CC Publishing - February 2012

CC

FEBRUARY 2012

MAGAZINE

INTERNET CENSORSHIP

CROSS THE BORDER

WHY SOPA & PROTECT IP AREN’T ABOUT PIRACY

MR. SMARTY PANTS GOES TO PROGRESSO

GHETTO KLOWN JOHN LEGUIZAMO BRINGS HIS HIT BROADWAY SHOW TO CC

Available

FREE on megaupload

En

How BIG is your carbon footprint?

Decrease it by converting your home to Natural Gas.

Natural Gas is: Clean Burning Domestic Environmentally Friendly Abundant Contact the Corpus Christi Gas Department today and find out how easy it is for you to convert your existing electrical appliances to Natural Gas. You may qualify for up to $750 in rebates‌ and you will be doing YOUR part to conserve our planet.

4225 S Port Ave CC, Tx 78415

(361)885-6910

www.cctexas.com/gas

CC magazine

JEFF CRAFT Publisher

JCRAFT@CCMAGONLINE.COM

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Samantha Koepp, Dale Rankin, Georgia Griffin, Ronnie Narmour, Aletha Eyerman

PHOTOGRAPHY Lenz Photos Courtesy of Tony Martinez & thecrushgirls.com.

Miles Merwin, Jan Rankin, Dale Rankin, Ronnie Narmour, Georgia Griffin, Fiddler on the roof photos © 2010, Carol Rosegg

From the Publisher...

I visited with some of the Occupy Corpus Christi protesters at the funeral for democracy protest. I counted about 60 people while I was there, and they got almost uniformly positive feedback from the people driving by. What were they protesting? The supreme court last year ruled that corporations are people, people have the right to free speech, therefore corporations can engage in political speech without limit. What this translates to for us down on the ground is unlimited campaign money for the candidates who are willing to “dance with them what brung ya.”

I have yet to meet anybody in Corpus Christi who calls this a good idea, if you’re out there, my contact information is on the left side of this page. I’d love to hear from you. So the good people at Occupy Corpus Christi put democracy in a coffin and held a funeral. I’m always somewhat cynical about these things, and I don’t know what was accomplished at this event, maybe a few people learned what corporate personhood means, maybe other people saw the crowd and won’t be so afraid to speak their minds in the future. It is hard to be the only person who disagrees with everyone on TV. Sometimes just knowing there’s others out there who see things the way you do makes it easier to speak up. I hope so.

We welcome a new contributor to this issue, Kyle Hoelscher is a local attorney who wanted to chime in on the latest round of antipiracy legislation. While he talks mostly about SOPA, don’t be fooled into believing that fight is over. If past behavior of congress is any guide, an identical or even worse bill will pass in the dead of night when we’re distracted by something else.

Mr. Smarty Pants takes us down to Progresso, he’s been organizing trips down there and has found the town of Progresso to be welcoming and no more dangerous than it was back in the old days when we all went to Mexico for fun and prescriptions.

Oh, and John Leguizamo, wow. He really opened up to Aletha Eyerman in this issue, and gave us a lot of insight into how his creative process works, a long talk about family and his own personal history, and just a little bit of foreskin.

Happy February, don’t forget, its a Leap Month, and we’ll see you on the other side!

Jeff Craft

Occupy Corpus Christi held a funeral for democracy in protest of the Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate money in federal elections. © Copyright 2011 all rights reserved. CC Publishing, LLC reserves the right to edit, rewrite & refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions, or consequence arising from it. CC magazine shall be held harmless indemnified against any third party claims. CC Publishing, LLC accepts no claims made by agents, contributors or photographers. Opinions expressed by contributing writers or columnists are not necessarily those of CC Publishing, LLC or its affiliates. Advertisers appearing in CC magazine present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. CC magazine is printed in the USA. We assume no responsibility for advertising claims made in this publication. All correspondence to this publication becomes the property of CC magazine. Publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without express permission of the publisher and author(s).

12 The Canvas “Wow. Teeny tiny pieces…” those were my first words upon looking at detailed photographs of Harvey Crouch’s singular woodworking creations. Now, some may be surprised to find a woodworker as the focus of a column that is about local artists, but let there be no mistake about it – Harvey Crouch IS an artist, and he makes wood sing.

26

Fiddler on the Roof The first song, “Tradition” welcomed the entire cast to the stage and the power of those voices was unlike anything I have ever heard. Then, imagine my surprise to see the beautiful, bearded Tevye belt out a version of Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl!”

Ok, I know better. But I had you for a minute, right?

08

SOPA is Censorship

10

Inside the Center

12

26

11 Art Scene 14 STARS Events Page 15 Live Music tonight 18 Dining Guide 21 Night Life & Club guide 21 Personal Services guide 23 The Lenz

Ghetto Klown

10

16

John Leguizamo’s new, one-man performance Ghetto Klown, will be bringing him to American Bank Center’s Selena Auditorium on Valentine’s Day. John was the perfect gentleman who graciously answered all of my questions, did not ridicule my long-handed writing style (he actually said my approach made me part of my writing – and he liked that!) and he even parted with some great advice. So, it is only natural that I will now ask myself, before I do anything: What Would John Leguizamo Do?

CC CONTACT CC @ 361.443.2137 505 S Water St Suite 545 Corpus Christi, Tx 78401

ADVERTISING 361.443.2137 SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions are now available for delivery anywhere in continental United States ONLY $24.95 per year!

Place your order at 361-443-2137

For points of distribution go to ccmagonline.com

Residential Auto Commercial

ial

cial

Ask Mr. Smarty Pants

English, ask them where to find the best deals.

Park and walk across; your car is safe but driving is not worth the trouble.

Arturo’s, the main restaurant for years in Progresso, is open but closes early.

Just down the street the Red Snapper is a hot spot for Winter Texans where they have a band that plays all afternoon.

As always the best advice when visiting is border town is to march to the sound of the accordions. If you hear accordion music coming out of a place with a dog sleeping on the porch and no front door then that’s where you want to go. That’s the one thing that never changes about a border town.

He Knows Everything There Is To Know About Corpus Christi

mrsmartypants@ccmagonline.com

Dear Mr. Smarty Pants,

Weird place to be a dog

I am originally from Ohio but I have lived in Corpus Christi for almost thirty years. When my family and friends come down to visit they all ask me if it is safe to go to the Mexican border to fun, booze, medicine, and dental work? I tell them I haven’t been in a while and I think the tourist industry there is down.

So is it safe, and can my friends from the Great White North safely go there?

The things that make border towns Border Towns are still there. Matamoros was always a stink hole (sorry Matamoros Chamber of Commerce but it’s true), Nuevo Laredo even in calm times was always one gunshot away from a border war. The real loss is Acuna which was the gem of Border Towns and is now off limits.

Pat Lewis

Mr. Smarty Pants once saw a dog get hit by a car in Nuevo Laredo and that dog rolled all the way under the car and came out the back side on his feet and started walking away like nothing happened. Just looking for his next meal. Along came a man pushing a cart selling corn on the cob who ran out in the street and grabbed that dog up by the withers and carried him to the sidewalk where he tried to sell him to a passing lady tourist as “the perro who defeated the angry car.”

