Seguin Magazine - May 2024

Capturing the Cosmos

Exploring the night sky through the lens of a Texas astrophotographer

Cinematic time travel

Your ticket to an epic journey through motion picture history at the Cine Museum

Peek inside Seguin library's MiniCon comic convention where fandoms collide and heroes unite unmask the magic

In this issue

MAY 2024

FEATURES

10 CAPTURING THE COSMOS

Exploring the night sky through the lens of a Texas astrophotographer

18 UNMASK THE MAGIC

Peek inside Seguin Library's MiniCon comic convention where fandoms collide and heroes unite

24 CINEMATIC TIME TRAVEL

Your ticket to an epic journey through motion picture history at the Cine Museum

CULINARY CREATIONS

30 SWEET SCIENCE

Astronauts' favorite freeze-dried ice cream gets a meringue makeover

AROUND TOWN

34 FAVORITE FINDS

Unique items from local small businesses

36 SAVE THE DATE

See what events are coming up

38 FACES OF SEGUIN

Submitted photos from our readers

on the cover

Skilled photographer Llamar Vasquez unveils the mesmerizing beauty of the night sky with stunning astrophotography.

Photo by Llamar Vasquez

Vol. 10, No. 12

Seguin magazine is published twelve times a year by the Seguin Gazette.

Publisher

Elizabeth Engelhardt

magazine Editor

Desiree Gerland

Writers

Alex Lowe

Bianca Rawlings

Danny Story

Janis Turk

Photographers

Felicia Frazar

Victoria Gaytan

ADVERTISING

Gay Lynn Olsovsky

Delilah Reyes

Graphic design

Melissa Taylor

TO ADVERTISE IN SEGUIN Magazine Call 830-463-0766

Have Story Ideas? Let us know! seguinmagazine@seguingazette.com

To view the digital version visit issuu.com/seguingazette

Throughout

history, many groundbreaking scientific advancements have often started as 'weird' ideas. Consider for a moment Albert Einstein's thought experiments, which led to the theory of relativity, or Jules Verne's visionary tales prefiguring real space travel. Their unconventional ideas, once dismissed as flights of fancy, laid the groundwork for the scientific revolutions of our time.

Similarly, comic books have long served as vessels for the extraordinary and the fantastical. They weave narratives that traverse the boundaries of space, time and possibility. They allow complex scientific concepts to be accessible to all ages and have inspired generations to ponder the mysteries of the cosmos.

Humans discovered many years ago that science is propelled by thinkers who dare to venture beyond society's limitations and conventional boundaries. Our commitment to fostering this spirit starts with education and encouraging a curriculum that equally values creative thinking and scientific rigor that will prepare the next generation to tackle global challenges with bold, innovative solutions.

Although it seems that we are constantly standing on the brink of what’s possible, it's important to enthusiastically continue to champion the weird and wonderful in science. We must nurture the dreamers who are as comfortable with a comic book as they are with a lab book — because the future belongs to those who can imagine it.

Desiree Gerland

Magazine Editor desiree.gerland@seguingazette.com

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Capturing the Cosmos

Exploring the night sky through the lens of a Texas astrophotographer

Some people shoot for the stars.

Llamar Vasquez shoots them… with a camera, that is. Seguin’s very own astrophotographer has been looking to the heavens, pointing and clicking at the night sky for more than a decade. He was one of many with more than just a passing interest in the recent eclipse that passed through the Texas sky.

“Very exciting,” Vasquez said.

“You just hope to be able to capture it. You need the weather to cooperate and stay clear.”

Vasquez approached the eclipse with a calm and poise that makes one think he does this all the time.

“No special plans. Just make sure you are wearing the special glasses when looking at the eclipse,” he said. “The only time you can look directly

Story by Alex Lowe

photos Courtesy of Llamar Vasquez

at the eclipse without your glasses is during the actual totality, which is no more than two minutes depending on where you are.”

“Everything I do is self-taught and comes from the passion I have for astronomy..."

A professional photographer for the past 14 years, his interest in the stars goes back even longer than that.

“I got interested in photography about 20 years ago and I have been interested in the night sky and space since I was in grade school,” Vasquez said. “My favorite subject in school was science. I was always intrigued with the stars and always looking up to see if I could see anything in the sky at night.”

Vasquez merged his interests in photography and astronomy into one vocation.

