SAN ANTONIO MAGAZINE M AY 202 2
A Guide to Texas State Parks Get outside at one of these 15 destinations
STATE PARKS / LI V E M US I C
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Is San Antonio on the brink of a live music renaissance?
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May FEATURES
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A SAN ANTONI A N’S GU I D E TO T E X AS STATE PA R KS
With nearly 90 state parks spread throughout the Lone Star State, it can be tough to know where to begin exploring. We spotlight 15 of our favorite places for hiking, cycling, swimming, camping and simply taking in the great outdoors.
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T HE F U T UR E O F L I V E MUSI C
San Antonio may have a long history of live music, but in recent decades its cachet as a home for concerts has been overshadowed by nearby Austin. With the opening and revitalization of concert venues throughout town, though, that reputation might be on the brink of change.
McKinney Falls State Park
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May D EPART M E N TS
1 5 MAKER Cutting boards can be more than just kitchen staples thanks to these mementos by Wolfhouse Custom Goods. 16 URBAN EXPLAINER Before new development breaks ground in San Antonio, archaeologists must first dig into the history of a site. 1 8 PERSON O F INTEREST Books can be reviewed and questioned without becoming political pawns, says one public school librarian.
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20 HEA LT H Lingering questions about their ability to start a family led one local couple to create their own at-home fertility testing kit. 2 2 CASA When an interior designer relocated from Chicago, she created a personal retreat that blends the best of urban chic and Hill Country charm. 24 IN FLUEN CER The co-owner of Press Coffee returned to her creative roots with Mint Vintage.
26 E N T RE P RE N EU R Going viral helped teach this life coach that you have to take care of yourself before you can advocate for equality and racial justice.
EAT + DRINK 5 5 L I BAT I O N S Blend your coffee break with dessert thanks to the affogato at the fast-casual Arrosta. 5 6 E AT H E RE N OW Restaurateur Roger Herr delivers style and impeccable taste at Bar Loretta in the King William Historic District.
5 8 S P OT L I G H T The owners of Bubby’s Jewish Soul Food turned chopped liver into a neighborhood staple. 6 0 TAST E M A K E R A legacy of service and delicious food live on at Ernesto’s Gourmet Mexican Specialties. 62 DISH Go for the beer but stay for the food—including the Korean chicken sandwich—at Universal City’s Gather Brewing Co. 63 T H E GU I DE Add lunch, brunch or dinner to your next beer order at one of these local brewpubs with outstanding kitchens.
ON THE COVER JoMando Cruz drove over 480 miles from San Antonio to Palo Duro Canyon State Park to explore and capture the beauty of the canyon that is second in size in the U.S. only to the Grand Canyon.
DISH: MARTY MORRIS; CASA: COURTESY YADESIGN INTERIORS
IN THE LOOP
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UP FRONT / EDITOR' S NOTEBOOK
ON THE WEB
y the time we realized we’d taken a wrong turn, my husband and I were stepping over a pile of large rocks at the end of a short, but somewhat steep dirt path. The stopping point came with a beautiful glimpse at the terrain below, but it was decidedly not the 360-degree views promised at the summit of Old Baldy, which is what we had set out to hike after arriving at Garner State Park that morning. We retraced our steps down the incline and then rerouted up the remainder of the also short, but steep trail of Old Baldy. The top of that trail rewarded us with precisely the kind of sweeping views we’d imagined. The Balcones Canyonlands below feature carved limestone walls, dozens of green Texas madrone and bald cypress trees and the winding Frio River. We lingered at the top, taking a few photos and drinking water, and then headed back down to try another trail before breaking to enjoy the sandwiches we’d packed. Like many, we made up for the lack of events and open indoor spaces during those early months of the pandemic by heading outdoors. We crossed a few new Texas State Parks off our list, including Garner. A two-hour drive from our home in San Antonio, Garner is one of the more popular state parks for a reason—its leaves boast beautiful colors in the fall and the Frio River provides respite from the heat in the summer, something we were grateful for after a morning of hiking. The park near Concan is just one of 15 that freelance writer Claire Winesett spotlights this month, starting on page 28. Winesett pitched this cover story last year after visiting several state parks, and she shares all of her insider tips for where to go, what to hike and when to make a reservation. One of her favorite destinations, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, is featured on the cover, and is a place she convinced me to add to my own road trip bucket list. Canceled and postponed concerts during the pandemic were among the many reasons locals had more time to head outdoors. Local venues, from the Tobin Center to Jazz, TX, have worked to revive those experiences since, but according to industry insiders, the best is still yet to come. Writer Travis E. Poling shares on page 42 why new and reimagined music venues taking shape throughout the city might just be what San Antonio’s music scene needs to finally get out from behind the shadow of its neighbor to the north. I’d love to hear where you’re exploring this month, whether at a state park or elsewhere. Tag us in your photos on Instagram with @SanAntonioMag, or send me a note at editor@sanantoniomag.com.
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BOOK FEST IS BACK After a digital event in 2021, the San Antonio Book Festival returns to the Central Library and Southwest School of Art May 21. Get a look at what panels to attend and which authors to meet at sanantoniomag.com/ sa-bookfestival-22.
Kathleen Petty Editor in Chief kpetty@sanantoniomag.com @kpettysamag
COMING UP NEXT MONTH The ultimate guide to San Antonio takeout food.
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PETTY: JOSH HUSKIN; BOOK FESTIVAL: COURTESY SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
A R T S M AT T E R Vanessa Bessler, artistic director and founder of The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, chats with us about the company’s May 6-7 production of Aladdin and why performing arts need support to thrive in a post-COVID world at sanantoniomag.com/ cbsa-aladdin.
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MAY 2022 / VOLUME 17 / ISSUE 7 WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TEXAS STATE PARK TO VISIT AND WHY?
EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF
Kathleen Petty CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jeremy Banas, Emily DiTomasso, Sallie Lewis, Travis E. Poling, Kimberley A. Suta, Edmund Tijerina, Claire Winesett
OP E N SKY ME DIA
“Guadalupe River State Park because it’s so accessible from the city and is an amazing, quiet place to paddle board!”
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Todd P. Paul PRESIDENT
Stewart Ramser VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
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EDITORIAL INTERN
Emily Schmalstieg
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A RT ART DIRECTOR
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CIRCULATION MANAGER
Alicia Durham ACCO UN T IN G ACCOUNTS MANAGER
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ADV ERTIS ING PUBLISHER
Kathie Anderson “Big Bend Ranch State Park! When I visited, I was amazed by how much color the terrain offered. It boasts a subtle beauty you can’t find anywhere else.”
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“Devil’s River State Natural Area | Dolan Falls—it is the very definition of what it means to be a Texan and represents everything I love about our state. It is peaceful, beautiful and, at the same time, dangerous and savage.”
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© Copyright: San Antonio Magazine is published by Open Sky Media, Inc. The entire document of San Antonio Magazine is © 2022 by Open Sky Media, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. San Antonio Magazine is locally operated.
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In the Loop I NSI D E / DIG G ING FO R HISTORY p. 16 / P OLITICS AN D TH E LIBRARY p. 18 / VIN TAGE EY E p. 24
Written Legacy osie Rees isn’t sure if it’s the Sweet’N Low or the generous helping of melted butter that makes the Alderete Family Dressing such a hit, but she knew it was a recipe she and her fiancé didn’t want to lose when his grandfather passed away. They’d spent hours in the kitchen with him learning how to make the side dish and before he died, they asked him to sign their copy of the recipe. “I’ve always been obsessed with the handwritten word,” Rees says. “Just to have that keepsake and be able to carry it around.” A real estate agent, Rees had already begun using a laser cutter to engrave family names and her own contact information on cutting boards, key chains and other items that she gave to her clients as housewarming gifts. Wanting the recipe to be more than just a piece of paper that got stuffed in a drawer, she decided to print it onto a cutting board and to engrave the signature below it so that her fiancé’s family would have a memento they could cherish and actually use. Rees says her real estate career—and the wooden gifts she makes for her clients and now other agent’s clients—keeps her busy, but she’s also expanded her side business, Wolfhouse Custom Goods, to include cutting boards and gifts crafted for those outside the industry. For Mother’s Day last year, she gave her mom a cutting board with the lyrics of a favorite song and notes engraved from each of her children. “I’m all about that special moment,” Rees says. “Whether it’s a recipe, a letter or a song.” wolfhousegoods.com
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IN THE LOOP / URBAN EXPLAINER
A mural along the San Pedro Creek Culture Park honors the site's history. A portion of the project was reconfigured after an archaeological dig uncovered historic elements.
Developing History As San Antonio grows, so too does our knowledge of its past efore a hotel can be constructed at Hemisfair or a tunnel inlet added as part of development along the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, archaeologists must first dig underneath the site. “When you look at a building that’s standing, imagine what’s below it because underground often tells the history of the people who came before you,” says Steve Tomka, who holds a doctorate in archaeology and serves as cultural resources program director at the engineering and environmental firm Raba Kistner Inc. “People were living in San Antonio—whether Native American populations, Spanish missionaries or early settlers and immigrants—there were people living here with lives and dreams.” State, federal and local guidelines are in place to ensure that ancient artifacts aren’t damaged or discarded when towering multi-use developments are added near downtown, and Raba Kistner is one of the consulting firms often called upon to dig below ground before, and while, construction is taking place. How much investigation must occur during development depends on the location of a project, says Shanon Shea Miller, director of the city’s Office of Historic Preservation. Places like the Alamo obviously require more monitoring than a previously untouched lot on the city’s northern edge.
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“Requirements vary in scope depending on the likelihood of discovering archaeological deposits and can range from investigative testing to monitoring during excavation work,” Miller says. Tomka, who was previously the director of UTSA’s Center for Archaeological Research, says local officials and developers pay more attention to the city’s history than in most other cities, knowing that San Antonio’s past is part of what makes it attractive both to tourists and residents. Tomka and his team can conduct research to discover what history remains at a site as well as to learn about how well a place like the Alamo is being preserved. As part of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park development, for example, the dig started on what was an asphalt parking lot and soon turned up rocks that were identified as pieces of the foundation of the 1870s St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church. Further investigation into the site revealed the remains of even deeper foundations that once were part of a soap factory and brewery. The creek’s initial designs were tweaked so that the land can be preserved. “You start with something that’s in the ground and before you know it, you sort of paint a picture of what these buildings were and what the people who used them did there. Everything comes to life,” Tomka says.
