San Antonio Magazine November/December 2023

Unwrap

Holidays

Puro S.A. stocking stuffers, dazzling festivities and more

Celebrate the Holidays in San Antonio

From our local gift guide to tamales, buñuelos and holiday events, including festive lights on the River Walk, we have you covered this season.

Rising from the Ashes

Alamo Heights midcentury modern home is rebuilt to honor its legacy after a house fire.

Dining at the City’s Best Restaurants

From Italian to French and Chinese to BBQ, brunch and beyond, here are the 25 best places to eat right now in San Antonio.

SA Lights

Meet the quiet doers who are making a difference in our community.

Maker

Blue Bell and James Avery collaborate for a charming treat.

Person of Interest

San Antonio author reaches for the stars with Shoot the Moon

Culture

The Public Theater puts together a campaign to “Save the Playhouse.”

Influencer

KENS 5 anchor Sarah Forgany shares where she found her strength.

Libations

Check out the recently renovated High Street Wine Co. in the Pearl.

Eat Here Now

Leche de Tigre breathes fresh life into the San Antonio dining scene.

Polly’s Picks

S.A. native shares this year’s restaurant faves.

Spotlight

These are the restaurants that opened and the ones we lost in 2023. Ruby City River debris takes a new shape in a featured creation by artist Luz María Sánchez.

On the Cover

Del Alma Imports’ Tatengo embroidered stocking, available at Feliz Modern, is the perfect pop of color for your mantel this season in this photograph taken by Paul Stephen.

We are thrilled to announce that San Antonio’s Hearst property will continue producing San Antonio Magazine for the local community. San Antonio Magazine has been a part of our community for 18 years and we are grateful to have the opportunity to continue to bring San Antonians this great brand. Hearst has the connection to the world’s largest lifestyle publisher, Hearst Magazines, boasting a magazine portfolio of more than 25 brands in the U.S., 175 magazine websites and more than 200 magazine editions worldwide. Open Sky Media has partnered with us on the November/December edition to help ensure a smooth transition. Subsequent issues will be produced fully by the local Hearst team. We are committed to maintaining the longstanding San Antonio Magazine brand and to connecting readers with the very best in lifestyle, leisure, food, events and San Antonio culture.

Welcome to our holiday edition of San Antonio Magazine. Inside, you will unwrap all kinds of goodies, from tamales to buñuelos and all the traditions and gift giving that make for a puro San Antonio season.

We want to continue to be your go-to source to keep you “in the loop,” on the restaurants, people and happenings that make San Antonio a place we choose to call home — even if we didn’t all grow up here.

Whether you’re a native Texan like Jan and Jess or a transplant hailing from Pennsylvania like Kate, San Antonio has a personality and warm embrace all its own. And now it’s time to experience all the lights and sounds of the season again, throw on a jacket when heading outdoors or stay inside for your tamalada and rekindle that fireplace.

This month’s cover feature (page 28) includes the return of the holiday events families and friends have long looked forward to each year, as well as some new surprises. Join us as we look back on a year that has brought new restaurants to the dining scene and forced us to say goodbye to other longtime favorites.

Whether you have family visiting the Alamo City or you’re just hungry to explore this city filled with myriad flavors, we also share our picks for the city’s 25 best restaurants. There’s something on the menu for everyone.

Jan Waddy, Jess Elizarraras and Kate Weber

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

VOL. 19 NO. 1

EDITORIAL

Editors

Jess Elizarraras

Jan Waddy

Contributing Writers

Candice Avila-Garcia

Jason Buch

Carmina Danini

Vincent T. Davis

Jim Kiest

Richard A. Marini

Deborah Martin

Sarah Martinez

Madalyn Mendoza

Polly Anna Rocha

Steven Santana

Peter L. Scamardo II

Paul Stephen Mike Sutter

ART

Art Directors

October Custom Publishing

Contributing Photographers

Billy Calzada

Kevin Geil

Luke Hill

Kin Man Hui

Tim Hursley

Mia Isabella Photography

William Luther

Josie Norris

Bob Owen

Siggi Ragnar

Carlos Javier Sanchez

Marty

Sohl Photography

Paul Stephen

Robert Stofa

Chris Stokes

Mike Sutter

ADVERTISING

Chief Revenue Officer

Kate Weber

Senior Marketing Director

Sara Bryant

HEARST

Publisher Mark Medici

CONTACT US 210-268-1100 sanantoniomag.com

Advertising Inquiries advertising@sanantoniomag.com

Story Ideas, Letters to the Editor editor@sanantoniomag.com

Subscriptions, Renewals and Address Changes Hearst P.O. Box 2171 San Antonio, TX 78297-2171 subscriptions@sanantoniomag.com sanantoniomag.com/subscribe

affic. ESCAPE

Trade rush hour for a peaceful ride along the shore in South Padre Island. Fall offers great weather, low room rates & stunning views.

IN THE LOOP

A Very Texan

Pairing

James Avery dropped a perfect holiday gift for the ice cream lover

BLUE BELL ICE CREAM SAYS IT WASN’T enough to just enjoy a scoop or two of its sweet treat. The Texas-based ice cream brand is now collaborating with a Kerrville-founded jeweler, James Avery, to give Blue Bell fans the chance to wear the brand via a new charm, according to a news release.

The Blue Bell Ice Cream Charm is a small, silver and bronze recreation of the brand’s recognizable Homemade Vanilla ice cream carton you can wear on your wrist or on a necklace. The charm

accurately depicts every detail on the carton, including the brand’s mascot, Belle the cow being led by a little girl.

“We are excited to partner with Blue Bell and craft an artful design that speaks to so many Texans,” says James Avery CEO John McCullough in the news release. “James Avery and Blue Bell fans alike will be able to purchase the first charm in this iconic Texas partnership.”

The Blue Bell Ice Cream Charm can be found at every James Avery location and at the Blue Bell Country Store in Brenham, Texas. It can also be ordered online on the store’s website for $88.

This isn’t the first time James Avery has collaborated with an iconic Texas brand.

In September 2021, James Avery released an avocado charm with the launch of its stores inside select H-E-B locations. In October 2022, the jeweler also launched Whataburger ketchup packet charms.

SHOP

Available at James Avery locations throughout San Antonio and online at jamesavery.com

Space Age History

With her debut novel, Shoot the Moon , author Isa Arsén puts a different spin on the moon landing

The space race is a period of history we keep going back to. From Apollo 10 1⁄₂ to The Right Stuff, and from Apollo 15 to Hidden Figures, NASA’s journey from the Earth to the moon still captivates us more than 50 years after the moon landing.

Now one of San Antonio’s newest authors is taking another look at the Apollo 11 mission. Isa Arsén’s debut novel Shoot the Moon, released this October, shares a story described as a “widening the lens” of an iconic moment in history through fiction.

Shoot the Moon follows Annie Fisk, a New Mexico woman fascinated by the stars who grows up to work at NASA as a secretary during the Apollo 11

mission. A physics graduate, Annie must tackle her career and romantic passions while “a mysterious discovery upends everything she knows to be scientifically true.”

“I do think that the book was my first love letter to Texas,” Arsén says. “I really do love Texas. I love living here. You know, I think there’s a lot of stuff about the state and the people who live here and the culture of Texas at large that I think a lot of it doesn’t actually make its way into pop culture. You sort of have to be here for a while and really get a sense of it.”

Arsén, originally from Virginia, studied music at Temple University in Philadelphia before moving to Austin. She says she fell in love with Central Texas during that time but didn’t truly find a home until moving to San Antonio last year.

While Shoot the Moon is her first novel, it’s far from the first story she’s written. Arsén says she was always making up stories to tell her sister and friends as a kid — even before she could write — collecting dozens of notebooks with any number of stories over the years. A big reader of Lemony Snickett, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett growing up, she eventually made her way to historical fiction both as a reader and a writer.

“I sort of just fell into historical fiction coming out of sort of the very British early 2000s kind of holdover media,” Arsén says. “I was really into Doctor Who and Torchwood and Primeval and all of that. So, from there, I sort of found some of the more popular, like historical fiction from kind of the late 20th century, and then ended up falling in love with that genre and sticking around.”

Like many, the COVID-19 pandemic became the time where Arsén re-evaluated herself as a writer. While she spends her day job as an audio engineer, Arsén had kept writing over the years, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she finished a book-length manuscript. Once she finished it, she began the long querying process.

“It was kind of the ‘well I might as well,’ because I was like, ‘well, I finished it, I might as well clean it up and revise it. Well, I cleaned it up and revised it, I might as well take it out and show it to people,’”

Arsén says. “Sort of swallow my pride and see if anything can come of this because the only other option for me was ‘I’m very proud of myself for doing this and now I’m just gonna put it away and be happy with it.’ So, I figured if I was just gonna put it away anyways, it’s no real skin off my nose to sort of just bite the bullet and dive into the trenches and see if anything could come of it. And I’m very very lucky that something did.”

Arsén wrote two manuscripts in 2020 before finishing Shoot the Moon in 2021. It was a fast writing process where she described the book as “wanting to be born,” and she was able to gain representation by the end of the year.

The setting of Houston in the 1960s fascinated Arsén because it was a time where so many people descended upon one place for a singular goal in the space race. The fact Texas is still a place people constantly move to for work or opportunities is something she related to. More than that, she was able to incorporate parts of her life into the character of Annie Fisk, from her visits to her mother’s family in New Mexico to moving to San Antonio and being motivated by a strong core group of women who raised her.

“It was really exciting for me to kind of have elements of the stories that are inalienably queer and inalienably feminine, which wouldn’t necessarily show up in a similar kind of story 20, 30 years ago.”

That opportunity to use a fictional story to highlight a forgotten side of history was at the crux of the story for Arsén.

“There are tons of nuclear Atomic Age, space travel (stories), like it’s a very exciting concept, and it’s been done a lot, but I see more and more now there are explorations of it coming from people telling the story from a non-white angle, or nonmale angle, a queer angle,” Arsén says. “It was really exciting for me to be able to think of, not that a different identity totally changes the story, but to just approach a familiar story from a different layers of this manifold wash of human existence. It was really exciting for me to kind of have elements of the stories that are inalienably queer and inalienably feminine, which wouldn’t necessarily show up in a similar kind of story 20, 30 years ago. It felt good to be able to come at this from my personal angle and feel like it’s authentic and exciting and it really becomes something fresh.”

Shoot the Moon officially launched this October and is available for purchase wherever books are sold.

‘Save the Playhouse’

The Public Theater engages the community with original works, classics

“We all came together like whirling dervishes of creativity, trying to figure out what the best shows would be right now to serve the community and meet those needs and stay really focused on keeping this playhouse alive.”

The new four-person leadership team at The Public Theater of San Antonio began their gigs this past summer in full crisis mode.

The theater was in the grips of a serious, potentially fatal financial crisis that had long been brewing. And that meant that the team had to immediately take things in hand.

One of the first things they did was to delay the start of the 2023-24 season in order to focus as much energy as possible on fundraising. They launched a $500,000 “Save the Playhouse” campaign.

The response was immediate and generous, says President and CEO Asia Ciaravino.

“It has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Ciaravino, who served in the same position at the theater from 2012 to 2015. “I think that the biggest feeling and sentiment from everyone is that they never want this place to go away.”

As the campaign approached the mid-way point, the team came up with a plan to return to producing its own work.

Ciaravino led the effort with Christina Casella, managing director; Rick Sanchez, director of marketing and audience development; and J. Robert “Jimmy” Moore, producing artistic director. Moore also serves that role for Classic Theatre, which has forged a new partnership with The Public that includes producing work in the Cellar Theater, the smaller of the Public’s two performance spaces.

“We all came together like whirling dervishes of creativity, trying to figure out what the best shows would be right now to serve the community and meet those needs and stay really focused on keeping this playhouse alive,” says Ciaravino.

The Public and Classic seasons were announced simultaneously.

The Public has spent the final months of 2023 on original work, beginning with the entertainment at an October fundraising gala

followed by a revue celebrating the theater’s past and its future. Next up is the Dec. 1-17 run of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story,” an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ tale of redemption incorporating American Sign Language interpretation and deaf and hearing-impaired actors. The company also will present the classic musical “West Side Story” May 10-June and will end the season with a family-friendly musical next summer.

The Public also will team up with Classic for “A Midsummer Sueño,” an original Spanish and English adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that will be written and directed by Paco Farias.

Classic’s season also includes “A Raisin in the Sun,” Feb. 8-25; and “The Boys in the Band,” June 6-23.

“I think we really focused on bringing stories to The Public, both upstairs and downstairs, that represent San Antonio but also stories that people were familiar with,” says Moore. “We want them to come out of their homes and away from Netflix to really engage in live theater together again and to really build community in this building. “

The fact that The Public has resumed production doesn’t mean that the need for robust fundraising has gone away.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Casella says. “This was a huge lift. And it’s been mostly individuals that have gotten us to that point, which is incredible, and a lot of that is also recurring. And so, hopefully, that will continue to support the sustainability goals that we have.”

The name of the fundraising campaign is a nod to the company’s long history and to its homebase in San Pedro Springs Park. It has called the San Pedro Playhouse home since 1930, when the company began operating as the San Antonio Little Theater. But its roots go back to the San Antonio Dramatist Club, which began in 1912.

“With 111 years of history, we know that we’ve weathered many storms,” Ciaravino says. “This team has really come together in a very smart and strategic way. We’re kind of bringing everyone back together to focus on the mission of what we do and sharing the theater arts as something that is a cathartic piece of the fabric of our infrastructure as a community, which is really important.”

Family First

San Antonio TV anchor Sarah Forgany reflects on life these days

ou didn’t need to be a loyal KENS 5 viewer to know morning anchor Sarah Forgany was missing from her anchor chair. Following sudden heart failure the popular San Antonio newscaster who has been with the station for 13 years was put on a ventilator.

Y“Hours before my heart failure, I was joking and laughing with everyone, then just as fast, I was fighting for my life on a ventilator, unable to breathe on my own, and thinking I will not make it through the night,” Forgany says.

Viewers and friends filled the anchor’s Facebook page with get-well messages and prayers, even going beyond social media. KENS 5 News Director Jack Acosta collected cards from staff, viewers and even the San Antonio Mayor. He then drove to Houston and dropped off a big bag full of gifts and cards.

