HillCountry FREE VISITOR
SPECIAL SECTION: PAGE 26
Serving
See This Magazine OnLine www.HillCountryVisitorsCenter.com
BANDERA, BLANCO, GILLESPIE, KENDALL, KERR & LLANO COUNTIES
H I LL CO U NTRY VIS ITO R - S U MMER- 2019
CONTE N T
04 08 13 18 21 22 30
Photo Tips for Travel
• • •• • • • • • • • • • •
By Joe Houde
Something Corny About Summer
• •• • • • • • • • • • • •
By Coral Stone
Remembering the Teen Fair of Texas
• • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • •
By Sonny Melindrez
Weed’ um and Weep By Carol Seminara
Before That Summer Roadtrip
• • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • •
By Karen Pooser, ASE
Summer Coolers By Staff Writer
Crystal Fox - Artist Profile By Carol Seminara
P H OT OGR A P H Y
04
Ph oto T ip s for T rave l
This summer you might be planning a trip of a lifetime. You could be going to exotic locales. Wherever your travel takes you, you’ll want to preserve the memories with photographs. The gear you use is not that important. The important thing is your creative eye. Images should capture the character and ambiance as well as the literal look. The photographs we bring back should trigger the memories of the experience. The places you choose to travel are of interest to you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have decided to travel there. There are sights and activities that appeal. However, there are probably other interesting aspects of the place that you don’t know about. Before you go, explore online. Read brochures and travel books. Find whatever you can in preparation for the experience. There are customs and traditions you need to be aware of to make sure you are not rude or offensive. Understanding customs will help you understand and relate to the people. Arriving at your destination, take note of your first impressions — write them down. (Having a small notebook is an essential accessory for travel photography.) Your first glimpse of the destination is an important key to how you will share the experience. What did you notice first? Was it the buildings or the scenery? How about the dress of the locals? These impressions spark your interpretation of the place which will translate to images that have meaning. Get out among the inhabitants. Get out early and stay out late. (Especially if the area you’re visiting is prone to tourist crowds.) Get lost. Wander alleys or sit in cafés. Meader away for the tourist sites and the crowds. There are images that can only be captured near sunrise or sunset and the areas will be mostly free of other people. Look for images that you wouldn’t necessarily see on a postcard. Give your image the personal touch. One note, however, is that if you are going to a locale like Paris, be sure to get the ubiquitous image of the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe. Everyone back home will be expecting to see the famous landmark. 4
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
by Joe Houde
Always have your camera with you and keep your eyes open. The serendipitous image may appear at any moment. Be ready. Nowadays, everyone has a phone with an eceptional camera. If you can’t get your regular camera out in time, shoot with the phone. You will be surprised at the quality. Travel photography requires a commitment of time and energy. Make the time. Don’t wait until tomorrow. The image may not be there or it could rain. Make images not just pictures. Look for interesting angles. Get closer. Move away. Wait for the crowd to move. Wait for the pigeons to take flight. Do not be satisfied with the first snapshot. Use people in the photos for life and scale. It should be noted that when it comes to having people in your photos you should ask permission if it is a close-up. If you approach in a friendly manner, most will be agreeable. Learn how to say “hello” and “may I take a photo?” in the local language. In some countries, people will ask for a small sum in exchange for the picture. They are generally very poor and the small amount is usually not very much to us. General street scenes are not a problem. You can’t ask everyone if it’s ok. If taking a picture of friends (Of course you will want to.) include something that indicates a place. Be sure you are close enough to recognize the friend while maintaining a sense of location. Taking landscapes, images in cities or towns, and capturing monuments all pose challenges. Try to capture in your image something of the feeling you are experiencing first hand. This will translate to a more impactful photo. Here are tips to use in your photo adventure: 1. Travel light. One camera with a fast zoom lens (18-200mm) and lots of memory cards would be a start. Check online. The lenses can be rented, with insurance, for reasonable rates. Remember, you will have your phone and that camera is more than adequate unless your shooting for National Geographic. A used bag can be a good idea to deter any opportunistic thieves.
2. Shoot in RAW and JPEG to offer yourself greater flexibility when you return home. It will mean you will need those extra memory cards. 3. Take notes. The small notebook mentioned earlier will come in handy to help you remember specifics when you return and begin to edit the images. 4. Do the research. Plan out specific locations for the main shots and check online for the best times. There is actually software that shows the location and times for sunrise and sunset for that spectacular sky shot. This preparation will let you prepare a shot list. 5. Think outside the box. Limit yourself to ten “safe” shots and then explore your creativity. 6. Use the shots after the trip. Enter a travel photography competition. Create a portfolio to approach magazines for assignments. You might be able to use the photos to arrange a free stay at the same hotel the next time you visit. A final thought. Make sure you understand that the real purpose of trip is to have an experience; to savor the sights and sounds of a different place. You will want to bring back images to share, however, do not be so consumed with the photography that it overshadows the experience of actually “being there.”
“
urself . It mory
nyou d
nline ware nrise This t. f r
travel olio You ge a you
tand n ds of back onshadere.”
“Across the Tiber “ — St. Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican Examples of travel photos that bring back memories. All photos © Joe Houde
“Mask” — Venice, Italy
“Laundry” — Island of Burano, Italy
“Fountain” — St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
5
$ELF-$TARTERS
WANTED GREAT PAY
PEELED ONION NETWORK
830-377-1897
Car Stereo & Security 98 West Main, Suite B Kerrville, TX 78028
(830) 896-1800
6
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
7
COOKIN G
08
S om et h in g Co r ny Ab out Sum m e r by Coral Stone
How to choose the best summer corn. The husk
For the freshest cobs, the outside of the corn, the husk, should be bright green, wrapped tightly against the corn and slightly damp. Avoid husks that are starting to yellow or feel dry. Check the husk for small brown holes, which mean. If the bottom of the corn, where the ear was broken off the stalk, is brown, the corn is probably a couple days old and not the freshest choice.