COURTESY SA RIVER AUTHORITY
BY KATHLEEN PETTY
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Local Care / More than 20 percent of this year’s UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine students matched with a residency in Bexar County and 57 percent accepted residencies in Texas. The top specialties for these future doctors were internal medicine, family medicine and emergency medicine. SA Book Fest Returns / After a two-year hiatus, the San Antonio Book Festival is back at the Central Library and Southwest School of Art on May 21 with appearances by over 75 local, regional and national authors, including Sandra Cisneros, Emma Straub, Julia Glass and others.
Standing with Ukraine / Laika Cheesecakes & Espresso, which is owned by Ukraine native Anna Afanasieva, raised over $75,000 for the Armed Forces of Ukraine through cheesecake sales and donations while Bakery Lorraine raised $11,000 for Ukrainian San Antonio through sales of its Ukraine macaron. H-E-B committed to give $1 million to organizations supporting children and families impacted by the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Military Healing / Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall was treated at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio after being severely injured when the car he was traveling in while reporting on the Russian invasion in Ukraine was attacked. MAY 2022
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IN THE LOOP / PERSON OF INTEREST
is nothing wrong with assessing books to determine if their content is appropriate, but, she says, a framework already exists to ensure every title goes through the same review process. “We also want to make sure that we are reading and considering the entirety of the book and aren’t pulling things out that don’t make sense out of the context of the whole book,” she says. Public school libraries have been in the news since last fall when State Rep. Matt Krause said that he was opening an inquiry into books that included certain discussions about race or sex. Was that a surprise? It’s been surprising how quickly it’s escalated and how much it’s been politicized. Because there’s always been people who say, ‘I’m not sure about this book,’ and libraries always have some kind of process in place to reconsider a book and look at whether it’s what’s best for their kids. It’s been surprising how quickly it was blown out (by some people) to saying schools are providing pornography, which is not what any professional educator is doing. And it’s been surprising how quickly and willing some people are to circumvent the process we already have in place.
Book Hawker Jennifer Eckert, a San Antonio public school library specialist, on the politicization of books and the quest to create lifelong readers INTERVIEW BY KATHLEEN PETTY
ennifer Eckert was still in elementary school when she decided to become a teacher. An Army brat whose family eventually settled in San Antonio, Eckert would make her sister sit in her pretend classroom and listen as she spouted off lessons. After a few years of teaching third grade, however, Eckert realized there was another role she might enjoy even more: school librarian. She earned her master’s at the University of Texas and spent 10 years as the librarian of a San Antonio elementary school before becoming a library specialist who supports librarians and circulation throughout her district. “Librarian is the best job in the school because you get to interact with all of the students and teachers and you get to hawk books all day,” she says. Eckert says she was surprised when public school libraries became a political flashpoint last fall. Certainly, there
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FACT FILE
Education: Clark High School, Texas State University (bachelor’s and master’s in education), University of Texas at Austin (master’s of library and information science) Leader: Past chair of the Texas Library Association, District 10 Favorite children’s book: The Story About Ping
What is that review process like? Most school districts have selection policies in place to guide librarians on how to select books and there’s a process in place if a review is requested. Typically, a form gets filled out and there’s a committee in place that looks at the book. There is a time in every librarian’s professional life where they come across a title that is maybe more appropriate for a middle or high school than an elementary school and you have to pull it and send it to another school. I was in the library for 10 years and there were only two or three times a parent said they didn’t think a book should be in the library. I took those comments very seriously. We all take them very seriously. It’s perfectly appropriate to reconsider titles, but you want to make sure you’re applying the same review process to every book and that you’re not just pulling something off the shelf. Do books get removed regularly? What goes into building a collection? Librarians do a process called weeding every year. We don’t have the physical space ILLUSTRATION BY VICENTE MARTÍ
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to hold 50 years of building a library collection, so you purchase books every year and you weed a certain number of books every year. With nonfiction, you weed anything that’s outdated—like when Pluto wasn’t a planet anymore, we had to take out books that talked about it being a planet. You also look at what’s not being checked out and if it’s not interesting or relevant anymore, you pull it. There are tools that give you guidelines on the percentage each section in the library should take up, but it also depends on your school’s needs. In the past five years, the ratio between fiction and non-fiction has skewed more toward fiction because so much factual information is available online. And in Texas public schools we have access to a lot of great databases, so you don’t need as much reference material. It’s no longer fiscally sound to get an updated set of World Encyclopedias every year when the online database is updated every day. You also try to get a sense of what your kids want and need and what books represent your community, but also what books provide a look at other people who are different that maybe they don’t see on a regular basis. Locally, some school districts have taken books off the shelf after a review. What impact has the state’s call for more scrutiny on collections had? We had to make sure that our librarians took another look at our selection policy and our reconsideration procedure. We have also taken a look at it at in the central office to make sure it’s comprehensive and we’ve compared our policies to other districts. In some ways, that’s a really good thing. Those types of processes need to be looked at every now and then to make sure they are serving the needs of the community. We have also tried really hard to make sure administrators know these processes are in place. Because parents usually go straight to them rather than the librarian if they have a complaint. We want parent involvement. We want families to be deciding which books are OK for them, so parents need to communicate with their kids. How do you teach kids about finding reliable sources when they're researching online? Since I became a librarian in 2007, it has become increasingly important to talk about sources and reliability. Kids are naturally able to use technology. When I started, we had to teach them to use a mouse and things like that and they know all of that now. But they are still really naive when it comes to discerning what type of information is appropriate and factual online. Even with second graders, you talk about how there are true things on the internet and not true things. I tried to instill a sense of questioning so that they didn’t automatically trust everything they came across. It is definitely a challenge all librarians continue to fight because misinformation and disinformation is only becoming more sophisticated. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. MAY 2022
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Family Planning San Antonio couple launches at-home fertility test after struggling to find answers in their own journey to conceive BY KATHLEEN PETTY
t was just a few months before the pandemic began in 2020 when Allison and Brandon Harding decided they were ready to start a family. They felt settled in their careers as chemical engineers, and Allison was close to finishing up her master’s degree. The timing seemed right. But then in March the world began shutting down. They decided to pause their plans and wait until they knew more about COVID or until a vaccine became available. The couple didn’t have any reason to believe they wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally, but the idea of waiting months to a year or longer left Allison feeling anxious. She asked her OB-GYN if there was any sort of at-home test they could take to screen for fertility issues but was told nothing reliable existed. Only if they were unable to get pregnant after a year of trying would they need to be referred to a specialist for fertility testing, the
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doctor told them. “That left me feeling anxious and I thought, ‘I can’t be the only person feeling like this,’” Allison says. Allison and Brandon had talked of launching their own startup someday and during a long walk one evening, they decided finding an answer to their own fertility questions might just be the big idea they’d been seeking. “We were just looking for the right opportunity and we figured other people had this question,” Brandon says. “We knew that we wanted to have a kid, but just because you’re healthy and you do a lot of the right things doesn’t necessarily mean that you can have a child.” Further research showed them that around one in every seven couples struggle to conceive and after months of market research and learning about the technology that already exists in the field, they were ready to move forward. Orchid launched in the fall of 2021, offering at-home women’s fertility hormone testing kits and men’s sperm analysis kits that can be ordered online, completed at home and sent into a lab through the mail. Once results are in, they’re delivered in an easy-to-understand way with clear next steps if following up with a physician is recommended. “I wanted to know, if the results weren’t normal, why is that? What can I do to fix it, and if I can’t fix it, what can a doctor do to fix it?” Allison says. Brandon adds that they’re also building their website and social media channels to provide helpful, easy-to-digest information for couples researching fertility. The Hardings tested the kits by sending them directly to men and women to try and they assumed that direct-to-consumer model would be what helped them grow. In the months since Orchid debuted, however, they’ve found there’s even more interest from physicians and clinics that want options to provide to their patients. Allison and Brandon also tested their own product. They learned they didn’t have any obvious fertility issues and were able to get pregnant in 2021. They welcomed their baby, a girl, this spring. “Even though we didn’t have any issues, we know what it’s like to feel the nervousness of the unknown,” Brandon says. “Fertility is just one of those things that’s not talked about. We wanted to build a product that could really impact people’s lives.” orchidcrew.com
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IN THE LOOP / CASA
A San Antonio designer pairs sleek urban style with Hill Country charm in her Timberwood Park home BY SALLIE LEWIS
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n interior designer Yadira Acevedo’s Timberwood Park home, the Chicago native and former folklore ballet dancer has created an “urban-meets-Hill-Country” oasis. “I think a lot of people walk into the home and feel a sense of coziness and balance,” says Acevedo, owner of Yadesign Interiors. Acevedo moved to San Antonio in 2011, following her husband’s job appointment here, and says after years of living up north, the Alamo City, with its warm climate and vibrant heritage, was a welcome change. “I love anything that has to do with culture, color and texture, so San Antonio definitely meets all those requirements,” she says. The couple built their 2,300-square-foot residence in 2018 with three main goals in mind. First and foremost, they wanted it to blend architecturally with the Hill Country environs of the suburb north of San Antonio. Second and third, was to design a space that would thoughtfully incorporate both their midcentury furnishings and their collection of colorful folk art. To accomplish that, Acevedo offset the home’s clean, neutral palette by employing a patchwork of materials and textures that together create a bright, warm and visually enticing environment. The selection of stained concrete flooring, for example, offers a slick contrast to the rustic cedar beams, walnut paneling and barn-style pantry door. Meanwhile,
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"I love anything that has to do with culture, color and texture, so San Antonio definitely meets all those requirements."
