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April FEATURES
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BU C KE T LI ST A DVE NTU R ES
Whether skydiving, spelunking through a cave or learning the art of scuba diving, fulfill that desire for thrills with these 31 options for adventure in and around San Antonio.
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T HR I L L I NG LEGACY
COURTESY SPIDER MOUNTAIN
Katherine Stinson was not only one of San Antonio’s early aviators but also a history-making stunt pilot who volunteered to support the war efforts over 100 years ago. Get to know one of the namesakes of the city’s municipal airport.
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F I ESTA ROOTS
Learn the lesser-known histories behind a few Fiesta San Antonio traditions and start building your itinerary for this month’s 11-day fest.
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April D EPART M EN TS
19 HISTORY Mission San José celebrates 300 years as a gathering place for the community .
reader or simply in search of a weekend diversion, this year’s San Antonio Book Festival delivers.
5 6 E AT H E RE N OW Enjoy the finesse of a French cafe in a casual neighborhood setting at Julia’s Bistro & Bar.
20 CITY NEWS Can the city prioritize urban transit while allowing for suburban development? Two experts weigh in.
22 PERSON OF INTEREST
margarita. Order a classic, or a cocktail with a twist at La Margarita.
58 DISH
26 B EST B ETS
BACK PAGE
6 0 S P OT L I G H T
6 4 LO O K I N G BAC K
Fiesta isn’t the only way to find fun this month thanks to these eight events.
EAT + DRINK
The owners of the new SayTown Tacos aim to deliver fresh flavors to the crowded taco scene.
24 CU RATED CU LTURE
5 5 LIBAT IO N S
6 2 AS K E D
Nothing says spring in San Antonio like a cool
Where are the best place to take out-of-town guests
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for Tex-Mex? Food writer Edmund Tijerina provides an option for every taste.
Skip the festival dessert booths this month in favor of one of these local churros.
The Battle of Flowers Parade grand marshal was also the first woman to pilot and command a NASA space shuttle.
Whether you’re an avid
ON THE COVER
A series of San Antonio photographs on display at the McNay Art Museum honor Selena 25 years after her death.
Ashton Rodgers captured Tom Fortner, skydiving instructor and co-owner at Skydive Castroville, floating in the air with his parachute.
ALADDIN: DEEN VAN MEER; DESSERT: JOMANDO CRUZ; TACOS: COURTESY PEARL
IN THE LOOP
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APRIL 2020 / VOLUME 15 / ISSUE 6 WHAT’S THE MOST ADVENTUROUS THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?
Rebecca Fontenot Cord PUB L ISHE R & E DITO R IN CH IE F
E DITO RIA L EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Kathleen Petty CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jade Esteban Estrada, Tommie Ethington, Katie Nikas, Bonny Osterhage, Katherine Stinson, Edmund Tijerina FACT CHECKER
Katherine Stinson “I live with a (somewhat) controlled fear of heights that induces anxiety, so hiking the highest peak in Texas at Guadalupe Mountains National Park is definitely near the top of the list.”
EDITORIAL INTERN
Bianca Torres
O P E N SKY ME DIA CEO
Todd P. Paul PRESIDENT
Stewart Ramser VP OF SALES
“I went (tandem) skydiving in Luling!”
Julie Kunkle EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Rebecca Fontenot Cord DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Hollis Boice AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
COPY EDITOR
Patsy Pelton
Kerri Nolan ACCO UN T IN G
A RT & P RO DUCT IO N ART DIRECTOR
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Sabina Jukovic
David G. Loyola ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE GRAPHIC DESIGNER &
“Snuck into Cuba when you really weren’t supposed to go.”
Cindy Kim
PRODUCTION MANAGER
David Hassmann PHOTO ASSISTANT
Brenda Piña CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Paige Vickers, Vicente Martí CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
JoMando Cruz, John Dyer, Ashton Rodgers “My first time in the Dominican Republic, I went cliff diving… and I can’t swim. That was one of the scariest, yet most exciting things I’ve ever done.”
A DV E RT ISIN G ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Julie Kunkle ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Christina Olivarez ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Robert Blake, Lindsey Granberry, Mike McKee, Tina Mullins, Misty Pennock, Maxine Pittman, Stephanie Schillaci, Jasmine Allgood Ward DIGITAL ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR
Abigail Stewart
CO NTACT US SAN ANTONIO MAGAZINE OFFICES
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EV E N TS EVENTS & SPONSORSHIP MANAGER
Macaulay Hammond
© Copyright: San Antonio Magazine is published by Open Sky Media, Inc. The entire document of San Antonio Magazine is © 2020 by Open Sky Media, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. San Antonio Magazine is locally operated. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us at San Antonio Magazine Attn: Opt Out, P.O. Box 16016, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6016. Please include your exact name and address as it appears on your subscriber label.
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UP FRONT / EDITOR' S NOTEBOOK
ETC.
P R E - F I E S TA F U N hat’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? I asked SAM staffers and contributors that question this month (see some of their answers on the masthead, page 14), but when I started thinking about my own answer, I was surprisingly stumped. I’ve never skydived or mountain biked or cliff dived as have a few locals we spoke to in “Choose Your Own Adventure” (page 32). I have been to Jacob’s Well but refrained from jumping into its deep hole. I’ve been in caves but prefer the milder tours. I’m certainly not a thrill seeker but I didn’t think myself entirely risk averse, either. Nonetheless there’s inspiration aplenty in this issue for me and others to step out of their comfort zone (or jump into it) to experience adventure in and around San Antonio. In addition to our round up of thrilling activities, we profile two inspiring, adventurous women: the late Katherine Stinson and Eileen Collins. Stinson’s name may sound familiar—it graces San Antonio’s South Side municipal airport, in honor of Katherine and her family, who founded a flight school on the land over 100 years ago. Not one to listen to stereotypes or gender boundaries, Katherine became a licensed pilot—just the fourth female in the United States—in the earliest years of aviation, and then not only flew planes but also became famous for her stunts. We tell her story on page 42. Collins, likewise, broke through the glass ceiling of space aviation. After learning about the Gemini space program as a young student, she set her sights on becoming an astronaut—and she did it, going down in history as the first woman to pilot and command a NASA space shuttle mission. Now a San Antonio resident, she will serve as this year’s Battle of Flowers parade grand marshal. Executive editor Kathleen Petty talks to Collins on page 22 about her journey to space and back. While you won’t ever catch me signing up for a space trip or any aeronautical stunts, I’m here for the adventures of chasing dreams and am taking that inspiration with me into this month.
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We’re partnering with Battle of Flowers to host a fun morning of Fiesta DIY. Learn how to make paper flowers like the ones that grace parade floats from the Battle of Flowers’ pro flower maker, Rose Garcia. Tickets are just $35 and include the supplies you’ll need—except for a sharp pair of scissors that participants are asked to supply themselves—plus bites from La Gloria and a bag of additional paper supplies to take home and use to make even more flowers. Reserve your spot before it sells out. !VIVA LAS FLORES!
April 4 Amol’s sanantoniomag.com/ vivalasflores
Want to see your photo published in San Antonio Magazine? Tag us in your best shots on Instagram. We'll be printing our favorites in issues throuhgout the year, and sharing them on social media. @sanantoniomag #sanantoniomag
Rebecca Fontenot Cord Publisher & Editor in Chief
Introducing … the Battle of Flours. As March Madness winds down, we’re keeping the bracket fun alive (with naming inspiration from the classic Fiesta San Antonio parade) to pit San Antonio’s best baked goods against one another. We’re matching up 16 local eateries and their cookies, cakes, pastries and more in a competition to name the tastiest treat. Check out the full bracket on April 7 at sanantoniomag.com and come back every few days to vote in the next round until the champion is crowned on April 24 (also known as Battle of Flowers parade day!).
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COMING UP NEXT MONTH San Antonio’s brewery and distillery boom
VINCENT GONZALEZ
THIS MONTH ON SANANTONIOMAG.COM
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In the Loop INSI D E / URBA N T RA NSIT VS. SU BURBAN D EVELOP MEN T p. 20 / N ASA’S FIRST FEMALE COMMANDER p . 2 2
VISIT THE MISSION Viva Poesía, April 4 MissionFest, April 26 msj300.org
Mission San José Looks Ahead t its height, the community that lived around and operated Mission San José is estimated to have reached over 300 people. And while the mission that celebrates its tricentennial this year hasn’t housed that many residents in centuries, the site still draws in several hundred locals each weekend who attend a Spanish, English or bilingual mass at Mission San José Catholic Church. The original mission (which was moved twice before landing at its current location) was built in 1720, but construction of the present church began later, in 1768, and took over a decade to complete, in part because of the carvings, colorful ornamentation, vaulted ceilings and other intricate details that set the building apart from other houses of worship. Though its surroundings have changed in the years since, the church has remained a community center
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for the mission—one of five San Antonio missions that are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 1930s, the Archdiocese of San Antonio, the San Antonio Conservation Society and others came together to renovate the church and the mission’s other structures, but the bulk of the church’s original construction remains. As part of the site’s 300th anniversary, the church has launched a campaign to build a parish pavilion nearby that would house a banquet hall, classrooms, an outdoor patio and other gathering areas so that the church can have even more options for bringing people together, while still preserving the heritage of its original building. Celebrate this month at a Sunday mass, at Viva Poesía, on April 4; or at Fiesta MissionFest, April 26, which will feature an outdoor mariachi mass plus performances by Los Texmaniacs, Flaco Jimenez and others.—KP
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IN THE LOOP / CITY NEWS
3 THINGS TO TA LK A BO UT AS YOU P LA N FO R FIESTA
Transit vs. Development Can the push for modern transit coexist with continued development outside of San Antonio’s urban core? Two leaders weigh in.
Viral News / San Antonio made national news as one of a handful of cities that served as a quarantine site for Americans evacuated from China during the start of the coronavirus outbreak (patients were housed at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland), but what didn’t garner as much attention was the delay in production on several organization’s Fiesta medals when factories in China had to shut down to help halt the spread of the virus.
INTERVIEWS BY JADE ESTEBAN ESTRADA
MELISSA CABELLO HAVRDA
AMANDA MERCK
District 6 San Antonio City Councilmember
VIA Board Member and Salud America! digital content curator and senior research area specialist
“I believe development and transit can coexist. Our city is headed in that direction with the formation of new transit proposals such as VIA Reimagined and ConnectSA, while we continue to expand outside Loop 410 with master planned communities like Vicinia, (on the Far West Side)… Regarding urban development and sprawl, I think we’ll continue to see both types of growth for the time being. While the city has done a tremendous amount of work to infill our urban core, there are always going to be those who prefer to live in less dense areas. The best thing we can do to address sprawl is look at developing more master-planned communities that incorporate recreational and commercial amenities into their development so residents have places close by to live, eat, work and play, with special attention given to mobility.”
“San Antonio increasingly has an unhealthy relationship with land. The city is consuming more land than necessary to accommodate population growth. Low-density, single-use development—San Antonio’s favorite flavor of development—takes up far more land than compact, mixed-use development, and increases the distance between homes and destinations, thus requiring even more land for roads and parking. San Antonio cannot continue sprawling and building roadways to accommodate that sprawl without paying direct and indirect social, environmental and health costs.”
National Stature / San Antonio artist Cruz Ortiz (who recently announced he and his Burnt Nopal art are moving to Houston) will have a painting on display in the National Portrait Gallery. The piece is one Ortiz painted of Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, Ph.D.
HOW SA WORKS
CLEANING UP THE PARTY What happens to all the trash Fiesta-goers leave behind? Patti Zaiontz, president of the Conservation Society of San Antonio, says she remembers well the days when front-end loaders would arrive at 11 p.m. following Night In Old San Antonio (NIOSA) or Fiesta Flambeau and scoop up 12-to 15-feet wide piles of garbage earmarked for the dump. Thankfully, she adds, things are changing. During NIOSA in recent years, crews of over 30
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people walk the grounds at La Villita during the event, picking up debris with a broom and pan and emptying the over 200 trash cans and 250 recycling bins. Once the fun is through, additional crews arrive to collect the trash and recycling bags as well as to sweep, blow out and wash the grounds for the next day, says Audrey A. Haake, director of operations for NIOSA. After the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades, volunteers and staff from the city’s Solid Waste Management Department hit the streets,
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sweeping and cleaning with the goal of having everything reopened for traffic within three hours. Josephine Valencia, assistant director of Solid Waste Management, says they’ve noticed Fiesta-goers are paying more attention to recycling bottles and cans. But, she says, there’s still room for growth. Debris from those cascarones, Frito pie chip bags and balloons still end up on the streets before heading to the landfill. “There continues to be a large portion of materials that need to be landfilled,” she says.—KATHERINE STINSON
Puffy Tacos / The Triple-A San Antonio Missions baseball team will transform into the Puffy Tacos for three games next month in recognition of National Puffy Taco Day, May 22. The specialty jerseys are fashioned after San Antonio’s iconic dish, with a fried tortilla–colored base and green lettuce running down the center of the jersey. The team’s secondary mascot, Henry the Puffy Taco, is sure to take the field mid-inning for a victory dance.
