San Antonians gather to toast Alamo City's culinary scene during blowout Tastemakers

TOAST THE TASTEMAKERS

Photo by Guillermo Rosas

We’ve only just recovered. After weeks of honoring the San Antonio bar and restaurant scene through a special editorial series, we finally crowned the winners on May 18 at a hotly anticipated party held at the Briscoe Museum. Guests sipped and savored while patiently waiting for us to reveal the champions.

During the exclusive VIP hour, guests received a first taste of the delicious bites from participating chefs. They also got in the first bids for silent auction items benefiting our nonprofit beneficiary, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

There were plenty of libations courtesy of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Dripping Springs Vodka, and Epic Western. Hometown brewers Viva, Weathered Souls, and Second Pitch kept guests quenched with plenty of brews, a perfect companion to Twang’s beer salt. Guests could also grab Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water to cool off on a hot day.

Once the doors officially opened, guests were tempted by an array of succulent dishes from the nominees. Ladino, a dual nominee for Best New Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year, wowed with agristada de pishkado — a white fish bite perfect for spring weather. Bar of the Year contender Moon’s Daughter showed their culinary acumen with lamb ragu hummus. And Rebelle spoiled attendees with East Coast oysters.

Finally, the crowd gathered to congratulate this year’s crop of honorees. Cheers filled the Briscoe’s halls as KENS 5 personality Sarah Forganey revealed the winners. Throughout the night, partygoers voted in the Burger Throwdown, presented by Goodstock by Nolan Ryan, giving Southtown's Bar Loretta the ultimate prize.

Robbie Nowlin of Allora and Arrosta was named Chef of the Year, while Sofia Tejeda of Hotel Emma nabbed the Pastry Chef of the Year award. Amor Eterno and Künstler Brewing won Bar of the Year and Best Brewery, respectively.

Then, three diverse restaurants scored in the restaurant categories. East side fave The Magpie got an early boost as Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year, while CultureMap readers selected Reese Bros. BBQ as this year’s Best New Restaurant. Lastly, Pearl showcase Carriqui nabbed the biggest award of the evening — Restaurant of the Year.

It was heartwarming to see San Antonio’s culinary industry greats toasting their peers and the special connections forged between restaurants and their guests. Now that we have gotten some rest, we can’t wait to do it again next year!

Photo by Guillermo Rosas

Aaron Peña (l) and JC Salinas of Amor Eterno show off their Bar of the Year trophy.

Photo by TX Troublemaker

Alamo City's best bars and restaurants crowned at 2023 Tastemaker Awards

TOAST THE TASTEMAKERS

Ah spring! The wildflowers are blooming, the sandals are coming back, and our celebration of the best of San Antonio hospitality — the Tastemaker Awards — is once again heating up the night.

For the past few weeks, you’ve read about all the stellar nominees, then voted for your favorite new restaurant in a hard-fought tournament. Now, it's finally time to unveil the winners.

On Thursday evening, the all-stars of Alamo City’s restaurant and bar scene gathered with their hungry fans at the Briscoe Museum for our second annual tasting event and awards ceremony. Guests feasted on delicious bites from some of the area’s best restaurants, before applauding the proud winners.

And what a crew they are. Our 2023 CultureMap San Antonio Tastemaker Awards winners represent the crème de la crème of the city’s red-hot culinary scene. Meet them below and join us in raising one last glass to the Tastemakers. Drum roll, please.

Restaurant of the Year: Carriqui
There's no reason to pretend otherwise; you've had this food before. Maybe it was over a few beers at a backyard barbecue or a buzzing Rio Grande restaurant, but it is as familiar as a family group text. This Pearl spot's genius was in giving South Texas fare the respect it deserves. Instead of being fettered by the honey assumptions that regional foods should be cheap, Carriqui fires Wagyu on custom Mill Scale grills. Instead of settling for hominess, it announces South Texas as a destination.