“As I read them, I just started to cry! The words and personal messages from everyone were exactly what I

needed at that moment and reading their cards reminded me of many beautiful things waiting for me outside that hospital room, they made me feel alive,” she says. “I cried, I smiled, I laughed then I cried again. My family joked they would take the cards away because the crying was putting stress on me.”

However there was one person Forgany kept a focus on during her recovery this summer.

“My baby girl was all I could think about, I just wanted to hold her. It took a couple of weeks before I could finally see Bella,” she says. “It taught me to fight, to dig deep for internal strength, to keep going because I have a baby who needs me as much as I need her.”

Forgany says she doesn’t know why God gave her a second chance, but she does know what it taught her.

“It taught me the importance of taking care of my health…. physically and mentally. If you don’t have health, there is no wealth, and for me, wealth is my family,” she says.

EAT + DRINK

A Pearl Favorite

The vino is flowing at High Street Wine Co.

HIGH STREET WINE CO. POPPED THE CORK ON THE NEW digs in late September, after a three-month renovation more than doubled the bar’s footprint.

“There are still some lingering tweaks to make,” High Street manager and freshly minted advanced sommelier Austin Tabbone says. “We just missed everyone so much and wanted to get open as soon as possible.”

High Street’s new expansion gives the business 2,888 square feet of space — a significant increase from the previous 1,250-square-feet, Tabbone says. The wine bar now has room for 120 seats inside (up from 40), and the cellar space has more than doubled, with room for about 2,500 bottles representing

BY PAUL STEPHEN

500 to 600 unique labels. New refrigeration units will allow High Street to increase its wine-by-theglass offerings to about 70, up from 45.

Other improvements include a 25-seat corner of the shop that can be partitioned off with curtains for tastings and classes from winemakers or private events. Noblemen Wines of Kerrville was set to kick off that series with a November event.

“We really wanted to create an event space that’s flexible,” Tabbone says.

The bar now has its first sofa, a sprawling affair decked out in plush emerald green, that can seat about 10 guests by reservation. Additional semiprivate spaces enclosed with partial walls provide intimate seating at tables. Future projects include improvements to High Street’s patio area and an expansion of the food offerings.

High Street is also launching a wine club, which will provide members ($75 per month) two bottles of wine and access to private tasting events.

302 Pearl Pkwy., Ste. 104 Open Wed-Mon instagram.com/ highstreetwine

Leche de Tigre Breathes Fresh Life

New restaurant off to a promising start with Peruvian cebiches and pisco sours in a converted bungalow near Southtown

A

late summer storm blew across Southtown during dinner at Leche de Tigre. Clouds gathered like purple armies to the north. Throat-clearing winds made pecan trees do their rave dances over the whitewashed bungalow as paper fish lanterns schooled in terror beneath the covered patio.

Desperate raindrops broke through the chaos, then fell silent. And just like that, it was over. Stillness settled across the courtyard, strings of lights stirring in the twilight breeze. From mayhem to magic in the blink of an eye.

It’d be too easy to make the storm a metaphor for Leche de Tigre, the Peruvian cebiche house and pisco bar that opened on East Cevallos Street in February. Three brothers from Laredo with the dream of making it rain, of making their stand in San Antonio with the food they grew up eating during a childhood spent in Peru.

But storms are messy things, and Leche de Tigre is not a messy thing. It’s a tightly conceived, well-executed diorama of a national culinary culture, with good service, good drinks and good food. The brothers — Emil, Axel and Alec Oliva — reconfigured the former home of a cafe called Tutti’s, giving over a good part of the dining room to a chef’s counter with 10 front-row seats.

It’s a performance space where bowls of raw seafood cebiche, to use the Peruvian spelling, were assembled like pointillist paintings, one dot at a time, against a muraled backdrop of tigers lounging in a snow-white stream.

The bowls, each and all, resonated with variations of the restaurant’s namesake, the leche de tigre marinade that animates Peruvian cebiche, a puckering opaque shimmer of lime juice and fish stock and salt and secrets. Peru is a coastal nation, its cuisine a celebration of seafood from the South Pacific, and leche de tigre is the perfect astringent dance partner.

If cebiche had a mantra, that mantra might be “I am enough.” Fresh seafood, bracing leche de tigre. Enough. The restaurant pushed the boundaries of that mantra in ways good and bad.

Good for Amazonico cebiche with striped bass that folded in pureed, fried and chip-style plantains for texture and tropical tannins against a ginger leche de tigre backdrop. Not so good for a cebiche called Carretillero, a complex bowl with a foundation of striped bass, roasted sweet potatoes and leche de tigre spiked with the flinty yellow pepper called aji amarillo. A good start. Enough.

But then came the bowl’s co-star, fried calamari. Impressive to look at, with a shaggy triton of tentacles rising from the bowl like Jason Momoa on an Aquaman rager, but impossible to cut into manageable bites without going all knife and fork, the batter shredding itself into a soggy marsh below. On another night, calamari played a strong supporting role in an appetizer of fried fish, shrimp and squid called jalea, right at home in the right company. 

LECHE DE TIGRE

318 E. Cevallos St. 210-265-5933

lechedetigretx.com

Dinner Tues-Sat, lunch Sun

Amazonico cebiche

Jalea

Pisco sour

Clockwise from top:

Lomo saltado incorporates beef tenderloin, onions, tomatoes, scallions, Andean potatoes and rice; fried fish, shrimp and squid make up an appetizer called jalea; Chefs work the cebiche counter at Leche de Tigre.

Simplicity found its strongest voice in a cebiche called Nikkei, with blushing cubes of yellowfin tuna in leche de tigre sweetened with tamarind in a preparation that amplified the sweetness and added texture with shoestring curls of fried sweet potato. The tuna itself radiated clean flavors and resilient texture, a description equally valid for most all the seafood, raw and cooked, I experienced at Leche de Tigre. So for those of you suffering from sense memories of the places and times when all that citric acid and lime juice bravado was just covering up for bar-grade seafood, know this: Leche de Tigre is a safe space.

Even in that safe space, tataki tiradito took freshness a step beyond. A dish that channeled Peru’s historical place as a nation of immigrants, shaped in part by Japanese and Chinese laborers who helped build the country’s railroads and shape its foodways, the tataki incorporated sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna with a brilliant orange leche de tigre, finished with peanuts and sesame oil like a sushi master’s lost weekend.

Alongside cebiche and the Japanese (nikkei) and Chinese (chifa) elements of Peru’s food culture stands an equally emblematic drink: the grape brandy called pisco. In the SAT exam of alcohol, pisco is to the pisco sour as tequila is to the margarita. And Leche de Tigre makes a museum-quality pisco sour, balancing lime, sweetness and pisco’s floral aura with a pillow-top duvet of egg white and aromatic bitters.

From there, Leche de Tigre creates variations with the maize mixer called chicha and the minty herb huacatay, freestyling into pisco-adjacent riffs like the Saltao Sour with pineapple and mezcal and a San Antonio unicorn called the S Flores, with tequila, locally made Kinsman brandy and plantain puree.

Leche de Tigre wasn’t as strong on the hot side of the menu. The Peruvian steak-and-potatoes dish called lomo saltado can be as strong and simple as French steak frites, as manically stoner-crazy as Canadian poutine, as deftly integrated as a Chinese stir-fry. Except when it isn’t. At Leche de Tigre, it’s a plate of tenderloin pieces, ping-pong potato halves and barely cooked onions and scallion stalks, gathered like props in a Middle America dinner scene, a work of functional art with no unifying spark.

A traditional stir-fry of rice and pork called chaufa was missing a key flavor element: Chinese sausage. To be fair, the staff let me know as the plate was being dropped off and offered to sub it out or take it back. When I work, I take the plates as they come, but this one shouldn’t have been let out of the kitchen, with or without sausage. I was left with a sticky brown melange with a bitter taste like blowtorched fat, punctuated by sprouts that tasted like the La Choy out of a can that made me think I didn’t like Chinese food when I was a kid.

But the kitchen regained its composure with Pulpo Anticuchero, a plate that channeled both the land and sea with a single tentacle of octopus curled like a shepherd’s crook, seared like prime beef with electric green chimichurri and sides of fried potatoes and the supersize Andean corn called choclo.

Maybe the storm metaphor works for Leche de Tigre after all. We see it coming, but we’re not always ready for it. And not everything falls neatly into place after it blows through, But it’s been a long, dry summer for the San Antonio restaurant scene, and Leche de Tigre feels like rain. And right now, we need all the rain we can get.

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Savor the Flavors of San Antonio

Here are Polly's four fresh picks for new restaurants you need to try now

NEW RESTAURANTS ARE POPPING UP EVERY OTHER day in San Antonio, and without a guide, it can be difficult to parse through all the fluff to find the cream of the culinary crop. That’s why we pulled together a list of this season’s best new restaurants in San Antonio to try right now.

Blush

It’s hard to imagine that a comedy club existed in its place before the aesthetic-forward Blush opened on Alamo Street. The Southtown restaurant’s brunch is no joke, turning out creative riffs on time-honored classics, like its eye-catching chicken and croffle, as well as indulgent straight-forward items like a bacon-heavy sandwich dubbed El Rey Feo. Blush’s bakery is impressive in itself, offering cheesy ensaymadas, baklava cheesecake, and flaky croissants. 713 S. Alamo St., instagram.com/blush.satx

Saha

When it comes to pop-ups, Saha is among the best the city has to offer and one of the few local concepts serving Palestinian cuisine with modern flair. While the menu rotates often, the chicken msakhan wrap and falafel sandwich are both tried and true options. Catch founder and chef Moureen Kaki and her passionate crew on weekends across San Antonio, and keep an eye on Saha’s Instagram for updates on when and where they’ll be serving next. Locations vary, instagram.com/saha_satx

Top: Blush’s menu includes a bread basket and a frothy mimosastyle cocktail with mango and coconut called Bliss in a Kiss. Bottom: New Orleans-style beignets are stuffed with blue crab and finished with Champagne vinegar gastrique.

The Wicked Wich

If you love sandwiches brimming with choice ingredients, The Wicked Wich in Beacon Hill is exactly the place to go. It got its start as a pop-up, and landed at a brick-and-mortar in February 2023. This sandwich shop has a little something for everyone, from monster-sized meaty subs like The Beast to vegan options like the chickpea and sprout sandwich. The Wicked Wich also has rotating specialties that show off owner and chef Feliza Salazar’s creative side. 825 Fredericksburg Road, Ste. A, wickedwichtx.com

Restaurant Claudine

Last but not least on our list is another restaurant brought to San Antonio by the wife-and-husband duo Em and Houston Carpenter. Restaurant Claudine is named after the latter’s own grandmother, while the menu is something of an ode to Southern cooking brought to life by chef Cassie Ramsey. The blue crab beignets are a must-try, while the hot chicken and waffles (with fermented hot honey, honey Cajun butter, and maple syrup) are an excellent take on the staple brunch dish. And I can’t forget to touch on the beautiful interior, which is playfully designed with fun wallpaper patterns, vintage china, and a touch of midcentury modernity in the furniture and fixtures. 517 E. Grayson St., restaurantclaudine.com

Polly Anna Rocha is a food writer born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from Texas State University in 2015 with a BA in creative writing and a minor concentration in diversity studies. Since then, Rocha has worked in print and digital media covering a wide range of topics, including dining, entertainment, politics, gender, and culture. Outside of writing, Polly Anna enjoys cycling, going to the movies, playing with her dogs, trying lots of new restaurants, and singing karaoke any chance she gets.

2023 Restaurant Openings

This has been a big year for new operators and homegrown establishments with an eye on the past and future

ith 300-plus years under its belt, San Antonio is well rooted in its history. And when it comes to restaurants, that means Mexican. 1,189 Mexican restaurants, to be exact, if you trust the numbers from yellow pages.com.

But for all of that deep-seated tradition, this is also a city in flux. A flux that’s brought a half-dozen out-ofstate coffee chains, prolific Korean barbecue franchises, Taiwanese bakeries and cool kids from California with their overstuffed burritos and fancy hot dogs into the shadow of the Alamo over the past few years.

2023 has been a particularly big year for new operators hanging a shingle here. But San Antonio will never forget its roots. For all the Johnnycome-lately operators eyeing gold in the land of Silver and Black, plenty of homegrown restaurants with eyes equally on the past and the future have set up shop – and served up a taste of tradition in the process. Whether it’s a relaxed wine bar amidst the ruins of the historic Hot Wells resort, a swanky ramen shop with Golden State-street cred or a taste of sliders done Michigan-style, here are some of the most notable restaurant openings of 2023.