The Island

Well, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Smarty Pants has been dropping down across the border for some cultural exchange since he was knee-high to a chimichanga.

He is most dismayed at the current state of affairs which makes hitting some border towns and coming back with your cabeza attached a dicey proposition. In fact in Progresso the number of visitors from the U.S. is down by about 400,000 per year – from about 1 million to 600,000- since the border trouble broke out in 2008.

Life is cheap in a Border Town. It’s a weird place to be a dog. Or a Gringo.

But Mr. Smarty Pants must say he was greatly disappointed by the weak attempt at keeping Mexicans from crossing the border without papers. The little old piss-ant wall they build is not but about twenty feet high. We only want the cream of the crop coming up here looking for jobs and heck, anybody can get over a little old fence like that. How are we every going to improve the quality of our workforce if our barrier to entry is only twenty feet high? Huh!?

Heck, American workers could get over that. We can do better.

Election Day Blues Over the years Mr. Smarty Pants has had some harrowing experiences along the Mexican Border. He once he had a gnat fly up his nose on live television and his attempt to remove it by instinctively jamming a roving digit in after it became the choice piece of tape at the News Director’s Convention a few months later in San Antonio. In the days before YouTube sticking your finger up your nose on a live satellite feed was hot stuff.

But most disappointing was a trip to Progresso only a few years ago which as it turned out was on Election Day. To his dismay he discovered that the Mexicans close all the bars on Election Day. It is true what they say; there is truly the Right way, the Wrong way, and the Mexican Way. Why would you close the bars on Election Day when at the time there was only one party to vote for? It’s not like you could get drunk and elect the wrong guy. Fortunately we found a liquor store owner of weak moral character and ended up sitting in the middle of the street at a metal folding table until sunup with a sober election behind us.

In some ways life in a Border Town is what it always was.

Belly to Belly So to answer your question Mr. Lewis we did a Gonzo Reconnaissance and headed for Progresso last weekend to see if indeed Ohioans are cleared to cross. First of all the best bar there – the Belly to Belly with the mechanical bull is now closed. Belly up due to fear running off all the nighttime tourists.

It was sort of like a Saturday night in Aransas Pass after the shrimp fleet has sailed and the cops have put out the word to cut the crap. You could stay there and be perfectly safe but there be nothing to do. From what we heard the little people are fine in Progresso. If you own a business there you’re gonna need a bodyguard. But if you’re just going to get your teeth fixed or your little blue pills you’ll be fine.

It was Billy Joe Shaver who said:

There ain’t no God in Mexico

Ain’t no way to understand

How that border crossing feeling

Makes a fool out of a man

Go the border Mr. Lewis. Buy the first chiminea you see and carry it around with you the rest of the day because you saved six bucks by buying it in Mexico instead of at HEB. Buy a pocket full of chicle and get your boots shined. It’s part of the cultural exchange.

They have good dentists down there and they don’t charge a lot. If you are getting bridge work done or a new cap you’re going to have to make a second trip in a couple of weeks. If you are looking to buy prescription drugs then take your prescription with you but shop around. On some drugs we found the price to actually be higher than the U.S. prices. You’ll find plenty of locals who speak

So close to America,So far from God. 07

Support Of SOPA & Protect IP Is Support Of Censorship

by Kyle Hoelscher Before January 18th, 2012, very few people were aware that the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), or HR 3261 for those so inclined to look up the text, had been quietly gaining approval by many Congressmen and Senators. Even while both parties fought tooth and nail over mundane budget items, they managed to set their partisan differences aside to vote this bill unanimously out of the House Judiciary Committee.

much since the industry was first invented. Create a movie, sell it at movie theaters, then at discount theaters, then package it for VHS, then DVDs, now Blueray and finally sell it to cable TV. Enter the internet. Now movie companies are seeing their movies being downloaded thousands of times on the internet. The Industry has been working off the same model for so long; they can’t comprehend another way to make money while still creating movies and music.

Also, before January 18th, 2012, the bill was going to quietly move on for a vote by the House on January 24, 2012. Luckily for free speech, the online community, including many big internet names such as Google, Wikipedia, Craigslist, and Reddit, banded together. They held an online protest where all participating websites blacked out their pages and replaced it with information on SOPA and the danger this legislation poses to free speech on the internet.

The fact is that downloading is not ever going to stop. Right or wrong, it will not stop. The Industries have two options before them. Option 1: They can update their business models to adapt to new technology, the way that every business in this country must conform to a changing market. The Industries could offer their movies to online viewers in high quality or in high definition through secure channels.

The Industries could create a more compelling theater experience. There are a number of ways that the Industries can compete to low quality downloads. And option 2: Force the entire market to change so that they can keep their old business model intact. The Industries opted to lobby government to pass legislation that would allow them to keep their antiquated business models, at the expense of the internet.

For those that don’t know anything about SOPA, do not rely on this article for full information, please check the Wikipedia article on the subject. For those of you who will not be checking the Wikipedia page, this bill was created by the movie and music industry to give them and the government more ways to shut down websites for being associated with content that infringes on their copyrights.

Now, this goal in itself is not so bad of a thing, copyrights are good things. They reward artists with the exclusive right to market and sell the things they create.

The problem is that very legislation is what we are now referring to SOPA. It’s essentially everything that the Industries wanted in order to have control over all aspects of the distribution of their copyrighted material.

Concerns about internet freedom and free speech are not addressed in any fashion in the bill. That’s because this bill is not about striking a balance between protecting copyrights and free speech, it’s about the Industry getting everything it wants so that it won’t have to adapt to a changing environment.

The problem is caused by the actual language and tools that will be handed over to private corporations and government agencies. These tools will allow them to shut down a website with no judicial oversight and no warning. The danger that this bill poses to free speech in this country cannot be understated. The internet has become a massive engine of free speech activity. It has allowed any person, no matter who they are, to broadcast their opinions to a worldwide audience.

Almost all of the opinions are as obscure as they would be if spoken on a street corner, but the mere fact that one person has the ability to communicate with such a massive audience has never existed in human history. The problem arises when people use this massive ability to connect with other people to shares movies and music online.

Now enters the music and movie industries (the Industries). They see the internet as a threat to their business models. I will use movies as the example, but it equally applies to other similar, art driven companies. The way the movie industry works has not changed

It would be a waste of time to discuss every thing that is wrong with this bill, or this article would begin to stretch on for many dozens of pages. So, I’ll limit it to just three new powers that the government and the Industries would obtain through this bill and how they make fundamental changes to the internet and censor speech.

08

The first and most dangerous provision is that SOPA allows the US government to shut

& rt

down entire websites based on an Industry accusation of infringement. That’s right, an accusation. No proof need be offered. No judge need be consulted. If the Industries think that you are a copyright infringing website, you will be taken down by the US government without notice. You will then have the burden to prove that you are not an infringing site before the US government will grant you the ability to have a website again.

