'Scuba Claus' takes a dive to greet visitors at Sea Life San Antonio Aquarium

Move over, merfolk

Photo courtesy of Sea Life San Antonio Aquarium

Sliding down the chimney is so 18th century. While North Pole Santa is busy preparing for the big day the traditional way, Scuba Claus and some of the elves are making waves at Sea Life San Antonio Aquarium.

This aquarium invites visitors into a clear underwater tunnel in a tank with a 20-foot depth, allowing for an extra-immersive experience. Scuba divers regularly enter for cleaning, alongside mermaids, whose more leisurely underwater time is spent interacting with guests through the glass in iridescent costumes.

Scuba Claus, who wears his beard and red suit in all conditions, even when scuba goggles are involved, has a deceptive amount of holiday business to take care of, so he’ll only be at the aquarium on December 17, 18, and 24 at 1 pm.

There’s plenty of other special attractions during the holiday season, including holiday lights along the tanks; an interactive, themed tank decorating experience; and letter-writing to Sharky, who will swim them up to the North Pole.

A day at the Sea Life aquarium isn’t complete without a visit to the touch-friendly rock pool (the only place it’s fun to touch something “sticky” underwater) and a visit with the five types of stingray, and an exploration of the seahorse nursery. There are also jellyfish, sea turtles, and six-foot eels, alongside the many fish, both fresh and saltwater.

Visitors are welcome to wander the aquarium on their own, or check for feeding and demonstration schedules at visitsealife.com. The Ocean Tunnel, where Scuba Claus will appear, is acceptable to any ticket holder (starting at $19.99 for locals).

Photo courtesy of George W. Bush Presidential Center

New exhibit at Texas museum reveals laughing matters at the White House

Liberty & Laughter

Most of the time, the White House is no joke. But an off-beat new exhibit opening at the George W. Bush Presidential Center reveals the pranks, quips, and humorous happenings that have lightened the mood in the Oval Office throughout history. “Liberty & Laughter: The Lighter Side of the White House ” opens Thursday, March 3 and runs through December 31 at the museum on the SMU campus in Dallas.

The special exhibit promises entertaining first-family anecdotes, interactive multimedia, and amusing artifacts that will unveil presidential pranks and inside jokes, “while awards to the wittiest, quippiest, most mischievous president and first lady will grace the pursuit of happiness walk,” says a press release.

“‘Liberty & Laughter’ shows the importance of humor in a democracy,” says museum director Brig. Gen. Patrick X. Mordente in the release. “We are free to express our thoughts about our leaders in many ways — sometimes as cartoon caricatures. This exhibit reminds us that our presidents are real people with a sense of humor that helped them in their important job of leading our country.”

(To be clear, the exhibit covers more than “Dubya’s” White House, although God bless ’em if the word “strategery” appears somewhere.)

Among the jocular historical documents, photographs, and artifacts on display will be:

First lady correspondence with actors and personalities like Mary Tyler Moore and Marge Simpson.
President Ronald Reagan’s joke notecards.
President Bill Clinton’s sunglasses from The Arsenio Hall Show, and one of his many saxophones.
A hand-written humorous verse President Franklin D. Roosevelt composed to the three press associations.

“Visitors will experience humor through cartoons and caricatures, learn the savvy ways presidents have added levity to debates and interactions with the press, and laugh their way through a presidential talent show,” the release says. “A lively mirth-matching quiz will adorn one gallery while another will offer the chance to copycat famous presidential impersonators.”

Throughout the exhibit, organizers say, there will be reminders from the likes of President George Washington, who once said, “It is assuredly better to go laughing than crying thro’ the rough journey of life.”

More information and tickets, which include access to the museum’s permanent exhibit, are available here.

A new exhibit explores the lighter side of the White House.

Photo courtesy of George W. Bush Presidential Center

A new exhibit explores the lighter side of the White House.

Courtesy of Whataburger

Whataburger ‘sleighs’ the season with new ugly sweater and more holiday gear

Winter Whataburger Land

The holiday season is upon us. And you know what that means in the Lone Star State: decking the halls, visits with Santa, dashing through no snow, and — oh, yeah — the annual release of some of the cheesiest Christmas garb in all of Texas.

That’s right, it’s time to “sleigh” the season by beefing up your wardrobe with some Whataburger finery. The San Antonio-based burger chain has plenty of new and classic holiday offerings Whataburger fans will relish this year and for Yuletides to come.

