Scene In SA Fall 2023

FALL 2023

San Antonio’s Original Locally Owned and Grown City Magazine – Est. 1999

William Ziller | Publisher

Kaylin Ledford | Associate Publisher & Managing Editor

Ayesha M. Malik, JD | Executive Editor

Leslie Foley | Social Editor

Christine Sykes | Layout Designer

Carrie Rodriguez | Ad Designer

Gabriella Martinez | Advertising Sales Director

Paula Jimenez | Advertising Sales

Bethany Castro | Social Media

Iliana Yanez | Intern

As always, the service provided was excellent. You do it professionally but with your heart.

-Thanks, Jesus A.

North Location 1202 W. Bitters Road, Suite 1207 San Antonio, TX 78216 210-494-2206

South Location 4135 E. Southcross San Antonio, TX 78222 210-333-4421

www.zamdental.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Esmi Gonzalez

Jules Aldaz Guerra

Berit Mason

Carole Miller

Laura Young

ABOUT OUR COVER

Photograph by Alejandra Sol Casas

Featured mural by David “Shek” Vega and Nik Soup of Los Otros Murals

For editorial comments, questions and submissions: editor@scenepublications.com or call 210-828-4209, ext. 406

For questions on advertising, advertorial or directory listings: adsales@scenepublications.com or call 210-828-4209, ext. 407 900 N.E. Loop 410, Ste. D-204 | San Antonio, TX 78209 PHONE: 210-828-4209

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Scene In SA Magazine (ISSN 1942-6852) is published four times per year by Scene Monthly, LLC Copyright ©2023 by Scene Monthly, LLC

All Rights Reserved. Printed in San Antonio.

This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or any means without written permission from the publisher.

Subscribers: If the postal service advises us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. Please allow four weeks for change of address or new orders. Send address changes to:

Scene In SA | 900 N.E. Loop 410, Ste. D-204 | San Antonio, Texas, 78209

EDITORS NOTE

Fall is here, and with it, comes a lot of excitement at Scene in SA. The most recent issue proved a huge success, selling out at some locations and even being posted on social media before hitting the shelves. It shows a testament to the fact that there is excitement for us to continue expanding and diversifying our content in order to celebrate more of the city we love.

We were also greeted with the wonderful announcement that Scene in SA has been nominated for Magazine of the Year by the Texas Fashion Industry Initiative. This is an amazing honor and would not be possible without the hard work and support of our fashion writer, Jules Aldaz and our loyal readers who have voted for us.

As time moves forward, Scene in SA finds itself inching ever closer toward our 25th anniversary issue. This will be a huge milestone for the magazine and we can’t wait to celebrate it. It also begs reflection on the risks, successes and failures that have brought us to this point – the name changes (Scene in ’09, Scene Monthly, and SA Scene, to name a few); the covers that worked and the ones that flopped; the experiments that helped and hindered us. A few readers may even remember a time when the magazine was biweekly. I still blame that time for my hair falling out. Most of all, I look back and think of the people that helped bring us to these heights. My father always had a way of attracting the most extraordinary people. As his son, I had the privilege of working with most of them. My time with them was some of my most cherished and formative years. With this upcoming issue, I hope I can give the Scene in SA family, team members, and readers alike the issue that they deserve.

William Ziller

Publisher

William Ziller

Publisher

William was born and raised in San Antonio. He is a graduate of Texas State University with a BA in English. He spent ten years teaching high school English and ESL, including two years in South Korea. William has held many positions at Scene In SA magazine since its inception in 1999.

Ayesha M. Malik, JD

Executive Editor

Ayesha moved to San Antonio to pursue her education, receiving her BA in Political Science and Anthropology from UTSA in and her JD from St. Mary’s School of Law. She is a published linguist and licensed attorney.

Kaylin Ledford

Associate Publisher & Managing Editor

Kaylin grew up in Castroville. She is a graduate of Texas State University with a BA in Mass Communications.

Kaylin has been with the magazine since 2019.

Social Media

Since 2021, she has been running her own successful business, Socially DesignIT Social Media Management, in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a degree in Business Entrepreneurship from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Leslie Foley

Social Editor

Leslie graduated from Oklahoma State with a BS in Journalism and Public Relations. Leslie has been covering events for the magazine since 1999.

Christine Sykes

Graphic Designer

Chris is passionate about typography and design. She holds a BFA degree from UTSA. When not in front of her computer, you can find her enjoying all the things that sunny San Antonio has to offer.

Gabriella Martinez

Advertising Sales Director

Gabriella has been in sales and marketing for more than five years. When she’s not helping her clients find the best way to market their business, she enjoys being a mom to two beautiful kids, Max and Zara, and wife to her husband, Luis.

Paula Jimenez

Advertising Sales

Paula has been in marketing for more than 20 years. Paula has two children and two grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially watching her son make touchdowns at AHHS football games.

Iliana is a student at UTSA majoring in Digital Communications. Her journey is fueled by her passion for the art of storytelling and writing, which led her down the path of journalism.

Bethany Castro

Iliana Yanez Intern

Celebrating over 80 years, the firm has represented corporate officials, doctors, lawyers, judges, legislators, journalists, athletes, entertainers, public officials and others. Dedicated to improving our Justice system and holding prosecutors accountable.

G&O represented exoneree Michael Morton, who wrongfully served 25 years for the murder of his wife, resulting in the reform of criminal discovery in Texas and the first ever criminal conviction of a prosecutor for the intentional suppression of favorable evidence. The firm represented exoneree, Hannah Overton, whose capital murder case was reversed and dismissed, freed Texas’ youngest death row inmate, and continues to seek vindication for Cameron Todd Willingham, whose wrongful execution was based on junk science.

G&O has successfully represented prominent business, professional, and public figures facing criminal and regulatory difficulties, including a U.S. Congressman in the Abscam Scandal, wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, rappers 2 Live Crew, NFL and NBA players, former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega before the United States Supreme Court, a lawyer in Operation Brilab and Gonzo journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.

French Festival

Editor: Leslie Foley

Attendees met on Main Street for a Bastille Day French Festival celebration at The Shops at La Cantera. In 2022, owner and chef Stephane Raveneau of Sweet Paris Créperie & Café hosted the first French Festival highlighting the French community with a Bocce Ball Tournament, French classic car display, live jazz manouche music, and restaurant and retail partners.

This year’s festival included an additional court for 22 teams to participate, more musicians, and a children’s area, so that families can enjoy the experience together. Admission to the festival was free and all drinks and food are sold for $5, making for an affordable family-friendly event.

“It is not meant to be a money maker,” Raveneau explains. “It is simply to bring together French natives who live here now and anyone who appreciates all that France has to offer. The participating restaurants and stores are in it for the same reason – to share our culture.”

Donovan Guzman has his face painted

French Festival at Sweet Paris with Diane Abrams, Judy Solomon, and Tonya Moses

Tripp Bassett and Christina Shane

Mime, Jester and Marie Antoinette entertaining the crowd

Marie Antoinette (Karine Gomez) and Napoleon (Trevor Gagnon)

Melissa Miketinac (Highland Homes), Brian and Patty Schroeder (The Shops at La Cantera) and Stephane Raveneau (Founder French Festival of SA and owner)

Chef Laurent Rea, Brasserie Mon Chou Chou

French Festival Sweet Paris - French singer Irenka

Luciano Espinoza serves a Nutella crepe to Luis Morales

Lisa Robles and Betty Munoz

Champagne and Chandeliers

Editor & Photographer: Leslie Foley

The San Antonio Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta hosted Champagne and Chandeliers luncheon featuring guest speaker Julie Friedman, of Young + Wild, & Friedman. Fabulous decorated champagne bottles were auctioned and guests donated generously to support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Chairs Meredith Michelson, Blakely Kneisley and Katy Gray welcomed guests to the annual luncheon held at the San Antonio Country Club.

Angela Zarnoti, Lynette Farrimond and Anne Ledet

Past and present chairs for Champagne and Chandeliers

Co-chair Blakely Kneisley, president Ferne Burney, chair Katy Gray and co-chair Meredith Michelson

Margaret Maguire and Christyn Taylor

Judy Kruger, Jan Fry and Paula Johnson

Special guest speaker Julie Friedman

Back row Susan Buckley Thorpe, Cathy Carroll and Denise Schumann. Front row Jenifer Fuller Day, Susan Arnold Cote, Jessica Archer McAnelly and Samantha Friesenhahn

Tablescapes

Editor & Photographer: Leslie Foley

Kappa Kappa Gamma hosted its 26th Annual Tablescapes featuring guest speaker and designer Cathy Kincaid. Several businesses, designers, artists and supporters turned an ordinary table into a work of art benefitting Mission Road Ministries.

The two-day event featured an evening wine reception allowing a sneak-peek viewing of the beautifully decorated tables and an early-bird book signing, followed by a seated luncheon and presentation by Cathy Kincaid.

Front row - guest speaker Cathy Kincaid and co-chair Jennifer Anderson. Back row - president Camille Chamberlain, and co-chairs Bryla Simpson, Stephanie Etlinger and Catherine Jones

Amanda Barkley Design Co.

Table design by Hanley-Wood Fine Gifts

Table design by Hebdon Reblin Designs + Currant Designs

Table by Marcia Harris Antiques, Estate Sales, LLC

Table Design by Svelte Veldt, Lila Malone Interiors

Table Design by Carla Royder Designs Co.

Belles Beaux

Balloons Boutique SA

San Antonio Gardenia Coronation

Editor: Leslie Foley

Photographer: Jenna-Beth Lyde

The San Antonio Gardenia Fine Arts Club hosted its 62nd Annual Coronation at the beautiful St. Anthony Hotel. Chelsea DeeAnn Simpson was crowned Queen during the annual celebration. The club’s mission is to further interest in the fine arts by providing fine arts recognition to students within the San Antonio area and to promote within the membership.

Crowning of Queen Chelsea Simpson by her father Brad Simpson

Cardo Kleberg, Coco Kleberg, and Britt Kleberg

Chris Embrey, Caroline Embrey, Catherine Embrey, Clairee Embrey, and Jennie Embrey

Margo Thompson, Homer Whitt, Lauren Thompson, Gracie Whitt, and Tenchita and Alfredo Flores

Caro Canales, Eddie Canales, WillaKate Wright, Natalia Canales Wright, and Tony Canales

Laura Humphries, Liv Humphries, Ramsey Schultz, and Courtney Schultz

Tana Staffel, Julia Staffel, Ross Staffel, Edward Staffel III, and Carolyn Saunders

Brad, Charlie, Suzanne, Chelsea, and Rowan Simpson

Pam Embrey and Madison Embrey Greta Tidwell and Christi Tidwell

Lauren Haass Kiker, Ella Kiker, Evea Kiker, and Carroll Dorsey Walker DeeAnn and Skinner Simpson

Princesses playing

2023 Gardenia Queen Chelsea DeeAnn Simpson

Gimme Gimme and A Perfect Day Media Preview

Editor & Photographer: Ayesha Malik

Hospitality industry veterans Aaron Peña (Amor Eterno and the recently departed Squeezebox) and Roger Herr (Bar Loretta) are back at it again with the newest dining and drinking experiences in Southtown: A Perfect Day and Gimme Gimme, which opened in August. The sister concepts are located adjacent to one another at 803 South St Mary’s Street and boast an unbeatable view of the Tower of the Americas.

A Perfect Day (named after the Lou Reed song) is a light, bright, and breezy wine bar with a “daytime” feel and an incredible selection lining the wall next to a massive photograph of the Blondies’ Debbie Harry. The starly contrasting punk rock Gimme Gimme bathes diners and barflies in red light, offering an intimate “nighttime” experience and elevated pub fare.

Guests invited to their media preview sampled the new menus, including Gimme Gimme’s venison chili, corn fritters, frozé (frozen rosé wine cocktail blended with watermelon), and pork belly sliders, as well as A Perfect Day’s wines and charcuterie boards. New on the menu is the Wednesday “Steak Night” special featuring a delectable $25 ribeye au poivre served with a green peppercorn demi sauce, herb butter, and duck fat waffle fries. Gimme Gimme’s full kitchen headed by Chef Paul Petersen is open until 1 AM for the late-night Southtown munchies.

Alamo Kiwanis Hippo Overlook

Editor & Photographer: Ayesha Malik

Heather Akkarman and Peggy Davis hosted an Alamo Kiwanis Fundraising event at the Hippo Overlook at the San Antonio Zoo. Members had drinks and appetizers while enjoying some gambling for charity. Timothy the Hippo was in attendance to celebrate with his friends.

Founded in 1947, Alamo Kiwanis is a service organization in association with Kiwanis International. They have several fundraising events: Fiesta Noche del Rio, performed at the Arneson River Theater since 1957, along with two new fundraisers, “K” Fore Kids, a golf tournament held at Quarry Golf Course in the spring, and Clays for Kids, a sporting clay shoot held in the fall at San Antonio Gun Club, have allowed the club to donate close to $3 million dollars to local children’s charities such as Any Baby Can, Children’s Bereavement Center, Respite Care, just to name a few.

What’s in her Closet? An Interview with Beatrice Lopez, owner of B.E. Development of Texas

Beatrice Lopez is not only a powerhouse when it comes to flipping homes but she is a savvy stylish business woman who knows what she wants and how to achieve her goals. In the midst of the plethora of real estate deals, flipping homes and remodeling them, she is managing to have it all…wife, family, successful business and a possible HGTV show, which is in negotiations. Bea and I sat down and chatted about what IS in her closet and how does she make it all come together!

Photo by: Ismaelphotos

Photo by: Art and Dominica Herrera Masterminds Talent

Tell us about your lifestyle and how your daily lifestyle influences the way you dress.

“My lifestyle consists of being a mom and a business woman. I am walking, daily, construction sites, speaking with contractors and negotiating home purchases. While on the job sites, I have to dress appropriately. I actually recently purchased a pair of steel toe boots because safety is very important and I also found them to be somewhat fashionable with the right pair of jeans! I do wear jeans often as they are my go to piece. With that said, I never know where the day will take me, so I keep a pair of heels and a blazer in my car so I can throw on a more polished professional look for last minute meetings.”

How does your personality influence your style?

“My style has evolved over the last 6 years as my business has grown considerably larger. I definitely will always be a “jean” girl but my shoe taste has definitely expanded, turning me into a shoe connoisseur! When I first began B.E. Development of Texas, it was a smaller business and my children were younger so my style consisted of more comfortable clothes to accommodate working and overall being a mom. My style was much more relaxed. I now very much enjoy dressing in suits or my favorite would be jeans and a blazer. I like a polished, refined, I mean business style.”

Besides jeans, what is your favorite piece in your closet?

“My Gucci Bee Shoes!”

Who is your style muse and why?

“Salma Hayek is definitely my style muse. She is latina and no matter what she is doing or wearing she always looks powerful and so put together in a stylish yet effortless manner. I have not seen

DECLUTTERING KIDS’ TOYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

By Esmi Gonzalez, Professional Organizer

Through the years, I’ve experienced that some of the toughest clients to work with in the organizing business are children! Kids have a very hard time letting go of pretty much anything, especially toys. Bedrooms, playrooms, and just about every other room in the house get cluttered with toys. A good time of year to declutter a child’s room is right before the holidays. It makes room for new toys (and allows you to take inventory of their belongings). Here are a few tips to help clear the clutter:

* Take the first step by yourself, without children. Make sure they are out of the house completely to avoid any meltdowns. Take a large garbage bag and first gather any broken toys (i.e., damaged, parts missing) and toys you know your children do not play with regularly. These toys can be recycled, donated, or discarded.

* Next, have your children identify items they no longer want. Keep in mind that your children may not cull very many, so this is the perfect time to educate your children about donating and giving to others. Point out to your children any duplicate games, books, and toys and suggest they donate these items.

* When dropping off these donations, take your kids along to the nearest children’s and/or women’s shelters so that they can see exactly where their personal belongings are going and the effect it has on others.

her in anything that I didn’t love. You can tell she dresses for herself and definitely feels confidence in what she’s wearing.”

When shopping, what is your “go to” store?

“I love White House Black Market and Target. I feel I can mix and match my style from casual weekend attire to “boss” business style.”

Best style tip?

“Always have a little black dress in your closet ready to go.”

Best shopping tip when it pertains to sustainable fashion?

“I grew up going to thrift stores with my mom. I have so many memories! I would say always have fun shopping at thrift stores. Use your imagination and know that you can pair anything with a great pair of jeans!” n

For more information on styling or Beatrice Lopez, please visit www.julesaldaz.com or on Instagram @julesaldaz and @b.e.development of

* If an abundance of toys remains after paring down, consider storing and rotating toys on a quarterly or bi-annual basis. Place toys in medium to large bins and store the bins in a closet. Rotate toys out on a schedule that works for you.

* There may be some sentimental toys you may want to hold on to, if so place them in a storage bin and label it “Keepsakes”, including the name of the child. You can add “special and sentimental” toys to this bin in the few years to come.

* Next time you are out shopping and the kids are asking for new toys, tell them they will have to donate one toy at home to receive a new toy. Get specific with them and ask, “Which toy exactly are you donating?” 9 out of 10 times the child will not give up a toy at home for a new one.

* process gives the parents an inventory of their kids’ toys. Now, when a relative asks “What present should I get the kids?” You can offer several ideas. Make toy decluttering a yearly project with an emphasis of giving back to others. I assure you this process gets easier every year and some kids even look forward to it!

For more information on organizing, contact Esmi at www.sortitoutsa.com or call 210-818-8250

Photo by: Ismaelphotos

TOP CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS

Criminal defense attorneys serve a vital role in our society, as they are the frontline advocates for your rights and freedom. Under the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, you have the right to have a lawyer defend you if you are accused of a crime. Choosing the right attorney for your defense if you are charged with a crime is of the utmost importance. Scene in SA conducted a poll among lawyers across various specialties practicing in San Antonio and Bexar County, who told us who they believed to be the city’s best criminal defense attorneys among their peers. ...........................................................

Results are based on the “Top Criminal Defense Lawyers” Poll conducted by Scene in SA in summer 2023. The score listed by the name represents the opinion of the lawyer’s peers. The higher the score, the higher the opinion have of their abilities as a lawyer. You will see a vast difference in scores based on their experience, achievements, and years in practice. Names shown here are listed alphabetically.

LAW OFFICE OF Bobby Barrera

Past President of the San Antonio Bar Association

Super Lawyers © Rated by “Super Lawyers” 2016 - 2023 Criminal Law, State & Federal

Honored by his colleagues as one of San Antonio’s Top Five Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2017, 2018, Voted #2 in 2020

_________________________________

Top DWI Defense Lawyers for 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022*, 2023

*Voted #1 in 2022

Voted as one of San Antonio’s

Best Criminal Defense Lawyers for the last 20 years

San Antonio Best Family Lawyers as published in Scene In S.A. Magazine

39 Years Jury Trial Experience

• Murder and Homicide Cases

• Sexual Assault - Domestic Violence Assault

• Federal Drug and Smuggling Cases

• DWI Cases, Intoxication Manslaughter

Sara R. Ramon

JoeRay R. Garcia

Michael Machado

Sarah E. Smart

Jose “JJ” Treviño, Jr.

Kelsey T. Liu

Robert E. Valdez

Jenna S. Ard

TOP CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS

Claritycon: A Summit on Children’s Mental Health

Considering that one in every five kids struggle with a behavioral, emotional, or mental illness (equating to over 130,000 children in Bexar County alone), it is essential that mental health professionals get as much high-level training as possible. And that is exactly why San Antonio-based Clarity Child Guidance Center—the only nonprofit in South Texas providing a continuum of mental health services annually to over 8,000 children ages 3-17 and their families to manage mental health conditions—has sponsored Claritycon to provide professional education and CEUs/CNEs to educators, therapists, nurses, physicians, social workers, childcare workers and community members from the region. Presentations explored the numerous internal and external factors that impact the emotional, psychological and social well-being of young people, including Adolescent Sexuality in Age of Technology; School Refusal; Juvenile Justice System; Eating Disorders; Domestic Violence; Combat-Related PTSD; School/Community Collaboration; Health Disparities; Human Trafficking; Ethics; Autism & Aggression; Intersectionality of LGBTQ+; Teen Dating Violence; Immigrant Youth; Sports Performance; TraumaInformed Care; and Psychotropics.

Claritycon included:

• 12 hours of CNE or CEU professional development

• Four keynote presentations and 29 breakout sessions

• Exhibitors from agencies that offer services/programs

• Keynote speaker David Ambroz, Head of External Affairs & Community Engagement at Amazon, shared his personal story of resilience as he navigated a parent with mental illness, homelessness, and the foster care system. Named by President Barack Obama as an “American Champion of Change” and a leading advocate for child welfare, his recent book, A Place Called Home, depicts his life of childhood poverty and homelessness experienced by so many young people who have been systematically overlooked and unprotected.