The tassel
The silk threads at the top of the corn are pretty important. It’s called the tassel. The tassel should be light brown or gold, and slightly sticky to the touch. It should smell sweet with no signs of decay. Corn that has a dry or black tassel, or a tassel that feels mushy signals the corn is old.
Squeeze test
Instead of peeling back the husk, give the corn a squeeze instead. You can feel the kernels through the husk. Starting from the bottom and working your way to the top, the ear of corn should feel nice and firm. The individual kernels should feel plump. Do not pick any cobs that have soft spots.
Keeping it fresh
At home, it’s OK to store your corn at room temperature if you’re going to cook it within the next few hours. If you don’t plan on eating it for another day or so, it’s best to refrigerate the corn in the crisper with the husks on, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag. (You can also cook the corn ASAP and freeze for later.)
8
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
When you think of summer produce, what comes to mind? Vine ripened tomatoes, chilled watermelon, hill country peaches, endless zucchini, and, of course, fresh corn. Corn on the cob can be prepared a couple of ways, but in the good ol’ summertime, it’s hard to beat a grilled ear prepared Mexican street-corn style. The secret to authentic tasting Mexican Street Corn is proper grilling and a slathering of crema/mayonnaise mixture, topped with cotija cheese and fresh herbs. (Crema and cotija cheese are readily available in most Hill Country grocery stores. If you can’t find these traditional Mexican ingredients then you can substitute sour cream for crema and feta cheese for cotija. Some folks use Parmesan, but I think feta adds a more authentic texture.) Once you selected the best ears (those with tight green husks and plump kernels), you need to decide whether you want to grill with the husks on or off. IMO, shucked corn gives the best flavor with a smoky, sweet kernel and a bit of char. Grilled in the shuck steams the corn, more than grills it; plus you need to remove the silk and soak the shucks so they don’t catch fire. Before cooking any corn, mix up the sauce (recipe follows) and have bowls of crumbled cheese and herbs prepared. Preheat your grill on high for about 10 minutes and make certain the grate is clean. Place corn ears directly on the grate and cook for about 3 minutes, without turning, until the kernels start turning golden brown with a little char. Turn the ears and repeat until all sides are browned; it takes about 10 minutes to grill an ear of corn. Remove cooked corn and coat each ear with crema sauce using a brush or spoon. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and reserved minced cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and plenty of napkins.
Mexican Street Corn Sauce & Garnish
Ingredients: ½ C. ½ C. ½ C. 1 clove ¼ tsp. 2 Tbsp. 2 tsp. For garnish:
Method:
1. 2. 3.
Mexican crema (can substitute sour cream) mayonnaise minced cilantro, divided garlic, minced ground chipotle pepper, or to taste lime juice lime zest salt, to taste crumbled cotija cheese Minced cilantro additional limes cut in quarters
In a medium bowl, whisk together crema, mayonnaise, ¼ cup minced cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime juice and lime zest. Taste and, if needed, add a little salt. Set aside until corn is cooked.
NOTE: If you’ve got a hankering for street corn, but no grill, you can prepare a version in a skillet on top of the stove. Cut kernels off the cob before charring in a hot skillet with a little vegetable oil (ratio is about 1 Tbsp. for 6 ears worth of corn kernels). Add kernels to skillet over medium high heat and allow to cook for 3 minutes without stirring to give you some char. Toss the kernels and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, again without stirring. Do this again one more time; it takes about 9-10 minutes to cook the corn.
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
9
Let’s Eat Out!
HILL COUNTRY RESTAURANT GUIDE
1011 GUADALUPE, KERRVILLE, TX WWW.1011 BISTRO..COM
1011 Bistro Kerrville, Texas
Best View in the HIll Country
830-895-1169 LUNCH & DINNER
Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Cabernet Grill - Texas Wine Country Restaurant
11th Street Cowboy Bar
2805 South State Highway 16, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
307 11th Street, Bandera, TX 78003
(830) 990-5734
(830) 796-4849
Sunset Grill
OST Restaurant
902 S Adams St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624-4510
305 Main St, Bandera, TX 78003
(830) 997-5904
(830) 796-3836
Alamo Springs General Store & Cafe
Busbee’s Bar-B-Que
107 Alamo Rd, Fredericksburg, TX 78624-6101
339 Main St, Bandera, TX 78003
(830) 990-8004
(830) 796-3153
Vaudeville
Brick’s River Cafe
230 E Main St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
1205 Main St, Bandera, TX 78003
(830) 992-3234
(830) 796-9900
Pasta Bella Restaurant & Bkry 103 S. Llano St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 (830) 990-9778
Rails a Café at the Depot 615 E Schreiner St, Kerrville, TX 78028-4571 (830) 257-3877
Grape Juice 623 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830) 792-9463
Tj’s at The Old Forge 807 Main Street, Bandera, TX 78003 (830) 796-9990
Chess Club Cafe 1020 S US Highway 281, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-4930
Redbud Cafe 410 4th St, Blanco, TX 78606
Thai Ocha
(830( 833-0202
417 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028-5214
Old 300 BBQ
(830) 792-2999
Classics - Burgers & Moore 448 Sidney Baker St S, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830) 257-8866
Rio Ranch Cafe 2590 Junction Hwy, Kerrville, TX 78028\ (830) 367-1850