a mix of velvet, wood and hammered brass creates a layered, lustrous sanctuary in the jewel-toned primary suite. Acevedo is an expert at pattern play, as evidenced in her whimsical wall coverings and statement-making rugs. “One of the things we had fun with was the drapery in the dining room,” she says, pointing to its graffiti-like print. “It’s my homage to living in Chicago in a very urban area.” Complementing the fabric is a splashy, graphic space rug that mimics many of the curtain’s colors. Throughout the three-bedroom home, the couple’s collection of art and worldly relics features prominently. A woven table runner from the Yucatán Peninsula tells the stories of adventures past, while other works honor local artists, like Oscar Galvan. A favorite, which hangs over the central fireplace, is a yarn painting of an antlered deer, made by the Huichol people in Jalisco. “We instantly fell in love with this piece that had both the bold, geometric forms and the deer, which are very symbolic of Timberwood Park,” she says. “We’d never lived in an area where you could watch deer up close like we do now.” The great room where the painting hangs also happens to be Acevedo’s favorite space in the home. With its high ceilings, natural light, and long, mustard curtains anchored by a black and white rug, it’s a striking yet inviting place to entertain loved ones and spend time with family, including their 3-year-old son. “To me, good design is incorporating pieces that have meaning,” she says. “My home is an extension of my personality, life experiences, and the things that inspire me.” MAY 2022
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IN THE LOOP / INFLUENCER
Vintage Taste Natalia Nazarewicz blends her love of style and creativity into her coffee and vintage finds BY EMILY DITOMASSO
fter 20-plus years of working in customer service, Natalia Nazarewicz was ready to move onto something bigger—something that would serve as an outlet for her creativity. It was not until her husband, Bronson Holbrook, became inspired by a New York trip, that the idea of opening an independent coffee shop in their hometown came about. It was not the kind of creative field Nazarewicz was used to. She earned a degree in fashion design and merchandising and had spent time working for major brands. However, it was just the change she and Holbrook were looking for. “I had no idea that I was going to be opening a coffee shop, but that’s life, right?” Nazarewicz says. Their Press Coffee debuted in 2014 and the couple have since curated a café with a small but traditional menu and a trendy interior that draws customers to linger while they enjoy their drink. Nazarewicz says they take pride in carefully selecting their roasters and in creating a friendly atmosphere that matches the cheery interior.
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“I’m a chatterbox. I know I make my own connection with customers, but we have always had an amazing staff that has done the same,” she says. They plan to open a second location this year. Despite her new career in coffee, Nazarewicz held on to her passion for fashion and retail. She creates jewelry using repurposed stones through her NAT+NAZ line, and in July 2020, she opened Mint Vintage right down the street from Press at the Boardwalk on Broadway. There, she loves helping locals find new treasures at affordable prices. “Nothing gives me more joy than seeing people be like ‘What? It’s only that much?’” she says. The shop is an outgrowth of her own hobby of collecting antiques and estate jewelry and carries home décor, accessories, estate jewelry and products from her own jewelry line plus those of other makers, including Chauncey and Coco and Ornamental Things jewelry. Owning multiple businesses may bring an added layer of stress but Nazarewicz says she wouldn’t trade it. “It is a stress that I enjoy,” she says. PHOTO BY KLARE PEREZ
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IN THE LOOP / ENTREPRENEUR
The Well-Rested Advocate Life coach and former wedding planner helps people care for themselves in order to advocate for others BY KATHLEEN PETTY
ou need to rest—like really rest, says Jordan Maney. Because it’s only when you work on yourself that you’ll have the energy to tackle the patriarchy and white supremacy that still exists today. “Rest is the time and energy you return to yourself, and that’s not something you can do only on weekends or on vacation,” says Maney, a life, rest and racial justice coach. “There are people who want to advocate and do all of these things, but they don’t have the capacity or the energy until they learn to pour into themselves first.” Maney knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed. In 2016, the former wedding planner, who focused her business around inclusivity, found herself dealing with the ramifications of going viral after a post on Facebook attracted attention from a reporter. A potential client had reached out to Maney wanting her help planning a
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wedding—at a plantation outside of San Antonio. Growing up Black and in the South, Maney says the racist slight seemed like an obvious one that could have been avoided. She shared those thoughts on social media. “I got a lot of hateful comments and emails, and traffic to my website was coming from Klan organizations. I was not prepared for that—I don’t think anybody is—and I was scared,” she says. Already thinking about pivoting out of the wedding industry, when COVID forced weddings to start canceling in 2020, Maney was left with plenty of time to consider where to go next. As protests following the murder of George Floyd sparked widespread conversations about racial inequality, she found renewed passion in her side gig, in which she’d done some business coaching on inclusivity for wedding industry peers. She launched White People Rehab coaching and built PHOTO BY ERIKA RAMIREZ
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a client base of creative business owners, organizations and even the city of Portland. “I wanted to talk about collective advocacy,” Maney says. “It was definitely not racism 101. It was for people who had some awareness and wanted to do the uncomfortable work of looking at themselves.” She worked with people to set clear boundaries and plan reactions for instances when they encounter racism, whether on Facebook or during family meals. It was about transforming passive allies into active advocates. “It really starts with prompts for inner dialogue,” Maney says. “If my mom says something, am I OK changing our relationship by saying that’s not acceptable? Do you want to have uncomfortable conversations? Or do you want to placate for the sake of keeping the peace? If you don’t want to say something, are you OK with other people being targeted, humiliated or experiencing microaggressions?” Her clients were receptive and thankful for the push to think in ways they may not have before, but by late 2021, she began to hear a common refrain: I’m too overwhelmed to take any action. “I got one email back that said, ‘I want to do all of these things but some days it feels like all I can do is survive,’” Maney says. “They’re bleeding hearts and they want to save the world, but, especially during the pandemic, people were experiencing trauma, depression, ADHD.” So Maney felt the pull to shift once more. She still offers White People Rehab, but her focus this year is on what she calls the Radical Joy Collab. Basically, she wants to help people help themselves—to take a break and just breathe. That begins with a rest audit, which requires clients to look at how they spend their time each day and to learn about the different kinds of rest. Sleeping or scrolling through Instagram doesn’t cut it. That kind of passive downtime is fine, but she also wants clients to be intentional about resting in ways that “fill their cup.” For her, that often looks like making a cup of tea or scheduling a Friday walk with a friend. For someone else, it could mean a hobby like reading, cooking or working out. Maney helps clients assess what they’ll give up and what boundaries they need to set—at home, at the office or with themselves—to be able to build a practice of rest, which she says often takes up to 18 months. Learning about racism and injustice as well as advocacy can remain a part of your routine, she says, knowing the end goal is that a refocused schedule will leave time for you and your passion to help others. That’s true whether it’s a white client who wants to be an ally or a BIPOC client who never had rest modeled for them growing up. “I tell people, you want to advocate for the collective and your community—that’s beautiful,” she says. “But you have not experienced advocating for yourself. I want you to pour back into yourself so you can pour into others.”
“There are people who want to advocate and do all of these things, but they don’t have the capacity or the energy until they learn to pour into themselves first.”
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Get Outside There are 89 state parks and state natural areas in Texas, and each has its own personality. Start exploring to find your perfect fit, whether you’re looking to float amid Hill Country views, hike through a canyon or camp on a dock under the stars
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Claire Winesett
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photos by
JoMando Cruz
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State Parks and State Natural Areas to Explore truly breathtaking. Get an introduction to the land after entering the park by driving the 45-minute scenic Palo Duro Canyon Loop and stopping at the CCC Overlook right next to the visitor center. From there, make plans based on your length of stay. Here’s what we suggest:
Palo Duro Canyon State Park 489 miles north in Canyon
toward Palo Duro Canyon, there are plains on every side of you, stretching across the panhandle for what seems like eternity. Then all of a sudden, things begin to shift and you’re overlooking the second largest canyon in the country (only the Grand Canyon surpasses its size). It’s an indescribable transformation of landscape that’s so surprising it’s hard not to be drawn in by its vast beauty. Palo Duro Canyon is about 120 miles long, 20 miles wide and up to 800 feet deep. The brilliant reds and oranges in the rock are complemented by green shrubbery all around that together create a site that is DURING THE DRIVE
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Day trip: If you’re just visiting for a day, hit the must-sees. Drive the scenic route to give yourself an experience of the entire canyon, then hike the Lighthouse Trail. This is a 5.6-mile moderate trail that will take you to the canyon’s most iconic landform, the Lighthouse rock formation. A weekend: Within the park, you can reserve campsites, cabins and even glamping tents. Plan a morning hike on the most popular route, the Lighthouse Trail, followed by a day that includes some mountain biking. The Givens, Spicer & Lowry Running Trail (GSL for short) is a great one to tackle as its 6.2 miles includes a variety of terrain and views of multiple gorgeous hoodoos, or rock formations. There are no rentals at the state park, so bring your own bike or plan a pit stop in nearby Amarillo (try Hills Sport Shop). A longer stay: If more than two days in a state park seems like an eternity, don’t worry, there’s plenty to do here. Besides the amazing hiking and biking available, you can also horseback ride through the park (tours are available with Old West Stables or Palo Duro Creek Ranch) or take a jeep tour (also with Palo Duro Creek Ranch). There’s also geocaching, bird watching, camping and more. The perk of visiting in the summer is that the well-known Texas Outdoor Musical is also running. Book a ticket Tuesday through Saturday at the Pioneer Amphitheater. You’ll watch the struggles and triumphs of early Texas settlers told through humorous singing, dancing and fireworks.
MUST DO Try the 4.8-mile Rock Garden Trail that will take you up 600 feet from the bottom of the canyon to its rim and back.
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Colorado Bend State Park
145 miles north in Bend
for a place to cool off, head to the oasis that is the Spicewood Springs Creek. You’ll find a collection of spring-fed pools strung together by running streams that carve through Spicewood Canyon and 35 miles of trails with scenic views. The 4.6-mile Tie Slide Trail that brings you to a sweeping overlook of the Colorado River is an ideal place to start. COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
IF YOU’RE LOOKING
MUST DO The 3-mile hike to Gorman Falls and back includes a walk over rough and rocky terrain, but the view of the 70-foot spring-fed waterfall is well worth it.