PAINTING: CRUZ ORTIZ; PUFFY TACO: COURTESY SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS
For more on the relationship between development and mobility, visit sanantoniomag.com.
ILLUSTRATION BY PAIGE VICKERS
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IN THE LOOP / PERSON OF INTEREST
its first class of women astronauts. She set out to become a top military pilot and in 1990 was invited to join NASA as an astronaut. She would become the first female pilot and commander of a space shuttle, spending 16 years in the shuttle program and eventually retiring to her husband’s hometown of San Antonio, where she’ll serve this month as grand marshal of the April 24 Battle of Flowers Parade. Along with books you’d read, you say your parents were an inspiration. How so? My father always told me, ‘Be your own person. Don’t follow the crowd.’ He was always trying to get me to think for myself, which would irritate me, but he was right. My parents were not college educated and they didn’t make a lot of money—we lived in government subsidized housing when I was 7 to 13 during a particularly rough time for them—but they were workers. And I think because of the hardships they went through, they were very good at passing on lessons to their kids. That’s my advice to students today when I do talks—have a mind of your own. Decide what you’re interested in and don’t just follow the crowd, just like my dad said. People who are leaders find what they want to do, and they go get it. Not every young person is going to want to be a part of the space program, but I try to encourage young people when they’re in school to take their subjects seriously and to have the courage to go out and do the things that they want to do.
Commander Eileen Collins NASA’s first female shuttle commander serves as Battle of Flowers grand marshal INTERVIEW BY KATHLEEN PETTY ASA Commander Eileen Collins still vividly remembers the day when she was in fourth grade and came across an article about the Gemini astronauts in a Scholastic magazine. “They were pilots and test pilots and engineers and I wanted to be just like them,” she says. “I was only 9 years old and I didn’t even think about the fact that women couldn’t be astronauts at that time.” Collins’ interest in aviation and space continued as she studied World War II WASP pilots and military history in high school and while she assumed becoming an astronaut was still a far off dream when she first enrolled in college, timing was on her side. By the time she graduated with a degree from Syracuse, the Air Force was piloting a program to train female pilots and NASA was training
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FACT FILE Hometown: Elmira, New York Years in San Antonio: 10 Breaking barriers: Collins became the first woman commander of a shuttle flight in 1999 (she flew again as commander in 2005).
What was it like to be among the first women to go through pilot training in the Air Force? There were two or three classes of female pilots before us, but they all went to Williams Air Force Base in Arizona. They expanded the program when we started so we went to Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. We were the first women to go to that base. They’d been training pilots since World War II and it had only ever been men. We showed up, four of us, in 1978 straight out of college. There were 500 pilots on the base between students and instructors so we stuck out like a sore thumb with our green flight suits that didn’t fit quite right. The guys were very supportive, though. I thought that they would not want us there, but the men were extremely supportive of the women. There were maybe a few here and there that didn’t want us there, but overall they were great. I just said to myself I’m going to be the best pilot I can be and not let distractions keep me from that. We didn’t have cell phones back in those days, which is a huge distraction today. I would go the entire week and not talk to anyone on the phone. I would call my parents on the weekends and if I had free time I would go to the simulator to practice flying because it wasn’t just about me. It was about showing women could succeed in the program.
ILLUSTRATION BY VICENTE MARTÍ
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You were asked to join NASA in 1990 and completed your first mission in 1995. Did that first space flight live up to expectations? I think I was more disappointed than ever on the first mission. We launched Feb. 3, 1995. The first reason I was disappointed was that I felt kind of sick the first couple of days—not everyone wants to admit this, but it’s easy to get nauseous in space. I took medicine, which worked, but it took a couple of days. The other thing was, we launched in February so when we looked out the window, the Northern Hemisphere was covered in clouds. My second flight was in May 1997 and I loved it. It was really beautiful. But the best part, every time, was the feeling that I finally made it. I was 38 on that first flight and I’d spent a lifetime wanting to be an astronaut so it was a great feeling when all of that work paid off. But I know that there was a lot of good timing involved with me being able to become an astronaut. NASA had a lot of astronauts at that time, I think we hit 100 at one point, and now we’re just under 50 so it’s much harder to be selected. What do you want people to know about the space program? You can be an engineer or a pilot, but you can also be a designer or a lawyer or a doctor or a janitor. There are so many different jobs related to space. I would also like people to understand the benefits that we get from space exploration. We know we have communications satellites that give us cell phone service and navigation—I can text someone in China and that’s because of space—but on the space station right now astronauts are doing research on their own bodies to advance medicine. By going into space, we take out the element of gravity, which allows for more accurate research on certain vaccines and other things. The other thing they’re doing on the space station is closed loop life support systems. So, all of the power on the space station is solar. We can recycle 90 percent of the water on the space station, whether for drinking, cleaning or cooling. We also breathe out carbon dioxide so they’re looking at ways to recycle that into byproducts. You can do that naturally by filling the space station with plants, but they’re also looking at engineering carbon dioxide removal systems. All of this research is being done primarily for future colonies on the moon and Mars, but that technology can also be used on Earth. Is there anything you didn’t get to accomplish that you wish you could have? Going to the moon. I would have loved the opportunity to land on the moon. I also would have loved to go to Mars, but neither of those were in my time frame. I was in NASA during the shuttle program. People may be going to Mars by 2033, so when I talk to kids in schools, I tell them that their generation will be the Mars generation. You’ve been retired from NASA for about a decade, but you’re still an advocate for space exploration. Tell us about that. I give talks at schools and community groups. I am also an advisor to the National Space Council, which is something new under Vice President Mike Pence. I’m on the board that advises the cabinet level that has made several recommendations, including working to send humans to Mars and the addition of the Space Force. People don’t realize that the Space Force is military. I was in the Air Force, but I’m associated with NASA, which is the civilian space force. The Space Force is under the Department of Defense. It was a little bit controversial, but I think it’s a good thing because space is a critical part of our national defense. We have communications satellites that are unmanned. If we lose our satellites that’s a national security issue. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. APRIL 2020
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I N T H E L O O P / C U R AT E D C U LT U R E
GIVING WITH GOLF
A Weekend for Book Lovers San Antonio Book Festival returns with free all-day fest and new Friday night Lit Crawl BY KATHLEEN PETTY
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LI T CRAWL
Part-book fest, part-casual cocktail party, Friday’s new event is for the 21-and-older crowd and will include pop-up events, including a drinking game for readers and a Literary Death Match that will pit four writers against one another. “It’s the same writers, poets and storytellers from the festival, but you’ve got a drink in your hand,” Gonzalez says. San Antonio becomes the 15th city worldwide to host a Lit Crawl and will hold the event at Blue Star Contemporary and the Brick at Blue Star. SA NDRA CIS NEROS PRES ENTS
Sandra Cisneros, the San Antonian and author of The House on Mango Street, Puro Amor; A House of My Own and other titles, will host a M OR E BO OKS, M OR E AU THORS special event during the Saturday festival spotThe 2020 festival lineup features 125 lighting four writers and poets she authors, the most-ever in the festival’s hand-selected: Diana Marie Delgado, SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL history. Festival executive director Joe Jimenez, John Olivares Espinoza Lilly Gonzalez suggests perusing the and Christine Granados, a freelance April 4 Central Library & list to find a few favorites as well as journalist from El Paso. Smith says someone new to see. Tim O’Brien, Southwest School of Art it’s an event they hope will become sabookfestival.org author of The Things They Carried, an annual tradition. will talk about his Dad’s Maybe Book, which includes notes to his son. Nathaniel Rich, KI DS + TEENS the author of Losing Earth, which Smith describes Before the festival even begins, authors will visit as one of the books on climate change, will parseveral Title I schools to talk with students and ticipate in a panel. Paulette Jiles, who lives in the provide them with a copy of their book. On SatHill Country, will debut her latest work, Simon urday, families will find a children’s area with a the Fiddler, and several other local authors will host of activities, books, storytelling and interactive fun thanks to teams from The DoSeum, The appear. Jeanne Safer, author of I Love you But I Hate Your Politics, will share about getting along Magik Theatre and other nonprofits. Geektown with relatives with drastically different viewpoints will return as the hub for all things teens and while 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley will young adults (YA). Look for a YA Space Opera discuss his Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter’s Panel—a “big thing” in YA right now, Smith says— Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times. plus Latinx mythology and more.
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The Valero Texas Open, which returns to TPC San Antonio March 30-April 5, the weekend before the Masters Tournament, is about more than just PGA golf. In 2019, the event became the No. 1 charitable tournament on the PGA Tour, with more than $155 million raised in the Valero’s history and over $15 million raised just last year. The tradition of giving through golf is a long one but has especially been a hallmark of the Texas Open since Valero began sponsoring the event in 2002. Money raised has supported hundreds of nonprofits, school organizations and charities in San Antonio through the Valero Benefit for Children event, Champions fore Charity and other efforts. Valero has committed to the partnership and fundraising through at least 2028. “The tournament has provided a wonderful platform to rally San Antonio, and Texas as a whole, around a common goal of giving back,” Valero Chairman and CEO Joe Gorder said, in a statement. “We look forward to growing that effort in the years ahead with the continued support of our community.”—KS
COURTESY VALERO TEXAS OPEN
hen planning the eighth annual San Antonio Book Festival lineup, Literary Director Clay Smith wavered between leaning into the weighty issues of the world—with a focus on informing against the misinformation that often circulates around controversial topics—or providing a reprieve from the everyday. In the end, he decided to provide a little of both. When the event returns on April 4, expect panels about current events like climate change, voter suppression, cultural appropriation and unjust incarceration plus plenty of light-hearted fodder, including a chat with Texas Monthly taco editor José R. Ralat and a performance by former Go-Go’s musician Kathy Valentine, who also will discuss her memoir.
VALERO TEXAS OPEN
March 30-April 5 valerotexasopen.com
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IN THE LOOP / BEST BETS
BY KATHLEEN PETTY
3/20-4/11
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ON YOUR FEET! THE STORY OF EMILIO & GLORIA ESTEFAN The Woodlawn Theatre brings the Broadway musical based on the life of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, who lived in San Antonio during her elementary school years, to the stage. woodlawntheatre.org
3 songs to listen for “Conga” “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” “1-2-3” 3/25-4/12
ALADDIN
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San Antonio native and North East School of the Arts grad Zach Williams made his Broadway tour debut in 2018 as part of Disney’s Aladdin. He and the cast are on stage at the Majestic Theatre through April 12 and Williams says he can’t wait to be back home. “I remember seeing Rent and Cats there growing up so getting to perform in my home venue is amazing,” he says. With two weeks in each city, Williams says he makes time to work out between rehearsals and performances as well as to explore a city’s landmarks and its foodie scene. “Portland is incredible. San Diego is amazing if you’re into poke. New Orleans’ food scene is incredible,” he says. “We would call restaurants at intermission and beg them to stay open for us so we could try the food.” In SA, he’s telling fellow cast members to indulge in the queso at Alamo Café and to try something at Pearl. majesticempire.com Hear more from Williams at sanantoniomag.com.
CITY-WIDE SCIENCE FAIR
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Now in its third year, this taco-centric fest moves to UTSA’s Downtown Campus for a day of live music by Girl in a Coma, Santiago Jimenez Jr. and others, cooking demonstrations and tacos from local restaurants, including La Botanica, Chela’s Tacos, Sangria on the Burg and more. There’s also a children’s area with arts activities by nonprofit Spare Parts and a presentation by Magik Theatre from its Dragons Love Tacos production. localculturetickets.com
4/11
RAMPAGE VS. TEXAS STARS San Antonio bids farewell to hockey during the San Antonio Rampage’s final home game at the AT&T Center. The team will take up residence in Las Vegas next year after being sold by Spurs Sports & Entertainment.