10 Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
318 4th St, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-1227
Josie’s Kitchen 1721 281 South, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-3232
E
HILL COUNTRY RESTAURANT GUIDE Grunts Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream The Bean And Biscuit 807 Main Street, Bandera, TX 78003
114 Fort McKavitt, Mason, TX 76856 (325) 294-4114
(830) 796-9990
Sandstone Cellars Wine Bar
East Main Grill
(325) 347-9463
209 E Main St, Johnson City, TX 78636
211 San Antonio Street, Mason, TX 76856
(830) 868-7710
Longhorn Cafe
Pecan Street Brewing
(830) 864-4328
106 E Pecan Street, Johnson City, TX 78636 (830) 868-2500
Bryan’s on 290 300 E Main St, Johnson City, TX 78636
23624 W Us Hwy 290, Harper, TX 78631
Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que 604 W Young St, Llano, TX 78643 (325) 247-5713
(210) 483-3272
Tommy’s Mesquite-Flamed Pizza
Ronnie’s Ice House Barbeque
312 Bessemer Ave, Llano, TX 78643
Us 281, Johnson City, TX 78636
(325) 247-0388
(830) 868-7553
China Wok
Lady Bird Lane Cafe
103 E Grayson St, Llano, TX 78643-1628
101 S Ladybird Ln, Johnson City, TX 78636
(325) 274-5522
(830) 832-7884
Inman’s Kitchen
Square Plate
809 W Young St, Llano, TX 78643-1145
212 Ft.. McKavitt, Mason, TX 76856
(325) 247-5257
(325) 347-1911
Fuel Coffee House
Willow Creek Cafe
106 E Main St, Llano, TX 78643-2059
106 Fort Mckavitt St, Mason, TX 76856
(325) 247-5272
(325) 347-6124
Lum’s
Cooper’s Original Pit Bar-B-Q
2031 Main St, Junction, TX 76849-3022
810 San Antonio St, Mason, TX 76856
(325) 446-3541
(325) 347-6897
Isaacks Restaurant
Lea Lou Pizza
1606 Main St, Junction, TX 76849-3518
114 San Antonio, Mason, TX 76856
(325) 446-2629
(325) 347-1234
Tj’s at The Old Forge 807 Main Street, Bandera, TX 78003 (830) 796-9990
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
11
It w My about featur was ju apply days o Mo I kn and-g job w to the a show get so perfor ing th ments was th broad My Vee, w with h Eyes, Baby. was o imper Wh mance from L Arme my gr waite Wh openi group audie The B
12 Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
INS P IR AT ION
13
R em em b e rin g t he Te en Fair of T exa s by S o nny Me lindrez
It was the summer of 1964. My mother had seen an article in the paper about the Teen Fair of Texas that would feature many of my favorite recording stars. I was just out of high school and was quick to apply for a job making lemonade for the 10 days of the fair. Money was not my motive. I knew there would be backstage meetand-greets prior to each performance and this job would be my ticket to get in. I explained to the kind lady who hired me that I also had a show on WSAC Radio and that I wanted to get some interviews and pictures with the performers. Since she was in charge of catering the affairs, she agreed to make arrangements. (What I didn’t tell her was that WSAC was the station at San Antonio College, broadcasting to the cafeteria.) My goal was to meet teenage idol, Bobby Vee, who was riding high on the music charts with hits like, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, Rubber Ball and Take Good Care of My Baby. As a young comedian-impressionist, his was one the first singing voices I learned to impersonate. When the day came for his first performance, like Clark Kent, I quickly transformed from Lemonade Boy to Super Radio Guy. Armed with my portable recorder and wearing my graduation suit, I went backstage and waited for the star of the show. What I hadn’t bargained for was the opening act showing up early. They were a group from England and so unknown to US audiences that they were billed as “Friends of The Beatles”.
The press and the real DJs had not yet arrived. There I was, trying to make conversation with the “blokes” in this small backstage dressing room, holding a microphone and just enough recording tape, I thought, to interview Bobby Vee. Finally, I broke down and pushed the record button to ask a few questions. So, how do you like Texas? It’s hot. Who’s your favorite Beatle? George. Does that hamburger taste good? Yeh. Hey, this was my first interview, ever! When Bobby finally entered the room, I introduced myself and he was most gracious, given that I was just a kid in the middle of
all the legitimate media. He answered every question I asked with the same respect he had given Dick Clark, the week before, on American Bandstand. I handed him a charcoal sketch I had drawn of one of his album covers, got his autograph and went back to making lemonade. Fast forward a short 10 years. I was now on-the-air at one of the top personality stations in the nation: KMPC Radio in Los Angeles. It was there that I came across a new record by a “country” artist named Robert Thomas Velline, AKA Bobby Vee. I immediately called the record company to set up an interview. With his pop-hit career, a thing of the past, Bobby had moved back home to Minnesota and was so grateful for the opportunity that he actually drove to LA in his van for the interview! The kid to whom he had shown a little kindness only a decade earlier was now in a position to help him. The interview we recorded was produced into a two-hour radio special featuring his new music and all his big hits. After the session, as we lunched at Cyrano’s Restaurant on the Sunset strip, I ordered lemonade and shared my memory with a most appreciative veteran performer. By the way, I later found out that the English group I had chatted with backstage was making their first trip to the states and San Antonio. With my little reel-to-reel tape recorder and without knowing it, I had been one of the first American DJs to interview Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones!