Best New Restaurant: Reese Bros BBQ
With the cult-like status that some barbecue joints enjoy, some hot spots have forgotten there doesn’t have to be so much bite with the bark. Make no bones about it; the licorice black crust that forms on the brisket is as mouthwatering as it comes. But that alchemy is not just a flex obscuring the other parts of the operation. Reese Bros excels at sausage, flour tortillas, and simple market sides. It also excels at hospitality, not letting endless acclaim harden into an ego trip.

Chef of the Year: Robbie Nowlin — Allora, Arrosta
Casual San Antonio offers scant opportunities to dress up, so we’ll give you a reason to wear a jacket. Though no jackets are required, Arrosta’s offerings invite one to be a little more buttoned up. Nowlin’s Reggis Ova caviar is the most luxurious dish in town, even if it’s served on a humble fried dumpling. Even the fried potatoes are so gorgeously presented that they demand some decorum. Can’t imagine wearing hard pants? Waltz next door to Arrosta to experience the chef’s prodigious fare in a much more casual setting.

Bar of the Year: Amor Eterno
It's there in the name. This Southtown lounge delivers everlasting romance courtesy of velvet curtains, fuchsia lighting, and orchids languishing on the edge of coupes. The atmosphere gets a little steamier after a couple Bella Noche shots. Suddenly, disco thumps through the speakers, inamoratos file in, and the back booth becomes the most inviting spot in Alamo City.

Best Brewery: Künstler Brewing
The owners of this Southtown hot spot, Vera and Brent Deckard, are exceedingly well-traveled, a fact that informs their magpie approach to beer. The descriptions read like a travelogue — taking drinkers from San Diego beaches to Ecuadorean farms to hikes near Aschau, Germany. The flavors are equally international. Head brewer Vera works in dozens of styles, using her sharp palate to deliver inventive creations like a matcha milkshake IPA and a briny oyster stout.

Neighborhood Restaurant: The Magpie
This newly expanded East Side bistro is hard to describe. Chef Jungsuk “Sue” Kim doesn’t let genre hold her back, dishing out Korean specialties like dak galbi and Italian rabbit ragu. The wine list has an equally well-stamped passport, exploring traditional and low-intervention winemaking in equal measure. The Magpie doesn’t need to be easily categorized to make an impact. Guests happily gobble up whatever comes into the nest.

Pastry Chef: Sofia Tejeda — Hotel Emma
An alum of Mixtli and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, Tejeda was the first San Antonian to be nominated as “Outstanding Pastry Chef” by the James Beard Foundation. It’s easy to see why. Her dishes combine cultural specificity (see the German and Mexican influences) with a luxury fitting of the boutique hotel. We think Emma Koehler — the property's namesake — would be proud.

Wildcard: Best Burger — Last Place Burger
Maybe owner Mark Villareal stumbled upon a djinn. It seems impossible that five simple ingredients could produce so much flavor. We do know that one of our three wishes would be a never-ending supply of this food truck's astoundingly great OG burger.

Photo by TX Troublemaker

Bar of the year: Amor Eterno

Photo courtesy of Maverick Restaurant Group

Southtown brasserie says bonjour to roots French cooking and new chef team

BON APPÉTIT

After weathering the pandemic and construction from the new Rosario's, a Southtown restaurant is hitting rewind. Maverick Texas Brasserie is returning to its Alsatian roots with a new chef team and an emphasis on live-fire cooking.

"It's like Maverick 2.0," said hospitality director Brannon Swindle via a release. "We're going back to the 'make your own rules' dining experience we had when we first opened our doors."

Executive chef Robbie Nowlin will be leading the charge. Already helming the kitchens at the Maverick Group's Arrosta and Allora, the Tastemaker Awards-nominated chef will draw on techniques learned throughout his career. The CV includes mentorship by local notables Damien Watel and Jason Dady and a stint at the world-famous French Laundry.

Culinary Institute of America grad Esteban Valdez will add even more talent. Valdez began his culinary career alongside Nowlin at The Lodge under Dady. After three years at Michelin Star restaurants in New York, Valdez has returned to San Antonio with a French-focused style.