Clarity CGC: In keeping with its vision to ensure that every child and family that needs its services receives services, Clarity CGC offers a stand-alone mental health hospital on an eight-acre kid-friendly, open campus in the South Texas Medical Center; a 66-bed, four-unit inpatient hospital with a six-bed Crisis Services unit with specialized treatments for children; and the region’s largest concentration of child and adolescent psychiatrists. It treats conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, and/or schizophrenia. Clarity serves all children in need of care, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. n

Derrick Flowers, CFO, CCGC; Jessica Knudsen, LCSW, FACHE, CEO and President; Joanna Weidman, Immediate Past Board Chair; and Geoff Gentry, Ph.D., SVP of Clinical Services and Corporate Compliance Officer Jake Rouse, Lisa Rouse DDS, Susan Rouse, and John Rouse

Jessica Knudsen, LCSW, FACHE, CEO and President, and Caprica Wells, Board of Directors, CCGC

SEATED Veronica Manjarrez, Debra F. Weems, President Jessica Knudsen, and Joanna Weidman. STANDING Rev. Mark Skrabacz, Sr. Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio, and Keynote speaker David Ambroz

TOP PERSONAL INJURY PLAINTIFFS LAWYERS

Plaintiff-side personal injury attorneys specialized in bringing civil lawsuits against individuals and businesses when you are injured. They review the case and engage in a complex analysis and assessment of the liabilities and damages in your case. Scene in SA conducted a poll among lawyers across various specialties practicing in San Antonio and Bexar County, who told us who they believed to be the city’s best personal injury plaintiffs attorneys among their peers.

...........................................................

Results are based on the “Top Personal Injury: Plaintiffs Lawyers” Poll conducted by Scene in SA in summer 2023. The score listed by the name represents the opinion of the lawyer’s peers. The higher the score, the higher the opinion have of their abilities as a lawyer. You will see a vast difference in scores based on their experience, achievements, and years in practice. Names shown here are listed alphabetically.

Gregory G. Chandler • Raúl B. Rodriguez • Daniel H. Kellum III

TOP PERSONAL INJURY PLAINTIFFS LAWYERS

Summer Sojourn Gala

An Evening of Hope and New Beginnings

Editor: Leslie Foley

Guests gathered to celebrate over 37 years of empowering mothers to create stable and loving homes for themselves and their children. The Summer Sojourn Gala raised a substantial portion of the ministry’s annual budget. Proceeds help to sustain mothers and their children and provide housing and direct services for each family, including case management, parenting, counseling, educational assistance, budgeting and independent living skills training.

The evening of fellowship raised important funds for Visitation House Ministries which will help to Empower, Educate and provide Hope to some of society’s most vulnerable: women and children experiencing homelessness and women in our community seeking educational services.

Alfredo and Guillerma Contreras

Michelle Noel

Andrea Hofstetter and Sister Yolanda Tarango, CCVI

Sister Josetta Eveler, CCVI and Thomas Duckworth

Martha Moreno, Alison Gutierrez, Kelly Danford and Dawn Cramer

Paige Sheesley

Robin Bukowski, Michelle Noel, Day Goree, Kristen Goree, Paris Holborn and Neithan Dominick

TOP PERSONAL INJURY DEFENSE LAWYERS

Accidents happen everyday, and sometimes, no one is at fault. Personal injury cases can often be frivolous and businesses and individuals being sued need to protect themselves against these cases with the aid of an experienced personal injury defense attorney. Scene in SA conducted a poll among lawyers across various specialties practicing in San Antonio and Bexar County, who told us who they believed to be the city’s best personal injury defense attorneys among their peers. ...........................................................

Results are based on the “Top Personal Injury: Defense Lawyers” Poll conducted by Scene in SA in summer 2023. The score listed by the name represents the opinion of the lawyer’s peers. The higher the score, the higher the opinion have of their abilities as a lawyer. You will see a vast difference in scores based on their experience, achievements, and years in practice. Names shown here are listed alphabetically.

Pet Portraits by Betsy

TOP LAWYER PROFILES

Alexander Begum

2023 Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Villarreal & Begum

Phone: 210-800-0000 | Fax: 210-233-8278

Email: abegum@texaslegalgroup.com

Website: www.texaslawguns.com

Areas of Practice: Personal Injury

Alexander Begum is a founding shareholder of the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm, with offices in San Antonio, Laredo and McAllen. Mr. Begum earned a double major in Marketing and Finance at Trinity University. He then attended Harvard University where he studied finance and legal writing. Alex acquired a Doctorate of Jurisprudence and a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Texas Tech. Alexander Begum has devoted his career to helping those injured by negligent drivers, 18-wheelers and bad corporate actors. Scene In SA magazine has named Alex Begum Best Injury Lawyer for years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

David H. Brock

2023 Best S.A. Lawyer

Firm Name: Brock Upham Yost & Strieber, PLLC

Phone: 830-816-9033 | Fax: 830-584-0774

Email: david@buys-law.com

Website: www.buys-law.com

Areas of Practice: Real Estate Litigation & Transactions

David has extensive experience in complex real estate transactions, including sales, development and leasing, entity formation, asset and stock sales and general business law. David also has experience in oil and gas matters and pipeline negotiations. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Agriculture Economics and graduated with distinction from St. Mary’s Law School, where he served on the Editorial Board of the St. Mary’s Law Journal. David has been very active in various Bar Associations, including serving as President of San Antonio Young Lawyer’s Association, Director of Texas Young Lawyers Association, and Director and President of Kendall County Bar Association. He is also a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and is serving on the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in the Real Estate Section.

Alfonso Cabañas

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Cabañas Law Firm, PLLC

Phone: 210-446-4090 | Fax: 210-787-4141

Email: alfonso@cabanaslaw.com

Website: www.cabanaslaw.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Defense

At Cabanas Law Firm we provide tough representation in Criminal Law, White Collar Crimes and Business Law. Alfonso Cabanas, the founder of Cabanas Law Firm practices criminal defense in the United States and business law in both the U.S. and Mexico. His practice combines the attention to detail and insight of a business lawyer with the aggressive courtroom presence of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Mr. Cabanas also advises and represents corporate and individual clients who are facing government investigations into their business practices. If government cases turn into federal criminal complaints, he can represent the clients in federal court. Cabanas Law firm has a team of bilingual and bi-cultural employees working with clients daily.

Carin D. Groh

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Goldstein & Orr, PLLC

Phone: 210-226-1463

Fax: 210-226-8367

Email: carindgroh@outlook.com

Website: www.goldsteinhilley.com

Carin D. Groh is a criminal defense attorney, serving juvenile and adult clients at Goldstein & Orr in San Antonio, Texas. She handles misdemeanor and felony offenses, appeals, and writs of habeas corpus petitions. She practices throughout the State of Texas, the United States Western and Southern District Courts of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit. She takes pride in protecting her client’s constitutional rights and reaching successful outcomes regardless of the case type or setting.

Aaron M. Diaz

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Goldstein & Orr, PLLC

Phone: 210-226-1463

Fax: 210-226-8367

Email: adiazlaw1@gmail.com

Website: www.goldsteinhilley.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Law & Criminal Appeals

Aaron M. Diaz is a criminal defense attorney at Goldstein & Orr in San Antonio, Texas. His current practice focuses solely on juvenile and adult criminal defense, representing clients charged with misdemeanors and felony offenses. Aaron also handles state and federal appeals and postconviction wants of habeas corpus cases. In addition, Aaron serves on several criminal defense organizations such as the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

TOP LAWYER PROFILES

Gerry Goldstein

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Goldstein & Orr, PLLC

Phone: 210-226-1463

Fax: 210-226-8367

Email: gerry@goldsteinorr.law

Website: www.goldsteinhilley.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Law & Appeals

Gerry Goldstein is a past President of the National Association of Lawyers and the Texas Lawyers Association. Goldstein is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, was named a Texas Lawyer Legal Legend by the State Bar and was named to the Texas Lawyers Hall of Fame. He was named to the Top 100 list in Super Lawyers and recognized as the outstanding attorney by the State Bar of Texas. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow in the American Board of Lawyers and a prestigious Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award recipient.

Hector Gonzalez III

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: The Law Office of Hector Gonzalez III

Phone: 210-822-4200

Fax: 210-822-4208

Email: hg3law@gmail.com

Website: www.hg3law.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal, DWI Offense, Personal Injury, Juvenile Defend innocence and bring justice, is what Hector Gonzalez III, your local attorney will do. When you call The Law Office of Hector Gonzalez III, you will be provided with a one on one personalized experience. Hector will guide you through your case personally. He is a graduate of University of Texas in Austin and attended law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law. He is active with volunteering and is an avid pilot.

John S. Gilmore,

III

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Goldstein & Orr, PLLC

Phone: 210-226-1463

Fax: 210-226-8367

Email: johnstuartgilmore@gmail.com

Website: www.goldsteinhilley.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Law & Criminal Appeals

John Gilmore is the Senior Associate at Goldstein & Orr. His practice focuses on state and federal criminal litigation, appeals, and asset forfeitures. He takes pride in discretely resolving allegations in high stakes matters, including the return of over one million dollars in assets for clients. John has been selected as a Rising Star Lawyer each year in practice and was recently recognized as one of the Top 20 Criminal Defense Lawyers in San Antonio.

Gavin McInnis

2023 Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Wyatt Law Firm, Ltd.

Phone: 210-340-5550

Fax: 210-340-5581

E-mail: gmcinnis@wyattlawfirm.com

Website: www.wyattlawfirm.com

Areas of Practice: Plaintiff Personal Injury

Gavin, who has been nicknamed “the Law Library” by some of his peers, concentrates his practice in the representation of plaintiffs in serious personal injury, trucking accident, wrongful death, carbon monoxide exposure, and oil field injury cases. Born and raised in Latin America until the age of thirteen, Gavin speaks English and Spanish. Honors and recognitions include: Super Lawyers, Scene In SA magazine Best Lawyers, Top 50 Verdicts (Texas); Texas Bar Foundation Fellow; Order of the Barristers.

Angela J. Moore

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Law Office of Angela J. Moore

Phone: 361-389-3329

Fax: 210-800-9802

Email: amoorelaw2019@gmail.com

Website: www.angelamoorelaw.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Law

Angela is a double Board-Certified Specialist by the State Bar of Texas, specializing in Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate Law. She has practiced law for 35 years. Her Criminal concentration is appellate briefs, appellate petitions, and writs of habeas corpus. She is licensed and practices in the State of Texas Courts, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court, and district courts for the Northern, Western, and Southern District Courts of Texas.

Cynthia Orr

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: Goldstein & Orr PLLC

Phone: 210-226-1463

Fax: 210-226-8367

Email: whitecollarlaw@gmail.com

Website: www.goldsteinhilley.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Law & Appeals

Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr is the past Chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section and in its House of Delegates, on the Texas Board of Law Examiners, is past President of the NACDL and TCDLA. She founded the San Antonio Lawyers Association and the Texas Innocence Network. She is listed in the Best Lawyers in America, is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and is a Texas’ Top 100 Trial Lawyer. She is in the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, she was TCDLA 2015 Pro Bono Lawyer of the year, clerked for federal Judge Emilio Garza and is Board Certified in Criminal Law and Appeals. She is listed in the Best Lawyers in America and is AV Rated by Martindale Hubble.

TOP LAWYER PROFILES

Richard Orsinger

2023 Best S.A. Lawyer

Firm Name: Orsinger Nelson Downing & Anderson, LLP

Phone: 210-225-5567

Fax: 210-267-7777

Email: Richard@orsinger.com

Website: www.ondafamilylaw.com

Areas of Practice: Family Law

Richard Orsinger is well regarded as one of Texas’ top family law and appellate lawyers. He offers clients unparalleled experience gained over the course of an esteemed 47-year career. In that time, his peers have repeatedly recognized him for his legal acumen, dedication to hard work and to the integrity of his profession. The list of awards bestowed upon him from a variety of legal organizations and publications is impressive. Richard has been named to The Best Lawyers in America in Family Law listing each year since 1987 and in Appellate Law since 2007.

Derek S. Ritchie

2023 Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

Firm Name: The Law Office of Derek S. Ritchie, PLLC

Phone: 210-775-2000

Fax: 210-592-4370

Email: derek@derekritchielaw.com

Website: www.derekritchielaw.com

Areas of Practice: Criminal Defense; Family Law

Derek is the founder and managing attorney of the Law Office of Derek S. Ritchie. He earned his law degree in London then made his way to the United States and earned his LLM from the University of Texas School of Law. He handles DWI’s, intoxication manslaughter, murders and sex crimes as well as all areas of Family Law. He is available to his clients everyday, including weekends.

Alexander S. Roig

2023 Best Lawyer

Firm Name: Alexander S. Roig, PLLC

Phone: 210-377-2529 Ext. 201

Fax: 210- 340-1346

Email: Alexander@roiglaw.com

Website: www.roiglaw.com

Areas of Practice: Probate Law

Alex graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and Thomas M. Cooley Law School, in Lansing, MI. He has been a licensed attorney in the State of Texas since 2002 and admitted to the Federal District Court of the Western District. His experience includes estate planning and litigation on trusts, guardianships, and estate disputes. Mr. Roig also has extensive experience representing military clients in both disability claims and estate planning matters.

Hella V. Scheuerman

2023 Top Personal Injury, Probate, Trust and Estate Litigation Lawyer

Firm Name: Scheuerman Law Firm, PLLC

Phone: 210-735-2233

Fax: 210-735-2235

Email: hella@sch-lawfirm.com

Website: www.sch-lawfirm.com

Areas of Practice: Personal Injury, Probate, Trust and Estate Litigation

In her 25 years of practice, she has obtained significant trial experience as lead attorney in more than 50 jury trials to verdict. Hella is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and frequently counsels and represents clients in both State and Federal Courts. She is licensed in all Texas State Courts, as well as the Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas of the United States District Courts.

Hella has extensive experience in handling all types of civil litigation, including serious personal injury and death cases, will and trust contests, and probate litigation. She also handles all matters related to estate planning.

Javier Villarreal

2023 Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Villarreal & Begum

Phone: 210-800-0000

Fax: 210-233-8278

Email: texasattorney@hotmail.com

Website: www.texaslawguns.com

Areas of Practice: Personal Injury

Javier Villarreal received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA in 1995. He then continued his education at Tulane School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctors in 1998. Upon graduation, he served as a Briefing Attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In 2001 Javier opened his private practice in Brownsville, Texas and developed his plaintiff personal injury practice. He is licensed to practice law in both the State of Texas and the State of Arizona.

Wayne Wright

2023 Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Wayne Wright, LLP

Phone: 210-888-8888

Fax: 210-734-9965

Email: wyatt@waynewright.com

Website: www.waynewright.com

Areas of Practice: Plaintiff Personal Injury

Mr. Wright received his law degree from the University of Northern Illinois College of Law, with the honors of Magna Cum Laude, First in Class. Mr. Wright is licensed to practice law in 9 states, including Texas; a life member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; ranked as a Top 100 Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers; and has been listed as a Best Attorney in San Antonio by Scene In SA magazine since 2009.

Wyatt Wright

2023

Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Wayne Wright, LLP

Phone: 210-888-8888

Fax: 210-734-9965

Email: wwright@ waynewright.com

Website: www.waynewright.com

Areas of Practice: Plaintiff Personal Injury

Wyatt Wright handles complex trucking accident cases resulting in serious injury or death, as well as dangerous product and drug cases. Mr. Wright is licensed to practice law in 15 states, including Texas; is a life member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; is ranked as a Top 100 Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers; and has been listed as a Best Attorney in San Antonio by Scene In SA magazine since 2009.

Paula Wyatt

2023

Top Personal Injury Lawyer

Firm Name: Wyatt Law

Firm

Phone: 210-340-5550

Fax: 210-340-5581

E-mail: pwyatt@ wyattlawfirm.com

Website: www.wyattlawfirm.com

Areas of Practice: Plaintiff Personal Injury

Paula knows the profound human impact of personal injuries or death. As such, she takes the time to not just get to know her clients, but to understand them. Paula represents individuals and families who have suffered losses from trucking accidents, carbon monoxide exposure, and oilfield and industrial accidents, just to name a few. Rated AV-Preeminent by MartindaleHubbell, Paula has been recognized by multiple organizations, including Super Lawyers and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Asa “transplant” here, it took some time to acquaint myself with what embodies the puro San Anto spirit, but I was forever enmeshed in the city’s rich tapestry once I did. I am enamored by the people, places, and things that make San Antonio what it is. But, I recognize I didn’t grow up here and there’s always more to learn. What, or who, is puro, you ask? Despite my authentic love for all things San Antonio, I’m not a definitive authority on the subject qualified to give you, the reader, an answer. Honestly, I don’t think any one person alone is qualified to answer such a monumental question. That is why I seek to give you crowd-sourced answers in Scene in SA magazine’s Puro SA feature series by exploring it with the many individuals who, in my opinion, represent the 210 to the fullest.

Paint the Town: The Wall Scrawlers of San Antonio Street Art Initiative

By Ayesha M. Malik

Street art is ubiquitous in San Antonio, but it wasn’t always this way. The artists behind some of the city’s street art murals don’t get the recognition they deserve for breathing color into this city—and even worse, have faced the stigma and criminalization of “defacing property.” San Antonio Street Art Initiative (SASAI), a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by artist-entrepreneurs David “Shek” Vega and Burgundy Woods, works tirelessly to turn all that stigma on its head and they’re painting the town red (and every other color in the rainbow). They’ve brought graffiti and street art out of the “seedy” shadows and into the mainstream, advocating for artists and providing muchneeded career development and business education resources – all while beautifying the city.

SASAI’s Brick by Brick and LOGIT: Largest Outdoor Gallery in Texas™ programs work with local artists to beautify spaces around the city (and we all get to enjoy it for free). It takes an artist’s lack of experience or irregular jobs and converts it into financial and professional acumen.

Undoubtedly, you have seen the fruits of SASAI’s collective labor of love for art – but you may not have known the minds behind the beauty at The Pillars at the underpass of Highway I-35 at East Quincy and North St. Mary’s and along the St. Mary’s Strip cutting through to Southtown. (Constantly unveiling new projects, SASAI is set to make a big announcement about a project on November 4 of this year, so save the date!) SASAI helps artists of all levels and walks of life establish themselves in the discerning art world (which is often ruthlessly hostile to newcomers and the nontraditional, especially graffiti and street art).

On a sweltering 100°F day, I sat outside with Shek and Burgundy while brunching at Candlelight Coffeehouse on the St. Mary’s Strip to discuss all things San Antonio street art. Little did I know, I’d be captivated by two hours of conversation about street art that I didn’t even notice

Photograph by Alejandra Sol Casas; Featured mural by Los Otros Murals

the sweat trickling down my back. Shek and Burgundy recounted to me their love for the city, their struggles with creating art, and their desires to give artists the tools they need to succeed.

What was San Antonio Street Art Initiative born out of?

Shek: “Street art is something I’ve always done. I always use ’96 as my year on the graffiti scene, but I was scribing on stuff in ’92. There’s a picture of baby Shek where I have my first fill-in and I was probably 15. Now, murals are everywhere in the city, but when I was doing the graffiti thing back in the day, it didn’t look like street art was going to be in its future. That bothered me, y’know? We were trying to validate it as a genre of art, but everyone had their ‘taboo’ glasses on to say, ‘No, that’s vandalism. That’s gang-affiliated.’ Kind of out of spite and anger of people not opening up to it, I used that energy to push forward to get graffiti validated and graffiti productions. I’ve got to use the right verbiage, because they’re different, but they’re all part of the same puzzle.”

You make a distinction between graffiti and street art. Can you tease that apart a little?

S: “Street art can be used as a newer, general term, but when it comes to graffiti artists, [some] don’t like to be called street artists. They’re graffiti artists first because graffiti is its own genre with its own origins, so it should be respected as its own class. Graffiti is focused on letters, text—stylized letters and text—and manipulating letter form. It’s associated with identity and ego, so to speak. It’s your advertisement [of your graffiti name and persona]. There’s more to street art than graffiti art – graphic artists, traditional muralists, visual artists taking a chance on painting bigger because street art is in the mainstream forefront.”

So, earlier you used the terms ‘fill-in’ and ‘production.’ What do those mean, for the graffiti glossary? There’s a lexicon to this that I want to get straight for the layperson.