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
13
AUTO PARTS 2620 Junction Hwy • Kerrville, TX 78028
(830) 367-5712
14 Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
15
GA R D E N IN G
18
W eed ’ e m an d W e e p
I’m often tempted to call anything green in my landscape a “native” plant and allow it to remain. Something growing is better than nothing, right? As whimsical as this landscaping perspective might be, it does not make prudent horticultural sense or practical use of resources. (Spring may have been wet, but the long dry summer is upon us.0 Uninvited plants can spread rapidly when left on their own and end up competing with more desirable plants for life essentials such as light, soil nutrients and water. They spoil your landscape and can harbor pests and diseases. Some weeds serve as a food supply for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects and provide food and habitat for birds and other wildlife. Two such useful weeds are Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), a nectar source for several butterfly species and hummingbirds as well as a seed source for goldfinches and other small songbirds, and common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), which is the favorite larval food plant for Monarch butterflies. Additionally, other beneficial properties of weeds include providing ground cover to prevent erosion on unused, light soils, and in some cases serving as indicators of growing conditions like water levels, soil compaction and pH. After all, it was poet Ralph Waldo Emerson who defined a weed as “a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” For the purposes of this discussion, we are focusing on undesirable plants occurring unasked in cultivated areas such as vegetable or herb gardens, flower beds and borders, and other “established” patches in the landscape where weeds are untidy and unwelcome. Like most plants, weeds come in annual and perennial growth habits.
18 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
by C arol Se m inara
Annual weeds complete their life cycle in one growing season (usually a year), and come in two general types: broadleaf (chickweed, lambs-quarters, and henbit) and grassy (wild oats and crabgrass). Annual weeds are best managed by removing them early before they have a chance to flower and set seeds. Correctly identify your weeds before you begin eliminating them; you want to make sure you’re pulling up a weed and not one of your veggie or flower seedlings. Remove annual weeds by pulling them up or by cutting the tops off just below the ground with a sharp hoe or weeding knife being careful to not disturb the soil surface. The less you disturb the top side of the soil, the better. Weed seeds can survive for years underground, sprouting when they are exposed to light. This is one reason you often see a “flush” of weed seedlings on freshly tilled ground. Like annual weeds, perennial weeds come in both broad leaf (plantain and my old salad buddy the dandelion) and grass types (the aptly named Johnson and Bermuda grasses). These long-lived weeds are more pernicious since they can spread by seed and underground roots. Perennial grass weeds are, in my experience, the worst, propagating energetically as they do from seeds, rhizomes (underground horizontal creeping stems), stolons (horizontal stems or runners above ground), as well as tubers (like my personal perennial nemesis Nutsedge) and any infinitesimal fragment of root that wasn’t totally excised. That’s the rub with perennial weeds; it can take several years to
completely remove or kill all the roots, rhizomes, etc. This is one of those times when the judicious application of an appropriate herbicide can be justified. Herbicides are any chemical compounds used to destroy or prevent normal plant growth and can be either commercially available chemical compounds or natural/organic mixtures. Ortho and Scotts are two companies that makes a wide range of commercial herbicides. Organic herbicides include some spices (oil of cinnamon), vinegar (in acidic solutions of 5 - 20 percent), sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. baking soda), wheat flour and black walnut leaves (they contain an organic compound called Juglone). There are two general categories of weed killers: selective and nonselective. As the names indicate, selective herbicides affect specific plant species, while nonselective herbicides kill a wide range of plants. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid is an example of a selective herbicide; it is used to control broad-leaf plants such as dandelion, goldenrod, henbit, mustard, plantains, ragweed, thistles and other susceptible broadleaf weeds. An example of a nonselective herbicide is Roundup (from Scotts), which spells death to pretty much every green thing it touches. Here’s an important note vis-a-via using Roundup: it is NOT a preemergent (herbicides that prevent weeds from germinating). Regular Roundup only works when it comes in contact with existing plant tissue. Spraying it in the cracks of your sidewalk will not keep away any uninvited floral visitors.
There is an Extended Control version of Roundup that contains both nonselective and preemergent properties, but I’ve not used it. It reportedly works for up to 4 months, so If you decide to give it a try, remember that it cannot be used for killing weeds as prep in areas where you’ll want to plant anything for several months. If you decide to use a chemical herbicide, opt for one containing glyphosate (such as ordinary Roundup) because it breaks down quickly in the soil and is considered the least damaging to the environment. One last tip: when in drought, mulch. Mulching helps retain whatever moisture still existing in your soil, reduces the need to water as much or as often, insulates the soil keeping plant roots cooler during our 90+ degree days, improves the quality and texture of your soil, and last but hardly least -- it inhibits the sprouting and/or growth of weeds. When all is said and done, there is something I find very satisfying about pulling weeds. Weeding is a kind of meditation for me, an excuse to get away from technology and spend some time in the natural world. I try to pull weeds a few minutes every day. It keeps me healthy (just 5-30 minutes of sun twice a week provides sufficient vitamin D), happy (unearthing a string of Nutsedge complete with tubers is so rewarding) and humble (I’ll never get them all). It’s like the quote on my new mug says, “Gardening is just another day at the plant.” © Copyright 2019 Carol Seminara
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
19
TR AV E L
20
B efore That Sum m er Roa dt r i p Article by Karen Pooser, Chassis by Zach, ASE Certified Service Consultant and Parts Specialist
As Americans, we excitedly plan and look forward to our family summer road trips every year to see amazing sights or visit relatives that live across the country. How many times in the detailed list of “things to do” before we leave, is “have the vehicle serviced?” When you count on your vehicle to transport you and your loved ones safely and reliably across one or more states, that becomes a critical part to arriving and returning from your destination without major inconvenience as well as an unexpected expense. Having a qualified Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE, repair facility perform a comprehensive inspection of your vehicle about a month before your departure date, may prevent failures. Allowing time for most maintenance or repairs indicated before you head down the highway. Fluid levels, condition, and possible leaks will be evaluated. Tire condition, age, and tread depth are critical. Even though they last 20 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
much longer than they did twenty years ago, aging rubber hoses and belts (including the timing belt) can cripple a vehicle quickly. When the outside temperature is over 100°F, the effectiveness of your air conditioning system can make a huge difference to your family together time if you find yourself sitting in stop-and-go traffic! Additionally, many vehicles require special types of fluids for all of the systems. Using a generic brand fluid during a breakdown could result in accelerated component wear or even failure. It is vital to your vehicle’s reliability (and your peace of mind) to know how to check and refill your fluid levels properly, how to check your air pressures in all of the tires (don’t forget the spare) and know when to get professional assistance if needed, along the way. A certified ASE repair facility can help you create an emergency fluid box to stow in the trunk or cargo area of your vehicle.