If it’s an ugly holiday sweater you’re craving, the fast-food company’s new design — featuring a snowy Christmas Eve scene at Whataburger, complete with Santa and his reindeer — is sure to jingle your bells. Make it a combo by adding the matching beanie and new holiday socks to stay cozy during the most wonderful time of the year.

Also new this season: pajama sets in sizes for the whole family and bedecked with a diamond flying W design. After all, as Whataburger notes, “the jolly man on Christmas night loves families in orange and white.”

And the 2021 collectible ornament, a signature orange vintage pickup truck hauling — what else? — Whataburger fries will help make the season bright and perhaps a little salty.

The company will also gift fans with additional product drops throughout the season, including more pajama sets and beanies, though the online Whatastore, where all seasonal items can be purchased, already boasts an abundance of holiday wares, from the clever “All I want for Christmas is Whataburger” T-shirt and the classic Whataburger A-frame snow globe to 7-foot inflatable Santa and snowman yard decorations, and even Christmas-themed Whataburger table tents.

Of course, Whataburger-branded apparel and gifts are nothing new for the brand, which has long offered a meaty line for the fashion-forward fan, including a flurry of strangely appealing holiday wear.

Visit the Whatastore to get more info and to check out the full line of holiday offerings.

The new holiday sweater will have you dreaming of a Whataburger Christmas.

Courtesy of Whataburger

The new holiday sweater will have you dreaming of a Whataburger Christmas.

The Masked Singer FOX/Facebook

The Masked Singer reveals San Antonio show as part of epic national tour

Costume drama

Alamo City will soon play host to a touring version of America’s favorite song-and-dance reality show.

The Masked Singer, the Fox series guessing-game competition that features costumed celebrities belting out their best (and sometimes worst) renditions of popular songs, will take to the stage at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio on July 12, 2022 as part of a national tour.

Tickets for the San Antonio show go on sale to the public Wednesday, November 3 at 7 pm through the Tobin Center website. VIP packages are available now through VIPNation.com and include meet-and-greet opportunities with the cast, exclusive merch, and photo opportunities.

Fans of the TV show can expect much of the same zaniness during the live performance, which will include some recognizable characters from the TV series brought to life onstage alongside “surprise celebrity guests,” according to a release.

Celebrity guest hosts from the TV show, who will be announced closer to performance dates, will join one “local celebrity” at every show, with that VIP performing in a top-secret disguise.

The San Antonio audience will then try to decipher clues to guess the local celebrity’s identity until the he or she is unmasked at the end of the night’s festivities, with producers promising “an incredible production of song, dance, and craziness that only The Masked Singer could deliver.”

The tour is presented by Right Angle Entertainment — which has made a killing touring with live versions of popular TV series, including Price is Right Live — and producers Guy Phillips and Mark Swanhart, the minds behind Dancing with the Stars: Live!, The Bachelor Live on Stage, and the Simone Biles-led Gold Over America Tour, which canceled its San Antonio engagement this fall.

With the following The Masked Singer showhas amassed (it’s currently the No. 1 primetime series, averaging 7.9 million viewers across multiple platforms), it was likely only a matter of time before these producers took the show on the road.

The Masked Singer national tour kicks off in St. Louis on May 28, 2022. In addition to the San Antonio engagement on July 12, the tour will also make Texas stops in Austin on July 13, Sugar Land on July 14, and Grand Prairie on July 15.

Upstage Comedy Lounge/Instagram

New comedy club from San Antonio all-stars brings the laughs to Alamo City

Funny Business

A new San Antonio business from two local entertainers is giving comedy lovers plenty of reasons to laugh out loud.

Upstage Comedy Lounge, located at 4441 Walzem Rd., is billed as a “fresh look and location for live entertainment,” that will feature comedy shows every weekend, nationally touring comedians, an open-mic night every Wednesday, event-rental space, and, yes, even those dang funny defensive-driving classes.

Owned by DJ Double K and comedian B Smitty, the new San Antonio comedy club will host its soft opening events Friday, September 10, featuring headlining stand-up comedian Raul Sanchez and Josh Cabaza, and Saturday, September 11, featuring headlining comedian Clifton Simmons and Glo Armmer.

Both shows start at 8 pm, and tickets ranging from single seats to four-top tables and preferred seating areas are available online.

Check out other upcoming performances on the Upstage calendar here.