By the Numbers
18
Years in San Antonio
6’4”
Height of the team’s mascot, T-Bone, when including the bull’s horns.
4
Team affiliates—The Rampage are currently an affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. They’ve also been an affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche (2015-2018), Florida Panthers (2002-2005 & 2011-2015) and Phoenix Coyotes (2005-2011).
1
Division championship (2015)
Kindergarten through sixthgrade students are invited to register by March 31 to present their latest experiments and inventions during this fair at The DoSeum. On April 18, kids will present their project to local scientists and also have the chance to hear from a scientist about their work. Science projects will remain on display through April 25. thedoseum.org
SANANTONIOMAG.COM
Bring a pair of old sneakers or other shoes to the McNay Art Museum for a workshop in upcycling items into wearable art. Reservations are recommended as space is limited. The $35 class fee includes admission to Fashion Nirvana: Runway to Everyday, which closes May 17. mcnayart.org
BEETHOVEN: THE PIANO CONCERTOS
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FANCY FOOTWEAR
TACO FEST: MUSIC Y MAS
When the San Antonio Symphony performs at the Tobin Center during a typical weekend, it presents the same show for new audiences on Friday and Saturday. This weekend, as part of conductor Sebastian Lang-Lessing’s final spring festival, the symphony will play Beethoven’s five piano concertos over the course of two nights, inviting guests to return on Saturday to hear the composer’s final two piano pieces. Russian-American pianist Kirill Gerstein will perform alongside the symphony. sasymphony.org
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ALVIN AILEY This New York–based African American modern dance troupe has performed for over 25 million people on six continents. This show at the Tobin Center includes three programs, including the company’s signature “Revelations” piece that is set to Gospel music. tobincenter.org
ALADDIN: DEEN VAN MEER; DOSEUM: COURTESY MUSEUM; MCNAY: COSTA WEDDING GOWN COURTESY MCNAY ART MUSEUM; TACO FEST: COURTESY FESTIVAL
April
8 events to consider outside of Fiesta
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
DIRECTORY Further your education with area private schools, universities and continuing education programs
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E D U C A T I O N
HONOR ROLL News and spotlights from some of SA’s top schools
D I R E C T O R Y
St. Mary’s University is Defining Academic Excellence
Colleges of Distinction listed St. Mary’s University on its membership list once again, designating St. Mary’s as an institution that excels in the four fundamental areas of an effective undergraduate education: student engagement, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes. Money magazine ranked St. Mary’s University the top Catholic university in the Southwest and U.S. News & World Report ranked St. Mary’s second in the West for Best Value Schools based on cost and quality of programs. stmarytx.edu/rankings
SCHOOL SELECTION Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy is an open-enrollment public charter school, serving students in kindergarten to 8th grade. The school has a unique second language offering of Hebrew, a rich and rigorous academic curriculum, with passionate teachers and extraordinary student support. We are a school with a strong core value system, a nurturing environment and a student leadership culture. EKHLA also offers robust fine arts after-school enrichment and athletics programs. Afterschool Care program offered till 6 p.m. We invite you to call 210-302-6900 to schedule a tour. Visit us at ekhla.org. 11327 Dreamland, San Antonio, TX 78230 210-853-7267, ekhla.org
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E D U C A T I O N
Keystone School Keystone offers an accelerated PK3-12 curriculum that provides motivated students with a nationally recognized, well-rounded experience in a supportive, inclusive environment that encourages academic excellence, ethical growth, community involvement and responsible leadership.
D I R E C T O R Y
119 E. Craig Place, San Antonio, TX 78212 210-735-4022, keystoneschool.org Saint Mary’s Hall Saint Mary’s Hall creates a culture of trust where every student is known. SMH echoes the offerings of a liberal arts college with a rich, rigorous curriculum; passionate, expert faculty; extensive fine arts; and a competitive athletic program. Graduates go forth confidently armed with the knowledge needed to thrive in college and find fulfillment in life. 9401 Starcrest Drive, San Antonio, TX 78217 210-483-9100, smhall.org St. Mary’s University Founded in 1852, St. Mary’s is the oldest Catholic university in Texas. Academic achievement, community and holistic learning are what sets a St. Mary’s education apart. For many graduates, their St. Mary’s experience is a defining moment in their lives, sparking a passion for life-long learning and servant leadership. One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, TX 78228, 210-436-3011, stmarytx.edu Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children Sunshine Cottage is a private, nonprofit school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for children with typical hearing. Sunshine Cottage offers a stimulating educational program with an excellent clinical and teaching staff (7:1) and stateof-the-art technology. A strong emphasis on the foundation of listening leads our students to the acquisition of spoken language. 603 E. Hildebrand Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212 210-824-0579, sunshinecottage.org The Winston School San Antonio The Winston School San Antonio provides opportunities for bright students (K-12) to excel in academics, fine arts, athletics and service to the community. Our small class size and targeted instruction provides success for students with ADHD, or other academic challenges in reading, math and writing, Winston offers an outstanding college and career planning program with more than 85% of our graduates attending college. 8565 Ewing Halsell Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, 210-615-6544, winston-sa.org
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r u Yo Own
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BY LAND, WATER, S KY A ND U N D ERGROU ND, THESE 3 1 ACTIVITIES O FFER A S H OT OF AD RENALINE FOR T HRILL SEEKERS AND NEW A DVENTU RERS ALIK E b y K AT I E N I C K A S ,
e r tu BONNY OSTERHAGE
COURTESY SPIDER MOUNTAIN
A N D K AT H L E E N P E T T Y
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On the Land…
4 M O U N TA I N BIKING TRAILS TO EXPLORE GOVERNMENT CANYON STATE NATURAL AREA Lying on the edge of the Balcones Escarpment just west of San Antonio, Government Canyon State Natural Area offers several thousand acres of front and backcountry single-track, level trails and routes for bike riders of all abilities. Hunt down some dinosaur footprints along the Joe Johnston Trail, or set out on a challenging downhill climb through Wildcat Canyon. Complete a circle around the park by parking at the Front Country trailhead and cycling the 5-mile Lytle’s Loop or taking the Savannah Loop for a short 2-mile trek. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ government-canyon
MCALLISTER PARK
5 Minutes with Cyclist Winslow Swárt Avid cyclist and chief inspiration officer of One Million Dreams on why mountains reign supreme
Why do you gravitate to biking? I was a competitive martial artist throughout my adult life, and when I was younger, a competitive track and field athlete and soccer player. Cycling allows me to maintain my athleticism. I haven’t been in a lot of races. My attitude toward cycling is I don’t
want to get hypercompetitive and take all the fun out of it. Even when I race, I do it for the challenge and participation. What is one of the most memorable places you’ve biked? Taking my bike to Israel was awesome, because Jerusalem is all hills. The first couple days,
I thought I was going to blow a gasket. After a few days, I got acclimated to it. Do you prefer road or mountain climbs? I enjoy mountains because it’s stimulating and you work your core. Your brain and body must be tuned at a high pace,
HEADSHOT: COURTESY WINSLOW SWÁRT; BIKE TRAIL: COURTESY: SPIDER MOUNTAIN
Located on 976 acres of land and forest preserve along the Salado Creek Greenway, this North Side park offers steep slopes, rocky berms and embankments that throw some curves to even experienced riders. There are also asphalt and natural paths that wind around hills and are friendly to all levels of cyclists, often offering views of goats, white-tailed deer, coyotes and nine-banded armadillos. sanantonio.gov/parksandrec
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SPIDER MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK This year-round mountain bike park in Burnet (about two hours north of San Antonio) is home to Texas’ only chairlift (think ski lift without the snow below). Ride up 350 feet in elevation, taking in a panoramic view of nearby Lake Buchanan and the Texas Hill Country. Hop off just below the apex of Spider Mountain and hike to the apex where you can select from seven trails, ranging from beginner to expert, and let gravity do the work as you head down. On May 23, join Real Ale Brewing for a koozie scavenger hunt along the trails. Find one and you’ll be rewarded with a cold beer at the bottom of the hill. spidermountain.com
WILLOW CITY LOOP Located just outside Fredericksburg, this 13-mile scenic loop offers an unparalleled view of the Texas Hill Country during peak wildflower season. To cycle the trail, leave Willow City along the Willow City Loop and head west toward Highway 16. Along the way, you’ll meander through textured sandstone canyons that are home to live oak, pecan and mesquite trees plus fields of bluebonnets, Indian blanket and Indian paintbrush flowers. The pièce de résistance is a steep hill located about 3 miles from the finish that’s awash in blooms each spring. Highway 16 does not have a shoulder, and traffic can be heavy, so use caution while riding. fredericksburgtexas-online.com
3 OTHER WAYS TO EXPERIENCE THRILLS ON LAND
BUG: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
H I K E TO TH E GROT TO AT W ESTCAV E OU TDO O R DI SCOV ERY C EN TER
because you’ve got rocks, roots, branches, turns, drops and climbs. All that has to be computed by your own brain and body. The better your system, the more forgiving the ride is.
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When you drive into the arid savannah outside of Austin, it’s hard to imagine that there’s a waterfall just a short hike away. Wander the trails near the Learning Center, known as the uplands, before taking a guided tour down into the grotto. You’ll notice the greenery becoming thicker and more lush as you descend the trail and are rewarded for your walk at the bottom with a 40-foot waterfall, clear pool and limestone crevice that you can walk through to get a view of the waterfall from the other side. Guided tours are available on Saturdays and Sundays. westcave.org
F I N D ROC K A RT DU R I N G A W HI T E S HA M A N TOU R
P L A N FOR P R I M I T I V E CA M P I N G AT P E D E R N ALES FA LLS STAT E PA R K
Head toward Del Rio to find Seminole Canyon State Park for a tour with the Witte Museum Rock Art Foundation of the nearby White Shaman Preserve. The 1.5-mile hike to the narrow canyon where the rock art was discovered in the 1930s is strenuous, but the trek through natural stairs and loose gravel paths is worthwhile for the views of prehistoric art and rare white paint. Tours are offered through the Witte Museum every Saturday from September through May, but space is limited to the first 20 who register. witte museum.org/rockart-tour-calendar
There’s a minimum 2-mile hike to reach the secluded campsites at this state park near Johnson City, but the trek (even with your tent and gear) is worth the serene surroundings you’ll find on arrival. Watch for roadrunners, whitetailed deer, rabbits and wild turkeys as you hike in, and plan for a morning hike to the scenic overlook on the northside of the park where you can watch the falls flowing some 3,000 feet down over layers of limestone. During the summer, cool off during the day with a swim in the river. tpwd.texas. gov/state-parks/ pedernales-falls
Adventurous Bites There’s a certain “ick factor” when it comes to eating insects in the Western world, says San Antonio Botanical Garden chef Katrina Flores. But in other parts of the globe, drawing nutrition from bugs is common. Want to try a critter? Here are her tips: Consider your source. Because of the wide use of pesticides in the U.S., Flores recommends purchasing edible bugs online or from farms where insects are fed without chemicals. Start small. If you’ve yet to eat an insect, Flores suggests starting with crickets, which have a nutty flavor. The bugs can be eaten whole, or ground into flour and used for things like bread. At last year’s Bugtober event at the garden, cricket flour was used to make beer bread. (Another bug culinary event is being planned at the garden this fall.) Look for nutrition. Mealworms, which are neutral in flavor, have omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B and protein. Black ants, whose venom has a citric, lemony flavor, contain zinc, iron and magnesium, and beetles are rich in protein. Don’t eat just anything. Along with avoiding insects that have ingested pesticides, Flores says to do your research before chowing down on critters. Slugs and snails not raised on farms have often eaten mushrooms that are poisonous to people, tarantulas are fair game if their fangs are removed but otherwise can be deadly, and many caterpillars are toxic, she says.