The pair will refine the menu to focus on classic brasserie cooking. Although the restaurant never shifted too radically from its French DNA, it was less focused during the height of Covid-19. Though best-sellers like gougères remained on the menu, they were joined by dishes like Hamachi sashimi.

That's not to say that fans will have to say goodbye to some of their favorite dishes. Entrees like schnitzel and steak frites will have pride of place on the menu, along with brasserie standards like tartare, escargot, and decadent seafood towers.
"Bistro and brasserie cooking as a whole are super approachable for guests, but also a way for a chef to showcase his technique without being pretentious," shares Nowlin.

"I'm excited to see this French inspiration coming back," Valdez agrees. "It's a gradual shift to the unique experience that Maverick was known for."

Photo courtesy of Maverick Restaurant Group

Maverick Texas Brasserie is returning to its French roots.

Courtesy of Sangria on the Burg

The 9 top chefs defining San Antonio's restaurant scene

MEET THE TASTEMAKERS

If you ask us, there’s a reason why San Antonio keeps getting so much buzz. Our culinary scene is overfilled with talent. Any number of pros could have been nominated for Chef of the Year. We wish we could write valentines to all of them.

But that’s how awards go, so we’ve whittled down the contenders to nine finalists. Read about them all below, then join us for a lavish tasting event and awards ceremony held on May 18 at the Briscoe Museum.

Ceasar Zepeda - Sangria on the Burg
Born in a tiny South Texas town, Zepeda knows the value of community. He is often the first to sign up for a nonprofit fundraiser and is always eager to lend a hand to chefs in need. That spirit shows up in his food too. He’s much more concerned with feeding guests good food than impressing them with artfully placed micro greens. Still, though dishes like a crab cake salad and chicken verde tacos may be accessible, his flavor finesse makes them new.

Diego Galicia & Rico Torres – Mixtli
The Nahuatl word “mixtli” translates to “cloud” in English, a tidy summation of this dynamic duo’s approach. Their constantly changing menus drift overhead to explore the myriad culinary traditions of Mexico. Sometimes the weather can be stormy — as in the current Guatemalan-inspired prawn dish with moody chocolate chile. Sometimes, it’s clear skies with a lemongrass yogurt and passion fruit helado.

Jesse Kuykendall- Milpa, Ocho
Arguably San Antonio’s hardest-working chef, “Chef Kirk” runs two eateries simultaneously while still finding time to be a UNESCO chef ambassador. Oh, and they absolutely destroyed the competition on an episode of Chopped. Somehow, they still find time for innovation, always finding new interpretations of their other’s South Texas fare. Their sweetbread taco, garnished with a tangle of pickled onion, has already entered San Antonio’s pantheon.

John Russ – Clementine
It takes no small amount of chutzpah to showcase thinly sliced raw white mushrooms as a signature dish of an upscale eatery, but such is the confidence of this New Orleans-raised chef. Sure, Russ can spatchcock a chicken and whip up cavatelli in a flash, but his cooking is at its best when the produce is unadorned. It’s an ethos shared with his wife Elise, the restaurant’s playful pastry chef — and an integral part of why the Castle Hill’s eatery always winds up on “best of” lists.

Johnny Hernandez - La Gloria
Call him Mr. San Antonio. The city’s culinary scene wouldn’t be half as developed without Hernandez’s hefty investment. Not only does he help some of the buzziest hot spots in town (Burgerteca and The Fruteria are also under his umbrellas), but he also founded one of Alamo City’s most enduring food festivals — the must-attend Paella Challenge. And he is providing for the future, too, through his Kitchen Campus nonprofit for aspiring culinarians.

Leo Davila - Stixs & Stone
Davila may not have won 2022’s Big Restaurant Bet, but we would be glad to wager on him anyway. The chef’s Latin-Asian fare is everything we crave for a weeknight dinner. One of the city’s least pretentious chefs, he views food with a much-needed wink. Consider the Big Red and barbacoa taco flight. It has chef-y accompaniments like pickled watermelon rind and chile de arbol salsa. But the tortilla and a partnering jam are made with San Antonio’s most puro soda.