This is a fundamental change in how copyright law currently works. This moves all power over what you see on the internet into government control. The current system is that if the Industries believe you are hosting copyrighted material, they can send you what is known as a DMCA Takedown Notice. This notice specifically says what the company thinks is infringing material, why they think this, and includes a request to remove the content from the website. This system is fully functional. It gives offending websites the chance to remove any truly copyrighted material. It gives those websites information on why it might be infringing. If the website refuses to take down the material, then the company that issued the takedown notice can sue the website in court. Then a judge gets to decide if something was infringing and awards damages accordingly.

Did you notice the checks and balances in the current system? Notice is given, information is exchanged, and an opportunity to correct content on the website is available with no adverse consequences. SOPA removes all of this. SOPA makes the Industries the judge and jury with regards to copyright. They say it’s copyrighted; the site will be taken down. Not only will it be taken down, the US government has the power to force that takedown.

Megaupload.com after the January 19th takedown, or proof that the current law is more than sufficient.

If you were storing files on megaupload, they are gone.

Regardless of whether they contained copyrighted material.

That alone should give you a chill, but let’s take it a step further. What if the Industries did not just try to protect their copyright, but simply disagreed with what you were saying in the content that they complained about. Under SOPA, the Industries could just tell the US government to shut down a website, the government would do so and then nobody could access whatever the Industry did not agree with. Surely a legal battle over this type of takedown would occur, but how many people can truly afford legal fees like that to keep their small website up and running?

can be put in prison. If you upload a single song, you can be put in prison. If you host a website with links to infringing material, you can be put in prison. These prison terms are 3 to 5 years in a federal prison for first offense and up to 10 years for a second offense.

And a greater problem, we don’t know exactly who could go to prison under the language in the SOPA bill. The bill was drafted with language so flexible that if your son or daughter had infringing material on your computer, then you could be brought to trial over that single issue and face 5 years in a federal prison. It’s not likely that the US government would launch a massive arrest campaign to go after small fry copyright infringers, but I would not like to live in a country where the government gets to decide when it massively enforces mundane laws. The fact is that our Constitution gives all freedom to the people and gives the government certain defined powers that infringe that freedom. In the United States, freedom does not live at the grace of government, the government lives on the good graces of the people’s freedom. SOPA switches that for anything to do with copyright.

You might be a kind hearted soul who is saying to yourself, “the Industries would not do that, they are just trying to protect profits.”

The truth is that these Industries have already done the very thing which I describe. Do a quick Google search for “The Mega Song.”

You’ll find a video which is fairly low key, but features a number of big name artists. These artists got together to support a website called Megaupload.com. The movie and music industries do not like Megaupload and are constantly trying to sue them out of existence.

So, when these mainstream artists promoted the site, the Industries issued a DMCA takedown notice on the song. The problem here, the song contained absolutely no copyrighted material, not a single frame or sound was from a copyrighted item. The takedown was issued for the sole reason that they did not agree with the song. Luckily there are checks and balances in the current system, so the song remains free to listen to on the internet today. Under SOPA, that song would be removed from the internet because the music and movie industries did not like what the song said. On January 19th, U.S federal prosecutors in the state of Virginia shut Megaupload down and laid charges against its founder Kim Schmitz and others for allegedly breaching copyright infringement laws.

These powers are demanded by the Industries so that they can fight online piracy, but these industries already have so many tools available to them to do this same thing. They regularly use these tools. They simply want more. They are not happy with being able to take down any content on the web, they want to shut down sites. They don’t want to have court cases, they want regulatory agencies to do the work for them. They don’t want to change their business model to deliver what customers want, they want to keep their old ways, no matter who has to pay. They don’t care that the way the internet works today will be fundamentally changed

by SOPA. These Industries are not thinking about the consumer and they are certainly not thinking about free speech.

The second big problem with SOPA is how far this power reaches. The power I discussed above might be reasonable, with some checks and balances added and judicial oversight, we could knock out sites dedicated to nothing but copyright infringement for profit. SOPA would extend the power to take down websites to any website that links to a website that infringes. That’s right. One single hyperlink, under SOPA, is enough for the Industry to have the US government shut down your website. It doesn’t need to be posted by the website. It doesn’t need to be posted by the staff of the website. It merely needs to be on the website and the entire site could be blacked out to internet users.

On January 18th, 2012, the massive internet blackout raised awareness of SOPA. Awareness of this issue was raised to the point that legislators began withdrawing their support over the course of the day. The creator of the legislation, Rep. Lamar Smith, even put the vote on hold indefinitely. By the end of the day, Barack Obama also said he would veto the legislation, as written. This is not the end of the fight unfortunately. There has always been a sister bill that is still getting voted on, the PROTECT IP act. It’s essentially a SOPA back up bill in case SOPA failed. It has all the same bad provisions and must be stopped as well. In the end, even if both of these bills are defeated, the pressure for legislators to roll over for lobbyists remains. The music and movie industries are not going to stop pouring money into political campaigns. The only people that can stop these acts are the people. If you don’t do your part to protect the freedom of the internet, we will all lose it. Once a right is lost, it is never regained.

This is the epitome of guilt by association. You could operate a file sharing site in full compliance with the law. You could takedown any copyrighted material. You could have filters which prevent copyrighted materials from being hosted or posted on your website.

And if you have a bulletin board where one person posts one link to a website that hosts copyrighted content, then your whole website could be taken down by the US government at the request of a member of the movie or music industry. Now, apply “the Mega Song” incident and extend it to any and every site that might have linked that video. You are talking about a sweeping power to black out the internet on the whim of private industry or the US government. Got chills yet?

Please read further, follow links, be informed:

Ok, if neither of those fazed you, how about the third issue that I promised? SOPA enhances criminal penalties for copyright infringement. I don’t agree with current law, but it, at least, makes sense. If you make money by pirating software, movies, or music, then you can be charged with a crime and put in jail. It makes sense because it’s a form of theft. You are profiting from another’s loss. SOPA extends these penalties to anyone and everyone associated with copyright infringement. If you download a single song, you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOPA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act 09

Goddess Earth Controls Forces in Corpus Christi During Cirque du Soleil Dralion

by Samantha Koepp The forces of Mother Nature are known and felt by all – especially in Corpus Christi with the ever constant winds. In March Cirque du Soleil Dralion brings the Earth Goddess to human form at American Bank Center through a captivating performance by the main character Gaya, performed by African Dancer Dioman Gbou. As Goddess Earth, Dioman takes care of all the elements on stage. She maintains a balance between all forces such as when she mediates the conflict between fire and water.

Dioman joined the Cirque du Soleil Dralion tour 10 years ago. In 1999 the tour was in West Africa to cast the show and she was called to audition, joining the cast 3 months later. “I worked on Dralion from 1999-2008, then I went home and missed the show and seeing all the people in the audience and knew I had to go back,” said Gbou.

The first African dancer of the Cirque du Soleil tour, Dioman had danced for 6 years previously with the National Ballet of the Ivory Coast. “It’s an adjustment being on tour but I love traveling internationally so that people everywhere can see African dance.” The Dralion tour travels for 10 weeks and then takes a 2 week break. Before the show was restaged for arenas in 2010, the Big Top tours would last a year, staying 4-6 weeks at just one location. Now they are able to travel to more cities and visit home more often.