Ace of Steaks 20626 Stone Oak Pkwy. 210-446-4600 theaceofsteaks.com

Arenas Marisqueria Lounge 19903 Stone Oak Pkwy., Ste. 202, 210-267-5135 arenaslounge.com

Beacon Hill Market & Deli 1717 Blanco Road 210-999-5239, instagram. com/beaconhillmarket anddeli

Blayne’s 1170 E. Commerce St., Ste. 100, 210-314-2994 francisbogside.com

Blush 713 S. Alamo St. 210-202-0804 blushrestaurant.com

Breakaway Brewing 1518 E. Grayson St. 210-255-1149 breakawaybrewing.us

The Bunker Mixology 229 E. Houston St., Unit 10 210-305-6066 thebunkermixology.com

Camp Hot Wells 5423 Hot Wells Blvd. 210-212-9373 camphotwells.com

Casa Hernán 411 E. Cevallos St. 210-827-2235 casahernan.com

Chifladas 1804 W. Martin St. instagram.com/chifladas_sa

Dog Haus multiple locations doghaus.com

European Dumplings Cafe 2211 N.W. Military Hwy., Ste. 131B 726-219-2483 europeandumplings.com

Francis Bogside 1170 E. Commerce St. 210-274-2977 francisbogside.com

Gimme Gimme and A Perfect Day 803 S. St. Mary’s St. instagram.com/aperfectday winebar

Güerito’s Red Tacos 8701 FM1560 gueritosredtacos.com

Howdy Child

312 Pearl Pkwy., Bldg. 6 bottlingdepartment.com

Idle Beer Hall & Brewery 414 Brooklyn Ave. idlebrewing.com

Mae Dunne 23702 I-10, Ste. 108 210-421-8183 maedunne.com

MxiCanna Cafe 527 El Paso St. 210-888-1310 mxicannacafe.com

The Nest Boba Café 6903 Blanco Road 210-444-9596 thenestboba.com

Nineteen Hyaku 1900 Broadway, Ste. 119 210-429-0771 nineteenhyaku.com

Palomar Comida & Cantina 12656 West Ave., Bldg. 1 210-598-0085 palomarcomida.com

Iguanas Burritozilla 4205 Fredericksburg Road 210-446-8489 iguanaslovesyou.com

Jinya Ramen

5311 N. Loop 1604 W., Ste. 101 210-251-2519 jinyaramenbar.com

KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot 12485 I-10, Ste. 103 210-910-4494 thekpot.com

Künstler Tap Haus 510 S. Alamo St. in Hemisfair kuenstlerbrewing.com

La Michoacana Plus 4102 S. New Braunfels Ave. 951-425-6329 lamichoacanaplusae.com

Leche de Tigre 318 E. Cevallos St. 210-265-5933 lechedetigretx.com

The Lemon Girls 2214 N. Zarzamora St. thelemongirlssatx.com

7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee 2901 Pat Booker Road in Universal City 479-358-9274 7brew.com

Sweetgreen 340 E. Basse Road, Ste. 101 726-600-8391 sweetgreen.com

Tipsy Cowgirl 602 N.W. Loop 410, Ste. 144 210-983-6639

Tokyo Cowboy 135 E. Commerce St. 210-305-7075 tokyocowboytx.com

Vista Brewing 125 Lamar St., Ste. 106 210-802-1578 vistabrewingtx.com

Pazzo Pastaria 13777 Nacogdoches Road, Ste. 107 210-277-0663 pazzopastaria.com

Plantaqueria 124 Broadway plantaqueria.com

Postino Wine Cafe 17627 La Cantera Pkwy., Ste. 103 210-899-4200 postinowinecafe.com

Rosario’s Comida Mex & Bar 722 S. St. Mary’s St. 210-223-1806 rosariossa.com

Savvy Sliders 303 San Pedro Ave. 210-934-5555 savvysliders.com

Seasons 52 255 E Basse Road, Ste. 1400 210-526-6525 seasons52.com

The Wicked Wich 825 Fredericksburg Road 210-929-7693 wickedwichtx.com

Wild Japanese BBQ & Shabu 1540 N. Loop 1604 E. 210-626-8087 wildjbbq.com

Wurst Behavior 358 E. Craig Place 210-757-3014 wurstbehaviortx.com

Yippon Ramen 1518 Austin Hwy., Ste. 18 210-236-7188 yipponramen.com

Legacy Losses

San Antonio said goodbye to a variety of legendary restaurants in 2023

Aflood of restaurant openings have made 2023 the year of new eats for San Antonio, but conditions have been less favorable for more than a handful of food and drink businesses who have called this city their home for decades. Such is the precarious life of a restaurant, and yet, it never

feels good to see a longtime staple meet its end.

Whether they were around for 100 years or 25, these restaurants will linger in our collective memory for years to come. With all this nostalgia brewing, let’s take a look back as we say goodbye to 10 legacy restaurants that San Antonio lost in 2023.

Pig Stand

San Antonio lost one of its oldest restaurants when then-owner Mary Hill decided to close 101-yearold diner Pig Stand upon her retirement in March. Rumors of the restaurant’s demise began circulating around the business in fall/ winter 2022. Some locals saw the writing on the walls while others held out hope. Soon, the building that formerly housed Pig Stand on Broadway will make way for something new, which, at time of writing, remains to be decided.

Betty’s Battalion

Betty Ford first opened Betty’s Battalion on December 9, 1985, and in the subsequent years, soldiers at the nearby Fort Sam Houston saw the bar as a second home away from home. After 37 years, Ford says she was forced to permanently close after her building’s landlord decided to install a new tenant in place of Betty’s Battalion.

Dairy Queen on Zarzamora

It’s not often that folks mourn the closure of a chain restaurant location, but it becomes a more emotional affair when that business was a neighborhood staple for decades. The Dairy Queen (formerly located at 9222 S. Zarzamora St.) stood as a fixture in one of the city’s oft-overlooked areas for 45 years before serving its last round of Blizzards and Hungr-Busters in March 2023.

Earl Abel’s

on Broadway

This entry on our list is a little different for the fact that Earl Abel’s as a concept still exists, albeit in a somewhat unconventional fashion. Despite continuing to run pop-up locations at local entertainment venues, the iconic 90-year-old business

shuttered its brick-and-mortar location near the Pearl on August 21. Management cited lingering hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic as the primary reason behind the closure while hinting at a possible return in the Broadway-Alamo Heights corridor.

Beto’s Alt-Mex

After more than 25 years, this Northeast Side restaurant closed on March 19, citing inflation and financial instability. In its place, a new concept called La Malinche Cocina y Cantina is coming soon, according to their website.

Grady’s BBQ

San Antonians everywhere were shocked back in early May when Grady’s BBQ unceremoniously announced that it would close after 75 years with nothing but a pop-up on its official website. Grady’s is probably best known for being the go-to catering for local baby showers, quinceañeras, and so on, but plenty of folks were disappointed to learn that

Twin Sisters Bakery & Cafe

Twin Sisters Bakery operated in the Alamo Heights area for 42 years before calling it quits in June. The breakfast mainstay was adored for its signature sweet potato muffins among other dependable baked goods, so when the business made the news public, diners and even former employees responded with kind words and memories.

Van’s Restaurant

they could no longer stop by their nearest location to grab a quick plate of brisket with a side of beans.

The Texan

Local watering hole The Texan met its end on April 29, after existing in some shape or form since 1966. In those 57 years off West Avenue, The Texan served as a place for folks to gather, socialize, and have a tall glass of beer. In its place, a new bar from the folks behind jazz club Luna will open sometime in the future. One door closes as another opens.

Controversy plays a big part in the story of Van’s Restaurant, which met its bitter end in April of this year. After being reprimanded for the ownership of illegal shark fins in 2022, Van’s struggled to maintain a semblance of its former status as a beloved San Antonio must-try for Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. Sadly, the story ended after a failed health inspection put the final nail in the coffin after nearly 30 years of business.

Martha’s Restaurant

After 60 years, Martha’s closed permanently in May. The taqueria quietly shared the news in the form of a sign posted to the restaurant’s front door, which suggested that COVID-19 among other circumstances led to the closure.

BY

Holidays

’Tis the season, San Antonio, for tamales, buñuelos, gifts, lights and festivities. From where to go to what to buy and see, here is our guide to making the most of the holidays in the city.

ho ho holiday SHOPPING

5

classic San Antonio stocking stuffers we love

BY JESS ELIZARRARAS

San Antonio loves a little something extra, and our stocking stuffers are no different. Whether you’re buying small gifts for your family, a Secret Santa or White Elephant exchange, you can’t go wrong with gifts that scream Alamo City goodness. Here are our best bets for everyone on your list.

H-E-B BRAND SHOP ITEMS

We’re not the only ones who are totally obsessed with this homegrown brand. Since unleashing its clothing and accessories across Texas stores in 2022, it feels like the love for H-E-B has only grown stronger. This is the perfect gift for the shopper in your life that always lets you in on the newest items on shelves. Make it the 70-inch fleece tortilla blanket ($16.64), so they can stay warm all winter! Find it at your closest H-E-B Plus.

TEXAS LOTTERY MEGA LOTERIA

This one is for your suegra. At $10 a pop you’re not going to break the bank, but her improved chances at becoming an overnight millionaire could land you at the top of her son-in-law list. This uniquely Texan scratch off blends all the things that make living in the Lone Star State

great. Wherever Texas Lottery is sold.

SAN ANTONIO LANDMARK ORNAMENTS

Feliz Modern always comes through with special gifts for everyone on your list. And what’s more puro than Alamo City ornaments? Designed by artists Mario and Ginger Diaz, the 5-inch ornaments ($17.95 each) feature various iconic places including Mission San Juan, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission Espada, the Alamo, the River Walk, Pearl and the Tower in red, gold, silver, white and magenta. Pick up Del Alma Imports Tatengo stockings ($84) while you’re there! 110 W. Olmos Drive, felizmodern.com.

NOWHERE BOOK SHOP BOOK CLUBS

As the new year approaches, it’s safe to use your stocking stuffers to

encourage your readers to take in more literature. Nowhere Bookshop, Jenny Lawson’s magical bibliophile escape in Alamo Heights, curates monthly selections and discussions based on different interests. Choose from the Fantastic Strangelings Book Club for all things with a “magical bent,” or The Happy Endings Book Club for readers who like a little spice. Nightmares from Nowhere Book Club covers all things horror, while the Little Bitty Book Club gets your teeniest reader to enjoy a new hardcover picture book per month. Sign up fees and monthly book charges vary. 5154 Broadway, nowherebookshop. com.

MINI

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

The holidays are all about splurging — on gifts, on eggnog, on calories. But sometimes you need a little something to keep you going through the day. For those with a sweet tooth in your life, stuff their stocking with treats via That Cookie Tho Bakery, now available at Painted Tree Boutiques. Owner Harley Amaro, known for her over-the-top cookie creations, keeps things simple with these crunchy, one-bite cookies perfect for holiday snacking. 522 N.W. Loop 410, Ste. 211, paintedtree.com.

Give a gift EXPERIENCE

There’s nothing quite like a gift that keeps on giving. All the better if you can get a meal out of it, as well

BY PAUL STEPHEN

Fortunately, that’s easy to achieve in San Antonio.

Numerous area outlets, from the tall-toqued Culinary Institute of America to cozy and relaxed neighborhood restaurants, offer cooking classes you can complete in an afternoon or dedicate a long weekend to. Whether you're seeking to sharpen your basic knife skills, sizzle up a romantic dinner for two or add a pinch of panache to your next charcuterie board, you can find training for it all here.

Be it a gift to yourself or the foodie in your life, consider a cooking class at any of these San Antonio-area locations to spice up your life. We've selected a highlight of upcoming classes for you to choose from, but for a complete lineup, visit the website for each business.

Master your kitchen skills with one of many classes at the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio.

THE BOARD COUPLE

This West Side wine bar and cafe provides regular classes through its educational arm The Blackberry Academy, named in honor of the shop’s location along Zarzamora Street. Whether you’re aiming to improve your wine palate (co-owners Bryan Gonzales and Monica Nino are both advanced sommeliers) or build a better charcuterie board, they have the class for you.

The Board Couple 2218 N. Zarzamora St. 210-573-2100 theboardcouple.com

• Holiday Styling 101: Make your charcuterie board a holiday-worthy affair with expert instruction from Nino and Gonzales. All materials will be provided for this two-hour course, and you’ll walk away with all the skills you need to impress your family and friends. 2-4 p.m. Dec. 10, $100

CENTRAL MARKET

COOKING SCHOOL

H-E-B’s premium grocery store has an impressive and well-appointed culinary classroom, and that space is in use nearly every day of the week. Everything’s on the table here. How to grill a steak. How to make a macaron. How to sharpen a knife. BOB OWEN

Central Market

4821 Broadway 210-368-8600 centralmarket.com/ cooking-school

• Make & Take: Tamales: Chicken tamales with salsa verde and pork tamales with salsa roja are on the menu. You’ll learn how to roll and steam them, and have a dozen to take home with you afterwards. 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28, $65

• Basics: Seafood: Your class will tour the Central Market seafood department and learn pro tips for selecting the best fish and shellfish. After that, you’ll be working with that catch back in the classroom. 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29, $85

THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, SAN ANTONIO

While this campus primarily aims to train the next generation of hospitality professionals, the school provides numerous opportunities for us civilian chefs to polish our skills. The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio, 312 Pearl Pkwy., Bldg. 2, Ste. 2102, 210-554-6400, ciafoodies.com.

• Bistros and Brasseries: The relaxed and casual fare you’ll find while roaming the streets of Paris, from omelets to a cheesy croque monsieur, are on the menu. 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2, $195

• Holiday Pies: This fivehour class will give you all the skills you need to roll out and bake family favorite pies. 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2, $195

• The Best of Boot Camp: Spend four intense days under the tutelage of CIA instructors mastering everything from

kitchen fundamentals to modern techniques and ingredients. You’ll need a uniform and tool kit for this one, both of which are available from the CIA. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 5-8, $1,950

• Bubbles for Every Occasion: From romantic dinners for two to family feasts to parties with your friends, what wine to serve at the right moment is the focus of this course. 11:30 a.m. Dec. 9, $95

• Holiday Cookies: Also clocking in at five hours, this course will help you master cut-out, slice-andbake, piped and other cookie styles including rugelach and sugar cookies. 9:30 a.m. Dec. 9, $195

• Soups for All Seasons: Soups are deceptively simple, but in this class you’ll go over all the knife skills, seasoning techniques and ways to develop flavors required to put your heart in a bowl. 9:30 a.m. Dec. 3, $195

• Hors d’Oeuvres at Home: Learn to be the enviable host among your friends and family by mastering the finger food that keeps the party going. 9:30 a.m. Dec. 9, $195

• Parent and Teen Italian Cooking: This wide-ranging class will cover snacks, soups, pasta, desserts and more. You and your teenager will walk out with an appreciation for traditional Italian ingredients and the skills to put them to use. 9:30 a.m. Feb. 10, 2024, $370

• Culinary Boot Camp

- Basic Training: This class covers mise en place, knife skills, stock preparation and sauces. You’ll use the full arsenal

of cooking techniques to achieve dishes that are roasted, grilled and poached. 2-7:30 p.m. Dec. 12-16, $2,450

• Grilling and BBQ Boot Camp: If your inner pitmaster wants to master everything from grilling steaks to smoking a brisket low-and-slow, sign up now. You’ll also learn about grill safety, brining, sauces, sides and more. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 18-19, $1,050

PHARM TABLE

Chef and owner Elizabeth Johnson is an astute student and teacher of native Texas foodways, and she shares her passion for the land and its bounty in classes at her Southtown restaurant. Check the restaurant’s website regularly for the latest schedule. Pharm Table, 611 S. Presa St., Ste. 106, 210-802-1860, pharmtable.com

SUR LA TABLE

This retail store’s staff of chef-instructors provide in-store classes nearly every day of the week. During the hands-on experience, you’ll spend time recreating the instructor’s demonstrated dishes.