Robbie Nowlin - Allora, Arrosta
Casual San Antonio offers scant opportunities to dress up, so we’ll give you a reason to wear a jacket. Though no jackets are required, Arrosta’s offerings invite one to be a little more buttoned up. Nowlin’s Reggis Ova caviar is the most luxurious dish in town, even if it’s served on a humble fried dumpling. Even the fried potatoes are so gorgeously presented that they demand some decorum. Can’t imagine wearing hard pants? Waltz next door to Arrosta to experience the chef’s prodigious fare in a much more casual setting.

Stefan Bowers – Rebelle
First, let’s pour one out for Playland Pizza, Bower’s much-missed triumph downtown. Thank goodness his cuisine is still ringing loud and clear at Rebelle. The St. Anthony Hotel restaurant is simply the spot for seafood in San Antonio. Much of it is informed by the hallowed traditions of New Orleans — from blackened redfish with a crab-jalapeño maque choux to char-grilled Gulf oysters. But he’s too talented to go fully doctrinaire. The cioppino is an absolute stunner.

Steve McHugh - Cured, Landrace
The Susan Lucci of San Antonio’s culinary scene, McHugh has been nominated for more James Beard Awards than we can count. Local diners already devour his charcuterie at Cured and Texas regional fare at Landrace. So, we’ll say this: give the man the damn medal already.

Courtesy of Sangria on the Burg

Chef of the year: Ceasar Zepeda.

Bar House/Instagram

6 things to know about San Antonio food right now: Schertz watering hole slides into second location

NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Editor’s note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio’s restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings and closings

TDLR records also spilled the beans that Schertz watering hole Bar House is spiffing up a building at 820 N. Alamo for a new location. Construction is set to begin in July and wrap up in early 2024.

While Fiesta crowds were busy reveling in the streets, downtown eatery Bunz Handcrafted Burger was hard at work opening a second location. In an Instagram announcement in partnership with local influencer Chris Flores (aka Eat Migos), the shop revealed its April 24 debut at 6819 N. Loop 1604 W. The featured bite was, what else, a chicken on a stick burger.

Other news and notes

Sari-Sari Supper Club restaurateur Camille De Los Reyes is bringing back last year’s passport program celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the city's AAPI culinary community. The booklets — available for download online or at any participating restaurant — give guests a 10-percent discount at some of San Antonio’s best eateries, including Sichuan House, Za’atar Lebanese Grill, Singhs, and Best Quality Daughter.

R+ R Collective Co. will also be making the month more delicious with a pop-up event dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander vendors. Held noon- 4 pm on May 6, Tastea Market will feature food stands from Happea Vegans, Pinay Bake Shop, Ooyoo Pan, and Mon Bon Delight, plus wares from Transcendental Creative and Archival Goods.

Wizarding fans can break out their wands for a pop dinner on May 8 at 1917 Restaurant and Bar. 1917 chef Hector Rojas and Hell’s Kitchen alum Mary Lou Davis will dazzle guests with blue scallop crudo, beef Wellington, and a treacle tart served with butterbeer. Guests can also order magical cocktails and cosplay for a chance to win door prizes. We would love to see an all-too-fitting mash-up of J.K. Rowling and Dolores Umbridge.

Pearl eatery Ladino is getting into the happy hour game. Along with its usual assortment of refreshers, the restaurant will introduce a frozen Raki lemonade, available only during the social hour. Deals include $5 off select wines and all cocktails, $2 off beer, and specials on small bites, including hummus, muhammara, saganaki, and chicken wing kebab. Hours are 5-6:30 pm on weekdays.