Dioman says that her character is always evolving through ongoing training and implementing new ideas. “I work closely with the artistic director and if I have an idea on how to make the character better I talk with them to see how we can incorporate it.”

If she is not on stage, Dioman is practicing, trying to make her character the best she can be. “I enjoy the character and am happy to be on stage.” She takes extreme pride and honor in her role and is determined to take character to as many different levels as possible. “I feel the character in my body when I am on stage so that people can understand what’s happening. People can see the way you are feeling, people have to be able to feel the show to understand it.”

Dioman most enjoys seeing all the different people who attend the shows and looks forward to their stop in Corpus Christi.

Cirque du Soleil Dralion will be at the American Bank Center Arena March 9-11, 2012. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 361-881-8499. American Bank Center is Corpus Christi’s premier event center providing unprecedented guest experiences. For more information, visit us online at www.americanbankcenter.com.

E TH

Center INSIDE THE

A

TH

E

Art Scene

A Few Items Of Note For December

K Space Contemporary 415 D Starr Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361.887.6834 KSpaceContemporary.org Hours: Wed-Sat 11a – 5p Free Admission

First Friday ArtWalk

Featuring original wood sculpture by the 2011 winner, Best of Show 2011 All Membership Show.

CULTURA Y VIDA: A Tejano Art Exhibition

Friday, February 17th through Saturday, March 4th, 2012 Organized by Texas A&M UniversityKingsville’s Art, Communications and Theatre Department, with support from LULAC Council No. 1 of Corpus Christi.

Treehouse Art Collective LLC

Notes to St. Peter

309 North Water Street, Suite D Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361.882.4822 TreehouseArtCC.com Hours: Tue-Sat 11a – 8p Sunday Noon to 6p Free Admission Opening Reception First Friday, February 3rd, 6p to 9p

Ricardo Ruiz & Ricardo V Ruiz

Featured Artist: Norma Gafford

February 3rd, 2012, 5:30-9 pm (ArtWalk) Main Gallery Constructed Realities: Sculptural Works Joshua Goode & Lesli Robertson

Hot Spot

Ricardo the Elder will also be doing a live painting performance in the gallery during ArtWalk!

Art Star Claudia Quintero brings us her brilliant paintings on serving platters this month.

Art Center of Corpus Christi 100 Shoreline Blvd Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Tel: 361.884.6406 Fax: 361.884.8836 ArtCenterCC.org Hours: 10a – 4p Everyday except Monday Monday CLOSED Admission is always FREE 39th All Membership Show Opening and Artists’ Reception Thursday, February 2nd, 2012, 6p to 9p Annual show featuring works by members of the Art Center. Juror: Ken Rosier, Del Mar College, Chair, Department of Art & Drama.

Best of Show winner to be honored with a solo exhibition the following year.

Harvey Crouch

Artist’ Reception for Solo Show Thursday, February 2nd, 2012, 6p to 9p

February 19th, 2012, from 1pm - 3pm Check the museum’s website event calendar for Moms& Tots and other events throughout the month.

Rockport Center for the Arts 902 Navigation Circle Rockport, Texas 78382 Tel: 361.729.5519 Fax: 361.729.3551 RockportArtCenter.com Hours: Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10a – 4p Sundays, 1p – 4p Closed Mondays Always Free Admission

Rockport Clay Expo 2012 Reception: Saturday, February 4th, 5-7p Featured Potter: Jim Bob Salazar Artist Demonstration: Sunday, February 5th, 10a – 1p West Texas ceramic artist Jim Bob Salazar returns to Rockport for a solo exhibition and demonstration.

Norma creates brilliant watercolor and colored pencil paintings. She also works magic with sterling silver, making the most beautiful jewelry of all kinds. Be sure and check out her “Sunken Treasure” line of jewelry.

Treehouse Art Collective LLC will also host a 5th birthday party for “Gus”, the proud cowboy hunk of a skinny-legged gull and unofficial ambassador of fun for Corpus Christi, Texas, during the ArtWalk.

Art Museum of South Texas 1902 N. Shoreline Blvd Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Tel: 361.825.3500 Fax: 361.825.3520 STIA.org Hours: Tues - Sat 10a to 5p Sundays 1p to 5p Closed Mondays & Holidays Admission: Adults $6 Seniors (60 and older) $4 Active Military $4 Students (12+) $2 Free: - All members - Children under age 12 - Texas A&M University-CC students Art of the Dive: Portraits of the Deep

January 20th through March 11th, 2012 The exhibition features 62 paintings, sculptures and photographs by marine painters and sculptors who portray underwater life forms and habitat.

“Fan Dancer” ©Ronnie Willford, 2011

Free Day at the Art Museum February 2nd, 2012, from 10am - 5pm Family Day 11

Contemporary Watercolors

Reception: Saturday, February 4th, 5-7p Corpus Christi artist Shelly Porter brings her contemporary watercolors to Rockport.

Festival of the Arts The Merriman-Bobys House 1521 North Chaparral Street Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 CCFestivalArts.org

By Appointment Only Always Free Admission

First Friday, ArtWalk February 3rd, 2012, 6p to 9p

The

Canvas

Exposing Local Artists…

By Georgia Griffin

Harvey Crouch “Wow. Teeny tiny pieces…” those were my first words upon looking at detailed photographs of Harvey Crouch’s singular woodworking creations. Now, some may be surprised to find a woodworker as the focus of a column that is about local artists, but let there be no mistake about it – Harvey Crouch IS an artist, and he makes wood sing.

Like many artists, Harvey took a lifelong hobby discovered in high school shop class to the next level after retiring. Having moved to Padre Island after his last tour of duty during his 31-year career as a USMC pilot, he retired as Commanding Officer of Marine Aviation Training Group at NAS Corpus Christi in 1993, and his journey toward artistry began in earnest.

After spending some years building custom furniture and cabinetry, Harvey took his first steps on “the road less traveled” – he bought a woodworking lathe. Rather quickly, Harvey became addicted to the self-expression available to him through woodturning. After he took some workshops with his mentor, Malcolm Tibbetts, he really began to develop some segmented turning skills.

Harvey is now the Vice President of the Segmented Woodturners Club, a specialized chapter of the American Association of Woodturners. Also known as polychromatic turning, it has captivated Harvey and become the focus of his serious artwork.

“Most of the things that I do now, most of the sculptures, you make something, and then you cut it apart, and then you reassemble it. It’s hard too. I spend a lot of my time thinking about a project.”

“This is one of my favorites (Don’t Fence Me In), there’s 840 pieces in there. It’s 40 inches. I go to 2-3 national shows every year, and they always recognize it - if it looks like it’s from Texas they always recognize that it’s my work. It’s sort of a joke among my friends. I like to think it’s art because I’m painting a picture – I’ve got a corral here, I’ve got longhorns there, I’ve got barbed wire here – I’m painting a picture of the longhorns in the southwest.