Sur La Table 15900 La Cantera Pkwy., Ste. 19120, 210-978-5580 surlatable.com

• Irresistible Croissants: Begin with mastering buttery laminated dough, then transform it into leek and Gruyère cheesefilled croissants and flaky pain au chocolat. 9 a.m. Dec. 13, $89

• Beef Wellington Feast: This iconic dish of old-school culinary grandeur will be paired with charred broccoli and fluffy mashed potatoes. Two sessions,

4 p.m. Dec. 21 and 7 p.m. Dec. 26, $99

• Holiday Cookie Decorating Workshop: The good news: Most of the dough will be prepared for you. But you’ll still have to buckle down and learn how to pipe icing, play with colorful finishing sugars, engineer gingerbread constructions and more. 9 a.m. Dec. 23, $109

• Secrets of Great Sushi: The knife skills and rolling techniques required to prepare sushi rice, yuzu dipping sauce and several types of popular sushi rolls will be the focus here. 1 p.m. Dec. 15, $89

• Kids 4-Day Winter Series: Baking Adventure: This class is designed to give children ages 7-11 the hands-on skills they need to bake pastries, cookies, bread and more for the holiday season. Two sessions, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dec. 26-29, $199

• Date Night: New Year’s Eve: The blinis with gravlax, pan-seared steak, truffled mashed potatoes and dark chocolate soufflé you’ll master in this course are sure to ring 2024 in right. Two sessions, 4 and 7 p.m. Dec. 30, $99

WILLIAMS-SONOMA

This high-end kitchen wares retailer doesn’t offer quite as many in-store classes as some of the others mentioned here, but when they do, you’ll want to be first in line. You’ll have to visit the website regularly, as the posted schedule typically only shows what’s happening in the next couple of weeks. Williams-Sonoma

255 E. Basse Road, Ste. 140, 210-254-1307 williams-sonoma.com

Unwrap San Antonio FLAVORS

’Tis the season for tamales! Here are our favorite spots across town from classic to hard-to-find flavors

BY SARAH MARTINEZ

Part of the magic of the holiday season is knowing this special time of year means lots (and lots) of tamales. While many locals love to make them with their loved ones, there’s no denying that San Antonio’s appetite for tamales is bigger than how fast we can make them.

Whether you have a holiday party in the works, need food for your family’s upcoming festivities or want to introduce your out-of-town guests to some of San Antonio’s best food staples, here is a list of where you can order tamales by the dozen, and in a variety of fillings.

TAMALE BOY TACOS AND TAMALES

Head to this Southside standout for some of the best tamales you can find in San Antonio. Get tamales by the dozen with fillings like pork, bean and jalapeño, barbacoa, carne guisada, and barbecue brisket. Be sure to place your holiday orders before Dec. 9.

5300 S. Flores St. 210-663-2033

2201 N.W. Loop 410 satamaleboy.com

B&B TAMALES & FOOD TO GO

This hole-in-the-wall tamale spot may not look like much on the outside, but the flavors made inside will certainly impress you. The year-round favorite is a must-try and offers inventive combinations like jalapeño and pork.

866 W. Mayfield Blvd. 210-921-0847

DON’S MOLINO

From a family with decades of experience in San Antonio’s food scene, know that Don’s Molino will do you right on the tamales front. Grab some barbacoa while you’re there.

4102 S. Presa St. 210-532-1671

LALA’S GORDITAS

While owner and chef Steven Pizzini’s venture focuses primarily on gorditas, the holiday season means you can score your tamales here. Order soon! 1600 Roosevelt Ave. 210-465-7157 lalasgorditas.com

VIVA VEGERIA

Need tamales from a vegan and gluten-free kitchen? This is your spot. Try com-

binations like squash, corn, pinto beans, bell pepper, and spinach to satisfy your craving. Orders must be pre-paid.

1422 Nogalitos St. 210-465-9233 myvegeria.com

TEKA MOLINO

As one of San Antonio’s oldest molinos, it’s guaranteed that Teka Molino knows how to do tamales right. Stop by this San Antonio classic for your tamales by the dozen. 7231 San Pedro Ave. 210-344-7281 1007 Rittiman Road 210-257-5514 tekamolino.com

DEL RIO TORTILLAS Y TAMALES

There’s lots up for grabs over at Del Rio, including tamales. You can enjoy a mix of flavors at this classic spot including pork, bean, or one of the two with jalapeño for a spicier take. Be sure to place your order by phone. 1402 Gillette Blvd. 210-922-4810 delriotortillas.com

LA VICTORIA TORTILLAS & TAMALES FACTORY

A hot spot for Sunday morning barbacoa and Big Red, this Division Ave. favorite comes through with tamales by the dozen. Order ahead to avoid a wait. 737 Division Ave. 210-922-5274 lavictoriafactory.com

DELIA’S TAMALES

Though a newcomer to San Antonio’s food scene, Delia’s has quickly become a reliable go-to for delicious tamales. The fresh tamales are available by the dozen with traditional fillings like

Tamahli

pork and chicken as well as specialty offerings such as jalapeño and cream cheese. 13527 Hausman Pass 210-864-1111 deliastamales.com

DELICIOUS TAMALES FACTORY

Served hot or cold, Delicious Tamales Factory has been a standout since opening in the ‘80s. Order your made-from-scratch tamales (with fillings like chicken, pork, and bean & cheese) by phone, foodies. 3500 S. Presa St. 210-533-6952

delicioustamales.com

TELLEZ TAMALES & BARBACOA

With two locations in San Antonio, Tellez is known for the delightful flavor packed into its tamales. Be aware that although lots of tamales will be made and served through Christmas Eve, tamales are available on a first-come, first-served basis here. Good luck!

1737 S. General McMullen Drive 210-433-1367 1802 Bandera Road 210-455-0822

LA LUZ TORTILLA FACTORY

Tortillas aren’t the only delicacy at La Luz. Take your pick of tamales with options like pork, chicken, and bean, though you’ll be wise to pick up some buñuelos as well. Be sure to place your order as soon as possible. 4120 Blanco Road 210-734-8523

laluztortillafactory.com

TAMAHLI

For freshly-made tamales wrapped in banana leaves or inspired flavors in the traditional corn husks, you’ll want to order from Tamahli. There’s a refresh-

KEVIN GEIL

ing mix of flavors like mole, jalapeño poppers, pollo verde, and more. You’ll have fun trying all the varieties here.

814 W. Rhapsody Drive 210-877-9949 tamahli.com

MI TIERRA CAFE Y PANADERIA

To truly take part in the holidays in San Antonio, you’ll want to enjoy the seasonal light displays downtown. While you’re in the area, take a stroll through Market Square to score some tamales (or tamalada kits if you’d rather make them on your own) from Mi Tierra. La Familia Cortez Restaurants will also offer tamales from Mi Familia at the Rim.

218 Produce Row 210-225-1262 mitierracafe.com

ADELITA TAMALES & TORTILLA FACTORY

You can get all your Mexican fare staples at Adelita, which has been open since 1938, and you’ll be wise to add a dozen tamales to your order. Flavors include pork, chicken, pork with jalapeño, and bean with jalapeño. Complete your holiday eating with some menudo and fresh tortillas.

1130 Fresno St. 210-733-5352 adelitatamales.com

RUBEN’S HOMEMADE TAMALES

For original San Antonio tamales, stop by Ruben’s Homemade Tamales, which has been around since 1952. Here you’ll be able to take home a dozen of mild pork tamales. 1807 Rigsby Ave. 210-337-0025

TAMALE SEASON, INDIE COMEDY FILMED IN SAN ANTONIO, NOW ON AMAZON PRIME

BY JIM KIEST

The secret ingredient is definitely not love.

That’s just one of the plot twists in Tamale Season, an independent comedy filmed in San Antonio.

The movie, which premiered in September at City Base Cinemas, is now available on Amazon Prime.

It tells the story of a family tamales restaurant in San Antonio that’s already struggling with increasing rents and decreasing customers when an organic tamales shop run by an Austin entrepreneur moves in down the street.

Martinez Tamales’ problems are in part their own making. The owner of the 50-year-old family business hasn’t been able to locate his late mother’s secret recipes for tamales (plot twist coming), and quality control isn’t the best — in one memorable scene, a customer finds a pig tooth in his pork tamal.

But that doesn’t mean they’re going to surrender without a fight to a pretentious carpetbagger serving “test-tube tamales” made with lab-grown “bork.”

Tamale Season, which was written and directed by Texas filmmaker Isaac Rodriguez, is a love letter to tamales, family and tradition. It’s also a spitball aimed at Austin’s tech bros, hipsters and influencers, represented by the movie’s villain, a weirdo who earned his fortune selling protein bars made from processed cockroaches.

A scene where the newcomer, Farm to Ta-

male, holds a “surprise pop-up pregrand opening sampling event” is both funny and true.

Rodriguez, a San Antonio native, has made several horror films, and there’s definitely horror DNA in some squirmy scenes in the Farm to Tamale warehouse, where a machine excretes tamales made with kale, kombucha, vegan cheese, bork snouts and … other things.

Lots of establishing shots — the Guadalupe Theater, a VIA bus, a Zarzamora Street sign and murals — set the San Antonio scene. And two San Antonio businesses have starring roles as the movie’s antagonists: The Martinez Tamales building is actually Martinez Barbacoa y Tamales on Fredericksburg Road, and the Farm to Tamale scenes were shot at Freetail Brewing on South Presa Street.

Tamale Season, which is recommended for viewers 13 and older, is available to rent and buy on Amazon Prime. Running time is 1 hour 11 minutes.

a taste of HOME

Sweet, crunchy and perfect for holiday gatherings, buñuelos are a must for the holiday season

BY SARAH MARTINEZ

’Tis the season for holiday fun, but in puro San Antonio fashion that means picking up some buñuelos and pairing them with a cup or two of cafecito to warm up during a cold front.

For those who have never ventured south of U.S. Hwy. 90, a buñuelo is a flat, fried piece of dough that is sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. They’re a popular crispy treat commonly enjoyed during the holiday season, especially during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Luckily for you, San Antonio has plenty of panaderias and tortillerias that are making buñuelos for the holiday season. Here’s where you can get your fill of the Mexican delicacy.

LA LUZ TORTILLA FACTORY

In addition to flavorful tamales for this special time of year, La Luz is also making buñuelos to enjoy with your family. They’re made fresh for you to snack and crunch on.

4120 Blanco Road 210-734-8523 laluztortillafactory.com

OLGITAS MOLINO

Get there early to enjoy all the puro foods up for grabs at Olgitas Molina. For the holidays, that includes buñuelos! Consider it the cherry on top to some very San Antonio-inspired meals to come when you stop here.

1603 N. PanAm Expy. 210-225-6364 olgitas-molino.business.site

BEDOY’S BAKERY

Trust that the San Antonio favorite that is Bedoy’s Bakery will satisfy your need for buñuelos. Between the two locations, Bedoy’s serves loyal customers and new fans with Mexican pastries and other desserts like buñuelos.

803 W. Hildebrand Ave. Ste. 2127 210-736-2253 2714 Hillcrest Drive 210-455-0454

LOS HERMANOS TORTILLERIA

A popular stop for folks in the neighborhood, know that Los Hermanos can be trusted for its buñuelos. They’re made fresh and will hit the spot.

303 Commercial Ave. 210-922-0219

THE BUÑUELO PASTRY FACTORY

This tiny West Avenue outpost may not look like much on the outside, but it’s the size of the crunch and flavor of the buñuelos that really matters. That’s why you’ll thank yourself for picking up a dozen here.

1905 West Ave. 210-735-3737

DEL RIO TORTILLA FACTORY

Thankfully, knowing how to make tortillas well usually means making buñuelos well. Such is the case for Del Rio Tortilla Factory in the city’s Southside, where you can pick up a mix of molino favorites, including buñuelos for the holiday season. 1402 Gillette Blvd. 210-922-4810

SAN ANTONIO BUÑUELO CO.

If you’re seeking picture perfect buñuelos in a variety of shapes, sizes, and even colors, you’ll find all that and more in San Antonio Buñuelo Co. There are even Christmas-inspired rosettes to excite little ones and serve as stocking stuffers. Order and find more information at hola@ sabunueloco.com

LA ESMERALDA BAKERY

Pan dulce is always a good idea, but pick up some buñuelos along with your usual haul if you stop by La Esmeralda Bakery soon. There are also Christmas cookie bundles available to order!

739 New Laredo Hwy. 210-922-3063

Magical MOMENTS

For one San Antonio writer, there’s no better place to spend the holidays than going on one of the city’s most famous tours

BY MADALYN MENDOZA

From Alamo Plaza to the suburbs, there’s no shortage of holiday light displays in San Antonio. The city is so plugged into the excitement that the River Walk is flipping the switch on its lights earlier this year and H-E-B is forking out a quarter million dollars to reunite revelers at Travis Park for a scene even Whoville would be proud of. While both of those marquee holiday events get me out of the house and into some cheap Santa hat, it’s my family’s small tradition that makes my heart grow three sizes.

You won’t find this advertised in a visitor’s brochure, touted on Instagram, or publicized on some local TV news station, but it’s my favorite tradition and it’s been around longer than I have. Each December, my family rides a River Walk barge through the millions of twinkling lights decorating the trees lining the famed waterway. While simple, it’s a wholesome, history-packed experience for under $20 (unless you’re my mom, who pays for everyone’s barge admission for the sake of tradition).

I’m not sure when or how we started the annual adventure, but I know it’s older than me. My mom says she started taking my older brother Anthony, now 39, when he was a baby. As the years have gone on, we’ve added new family members, spouses, and friends (being invited to the time-honored event is a big deal), but the itinerary remains the same. We decide on a December evening that works for

everyone, which has gotten trickier as we’ve gotten older and jobs and responsibilities have been tacked on, but we figure it out. We all meet at the Go Rio ticket booth tucked away beneath Maria Mia Mexican Bistro. Everyone hands mom their IDs (tickets are discounted to $12.50 per person for locals) and we get a place in line while she buys the tickets. On peak days, the lines can grow to be pretty lengthy, so jumping in line early is crucial.