“I don't have a professional educational background in astronomy,” he said. “Everything I do is self-taught and comes from the passion I have for astronomy. I have a few role models in the astrophotography field, including Trevor Jones, Shawn Nielsen and Chuck Ayoub. As far as photography, Jason Lanier and Eli Infante.”

Vasquez is quick to point out the traits necessary to take good photos of the night sky.

“It is definitely nothing like traditional photography,” he said. “It is a whole other level when it comes to astrophotography. It is very difficult, detailed and time-consuming. To begin with, it requires lots and lots of time and patience. One image can take as long as 24 to 36 hours, not including editing. It all depends on the astrophotographer and how much detail you want in your images.”

Taking first-class images of space requires an investment both in time and money. There are certain pieces of

equipment that are necessary tools of the trade.

“You would need a good star tracker mount, like a German equatorial mount.” he said. “You also need filters that catch the space gasses, like hydrogen alpha, oxygen III and sulphur II. A special camera made specifically for space imaging is required. You also need a guide scope with a guide camera and a laptop with special software that controls the mount. It really is a very expensive hobby.”

The true reward comes in the personal satisfaction that goes with seeing an image of the heavens that is clean and spectacular. Finding a market for such photos is a challenge although it does exist.

“I am unsure of where the market is, but I would say social media platforms, websites and just people in general asking to purchase images for their offices or homes.” he said. “You can definitely make a living taking space images. I would say if you could get really great at doing so, you could work for NASA doing the space images for them.”

Vasquez cites family as his primary support network in following his passion.

“I am single. How else could I afford to buy my equipment?” he said. “But on a serious note, my family and my close friends support me 100%. They are my biggest fans.”

Vasquez offers a piece of advice to anyone who thinks they have a passion not just for astronomy but also for photography in general.

“People need to realize that when you buy a camera, you must learn your camera first and practice, practice, practice,” he said. “As you learn your camera and go along, you will understand what each lens does, and you start to understand what works for you and what you don’t need. Also, it is hard to find your style, so once you get there, don't give up. I strive to be better than I was yesterday. I am always learning new things and always trying to better myself.”

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Cinematic Time Travel

Your ticket to an epic journey through motion picture history at the Cine Museum

Over the past century, most everyone in Seguin grew up going to the movies or seeing stage shows and concerts downtown at Seguin’s historic Palace Theatre.

However, not many may know that today The Palace, which is launching a new lineup of shows this summer, is also home to a precious little gem of a movie museum.

That’s right: The Seguin Cine Museum, located on the mezzanine level of the historic Palace Theatre, offers local movie lovers and visitors a fascinating glimpse of the long, rich history of the evolution of film and motion pictures from 189 A.D. until today.

Curated by local film expert and aficionado David Pierce and by Palace Theatre owner H. A. “Dan” Daniels, II, the Seguin Cine Museum offers a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the history of film projection, the motion picture industry, cameras,

sound equipment and all manner of old-fashioned technologies that first brought moving pictures to life.

Open by appointment only, the museum offers free admission and a peek behind the curtain at the history of the movies.

“This museum is all about the nuts and bolts of making motion pictures and film. Although it contains some photos and memorabilia pertaining to movie stars (especially those who visited Seguin’s Palace Theatre), it mainly pays homage to the people behind the camera — people who make things happen — as well as the history of film and moviemaking,” Pierce said.

Since he was a child, film images always fascinated him, Pierce said.

“Films had captions but television didn’t and because I’d lost my hearing when I was very young, I was thrilled with movies because they were accessible to me. Immediately, I

Story by Janis Turk

photos by Felicia Frazar

was hooked on movies,” Pierce said. “My parents bought me an 8mm, child-sized, hand-cranked projector, and since films had subtitles, it wasn’t long before I began collecting films and everything to do with projectors, movie-making equipment and film.”

Start with the beginning exhibits in the museum and you’ll see that the rest of the world had a similar experience. A global fascination with it all began in 180 A.D. with zoetropes in China, a spinning contraption that animated still images. An exciting and novel thing for its time, it grabbed the world’s attention, and ever since the public’s fascination has never abated.

“In the 1900s, 35mm film was introduced as the standard for movies; however, nothing would’ve happened without the hard work of all the people and all the inventions that came before that throughout history,” Pierce said.

