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in this issue
21 Gifting Beautifully
Son of a Sailor’s Jessica Knopp talks community building on SA’s East Side and the art of gift-giving
07 News
The Opener News in Brief
Need for Change?
Ron Nirenberg is far from a shooin to replace well-regarded Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai
Back to the Old Map
San Antonio and Austin reps’ plans upended following court reversal of Texas redistricting
Bad Takes
‘We have the best political system right now that private money can buy’
16 Calendar
Auditor’s Certification:
Our picks of things to do powerful 27 Arts Home for the Holidays Keep your dollars in San Antonio
this season, no matter who you’re shopping for
29 Screens
Western Grit
San Antonio-born director Brock Harris rides into Cottonmouth with big-screen ambition
Breaking Stigmas
San Antonio actor Cole Springer hopes American Baby builds empathy around teen pregnancy
33 Food
Savory Season
Seven gifts for your favorite foodie that showcase San Antonio
Cooking Up Conversation
San Antonio chef Stefan Bowers of Pumpers isn’t about following the rules
41 Music
True Arrival
Eclectic San Antonio rock band Sunjammer’s new album follows the
On the Cover: The Current’s annual Shop Local issue highlights how San Antonians can help sustain locally owned businesses such as Son of a Sailor with their holiday shopping dollars. Photo: Carly Osborn. Design: David Loyola.
Jaime Monzon
ALAMO COLLEGES DISTRICT CELEBRATES ITS FOUNDING DAY FROM
NOVEMBER 4, 1945 , TO NOW
Eighty years ago, community leaders came together to expand access to higher education in San Antonio. At a time when many returning veterans were seeking new opportunities, two local colleges were aligned around a shared goal: open more doors for more people.
We recently celebrated Heritage Day with educators, community partners, alumni, and students who continue that work today. And that work continues — because our history is shaped by the people who experience it.
As we move toward the next milestone, we’re taking a moment to recognize the stories that have influenced this community — including yours. For more information, visit alamo.edu/80/share-your-story.
That Rocks/That Sucks
The average worker in the San Antonio metro isn’t making enough money to afford a comfortable life, a new study from online finance company Upgraded Points found. While the study estimates a single resident with no children in the Alamo City area needs $93,355 to live comfortably, the median income in the city is roughly half that amount.
A San Antonio federal judge last week issued an injunction requiring the Comal Independent School District and eight other districts to remove displays of the Ten Commandments by Dec.1. Judge Orlando L. Garcia ruled that the displays are unconstitutional even though they were mandated under Senate Bill 10, a measure passed by the Texas Legislature requiring the biblical rules be displayed in all public school classrooms.
Texas’ new $3 billion dementia research fund has been temporarily blocked by three voters who are challenging the result of the voter-approved proposition, saying voting machines used in the election weren’t properly certified. The plaintiffs, who are representing themselves in court, haven’t clarified why they are challenging the result of the dementia funding proposition and not other propositions passed on the same ballot.
Local philanthropist Harvey Najim has made a $500,000 donation to the San Antonio Food Bank that will be used as a matching fund for all donations made to the nonprofit this month. Najim was motivated to make the donation by the now-concluded federal government shutdown, which disrupted SNAP benefits nationwide. — Abe Asher
Attacking the Muslim community for cheap political points with Gov. Greg Abbott
AssclownAlertisacolumnofopinion,analysis and snark.
By now, Texans have grown accustomed to Gov. Greg Abbott rummaging around in the culture-war grab bag anytime poll numbers drop or headlines turn inconvenient.
But even by his own KKKlown-KKKar standards, the Republican governor’s latest stunt — ordering state troopers to “investigate” the Muslim civil-rights organization CAIR along with mediation groups that help resolve disputes in Muslim communities — deserves its own wing in the Museum of Political Stupidity.
CAIR — or the Council on American-Islamic Relations — for the uninitiated, is a nationwide nonprofit that spends most of its time doing things Abbott pretends to, like advocating for civil liberties, educating communities and keeping extremists , of all flavors, out of public spaces.
And the mediation groups?
They’re conflict-resolution groups who seek to calm arguments instead having them escalate into costly court cases or worse. For the record, there are also Christian and Jewish dispute-resolution organizations active in the state, but those haven’t drawn Grumpy Greg’s ire. Gosh, wonder why?
But Abbott, never one to pass up an opportunity to pick fights with imaginary villains — anybody remember the Jade Helm debacle — insists he’s working to root out “individuals or groups who unlawfully impose Sharia law.”
Right. Because nothing quite says “existential threat to Texas” like protecting civil rights of law-abiding members of the state’s Muslim community or neighbors trying to solve disagreements without lawsuits or fistfights.
Let’s be clear: there is no “Sharia takeover” happening in Texas. Instead, we’ve seen Abbott and his cronies continue to lean further into racist innuendo and crackpot conspiracy theories as they seek to shore up support from the far-right fringe of their party.
Abbott’s latest spasm of Islamophobic grandstanding is a distraction, plain and simple. It’s a distraction from a dangerously sagging power grid, state maternal mortality rates more in line with those of developing countries and a cashstrapped education system worsened his own plan to fund rich families’ public school tuitions by siphoning money from public coffers.
While Governor Supercuts tilts at Sharia windmills, Texans are left without reliable electricity, without health coverage, without decent schools and increasingly without patience. If this bottom-feeding assclown wants to hunt for extremism, he should start by looking in the fucking mirror. — Sanford Nowlin
YOU SAID IT!
Texas unfortunately has the reputation of having the most anti-trans murders of any state in the country, and we know this disproportionately impacts transgender women of color. So we’ve got a lot to do as a state — certainly I think that starts in our own community and with our own neighbors.
—MayorGinaOrtizJones onTransDayofRemembrance.
Department of Homeland Security officials claim they arrested 27 people with links to a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua during a raid in San Antonio earlier this month, but the feds have yet to provide evidence to back their assertion. As of press time criminal charges have
only been filed against two of the 140 people reportedly detained in the raids. The Trump administration has made similar claims about targeting people connected to Tren de Aragua during raids in Charlotte and Chicago
Waymo is coming to town. The ride-hailing service’s self-driving cars will be available to transport people in downtown San Antonio beginning next year. Customers will be able to hail the cars via the Uber app, unlock the vehicle through the app when it arrives, then let the company’s automated driving software take it from there. Waymo, which is based in the Bay Area, already has a presence in Austin and is expanding to Houston and Dallas as well. — Abe Asher
Wikimedia Commons Gage Skidmore
Courtesy Photo Department of Homeland Security
Need for Change?
Ron Nirenberg is far from a shoo-in to replace wellregarded Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai
BY MICHAEL KARLIS
Last week, after significant speculation, former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg finally announced he would seek to unseat Peter Sakai in the Democratic primary for Bexar County judge.
“Five months ago, I walked out of the mayor’s office for the last time,” Nirenberg said in front of hundreds of supporters at north-of-downtown gathering spot Backyard on Broadway. “Since then, I’ve heard a lot of rumors about my political future. As you’ve heard, my North Star has always been the people of this community and the work that needs to be done right here.”
Even so, Nirenberg’s announcement came months after he told the Express-News in January that he had “no interest in the county judge position.” To be sure, the former mayor had once been talked about as a possible contender for a Biden White House job, and earlier this fall, the chattering class speculated that he’d set his sights on running for governor or federal office.
So, why the change of heart?
Experts tell the Current county judge is the seat that Nirenberg could feasibly win.
“I think he peered out and realized he didn’t really have a path to federal office, and he wasn’t inclined to go to Washington since Democrats aren’t in charge,” UT-San Antonio political scientist Jon Taylor said. “So, he probably thought if he was going to run for something and leverage something like positive vibes about him as mayor, then the best opportunity is to run for county judge.”
To Taylor’s point, Nirenberg left the
mayor’s office with a 56% approval rating, according to an April 2025 survey by UT-San Antonio’s Center for Public Opinion Research. What’s more, experts say he has better name recognition than Sakai, who’s remained relatively unknown despite leading one of Texas’s largest counties for the past four years.
‘Not
a lot of ideological daylight’
There’s just one problem: it may be difficult for Nirenberg to convince Democratic voters that change is in order when it comes to county judge.
“There’s not a whole lot of ideological daylight between the two,” said political consultant Kelton Morgan, who served as a consultant on Nirenberg’s 2017 and 2019 mayoral races.
“The contrast that Ron is trying to present is that we need strong leadership. That’s not the kind of bullshit that motivates people to vote,” Morgan added. “You can’t be running against an incumbent in a primary and say that without pointing to the failures of leadership of the person you’re running against.”
While the media-shy Sakai hasn’t exactly seized the spotlight, he hasn’t necessarily done anything to turn people against him either. That much is event evident from a recent endorsement from the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County, which last week said its members will continue their endorsement of Sakai until “there’s some reason to rescind it.”
Sakai also vocally supported Propositions A and B, which raised the county visitor tax to 2% to publicly finance a new Spurs arena and fund improvements to the area surround-
ing the Frost Bank Center. Nirenberg also supported the propositions, both of which passed.