BIKE
HIKE
B OAT
H O R S E BAC K RIDE
BOULDER
PA D D L E CA N O E K AYA K
CA M P
ROCK CLIMB
FISH
SW I M
F LOAT
*TRAIL LENGTHS ARE ROUND-TRIP UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
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Natural Area vs. State Park Texas State Natural Areas are created first and foremost to protect a natural resource. Some recreation is permitted (there are usually trails and campsites) but only when the activities are not detrimental to natural resources. Protecting nature is important at Texas State Parks, too, but they are designed and developed with higher levels of recreation in mind.
Guadalupe River State Park and Honey Creek State Natural Area 38 miles north in Spring Branch
a go-to for any San Antonian. Less than an hour away from the city, it is the perfect entrance into the world of state parks. Paddle, float, fish or swim in the Guadalupe River. Paddle boarders can begin the 5-mile Guadalupe River State Park Paddling Trail here; you’ll paddle down the river lined by hovering trees and will pass plenty of secluded banks to land your board and rest. Don’t disregard this park, though, if you don’t want to get in the river. There are 13 miles of hiking and biking trails that are perfect for a casual stroll (try the 0.6-mile River Overlook Trail or the 1.2-mile Bald Cypress Trail that follows the river) or longer hikes that are approachable for families. If you’re interested in learning more about the history, geology, plants and animals of this area, visit Honey Creek State Natural Area. Access to Honey Creek is available only via a 2-mile guided hike that happens most weekends; pre-registration at tpwd.texas.gov/calendar is required. You’ll visit a scenic overlook and end the tour by walking along the peaceful creek. THIS PARK IS
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MUST DO The Bauer Unit. This section of the park is commonly overlooked but is a wonderful find for anyone willing to venture out. It boasts 8 miles of moderate to challenging hiking and biking trails that offer a more primitive experience. Insider tip: If you want to float the river, meet a friend there and park one vehicle at the Bauer Unit and one at the main entrance so you can float down from the Bauer Unit into the Guadalupe River proper.
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South Llano River State Park
120 miles northwest in Junction to get away from the busy New Braunfels or San Marcos crowds to float, consider this park. It’s a spring-fed, slow-moving river that is made for a day float with friends or family. Bring your own tubes or rent some at the park. IF YOU WANT
MUST DO Hop out of the river at Overlook Trail for a 1.8-mile hike that takes you up a steep grade to one of the highest points in the park with breathtaking vistas of the river valley.
Pedernales Falls State Park
75 miles north in Johnson City park of hidden gems. Most people know it as a spot for swimming, with a designated swimming area that sits a quick quarter-mile hike down steep rock stairs. But if you want to find some of the most amazing, secluded creeks, bluffs and trails, dig a little deeper into the park. For starters, the actual falls are spectacular, and you can spend hours exploring all the twists and turns of the river as it carves through, over and around limestone slabs. Or walk the Pedernales Falls Trail System (3.6 miles) to view the falls from above. There are over 40 more miles of trails, ranging from easy to strenuous for both hikers and bikers. If you’re an adventurous mountain biker, this is the park for you. Try the 19.4-mile Juniper Ridge Trail for a challenge. Hikers, take the Wolf Mountain Loop (5.8 miles) to discover some of the most secluded wonders of this park (including creeks to cool off in).
COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
THIS IS THE
MUST DO See the water from a different angle by venturing across Trammell’s Crossing, a low-water crossing point, to walk the 5.5-mile Loop Trail on the other side of the river.
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Garner State Park 90 miles west in Concan
views of the Hill Country when visiting this park. You’ll have easy access to 2.9 miles of the Frio River for swimming, tubing or paddling (rent paddle boards, kayaks or inner tubes at the park), and there are 16 miles of trails for hikers of all levels and ages. For beginners, check out the Frio Canyon Trail. It’s a 2.9-mile loop that is relatively flat and has amazing mountain views along the route. For those who are looking for a bit of a challenge, try the steep but quick Bridges Trail. It’s just less than a mile, but the steep grade will lead to the Painted Rock Overlook where you’ll be surrounded by rolling hills. Come down the Crystal Cave Trail to explore a 30-foot-deep cave, and don’t forget to leave time for the climb up Old Baldy. The summit offers a bird’s-eye view of the Frio River Canyon below. EXPECT SWEEPING
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MUST DO Bring your swimsuit and take the 1-mile Blinn River Trail that leads to a quieter area of the Frio River and back.
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Five Minutes with a State Park Pro
ILUSTRATION: DAVID G. LOYOLA; MCKINNEY FALLS: COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
Nic Maloukis, the park superintendent at Government Canyon State Natural Area in San Antonio, has 15-plus years of experience working at four state parks and state natural areas Why do you think it’s important to spend time in nature?
rience, especially if you plan to bring kids or dogs.
From the conservation side of it, if you don’t have experiences in nature, you can’t build connections with nature. We think of it through the lens of the “stair step to stewardship.” You learn about nature in the parks, then you visit, then you have an experience, and then you want to learn more about what you experienced. As you learn more, you start to care. As you care more, you start to advocate. You go from just being a visitor to being a steward. That’s why it’s important to continue spending time outdoors. On the other hand, spending time outdoors has so many positive mental and physical benefits. Connecting to the land is a way to connect with not only the natural history of a place but also the ancestral history of a place.
Do you have a favorite park that you have visited?
What’s your top tip for visiting a state park? Read as much as you can before you show up. Go online, look at the maps, and if you have any questions, call the staff. We love answering questions, we know the site, we can give recommendations and help plan your trip. This will help ensure you have an enjoyable expe-
There are aspects of many different sites that I really enjoy. My last few vacations have been to Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Big Bend Ranch is probably up there. It’s more remote, so if you’re trying to get away from crowds and people, it’s definitely the place to go.
What about Government Canyon? What’s your favorite hike there? The North and South Bluff Spurs—it’s a 4-mile loop with a great overlook.
Anything state park visitors do that make your day? I love to hear people’s stories about interactions they’ve had with a ranger, what they’ve learned, or about the new trails they’re trying. Hearing these stories tells us we’ve done our job well. Also, swearing in junior rangers is definitely one of the most fun interactions on any given day. No matter what’s going on, it just brightens the day! That’s one of the ways we grow the next generations of stewards.
McKinney Falls State Park 78 miles northeast in Austin
beautiful falls, a few swimming areas, nearly 9 miles of approachable hiking options, and even a spot for bouldering. THIS PARK FEATURES
MUST DO The Rock Shelter Trail will take you on a walk from the Upper Falls (where there is a dramatic drop into a pool), along the river and down to the Lower Falls.
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Inks Lake State Park
Sea Rim State Park
opportunities, Inks Lake is a great option for a weekend-long outdoor retreat. Jump in the water for a swim, or paddle around in a large no-wake zone. Paddle boats, canoes and kayaks are also available to rent at the park. To explore the terrain, try hiking trails that will lead you through shady forests and across rocky hills. A few to start out with: Valley Spring Creek Trail (0.9 miles) is an easy trail that begins at the Devil’s Waterhole. When the creek is running, you can explore a scenic waterfall upstream. In the same area you can tackle the Devil’s Backbone Nature Trail (2.4 miles), where you cross the creek and pass by amazing vistas of Inks Lake on the way to a wildlife viewing station. If that’s not enough, the Pecan Flats Trail (1.8 miles) brings you to a 1,000-foot overlook of Inks Lake, Buchanan Dam and the Hill Country. It’s a rugged trail with several scenic viewpoints. Whichever trail you choose, take time to soak in a famous Inks Lake sunset before you leave. WITH AMAZING CAMPING
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305 miles east in Sabine Pass MUST DO
Take a dip in the Devil’s Waterhole swimming hole, where Inks Lake meets Spring Creek. Tubes or floaties are recommended as the water is deep, but when the right precautions are in place, this is fun for adults and kids alike.
GET A TOTALLY different taste of Texas land-
scape here while exploring over 4,000 acres of marshlands and 5.2 miles of gulf shoreline. There are easy (1.8 mile) and advanced (11.7 miles) paddling trails that weave through lakes, ponds and calm marsh channels. If you want to stay on the beach, enjoy the coastline via the Dune Boardwalk where you can easily observe the area’s transition from marshes to ocean.
MUST DO Paddle to the Floating Primitive docks, where you can camp in the middle of a lake. Access is by boat only and is 2 miles from the boat ramp.
COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
106 miles north in Burnet
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Stay the Night
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Glamping, please! Leave the roughing it to someone else at these venues
Overnight in the outdoors without packing a tent
When you want to camp but need running water
Fully immerse yourself in nature
Cypress Valley Treehouses
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Rim-Side Cabins
Guadalupe River State Park Campsites
Pedernales Falls State Park Primitive Campsites
With five unique tree houses perched up in the branches of ancient cypress trees (and one on-the-ground ranch house), you’ll redefine what it means to spend the night in nature here. Enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee on your treetop patio and you’ll still have plenty of time to stop at Pedernales Falls or Blanco state parks en route back to San Antonio. Book early as treehouse stays sell out months in advance.
Tuck yourself in on the edge of the canyon and enjoy sweeping views of the colorful earth below. Each cabin has a bathroom with a shower, a small refrigerator and a microwave, with a grill and picnic table outside.
These are perfect for those just beginning to tap into their outdoorsy side. Bring a tent or a camper and enjoy a night or two near the river with the convenience of electricity hookups and bathrooms with showers just a short walk away.
Hike 2 miles to a camping area that is surprisingly secluded and quiet thanks to its location away from the day-time busyness of the falls. There are 20 spaces that are faintly marked as campsites, but you have the freedom to pitch your tent in any open spot that suits you best. Pets are not allowed at this site.
Hozhoni on the Hill
DAVID G. LOYOLA
Camping options for every comfort level
Less than 30 minuets from Inks Lake State Park, this glamping destination is set above Horseshoe Bay and boasts views plus plenty of amenities. The Stardom Suite features a king size bed set inside of a clear bubble that allows you to gaze at the night sky, while Curves is a beautiful suite in a welldesigned shipping container.