And in accordance with the notion that you can’t run a successful comedy club unless patrons have the chance to snort drinks out of their noses mid-guffaw, Upstage offers plenty of sips and bites befitting a funny factory.

Signature drinks include the rum-based Punchline, the bourbon-forward Sour Puss, and the tequila-fueled Take My Wife, and grace the beverage menu alongside margaritas, mimosas, spirits, beer, and soft drinks. Nibbles include a smattering of wings, fries, and nachos.

As they say at Upstage, “Traffic tickets aren’t funny. However, getting them dismissed can be hilarious.” And San Antonio speed demons in search of a car insurance discount and ticket dismissal will delight in Upstage’s Driving Safety course hosted by B Smitty, which includes free lunch and free comedy tickets, and is also available in a virtual version.

For more info about Upstage Comedy Lounge and upcoming performances, follow the club on Instagram.

EVO Entertainment Group/Facebook

New 10-acre paintball park blasts into San Antonio suburb

Got ya!

In a bid to develop more contact-free activities, EVO Entertainment may have hit a bullseye. The Texas-based movie chain announced it is adding a 10-acre paintball and airsoft park to its Schertz location.

Set to open in November, the new course is a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for more activities that take place outdoors and allow people to socially distance from one another.

“With the limitations we continue to face during the pandemic, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to get creative and offer something we’ve never done before,” said EVO Entertainment Group CEO Mitch Roberts. “With the addition of our non-contact paintball and airsoft course, we can now offer our guests a new option for outdoor entertainment while still safely practicing social distancing.”

The new course is divided into two sections: The Forests and The Fields. The Forests section is made up of three woodsball courses. This type of course creates a more "natural" environment for players, so they can shoot from behind trees and logs, etc.

The Fields section includes two speedball courses, which give both teams a similar course — ie, a level playing "field." Each expanse is also populated with bunkers and other hidey-holes to help players spring the ultimate paintball attack.

Players will be required to undergo a health and safety check before taking part, notes a release, and EVO will sanitize equipment after each use.

Though an exact date has yet to be announced, EVO says the new 10-acre attraction should be open in late November.

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A Night in Old San Antonio returns to enchant locals this April, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. A Night in Old San Antonio returns to enchant locals with new food and fun this April. This beloved celebration of Alamo City’s rich cultural heritage will be held April 25- 28, offering revelers food, live music, and Fiesta souvenirs.

2. Splash, spin, and swing into San Antonio's best spring activities for the whole family. Sure, Spring Break is coming to an end, but several of our spring activity picks can keep the family entertained throughout the year.

3. Southern Living names Texas Hill Country hot spot a top Southern small town. The magazine dubbed Fredericksburg the No. 4 best Southern small town, but of course, it will always be No. 1 in our hearts.

4. Riverdance stomps into San Antonio for limited summer run. The spectacular touring production is heading to the Majestic Theatre for its 25th-anniversary tour.

5. Cirque du Soleil swings back to San Antonio for first big top show. Cirque du Soleil's BAZZAR is making its Southwest debut in San Antonio this year.

San Antonio rent prices increased 7 percent from 2022, report finds

RENT'S DUE

Apartment rent keeps going up in Texas, and in San Antonio the increase is seven percent more than last year, making it more difficult to afford living in the city. That’s according to a new national rent report from online rental marketplace Zumper.

Despite rent increases showing small improvements month-over-month, overall prices are still on the high side from the previous year. For example, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in San Antonio is $1,430 now, in March of 2023, which is a 1.4 percent decrease from the previous month, but a 4.4 percent increase from 2022. The average rent for a one-bedroom is $1,160, which is a mere .90 percent increase month-over-month, but a whopping 7.4 percent increase from last year.

The report looked at rental data from more than one million active listings in the top 100 cities in the United States to determine the rankings. Zumper ranked San Antonio the No. 66 most expensive rental market across the nation in February of 2023, up three places from the last report.

The report attributes these recent rental increase trends to the nation's rising inflation rate and unpredictable economy. Though unemployment is low (less than 3.4 percent), potential homebuyers are being sidelined with increasing interest rates. This is causing more competition among renters all over the country.

“Many markets continue to either normalize or correct following the steep increases in rent seen in 2021 [and 2022] in the zero interest rate [and] QE environment we went through,” said Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades in the report. “With interest rates expected to rise further in 2023, we anticipate continued deceleration in rent rises as new household formation freezes or is at least postponed.”