S: “Talking about levels of graffiti, I’ll start with the tag. That’s your signature [as a graffiti artist] – a stylized signature, like handwriting or a script [unique to the artist], a language for graffiti writers. Not a lot of people can read it, they’re all different. And somehow, other graffiti writers can read it. It’s like having a hundred different languages and still being able to understand it. I laughed today because I still read graffiti everywhere. Old habits die hard. I look at spaces and think, ‘Oh, I could paint that’ – I won’t. You go through a series of names,

fine-tune it to your personality. What letters you feel inspired by, play with the shape and style. Some are sharp, some are round. I eventually landed on ‘Shek’ – I liked the sound and the ‘kick’ of the ‘K’ at the end. It’s kind of like signing off.

Then, you have throw ups: more bang for your buck, quick, big [outlined] letters. Then you have your fill-in, where you actually fill in the hollow letters and it shows you took more time and you have more guts to take that time.

Then, there’s a piece, which is more like a masterpiece – a stylized version, where you get really intricate. You take your time; choose your colors; add the style and decor inside the fill, which is the colors inside your outline.

From there, you have your crew, an assembled team of artists to do productions, where everybody could either do their own piece, they can do matching colors, or the in-between is a scene that you all decided on and work on as a team. That’s a graffiti mural or production versus like street art now. Productions have individual graffiti names incorporated. ”

How did graffiti become something bigger for you?

S: “People are seeing the power of street art and the good it does for communities – enriching and empowering them. But, it all stems from graffiti, vandalism, expression through whatever means you have. Our schools didn’t

have well-funded art classes, and I’m talking in high school, we didn’t have more than a box of colored pencils and computer paper where teachers told you to ‘be creative’ and you’re like, ‘how?’ Graffiti was fun, innovative, [more than] colored pencils and typing paper. It forced you to make your own tools. ‘Oh, you made a marker out of a deodorant stick.’ You were like little scientists with your crew. And then you have to have execution. Next day, you take the picture and you feel prouder than you’ve ever felt because you put time and effort and you risked a lot doing it. Graffiti is a young man’s sport and I’m getting older, but I still love to create and I still love using the tools that I used back then to do what I love.”

How did you springboard from doing this for fun as a youth to where you are today? What impact have you made on graffiti and street art culture in San Antonio?

(Author’s Note: San Antonio artists are so very humble. Burgundy jumped in, “Hopefully, [newer street artists] know the name Shek Vega, because –” before Shek very bashfully interrupted to meep out an “It’s oka-ay.” Burgundy, loudly proclaims to advocate to his credit, “It IS OKAY! It’s an easier time to do [street art].”)

S: “[Making it easier for new street artists was] what the work was about. It wasn’t about [taking credit]. They don’t know that they weren’t able to do what they’re doing now, years ago. Me and two friends, Victor Zarasua and Michael Velasquez, threw our first graffiti festival in ’99 here. We were graffiti artists looking for a wall to paint and we found this old lot. We asked, ‘Hey, can we paint this wall in the front?’ And they said, ‘You can paint the whole thing,’ and that became the Mecca of street art with permission to paint. Instead of gatekeeping, we spent twenty bucks to make five-cent black-and-white copies of hand-drawn flyers. We had about 70 artists come in from LA and Chicago, some from San Antonio.

Now, I make a living off of street art as a working artist who fought for the genre to get it to the [recognition] it needed for me to be able to be a working artist. If I was just doing it without pushing the movement forward, I would not have made it. I would have had to move like so many other artists have. They’d go to Houston or Los Angeles or New York [when they get dejected that] ‘It’s not going to happen for me in San Antonio.’ But you know what? I love it here. I love my family, the food, the culture here. Why do I have to leave?”

Burgundy: “I remember having to come home to San Antonio – not by choice, my mom got sick. I had been living and working in the arts in LA successfully for over 10 years, and I was worried, ‘How am I gonna make a living in SA?’ I had been gone for so long that I didn’t know if San Antonio had room for creative fields. Long ago, when I left SA, you couldn’t even imagine making a living out here as a creative. That’s why I left. I wanted a creative career and I wanted it to be exciting. So yeah, Shek’s right. It happens. Creatives leave.”

S: “Twenty years ago or more – man, there are so many stories, I should write ’em all down. I’m sure every street artist has them. Being out in these streets, you see sh*t that you never would have thought. You’re out during hours nobody’s up. So, with all of my expendable energy that’s not being used to run from cops and jump over fences, I used that energy to be the outlet that was not there when I was a young creative. You can be an artist, thinker, creative— as opposed to everyone telling you ‘It’s never gonna work.’ I make a living. And I’m able to thrive, give back through guidance and encouragement. Why am I at where I’m at now? It’s because too many people said ‘No.’ I didn’t think that was fair to artists, but also the city’s [cultivation of] growth and culture. And especially because I had that attitude as a young skateboarder, punk rocker— you can’t tell me ‘no.’ I’m gonna skate here anyway, paint this anyway. I’m not hurting anyone.”

And how exactly did that creative passion translate to advocacy for other artists and the genre?

S: “The fight from graffiti to street art as we know it now – I wanted to be a working artist. The fine art world rejected [graffiti style and tools] like ‘Hell no.’ Every organization here did not want to be associated with the artwork that I produced. That didn’t stop me. So, I took it seriously as an artist that just happened to work in other mediums, nontraditional mediums, and got a studio. The space I ended up in was 9’ x 40’ at the 1906 Warehouse. It was like a shotgun—two buildings that they happened to close in. They had a couple of galleries there, two or three. I thought this was a great opportunity. When they opened up, I could open my door to show street artists that also weren’t just doing graffiti and had canvases at home they could show off, too.

Gravelmouth Gallery started in 2010, which was San Antonio’s first street art-slash-contemporary art gallery. Artists from my graffiti scene were in the

forefront around these other galleries, but they were treated with the same elevated respect. If it wasn’t your cup of tea, then you walked your ass on, but if you found interest in it and you wanted to come take a look at what these street artists do when they have some time and get to understand it better, then come on in. It just so happened that a lot of people came on in.

I ended up taking the bigger studio of that whole building the first year and I ran it consistently. We had everything from top contemporary artists, to Chicano artists, sculptors, local heroes like Vincent Valdez or César Martinez showing alongside new up-and-comers at the time, like James ‘Supa’ Medrano. Gravelmouth Gallery went on until COVID, and then, like many, I shut the doors and I haven’t reopened, but there’s times for that later in the next few years. New things are coming.”

B: “Gravelmouth was groundbreaking. One of the things Shek fails to mention is that he took cues from elite art museums and organizations in how he presented the artwork. Pristine white walls, beautiful museum lighting, with street art on the walls hung perfectly – perfect lines. An experience with badass DJ music. When I moved back from LA, his whole gallery moment made me feel like ‘I’m home, I can make a living as a creative, and more importantly, on my own terms and by my own rules.’ That was the different inspiration Gravelmouth offered. It felt like, ‘There is something happening here and this is the floor.’ ”

What did you do to keep that forward momentum for the genre?

S: “Fast forward forward four more years [to 2014], I also started Los Otros Murals with my buddy [Nik] Soup. That would be the first, I would say, “official” street art mural. We let go of the graffiti and production thing, and designed the giant art piece on the old [San Antonio] Current building on Dallas and St. Mary’s [Street]. That would be the first, I would say, ‘official’ Street Art mural in San Antonio. That was the first one we decided to focus on creating a giant piece of art on the side of a wall. We wanted to do big art pieces to inspire other people to do it. In our heads, it would be competitive – someone sees us do it, then they’re gonna do it. We weren’t the first murals—we had the West side murals, historic and cultural murals. They all have their place and importance in our city. When we do street art, it was just a more personal representation of culture and being an individual.”

B: “It was definitely the first organized Street Art piece. It’s kind of funny to think how differently people thought not too long ago, but yeah, some people were in a huff about it. I was working there at the time, and man, there was a buzz in the air. Half the people in San Antonio were excited because it was like, ‘Holy sh*t, what is this cool new street art?’ And then the other half were like,’I don’t like it.’ I remember at the time, the guy who commissioned the wall confessed to me, ‘A lot of people are scared of this. They’re mad at me for putting up such a huge street art piece. We might have to buff over it.’” [Los Otros Murals] was more

contemporary, edgy, weird, sexy. San Antonio was like, ‘I don’t think I’m ready for that!’ And then other people, me included, were like, ‘Yes, finally, makes me feel cool living here.’”

S: “That was 2014 and it was still an uphill battle. We were trying really hard to get these murals up. City was still [apprehensive] like, ‘We don’t want to say we like it because we might get in trouble if sh*t goes downhill.’ So, everyone was cautious how they reacted.”

How did we get to all the colored walls we have in San Antonio today, given the divide at that time?

S: “It wasn’t until 2016 that Los Otros [Murals] got picked up to do the Spurs Playoff campaign. We spearheaded a lot of the design work in and around the arena, their digital promotions. When it comes to the Spurs, they got more sway than the local government.”

B: “That was the permission slip. Perspectives really changed after that.”

From Los Otros Murals, how did you get to San Antonio Street Art Initiative? How are you still creating after all these years?

S: “Los Otros [Murals] was painting and we expected everybody to start jumping in, but nobody did and we had to figure it out – it was an aha moment, ‘nobody knows where to start.’ So, 2018, we started San Antonio Street Art Initiative with the help of [now SASAI Board Secretary] Greg Rattray, and Burg unofficially at the time. We didn’t have the funding for it, but [his] support went a long way and nudged it in that direction.

The nonprofit [SASAI] started to help artists to find how to go about it, find their confidence, and paint on this kind of scale. As an artist, you want to create, show what you do. Somewhere along the line, my road and what I felt was important shifted. It wasn’t about me anymore. It’s for the future. Creating a mural business and having a street art gallery were only parts of the puzzle.”

What did SASAI do initially?

S: “Our first project was The Pillars [at the underpass of Highway I-35 at East Quincy and North St. Mary’s in 2018]. 16 artists – old school muralists with newer and contemporary street artists. The curation was so cool because they inspired and learned from each other [with different techniques, visions, and views

on art]. It was such a new concept that we were so nervous no one was gonna show up to the opening. Then, at seven o’clock, when we opened, 250 cyclists all rolled in at the same time. Even today, there’s mural tours that run through there. We’ve created jobs for these walking and cycling tour businesses. You can see people shooting music videos; taking graduation, wedding, quinceañera pictures. Can’t believe we’re now at Phase VI.”

B: “It’s incredible what art can do to a space. Yoga classes and lowrider car shows under what used to be a seedy underpass with trash and needles. [SASAI Phase I: The Pillars] definitely gave it new life and motivated SASAI to keep going.”

S: “It creates a gravitational pull for the community. They want to see it, enjoy it. And once you have more eyes and people walking, the seedy stuff goes back into the darkness.”

What else does SASAI do outside of organizing, curating, and painting murals?

S: “My first graffiti graffiti job officially was a Pepsi commercial back in 1998. I was doing graffiti in the commercial. They only paid me $1,000. I was on billboards, coolers, all these promotional materials. And if I knew then what I know now: That was a huge project. Huge budget and production. So, what does SASAI do now? Alongside our job placement program, we educate, advocate for fair pay and business education on contracts, copyrights, taxes – all the stuff art school doesn’t teach you.”

I’m an Intellectual Property attorney, so I understand all that is vital. What holds artists back?

B: “No one ever ever wants to talk money. Artists fear backlash for seeking higher pay. They don’t want to get blackballed from projects or be seen as problem artists. I noticed so many creatives being taken advantage of or not being paid enough. Everyone was so afraid of contracts. Artists deserve to have contracts, too. I became a trusted ear to confess to and helped creatives get their paper in order. Discreetly. Everyone pretends to be an expert because they think it shows success, competence. So, we’ve managed to break that taboo by asking them, ‘What don’t you know?’ We make it okay to admit you need business help and we don’t gatekeep that information. [Examples are:] ‘I don’t know how to do my taxes.’ Well, let us show you! ‘I don’t know how to price myself.’ And that’s Business 101. I think San Antonio had this vibe where people felt they had to gatekeep information because they worked hard for it and [questioned] why

people should have it so easily, but nothing was progressing. Now that we’re around as a resource, people don’t have to fear, for: one, asking dumb questions because there is no such thing – if you’re asking questions, you’re gaining knowledge; two, admitting they need something; and three, with our funding, it’s free, and as long as people continue to support us, it will continue to be free to our artists.”

S: “Any artist that we’ve worked with can call us at any time and text us if they have questions [about things like CVs, headshots, artist’s statements] and we’ll answer them to the best of our knowledge. And if we can’t help with a certain thing, we can connect them to IP attorneys, our attorney and accounting allies. In addition to developing a career mindset, we also help with their job placement [at SASAI]. If someone asks us about getting a project done, we plug them into the right artist who feels fit for that job and we facilitate that project successfully. We work between the client and artist. Once they get paid, we do a [post-mortem] for problems. Sometimes it’s a matter of changing developing artists’ mindsets from this mold of being frugal. Newer artists have a tendency to avoid spending the money they earn from our projects, not knowing that investing in themselves, their tools, and the business will make the job easier. It’s how you get closer to a full-time career. That’s why we’re able to paint the way we do, as fast as we do – and more importantly, gain repeat business. Financial intelligence is a huge asset for artists.”

Can you explain more about your career development and job placement program?

B: “SASAI has two main programs, Brick by Brick and LOGIT: Largest Outdoor Gallery in Texas™. Brick by Brick is year-round. The name is a play on the canvas we paint (exterior walls), but also how we help our artists with the foundational business skills they need to truly become a legitimate business, and these skills

are built – you guessed it – “brick by brick,” so one lesson on top of the other. It’s what separates our art programming from every other organization in San Antonio. This program pairs artists with one-time wall projects around the city to beautify, but behind the scenes, they have access to receive this free business education at any level. We don’t have a set day where you come and learn – they can just call us during the project or after because opportunity never knocks when you have time. We help with their needs, and even equipment if we can, so the artist can produce professionally. Additionally, Brick by Brick is special because not only does the client get a beautiful wall, but the artist gets the experience and business education through the process. Once the artist gets enough experience and is ready for the gold, we have the LOGIT Program. We select ten artists to paint in a designated area once a year to show off their skills and to celebrate and be celebrated. It’s our annual fundraiser, which is a cool block party with music and community engagement. It’s our most popular program, with tons in attendance every year.”

S: “SASAI is an artist-led nonprofit, financially backed by our hard work and fundraising of the community that believes in our mission – a lot of smaller local donations versus large ones. It’s still very grassroots, which allows us to be independent in the projects we do. Of course, we love larger donations, but I’m content with what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

Where is SASAI headed next?

S: The Eastside, where it’s a lot more industrial. [District 2] Councilman Jalen [McKee-Rodriguez] was talking on the news about how he wanted to get artwork there. He said he was a fan of what [SASAI] was doing. We gave his office a call and said, ‘We heard you were interested in our work.’ So, we found a way to work together and it’s been two years or so of planning to make sure we’re doing it correctly, incorporating organizations there like the Carver [Community

Cultural Center]. We take a lot of consideration of the places we paint. We did a lot of canvassing to local businesses. We reached out to see how we can help and what they would like to see. They’re stoked and so are we.”

B: “[We] uplift and support what’s already there. We’re not trying to replace it. The Eastside is historically underserved. There’s not a lot of ‘neighborhood’ to enjoy [the area]. [The community and kids] should see something beautiful there and maybe kids will see street art as an option. Maybe even grown ups with talent will see an evolving culture of Eastside art that allows them to finally show it off. You never know. We just hope to uplift and inspire and to go where we are needed.”

And finally, what does puro mean to you?

S: “That term came out because Houston, Dallas, Austin have certain attitudes toward our city – y’know, San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the United States, but they think it’s a sleepy, one-horse town. San Antonio stopped striving to impress these other cities and embraced itself and found its confidence. Music, culinary, festivals, art that we have – that’s all uniquely ours. It’s who and everything I am. The generations that were afraid to speak up, their children are coming of age where they appreciate their roots, but put a contemporary spin on it. Our culture is always included in everything we do – we open bars like Squeezebox, restaurants, art galleries, and we all have love for our home. It’s self-made.That hard-working spirit is puro.”

B: “We celebrate the things that we thought made us underdogs. Sometime when I was in LA, SA embraced its essence [like tacos being a point of pride and creating certain types of art and music like rasquache or conjunto]. We amplify it unapologetically – we dance the way our parents danced, listen to the same music, drink the same ‘dad’ beers our uncles drank, but with a generational twist. This authentic local scene is as puro as it gets.”

What people, places, or things would you give your Puro SA Stamp of Approval to?

B: “Agosto Cuellar. You gotta go to his shop. Pioneer in fashion, his story’s amazing. [Musician] Nick Long.”

S: “Everyone in this city with that come-from-nothing, build-something spirit..” n

Rise Inspire Academy: Elevating Our Youth Beyond Substance Use Disorders!

By Kaylin Ledford, Leslie Foley, and William Ziller

INTRODUCTION

As a woman in recovery, I know firsthand the challenges faced in addiction – specifically the lack of support and knowledge in appropriately addressing the condition and the difficulty in remaining sober and locating available resources. Imagine how much more challenging recovery is for kids in high school, with the immense amount of pressures and challenges facing them daily. The National Center for Education Statistics reports 22% of high school students have been offered, sold or given drugs on school property in the past year. Students face more pressures than ever, which can compound a substance use disorder. Navigating recovery as a high schooler is difficult, especially because most resources are geared toward adults. The Rise Inspire Academy helps fill that void by providing an excellent educational environment for area high school students who may be struggling with substance use disorders and recovery.

Substance use disorders do not discriminate, afflicting people of all demographics (i.e., age, race, sex/gender, socioeconomic status). Substance use amongst adolescents is nothing new, but the stigma remains and is particularly deep when discussing minors. High schools centering recovery shift this stigma and provide essential support earlier in life, rather than later as problems naturally exacerbate with the stressors of adulthood (and can result in young individuals resorting to crime for survival). Society must work to dispel the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and embrace it as the disease it is, as one in ten people suffer from the affliction. We can start by normalizing the idea that kids may face this problem and we need to facilitate spaces where they can grow and learn, instead of punishing them and setting them up for failure (and most likely, jail or worse).

Rise Inspire AcademySan Antonio’s First Recovery High School

Rise Inspire Academy (RIA), located at 2803 Mossrock, is the first and only recovery high school in San Antonio, offering excellent education provided by Braination, a charter network, providing behavioral health services and other material support for successful sobriety. RIA is adjacent to Rise Recovery.

Dr. Andrew J. Finch, a leader in recovery school research, tweeted last year that there are four reasons recovery high schools close: lack of transportation, the ever-present stigma toward substance use disorders and recovery, a lack of awareness, and lack of funding. There are only a few dozen recovery high schools in the United States and we are extremely lucky to have one in our city. Despite the odds of closure, RIA opened last year and successfully held a graduation in 2023. It shows promise for longevity through the support of sponsors, such as Valero Energy Corporation, United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, The Upswing Fund, the Greehey Family Foundation, the Najim Family Foundation, the City of San Antonio, and Kronkosky Charitable Foundation.

RIA’s mission is to combat the effects of teenage substance use disorders in San Antonio. They provide a way of living that helps develop the coping skills necessary to live fuller healthy lives, free from stigma and exclusion.

To achieve this goal, the school has implemented many innovative learning strategies throughout its curriculum. A typical day begins between 8:15-9:15 AM. There are currently 32 students enrolled at RIA. The first (and most important) thing they do in the morning is to show up, being physically and mentally present to check in and relay anything they are possibly struggling with that day. This time allows teachers and students to gauge the emotional “temperature” of their colleagues and can inform the students and faculty as to how to best collaborate throughout the day. After this “check in”, normal school studies follow.

RIA teaches the same curriculum as Texas public schools, but coalesces its approach with recovery learning, healing tools, and counseling. Fundamental to this approach is the idea that students are not alone – they are surrounded by their peers who understand their struggles and can empathize with their teachers and counselors (because they are in recovery themselves). In this space, designed to be sensitive to the issues teens in recovery face, students can be heard and where they can learn to cope with feelings, all while preparing themselves for a bright future.

RIA’s curriculum is also unique in that lessons are centered around projectbased learning. Project-based learning is a pedagogy differing from traditional

learning, whereby the instructional approach is designed to give students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills through engaging projects set around challenges and problems they may face in the real world.

A traditional geometry lesson would typically include a student learning angles and shapes through lessons with accompanying guiding worksheets and textbooks that focus on rote memorization of the material. After weeks of study, the student’s only opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the subject is the grade they receive on a final test.