Garner State Park Cabins With a full kitchen (including a sink, microwave, fridge and stove), showers, central AC and heat and two double beds (plus a fireplace in some cabins), this is basically a home away from home with a view.
Inks Lake State Park Campsites There are 49 water-only sites with restrooms and showers nearby (ideal for tent camping) and another 125 campsites with electricity hookups. Book early so you can reserve a space right on the banks of Inks Lake.
Colorado Bend State Park Primitive Campsites For a low-key backpacking experience, this park offers two backcountry campsites—the Backcountry River Area and the Backcountry Windmill Area—that are both a mile or less from a trailhead. Neither have access to water or toilets but you’ll exchange these pleasantries of normal life for an unparalleled experience in the wilderness.
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Maximizing the Experience 4 tips for state park enjoyment
Don’t get turned away: It’s important to plan ahead, as many parks sell out of day passes well in advance. Book day passes up to 30 days ahead of your visit and overnight reservations up to five months in advance at tpwd.texas. gov/state-parks.
104 miles northeast in Bastrop
resilience of nature at Bastrop State Park, home to the “Lost Pines,” a unique pine-oak forest just east of Austin. A wildfire damaged 96 percent of the park in 2011, followed by a flood in 2015. What was once a mystical forest with large pines casting shadows over pathways lined with ferns is now home to a co-existence of the old and new. Remnants of the fire still stand—trees bare and black by the flames—but underneath these looming memories of the past is a forest of new growth and life. Though the trails may be a little warmer since many of the trees aren’t yet tall enough to provide extensive shade, the experience of this new generation of loblolly pines is absolutely worth it. Try the Scenic Overlook Trail (3.4 miles) for a view of the unique natural setting. EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING
Devils River State Natural Area 215 miles west in Del Rio
two properties, the Del Norte and Dan A. Hughes units, that encompass over 37,000 acres of stunning Texas land. Visit the Del Norte Unit for the day, or, if you’re an experienced paddler, consider an unforgettable extended downriver trip (it requires some extensive planning and a Devil’s River Access Permit but the three- to four-day trip is unlike any other). THIS RIVER CONNECTS
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MUST DO Swim in the clear, springfed river that may be one of the most pristine in Texas. It’s just a 1-mile hike from the parking lot down to the swimming area.
MUST DO Park Road 1C is a 12-mile road that takes you through the recovering forested areas and is great for road biking and driving.
Bring the essentials: San Antonians know what it’s like to handle outdoor heat, but being prepared is even more important when out on a trail. Pack sunscreen, food and plenty of water before heading out. Respect nature: Play a part in conserving the beauty around you by throwing away all of your trash, staying on the trails and not disturbing any wildlife you see.
COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
Bastrop State Park
Maximize your budget: An annual State Park Pass is just $70 and covers entry for you and anyone else in your car. If you’re only planning to hit one park this year, it’s a better bet to just pay the daily fee, however, if you and the family plan on making more than three visits in a year, the pass will quickly pay for itself. Adult day passes at most parks range from $5 to $8 and children under 12 are usually free.
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Outfitted for the Outdoors
Shop local while packing for your next hike or day trip Wildway Apple Cinnamon GrainFree Granola
Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50
$32 for a 5.5-ounce bottle at Sephora and supergoop.com
$6 at H-E-B, Whole Foods and wildwayoflife.com
Merrell Hiking Boots: Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Boots $145 at Whole Earth Provision Co.
Organic Chix No More Bugs Mosquito Repellent
Embroidered Water Bottle Holder with Strap
$46 at Feliz Modern
KLARE PEREZ
$12 for an 8-ounce bottle at Blue Star Provisions, Pearl Farmers Market and organicchix.com
Mountain Dog Versatile Leash
$42 at Mike’s Dog Store MAY 2022
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Davis Mountains State Park West Texas is a commitment, so it’s worth staying a few days when you make the trek. Thankfully, Davis Mountains State Park is a worthy destination (and you can also tick the ever-popular Big Bend National Park off your list on the way). On its own, Davis Mountains State Park is an ideal place for hiking and backpacking. The 5.2-mile Skyline Drive Trail goes up and down mountain ridges and valleys and gives you a good taste of West Texas, while the 4.8-mile Limpia Creek Trail offers stunning canyon views. If you’re feeling ambitious, head from that trail to the connecting 5.6-mile Sheep Pen Canyon Loop, which will bring you over a mountain plateau and through high desert grasslands to the Limpia Creek Vista. After a day of exploring, camp at the park or stay at the Indian Lodge, a full-service DRIVING OUT TO
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hotel with 39 rooms that’s set within the boundaries of the state park. It’s an idyllic West Texas stay with white adobe walls and a bright blue pool set before the backdrop of rolling hills. Inside, the Black Bear Restaurant offers breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday (you can stop in for a meal even if you’re not staying at the property). While you’re in the area, visit Fort Davis National Historic Site, considered to be one of the best remaining examples of a frontier military post in the American Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, troops were stationed there to protect travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road. You can visit six restored and furnished buildings that mimic the 1880s period, plus 20 other buildings and 100 ruins. Take the short drive here from the state park, or you can hike to it using the 1.6-mile one-way CCC trail.
MUST DO With very little light pollution, the stars at night are, as the song says, literally big and bright. View them from the park, or head to the nearby McDonald Observatory where you can attend a Star Party and get an open-air constellation tour and view the skies through high-powered telescopes every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening (make reservations in advance at mcdonald observatory.org).
COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
403 miles northwest in Fort Davis
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Lake Mineral Wells State Park 253 north in Mineral Wells
TOW YOUR BOAT to this 640-acre lake (note: no skiing, tub-
ing or jet skiing is allowed) or rent one when you arrive. Select from flat-bottom boats with trolling motors, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and rowboats. If you’d rather stay on land, hike some of the 12.8 miles of waterfront and backcountry trails.
Rock climb at Penitentiary Hollow, one of the few natural climbing venues in North Texas. Rock-About Climbing Adventures offers guided climbs, or if you have all the gear, you can go in your own group after registering at the park’s headquarters. MUST DO
Help Your Kids Fall in Love with the Outdoors Between iPads, computers and TV, it’s estimated that children consume around 1,200 hours of media through screens each year. Families are increasingly trying to counter that by committing to the 1,000 Hours Outside project, which was founded by a mom of five who found her family thrived when they spent a few hours a day (or more) outside. Not sure where to start? Consider one of these programs, parks or hikes to begin getting your little ones acclimated to life in the great outdoors.
Growing Up Wild at Phil Hardberger Park Registration for this early childhood education program opens at 9 a.m. on the first Monday of the month and spots fill up quickly. Reserve a space in one of the four sessions offered each month that are designed for 4- to 6-year-olds to learn about wildlife and nature. philhardbergerpark.org/ growing-up-wild
Nature Exploration at the San Antonio Botanical Garden Each Wednesday at 10 a.m., kids 5 and younger are invited to take part in a sensory activity near the Prickly Pear Pavilion in the Family Adventure Garden.
Mustang Island State Park
165 miles southeast in Corpus Christi
island just east of Corpus Christi to bask in the sunshine and beauty of this natural coastline. Stay busy during the day with surfing and swimming before spending the night on the sand in one of the many drive-up campsites right on the beach.
COURTESY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
VISIT THIS BARRIER
MUST DO Mustang Island State Park Paddling Trail offers 20 miles of paddling that follow the western shoreline of the island in Corpus Christi Bay. You’ll pass through some of the best shallow -water fishing in Texas.
Exploration at Cibolo Nature Center Homeschool families can register for the Nature Explorers Program for some structured natural fun while all are welcome to wade in the creek or walk or bike up to 6 miles on the trails any time the grounds are open.
Beginner Hikes Completing the full trail at Palo Duro Canyon might be beyond your little one’s abilities but that doesn’t mean you can’t hike as a family. Consider the easy, 2.6-mile Savannah Loop at Government Canyon State Natural Area or the 1.7-mile main loop trail at Friedrich Wilderness Park. The city’s Parks & Recreation Department also hosts guided first Saturday hikes at Friedrich in some months. MAY 2022
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COURTESY TOBIN ENTERTAINMENT/REAL LIFE AMPHITHEATER
Is San Antonio on the Cusp of a Live Music
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San Antonio has a deep musical history, but it has long lived in the shadow of Austin when it comes to booking talent and national tours. With the opening and reimagining of new venues throughout the city, that might finally be changing BY TRAVIS E. POLING
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an Antonio has been an important stop for performers at various times over the last century. Duke Ellington, Selena, Vicente Fernández and Elvis have graced the city’s stages—Elvis played three shows here in 1956 alone and part of his 1972 concert at HemisFair Arena was recorded for his Elvis: Close Up box set. It also has served as the first stop for touring acts from Mexico before they head to other destinations in the region. While there is still plenty of great music in San Antonio today, it’s also no secret that its reputation as a top live music city has been lacking in recent decades. National touring acts and even some beloved local performers have found themselves skipping San Antonio because they need more revenue than a small venue provides, but they also aren’t the kind of shows that can fill an arena like the AT&T Center. When major national tours plan their calendar, it’s not unusual for Austin and Houston to make the schedule while San Antonio is skipped. Thanks to the opening of new venues this year and the reimagining of others, that could finally be about to change as the city will soon boast places of nearly every conceivable size and type at which to hear live music. “A paradigm shift for entertainment in the city is finally happening. This should have happened many years ago for a city of our size. It really felt like for many years that we were underserved in the market, and I think part of that was a lack of options,” says Aaron Zimmerman, vice president of programming at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. “It wasn’t that people didn’t want to play here, but before Tobin, there was one theater in town. You were either playing The Majestic or you weren’t coming here.” Now, the Tobin and Majestic are just a few of several options. Tech Port Center + Arena at Port San Antonio (remembered by many as the old Kelly Air Force Base) opened this year with 3,100 seats and it has several hot bookings starting in May. Real Life Amphitheater, just north of San Antonio in Selma, is getting a rebirth into the music scene starting in late May after several years without live acts. And Pearl Stable, which has served as an event venue at the Historic Pearl complex since 2006, is undergoing a reimagining as a 1,000-seat live music venue called Stable Hall that will open in 2023. Add in a possible redo of the city’s 5,000-seat Sunken Garden Theater and industry insiders say the stage is set for more shows by touring and local acts across the spectrum, and perhaps, with the positive momentum, even more music festivals.