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Six Hikes Within Six Hours W HE THER TA KI NG AN AF T E R NOON BR E AK O R PLA N N IN G A W E E K E ND ROAD T R I P, AD D T H ES E STO PS TO YOUR L IST—J OMAND O C RUZ
Friedrich Wilderness Park Located just a few minutes outside of Loop 1604, this park is the most accessible on the list and easy to explore on a whim. Select from a variety of trails with varying levels of difficulty to start exploring the Hill Country. sanantonio.gov/parksandrec
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area The ascent up the massive, pink granite Enchanted Rock is steep but the views of the surrounding Hill Country provide an ample reward for your efforts. The sun is unforgiving (and the shade nonexistent) in summer months so plan accordingly. tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock
PHOTOS BY JO MA N DO CRUZ
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Lost Maples State Natural Area Lost Maples is undoubtedly scenic at all times, but as the name suggests, its star is the maples that turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall, giving Texans a rare glimpse of that fourth season. Follow the fall foliage report on the park’s website to time your trip. tpwd. texas.gov/state-parks/lost-maples
Guadalupe Mountains National Park This park is home to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas with an elevation of 8,749 feet. Challenge yourself with the 8.5-mile roundtrip hike and 3,000 feet of elevation gain required on Guadalupe Peak Trail. The view is more than worth the effort. nps.gov/gumo
Grapevine Hills Trail at Big Bend National Park If you only have a day at Big Bend National Park, this trail is the perfect option for a shorter hike that still rewards you with views of some of the most unique Big Bend rock formations—including Balanced Rock. Another bonus: It’s removed from the major crowds that fill the trails in the Chisos Mountains cluster. nps.gov/bibe
Lost Mine Trail at Big Bend National Park When you have a little more time, plan for the Lost Mine Trail, which features no shortage of breathtaking vistas. A moderately lengthy and steep climb leads to a stunning view of the Chisos Mountains— the only mountain range in the United States existing entirely within the borders of a national park. nps.gov/bibe
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Up High…
3 W AY S T O F LY RIDE THE LINES IN HELOTES OR SPICEWOOD. Strap into a harness (with the help of a guide) and zoom down cables at up to 37 mph on Helotes Hill Country’s 10 ziplines that offer views of rolling hills, canyons and wildflowers just outside of San Antonio. You’ll travel nearly a mile in the sky before completing the course—including along the highest zipline, which stretches 110 feet up in the air. Farther north in Spicewood, Cypress Valley Canopy Tours offers the option to turn your daytime zipline tour into a weekend excursion with treehouses that can be rented for an overnight stay in the sky. heloteshillcountry ziplines.com, cypressvalleycanopytours.com
CLIMB THE WALL San Antonio will soon have access to a limestone bluff that climbers can amble up. Once on a piece of privately owned land, Medicine Wall is now owned by the Texas Climbers Coalition, which is working to make the wall open for public climbing later this year. They’re in the midst of fundraising and waiting for the City of San Antonio to complete the Salado Creek Greenway trails system, which will provide access to the wall that’s located north of 1604 near Shavano Park. texasclimberscoalition.org
BOULDER INDOORS While SA’s only outdoor climbing spot is inaccessible, there are several indoor places where thrill seekers can get their feet off the ground. Armadillo Boulder’s downtown climbing gym offers a Bouldering 101 course every Tuesday and Saturday where students can learn the basics of climbing, and The District SA offers 24-hour access to its climbing wall that features routes for both beginners and advanced climbers. armadilloboulders.com, thedistrictsa.com
ROLL IN THE SKY Begin working toward your pilot’s license or just experience the onetime thrill of a Dutch roll in the air thanks to flight lessons by Valkyrie Aviation Flight Academy, which takes off from Stinson Municipal Airport. Discovery flights include a 30-minute trip around the city with about 15 minutes of instruction time while aerobatic flight lessons—only recommended for those without a history of motion sickness— consist of 30 minutes in a cap 10 aerobatic plane, 15 minutes of flying instruction and plenty of loops, rolls, spins and wingovers above the clouds. valkyrieaviation.org
JUMP FROM A PLANE
PHOTO BY ASHTO N RO DG E RS
... In tandem, of course. Just outside of San Antonio, at Skydive Castroville, first-time skydivers are harnessed to a U.S. Parachute Association–certified tandem instructor before ever boarding the plane. Once in the air, the instructor will jump out the airplane door (at 12,000 feet!) with you strapped to their back. Enjoy the freefall back toward the earth—it lasts for less than a minute but will have you moving at over 125 mph at its height. Once your instructor pulls the parachute (at around 5,000 feet), the intense flow of wind in your face will slow and you’ll have time to take in a view of the South Texas landcaspe as you float slowly back to the ground. skydivecastroville.com
5 Minutes with skydiver Tom Fortner The co-owner of Skydive Castroville says the sensation of freefalling is unlike any other you’ll experience
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Ease Into Adventure Natural Bridge Caverns Get acclimated to adventures above and below ground at this site in North San Antonio. A Discovery Tour allows guests to head 180 feet below to view ancient flow stones, rock chandeliers and more while offering lighted pathways and requiring no crawling or climbing. Up above, join the kids and test your balance and bravado on the Twisted Trails Zip Rail and Ropes Course, all while securely strapped into a harness. naturalbridgecaverns.com
Find Inspiration Follow these 3 Instagram accounts for ideas to get active @adventuresinsanantonio The mom behind this feed proves that you can explore and find thrills in your city even with four kids in tow. @scottoldognewtricks Scott Wallis describes himself as a 60-plus-year-old “kid” hoping to inspire others to stay young by getting active. Watch him climb, barefoot waterski, unicycle on trails and more.
2 OPTIONS TO GO UNDERGROUND EXPLORE UNDERGROUND AT CASCADE CAVERN Grab 10 of your most adventurous friends and head underground in Boerne during a summer Adventure Tour at Cascade Cavern. Spelunking the lower cave system takes three to four hours and includes opportunities to crawl, climb, walk and wade through water amid the cave’s dark tunnels. Guests also can book a shorter walking tour through the cave’s corridors at any time of the year. cascadecaverns.com
SPELUNKING AT COLORADO BEND STATE PARK Jeff Nichols, who offers guided cave adventures at Colorado Bend State Park along with his wife Heather
through their Nichols Outdoor Adventure company, says in many ways, caves are the last frontier in Texas. “There’s still a lot of mystery in caves,” he says. “There are still caves in Texas that no human has ever entered and regular folks are finding them and mapping them all over the state.” He and Heather offer three levels of tours through natural caves at the state park that are meant to help Texans get spelunking. Their beginner Discovery Tour involves only walking and is perfect for those with kids as it also entails lots of education about the park. The Adventure Tour builds on that with some crawling while the Climbing Tour has participants crawling on their hands and knees and belly as they maneuver through tight spaces. “The only light in there are the lights in your hand or on your head,” Nichols says. cbcaves.com
CAVE: COURTESY JEFF NICHOLS
@traveltex Make your bucket list of Texas travel destinations where you can hike, raft, cycle or simply enjoy the breathtaking views.
How did you get into skydiving? My dad started jumping when I was 10 or 11. I remember that day he came home after his first jump—I didn’t know then it would change our lives quite like it did, but I could tell it was special for him. He taught me how to pack his parachute, and
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when I was a teenager, I did my first jump. The rest is history. The business is run by my dad, my sister, my brother-in-law and me. It’s a family thing and we work to get to know people when they come out. We know they may only be doing this once so in a weird way we’re making dreams come true.
Down Below…
1 more way to “fly”: If aerial rolls and tandem skydiving are too big of a leap, consider easing into the air during an indoor skydiving session at iFly San Antonio. Its precision engineered wind tunnel simulates the rush of air you’d feel when jumping from a plane without the actual freefall. iflyworld.com/ san-antonio
What’s it like to jump out of a plane? It’s very difficult to explain. The ride up in the airplane is filled with some apprehension and excitedness. The freefall is pretty liberating. You’re literally attached to nothing and you can feel that and it feels different than anything else. It’s very
loud, very fast—it doesn’t work the way you think it will. Once the parachute opens, it’s the opposite. You’re kind of floating and it’s quieter. How many times have you skydived? I think I have somewhere over 10,000 jumps.
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JUMP INTO JACOB’S WELL
On the site of what was once a fishing camp, Joe’s Place Marina and Resort offers diving for those who want to explore the depths of Medina Lake. The cove has been designed with divers in mind and features markers, a large training platform in 25 feet of water and plenty of underwater sites, all of which are mapped and tagged for greater ease. Equipment rental is available through San Antonio’s Dive World Scuba Center, which also offers scuba diving lessons in its indoor heated pools. joesmarina.com, diveworldscuba.com
With its cold, clear water and picturesque landscape, Jacob’s Well in nearby Wimberley draws thrill seekers from all over the state who want to take a leap from the rocks towering over one of the state’s longest underwater caves into the 23-foot deep hole below. With only a 12-foot opening, this is not a jump for the faint of heart. The park, which is open for swimming from May through October, gets busy so reservations are required. hayscountytx.com
SUP AT NIGHT ON THE SAN MARCOS RIVER Glow as you flow down the beautiful San Marcos River while standing on boards outfitted with special underwater LED lights during the Night Glow Tour with Paddle SMTX. The guided, 60-minute experience takes you through wild rice grass and often includes views of wildlife, illuminated by one of seven colored lights you can select for your board. The biggest challenge? Keeping your balance while you look up at the stars. paddlesmtx.com
5 Minutes with cliff diver Rachelle Simpson San Antonio native and two-time Red Bull Cliff Diving champion on the intense training and unpredictable nature of the sport
FLY OVER THE WATER AT CANYON LAKE If you’ve ever wished you could motor around in the sky à la George Jetson, this Jetovater, or water-propelled jet pack, is for you. Soar as high as three stories above the blue waters of Canyon Lake while connected via a hose to a jet ski whose wake propels the jet pack through the air. An instructor will teach you the basics, including how to steer, float and land, and then you’re off. jetskirentals canyonlake.com
How did you get into cliff diving? I was a competitive gymnast and 10-meter platform diver growing up, but it wasn’t until I was working in China as part of a Cirque Du Soleil-style show that I was introduced to high diving. Then I applied for a spot in the Red Bull series and was accepted.
How is cliff diving different from 10-meter platform diving? It’s double the height, and you enter the water feet-first rather than headfirst. You also jump off of bridges, walls, ship masts and other unusual places. Then there are the extreme water and weather conditions that can
occur. There are only a handful of true high-diving facilities around the world, but you can train at a 10-meter platform facility and break your dives into parts, alternating between the first and second halves. What advice would you offer someone who wants to get
GLOW SUP: COURTESY PADDLE SMTX; SIMPSON: COURTESY RED BULL
In the Water...
SCUBA DIVE AT MEDINA LAKE
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Ease Into Adventure Open Water Swim at Boerne City Lake Whether you’re training for a triathlon or simply want to paddle through waters outside of a pool, Boerne City Lake offers an environment that’s calm enough for all levels but still natural enough to build your strength and confidence for open water swimming elsewhere. ci.boerne.tx.us
Stingray Encounter, SeaWorld San Antonio Get up close and personal with Cownose stingrays in a family-friendly setting that allows you to touch, feed and learn about these graceful creatures without ever stepping foot in the ocean. aquatica. com/san-antonio/ animal-experiences
Flow-Rider Wave Machine, Hyatt Hill Country Resort For a gnarly good time without the risk of a major fall, try surfing in this controlled hightech wave simulator at this luxurious San Antonio resort. hyatt.com
Outfitted for Adventure G E AR UP FOR YOU R N EXT OU TD O O R E XP E R I E NC E W I TH SO M E O F TH ES E
Bexar Goods Ball Cap $52
SAN ANTONIO– M A D E GO O DS
Health Bomz Cinnamon Collagen Bites $5 at Merit Coffee Co.
Bexar Goods Porter Satchel $820
Supergoop Play 100 Percent Mineral Lotion SPF 50 $36 Play Antioxidant Body Mist SPF 50 $15
Good Guilt Apparel Classic Print Pocket Legging $90 Modern Razorback $35
What’s Brewing Insulated Bottle $8
Alamo Outdoor Co. Blanket $42
into the sport? Start at a local pool and learn the basics of 10-meter platform diving. Then find a good coach—I recommend gohighsports.com— and follow the Red Bull Cliff Diving 2020 series for motivation.
