different styles … it’s not one size fits all and you really have to educate yourself about wine, and how it will work in cocktails,” Dorman said of the class, which will use Nicolas Feuillate’s range of bubblies. Finally, SA’s own Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling will preach on the virtues of their .36 white whiskey available in 750 milliliter bottles during “White Whiskey: The flavorful alternative to vodka” ($35, 1pm Saturday, St. Anthony). As owner Mark McDavid puts it, the white whiskey is the distillery’s first cocktail-friendly whiskey. “There’s a moonshine craze going on right now … this is a premium version of moonshine, you can sit and sip this and enjoy the flavor of this,” McDavid said of the spirit he’s using in Texas Mules and bloody marys. “There’s no reason this shouldn’t be used in cocktails as a flavorful alternative.” Hydration is your friend this weekend, San Antonio. We’re in for the best hangover yet. C sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 35
Great food Great times! WE HAVE ALL the NFL games each week (Direct TV NFL Ticket)
Open at 5pm Christmas Day
Happy Hour during NFL games! $2.99 WELLS, $2.95 DOMESTIC LONG NECKS, $3.50 MARGARITAS
Happy Hour Specials, Sports, Late Night Dinners, Lunch, Brunch, Catering and Private Rooms Available for your next Get-Together!
4 San Antonio Locations! • TheLionandRose.com 36 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
600+ SPIRITS 100+ CRAFT BEERS
WINE - CIGARS - FOOD
HAPPY HOUR Mon.- Fri. 4 - 7pm Open 4pm-2am Everyday
Bluestar 1420 South Alamo • 210.227.1420
BEER GARDEN, GROWLERS, CRAFTY FOOD
NOW TAPPIN’!
Rogness - Iapetus Goose Island - Ten Hills Twisted X - Red IPA Rahr - Ugly Pug Lone Pint - Yellow Rose Deschutes - Jubelale Branchline - Menger 32 Freetail - Texicali Wasatch - Polygamy Porter Prairie - BOMB
Growler Hour 3P-6P Mon.-Fri.
$1 off 32oz & $2 off 64oz Fills
48 TAPS, 60 bottles, cans, bombers, and Texas wines!
3P TO MIDNIGHT MON-FRI • NOON TO MIDNIGHT SATURDAY & SUNDAY 19178 Blanco Rd (just before Huebner) • 210.479.5445 • www.Claude-hoppers.com sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 37
DRINK
JOSH HUSKIN
TENDERS TO TRACK We’re keeping tabs on these three area bartenders When it comes to cocktails, SA’s scene is still very much on an upswing. As The Last Word gets into its groove, Mezcalería Mixtli gears up for a Mexican takeover of Olmos Park and Paramour readies for its opening in the near future, craft bartenders are keeping San Antonio palates abreast with new flavors and trends from across the country. For this year’s edition of Drink, we’re filling you in on three ’tenders who are pushing spirit boundaries at teensy distilleries, importing new-to-SA ways to imbibe and representing the city at one of the nation’s most female-centered bartending competitions. Let’s take a sip.
Janessa Flowers Barbaro 2720 McCullough
The name of the game is Speed Rack. Already in its fourth season, this speed bartending competition gathers female ’tenders across the nation (this season’s stops include events in New York, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver and Dallas) and pits them against each other with 100 percent of the proceeds going toward breast cancer research and education. For Janessa Flowers, a four-year member of the industry who relocated her talents from Brooklyn to our fair city, participating in the event—which takes place Wednesday, January 14 in Dallas—has been a few years in the making. “I’ve been a total chicken the last couple of years. I didn’t think I was ready and this year I was like, ‘You know what, I just have to do it,’” Flowers says, while working the bar at Barbaro. “It’s more about the experience and wanting to be a part of it. It’s such a cool concept.” She won’t be the only one submitting to Speed Rack’s agility and efficiency tests. Lis Forsythe, program director at Barbaro and Miss Speed Rack Austin for Season 3 (and wild card for Season 2, when she went head-to-head with Miss Speed Rack San Antonio Karah Carmack, of Hot Joy), along with Zulcoralis Rodriguez, of The Esquire Tavern, will also be making the trek to Dallas. Flowers, who met Forsythe at a 38 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
previous Speed Rack nationals in New York, is plenty dexterous—she first dipped into craft cocktail-making after almost 10 years as a hairdresser. “There were some amazing bars in New York that I’d go to after getting off my hairdressing shifts,” Flower says. Thankfully, the trades are similar. “You get to make people’s days better when they come to your bar after work, whether they’re in a bad mood, they just got fired, or they just broke up with their boyfriend, you can pick up their day and that’s an awesome part of this job,” Flowers says. She likens the two passions once more, as both require long hours, a personal relationship with clients and creativity. “People always pay homage to the classics—you’ve got a Vidal Sassoon bob and you break it up a bit and make it your own. It’s the same thing with this,” Flowers, a fan of big, boozy, brown and stirred ’tails, says. For her part on this winter menu, which she says Forsythe has encouraged her to collaborate on, Flowers helped build recipes for the Chai Chai, My Darling; Miss Ohio; and the Golden Yen. For the Chai Chai, My Darling, Flowers combines chai-infused rum with a hint of Ancho Reyes liqueur for a spicy, warm, wintry take on a rum Old Fashioned. But Speed Rack means accuracy and immediacy. Twenty finalists will enter and they’ll swiftly be narrowed down to eight. Four judges call out classic cocktails based on a list of 60 and contestants battle each other two
Flowers knows her way with flawless tresses and cocktails
at a time for braggin’ rights. In order to commit most recipes to memory, Flowers used flashcards, but she also worked on recreating each of the 60 ’tails before the competition. “I’ve been watching Speed Rack videos … I think it’s going to be one of those things you’re not really going to know until you get there,” Flower says, while discussing how organization and keeping ingredients at arm’s length is key. That and not spilling your drink. Her month’s worth of prep time came over the holidays when she and Forsythe held practice rounds at Barbaro—yes, “Eye of the Tiger” was on full blast to help recreate the intense,
but party-friendly environment of all Speed Rack contests where just about any classic cocktail goes. “When you get up there, you draw a blank ’cause of what’s going on,” Forsythe chimes in. Who the judges are also tends to punch up performance anxiety—last season’s judges included King Cocktail Dale DeGroff himself, along with Houston’s Alba Huerta (who opened the heavily lauded Julep last year). “The judges will always be people you want to make a good drink for … I’d rather be slow and make balanced drinks for my first year competing,” Flowers says. —Jessica Elizarraras
DRINK NIGHTLIFE
JOSH HUSKIN
Let’s call him the boss of Balkan brandy
Nick Kenna
Dorcol Distilling Company 1902 S Flores “Getting an architectural degree is not cheap, so I got a job as a bar back,” says Nick Kenna about working his way through UTSA’s school of architecture. “I submitted my portfolio aggressively when I graduated in 2002, but quickly found I would have to take a wage cut to work for an architect.” (Author’s note: As an architect, I can sympathize.) And thus began a career of designing drinks, not buildings. (Another author’s note: There’s more similarity than one might think.)
Kenna’s resume includes stints at P.F. Chang’s, Silo on Austin Highway, and Lion and Rose (“I learned a lot there”), but the real revelation came when he was introduced to Don Marsh, who was in the process of opening Bar 1919. “We met at Blue Star Brewing, and he gave me ‘the test,’” recalls Kenna—who apparently knew enough about Scottish single malt regions to pass. He spent a year and a half at 1919 before hooking up with the Valencia Hotel group, hired to open new hotel bars, interview personnel and develop menus unique to each venue. He spent the most time (and 17-hour days) at the Kansas City operation, “ordering big bucks in booze right off the
bat,” but quickly learned that the hardest part was not buying liquor and creating drinks but finding competent staff, and he eventually found himself back in San Antonio. An introduction to Dorcol’s Boyan Kalusevic and Chris Mobley, who were just putting together the bar that would complement their pioneering rakia distillery, led to a job there. “I did a soft opening with the help of Don [Marsh] and another more formal one with Jeret [Peña],” says Kenna. But for fill-in stints at places such as George’s Keep and 1919 (Dorcol’s bar is only open from Thursday to Saturday), the four-seat hangout by the railroad tracks has been his primary home ever since. “It was a huge transition from [a place with] 750
spirits [such as 1919] to using one main liquor [the apricot-based rakia],” he says. The dozens of rakia drinks on the newly installed menu board suggest he has been more than modestly successful. Many of these drinks are riffs on classics such as the Manhattan or Negroni, “but I have to make them accessible,” says Kenna—who is not averse to tossing out an arcane reference to Louis Kahn, the designer of Fort Worth’s Kimball Museum, when discussing the construction of drinks with layers of aromatics, tastes and textures. In order to bring variety and excitement into what might have been a one-note product line, he has learned to do tinctures, infusions (say of strawberry into rakia), and bitters, and isn’t shy about using a little foam (a great vehicle for putting aromas right in front of your nose) when the occasion seems to suggest it. His favorite current creation is a drink he calls Ups & Downs for its caffeine jolt paired to the calming effect of alcohol. Consisting of Dorcol’s rakia, Punt e Mes infused with pecan-inflected coffee beans, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, simple syrup and a dash of Aztec chocolate bitters, preceded with a rinse of Fernet-Branca and garnished with marjoram, the drink definitely has architectural airs—in only the best way, of course. But Kenna would be lying if he didn’t admit to “dancing” at the thought of Dorcol’s eventual production of a fuller product line. There’s the possibility of doing another fruit-based spirit, likely with Texas produce this time, and then there’s the “$25,000 mash tank, now just a pretty paperweight, waiting in the wings” for its star turn in a grain-based spirit—both aged and unaged. “A white whiskey is not hugely different from rakia,” says Kenna, so while waiting for that eventual product to age, he’ll have fun playing with it in “white dog” form. “It will change the smell profile of the distillery,” he notes, recalling the malt and mash smells he encountered when backpacking through Europe with the initial goal of checking out architectural landmarks. In the meantime, Kenna says he’ll continue to experiment with “preconceived notions of standard drinks—both playing to and against type.” A barrel-aged beer is another idea on his mental drawing board. And he’ll also keep researching the foods— meats, cheeses, breads and more—that accompany traditional spirits with the aim of creating even more layers of sensory experience. We can all dance to that. —Ron Bechtol sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 39
oot-
2010, nd Pro
by our tom
New Year, Same Excellence! Happy Hour 1p-6p, Mon - Fri
San Antonio’s Premiere Sports Bar Experience •Great Daily Drink Specials • NFL • NBA • NHL • MLB • NCAA • UFC
Voted SA CURRENT’S
” R A B S T R O P S “BEST 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014!!!
210.222.9722 • 420 E. HOUSTON STREET • TICKETSPORTSPUB.COM 40 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
ON THE ROCKS PUB 270 Losoya, SATX 78205
h wit
facebook.com/ontherockspubTX
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 2pm-7pm $3 Wells $3 Domestics $3.75 Flavored Vodkas
Hand - Crafted
Cocktails
The Local Bar
Shot Specials All Day Tues. & $2.75 Wells $2.50 Margaritas all day on Wednesdays $2 Ziegenbock Draft “River Rat Special”
Bar America
HH Everyday 5-7pm $3 wells, $2 domestic
Beat Street Bourbon & Burgers $5 Wells All Day Long $1 Off Drafts All Day Friday, Every Friday Happy Hour Cocktail Specials and $1 Off Apps 3 pm - 8 pm Every Day!
Dough Pizzaria Napoletana doughpizzeria.com HH: M-F, 3-6pm | Open HH seating 1/2 off Happy Hour Wine & Beer List. Guests that come in during HH can order off of the Cicchetti & Dinner menu and/or daily features board.
The Lost Bar
$3 Wells Sat-Sun 12-7 pm: $2.75 Domestic Longnecks, $3 Wells | REVERSE HAPPY HOUR 10pm-2am DAILY SPECIALS!
Slackers
Sports-Drinks-Arcade SlackerSA.com • $2.50 Domestics, $3 Wells Daily, $3 You Call It
Shenanigans
Happy Hour 12-7 $2.25 Wells $2.50 Domestics $2.50 Shiner Birthday Beer of the Month Drink and Shot Specials Daily
Bucks Saloon
$2 Domestics $2.25 Specialty Beers Cheap Drafts $9 Dom. Buckets $11 Prem. Buckets Thurs-Live Music & Free Pool
Kimura
Happy hour monday - friday 4-7 Saturday 12-4 $6 Kimura Cocktails $5 House Wines $4 Bottled Beer $6 Draft Beer $3-$4 Appetizers $6 Miso Ramen
Vortex Bar & Grill
26108 Overlook Pkwy Happy Hour 4-8 $5 APPS $3 XX & SHINER $2.75 DOMESTIC & WELLS $3.50 DOMESTIC TALLS $4 WINE $5 VORTEX PUNCH & More Daily Specials!
Shenanygans
Sun & Mon - $2 Wells/Jello Shots $2 Domestic Pints/Cans, $3 Import Pints Wed - $3 Wells $4 25 oz domestic mugs $5 25 oz import mugs
Drink, Texas Bar
Daily Specials 2p-9p $2.50 Wells & Select Drafts $3.50 Select Bottles $4 Crown Royal & Jack Daniels $1 OFF All Beer
1919
Happy Hour M-F 4pm-7pm $1 off Draft Beer Select cocktails on Special
Serna’s Backyard Sports Bar
SernasBackyard.com • HH Daily 2-8pm (12pm Sundays): $2 Domestic Longnecks $2.50 Well Drinks, $3 Smirnoff Vodkas (13+ Flavors)
Twenty Grand
Happy Hour Everyday 12-7 Monday- $2.50 All drafts- Live Music Texas Tuesdays $2.50 All Texas Beers Thursday Ladies Day-Free Raffle & Drink Specials
Koyla Grille
HH ALL DAY Everyday! $2 Domestics $2.50 Imports $3 (& up) Well Drinks
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 41
DRINK
JOSH HUSKIN
David Naylor Park Social 224 E Olmos Take one “porthole.” Lay it flat, unscrew one of the plate glass sides and “build” a colorful and aromatic blend of lemon and grapefruit peel, marigold blossoms, blackberry tea, dried hibiscus flower, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, mint, a scraped vanilla bean ... reassemble. Meanwhile, weigh out in grams precise measures of water, verjus (green grape juice), Cocchi Torino vermouth, simple syrup and Michter’s 10-year rye. Chill. When ready to serve, pour the well-chilled liquid into the porthole device, stand upright, and let infuse a few minutes. Dispense shots at intervals over, say, an hour’s time, appreciating how the elixir deepens in both flavor and color. Appreciate, too, the skill and experience necessary to pull this all off. David Naylor, co-owner and chief creative officer of Park Social, does simpler drinks, of course, ones not requiring a $100 device and an arsenal of aromatics. The Golf Cart is based on Jim Beam (“I’m in love with Beam—not only for its price point but its consistency,” says Naylor) infused with lychee-scented black tea to which he adds ginger liqueur, simple syrup, lemon juice and mint. Of course, you do need to have (well, maybe not really, but it seriously shortens infusion time) a Whip-It! dispenser that works by nitrogen cavitation…OK, we won’t go there. But what would normally take weeks happens “in about a minute and means I can do drinks tableside at brunch [at neighboring Folc].” It’s also a seriously good cocktail with just enough tea and lychee to make it enticingly exotic. The methodology behind the Golf Cart “comes straight out of Aviary,” the Chicago bar associated with experimental chef Grant Achatz’s Alinea at which Naylor did a brief apprenticeship last year. “They threw me onto the line the first night there,” says Naylor—and they were totally free with sharing both ideas and equipment. The porthole came about through a collaboration with Achatz and others, and it’s Naylor’s intent to eventually have about 10 of them. Both the aromatics and the infusion will change from time to time, and prospective drinkers will have 42 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Take in one of Naylor’s well-rounded portholes at Park Social
to reserve the $25 libation in advance. It’s worth it. Naylor’s other bar experience is substantially less technical, and includes stints at the now-shuttered Coco Chocolate Lounge & Bistro and as head ’tender of the bar at Sustenio inside the Éilan Hotel. (“It was the worst design ever, but we made it work,” he says.) But he credits as his first real aha! moment sampling a Vieux Carre, a drink made by Olaf Harmel, then at Bar du Mon Ami. When pressed further, he also says “first and foremost, I love to cook, so that has taught me a lot regarding flavors.” Put it all together, and, voila! a bar of his own next to a kitchen run by a friend, and fellow experimenter, Luis Colon. That porthole drink sin nombre is becoming more intense as we talk, by the way.