They can advise you prior to departure on how to perform basic vehicle inspection, fluid level checks, and tire evaluation. Should you have a vehicle concern while traveling in an unfamiliar area, the ASE website at www.ase.com offers drivers an ASE repair facility locator by entering the zip code of your current location. Most of the vehicle failures could have been prevented if addressed before travel began. A few may not have been unforeseeable. As an ASE Blue Seal repair facility, our goal is always to return the vehicle back to the owner as soon as possible in a safe and reliable condition allowing the continuation of their journey. However, it is always a good idea to get a vehicle check-up before you pack-up. For the past twenty-six years, the service advisors and technicians at Chassis by Zach, in Fredericksburg, TX, have come to the aid of numerous Hill Country visitors. See page 12.
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
21
ENTE R TA IN IN G
22
Ideas for easy adult beverages and non-alcoholic mocktails
Sum m e r Co o l e rs
Summertime means outdoor parties and these are a few ideas to serve to both the adults and even a few ideas for the children. Here are easy twists on a classic lemonade recipe. BLUSHING ARNOLD PALMER Everybody’s heard of an Arnold Palmer—the pro golfer’s signature blend of half iced tea, half lemonade—but we’re offering one delish twist: Add a splash of grenadine before serving. WATERMELON LEMONADE Treat this like you would an Arnold Palmer, combining half watermelon juice, half lemonade. Pro move: Freeze watermelon chunks to use instead of ice cubes. As they thaw, your drink doesn’t get watered down—and you have a snack for later.
22 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
MANGO LEMONADE Since everybody’s tastes differ, you could treat this drink like a bellini bar, leaving out a pitcher of lemonade and a mason jar of mango puree, letting people mix in the fruit to suit their tastes. (About 1-2 tbsp per glass adds a sweet, tropical taste.) While you’re at it, you could add just about any pureed fruit: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. LEMONADE RUM PUNCH If you’re looking for a boozy drink to serve at a pool party—or luau, or as your squad crowds a kiddie pool, dreaming of that beach life—this. Is. Your. Drink. When you take a sip and close your eyes, you’ll basically feel like you’re at a tropical resort. Even if you’re in the middle of Texas.
Hydration is a key in the hot Texas summers. These non-alcoholic drinks, known as mocktails, are great for any age. Try some of these at your next party and your guests will thank you. GRAPEFRUIT-LIME SPRITZER Grapefruit Italian soda forms the blush hue of this concoction, and then freshly squeezed lime juice, crushed ice, and club soda finish things off. Rub the rim with lime and press into a saucer of Hymalaian salt. It’s a cross between a tequila-less margarita and a no-vodka salty dog. RAINBOW COCONUT WATER SPRITZER Just the refreshment you’d love to serve at the next summer party. Fill a glass with crushed ice and loads of fresh fruit — pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Top it off with coconut water and your favorite flavored seltzer. PINEAPPLE MINT AGUA FRESCA This one is so easy. Put fresh pineapple and mint leaves in the blender with water and process. Pour over crushed ice and enjoy. PINK WATERMELON LEMONADE SLUSHIES Add cubes of seedless watermelon to a blender with lemon juice, cold water, and ice. You can add more water if it turns out to be too sweet for your taste.
STRAWBERRY ORANGE MANGO KOMBUCHA MOCKTAIL Mix orange-mango juice with chopped strawberries, and ripe mango. Add unflavored kombucha at a ratio of 32 ounces of unflavored kombucha to 16 ounces of fruit juice and four cups of the fresh fruit. MANGO MEYER LEMON MARGARITA MOCKTAIL Mix mango puree with fresh lemon juice, and club soda. Pour over ice. Add a bit of simple syrup or agave nectar if you’d like a sweeter mocktail. BLACKBERRY CIDER FIZZ MOCKTAIL To replace the alcohol in cider and retain the punch, add apple cider vinegar mixed with blackberries, rosemary simple syrup, and blood orange sparkling water. SANGRIA MOCKTAIL MAny consider SAngria to be summer in a glass. This non-alcohol version is simple and delicious. Use white grape juice, dark cherry juice and orange juice with slices of orange, peaches, and banana. Garnish with fresh cherries. Let stand in the fridge for a couple of hours and serve. STRAWBERRY, CUCUMBER, LIME, AND MINT WATER This is the most refreshing combo of flavors for a hot summer afternoon.