If there’s time, we’ll grab hot drinks to take onboard the cruise. Each narrated tour lasts about 35 minutes as the glowing barges drift through downtown waters. Go Rio offers hour-long holiday tours with complimentary drinks for $35 per person. Knowing my gente, we tend to stick to our usual $12.50 price.

Over the years, I’ve heard the narration nearly 30 times and now believe most of my downtown San Antonio knowledge derives from our December outings to the River Walk.

Still, every now and then my family and I will learn a new bit of trivia that has all of us giving wide-eyed glances at each other. Last year, our guide told us that Casa Rio, one of the oldest restaurants on the waterway, used to have a fleet of gondolas that guests could ride while they waited on their table. Or how the Briscoe Museum, located on the river, has a collection that contains one of Santa Anna’s swords. We also found out the Westin Riverwalk Hotel often works with the NBA, so it’s not uncommon to spot visiting athletes around the area when they’re in town to play the Spurs.

Each year I promise myself I won’t get snap-happy with the multicolor lights reflecting on the water and each year I end up with an excessive amount of photos in my camera roll, as if I don’t have years worth of content. But even now, it’s hard not to feel like an awestruck kid beneath the blanket of lights while historic, gargoyle-topped buildings pass. The night always wraps up with a family photo by the towering tree set up outside the Shops at Rivercenter food court and hugs.

If you’re looking for a new tradition to unwrap that’s light on the wallet but heavy on history and San Antonio cheer, take some inspiration from our family. Nothing says the holidays like feeling like a kid again in a wonderland close to home.

This story was originally published on mysanantonio.com in December 2021.

Winter WONDERS

Holiday events to enjoy this season

BY DEBORAH MARTIN AND JIM KIEST

San Antonio is always ready for a celebration, but the city goes all out during the holiday season.

There may not be any snow, but what seems like millions of lights, from the River Walk to Windcrest, turn the Alamo City into a winter wonderland. And that’s just the beginning.

Attractions are putting on their holiday finery. Christmas music is ringing out from stages all over town. And holiday staples such as A Christmas Carol, Elf and a Nutcracker or two are coming off the shelf to delight young and old.

We’ve made a list of holiday treats — all nice — that you can enjoy over the next several weeks. Check it twice and we’re sure you’ll find something that’s just right for you.

LIGHTS

Holiday Lights on the River Walk: More than 100,000 lights have been hung from the bald cypress trees along the river, enhancing the stroll’s natural beauty. The lights will be lit through Jan. 7. Boats bearing carolers will float through the channel through Dec. 23. thesanantonio riverwalk.com

River of Lights: The Museum Reach of the River Walk flips the switch on its own light show on Dec. 9. sariverauthority org

Windcrest Light Up: “Twas the Night Before Christmas” is the theme of this year’s home-decorating extravaganza in the Northeast Side hamlet of Windcrest. The fun begins Dec. 2 with the lighting of the City Hall Christmas tree. windcrest-tx.gov

Lightscape: This is the third year for the attraction, an illuminated trail through

the San Antonio Botanical Garden that runs through Jan. 1. A few fan faves are returning, including the Winter Cathedral archway and the field of bluebonnets, which will be augmented with life-sized cowboy nutcrackers. New additions will include a 40-foot-tall tree made of thousands of LED lights and a field of brightly lit poppies. sabot.org

The Light Park: This drivethrough light show at Retama Park, which runs through Jan. 1, features millions of lights choreographed to holiday music. It’s pet friendly, and food and drink are available. thelightpark.com

ATTRACTIONS

Rotary Ice Rink: Travis Park once again will be home to the very popular ice skating rink, which is fun both for the skater and those who just want to people-watch. There’s lots of time to do

both, since the rink will be up through Jan. 15. rotaryicerink.com

Chanukah Village at Pearl: In partnership with Young & Jewish San Antonio, a menorah will be lighted at Pearl from Dec. 7 through 15. A celebration on Dec. 13 will include live music, vendors and activities for kids. atpearl.com

Christmas at the Caverns: Natural Bridge Caverns offers visitors pretty much everything that makes holidays memorable Dec. 2-30, including lights, caroling, s’mores, campfires, games, live music, a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, reindeer and, of course, Santa. naturalbridgecaverns.com

Zoo Lights: The San Antonio Zoo goes all out for the holidays through Dec. 31 with illuminated wildlife trails, a light tunnel, live music and parades, a reindeer encounter, holiday snacks and an appearance by Santa. sazoo.org

SHOWS

Las Nuevas Tamaleras: The San Antonio theater tradition returns, with performances through Dec. 3 at the Carver Community Cultural Center. Alicia Mena’s play tells the story of inexperienced folks getting guidance at their first tamaladas from the ghosts of a couple of experts. thecarver.org

The Velveteen Rabbit: Magik Theatre once again presents an adaptation of Margery Williams’ beloved children’s book about a stuffed bunny. The toy is

adored by the child for whom it is a Christmas gift, but it still longs to be real. The show, which is aimed at youngsters ages 5 and up, runs through Dec. 24. magiktheatre.org

Elf in concert: The much adored movie in which Will Ferrell plays an open-hearted soul who ultimately saves Christmas is getting the live music treatment. An orchestra will play John Debney’s score live Dec. 1-2 as the film plays on a big screen at the Majestic Theatre. majesticempire.com

Overtime Theater: The theater will offer a one-two punch of holiday-themed shows Dec. 1-23. Whitney Ryan Garrity’s All About Christmas Eve, which will be in the Gregg Barrios space, features stock characters from 1930s gangster flicks. And Stocking Stuffers 2: Regifted, which will be in the Little OT, features four short plays. theovertimetheater.org

Meet Me in St. Louis: Wonder Theatre closes out the year with a Dec. 1-23 run of this musical adaptation of the Judy Garland movie. It follows an eventful year in the life of a St. Louis family, and includes “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” one of the greatest holiday songs. The company’s new home at Wonderland of the Americas is still in the works, so the show will be at its longtime home at the Woodlawn Theatre. wondertheatre.org

The Nutcracker: Ballet San Antonio’s annual staging of the holiday classic includes more than 100

children and live music by the Classical Music Institute. The Dec. 1-10 run at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts also includes a Sweets and Treats party Dec. 6 and a free sensory-friendly show Dec. 5. balletsanantonio.org

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story: The Public Theater of San Antonio is reviving an adaptation of The Dickens classic by Tim Hedgepeth and Anthony Ciaravino that debuted in the space in 2015. The show, which runs Dec. 1-17, is a collaboration with Stage Hands, a company that specializes in American Sign Language interpretation of performing arts productions. Signing will be incorporated into the production, and the cast will include deaf and hearing-impaired actors. thepublicsa.org

It’s a Wonderful Vida: Teatro Audaz closes out the year

with Herbert Siguenza’s dark satire about an Mexican immigrant family trying to make sense of American Christmas traditions. The tale, which the company will produce Dec. 7-17 at McCreless Auditorium at San Antonio College, is set in Corpus Christi in the 1950s. teatroaudaz.com

La Pastorela Folklórica: The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center stages its annual take on the traditional pastorela. In the Dec. 8 performance at Plaza Avenida Guadalupe, Guadalupe Dance Company members play Mary, Joseph, Lucifer and the Archangel. Young students in the Guadalupe Dance Academy play the other roles. guadalupecultural. guadalupecultural arts.org

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet: The touring production, which will swing through the Majestic

Theatre Dec. 8-9, features marionettes and other design elements created by artists from around the globe. The San Antonio performances also will feature area youngsters via a partnership with Heather Stolle’s School of Dance. majesticempire.com

Petra’s Pecado: The Chicano theater classic will be staged by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s theater program Dec. 8-17 at the Guadalupe Theater. Rupert Reye’s comedy follows an inexperienced director’s attempt to pull together a play marking the appearance of La Virgen de Guadalupe to Juan Diego as penance for a confessed sin. guadalupe culturalarts.org

A Magical Cirque Christmas: This touring variety show features all sorts of cirque acts — juggling, magic, acrobatics and aerial work — performing while

holiday music plays. The family-friendly show will be at the Majestic Theatre for two performances Dec. 16. majesticempire.com

Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland: This touring show, which plays the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Dec. 20, is built around a holiday-themed musical journey to a magical land. The tale is told by comic performers, acrobats, daredevils and aerialists. tobincenter.org

CONCERTS

Messiah: The San Antonio Mastersingers will join forces with 21 musicians from the San Antonio Philharmonic for a Dec. 3 performance of Handel’s masterpiece at University Methodist Church. samastersingers.org

Marie Osmond: She’s had a big pop hit, country hits, a hit TV variety show with brother Donny and a stint as Anna in The King and I on Broadway. Her latest gig is An Orchestral Christmas, a holiday tour stopping Dec. 5 at the Majestic Theatre. It will feature a guest appearance by her nephew David. majesticempire.com

Mannheim Steamroller: Chip Davis’ instrumental ensemble playing songs such as “Carol of the Bells” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is a holiday tradition to rival Christmas sweaters and eggnog. Mannheim Steamroller will help ring in the season Dec. 6 at Majestic Theatre. majesticempire.com

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: A holiday tradition continues when Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to town for a pair of concerts Dec. 9 at the Frost Bank Center This year’s tour is titled The Ghosts of Christmas Eve — the Best of TSO & More. A dollar from every ticket sold will benefit Elf Louise. stonecityattractions.com

Rick Cavender: Auto dealer and musician Cavender gets his all-star big band back together Dec. 12 at the Tobin Center’s Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater to play songs from his album The Glow of Christmas Cheer plus a couple of surprises. tobincenter.org

Rocky Mountain High Experience: John Denver tribute artist Rick Schuler mixes the holiday songs from Denver’s TV specials with hits like “Annie’s Song” and “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” He’ll play two shows Dec. 14 and 15 at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater. tobincenter.org

Il Divo: The classical crossover superstars bring their

A New Day holiday tour to the Tobin Center on Dec. 16. The quartet will sing holiday songs such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” as well as favorites from their catalog. tobincenter.org

Laud to the Nativity: The San Antonio Chamber Choir is collaborating with the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio on composer Ottorino Respighi’s piece, which deals with the shepherds’ trek to Bethlehem. The Dec. 16-17 concerts at the Chapel of the Incarnate Word will be sung in the original Italian. sachamberchoir.org

Sarah Brightman: Soprano Brightman originated the role of Christine in Phantom of the Opera and recorded a series of best-selling pop and classical crossover albums such as La Luna and Classics She will be accompanied by an orchestra and choir for A Christmas Symphony on Dec. 17 at the Majestic Theatre. majesticempire.com

Girl Named Tom: The

brothers and sister trio Girl Named Tom won season 21 of The Voice. Their One More Christmas tour, coming to the Tobin Center, on Dec. 19, promises seasonal songs and sibling harmonies. tobincenter.org

Doc Watkins: Watkins and his orchestra will journey a few miles from their Jazz, TX home at Pearl to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts downtown on Dec. 22 to share their holiday program. The Music of a Charlie Brown Christmas features fresh arrangements of the beloved tunes. tobincenter.org

Merry-Achi Christmas: Led by fifth-generation mariachi Jóse Hernàndez, Mariachi Sol de Mexico has been nominated for three Grammy Awards in its four-decade career. The group’s Christmas show at the Tobin Center on Dec. 21 is based on its 2018 album Merry-Achi Christmas, with renditions of “Ave Maria,” “Joy to the World” and the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah. tobincenter.org

FIERY

REBIRTH

By RICHARD A. MARINI / Photography by TIM HURSLEY

llen and Ed Sealy were just sitting down to dinner at a charity event in May 2018, when Ed’s phone blurped with a security company alert: Their Alamo Heights house was on fire.

By the time they arrived home, the midcentury modern–style home, built by Ed Sealy’s parents in 1967, was completely engulfed.

“There was so much wood in it — the hallways were wood, the ceilings were wood — that it went up just like that,” says Ellen Sealy, snapping her fingers.

The next day, as they walked through the ashes and rubble, they realized that almost everything they owned — furnishings and fixtures, items inherited from their parents, memories of a lifetime — was gone. About all still standing were the burnt brick walls and the structural steel beneath them.

“The fire was all over social media, and when I came by the next day, I was distraught because the house had been designed by Cy Wagner, along with his partner, Peter Collins, who was my mentor when I was in college,” says architect John Grable.

So it was almost fated that the Sealys hired Grable to help them rebuild. The couple knew what they wanted.

“The inside of the house had been very dark, so our charge to John was to make it lighter and airier,” says Ed Sealy, who de-

scribes himself as a semiretired health insurance broker, oil and gas buyer and investor, and entrepreneur.

Yet they also wanted to stay as true to the original four-bedroom, six-bath home’s design as possible.

To balance these seemingly contradictory impulses, Grable often called on workers and suppliers who could re-create the look and feel of the previous home while also bringing it into the 21st century.

For example, the couple wanted to retain the exposed salmon- and red ochre-colored brickwork that Grable calls “indigenous” to the midcentury modern period. But the brick they could salvage, made in Mexico, was so porous they were unable to eliminate the smell of smoke it had absorbed in the fire.

The couple contacted the great-grandson of the man who’d supplied the bricks, but he was no longer in the business. They eventually found a local supplier who could manufacture 40 pallets worth of similar-looking bricks.

To help banish the darkness, they raised the roof in the entry foyer by 3½ feet, matching the height in the kitchen and the living and dining rooms. This allowed for the addition of clerestory windows to bring in more natural light from above while also creating a visually dramatic entry.

They re-created the Douglas fir ceilings bisected by large beams made from several layers of glued laminated timber, commonly called glulam. The original house also used glulam beams which, at the time, was a fairly progressive material. So using them again retained the home’s integrity, according to Grable.

These beams run across the ceiling and through the exterior wall, extending out several feet under the eaves as they did previously.

“That’s a look common to midcentury modern design,” says Krystal Sepulveda, the project manager. “It’s all about clean lines, a lack of ornamentation and connecting the indoor to the outdoor.

Throughout much of the house, the flooring is an off-white terrazzo tile embedded with glitter that was made in Vietnam. The glitter, Ellen Sealy explains, was crushed, mother-of-pearl buttons that had been rejected from a button factory next door to the tile factory.