So how’s that going? The bar does draw cocktail crazies such as yours truly, but “slowly and surely, we’re turning on the locals,” says Naylor. Olmos Park choices are, of course, limited (bars not associated with a restaurant aren’t allowed), but there’s also the “we can walk here” factor. “We serve Lone Star for a reason,” he says, “but as long as you’re here for a good drink that’s all that matters.” Fading into the background are his initial feelings of “Help! I don’t know what I’m doing here.” The porthole shots are now getting even deeper, with rye fading and blackberry in the ascendancy. And now that the initial, and inevitable, owner’s remorse has faded and he’s used to managing four employees on a rotating basis, Naylor has “more grandiose plans”, including an extended bar, expansion
into a storage space not currently used to full capacity, a reach-in keg unit…and even the utilization of a rotary evaporator (don’t ask) that the guys at nearby Mixtli currently have some of the parts for. “Jesse [Torres] and I are all over that,” he says, taking some of the sharing ethos he experienced at Aviary and paying it forward in San Antonio. As the opening of Mezcalería Mixtli in The Yard approaches, it’s this kind of collaboration that may well make Olmos Park a bar destination in spite of itself. Take this as inspiration to check it all out: the porthole libation has now become an integrated medley of vanilla and blackberry with hints of citrus, all bolstered by spicy, background booze. Results will vary, but consider the drink’s maturation a symbol of what’s to come. —RB
Ellingwood Arete Crestone Needle Sangre de Cristo Range
“I don’t drink often, but when I do, I drink Kinsman.” Josh Levine, Founder MBS Life
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 43
Jason Risner Photography
Come get
with a chubby
Facebook: TheLostBarAndGrill • 12730 NW Military Hwy 78231 • (210) 437-4873 • Hours: 2pm-2am
#DontGetTagged
SYPHILIS DOESN’T SHOW ON A DON’T GET TAGGED BY SYPHILIS
G E T T E S T E D TO D AY 210.207.8830 | sanantonio.gov/health 44 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
ST
HIV
C L I N I C
SELFIE
DRINK NIGHTLIFE
JOSH HUSKIN
asking all these questions about the Esquire and its participation in all these events, I was like, “I don’t know, I don’t know anything.” I felt like an idiot. After the meeting I called Jenny [Rabb] and said, “I’m really sorry, I have no idea what’s going on but I really would like to help as much as I can.” How did you build these connections with the volunteer bartenders? I’ve done the Cocktail Apprentice Program for the last two years with Tales of the Cocktail [in New Orleans]. I’ve met them there, and through attending other cocktail conferences, but most are through the program. What’s the program like? It’s been around for about eight years now, but basically you apply and they select 70 new people, 20 returning people. There are four levels to the program. The first year you go in and your team leader is given a schedule and your team is in charge of all of production for that schedule … you get assigned seminars, events. When you go back as a returning member, you’re a team leader so you’re in control of those teams in production. When I go back this coming year, [I’ll be a] platoon leader, which means you’re in charge of multiple teams. Did you think you had that much leadership in you? (Laughs) No, not really. I’ve always been pretty quiet. Growing up, I moved every year so I never had solid ground anywhere. After that meeting when I felt like an idiot and I didn’t want to feel like that, I just made a decision then to get involved and immersed in this culture. How much work goes into this year’s gala? I haven’t created my master list yet, but I have individual days. I spend six months working on this. For example, for the party at the Majestic on Thursday night, we’ll be using 20 gallons of lemon juice, 15 gallons of lime juice, 10 gallons of simple syrup...and that’s just from one party, you know? It gets bigger form there. Friday, for seminars alone, there’s like, oh gosh ... 1,000 different bottles. What’s the actual conference timeline like? I start recruiting people for this volunteer program at the end of July when I get back from Tales. I start getting recipes, compiling produce lists. I’ll go in there this Sunday and start organizing everything how it needs to be there by day. We’ll start working on Tuesday night. Then Thursday, that’s all you do, prep.
PASSION FOR PRODUCTION Hot Joy’s Karah Carmack on coordinating juice production, volunteer shifts and more during SACC JESSICA ELIZARRARAS
By the time you read this, the San Antonio Cocktail Conference will have already kicked off. And once again, Karah Carmack will helm a team of more than 40 bartenders from across the country (and Canada) as they produce several hundred liters worth of citrus juice and simple syrup and juggle liquor drop-off throughout the four-day boozefest. The Current sat down with the quiet powerhouse Carmack, bar manager at Hot Joy, to talk about her commitment to cocktails, the conference and how she keeps production on track. When did you start coordinating volunteer efforts? Since 2012, Jeret [Peña, her former boss at The Esquire Tavern] was supposed to go to the meetings, but he couldn’t make it to one, so I went in his place. When they started
What are some things you’ve had to troubleshoot? Our workspace has literally changed every year. This year I was able to show Jenny and a few other organizers how they do things in New Orleans. They took a look at our workspace down there. I also have a notebook every year with things to remember for next time. It could be anything: how many juicers we have, how many people are on the team, how many people should have been on the team. You never really know until the stuff gets here. Figuring out how to do the math for the amount of juice, while also incorporating the need for peels and garnishes. Ideally you peel them before you juice them. How do you balance front of the house with the back end of the job? I love this stuff. My dad’s been in the food industry his whole life. When I was in the first grade I took my first cooking class. I actually really love prep. Monotonous prep work ... it’s relaxing. For me, juicing limes is the same as sitting down and watching Netflix. What’s your personal cocktail mantra? I meet people and I learn from them. Sometimes you talk to one person and they’re all doing the same thing but they have an idea you’ve never thought of that changes everything. Right now I’m really inspired by Dave Arnold of New York’s Booker and Dax. He’s kind of a mad scientist and there are some things you can never replicate that he does that are kind of dangerous, but he does some simple things that you’re like, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Working at Hot Joy I have to think about Asian influences, which I never had to do my whole life. Especially coming from the Esquire … we were serving burgers, super American comfort food. Here, I have to consider my surroundings. C sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 45
Karaoke • Live Music • Trivia • Guest DJ’s • Pool • Darts • 160” Projector Screen & More
SPORTS BAR & GRILL
HAPPY HOUR 4P-8P
SUNDAY BRUNCH
$5 APPETIZERS
11A-3P
FULL MENU AVAILABLE
$3 BLOODY MARYS $2.75 DOMESTIC & WELLS $5 BURGERS $4 WINE $10 MIMOSA/ BLOODY MARY CARAFES $5 VORTEX PUNCH Happy Hour 4p-8p $12 DOMESTIC BUCKETS AND MORE..
26108 Overlook Pkwy $5 Appetizers @ Canyon Golf Rd.
Follow us on Facebook $2.75 DOMESTIC & WELLS for Upcoming Events OPEN: 4P-2A DAILY
$4 WINE Pool Tables • Darts • 9 TV’s • Pet Friendly Patio
SIN Every Night
Complimentary Food Wed-Fri 6p-8p
Follow us
Tap n o s r e e B p 28 fridays 6p-8
for Upcomin
usic & food Free live m
on
g Events
Happy Hour 2p-8p
Throwback Thursdays DJ 5p-9p
Open Daily 2p-2a 7959 Fredericksburg Road @ Medical Dr. • 210.724.5093
COMING SOON! ICE HOUSE
WATCH NFL TICKET, SPURS & MOVIES
ON THE HUGE SLAB CINEMA!
p-2a 2 y l i a D Open 2-8 r u o H y Happ Follow us on Facebook for Upcoming Events
12702 Toepperwein Rd. @ IH-35 • 210.454.1537 46 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
TRY OUR
DRAFT O F T H E D AY
76 TAPS OF CRAFT BREW.
OVER 400 BOTTLE & CAN CHOICES.
Friendly Craft Beer Break
The official craft beer event of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference 2015 January 17 @ 4pm $20 Event Fee for Brew Sampling
FRIENDLY EATS UNTIL MIDNIGHT FRIENDLY NACHOS, TACOS, BURGERS & MORE. KIDS MENU & ICE CREAM TREATS. VEGITARIAN & VEGAN FRIENDLY.
Monday - Friday: 3pm - 12am • Saturday & Sunday: 11am - 12am 7403 Leslie Rd.@ Loop 1604 943 S. Alamo San Antonio, TX 78205 • 210-224-BEER (2337)
DRINK
COCKTAIL KNOW-HOW
The Rosso Corsa As we toast to our New Year’s resolutions and quickly break them, the San Antonio Cocktail Conference draws ever near. Bartenders are putting finishing touches on their amazing new creations and studying up on the old favorites, some of which were featured in this column. This year, the master mixologists at Bohanans have outdone themselves, creating the conference’s signature cocktail, the Rosso Corsa (which translates as “racing red” in Italian). Named for the iconic deep red paint of Italy’s most famous sports cars (think Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo), this cocktail has set a lofty standard. Equal parts ambition, tradition and knowledge, the Rosso Corsa sets out immediately to show it’s more than just a fancy moniker. This sophisticated cocktail starts with a steady pour of Woodford Reserve. Bourbon and whiskey drinkers will be familiar with the name. This International Spirits Challenge Gold Medal winner has a rich, honey-amber color and an unmistakable citrus and cacao taste. Spices and toffee accent a silky texture and impeccably smooth finish. Simply put, this is what bourbon should taste like. As you enjoy the rich smoothness of Woodford Reserve, you’ll also taste a dash of grenadine and fresh lemon juice, both adding complexity and flavor that will have your palate revved up for four days of drinking. With a name like Rosso Corsa, however, you can’t just aim to be the best. You have to have flair, a little showmanship and a heavy dose of allure. To finish off their libation, the team at Bohanans tops the racecar red Corsa with three dashes of Peychaud’s bitters—a slightly bitter variation with a floral aroma and hints of licorice. When these four ingredients meet under the watchful eye of a great bartender, what you get is transcendent and delicious, sophisticated and sincere. You get a cocktail worthy of not only deep, unmistakable Ferrari red, but also a drink with versatility and longevity, sure to create a legend of its own. I’ll see you at the bar. I’ll be the one in the red scarf and leather racing suit. No, you can’t sip my drink, but you should definitely get one for yourself. 2 ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon ¾ ounce grenadine ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Shake bourbon, grenadine and lemon juice with ice and strain into coup glass. Dot with bitters. —Dusting Dooling
CHEF INSPIRED, HANDMADE FOOD AT A DIVE BAR Proudly serving
the best selection of
TEXAS spirits and craft brews! 7920 Fredricksburg Rd. 210.614.8855
full bar opens at 7am! serving breakfast!
Saturdays at Highlander can only mean one thing ...
Big Red, Barbacoa, & Bloody Marys!! Only at Highlander and only ‘til 11am! Sun: 11 am - 2 am | Mon-Sat: 7 am - 2 am | 5562 Fredericksburg Rd. In the Medical Center sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 47
DRINK
Your San Antonio Cocktail Conference Boozin’ Schedule JESSICA ELIZARRARAS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 BBQ and Bourbon Kickoff This pre-conference event sponsored by the Current will feature barbecue stations, sides and other Two Bro. faves paired with Old Forester, Woodford Double Oak, Woodford Rye and Jack Daniel’s single barrel bourbon. $60, 6:309pm, 1256 West Avenue.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16
BARWARE · JEWELRY · SPIRITS CURIOS · FOLK ART · CLOTHING LOTERIA · TREASURE 712 SOUTH ST. MARY’S · 226-OINK PIGLIQUORS.NET
Rum, Ron & Rhum—Reorganized Get familiar with rum styles and learn how history has influenced them via presenters Kiowa Bryan (head bartender at Eveleigh in West Hollywood) and Benjamin Jones (of Clement USA Inc.). $35, 11am-12:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Intersecting Ranges: Sugar, temperature and ABV It’s time to get a little nerdy as you take a deep dive into how sugar and alcohol content play a part in pleasing the palate with Sasha Petraske, of Milk & Honey, in New York. $35, 11am-12:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. How Sweet of You: Discovering sweeteners in cocktails Lucinda Sterling of NYC’s Middle Branch will walk attendees through sweeting agents and alternatives. $35, 11:30am-12:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Part 1: The ABCs of North American whiskeys Tipsy Texan David Alan and Nick Korn of OFFSITE, an event and brand strategy firm, will geek out on American and Canadian whiskeys with a tasting workshop on the styles and definitions of both. $35, 11:30am-12:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Gin Is in, but What’s in Your Gin Brand owners, directors and bartenders will congregate for a chat about the specific types of botanicals used by different gin brands and the nuances of tonic. $35, 11:30am-12:45pm, Bar 414 at Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. The Four Seasons of Cognac Hoke Harden knows his stuff. You’ll want to sit in as this member of the Society of Wine Educators, Master Instructor with the French Wine Academy and general lover of wine and spirits discusses the seasonality of Cognac with a tasting of nine iterations. $35, 1-2:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Part 2: Pappy Hour The whiskey conversation continues with WhistlePig Master Distiller Dave Pickerell joining David Alan and Nick Korn for a look into American whiskies, the Stitzel Weller Distillery and awesome, wallet-friendly bottles. $35, 1:30-2:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Cocktail Branches Michael Madrusan, owner and operator of The Everleigh in Melbourne, Australia, will discuss classic cocktails and variations to sample using the recently released book Cocktail Branches. $35, 3-4:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston.
48 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
DRINK NIGHTLIFE
COURTESY
Get your sniffer ready to pick up subtle spirit notes by the dozen
Sherry + Oysters + Growers Champagne The Monterey will share its penchant for sherry, growers and freshly shucked oysters. Because why the hell not? $40, 4-6pm, 1127 S St. Mary’s.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17 Exploring Honey Cocktails Charlotte Voisey, host of The Proper Pour, will discuss the virtues of honey varietals during this educational tasting. $35, 11am-12:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Tex vs Mex: Texas flavors vs Mexican spirits Margs are over. This seminar will touch on the smoke and spice of Mexican spirits and pair them with Texas ’cue and authentic Mexican cuisine. $45, 11:30am-12:45pm, The Last Word, 229 E Houston, #10. Mixology 101: Build your own signature cocktail Jonathan Pogash, “The Cocktail Guru,” will give you a quick history lesson, before letting you loose with some spirits to create your own poison. $50, 11:30am-12:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. From Berry to Beverage: The story of juniper Gin takes the spotlight again with a seminar that features a comprehensive look at juniper-based ’tails. $35, 11:30am-12:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Porch Cocktails? F-sho! Lüke San Antonio’s executive chef John Russ will keep you nice and boozy on his “front porch” with recipes hailing from New Orleans. $45, 11:30am-12:45pm, 125 E Houston. Whiskey Bon Voyage Who doesn’t love a good ride down the San Antonio River? Join for special spirits and whiskey-filled treats and tastings. $45, 1-2:15pm, San Antonio River Cruises, launches from IBC Plaza. The Speakeasy Experience in Your Own Home Bar Craft aficionados can learn how to take their home bar to the next level with better
tools, custom menus and quality booze. $45, 1:30-2:45pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. The Relativity of Flavor Pairing Science, bitch! Learn how to pair food, drinks, beer, spirits and cocktails for a harmonious and convergent experience. $45, 1:30-2:45pm, The Last Word, 229 E Houston, #10. The Tasting Room Any cocktail conference ticket holder (or a $20 donation to Houston Street Charities) has access to this cornucopia of spirits with brand ambassadors and representatives in one giant room. Noon-5pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Brandy Cocktails San Antonio’s Olaf Harmel will host a small exploration of brandy ’tails and elegant bites, all which incorporate the spirit using gastriques and reductions. $45, 3-4:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Guilty Pleasure Chocolate and liquor are a match made in heaven and this seminar will pair cacao with bourbon, rum, Cognac and sherry. $35, 3-4:15pm, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. Friendly Craft Beer Break Palate fatigue is real. Give your tastebuddies a break with a visit to the Friendly Spot. Free to any ticketholder or $20 donation to Houston Street Charities, 4-6pm, 943 S Alamo. Stroll on Houston Street Play tourist for the night and bounce along Houston Street eating, drinking and dancing. $85, 6-10pm, along Houston Street.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18 Hair of the Dog That Bit Ya’ Sunday Brunch Ease into that hangover with this buffet-style seated brunch and breakfast beverage bar. $40, 11am, Sheraton Gunter Hotel, 205 E Houston. sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 49
est. 2007 Mon - Sun: 4pm - 2am Food + Cocktails + Craft Beer
FINAL 14 GAMES ON SALE FRIDAY! See the Spurs battle the Cavs, Thunder, Rockets and more!