“Honestly, the best thing for Ron would have been if those failed,” Morgan said. “If that had failed, people would be pissed at Sakai, donors would be pissed at Sakai and Ron would have an opening. But Ron doesn’t have that.”
Ready to Work?
On the other hand, Nirenberg’s candidacy does come with baggage, most notably San Antonio’s job training program, Ready for Work, which has yet to meet expectations for the number of individuals served and placed in new positions. Ambitious new programs can be slow-building affairs, but opponents still could weaponize the sluggish movement.
“Anybody who wants to [run against Nirenberg] should hang Ready to Work around his neck like an anchor,” Morgan said. “That has been the most disastrous policy failure by any possible metric.”
Sakai’s lack of controversy and the baggage Nirenberg picked up during his years at City Hall suggest it’s the former mayor’s race to lose, according to Democratic political consultant Bert Santibañez.
Most analysts watching the race aren’t taking the top of the Democratic primary ticket into account, Santibañez added. Those include popular candidates who could turn higher turnout, including State Reps. Gina Hinojosa and James Talarico, who are running for governor and the U.S. Senate, respectively.
“I think we’ll see an increase in turnout overall,” Santibañez said. “I think that favors Nirenberg, because it’ll bring out more progressives or younger voters. Sakai, his voting block is typically seniors.”
Further, any upcoming elections, local or national, are expected to be referendums on the Trump presidency. That means Democrats will likely gravitate toward, younger, fierier candidates who appear better able to stand up to the president and his ally, Gov. Greg Abbott, Santibañez said
Looking for leadership
Another factor that may play in Nirenberg’s favor is current Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, who still appears to be settling into her role and learning the ropes.
The county judge position is elastic and can be modeled in a way that best serves the person who holds office, UTSA’s Taylor said. For example, former Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff wielded considerable power thanks to his dealmaking prowess, whereas Sakai has taken a more nuanced approach. Santibañez speculates that voters may be missing Nirenberg’s ability to build coalitions and consensus as mayor. They may yearn to see him bring that skill set to the county judge’s office.
“There is a lack of direction and leadership in the Mayor’s Office and a lack of vision or someone that can build consensus,” Santibañez said. “Ron, when he was mayor, was able to do that really well. So, I think it makes sense in the county judge position that he would approach it the same way, and I think there’s a need for that type of steady, assertive leadership.”
With a little over three months to go before the March 6 Democratic primary, the biggest challenge for Nirenberg may be fundraising, Morgan said.
The political consultant speculates Nirenberg will need at least $1.5 million to run a respectable campaign against a well-liked incumbent. The former mayor had just $7,000 in cash on hand last month, according to his most recent campaign finance report.
As the race heats up, Morgan added, Sakai’s biggest weakness may prove to be his humility.
“Peter should sing his own successes a little bit louder,” Morgan said.
Michael Karlis
Back to the Old Map
San
Antonio and Austin reps’ plans upended following court reversal
of Texas redistricting
BY STEPHANIE KOITHAN
Last Tuesday’s court decision throwing out Texas’ redrawn congressional maps will restore San Antonio’s four congressional seats while causing plans to shift for U.S. House members and candidates on both sides of the aisle. A panel of three federal judges in El Paso preliminarily enjoined the mid-decade Congressional map that Texas Republicans forced through this summer. In the 2-to-1 decision, Trump-appointed Judge Jeffrey Brown issued a rebuke to the redistricting and the Department of Justice letter that precipitated it, writing “substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.”
If upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, the court ruling will restore several Democratic seats that were drastically redrawn by the mid-decade map, including that of San Antonio-Austin U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, whose district had been replaced with a Republican stronghold. The redistricting also created a domino effect, forcing Casar — who chairs the House Progressive Caucus — to plan to run for a blue district that covers Austin but not San Antonio.
Republican Carlos De la Cruz quickly announced his run for Casar’s newly red District 35, which still included San Antonio. De la Cruz joined the mad dash of other GOP candidates seizing on potential pickup opportunities throughout the state. Indeed, many had already begun fundraising for their campaigns when Tuesday’s decision came down, calling those plans into question. However, as of press time, De la Cruz has made no mention on his social media whether he plans to stop campaigning.
Not retiring after all
Casar’s displacement under the Republican redistricting scheme also prompted 79-year-old U.S. Rep. Lloyd
Doggett, an Austin Democrat, to announce his retirement, essentially a stepping aside to enable the younger upstart to take his reliably blue district.
With the redistricted map thrown out, Doggett has reversed course on retirement. In a Tuesday announcement video, the longtime congressman said he’s now seeking reelection.
“For all those Republicans, who have tried for so many years in so many ways to assure my defeat by gerrymander, not yet, not so quick,” Doggett said in Facebook post accompanying the clip. “I am now actively seeking reelection for TX-37 to represent ATX, the only place I’ve called home. Never give up, never give in! Onward to victory!”
Should Tuesday’s decision stand, Casar tweeted that he plans to run for reelection to continue representing both San Antonio and Austin.
Other Democrats whose seats have been restored include Dallas U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Houston U.S. Rep. Al Green, both outspoken Trump critics and progressive voices in the House.
The court ruling’s domino effect also calls into question Crockett’s potential plan to launch a U.S. Senate bid. The Democratic up-and-comer has publicly said she’s weighing a pivot to running for the upper chamber.
“[E]very other day there’s a poll that comes out that makes it clear that I can win the primary for the U.S. Senate race in Texas, and I am looking, because if you want to take my seat of 766,000 away, I feel like there has to be some karma in that to where I take your seat — that is for 30 million — away,” Crockett said on SiriusXM’s The Lurie Daniel Favors Show.
Crockett has said she’s giving herself until Thanksgiving to decide whether she’ll run against Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.
In a statement following Tuesday’s court decision, Crockett made no mention of how the restoration of the state’s political maps might change
her plans. However, she called on Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore and fortify protections in the Voting Rights Act to guard against what she called an “insidious move” to disenfranchise communities of color.
‘A good day for democracy in Texas’
The reversal of Texas’ redistricting also means Republicans have lost a potential five-seat gain in the U.S. House as they guard their razor-thin majority against what many predict will be crushing midterm losses.
Tuesday’s order also means Black and Brown communities have regained power taken from them by the 2025 map, which the court determined was drawn along racial lines.
“Today is a good day for democracy in Texas!” San Antonio Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro said in a statement. “The courts blocked Governor Abbott and Trump’s illegal power grab. Their racist re-districting attempt would undermine the voting power of Latino and Black communities. They failed. This is the right decision.”
Rep. Marc Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, told the Texas Tribune that he was expecting this outcome, given how racially gerrymandered the newly drawn up map was.
“I always thought that their plans to redraw this map were so over the top,
so racist, so discriminatory, that I’m really not surprised,” Veasey said.
Like clockwork, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — an indefatigable Trump ally — has already signaled he’ll appeal the decision by requesting a stay from the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The radical left is once again trying to undermine the will of the people. The Big Beautiful Map was entirely legal and passed for partisan purposes to better represent the political affiliations of Texas,” Paxton said in a statement.
“For years, Democrats have engaged in partisan redistricting intended to eliminate Republican representation,” he continued. “Democratic states across the country, from California to Illinois to New York, have systematically reduced representation of Republican voters in their congressional delegations. But when Republicans respond in kind, Democrats rely on false accusations of racism to secure a partisan advantage. I will be appealing this decision to the Supreme Court of the United States, and I fully expect the Court to uphold Texas’s sovereign right to engage in partisan redistricting.”
The U.S. Supreme Court has until Dec. 8 — Texas’ filing deadline for the midterm elections — to rule. If the justices fail to act by then, the elections will move ahead employing the existing 2021 map.
Wikimedia Commons ScreamOfTheNight
LET LINK MOVE YOU
Link around Downtown on your schedule.
Book a ride for just $1.30 on the VIA LINK app. Link to the Pearl, explore Southtown's art and food scene, and get around Downtown with less walking.
Expires February 28, 2026 Promo Code: 6LINK
Bring your friends and family and enjoy one of the best holiday light exhibitions in the state! You’ll take a drive through over a mile of winding country roads while taking in 3 million beautiful lights, animated Christmas displays, and enjoying homemade hot chocolate, kettle corn, and more.
OPEN EVERY NIGHT INCLUDING ALL HOLIDAYS… EVEN IF IT’S RAINING!
SUN-THURS 6 – 10PM • FRI-SAT 6 – 11PM
BAD TAKES
‘We have the best political system right now that private money can buy’
BY KEVIN SANCHEZ
BadTakesisacolumnofopinionand analysis.
“Maybe senators should be like NASCAR drivers and have to have
jackets with the names of all the people who are sponsoring them. Wouldn’t that be cool?” The late comedian Robin Williams once joked. “Then you might have a clue as to why the fuck they
voted that way.”
Williams was referring to politicians beholden to Big Pharma who successfully watered-down President Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act back in 2009, but had Williams’ proposal been in place this month, folks might have noticed that nearly every Democratic senator who caved on the government shutdown also received significant campaign contributions from airline companies. After weeks of stalemate, the deal finally materialized as the shutdown began to affect traffic at the nation’s airports.