“The floor had been Saltillo tile,” she says. “But you can’t get antique Saltillo tile anymore, so we went with the terrazzo. It made the rooms lighter and more airy.”

The alder wood front doors in

the original house had been made by Lynn Ford, a master woodworker and architect O’Neil Ford’s brother. Severely charred in the fire, they now sit in the home’s garage. So Ed Sealy found a woodworker in El Paso who was able to re-create them.

The couple also has spared little effort to redecorate the house with fine art to replace what was lost in the conflagration. One painting, “Fast Horse - Navajo” by Dutch-born Santa Fe artist Henry Balink, was a gift to Ed Sealy’s father from his aunt in 1944. It hung next to the fireplace until it was destroyed in the flame; the painting’s ghostly image could still be seen in the charred frame.

“To try and honor that Navajo spirit and our Phoenix-like quest to rebuild the house, we commissioned an artist to try and replicate the painting,” Ed Sealy says. “Frankly, we weren’t entirely pleased with it, which is why it has not returned to the wall next to the fireplace. But maybe we should.”

The home has a U-shaped footprint, with the two legs of the U running parallel to the street out front. Grable built a low brick wall parallel to the front facade that serves as a brise soleil to deflect sunlight and help keep the interior cool.

“It also articulated the front elevation of the house to help balance the clerestory we added to the entryway,” Grable says.

Before the fire, this front wing also

The homeowners tasked architect John Grable with re-creating the look and feel of the four-bedroom, six-bathroom house originally built in 1967 while also bringing it into the 21st century.

contained the primary suite, which wasn’t a problem since the windows were relatively small and the view from the street was blocked by bushes and other landscaping.

After they installed large windows more in line with the midcentury modern aesthetic, however, the bedroom was almost fully exposed to the street.

“You could almost lay on the bed and wave to the people walking by,” Ellen Sealy says

So they moved the entire suite from the front wing to the back, away from the street.

As they did in the front wing, they added large windows that take up almost the entire wall.

“Having the suite way back here is just fabulous,” Ellen Sealy says. “You still have your privacy, but because the large windows make it so open, it’s like living in nature.”

Beyond the sleeping area, the suite has a full, passthrough bathroom with a large, rectangular soaking tub and a walk-in closet beyond that.

At the heart of the house, where the kitchen, and the dining and living rooms are located, they removed several bi-fold doors that had physically separated the spaces and blocked much of the natural light.

“As the architect, I love the fact that we went to a more open plan,” Grable says. “Those doors were really beautiful and period correct. But without them, you can see from one end of the house to the other.”

The original kitchen had been relatively small, perhaps the main shortcoming of the original house. So during the

renovation they expanded it into what had been a butler’s pantry and rumpus room.

“At a time the house was built, the kitchen wasn’t the spectacle it’s become today,” Sepulveda says.

In addition to opening it to the rest of the house, they installed more cabinetry and a white, speckled, quartz-topped island, making the kitchen more modern and efficient.

“We also installed drawers in the lower cabinets,” Grable says with a smile. “So if you’re my age, you don’t have to bend down as much to get something out. You just pull out the drawer and there it is.”

by MIKE SUTTER | photos by MIKE SUTTER

From Italian to French and Chinese to BBQ, brunch and beyond, here are the best places to eat right now

hat does it mean to be one of the Top 25 Restaurants in San Antonio? Does it mean tablecloths and scallops and a wine list? Sometimes. Other times it means perfect cheese enchiladas, the best burger in the city or fried chicken that rules a list of its own.

This Top 25 incorporates Mexican, American, Mediterranean, Chinese, Jamaican, Italian, Southern, Korean, French and Japanese food. Along the way, the list picks up steaks, sushi, burgers, pasta, seafood, brunch, barbecue, even soul-soothing Ayurvedic.

By the numbers, you’ll find six restaurants at the Pearl, four in Southtown, two in the same Dominion Ridge shopping center, one downtown, one adjacent to the rubble of the St. Mary’s Strip and one in a former plasma donation center on the East Side.

“Welcome to the Top 25.”

25 | Savor

The Top 25 starts here, with the student restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio at the Pearl. Why? It’s symbolic of the growth, the promise and the commitment of San Antonio as a restaurant culture. But also because it’s good. The staff changes from semester to semester, but the CIA professionals who supervise the kitchen and the floor maintain a consistency that makes Savor the best fine-dining restaurant value in the city. The ambitious three- and four-course experiences might include roasted lamb, softshell crab, lobster tlacoyo and deconstructed tres leches cake, with service that feels like the staff has some skin in the game. Because they do. 200 E. Grayson St., Ste. 117, at the Pearl, 210-554-6484, savorcia.com

24 | Garcia’s Mexican Food

With two cheese enchiladas, chili gravy, rice, beans and fresh flour tortillas, the No. 5 Mexican Dinner at this family-run diner in Beacon Hill north of downtown is one of San Antonio’s perfect plates. Breakfast tacos rule the morning, and the legendary smoked brisket taco earned its fatty stripes more than 60 years ago. For tacos, for Tex-Mex, for a taste of old San Antonio, it’s always Garcia’s. 842 Fredericksburg Road, 210-735-4525, Facebook: Garcia’s Mexican Food

23 | Mr. Juicy

Chef Andrew Weissman wrote the book on San Antonio’s best restaurants with Le Rêve, Il Sogno and The Sandbar. Now he’s unleashed his unbearable weight of massive talent on burgers, turning out the best freshbeef cheeseburgers in the city from an old Jack in the Box in Alta Vista, with handcut fries, handspun shakes and a chef-inspired au poivre sauce that blurs the line between fast food and fine dining. 3315 San Pedro Ave., 210-994-9838, instagram.com/mrjuicyburger

22 | Up Scale

Which new restaurant from Emily and Houston Carpenter do you pick? Little Em’s Oyster Bar, the Southern-inspired Restaurant Claudine, the quirky seafood diner Go Fish Wine Bar? My choice is Up Scale, an ambitious refresh of the old Feast space in Southtown, an unapologetically posh destination for steak, for cocktails, for tableside sole meunière, for a taste of L.A. in S.A. 1024 S. Alamo St., 210-396-7755, upscalesouthtown.com

21 | Dashi Sichuan Kitchen + Bar

Resturateur Kristina Zhao refreshed her Sichuan House brand by bringing back chef Jian Li to run the kitchen at its more refined sister restaurant Dashi on the Northeast Side in 2021. Together, they’ve paired solid Sichuan cooking — cumin lamb, eggplant fritters, whole fried fish — with clever cocktails in a supper-club space with velvet chairs, gilded screens and 3D printed lanterns Zhao designed herself. 2895 Thousand Oaks Drive, 210-562-3343, sichuandashi.com

20 | Ladino

Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group brought this Mediterranean concept to the Pearl last year, but chef Berty Richter owns its soul. Born in Israel, Richter grew up speaking Ladino, cooking with his Turkish mother in a family with roots in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and the Bronx. His food traces the journey of Sephardic Jews in the Middle East, food that includes lush lamb belly ribs, seasonal variations on baba ghanoush and the city’s best pita, executed in the unrecognizable former two-story home of Il Sogno. 200 E. Grayson St., Ste. 100, at the Pearl, 210-325-6007, ladinosatx.com

19 | Cappy’s Restaurant

On the night the Andy Warhol exhibit opened at the McNay Art Museum, I left that pop-art party for dinner down the street at Cappy’s. One was challenging and edgy. The other was Cappy’s. The Lawton family has made an art of sanding down the rough edges, with contemporary comfort food including Mustang Chicken, duck liver pâté and six kinds of eggs Benedict for brunch, with some of the warmest service in the city in a setting like a warm-weather ski lodge. 5011 Broadway, 210-828-9669, cappysrestaurant.com

18 | Cullum’s Attaboy

By shaving truffles over scrambled eggs, by taking caviar and bubbly off its mother-of-pearl pedestal and by filling his little diner with the jazz he grew up with, Chris Cullum brings the unpretentious celebration of “Champagne brunch” to a comfortable fulltime place just off the St. Mary’s Strip. Rediscover the powdered joy of Spudnuts and La Louisiane tarama of bygone days and make new memories with truffled steak and a first-class smashburger. 111 Kings Court, 210-437-4263, cullumsattaboy.com

17 | Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar

Owners PJ and Lindsey Edwards met at this space, back when it was Jason Dady’s Bin 555. Now it’s their own, a celebration of Southern cooking minus the y’all factor, with distressed wood and lodge lighting and a wall of Mason jar pickles. Find the city’s best cornbread, the comfort of fried chicken and biscuits, a brunch with banana-pecan French toast and a dinner of roasted pork loin with turnip puree like birthday cake frosting. 555 W. Bitters Road, Ste. 110, at The Alley on Bitters, 210-481-4214, meadowsanantonio.com

16 | Allora

This coastal Italian cathedral is a homecoming for chef Robbie Nowlin, back from his California restaurant travels, working with restaurateur Peter Selig (Ácenar, Arrosta, Maverick Texas Brasserie). In their bright, buzzy place, raw fish crudi shares the menu with handmade pasta, roasted octopus, duck pot pie and tomahawk rib-eyes, backed up by Italian wines and cocktails with touches of amaro, aperol and grappa. 403 Pearl Pkwy. at the Credit Human Building at the Pearl, 210-979-9950, allorapearl.com

15 | Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery

The only brewery left standing at the Pearl went dark for a few weeks last fall as Jeff Balfour’s Southerleigh team gave the place a refresh. It’s back as strong as ever, with a menu executed by chef de cuisine Aaron Juvera that showcases nilgai antelope with blackberry demiglace and scallops with tasso ham risotto to go with broad-shouldered Texas favorites including fried snapper throats and some of the city’s best fried chicken.

136 E. Grayson St., Ste. 120, at the Pearl, 210-455-5701, southerleigh.com

14 | Silo Terrace Oyster Bar

Perched like a well-appointed eagle’s nest over Interstate 10 at Dominion Ridge, this is the best of the Silo restaurants from Patrick and Cari Richardson, one that works on any given day with half a dozen or more varieties of fresh oysters. It’s the city’s best seafood, especially the Tristan Island lobster tail and grilled Texas redfish with sweet potato hash. 22211 I-10 W., Ste. 1210, 210-698-2002, siloelevatedcuisine.com

13 | Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano

Personality-driven restaurants are a rare breed these days. Not at Aldo, where Aldo Ghaffari’s warmth and charisma are as much a draw as his restaurant’s handmade pasta, grilled bone-in veal chop and fresh seafood. Aldo’s survived a 2019 move from its original 1985 home in the Medical Center area, and it’s thriving at Dominion Ridge for its collegial happy hour, solid cocktails and the best spaghetti and meatballs in the city. 22211 I-10 W., Ste. 1101, 210-696-2536, aldossa.com

12 | The Magpie

Magpie chef Jŭngsūk “Sue” Kim met her husband and co-owner, Eugene Sanchez, in 2006 when he was teaching English in her native South Korea. He plays the philosophical house manager to her freestyle kitchen muse as she turns out spicy chicken called dak galbi ssam with gochujang, a plate of crispy pork belly with fennel slaw and an appetizer of tofu braised in tangy “Mag-soy.” The magpie bird might be a scrappy harbinger of good luck, but it’s also loud as hell. But that’s the way of this place, perched in a remodeled plasma donation center at Hackberry Market, where they’ve recently doubled their former shoebox capacity. More smart wines, more creative beers and a menu that continues to change every week, free as a bird. 1602 E. Houston St., Ste. 106, 210-389-1584, magpie.us

11 | 2M Smokehouse

Esaul Ramos and Joe Melig partnered in 2016 to jump-start the San Antonio barbecue scene with 2M Smokehouse on the Southeast Side, with full-fat Hill Country brisket, lacquered pork ribs and handmade sausage with serrano peppers and Oaxaca cheese. They’ve kept up that energy, earning a pair of James Beard nominations, with sides that include Chicharoni Macaroni and Mexican street corn. How popular is 2M? Waiting in line, I saw a couple jump out of an Uber with their roller suitcases. They were visiting from Atlanta, and their first stop from the airport wasn’t their Airbnb: It was 2M. 2731 S. W.W. White Road, 210-885-9352, 2msmokehouse.com

10 | Pharm Table

What started as a meal-service plan and lobby cafe in a cultural center across from the Tobin has become Southtown mission central for chef Elizabeth Johnson, whose original focus on better living through Ayurvedic eating has expanded to include lunch, dinner, brunch and full bar with a wine program overseen by star sommelier Scott Ota. Flavors move fluidly across international borders, with Indian-spiced guacamole, roasted salmon with a Middle Eastern touch of za’atar, Thai fennel green curry and Wagyu beef ragout from Georgia, the country. 611 S. Presa St., Ste. 106, 210-802-1860, pharmtable.com

9 | The Jerk Shack

Lettoia Massey (aka Chef Nicola Blaque) and her crew made their name in a sweaty little West Side walkup stand making Jamaican jerk chicken and pork, oxtails and Jamaican beef patties. A move to a new restaurant space near Sea World upped their game, adding air conditioning, the city’s best fried chicken and a James Beard nomination for Massey. Add “best sides” to the Shack’s portfolio for vegetarian collard greens and brown sugar yams. 10234 Hwy. 151, Ste. 103, 210-776-7780, thejerkshacksatx.com

8 | Cured

Chef Steve McHugh has more James Beard nominations than any other San Antonio chef, a testament to the enduring appeal of Cured’s American pastiche of Midwestmeets-New Orleans. Housed in the old administration building at the Pearl, Cured pops its blue collar for heritage hog poutine, happy hour fried quail legs and a burger with Pabst Blue Ribbon in its DNA. But look to the laboratory of meats in the curing locker for the white-apron craft of Cured, famed for charcuterie plates as elaborate as an Impressionist canvas. The craft extends to a dinner palette of gumbo, duck confit, pecan-crusted redfish and steak frites. 306 Pearl Pkwy., Ste. 101, at the Pearl, 210-314-3929, curedatpearl.com

7 | Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood

Pick up Bohanan’s and drop it in any major city and it could hold up against any classic steakhouse there, with captain-style service, an old-school bar and pedigreed steaks from the country’s heartland. Chef and owner Mark Bohanan’s a regular presence among the tables, a born storyteller and industry advocate, the animating force for this genteel Western parlor across from the Majestic Theatre downtown. 219 E. Houston St., Ste. 275, 210-472-2600, bohanans.com