Alamo Outdoor Co. Traveler Tee $26
P H OTOS BY B R EN DA P I Ñ A
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Before Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, there was Katherine Stinson, a daring San Antonio pilot who set records and inspired people around the world. More than a century since her heyday, one of the namesakes of San Antonio’s oldest municipal airport has now been honored by the National Aviation Hall of Fame by
TOMMIE ETHINGTON
3/6/20 11:21 AM
PLANE ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; PHOTOS: COURTESY CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
P
eering out from black-and-white photographs, Katherine Stinson appears seated in an open-air cockpit, wearing a pleated dress. It’s 1912 and her long, dark curls are tied up in a bow while she grins from ear to ear. Less than a decade after the Wright brothers first took flight, Stinson became the fourth woman in the United States to receive a pilot’s license. Even though she was 21, Stinson was nicknamed “the flying schoolgirl” due to her petite frame and angelic looks, but she would go on to show that she was, in fact, more daredevil than unassuming young woman. During a time when automobiles were a novelty and suffragettes were fighting to vote, Stinson founded a flying school with her family in San Antonio. There, she trained the next generation of pilots, including members of the Royal Canadian Air Force. It’s also where Stinson spent hours teaching herself aerobatics, tending to her plane as a skilled mechanic and preparing for air shows. In 1915, flying 3,000 feet above a crowd, Stinson became the first woman to execute a loop-theloop—essentially an aerial backflip—and went on to perform the trick more than 500 times around the world. She was the country’s first female airmail pilot, the first woman to fly at night and the first woman to skywrite at night, scrawling the letters “CAL” over Los Angeles. She unnerved Londoners as she sped past Parliament and St. Paul’s Cathedral during an aerial show. And she did a six-month tour through China and Japan where, for many onlookers, it was the first time they had seen a plane, let alone a female pilot. When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Stinson volunteered as a fighter pilot but was refused because of her gender. Instead, she went on a promotional tour for the American Red Cross War Fund, flying from city to city to raise more than $2 million—the equivalent of $44 million today. Still eager to help on the frontlines, Stinson
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“Katherine showed all women that limits can be overcome and conventions are not carved in stone.” eventually became an ambulance driver in Europe. After contracting tuberculosis, doctors informed her that she would be too frail to fly again, effectively ending her career as a pilot just shy of her 30th birthday. She settled in New Mexico for health reasons and married Miguel A. Otero Jr., a World War I pilot, in 1928. Stinson died in 1977 at the age of 86. Last year, Stinson was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, becoming one of 249 people, and only 18 women, to receive the honor. “I’m surprised she hadn’t already been inducted,” says Amy Spowart, the organization’s president and CEO. Jan McKenzie, the international president of The Ninety-Nines, an all-female pilots organization of which Stinson was a lifetime member, accepted on her behalf. McKenzie says Stinson was one of the first individuals—woman or man—to make aviation a satisfying and profitable career. “Katherine showed all women that limits can be overcome and conventions are not carved in stone,” McKenzie says. The honor came home to San Antonio earlier this year when McKenzie and the National Aviation Hall of Fame presented the Hall of Fame induction medal to city officials at Stinson Municipal Airport, which is named for the Stinson family and is now the second oldest general aviation airport in continuous operation in the U.S. “We wanted the medal to be in a place where the people who loved Katherine the most could appreciate it,” Spowart says.
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TA I ES Y F W U T TO R D H O N D O B IS N A W AH E H TS A C I T Y YO U R O R O K N O F T V E N H E O F KS F O T S E T T IC I S O M E J O R D AS T O UU R P F EST E S ER R M A N E OS O E D T H OV E A L’S N TA I E M I T H T E R L W N L SC I V A I TH W A ? D I EST G M A K E D U L E T- C E O R F IN M N IO E A U K TO N P R I L E B E LUS, SC HA N D O A Y AN E IO S AR . P I N KSA N D T H N S OWS TO N RT I E H O N T I GR A HIN IT NA ,P B E T R A D E N T A SA A D E S E V E ST A R P FI
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3/5/20 7:03 PM
BATTLE OF FLOWERS
A LAST SALUTE AT THE ALAMO CHAPEL
THE MOST POIGNANT MOMENT OF THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS
Parade for Anna-Laura Howell Block is not the passing of the antique car carrying the parade’s grand marshal nor the first glimpse of the elaborately decorated float with Miss Fiesta and her glittering train. Instead, the president of the parade’s board of directors says it’s the solemn laying of floral bouquets in front of the Alamo Chapel that always makes her take an extra breath and smile. “That is really the ‘wow’ moment for teaching and preserving Texas history,” Block says, adding that the president always presents a fresh floral bouquet tribute to a cadet for placement at the Alamo. “That’s what we’re all about and that’s what the parade stems from.” The idea for that first parade, which started Fiesta 129 years ago, came from Ellen Maury Slayden, wife of Congressman James Slayden, who had seen a similar flower-filled parade in Spain. Back then, Block says the all-female volunteer group that organized the parade gathered flowers from neighbors and nearby towns to decorate carriages whose passengers would also bring a fresh bouquet to leave at the Alamo in tribute to those who had died in the battles of the Alamo
BATTLE OF FLOWERS PARADE April 24 battleofflowers.org
+ 4 OTHER PARADES TO SEE Fiesta Especial 5K & Parade April 18 fiestaespecial.com
Texas Cavaliers River Parade April 20 texascavaliers.org
Fiesta Pooch Parade April 25 therapyanimalssa.org
FIESTA ROYALTY: BETSY NEWMAN/FIESTA SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY BATTLE OF FLOWERS ASSOCIATION
Fiesta Flambeau Parade April 25 fiestaflambeau parade.org
and San Jacinto. In the decades since, the parade has grown to include around 12,000 entries, including largescale floats that are often decorated with live plants plus intricately crafted paper flowers. Regardless of how elaborate the entries become, though, Block says each one carries on the custom of a fresh floral tribute that participants aboard the float hand to a cadet waiting for them as they round the corner toward the Alamo Chapel. With rows of bleachers that now line streets from near Pearl through downtown, Block knows that even regular parade-goers may miss those tributes that occur in front of the Alamo Chapel. But, she says, regardless of how well noticed they are, the tradition is a piece of history that will remain a bedrock of the event, even as it shifts to another side of the Alamo as soon as 2021. Planned development and renovation at Alamo Plaza means this may be the last year the parade passes in front of the Alamo Chapel like it has for the past 129 years, Block says. Instead, the parade will weave in front of the Alamo’s original front door, or what visitors think of as the south side of the plaza, keeping the Alamo as the central point but in a new way. “We’ll always honor the fallen heroes with fresh floral tributes,” Block says. APRIL 2020
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KING WILLIAM FAIR
KEEPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD VIBE ALIVE WALK BY THE GAZEBO IN KING WILLIAM PARK 24 HOURS AFTER
KING WILLIAM FAIR April 25 kwfair.org
+ 3 OTHER PLACES TO SEE ART Deco Fiesta April 18 decofiesta.org
Fiesta Arts Fair April 18-19 swschool.org
Fiesta Couture: Art and Artistry April 16-26 wittemuseum.org
KICK OFF THE FUN AT FIESTA FIESTA Whether it’s your first or 81st Fiesta, there’s no better way to usher in the 11 days of fun than during Fiesta Fiesta, April 16 at Hemisfair. Meet Fiesta royalty, bring medals to trade and stick around for fireworks to cap off the night. The evening also includes a ticketed Taste of the Republic event, which features food and drinks by some of the city’s top chefs at the Marriott Plaza San Antonio Conference Center. fiestasanantonio.org Stay up-to-date throughout Fiesta with daily itineraries, parade guides and more at sanantoniomag.com
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spirit that first made the King William Fair a hit with neighbors is a delicate balancing act, Budd says. The King William Fair raises over 90 percent of the association’s annual funds, which support everything from sidewalk renovations to concerts in King William Park. The King William Association decided to begin charging admission (it’s now $15) as the costs of hosting the fair grew, though children 12 and under can still attend for free. As they’ve added more food booths, music stages and artists (plus portable toilets, trash cans and more), Budd says they’ve also worked to keep the neighborhood organization and residents at the heart of the fun, putting their funky spirit and creative displays front and center through the morning parade. The neighborhood itself has grown in recent years, with more homes being purchased and renovated and more local businesses popping up in and around the district to attract both residents and non-residents alike. That’s a positive, Budd says, as it raises awareness of Texas’ first designated historic residential area. But it also means they have to be intentional about welcoming new residents and working with them to produce the fair—which essentially shuts down the neighborhood for a full day. Amid the redevelopment, there still are some homes that haven’t been upgraded since the 1960s, which Budd says is part of the neighborhood’s story, too. And though the kids’ activities and hundreds of art booths can now be found blocks away from that picturesque gazebo, Budd says the spirit of the event remains. “It’s like inviting people to a party in your front yard but it’s a party in 300 people’s front yards,” she says.
HISTORIC PHOTO: COURTESY KING WILLIAM FAIR; ALL OTHERS: BETSY NEWMAN/FIESTA SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION
the King William Fair parade passes by and you likely won’t see more than a trace of the previous day’s festivities. That’s not by accident. Fair manager Syeira Budd says while some Fiesta events have days to set up and take down their venue, in the King William Historic District, the fair’s staff and 1,000 volunteers move everything in, welcome thousands of guests and move everything out while cleaning the neighborhood all in a day’s time. “We have 24 hours to execute a highly choreographed dance and then the fair ends at 6 p.m. and if you drive through the neighborhood at midnight or the next morning, you wouldn’t know you’ve missed the fair,” she says. “It’s really quite a feat and it’s a testament to the neighbors, volunteers, vendors and staff.” The task was a much smaller one when the fair launched in 1968 to raise awareness of the neighborhood, celebrate historic preservation and raise funds for the King William Association, which supports the preservation of the area. At that time, the King William Fair took up just one block, around King William Park and its iconic gazebo, and included a handful of art vendors and food booths plus the option to tour some of the homes surrounding the fair. It continued to grow in the years that followed but remained a neighborhood event for decades. It was free for guests until 2005 and was still completely volunteer run until 2008 when a fair director was hired. The decade after that was the fair’s largest for growth. The festival now spans 15 blocks and set a record with attendance of 50,000 in 2018. Growing into a professionally produced event that still relies on the help of volunteers and maintains the quirky
APRIL 2020
3/6/20 12:06 PM
A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO
THE STREET PARTY AND ITS ICONIC WINDMILL SAY FAREWELL TO MAVERICK PLAZA
WHEN THE WOODEN WINDMILL DEBUTED AT THE CENTER OF
WOMEN: BETSY NEWMAN/FIESTA SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO
Frontier Town in Maverick Plaza during the 1966 A Night in Old San Antonio, it was more than just a prop. Developed by Pearl Brewery employees and based on a model NIOSA organizers acquired from Leakey, Texas, the windmill not only drew people to the new Frontier Town, but also served as part of a beer delivery system that was rigged to allow for beer to flow from a storage area some 200 feet away, over the heads of revelers and into the bars situated in a circle around the windmill, according to an interview in Lewis F. Fisher’s Saving San Antonio. That tradition is one that has continued each year since, but 2020 NIOSA Chairwoman Terry Schoenert says it will be reimagined starting in 2021 as a $12 million renovation planned by the city for Maverick Plaza gets underway. Though the festival’s future footprint and new location for Frontier
+ 5 OTHER FESTIVALS TO ATTEND Fiesta de los Reyes April 17-26 fiestadelosreyes.com
Fiesta Oyster Bake April 17-18 oysterbake.com
A Taste of New Orleans April 17-19 saza.org
10th Street River Festival April 23 vfwpost76onthe riverwalk.org
Fredstock Music Fest April 24 alamo.edu/sac/ calendar
A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO April 21-24 niosa.org
Town and its windmill are still being determined, they’re not disappearing. “It’s a signature item,” Schoenert says. Schoenert, who’s been involved with NIOSA as a volunteer for 35 years, says the street festival now includes 15 distinct areas that represent different facets of San Antonio culture, but when the first official NIOSA was held in 1948, it was a simpler, one-night event featuring chili stands and homemade food brought by volunteers from the San Antonio Conservation Society. Proceeds from the festival that now attracts around 85,000 people annually still support the San Antonio Conservation Society’s preservation work, but the festival now runs four nights and is powered by more than 13,000 volunteers who cook over 17,000 pounds of beef, 11,000 pounds of chicken and 1,000 pounds of guacamole each April. “It’s a block party, but it’s a block party with a reason,” says Schoenert, who is also on the Conservation Society board. “The funds we raise go to the preservation of buildings and properties in San Antonio.” While things will look different in 2021, it’s important to remember that it was development decades ago that helped to allow for the creation of the windmill. The wood used to craft the structure—which has been lovingly repaired over the years, but never replaced—was donated from buildings being razed in the 1960s to make way for development of the 1968 World’s Fair at HemisFair. APRIL 2020
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Top Pediatric Specialists Caring for children requires a special touch, and the doctors on this list have it—plus the expertise to put any worried parent at ease. Compiled through a peer-to-peer survey conducted for San Antonio Magazine by DataJoe Research, these are the pediatric specialists that area physicians would trust to treat their own family.