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“The new spaces are all unique sizes compared to what already exists here and so I don’t necessarily look at all the new spaces, whether it be Pearl or Tech Port or Real Life Amphitheater, as overlapping competitors to each other. There will be some minor crossover from act to act, but everyone should be able to survive,” Zimmerman says. Tobin Entertainment, the off-site tour and promotion division of the Tobin Center, has an agreement to book the 20,000-seat Real Life Amphitheater with shows like the May 22 performance by Zac Brown Band. Real Life is owned by River City Community Church and is just coming out from under an eight-year noncompete clause applying to concerts that it agreed to as part of the sale of the former Live Nation Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in 2011. Tobin also has a booking and ticketing agreement with Tech Port Center + Arena where upcoming shows include The Smashing Pumpkins, Kevin Gates, Papa Roach, Carla Morrison, Nothing More and Asking Alexandria, Rise Against and The Used, and Boyz II Men. It wasn’t long after the announcement of Tech Port and its first lineup that the live music scene hit another high note. Brandt Wood, a well-known entity to touring acts and the festival circuit, was tapped to help bring new life to Pearl Stable. The building that was once used for the horses that pulled the Pearl Beer wagons had a long life as a bar and place for events, first as the Pearl Corral and then as Jersey Lilly. After the brewery closed and sold to entrepreneur Christopher “Kit” Goldsbury in the early 2000s, the striking round brick building was turned into a premiere events center called Pearl Stable. As the complex developed with the Culinary Institute of America campus, then restaurants, shops, apartments, condos, a brewery and the elite Hotel Emma, Pearl Stable no longer met the criteria of the evolving development. While people liked the space for catered events plus private receptions, it was often closed and, when it was open, was off-limits to the general public. That’s when the idea for booking live shows as its primary function came into play, says Elizabeth Fauerso, CEO of Pearl Commercial.
“A PARADIGM SHIFT FOR ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CITY IS FINALLY HAPPENING. THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED MANY YEARS AGO FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE.”
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COURTESY TECH PORT CENTER + ARENA
Tech Port Center + Arena will host its first major concert this month when Smashing Pumpkins visit on May 2. The venue at the former Kelly Field southwest of downtown can be configured as an auditorium or conference center and offers the technology needed for large-scale tours plus virtual and augmented reality demos and events.
CH RONIC L I N G TH E M US I C SC ENE UTSA TO RELEASE BOOK EXAMINING THE HISTORY OF LIVE MUSIC IN SAN ANTONIO
THREE MUSIC HISTORY EXPERTS
from the University of Texas at San Antonio and nearly three dozen collaborators have been engaged in a three-year journey to chronicle San Antonio’s 300-year-old musical heritage. The History of Music in San Antonio is expected in print late this year or in early 2023 from UTSA Libraries and the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures. UTSA music librarian William Glenn and Department of Music
assistant professors Stan Renard and Mark Brill put together the planned 400-page book from photos and history in the university archives, plus culling information from contributors and a database of 6,000 shows kept in the San Antonio Public Library’s Texana Collection. The book will chronicle every fascinating detail of the city’s musical past from conjunto and the West Side sound to military bands and hip-hop.
And the story isn’t complete yet. You can contribute your own story about music in San Antonio at lib.utsa.edu/samusic. Glenn says the book will debut along with an exhibit local music fans can visit at the ITC, plus a genre-spanning concert series and a YouTube video series.
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Sunken Garden Theater
VE N U E IN VE N TO RY A LOOK AT SA CONCERT SPACES BY CAPACITY
Alamodome: 72,000 Real Life Amphitheater: 20,000 AT&T Center: 18,581 Freeman Coliseum: 11,700 Sunken Garden Theater (proposed): 7,000 Tech Port Center: 3,100 Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium: 2,700 Lila Cockrell Theatre: 2,315 Majestic Theatre: 2,264
Stable Hall
Tobin Center H-E-B Performance Hall: 1,700 Aztec Theatre: 1,100 Stable Hall (spring 2023): 1,000 Paper Tiger: 1,000 (standing) Charline McCombs Empire Theatre: 856 Tobin Center Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater: 250 The Squeezebox: 100 Source: KBF & Associates
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REAL LIFE: COURTESY TOBIN ENTERTAINMENT/REAL LIFE AMPHITHEATER; SUNKEN GARDEN: COURTESY OTJ ARCHITECTS; STABLE HALL: COURTESY CLAYTON KORTE
Real Life Amphitheater
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The old Pearl had a rich music history with the brewery sponsoring the appearance of many bands, including Texas Swing and polka standouts like Faron Young and Adolph Hofner and the Pearl Wranglers. That tradition was brought back to life in recent years with the 2016 opening of Jazz, TX underneath the Bottling Department Food Hall. Pearl has also hosted numerous shows on its grounds, including five years of the Latin alternative Échale music festival. When Stable Hall opens next spring, it will feature a 1,000-seat concert space with a “jewel-box” stage that makes use of the natural acoustics of the building. “San Antonio, for generations, was one of the hubs of music in the U.S. and we’ve kind of lost our standing as Austin has crescendoed into a live music capital of the world,” Fauerso says. “It feels it’s time for San Antonio to show back up in this conversation very powerfully.” Pearl’s venue sits within a mile of smaller ones like Sam’s Burger Joint around the corner and Paper Tiger and The Squeezebox on the St. Mary’s Strip. Just a little farther into downtown is the Tobin Center, plus the Majestic, Empire and Aztec theaters. Fauerso says in a growing city, “our philosophy about everything is more is more.” She echoes Zimmerman’s sentiment that more venues in varying sizes is an asset to San Antonio. Wood has experience developing and operating numerous music venues from buildings that once had very different uses, including the 600-person capacity Trees in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district. He says part of what will draw big acts to Pearl is the hospitality experience they can enjoy at the complex, including staying at Hotel Emma and eating at the restaurants on-site, instead of climbing back on a tour bus and heading to the next town. Already, he says, the venue—and San Antonio in general— is receiving positive feedback from agents and managers. He expects to book artists who might normally play bigger venues in other cities because of the excitement around the Pearl complex and the possibility of playing multi-night residencies at Stable Hall. “There won’t be very many dark nights,” Wood says. “We will do daytime shows and matinees on the weekends, like Preservation Hall (New Orleans) and the Ryman (Nashville) does, to hopefully give a lot of visitors some true Texas music heritage.” He adds that those types of shows leave plenty of time for resetting the venue for larger concerts at night. The city and Brackenridge Park Conservancy also have ambitious plans for the Sunken Garden Theater to help fill that need for mid-size venues. Revitalizing the historic space at Brackenridge Park would take about $62 million from public and private sources, and revenue from ongoing live music events would be required to keep up the maintenance and operation of the facility. San Antonio’s May bond issue election includes $5 million for the renovation.
“IT FEELS IT’S TIME FOR SAN ANTONIO TO SHOW BACK UP IN THIS CONVERSATION VERY POWERFULLY.”
Before COVID-19 sidelined most performances, Sunken Garden Theater only hosted about a dozen shows a year. Its revitalization plans include expanding the 5,900seat amphitheater with space for another 1,100 guests on the grass. Amenities to make the performers comfortable would also be added along with permanent concessions and public restrooms, says Kirk Feldmann, who was associated with restoration at the Majestic and Empire Theatres and now is president and CEO of KBF & Associates, which is a consultant for Brackenridge Park Conservancy. Feldmann said about 200 touring acts of all musical genres specifically bypassed San Antonio and booked Austin in 2018 and 2019 combined because of the lack of enough venues of certain sizes with a variety of open dates. The AT&T Center, for example, is limited in the dates it can offer because of San Antonio Spurs games and the possibility of playoff games each spring. The reopening of Real Life Amphitheater and the eventual rise of the Sunken Garden Theater could go a long way in filling that gap. The way San Antonio interacts with live music could be evolving—something concert promoters are betting on—but the city still has obstacles to overcome, including San Antonians’ penchant for buying tickets only a few days before or the day of a show and the sometimes-high ticket prices relative to the incomes of a large segment of local music lovers. Stan Renard, DMA, a University of Texas at San Antonio professor and music marketing coordinator who is on leave to serve as a visiting associate professor at the University of Oklahoma, says the city has a reputation for lackluster ticket pre-sales. “San Antonio is not a pre-sale market. That freaks out promoters. That’s why we are usually passed by major acts in favor of Austin or Houston or Dallas,” Renard says. “Austin does pre-sale. They buy tickets as soon as the show goes on sale. Here, it’s mostly people who buy with cash the day before or the day of. It’s a cultural thing. It’s difficult to come out of.” And while some tours can stop in both San Antonio and Austin, large venues can have radius clauses in their contracts that prohibit acts they book from playing within 100 miles or even anywhere else in the state if it’s a major festival. If tickets sell faster in Austin and a certain number of San Antonians are willing to drive north for the show, picking the capital city is a no-brainer. The larger number of small venues, such as 50- to 100-person standing-room clubs found in places like the St. Mary’s Strip, have helped to cultivate local talent that have gone on to bigger things as touring acts, Renard says. In small to mid-sized venues, however, performers are frequently booking back-to-back shows in both cities, Zimmerman says, which is something that could increase with more venues. Over the last decade, he says, “agents and managers are recognizing that we really are two separate markets and that not only is there an opportunity in those, but also that it’s the best routing you could get being an hour and 15 minutes apart.” “We are more cosmopolitan than we’ve ever been. There’s kind of an old school class and flair that gives this city a uniqueness that a lot of other cities don’t have,” Zimmerman says, adding that the city is also coming into its own thanks to new developments. “This city is definitely on the rise,” he says. “There’s no doubt about it.” MAY 2022
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
MARY LONG/SHUTTERSTOCK
San Antonio Magazine salutes the many local women affecting change and making waves in their industries. We support and highlight female entrepreneurs and business leaders with this annual Women to Watch special advertising section. Get to know some of the phenomenal women leading San Antonio in the following pages.