SPURS.COM *While supplies last. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, including select H-E-B Locations, online at tickemaster.com (all Ticketmaster fees apply). Call 225-TEAM or at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office.
50 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
DRINK LISTINGS
Stop Pulling Your Own Handle!
Alamo Heights 5920 Broadway St SATX 78209 210-824-8229
Bourbon & burgers Visit our website for
Daily HappY Hour Specials BeatStreetbistro.com
To 24 FlavForrsom! Choose
2512 N Main Ave. | 210.320.2099
HAPPY HOUR
EVERYDAY 5P-8P
o
nt
na
sa
nio
NOW HIRING EXPERIENCED, ENERGETIC
20nine Restaurant & Wine Bar Named after the highway that runs through Napa Valley, 20nine has expanded its California focus to include wines from around the world. The kitchen offers a fine seasonal menu for pairings, but don’t forget to try the pizza. 255 E Basse, (210) 7989463, 20ninewine.com
2015 Club This homey neighborhood bar is LGBTfriendly (and friendly in general), and a great place to unwind after a long workweek before getting your groove on. 2015 San Pedro, (210) 733-3365
502 Bar Live music venue with possibly the best acoustics in town and an impressive beer menu and nightly drink specials. Best use: anytime live music is onstage; typically no cover during the week, while weekend covers stay under $10. 502 Embassy Oaks, Ste 138, (210) 257-8125, 502bar.com
Alamo Street Eat Bar Good food, cold beer, reasonable prices and portions. This food park is the place to go late nights (or anytime after 5 p.m.), brought to the neighborhood by the owners of nearby The Friendly Spot. Chow down on local food trucks. 609 S Alamo, (210) 2242337, alamostreeteatbar.com
Downtown and you’ll find yourself at Alamo Ice House, which adds barbecue, country tunes and ice cold craft brews to the area. 802 N Alamo, (210) 758-5151, alamoicehouse.com
BARTENDERS TUES - SAT......5P-2A Sunday...........3P-2A
7yr2s bar.america.satx
723 S. ALAMO • 210.223.1285
New Hours
@baramericasatx
TUES - SAT......5P-2A Sunday...........3P-2A
Alberico Fine Wine Boasting an extremely comprehensive assortment of wine and beer, the newly opened Alberico imparts an element of refinement to the Yard at Olmos Park. Beyond the locale’s extensive wine list—with prices ranging from $9 to $223. 5221 McCullough, (210) 320-8466, albericofinewine.com
Alibis Sports and Spirits Situated in a house built around 1876, this laid-back watering hole in St. Paul Square has some of the best-priced drinks Downtown, functioning as both a happy-hour haunt for locals and an official meet-up spot for Sunset Station concertgoers. 1141 E Commerce, (210) 225-5552, alibisbar.com
Azúca Nuevo Latino Azúca is not the place for quiet conversation, but with Latin rhythms, neon-fueled decor and frequent live dancing, it does make for a hot pickup and get-to-know-you-better-over-acaipirinha-or-pisco-sours spot. 713 S Alamo, (210) 225-5550, azuca.net
Aztec Lounge It’s housed in a really rad-looking and historic space, has a stage for concerts,
Alamo Ice House Think Hill Country twang in the heart of
CONTINUED ON PG 53 ►
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 51
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MONDAY-SATURDAY • 8AM-2AM SUNDAY • NOON-2AM
TEXAS T PUB
POOL•DARTS•SPURS•FREE WIFI
ALL DRAFTS $2.50
$2 DOMESTICS
$2.50 WELLS WE’VE GOT THE NFL TICKET! GAME TIME SPECIALS!
121 BROADWAY • (210)271-1058
KELLY 52 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
WILLIAM 4741 FREDERICKSBURG RD | 210.979.9877
JEDIDIA
DRINK LISTINGS
boasts reasonable club-drink options and prices, charges cheap entry and—most importantly—it’s not a tourist trap. 280 W Crockett, (210) 201-3301, azteclounge.com
Bar 1919 Tucked snuggly under the lofts in the Blue Star Arts Complex, Bar 1919 takes its name from the last year before Prohibition. Founded by Don Marsh (Bohanan’s, Green Lantern), this ode to cocktail culture cribs from NYC’s trendiest spots, delivering more than 500 spirits, classic recipes and new cocktail inventions. 1420 S Alamo, Ste 001, (210) 227-1420, facebook.com/1919sa
Bar 601 The view from the observation deck of the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas is inspiring, and ought to be on the agenda if you’re wooing anyone. The altitude is reflected in drink prices, and the elevator queue may initially dampen the mood, but the sleek interior of the lounge bodes well and Chart House on the lower level still revolves slowly over the San Antonio skyline. Tower of the Americas, 601 Hemisfair Park, (210) 223-3101, toweroftheamericas.com
Bar America The word “Bedlam” is posted above the doorway, and while chaos hasn’t broken out in Bar America for a while, its barfly beauty is punctuated every blue moon by a diminutive brawl. This unpretentious landmark’s charms include cheap, cold cerveza and the Best Jukebox in SA (according to readers like you) pumping out a steady stream of Saytown’s truest stories. 723 S Alamo, (210) 223-7462, facebook.com/bar.america.1
Barbaro Equal parts upscale pizzeria and neighborhood pub, this restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and craft beer selection perfect for pairing with any pie. Imaginative house cocktails round out the drink selections, including the signature Barbaro confection that features gin, Campari, Lillet and grapefruit. 2720 McCullough, (210) 320-2261, barbarosanantonio.com
Bar du Mon Ami “Yes, we’ll make a Cosmo, and we’ll make a good one; the drink we make you is the one you want to be drinking,” says Michael Rossetti, who co-owns this beloved Alamo Heights bar with Christopher Philbrick. But ask for a Trilby instead, made with parfait d’amour, Cinzano vermouth, blended Scotch, plus a couple of drops of Pernod’s absinthe. You get the idea. Relax, and enjoy.
4901 Broadway, (210) 740-9229, facebook. com/bardumonami
Barflys It’s a bit of an old man bar, but Barflys comes in handy if you’re in need of a place to watch the game. Stop in for all the action and cheap mini pitcher specials. 8503 Broadway, Ste 110, (210) 277-7202, facebook.com/barflys1
Beat Street Burgers & Bourbon Cheap drinks in the heart of Monte Vista meet big, tasty burgers at Beat Street. Stop in for a chill happy hour and craft brews at affordable prices. 2512 N Main, beatstreetcoffee.com
Beethoven Maennerchor Halle und Garten The Southtown spot of choice for live music on First Fridays, Beethoven is a charming window into SA’s German beer-guzzling past. The Club Room is open to the public, even on Tuesday member night, when happy-hour prices are in effect and the choirs practice. In quintessential German American socialclub style, the place feels like Milwaukee, circa 1950. 422 Pereida, (210) 222-1521, beethovenmaennerchor.com
Betty’s Battalion A weekend-pass getaway for the reveille set meets comfy grandpa bar in sweet, wood-paneled decay. Spend a night tossing horseshoes in Betty’s starry backyard while sipping cool, cheap drinks. 1524 E Grayson, (210) 227-9255, bettysbn.com
Big Hops Growler Station A nod to ye old practice of bringing your own bucket to the bar, Big Hops encourages patrons to either buy or bring their own growler jug to fill with one of 23 beers on tap. Multiple locations, bighops.com
Blue Box Bar Named after a bygone blue cooler where brewery workers used to congregate after work, the Blue Box is the Pearl’s first fullfledged watering hole. While it nods to the past with industrial design elements and a railing made from pieces of a retired mash tun, the place gives off a distinctly modern vibe. Classic cocktails are available, of course, accompanied by new inventions by general manager Stephan Mendez. 312 Pearl Pkwy, (210) 227-2583, facebook.com/blueboxatpearl
CONTINUED ON PG 54►
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 53
DRINK LISTINGS
Blue Star Brewing Company Located in the Blue Star Arts Complex, Blue Star’s house-made beers and ales still deliver like they’ve always done. 1414 S Alamo, Ste 105, (210) 212-5506, bluestarbrewing.com
The Bar at Bohanan’s Filling the ground floor under Mark Bohanan’s famed steakhouse, the Bar’s swank interior features clubby chairs and a long cherrywood bar that was designed with the bar menu in mind: classic cocktails from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s—delivered by a crew trained by one of the best in the biz, New York’s Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey fame. 219 E Houston, (210) 472-2202, bohanansbar.com
Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden A true Texas original located at the Pearl, this wine-centric restaurant occupies the former “boiler house” that powered the adjacent brewery. Delicacies are paired with wines from around the world (all available by the glass, bottle and to-go), 20-plus Texas beers, live music and a casual atmosphere. 312 Pearl Pkwy, Building 3, (210) 354-4644, boilerhousesa.com
Bombay Bicycle Club A classic through and through, this bar and restaurant is favored by Trinity University students and an eclectic array of regulars. Here it’s happy hour Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. with $2.25 drafts and $3.25 wells. Don’t forget the icy margaritas. 3506 N St. Mary’s, (210) 737-2411, bombaybicycleclubsa.com
Bond’s 007 Rock Bar In 2002, the scientific journal Pure and Applied Chemistry posited “the term ‘heavy metals’ is both meaningless and misleading,” but don’t go citing that article in Bond’s, which practically bleeds bismuth from its jukebox to the bands that test its loadbearing beams on the upstairs stage, but it’s also a destination for the Texas psychobilly scene. 450 Soledad, (210) 225-0007, bonds007rockbar.com
The Bonham Exchange
JANUARY 18 TICKETS ON SALE NOW TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT
ATTCENTER.COM
All acts, dates and times subject to change without notice.
54 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
In the ’80s, the storied BX played host to legendary divas like Bette Midler and Tina Turner as well as punks and newwavers like the B-52s, the Ramones and Debbie Harry. Fridays heat up with three DJs on three dance floors, $2 wells all night and competitive ass shaking at
midnight. 411 Bonham, (210) 224-9219, bonhamexchange.net
Bottom Bracket Social Club This hip Five Points dive bills itself as “puro San Antonio” and it’s open seven days a week with super drink specials ($3 top shelf liquors on a rotating basis, craft beer under $5) and regular live music. N Colorado, (210) 267-9160, facebook.com/ bottombracketsocialclub
Brass Monkey The first exclusive video bar on the St. Mary’s strip features Austin’s DJ Glitoris on “Thurzgayz” for indie nights. The weekends are made for reliving the best ’80s, ’90s and New Wave hits. Enjoy $2 wells on Thursdays, $2 Lone Stars on Fridays, $2 cherry vodka sours on Saturdays and $2 you-call-its on Sundays. 2702 N St. Mary’s, (210) 480-4722, facebook.com/ brassmonkeytx
Broadway 5050 Relaxation comes easily in the 5050’s vintage atmosphere, created by old records lining the walls and images of the black-suitand-skinny-tie-wearing deuces of Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. 5050 Broadway, (210) 832-0050, broadway5050.com
The Brooklynite Located a few blocks downriver from our offices, it’s our go-to bar and we’re more than pleased. Brooklynite delivers on the promise with amazing drinks, a unique retro atmosphere and perfect service. And there’s a bit of everything: Cheap Ass Mondays, Tiki Tuesdays and weekly viewings of your favorite shows will keep you coming back for more. 516 Brooklyn, (210) 444-0707, thebrooklynitesa.com
Claude Hopper’s Loopland got an extra dose of hops in 2014 with the opening of Claude Hopper’s and its 48 brews on tap, solid snack lineup and laidback beer-lover environment. 19178 Blanco, (210) 479-5445, claude-hoppers.com
Club Essence With recession-era drink prices, it’s easy to get a budget buzz on at Essence, where dancing beefcake can be found swinging from the rafters in neon-colored weenie bikinis. This well-endowed version of Cheers boasts highly entertaining amateur strip-offs, game nights and one of SA’s most shameless karaoke patios. 1010 N Main, (210) 223-5418, facebook.com/ clubessencesa
DRINK LISTINGS
Club Rio Parties like “Too Mucking Fuch Saturdays” and top-notch live talent from the hottest part of the Western Hemisphere make this slick Latin disco sizzle on weekends. If you’re not VIP or in for bottle service, you’ll stand while waiting for the show to start. 13307 San Pedro, (210) 403-2582, club-rio.net
Club Sirius Packed and narrow, Sirius feels like a block party where the game is always on and someone’s always yelling over the music. If you don’t feel like attempting to conquer the shot board challenge, consider the simultaneously spicy, sweet and sour chamoy-infused margarita. 228 Losoya, (210) 223-3722, drinksirius.com
Cobalt Club Named after the famous blue pigment, things are certainly colorful in this anythinggoes gay dive bar where San Antonio’s eccentrics flock and enjoy making newbies as uncomfortable as possible. If you find the late night crowd too daunting, no worries. Cocktails start pouring to a slightly more sedate morning crew at 7 a.m. 2022 McCullough, (210) 734-2244
Concrete Jungle Don your softest Hawaiian shirt and sturdiest flip flops for a trip into this tiki-driven bar concept opened by Rudolfo Martinez of Tapa Tapa Truck and Roy Guerrero of The Esquire Tavern. Stop in for Sunday brunch with island snacks. 1628 S Presa, (210) 373-9907, facebook.com/tikiconcretejungle
Copa Wine Bar & Tasting Room Wine cellar meets unpretentious rec room with gourmet snacks and cleverly named flights at Copa. It’d be in your best interest to visit for happy hour: half-priced select appetizers and 25 percent off beer and wine (excluding flights) make Copa’s happy hour one of our favorites. 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy, (210) 495-2672, thecopawinebar.com
The Cove Where else can you listen to music, drink a beer, eat super-fresh fare (don’t miss the fish tacos) and wash your clothes at the same time? Among The Cove’s monthly offerings are wine and beer tastings, which often mirror the restaurant’s concept of “SOL food” sustainable, organic and local. 606 W Cypress, (210) 227-2683, thecove.us
suggests, namely a pleasantly mixed jukebox and wallet-friendly drink specials. 402 E Travis, Ste 1, (210) 226-1338, facebook. com/cowabungabardowntownsa
Join us to watch your
Spurs and NFL
Cured
on Sundays and Mondays!