In a project-based learning model, these methodologies are still in play, but students demonstrate more than just memorization by applying themselves in a larger project that is structured to model the kinds of deeper questions and analytical answers professionals encounter. So, going back to the context of geometry class, the students would be tasked with designing a skatepark or building and incorporate the knowledge from their lessons (and maybe some building into physics concepts as well) to aid in their design.

Project-based learning demands more collaborative efforts. Students will typically have to work in teams, ask specific questions related to issues they have encountered, and reflect on their contributions to the project.

For students dealing with recovery these values are integral in helping them find their place in society. Students who are feeling shame are asked to work with others and celebrate their individual contributions to the collective work, which helps to develop a new sense of identity among their peers. Students who may be feeling lost are given a sense of purpose and direction by being exposed to new careers and trajectories for their life.

RIA also strives to meet their students’ unique needs through a holistic and rehabilitation-focused approach to discipline. Discipline is administered based on the current emotional needs of the students, while considering the underlying struggles their students face that may be facing that manifests the behavioral issues the student is exhibiting. This stands in stark contrast to the “zero tolerance” punitive approaches common to traditional schools.

All of these factors are having a demonstrable impact. The school recently graduated their first senior class. Scene in SA sat down with RIA’s 2023 valedictorian Alec Gallegos for an interview about his experience at Rise Inspire Academy.

What are your fondest memories of Rise Inspire Academy?

“Most of my friends, people who care about me. I gained a lot of hope. I’ve

gained a brighter path for my future. I feel better knowing that tomorrow is probably going to be a better day and I have everybody here to thank for that. They really care about me and I couldn’t thank them enough for that. I really love this environment or the people that, you know, that really stick close to me and really want to see me grow. And, I hope to grow right next to them.”

Before you came here, what was your outlook on life?

“I didn’t know what was going to happen, you know? I was pretty afraid. Before I was sober, I was really starting to struggle because everything stopped working. It became harder to cope with, and harder to do anything.I couldn’t really get through the day. It became a chore. I didn’t know where to turn or who to talk to. I mean, my family was there for me, but they can only do so much.

I almost resorted to suicide as an answer, but I asked for help. The day before, I had the money and I was planning on overdosing. Instead, I decided to call my parents, and I told them that I needed help, and they sent me to an institution to help me.”

Were you still struggling with your addiction when you got here?

“I was when I first got here. You know it was pretty hard at first. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but they were always there for me.”

How did you find RIA?

“My sister found it. I dropped out of school, and at first, I wasn’t doing anything. I started working. And then I stopped working. I quit. [My sister] wanted me to

graduate from high school. My mom didn’t know what she was going to do – she didn’t know what to look for, so she was just gonna let me get my GED. My sister kept looking; she didn’t give up on me. I really owe a lot to her for finding this place because it was a little small at first. She found Rise [Inspire Academy], she opened me up to it, and they set up an interview. I went and I just fell in love with it.”

Which strengths and tools did you learn here?

“I really made a closer connection with my higher power and people that are also in the community. The AA or CA community. Or NA. Anybody that’s close to me with the same problem or the same issue. It’s made it easier to cope. You can really open up. And it’s really nice knowing that you’re not alone. That’s what makes it easier – knowing that I can always have somebody to call on the phone. They give your number or they take your number. And if you need anybody to talk to, you can always just open up the phone. If people are busy, you can always call somebody else.”

How was this place different from a public school?

“It’s our own little community. It’s our own small family. At first, you may think it gets harder to see the same people every day, you know? And sometimes it does, but we always learn to talk to and cope with each other.

We’re always there for each other and I made hundreds of friends that I know I’ll keep for the rest of my life. My girlfriend.

At a regular school, you have a bunch of activities, there’s thousands of people to talk to, there’s always a fresh new face, But here, it’s okay, you know, like there’s people that really care about you. At a regular school, the teachers are there – but there’s so much they have so much on their plate. But people here, they take the time and they really talk to you, you know. They’re really there for you. Right next to you, every step, [encouraging us].

What would you say to a high school student that is struggling with substance use and is considering RIA?

“I would recommend it. If you’re really struggling, [you can] open up to one of the peer coaches or peer counselors and they’ll help you out. Even if you don’t want to come to the school, they always have meetings.

The community’s always arms-open to new people. At a public school, you never know who’s going to be there. But [at RIA], you know, you’ll always have somebody there right next to you. It’s a good school. They’re always one-on-one with you. Sometimes you can graduate a little earlier.

If you’re really struggling, they’re one-on-one with you. I know a couple people that were struggling, but they stood right next to them. I was struggling, too.I’m gonna be honest: For the first semester, I didn’t do anything. I was really slacking, but I knew that I really had to step up, so I did all my work, got 27 credits, and I ended up valedictorian.”

What

are your plans for the future now after graduating as valedictorian?

“On the last day of school, we went to this seminar where they showed different, interesting jobs for young adults, young teens. I got introduced to cybersecurity. I took that for the first month [after I graduated from RIA] to get my certification for cybersecurity fundamentals. I’m also taking a community health worker course with Palo Alto College. On the side, I’ve been going to the gym. I’ve also recently started volunteering here [at RIA], with hopes of working here.” n

This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

Addiction Is Not What We Think It Is

By Steve Murphy, Addiction Counselor

Having counseled and worked with people for over 40 years, we have seen the growth of new insights and understanding. So many people question whether addiction is a disease, if it’s genetic, and if it can be prevented or overcome once it has developed.

Many argue that it’s not a disease if it’s not communicable, i.e., you can’t catch it. But what we have found is that we can develop addiction over time, much like diabetes can develop by continuing to eat carbs and sugar or high cholesterol by eating fatty foods, exercising infrequently, smoking, and (which is compounded by underlying conditions like high blood pressure). Some of us have a family history of psychiatric disorders, cancers, and addiction. There are genetic and environmental factors at play in our biology.

Addiction is not limited to drugs and alcohol. Other chemical addictions include the use of nicotine/tobacco and eating disorders. There are also behavioral or process addictions such as sex, gambling, spending, video games, self-mutilation, sports, exercise, adrenaline, crime, abuse, fighting, difficulty regulating emotions, work, and social media.

We all know someone who struggles with the disease, but denial is the greatest deterrent to addressing the issues. People do not want to admit they have a problem (and we all know, admitting it is the first step). As an addiction counselor, my primary job is to aid people in acceptance of their problem and the need to do something about it. Friends and family ask us to stop, consequences continue to occur, we periodically lose control, and we look at the extremes and say, “I’m not that bad!” which fails to address the root cause. We have learned that if someone tells us we have a problem, we should look at it. How many of us have searched the Internet or opened a brochure and answered those 10 or 20 questions about being addicted to something? Sometimes I think we should not do it alone. We should ask someone who cares about us and has made a statement about our problems to help us answer those 21 questions to ensure we are not deceiving ourselves.

Many of us examine the extreme scenarios in placements such as: we don’t live on the streets, we haven’t lost our marriage, aren’t drinking every day, haven’t gotten a DWI, and “ at least I’m not using a needle.” The problem with those responses is that those are the extremes. Finding a solution, healing, and recovery is difficult when we get to that point. Many people cite the fact that recovery doesn’t work because people have to go through it repeatedly. This occurs because addiction is not just physically stopping something – it is learning new coping skills, dealing with emotions, changing peer groups, and reincorporating ethical practices in our lifestyles. It requires consistency in the treatment process. I’m not talking about the treatment process that happens when people check into a month-long residential facility or two month outpatient program. Those are

effective, but consistent healthy living occurs only by regularly addressing the problems.

Let’s go back to diabetes for a moment. When many people discover they are diabetic, they regularly have medical checkups, check their blood sugar levels, indulge in sugar and carbs less, adopt a healthy food plan, exercise, take their medications, and acknowledge it to others for support. If we are honest, we can easily see that neglecting any one of those practices will cause a consequence in an area of our lives. Relapse rates for substance use disorders are between 40-60%. Relapse rates for diabetes are between 30-50%, hypertension is 50-70% and asthma is 50-70%. We all know someone who continues to eat sugar when they are diabetic, people who continue to smoke when they have asthma or COPD, and people who don’t exercise and eat unhealthy who have hypertension. They hurt themselves, increasing medical problems, as well concerning and hurting those around them.

People who are addicted to mind-altering chemicals are different. Our behaviors cause us to lose control of our physical being and mental faculties, prevent emotional restraint, alienate others, and violate our morals. Whether the chemicals are prescribed, over-the-counter, legal, or illegal a drug is a drug. Many people stop using mind-altering chemicals and start behavioral addictions. It is often said that alcohol or addiction is just a symptom of a deeper problem.

For those doubting the concept of addiction as a disease, the American Medical Association agreed that alcoholism was a disease in 1956. The World Health Organization similarly determined alcoholism was a disease in 1950. Drug addictions were associated with alcoholism. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association agreed alcoholism and drug addictions are psychiatric disorders because of the amazingly consistent symptoms and characteristics from person to person.

In his video, “Pleasure Unwoven”, Dr. Kevin McCauley defines a disease as an organ that develops a defect resulting in symptoms. Many people wondered if the defect was in the liver or the brain or if people were just compulsive or morally corrupt. The organ is the brain and the defect is the release of excessive amounts of dopamine that results in the symptoms of cravings, impairment, loss of control, and a desire to continue using despite negative consequences. People can have a mild, moderate, or severe substance use disorder. Many people try to fix it on their own; however, they don’t replace addiction with an equal opposite healthy behavior, they just try to stop the “bad” behavior, which usually doesn’t last long.

In a 25-minute video called “Addiction Neuroscience 101” accessible on YouTube which is well-worth the watch, Dr. Corey Waller disclosed that we all

have dopamine in our brains. He discussed research that indicated all we need is 50 nanograms of dopamine to feel good and have a normal day. 40 nanograms will result in a “bad day”. When you have 100 nanograms, it is probably one of the happiest days of your life. To get an idea of the size of a nanogram, we have to realize it is a billionth of a gram. So 50 nanograms equates to 0.000000050.

Here’s the problem. Per Dr. Waller and research, the happiest day you can have is 100 nanograms, but when you smoke a cigarette, you release 450 nanograms of dopamine in your brain. Mind-altering chemicals release between 600 and 1100 nanograms of dopamine in your brain. We need more chemicals to regain those happy feelings as we develop tolerance. The longer we use, the more we rewire our brain and change our body’s metabolism to addictive substances and addictive behaviors.

Dr. Kenneth Blum is the geneticist who found a marker on the eleventh chromosome in 1988 that identified a 69% probability that a person with this aberration is probably not producing enough dopamine and has a Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). However, when mind-altering chemicals or certain behaviors occur, dopamine is released and people experience a Reward Cascade Syndrome, which turns a trickle of dopamine into Niagara Falls. Many people with a marker on the chromosome were found to also have problems with adultery/sexual addictions, adrenaline/criminal behaviors, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and almost any other action or behavior you have seen where people “lose control.”

Preventing addiction in a person with a genetic predisposition is difficult. For some people all it takes is one drink or drug to become addicted. Others may drink for months or years before they start noticing the problem. Hypothetically, you might activate addiction when you consume your 407th drink. The more drugs people try, the more likely they are to find the one that fits their genetic makeup. I have seen people addicted to methamphetamines argue with people who are addicted to cocaine about which drug is better or which drug is worse. I’ve seen people think they are sober because they quit doing heroin and are “just smoking weed now” or they quit drinking liquor and only drink beer. Many people stop using mind-altering chemicals and transition to food or other behavioral addictions (which might be marginally better, but remains an unhealthy option as one addiction is swapped for another).

There are many ways to treat addictive behaviors, such as self-restraint, limiting or reducing use, exercise, and meditation, in fact, there are approximately 100 different behaviors or treatment approaches that can be used to reduce or stop the addiction. Most people who are “in recovery” have found that abstinence works the best. Some adopt that reducing or limiting in any way is still ultimately harm reduction. It’s difficult to avoid our addictive substance/behavior consistently, but the old adage in recovery is that “one is too much, and a hundred is not enough.” Once people get started, many can’t stop.

The approach I’ve seen that has worked the best has been the “Twelve Steps” approach. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, Marijuana Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous are some substance abuserelated programs. However, people and Celebrate Recovery have discovered that even though people attend recovery groups, only about 20-30% have anything to do with drugs or alcohol – the other 70-80% have to do with codependency, food, sex, gambling, emotions, mental health, trauma, and video games to name a few. There are approximately 180 different “Twelve Step” programs in the United States. The steps help people to physically stop, learn from others in recovery, stop negative behaviors and start practicing positive approaches, work with people, develop positive attitudes and faith, and provide a fellowship of people overcoming problems in finding solutions.

People are welcome to try any approach they want, but good recovery is holistic. It incorporates consideration and mindfulness of all five parts of our being by: physically stopping, emotionally maturing, intellectually finding solutions, socially engaging with healthy peers, and spiritually reconnecting or developing values and morals. Spirituality is a deterrent for a lot of people; however, faith-based approaches help people reconnect to their beliefs and provide a guiding motivation for success.

A good gauge in determining what level of care would help people find healthy recovery is not clinical, but in my experience, it has been fairly consistent. If a person can stop using all mind-altering chemicals more than a week at a time, they will probably do well in an outpatient or intensive outpatient treatment program. If they can’t make it more than a few days, they should consider checking into an inpatient facility. If anyone experiences medical problems when they stop, such as shakes, tremors, nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, or illusions, emergency medical intervention should be sought immediately as detoxing “cold turkey” can often be dangerous. Many people say they can’t afford the time to leave work or their family, but honestly, every time we use, or become intoxicated, we are “leaving” our work and family. We are not “present.”

One simple question I ask my clients is: What is the worst thing that will happen to you if you never take a drink or do a drug again? For most people, the answer is “Nothing”. But it implicates a more important question: What is the worst thing that will happen to you if you continue to drink or use drugs?

People need the family support of their spouses, parents, kids, or siblings. It also helps people develop an understanding. Recovery suggests that people attend 90 meetings in 90 days, work with a sponsor, read recovery materials, pray, and, most significantly… work the Twelve Steps. Good recovery helps us to find who we are without the impairment of mind-altering chemicals or behavioral addictions.

If you need help, call the helplines at Twelve Step support groups. If you have insurance, the opportunities for recovery are plentiful. Contact your insurance company to ask about resources in the area to help you find recovery. If you don’t have insurance, government-funded programs are very helpful, and admission to the programs in Bexar County can be obtained from The Center for Health Care Services’ Outreach, Screening, Assessment, And Referral (OSAR) program at (210) 261-3076. A crisis line is available at (800) 316-9241 or (210) 223-7233.

Many people feel ashamed and afraid to start the treatment process. But we forget the shame and fear we experience when practicing our unhealthy behaviors and addictions. Please get the help you need, let it change your life, and find new healthy ways to live. n

Steven Murphy is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and Advanced Addictions Counselor. He has been helping people and training people in Texas for over 40 years. He is the owner of Alamo City Treatment Services, the Addiction Counselor Training School, and the author of the book Addicted to God and Recovery, which was released in July 2023. You can visit his website at www.acts2001.com.

The Path to Abundance: Rediscovering Harmony in an Imbalanced World

By Karen M. Hartnett

Photos by Darlene Cabela

In a world seemingly obsessed with the relentless pursuit of extremes, the true path to an abundant life lies in the profound embrace of harmony and balance across all facets of existence. Let’s delve deep into the profound significance of equilibrium in our spirit, body, mind, and body chemistry, and explore the ways in which this delicate balance can be not just achieved but nurtured for a life that is rich, fulfilling, and deeply rewarding.

Picture, if you will, the concept of leading a life that flows effortlessly, where your spirit, body, mind, and body chemistry seamlessly intertwine like the most intricate dance. It is this quest for equilibrium that stands as the linchpin for unlocking and preserving abundance in all its forms. After all, doesn’t it seem only logical that a life lived in such exquisite balance would naturally yield more abundance and satisfaction?

In our fast-paced existence, we often find ourselves racing through life, neglecting the subtle whispers and signs our bodies and spirits send us. The result? We suddenly find ourselves in the throes of an emergency, grappling with the consequences of our own neglect. As society continues to drift further away from its spiritual foundations, there’s an alarming sense of disconnection and imbalance, not only within us but also within our families and communities.

It begs the question: How did we arrive at this state of disarray, and what steps can we take to reintroduce balance into our lives? Could it be that we were intricately designed for relationships –not just with others, but equally with ourselves, our bodies, our surroundings, and, most profoundly, with our Creator? Imagine assigning a numerical value to each integral component of our being – spirit, body, mind, and body chemistry – realizing that together, they form a complete whole, accounting for 100% of who we are. Is it not conceivable that the Creator of life yearns for this holistic balance for us?

As we yearn for a life teeming with purpose and fulfillment, we must heed the call to restore equilibrium in every facet of our existence. So, how can we embark on this transformative journey towards a balanced and abundant existence? It commences with the revitalization of our spirit, achieved through nurturing our relationships – with our Creator, with ourselves, and with others. The bonds we cultivate with loved ones and the compassion we extend to ourselves play an irreplaceable role in attaining and maintaining harmony.

Furthermore, integrating practices such as prayer,

exercise, a balanced diet, and regular self-reflection can significantly contribute to aligning our spirit, body, mind, and body chemistry.

So, how can we incorporate these principles into our daily lives and truly live abundantly? The first step involves building a balanced body, focusing on strength, flexibility, realignment, and cardiovascular fitness. It’s when we harmonize these elements in our fitness routines that we genuinely reap their full rewards.

The second step involves the purposeful realignment of our bodies on an ongoing basis. This empowers us to release compensations and correct misalignments that may be causing us pain. The third step is to intentionally cultivate both strength and flexibility in our muscles, recognizing their equal importance. The final step is to keep our hearts fit and healthy, reaping numerous benefits like lower blood pressure, weight management, increased stamina, improved mood, and clear arteries.

Our body chemistry, too, plays a pivotal role and is influenced by what we eat, drink, and breathe. The quality of our blood, in particular, can be either alkaline or acidic, with profound implications for our health. A balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, fats, oils, and natural sweeteners like honey, serves to detoxify our bodies continuously. This balance not only fills nutritional gaps but also guards against the onset of disease. Dr. Otto Warburg’s groundbreaking research from the early 1900s even earned him a Nobel Prize for revealing that an alkaline body chemistry is inhospitable to cancer, while an acidic environment promotes disease. Doesn’t it stand to reason that by incorporating a greater quantity of alkalizing foods, such as fruits and vegetables, into our diets, we would effectively reduce our susceptibility to diseases? We are definitely what we eat.

Each of these elements is essential, interconnected, and mutually dependent. Our bodies were masterfully designed to house and harmonize these elements into a unified whole. As we mindfully cultivate balance in each area, our entire being benefits. Conversely, disconnection from any of these element’s results in a detrimental outcome. Thus, maintaining harmonious equilibrium across these facets becomes paramount for a healthy and fulfilling life.

In closing, the question remains – is “wholistic” health truly attainable? Without a doubt, it is, for our very existence testifies to its possibility. It calls on us to embrace the full spectrum of our potential – from the strength coursing through our muscles to the clarity gracing our minds, and the vibrant harmony in our body chemistry. By nurturing these facets, we affirm our alignment with the Creator’s intention. It’s more than the sum of its parts;

it’s about crafting a symphony of balance, woven together with purpose and intention. The path to holistic health is within your reach; all it requires is your willingness and desire to embark upon this transformative journey. n

Karen M. Hartnett is a renowned Christian Health Coach, Speaker, Course Creator, and Professional Personal Trainer, with over three decades of experience in the fitness industry. She is the proud founder of Divine Strength Fitness, a platform through which she has dedicated her career to assisting Christian women in achieving their health and fitness aspirations. Karen is also the author of “The Divine Strength Diet Plan, God’s Way To Eating And Living A Balanced Life,” a comprehensive guide that seamlessly merges her Christian faith with fitness to foster a balanced lifestyle. Over the years, she has successfully guided hundreds of women not only in weight loss but also in enhancing their overall health and well-being. Karen’s book is available on Amazon. For more information, visit www. divinestrengthfitness.com. To explore Karen’s latest online program, The Divine 5-Day Shape Up Your Plate and Posture Challenge, visit www.karenhartnett.com or contact Karen at hello@karenhartnett. com to participate in her upcoming coaching program called The Divine 40-Day Whole Body Transformation.

Now More Than Ever, Mental Health Matters.

BY DAVID ROGERS

WHY WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING CAMPS, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES COMMUNITIES OF MENTAL WELLBEING.