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
23
24 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
T exas Tree Service COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL & & RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL
QUALITY SERVICE SINCE 1975!
24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
Prompt FREE Estimates Tree Sculpting • Stump Grinding Licensed & Insured for Your Protection
JERRY EDDY
Kerrville: 830-896-7080 Mobile: 830-370-9772
texastreeservicekerrvilletx.com
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
25
Special Section
Theatre is the art form of the present: it exists only in the present, and then it’s gone.
Simon McBurney
COMING SOON TO AREA THEATERS Enjoy live theatre at a venue near you.
Steve W. Shepherd Theater
1668 Hwy 87 South, Fredericksburg, TX, 78624.
Tickets can be purchased online: - www.fredericksburgtheater.org or by calling 888-669-7114.
July 25-28
a production of Freddyburg Youth Theater
August 9-18
Fredericksburg Theater Company August Finale
Aug. 30-31 Sept.1 Special Event
VOTED BEST THEATRE San Antonio Region - 2016, 2017 and 2018 by BROADWAYWORLD.COM 26 Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
t.1
HCAF’s Point Theatre 120 Point Theatre Road, Ingram, Texas 78025 Info & Reservation: (830) 367 5121 email: boxoffice@hcaf.com
Coming in 2019 in Ingram
Mamma Mia! • July 19-August 3 Dearly Departed • August 16-31
Boerne
Community Theater 907 E. Blanco Rd., Boerne Texas 78006 Admission $22.00 — Seniors $20.00 (60+) TPR / Military / Students $15.00 Group $20.00 (10 or more) SATCO/ Teen Troupe $15.00 Tickets can be purchased online: www.boernetheatre.org
Comi n g in 20 19 in Boerne An Evening of Culture | July 19 - August 3, 2019 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
27
Art & About
HILL COUNTRY GALLERIES
Kerrville
Kerr Arts & Cultural Center Inc. (830) 895-2911 1550 Gallery (830) 257-1550 Slate Gray Gallery (830) 315-3150 Woodstone Gallery At the Inn (830) 895-2777 Alice Knight Studio (830) 895-0554 Bill Bond Sculpture (830) 257-5973 Museum of Western Art (830) 896-2553 Max Greiner Jr Designs (830) 896-7919 Adobe House (830) 895-2422 Winters Gallery & Studio (830) 285-1382 Hill Country Arts Foundation (830) 367-5121
28 Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
Bandera
Rivers Edge Gallery (830) 895-5184
Remington Art Gallery (830) 328-5085 Texas Treasures Fine Art Gallery (830) 816-5335 Carriage House Gallery (830) 248-1184 Michael Caden Gallery (307) 272-2588 Downright Texas Gallery & Shop (830) 995-4550 Frontier Times Museum (830) 796-3864 Gypsy Bluebird Studio (830) 377-5890 Intermezzo Gallery and Studios (830) 995-3899
dios
The Art Gallery (512) 847-7278 Bent Tree Gallery (512) 847-9438 Wildflower Art Gallery (830) 730-7880 Pitzer’s Fine Arts (512) 722-6032 Wandering Oaks Fine Art Gallery (269) 290-5001 Gallery on the Square (512) 847-9904 Lee Casbeer Fine Art (830) 456-9615
Fredericksburg
Shop
Johnson City - Blanco
llery
Rain Bird Gallery (830) 833-5900
Good Art Company (830) 997-1111 Agave Gallery (830) 990-1727 Insight Gallery (830) 997-9920 Artisans - A Texas Gallery (830) 990-8160 Charles Beckendorf Gallery (830) 997-5955 Fredericksburg Art Gallery (830) 990-2707 Galeria 19 Fine Art (830) 990-1403 RS Hanna Gallery (830) 307-3071
TASTE Wine Art (830) 868-9290
Cowboy Bronze & Fine Art Gallery (830) 997-2822
Debra Goldstein Fine Art (830) 868-0221
Fredericksburg Art Guild (830) 997-4949
Texas Art House (281) 703-6528
Gallery of the Republic (512) 858-5166
Wesley Gallery (888) 224-3644 Phoenyx Fyre Art Work (866) 336-9205
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
29
P R OFILE
30
C ryst a l Fox by C arol Se m inara
The adage good things come in small packages might have been penned to describe the diminutive artist Crystal Fox. Crystal lives in Fredericksburg with her noted-photographer husband, James Fox, in an Arts & Crafts style Hill Country farm house designed for them by an architect friend. As an undergraduate at SMU, Crystal had originally planned to teach Shakespeare, until she took an art elective. “I had so much fun creating that I switched to elementary education.” She taught third grade for 32 years in Richardson while raising two daughters. During her time living in Dallas, Crystal began taking art classes and participating in various workshops. She studied watercolor with Electra Malone, who was known for her vivid and often impressionistic depictions of iconic Texas subjects like oil derricks, the Dallas skyline, and rustic farmhouses. “These may seem like clichés now,” Crystal said, “but Electra’s paintings were anything but saccharine.” “I would watercolor all summer,” she said, “but then come fall, I couldn’t touch a brush until the school year was over.” She retired from school teaching in 1996, and the Foxes moved to the Texas Hill Country so Jim could photograph the landscape he loved. “While Jim was teaching photography workshops in Hunt (Texas),” Crystal said, “I took painting classes there every summer, probably from 1992-2005.” Additionally, she has studied oil with Nancy Bush, pastel with Denise Mahlke, and drawing with Patti Miller. “I dabbled in pastels, experimented with oils and took lessons in acrylics, but watercolor was always my favorite,” she said. “I adore the transparency and luminosity, which is especially good for painting my favorite subject flowers.” Most recently, Crystal has been exploring urban sketching as part of a local group of artists. Her 36-page book “Making Connections with My Daughter” was completed for the national Sketchbook Project and is part of their collection in the Brooklyn Art Library. Crystal’s sketchbook is available for viewing online at sketchbookproject.com.