“The air travel industry spent more than $2.8 million via their Political Action Committees trying to influence the last election,” reports The Lever, a reader-supported investigative news source, “and since 2019, $842,500 went to seven of the eight lawmakers who flipped their vote to reopen the government without securing extended Affordable Care Act subsidies.”
Post-capitulation, millions of Americans are expected to witness their health insurance premiums skyrocket or lose coverage altogether.
In other words, we’re a long ways, corruption-wise, from the days when
MSmoke rises from the 2019 ITC chemical fire in suburban Houston.
President-elect Jimmy Carter gave up managing his peanut farm to eschew potential conflicts of interest.
“We have the best political system right now that private money can buy,” David Sirota, who founded The Lever, said last month on the Current Affairs podcast.
Sirota has carved out a niche for himself as the anti-corruption guy and pulls no punches in exposing perceived graft among Democrats and Republicans alike.
“What we have previously called corruption is now in a lot of ways understood to be just politics ... just the way things work,” he lamented. “Politicians who run for office are now presumed to be donor-connected, donor-financed candidates whose specialty is not necessarily any legislative expertise,
Shutterstock / Lucio Vasquez
but raising money ... with the expectation of legislative favors.”
Need more proof? The fossil fuel industry has secured nearly $40 billion in new federal subsidies over the next decade, according to a report by Oil Change International, a research organization pushing for a transition to cleaner energy. In comparison, the industry spent just $219 million on political contributions. That’s a return on investment well over 15,000%.
Turns out, corruption is the pollution those who care about environmental stewardship ought to worry about most.
“One of the best ways to protect public lands [from being sold off for drilling] is basic ethics reforms and preventing policymakers from profiting off of their office,” Toni Aguilar Rosenthal, a senior researcher at The Revolving Door Project, told The Sierra Club this month.
Revolving Door is a watchdog group that, while not legally allowed to sew logos on executive branch appointees, does the legwork to trace their corporate affiliations.
The powerful reach of West Texas fracking billionaire Tim Dunn, for instance, “is particularly insane,” Rosenthal explained, “and can be encapsulated in the fact that [Secretary of Agriculture] Brooke Rollins isn’t even the only cabinet member coming from the Dunn-backed think-tank world.”
Indeed, the heads of the EPA, the Education Department and Housing and Urban Development along with the U.S. Attorney
General “all have some former association and/or title with the America First Policy Institute,” of which Dunn is a board member. “That paints an extremely concerning picture about the influence that a single person and a single corporation can have.”
Corruption, of course, can be notoriously difficult to catch red-handed, and the burden of proof already favors the wealthy, who can afford to lawyer up and take advantage of loopholes.
That’s why it’s key to insist that those with sway in our society avoid even the impression of impropriety, why judges and justices should recuse themselves from deciding cases in which they have a financial stake, why science journals should tell you who funded their studies and why members of Congress should be barred from trading stocks.
But the problem goes deeper than appearances.
“Imagine a CEO of a modern multinational corporation with $100 million to invest,” Zephyr Teachout, a professor of law specializing in antitrust at Fordham University, posited several years back. “She can choose to invest the money in decreasing the cost of producing the product, or she can invest the money in changing the laws to decrease the corporate tax rate [through] a combination of campaign contributions, direct lobbying, media strategy and co-authored white papers.”
Most estimates predict the former strat-
egy will deliver a return on investment of 5% while the latter delivers 50%, although it “decreases essential tax revenue for schools,” according to Teachout.
“We would expect the CEO to engage in the second strategy,” the professor concluded.
If Company A dumps toxic waste in the river and Company B springs for costly eco-conscious disposal, A is likelier to put a lower-priced product in front of cashstrapped customers while B is likelier to lose market share and go bankrupt.
Absent alert regulators or intrepid journalists, the public may never know.
In a poignant piece for the Southern magazine Scalawag, Texas native Danielle Monique Brown described the aftermath of the March 2019 chemical fire at a tank farm owned by Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) in Houston’s Deer Park suburb.
“My mother and a few of her siblings were among the thousands affected by the ITC fire and its aftermath,” Brown wrote. “She developed a chronic cough and, as the years passed, she suffered multiple cases of pneumonia and bronchitis. Having worked for decades as a caregiver, she found herself struggling to catch her breath during regular tasks like lifting a client.”
Cynics can probably guess the rest of the story.
A report from the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CBS) found that the fire was linked to ITC’s safety shortcomings, which the board had advised
the company to remedy before the blaze. “Perhaps they felt it was more cost efficient to just deal with the fallout in the event of an emergency,” Brown added.
“Many of Texas’ conservative legislators, who often live far away from the spills and explosions, worked hard to undermine the Environmental Protection Agency in order to keep safety regulations loose and the state ‘business-friendly,’” she continued, stating the sadly obvious. “They look away and, in exchange, their pockets are lined and their campaigns robustly funded.”
Even Republicans like to breathe clean air and drink clean water though, and it appears at least one is getting in on the fight. Arch-conservative GOP State Sen. Donna Campbell of New Braunfels recently urged Texas environmental regulators to deny wastewater discharge permit tied to the San Antonio area’s Guajolote Ranch housing development.
That project would release millions of gallons of treated sewage over the Helotes Creek watershed in northwest Bexar County.
“In a sharply worded letter addressed to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Campbell said the permit threatens groundwater quality, endangered species habitats and public health,” TV station KSAT reports. “She also questioned the agency’s permitting process.”
Welcome to the party, comrade.
Shutterstock / Robin Guess
ONGOING-TUE | 12.16
VISUAL ART
‘SEEK
& HIDE: WORKS BY ELEANOR ANDERSON AND JUSTIN KORVER’
“Seek & Hide: Works by Eleanor Anderson and Justin Korver” features solo works by both artists, as well as a collaborative piece created during this summer’s Debbie McMahon Fibers Symposium. Anderson’s work finds its footing in studies of materiality and play. While equally spirited, Korver’s personal interests in Mid-Century Modern design and the social construction of masculinity punctuate the work, giving it a more post-conceptual feel. The pair were invited to exhibit together as part of the annual Debbie McMahon Fibers Symposium, a carryover from the Southwest School, in which artists coming from different traditions find commonalities through process and practice. Free, noon-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and by appointment, UT San Antonio Southwest Campus, Russell Hill Rogers Galleries, 1201 Navarro St., (210) 458-4011, colfa.utsa.edu. — Anjali Gupta
TUE | 12.02
SPORTS
SPURS VS. GRIZZLIES
After firing their head coach towards the end of last season, it’s been a rough start for the Memphis Grizzlies. The franchise also suspended starting point guard Ja Morant for a game earlier this season due to conduct detrimental to the team. To compound matters, Morant was recently sidelined by a Grade 1 right calf strain, an injury all too familiar to Spurs fans. Both Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama were diagnosed with left calf strains in November, with Harper expected to return to action sooner. When the teams squared off in San Antonio last month, De’Aaron Fox led all scorers with 26 points in a 101-111 Spurs win. Veteran Harrison Barnes turned back the clock with 23 points, a dozen from beyond the arc. After the game, Fox addressed the team’s defensive philosophy. “We’re working,” he told reporters. “Obviously we want to have our foundation, our base, and then when Vic is playing, it just enhances what we do. Regardless if he’s out there or not, we want to still have our principles.” $24 and up, 7 p.m., Frost Bank Center, 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, (210) 444-5140, frostbankcenter.com, Fanduel Sports Network-Southwest. — M. Solis
Courtesy Image Justin Korver
Instagram spurs
Instagram / spurs
THU | 12.04SAT | 12.06
MUSIC
31ST ANNUAL MARIACHI EXTRAVAGANZA
Billed as the “largest gathering of the greatest mariachi artists in the world,” the 31st Annual Mariachi Extravaganza will bring practitioners of the three-century-old Mexican folk music form into downtown San Antonio. The event will get underway with 47 vocal semifinalists from age 8 to 24 battling for honors in a variety of categories, including recognition for the best performers at the elementary, middle, high school and college levels. Top singers move onto Saturday’s finals. The winners then perform with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán in a Saturday evening concert. Various prices and times, Lila Cockrell Theater, 900 E. Market St., (210) 207-8500, mariachimusic.com. — Danny Cervantes
WED | 12.03
SPECIAL EVENT
SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL'S GET LIT WITH SKIP HOLLANDSWORTH
The San Antonio Book Festival is presenting a talk with writer, journalist and Texas Monthly Executive Editor
Skip Hollandsworth to introduce his new book She Kills: The Murderous Socialite, the Cross-Dressing Bank Robber, and Other True Crime Tales. Hollandsworth,
a celebrated contributor to Texas Monthly since 1989, specializes in long-form true-crime narratives, and She Kills is a sampling of his most popular works over the years. One of his best-known pieces, “Midnight in the Garden of East Texas,” was adapted into the 2012 movie Bernie, which he co-wrote with director Richard Linklater. An author signing will follow the presentation. Free, 6-8 p.m., Texas Public Radio Malú and Carlos Alvarez Theater, 321 W. Commerce St., (210) 750-8951, sabookfestival.org. — AG