In fact, signs of mental illness often first appear in institutions that are at the center of a person’s life, such as their school, church, or even summer camp— all places where full-time staff may not be trained to recognize or handle behaviors associated with mental illness.

In recent years, the H. E. Butt Foundation has invested in strategies and initiatives to help such institutions ensure that people receive support early and quickly.

CAMPS

People often say that mental illness is invisible, but the mental health crisis is becoming more apparent all the time.

We hear the big stats, like the fact that 1 in 5 youth and adults, at any given time, are experiencing a mental illness at some point in their lifetimes. We know depression rates doubled even before the pandemic, and we’ve seen rises in selfharm and loneliness along with decreases in overall happiness.

We see it in our families. We hear about it in our communities. We see whole institutions struggling with how to care for the people experiencing declining mental health.

We are partnering with the American Camp Assocation and Alliance for Camp Health to support CampWell, a training course for camp staff that gives them the understanding they need to turn camps into communities of wellbeing.

SCHOOLS

For a program called Basecampus, we are partnering with Communities in Schools –San Antonio to study the impact of a trained wellness coach on several campuses in East Central ISD. The coach provides tools, resources, and self-care support to teachers and staff who are encountering youth with mental health challenges.

CHURCHES

We’re launching The Congregational Collective, an organization that provides resources and best practices to help centers of worship become leaders in mental wellness.

For us to successfully meet the mental health challenge of our times, prevention and early intervention are key. That’s why we’re focused on building mental wellness environments and sound prevention measures. These upstream supports are vital so we can identify and treat mental health challenges at the earliest possible stage.

You can help, too. Let your representatives know that you support policies for mental illness prevention and early intervention, especially in schools. Invite engagement with others on this topic and use language that destigmatizes mental health challenges. If we can talk about it, we can address it together.

Want to learn more?

To stay up to date with everything we’re doing at the H. E. Butt Foundation— mental wellness and much more— subscribe to our newsletters at HEBFDN.ORG/SUBSCRIBE.

David Rogers is president and CEO of the H. E. Butt Foundation.

Say “Cheers” to S O BER OCTOBER

By Carole Miller

The year has flown by, and before we even felt it (mostly due to the oppressive triple-digit heat of this past summer), the spooky month of October is upon us. But hold on, folks, it’s not just about Halloween costumes and pumpkin spice lattes; it’s also the perfect time for something extraordinary—Sober October! It’s not just about proving you can survive without a cocktail; it’s a chance to reset, rejuvenate (and there’s a whole lot of fun to be had while doing it).

What's Sober October?

Sober October is a personal challenge to abstain from alcohol and any other distractions for the entire 31 days of the month. It's like a boot camp for your body and mind, where you get to decide the rules and challenges you want to embrace. Whether it’s a chance to up your fitness game, explore mindfulness, or finally break free from your phone’s addictive grasp, Sober October is your blank canvas.

Why Sober October?

Why Sober October? Alcohol can negatively impact one’s physical, mental, and emotional health, causing all sorts of issues. From brain fog to liver troubles, it’s a real downer for your well-being (and quite literally because alcohol is a depressant). But don’t fret: the rewards of Sober October are as invigorating as a refreshing dip in a pool was in August.

Research suggests that just two weeks without alcohol can work wonders for your sleep patterns, leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the day. Dr. Lawrence Weinstein, the Chief Medical Officer for American Addiction Centers, states that an improved immune system and memory, mood changes, weight loss, clearer skin, a lack of impulsivity, and positive behavioral changes are some of the advantages of eliminating alcohol.

It’s not just about the physical perks; there’s some science-y stuff at play as well. A 2018 study published in The BMJ Medical Journal found that a month

without alcohol had folks’ blood pressure and weight dropping like confetti at a Fiesta parade, while insulin resistance improved by a whopping 25%. How ‘bout them cascarones?

How do I participate?

Alright, you’re in, you're pumped, but how do you get started? Buckle up, because the sky’s the limit, and Sober October is your rocketship. You can choose from a universe of challenges that match your interests and fitness levels.

Feeling adventurous? Lace up those sneakers and go for a fitness challenge! Make a goal to exercise every day. Whether it’s yoga, pilates, hitting the traditional gym, or exploring other workout classes – the possibilities are endless. You can also aim for a stellar 15,000 steps daily or take up running like Forrest Gump (minus the chocolate obsession).

If healthy eating is your thing, there are several scientifically proven effective diets to consider, such as the Mediterranean diet, paleo diet, or vegan diet. Give sugar the cold shoulder, embrace whole foods, or bid adieu to those pesky carbs for a month. Your taste buds might throw a tiny tantrum, but fear not: they’ll thank you later for the nourishing benefits.

Mental well-being and productivity are essential, too! Embrace daily meditation to zen out, ditch those addictive devices to reconnect with real life, or kickstart a productivity habit like keeping a journal, reading a book, or decluttering your environment to unleash your inner superstar.

How to Thrive During Sober October

If you’re feeling extra brave and adventurous, go ahead and stack on more challenges—this is your chance to become the superhero version of yourself! But if staying on track during this new chapter feels like navigating through uncharted territory, rally your support squad and let your friends and loved ones know about your decision. Who knows, maybe someone else might even be inspired to join your quest along with you.

Try to identify triggers that tempt you to imbibe and counter them with clever alternatives. If social gatherings beckon you towards libations, seek out activities that don’t revolve around drinking. If stress tends to lead you to seek solace in alcohol, conjure up healthier ways to find peace and balance like spending time with some loved ones or volunteering.

Every adventurer needs a backup plan and you’re no exception. Embrace your goals with determination and devise strategies to stay the course. If the boredom monster rears its ugly head, immerse yourself in new hobbies or pursuits that spark your curiosity. And if you stumble along the way, remember: his journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Pick yourself up and continue on your path to success.

And who said a period of sobriety has to be dull? Embrace a treasure trove of alcohol alternatives that will keep your spirits high. From delightful mocktails

to artisanal non-alcoholic beverages, the options are endless. Whether you're celebrating life’s joys or simply savoring the moment, you’ll find the perfect drink to keep you feeling refreshed and satisfied.

Sober for Charity

Feeling like a do-gooder? Sober October can be a charitable adventure too! Many folks use this booze-free journey as an opportunity to raise money for their favorite charities. It’s a win-win situation—improving your health while making a difference in the world. High-five for kindness!

So, San Antonio, are you ready to embark on the Sober October adventure of a lifetime? It’s time to say cheers to a month of incredible self-discovery, laughter, and a healthier, happier you. The booze may be gone, but the fun and memories are here to stay. Let’s make this October the best one yet! Cheers, sober warriors! n

Spiced Pear Mocktail

This simple mocktail from Maine Spirits plays up fall flavors of pear with just the right amount of bubbles. We love the idea of adding our nonalcoholic Brut into the mix, but play around with the right combo for you. This recipe serves one.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz club soda

• 1 sliced pear

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ oz lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon brown sugar

• Cinnamon sticks

• Rosemary

Steps:

1. Muddle about a quarter of the sliced pear with lemon juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar

2. Top with club soda

3. Garnish with remaining pear, cinnamon stick

Pumpkin Spice Mocktail

Pumpkin spice basically defines the season, so we had to throw in a mocktail that embraces those vibes. This recipe from Frugal Living Mom uses mini-cans of soda, but feel free to get full-sized ginger ale if you’re hosting. It serves 2 as written.

Ingredients:

• 1 mini-can ginger ale

• ¼ cup pumpkin puree

• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

• Ice

Steps:

1. Stir pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in a small bowl.

2. Split mini-can of ginger ale into two glasses

3. Top soda with pumpkin mix and add ice

Apple Cider Sangria

We love apple cider everything when fall’s in full swing. This recipe from Entirely Elizabeth gets pretty darn close to a conventional fall sangria thanks to the dealcoholized wine. Add a dash of caramel syrup if you want your mocktail to resemble a caramel apple. This one serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle non-alcoholic white wine

• 16 oz apple cider

• 12 oz ginger beer

• 3 oz simple syrup

• 1 sliced apple

• 1 sliced pear

• Cinnamon sticks

Steps:

1. Add cinnamon sticks and sliced fruit to a pitcher or punch bowl

2. Pour in the wine, ginger beer, apple cider, and simple syrup

3. Stir and refrigerate for at least two hours

4. Stir again before serving

Smoking Pumpkin Punch

Dry ice kicks this Halloween-themed punch from This Vivacious Life up a notch. Use just a tiny piece so you don’t overwhelm your guests with smoke unless that’s what you want. Add props like plastic spiders to your punch bowl if you’re going familyfriendly. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apple cider

• 2 cups orange juice

• ½ teaspoon orange zest

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 tablespoons simple syrup

• 2 tablespoons mulling spices in cheesecloth

• Dry ice

Steps:

1. Heat the apple cider, orange juice, zest, and pumpkin on medium to low heat in a saucepan

2. Add simple syrup and spices and heat through

3. Remove spices and whisk well.

4. Pour into a punch bowl or glasses for individual servings

5. Add dry ice before serving for a spooky effect

The Return of the Houseplant!

The retro look of lots of indoor plants is healthy, too

By Berit Mason

Add a plant to a room and it feels a lot more friendly.

Potted in colorful containers, houseplants keep us company, bringing peace and tranquility into a home. With renewed interest in our environment, having indoor plants is trendy again, and they also offer wellness and health benefits.

Houseplants were popular in the 1970s. The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, when real concern began about our planet’s ecology. Home interiors and color schemes reflected the desire to display nature inside, using greens, reds, browns, oranges and yellows. Alongside rattan furniture and lava lamps, plants were the perfect complement.

Indoor plants are again popular as it’s been discovered they aid in improving mental and physical health.

Did you know that indoor plants can be considered probiotics?

“There is relatively new research that says that working with soil, working with plants, has a positive effect on our microbiome, so in a general sense, plants are probiotic,” according to Director of Horticulture at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (SABOT), botanist Andrew Labay. Six years at the job, he’s in charge of all of the plants at the garden. To him, plants are friends.

“Just wanting to bring something into your house that’s living and being cared for, it is easier than pets, but it is still something coming into your space,” he says.

Plants have been found to help reduce fatigue by improving air quality, and preventing headaches and respiratory ailments. But plants are not a perfect air filtration system.

“Plants do absorb carbon dioxide and they do output some oxygen. They create the atmosphere on Earth. But there was interesting research that came out that yes, plants filter air. But the amounts that they do, are pretty minimal,” says Labay.

When NASA tested houseplants as air filters for spacecrafts, they discovered plants filter less than we think. It’s more effective to open your doors and windows each morning, letting out bad air, bringing the fresh air in. (So, “touch grass,” as the youth say!)

The garden’s conservatories are home to indoor plants cultivated by their expert staff. “We, as a garden, are interested in promoting them, having classes about them, because of the interest we are seeing. I developed and taught an interior plant course at Palo Alto, and the interest has, without a doubt, been growing,” says Labay. “You have more and more small apartments and townhomes that don’t have big yards, so they want to bring nature indoors.”

If work schedules don’t allow for a pet, one can manage watering and feeding plants. And instead of spare, bare minimalism, a spider plant hanging in its macrame basket makes things homey while against empty walls, snake plants add shape and texture.

© Katarzyna Bialasiewicz | Dreamstime.com

Plants add life to a room because they really are alive!

Watch a botany documentary, and they’ll slo-mo the camera to show plants twisting their stems to face the sun, pushing aside other plants to get sunlight. Long after humans are gone, plants will take over the world.

There is a science around our need for nature. “Biophilia” is a term invented by the famous, late naturalist Edward O. Wilson in his book, “Biophilia,” 1984. Wilson defined it as, “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life,” suggesting we naturally seek other life forms to connect with.

“We are a part of nature,” says Labay. “So in part, indoor plants bring nature into spaces that don’t naturally have it,” like apartments and condos or your kitchen.

And plants are mostly affordable. Cultivate a “green thumb,” and plants can be grown from cuttings and seeds. (Note: Do not pinch cuttings from plant nurseries for propagation, as this practice, known as “proplifting” is illegal.) Buy them off of a clearance rack, and with a little TLC, you can create some thriving flora.

Every industry has its insider joke. “We kill a lot of plants to learn,” is the joke among horticulturists.

The chief crime in this circle is over-watering. Orchids are popular gifts but people give them too much water and they die. Before watering, stick a finger deep into the soil, down to the roots. Only if it’s dry, do you water as over-watering leads to root rot and attracts bugs.

Botanists say while indoor plants look like they’re alright, these plants are actually dying a super slow death, as they don’t get the amount of light they really need. How much light they get is measured by “footcandles.”

A church foyer only has two footcandles while outside on a sunny day, plants get up to 10,000 footcandles of light. Using a light meter, Labay’s office was measured at 53 foot candles against his tinted window, tinted to keep rooms cooler.

“There is one called the Chinese Money Plant, a simple, little plant, but they grow well in low lights. But plants are really looking for a lot more light than we have. So, they aren’t necessarily thriving and growing,” he says, “they’re just maintaining a static state.”

Tropical plants do best inside as they originated from dense jungles with little light.

“As a garden, we talk about them, promote them, and have classes about them, because of that interest we are seeing.” The San Antonio Botanical Garden offers low-cost classes on the care and feeding of indoor plants. SABOT staffer Layni Langham is an instructor, who has taught Intro to Indoor Plants, Plant Propagation, and some orchid classes. “Class size is normally about 30 people.”

As Special Exhibits Horticulture Manager, Langham says they fill up fast. “People want something to brighten up their space. Having plants reduces anxiety and gives peacefulness and well-being. It’s therapeutic,” she says.

What happens in an “indoor plant class”?

“I have PowerPoints and I go over plant care. I give cuttings away for people to take home and care for, to learn the skills from the class. I have plants set up in the classroom so people can see where the plants are.”

Langham teaches where to put your plants, usually on a window sill or near a window.

Sunlight ensures the production of “chlorophyll,” putting the “green” in greenery. As the light hits the plant, it begins photosynthesis, the process that energizes the plant, making it grow.

Sign up for the instruction, and you might earn rewards from the San Antonio Water System.

“Sometimes, we will go over to the conservatory and see how things are grown there, so it’s more interactive,” says Langham of her houseplant classes, lasting a few hours and costing about $30.00.

The center partners with the Bexar County Master Gardeners, offering courses on composting and on cultivating vegetables, so participants can “grow” their knowledge.

“There are classes for native botanical plants you can use for herbal teas, there are children’s classes. We try to cover everything,” she says.

Fun fact: Flowers, which hold the seeds of propagation for a plant, came into being around the time of the dinosaurs. And some prehistoric plants thrive today, like cycads, which includes “sago palms,” existing for over 280 million years. Among the oldest living plants on Earth, they’ve earned the nickname, “living fossils.” n

(Note: In 2019, SABOT went from being operated by the City of San Antonio to becoming a nonprofit. However, the city still owns the land.)

Unveiling the Enigma

Overlooking Olmos Dam

By Carole Miller

Who among us hasn’t taken a moment to gaze at the house that looks like a colosseum perched on a cliff, casting its watchful eye over the Olmos Dam? You know the one. You can’t miss those Roman aqueduct-style arches etched into the hillside. We’ve all wondered about it while cruising north on Highway 281 from downtown. Who’s the lucky dweller? Who’s the mastermind behind it? And, most curiously, what’s hiding behind those walls?

From Untamed Hill to Majestic Home: The “Big Idea”

The house you see now began as the backyard of San Antonio power couple, Joci and Joe Straus. Joe Straus, the vibrant 96-year-old founder of Retama Park, made his mark on the horse racing scene when his horse No Le Hace placed second in the 1972 Kentucky Derby. And Jocelyn “Joci” Straus, who sadly passed away in October 2022, was well-known for her tireless philanthropy leading the Las Casas Foundation and spearheading the restoration of the Majestic and Empire Theaters.

Once upon a time – a long, long time ago, they lived in the house next door at the tippy tip top of the hill in Alamo Heights and they were very happy. Joci was the green thumb queen, and absolutely loved gardening. But when her trusty gardener, upon whom she had come to depend, hung up his gloves, the workload became too much.

One day, Joe casually proposed the idea of moving to Joci. She looked like she might give him a playful punch, but then she sighed, “If you can find a view as pretty as this one, then maybe I’d consider moving.” Joe grinned and pointed to the enormous cliff below, saying, “Well, look no further!”

The then-undeveloped plot (which wasn’t really an address at the time) was just an extension of their big backyard. Joe marched over to his neighbor, construction magnate H.B. “Pat” Zachry, with a bright idea. Straus wanted to borrow his alley to access and develop the land. Armed with an engineer-drawn route, Joe showed it to Mr. Zachry, who kindly declined.

Ever persistent, Joe wasn’t about to back down. He gave the engineer another call to restrategize and asked, “Hey, any chance we can use our own property to get in?” The catch was that a fire truck had to be able to access the home. If they widened the driveway, however, it could work as a “flag lot” where the road access is along a long, narrow “flagpole,” and the lot itself is rectangular.

Joe dialed Mr. Zachry back, bursting with excitement, “Necessity is the mother of invention. We found a way to make it work!”

Zachry chuckled and admitted, “I knew you had it in you, but I wanted you to figure it out on your own.”

Choosing the Hard Way: Caterpillars on the Edge

The architectural mastermind was none other than Tom Pressly. This monumental project was his magnum opus, grand finale, his last big hoorah before riding off into the retirement sunset. When construction began in 1983, Pressly tackled challenges left and right, but the biggest obstacle by far was excavating the site. It took over a year to carve it out, and suffice to say, few were thrilled at the prospect of climbing into a Caterpillar excavator perched on the edge of a cliff.

Joe Straus fondly recalled an amusing episode from the house construction period. During the intricate process of building the two terraces of the cliffside abode, the Caterpillar operator, taking in the rugged limestone terrain, quipped, “I’m from Poteet, and this would be a whole lot simpler back there, where the ground is sandy, not limestone.”

In response, Joe, with a hint of determination and a touch of humor, retorted, “I want to do it the hard way.”

Basements with a Twist and Terraces of Tranquility

In terms of construction, the Zachry Corporation, led by Pat’s son Bartell, spearheaded the engineering of the steel frame. They added stucco and metal lathe around the beams before applying a plaster finish. The house itself is seamlessly integrated into the limestone rock, sitting atop a floating slab supported by sturdy piers.

This entire project spanned two years and required an investment around a whopping $2.5 million. Negotiating the guidelines of the City of Alamo Heights, the Straus home was officially designated a one-story residence with two “basement” levels.

When the arches were beginning to take form, someone jokingly remarked to Joe at a party: “You should see that restaurant, it’s going to be really fancy.”

The unique Mediterranean design choice is accentuated by the presence of two verdant terraces adorned with lush greenery and tranquil water features. Joci’s appreciation for arches shines through,. The captivating arches inspired by Mission San Jose and the inviting water features are the product of her inspired design of many elements of her home.

The greenery-covered driveway, designed for fire truck access, winds gracefully down and back up the hill to the front entrance. A magnificent piece

of limestone serves as the threshold, leading to a welcoming sight—a statue of St. Francis acquired by the Straus family in Mexico.

As you step inside, an upstairs “bridge” greets you, offering a unique vantage point overlooking the grandeur below. The great room with its 25-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows is a sight to behold. From here, the dam, panoramic cityscapes, and downtown views form an awe-inspiring backdrop. The two-story loft space encompasses the living room and kitchen areas, and a wrap-around patio is adorned with an acequia water fountain, nestled within the lush hillside landscape. Lovingly dubbed the “room with a view,” this space was Joe’s personal favorite.

Flanked by terraces that Joci lovingly filled with planters and shrubbery to create an outdoor garden feel, the two guest rooms on the bottom level include access to terraces with multi-level outdoor waterfalls surrounding the home. The 5790-square-foot home also boasts two elevators, a modern, open floor plan and the bathrooms and closets, the stuff of dreams, add a touch of lavishness that surpasses expectations.

By 1985, the Straus family had finally settled into their new abode where they remained for the next 26 years until old age rendered it too difficult to get up and down the stairs. “At our age,” they explained, “we just wanted something a little simpler.”

Bushes and Bedmaking

Mr. and Mrs. Straus hosted a number of charitable events and fundraisers on the premises. This unique home has been graced by a parade of celebrities, world leaders, and countless other distinguished individuals. In 1986, the house had its first illustrious guest in president-to-be George W. Bush. His signature is the very first one in the pages of the guestbook, alongside the words, “A great honor—A place fit for Presidents.” Shortly after,

his father, George H.W. Bush paid a visit to the home on the hill and added his signature just a few lines below, playfully inquiring, “To Guest #1 Did you make your bed?”