30 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
Crystal is a member of the Southern Watercolor Society and currently displays her work in the Art Gallery at URBANherbal. She is a regular contributor to the annual Die Kunstler Fine Art Show and Sale held each November. URBANherbal is located at 407 Whitney St. in Fredericksburg (urbanherbal.com). For more information about the 27th DK Show, scheduled Nov. 8-10, visit their website at: diekunstler.com
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
31
ON EXHIBIT
TEXAS Dallas Museum of Art 1717 North Harwood Dallas, Texas 75201 214-922-1200
https://www.dma.org
America Will Be!: Surveying the Contemporary Landscape Through September 15, 2019 Chilton I Gallery Drawing on works from the DMA’s permanent collection, this exhibition presents the ways in which contemporary artists engage with landscapes, broadly defined, exploring how our natural and built environments intersect with our representations of ourselves and our communities.
The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Through November 10, 2019
Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard Fort Worth, Texas 76107-2792 Main: 817-332-8451
https://www.kimbellart.org
Monet
Through Seprtember 15, 2019 Through 52 paintings, the exhibition will trace the evolution of Monet’s practice from 1913, when he embarked on a reinvention of his painting style that led to increasingly bold and abstract works, up to his death in 1926. Assembled from major public and private collections in Europe, the United States, and Asia, including holdings from the Kimbell Art Museum and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Monet: The Late Years will include more than twenty examples of Monet’s beloved water-lily paintings. In addition, the exhibition will showcase many other extraordinary and unfamiliar works from the artist’s final years, several of which will be seen for the first time in the United States. Majestic panoramas will be displayed alongside late easel paintings, demonstrating Monet’s continued vitality and variety as a paint-
The National Endowment for the Humanities has a good article on “How to Visit a Museum.” Find it on the web at: https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/ summer/feature/how-visit-museum
er. This exhibition will redefine Monet— widely known as the greatest landscape painter of the Impressionists—as one of the most original artists of the modern age.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76107 1.866.824.5566
https://www.themodern.org
David Park: A Retrospective Through September 22, 2019 David Park: A Retrospective is the first major museum exhibition in more than 30 years to present the powerfully expressive work of David Park (19111960), best known as the founder of Bay Area Figurative art. In the immediate postwar years, Park, like many avant-garde American artists, engaged with Abstract Expressionism and painted
Mezzanine 2 Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the great masters of the Japanese landscape woodblock print. In 1833, he produced a suite of prints that followed the imperial road called the Tōkaidō, which ran from Edo (modern Tokyo) to the emperor’s palace in Kyoto. The scenes are a blend of the grandeur of a noble feudal lord’s (daimyō) lifestyle, realistic images of daily life and ordinary people like merchants or workers, and a refined depiction of nature. 32 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
“There are no bad pictures; that’s just how your face looks sometimes.” Abraham Lincoln
non-objectively. In a moment of passion, he made the radical decision to abandon nearly all of his abstract canvases at an East Bay dump.
Museum of fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet
Houston, Texas 77005M 713.639.7300
https://www.mfah.org
William Forsythe: Choreographic Objects
Through September 15, 2019 This summer, William Forsythe: Choreographic Objects transforms the MFAH into a series of performance spaces welcoming visitors of all ages. The works in the exhibition range from a monumental, immersive installation to a single object meant to be held in the hand. Blurring the lines between performance, sculpture, video, and installation, Choreographic Objects invites you to connect to the organizing principles of choreography. Internationally acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe (born 1949) creates experiences that are immediate and fresh. His ongoing series Choreographic Objects is conceived to reveal the ways in which people consciously and unconsciously move through space and time, interact with one another, and respond to both the potential and the limits of their own bodies. Three signature works anchor the exhibition. Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time, No. 2 beckons visitors to step among a field of pendulums that swing from the ceiling in a mechanized choreographic pattern. In City of Abstracts, as visitors approach the interactive video wall, their images
are captured on a massive screen, inviting group participation. Towards the Diagnostic Gaze consists of a feather duster lying on a stone slab with a deceptively simple instruction: “Hold the object absolutely still.”
San Antonio Museum of Art 200 West Jones Avenue San Antonio, TX 78215 210.978.8100
https://www.samuseum.org
The Magic of Clay and Fire: Japanese Contemporary Ceramics Through April 19, 2020
This ongoing focus installation of contemporary Japanese ceramics is now in its second rotation, featuring sixteen new works that showcase unique shapes, texhniques, and glazes. They include many traditional forms, such as utensils for the Tea Ceremony—water jars, tea bowls, sake cups, and flower vases—as well as innovative clay sculptures. “Two pieces of undulating celadon ‘ribbons’ by Satoshi Kino and Satoko Fujikasa’s organic plantlike flourishes of white porcelain are marvels to behold,” said Emily Sano, PhD, Senior Advisor for Asian Art.
Harry Bertoia: Sculptor and Modernist Designer Through July 31, 2019 Golden Gallery You may know his iconic furniture without knowing his name—or that Italian-born designer Harry Bertoia (1915–1978) also produced outstanding work in printmaking, jewelry, and monumental architectural sculpture.