We’re fans of Cured’s happy hour, which features half off drinks and wines by the glass. An easy $20 can get you in and out with a full belly of bar snacks and a boozy ’tail or two. 306 Pearl Pkwy, Ste 101, (210) 314-3929, curedatpearl.com
Dad’s Sing Along Club How popular is perennial Best of SA winner Dad’s Karaoke? Well, here’s a tip for firsttimers: If you want to get up onstage and do your best (or worst) rendition of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” you better get there early or risk being at the end of a long, long line of would-be superstars. 2615 Mossrock, (210) 267-5813
8503 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78217 Phone: 210-824-0188 mindseyetattoos.com
Download our
FREE
happy hour app
Happy Hour Every Day 2-8pm
$12 domestic buckets $2.50 Domestic Long Necks $2.75 Well Drinks 4121 Gardendale • 615-8644
Drink Drink remains an upscale, yet comfy lounge with a full bar and an aboveaverage wine list. A favorite among the river rat set, Drink attracts locals and tourists alike with its popular happy hour (until 9 p.m. daily, with $3 wells and $5 wines by the glass). 200 Navarro, (210) 224-1031, drinktexas.com
Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub The Pub was established in 1974 bringing Irish ales, lagers and stouts with live entertainment. There’s never a cover, the peanuts are free and don’t forget to sing along using your complimentary song sheet. 200 S Alamo, (210) 224-3343, durtynellyspub.com
E.R. Bar & Grill Just down the road from four major hospitals, off-duty medical staffers find this neighborhood haunt offers proper emergency care after a long shift. A new grill offers good grub and special night events include live entertainment by house DJs during Recovery Saturdays and Rehab Sundays. 8647 Wurzbach, (210) 694-4477
The Esquire Tavern This comfortably hip bar redefines River Walk nightlife with its excellent, hand-crafted cocktails, quirky menu of tavern and bar eats, and one of the coolest atmospheres in town. This is the place for a covert rendezvous or a midday lunch that takes you beyond city limits into a whole different
Cowabunga Bar Formerly Logan’s Rock Bar, Cowabunga offers more than its unassuming facade
CONTINUED ON PG 56 ►
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 55
DRINK LISTINGS
world of taste. 155 E Commerce, (210) 2222521, esquiretavern-sa.com
Faust Tavern
210.829.7345 | 1146 Austin Highway San Antonio, TX 78209 | TongsThai.com
One of Hi-Tones’ Delgado brothers and other partners are working their magic at Faust Tavern, giving people exactly what they want at a bar; a comfortable space to visit with friends while having a drink. Visible changes include the addition of Crossroads Southern Kitchen, wooden benches and a kickass patio. 517 E Woodlawn, (210) 257-0628, facebook. com/thefausttavern
wines and stone-hearth oven pizzas in a sports-friendly setting. Look for a second, bigger location that opened near Southtown last year and brews for wholesale distribution. Multiple locations, freetailbrewing.com
George’s Keep Stephen Mahoney’s done it again, this time inside the Éilan complex. Find big, bold cocktails and accessible spirits inside this posh and leather-filled Loopland bar. 17101 La Cantera Pkwy, (210) 310-3733, georgeskeep.com
The Granary ’Cue & Brew Filling Station Tap Room
TURN YOUR PASSION MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
INTO A
PROFESSION • Financial Aid available to those who qualify • Comprehensive 1-Year Programs • Job Placement Assistance after Graduation • Accredited School, ACCSC 512.447.2002 | www.mediatech.edu 4719 S. Congress Ave | ATX 78745 Find Disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.mediatech.edu/disclosures. Mediatech can not guarantee employment or salary.
It’s the littlest taproom with the biggest and boldest brews on tap. Don’t expect big name brands, but do bring your growler and fill up for cheap. 701 S St. Mary’s, facebook. com/stationtaproom
John T. Floore Country Store Since opening in 1942, Floore’s has attracted some of the biggest names in the biz. Elvis, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, Little Richard and Bob Dylan have all played this “Texcentric” honky tonk. Though Willie Nelson no longer has time to play Floore’s every Saturday night (as the vintage signs suggest), a steady stream of local and touring Americana, blues, country and rock acts do. 14492 Old Bandera, Helotes, (210) 695-8827, liveatfloores.com
Settled into the revamped historical Mueller house, the floor-to-ceiling polished wood and selection of house-made and statewide crafted brews delivers a homey yet hip atmosphere. Try co-owner Alex Rattray’s intoxicating concoctions: a refreshing blonde ale, Belgian-style rye saison, bold IPA, malty brown ale and seasonal Irish Red. 602 Avenue A, (210) 228-0124, thegranarysa.com
The Green Lantern A sophisticated speakeasy-inspired establishment, the Green Lantern combines the best of cocktail culture with the frisson of Capone-era cellar hideouts. Knowledgeable bartenders shake-up potent classics like Between the Sheets, Sazeracs and French 75s, making the Prohibition-themed bar one of our favorite reasons to fly north. 20626 Stone Oak Pkwy, Ste 101, (210) 497-3722
Flying Saucer A menu of nearly 300 brews, including 81 on a rotating tap basis, never fails to pique our curiosity. Friendly staff, from managers to servers, all know their ales from their IPAs and can help patrons pick one pint from the 100 they’re pondering. A particular bonus is the Saucer’s free wi-fi, which makes working “from home” much more fun. 11255 Huebner, Ste 212, (210) 696-5080, beerknurd.com
GS 1221 This growler station will make you wish you lived at the 1221 Broadway apartments. No worry, you can enjoy the 30 beers on tap on the patio or have them fill a growler using their Pegas Craft Tap system that helps your beer last longer. 1221 Broadway, (210) 251-3184, gs1221.com
Halcyon Flying Tiger Sports Bar Tiger girls strive to provide great customer service while making customers feel like the cat’s meow. Open early in the afternoon, seven days a week, so you don’t miss a game. 2619 SE Military, (210) 359-0101, flyingtigersportsbar.com
Eats? Check. Coffee? Check. Booze? Check. What more do you need? Whether you’re stopping by for a hot panino in the daytime or a boozy hot toddy, Halcyon has something for everyone. 1414 S Alamo (210) 277-7045, halcyonsouthtown.com
Hangar Tavern Freetail Brewing Co. A local micro-brewery devoted to all things Texan—including bats—and operating with copper tanks from the venerable East Coast John Harvard’s Brew House chain, Freetail features specialty craft brews like La Muerta, La Rubia and Velocihoptor IPA, plus Texas 56 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Be a kid at the Hangar Tavern–while drinking a cold one, of course. The bar schedules fun activities throughout the week, like beer bingo or giant beer pong to keep the fun going, just incase you get tired of playing jumbo Jenga. 14532 Brook Hollow, (210) 846-8810, thehangartavern.com
DRINK LISTINGS
Heat Nightclub Arguably SA’s chicest gay dance club, Heat boasts weekly drag shows, theme parties with touring DJs and some of the most up-to-date dance music on the Main Strip. As with most flaming watering holes, Heat puts hetero bars and their patrons to shame with unbeatable drink specials and chiseled physiques. 1500 N Main, (210) 227-2600, heatsa.com
The Hoppy Monk
Hot Joy
Coyote Ugly meets the Regal Beagle at this former fern bar in the Medical Center. Highlander’s varied happy hour rush is a Northwest microcosm of med students and old timers, and the vibe is charged and upbeat. Happy hour runs 4 to 8 p.m. daily with $1 off all drinks, $2.25 select draft pints and select import/domestic bottles. 5562 Fredericksburg, (210) 340-4577, highlanderbarandgrill.com
Yes, we all love the wings and ramen, but we especially love washing them down with Asianinspired cocktails made by the staff headed by Karah Carmack at Hot Joy. Don’t forget about the serious Riesling list. 1014 S Alamo, (210) 368-9324, hotjoysa.com
Nestled in the shadow of UTSA’s 1604 campus, Hills and Dales boasts 54 beers on tap and 425 bottled varieties. Bring your own mug—if they can find space, you can leave it there for return visits—or you’ll be drinking out of plastic. Punch cards log every draft you drink, while the varied clientele is a friendly mix of bikers, suits, students and regulars. 15403 White Fawn, (210) 695-2307
Hi-Tones This live music venue on the St. Mary’s Strip ushers in a fresh scene that’s unfussy, unfancy and totally fun. The home of the original pickle shot and the lethal Bomba Roja (Big Red shot), Hi-Tones is a straight-up original San Anto bar and hosts everything from blues to conjunto to rock and punk. 621 E Dewey, (210) 785-8777
Hofbrau and Beer Garden This staple is a safe bet for Saturday or Sunday night. There’s a choice of 31 beers on tap and 33 bottle offerings plus an additional five seasonal bottles and the original Dosa-Rita. Like any other sports bar, there’s flat screen TV’s inside and outside the bar, and of course, the beer garden area has the biggest screen of them all. Multiple locations, quarryhofbrau.com, hofbraurim.com
Hooligans Bar & Grill Live music with ‘70s and ‘80s tribute bands; world championship boxing on the big screen, or a dodgeball game going outside. An outrageous bar menu featuring the Hooligan’s Butt Guster Cheeseburger Challenge (too much food to list here), beers and a full bar with specials, including a $4
16 Big Screens! (2) 200” projector screens!
The wait was worth it as The Hoppy Monk is already wining brewhounds and whiskey fans over by the dozen. What’s not to love about 99 literal beers on the wall? 1010 N Loop 1604 E, (210) 545-3330, thehoppymonk.com
Highlander Bar & Grill
Hills and Dales
The Place For NFL & NBA !
shot board. 13920 I-35 N, Live Oak, (210) 654-4444, hooligansbarandgrill.com
Industry In a perpetual state of rewind to the heyday of MTV, Industry is SA’s undisputed “Home of the ‘80s.” Featuring a massive dance floor ruled by Best of SA winner DJ Eddie Lopez, the retro club packs in a crowd of dancing machines with bargain-basement drink specials, signature shots and enduring parties such as Feel Good Fridays. 8021 Pinebrook, (210) 374-2765, www.facebook. com/industry
Tail Gate with us Every Sunday Starting at 12Pm. Free BBQ while it lasts! frozen DRINKS-$3.75
Open 7 Days A Week • Mon-Fri: 2p-2A • Sat-Sun 11Am • slackerssa.com
Jack’s Patio Bar Music lovers of varying ages get drawn in by Jack’s laid-back appeal, no-nonsense cocktails and live performances by quality local acts. 3030 Thousand Oaks, (210) 4942309, jacksbarsa.com
J&O’s Cantina The cantina is housed in the same building as Taco Haven, so it does come off as a secret spot. However, the location works in its favor, offering an escape from other packed watering holes, save for open mic nights and First Fridays. 1014 S Presa, (210) 485-7611
Joe Blue’s Joey of Joey’s and Blue Star Brewery fame applies his ample bar skills to this sleek little cocktail lounge in the Blue Star Arts Complex. On First Fridays, Joe Blue’s is the perfect place to hide from all the art (trust us, everything looks better after a dirty martini, or three) while listening to an acoustic set. 1414 S Alamo, (210) 212-5421, facebook.com/joe-blues
The Last Word Boozehounds and bookworms unite inside
CONTINUED ON PG 58 ►
O PA R T Y ! LS C O M E T A C O L E R E WH THE PLACE
’s
tonio n A n a S n wntow
R E E B T F A R C T S E B ! N O I T C E L SE . Do
LITE R E L L I M S $3 BIG AS . EVERY DAY ALL DAY
OPEN EVERY DAY! 2pm-2am
Join Us For All SPurs Games!
Never a cover 21 & up!
302 E. Commerce (between presa & navarro) 210) 271-9494 | LeapinLizardPub.com sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 57
Join us for a night of Singing, Fun, and Fundraising! • Prizes! Bring a pet • Food! item to donate • Drink Specials!
Tuesday, January 27 6 - 9 PM 502 Bar
502 Embassy Row • 78216
Purchase $20 ticket on-line. ($25 at the door) 100% of proceeds go to SAPA! search Karaoke to purchase tickets or make a donation.
For more information srperry@gmail.com
DRINK LISTINGS
this dimly lit downtown joint opened by mixologist Jeret Peña. Stop in for one of the 15 cocktails on tap and many leather-bound books. 229 E Houston, #10, (210) 3141285, thelastwordsa.com
La Tuna & La Tuna Grill Beer bottle caps crunch under your feet beneath the city’s best tree canopy. Such is the atmosphere at La Tuna, a Southtown fixture where bikers and artists peacefully coexist over cheap beers in the shadow of one of SA’s coolest industrial backdrops. 100 Probandt, (210) 212-5727, latunagrill.com
$2.50 MARGARITAS ALL DAY ON WEDNESDAYS
DJ and No Cover Saturday Nights
$2 Ziegenbock Draft “River Rat Special” ALWAYS! Tuesdays: Shot Specials All Day • $2.75 Wells
N. Presa St.
E. Houston St.
College St.
2013 RIVERTINI AWARD WINNER 600 N. Presa St. Inside the Maverick Building 210.267.9885 THELOCALBARSA.COM LIKE US ON FB: THELOCALBARSA
58 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Mariachi Bar at Mi Tierra The full bar offers strong margaritas in three sizes: grande, jumbo and liter. We don’t know if it’s the colorful decorations on the ceiling or the mariachis moving from table to table or what, but getting drunk at Mi Tierra makes one feel like Harrison Ford circa Blade Runner—getting lost in Guadalajara. For that alone, Mi Tierra is worth a visit. 218 Produce Row, (210) 225-1262, mitierracafe.com
Wayne Harper’s Martini Club Liberty Bar Housed in a restored Southtown convent, lady Liberty’s upper level retains trace elements of the original location’s arty vibe, while the imaginative menu remains unscathed. Monday Wine Night offers half off all bottles of wine and Champagne. 1111 S Alamo, (210) 227-1187, liberty-bar.com
Lion & Rose One of the few spots in SA to grab a pint of Smithwick’s, it’s a great bar to hang out with friends, watch a game or play some trivia. Cute waitresses will steal your attention, but the British pub fare and drink selections will steal it right back. Shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, and bangers and mash will have you feeling right across the pond in no time. Multiple locations; thelionandrose.com
The Local Bar
Open 3p-2a Everyday • Happy Hour 3-7pm Daily
ambience. 103 E Jones, (210) 354-2274
A chill neighborhood bar in the heart of Downtown San Antonio, steps from the River Walk and just blocks from the Alamo, it’s the place locals go to hang out and have a cold beer or carefully assembled cocktail at great prices. DJs spin on Saturday nights. 600 N Presa, (210) 267-9885, the localbarsa.com
Luna This sophisticated jazz club with a spotless record attracts hipsters of all ages (and a little bit of everything else) for local and touring acts. With live music WednesdaySaturday, Luna is one of the chicest datenight destinations in the city. 6740 San Pedro, lunalive.com
The Luxury Boasting both a bar and kitchen crafted from recycled shipping containers, visitors to the outdoor-only informal spot can select from a list of microbrews, local crafts and popular domestics. There are also fancier wines than you’d expect from an outdoor-only shipping container bar. The laid-back feel, River Walk overlook and tin roof coverings add to the
With decor inspired by an old Vegas lounge, Martini’s is one of San Antonio’s best-kept secrets. Owner Wayne Harper, a reported master of musical styles, impresses his patrons with lively performances every Friday and Saturday night (beginning at 9:30 p.m.); live jam sessions and karaoke starts around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday attract a colorful array of garden-variety lounge lizards. 8507 McCullough, (210) 344-4747, wayneharpersmartiniclub.com
Max’s Wine Dive Max’s Wine Dive is the last word in bacchanalia...with style. As one of the coolest wine-centric restaurants with gourmet comfort food and wines from around the world, Max’s will quench your thirst for out-of-the-ordinary reds, whites and bubbles. 340 E Basse, Ste 101, (210) 4449547, maxswinedive.com
The Menger Hotel Bar Rich history and a stuffed moose head with a discerning stare sum up the ambience at The Menger Hotel Bar, where locals and tourists gather for drinks in lodge-like surroundings. Prices are a little steep, but an opportunity to mingle with Teddy Roosevelt’s restless spirit mere steps from the Alamo is priceless. 204 Alamo Plaza, (210) 2234361, mengerhotel.com
Midnight Rodeo The predecessor of Cowboys Dancehall, this country dance-club has thrived for a quarter century by hosting concerts featuring up-and-coming country music talent. Free dance lessons, weekly cash drops (because, obviously) and boot-scootin’ drink specials keep the racetrack-style dance floor in motion. 12260 Nacogdoches, (210) 655-0040, midnightrodeosanantonio.com
CONTINUED ON PG 61 ►
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 59
Mushroomhead 01.21.15
METALACHI 02.21.15
Tickets available at ticketfly .com 60 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
JOHN 5 02.24.15
Puddle of Mudd 01.30.15
10 YEARS 02.25.15
THE BEYOND THE BARRICADE TOUR 03.20.15
MICHAEL SCHENKER 04.11.15
1223 East Houston Street 210-279-9430 | 210KAPONES.com
DRINK LISTINGS
Missions Untapped The beer selection is small but fierce at this homegrown growler station that plays host to several beer clubs around town. 8123 Broadway, Ste B, (210) 320-0486, missionsuntapped.com
Where once milkshakes were served and pink pills sold, now music plays and drinks flow. Situated in the historic Gilmore Pharmacy (which dates to 1938), the landmark serves up half-priced bottles of wine on Mondays, and a live soundtrack encompassing Celtic, blues, jazz, Americana and genres in between. 3902 McCullough, (210) 822-1188, olmosrx.com
Papa Woody’s Roadhouse The Mix This St. Mary’s Strip mainstay often ends up the de-facto place to be when you have no particular place to be, but free shows by high-caliber local bands make it a destination spot on the weekends. When an established act’s on the bill, check your claustrophobia at the door and BYO shoehorn. 2423 N St. Mary’s, (210) 7351313, facebook.com/themix.sanantonio
Moses Rose’s Hideout Follow Moses to this downtown bar unafraid to poke at Alamo traditions, loosen its tie and indulge in cold beer and too-loud music. The Hideout does both “bar” and “grill” pretty well, but the atmosphere careens wildly depending on who’s onstage. 518 E Houston, (210) 775-1808, mosesroseshideout.com
NAO Served and prepared by students at the Culinary Institute of America, visitors dive into the flavors of authentic Latin American cuisine and inspired libations. From the beers and bubblies to the light and crisp cocktails, each drink combines ingredients for a true taste of new world flavor. 312 Pearl, (210) 554-6484, naorestaurant.com
This tidy Southside tavern offers two fullservice bars, live bands, a DJ and a modest dance floor that fills in fast when there’s live music pumping from the 17,000watt sound system. 8902 S Presa, (210) 534-5000, facebook.com/pages/PapaWoodys-Roadhouse
This teensy and intimate bar is winning hearts over with their inventive and bold cocktails that add fresh spins to classics via head bartender David Naylor. 224 E Olmos, (210) 822-0100, park-social.com
5042 Sherri Ann
Happy Hour 6-9pm TEXAS BREWS & BOOZE Now Booking Live Music
1/23 Bob Schneider
1/30 Billy Joe Shaver
BestTexasBarTeam@gmail.com
Daily & Bucket Beer Specials!