SAN ANTO, TE AMO: RUNNING WITH HISTORY
San Anto, te amo: Running with History is a performative rumination on history, place and the body in relation to its surroundings by Martín C. Rodríguez, one-half of the Un Grito Gallery team at Blue Star. For this, the third installment in Rodríguez’ ongoing meditation on place, Rodríguez’s borrows heavily from the Situationist International’s notion of the derive (drift) — the practice of allowing oneself to wander through an urban environment guided primarily by emotional response, in this case, a sense of historical connection. “Wearing Huaraches acquired in Mexico — a gesture of cultural continuity, appreciation and consciousness,” the artist said in a statement, “I run through spaces that hold memory, migration and transformation." This project was made possible with the support of the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture, which named Rodríguez a recipient of a 2025 Individual Artist Grant. Free, 7-10 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5 and by appointment, Upstairs Studios at Blue Star Arts Complex, 1420 S. Alamo St., (210) 992-0585, instagram.com/ungritogallery. — AG
Courtesy Photo Mariachi Experience
Courtesy Image Harper Books
Courtesy Photo MartinRodriguez-Cassiano
SAT | 12.06 - FRI
| 03.20.26
SPECIAL EVENT
WILLIAM MERRIWEATHER PEÑA: THE FATHER OF ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAMMING
Even though Laredo-born William “Willie” Merriweather Peña is an undeniably important figure in 19th-century architecture, he remains practically unknown outside of his field. A partner at Caudill, Rowlett, Scott — once the largest architecture firm in the world — Peña was a trailblazing author, facilitator, lecturer and educator, earning himself the title of “the father of architectural programming,” or the initial process of defining a building’s design and scope. His book Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer, now in its fifth addition, is still considered a cornerstone of architectural education and a seminal programming guide for architects. Upon his retirement in 1984, Peña had directed programming for more than 400 projects in 38 states and 10 countries. This exhibit aims to introduce the public to his many achievements. Free, 10 a.m.-12 noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. daily and by appointment, Mexican American Civil Rights Institute, 2123 Buena Vista St., (361) 247-0575, somosmacri.org. — AG
JEREMIAH WATKINS
On the heels of headlining Houston's 2024 Riot Festival, Austin-based Jeremiah Watkins will take over the recently opened Riot Riverwalk. The SXSW, JFL and Moontower Comedy Festival favorite is amassing an impressive following thanks to his explosive brand of physical comedy. As further evidence of his growing brand, Watkins’ Stand-up on the Spot podcast, which now boasts more than 170,000 subscribers, features the biggest names in comedy and recently hit its 10-year anniversary. A frequent collaborator with Adam Ray (Dr. Phil Live!), Watkins toured with Roast Battle's the Wave and has appeared on Comedy Central, HBO, and Netflix. His specials Daddy and Family Reunion showcase his signature crowd work and musical interludes. SA comedy fans may want to catch this rising star on his way to becoming a household name. $25$38, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, Riot Riverwalk Comedy Club San Antonio, 606 North Presa St., (210) 541-8805, riotriverwalk.com. — Valerie Lopez
WED | 12.10
SPECIAL EVENT
MIDNIGHTSOMEWHERE BOOK LAUNCH: JOHNNY COMPTON IN CONVERSATION WITH
JESS HAGEMANN
Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Johnny Compton isn’t your typical shock jockey. The San Antonio scribe’s shortform horror stories are alternately described as surreal, merciless and thought provoking. One could say Compton’s prose is unified by the fallibility of magical thinking and the inescapability of the Thanatos drive. His latest collection, Midnight Somewhere — among Paste Magazine’s picks for the Most Anticipated Horror Books of Fall 2025 — is the perfect introduction to his ever-growing oeuvre. Expect a conversation about the current collection with fellow Bram Stoker Award-nominee Jess Hagemann followed by a book signing. Free, 6:30-8 p.m., Nowhere Bookshop, 5154 Broadway, (210) 6407260, nowherebookshop.com. — AG
courtesy MACRI
Facebook Jeremiah Watkins
Courtesy Photo Johnny Compton
Gifting Beautifully
Son of a Sailor’s Jessica Knopp talks community building on SA’s East Side and the art of gift-giving
BY BRYAN RINDFUSS
Self-described “serial entrepreneur”
Jessica Knopp started her first jewelry line when she was in the 8th grade. She used supplies that she toted around in a Caboodles organizer.
“My mom recently showed me she still has a pair of those earrings,” Knopp told the Current from her studio in Dignowity Hill. “So I’m recreating them in sterling silver for her this holiday.”
A lifelong maker and traveler with roots in Austin, she met her husband Billy Knopp while living in San Francisco.
“He came to visit my roommate and it was just kismet,” Knopp explained. “The first day we hung out, we did a creative project on the floor of my apartment. From the get, we were making things. He showed up with gifts for everybody. He’s literally the best gift-giver I’ve ever met. He keeps sentimental tchotchkes in the top drawer of his dresser and every time we go somewhere, he spends a minute up there trying to see if he has the perfect thing for the person we’re going to see. He gifts beautifully. And to make a long story short: we parlayed that into a business.”
Launched in 2011 in the East Austin creative complex Canopy, the couple’s business is Son of
a Sailor — a concept that’s been energizing San Antonio’s Dignowity Hill since 2023. An organic hybrid of retail and makerspace, the store builds on the strengths of its founders, who work collaboratively to design and produce leather goods, jewelry, gifts and home accessories.
With a name that nods to Billy Knopp’s Navy years, Son of a Sailor is a key component of a historic strip center that’s also home to the breakfast mainstay Panchos & Gringos, the veteran-owned Blue Falcon bar, a satellite location of Traveler Barbershop and the local food trucks EastSide Provisions and Del Otro Lado.
“My partner [Michael Castaneda] and I wanted a place that directly connects and supports the people in our neighborhood,” building co-owner and Dignowity Hill resident Alexander Perez said. “Jessica and Billy embody that philosophy. … In this world where everything is cheap and disposable, Son of a Sailor is exactly the opposite. It’s a return to a need to know and appreciate where the products and items [come from that] you
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arts
interact with daily and give as gifts to loved ones.”
We recently sat down with Son of a Sailor co-founder Jessica Knopp to quiz her about what brought the duo to San Antonio, the workflow in their hybrid space and the art of giving a truly thoughtful gift.
From Austin to San Antonio
“I moved back to Texas in 2010 and we officially began our business in 2011,” Knopp recalled. “We were the third tenants at Canopy in Austin when
She added: “We started visiting San Antonio a lot more … and we fell in love with the city. We found a house that we loved and [decided that] we need to just be here. Six or eight months after moving into our home, [the retail space at the corner of Nolan and Pine streets] became available. And I was like, ‘We’re getting the spot.’ The building owners live a couple blocks away and they’re really interested in developing this into a community hub. … And we jumped on that because we’re really community oriented.”
Knopp noted that the business’ current space finally affords enough space so they can do all they need to do without being cramped.
limitations.”
The couple also does permanent jewelry in the shop.
“So instead of having a clasp [on a bracelet], you put it on with a jump ring [and we] weld the jump ring closed while it’s on someone,” she explained. “I would say bracelets and anklets are the most popular. We also have all these different chains and charms and things. So we’re building out a charm bar right now.”
they opened — and we basically grew out of our space immediately. … We’ve always made everything from our line in studio, but the moment we opened, people wanted to shop with us. [So we decided to make it] a little more retail-esque.
“And the moment we started doing that, it just kept growing and growing. So the retail would start creeping into the production space, and we would always play push-and-pull with what space was devoted to making things and what space was devoted to selling things.”
“And we’re five or six blocks away from our home,” she said. My husband Billy is a graphic designer as well and he did the design for the signage and [helped] brand the building as Nolan and Pine. So we have this sense of identity for the little community of businesses here.”
Creative collaboration
“When we started, we both did everything regularly,” Knopp said of Son of a Sailor’s in-house lines. But as we’ve grown, I would say — not to snap to gender roles — that I do the jewelry and Billy does the leather goods. [But] if he has a design for jewelry, we explore that. And if I have a design for leather, we explore that. There are no
She continued: “We do a lot of custom work and we’re trying to organize that in a way where we can offer custom jewelry experiences — like come in and design your own [piece] and we’ll make it with you. And with the leather we do custom monogramming. We have a vintage Kingsley machine that does hot-foil stamping for leather. That’s one of the things we’re working on getting organized and set up right now. The front half of the store is our shop and the other side is our production area — so we’re working on stuff while you’re here.”
Problem solving
“Billy and I both have a love for objects, tchotchkes, trinkets, memorabilia and collectibles,” Knopp confessed. “We really have to fend off being hoarders. So that top drawer of my husband’s dresser is like the starting point. I feel like a lot of the things that we have in our space [are] special little
Jessica Knopp
Jessica Knopp
Jessica Knopp
arts
treasures — whether it’s a little gnome figurine or a gemstones or a pocket knife. But once we started looking around at all the people that we knew, and were like, ‘Gosh, these people make cool things too. We should carry them in the shop.’