In 2004–5, local collectors Robert and Laura Cadwallader gave the San Antonio Museum of Art three excellent works that represent Bertoia’s achievements: a sculpture composed of bundled rods; a child’s chair formed of the wire grid characteristic of his popular Knoll chairs; and a “Sonambient” sculpture that emits sounds when struck. They are now exhibited for the first time, accompanied by several pieces on loan from private collections that chronicle the breadth of Bertoia’s artistic vision and superb craftsmanship. After immigrating to the United States at age 15, Bertoia attended art school in Detroit and enrolled in the innovative Cranbrook Academy in 1937. Among his Cranbrook classmates were artists who would influence his work for the rest of his life: architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames, and Hans and Florence Knoll, who established the highly successful furniture company, Knoll, Inc., in 1950, which ultimately produced his chair designs. At Cranbrook, where Bertoia was in charge of the metalworking shop, he worked on small jewelry pieces in silver, brass, and gold that propelled him deeper into metalworking, which became the focus of his career. In 1943, Bertoia collaborated on furniture design with Charles and Ray Eames before being invited in 1950 to join the Knolls in their newly established design firm—the turning point of his career. His initial designs for five chairs produced of a light wire grid, sometimes upholstered, were an immediate success and are still widely sold today. From then on, Bertoia created wall sculptures for important new architecture, fountains for public art, and thousands of small sculptures investigating a variety of metals and finishes. The “Sonambient,” or sound sculptures developed from metal rods, and the music he composed for them, were the final creations that secured his artistic reputation. In this focus exhibition, the viewer can explore the development of an innovative artist across several media.
Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
33
Men of Steel, Women of Wonder June 21–September 01, 2019 Cowden Gallery Two of the most popular icons in American pop culture Superman and Wonder Woman, first appeared in times of economic adversity and world war. These characters quickly emerged as embodiments of American morality, representing “truth, justice, and the American way.” Men of Steel, Women of Wonder, organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, examines the art world’s responses to Superman and Wonder Woman, ranging from their Depression-era origins to today’s contemporary interpretations. The exhibition features more than seventy works including paintings, photographs, photographs, installations, and videos by a wide range of artists, such as Layla Ali, Dara Birnbaum, Renée Cox, Mary Beth Edelson, Fahamu Pecou, Pope.L, Mel Ramos, Norman Rockwell, and Jim Shaw, among others. “Most of us connect to superheroes. They might be a touchstone of our childhood; we might like to intellectualize the myths, symbols, and narratives embodied in their character and actions; or we might respond emotionally to their superpowers and abilities to destroy the bad guys and save our world,” said Suzanne Weaver, Brown Foundation Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “In this exhibition, the artists who have interpreted these cultural icons with fresh eyes go deeper by exploring the relationship of Superman and Wonder Woman to national identity, American values, social politics, and the concept of humanity.” This exhibition is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
34 Hill Country Visitor, Summer - 2019
McNey Art Museum 6000 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-5368
https://www.mcnayart.org
Spotlight: San Antonio’s K–12 Artists Embrace Diego Rivera Through September 15, 2019
For the past nine years, the McNay Art Museum has engaged students K–12 with a single work of art in the collection. This award-winning program invites students to respond creatively to a masterpiece in the holdings of the first modern art museum in Texas. This year, 1,549 students from 31 San Antonio area schools embraced Diego Rivera’s portrait of Delfina Flores, creating their own artworks in various media. Selections are on view in this exhibition, Spotlight: San Antonio’s K–12 Artists Embrace Diego Rivera. As part of the Spotlight program, McNay educators follow students through the creative process, provide in-classroom instruction, offer free museum tours, and lead handson experiences at school events. In May, the Museum displayed all 445 works produced by this year’s participants during the Spotlight Celebration weekend, about a third of which are on view here.
Andy Warhol: Portraits
Through September 15, 2019 Andy Warhol: Portraits features over 120 paintings, prints, photographs, and films that depict the artist’s favorite genre: the portrait. This exhibition presents a snapshot of New York’s art and social scene from the 1960s through the 1980s through portraits of Warhol’s friends and patrons, movie stars and musicians, and celebrities of the day that range in style from the pristinely-idealized to the heartbreakingly-raw. Personalities who populated Warhol’s inner circle are represented; some widely recognized names
include Joan Collins, Debbie Harry, Dennis Hopper, Mick Jagger, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol himself. The presentation takes a multi-dimensional approach to the work, exploring the formal, conceptual, social, and political implications of portraiture, identity, and fame. Andy Warhol: Portraits invites the viewer into Warhol’s world, by examining the artist’s personal life, studio process, and use of a variety of mediums. Over a dozen fashion ensembles created by some of the designers pictured in the exhibition, as well as those worn by one of Warhol’s Texas art dealers, Shaindy Fenton, accompany the artworks on view. Garments by Halston, Yves Saint Laurent, Pucci, Mary McFadden, and more populate the gallery to illustrate the highly fashionable circle surrounding Warhol during this infamous period. Andy Warhol: Portraits is presented concurrently with Transamerica/n: Gender, Identity, Appearance Today, a broad survey of works in all media by artists who explore gender identity as manifest in appearance, presentation, and perception. Exhibition support is provided by Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation and the Host Committee, chaired by Rick Liberto.
You know how you feel somebody looking at you, and you turn, and somebody actually is? It’s the same at an art gallery. You’re looking at one portrait, turn around, and there is a work of art directly behind you. Because it’s all energy. Every single thing has energy. Marina Abramovic
Hill Country Visitor, summer - 2019
35