The list of distinguished visitors extends further to encompass the likes of Barbara Bush, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Phil Gramm, and Jeff Wentworth, who have all left their indelible mark on the world – and within the walls of this remarkable home.

“It was fun to live there,” says Straus.

The influence of the Straus family in San Antonio extends well beyond their hillside residence. David Straus, Joe’s brother, played a crucial role in shaping the renowned River Walk and Joci and Joe’s son, Joe Straus, Jr., holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Republican Speaker in Texas history, having held the position from 2009 to 2019.

From Opulence to Indictment: A Drastic Turn of Events

There’s an old Chinese adage that says you can only keep wealth in a family for

three generations. It appears this wisdom resonates with the fate of this house as well.

The current (third) owner, the disgraced attorney Chris Pettit, stands accused of misappropriating over $260 million of client funds to fund his lavish lifestyle. In December, Pettit was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and three counts

Preserving Alamo Heights’ Rich Legacy

The tour of this famous home was made possible with support from the Alamo Heights Historical Association (AHHA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of Alamo Heights. Established after The Argyle Experience in November 2022, AHHA has united history enthusiasts in a mission to protect the heritage of the community.

AHHA offers a range of engaging events that provide insights into Alamo Heights’’ past. Guided historic property tours offer a window into its vibrant architectural history, complemented by enlightening lectures and workshops. Through digital preservation efforts, AHHA transforms aged treasures like letters, maps, and photographs into accessible online archives, allowing easy exploration.

To connect with Alamo Heights’ history, further information is available at https://ahha09.org.

of engaging in monetary transactions related to unlawful activities by federal prosecutors. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Currently, the house is listed for sale with an asking price of $3.2 million. n

Scene in SA 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

Nicola Bathie Jewelry

210-323-7321

Email: maddie@ nicolabathie.com

www.nicolabathie.com

Instagram:

@nicolabathiemclaughlin

643 Terrell Rd., San Antonio, TX 78209

Our Mother of Pearl + Wildflower hoops are a staple piece here at NBJ. They are seasonless, and go with everything. Another go to favorite of ours is the Embellished Bow Drops which are perfect for the holiday season.

Nicola Bathie McLaughlin is an interior designer and founder of Nicola Bathie Jewelry based in San Antonio, TX.

Sunset & Co.

210-930-1717

Email: info@sunsetandco.com | www.sunsetandco.com

Instagram: @sunsetandco.shop

6438 N. New Braunfels Ave., Alamo Heights, TX 78209

Holiday gifting made easy! Sunset & Co. is your number one spot for all your gift-giving needs. From home décor and accents, to the newly revamped men’s shop and kid’s section, there is something for everyone on your list.

Bar Loretta

210-757-3607

Email: info@barloretta.com

www.barloretta.com

320 Beauregard St., San Antonio, TX 78204

Celebrate the season at Bar Loretta, a chic and elevated bar/restaurant. Serving craft cocktails alongside decadent dishes such as their amazing Lobster Risotto.

Baker Tatum

210-829-5637

www.bakertatum.com | Instagram: @bakertatum

5932 Broadway, Alamo Heights, TX 78209

Gifting has never been so simple! Make Baker Tatum your one stop shop this holiday season. From home décor and hosting essentials to luxe prdoucts and home fragrances, they have something for everyone. Clear your Christmas lists at Baker Tatum.

Lomi Skin

210-400-6368

Email: hello@lomiskin.com | www.lomiskin.com

Instagram: @lomiskincare

559 E Huisache Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212

Give the gift of glow this Holiday with Lomi Skin’s clean skincare line and transformative tools. Choose The Glow Up Kit for the ultimate skin refresh, or The Starter Kit to revitalize your skincare journey.

Cookie’s Cookies

210-827-0075

Email: info@cookiescookiessa.com

Instagram: Cookiescookiessa

Cookies are a great gift for the holidays. Not only are the festive and tasty, you can customize designs to make any gift or event special and unique. Holiday boxes of one dozen custom cookies are an easy gift for family, friends or corporate events.

Capri by Sunset & Co.

210-865-4052

Email: hello@capribysunset.com

www.capribysunset.com

Instagram: @capribysunset.shop

6408 N. New Braunfels Ave., Alamo Heights, TX 78209

Curated by the mother-daughter duo that brings you the cutest pieces at Sunset & Co., Capri is your newest obsession! Find fabulous dresses, tops, premium denim, and activewear as well as shoes, jewelry, and accessories to make every look a showstopper.

Scene in SA 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

Escondido Hunting

210-827-3003

Email: reservations@escondidohunting.com

www.escondidohunting.com

559 E. Huisache Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212

Gift luxury hunting with Escondido Hunting this year. Explore 50,000 acres of South Texas and New Mexico ranches, offering premier gear and exceptional game. Experience world-class Quail hunts and more for the ultimate outdoor adventure this season.

Learning Express (Quarry location)

210-930-4442

www.learningexpress.com

Instagram: @learningexpresssa

255 E Basse Rd., Suite 340, San Antonio, TX 78209 Learning express has the latest and greatest gifts for your children. From slime to personalized items and lets not forget gift wrapping on site, we have you covered for the holidays.

Skin Experience by Pamela

210-596-0412

Email: support@skinexperiencebypamela.com

www.skinexperiencebypamela.com

Instagram: @skinexperiencebypamela

11814 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78230

Top gift idea for this holiday season is the gift of healthy, glowing skin. We can help you achieve your skincare goals one product at a time. At Skin Experience by Pamela we carry an array of skin essentials to get your healthy skincare journey started.

Scene in SA 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

Meadow

210-822-2764

www.meadowboutique.com

Instagram: @meadowboutique

4300 McCullough Ave., Olmos Park, TX 78212

Meadow Boutique is the epitome if unmatched style! Carrying top brands like Ulla Johnson, Rhode , Hunter Bell and Xirene. Their selection of women’s clothing and accessories are perfect for women of all ages.

Schott’s Meat Market

210-695-5411

12952 Bandera Rd., Suite 101, Helotes, TX 78023 12227 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, TX 78253

Now taking orders for all Natural Never Frozen Turkeys for the Holiday Season. Pick-up Thanksgiving week. Great gift ideas also would be our gift baskets and boards not only for family members but great for clients .

Rosario’s (Southtown)

210-223-1806

www.rosariossa.com

722 S. Saint Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX 78205

Located in the heart of Southtown ,a San Antonio staple, Rosario’s. A place for all to celebrate the holidays with not only beautiful ambiance , music but an authentic Mexican food dinning experience. Make your holiday reservations now.

The Twig Book Shop

210-826-6411

Email:twig@thetwig.com | www.thetwig.com

306 Pearl Parkway, Suite 106, San Antonio, TX 78215

The Twig Book Shop has independent bookstore bestsellers in fiction and non- fiction, a selection of almost all genres including regional titles and books for kids of all ages. Our gift ideas make great book pairings and stocking stuffers.

By Nick Blevins

As temperatures in San Antonio finally begin approaching something we could call reasonable, finding fun ways to stay healthy and cool remain top of mind. For many folks in our sun-drenched city this year, that means exploring beyond the boundaries of typical fitness activities. If you haven’t been indoor bouldering, there’s never been a better time than now to try it out! Climbing is an incredibly varied, approachable full-body exercise that, while it can be done just about anywhere (your legal exposure may vary). San Antonians looking for an inviting place to do so away from the sweltering sun have previously had limited options.

Enter Armadillo Boulders, an indoor bouldering gym with a fitness center and yoga studio, located just a stone’s throw away from the Pearl Brewery on 1119 Camden Street. On any given day, one can find climbers of all skill levels trading tips, cheering each other on, and attempting the myriad routes available for use.

While we collectively wipe the sweat from our brows and begin tentatively eyeing our cozy fall wardrobes, the fine folks over at Armadillo Boulders have been hard at work gearing up for a whole new slate of events. New and inclusive programming like the Texas Lady Crushers meetup provides space for women and genderqueer humans of all climbing levels to engage with climbing at their own pace. Wellness offerings are on the docket too, with Betty’s Co Mobile Clinic offering checkups and consultations . Finally, if you’re looking to take your climbing shoe game to the next level, Scarpa will be providing demos on site; make sure to get a free massage or consultation from San Antonio Sports Massage while you’re there! Check out their website below for the full event programming available.

Looking to elevate your climbing?

Armadillo Boulders consistently offers a range of pertinent classes on a weekly basis, including various levels of supportive yoga, a running club, and introductory climbing instruction to better master the fundamentals! Classes tend to be open to members and non-members, though prices may differ. Check to see upcoming classes and for more information at https://armadilloboulders.com/class-sign-up-sa .

Bring the kiddos too! Whether they’re bouldering beginners or mountain maestros, they’ve got options. Club Climb focuses on recreation-oriented activities to get very young climbers engaged and accustomed to the sport, while Homeschool of Rock allows them to put those fundamentals to practice. The Development, or “Devo”, team comprises handy skills in a team setting for young climbers who are becoming more seasoned, while the “Quesadillos” makes it official, as a youth climbing team that participates in competitive events at the regional (and national!) level.

Armadillo Boulders’ annual Summer Swolstice competition wrapped up in August. As it coincided with their 5th anniversary since opening their doors in San Antonio, the vibe was electric, the anticipation palpable. Throngs of climbers gathered on the mats to watch teams give their all on the wall; they

didn’t disappoint. Prevailing over stiff competition and seasoned climbers multiple times their ages, Armadillo Boulders’ own Campus Punks took the day, earning the four young ladies a Certificate of Congratulations from Mayor Ron Nirenberg (and undoubtedly a great deal of bragging rights). Leading up to the event, Scene in SA sat down with Andrew Andress, Director of Climbing and Head Youth Coach at Armadillo Boulders to talk about the event, the state of climbing in SA, and more.

Nick: So if you could, I’d just like a brief, book jacket version of how Armadillo Boulders came to be.

Andrew Andress (Director of Climbing and Head Youth Coach): The reality is, San Antonio is a city that was in need of a full-fledged climbing gym, and they [owners and avid climbers Michael Cano and Joe Kreidel] were the ones to do it. I don’t know that “overdue” is the right word; I think the timing was really good, and it’s been awesome, as far as the community goes. It’s been a great place for San Antonio and the [climbing] community.

N: Do you feel like Armadillo Boulders has become a hub more than just the gym itself?

A: Yes, for sure. Having worked at multiple different climbing gyms, I think the ones that are doing it right become more than a climbing gym quickly, and I think that takes a lot of the people, whether that’s the staff, and the members; it’s a combined effort. It’s more of a family effort. Speaking of family–It’s at this point that Andrew’s partner brings over their baby. Andrew cradles him and continues:

It’s crazy how much more it is than just climbing. I think there’re so many people who come in for a summer membership or a day pass and quickly become part of the community. We moved to San Antonio from Nairobi, Kenya, so we didn’t know anyone here, and I would say now we feel like we have a massive community.

N: I appreciate that.To comment on the vibe, it’s always fantastic; always feels welcoming, you never feel alienated.

A: I think as climbing becomes more mainstream, climbing gyms are [also] becoming more mainstream. There’s no longer this fitness gym mentality of, like, you’re here to work out or you don’t belong. I think we do a great job of it, but I think climbing gyms as a whole are getting a lot better at being a really welcoming environment to those who come in and have no idea.

N: I’d love to ask about Summer Swolstice. Is it all ages?

A: It is all ages! There are some parameters in that you have to be [at least] three years old to climb here.

N: Will tournament participants be competing against the staff as well?

A: Some of our front desk staff who have no part in the route-setting process will be competing.

N: Summer Swolstice seems like it’s gonna be a really cool event, and I see that you have a lot of youth events as well. Are there other events coming up?

A: Let’s see. Obviously Swolstice is our biggest one of the summer, and then we’re gonna cap… off the Swolstice with a finals which is also a member night. It’s also our fifth birthday, so we’re gonna do a 5-year birthday party along with the member night, but it does coincide with Swolstice because it’s the finals. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to one of our comps or finals, but it’s under the lights, and it’s a thing. It’s really, really fun, and they’re pretty awesome.

N: What would you say to our novice climbers? A lot of people reading this may not have heard of Armadillo Boulders.

A: I would say come climb with us! It’s worth coming and checking out. What’s awesome about climbing is the progression of the sport. And I would say my favorite four months of climbing were my first four months of climbing. You start on 0’s [0 to 10 indicating a problem’s level of difficulty], and you can feel accomplished on 1’s and 2’s. Then a month later, you know, you start climbing, you keep breaking grades, and so I feel like it’s more of a meteoric rise and you just feel like “Oh man!” Like that’s the catch, in the sense that it is a progression sport, so as you’re doing it, each time you come in, you’re gonna notice that you’re getting better, and it’s like, the route you were working on on a Monday may have felt really hard, but with a little bit of climbing and good rest, you come in on a Thursday and all of a sudden you find yourself at the top of it, and those grades, that just keeps going.

There are plateaus, which would be more of a plug for training, because eventually everyone hits a plateau, but it’s so fun because you can feel the progression, I would say more than any other sport or activity that I’ve ever done. It’s just, it’s like the progression is just so tangible, in a sense.

N: Well said. I definitely feel that. I was doing some 4’s, and I thought to myself “...am I gonna try a 5 today?” It is super cool! Well, then I just have a couple more rapid-fire questions for you. I love the tshirt designs. Who does that?

A: Most of it is done by Tanner at DeuxSouth; Tanner Freeman. He does most of our logos, most of our branding.

N: I have a couple of the shirts, and I‘m always on the lookout– I like that one, too (pointing at Andrew’s white, minimally geometric AB-branded shirt)

A: Well you should definitely give him a plug. He’s local San Antonio, and does most of our branding and design.

N: And the music. Who–?

A: The music is, we let the staff pick. We pay for some service you know that provides music for corporations, but like there’s all sorts of genres and options, so it’s typically whoever’s opening that morning, it’s highly likely that–

N: –they’re the chef.

A: –they’re who picked the music for the day. I rarely change it. I can sit and listen to anything. I know that like, later in the evening, whenever it’s more of a youthful, late-night crowd, the music may get a little more amped up.

N: Well, there’ve been times where it’s like, I’m 80% of the way through a route and then Nujabes plays, and I’m like “What?”; some real deep cuts, you know?

A: (laughs) I think sometimes they’ll shift it at like 9:30 to kinda calm everyone down and be like “It’s time to go home”--

N: (sings the obligatory “Closing Time” by Semisonic)

A: I used to, like, when I would open super early, we open two days a week at 6 in the morning, and I would usually, there’s like a surfer rock station, and that’s what I would always play. Heavy guitar, everything sounds like the Beach Boys-type of thing.

N: Any word on an Armadillo Boulders mascot?

A: I’m curious what you mean by that?

N: I just imagine like a big head–

A: –like a furry mascot running around?

N: Yeah, like, climbing, yeah.

A: There’s a picture on the website of Joe, one of the owners, climbing in a huge armadillo outfit. It’s there! I can pull it up! n

TOP DOCTOR PROFILES

Marque Allen, MD

2023 Top S.A. Surgeon

Practice Name: Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio

Phone: 210-699-8326

Fax: 210-561-7121

allenmarque@gmail.com

Primary Specialty: Foot and Ankle Surgery

Dr. Marque Allen is fellowship-trained and double Board Certified in both Foot & Ankle Surgery. He has over 20 years experience in practice in San Antonio, TX and is one of the four founding partners of Sports Medicine Associates. Dr. Allen and his partners have been team physicians for the San Antonio Spurs for over 20 years.

Dr. Allen is also an expert in the cutting-edge bunion procedure, 3D Lapiplasty, which has revolutionized the successful treatment of bunions. He is one of the top 20 surgeons in the US in the number of successful Lapiplasty procedures performed.

Dr. Allen believes that every patient is an athlete because life is a competitive sport.

Kristin S. Held, MD, OPH

2023 Top S.A. Surgeon

Practice Name: Stone Oak Ophthalmology

Center

Phone: 210-490-6759

Fax: 210-490-6759

www.stoneoakeyes.com

Areas of Practice: Ophthalmology, Eye Surgery

Kristen Story Held, M.D. is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and International Society of Refractive Surgeons. Dr. Held’s practice is third-party free, including opting out of Medicare. Instead Dr. Held chooses to serve her patients first and directly, with personal, state of the art, affordable, accessible care. Your visit may be less than your copay and your deductible. Dr Held specializes in cataract and refractive surgery, including all-laser Lasik. Dr. Held is President of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and has served on the AAPS Board for the past four years.

Gary P. Lawton, MD, FACS

2023 Top S.A. Surgeon

Practice Name: Lawton Plastic Surgery

Phone: 210-496-2639

Fax: 210-496-2376

doctorlawton@yahoo.com

www.plasticsurgery-sanantonio.com

Primary Specialty: Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery

Dr. Gary Lawton is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon with a holistic approach to patient care. As a specialist in Cosmetic Surgery of the Breast and Body, he employs a unique perspective to meticulously contour patients. At Lawton Plastic Surgery, there is a comprehensive perioperative system utilizing Advanced Surgical Healing Protocols to achieve the best possible results. Your desire for personal fulfillment is our commitment to your journey, your dreams, your self-confidence, and your self-esteem.

Dr.

Melody Zamora,

2023 Best S.A. Dentist

DDS

Practice Name: Zam Dental

Phone: 210-494-2206

Fax: 210-547-9513

drzamora@zamdental.com

Areas of Practice: General Dentistry

The profession of dentistry has always meant service for Dr. Zamora. She strives to provide personalized, compassionate care to every patient. She provides her patients quality dental care using the best technology and health care available. She received her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science from Texas State University, San Marcos, graduating magna cum laude. She completed her dental education in 2003 at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, OR with a DMD degree. She also has additional training in both pediatric dentistry and pathology, including early detection of oral cancer. Dr. Zamora stays up-to-date on scientific research to provide the best possible care.

Top Oncologists & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeons San Antonio

Surveys went out to the medical community asking fellow doctors who they would nominate for San Antonio’s leading oncologist and reconstructive plastic surgeons. Below are the results from your peers. Congratulations to the doctors nominated for your profound medical treatment plans , care, and passion for your patients. We recognize you for your dedication to treating and fighting with your patients the fight against cancer. * Names listed in Red are Advertisers

ONCOLOGY

Alfredo A. Santillan-Gomez, MD Texas Oncology

Amanda D. Bucheit, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Amy Lang, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Anatole Trakhtenbroit, MD UT Health San Antonio, Medical Arts & Research Center

Anu Dham, MD Texas Oncology

Brano Djenic, MD Texas Oncology

Brittany Deberry, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Bruce E. Conway, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Carrisia Calvo-Strube, MD UT Health San Antonio, Zeller Building Chatchawin Assanasen, MD UT Health San Antonio

Corinne Nicole Jeppson, MD Texas Oncology

David J. Friedman, MD Texas Oncology

Diyva Asti , MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Douglas Lee, DO Genesis Care

Drew W. Rasco, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Edsel Lumbis Hesita, MD Texas Oncology-Westover Hills

Emmalind Aponte, MD Texas Oncology

Frank Miller, MD UT San Antonio Health & Science Center, Department of Otolaryngology

Georgia McCann, MD UT Health San Antonio

Gladys Rodriguez, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Gregory Guzley, MD

Texas Oncology

Gustavo Guajardo Salinas, MD Texas Oncology

Hycienth Ahaneku, MD

Texas Oncology

Irene Kazhdan, MD

Texas Oncology

Janice Mullins, MD Texas Oncology

Continued on page 78

F I GHT CAN CER

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TOP ONCOLOGISTS IN SAN ANTONIO. TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP TEXANS FIGHT CANCER.

Tobi Afolayan, M.D. • Krishna C. Alluri, M.D. • Emmalind Aponte, M.D.

Sridhar Beeram, M.D. • Joseph de la Garza, M.D., FACOG • Anu Dham, M.D.

Brano Djenic, M.D., FACS, FASCRS • David J. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D. • Gregory J. Guzley, M.D., FACP

Ed L. Hesita, M.D. • Richard Blair Jackson, M.D. • Corinne Jeppson, D.O., FACOOG

Jennifer Lee, M.D. • Janice Nhan Mullins, D.O. • John Jack Ogden, M.D.

Gustavo E. Guajardo Salinas, M.D. • Alfredo A. Santillan, M.D., MPH

Shruti Sharma, D.O., FACP • Nathan Shumway, D.O., FACP • Kathryn A. Wagner, M.D., FACS

When you choose Texas Oncology, you’re getting leading edge cancer care right in your local community. In fact, our commitment to excellence has been recognized by our peers who have nominated 20 of our physicians as the “Top Oncologists” in San Antonio. These physicians contribute to our knowledge base of cancer care experts across Texas. For more information on Texas Oncology or to find a location near you, please call 1-888-864-4226 or visit us at TexasOncology.com/SanAntonio.