6 | Bliss

The roasted duck with foie gras that helped put Bliss on the map in 2012 is still on the menu. So are the crispy oyster sliders and the seared scallops with cheese grits, now in the hands of chef Tony Hernandez. Waiters with strong institutional memories still guide with grace through charcuterie choices and wine pairings. In fact, not much has changed in the decade since chef Mark Bliss opened his namesake restaurant in the renovated shell of an old gas station in Southtown. And that’s a good thing. 926 S. Presa St., 210-2252547, foodisbliss.com

5 | Clementine

Clementine might be the most unlikely spot on this list, crammed into the corner of a nondescript strip center teetering on the eastern edge of Castle Hills. But step inside, and it’s a master class on how to set up a neighborhood restaurant, led by James Beard finalist John Russ. With cool blues and botanical themes, with pops of orange in fruitbox posters and lobby screens, with a working kitchen sharing the close quarters of the dining room, with waiters who know wine and know what they’re doing. But most of all, with chefs and owners John and Elise Russ in that kitchen, cobbling together Southern-infused menus that change with the seasons. The multicourse chef’s-choice “Feed Me” menu might include white mushroom salad, king salmon with crispy skin, tortellini with crawfish and an asparagus creation rendered in the splat-craft style of famed chef Massimo Bottura. 2195 N.W. Military Hwy., 210-503-5121, clementine-sa.com

4 | Bar Loretta

A perfect storm of hospitality synergy struck this former home of Madhatters in 2021 when New York City tavern veteran Roger Herr of San Antonio signed up fellow New York barman Michael Neff and James Beard-celebrated chef Paul Petersen to open Bar Loretta. Herr plays host, Neff makes a martini like a pre-Prohibition craftsman and Petersen backs them up with polenta and goat cheese, masterful roast chicken, lobster risotto and a double-cut pork chop with sour cherry mostarda. It’s a restaurant with the soul of a bar. Or the other way around. A taste of New York in Southtown. 320 Beauregard St., 210-757-3607, barloretta.com

3 | Brasserie Mon Chou Chou

The French newcomer Brasserie Mon Chou Chou at the Pearl charged out into 2021 as a top competitor. It’s as charming and congenial as ever, from the confident European decor to the hospitality of a veteran staff led by Philippe Placé to the perfectly tuned kitchen of chef Laurent Réa. Dinner might include classic steak frites, a strong Vieux Carre cocktail and scallops with lobster served on half-shells like a Renaissance Birth of Venus. 312 Pearl Pkwy., Bldg. 2, Ste. 2104, at the Pearl, 210-469-3743, brasseriemonchouchou.com

2 | Mixtli

The progressive Mexican cuisine experiment called Mixtli began in an Olmos Park boxcar in 2013. Chefs and owners Rico Torres and Diego Galicia turned it into a full-contact Southtown restaurant in 2021, and it took a minute for Mixtli to fully adjust to its new setting. After a night of food and stories spread across 10 courses that ranged from the introduction of wheat for Communion wafers (and tortillas) to the Asian laborers who built the Mexican railroads (and introduced dumplings), it’s fair to say Mixtli found its voice again, this time in a refined space with formal service and a wine list with Mexican stories of its own to tell. 812 S. Alamo St., Ste. 103, 210-338-0746, restaurantmixtli.com

1 | Shiro BistroJapanese

Inspired by San Antonio’s embrace of the Culinary Institute of America, chef Grey Hwang brought his San Diego command of sushi here in 2020, choosing the ground-floor of an apartment complex on the River Walk across from the San Antonio Museum of Art for Shiro. It’s an inauspicious place to find the city’s best restaurant, an industrial den of polished concrete with a sushi bar and hot kitchen dominating the space, bathed in the glow of pink neon. Chef Hwang’s the quiet figure in the center, letting sculptured towers of sashimi speak for him with hamachi, amberjack, shima aji, bluefin tuna, ora king salmon, sweet sea scallops, mackerel and so much more, with freshly grated wasabi and cold sake served in a carafe in a basket over crushed ice. There’s tuna with caviar and lotus root chips and a DIY handroll with horsehair crab, golden sea urchin and gold leaf. The freshest fish, the freshest ideas, the best sushi in the city, and the best restaurant experience in San Antonio. 107 W. Jones Ave., shirossan.com

MEET THE QUIET DOERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

SA LIGHTS

LIVING IN THE 'HAVE FUN' WORLD

Paul Perea taps into TikTok, music to keep Fort Sam Houston Elementary students engaged

by JASON BUCH

by KIN MAN HUI

Before new students step in the door of Fort Sam Houston Elementary School, they’re greeted with videos about the school, including facilities, clubs and safety.

Featuring students and faculty performing dance moves from TikTok over popular music, the videos are just some of music teacher Paul Perea’s many projects that tap into students’ personal interests to help them learn and get engaged with the campus. That last part is particularly important at Fort Sam Houston Elementary, a school on post with a student body that’s largely made up of service members’ families.

As the music teacher, Perea sees all of the about 870 students at Fort Sam Houston Elementary. He also sponsors extracurricular clubs and leads the campus recycling program and Five Star Productions, the name he’s given the group of faculty and students who make the videos about the school and post them on YouTube.

Perea “brings a bunch of new ideas to the school,” says Joseph Cerna, who spent six years as the principal at Fort Sam Houston Elementary before leaving for Robert G. Cole Middle and High School earlier this year. “Everything is student centered. He kind of lives in the ‘have fun’ world. Students get to make videos, share the videos on social media. He tries to get the students involved on and off campus.”

Perea, 53, is originally from Corpus Christi and came to San Antonio in 1999 to take a teaching job at one of the local districts. Four years ago, he moved to Fort Sam Houston Elementary.

He co-sponsors and teaches the show choir, which includes choral and dance performances. Along with other faculty and staff, he also sponsors clubs for various instruments and the dance club.

Along with the videos from Five Star Productions, his students put on live performances, including caroling in a barge along the River Walk during the holidays last year. Also last year, his students recorded their holiday show and played it on the big screen at the historic Fort Sam Houston Theatre.

The videos also help students practice and improve, Perea says.

“They can see themselves when they go home … and say, ‘I need to work on this move,’” he says. “I tell the kids, ‘I’m a decent dancer, but if you’ll notice I missed a step here, I missed a step there. You don’t

need to be perfect. I just want you to have a good time.’”

Children “gravitate” toward music, Perea says. By incorporating songs his students like and dance trends that are popular on TikTok, he’s able to keep them engaged in his lessons. For example, he recently used a Bruno Mars song to teach his students about major keys. Children might want to methodically beat on drums; but when he adds a marimba, he can teach them about melody.

“They get to sing a poppy song to their family members, and of course the family members go crazy because they recognize the songs,” Perea says. “I guess what I’m trying to bring is the enjoyment of music.

Engaging with students early and quickly is particularly important at Fort Sam Houston, where children come and go as their parents are transferred to new posts or deployed, Cerna says. At least a third of the school’s students every year are new to Fort Sam Houston Elementary.

“The students in our school come from different parts of the nation and world,” Cerna says. “You’ll have some students that come from overseas … so they have to adapt quickly to their new learning environment.”

Perea “works with students (and) families, communicates, engages and includes them all, makes them feel welcome,” he added. “That’s a big deal for students to come to a new school, and they have something to join, an interest to help them feel welcome in a new school.”

So while Five Star Productions’ videos promote initiatives at the school or even help the administration share morning announcements, they also serve as an introduction to Fort Sam Houston Elementary’s new students.

“We like to make home videos of what to expect at our school,” Perea says. “‘This is what we wear at our school’ — we don’t have uniforms, but of course things that are proper to wear at school. If we need to get a message across to parents, we show parents ‘these are the things we recycle,’” for example.

Recycling is one of Perea’s signature initiatives. For the last four years, Fort Sam Houston Elementary has won the PepsiCo Recycle Rally.

Winning schools are awarded money for beautification projects. Perea and his students have brought home more than $50,000 for beautification projects at Fort Sam Houston Elementary, including leveling and surfacing a track, improving playgrounds, and buying banners and posters to display.

“He’ll have tons of students that just want to help,” Cerna says. “Then he’ll get parents and staff involved as well. Just because of the energy he brings to it, it draws students, staff and family in. They want to be part of it as well.”

Not only does Perea get the elementary school community involved, his

students have encouraged other parts of Fort Sam Houston to participate in the recycling program. The on-post housing complexes and Brooke Army Medical Center take part. Perea and his students raise awareness and encourage other organizations and institutions to get involved by making commercials about their recycling program.

“That’s the reason why we’ve done so well with recycling — we’ve done videos, commercials,” Perea says. “It all interacts. That’s what’s so cool about it. It just works together.”

All this amounts to a lot of work, Cerna notes.

“Demand is huge” for Perea’s clubs, Cerna says. “A typical choir, we’d like to have 25, 35 students in it. What will happen is you’ll get up to 100 students interested in that show choir. He’ll keep them all, too. That’s a challenge, but he’s always up to that challenge.

“He’s probably doing close to 60 hours a week, which is his work plus another 20,” Cerna added.

This school year, Perea is hoping to start a new initiative: aquaponic gardening.

“At school, so many people are into gardening,” he says. “We need to come together to combine our forces.”

“He really does help students come out of their shell,” Cerna says. “That’s his gift, helping students feel comfortable in their new environment.”

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

San Antonio doctor founded registry that helps those with chromosome abnormality

Each workday, Dr. Jannine Cody walks past bulletin boards that display photos of hope.

The boards line three tiled walls on the fifth floor, home to the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center at UT Health San Antonio.

Multicolored stars frame images of individuals from around the globe. Youngsters beam with wide grins. Teens smile with cool confidence. Young adults gaze with pride.

Among the snapshots is Cody’s daughter, Elizabeth, whose birth prompted the doctor to act and make life better for thousands of children. The photos are a testament to a mother’s refusal to accept a dire diagnosis for her newborn baby.

In 1985, Elizabeth, Cody’s second daughter, was born in Wichita Falls with a rare chromosome abnormality. The baby had a cleft palate, cleft lip and her feet turned inward.

Doctors gave her parents the only information available at the time — a one-page summary from a medical journal. It predicted a future for those with the condition lying in a frog-like position and vegetated state.

A physician told Cody there were only 65 other families in the world with the condition. She was stunned by the lack of information about the disorder.

“I remember feeling like being on a lifeboat without a life preserver,” Cody, 68, says. “There was no idea of what to do next.”

When she couldn’t find any experts, she became an expert. And she’s led the charge for the last 30 years, helping children worldwide.

Cody is a professor of pediatrics at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio.

In 1991, Cody set out to get answers to questions she and others had for years. She spoke to Dr. Celia Kaye, a medical geneticist, who invited her to talk to doctors about the condition no one was talking about. That’s when she applied to graduate school.

Cody earned a doctorate in human genetics at the University of Texas Health San Antonio in 1997. She partnered with colleagues to form the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center, which is recognized as the only laboratory in the world dedicated to chromosome 18 abnormalities.

She served as president of the organization until she stepped down last year, and Neale Parker became the CEO.

by VINCENT T. DAVIS

photo by CARLOS JAVIER SANCHEZ

She founded the Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society, a support and resource group, in April 1990 with the vision to identify families, secure medical records and collect data through surveys. The nonprofit has brought together more than 5,000 families across the nation and 2,500 families from around the globe.

Parker calls Cody “the global expert on chromosome conditions.”

“She was really not given much hope at all,” he says. “That’s something as a new parent that is mortifying to hear.”

Parker says about 50 percent of new members are international members and the outlook looks good.

“We like to say we’re small but mighty,” he says. “Bringing a community together across the country and globally is a big deal. We’re the only place they can go to.”

The center even has an official Fiesta 5K run/walk.

Cody has loved science since she was a child growing up in Charles City, Iowa. She wanted to work in a lab like her grandfather, who had a veterinary lab. He ran the business side of the lab where her aunt also worked.

When Cody’s husband was stationed in San Antonio, the family found support at Wilford Hall Medical Center.

Cody worried about her daughter’s tiny size. By age 2, Elizabeth was only half the size she should be. They dressed her in dresses of dolls that matched those of her older sister, Catherine.

A pediatrician found that Elizabeth had a growth hormone deficiency, and she started growth hormone treatments. She grew taller. Her hair and fingernails grew. She seemed more alert.

Cody wanted to share the news with other parents. When she asked the doctor how she could find more families, he suggested that she start a support group.

She pored over medical journals, made phone calls and wrote letters. After the first year, they’d found more than 30 families.

They offer members more than a one-sheet outline of the condition — they have a management guide that is 34 pages long.

She says chromosome 18 abnormalities are the leading cause of intellectual disability, a huge obstacle to an independent life.

“This is an important problem for society to under-

stand,” Cody says. “And how to treat an abnormality that affects many people.”

Cody is happier looking into a microscope than dealing with administrative policies, but she knows it’s a crucial part of their mission.

Elizabeth, now 38, is having a full life.

She helps in the office. She’s traveled to camps and conferences around the world. She’s the daughter of a determined mother who didn’t accept a dire diagnosis of the rare condition.

“I want to help individuals have the best life possible and hopefully an independent life,” Cody says. “So, they’re making the best decisions about their lives as the rest of us do.”

Last week, the society hosted the 28th annual Camp Chromosome 18 Family Summit in Columbus, Ohio. Every fourth year, the conference is held in San Antonio.

More than 300 families attended this year’s event.

“It’s such a resilient and joyous group,” Cody says. “It’s like a family reunion.”

Cody says their theme is inspired by the starfish story by anthropologist and poet Loren Eiseley.

An older man is walking on a beach when he sees a young man throwing beached starfish back into the ocean. He asks the man how he expects to help the thousands washed up on the shore. The young man picks up another starfish and tosses it in the sea. “I helped that one,” he says.

“It’s sort of the power of one person to make a difference for one,” Cody says. “Each one of us can make a difference.”