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Eat + Drink I NSI D E / K ING WIL L IA M CUISIN E p. 56 / ERN ESTO’S LEGACY p. 60 / BREW ERY BITES p. 63
ARROSTA
1803 Broadway, Ste. 101 210-979-9950 arrostapearl.com Open daily
Texas Italian talian menus aren’t known for their sweets, but Peter Selig still wanted to offer a balance of savory and sweet when opening Arrosta. The fast-casual concept he and Maverick Restaurant Group debuted earlier this year in Pearl’s Oxbow building (along Broadway, just across from the complex’s main area), accomplishes that and more with sweet tea breads and savory pinwheels in the morning, rotisserie-style meat served on focaccia or ciabatta at lunch and crispy fried appetizers, or cuppetiellis, for after-work snacking. “We’re not Italians—we’re Texans who are passionate about Italian
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food and Italian style,” says Selig, who points to chef/partner Christopher Carlton and chef de cuisine Alyssa Bobalik as the masterminds behind the kitchen. Throughout the day, Selig hopes the 2,200-square-foot Arrosta and its patio welcome locals who need a space to work, relax or meet with friends over bites and espresso-based drinks or treats like the affogato, espresso poured over a soft serve Italian gelato. For those looking for a place to celebrate or enjoy a full-service meal, sister restaurant Allora is next door. “We’re trying to transport people someplace else without being pretentious about it,” Selig says.—KP
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E AT + D R I N K / E AT H E R E N O W
BAR LORET TA
320 Beauregard St. 210-757-3607 barloretta.com Dinner daily
Texas Artistry
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Bar Loretta draws on generations of creativity BY EDMUND TIJERINA
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hen Roger Herr left San Antonio in the mid-1990s, the city’s dining scene offered far fewer creative, upscale dining options than exist now. A place like Bar Loretta would have seemed an odd fit then, and this city’s diners might not have taken to its relaxed yet refined take on modern Texas cuisine. As it was, Herr and his wife, Sarah, went to New York so she could pursue her career after receiving a master’s in fashion design. He calls it “one of the best decisions of my life.” While in New York, Herr tended bar and in 2000, he opened Souths in Tribeca. Then in 2006, he opened the 11th Street Bar in the East Village. “Twenty-three years later, we returned to San Antonio with our two daughters in tow,” he says. He knew he wanted to live in the King William area, run a restaurant in the neighborhood, and send his daughters to the nearby Bonham Academy. And that’s exactly what he’s doing.
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PHOTOS BY MARTY MORRIS
4/7/22 5:07 PM
ORDER THIS
Mustard glazed salmon Butter roasted scallops Crispy Brussels sprouts Double chocolate bread pudding
His place, nearing one year in business, offers a take on a modern Texas aesthetic with style and impeccable taste. Sarah Herr redesigned the eatery, which is in the former Madhatter’s Tea House, to feel like a Victorian-inspired mansion, while executive chef Paul Petersen has created an outstanding menu that gently evokes a sense of place. The menu is seasonal but some of Petersen’s recent dishes included chileglazed quail and queso fresco–topped Brussels sprouts, along with a gorgeous rendition of butter-seared scallops that married the rich, delicate flesh with vibrant citrus-topped shaved fennel and basil pistou. Thick and luscious mustard glazed lamb chops, ordered medium rare, showed off a lovely seared crust with a primal red interior that harmonized deftly with roasted fingerlings. An expertly roasted chicken gets a luxurious treatment, served with a deeply satisfying mushroom bread pudding and topped with a runny fried egg. A clever and delightful cocktail menu from Michael Neff, a buddy of Herr’s
from New York who was founder and beverage director at the Cottonmouth Club in Houston, adds depth to the experience with classics. There's also an entire section of Manhattans and another of whimsical creations that incorporate items from, of all places, Buc-ee’s—Big Red Sazerac, anyone? “What we wanted was great classic cocktails, because they really have appeal,” Herr says, adding, “We wanted to have a sense of humor.” Meanwhile, front of the house manager Todd Piernik helps Herr keep the service on point. Together, the team has created a destination where diners need to book weeks in advance for a weekend seating. “The concept is my looking at Texas as a muse, as a giver of life, a material presence. What comes from her soil, the Gulf of Mexico,” Herr says. “Also, Texas feeds the world with its literature, songwriters, musicians.” That famed Texas creativity inspired the restaurant name, which comes from a song of the same title by Fort Worth native Townes Van Zandt (and later covered by others, including Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett). And there’s a connection with the restaurant: Those musicians all performed at Beauregard Café—which operated in that space from the early 1970s until 1981. Now the space echoes with a new generation of creativity that San Antonio’s dining scene is more than ready to embrace. MAY 2022
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BUBBY ’S J EWISH SOUL FOOD
Challah and Chopped Liver Come for the staples and stay for a meal at Bubby’s Jewish Soul Food BY KATHLEEN PETTY
t’s not an exaggeration to say Charlie Nuttall has a challah obsession. The co-owner of Bubby’s Jewish Soul Food made his first braided loaf while in San Antonio celebrating a Jewish holiday with the family of his husband, Jason Fiske. Relatives and friends of relatives began asking at subsequent holidays if he could make a loaf for their next Passover meal and his dedication to crafting the perfect challah rose from there. Fiske, meanwhile, was known for his grandmother’s chopped liver recipe—so much so that he typically made 10 to 15 pounds for family gatherings just so there would be enough for everyone to take some home. “From one holiday to the next, different people would comment that we should come here and open a place and serve these dishes because nobody here is doing that,” says Fiske, who lived in L.A. with Nuttall at the time. “We took that with a grain of salt. We’re not restaurateurs.”
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Then COVID-19 hit at the same time that Fiske’s mom died. The couple started talking about the future, and Fiske floated the idea of packing up and moving to San Antonio. Nuttall, whose sales job allows him to work from anywhere, agreed without hesitation. Within a few months, the two had purchased a home and begun looking for a location at which to open their Jewish deli. “It was just insanity to open a restaurant during this time period,” says Fiske, co-owner and operations manager at Bubby’s. But perhaps emboldened by inexperience, they forged ahead, opening Bubby’s in November 2021. The menu started with their signature challah and chopped liver and now also includes hand-sliced lox, whole-smoked whitefish that’s flown in overnight from Brooklyn, pastrami nova and a plethora of fresh-made baked goods, from challah buns to dark chocolate babka. The deli near Wurzbach Road and Military Highway also serves sandwiches like the couple was used to finding at Jewish delis in L.A.—corned beef or pastrami stacked high between freshly baked rye and topped with chopped liver and housemade spread or hot corned beef smothered with melted Swiss cheese and sweet onion prune spread. Nuttall says their regulars include fellow Jewish families who lament they can’t find chopped liver or authentic challah anywhere else plus neighbors who walk over for lunch and a few pop culture fans who are looking for a sandwich like they’ve seen on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Fiske adds that they even have a few dedicated customers who drive from McAllen or Corpus Christi regularly to stock up on staples. “We’ve found a home we love,” Fiske says.
COURTESY BUBBY'S JEWISH SOUL FOOD
12730 N.W. Military Hwy. 210-504-6040 bubbysjsf.com Breakfast and lunch Wed-Sun
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Family Legacy Remembering the iconic Ernesto as his son takes over his eponymous restuarant BY KIMBERLY A. SUTA
ERNESTO’S GOURMET MEXICAN SPECIALTIES
he delicious Mexican dishes, seafood and Frenchbased sauces on the menu helped Ernesto’s Gourmet Mexican Specialties build a loyal following in its more than 40 years, but equally memorable and beloved was the man behind the restaurant. Ernesto Torres Sr. spent more than half of his life running his unassuming neighborhood restaurant before he died last year at the age of 81, passing the torch to his son and namesake, Ernesto Torres. “It’s hard, but I’ll tell you what, I’ve been working with him for at least 40 years at the restaurant and he was the best father, best friend, mentor and businessman. He was everything to me, but I’m happy and content,” Torres says. Superb customer service, warmth and generosity were at the core of Ernesto Sr.’s success. You could often find him in the dining room greeting guests with his gracious smile and welcoming nature, describing the dishes on the menu in detail and sharing stories. “He was a true gentleman. My father’s style of customer service was exceptional. You rarely see that kind of personal attention,” Torres says. “(He treated people) like family.” Ernesto Sr. was born in Monterrey, Mexico and started out in the hospitality industry there at the Grand Hotel Ancira at the
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age of 17. He worked his way up from a bus boy to a waiter and eventually found his way in the kitchen. When he first moved to San Antonio, his father helped him get a job at The St. Anthony Hotel, where he again worked his way up before moving on to become the gastronomy director at Handy Andy, where he taught French cooking. A four-year stint at the upscale Chez Ardid followed before Ernesto Sr. opened his own place on West Avenue. Just a few years later, Ernesto’s moved to its current location on Jackson Keller Road. Torres says while customer service is key, the most important thing his father taught him were the recipes behind the restaurant’s rich, succulent sauces. Using a classic beurre blanc as the base, Ernesto Sr. created nine different velvety sauces to adorn his dishes, like the lemon-butter-garlic, almondine and mushroom. The baked crab-stuffed snapper that is served with a half kabob of shrimp and lobster is the eatery’s most popular seafood dish and Torres says it’s best enjoyed with his father’s Veracruz sauce made with capers, olives, tomatoes, onions, poblanos, cilantro and garlic butter. Plenty of butter, he says, is crucial. With his own children already working in the restaurant and studying business management in college, Torres hopes they will take over the restaurant one day, continuing the family legacy.