Sichuan House/ Facebook

The top 10 neighborhood restaurants in San Antonio serve the soul of the city

MEET THE TASTEMAKERS

Neighborhood restaurants are not merely places to eat; they become essential parts of their patron’s personal stories. Within their walls, romantic entanglements are formed, promotions are announced, and heartbreaks are drowned at the bottom of a cocktail. In a frantic fast-food world, they have the patience to create memories.

That unassuming work often goes unsung. That’s we annually honor the Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year as part of the prestigious CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. But before we reveal the winner at our highly anticipated event at the Briscoe Museum on May 18, we want to take a moment to celebrate all the nominated restaurants. It takes magic to provide a home away from home. Buy tickets now before they sell out.

Attaboy
It’s often said that San Antonio is the smallest big city in America. This tiny St. Mary’s strip dynamo proves it. A personal project for chef-owner Chris Cullum, it also speaks to a shared local experience. The dishes call back to Alamo City restaurants of yore and the largesse of everyday indulgence. The dining room crowds guests in to form friendships over a perfect omelet.

Barbaro
Though a neighborhood restaurant can be hard to define, it absolutely must pass the slump test. Flop into one of the booths at this Monte Vista eatery and order a canned Lambrusco and a carbonara pie. Or chase the Sunday Scaries away with the “keep it coming” Bloody Mary bar. We’re willing to bet that your shoulders will drop, your back will relax, and you’ll settle in for the long haul.

Bar Loretta
On paper, this Southtown haunt seems suited for special occasions. Indeed, more than a few locals have celebrated milestones with a smokey Birthday Manhattan. As the night draws on, however, the spot grows more familiar. Service industry types stream in from nearby bars and restaurants. The light dims as the conversation hits full roar. Yes, dozens of San Antonio bars host post-work parties. Only Loretta serves immaculate steak frites until 1 am.

Clementine
Most neighborhood favorites eschew innovation for comfort, filling the menu with standbys like burgers or simple steaks. This Castle Hill jewel adds a little zest. Cavatelli is topped with broccoli top pesto, fried quail is dipped into the charred eggplant skin mayo, and crème brûlée awakens with coffee meringue. The menu is ingredient-driven, sure, but Clementine serves it with the unfussiness of a sidewalk café.

Comfort Café
Community is at the forefront of this Los Patios café. For those in recovery, it provides a stable workplace free from the pressures of the often toxic restaurant world. For those on a fixed income, it gives a pay-what-you-can model. For everyone else, it delivers on the promise of its name with a beautiful outdoor setting and simple sandwiches, salads, and egg dishes served with dozens of variations.

Il Forno
Michael Sohocki is known as one of San Antonio’s most statement-making chefs. His much-missed fine dining restaurant, Gwendolyn, famously operated without electric machines. But Southtown’s Il Forno has always been about ease. Yes, the produce is meticulously sourced from local farmers, and the meats are cured in-house. Still, the offerings are accessible, the wine list affordable, and the dessert menu is tidy with a single luscious chocolate mousse.

Sangria on the Burg
This Medical Center restaurant’s website says it all. Sangria on the Burg offers “craft sangria, margarita, and beer paired with sliders, tacos, and salads.” The aforementioned are flourished with ingredients like hand-pressed corn tortillas and pineapple cabbage slaw, but chef Ceasar Zepeda isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Sichuan House
Who says a neighborhood restaurant can’t also be a destination? This Northwest Side plays pied piper with Chinese classics like Sichuan green beans, Mala dry pots, and tea-smoked duck. Regulars know they should arrive with four or five best friends and order more than anyone could eat in one sitting. One shouldn’t miss out on the frenzy of flavors; besides, plenty of take-out containers are in stock.

Thai Dee
When this beloved Blanco Road eatery resumed dine-in service after a lengthy pandemic pause, it almost broke the internet. Floods of fans graffitied its Facebook page with rows of emoji hearts while followers busily tagged friends to plan a quick visit. That sort of rapture is usually reserved for celebrity baby bumps or NBA draft picks. Thai Dee does it in a stir of curry.