With a passion for sharing film’s history with the digital world, Pierce was eager to display his and Daniels’ early film, projection and sound equipment. Today, the Seguin Cine Museum has a collection of more than 100 movie artifacts and memorabilia, including items and photos showcasing a century of cinema on site

“After visiting the museum, I hope kids will pick up an 8mm film camera on eBay and make movies themselves,” Pierce said. “Film has soul. You can see it, you can touch it, you can smell it, you can hold it to the light and look at real life images from long ago. Digital is wonderful, but it doesn’t offer all that.”

“We’ve had young filmmakers who grew up in and around Seguin, like Ivy Koehler and Elena Weinsberg, who have fallen in love with movies and the Palace and its museum and grown up to be successful filmmakers and actors. Their films have won awards and been screened at major film festivals, like South by Southwest. It’s been exciting to see the next generation develop a love for movies,” Daniels said.

Two years ago, HBO even filmed part of a mini-series, “Love and Death,” at The Palace with actor Elizabeth Olsen,

who explored the Seguin Cine Museum between takes.

Vintage equipment at the Seguin Cine Museum includes items like a Simplex XL 35mm movie projector that ran seven days a week for about 50 years (a projector that still works: Daniels and Pierce even can run it for museum visitors), an RCA sound head, a film transport system, 8mm and 15mm projectors, a Peerless Magnar carbon arc lamphouse, an extremely rare wire audio recorder, an upright Moviola editing machine and film splicers, among hundreds of other items. Small pieces of very rare film formats in all types ever made were donated by film historians around the world. Today, the Seguin Cine Museum owns an example of every size and type of movie film ever made.

There’s also information and memorabilia related to The Palace Theatre’s 100-year history as Seguin’s premier cinema, along with other theaters the Danielses have owned and operated in south Texas since the 1930s, including the Palace Theatre, Texas Theatre, Dixie Drive-In in Seguin and the Guild Theatre and Alameda Theatre in Crystal City.

“David Pierce and I are excited about the Seguin Cine Museum at the Palace Theatre, a place which has a rich history at the heart of our fine community,” Daniels said. “My family has seen first-hand the many changing technologies of the film industry, and the Palace now shows both film and digital movies today. We are happy to share the story of motion pictures with Seguin and anyone who loves movies as much as we do.”

The Palace Theatre is not just a museum of artifacts and memorabilia from the movie industry. It’s also a repository of memories for generations of moviegoers who laughed at comedies, shed a tear during tragedies and cheered when good triumphed over evil. Through it all there was, and still is, the wonderful aroma of fresh popcorn filling the lobby and wafting upstairs to the Seguin Cine Museum.

Peek inside Seguin Library's MiniCon comic convention where fandoms collide and heroes unite

MiniCon, hosted Aug. 3 by the Seguin Public Library, is an annual event that mirrors larger comic conventions and offers a family-friendly environment where fans of all ages can engage with pop culture. It includes artist meet-ups, classes, hands-on demos and a wide range of pop culture merchandise.

Story by Bianca Rawlings photos courtesy of Seguin Public Library

Hannah Farmer, the assistant library director, was very excited to see new and repeat participants again this year.

“I love getting to know local community members who I might not otherwise [at this event] and getting the opportunity to bring together kids and teens in the library,” she said.

Farmer was excited about the family-friendly event, which she said features activities for kids of all ages as well as those who are young at heart.

“Teens enjoy attending the panel workshops,” she said. “This year, Child’s Play Comics will present on how to create your own comic book and we also plan to host the cosplay workshop again.”

Cosplay, integrating “costume” and “play,” plays a central role at MiniCon. Participants create detailed costumes representing various characters. The top costumes will win prizes as well as delight onlookers.

The costume prize categories are:

• Best in Show

• Best Closet Cosplay

• Most Original/Unique

Costumes are judged on accuracy and detail, construction and originality, completion and durability, craftsmanship and presentation. Costumes must relate to anime, comic book, manga, video game, TV show, movie and/or book characters. Contestants should keep this in mind as they enhance their designs with accessories and hidden details (otherwise known as Easter Eggs) that add character-specific details and allude to their overall backstory.

A helpful hint from the contest rules is that homemade costumes will receive more favorable consideration over store bought costumes. So, get out the crafting supplies and get creative. As with any creative endeavor, feedback is essential so participants should make sure to show off their creations to friends and family for critiques and compliments.

Additionally, the Seguin Public Library enriches its offerings for youth year-round with Teen Tuesdays, a program every Tuesday where teens can participate in various activities from

I wonder how many bricks went into making that.

Welcometo MiniCon!