“There will be the purists who will say, “That’s a craft,” but you know the potters went through the same thing. They went through a lot of years before pottery was accepted as an art. It’s just a hard mindset to break. Eventually it gets there, but it’s time, it takes time. We’re still working in it. Some people have accepted it and some still haven’t. And if you go to an art gallery, you’ll see that reflected in the prices, because work like this is not typically priced as art. It’s priced as a craft. Now I work (in the studio) 5-6 hours a day, and I’ll have a month in a lot of these projects. If I sold them for whatever price

I could get for them I wouldn’t be making minimum wage. So I keep most of them, my children have quite a bit of them, and I give some away… I have sold probably a dozen pieces, but I sell them more by accident than by design.”

I was first introduced to Harvey’s work when his sculpture, Statement, won Best In Show last year, at the annual All Member’s Show for the Art Center of Corpus Christi.

12

still treated as ‘craftwork’. Nothing could be further from ‘merely craft’ than the pieces as complex and technically challenging as the sculptural works Harvey creates.

“It does require patience. You’re creating like 300 little pieces, cutting them and sanding them and gluing them together. There’s no paint or stain ever used in any of these. Most of the wood is from South America or Africa.”

Harvey gave me a very detailed description of the creation process for the piece, and man, it is intense! He shaped by turning on the lathe, he cut, he glued, he cut with a band saw, he notched and sanded and assembled, disassembled, made minute adjustments, tweaks and reglued… as he describes the process I could see that I should have paid far more attention to geometry, trigonometry and the virtue of patience as a kid! The end result, a complex grouping of gracefully arced tubes of wood balancing in air is just stunning.

“This base was actually my wife’s idea. I said I think a square base is just not going to do it justice, and she said, just follow the curve through there and the base becomes actually a part of the sculpture. And I think that really works.”

“When I won the best of show last year, I told the director (Bob Baker) that I was shocked because down there, clearly, the art center stresses things that are hung on a wall. They stress acrylics, oils and watercolors. I never thought I’d see a wooden piece take best of show down there. They had a graphic arts guy there last year [Kyle Chaput was the juror], and he appreciated the graphic impact of the piece.”

Harvey beamed as he showed me his latest masterpiece, Crooked Road Ahead. “This is going to be the feature of the art show that I have coming up. The only show I enter locally is the All Members Show, which I’m not going to enter this year, since I’m going to have the whole back room with the one man show. I want to feature this piece, and I think it would do very well in the [group] show, but I want it back there in my own show.”

I can understand Harvey’s surprise – I too was pleasantly surprised that his piece had won. It’s an unusual media in general, especially since, as discussed, when competing with the more traditional forms of artwork, it’s

“Believe it or not one of the hardest times I had was figuring out how to put this curved dashed line in this curved road. It took me a while, I had to think about that one.”

“You know, the local woodturners club here, they’ll go out and spend 3 hours and they’ll make a bowl. They can’t envision spending a month on a bowl… [but] some of them are starting to get into it; it’s kind of addictive once you start doing it.”

“It does require a different mindset though. You can’t expect instant gratification, and it’s a one-person endeavor. I spend at least as much time thinking about the next project and what’s possible, as doing it. My dog and I walk for 3 miles every day, and that’s where most of my projects come from is on that walk.”

Speaking of walking… I urge you folks to take a walk through the Art Center of Corpus Christi on Thursday, February 9th from 6p to 9p. You’ll be treated to two lovely local shows at one time. The 39th Annual All Members Show will be taking place, and Harvey Crouch will be taking advantage of his prize as last year’s Best in Show winner – a chance to have a solo show of the most elegantly turned artwork you’ll ever see, all assembled from teeny tiny pieces of exotic woods.

13

Events Page American Bank Center –Spamalot Feb. 6th 7:30pm

2nd Annual It’s Your Life Foundation Walk/Run – Feb. 11th Heritage Park 8:00am – 12:00pm 361-229-5561 Education on making healthy life choices, 2mile walk and 5k run along Corpus Christi bayfront. Fees apply, call for details.

Spamalot tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and show-stopping musical numbers are just a few of the reasons audiences everywhere

Harbor Playhouse –

Joesph and the Amazing Techn icolor Dreamcoat

Feb. 10- thru Ma rch 4th Take a journey int o one of the most loved storie s of The Bible as told through An drew Lloyd Weber’s tale of Jo seph and the Amazing Technic olor Dreamcoat.

An inspiring story that travels the highlights of Jose ph’s life telling of the trials and ultimate triumph .

Brilliantly staged in multiple generes of music and dance this show will remind you that indeed “any dream will do ”!

6th Annual Rise and Shine Walk/Run – Feb. 18th Whataburger Field 8:00am 361-533- 4778 Promoting awareness and the inclusion of people with special needs, raise funds to support the Rise School of Corpus Christi. 1k walk, 5k walk and 5k run. Fees apply, call for details.

Texas Outdoor Family Workshop – Feb. 18th - Feb. 19th Goose Island State Park. 512- 389-8900. This program will teach you and your family basic camping skills. Equipment supplied. Fees apply, call for details.

Friday, Feb. 3 – America’s Premiere Doo-Wop Group “The Alley Cats” and “The Perfect Gentlemen” keeping the tradition of vaudeville alive will join together for a nostalgic evening of singing and entertainment on Friday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The show is part of the Furgason! Bravo Series. Reserved-seat tickets are available at http://tamucc.tix.com; or by calling 361.825.ARTS (2787) to charge by phone. Tickets are $36 and $26; with $7 tickets for children, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi students with SandDollar$ ID.

Aurora Arts Theatre – Little Shop of Horrors running thru Feb. 19th auroraartstheatre.com

Mark your calendars!

At the Art Center of Corpus Christi on February 2nd, from 6-8pm, the Corpus Christi Independent Artists’ Group will be hosting a wine and cheese tasting.

Tickets are available at the Art Center Corpus Christi

Live Music Tonight

Live Music Tonight

The Coastal Bend's Most Complete Live Music Calendar Compiled by Ronnie Narmour

Wednesday, Feb. 1st Open Jam w/ Wolf Jaw @ Flats Lounge PA Rockers @ Bernie’s Beach House Beer & Berto Show @ House of Rock Crazy Cats @ Dr. Rockits Medicare Band @ Moby Dick’s

Thursday, Feb. 2nd Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House Fall/ Shattered Divinity/ Oh the Irony @ House of Rock Pat Green/ Bri Bagwell @ Brewster Street Ice House Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Reely Rotnz @ Executive Surf Club

Friday, Feb. 3rd Artwalk w/ Bar Nutz @ House of Rock Spazmatics @ Brewster Street Ice House Another Level @ Dr. Rockits Trysum @ Executive Surf Club Colin Roche @ Doc’s Seafood Alley Cats/ Perfect Gentlemen @ Performing Ars Center TAMUCC

Saturday, Feb. 4th Terri Hendrix @ 3rd Coast Theater Mike Pinto/ Ugly Lion/ Flatbroke @ House of Rock Fred Andrews & Honeybrowne @ Executive Surf Club Mike Milligan & the Altar Boys @ Dr. Rockits Pear Ratz/ Pake Rossi @ Brewster Street Ice House Colin Roche @ Doc’s Seafood