The Magpie
This newly expanded East Side bistro is hard to describe. Chef Jungsuk “Sue” Kim doesn’t let genre hold her back, dishing out Korean specialties like dak galbi and Italian rabbit ragu. The wine list has an equally well-stamped passport, exploring traditional and low-intervention winemaking in equal measure. The Magpie doesn’t need to be easily categorized to make an impact. Guests happily gobble up whatever comes into the nest.

Sichuan House/ Facebook

Neighborhood restaurant of the year: Sichuan House

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Property Showcase

Breathtaking Hill Country hideaway is lone Texas star on Vrbo's top 10 vacation homes in the U.S.

RIVERFRONT OASIS

A magnificently hidden home located just an hour and a half away from San Antonio has been chosen as one of Vrbo's "Vacation Homes of the Year" for 2023. It was the only Texas home chosen out hundreds of thousands of private residences on the vacation rental site.

The Vacation Homes of the Year showcases several popular homes throughout the country (with the occasional international spot) that range from "idyllic lakeside escapes to cozy mountain retreats and desert paradises." In all, two homes are based in California, and one each in Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, New York, Florida, South Carolina, Idaho, Colorado, and Mexico.

Texas' Hill Country Riverfront Hideaway is tucked away on five acres of land bordering the Pedernales River in Dripping Springs. The home spans 2,150 square feet with an open-concept living area, three spacious bedrooms, two lavish bathrooms, a modern chef's kitchen, fireplace, and a breathtaking wrap-around terrace.

Floor-to-ceiling windows complete the space, allowing guests to take in all of the tranquility the Hill Country has to offer. With the home's 430 feet of river access, visitors can enjoy escaping the city and relax into the views of the vast canyon below.

Dripping Springs Riverfront Hideaway Imagine a getaway to this Hill Country paradise. Photo courtesy of Vrbo

The property is within a half hour drive to many of the finest wineries, breweries, and must-see outdoor recreation spots in Dripping Springs. Fredericksburg is only an hour's drive west for those wanting to head deeper into the Hill Country, and downtown Austin is an hour's drive to the east.

The average nightly cost for the riverfront oasis is $475, making it an ideal destination for small groups, a family trip, or a couple's getaway.

Photo courtesy of Vrbo

The Hill Country Riverfront Hideaway was the only Texas home chosen on Vrbo's list.

Expedia Brands president Jon Gieselman shared in a press release that there were plenty of eye-catching homes to wade through for the report.

"This year’s Vacation Homes of the Year range from an urban oasis and a cozy ranch home under $400 a night to a beachfront estate that can sleep the whole family and more," said Gieselman. "Every single Vacation Home of the Year has a beautiful view, and combined boast seven private pools and fire pits, eight hot tubs and even five putting greens."

The full list of Vrbo's 2023 Vacation Homes of the Year are:

No. 1 – The Oasis Estate in Palm Springs, California
No. 2 – The Happy Roadrunner in Phoenix, Arizona
No. 3 – The Chasestone in Lake Norman, North Carolina
No. 4 – The Contemporary Gem in Manzanita, Oregon
No. 5 – Ocean View Oasis in Montauk, New York
No. 6 – The Riverfront Hideaway in Dripping Springs, Texas
No. 7 – 30A My Way in Rosemary Beach, Florida
No. 8 – Port of Call in Isle of Palms, South Carolina
No. 9 – Salmonfly Lodge in Victor, Idaho
No. 10 – Trestle House in Winter Park, Colorado
No. 11 – Villa Luna Nueva in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

More information about Vrbo's 2023 Vacation Homes of the Year can be found on their website.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus navigates marriage pitfalls in You Hurt My Feelings

Movie Review

Anybody who’s been married or in a long-term relationship knows that it’s almost impossible to be completely honest with his or her partner. There are always going to be moments – whether for the sake of expediency, in a show of support, or other reasons – when one person withholds their true opinion so as not to hurt the other person’s feelings.