Top Oncologists & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeons San Antonio

Jay Ferrell, MD

UT San Antonio Health & Science Center, Department of Otolaryngology

Jay Messer, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Jennifer Ding, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Jennifer Lee, MD Texas Oncology

Jennifer Ochoa, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

John Ogden, MD Texas Oncology

Joseph A. De La Garza, MD Texas Oncology

Kathryn Wagner, MD Texas Oncology

Keith Eyre, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Krishna Alluri, MD Texas Oncology

Kyriakos Papadopoulos, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Lisa Fichtel, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Marcela Mazo Canola, MD UT Health San Antonio

Mark Bonnen, MD UT Health San Antonio, Grossman Building

Maryam Elmi, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Melissa Crawley, MD Texas Oncology

Michael Anton Rodriguez Keller, MD Texas Oncology

Murali Beeram, MD The START Center For Cancer Care

Nathan Shumway, DO Texas Oncology

Oluwatobi “Tobi” Afolayan, MD Texas Oncology

Prathibha Surapaneni, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Prince Otchere, MD UT Health San Antonio, Medical Arts & Research Center

Rachel Giese, MD UT San Antonio Health & Science CenterDepartment of Otolaryngology, Division of Head & Neck Surgery

Richard Blair Jackson, MD Texas Oncology

Ronald Drengler, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Scott Ulmer, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Sherri Cervantez, MD

UT Health San Antonio Zeller Building

Shruti Sharma, DO Texas Oncology

Sridhar Beeram, MD Texas Oncology

Steven Abbate, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Steven Kalter, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Sukeshi Arora, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Supreet Kaur, MD

UT Health San Antonio Urschel Building

Vinu Madhusudanannair, MD

The START Center For Cancer Care

Virginia Kaklamani, MD

UT Health San Antonio

RECONSTRUCTIVE PLASTIC SURGERY

Andrew Gassman, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Charles Anton Fries, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Chet Nastala, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Christian Stallworth, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Christine Taylor, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Gary Arishita, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Gary Lawton, MD

Lawton Plastic Surgery

Jessica Belz, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Lauren Whipple, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Michael Baumholtz, MD

Baumholtz Plastic Surgery

Minas Chrysopoulo, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Oscar Ochoa, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Peter Ledoux, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Philip Chen, MD

UT Health San Antonio

Regina M. Fearmonti, MD

Alon Aesthetics Plastic Surgery & Skin

Robert Lyons, MD

Audie Murphy VA Hospital

Steven Pisano, MD

PRMA Plastic Surgery

Michelle Cecchini, MD, FAANS (Brain/Spine Specialist), George Galvan, MD, FAANS (Spine Specialist), Sebastian Villarreal MD (Brain/Spine Specialist), Daniel Monsivais MD, FAANS (Brain/Spine Specialist), Juan Padilla Maiz MD, FAANS (Brain/Spine Specialist), Juanita Garces MD, FAANS (Spine Scoliosis Specialist)

Private School Guide 2023

As parents, we look for every avenue to make sure our children receive the best in all aspects of life. One of the biggest challenges we face is making sure our children receive the proper education and attention they deserve. This fall, Scene in SA would like to introduce our Guide to Private Schools, a paid advertisement section providing the resources and information to help our readers find the private school option that best meets their children’s needs.

Alamo Heights United Methodist Weekday School

Phone: 210-826-2412 | Fax: 210-826-3897

Email: sjernigan@ahumc.org

Student to teacher ratio: 3:1, 4:1, 6:1, 7:1

Tuition: Please consult our website for current tuition costs.

Website: ahumc.org/wds/

Date founded: September 13, 1967

Grades offered : Infant care, Toddler Care, Twos, PreK Three, PreK Four, and PreK 4/5 Dual Language.

Enrollment Total: 135

The Montessori School of San Antonio

Phone: 210-492-3553

Fax: 210-492-3484

Email: info@montessorisa.org

Website: www.montessorisa.org

Date founded: August 1974

Grades offered: age 3 – age 14

Enrollment Total: 324

Student-to-teacher ratio: 12 : 1

Tuition: $11,449.00 - $19,942.00

Accreditation: The Montessori School of San Antonio is accredited by the Independent School Association of the Southwest. ISAS is an organization of 89 schools spread across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana. The Texas Private School Accreditation Commission recognizes ISAS. ISAS accreditation requires adherence to a set of rigorous standards of best practices of independent schools. The Montessori School of San Antonio is also an American Montessori Society member school.

Accreditation: We offer a vibrant, engaging, and Christian environment where children from infants to 5 years old can explore, discover, and learn through play. We believe children learn best when they are actively engaged in handson science experiences, sensory play, dramatic play, creative exploration, and process art activities. Our PreK 4/5 Dual Language class offers a unique opportunity for preschoolers to develop an appreciation for the Spanish language, acquire beginning vocabulary and pronunciation skills, all while learning through play. We are focused on building a strong foundation for success and fostering a lifelong love for learning.

Cornerstone Christian Schools

Phone: 217-979-9203

Email: schooladmissions@sa-ccs.org

Website: www.sa-ccs.org

Date founded: 1993

Grades offered: K4 – 12th Grade

Enrollment Total: 2180

Student to teacher ratio:

Tuition: https://www.sa-ccs.org/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid

K4-12th Grade: $9,995 – 1st Child

Each additional child: $7,496

Accreditation: Cornerstone Christian Schools is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools, International (ACSI) and Cognia. CCS is recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, and is therefore also recognized by the State of Texas Education Agency (TEA) and State Commissioner of Education, as an accredited school with all privileges and responsibilities afforded to it. CCS is a proud member of the Texas Private Schools Association. Cornerstone Christian Schools has exceeded all accreditation and external standards and continues to diligently pursue unprecedented excellence for God’s glory.

CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

Call 210-979-9203 or visit sa-ccs.org/tour to schedule a tour today.

WARRIOR FOR A DAY:

We invite students applying for grades 3 through 12 to join us on campus to experience a full day in the life of a Warrior.

Call 210-979-9203 or visit sa-ccs.org/shadow-request to schedule a visit.

“Our purpose is to develop and train the whole person spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially with unprecedented excellence in a Christ-centered culture to take all the Gospel to all the world and to every generation.”

@CornerstoneChristianSchools @cornerstonewarriors (210) 979-9203 • SA-CCS.ORG 17702 NW MILITARY HWY., SAN ANTONIO, TX 78257

MAKE HISTORY

17722 Rogers Ranch Parkway

San Antonio, Texas

THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF SAN ANTONIO

Montessori at MSSA is an education that is both nurturing and rigorous, respecting each student’s unique pace and style of learning while continually encouraging each child to reach their maximum potential

Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year is open. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit www.montessorisa.org or call us at 210-492-3553.

KNOW AND BE KNOWN

We’re HEAR for Good

Since 1947 Sunshine Cottage has provided an excellent educational environment for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, emphasizing a stimulating and nurturing atmosphere. By fostering a love for learning, Sunshine Cottage helps children develop their language, literacy, math, science, and social studies skills.

Sunshine Cottage offers a low student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1, which allows for more individual and personalized instruction.

To learn more about our program, visit:

(210) 824-0579 • www.sunshinecottage.org

and a member of OPTIONschools, Inc.

Private School Guide 2023 continued

The Montessori School of San Antonio

Phone: 210-492-3553

Fax: 210-492-3484

Email: info@montessorisa.org

Website: www.montessorisa.org

Date founded: August 1974

Grades offered: age 3 – age 14

Enrollment Total: 324

Student-to-teacher ratio: 12 : 1

Tuition: $11,449.00 - $19,942.00

Accreditation: The Montessori School of San Antonio is accredited by the Independent School Association of the Southwest. ISAS is an organization of 89 schools spread across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana. The Texas Private School Accreditation Commission recognizes ISAS. ISAS accreditation requires adherence to a set of rigorous standards of best practices of independent schools. The Montessori School of San Antonio is also an American Montessori Society member school.

Cornerstone Christian Schools

Phone: 217-979-9203

Email: schooladmissions@sa-ccs.org

Website: www.sa-ccs.org

Date founded: 1993

Grades offered: K4 – 12th Grade

Enrollment Total: 2180

Student to teacher ratio: Tuition: https://www.sa-ccs.org/admissions/ tuition-and-financial-aid

K4-12th Grade: $9,995 – 1st Child

Each additional child: $7,496

Thank you for your continued support and loyalty throughout the years.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of our celebration and leave your mark on our magazine’s history.

Contact us today to reserve your space!

GABRIELLA MARTINEZ AT ADVERTISING@SCENEPUBLICATIONS.COM OR CELL (210) 870-4202

Accreditation: Cornerstone Christian Schools is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools, International (ACSI) and Cognia. CCS is recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, and is therefore also recognized by the State of Texas Education Agency (TEA) and State Commissioner of Education, as an accredited school with all privileges and responsibilities afforded to it. CCS is a proud member of the Texas Private Schools Association. Cornerstone Christian Schools has exceeded all accreditation and external standards and continues to diligently pursue unprecedented excellence for God’s glory.

We are a TEA Approved non-public school, accredited by AdvancED,

Crown Affair

Editor Photographer: Leslie Foley

Zeta Tau Alpha’s Crown Affair was held on March 23, 2023, at the San Antonio Country Club. Since 1992, ZTA’s national philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness. The fundraiser benefitted ThriveWell Cancer Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for cancer by funding cancer research, providing patient support and offering programs to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Wine, lite bites, informal modeling by Julian Gold, and mingling during this happy hour, was enjoyed by many supporting the Zeta’s good work!

Private School Guide 2023 continued

St. Mary Magdalen Dual Language Catholic School

Phone: 210-735-1381

Fax: 210-735-2406

Email:

William.daily@stmmsa.org

Website: www.stmmsa.org

Date founded: 1942

Grades offered : 3 Years Old – 8th Grade

Enrollment Total: 470

Student to teacher ratio: 12:1

Tuition: $450/month

Texas Catholic Conference

Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children

Phone: 210-824-0579

Fax: 210-826-0436

Email: info@sunshinecottage.org

Website: sunshinecottage.org

Date founded: 1947

Grades offered : Preschool through 4th grade

Enrollment Total: 113

Student to teacher ratio: 5:1

Tuition: $5000 a year for typical hearing children, $7500 a year for deaf or hard of hearing children. Please call for more information.

Accreditation: Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children is an accredited by AdvancEd, OPTIONSchools International and is a TEA

Approved non-public school. Sunshine Cottage is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit educational organization. We accept students regardless of sex, race, affiliation, disability, or national origin.

Saint Mary’s Hall

Phone: 210-483-9100

Email: communications@ smhall.org

Website: www.smhall.org

Date founded: 1879

Grades offered : PK3-12

Enrollment Total: 745

Student to teacher ratio: n/a

Tuition: $16,974 - $31,101

Co-chairs Joy Fuhrman and Lisa Wolf, and Jane Steves

Informal modeling courtesy of Julian Gold

Debbie Christe, Mary Ann Franzke, Janet Putman, and president Anne Inscore

Esther Villagomez, Lisa Ward Hutchens, Mary Jonas, Whitney Ormond and Lindsey Jordan

Jill Rosenthal and Brittany Rosenthal

Susan Bauer, Linda Satel and Linda Blount

Nancy Oberman and Lauren Oberman

Lynne Wilson and Jeri May

Community Wellness Resources

Upcoming Events & Ways to Help

Community Bible Church

https://www.communitybible.com/care-and-support

2477 North Loop 1604 East | San Antonio, TX 78232 (210) 496-5096

Care & Support Groups meet Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.

• Boundaries: When to say yes - How to say no - To take control of your life

• Changes that Heal: How to understand your past to ensure a healthier future

• Safe People: Make wise choices in relationships and discover why good people can get tangled in bad relationships

• Hiding from Love: Change the patterns that Isolate and imprison you and learn to heal from emotional injury

• Marriage Ministry 6:25 p.m.

• relengage: Whether your marriage needs to be strengthened or resurrected, relengage is a safe place for all married to reconnect.

• Merge: Premarital Prep: A fun, interactive, and authentic fook at biblical marriage, designed for engaged and dating couples Mental Health Grace Groups

• Family Grace: Christ-centered support for family members of individuals living with mental health challenges

• Living Grace: Validating support; biblical and clinical insights; practical tools to empower anyone dealing with mental health symptoms and challenges

• Living Hope: Resilience and renewal for individuals affected by any trauma causing mental health difficulties

• DivorceCare: Help, hope, and healing for people who are hurting because of separation or divorce

• GriefShare: Learn to walk the journey of grief and be supported along the way from mourning to joy

• Trauma: Embark on a healing journey to address the root of soul wounds caused by trauma

• REBOOT First Responders: Focus on healing from service-related Trauma for Police, Fire, EMS, Dispatchers, Emergency Hospital workers, corrections employees, and those fuifilling those roles in the military Groups meet Friday evenings

• CR (Celebrate Recovery): Hurts, Habits, and Hang-Ups. Large group at CR celebrates God’s healing power while guiding you along the road to lasting freedom. Find hope for Past hurts, Alcohol/Drugs, Sexual addiction, Abuse, Codependency, Unhealthy eating, and more.

• The Landing: is a student ministry geared towards Junior High and High School age students. The Landing provides a safe place for our students to ; process life and the struggles that accompany it, provides tools to help 1 them live emotionally and spiritually healthy lives and points them towards the freedom found in God.

Club 12

The home of recovery in San Antonio since 1949

www.club12.org

102 Thames Dr. | San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 344-8981

Meetings held at different times throughout the day, every day. The events listed below all benefit Club Twelve

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Oct. 21, 2023 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.

Live DJ dance • Costume contest • Food specials

Tickets: $10 per person ; $15 couple

WILD WEST MUSIC FEST & RUMMAGE EXTRAVAGANZ

Nov. 4, 2023

Live music • Treasures & trinkets • Food & snacks availble

Donation Drop Off : Contact: Jimmy B. 503-381-6170, Club 12

Thanksgiving Lunch: Nov. 23, 2023

Christmas Party & Children’s gifting: Dec. 16, 2023

We have included some free resources in our community for readers looking for ways to support wellness, counseling, fitness, and recovery, as well as a list of upcoming activities and events during this holiday season. Also included are ways to donate and give to help people in need. Your mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health is crucial for a well-balanced life. Please reach out to any of these resources our community offers. Continued on page 90

Community Wellness Resources

Upcoming Events & Ways to Help

Rise Recovery

www.riserecovery.org

Rise Recovery Charlie Naylor Campus

2803 Mossrock | San Antonio, TX 78230 | (210) 227-2634

• Young Adult Group meeting on Mondays from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. This meeting is for adults aged 18-35 who are struggling with substance use

• The Rise Recovery Family Group Desire meeting (18+ years) is held every Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

RISEfest

Sober Family Friendly Fun

Oct. 16, 2023 | 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.

• Food & Music • Petting Zoo • Spooky House • Carnival Style Games

Every dollar you give allows us to provide services to the teens, young adults, family members and loved ones we serve. We are a family-oriented recovery community and you are a vital part of our family. https://www.riserecovery.org/about-us/donate/ .......................................

San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families

(210) 990-1115 | info@sacvf.org | https://sacvf.org

4102 S. New Braunfels Ave., Suite 110-132 | San Antonio TX, 78223

SACVF IS the change that our Veterans and their families so desperately need. The spirit of service and looking out for our own permeates San Antonio, and we invite you to join us in answering the call to serve those who served our nation. We are on track to assist over 300 veterans and families this year, which is double served last year. SACVF provides a range of immediate resources to veterans in crisis including temporary shelter for homeless veterans, rental assistance to prevent evictions, utility assistance to maintain basic human services, and food assistance to ensure families have access to meals. Beyond resources and referrals, SACVF offers camaraderie and fellowship to help veterans avoid despair and hopelessness to possibly prevent suicide.

Download a summary of our organization on our website www.sacvf.org

Wellness at The Tobin Center

https://www.tobincenter.org

115 Auditorium Circle | San Antonio, TX 78205 | (210) 223-3333

Wellness at the Tobin is a series of free public experiences designed to address aspects of living and being well. All ages welcomed. We strive to present something for everyone at the Tobin; join us for any or all of these uplifting events throughout the year.

Yoga | Wellness at the Tobin

Oct. 14, 2023

• Nov. 11, 2023

• Dec. 9, 2023

Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2023-10/yoga-wellness-tobin

Drum Circle | Wellness at the Tobin

Oct. 21, 2023 • Nov. 18, 2023 • Dec. 16, 2023

Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2023-10/drum-circle-wellness-tobin

Zumba | Wellness at the Tobin

Oct. 28, 2023 • Nov. 11, 2023 • Dec. 23, 2023

Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2023-10/zumba-wellness-tobin

Meditation | Wellness at the Tobin

Nov. 4, 2023 • Dec. 2, 2023

Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2023-11/meditation-wellness-tobin

Salsa Dance | Wellness at the Tobin

Dec. 30, 2023

McCombs Grand Lobby

https://www.tobincenter.org/box-office/2023-12/salsa-dance-wellness-tobin

Gonzaba Medical Group

The Gonzaba Foundation

https://gonzabafoundation.org/

Founded in 2022, The Gonzaba Foundation for Healthier Communities was established to provide resources to the age 65+ population in San Antonio. The goal of the programming is to empower, support, and improve the quality of life of seniors in our community.

Free Fall 1K Walk

October 21, 2023. 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Texas A&M University San Antonio

1 University Way | San Antonio, TX US 78224

https://sanantoniosports.org/event/gonzaba-free-fall-1k-walk/

Traders Village Corny Maze 2023

https://tradersvillage.com/category/events

/corny-maze-2023/

October 7 - November 26

Saturdays & Sundays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

9333 S Loop 410 at Old Pearsall Road

Dinosaur-themed corn maze. $11.99 per person. Guests can upgrade to the corn maze and all-day ride wristband for $17.99. Kids ages 2 and younger are free. Access to a pumpkin patch and petting zoo are included with the price of admission. There will also be opportunities for photo ops and other activities.

Wellness Tour: San Antonio Wellness Fest

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wellness-toursan-antonio-wellness-fest-tickets-716501925547

Saturday, October 21 | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Woodlawn Lake Park

1103 Cincinnati Avenue San Antonio, TX 78201

Wellness Fest Highlights:

• 5k with Metanoia Counseling

• Live panel discussions with esteemed local practitioners

• Captivating wellness demonstrations including Zumba, yoga, and sound healing

• Wellness vendors offering a wide range of products and services

• A dedicated kid’s wellness zone for a familyfriendly experience

Together, we’ll nurture emotional wellness in Texas and beyond. See you on the tour!

Thursday Yoga at The Good Kind

https://eatgoodkind.com/events/thursdayyoga-at-the-good-kind/

1127 S. St. Mary’s St. | San Antonio, TX 78210

Class runs from 7 p.m.-8 p.m., every Thursday

Bring your favorite mat and join us for yoga in our garden every Thursday with FREE Community Yoga. Registration needed.

San Antonio Fitness, Health, and Wellness Expo at Travis Park

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-antoniofitness-health-and-wellness-expo-at-travispark-tickets-716207163907

Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 | 9:00 a.m. 301 East Travis Street, San Antonio, TX 78205

An exciting in-person event at Travis Park in This wellness expo is the perfect opportunity to discover the latest trends in fitness, health, and wellness.

Participate in engaging workshops and informative seminars led by renowned fitness experts and wellness gurus. Learn about the latest workout routines, healthy eating habits, and holistic approaches to well-being. Attend live demonstrations and interactive sessions that will inspire and motivate you on your wellness journey.

VIP Access allows early access for 1 hour at 9AM. All tickets are reduced for military/veterans and citizens aged 50 and up.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of our special 25th anniversary issue. This milestone is a celebration of our commitment to excellence and the loyalty of our readers. Advertise with us and reach our engaged audience of loyal readers who have been with us through the years. Be a part of this special issue and showcase your brand alongside ours.

Exploring Our Greenway Trails System Plus The Petals & Poses Challenge

By Iliana Yanez

Photo by 10929910 © Logray | Dreamstime.com

If you’re new to town or just looking for a way to decompress from the worries of life, look no further than the city’s own backyard. As the urban landscape grows and evolves, the fantastic green corridors of The Greenway Trails offer a refreshing escape, a chance to recharge, and a whole lot of fun. Not only are the trails a place to get moving, but they’re also an oasis for your mental health. These trails benefit the community and can enhance your mental well-being.