How the List was Created San Antonio Magazine partnered with DataJoe Research, a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification that conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create this list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peervoting process. DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had, at time of review, a current, active license status with the appropriate state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a physician’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that physician was excluded from the list. In addition, we checked available public sources to identify physicians disciplined for an infraction by the state regulatory board. These entities were excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine for its final review and adjustments. Throughout this section, there are also paid advertisements, purchased by physicians who were selected for the list; however no payment was exchanged for inclusion on the list. We recognize that there are many good physicians who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of
talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding physicians in the region. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination and internet research campaign are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective lawyers may not appear on the list. DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe.
ALLERGY/IMMUNOLOGY
ANESTHESIOLOGY
CARDIOLOGY
Robin Church-Hajduk UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-6700
David Bush Pediatric Cardiology Associates 4499 Medical Drive, Ste. 289 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-3264
Edward Brooks UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2300 Joseph Cantey UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-1593
Luis Castagnini The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio Infectious Disease Clinic 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-4708 E. Brooks Hagee Northeast Pediatric Associates 8606 Village Drive, Ste. A San Antonio, TX 78217 210-657-0220 Anthony Infante UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-743-2300
Questions? For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.
Deborah Rasch UT Health San Antonio 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-6700
Ashley Cooley UT Health San Antonio University Health System Children’s Heart Network 1901 Babcock Road, Ste. 301 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-341-7722
Amir Yazdani UT Health San Antonio 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-6700
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Top Pediatric Specialists Patrick Glasow UT Health San Antonio University Health System Children’s Heart Network 1901 Babcock Road, Ste. 301 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-562-5378
Daniel Gebhard UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
Brian Goldstein Pediatric Cardiology Associates 4499 Medical Drive, Ste. 289 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-3264
Michelle Habash UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
Elaine Maldonado UT Health San Antonio University Health System Children’s Heart Network 1901 Babcock Road, Ste. 301 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-562-5378 Steven Neish UT Health San Antonio University Health System Children’s Heart Network 1901 Babcock Road, Ste. 301 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-341-7722
Andrew Meyer UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
Clinton Pietz UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
Gnana Ardhanari UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-4000
Clinton Woosley The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-2011
Veronica Armijo-Garcia UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
Theodore Wu UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
Utpal Bhalala The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-3030
DERMATOLOGY Emily Becker Sonterra Dermatology PLLC 1314 E. Sonterra Blvd., Ste. 2201 San Antonio, TX 78258 210-981-3600
Sabrina Carrillo UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2100
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John Browning Texas Dermatology 3320 Oakwell Court San Antonio, TX 78218 210-829-5180
DEVELOPMENTAL BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS Patricia Harkins Harkins & Associates Inc. 4118 Pond Hill Road, Ste. 200 Shavano Park, TX 78231 210-692-3439 Lindsey Hawkins-Alprin Leon Springs Pediatrics 7903 Calle Rialto San Antonio, TX 78257 210-687-1543 Jeri Penkava Holistic Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Integrative Medicine 1370 Pantheon Way, Ste. 250 San Antonio, TX 78232 210-403-2343 James Phalen University Health System 2121 S.W. 36th St. San Antonio, TX 78237 210-358-5100 EMERGENCY MEDICINE Daniel Dire University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-4000 Tom Gowan Baptist Regional Children’s Center North Central Baptist Hospital 520 Madison Oak Drive San Antonio, TX 78258 210-297-4000 Sebrina Perkins GSEP Emergency Medicine 11503 N.W. Military Hwy., Ste. 202 San Antonio, TX 78231 210-233-6363 Edward Porrata GSEP Emergency Medicine 11503 N.W. Military Hwy., Ste. 202 San Antonio, TX 78231 210-233-6363
ENDOCRINOLOGY Elia Escaname UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-7551 Jane Lynch UT Health San Antonio University Health System Texas Diabetes Institute 701 S. Zarzamora St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Carisse Orsi UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-7551 Maria Rayas UT Health San Antonio University Health System Texas Diabetes Institute 701 S. Zarzamora St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-7551 Ann Straight DGD Clinic P.A. 5107 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-8612 GASTROENTEROLOGY Naim Alkhouri Texas Liver Institute 607 Camden St., Ste. 101 San Antonio, TX 78215 210-253-3426 Catherine Brigman Pediatric Specialists of Texas 4410 Medical Drive, Ste. 540 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-575-6240 Maan Khatib Pediatric Specialists of Texas 4410 Medical Drive, Ste. 540 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-575-6240
Morey Silverman GSEP Emergency Medicine 11503 N.W. Military Hwy., Ste. 202 San Antonio, TX 78231 210-233-6363
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Top Pediatric Specialists Naveen Mittal UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 James Noel The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-2686 Jay Shah UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 GENERAL PEDIATRICS Marshall Benbow Southwest Children’s Center 5282 Medical Drive, Ste. 310 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-8687 Tina Boylston Southwest Children’s Center 5282 Medical Drive, Ste. 310 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-8687 Jon Courand UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Sandra Ehlers University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Maria Fernandez Falcon UT Health San Antonio Medical Drive Primary Care Center 3939 Medical Drive, Ste. 100 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6120 L. Patrick Finklea Jr. Southwest Children’s Center 5282 Medical Drive, Ste. 310 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-614-8687
Lizette Gomez University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Elizabeth Hanson University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Deepak Kamat UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-567-5210 Sylvia Leal-Castanon University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Cynthia Lopez University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437
Leticia Shanley The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-2011 Mandie Svatek UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-567-5674 Dina Tom UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-4000 Wisdeen Wu UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437
HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY Chatchawin Assanasen UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Gregory Aune UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-743-2300 Maria Falcon-Cantrill Pediatric Specialists of Texas 4410 Medical Drive, Ste. 540 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-575-6240
Nandini Mandlik University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Glen Medellin UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Comprehensive Care Clinic 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Jeremy Perlman UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Robert Sanders University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Top Pediatric Specialists Melissa Frei-Jones UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Allison Grimes UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Anne-Marie Langevin UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Shafqat Shah UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Aaron Sugalski UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Gail Tomlinson UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Blood & Cancer Center 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 NEONATALOGY Steven Seidner UT Health San Antonio University Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-1593
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NEUROLOGY
Utpal S. Bhalala MD, FAAP, FCCM
Jose Aceves University Health System Pediatric Neurology Clinic 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Samiya Ahmad The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-4708 Sidney Atkinson UT Health San Antonio University Health System 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437 Kelly Averill UT Health San Antonio University Health System 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Dr. Bhalala works in Pediatric ICU at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, providing the highest level of advanced care to the critically ill and injured children. He believes in delivering exceptional care to critically ill children and their families. In collaboration with multi-disciplinary specialists, he strives to improve outcomes in this vulnerable group of patients. He is a world expert in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiac ICU.
333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-3049 christushealth.org/childrens/find-a-doctor/utpal-bhalala
Linda Leary UT Health San Antonio University Health System 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437
John C. Browning Dermatology/Pediatric Dermatology
PSYCHIATRY Brigitte Bailey UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6450 John Burnside ADHD Clinic of San Antonio 13535 Jones-Maltsberger Road San Antonio, TX 78247 210-496-5437 Thomas Matthews UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6450 Rene Olvera Neurobehavioral Research Laboratory and Clinic 7526 Louis Pasteur Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-567-2746
Dr. John C. Browning is Board Certified in Adult and Pediatric Dermatology and Pediatrics. As chief of dermatology at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, Dr. Browning has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating skin conditions for patients of all ages. Additionally, Dr. Browning is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics, a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, and a Pediatric Dermatology Fellow.
3320 Oakwell Court San Antonio, TX 78218 210-829-5180 texasdls.com
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Elizabeth Owen Wonder Kids Pediatrics 20818 Gathering Oak, Ste. 109 San Antonio, TX 78260 210-762-6464
Aracely Ferrer Caring for Kids Pediatrics, PA 10407 State Hwy. 151 San Antonio, TX 78251 210-877-5600
Riley Scott UT Health San Antonio 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6000
Steven Pliszka UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6450
Timothy McEvoy UT Health San Antonio University Health System 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437
RHEUMATOLOGY
Donna Roybal UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-6450 ORTHOPEDICS Grant Hogue UT Health San Antonio University Health System 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-644-9300 William Koeck The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-4708 Sekinat McCormick UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437 Rajiv Rajani UT Health San Antonio 7703 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-9300 OTALARYNGOLOGY/ENT Juan Bonilla Pediatric Ears, Nose & Throat 16723 Huebner Road San Antonio, TX 78248 210-733-4368 Marisa Earley UT Health San Antonio University Health System 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-450-9950
R. Moe Pediatric Ears, Nose & Throat 16723 Huebner Road San Antonio, TX 78248 210-733-4368 PATHOLOGY Josefine Heim-Hall UT Health San Antonio University Health System 4502 Medical Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-4000 PULMONOLOGY
Joe Cole The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio 333 N. Santa Rosa St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-704-2011 Joel Dunlap South Texas Radiology Imaging Centers 18707 Hardy Oak Blvd., Ste. 100 San Antonio, TX 78258 210-617-9000 SURGERY Barry Cofer San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates 4411 Medical Drive, Ste. 200 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-615-8767
Jesus Guajardo UT Health San Antonio University Health System Pediatric Lung Center 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-5437
John Doski San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates 4499 Medical Drive, Ste. 347 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-615-8757
Karen Hentschel-Franks UT Health San Antonio University Hospital 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437
Ian Mitchell San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates 4499 Medical Drive, Ste. 347 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-615-8757
Donna Willey-Courand UT Health San Antonio Pediatric Lung Center 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-5437
Tate Nice San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates 4499 Medical Drive, Ste. 347 San Antonio, TX 78229 210-615-8757
RADIOLOGY
UROLOGY
Jeffrey Foster UT Health San Antonio 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 210-358-4000
Jessica Goetz UT Health San Antonio University Health System 903 W. Martin St. San Antonio, TX 78207 210-358-6700
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Eat + Drink I NSI D E / F RE NCH F USIO N p .56 / H OUSE OF C H URROS p. 58 / TEX-MEX FOR OUT-OF-TOW N ERS p . 6 2
LA MARGARITA
120 Produce Row 210-227-7140 lamargarita.com Lunch and dinner daily
Margarita Madness hether as the main event or the accompanying cocktail to an order of fajitas, oysters on the half shell or cabrito al horno, margaritas are a must at any restaurant where the drink is important enough to be included in the name. At La Margarita, the Market Square eatery by the Cortez family —known for Mi Tierra and the newly opened La Familia de Mi Tierra at The Rim—there are more than a dozen varieties from which to choose. Manager Edilberto Elizondo says he always recommends visitors start with the classic El Don, which
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is made from Don Julio Reposado, Gran Gala and fresh lime juice. From there, get a taste of San Antonio with a pureed prickly pear version, the ever-popular mango margarita or a La Diva, which includes agave nectar. The restaurant has been a downtown staple since 1981 when Jorge Cortez introduced it with a menu inspired by the flavors of Monterrey, Laredo and Guadalajara, Mexico. And while margaritas are more often thought of as a complement to Tex-Mex tacos than Mexican seafood, Elizondo says the refreshing drinks go down just as well with a shrimp fajita.—KP
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JULIA’S BISTRO & BAR
1725 Blanco Road 210-476-5404 juliasonblanco.com Dinner Tues-Sat.
C’est Délicieux Julia’s Bistro & Bar brings finesse in a neighborhood French bistro setting BY EDMUND TIJERINA
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t first thought, a chile poblano stuffed with shredded lamb seems like a combination that shouldn’t work. Then those initial bites deliver a touch of crunch from the crisp batter along with an herbaceous, slightly tart chimichurri, artfully bringing together the contrast of the earthy lamb and vibrant chile. By the third bite, you’re asking yourself whether to ask for another one or wait until your next visit when you’ll surely order it again. A visit to Julia’s Bistro & Bar offers several of these crave-making moments. Thanks to the steady hand of restaurateur Jean-Francois Poujol, this Beacon Hill hotspot is quickly growing into a neighborhood hangout that offers destination-worthy dishes and service in a dining room that’s packed even on usually slow weeknights. “There’s a curiosity and interest for the type of food we are doing,” Poujol says, of the eatery that opened in November next to his other venture, SoHill Café. “The interest has been amazing, and people are coming back.”