The Phoenix Saloon Painstakingly resurrected and restored as a chili parlor and live music venue with ungovernable tendencies, the Phoenix Saloon is well worth the trip to old New Braunfels. 193 W San Antonio, New Braunfels, (830) 643-1400, thephoenixsaloon.com
Raffles Restaurant and Bar
Our critic loves this bar for the impressive DJ and the relaxed environment. There’s no one to impress, there’s no scene, you’re free to be yourself while you have a hell of a good time at this Medical Center dive. 7920 Fredericksburg, (210) 614-8855
It’s dinner jackets and predatory-animal prints on the lido deck of the Pacific Princess at this perpetual Best of SA winner for Best Old Man Bar. Such a designation would be an insult to many establishments, but here it’s more of a warning. This is party central for mature audiences only. 8633 Crownhill, (210) 826-7118, rafflesrestaurantandbar.com
Ocho
1/17 Jon Wolfe
Pegasus Contemporary dance tracks set the pace for steamy encounters in the main room while tight jeans and classic country dominate the back bar and drag divas reign supreme on the outdoor stage. 1402 N Main, (210) 2994222, pegasussanantonio.com
Ha a-7 ppy Hour 11 4032 Vance Jackson
Park Social
Oak Hills Tavern
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment at this bar with the velvet couches and dim lighting. The scenery collaborates old and
1/16 The Texas Jamm Band Featuring “ Members of George Strait’s Ace in the Hole Band “
p
Olmos Bharmacy
ic Mon W Mus ed e v F Li
Sat ri
Formerly a prop closet for the adjoining costume-happy restaurant the Magic Time Machine, the expanded Mine Shaft Saloon is probably the only place in town you’ll see Snow White rolling silverware while Captain Jack Sparrow practices his accent. Tastefully furnished with ’80s detritus, the cozy bar attracts a gregarious post-work crowd for live music, cheap drinks and karaoke. 902 NE Loop 410, (210) 828-1470
new worlds a la Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby reboot. The cocktail menu reinvents old school recipes highlighting tequila and rum. The wine list also impresses with pan-Latin selections. 1015 Navarro, (210) 222-2008, havanasanantonio.com
Orig ina l
The Mine Shaft Saloon
CONTINUED ON PG 62 ►
Happy Hour 12P - 4P 3751 S Loop 1604 E 1/31 Jason Boland & The Stragglers
Twenty Grand Cocktails WEEKLY AND MONTHLY CASH TOURNAMENTS
TEXAS HOLD’EM EVERY NIGHT! 14492 Old Bandera Rd
Helotes, TX • 210-695-8827 For tickets: liveatfloores.com
Happy Hour 12-7pm
5943 Bandera Rd.
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 61
DRINK LISTINGS
TURN YOUR PASSION
INTO A
RECORDING ARTS PROGRAM
PROFESSION • Financial Aid available to those who qualify • Comprehensive 1-Year Programs • Job Placement Assistance after Graduation • Accredited School, ACCSC 512.447.2002 | www.mediatech.edu 4719 S. Congress Ave | ATX 78745 Find Disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.mediatech.edu/disclosures. Mediatech can not guarantee employment or salary.
Exceptional Spirits Join Us for Spurs Games & NFL playoffs
Live Music & Events Schedule | Open MOn-Sat 2p-2a, | Sunday Noon-2a 200 Navarro St @ Market St. | 210. 224.1031 | DrinkTexas.com
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling
SoHo Wine & Martini Bar
Texas’ only “brewstillery,” a microbrewery and craft distiller right here in San Antonio. Featuring Texas bourbon made with two pounds of Texas corn in each bottle and aged under the Texas sun, an ever-changing array of local beers with interesting recipes using local ingredients. Visit during openhouse hours to sample the lineup. 4834 Whirlwind, Ste 102, (210) 775-2099, drinkrangercreek.com
This sophisticated yet relaxing riverside bar really does feel like a big-city hangout in its namesake Manhattan ‘hood that encourages long, conversation-rich happy hours (4-7 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. MondayFriday). 214 W Crockett, (210) 444-1000, sohomartinibar.com
Rebar Twisted metal is the structural theme of this Alamo Heights neighborhood bar, but getting twisted is on the minds of many that gather here to take in live music (including the “one-man phunk band” Henry + the Invisibles at 10 p.m. on Fridays), DJs, games of pool, karaoke and more in cozy seating areas. 8134 Broadway, (210) 320-4091, rebarsatx.com
The Saint Showbar Grittier than Bonham or Heat—and often twice as loud, crowded and crazy—this gayborhood anchor packs in one of the most diverse crowds in town for dancing, drag shows and high-octane cocktails. 800 Lexington, (210) 225-7330, facebook.com/ thesaintshowbar
Sanchez Ice House #1 This humble little joint is a San Anto institution and the last of its kind: a veteran ice house that’s still kickin’ with a heart-load of jukebox nostalgia, offering good neighborhood cheer, hobnobbing with bikers and Thursday beer specials. 819 S San Saba, (210) 223-0588, facebook.com/sanchezicehouse
Sam’s Burger Joint A top-notch sound system is but one of the features that renders Sam’s SA’s premiere venue for Americana, blues, soul, swing and rockabilly. By day, burgers (including a locally sourced veggie option) and beer get served up no-nonsense style. But at night, Sam’s is all about music and booze and can easily accommodate sophisticated seated shows and packed ragers alike. 330 E Grayson, (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com
Southtown 101 Laid-back local in the King William neighborhood offers an erudite beer selection of Texas to international brews and theme nights that counter too-cool trends. 101 Pereida, (210) 263-9880, facebook. com/Southtown101
Sparky’s Pub Ye olde tyme Gayrish pub your creepy uncle warned you about has finally materialized, replete with historic community photos, cocktails served in pint glasses and a back patio straight out of West Hollywood. A regular Best of SA winner, Sparky’s is also the most straightfriendly gay bar in town. 1416 N Main, (210) 320-5111, sparkyspub.com
Stay Golden Social House After a sizable expansion that added more indoor seating, Jeret Peña and co.’s Stay Golden still keeps area boozers happy with accessible cocktails at great prices. It’s a formidable place to wind down or wind up. 401 Pearl Pkwy, facebook.com/ goldenglovessocialhouse
Stella Public House Pizza and a great beer list…what else do you need? Blue Star’s neighborhood pie joint keeps us fat and happy. 1414 S Alamo, (210) 277-7047, stellapublichouse.com
Stroker’s Sports Bar This unfussy Southside beer bar serves the best michelada nightcaps in town. Adorned with a mural celebrating local pool legends, the cozy dive pulls in mainly locals during the week while weekends attract a younger crowd from Southtown and beyond. 703 Roosevelt, (210) 533-4549
Taps y Tapas Silo Elevated Cuisine Regarded by some as the Alamo Heights bar (with one off of Loop 1604 for good measure), Silo covers all the bases with specialty cocktails, import beer, fine wines by the glass and (as the name suggests) upscale food, making its happy hour a fairly sophisticated slosh-fest. Multiple locations, siloelevatedcuisine.com 62 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
This fairly new kid on the brew block’s already established street cred with all-day happy hour specials such as $12 bottomless mimosas, $3 drafts and $3 house-made sangria. With 20-plus craft beers on tap and a lengthy array of wine, visitors can enjoy live music on the patio or a friendly bar vibe inside. 1012 N Flores, (210) 277-7174, tapsytapas.com
www.theirishpubsa.com
DRINK LISTINGS
TBA The bar’s chef and part-owner, James Moore, has found a new calling as he whips up fun bar snacks and seasonal infusions. (210) 320-1753, 2801 N St. Mary’s, facebook.com/tbasatx
controversial makeover or not (it was), Viva Tacoland adds beers and an airy patio with a view of Museum Reach, the Pearl and just a teensy hint of the past. 103 W Grayson, (210) 368-2443, vivatacoland.com
VFW Post 76 The Ten Eleven This cozy, all-ages venue usually hosts shows of the various fist-swinging varieties: hardcore, punk and other assorted noisemakers. Escape the sweat fumes on the back porch and enjoy the view of the San Antonio River. 1011 Avenue B, (210) 320-9080, theteneleven.com
This Victorian-style mansion on the San Antonio River is the oldest VFW post in Texas—a quietly awesome architectural study that houses ghosts, regulars and anyone wise enough to know a bucket of beer and a park bench are viable answers to many of life’s smaller problems. 10 10th, (210) 2234581, vfwpost76.org
Texas T Pub
Wax Club Lounge
Located in a venerable downtown block by Paris Hatters, Texas T is “the people’s bar,” with drinks that won’t rob your pocket. A rare holdout for pro drinkers, office hours commence at 8 a.m., while any sort of activity may round out the night, when local artists and lost cowboys patrol the streets. 121 Broadway, (210) 271-1058
Get your industrial fix at this grungy bar that packs in the ’80s underground, new wave jams and tasty drink specials. 2211 San Pedro, (210) 379-4788, facebook.com/ waxclublounge
The Thirsty Camel This untapped Olmos Park watering hole often waxes nostalgic with dark retro DJ nights but also throws a curve ball now and again in the form of everything from live jazz to Gothic beauty pageants. 5307 McCullough, (210) 277-0979, facebook. com/thirstycamelbar
Tucker’s Kozy Korner Established in 1948, Tucker’s claims to be the oldest African American bar in the state. Their doors, however, are open to everyone— and there’s never a cover for treats like live jazz with local legend Jim Cullum on Mondays. 1338 E Houston, (210) 320-2192, tuckerskozykorner.com
Tuk Tuk Tap Room With more than 35 beers on tap, there’s bound to be something for every palate. It’s spacious and pet friendly, so cozy up to the fireplace during these cooler months. 1702 Broadway, (210) 222-8277, facebook.com/ tuktuktaproom
Vbar in the Hotel Valencia A high-end hotel bar overlooking Houston Street and the River Walk with all the swank accoutrements, Vbar feels like a West Hollywood hangout, and you may even spot a local celebrity or two. 150 E Houston, (210) 227-9700, hotelvalencia-riverwalk.com
Viva Tacoland Regardless of whether this was a
Whiskey Cake Lovers of all things whiskey have a new place to visit at La Cantera’s latest eatery. The third location of this Plano-based eatery, Whiskey Cake packs in plenty of expertly made whiskey-based cocktails. 15900 La Cantera, Ste 21200, (210) 236-8095
Voted Best Neighborhood Bar 2013 EVERYDAY SpECIALS MONDAYS:
DINE-IN CINEM
A WITH THE BES
T IN
$3.00 ShiNer fAMilY $3.00 Deep eDDY fAMilY S.i.N.
TUeSDAYS:
BLOCKBUSTERS, INDIES, FAMILY FILMS, AND CLASSICS
FACEBOOK.COM/SADRAFTHOUSE TWITTER.COM/SA_DRAFTHOUSE DRAFTHOUSE.COM
$2.50 Jack Daniels $3.00 Blue Moon Draft
WeDNeSDAYS:
$3 U Call it
ThUrSDAY:
SATUrDAY:
$2.50 All Skyy Vodka flavors
SUNDAY: College Night $3.00 Angry Orchard Draft $3 Jameson & Tullamore Dew $3.00 fireball $4 Car Bombs & friDAY: Guiness. $3 Jager & Dos XX Draft
9726 Datapoint Dr. 210-692-7620
like us on
Wurzbach Icehouse It’s absolutely a bar in the old Texas icehouse tradition, which at its simplest is a place to drink with people you may or may not know. Serving wings, chicken strips, dogs and burgers, and yup, Frito pie. 10141 Wurzbach, (210) 877-2100, wurzbachicehouse.com
Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar When the dinner shift winds down, servers from all over SA descend upon Zinc to unwind with good company in stylish surroundings. Aside from boasting SA’s finest late-night food-and-wine menu, Zinc does “Downtown” better than anywhere else (without trying too hard) and the patio in summer is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. 207 N Presa, (210) 224-2900, zincwine.com
Zombies Bar & Live Music Venue This neighborhood hangout for the rock and metal set hosts live music by some of the most creatively named bands around (Power Crime Pussy, Dick Delicious and the Tasty Testicles, etc.) and encourages all to “Eat Flesh” on Meat and Metal Mondays. 4202 Thousand Oaks, (210) 281-8306, zombiesliveinsa.com
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 63
64 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Mon.: Tue.: Wed.: Thu.::
$1.50 Pastor Tacos And Happy Hour All Day. Buy One Order Of Wings, Get One Free $10.99 Ribeye With Fries Third Down Thursday 8Pm - 2Am $3 Wells, Domestic Pints, Small Margarita.$4 Import Pints And $3 Off Large Tubes, $1 Off Med Tubes.