OUTSIDE WITH PAPA PREVO

Gardener teaches the community how to grow their own food in a space called Heavenly Gardens, nestled behind Redeeming Grace Church on Foster Road

Clarence “Papa” Prevo rises early to work 2 acres of fertile ground, just as he did on his family’s farm outside Selma, Ala.

He wears a weathered straw hat to shade his face from the blazing hot sun and pelting rain as he walks and talks to the plants. Sometimes he wears a blue ball cap with the words “Mr. Fix-It” on the crown.

The football-field-size garden is lush and abundant. The scent of mint leaves, low near the entrance, hangs in the air. Blooms, stalks and fan-size leaves dangle from burrowed rows of black soil lining the green space.

Gingerly, he pulls robust fruit and vegetables that he grows not for show or prizes but for sustenance and good health. He produces more than 50 different types of crops. Corn. Bell peppers. Tomatoes. Mustard and collard greens. Okra. Potatoes. Kale. Bananas. Squash. Zucchini. Eggplants. Celery. Onions.

For Prevo, 82, it’s a calling.

“I guess you could say it’s in my DNA,” the gardener says.

Each day, the son of a sharecropper shares his knowledge of growing plants on land called Heavenly Gardens.

For the past five years, Prevo and volunteers have tended to the community garden nestled behind Redeeming Grace Church, 4500 N. Foster Road.

His ministry is teaching people how to grow their own healthy food in a natural green space that’s heavenly, he says, like the Garden of Eden.

The fresh vegetables and fruit are available to the public at a discounted price. And the purchase comes with a lesson from Prevo about how the crops are grown.

Many volunteers are young women and retirees who arrive early to harvest the crops. They show up bundled in sweatpants, scarves and hoodies, treading across the damp soil in boots.

“People come into your life for a reason, a season or for a lifetime,” Prevo says. “I think it’s divine intervention. People come and contribute to the growth in their way.”

Prevo met his public relations manager and fellow congregation member, Twyla Varnado, during her time of need. He affectionally calls her “Tweety Bird.”

In the spring of 2014, she had finished chemotherapy for stage four colon and liver cancer. Prevo would stop by her house, drop off bottles of green vegetable juice, ring her doorbell and leave. “I know that was what helped me,” Varnado, 60, says. “It was all nutritious, all from his garden.”

When Varnado started her own garden, Prevo brought her 12 big containers of plants. In August 2015, when she moved to another home, Prevo supplied 40 more plants.

In October 2017, Prevo started the community garden with plants from his home and Fort Sam Houston. Varnado volunteered to help him.

She posts videos and photos on its Facebook and Instagram page named heavenly_gardens1. Each day, Varnado narrates clips with the greeting, “Good Heavenly Gardens morning to you!”

Curiosity prompted a visit by a neighbor, C. J. Embry, who had seen the green space as she drove past the church. She was born and raised in Florida on a farm, so seeing the garden was like being home.

by VINCENT T. DAVIS

by KIN MAN HUI

For two consecutive years, San Antonio residents have voted Heavenly Gardens Community Garden of the Year in a contest sponsored by Gardopia Gardens. Prevo, a parishioner at Redeeming Grace, has a team of trusted helpers who toil by his side. They affectionately call him “Papa.”

Recently, she stopped by the Northeast Side orchard, and Prevo invited her to see the crops.

He showed her around the garden, the corn field maze and the yield of tomatoes.

“You sure are making that tomato look good,” she says as Prevo plucked one. “It

makes me want to bite it.”

“Why do you think I pulled it off ?” he says.

She ate the tomato fresh off of the vine.

“This is just like heaven to me,” Embry says. “Seeing him was a blessing. He made my day.”

Longtime volunteer and team member Natisha Loving, 35, says when she spreads produce on the table, her youngest daughter eats the vegetables for snacks. Her time in the green space is her prayer time.

“I work the garden, and each task is an opportunity to evaluate myself spiritually,” she says. “When I plant seeds, I pray for my children and the next season of their life.”

Prevo was one of eight children. Growing plants has been his passion since he was 6 years old and tended his own small garden. He was 12 when his mother let him help at his grandfather’s farm, plowing the fields. At 17, his grandfather died, and he headed to the city to live with his aunt and uncle.

He kept a garden in the backyard.

Prevo was 20 when he enlisted in the Army for better opportunities. He took his gardening skills with him.

While stationed at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., he started a garden in a space offered by a neighbor. He created his first garden in San Antonio in 1972 while stationed at Fort Sam Houston. He planted seeds of plants like broccoli, cauliflower and kale, produce he’d never grown in Alabama.

After he retired as a sergeant major, Prevo started the garden with the blessing from Bishop Brent M. Bryant of Redeeming Grace. Prevo gives all the credit to a higher power. “I didn’t get this idea on my own. God gave it to me,” Prevo says. “He put in my heart to do this thing. He’s been doing it ever since in a bountiful way.”

His family and wife, Barbara Ann Prevo, support his passion. Every day she brings whatever he needs, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or tea. She takes care of tasks at home, freeing him up to focus on the garden.

“I appreciate all that she does,” he says. “It’s a sacrifice, and I appreciate that.”

Like his garden, Prevo keeps growing. He constantly seeks ways to improve his crops, viewing videos of new methods on YouTube. He doesn’t use pesticides — everything is natural.

“If you notice, in nature, they don’t use chemicals,” Prevo says. “The leaves fall down in the fall, decompose in the spring, rain comes, creates some juice and goes back into the soil, and by the spring, they got their fertilizer.”

Much of the recycled fixtures are donated items.

Neighbors brought old fence boards that serve as borders along raised beds. Old containers are reused as planters. They’ve used old ice chests with holes poked in the bottom.

They have 227 containers, coolers, toy bins, wash machine tubs and recycling bins. They have made 332 raised beds from recycled wooden fences, doors and bed frames.

Prevo started with in-ground planting. He progressed to using raised beds in containers, like gardeners he’d seen online.

“If you have bad soil,” Prevo says, “you rise above it.”

Wood chips scattered across the pathways keep moisture in the soil and make walking easier after it rains.

He uses compost with plants, horse manure and hay from a local stable. When he started, donors from the stable tilled the hard ground with a tractor to make it easier for Prevo to plant his seeds.

Recently, the master gardener walked through rows more than 11 feet high of corn stalks, lost in the foliage. He pulled cobs of sweet corn and a variety called “peaches and cream” and broke pieces in half for visitors to taste.

Varnado says the white and yellow corn is a popular choice when it’s in season.

The long stalks of corn rise high beyond a wood lattice-work fence that fronts his workshop. It’s where Varnado’s iPad plays Prevo’s theme song — “Just Me and My Plants,” by music artist Rocco Elliot.

The song, Varnado says, goes along with everything happening in the gardens. The tune talks about not overwatering to prevent root rot. There’s a line about people who have stolen crops, like what happened at Heavenly Gardens before they built a fence to keep interlopers out.

Prevo’s mission is to share his knowledge with guests, especially the little ones.

He wants to prepare the future generation who will live in a world of unpredictable climate change, much different from the weather patterns of his past.

Prevo has mentored youngsters who were homeschooled, young people who studied at universities and older adults schooled in the ways of a world lost in time.

The garden, he says, is his retirement home, his legacy.

“The thing about gardening is it’s peaceful,” Prevo says. “I got peace out here and serenity.”

UPLIFTING THE GUADALUPE

by CARMINA DANINI

photo by WILLIAM LUTHER

Growing up in Brownsville on the tip of Texas, Cristina Ballí never considered working in the arts.

After graduating from Our Lady of the Lake University, she became a social worker, including a stint as case manager at St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home — affectionately known as St.PJ’s — in San Antonio.

But feeling burned out after nearly a decade of social work, she returned to the Rio Grande Valley and accepted a job with RGV Educational Broadcasting in Harlingen.

It would change her life.

Her work as operations manager and as a producer evolved into her covering the arts beat, taping public service announcements for all arts events in the Valley, conducting interviews and preparing documentaries. “That’s where my passion for the arts grew,” Ballí says. “I had never considered that but it eventually led to a career in arts administration.”

Ballí is now executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, a job she took seven years ago. Before that, she worked as director of the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center in San Benito.

Born in Reynosa, Mexico, Martinez lived most of his life near San Benito. Considered one of the best musicians of the conjunto genre, he died in 1992.

“The cultural arts center named after him is a small but mighty arts organization modeled after the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center,” Ballí says.

She also worked for the City of San Benito and at Texas Folklife in Austin.

Since joining the Guadalupe in September 2016, Ballí has brought constancy to an organization that faltered for several years.

“Other directors were courageous in their own way but in terms of staying true to the mission and staying connected to the community and stabilizing and expanding programming, she has been stellar,” says Carmen Tafolla, author of more than 30 books and

former poet laureate of Texas and of San Antonio. Ballí, added Tafolla, has “stayed true and strong to the commitment to keeping the Guadalupe a place where Chicanos and Indigenous voices have a place to develop and be heard.”

Before Ballí took over the Guadalupe, there were periods of turmoil where community support wavered and funding was inadequate. Today, the arts organization receives funding from the Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture, H-E-B, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

And there are several projects in the works that are revitalizing the area, including the designation last year of a cultural arts district, a bookstore that features works by Latino writers, the remodeling of the Guadalupe Theater and a plan that will bring nine buildings owned by Guadalupe into a cohesive campus.

Ballí says she was fortunate to have been mentored by Pedro Rodriguez, who served as executive director from 1983-1998, during her first year with the Guadalupe. Rodriguez died in December 2022 at age 86.

“What I learned the most from him was how fierce an advocate for the arts he was and how important it is for us to serve the community,” she says.

“Now the best part of my job is when I see the reaction of people attending a play at the theater or sitting in the plaza enjoying a mariachi concert.”

The center is slowly returning to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all programming and canceled annual events like the Tejano Conjunto Festival, Ballí says.

Sold-out performances at the Guadalupe Theater, large crowds at the three-day conjunto festival held in May at Rosedale Park, and summer events for children and teens are routine again for the arts organization that since its founding in 1980 has been pre-

serving and promoting Chicano/Latino and Indigenous dance, music, literature, theater, film and visual arts.

Some events returned in 2022 but with many folks, including Ballí and several staff members contracting covid, attendance was not as strong.

“There was no live programming for an entire year and that was very odd,” says Ballí, 52.

Like everyone else, the Guadalupe turned to virtual programming, presenting classes and the conjunto festival via Zoom.

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, Ballí says. In 2021, the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore opened, and the center received a large and unexpected gift from a nationallyknown philanthropist.

The $1 million donation was from MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

“We took screen shots of our bank account because we couldn’t believe it,” Ballí says.

In October 2022, the bookstore opened in what used to house the Progreso Pharmacy.

The bookstore features books by U.S. Latino authors with a large focus on writers from Texas, a children’s section, bilingual books and books in Spanish.

On the second Friday of each month the bookstore hosts the Texas Author Series.

Last year, the Texas Commission on the Arts designated a new state cultural district, the Westside Cultural Arts District. “Cultural districts,” notes the commission’s web site, “are special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community vitality.”

Besides the Guadalupe, others in the Westside Cultural Arts District are SAY Sí, Museo del Westside, San Anto Cultural Arts, Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions and the National Association of Latino Arts & Culture.

Other cultural arts districts in San Antonio are the King William, Old Spanish Trail and Zona Cultural.

Post-pandemic, the Guadalupe is working on modernizing the Guadalupe Theater as well as a master plan to turn several buildings into a cohesive campus.

Also in the works is a partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts and the UTHealth School of Public Health for a study on the impact of arts and culture on the well-being of seniors, Ballí says.

The theater, which had to add additional shows when it presented “Crystal City 1969” and “Chato’s Bridge” earlier this year, is slated to close Sept. 30 for renovations.

“It needs to be modernized and brought into the 21st century,” Ballí says.

Construction could begin before the end of the year or in early 2024.

OTJ Architects, the Washington, D.C.-

based firm already working on San Antonio’s Sunken Garden Theater and the Alameda Theater, has been hired to design the master plan.

“We own nine buildings that we’d like to see integrated for programming specific to the facilities,” Ballí says. She hopes the melding of all the buildings into one campus will be her legacy.

“I am very focused on the master plan and the capital campaign for improvement of the buildings,” she says. “I hope that will be my contribution to the Guadalupe.”

Ballí was born in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, but grew up on American side of the border in Brownsville. She is the eldest of three sisters. Her younger siblings, Celia and Cecilia, are twins.

For relaxation, Ballí likes painting furniture and collecting dishes.

“After the pandemic, I started collecting old tableware,” she says.

Another favorite de-stresser is hitting the hiking trails but “only in good weather,” she says, laughing. Day hikes that require no camping are high on her list.

Little weekend getaways, either by herself or with family, to nearby state parks such as Garner State Park, Palmetto State Park near Gonzales and Guadalupe River State Park remain favorite excursions.

“We have great state parks and hiking in San Antonio, South and Central Texas that gets you in another state of mind,” she says.

Ballí reveals she once considered becoming a Roman Catholic nun but dropped the idea when she “realized I really wanted to be a priest but couldn’t be.”

The Artist: Luz María Sánchez

The Work: “riverbank”

ARTIST LUZ MARÍA SÁNCHEZ COLLECTED ALL SORTS OF THINGS FROM THE U.S. side of the Rio Grande as part of her 2006 Artpace residency: empty plastic milk jugs and bottles, food wrappers and canned goods, shoes and lots of clothing, all left behind by immigrants as they journeyed north.

Sánchez used the debris to create “riverbank,” which she revived in 2015 as part of a series of exhibitions marking the 20th anniversary of Artpace’s founding by the late Linda Pace. The piece is once again on display in a space founded by Pace, the artist, philanthropist and collector who died in 2007. It is part of the Ruby City exhibit “Water Ways,” which includes a wide range of multidisciplinary works referencing or dealing with water in some way.

Sanchez’s installation stretches across an expanse in one of the upstairs galleries. It is a densely packed swath of items she collected, some covered in dirt and grime, testament to the difficulty of their owner’s travel. The piece is shaped in a way that mimics the path of Rio Grande as it flows between the two countries.

“Although the clothes have no markers identifying their owners, these items are the grim evidence of the countless people who attempt the perilous journey of crossing the border,” notes the gallery guide. “‘riverbank’ underscores the violence and uncertainty, as well as the real human cost of conflicted border policies.”