Knopp also points out that Son of a Sailor has a residency with the handpoked tattoo artist Anika Case of Pin & Pencil through the end of the year.
“We [work with] lots of makers, partner with lots of different businesses and also do aura photography in our space,” she added. “So our community and the people that we surround ourselves with informs what we carry. If you watch Shark Tank, people always ask, ‘What problem are you solving?’ And I’ve always struggled with that. Because I’m like, ‘I make jewelry — I’m not solving a problem.’”
However, she eventually came to realize what problem the business addresses.
“I think when interesting, artistic, creative, unique people are looking for gifts for their friends they want to give them something that reflects themselves and their style and their personality,” she said. “You want to give somebody something that they’re going to like — but that will also remind them of you. And I think that’s a problem that we solve. [Instead of], ‘Here’s a gift card to Target.’ It’s something that I think will pique your interest — and it reflects me and my values. And that can be challenging. If you come in here, you’ll probably find something that’s quirky and creative and unique that you can’t easily find somewhere else. That’s my hope. That’s the problem I’m trying to solve.”
Son of a Sailor giftables
“My favorite gift item that we make right now is a bottle opener in the shape of a lucky horseshoe,” Knopp said. “I just love it. We have a whole line of the Southwest-inspired bottle openers — we have a roadrunner, a cactus, a thunderbird. We actually get the raw metal water-jet cut outside of our space because it’s a huge industrial machine. Our Año Cuff in sterling silver is another favorite. I’ve been wearing it almost every day. It’s part of a collection that I worked on for so long that was inspired by jewelry my mother bought in the 1980s in Mexico.”
Beyond jewelry, Son of a Sailor also
offers glasswork.
“We also just brought in these stained glass stemmed flowers made by Samara Design Studio, she’s an artist out of Greenville, North Carolina,” Knopp said. “I just took a stained glass workshop so now I have an even broader appreciation for how delicate they are. We want to set up a whole stem bar — as if you walked into a florist. I can’t get enough of our Neuve Leones candle, which comes in a beautiful hand-painted jar that can be reused as a cocktail tumbler.”
When it comes to leather goods, the shop’s slimline Quebec wallet is Knopp’s favorite.
“It’s a very simple two-compartment wallet that Billy designed,” she said. “We use American leather from a tannery called Wickett & Craig. It gets so buttery and soft and [develops] a beautiful patina with wear. We’ve had it in our collection for a while, but it just remains a constant. We also do an embossed one with a diamondback snake hand-painted in aqua and orange.” SON OF A SAILOR
Jessica Knopp
Jessica Knopp
Home for the Holidays
Keep your dollars in San Antonio this season, no matter who you’re shopping for
BY SANFORD NOWLIN
While the Current’s profiles on local retailers and our list of gift ideas for local foodies offer plenty of suggestions about how to keep your holiday shopping dollars local, some folks on your list can be tricky because of their specific interests. Here’s a list of ways to keep your purchasing power in San Antonio as you shop for friends, colleagues and loved ones whose hobbies may not always align with locally produced goods.
Music
San Antonio’s experiencing a renaissance in locally owned record stores. Hogwild Records Tapes & CDs (1824 N. Main Ave., (210) 733-5354, facebook. com/hogwildrecords) is a good place to get recommendations for local releases that suit the tastes of the person on your list. Meanwhile, spots such as Crazy Rhythms Records (3617 Broadway St., Suite 402, (210) 998-2700, facebook. com/crazyrhythmsrecords), Friends of
Sound Records (multiple locations, friendsofsoundrecords.com), Flagship Records (6336 Montgomery Drive, (210) 508-6501, facebook.com/flagshiprecords) and Batcave Vinyl (555 W Bitters Rd. #122, (210) 990-0071, facebook.com/batcavevinyl) offer a wealth of collectables and obscurities.
Arts and crafts
Hit up one or more of the many the holiday markets that focus on locally produced arts and crafts. Check the website of each market for the operating hours and more details. The 36th Annual International Peace Market/ Mercado de Paz (esperanzacenter.org/ event/peace-market-2025) takes place Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29, offering a wealth of handcrafted gifts focused on the themes of peace, justice and the environment. If you want to time your shopping excursion with a look at downtown’s holiday lights, Holidays on Houston Street’s Market Weekend (visitsanantonio.com/media-news-releases/ post/downtown-san-antonio-shines-brightas-holidays-on-houston-street-returns-for-
its-third-year-in-2025) may be just your jam. The street market, which runs Friday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 14, will bring together more than 50 vendors to offer artisan crafts, locally made clothing and a variety of one-of-a-kind gifts.
Gaming
San Antonio-owned gaming stores abound, and their staff would be happy to provide recommendations to match any age or interest, from dice and cardbased games to role-playing systems to family board games. Some may even be able to point you to products by SA- or Texas-based creators. Knight Watch Games (16350 Blanco Road, Suite 116, (210) 888-1051, knightwatchgames.com) offers a dizzying array of selections suitable for any level of gamer. Heck, it even boasts specialized gameplay rooms and a costume shop for Ren faire fans. Court of Gamers (2824 Thousand Oaks Drive, (210) 9204263, facebook.com/courtofgamers) and Multiverse Games (739 W. Hildebrand Ave., (210) 455-4524, facebook.com/multiversegamestx) offer knowledgeable but decidedly more stripped-down shopping experiences for those who are easily overwhelmed.
Reading
Consider purchasing a book or a gift certificate from one of San Antonio’s
independently owned bookstores, including The Twig Book Shop (306 Pearl Parkway, Suite 106, (210) 826-6411, thetwig.com), Nowhere Bookshop (5154 Broadway, (210)640-7260, nowherebookshop.com), and for horror fans, Ghoulish Books (628 S. Saint Mary’s St., Suite 102, (210) 248-9593, ghoulish.rip). If you want to take your gift the extra step, ask the helpful staff at any of these spots to point you to recommended books by local authors.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy: If you’re gifting for someone who would rather make the holiday season about doing good instead of amassing goods, consider making a donation to a San Antonio-based nonprofit in their name. The San Antonio Food Bank (safoodbank.org) is an easy one to get behind because of the basic need it fulfills in our community and the organization’s history of making every dollar count. The Children’s Shelter (childrensshelter.org), The San Antonio Humane Society (sahumane.org) and the San Antonio AIDS Foundation (sanantonioaids.org) are also great choices. If you’re looking for others, visit the site greatnonprofits. org and search “San Antonio” for a list of local charitable organizations rated by community input.
Jaime Monzon
Western Grit
San Antonio-born director Brock Harris rides into Cottonmouth with bigscreen ambition
BY KIKO MARTINEZ
Filmmaker Brock Harris has always been fond of adventure flicks.
Movies featuring characters such as the Three Musketeers, Batman, James Bond and Indiana Jones inspired him to strive for ambitious storytelling throughout his career.
“It’s a challenge trying to make those types of big-budget films on a smaller scale,” Harris, 37, told the Current during a recent interview. “But if you can’t do something in your backyard, why would someone greenlight your film for tons of money and take that risk?”
Harris, who was born in San Antonio and currently lives in Austin, hopes to show studios he can handle the demands of a major production with his new film, Cottonmouth Set in 1895 Oklahoma, Cottonmouth follows cowhand Ed Dantes (Martin Sensmeier), whose life is destroyed when he’s framed for a crime and sold to a territorial prison on the eve of his wedding. Under the control of a ruthless warden (Ron Perlman), Ed meets a fellow inmate (Esai Morales) who teaches him how to survive and prepares him to seek vengeance after he escapes.
During our interview, Harris discussed crafting a Western on an indie budget and the challenges of shooting in unpredictable conditions. Cottonmouth is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
What’s your personal relationship with the Western genre?
I love the Western because it’s about iconic American history. I’m really attracted to the grandeur of a classic hero going through something hard and overcoming it. I think most story archetypes in cinema are somewhat inspired by [Westerns]. Even something like Blade Runner and Star Wars, which are futuristic stories, could be seen as Westerns. So, it seemed like a rite of passage to make one.
Were there any Western filmmakers or films you revisited while making Cottonmouth?
Certainly [Italian filmmaker] Sergio Leone. I love Once Upon a Time in the West. I think The Proposition [starring] Guy Pearce that was shot in Australia is particularly cool. It gives you an idea of what is possible on an
independent budget and a small setting. I was deeply inspired by classic novels with revenge narratives like The Count of Monte Cristo.
Where did a script like this originate?
I have a long history of making movies with [co-writer] Jared Bonner. We met as acting students. We’ve had all kinds of screenplays that we’ve started and not finished. [With Cottonmouth ], I think he was sort of letting me have a turn at deciding our destiny in that I have this passion for Westerns. I think our priority was to make a revenge action movie, and [the Western] had a lot to do with the natural resources we had access to.
What creative or practical decisions helped you make the most of your resources?
Well, I knew that we were going to have to cut time. If I could have anything in my future films, it would be more shooting days. Getting everything just right in Cottonmouth — the horses and gunplay and action — takes a lot of time. One of the most important things was to have actors who were solid and were going to nail it on the first or second take.