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ORDER THIS
Duck tacos Lamb chile relleno Scallops Mexican chocolate tart with chantilly
Just don’t call it a fusion place. At its heart, it’s a French bistro where chef de cuisine Zack McKinney renders a spot-on duck confit that would proudly grace any Belle Epoque museum—only now, it tops a toasted corn tortilla to make terrific street-inspired tacos, complete with pico de gallo, cilantro and a sprinkle of queso cotija. Do call this perhaps the apex of Poujol’s restaurant ventures. Most of his previous places—Soleil Bistro & Wine Bar, Tost BistroBar and Tribeca—delivered his now-familiar blend of strong dishes, relaxed yet elevated service and excellent value. The one exception: his excursion into upscale French, Le Midi, which didn’t catch on and closed in 2011 after about a year downtown. “It was too French,” he says. With Julia’s, Poujol has picked up where he left off after he sold Tribeca in 2017 and took a break from the culinary business. He came back to restaurants in late 2018 with SoHill Café, the casual pizza and pasta spot that has become a dining favorite. When a space in the same strip mall became available last year, Poujol decided to go “back to my roots and do what I’m used to doing” by opening a French bistro. Chef McKinney, for his part, keeps the dishes consistently good. He and Poujol previously worked together at Tribeca, and the owner gives McKinney plenty of space and trust. And there’s an added benefit of having two restaurants so close to each other. “SoHill is doing better than before. The synergy between the two of them brings more people, even though it’s a totally different style,” Poujol says. “They try one and want to try the other.” In February, Julia’s added a happy hour menu, available from 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with drinks and a few light munchies. “It’s still a work in progress,” Poujol says, adding that he continues to focus on improving the overall operations. “We’re working and finding out where we fit in the culinary scene of this city.” APRIL 2020
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DINING OUT
+ 3 More Churros to Try
K EY TO SY M BO L S
CHU RRO STA R The Market Square mainstay is only open on select weekends and during events (like Fiesta) and specializes in classic churros that come four to a bag. Add to the calorie splurge with a cajeta or queso Amarillo dipping sauce. 514 W. Commerce St., churrostar.com
NEW
HONCHOS THE HOUSE OF CHURROS
5800 Babcock Road, 6421 Broadway 210-571-7948 honchoschurros.com
I N CU P B RA Z I L I AN ST REET B I T ES Instead of being filled with flavor after they’re fried, these small, Brazilian-style churros are stuffed with filling and closed before they’re ever cooked and coated in cinnamon and sugar. Co-owner Brandon Slayton says to expect a thin crisp layer on the outside with a softer interior. 2202 Broadway, instagram. com/incupofficial
New to the Listings
UPDATE
$ Most Entrees Under $10 $$ Most Entrees $10 to $25 Most Entrees $$$ Over $25
AD
Updated Listing Advertiser
B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner
San Antonio Magazine’s Dining Out guide is a combination of editors’ picks and advertisers. It is updated monthly based on available space. Find our full guide at sanantoniomag.com. If you notice an error or find your experience differs from our listing, please let us know at editor@ sanantoniomag.com.
ALDACO’S $$ Mexican/Latin Ameri-
can (Stone Oak) An emphasis on fresh ingredients and authentic combinations shine in every dish. Upscale yet casual, the restaurant’s atmosphere and patio— dine with one of the best views in town—
SEN O R SN OW Classic, crunchy and made fresh in-house, these churros can be topped with a sugary glaze, nuts or ice cream, or ordered with a side of fried Oreo. Just don’t forget to ask for a napkin. 6563 Babcock Road, Ste. 115, senorsnow.us
attract as many guests as the margaritas and Tex-Mex favorites. B Sat-Sun, L-D daily. 20079 Stone Oak Pkwy., 210-4940561, aldacosrestaurants.com BAKERY LORRAINE $ Bakery (Pearl,
Medical Center, The Rim) All those accolades aren’t just hype. Join the crowds to taste Bakery Lorraine’s famous macarons or choose a savory bite from the lineup of breakfast and lunch dishes. B-L-D daily. Multiple locations, bakerylorraine.com BELLA ON HOUSTON $$-$$$ Med-
iterranean (Downtown) This modern European eatery moved from the River Walk to Houston Street in 2018, where it offers diners a view of downtown. Chef Sean Fletcher delivers fresh and creative entrees, from the signature eggplant Josephine with Texas Gulf shrimp to the Pasta Balle, a house-made fettuccine
CHURRO CENTRAL Fiesta food staple is the culinary star at Honchos GABRIEL MARTINEZ KNOWS YOU’VE PROBABLY HAD
churro at A Night in Old San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas or even Costco, but the chef argues that you haven’t really enjoyed a churro until you’ve visited Honchos The House of Churros. Launched as a food truck in 2017 by Gabriel, his wife Elisa and brother Luis Martinez, Honchos expanded to a café on Broadway in 2019 that specializes in Mexican-style churros akin to the treat Gabriel and Luis’ grandfather made for them growing up in Juarez. “It’s a gourmet churro,” A
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says Gabriel, pausing to talk after piping a churro full of cajeta caramel. “We make everything in-house.” A graduate of the International Culinary School at the Art Institute, Gabriel traveled to Spain to study the art of fried dough before opening the truck and says he combined the tricks he learned internationally with the traditions instilled by his grandfather to create the ultimate treat. Churros that are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar can be ordered plain, as minis made for dipping, dunked in ice cream, topped with whipped cream and glaze or filled with everything from peanut butter or Nutella to cajeta or cream cheese. There’s nothing wrong with the churros made popular at Fiesta events or theme parks, Martinez says, but the texture and dough of a traditional Mexican churro delivers a pleasant surprise to any palate.—KP
with shrimp, fresh clams and PEI mussels. It’s the perfect place for a pre-show dinner. D Mon-Sat. 204 E. Houston St., 210-404-2355, bellaonhouston.com BIGA ON THE BANKS $$$ American
(Downtown) Bruce Auden led the march toward locally grown, seasonal gourmet dishes. Epicureans continue to sing high praises to the flavors in every bite from this multiple James Beard Award– nominated chef. From Hill Country venison to sticky toffee pudding, each meal is attentively served and artfully plated. D daily. 203 S. St. Mary’s St., 210-225-0722, biga.com
PHOTO BY BRENDA PIÑA
3/6/20 12:11 PM
KERRVILLE, TX
The Museum of Western Art in Kerrville sits high on a hill overlooking the city and was designed by famed Texas architect O’Neil Ford. The complex includes multiple galleries, event pavilion, western research center, children’s gallery and an impressive permanent collection of western art. Running from April 3 - June 13, 2020 will be “Men to Match My Mountains: Works from the L.D. “Brink” Brinkman Foundation.” MuseumOfWesternArt.com
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cool crowd exemplifies all that is uniquely Alamo
N O T J U S T A N O T H E R TA C O
Heights. L-D daily, Brunch Sat-Sun. 5011 Broadway, 210-828-9669, cappysrestaurant.com
Humble House founders put plenty of care into menu at new SayTown Tacos
CLEMENTINE $$ American (Castle Hills) Chefs
John and Elise Russ present a neighborhood eatery with American classics that are anything but
BY KATHLEEN PETTY
boring. Start with hush puppies or white mushroom salad, one of John’s parents’ recipes, select
LUIS MORALES MAY BE A GRADUATE OF THE CULINARY
from platters of swordfish, flat iron steak and other
Institute of America San Antonio, but he insists he’s not a chef. “I love food and trained in it, but I’ve always applied it in a different way,” Morales says. To stand out, he not only came up with creative Despite that, the San Antonio native and his taco names (see the Riverwalk-o-Taco, pictured, wife, Marsha, who are known for their Humble and forthcoming Popfather for Gregg Popovich) House Foods sauce line and Pearl Farmers Market but also was careful about sourcing fresh ingrebooth, recently launched their first restaurant, dients and combining them in ways that are difSayTown Tacos in the Bottling Dept. Food Hall ferent than you’ll find elsewhere. The bean and at Pearl. “When we told family and friends what cheese, for example, is called the Bean and Chisme we were doing, they were befuddled,” he says, and is made with black beans, nopalitos (cooked “because I don’t consider myself a chef. I’m in cactus), onions, peppers and cheese. manufacturing.” The menu features four tacos, but will expand in the coming weeks to six, including a few vegBut as the couple looked at how to grow their business, particularly the farmers etarian options. Each comes on a market pop-up where they’d become housemade corn or flour tortilla. SAYTOWN TACOS known for their French toast, tostadas Bunuelos, arroz con leche, aguas 312 Pearl Pkwy., Bldg. 6 and omelets, they became convinced frescas and nachos also are available. 210-706-0067 saytown.com that the very restaurant business And while Morales will certainly Lunch & dinner daily they’d long avoided was the best way be spending time in the kitchen as a chef, he still maintains he’s more to move their careers forward. The closing of The Good Kind’s food hall locaof a food industry professional and will split his tion left the perfect opening to try something new days between the eatery and Humble House, which and the couple conceived a San Antonio–themed has continued to grow since launching in 2009. taqueria that will grow to offer six tacos made After 10 years at the farmers market, Morales with creative ingredient combinations that are says their customers had become like family— accented by a Humble House hot sauce. some were guests at their wedding. Shoppers will “This is San Antonio and everyone loves tacos,” now have to stop in at the Bottling Dept. to see Morales says. “That’s a good thing—however, everythem, but he’s hopeful the expansion will only one has an opinion about tacos.” lead to the family growing.
proteins and pick from sides that include citrus steamed bok choy and risotto. Elise shines on the dessert menu, which includes must-try cardamom donuts with coffee ice cream. L Tues-Fri, D Tues-Sat. 2195 N.W. Military Hwy., 210-503-5121, clementine-sa.com THE COOKHOUSE $$ American (Monte Vista)
Inspired by the Louisiana plantation cookhouse, chef Pieter Sypesteyn offers classic New Orleans dishes like barbecue shrimp and boudin balls. A revamped menu encourages sharing, whether traditional oysters or the inventive smoked beets carpaccio. D Tues-Sat. 720 E. Mistletoe Ave., 210320-8211, cookhouserestaurant.com THE COVE $ American (Downtown) This insti-
tution pairs a laundromat and car wash next to a bustling beer garden, but food is the real focus. Vegetarians can bite into the vegan bacon cheeseburger while their carnivore companions chow down on grass-fed beef and bison burgers. Fourlegged friends are welcome. L-D Tues-Sun. 606 W. Cypress St., 210-227-2683, thecove.us CURED $$ American (Pearl) James Beard Award–
nominated chef Steve McHugh restored the 109-year-old Pearl Brewing Co. building to its original glory. McHugh, who hails from Wisconsin and spent time in New Orleans, leads a New American concept here complete with brews, plenty of cured meats and house-made (almost) everything. Plus, McHugh is giving back. For every charcuterie board
BLISS $$-$$$ American (Southtown) Chef
BOUDRO’S TEXAS BISTRO $$$ American
ordered, Cured donates $1 to charity. L Mon-Fri,
Mark Bliss’ ever-changing menu affirms his love
(Downtown) The River Walk restaurant is famous
D Mon-Sat, Brunch Sat. 306 Pearl Pkwy., Ste. 101,
of seasonal flavors and dedication to artisanal
for its prickly pear margaritas and tableside
210-314-3929, curedatpearl.com
goods. A darling of Southtown, this contemporary
guacamole—both enhanced by riverside patio
American eatery focuses on a creative and delec-
seating—but the eatery is a sure bet for more than
DOUGH PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA $$ Italian/
table entree selection as well as exquisite service.
just happy hour. The kitchen delivers classic meat
Pizza (Castle Hills, Downtown) Offering more than
It’s relaxed elegance at its best. D Tues-Sat. 926 S.
and seafood entrees with South Texas flair, includ-
“just” pizza, this hip trattoria transports diners to
Presa St., 210-225-2547, foodisbliss.com
ing the herb-crusted fish fillet with chipotle red
Naples with certified authentic pies, calzones and
pepper. L-D daily. 421 E. Commerce St., 210-224-
more from a wood-burning volcanic stone oven.