COURTESY ERNESTO'S GOURMET MEXICAN SPECIALTIES
2559 Jackson Keller Road 210-344-1248 ernestosrestaurant.com Lunch Mon-Fri; dinner Mon-Sat
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OFF MENU News from the restaurant scene
Jacala was destroyed in a fire in March. / Suck It Asian Mixology Bar opened in St. Paul Square. / Culinaria is partnering with the James Beard Foundation and Visit San Antonio to present the Texas Wine + Food Festival, Oct. 27-30. Headliners include Michelin star– and James Beard Award–winning chef Rick Bayless, Cured at Pearl’s Steve McHugh and others. / The owners of Green Lantern and Box Car took over ownership of Study Space, the now-closed cafe and restaurant near UTSA, with plans to reopen soon with a new name and concept. / Stix and Stone chef Leo Davila was one of seven chefs featured on Food Network’s Big Restaurant Bet in April. / San Antonians Katie and Barry Crossland will open the city’s first Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in North San Antonio later this year. The bakery chain is based in Tennessee. / Big Chicken, the chain restaurant founded by one-time San Antonian Shaquille O’Neal, will open in the Alamo City later this year. / Make Ready Market, a food hall slated for the River North neighborhood, will open this winter with tenants that include Mila Coffee and a bar by Pouring With Heart, which operates bars in Austin and Denver.
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GATHER BREWING CO.
Veteran Flavor
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A former Coast Guard chef and his wife deliver creativity in the food and beers at Gather Brewing Co. BY JEREMY BANAS
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our years removed from his life as a chef with the U.S. Coast Guard, Mike Voeller and his wife, Rachel, have realized a dream many years in the making with Gather Brewing Co. Housed in the former Da Bunker Bar across from the main entrance to Randolph Air Force Base in Universal City, the brewpub is a project the couple began making plans for shortly after returning to Rachel’s native San Antonio once Mike separated from the military. Taking the culinary experience he gained in the Coast Guard, Mike curated an eclectic menu that features main dishes like a boar burger, which is a house-ground pork and bacon smash patty plus a quarter-pound beef patty topped with porter caramelized onions, the braised Korean brisket tacos that are served on blue corn tortillas and the fan-favorite Korean chicken sandwich. This delectable delight elevates your everyday fried chicken sandwich by pickle brining the chicken breast before adding a Gochujang glaze and topping it with Kimchi slaw,
Sunomono pickled cucumber and cilantro. The grilled brioche bun it’s served on seals the deal. On the beer side of the menu, Gather features a diverse selection with styles ranging from Belgian-style triple and quadruple ales to a milkshake IPA and an amber lager (aptly named the Universal City Lager). Though the Voellers tend toward more traditional beer styles, beer fans that like modern takes on their favorite malted beverage will find options, as well. The couple’s original plans for opening were delayed by COVID lock downs, but that didn’t stop them from testing their concept before officially debuting their taproom, kitchen and spacious patio in December 2021. Mike honed his recipes, and he and Rachel worked to get the word out about Gather by hosting pop-ups outside the brewery in 2021 while renovations inside the building were taking place. Their work to perfect the menu is evident, whether you’re stopping for dinner and a drink or simply an appetizer to accompany a flight of beer.
COURTESY GATHER BREWING CO.
210 E. Aviation Blvd., Universal City 210-868-3596 gatherbrewing.co Lunch and dinner Wed-Sun
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T H E G U I D E / E AT + D R I N K
10 Brewpub Menus To Try
Yeah, they all have great beer, but have you tried their stellar food lineup? ALAMO BEER CO. (Downtown)
Alamo Beer quietly opened a full kitchen in 2019 inside its beer hall. Fan favorites include the pulled pork sandwich, brisket nachos and the jumbo pretzel served with beer cheese that’s made with the Alamo Golden Ale. If you are looking for a vegan option, grab their new portobello mushroom sandwich. Wednesdays are for wings, which are available with buffalo sauce crafted with Alamo Golden Ale. 202 Lamar St., alamobeer.com BACK UNTURNED BREWING CO.
(Downtown) Pizza is the highlight of the menu at this brewpub. Classic pepperoni is always tasty, though you should make sure to try others, whether the Campagnola with mozzarella, Italian sausage, roasted peppers and onions, or the ever classic margherita. Not feeling like pizza? Consider the charred Brussels sprouts and caprese. 516 Brooklyn Ave., backunturned.com BLUE STAR BREWING CO. (South-
town) Blue Star has been a Southtown staple since 1996, serving up delicious San Antonio–style pub fare made from mostly locally sourced ingredients. Staples include baby back ribs, chicken fried steak, fish and chips, and brisket tacos, plus a full line of burgers. Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for brunch. Don’t miss the brisket hash. 1414 S. Alamo St., Ste. 105, bluestarbrewing.com
DAVID G. LOYOLA
DOS SIRENOS BREWING. (Southtown) The folks at Dos Sirenos really shine when brunch is on the line. Highlights include the
lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberries; a Hangover Hash with chorizo and jalapeños; the shrimp and grits with Parmesan, peppers, and onions; and their take on a Hawaiian classic Loco Moco with jalapeño brown gravy. Visiting at another time? The kitchen also has a great lineup of burgers and appetizers. 231 E. Cevallos St., dossirenosbrewing.com
MAD PECKER BREWING CO.
(Northwest) Hand cut fries slathered with house made beer cheese, bacon, sausage, green onion mac ‘n’ cheese, and spicy ranch—Mad Pecker’s Messy Pecker Fries are the highlight of a menu that is rounded out with a beer cheeseburger, mushroom burger, a variety of hot wings and more. 6025 Tezel Road, Ste. 122, madpeckerbrewing.com
FREETAIL BREWING CO. (North
Central) Pizza is the centerpiece of Freetail’s brewpub menu and boy does it shine. Favorites include the Supreme Batastrophe with pepperoni, green bell peppers, black olives, mushrooms and onions, and The Greek with a basil pesto base, gyro meat, a signature feta cheese blend, kalamata olives and banana peppers. Have your own idea? You can create your own crazy combo. 4035 N. Loop 1604 W., Ste. 105, freetailbrewing.com KÜNSTLER BREWING (Lone Star) Wednesday’s mouthwatering German pork schnitzel is the highlight of Künstler’s daily specials, which also include a brisket cheese melt on Monday and fish and chips on Fridays. Künstler’s daily menu is German focused with a definite San Antonio spin. Check out the killer brunch on Sunday featuring German potato pancakes. 302 E. Lachapelle, kuenstlerbrewing.com LONGTAB BREWING CO. (Northwest) The menu is ever-changing, but past favorites have included Belgian onion soup as well as the seasonal Irish lamb and lentil stew. Add a sandwich to your soup thanks to staples like the grilled Cubano with braised pork shoulder and the three-cheese sandwich (made with gruyére, sharp cheddar and Swiss cheeses). 4700 Timco W., Ste. 105, longtabbrewing.com
SOUTHERLEIGH FINE FOOD AND BREWERY (Pearl) Experience a taste of Texas’ Gulf Coast without leaving town thanks to well-crafted entrees like the fried snapper throats or Galveston Bay shrimp boil that’s served with corn, potatoes and sausage. Other highlights include the pressure-fried chicken with tiger sauce, chargrilled ribeye with a dark rum glaze and deviled eggs that are so epic someone should write a song about them. Similar favorites await at its sister eatery, Southerleigh Haute South at The Rim. 136 E. Grayson St., southerleighatpearl.com WEATHERED SOULS BREWING CO. (North Central) While the
pros at Weathered Souls handle the beer, local barbecue legends South BBQ handle the kitchen at this San Antonio brewery known for its Black is Beautiful brew. You can’t go wrong with the O.G. burger or the Hot Boi, a fresh ground prime brisket patty that is seared in buffalo sauce. Enjoy smoked pork shoulder as part of BBQ nachos, a sandwich or tacos served on homemade flour tortillas and don’t miss the brisket-stuffed avocado. 606 Embassy Oaks, Ste. 500, weatheredsouls.beer Restaurants' service and menus can change. Please call ahead to confirm. For our full directory of San Antonio restaurants, visit sanantoniomag.com/restaurants-bars.
Any tips for eating while camping or spending the day outdoors? For a picnic or camping, keep things simple. An afternoon outing goes even better with a hunk of good bread, a wedge of cheese and a nice bottle of wine. Or maybe some cold fried chicken. For an overnight trip, make sure to prep and portion your ingredients in advance, if you can. It’s much easier than trying to steady a cutting board and chop outdoors. Have a question for our resident foodie? Email asked@sanantoniomag.com. MAY 2022
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A Mom by Any Other Name is Just as Sweet Looking ahead to Mother’s Day, writer and mom to an 11-year-old son Dawn Robinette says we should celebrate all women who offer care and comfort to others
n a world where definitions often evolve over time, being a mom is not as narrow as it seems. “Mom” is a such a small word, yet the love it conveys is immeasurable. There’s no doubt it’s a badge of honor, which is perhaps why we battle over who gets the title. But we need to shift our mindset. Motherhood isn’t just about giving birth. That truly is just the beginning. Anyone who has survived the terrible “T” stages (toddler, tween and teen) would even say birth is the easy part. True motherhood stretches far beyond birth or any stage. Being a mom is putting your heart out there for someone other than yourself on a daily basis. It’s about nurturing, caring, giving and helping someone grow. And it goes beyond what you are called. Step, foster, bonus, second, or otherwise, the women who carry those terms are all equally moms. Yet in our world of comparisons and one-upmanship (or -upwomanship?), too often we devalue one in place of another. But
I
shouldn’t it be about the love, not the name? At a time when our world is hurting, working to heal from the scars left by two years of a pandemic, we long for comfort. We want someone to tell us that things are OK. And that’s where the heart of motherhood lies. Comfort, support, reassurance and a blanket of understanding: that is motherhood. Whether that’s being someone’s mom, madrina, nana or tía, the name doesn’t matter. It’s about who supports you, pushes you when you need it and helps you along your path. The title of “mother” is indeed something to earn. But when the world needs more mothering, we need to make the tent larger, not smaller. That means everyone: biological, adoptive, bonus, foster, second and yes, dog moms, cat moms, even plant moms, come on in. Nurturing is nurturing and love is love. A qualifier before mom doesn’t change that. And whatever you call it, it deserves celebration.
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ROBINETTE: COURTESY DAWN ROBINETTE; ILLUSTRATIONS: ATIPO; COLLAGE: DAVID G. LOYOLA
FINAL THOUGHT
MAY 2022
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