So, it was helpful to have veterans on the set like Ron Perlman and Esai Morales, yes?
I was very fortunate to get them. The supporting cast were also some great guys who knew what they were doing. They have stage presence, and they knew how to deliver. One actor in particular, Creed Garnick, runs a ranch
in Wyoming. He grew up bullriding. I knew I didn’t have to worry about him falling off his horse.
How were the horses themselves?
We had amazing horses. Horses are very dangerous. A lot of times, people worry about the guns in an action film like this, [but] the real danger is the horses. They’re unpredictable animals. But if you get a good herd and a good wrangler, it can be a bit easier than you might think. I pulled a lot of actors from the Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) universe, so a lot of them grew up riding.
You shot the film in Oklahoma. Were there any unexpected moments during production because of the climate or landscape?
Yeah, Oklahoma is notorious for tornadoes and bad weather. I lost a couple of shooting days to it. That’s hard when you’re trying to squeeze every day for what you get. There were times where we’d have to halt shooting. There were some benefits being in Oklahoma too. My brother-in-law lives in Stillwater. He’s a welder, so he made my prison cage. Also, my dad got to be an extra in the movie because he was around. It’s hard to beat that hometown feel.
I’m guessing you had your fingers crossed for no tornadoes, but that would have added to the production value, for sure. We did capture some genuine lightning! Somewhere in the middle of the film, we have this great closeup of a couple of the actors and the lightning is flickering in the background. God just helps you out sometimes.
screens
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Courtesy Images Brock Harris
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Breaking Stigmas
San Antonio actor Cole Springer hopes American Baby builds empathy around teen pregnancy
BY KIKO MARTINEZ
San Antonio-born actor and current Hondo resident Cole Springer was just 9 years old when he got his first showbiz break. A talent agent approached the family and asked if they’d ever thought about exploring an entertainment-industry career for their young son.
“The agent told my parents that he liked my energy and wanted to have a chat with us,” Springer, 22, told the Current during a recent interview. “My dad kind of blew it off at first, but my mom wanted to entertain the idea. I’m still with the same agent today.”
After graduating from Hondo High School, Springer was on the verge of joining the U.S. Marines but decided to continue his Hollywood pursuit while also launching a career in real estate. Today, he’s a real estate agent and an actor with several projects under his belt, including an episode of the HBO series The Leftovers and the 2023 thriller On Fire, starring Peter Facinelli (The Twilight Saga) and Lance Henriksen (Aliens)
In his latest film, American Baby, Springer plays Nate, a homophobic bully. During a party, he intimidates a young girl named Olivia (Abigail Pniowsky) who later must navigate the repercussions of being a pregnant teen in conservative small-town Texas.
“Anybody who knows me knows that I’m a pretty nice guy, but for whatever reason, I keep getting typecast as a bully,” Springer said. “I’m not like that. I’m not quick to snap. I feel blessed as an actor that I can just flip that switch and get that rage in me.”
Springer said he was drawn to director and co-writer Ellen Rodnianski’s screenplay because it confronted the topic of teen pregnancy and small-town stigma with authenticity without glossing over anything.
“She was willing to put a spotlight on a subject that not a lot of people want to talk about,” he said. “I feel like more people should hear about stories like this. I feel like that’s where the industry is headed.”
It’s especially true in Texas where the state government has enacted some of the
nation’s most restrictive abortion laws.
“Ellen said that was part of her motivation and inspiration to write the script,” Springer said. “I don’t know if these [politicians] are taking the situations like the ones in the film into mind. I’m not saying which route someone should take, but as humans, we should have free will and have the option to do what we want.”
Earlier this month, American Baby won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the Austin Film Festival. As the movie continues to expand its audience, Springer hopes it will make conversations on the topic more compassionate and less judgmental.
“I never dove deep into this subject and thought about it,” he said. “It was eye-opening for me. It helps you understand what it’s like if you have somebody close to you in that situation. It shows you how to have empathy for them.”
Bricini Entertainment
Savory Season
Seven gifts for your favorite foodie that showcase San Antonio
BY KAT STINSON
Foodie friends and family aren’t always easy to shop for. After all, it’s hard to know just what cooking gadgets they’ve already amassed and what cookbooks already line their shelves. One way to make sure you’re giving them something they can use is to shop local and keep your dollars in the Alamo City. Here are seven hard-to-beat gift ideas that will hit the spot.
San Antonio Cooks
Written by veteran food writer Julia Rosenfeld, San Antonio Cooks is a beautiful compilation of 80-plus recipes crafted by noted chefs from the 2-1-0. Those recipes include delicious fare from favorite local restaurants including Best Quality Daughter, 2M Smokehouse, Biga on the Banks, The Friendly Spot Ice House, Clementine, Sushihana and more. Keep your purchase extra-local by picking up a copy of San Antonio Cooks at one of the city’s independently owned bookshops, or have them special order it should they not have it in stock.
Pan Dulce grapic T-shirt from Barbacoa Apparel
Letting our city’s iconic pan dulce speak for itself, San Antonio-based Barbacoa Apparel (barbacoapparel.com) offers a signature pink cake T-shirt that’s one of its bestsellers for good reason. The pop-art-inspired design is screen printed on a soft heather tee, turning a beloved panadería dessert into wearable art. Simple, sweet, and instantly recognizable, it’s a perfect gift for anyone who loves classic Mexican treats. Barbacoa apparel sells online or at Painted Tree Boutiques (522 NW Loop 410, Suite 211). The company’s website also includes an exhaustive list of other retailers that stock its SA-themed goods, from socks and wallets to mirrors and magnets.
Personalized cutting board from Very That
Very That, a standout San Antonio boutique that bills itself as “your one-stop Chicana shop,” sells personalized cutting boards — an ideal gift for the home chef in your life. Crafted from durable organic bamboo, each board is sturdy enough for serious chopping and carving, yet stylish enough to double as a chic charcuterie display. Simply add your engraving notes when
ordering online to create a custom piece your foodie friend will use for years.
Locally produced
culinary
items from the Pearl Farmers Market
Farmers markets don’t just sell fresh, locally grown produce. Most of the larger ones also offer an incredible selection of food items produced by area artisans. We’re not just talking jellies and jams here but specialty spice rubs, aged cheeses, top-notch wines and unusual relishes and condiments. While there are plenty of farmers markets around the Alamo City, the one at the Pearl (200 E. Grayson St., atpearl.com) offers an exceptionally varied selection of locally produced food items. The downtown-area shopping and dining complex’s Saturday markets run 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and focus on area-sourced foods, while its Sunday markets, which run 10 a.m.-2 p.m. are centered around local artists, many of whom produce culinary-tied items such as pottery. For the holiday season, the Pearl is also offering Wednesday holiday night markets on Dec. 3, 10 and 17.
Dinner at one of San Antonio’s Michelin-starred restaurants
For adult foodies, gifting a dinner — or an eight-course dessert odyssey — at one of San Antonio’s trio of Michelin star-winning restaurants means giving an unforgettable experi-
ence. Isidore at Pullman Market (221 Newell Ave., (210) 756-7359, isidoresatx.com) serves some of the city’s finest steaks with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and exceptional hospitality. Its neighbor in the same Pearl market, Nicosi (221 Newell Ave., (210) 759-0088, nicosisatx. com) offers an immersive, dessert-only journey where phones are set aside so guests can savor every moment. And don’t miss Mixtli (812 S. Alamo, (210) 338-0746, restaurantmixtli.com), whose seasonal tasting menus pay homage to Mexico’s vast culinary heritage and deserve to be experienced at least once. Be sure to stop by the Bar at Mixtli on your way out.
Whataburger Limited-Edition Holiday Ornament Set
What South Texan doesn’t appreciate the San Antonio-based drive-thru wonder that is Whataburger? The beloved and ever-expanding burger empire is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a spirited set of holiday ornaments inspired by classic burger toppings. The collection includes ketchup, jalapeño and no-onion designs, plus a signature Whataburger ornament stamped with a 75th-anniversary emblem. Fun, festive and full of Texas pride, this set makes the perfect gift for the Whataburger fan in your life. The set is available through the Whataburger online store (shop.whataburger. com/products/whataburger-holiday-ornament-set).
Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com
Courtresy Photo Barbacoa Apparel
food French Kiss
San Antonio bistro Petit Coquin succeeds in its elegant simplicity
BY RON BECHTOL
French bistro Petit Coquin seats 25 guests in its compact, almost defiantly neutral space. When you make a reservation, and reservations are a must, you’re informed that the table is “yours for the night.”
Understandably, expectations run high — on your part that the kitchen will deliver, and on the host’s part that you will take full advantage, presumably to order more wine and to linger over the cheese plate.
Options abound in the extensive and quirky wine list at this South Presa Street newcomer. Its owners seemingly delight in presenting obscure and little-known bottles. Your food choices are far fewer, consisting of just two options in each of three categories: First Course, Second Course and To Finish.
The price, plus tax and tip, is $65 — plus $20 for the optional country paté to complement the bread service. Before we get too far into weeds, yes, it’s worth it. Especially if you’re a carnivore.