That idea is the central tension point of You Hurt My Feelings, which follows Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a writer/teacher, and her husband, Don (Tobias Menzies), a therapist. Beth is in the middle of trying to get her first fiction book published, a process that is causing her unceasing anxiety. Don sees a series of patients, including a constantly-bickering couple (played by real-life husband and wife David Cross and Amber Tamblyn), and a few lapses cause him to question his commitment to the profession.

When Beth and her sister, Sarah (Michaela Watkins), accidentally overhear Don telling his brother-in-law, Mark (Arian Moayed), that he doesn’t like Sarah’s new book and is exhausted having to tell her otherwise, it sends Beth into an emotional spiral. The aftermath winds up pulling in not just the two couples, but also Beth and Don’s son, Eliot (Owen Teague), dredging up feelings that all of them normally try to keep hidden.

Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, the film is a funny and genuine look at how even the best couples can run into pitfalls. By most measures, Beth and Don get along fantastically well, supporting each other unwaveringly and showing their love in a variety of ways. When the story puts them at odds with each other, there’s never a question that they belong together, as even their arguments are tinged with exasperation instead of anger.

Holofcener complements the story of Beth and Don with a nice variety of side plots, including Eliot trying to start his own writing career while working at a weed store; Beth and Sarah’s mom, Georgia (Jeannie Berlin), offering up support and criticism in equal measures; and more. Don’s patients and Beth’s students offer an opportunity to expand the two characters’ personalities outside of their marriage while also adding a few other funny roles.

While perhaps not the most insightful film about marriage that’s ever been made, it is still highly enjoyable thanks to Holofcener’s writing and the strong performances. Filmed in New York City, the particular feel of that urban landscape and the way it affects the lives of the characters also plays a big part in the success of the film.

Louis-Dreyfus, as always, is a delight to watch. A kind of spiritual sequel to her previous collaboration with Holofcener, 2013’s Enough Said, the film gives her plenty of room to show off both her comedic and dramatic skills. Menzies makes for a steady presence, showing good chemistry with Louis-Dreyfus and a preternatural calm in therapy sessions. Watkins, Moayed, Teague, and Berlin all fit in seamlessly.

You Hurt My Feelings is not a world-changing kind of movie, but rather a solidly-told story about how relationships can be complicated. With actors who are easy to like and Holofcener’s reliably great filmmaking, it’s a movie for adults that’s nice counter-programming to the glut of summer blockbusters.

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You Hurt My Feelings is now playing in theaters.

Photo courtesy of A24

Tobias Menzies and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in You Hurt My Feelings.

7 San Antonio icons star in new Texas Monthly book documenting most influential Texans of last 50 years

LONE STARS RISING

Texas Monthly's editors have released the next book for reading list queues. To commemorate the publication's 50th anniversary, they've collected and bound the stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans that have shaped our great state and the country over the past 50 years. And seven San Antonio megastars have made it on the roster.

Lone Stars Risingis Texas Monthly's third book, created in collaboration with Harper Wave Books. Among the book's 256 pages are not just the rich histories and commentaries about our most recognizable Texas legends, but a few "lesser-known individuals who have been toiling on the sidelines, quietly and intentionally shaping" our perception of our vast and great state.

The seven Alamo City idols that made it into the book include business magnates, legendary musicians, inspirational activists and artists.

Selena Quintanilla, the Queen of Tejano who opened her second boutique in San Antonio
George Strait, the King of Country
Charles Butt, CEO, Chairman, and heir of H-E-B
Sandra Cisneros, nationally-recognized author and founder of San Antonio's Macondo Foundation and the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Foundation
Willie Velásquez, social activist who founded the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project
Gloria Anzaldúa, author, poet, scholar, and feminist
Robert Rodriguez, the filmmaker behind the Spy Kids and Machete movies

Selena Facebook

Selena Quintanilla leads the list of San Antonio icons.

Lone Stars Rising will be available for purchase on June 6. More information about the book can be found on texasmonthly.com.

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