100 + HD TVs
Lunch Specials: Mon-Sat,11am -3pm Happy Hour: Mon- Fri, 2pm - 7pm
6420 NW LOOP 410 SUITE 110, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78238 | 210-521-4400 sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 65
MUSIC
JIMMY KATZ
FILE UNDER JAZZ Pianist Vijay Iyer on electronic music, Limp Bizkit and the limits of jazz MATT STIEB
In September of 2013, pianist Vijay Iyer won the enviable MacArthur Genius Grant—$625,000 in cold, unfettered cash—for his insane creativity and nonstop achievements in jazz. Since the dawn of his career, it’s been clear that Iyer was destined for prizes and certifiable genius. But, at first, it was unclear what field the accolades would pile up in. In the early ’90s, Iyer entered a doctorate program in theoretical physics at Berkeley. As the thesis pages grew thick, he felt a gravitational pull toward the piano bench and the Oakland jazz scene, splitting time between his polar interests. To draw him definitively to music, Iyer cites saxophonist Steve Coleman as “one of the main catalysts” for his career in jazz. “I entered [Berkeley] in ‘92 and he came out in ‘94 for an extended residency in the Bay Area and I got folded into it in various ways,” says Iyer over the phone. “I helped organize it, then began sitting in a lot. Afterwards, he asked me to come on the road with him. When I had that opportunity, I thought, ‘I better really think about this,’” says Iyer. “This can’t just be a hobby if I’m doing my dream, going on tour with one of the greatest living musicians. So that upped the ante for me. I had to start taking it seriously as a life task.” Since his initiation, Iyer has joined a generation of pianists—including Robert Glasper, Ethan Iverson and Jason Moran— who’ve brought hip-hop and electronic music to the foreground of the art form. Iyer often performs with Ableton Live, the digital workstation used by Diplo, Grimes or anyone looking to perform electronic music in real time. “The way I integrate it into what I do in performance is still kind of a challenge,” says Iyer. “I try to build environments that I can improvise with inside of Ableton Live. It’s sort of like DJ66 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
From left to right: drummer Marcus Gilmore, pianist Vijay Iyer and bassist Stephan Crump
ing, I guess. You’re curating things and mixing, but I’ll try to do that and play piano at the same time.” With Ableton, collabs with rap rascals Das Racist and forays into classical music, Iyer chips away at the image of the jazz pianist one multivalent note at a time. “I don’t really know what people mean when they say jazz anymore,” says Iyer. “It can mean all kinds of things to all kinds of people. It usually seems to mean something as a way to limit, like, ‘well that’s not jazz. I ran into this last night at a concert. I was doing a solo piece with film and someone came up to me afterwards and said, ‘Oh, I really enjoyed the program, but I thought you were a jazz musician?’” This criticism of the word is nothing new. In the pre-war generation, some musicians scoffed at the word jazz as a white invention; jazz meant black music, limiting their reach in a segregated America. “I don’t like the word jazz, but it is the one that is usually used,” said Duke Ellington, in 1945. In the same ’45 interview, Ellington also said, “Jazz is the freedom to play
anything whether it has been done before Pop’s melody line before breaking into a or not.” If anything, Iyer subscribes to caterwauling romp of collective improv. this tradition in jazz, the history of artists As is common in his work, Iyer pays exploring the porous borders of the special attention to the deep, grumbling music. “I learned how to do everything keys of the lower register and fleeting I do from elders in the jazz and creative arpeggios in the right. Meanwhile, Crump music community,” says Iyer. “Including and Gilmore crash around the piano like people who push against the category. satellites in close orbit. When I worked with Roscoe Mitchell and The trio’s new release Break Stuff, Wadada Leo Smith and Steve Coleman out on ECM in February, shares an and Butch Morris and George Lewis— unfortunate cousin with Limp Bizkit’s ’99 these are all people who are radical single of the same name. “I did not know pioneers in creativity. They get filed under that,” says Iyer. “Hopefully no one will jazz, but that’s not a broad enough frame mistake one for the other.” It’s unlikely. for the kind of things they do.” Where the nu-metal “Break Stuff” bouts with the rest of the Bizkit catalogue for So far in his career, Iyer is most recognized for his trio with bassist title of Worst Song of All Time, Iyer’s Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus rendition finds the trio playing tighter than Gilmore (grandson of kit legend Roy ever. “It’s always been very interactive,” Haynes). Their 2012 album says Iyer, “but what I hear Accelerando bursts with now is both Stephan and Vijay Iyer Trio ingenuity, with tunes from Marcus in the moment $35 Michael Jackson, Duke with sound. And hearing 8pm Sat, Jan 17 Ellington and Flying Lotus them making choices about Jo Long Theatre Carver Community Cultural Center alongside lucid originals. On tone and texture and touch 226 N Hackberry “Human Nature,” Iyer and and stuff like that. Really in (210) 207-7211 crew toy with the King of the moment.” C thecarver.org
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 67
MUSIC
UNIFIED Third Root curates MLK Day DJ celebration
Since the beginning of the genre, there’s been a thriving history of activism in hip-hop. What makes the medium ideal for the message? I think it has a lot to do with the amount of words that go into a rap song opposed to a rock song or R&B song. Much more opportunity. I think the genesis of hip-hop was the frustration of the youth of New York not having an outlet for their art or confusion with poverty. The birth of hip-hop came from angst and social commentary. It was made to do that. It’s done many different things since then but I think at the root, hip-hop is about getting shit off your chest. On your 2014 album Revolutionary Theme Music , what sort of issues do you address in detail?
COURTESY
On Sunday night, social justice emcees Third Root host a DJ gig remembering the legacy of MLK and the unmatched contributions that African Americans have made to our culture. Over the phone, we spoke with Easy Lee of Third Root, discussing social movements in hip-hop, civil rights in 2015 and his passionate work in Third Root with Marco Cervantes and DJ Chicken George.
yourself with knowledge and dig up information and search for it—get your own gun, get your perspective on what’s going on in the world. What can we learn from MLK and the civil rights movement in 2015? These communities were much tighter, they were centralized in churches and community centers where the whole community could get the word. Technology, racial immigration, all of that has spread the margins out so even if somebody is revolutionary-minded or they want to stand up to make a difference, mobilizing those people has become harder and harder. I think that’s the challenge now, to find ways to unite. I love what Ferguson and the Eric Garner situation has shown us that social media is a form that can be used to inspire and incite thought.
From Joan Baez to John Coltrane, We speak to third world liberation, what can we learn from the civil gender equality, mass incarceration, rights music of the ’60s? the work of Michelle Alexander. We also speak about taking the initiative When it was time to stand up, there to gain knowledge on your own. was a soundtrack for it. And I feel that’s We have a song called “Own Gun” also being made right now. In the music that’s literal and figurative. In these of Run the Jewels, J. Cole days self-defense is a and D’Angelo. We’re lesson when you talk Third Root presents DJ Chicken going to look back at about resistance and George and Friends feat. DJs the soundtrack of this being unable to defend Donnie Dee, JJ Lopez, Gibb and transition period. We are yourself from a police Leonard Trujillo $5 in the midst of a revolution force and country that’s 9pm Sun, Jan 18 socially and culturally, becoming more and Hi-Tones but also musically. more militarized. But 621 E Dewey —Matt Stieb also, you have to arm (210) 785-8777 68 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
MUSIC
CIGARETTES ©2015 SFNTC (1)
COURTESY
CHILDISH THING
Former SA resident James McMurtry returns with a Complicated Game James McMurtry, the son of for fostering an often uncomfortable writer Larry McMurtry—best social awareness. And he does it known for his Pulitzer Prizewith alacrity, heart and joy to spare. winning, miniseries-inspiring novel A cursory listen to “We Can’t Make it Lonesome Dove—is an Americana Here,” his masterful Americana Awardsinger-songwriter with a chip on his winning track from 2005’s excellent shoulder. His songs, beginning with Childish Things, will give any listener a those on his stellar 1989 debut Too good idea of where he’s coming from. Long in the Wasteland, are writerly and Its lively images and thorough Bushsprawling meditations on American bashing even earned the tune the top decay. He tells the stories of the spot on legendary music critic Robert forgotten and challenges the status quo Christgau’s list of the best songs of with a calm and precise fire in the great the decade. tradition of folkies like Pete Seeger and With a sound that’s every bit as John Woody Guthrie. But, unlike Guthrie, he Mellencamp as it is Woody Guthrie, also rails against the sedative power of every bit as rockabilly as it is country or superficial religious belief and doesn’t folk, McMurtry’s work offers the best await the second coming as some of all the many mutations of American magical Deus ex Machina in the great heartland music. He comes to Sam’s this American drama. Saturday as he gears up for the February McMurtry, however, is every bit release of his ninth studio album a master at creating believable and Complicated Game, which promises to sympathetic characters in his songs be on par with his best material—at least as he is at creating multifaceted and if the recently released single “How’m rousing sonic critiques. The man Gonna Find You Now,” written from the embodies an abundantly human perspective of a meth-addled drifter, perspective that never comes is any indication. With a live off as overly didactic or cliché show honed by a permanent and never shies away from Tuesday and Wednesday James McMurtry advocating for sanity, tolerance night residency at Austin’s $15-$70 8pm Sat, Jan 17 and empathy. Like his father Continental Club, McMurty Sam’s Burger Joint before him, McMurtry uses his and his longtime band of 330 E Grayson craft as a vehicle for creating cohorts are not to be missed. (210) 223-2830 and expressing reverence and —James Courtney samsburgerjoint.com
* Visit NASCIGS.com or call 1-800-435-5515 PROMO CODE 95522 *Plus applicable sales tax Offer for two “1 for $2” Gift Certificates good for any Natural American Spirit cigarette product (excludes RYO pouches and 150g tins). Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer and website restricted to U.S. smokers 21 years of age and older. Limit one offer per person per 12 month period. Offer void in MA and where prohibited. Other restrictions may apply. Offer expires 12/31/15.
San Antonio Current 01-14-15.indd 1
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 69 1/7/15 3:54 PM
70 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
MUSIC
SAT
15
Peter Evans
Trumpeter Peter Evans is a part of the mid-career generation of jazz artists jumping in on a gig or recording date anytime a laureled player or director calls their name. Unlike the old days, when musicians would incessantly sit in for jazz and blues sessions, musicians like Peter Evans dive into chamber orchestras, electronic music and shows combining avant-garde jazz and performance art. On Thursday, the NYC-based horn player will stick loosely to the jazz on his five solo albums and his seven with the acute quartet Mostly Other People Do the Killing. In 2014, the group recorded a meticulous piece of performance art overlapping in jazz, recreating Miles Davis’ iconic Kind of Blue note for note, raising questions on improvisation, chops and the canon. Evans will perform with trombonist Steve Parker, artist-in-residence at Austin’s Blanton Museum of Art and ensemble director at UTSA. $5-$10, 8pm, High Wire Arts, 326 W Josephine, (210) 3205702, highwirearts.com. —Matt Stieb
Wednesday, January 14 Bring Your Own Vinyl Strike up
conversation on the merit of your barmates’ LP libraries, or creep in the corner, slam pickle shots and fantasize about how much better your stash is at home. Hi-Tones, 10pm
Chubby Knuckle Choir Based out of
Bastrop, the Chubby Knuckle Choir packs washboard rhythms, rockabilly energy and light harmonies into quintet form. Gruene Hall, 6pm
Kill Matilda Singer Dusty Exner of
Vancouver quartet Kill Matilda owes as much to Metallica’s James Hetfield as she does to Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna. With Legacy Lives, Reconquista, Grievance Committee. Nesta, 8pm
Marc Broussard, Seth Walker
Songwriter Marc Broussard pulls from his swamp rock roots on his 2014 release A Life Worth Living (his father Ted was guitarist for Louisiana legends The Boogie Kings). North Carolinian Seth Walker’s ’09 album Leap of Faith jumps with an electric, untamed energy. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7:00pm
The Prime Time Five Saxophonist
John Magaldi strips his big band to its essentials, riffing through straight-ahead standards with his big breathy tone. He’s a worthy bandleader and first chair, having performed with Johnny Mathis, Boots Randolph, Tony Bennett and Marvin Gaye. The Cove, 8pm
Thursday, January 15
Antique Sunlight, Harvey McLaughlin and the BottomFeeders, The Town Hall Devils From the stoned gypsy folk
of “Turn Me Inside Out” to the tremoloshaken opiod dream of “Morphine Eyes,” the quartet led by guitarist Andrew Suhre (Creatura) and guitarist/vocalist Louis Davila (Flower Jesus) is nearly impossible to pin down. The Mix, 10pm
EDM Thursdays For the undiscerning
EDM listener, The Falls hosts its weekly offering of bass drops, high trap snares and sweaty college kids. The Falls, 9pm
Women’s Wednesday Thursday Men’s Happy Hour 4PM TIL 8PM ALL MEN RECEIVE 20% OFF ALL REGULAR PRICED SALE ITEMS
King William Jazz Collective Bill King
and the band at Carmens—is it 2013 again? After closing for 2014, Carmens de la Calle, one of SA’s finest jazz and flamenco joints, has reopened in a new location. Helping the place get back in the swing of things, saxophonist Bill King brings his bombastic collective to perform the tunes from their 2014 self-titled album. Carmens de la Calle, 8:30pm
Luke Wade After a stint on NBC’s The
Voice, Dublin, Texas native Luke Wade is on tour with his No Civilians band helping him chart through his brand of pop-soul. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm
Sensual Sunday 6AM TIL MIDNIGHT COUPLES RECEIVE 20% OFF
Mayer Hawthorne Representing the new
direction of the Stones Throw label, Mayer Hawthorne sings in a MoTown style over instrumental, boom bamp hiphop. Majestic Theatre, 7pm
9405 IH-35 @ STARLIGHT • 657-9999 11827 HWY 281 N @ NAKOMA • 404-0011 OPEN DAILY 7AM - 2AM sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 71
SAN ANTONIO’S ONLY PREMIERE POLE FITNESS STUDIO
PARTY CENTRAL: BACHELORETTE, GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT, BIRTHDAYS, ETC. 2015 CLASSES POLE FITNESS LEVELS 1-12, ADVANCE-MASTERS
10 YEARS OF CELEBRATING FABULOUS WOMEN!!!
OPEN HOUSE FRIDAY JAN. 30 7-9 PM FREE ADMISSION TO LADIES & GENTS COME PLAY WITH US & SEE WHAT’S NEW GIFT CERTIFICATES • “HOT IN HEELS” 6 WEEK COURSE • HIIT • TWERKING POLEOGRAPHY • MANIC MONDAY MORNING CLASS • FIERCE FRIDAY MORNING CLASS • MENS POLE CLASS • AERIAL YOGA • TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY MORNING POLE CLASSES • FRIDAY “GIRL’S NIGHT OUT” WORKSHOPS • SILVER STILETTOS OVER 50 POLE CLASS • SEXY CURVES POLE CLASS COMING SOON
COME TO WHERE YOU ARE CELEBRATED! FRIEND US
6441 BLANCO RD • 863.3591 • ASK FOR RENE • SOFTSENSUOUSMOVES.COM 72 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Texas Renegade tries distortion-driven country rock on their album Bad Dreams and Other Things. Gruene Hall, 6pm
The Earful, Ex-Machine San Diego
funk shredders The Earful provide Parliamentary delight on their instrumental album Live at The Belly Up. With “VYG,” SA’s Ex-Machine debuts with a hazy vision of dream pop. As the string and electronic instruments play to the ether, the drum track keeps a grounding and sober rhythm. Jack’s Bar, 8pm
The Suite feat. DJ Gibb and Donnie Dee Two of SA’s finest soul and funk
jockeys deliver a Thursday night soundtrack in original funky drummers. Southtown 101, 10pm
Friday, January 16
Adam Hood A Texas Music Chart favorite, Adam Hood’s Welcome to the Big World is an exercise in confessional songwriting and country licks. Sam’s Burger Joint, 8pm
Breaker Breaker This semi-trailer-loving
outfit plays the trucker radio hits of ’60s and ’70s country. The Cove, 9pm
Ese Houston punks Ese strut around with a
necio attitude on the 2009 LP Loud Death Chaos. With Taco City, Muscle Car, Scum Allegiance. Shenanygans, 8pm
Hamell on Trial Anti-folk icon Ed
Hamell takes the rock ‘n’ roll joking of Tenacious D and drops it to the common denominator on songs like “Pussy” and “I Hate Your Kid.” With Yes Body Else. Tex Pop, 7:30pm
Electronic Exhibition One Year Anniversary A year ago, the folks
at Electronic Exhibition announced a monthly series showcasing touring and San Anto artists working hard on their computers and Moogs that weren’t getting proper exposure. A year in, the group is celebrating a sucessful birthday, with music from Baltimore’s Odwalla88, Brooklyn’s Chicklette and SA’s Calico Club. Like Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing” or anything Grace Jones ever touched, Calico Club’s Permanent Night is a record about the bar as not only a lifestyle but a creative opportunity: the chance to perform in posture, dress and dance even if you’re not onstage. To soundtrack these ideas, PleasureFaces and GALACTICAT of Calico Club placed
My Education, Collective Dreams, Verisimilitude After composing a
soundtrack for the award-winning silent film Sunrise, post-rockers My Education’s grand instrumentals and lush scores are silver screen tested. Austin’s Collective Dreams give pure instrumentation the recognition it deserves with proggy post-rock jams. In instrumental postrock, reverb pedals often whitewash the stuff, making a pleasant, but unmemorable experience—like tossing ketchup on everything in the fridge. On Verisimilitude’s Hippy Eyes EP, the SA trio keeps the effect to a minimum, letting the compositions speak for themselves. With The Last Humans. The Ten Eleven, 9pm
South Austin Moonlighters This quartet from the capital plays clean-channel rock and dirty-boot country on Burn and Shine. Gruene Hall, 8pm
The Texas Jamm Band With such a
talented crew coming together to form George Strait’s Ace in the Hole band, it’d be a wasted oppurtunity not to show off the band’s skills without the King of Country. Floore’s Country Store, 7pm
Saturday, January 17
Diskoteka Nites DJ JJ Lopez hosts
this four on the floor retrospective of everyone’s favorite love-to-hate genre. Given the vaults of vinyl Lopez has at his command, expect a deep look into the disco culture of Philadelphia and New York. Hi-Tones, 9pm
Eagle Claw Brutal like a round of
Dungeons and Dragons or a LOTR LARP, Eagle Claw translates the renaissance fair to metalheads who have never quite gotten it. With long face-melting riffs along with a sense of traditional melodies, Eagle Claw provides more than just a tune to headbang to. Limelight, 9pm
Strauss Requiem The San Antonio
Symphony kicks off its Strauss Festival, performing the works of the prestigious German composer who bridged the gap between the Romantic and Early Modern eras in classical music. Conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, the show will
Party Supplies • Adult Toys • Magazines • Pride Jewelry & Gift Items • Greeting Cards • Books • Music • Art • Clothing • Dancewear • Shoes • Hosiery• Lingerie & Underwear • A
Texas Renegade South Texas quartet
Greeting Cards • Books • Music • Art • Clothing • Dancewear • Sh
ALWAYS The LOWEST PRICES!