The bread service, a domed petit loaf served in an equally diminutive cast iron frying pan, comes with luxurious, exquisitely spreadable butter — a star in its own right.
The crusty bread doesn’t really need the paté. But you do. Order one for the table at the very least. The serving looks hewn from a slab of stone amalgam, and it holds together beautifully when cut. It also tasted like tradition, especially in the company of a seedy Dijon mustard and a cluster of particularly sassy cornichons. On my visit, we were only halfway through the bread and paté when Course One arrived. The haste seemed unneeded, given that few tables were yet occupied, and it also seemed to break the pact between kitchen and diner. In any other setting, the course’s early arrival might felt less intrusive.
Fortunately, both options in the category were exceptional. In the first, rigorously al-dente beluga lentils in a light vinaigrette formed the base for a
PETIT COQUIN
1012 S. Presa St., petitcoquinsa.com.
Hours: 6 p.m. to close Monday-Saturday, 6 p.m. to close. Friday lunch available noon-1 p.m. by reservation only.
Prix fixe menu: $65 plus tax and tip Tuesday-Saturday. Monday steak-frites night runs $25 plus tax and tip, while Friday lunch’s roast chicken plus sides and dessert comes in at $49 plus tax and tip.
The lowdown: Petit Coquin is a small, deceptively simple-looking restaurant with an equally simple-sounding prix fixe menu hiding many complexities in its knowing execution of French classics. A bread course precedes the First Course that might include the likes of beautiful beluga lentils with sausage or, in season, a silky peach and cucumber gazpacho. Second Courses have included roast pork tenderloin with summer squash and lamb with maitake mushrooms. Dessert will usually include a revelatory rice pudding and a cheese plate. To go with all this, the restaurant offers a vast wine list dominated by unusual choices. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reservations are required.
small slab of sausage and a lacing of aioli. As black as their caviar namesake, these lentils will inform your opinion of the legume from here on out. To point, they almost outshone the sausage.
Dish No. 2 was even more of a revelation. Billed as peach and cucumber gazpacho, the velvety soup recalled a more traditional, and tomato-based, Spanish salmorejo, where stale bread
helps achieve the texture. Given the lack of expected sweetness from the peaches, I could have sworn that tomato still played a role here, but whatever the alchemy, the cold concoction stood on its own.
But wait, there’s more. The soup was crowned with a dollop of shredded crab subtly accented with tarragon. Pescatarians could do a double order of this and call it a day. Just saying.
The rest of us could anticipate a Second Course of roast pork with summer squash — served this time after a lengthy wait. At that point, we began to broach tricky territory having to do with menu descriptions. When I see “roast pork” on a menu, I don’t automatically think tenderloin, despite the fact that this is a cut far more in tune with the kitchen ethos than, say, roast shoulder. Tenderloin is easy and quick, and unless overcooked, it’s foolproof, lending itself to all sorts of rubs and coatings.
Petit Coquin keeps it simple, and naturally doesn’t overcook the cut, saving any embellishment for the silky mustard sauce. But for all of its roseate perfection, I almost preferred the beautifully seared summer squash alongside.
Searing brings us to my next petty gripe. The other listed Second Course option was described as “seared lamb with eggplant purée and maitake mushroom.” Visions of still-quivering lamb medallions, or noisettes, danced in my head. Wrong. The lamb appeared to have been long-braised, pulled and reassembled into a plank — which might or might not have been seared. I was not convinced. Still, the accompanying eggplant was smoky and sultry, the almost meaty maitake mushroom — yes, singular in this case — a revelation.
Expectations again: when you see rice pudding on a menu, what do you think? I’ll bet the answer is not “thrilling in both taste and texture.” And yet, thrilling this was. Just enough texture of the rice remained to give body, candied pecan bits provided pops of sweetness and a brown butter crumble offered depth flavor. Sign me up for more.
The less opulent cheese plate wasn’t shabby either. It consisted of more good bread, a nutty cantal, a polite washedrind and brie-like wedge. It all went perfectly with a bottle of unusually light, yet still savory, Cahors suggested by our well-versed server. It’s OK to ask for help. To forestall disappointment, feel free to ask for menu details too.
Instagram / petit_coquin_sa
food Cooking Up Conversation
San Antonio chef Stefan Bowers of Pumpers isn’t about following the rules
BY KAT STINSON
Thanks to his successes at Rebelle, Feast and Playland Pizza, chef Stefan Bowers has practically become synonymous with San Antonio cuisine. The outspoken culinary giant spoke to the Current about his military background, why his new burger venture Pumpers felt right at this time in his life, and why not following traditional business rules has sometimes paid dividends.
Years in the food industry: Two decades Claim to fame: Bowers’ current project, Pumpers, is his passion concept brought to life after initially starting as a pop-up in 2020.
Money Quote: “We’re the best at doing it wrong and thinking we’re doing it the right way.”
When did you start cooking?
I started when I was 16. Then I went into the Navy at 21 and served for five years. When I got out at 26, I picked cooking back up — so, altogether, around 25 years.
You were in search and rescue with the Navy, right?
Yeah. I was a helicopter crewman in the Navy — a search-and-rescue swimmer. We’d fly five- or six-hour hops around the carrier. Honestly, it could get pretty boring.
You once told me you’d read cookbooks while you were on missions. Is that true?
Facts. I had a lot of downtime up there. My main role was anti-submarine warfare, and post-Cold War, that mission was pretty slow. So, I’d sit in the back of the helicopter and crush Italian cookbooks.
Was there a particular book or writer who really shaped you?
Two. One was The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. The other was Culinaria Italia, one of those big bargain books you see at
Barnes & Noble. It’s this huge, region-by-region deep dive. I read it like a novel, just absorbing the spirit of Italian cooking since I couldn’t actually cook at sea.
Would you describe yourself as entirely self-taught?
No, not at all. When I got out of the Navy, I moved blindly to Texas. That’s how I ended up here. I went to the Lenôtre Culinary Institute in Houston, founded by Alain Lenôtre. Alain is the son of Gaston Lenôtre, one of the pastry giants of France.
What was that training like?
Incredible. Tiny classes — four or five people — because they only took GI Bill students at the time. All the instructors were expat French chefs from Michelin-level bistros, bouchons, hotel kitchens. Real kitchen lifers who started cooking at 14. They were tough, demanding and brilliant.
What made you choose a place like Pumpers instead of the more traditional, à la carte restaurants of your past?
I chose that road because doing a complex, high-end à la carte concept requires constant reinvention — plus a huge amount of oversight, overhead and hours. If you’re running a “real” restaurant, you’re working 75 hours a week, minimum. And until you have a deep staff to support you, good luck actually earning a living from it. It’s really a young man’s game.
So, burgers were the middle path? Exactly. I’ve loved cooking since I was a
out. They make the spaces cold, the surfaces hard, everything easy to clean but uncomfortable. They assume people who dine in are people they don’t want lingering.
Is Pumpers the alternative?
Exactly. Yes, it’s a few dollars more, but we hope people want more than food in their stomach before they rush out. We want people to sit, hang out, have a real experience — something warm.
Your Instagram presence is strong and really distinct. How do you stay true to yourself in a world that loves to flatten personality?
kid — hamburgers were the first thing I truly enjoyed making. Burgers give you instant gratification, they’re not overpriced, and they let me avoid that feeling I’d get sometimes in fine dining where I’d look in the mirror and think, I can’t believe I’m charging this much for food. With burgers, I can cook something I love and keep it reasonably priced.
You’ve described Pumpers as “fiercely local.” What does that mean to you?
If a restaurant is truly local, it has to be fiercely unique — otherwise it just falls into this gray area where people wonder whether it’s a transplant concept. Either the personality of the person or the personality of the space has to hit the front of the line. Pumpers is meant to feel personal. Maybe it’s quirky. Maybe it’s not for everyone. But it’s comfortable, and it reflects who I am in this city.
There’s a bit of an old-school diner vibe in there. Was that intentional?
Totally. The bar was designed that way on purpose. It wraps around so people can actually talk to each other. Originally, the plan was a long bar running straight through the center with cooks directly behind it, very classic diner style. But that created isolation. If you’re stuck at one end, you can’t really connect. The wraparound fixed that — it made the space communal
You’ve said fast food spaces are deliberately uncomfortable. Why do you think that is?
Because they want you to get in and get
I’ve learned a lot of lessons — and put my foot in my mouth plenty of times. But the voice of the Pumpers Instagram is the same voice as the restaurant. If fast food restaurants want people out fast, everything about their branding reflects that. If Pumpers just posted burger photos with prices, it wouldn’t match who we are. Instead, our social media is a dialogue — the same one you get when you sit down in the restaurant. It’s unique. It’s one-of-a-kind. Not necessarily “great,” not necessarily “good,” but definitely not down the middle.
And you really don’t think there’s anything else like Pumpers in San Antonio? No. I don’t think you can find anything like it here.
You’re coming up on your one-year anniversary, right?
We sure are. Dec. 22.
Got anything planned?