4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Activities include drawing, sewing, button-making and gaming tournaments catering to diverse interests and promoting community among young attendees.

The craft activities are a great way to learn creative skills to prepare for creating truly one-of-a-kind costumes for the annual MiniCon.

Whether with storytelling via video games or by getting lost in a book, the library provides an endless source of inspiration for finding perfect cosplay character ideas.

While crafting an entire costume might seem daunting or expensive, everyone at the Seguin Public Library agrees that the most important part of MiniCon is just to have mega fun, so there is no need to go out and buy something new. Try looking for thrift store treasures, borrowing from friends and searching in forgotten corners of the closet for that perfect piece. Attending MiniCon is an adventure in itself, offering an exciting journey for everyone, whether they choose to dress up or not, provided they embrace it with the spirit of a hero.

This is it. Time to show off my gaming prowess!

Alright men, let's strike a pose that'll make 'em quake in their boots!

Sweet

Science

Astronauts' Favorite Freeze-Dried Ice Cream Gets a Meringue Makeover

SStory and

cience! Space! Sillyness! These are some things that, in my experience, make almost anything more interesting. The best part? It’s all around us. We are constantly witnessing chemical reactions like fire, electricity interacting with almost everything we touch, and even our bodies working naturally. I never thought about it while in school, but as an adult, it’s mind-blowing. Then, combining that with the fact that I spend so much time in the kitchen now, I have fallen in love with all of the reactions around me.

Of course, the simple act of cooking is a reaction, but what about the way we use acids to cut heavy foods? How about the act of curing or preserving? Bread baking? Has anyone tried making beer or wine? It’s all so technical and exact.

This month, I wanted to bring a little bit of that science fun to all of you. At the same time, I didn’t want to do something super crazy or difficult.

Story

Something easy that would allow us to showcase a cool interaction of ingredients without being super hard. That’s when the idea came to me.

When I was growing up, I always wanted to be an astronaut. I was obsessed with everything space. I went to Houston to see the space center, made a homemade space suit for Halloween, and was crazy for astronaut food. Like every good kid, ice cream was always my favorite, and there was the problem. Freeze dried ice cream was expensive, and I didn’t have any access to a freeze drier (you can get them easily nowadays if you’re willing to part with a few grand). So instead, my dad and I set out to find the closest thing possible. We ended up at meringues. Super easy, nice and tasty, and easily customizable to any flavor your heart could desire. So, from my family to yours, here are my Out-of-this-world Astronaut ice cream meringues.

photos by Danny

- Ingredients -

6 egg whites

½ tsp of cream of tartar

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tbsp of vanilla extract (or I use paste)

Ice cream fillings

- directions -

1: To start off, separate your eggs. It’s super important to make sure you don’t break any yolks at this stage. Even a drop of yolk can keep your whole dish from ever stiffening up. I always like to save my yolks for something like preserving or marinating. I strongly recommend a stainless-steel bowl for the mixing as it seems to help the meringue form better.

2: It's important to point out that a hand mixer is a wonderful tool as apposed to hand mixing. While doing this with a whisk is possible, you may hate everything by the time you’re done. Once thats decided, beat the egg whites until very foamy. Then, add in your cream of tartar and continue to beat. The egg whites will slowly become thicker until you reach soft peaks.

3: Add in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, while mixing. This is where cool science happens. The sugar mixed with the egg whites makes the surface tension of the bubbles stronger. The more we beat at this stage means we’ll get super fine, sweet bubbles that hold their shape extremely well.

4: Now mix in whatever you like! Extracts and food colorings, small pieces of fruit, chocolate syrup, and so much more. Have a blast here while heating your oven to 220°F.

5: Scoop the meringue onto a lined baking sheet and pop into the oven for about 3 hours. Remember, we don’t want to caramelize the sugar, just set everything and make it yummy and crunchy just like dehydrated ice cream.

I hope you and your family have fun with this. My kiddos went crazy for these, and it was really special to share a piece of my childhood with them.

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Let's Make Ramen!: A Comic Book Cookbook

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Playful and instructive, this hybrid cookbook/ graphic novel introduces the history of ramen and provides more than 40 recipes for everything you need to make the perfect bowl at home including tares, broths, noodles and toppings. Authors Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan present colorful, humorous, and easyto-follow comics that fully illustrate the necessary steps and ingredients for delicious homemade ramen.