Picture this: A network of interconnected trails weaving through the city, meandering alongside serene creeks, and surrounded by natural beauty. The idea of linking the San Antonio parks was first conceived in the 1920s; however, significant progress was not made until the 1970s when the city started taking a more proactive approach towards preserving natural areas and promoting recreational opportunities for its residents. Of course, throughout the years, collaborators advocated between the local government, environmental groups, and concerned citizens to get where the trail is today.

The primary objective of the Greenways is to protect and preserve our precious natural habitats and diverse wildlife. These interconnected green spaces act like nature’s highways, letting animals roam freely and giving local plants the chance to thrive and grow. By safeguarding these habitats, the Greenways ensure the trail stays strong and healthy. The Greenways are like outdoor classrooms, where you can learn all about the native plants, wildlife, and ecosystem. It’s a chance to appreciate and care for our environment and to be true stewards of nature.

Not only are we able to view these parks and trails as greenways for recreation, but we can also appreciate the effect it has on the city’s temperature. You might be sitting here reading this and saying, “Come on, it’s scorching out there!” While that might be the case, the trails are so rich with vegetation that they absorb carbon dioxide, improve air quality – and with the effects of climate change – offer a vital ‘lung’ for our city.

The Greenways are much more than just preserving nature; they’re a gateway for fun and recreation for everyone. No matter your age or fitness level, there’s something exciting for everyone. You can walk, jog, cycle, and even horseback ride. Families can enjoy picnics, birdwatching, and outdoor games or gatherings in the numerous parks that are open spaces along the routes. Let’s break down the trails and see what they have to offer.

Leon Creek Greenway (North & Central)

This stunning park stretches over 20 miles, providing ample opportunities for outdoor exploration. Most visitors and residents like to use the lengthy trail for running, walking, and cycling. This trail is used primarily as a biking hub for cycling enthusiasts—with various trailheads and many access points, bikers can enjoy a smooth and scenic ride while discovering different sections of the trail. Here are some key connections along the trail that might sound familiar: O.P. Schnabel Park, Bamberger Park, Valero Trailhead, Earl Scott Pond, Pearsall Park, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Medina River Greenway System

If you’re looking for a nice riverside escape, this trail is the one for you. With approximately 15 miles of striking landscape, the waterfront trail winds along the tranquil Medina River. Not only does this trail offer a spot to take a dip, but the trail is filled with rich culture. You might find yourself stumbling upon historic structures and archaeological sites that offer a glimpse into the region’s past. You’ll also find several art installations that add an artistic touch and blend in with the natural surroundings. Here are some key connections: Old Applewhite Trailhead, Applewhite Trailhead, Pleasanton Road Trailhead, Mitchell Lake Trailhead, and Mattox Park Trailhead.

Salado Creek Greenway North (Loop 1604 to Rittiman Road)

This trail has undergone significant restoration efforts to improve and enhance the natural habitat for its wildlife and aquatic life. This has led to a flourishing ecosystem that allows woodlands and grasslands to attract a wide variety of plants and animal species to call this creek their home. Just like the other trails, visitors, and residents alike will have 19 miles to walk, run, jog, or cycle through while enjoying the path.

Here are some key locations:

Eisenhower Park • Lady Bird Johnson Park Trailhead

• Lauren’s Lane Trailhead • Loop 1604 Trailhead •

Mcallister Park Trailhead, Oakwell Trailhead • Phil

Hardberger Park East Trailhead • Robert Tobin Park

Trailhead • Voelcker Homestead Trailhead • Walker

Ranch Park Trailhead

Westside Creek Greenways

A group of five waterways comprise this trail, nestled right in the heart of the city. The Westside Creek plays a crucial role in connecting various neighborhoods. It links these areas with surrounding parks, schools, and commercial centers. Once again, you’ll be able to see local artists and community members contribute to various public art installations along the trail.

Here are the creeks:

Apache • Alazán, Martínez • San Pedro • Zarzamora

Other Exciting Trails

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, prepare yourself for a pathway that begins in San Antonio Springs and ends in Barton Springs, Austin. The Great Springs Trails is a network of scenic pathways that 100 miles of possibilities. While the trail is still under construction and isn’t projected to finish till 2036, the springs that are being connected are already filled with visitors who want to enjoy the outdoors any way they can.

With numerous activities such as these, the Greenways are thoughtfully designed to ensure accessibility and inclusivity for all visitors. The trails

feature ADA-complaint pathways, allowing individuals with mobility challenges to make it easily accessible. Efforts have gone as far as to connect the Greenways with public transportation hubs, allowing residents without personal vehicles access to these spaces.

These greenspaces serve as platforms for community engagement and social interaction. People from all walks of life come together to commune with nature and each other, fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility for the environment. Community events, environmental workshops, and volunteer programs organized within the Greenways help promote environmental awareness and encourage active participation in conservation efforts. Without the help of community organizations, nonprofits, and corporate entities to fund, develop, and maintain these invaluable assets, the Greenways wouldn’t be where they are today.

Local businesses and corporations often sponsor events and initiatives within the Greenways, fostering a sense of corporate social responsibility while strengthening their ties with the community. These partnerships not only contribute to the financial sustainability of the project but also enrich the recreational offerings and educational opportunities within the Greenways.

By providing free, accessible recreational spaces across the city, the trails enhance the quality of life for residents of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. While the physical benefits of these greenways are obvious to most who read, these natural havens are more than just recreational space. They’re sanctuaries for our mental well-being, offering a respite from the chaos of modern life and a pathway to inner clarity and balance.

In a city where traffic, crowds, and work can often feel overwhelming, the Greenway Trails provide a soothing escape where we can reconnect with nature and ourselves. The therapeutic benefits of spending time in these green spaces are boundless—from reducing stress and anxiety to improved mood, focus, and creativity.

No matter what age we are, we find ourselves navigating a world filled with challenges, uncertainties, and constant digital distractions. But amidst the bustling cityscape, the Greenway Trails stand as a testament to the importance of nurturing our mental health. In a sense, they beckon us to step outside, breathe in the fresh air, and let nature work its magic on our minds and spirits. By lacing up our sneakers, grabbing our bikes, or simply taking a leisurely walk through the natural wonders, we can embrace a deeper connection to a different side of the city. As we walk these paths, let’s not only appreciate the beauty around us but also take a moment to appreciate ourselves. Let’s be kind to our minds,

listen to our inner selves, and prioritize our mental well-being as we navigate through life’s adventures.

Fall is just around the corner and I’m sure everyone knows what that means – spooky movies, cooler weather, and pumpkin flavor everything. While you might be sad to say goodbye to everything that entails summer, that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. If you’re new to town or just looking for a way to decompress from the worries of life, look no further than the city’s own backyard.

Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or for a short amount of time, San Antonio can feel overwhelming at times. Between traffic and construction—these trails are able to provide an escape from all this. Everything around you seems so complicated at times, but in fact, nature itself is the simplest thing out there. By either lacing up your sneakers or planning a picnic you’re able to walk through these natural wonders and embrace a deeper connection to a different side of the city, possibly even a different side of you that you never thought you would meet.

You might be under the impression that all these trails offer the elements—playgrounds, hiking, jogging, cycling paths, and yes, even those bothersome bugs. While there’s some truth to the assumption, a unique experience awaits. Among the familiar features, there lies the monumental Bloom sculptures. These sculptures embarked on an extensive journey to find their place in the diverse settings where they now stand. Now, you might find yourself wondering, “What is Bloom?”

In brief, Bloom is a collection of public artworks crafted by the talented San Antonio resident artist, Leticia Huerta. In collaboration with Wanderlust Ironworks, she meticulously shaped these majestic floral sculptures, which have now found their residence along the community’s greenways. The main objective of this project is to inspire the widespread exploration of San Antonio’s parks and trails. These flowers also play a dual role, functioning as both trailhead connectors and a distinctive wayfind landmark. n

Photo by 123784633 © lzf | Dreamstime.com

Petals & Poses: San Antonio Bloom Sculpture Selfie Challenge

HERE’S THE EXCITING CHALLENGE WE HAVE FOR YOU! San Antonio houses a total of seven extraordinary Bloom sculptures throughout the city. The following page has some of the maps as to where you can find these gigantic flowers. All you have to do is take a selfie with these towering flowers. Now, no challenge comes without rewards—tag us on social media (@sceneinsamag on Instagram), and the first five people to accomplish this challenge will be rewarded each with a $100 gift card.

Tezel Road Trailhead

The first sculpture is located on Tezel Road Trailhead/Tezel Road Community Facility.

Eisenhower Park

Your next stop is 19399 NW Military Highway. Prepare to be greeted by a vibrant spectacle of nature’s beauty here. Here, you’ll find the trailhead decorated with the presence of the Antelope Horn Milkweed, Cedar Sage, and Greenthread flowers.

Mario Farias Park

This thrilling stop is at 1012 Leal Street. Here you’ll find the Four-Nerve Daisy and Salvia Texana “planted” here.

McAllister Park

Within this park lies the very roots of the project—the journey commenced with the very flowers that ignited this imaginative pursuit. While locating these sculptures might pose a bit of a challenge, rest assured that your efforts will be rewarded with the Plains Coreopsis, Mexican Hat Wildflower, and Winecup. Fun fact: Silver rings encircle the flower as a testament to the terrain’s journey through diverse flood levels across the years.

Southside Lions

Venturing southward to 3100 Hiawatha Street, you’ll stumble upon the trailhead where you’ll be greeted by the Pink Evening Primrose, Turk’s Cap, and Shrubby Boneset.

River Walk Public Art Garden

On the final leg of the journey, you’ll find yourself at the captivating destination of 802 River Walk Street. As you begin to take in the scenery, the presence of the Yellow Columbine and Lantana flowers won’t be the only cultivating sight. You’ll also see other artwork crafted by talented artists from the community.

As we enter another season and the city continues to evolve, Bloom stands as a lasting marker of creativity, nature’s beauty, and the boundless spirit of exploration. As you navigate these trails, remind yourself that you’re not only enriching your connection to art and nature, but also creating a soothing outlet for your mental well-being, basically reminding you that simplicity and tranquility exist among a chaotic thing we call life.

Remember that your journey doesn’t end here. The Greenway Trails, Blo Bloom om, and other outdoor ventures will remain, ready to welcome you whenever you deem it ready. As you stroll, jog, or simply stop to smell the metallic roses, let these experiences offer a sense of renewal and a reminder that adventure, peace, and a $100 gift card can always be found right in your own city’s backyard. n

River Walk Public Art Garden

DON’T MISS THIS CHALLENGE!

Tag us on social media @sceneinsamag on Instagram

The first five people to accomplish this challenge will be rewarded each with a $100 gift card.

McAllister Park

Southside Lions

Eisenhower Park

Mario Farias Park

Help. Hope. Healing.

Make It Your Legacy

Helping children recovering from loss or trauma requires an understanding of the complexities of childhood grief and the mind of a child.

For more than 25 years, the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas (CBCST) has provided grief support programs at no cost for children (3-24 years old), their caregivers and at times, for community members living with grief. This work is only possible with the support of our community.

The Monarch Society - a giving circle for donors to the CBCST’s endowment fund - is appropriately named for the butterfly renowned for its courageous endurance. Make a legacy gift and play an important role in making a positive difference in the lives of children who will receive CBCST services in the years to come.

We invite you to tour CBCST’s warm and comforting center and learn more about our services. With a legacy gift, you will be a part of providing ongoing hope and healing for a lifetime.

Damn, Man Snacks for the holidays!

COSMETIC SURGERY

Gary Lawton, MD

Aesthetic Enhancement Cosmetic Surgery

525 Oak Centre Dr. Ste 260

San Antonio, TX 78258

Phone: (210) 496-2639

Fax: (210) 496-2376

www.aestheticenhancement.com

FAMILY PRACTICE

Alexander S. Roka, MD

Roka Family Medicine & Med Spa

20658 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 108

San Antonio, TX 78258

Phone: (210) 403-3220

A charcuterie spread will amp up the fun at your grill-out! You can take charcuterie essentials wherever you go with this sling bag that is chock-full of tasty eats! This sling bag is packed with the ultimate variety of unique snacks. Features White Cheddar Cheese (4oz), Bruschetta Jack Cheese (4oz), Summer Sausage (8oz), Hot and Spicy Sausage Bites (4oz), Salted Cashews (4oz), Pistachios in their shells (4oz), Deluxe nut mix (4oz) and Cranberry Nut Seed Mix (4oz). This bag includes a great variety of flavors, gourmet handcrafted, small batch kettle-cooked nuts paired with unique flavored cheese and savory spiced summer sausage and sausage bites. The Charcuterie Bag is sure to hit all of your cravings! Retails for $39.95 at https://dmsnacks.com/products/ the-charcuterie-meat-cheese-bag

Fax: (210) 403-3321

www.rokamd.com

MED ONCOLOGY

Edsel L. Hesita, MD Texas Oncology Westover Hills

11130 Christus Hills, Plaza III, Suite 210 San Antonio, TX 78251

Phone: (210) 245-2000

Fax: (210) 245-2020

edsel.hesita@usoncology.com

www.texasoncology.com

MED SPA

Alexander S. Roka, MD Roka Family Medicine & Med Spa

20658 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 108

San Antonio, TX 78258

Phone: (210) 403-3220

Fax: (210) 403-3321

www.rokamd.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Jay M. Rubin, MD

Eye Clinics of South Texas, PA

8999 E Basse Rd., Ste. 128-B

San Antonio, TX 78209

Phone: (210) 826-2012

Fax: (210) 829-8349

jrubinmd@eyeclinicsofsouthtexas.com

www.eyeclinicsofsouthtexas.com

OPHTHALMOLOGY / RETINA

Lina Marouf, MD Retina Associates of South Texas

910 Huebner Rd. Ste. 100

San Antonio, TX 78229

Phone: (210) 615-7600

Fax: (210) 822-4208

admin@retinastx.com

www.retinastx.com

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Geoffrey P. Glebus, D.O. Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio

21 Spurs Lane, Suites 300 & 210

San Antonio, TX 78240

Phone: (210) 699-8326

Fax: (210) 561-7121

geoffreyglebus@hotmail.com

www.sportsmedsa.com

PLASTIC SURGERY

Gary Lawton, MD

Aesthetic Enhancement Cosmetic Surgery

525 Oak Centre Dr. Ste 260

San Antonio, TX 78258

Phone: (210) 496-2639

Fax: (210) 496-2376

www.aestheticenhancement.com

FIND A LAWYER

BUSINESS LITIGATION

Olga Brown

Law Offices of Olga Brown

Phone: (210) 226-1550

Fax: (210) 226-1884

argyle2@sbcglobal.net

CONSUMER

Adam J. Crawshaw

Crawshaw Law Firm, PLLC

Phone: (210) 595-1553

Fax: (210) 200-6403

adam@crawshawlaw.com www.crawshawlaw.com

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Jay S. Norton

LaHood Norton Law Group, PLLC

Phone: (210) 797-7700

Fax: (210) 530-1525

jay@lahoodnorton.com www.lahoodnorton.com

Nico LaHood

LaHood Norton Law Group, PLLC

Phone: (210) 797-7700

Fax: (210) 530-1525

nico@lahoodnorton.com www.lahoodnorton.com

Cynthia E. Hujar Orr

Goldstein & Orr

Phone: (210) 226-1463

Fax: (210) 226-8367

whitecollarlaw@gmail.com www.goldsteinhilley.com

FAMILY LAW

Laura D. Heard

Laura D. Heard Law Firm Inc.

Phone: (210) 655-9090

Fax: (210) 655-8318

Attorney@ldheard.com www.ldheard.com

Aida Rojas Moore

Rojas Law Firm

Phone: (210) 299-4600 | Fax: (210) 299-4601 aidarojas@aidarojaslaw.com www.aidarojaslaw.com

IMMIGRATION

Shannon Salmon-Haas

Law Office of Salmon-Haas, PC Phone:(210) 621-5715 shannon@salmonhaas.com www.salmonhaas.com

PERSONAL INJURY PLAINTIFF

Nathaniel Mack III Mack Injury Attorneys

Phone: (210) 333-6225 | Fax: (210) 855-3152 info@macktexaslaw.com www.333mack.com

Jorge A. Herrera

The Herrera Law Firm, Inc.

Phone: (210) 224-105 | Fax: (210) 228-0887 jherrera@herreralaw.com www.herreralaw.com

PROBATE LAW

Laura D. Heard

Laura D. Heard Law Firm Inc.

Phone: (210) 655-9090 | Fax: (210) 655-8318 Attorney@ldheard.com www.ldheard.com

Alexander S. Roig Allen & Roig, LLP

Phone: (210) 377-2529 | Fax: (210) 340-1346 alexandersroig@pm.me www.allenandroig.com

TAX

Rachael E. Rubenstein

Clark Hill, PLC

Phone: (210) 250-6006 | Fax: (210) 258-2714 rrubenstein@clarkhill.com www.clarkhill.com

SCENE IN SA

MAGAZINE CAN BE FOUND FOR SALE AT THE FOLLOWING SAN ANTONIO LOCATIONS:

H-E-B LOCATIONS

1150 TX-1604 Loop 78248

8219 Marbach Rd. 78227

4100 New Braunfels Ave. 78223

5601 Bandera Rd. 78238

10660 FM 471 78251

10718 Potranco Rd. 78251

5910 Babcock Rd. 78240

15000 San Pedro Ave 78232

2929 Thousand Oaks Dr. 78247

999 E. Basse Rd. Suite 150 78209

1520 Austin Hwy. 78218

1150 NW Loop 1604 78248

158140 San Pedro 78232

300 W. Olmos Drive 78212

1955 Nacogdoches 78209

12777 IH 10 W. DeZavala 78230

20935 HWY 281 N. 78258

8503 NW Military Hwy. 78231

Twig Bookstore in the Historic Pearl off Broadway near downtown San Antonio

Club Humidor located on Huebner at Vance Jackson, near I-10

Flavors of Fall

By Michele McCurdy-Buonacorsi, author of Joseph’s Storehouse Baking Company Cookbook

Autumn is here and it’s my favorite time of the year. Fall brings cool weather contrasted by warm, cozy cooking. Not only do I love the flavors of fall, it’s also a time of gathering family and friends. Ubiquitous to the season is pumpkin and spice, and as far as my cooking goes, pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients. I love its velvety texture and sweet and earthy flavor. Fall for fall like never before with these delicious Pumpkin-Praline Muffins and Pumpkin Eggnog! n

To order a cookbook, go to: http://store.bookbaby.com/book/Josephs-Storehouse-Full-Color or http://store.bookbaby.com/book/Josephs-Storehouse-Black-White

Pumpkin-Praline Muffins

Servings: Two dozen

INGREDIENTS

For the Muffins:

* 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

* 1 tablespoon baking powder

* 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

* ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

* ¼ teaspoon baking soda

* Pinch of ground cloves

* 1 stick salted butter, softened

* 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

* 2 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten

* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin, preferably Libby’s

* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole fat

buttermilk, room temperature

* Non-stick cooking spray

For the Topping:

* 6 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

* 2 tablespoons full fat sour cream

* ⅔ cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 12-cup regular-size muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and cloves in a small bowl and set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium high speed for about two to three minutes. Turn the mixer down to medium speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing for one minute after each addition. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla.

3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture in three batches and the buttermilk in two batches, alternating (beginning and ending with the flour mixture). Mix only until just combined after each addition, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Using a four tablespoon scoop or measuring cup, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans.

4. For the topping, mix the brown sugar, sour cream, and pecans. Evenly sprinkle the topping mixture over each muffin. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean, about 14 to 16 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven and wait a couple of minutes, then gently tip the muffins sideways in their cups. Remove the muffins from the pans to a wire rack to cool.

Pumpkin Eggnog

Servings: Eight cups

INGREDIENTS

* 12 egg yolks

* 3 cups heavy cream, divided

* 2½ cups whole milk, divided

* 1⅓ cups granulated sugar

* ¾ cup canned pumpkin, preferably Libby’s

* 2 tablespoons pure vanilla

* 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

* Freshly grated nutmeg (optional), for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the egg yolks, one cup of cream, one cup of milk, and the sugar. Cook and stir over medium about five minutes or until the mixture just coats a metal spoon; do not boil.

2. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Stir in the remaining two cups of cream, the remaining milk, pumpkin, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Set the pitcher in a large bowl of ice water and stir for two minutes. Cover and chill for several hours (four hours, up to a full day). Top each serving with fresh nutmeg.

To make it a cocktail, add rum, bourbon, or whiskey to the eggnog. When adding the booze, aim for a ratio of five parts eggnog to one part spirits.