AS SEEN ON BRAVO’S
1031 NE Loop 410 210.821.5345
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS
1608 N Main Ave 210.472.2800
g • Dancewear • Shoes • Hosiery• Lingerie & Underwear • Bachelor & Bachelorette
Monkey’s Thurzgayz, SA chill/house/ pop DJ PuppyButt joins host VJ Glitoris for this week’s queer dance party. Brass Monkey, 10pm
together an exciting EP of synth and dance floor production. A poetry slam set to vocal samples and orchestra hits, Odwalla88 is a disorienting combo of noise rap and performance art. On “New Tiger,” Chicklette coils up with a gloomy and chanting trap number, laughing with their finger on the trigger. With DJ sets by PopGuy of Executive Realness. Hi-Tones, 10pm
lt Toys • Pride
oes • Hosiery• Lingerie & Underwear • Bachelor & Bachelorette Party Supplies • Adult Toys • Magazines • Pride Jewelry & Gift Items • Greeting Cards • Books • Music • Art • Clot
VJ Glitoris feat. PuppyButt For Brass
du
hin
MUSIC
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 73
MUSIC
“WE DRESS YOU TO UNDRESS”
feature Doug Balliett’s American Prelude, Strauss’ 1889 tone poem Death and Transfiguration and Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni and Requiem in D Minor. Tobin Center, 8pm
The Sentenced It’s time to break out the
hair gel, spiked collars and ripped shirts: punk, in the truest sense of the word, is in SATX. Gutter outfit The Sentenced sounds like a hangover from hell, while hardcore punks Sick Symptom and Treatment are the cause of getting fucked up in the first place. SA’s Ill Informed and Austin’s Backlegs brutally prove that this subculture is alive and well. With Unit. K23 Gallery, 9pm
Sunday, January 18
American Aquarium Raleigh quintet
We-Vibe 4
$159.99
American Aquarium tours behind their forthcoming album Wolves, due out in February. If the singles offer a slice of the whole, American Aquarium’s fourth album looks to be the band’s most polished effort yet. Sam’s Burger Joint, 7pm
Doc Watkins Unlike some jazz musicians
whose claim to a doctorate is just a nickname (looking at you, Dr. Lonnie Smith) and others who have won honorary degrees (congrats Sonny Rollins!), Brent ‘Doc’ Watkins has a doctorate in music from UT Austin. It’s a degree he’s put to good use, swinging viciously on his piano or Hammond B3 rig. The Esquire Tavern, 3pm
Family Concert: YOSA SXS In the midst
of their Strauss Festival, the Symphony performs side by side with YOSA Philharmonic. Laurie Auditorium, 3pm
JUST ARRIVED
DIAMOND, GOLD
& BLUE PILL 3500 GREAT SELECTION OF SEXUAL ENHANCEMENT PILLS:
RHINO 7, ONE MORE NIGHT, RHINO X, RHINO BLITZ, RHINO BLACK, BLACK MAMBA, BLACK PANTHER, DRAGON, RED SPARTAN, FORBIDDEN TIGER, EXTREME DIAMOND
YOUR ONLY STOP FOR THE BEST SELECTION OF
LUBRICANTS, ADULT TOYS, LINGERIE, BACHELORETTE PARTY ITEMS,DVDS, MAGAZINES, BOOKS, DANCE WEAR, SHOES AND MORE!
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK & FOLLOW US ON TWITTER TO GET SPECIAL OFFERS- TEMPTATIONSTX
8373 CULEBRA STE. 103 • 210.521.4555
74 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Millionaires Like a twisted love child
born to internet rap group White Girl Mob and the unspeakable crime against music named Blood on the Dance Floor, the Millionaires are the epitome of late Bush-era Myspace. With hair teased like scene queens, shouting explicit party
girl anthems, the Millionaires should’ve stayed confined to the dark ages of unknown unknowns and crunkcore. With self-proclaimed “punk Barbie doll” Eryn Woods. Limelight, 7pm
Tex Pop Rox 3 The charming South Texas
Popular Culture Center hosts its third edition of Tex Pop Rox, featuring music from Sandpaper Sally, Jason Trevino and DJ Jason Saldana. Tex Pop, 2pm
Monday, January 19
Jim Cullum Jazz Band Playing the music of King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Bix Beiderbecke, cornetist Jim Cullum is a leader among the growing community of trad jazz players. Tucker’s Kozy Korner, 7-10pm
Jonny Craig If anyone is worried that
post-hardcore will lose a market in San Antonio with the closing of the White Rabbit, fear not—there will always be a space for it in SA. With Down with Webster, Stereofiend. The Korova, 7pm
Small World Led by vocalist/drummer
Kyle Keener and vocalist/guitarist Polly Harrison, Small World places world music in the jazz setting. Olmos Bharmacy, 7:30pm
Sole Co-founder of the Anticon label, Sole
packs his rhymes with a wordy brilliance, building arguments by sheer numbers of examples. With DJ Pain 1, Chisme, Lotus Tribe, Toneheadz, Dead the Poets, DJ Johnny Zip. Limelight, 8pm
Tuesday, January 20
Drown Houston metalcore outfit Drown
attacks with a visceral VFW edge. With Axis, Afflictive Nature, Bloodhound. The Korova, 8pm
San Antonio Jazz Orchestra George
DeRocher, Rick Horn and Dale Schultz co-lead the fun-loving San Antonio Jazz Orchestra through the classic big band charts. Blue Star Brewing Company, 8pm
Blue Star Brewing Company 1414 S Alamo, (210) 212-5506, bluestarbrewing.com Brass Monkey 2702 N St. Mary’s, (210) 480-4722, facebook.com/brassmonkeytx Carmens de la Calle 320 N Flores, (210) 281-4349, carmensdelacalle. com Floore’s Country Store 14492 Old Bandera, Helotes, (210) 695-8827, liveatfloores.com Gruene Hall 1281 Gruene, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall.com Hi-Tones 621 E Dewey, (210) 573-6220 Jack’s Bar 3030 Thousand Oaks, (210) 494-2309, jacksbarsa.com K23 Gallery 704 Fredericksburg, (210) 776-5635, facebook.com/k23gallery Laurie Auditorium 1 Trinity Place, (210) 999-7011, trinity.edu Limelight 2718 N St. Mary’s, (210) 735-7775, thelimelightsa. com Luna 6740 San Pedro, (210) 804-2433, lunalive.com Majestic Theatre 224 E Houston, (210) 226-5700, majesticempire.com Nesta 122 Nogalitos, (210) 354-3399 Olmos Bharmacy 3902 McCullough, (210) 822-1188, olmosrx.com Sam’s Burger Joint 330 E Grayson, (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com Shenanygans 4032 Vance Jackson, (210) 370-3599, shenanygans.com Southtown 101 101 Pereida Street, (210) 263-9880 Tex Pop 1017 E Mulberry, (210) 792-1312 The Cove 606 W Cypress, (210) 227-2683, thecove.us The Esquire Tavern 155 E Commerce, (210) 222-2521, esquiretavern-sa.com The Falls 226 W Bitters #120, (210) 490-5553 thefallsbar.com The Korova 107 E Martin, (210) 226-5070, thekorova.com The Mix 2423 N St. Mary’s, (210) 735-1313 The Ten Eleven 1011 Avenue B, (210) 320-9080, theteneleven.com Tobin Center 100 Auditorium, (210) 223-8624, tobincenter.org Tucker’s Kozy Korner 1338 E Houston, (210) 320-2192, tuckerskozykorner.com
REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN
Heat Up Your Night On RedHot
TRY FORE FRE
Elite Ladies
FREE TRIAL
of San Antonio
A WORLD CLASS MODEL EXPERIENCE IN THE S.A. AREA!
Ahora en Español
210.320.6103
For More Local Numbers: 1.800.926.6000 Teligence/18+ www.livelinks.com
who really get your vibe...
FREE TRIAL
210.447.1103 210.933.1113 Connect Instantly
Find your local number: 1.855.831.1111 18+ www.fonochatlatino.com
Get your local number: 1.800.811.1633
18+ www.vibeline.com
WARNING HOT GUYS!
FREE
To Listen and Reply to Ads!
San Antonio
(210) 375.1155
San Antonio
210.375.1800
FREE to listen & reply to ads! FREE CODE : San Antonio Current For other local numbers call:
FREE CODE :
1-888-MegaMates
TM
24/7 Friendly Customer Care 1-888-634-2628 18+ ©2013 PC LLC 2582
made
Discreet Chat Guy to Guy
FREE TRIAL
Eliteladiessa.escortfiles.com
Dating Easy
210.933.1103 Try for FREE
18+ redhotdateline.com
Meet sexy new friends
For rates, booking, or model info:
|
CHATLINE TM
More Local Numbers: 1.800.700.6666
Meet hot Latin singles
NOW HIRING! 210-896-7483
210.933.1106
Say “San Antonio Current” For other local numbers call
1-888-MegaMates
24/7 Friendly Customer Care 1(888) 634.2628
18+
CHECK OUT FRESH DAILY CONTENT
TM
©2013 PC LLC
www.MegaMates.com
3133
@ SACURRENT.COM
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 75
ETC
Holly’s Chinese Massage
PORN & CIRCUMSTANCE
1st time special $50 1 Hr massage SPECIAL
(First time customer, with this ad.)
• Deep Tissue • Table massage
• Sea Salt Table Shower
ME 1919
• Chinese Reflex Foot Massage
• Sauna Therapy
Mon-Sat 10-9 • Sun 12-9 7627 Culebra SA, Tx 78251 210-681-0429
Massage 4 U Light/Deep/Pain/Stress Relief, Neck, Shoulder or Back problems? Swedish/Sports or Pregnancy
NW/IH-10/Wurzbach NE/I-35/1604
All Area Hotel Calls 7 Days • 24 Hrs Darla RMT#20729
New Client Specials (9am-11pm)
★★★ $30★★★ Amazing Techniques
Credit Cards Accepted
210-336-2076
Senior Citizen Specials
NOW OPEN
Oriental Massage A new Experience in total body relaxation.
3534 Fredricksburg Rd Suite No. 29 Phone 210-954-7092 MT910057
HAPPY FEET
MASSAGE Open 7 Days • 10 a.m. - 10 p.m
FREE SEA SALT TABLE SHOWER • ACUPRESSURE THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE • FOOT REFLEXOLOGY DEEP TISSUE
PHOTO.SACURRENT.COM
My fiancée is extremely bothered by me looking at porn. It revolves around insecurities that have gotten so bad that even other girls bother her. (We can hardly go to a beach anymore.) I don’t have any weird relationship with porn—no addiction, no violent stuff, and I look pretty infrequently. She acknowledges that it’s a normal thing but is unable to get past it. She has gone through two counselors on her own, and we have gone through two couples counselors. They have ALL said the same thing: “It’s completely reasonable to want him to not look at porn, and if he loves you, he won’t look at it anymore.” I have been asked how often I look at it, why I won’t stop looking at it, why is it so important to me. They have recommended “clinics” to help me abstain from porn. This all happens after both of us say that our goal is for this—me looking at porn very occasionally—to not be a problem and even after we’ve told them that she used to be totally okay with it (four years ago) but now she feels crazy and doesn’t want to feel this way about it. Our last therapist said my refusal to go to a clinic showed that we had a toxic relationship! I’m dumbfounded. Every time we see a therapist like this, it damages our relationship. Lack Of Sane Therapists “The therapists seen by LOST have drunk the Kool-Aid: Porn is automatically bad, stopping porn use is always the
7870 Culebra Suite #21 • 210.749.6068 76 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
SAVAGE LOVE by Dan Savage
best answer, the person who doesn’t like porn is always right,” said Dr. David Ley, writer, clinical psychologist, and author of The Myth of Sex Addiction. “Such therapists develop target fixation when porn is involved and lose sight of other, real issues that need to be addressed.” The most obvious issue that needs addressing is your fiancée’s evident and apparently metastasizing insecurity. (Yesterday you had to stop watching porn, today you can’t go to the beach, tomorrow you won’t be able to have female friends.) But since all the therapists you’ve seen thus far were batshit-crazy sexphobes—or “fixated” on porn, as Dr. Ley put it—her issues haven’t been addressed. “LOST’s fiancée probably sees his use of porn as a reflection of his level of attraction to her,” said Dr. Ley. “Or she’s worried that a man who looks at porn is a man who will cheat. I understand and empathize with her fear.” But Dr. Ley wonders if something else is at work here. “LOST’s fiancée might be dealing with a form of anxiety disorder, where obsession is sometimes expressed through irrational fears of infidelity,” said Dr. Ley. “A therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (the ‘other kind of CBT’) for anxiety disorders may be helpful, and less likely to get distracted by blaming porn.” To find a therapist who specializes in CBT and isn’t a batshit-crazy, smutshaming sexphobe, Dr. Ley suggests you find a therapist through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (aasect. org) or the “Kink Aware Professionals Directory” at the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (ncsfreedom.org). “The therapists LOST will find there are more likely to be sex-positive,” said Dr. Ley, “and less likely to jump on the ‘porn is the root of all problems’ bandwagon.” You can follow Dr. David Ley on Twitter @DrDavidLey. On the Lovecast, Dan and Heather Havrilesky of Ask Polly discuss unfortunate tattoos: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter
ETC
JONESIN’ CROSSWORD by Matt Jones
Answer on page 19
WORKHARD
PLAY HARD CURRENT IS HIRING: MULTI-MEDIA SALES: INSIDE SALES:
Customized print, digital Specialize in industries, & event marketing for including employment, local clients. real estate & events.
Send your creative cover letter & resume with subject line: Media Sales - or - Phone Sales Chelsea Bourque, Sales Manager: Cbourque@sacurrent.com
HIRING IMMEDIATELY OUTBOUND SALES REPRESENTATIVES • GUARANTEED WEEKLY PAY • COMPETITIVE WAGES • SPANISH SPEAKING POSITIONS ALSO AVAILABLE
CALL TODAY: for an Interview: 210-424-6577 or Apply in Person from 12-6pm @ 12746 Cimarron Path Suite 130 (1-10 & DeZavala Area)
Round Figures–The Circle is Complete ACROSS
1 Mix those ingredients 5 Carried 10 Totally dominates 14 Holder of scoops 15 County of New Mexico or Colorado 16 Go on a rampage 17 Turing played by Benedict 18 “The Last Supper” city 19 ___ Romeo (nice car) 20 Proof you paid 22 Frying pan 24 Palindromic girl’s name 25 King, in Quebec 26 Extremity 27 “Lost” actor Daniel ___ Kim 28 PBS painter known for “happy little trees”* 30 Crack-loving ex-Toronto mayor * 32 Insect that sounds like a relative 33 Leaves for the afternoon? 34 Student loans, for instance 37 Start 41 Minivan passengers 45 Social networking site in 2014 news 46 Exploding stars 47 Gaelic music star 48 On the edge of 50 Greek consonants 51 “Melrose Place” actor Rob
52 Low limb 53 Part of a yr. 55 Its symbol is its first letter with two lines through it 57 Magazine inserts 58 Prime minister from 20072010* 62 Chatty show, with “The” 64 Most of the Earth’s surface 65 Affixes 68 Plot of land, often 69 Rows on a chessboard 70 Michael of “Superbad” 71 Word often misused in place of “fewer” 72 Rough weather 73 Sign, or an alternate title for this puzzle?