Saturday, Feb. 11th The 71’s/ Tommy Luke Toad/ Cavegirl @ House of Rock Second Saturday Sing-Along Piano Show @ Brewster Street Ice House Bus Stop Stallions @ Executive Surf Club Shelly King @ Dr. Rockits

D&S @ House of Rock Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits

Tuesday, Feb. 14th Open Mic w/ Rev. Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits

Dog Friendly ● Full Bar 520 S Shoreline Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361-726-3533

check us out on Urbanspoon.com check us out on Facebook.com

Wednesday, Feb. 15th

Saturday, Feb. 18th Richard Leigh @ 3rd Coast Theater Bluegrass Festival @ The Gaff Bri Bagwell & Banned @ Executive Surf Club Ruben V @ Dr. Rockits Not in the Face @ House of Rock CC Symphony @ Performing Arts Center TAMUCC

Sunday, Feb. 19th

Open Jam w/ Wolf Jaw @ Flats Lounge PA Rockers @ Bernie’s Beach House Red Giants @ Dr. Rockits Texas A&M Bug Party/ Shakedown @ House of Rock Medicare Band @ Moby Dick’s Thursday, Feb. 9th Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House James Hyland/ Two Peas in a Pod @ House of Rock Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits John Evans Band @ Executive Surf Club Rock & Worship Road Show @ American Bank Center

Open Electric Jam w/ Rockin’ Ricke @ Tarpon Ice House Ranson Jack @ Dr. Rockits Tumble Dry Low @ Bernie’s Beach House

Friday, Feb. 10th

Live music Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Open Jam w/ Wolf Jaw @ Flats Lounge PA Rockers @ Bernie’s Beach House Flatbroke @ House of Rock Forest Wayne Allen Band @ Dr. Rockits Medicare Band @ Moby Dick’s Thursday, Feb. 16th Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House Battle of the Bands @ House of Rock Stoney LaRue/ Dirty River Boys @ Brewster Street Ice House Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Shakedown @ Executive Surf Club

Wednesday, Feb. 8th

Hasta la Tierra/ Corrupt Bastards/ Obliterates/ Jokes on You/ Mariachi del Inferno @ House of Rock Scarecrow People @ Executive Surf Club John Cortez @ Dr. Rockits

Fri-Sat 11:00AM-Midnight

Burgers, Seafood, Salads, Sandwiches

Open Electric Jam w/ Rockin’ Ricke @ Tarpon Ice House The Weak Day Boys @ Dr. Rockits Tumble Dry Low @ Bernie’s Beach House

Redbull Schooled/ A.Dd/ Niceguys/ Kydd Jones/ Worldwide @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits Clarissa Serna @ Revolution Bar and Grill

Closed MONDAY

Monday, Feb. 13th

Friday, Feb. 17th

Tuesday, Feb. 7th

11:00AM till 10:00PM

Sunday, Feb. 12th

Philip Thomas/ Divided Revival @ House of Rock Another Level @ Brewster Street Ice House Chris Watson @ Dr. Rockits Bushbulit @ Executive Surf Club

Monday, Feb. 6th

Hours Sun, Tues-Thurs...

Open Electric Jam w/ Rockin’ Ricke @ Tarpon Ice House Flatbroke @ Dr. Rockits Tumble Dry Low @ Bernie’s Beach House

Sunday, Feb. 5th

Curtis Grimes @ House of Rock Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits Monty Python Spamalot @ American Bank Center

Sponsored by

Monday, Feb. 20th Curtis Grimes @ House of Rock Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits

Tuesday, Feb.21st Open Mic w/ Rev. Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music @ American Bank Center

Wednesday, Feb. 22nd Open Jam w/ Wolf Jaw @ Flats Lounge PA Rockers @ Bernie’s Beach House Beer & Berto Show @ House of Rock Neil Edwards Band @ Dr. Rockits Medicare Band @ Moby Dick’s

Thursday, Feb. 23rd

Monday, Feb. 27th

Supersuckers/ Spittin’ Cobras @ Executive Surf Club Casey Donahew/ Ryan Beaver @ Brewster Street Ice House Free Beer Band @ Tarpon Ice House Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Voodoo Glow Skulls/ Authority Zero/ Skyfox @ House of Rock

D$S @ House of Rock Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Dr. Rockits

Friday, Feb. 24th Hamilton Loomis @ Executive Surf Club Matt Haimovitz/ Javier Caderon/ Lee Buckner @ House of Rock The Groove @ Dr. Rockits JR Castillo @ Brewster Street Ice House American Spirit (Corpus Christi Live) @ Performing Arts Center TAMUCC

Tuesday, Feb. 28th Open Mic w/ Rev. Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits

Wednesday, Feb. 29th Open Jam w/ Wolf Jaw @ Flats Lounge PA Rockers @ Bernie’s Beach House HOBO @ House of Rock Justin Estes Band @ Dr. Rockits Medicare Band @ Moby Dick’s

Saturday, Feb. 25th Vallejo @ Executive Surf Club Rosie Flores @ Dr. Rockits

Sunday, Feb. 26th Open Electric Jam w/ Rockin’ Ricke @ Tarpon Ice House Tumble Dry Low @ Bernie’s Beach House Henry & the Invisibles @ Dr. Rockits Dance Gavin Dance/ A Lot Like Birds/ Decoder/ Tribal Seeds/ Fortunate Youth @ House of Rock

Voodoo Glow Skulls/ Authority Zero/ Skyfox @ House of Rock Thursday February 23

If your venue or show isn’t listed, let us know! we’ll get your dates in the next issue.

The Coastal Bend’s Most Complete Live Music Listings 15

What Would John Leguizamo Do? “I own my life, I can talk about it.

Unfortunately, you’re attached to it.”

16

by Aletha Eyerman To prep for my interview with the super smooth and talented John Leguizamo, I did what any journalist would do: exfoliated, moisturized, deep conditioned my hair and shaved my legs. There were a couple coats of mascara along with some really strong foundation garments, too. Sure, I could’ve spent some intimate time with Google or Netflix –brushing up on my Leguizamo performance catalog - but I knew that feeling and looking my best (even for a phone interview) were way more important than sounding like I knew what I was talking about.

performance with jogging (“Shows are no joke!”) and when you see him own the stage, you’ll understand why.

Academy award winning producer, actor, and old pal Fisher Stevens directs John’s performance in Ghetto Klown and as John explains, “I needed someone who knew me really well and would call me out if I tried to front…he [Fisher] is a great actor, producer, just won an Oscar for The Cove. He would call me on my bullshit.” About his own performance and expectations for the audience he offers, “Nothing like a live performance. [Its] incredible where we can all go with the power of suggestion, with mime. It’s amazing laughing at our foibles and weaknesses. It keeps me going.”

So, John. Gush. Swoon. He is that cool and captivating. His new, one-man performance Ghetto Klown, will be bringing him to American Bank Center’s Selena Auditorium on Valentine’s Day. Based on my experiences with his comedy, I eagerly anticipated a bit o’ raunch, some swear words… humor that would set my own potty mouth at ease. Alas, it was not to be. (He’s saving up for the show!) John was the perfect gentleman who graciously answered all of my questions, did not ridicule my long-handed writing style (he actually said my approach made me part of my writing – and he liked that!) and he even parted with some great advice. So, it is only natural that I will now ask myself, before I do anything: What Would John Leguizamo Do?