8484, boudros.com
The handmade mozzarella helps keep tables full, and we promise the wait is worth it. The location
Peruvian-Asian restaurant is led by chef Geronimo
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Lopez. The offerings include a ceviche-sushi bar,
CAPPY’S RESTAURANT & BAR $$ American
at Hemisfair offers patio dining with a park view.
rotating dim sum dishes, a selection of noodle
(Alamo Heights) When the weather is perfect for
L-D daily. 6989 Blanco Road, 210-979-6565; 518 S.
dishes (including some vegetarian options) and
outdoor dining, Cappy’s is an ideal setting. Inside
Alamo St., 210-227-2900, doughpizzeria.com
bento lunches. L daily, D Tues-Sat, Brunch Sun.
or out, you will find a classic American bistro
303 Pearl Pwky., Ste. 111, 210-670-7684,
with a Texas twang, served up through a menu of
DOWN ON GRAYSON $-$$ American (Pearl) The
botikapearl.com
oak-grilled beef, fresh seafood and salads. The
team behind Gruene Hall and Josephine Street
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COURTESY HISTORIC PEARL
BOTIKA $$ Asian/Latin American (Pearl) This
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daily. 23651 I-10 W., 210-698-6616, fralos.com
Ask Ed
includes comfort foods like cornbread with jalapeño pimento cheese, pickled green tomatoes and
THE GOOD KIND $ American (Southtown)
peppers. Brunch includes a BLT toast with poached
Catering guru Tim McDiarmid (of Tim the Girl)
egg. Lunch, Tues-Fri, Dinner Tues-Sat, Brunch
has created quick, healthy dishes at her Southtown
Sat-Sun. 555 W. Bitters Road, Ste. 110, 210-481-
eatery on the lush grounds of Ivy Hall. Look for
4214, meadowsanantonio.com
customizable market bowls with black rice, grilled and roasted veggies, greens and your choice of
Where do you take out-of-town guests for Mexican or Tex-Mex? So many great options! For Mexican American home cooking and classic Tex-Mex, I’ll go to Jacala, Los Barrios or El Milagrito. For a feeling of being in a city in Mexico, I’ll go to Tlahco, Sabor Cocinabar or Los Azulejos. For simple, delicious food, I’ll go to Guajillo’s or Cascabel Mexican Patio, and for an unforgettable experience, I’ll make reservations far in advance for Mixtli. If people want margaritas on the River Walk, it’s Ácenar, and for San Antonio–style sensory overload, it’s Mi Tierra.
MI TIERRA RESTAURANT AND BAKERY $$
dressing. There’s also gluten-free organic mac and
Mexican (Downtown) Many consider this land-
cheese, multiple salads, paninis and fresh cold-
mark restaurant a “must see” for its flamboyant
pressed juices. L-D daily, Brunch Sat-Sun. 1127 S.
decor, enormous bakery case and strolling maria-
St. Mary’s St., 210-564-9140, eatgoodkind.com
chi bands. Yet the food is still the draw, thanks to a 24-hour menu, handmade tamales and sizzling
JULIA'S BISTRO & BAR $$ Mexican/French
fajita platters. B-L-D daily. 218 Produce Row, 210-
(Beacon Hill) Jean-Francois Poujol picks up where
225-1262, mitierracafe.com
he left off after selling Tribeca in 2017 with this French bistro, which opened next to his SoHill
MR. JUICY $$$ American (Olmos Park) Andrew
Café in late 2019. Chef de cuisine Zack McKinney
Weissman shuttered his Mediterranean-focused
delivers spot-on duck confit tacos, lamb chile rel-
Moshe’s in favor of this new burger joint that
leno, scallops and more. D Tues-Sat. 1725 Blanco
serves single or double patty-beef burgers with
Road, 210-476-5404, juliasonblanco.com
house-made poppy seed buns and a French au poivre sauce. Double-fried French fries are a
LA FONDA ON MAIN $$ Mexican/Latin Amer-
must-order side. Make it a full meal with one of
ican (Monte Vista) Workday lunches and happy
a variety of rich milkshakes. L Tues-Sun., 3904
hours are lively occasions, as locals enjoy the mix-
McCullough Ave., 210-994-9838
ture of Tex-Mex comforts, interior Mexican cuisine and the inviting tree-covered patio. The historic
MYRON’S PRIME STEAK HOUSE $$$ Steak-
Monte Vista neighborhood setting creates a
house (North Central, New Braunfels) Along with
Café combined what we love most about their
hacienda enchantment, making you believe you’re
serving top prime beef, Myron’s offers seafood
other venues into this eatery across from Pearl:
deep in the heart of Mexico, mere minutes from
and appetizers that are the perfect complement to
Relaxed outdoor seating, well-executed modern
downtown. L-D daily, B Sat-Sun. 2415 N. Main
the main attraction. A friendly staff and elegantly
American fare and a bar with plenty of brews, wine
Ave., 210-733-0621, lafondaonmain.com
appointed dining room raise the bar for fine dining outside the loop. D daily. 10003 N.W. Military
and cocktails to keep us returning to happy hour week after week. L-D daily. 303 E. Grayson St.,
MAVERICK $$-$$$ American (Southtown) The
Hwy., Ste. 2101, 210-493-3031; 136 N. Castell Ave.,
830-248-9244, downongrayson.com
Texas-inspired menu at this Southtown eatery
New Braunfels, 830-624-1024, myronsprime.com
from Chef Chris Carlson and Peter Selig, one of THE ESQUIRE TAVERN $-$$ Bar (Downtown)
the founders of Biga on the Banks, includes large
NOLA BRUNCH & BEIGNETS $-$$ American
The city’s beloved downtown tavern—boasting
and small plates meant for easy sharing. Try Texas
(Tobin Hill) Chef Pieter Sypesteyn continues
the longest wooden bar in Texas (at 108 feet)—was
quail, fish or steak from the wood grill, share a
his homage to his native New Orleans with this
resurrected in 2011 and instantly fell back into the
whole duck cooked over a wood fire and select
weekday brunch spot just around the corner from
loving arms of patrons, old and new. The long-
starters from a list that includes roasted butternut
his popular restaurant, The Cookhouse. As the
standing institution also has a River Walk-level bar,
squash soup and handmade pastas. L Mon-Fri, D
name suggests, the bright cafe focuses on dishes
aptly named Downstairs, that features inventive
Thurs-Sun, B Sun. 710 S. St. Mary’s St., 210-973-
that bridge breakfast and lunch, as well as the
cocktails and small bites. L-D daily. 115 E. Com-
6050, mavericktexas.com
doughnuts that define the Crescent City. The serBrunch Tues-Sun. 111 Kings Court, 210-320-1572,
FRALO’S $$ Italian/Pizza (Northwest) Sure,
American (North Central) PJ and Lindsey Edwards
eatatnola.com
there’s plain cheese, but nothing else here is
met while working at Chef Jason Dady’s former
“plain,” from the baked goat cheese and olive tape-
Bin 555 and returned to the spot at the Alley on
PALOMA BLANCA MEXICAN CUISINE $$ Mex-
nade appetizer to lasagna or endless pizza options.
Bitters to open their first restaurant. Specializing
ican (Alamo Heights) The trendy upscale restau-
Dine outdoors with live music on weekends. L-D
in Southern food with a Texas touch, the menu
rant in the heart of Alamo Heights still delivers
OFF MENU News from the restaurant scene
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vice hours also reflect the theme: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MEADOW NEIGHBORHOOD EATERY + BAR $$
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Savor was the only San Antonio restaurant named to Texas Monthly’s 2020 Best New Restaurants list. Evo and Kindling Texas Kitchen garnered honorable mentions. / Full Belly Café + Bar, by the former team at Boiler House, and Trilogy Burger Bistro, sister eatery to Trilogy Pizza Bistro, opened in Stone Oak. / Jeff White, who left Eastside Kitchenette in early 2020, was named culinary director of The Good Kind Hospitality Group. / Bill Miller Bar-B-Q added a concession stand at Wolff Stadium. / Jacked Potato, a build-your-own potato bar, is now open in Converse. / Maverick Whiskey added Sunday brunch. / H-E-B employees each received a $100 bill as a ‘thank you’ after the San Antonio–based company was named the top grocery retailer in the U.S. by consumer research firm Dunnhumby.
DAVID G. LOYOLA
merce St., 210-222-2521, esquiretavern-sa.com
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some down-home Tex-Mex along with interior Mexican specialties and a crowd-luring bar. Original artwork throughout completes the scene, as does the well-appointed patio. L-D daily, Brunch Sat-Sun. 5800 Broadway, 210-822-6151, palomablanca.net PHARM TABLE $$ American (Downtown) Chef
Elizabeth Johnson has not only created a topnotch stop for organic lunch and brunch items but also a takeout and delivery program meant to help customers foster better health with food at home. In the restaurant, try a quinoa tamal bowl or seasonal soup and salad for lunch. During weekend brunch, don’t miss the vegan sweet potato waffles or breakfast pizza. L daily, Brunch Sat-Sun. 106 Auditorium Circle, 210-802-1860, pharmtable.com PINCH BOIL HOUSE $$ Asian, Seafood
(Downtown) Sean Wen and Andrew Ho turned their pop-up into a brick-and-mortar restaurant that offers family-style Southeast Asian cuisine, seafood boils—shrimp, crab and seasonal crawfish with a signature garlic butter—street food and more. L Mon-Sat. D Fri-Sat. 124 N. Main Ave., 210-971-7774, pinchboilhouse.com THE SMOKEHOUSE $$ Barbecue (East) The
pleasures of slow-smoked barbecue are fully realized at this old-school joint, where brisket rests over smoldering wood for 24 hours and diners leave wearing a lingering smoky perfume. Order meats by the plate, with sides, or by the pound. New menu items include brisket nachos and brisket mini tacos. L-D Tues-Sun. 3306 Roland Road, 210-333-9548, thesmokehousebbqsa.com SOHILL CAFE $$ American (Beacon Hill)
Owner Jean-Francois Poujol, known for Tost Bistro Bar and Tribeca, runs this neighborhood eatery in the former Casbeers Café and Cantina. Chef Justin Limburg presents specialty woodfired pizzas made with fermented dough plus fresh salads, multiple pastas, meatballs, a chicken Parmesan sandwich and more. Happy hour is a must and pizzas are just $10 on Wednesdays. L-D Tues-Sat. 1719 Blanco Road, 210-455-2177, sohillcafe.com TWO BROS. BBQ MARKET $ Barbecue (North
Central) Founded by Jason and Jake Dady, this spot is everything you could expect from a classic Texas BBQ joint, as well as the delightfully unexpected. Where else could you have a “purple cow” with your slow-smoked beef brisket or a vintage cab with your cabrito? The cheesy chop, mac and cheese with chopped beef brisket, is an indulgence not to miss. L-D daily. 12656 West Ave., Ste. B, 210-496-0222, twobrosbbqmarket.com
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LOOKING BACK
San Antonio's love for the queen of Tejano music remains strong 25 years after her death BY KATHLEEN PETTY
SELENA FOREVER/ SIEMPRE SELENA Through July 5 1997 movie Selena screens April 16 McNay Art Museum mcnayart.org
t had been just two years since John Dyer first photographed Selena Quintanilla-Pérez for Más Magazine when he met the Tejano star at the Majestic Theatre in 1994 for a shoot that would appear in Texas Monthly. During his first encounter with the Corpus Christi native, she drove up to Dyer’s San Antonio studio with her red hatchback stuffed full of costumes and accessories, many of which she had designed herself. Selena spent over eight hours with Dyer that day, full of energy even as the day wore on and posing in a variety of looks, red lipstick accenting her wide smile. “I guess I captured her spirit a little bit—her joy of being alive,” Dyer says. By 1994, Selena had grown from a rising star to a Grammy-winning pop artist who was selling out major venues. She arrived at the Majestic Theatre in downtown San Antonio after finishing a dayslong advertising shoot for Coca-Cola. Dyer noted that while the bubbly singer was the same kind, joyful young woman he remembered, she was also visibly tired, the strains of the business apparent on her face. The photos he captured that day, including the one above, show a different side of Selena. Her signature red lipstick and style are still evident, but her expression is more subdued. Before the photos ever ran in print, 23-year-old Selena was killed on March 31, 1995. She would have turned 49 this month. In honor of Selena’s impact on South Texas and the world, particularly as it relates to style, five of Dyer’s photos are on display through July 5 at the McNay Art Museum in the exhibition, Selena Forever/Siempre Selena, presented in conjunction with the museum’s Fashion Nirvana exhibit. The city also will celebrate Selena during a tribute concert, May 9 at the Alamodome.
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JOHN DYER
La Reina
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