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Elite Trainer Box

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This fantastic collection includes a series of useful accessories to start playing. You'll find eight booster packs for Sword and Shield - Fusion Strike that will give you tons of cards to enrich your collection. The 65 protective bags inside dedicated to the mysterious Pokémon Mew will allow you to best preserve your deck and with accessories such as the damage counter dice and acrylic special condition counters you can play in style. There's even a player guide for the new expansion that can help you fine-tune your strategies; all contained in a sturdy collector's case, perfect for storing your cards.

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Jedi Lunch Box Set

Culture - $85

Even a Jedi needs lunch. This box set comes with a limited edition Jedi lunch box and matching thermos, because fighting the Sith is hungry work. Includes lunch box, three pairs of socks and a thermos.

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EVENT CALENDAR

Your Best Life Festival: Eleventh – 10 am - 3 pm

All are welcome to this free community event. Find information on health & wellness from a variety of agencies, businesses, and organizations. Learn about community resources, insurance, mental health, nutrition, physical fitness, safety, and more. Bring the kids for free fun activities , including a bounce house, face painting, chair massages and fitness demos. For details, visit NAMIGuadalupeCounty.org/festival.

Location: Seguin Coliseum at the Seguin Events Complex, 950 S. Austin St.

Third Thursday: sixteenth – 4 - 8 pm

Businesses and shops in Downtown Seguin are open with sales, events, snacks and fun! Each month features a different, exciting theme. Shop Seguin. Shop Local. Shop Small. Help support local businesses as they change to meet the ever-changing environment. Shop online or in store.

Location: Central Park, 201 S. Austin St., Seguin

BADGES, bikes & tykes: Eighteenth – 11 am - 2 pm

Seguin Police Department & Seguin Fire Department team up for a day of carnival games, prizes, bike raffles, yummy food, face painting, and more. Children 16 & under are welcomed.

Location: Max Starcke Park East-Patricia K. Irvine-King Pavilion, 1412 River Drive E.

1st Annual Touch a Truck: Eighteenth – 11 am - 3 pm

Let your little explorers dive into the excitement of their favorite trucks up close. Enjoy pony rides, free hot dogs, game booths, and a special visit from Elroy the Elk!

Location: Elks Lodge, 1331 CH Matthies Dr.

Women's Council Social: Twenty-ninth – 5 - 6:30 pm

Come mingle with a few of your Seguin Chamber Women's Council friends and make a few new ones in the process. As we move through the 2nd Quarter of the year, we want to stay connected as a committee and a chamber. Our next Women's Council event will be the 2024 Texas Women of Influence Gala Night and Conference on August 7 & 8, 2024.

Location: The Rose Room at the 1916 Bar & Bistro at the Aumont, 301 N. Austin St.

Fallen Heroes Night: Thirty-First – 6:30 - 9 pm

Pay tribute to our fallen heroes during the Seguin River Monsters' Fallen Heroes Night at the iconic Smokey Joe Williams Field, and come together as a community to honor the brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and safety.

Location: Smokey Joe Williams Baseball Field, 637 Midway.

SEGUIN

SEGUIN

SEGUIN

128 Hwy. 46 S at Court St. (830) 379-6659

128 Hwy. 46 S at Court St. (830) 379-6659

128 Hwy. 46 S at Court St. (830) 379-6659

123 S. King St. (830) 379-6654 SAN MARCOS 1044 Hwy. 123 (512) 396-3439 SCHERTZ 1190 Borgfeld Rd. at FM 3009 (830) 566-1077 Not just oil, Pennzoil

NEW BRAUNFELS

NEW BRAUNFELS

988 Mission Dr. at Landa St. (830) 625-0401

988 Mission Dr. at Landa St. (830) 625-0401

482 Hwy. 46 S Next to Kohl’s (830) 626-3280

SCHERTZ 1190 Borgfeld Rd. at FM 3009 (830) 566-1077 Not just oil, Pennzoil

(830)

123 S. King St. (830) 379-6654 SAN MARCOS 1044 Hwy. 123 (512) 396-3439

123 S. King St. (830) 379-6654 SAN MARCOS 1044 Hwy. 123 (512) 396-3439

992 Business IH35 S 830-214-0622

(830) 626-3280 992 Business IH35 S 830-214-0622

482 Hwy. 46 S Next to Kohl’s (830) 626-3280 992 Business IH35 S 830-214-0622

OPEN: Mon - Fri 8AM-6PM • Sat 8AM-5PM

OPEN: Mon - Fri 8AM-6PM • Sat 8AM-5PM