DOWN
1 Beetle-shaped amulet 2 Ohio city 3 Riding with the meter running 4 Descartes or Magritte 5 He played George Utley on “Newhart”* 6 Inflammation of the ear 7 ___ Aviv 8 Blackboard need 9 “The Andy Griffith Show” co-star* 10 Like some vaccines 11 “Sure thing!” 12 What a hero has
or Email Contact Information to: jobsatswa@gmail.com 13 Put into words 21 Make a shirt look nicer 23 “___ delighted!” 29 Tell the teacher about 31 Forgeries 34 Find a way to cope 35 Magazine with a French name 36 Post-industrial workers? 38 Like shrugs and nods, as signals go 39 “Law & Order” spinoff, for short 40 Early oven manufacturer? 42 Working together 43 Applied henna 44 Answer with an attitude 49 “Paradise City” band, briefly 51 “Music for Airports” composer Brian 54 Dumpster emanations 56 Bond foe ___ Stavro Blofeld 59 Has to pay back 60 “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star ___ Leakes 61 1993 Texas standoff city 62 Kilmer who chunked out in the late 2000s 63 Word in cheesy beer names 66 Beats by ___ (brand of audio equipment) 67 ___ Bernardino
The GEO Group, Inc. Karnes County Civil Detention Center We are hiring Detention Officers! Other opportunities in Heath Care, Nursing, Security, Maintenance, Food Service, Programs, Administration, and more! APPLY ONLINE: http://jobs.geogroup.com High School diploma or GED equivalent required. Must be at least 21 years of age and pass employment, criminal, and credit history background investigation. GEO is the leader in the delivery of private correctional and detention management, community re-entry services as well as behavior and mental health services to government agencies around the globe. EOE/M/F/D/V sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 77
ETC
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY by Rob Brezsny ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): You will never make anything that lasts forever. Nor will I or anyone else. I suppose it’s possible that human beings will still be listening to Beethoven’s music or watching The Simpsons TV show 10,000 years from today, but even that stuff will probably be gone in five billion years, when the sun expands into a red giant star. Having acknowledged that hard truth, I’m happy to announce that in the next five weeks you could begin work in earnest on a creation that will endure for a very long time. What will it be? Choose wisely!
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): What does your soul need on a regular basis? The love and attention of some special person? The intoxication provided by a certain drink or drug? Stimulating social interaction with people you like? Music that drives you out of your mind in all the best ways? The English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins said that the rapture his soul needed more than anything else was inspiration—the “sweet fire,” he called it, “the strong spur, live and lancing like the blowpipe flame.” So the experience his soul craved didn’t come from an outside stimulus. It was a feeling that rose up inside him. What about you, Taurus? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your soul needs much more than usual of its special nourishment.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In 1987, California condors were almost extinct. Less than 30 of the birds remained. Then the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched an effort to capture them all and take emergency measures to save the species. Almost 28 years later, there are more than 400 condors, half of them living in the wild. If you act now, Gemini, you could launch a comparable recovery program for a different resource that is becoming scarce in your world. Act with urgency, but also be prepared to practice patience.
the sage, “do not hold back from telling me any secrets about this universe.” In the coming weeks, Leo, I suggest you make a similar request of many people, and not just those you regard as wise. You’re in a phase when pretty much everyone is a potential teacher who has a valuable clue to offer you. Treat the whole world as your classroom.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Have you been tapping into your proper share of smart love, interesting beauty, and creative mojo? Are you enjoying the succulent rewards you deserve for all the good deeds and hard work you’ve done in the past eight months? If not, I am very upset. In fact, I would be livid and mournful if I found out that you have not been soaking up a steady flow of useful bliss, sweet revelations, and fun surprises. Therefore, to ensure my happiness and well-being, I COMMAND you to experience these goodies in abundance.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Libran engineer Robert Goddard was the original rocket scientist. His revolutionary theories and pioneering technologies laid the foundations for space flight. Decades before the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, he and his American team began shooting rockets aloft. Members of the press were not impressed with his unusual ideas, however. They thought he was a misinformed crank. In 1920, The New York Times sneered that he was deficient in “the knowledge ladled out daily in our high schools.” Forty-nine years later, after his work had led to spectacular results, the Times issued an apology. I foresee a more satisfying progression toward vindication for you, Libra. Sometime soon, your unsung work or unheralded efforts will be recognized.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21):
Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was an American statesman who served in both houses of Congress. He dearly wanted to be President of the United States, but his political party never nominated him to run for that office. Here’s the twist in his fate: Two different candidates who were ultimately elected President asked him to be their Vice-President, but he declined, dismissing the job as unimportant. Both those Presidents, Harrison and Taylor, died after a short time on the job. Had Webster agreed to be their Vice-President, he would have taken their place and fulfilled his dream. In the coming weeks, Cancerian, I advise you not to make a mistake comparable to Webster’s.
In the plot of the TV science-fiction show Ascension, the U.S. government has conducted an elaborate covert experiment for 50 years. An outside investigator named Samantha Krueger discovers the diabolical contours of the project and decides to reveal the truth to the public. “We’re going full Snowden,” she tells a seemingly sympathetic conspiracy theorist. She’s invoking the name of Edward Snowden, the renegade computer administrator who in the real world leaked classified information that the U.S. government wanted to keep hidden. It might be time for you to go at least mini-Snowden yourself, Scorpio—not by spilling state secrets, but rather by unmasking any surreptitious or deceptive behavior that’s happening in your sphere. Bring everything out into the open—gently if possible. But do whatever it takes.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22):
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22):
In one of his poems, Rumi writes about being alone with a wise elder. “Please,” he says to
78 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
In 1939, author Ernest Vincent Wright finished Gadsby, a 50,000-word novel. It was unlike any
book ever published because the letter “e” didn’t appear once in the text. Can you imagine the constraint he had to muster to accomplish such an odd feat? In accordance with the astrological omens, I invite you to summon an equally impressive expression of discipline and selfcontrol, Sagittarius. But devote your efforts to accomplishing a more useful and interesting task, please. For example, you could excise one of your bad habits or avoid activities that waste your time or forbid yourself to indulge in fearful thoughts.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Most plants move upwards as they grow. Their seeds fall to the ground, are blown off by the wind, or are carried away by pollinators. But the peanut plant has a different approach to reproduction. It burrows its seeds down into the soil. They ripen underground, where they are protected and more likely to get the moisture they need to germinate. The peanut plant’s approach to fertility might be a good metaphor for you Capricorns to adopt for your own use. It makes sense for you to safeguard the new possibilities you’re incubating. Keep them private, maybe even secret. Don’t expose them to scrutiny or criticism.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): In his poem “The Garden,” Jack Gilbert
says, “We are like Marco Polo who came back / with jewels hidden in the seams of his ragged clothes.” Isn’t that true about you right now, Aquarius? If I were going to tell your recent history as a fairy tale, I’d highlight the contrast between your outer disorder and your inner riches. I’d also borrow another fragment from Gilbert’s poem and use it to describe your current emotional state: “a sweet sadness, a tough happiness.” So what comes next for you? I suggest you treat yourself to a time out. Take a break to integrate the intensity you’ve weathered. And retrieve the jewels you hid in the seams of your ragged clothes.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): “All the colors I am inside have not been invented yet,” wrote Shel Silverstein, in his children’s book Where the Sidewalk Ends. It’s especially important for you to focus on that truth in the coming weeks. I say this for two reasons. First, it’s imperative that you identify and celebrate a certain unique aspect of yourself that no one else has ever fully acknowledged. If you don’t start making it more conscious, it may start to wither away. Second, you need to learn how to express that unique aspect with such clarity and steadiness that no one can miss it or ignore it.
THIS MODERN WORLD by Tom Tomorrow
HOSPITALITY JOB FAIR WHEN: Thursday, January 22, from 9 AM to 6 PM WHERE: Holiday Inn, 77 NE Loop 410, 78216
Work some of San Antonio’s most exciPng events!
Valero Texas Open • Stock Show & Rodeo • Fiesta • Private Events • Weddings
We are looking for experienced Banquet Servers, Cocktail Servers, Bartenders, Barbacks, Prep/Line/Grill Cooks, Food Runners & Dishwashers. -‐ Dress professionally and be prepared to be interviewed -‐
For more informaPon, call 210.853.0233
We are seeking a part time BOOK KEEPER
Accounting Degree preferred, 2yrs. accounting/finance experienced required . QuickBooks experience required MUST PASS FBI BACKGROUND CHECK, DRUG SCREENING, & HAVE CLEAN DRIVING RECORD.
Apply in Person: Monday-Friday between 9am-6pm • 3103 West Ave. San Antonio, TX 78213 • 210-340-8077
sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 79
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Job Fair
Wednesday, January 28th | 9A-2P
NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION AND INTENT TO OBTAIN WATER QUALITY PERMIT RENEWAL PERMIT NO. WQ0014331001 APPLICATION. Trinity Assembly Church, San Antonio Texas, 5415 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas 78247, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to renew Texas Land Application Permit (TLAP) No. WQ0014331001 to authorize the disposal of treated wastewater at a volume not to exceed a daily average flow of 6,000 gallons per day via drip irrigation of 1.83 acres of nonpublic access landscape. The domestic wastewater treatment facility and disposal area are located at 5415 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, in Bexar County, Texas 78247. TCEQ received this application on October 21, 2014. The permit application is available for viewing and copying at Julia Yates Semmes Library, 15060 Judson Road, San Antonio, Texas. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/hb610/index.html?lat=29.60473&lng=-98.38351&zoom=13&type=r ADDITIONAL NOTICE. TCEQ’s Executive Director has determined the application is administratively complete and will conduct a technical review of the application. After technical review of the application is complete, the Executive Director may prepare a draft permit and will issue a preliminary decision on the application. Notice of the Application and Preliminary Decision will be published and mailed to those who are on the county-wide mailing list and to those who are on the mailing list for this application. That notice will contain the deadline for submitting public comments. PUBLIC COMMENT / PUBLIC MEETING. You may submit public comments or request a public meeting on this application. The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or to ask questions about the application. TCEQ will hold a public meeting if the Executive Director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing. OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING. After the deadline for submitting public comments, the Executive Director will consider all timely comments and prepare a response to all relevant and material, or significant public comments. Unless the application is directly referred for a contested case hearing, the response to comments, and the Executive Director’s decision on the application, will be mailed to everyone who submitted public comments and to those persons who are on the mailing list for this application. If comments are received, the mailing will also provide instructions for requesting reconsideration of the Executive Director’s decision and for requesting a contested case hearing. A contested case hearing is a legal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court. TO REQUEST A CONTESTED CASE HEARING, YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN YOUR REQUEST: your name, address, phone number; applicant’s name and proposed permit number; the location and distance of your property/activities relative to the proposed facility; a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the facility in a way not common to the general public; and, the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing.” If the request for contested case hearing is filed on behalf of a group or association, the request must designate the group’s representative for receiving future correspondence; identify an individual member of the group who would be adversely affected by the proposed facility or activity; provide the information discussed above regarding the affected member’s location and distance from the facility or activity; explain how and why the member would be affected; and explain how the interests the group seeks to protect are relevant to the group’s purpose. Following the close of all applicable comment and request periods, the Executive Director will forward the application and any requests for reconsideration or for a contested case hearing to the TCEQ Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled Commission meeting. The Commission will only grant a contested case hearing on disputed issues of fact that are relevant and material to the Commission’s decision on the application. Further, the Commission will only grant a hearing on issues that were raised in timely filed comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. TCEQ may act on an application to renew a permit without providing an opportunity for a contested case hearing if certain criteria are met. MAILING LIST. If you submit public comments, a request for a contested case hearing or a reconsideration of the Executive Director’s decision, you will be added to the mailing list for this specific application to receive future public notices mailed by the Office of the Chief Clerk. In addition, you may request to be placed on: (1) the permanent mailing list for a specific applicant name and permit number; and/or (2) the mailing list for a specific county. If you wish to be placed on the permanent and/or the county mailing list, clearly specify which list(s) and send your request to TCEQ Office of the Chief Clerk at the address below. AGENCY CONTACTS AND INFORMATION. All written public comments and requests must be submitted to the Office of the Chief Clerk, MC 105, TCEQ, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087 or electronically at www.tceq.state.tx.us/about/comments.html. If you need more information about this permit application or the permitting process, please call TCEQ the Public Education Program, Toll Free, at 1-800687-4040. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040. General information about TCEQ can be found at our web site at www.tceq.texas.gov. Further information may also be obtained from Trinity Assembly Church, San Antonio Texas at the address stated above or by calling Mr. Mitchell Brown, Director of Facilities, at (210) 653-0003. Issuance Date: December 10, 2014
80 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A DIABETES STUDY! IF YOU ARE: •Have diabetes but otherwise healthy. •30 years of age or older. •Take Bydureon (exenatide) or Victoza (liraglutide.
DO YOU HAVE HEPATITIS C?
You may be eligible to join a clinical trial conducted by the Diabetes Division of the UTHSCSA at the Texas Diabetes Institute (TDI). If qualified, you will receive: •Physical exam at no cost. •No cost trial related blood tests. •Compensation for your time.
IF YOU:
• HAVE CHRONIC HEPATITIS C • ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE
YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS MAY RECEIVE, AT NO COST, STUDY RELATED: • MEDICAL CARE • INVESTIGATIONAL MEDICATION • LABORATORY WORK For more information, contact
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Texas Diabetes Institute
210-358-7200
Study will be conducted at the: TDI on 701 Zarzamora St. Principal Investigator: Ralph A. DeFronzo, M.D. Department of Medicine, Diabetes Division UTHSCSA.
210.253.3426 sacurrent.com • January 14-20, 2015 • CURRENT 81
INVITE YOU AND A GUEST TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING TUESDAY, JANUARY 20
Join Our Team
– 7:00 PM – SANTIKOS EMBASSY
Plasma Donors Needed Now
13707 Embassy Row, San Antonio
FOR A CHANCE TO RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY SCREENING PASS FOR TWO, PLEASE VISIT:
5442 Evers, San Antonio www.cdexchange-sa.com
ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 17 AFTER 10 AM
Please help us help those coping with rare, chronic, genetic diseases. New donors can receive $60 today and $120 this week! Ask about our Specialty Programs! Must be 18 years or older, have valid I.D. along with proof of SS# and local residency. Walk-ins Welcome.
www.theboynextdoorfilm.com
Biotest Plasma Center 711 Broadway St. San Antonio, TX 78215 210-224-1749 www.biotestplasma.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY ON HUMAN METABOLISM 601SanAntonioCurrent4.95x5.3.indd 1
#TheBoyNextDoor NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. Rated R for violence, sexual content/nudity and language. Limit one (1) admit-two pass per person. Must be 13 years of age or older to receive passes. Employees of all promotional partners and their agencies are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Do not call pass host. SEATING IS LIMITED, SO ARRIVE EARLY. PASS DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SEAT AT THE SCREENING.
IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JANUARY 23
6/25/11 10:46 AM
TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
IF YOU ARE:
• Between 18 and 65 years old • With or out Diabetes
You may qualify for this study that will evaluate how food composition affects the metabolism.
IF YOU PARTICIPATE, YOU WILL RECEIVE:
NEED MONEY
NOW?
• Blood work • A physical exam • Compensation for your time • Home meals for the duration of the study
We want to make you a loan today! Please contact: Dr. Musi at (210)617-5243 METABOLISM STUDY
82 CURRENT • January 14-20, 2015 • sacurrent.com
Noble Finance 210.921.0971
1,340
0 to $ From $4
! Y A D TO Ser vice*et e t u n i M *30 blefinance.n www.no
Restaurant Week is our celebration of amazing San Antonio restaurants – and your chance to try out one, two or many more of those restaurants that you’ve always wanted to try or to visit an old favorite. Participating restaurants will offer a prix-fixe menu – encompassing a two-course lunch and dinner – for one of two different tiers: TIER 1: $15 lunch and $35 dinner TIER 2: $10 lunch and $25 dinner Reservations are not required to participate – but, are a good idea – and can be booked directly with the restaurants. For a complete list of participating restaurants and more information on Culinaria’s charitable programs, visit www.culinariasa.org.
Twitter: @culinariasa Facebook.com/CulinariaSanAntonio Instagram: @culinariasa