Nothing is really off limits, except for the stuff he just can’t talk about, legally.

One visit to the show’s website ghettoklownonbroadway.com and immediately you’ll hear audio of John’s voice divulging that lawyers were calling him telling him to cease and desist; his family is suing him… all over the material in the show. What would make his own family sue him? “People don’t like to be portrayed in less than stellar ways. I own my life, I can talk about it.

Unfortunately, you’re attached to it.” But family? Suing him? He claims that his parents are still part of the show but he offers a more mature, forgiving portrayal of them. “It’s not perfect or great, but accept it.” How does he feel about censorship, his orders to cease and desist? He obviously can’t share that with us (I know about it!!!) but he said of censorship: “It’s easy to let go of the small stories.” This is going to be a great show!

The start of something good John started doing college talks around the country. He would “imbibe to loosen up while talking about my career, being a comedian, an actor, all sorts of ridiculousness. I’d talk about the journey of being a performer and the mistakes I’ve made, successes, the little moments.” These talks were the muse for Ghetto Klown, John’s fifth, one-man play (his third on Broadway).

The show gets its name from the guys who would hang out on the street or at the park; the guys “like me, who made the time go fast and had nothing but each other to goof on.”

Oh, and one more thing…I actually did do more than just moisturize in preparation of this interview and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this teeny, tiny, little thing (or a really big thing, depending on who’s you’re talking about) is a topic of conversation commonly associated with his name in online message boards (thanks to his frank discussion on the matter in Playboy Magazine).

Foreskin. Let’s talk foreskin not because it was a huge part of my conversation with JOHN LEGUIZAMO (we didn’t go deep into it, we just touched on the tip of it) but because I know my mother is reading this and I know that she will gasp in horror to find out that I. Went. There. Yes I did, Momma. John is on Team Foreskin, though he won’t be discussing it in Ghetto Klown (it was in Freak!)

After all the films (Carlito’s Way, Romeo & Juliet, To Wong Foo, Moulin Rouge, ) and television (The Kill Point, ER) John insists that the stage is his favorite domain because “you just can’t fake it.” It’s the “Olympics of acting, has to be authentic.” The stage is where the real boys play. And play he does!

But make no mistake – it is work, hard work. He prepares for his high octane 17

Dining Guide Tango Tea Room

LOS CABOS Cafe & Cantina Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Yin Yang Fandango & Tango Tea Room Los Cabos Cafe & Cantina in Flour Bluff serves authentic Mexican cuisine made from the freshest ingredients. We have an outdoor patio (smoking allowed) and a full bar.

Live entertainment Thursday through Sunday.

15% discount for seniors and military with proper ID. Kids Eat Free!

939-8300 Phone 939-8302 FAX 9601 S.P.I.D.

With 30+ years of German baking experience and tradition in Germany, owners Juergen & Brigitte Kazenmayer have brought the original tastes, aromas and joys of German breads, pastries, pies and cakes to Corpus Christi, Texas. Committed to maintaining the highest German standard, every product is handmade following age-old German traditions and recipes. There are no short-cuts at JB’s. Every product is made from scratch. We want you to experience the best of Germany in Texas 15137 S.P.I.D. On the Island 361-949-5474 Open Tues - Sat 7 am - 7 pm Sunday 8 am - 6 pm

The Tango Tea Room brings a taste of Austin to Downtown Corpus. Tango serves a variety of Mediterranean and world cuisine, including some of the best vegetarian and vegan fare you can find in Corpus. We also specialize in vegan and gluten-free desserts, cupcakes and muffins. Come on down and get your hippie on!

505 S. Water Street in downtown Corpus Christi.

361-883-9123 Tangofandango.com

Holiday Hours:

10-3 Monday through Thursday 10-9 Friday & Saturday 12-6 Sunday

ve

S.P .I.D

Flo u

rB

luff

Dri

Los Cabos

Fun t

rac k

ers

Voted Best Full Service Restaurant 2011 Taste of the Island

Intracoastal Waterfront Dining • NEW menu selections Lunch specials starting at $5.99 • Spectacular sunsets • Scenic view of boats, barges and wildlife • Live music Friday & Saturday nights by local artists • Large “sea-level” patio for parties and events

Located on Padre Island Under the JFK Bridge 13309 S. Padre Island Dr. www.docsseafoodandsteaks.com

361.949.6744 Open Daily 11AM

Like us on Facebook

Libations Amusements 18 holes of miniature golf Open 11 am - 2 am Kitchen Closes @ 1 am 2034 State Highway 361 361 749- Taco (8226)

c

m 361 6)

G�i��

golf

Dining Guide

Snoopy’s and Scoopy’s Live Music ● Art Shows

Coffee Waves Port A 1007 State Hwy 361 Port Aransas 361-749-0825 Open 6am-Midnight

Buy One Gelato Get One Free!

Only in Port A

c

Snoopy’s Pier was literally a product of the Redfish Wars, a battle over commercial fishing rights in Texas. Ernie Buttler realized the Redfish Wars signaled the beginning of the end of the commercial fishing industry in Texas. So Ernie decided to give up trying to catch fish and shrimp and start cooking them instead. In August 1980 Ernie and his wife, Corliss, purchased a small bait stand and burger joint with a fishing pier on the Intracoastal Waterway. Over time, the place was transformed with a lot of hard work and patience into a family-friendly seafood restaurant. Special attention is given to providing local harvested quality seafood at affordable prices.

Scoopy’s was opened by Ernie’s wife and features home made soups, salads and sandwiches using only Texas products. Scoopy’s is proud of their shrimp salad, known by locals as the best in town.

They also have great house made desserts and ice cream by the scoop.

13313 S.P.I.D. · Corpus Christi (361) 949-8815 · snoopyspier.com

C Bar

C Bar offers organic gourmet coffees, artisan level espresso, fresh-baked pastries, assorted panini sandwiches, frozen fruit smoothies and gelato. In addition to CoffeeWaves’ popular menu, C Bar has a full premium bar featuring microbrewery beer, an extensive wine list and super premium liquor.

Taking advantage of this unique combination, C Bar serves fresh fruit gelato daiquiris and piña coladas and coffee Bailey’s with gelato. C Bar’s signature drink? Martini Floats!

361-749-0704 165 Social Circle in Cinnamon Shore 5009 Hwy 361in Port Aransas

Town & Country Cafe has great breakfast and lunch specials every day, offering great food at a fair price. Town & Country Cafe is a great location for business meetings and client luncheons and there is no charge for the use of the meeting room.

4228 South Alameda Corpus Christi, TX 78412

(361) 992-0360 Locally Owned and Operated

Taste The Difference!

The Gourmet Pizza Our famous Padre Pizza dough is handmade daily. Our sauces are created from the freshest tomatoes and seasoned with our own Chef’s blend of natural herbs and spices.