Not yet. I’m trying to decide if I combine it with the staff Christmas party or keep them separate. I’m terrible with ideas until I’m backed into a corner, so it may be last-minute. But I don’t want it to feel opportunistic — like it’s just a cash grab. I want it to be good for the people who love Pumpers and good for Pumpers itself. If I can find that balance, we’ll do something fun. If not, we’ll keep it simple. And honestly, that probably makes me bad at business — most business-minded people would be shaking their head at me.
Talk about what embodies the spirit of Pumpers.
Michelle, our head bartender, really encapsulates the spirit of Pumpers. She’s there five days a week, curating what goes on the TVs, interacting with guests and pouring the drinks. And of course, my entire team deserves a shoutout seven days a week.
Matt Lawlis
True Arrival
Eclectic San Antonio rock band Sunjammer’s new album follows the groove wherever it goes
BY STEPHANIE KOITHAN
The name of San Antonio rock ‘n’ roll outfit Sunjammer represents truth in advertising.
The group’s songs exhibit both a mellow disposition and a jammy quality that invites listeners to hang out for a while and soak it all in.
Sunjammer released its self-titled fourth album this Friday and has scheduled a drop party at the Lighthouse Lounge on Saturday, Nov. 29. With this release, it’s clear the band has settled into its groove and plans to follow it wherever it goes — genre be damned.
The five-piece group has been called anything from psych to proto-prog to indie-rock.
But for Sunjammer, those labels are just another artifice to strip away, another layer of the cosmic onion to peel back to arrive at the infinite. According to the band, the process takes the members where it will.
“What comes out might be soul sounds, rural rock, country funk, whatever direction the groove dictates,” Sunjammer said in an email to the Current. “The groove is paramount. Indifferent to the confines of genre, the goal is to make sounds that can sit next to the gems we unearth as avid listeners.”
The twang of Sunjammer’s guitars takes you down a dirt road, destination unknown. Never
mind that they’re making these sounds in the nation’s seventh-largest city.
In the band’s own words, “There’s a breeze to it all. The whole album has some South Texas air.”
Caustic drawls cut through the instrumentation like paint thinner, provided by lead vocals traded off between Torin Metz and Joshua Bloodsworth.
But this ain’t no Lynyrd Skynyrd. Rather, it’s something of a fantasy scenario. What if a country boy did drugs and chilled the fuck out? What if his square-toed boots stepped through the doors of perception and tiptoed across the great cosmic prairie in the sky?
Wouldn’t we all be happier?
Psych-tinged country-rock crossover acts such as The Band and the Grateful Dead might provide the closest approximation for what Sunjammer is doing, and doing well. But Sunjammer brings something fresh to this idea, incorporating a variety of indie sensibilities that have entered the zeitgeist since The Band disbanded and the Dead was laid to rest.
Wilco, Modest Mouse, Dr. Dog and others also smile upon Sunjammer from the pantheon. But none of these influences quite get at the truth either. Maybe if we strip the artifice all the way down …
Sunjammer is a great band that just put out a
great record, and you should listen to it immediately.
There we go.
In a further rejection of artifice, Sunjammer describes itself as “whole hog analog,” stating that “in a world of AI slop” its music is “optimized for nothing but a good hang.” To that refreshingly Luddite end, the group revealed that the new album will be available on vinyl later this month.
Though this is Sunjammer’s fourth long-player, it marks the band’s true arrival.
Bloodsworth’s and Metz’s guitars and vocals are joined on the core instrumentation of the group by bassist Michael Nira, drummer Kyle DeStefano and keyboardist John Charles Dailey in a collective that has grown with the slow burn of a campfire.
Tracked live to tape at San Antonio studio Good Medicine with Justin Morris, the nine-track album is further embellished by Dailey’s flourishes on the studio’s vintage Hammond organ. Saxophone player Eddie Vasquez of San Antonio free jazz outfit The Whale also contributes controlled cacophony in the background of several tracks.
Stand outs on the album include “Lunch Break” as well as the already-released singles “I Wanna Quit” and “New Bird,” for which we’ve included the music video below. “Real One” and “Step Out Of Line” provide two of the album’s hardest-charging moments and offer contrasting peaks to the peaceful valleys of songs like “New Bird” or “Soul 69.” Other moments get funky and even touch on surf rock.
But, really, the whole release is gold, and should be listened to front to back — it’s only 39 minutes long, after all — preferably while digging your toes in the dirt and cracking a High Life.
Find more music coverage every day at sacurrent.com
Courtesy Photo Sunjammer
critics’ picks
Friday, Nov. 28
Slaid Cleaves
Slaid Cleaves has not only managed to carve out his own niche in Austin’s overcrowded singer-songwriter scene, he’s established himself as one of the unsung stalwarts of the whole Americana scene. Cleaves isn’t flashy, but he’s done time with all the Austin greats — and his stripped-down mix of folk, country and earnest lyricism stand on their own. Rolling Stone’s even called him “the Americana underdog.” $10, 8 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-2830, samsburgerjoint.com. — Bill Baird
Saturday, Nov. 29
Gary P. Nunn
Gary P. Nunn is one of the grandaddies of Texas music, although probably too humble to want to hear someone call him that. He’s been defined by his song “London Homesick Blues,” which Jerry Jeff Walker made famous. You know, the tune with the famed “home with the armadillo” line that summed up an entire musical era in Austin. Before going country, Nunn played in garage-rock outfit The Sparkles, who recently received a deluxe reissue from famed label Sundazed. This show celebrates Nunn’s 80th birthday, and a special guest is promised, so come ready to help him blow out a lot of candles. $20, 8 p.m., John T. Floore’s Country Store, 14492 Old Bandera Road, (210) 6958827, liveatfloores.com. — BB
Monday, Dec. 1
98 Degrees, O-Town
The boy-band craze of the late ’90s just doesn’t want to fade away. While this tour may seem like an early visit from The Ghost of Christmas Past, 98 Degrees doesn’t appear content just to be a nostalgia act. The group continues to evolve, as evidenced by a well-received new album Full Circle, which features collaborations with songwriters and producers behind Usher, Chappell Roan and Beyonce. $48.19-$182.39, 7:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., (210) 226-5700, majesticempire.com. — Danny Cervantes
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Gary Clark Jr.
Grammy-winning blues-rock guitar god Gary Clark Jr. has proven himself anything but a flash in the pan. In part, he stands out through his willingness to reach across genres. He’s worked with the Foo Fighters, Cheryl Crow and other high-profile names you wouldn’t necessarily expect a blues purist to rub shoulders with. He’s also broken into the film biz via acting roles in Elvis, Miles Ahead and Friday Night Lights. Clark will perform solo for this show, providing fans an
intimate experience with the Texas legendin-the-making — and one that may warrant chasing down a ticket from a scalper. Sold out, 8 p.m., Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Road, New Braunfels, (830) 606-1281, gruenehall. com. — BB
Friday, Dec. 5
Marc Broussard, Taylor Rae
Louisiana native Marc Broussard channels his Southern roots into a unique and soulful blend that includes blues, rock and R&B. Even though his father served as guitarist for acclaimed born-on-the-bayout outfit The Boogie Kings, Broussard’s amassed plenty of respect for his own musical contributions. With a dozen studio albums behind him, he’s clearly no slouch, and he especially shines while covering ’70s artists on his four S.O.S: Save Our Soul albums, which feature interpretations of classics by Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke and others. $31.17-$87.49, 8:00 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — DC
Ellis Bullard
When an artist’s catalog includes an album called Piss-Hot Freightlinin’ Country Music, that should be a selling point. And true to that name, Austin honky tonker Ellis Bullard leans pretty deep into the Texas twang. His speciality is fun dancehall country in the old mold — think Waylon, Merle and that whole gang. Which is to say, it’s country, but it rocks. $17, 8 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 455-0233, thelonesomerosesa.com. — BB
Saturday, Dec. 6
Hayes Carll
Texan Hayes Carll gained notoriety by becoming the first artist to self-release an album that jumped to No. 1 on the Americana radio chart. From there, he signed to Lost Highway Records and notched appearances on the Tonight Show and Austin City Limits
The Houstonian is known for his humor and straightforward delivery, and Americana icon Steve Earle notoriously called him “a
younger, skinnier, less talented singer-songwriter.” Controversy aside, Carll’s tunes posses an entertaining swagger. He’s on his yearly Grateful for Christmas tour, which involves lots of between-song storytelling and yuletide cheer. $59, 8 p.m., Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, stablehall.com. — BB
Sunday, Dec. 7
The Doc Watkins Trio presents: A Charlie Brown Christmas
Certain music transcends the pop culture from which it sprung, and that certainly applies to jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas San Antonio ivory tickler Doc Watkins and his trio will bring the holiday classic to life in the cozy confines of his iconic basement haunt. But here’s hoping Santa has already stuffed some tickets into your Apple Wallet, because the shows are already sold out. Sold out, 6:30 and 9 p.m., JazzTX, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 332-9386, jazztx.com. — DC
Shutterstock / Adam McCullough
Gary Clark Jr.
“Hit the Bricks”--you may be a sole survivor. by Matt Jones