Our lasagna made from scratch daily is the most tasty and delicious you will ever try, and our salad selections are prepared to order using the freshest produce available.

14993 SPID On the Island 949-0787

949-7737 � 15370 SPID- On the Island Located on Padre Island, Island Italian has been serving the community since 1987. A family friendly restaurant, Island Italian also serves beer and wine and is available for private parties of up to 53 people. Flat screen TV and DVD / VHS for meetings. Delivery on Padre Island after 5pm.

Daily Lunch and Dinner Specials.

Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday 11am to 9:30pm Saturday 10am to 10pm Sunday 5pm to 9:30pm

Located at Ennis Joslin & Ocean Drive Featuring a buffet seven days a week, twice daily.

Dine-in amenities include Big Screen TVs, Free WiFi, Daily Beer Specials, Texas A&M Sand Dollars accepted.

Military Appreciation on Tuesdays.

Visit pizzastate.com for daily specials and online coupons. College Student and Senior Discounts.

6133 S. Alameda, Corpus Christi Tx 78412 (361) 993-3283

d o o f a e S t a e r G and Burgers All you can eat shrimp Wednesdays are back!

Thursdays Prime Rib with Twice Baked Potato

Libations Amusements 18 Holes of Miniature Golf

Open 11 am - 2 am Kitchen Closes @ 1 am

One Bite & You’re Hooked

2034 State Highway 361

361 749- Taco (8226)

801 Tarpon, Port Aransas, TX 78373 Open 2pm to 2am Every Day! 361-749-1990 NFL Sunday Ticket, Big 10 Network on 6 Big Screens Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3-7pm Live Music, Never a Cover Book your holiday party, birthday or special event now!

In Ace Hardware Strip Center

Personal Services

15201 S.P.I.D Suite 110 On The Island Call for reservations 949-0794 theislandsedgehairsalon.com Roni, Owner/Stylist

G�i��

Our goal at The Island’s Edge Hair Salon is to educate our clients.

The focus will be on enhancing, balancing & maintaining a realistic hair lifestyle. Owner / Stylist Roni has 19 years experience as a stylist in elite salons and earned 2nd place in a prestigious national color competition.

Live Music

1023 Hwy 361, Ste A pORT aRANSAS tx 361-749-joes

It’s not the oldest bar in Port Aransas but it IS the coldest. Always entertaining, The Flats is where the “locals” hang out. Pool, darts, juke box and live music on the weekends. It’s never too slow and it’s never too busy; get to know the bartenders by name, and you’ll never wait for a drink! Say hi to owners John and Lynda, and meet some new friends!

Night Life Night Life

G�i��

Club GUide

For some the Ultra life is a friendly game of softball, a weekend bike group or searching for that perfect round of golf. In the end, it's all about having fun. With 95 calories, 2.6 carbs and one exceptionally smooth taste, Michelob Ultra is the superior light beer perfectly balanced for your life.

WHAT'S YOUR ULTRA LIFE?

TELL US AT FACEBOOK.COM/MICHELOBULTRA

©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Michelob Ultra® Light Beer, St. Louis, MO • 95 calories, 2.6g carbs, 0.6g protein and 0.0g fat, per 12 oz.

THE

Lenz

Art of Giving @ House of Rock

Toys for Tots

23

It Takes Tea To Tango

Real, Satisfying food prepared just for you from fresh ingredients Huge Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free Friendly Menu Fresh Non-veg stuff too.

Ice Cold Drinks Smoothies Flavored Teas Milkshakes And other cool treats

Tango Tea Room 505 South Water Street 361-883-9123

THE

Lenz

Corpus Christi Ice Rays Stars & Stripes @ American Bank Center

25

Performance Review

By Aletha Eyerman

I

Fiddler on the Roof

have seen many, many, many musicals over the years but never Fiddler on the Roof.

Surprisingly, I didn’t even know what it was about. (It takes immense talent to be this unobservant!) My mother wanted to right this wrong, my sister-in-law was horrified! They fought against better judgment and let me tag along on their girls’ night out on January 11th. I usually do something mortifying to remind them why they never take me out in public and I can honestly say that this time I outdid myself.

Let me first say that musicals are not for everyone. You’re enjoying a show then all of a sudden people start singing at each other. At each other. Sometimes the song works, sometimes you even sing along, sometimes it is just plain awkward.

Sometimes you can’t help but rush the stage and take the lead. Which is what I did.

In my mind.

Fiddler is the story of Tevye (played by the truly glorious John Preece), a poor Jewish milkman, and his struggle to support his family and live according the beautiful traditions of his ancestors. Throw in his nagging wife Golde (Gerri Weagraff) and five strong-willed daughters, of whom the eldest three are shifting further away from their birthright - the traditional Jewish life he wishes them to embrace.

Oh, and the story is set in Tsarist Russia at the beginning of the 1900s. Tevye meets resistance from his wife and daughters, the Jewish oppression

by Russian law and eviction from his homeland.

Throughout all this turmoil and horror Tevye’s proud voice never falters.

From the first song I was part of that show. I was so captivated that I sat on the edge of my seat with the biggest, most ridiculous smile on my face. As anyone who has ever been to Selena Auditorium knows, there is not a bad seat in the house, but during the show it felt like I had the best and only seat. The first song, “Tradition” welcomed the entire cast to the stage and the power of those voices was unlike anything I have ever heard. Then, imagine my surprise to see the beautiful, bearded Tevye belt out a version of Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl!”

Ok, I know better. But I had you for a minute, right?

For anyone who has never seen this show before, you will be amazed at just how many songs you actually can sing along to: “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “To Life,” “Do you love me?,” “Sunrise, Sunset.” With nearly each new number I would blurt out, “I know this one, Mom!” I’d do a little jig of glee in my seat as my mom and sis-in-law would sink a little lower in their chairs. Bottom line I was just that excited to be at the show.

I’ve been to some stellar shows at the various venues around town and seen countless musicals and general shows in several states and in Canada.

I’ve been on Broadway and seen Cabaret at Studio 54. Yet, without a doubt, the best show in all aspects of cast and production was Fiddler on the Roof, right here in Corpus Christi.

26

Fiddler on the Roof photos © 2010, Carol Rosegg

e c a Writer’s Bloc l p t e k r Ma THE

Postmark deadline: March 13, 2012

Writer’s Bloc is the only literary magazine at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Published once a year, it accepts poetry, short fiction, flash fiction, one-act plays, interviews, and essays from the student body, faculty, and staff of TAMUK, and from writers around the nation and the world.

Carpet Cleaning Mail work to: Writer’s Bloc MSC 162, Fore Hall 110, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville, TX 78363-8202 For more information, visit: www.tamuk.edu/artsci/langlit/writers_bloc.html Postmark deadline: March 13, 2012

PRINTING IT’S ThaT eaSy.

SHWEIKI.COM

FOR FREE QUOTES & SAMPLES CALL (512) 480-0860

make the connection.

JOIN THE CO-OP.

855-NEC-RD4U | www.necretail.com NEC Retail is a division of Nueces Electric Cooperative. You do not have to buy NEC Retail’s products to continue to receive quality distribution services from Nueces Electric Cooperative.