Much higher up the list from San Antonio is its Central Texas neighbor Austin, coming in as the No. 25 most expensive rental market, which is a two-place increase from a previous report. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment stayed relatively flat over the last month, at $1,670, yet is still 7.7 percent higher than it was last year. Two-bedroom apartments saw a higher year-over-year increase at 8.4 percent, with the average rent price at $2,070.

Several cities in the DFW metro area also made the list, as well as Houston (No. 51) and El Paso (No. 95). Most notably, Irving (No. 34) is experiencing a nearly 15 percent year-over-year rent increase for both one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The nine total Texas cities that made the list include:

No. 25 – Austin
No. 34 – Irving
No. 36 – Dallas
No. 40 – Plano
No. 51 – Houston
No. 55 – Fort Worth
No. 66 – San Antonio
No. 67 – Arlington
No. 95 – El Paso

The full data from Zumper’s National Rent Report can be found at zumper.com.

Crafting the perfect sip-and-stay vacay in Lubbock

Bottoms Up

Did you know that around 80 percent of all grapes sourced by Texas wineries come from the High Plains AVA in West Texas? Or that Lubbock has its own signature cocktail? The city's craft beer scene has also exploded in the past five years.

All of this means that the West Texas city is now bubbling up with ideas for a refreshing getaway, whether you're a hophead, oenophile, or even a mocktail maven.

Curious to taste these bevvies for yourself? Here's what's brewing in Lubbock:

Cheers for beers

Two Docs Brewing Co.: The double doctors in the brewery's name are Dr. Eric Cunningham (a veterinarian) and Dr. Tyson Purdy (a family medicine practitioner), cousins who took their love of beer public in 2019. Located in the Cultural District, the environmentally-conscious brewery is known for its Buddy Hoppy IPA, Lubbock Light lager, and Two Docs Bock.

The Brewery LBK: USA Today crowned this newish brewery the Top Brewpub in the Nation, and it's a title head brewmaster Sally Taylor and general manager Mike Nghiem don't take lightly. The beers are a mix of classic profiles and inventive flavors, with plenty of seasonal rotations and nods to Hub City. Try the Low Hanging Fruit, made with Albarino grapes from the local Veesart Vineyards. Wine on the nose with flavors of bright citrus complement a wheat and barley backbone with farmhouse ale notes.

Good Line Beer Co.: What began as a true garage start-up is now a celebrated brewery in the historic Tech Terrace neighborhood, putting out brews with whimsical names like Catastrophe Girlfriend (a raspberry weisse), Range Life (a pilsner), and Bitter Buffalo (an IPA). Owners Chris Troutman and Shawn Phillips are heavy on community, with local artist Dirk Fowler creating the label designs.

Wine time

Syrah is one of the key grape varieties grown here, alongside Tempranillo and Grenache — two other varieties known to perform well in warm, dry climates like the Texas High Plains AVA. White grapes are also grown, but to a much lesser extent, mostly from Viognier, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc..

Seek out your next favorite glass (or bottle!) at Bolen Winery Vineyards, Burklee Hill Vineyards, English Newsom Cellars, McPherson Cellars, La Diosa Cellars, and Llano Estacado Winery, the second-oldest winery in the state. Adelphos Cellars will also open soon, inviting Lubbock into the city's newest winery, tasting room, and event venue.

The famous Lubbock Chilton

Called "a cocktail as bright and pure as the West Texas sun" by Texas Monthly, the Chilton is a refreshing cocktail comprised of vodka, fresh lemon juice, bubbly water, and a salted rim. The story goes that years ago, a parched Dr. Chilton instructed a bartender at the Lubbock Country Club to mix these ingredients together, and a signature sip was born.

You'll spot the Chilton all around town, with variations that range from fruity to spicy and even as the inspiration for a few seasonal beers. Here's a primer if you're not sure where to start.

Zero-proof pours

Alcohol isn't required for a great drink — just ask The West Table Kitchen and Bar and The Nicolett.

Everyone is included in the toast at The West Table with offerings such as the tropical Riki Tiki and "gin" rambler Baby Blue, among others. Each libation feels even more elegant thanks to the restaurant's location within the historic Pioneer Building in downtown Lubbock.

Photo courtesy of Visit Lubbock

Two Docs Brewing Co. was actually founded by two doctors.

At The Nicolett, 2022 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas and owner of The Nicolett, Finn Walter incorporated several non-alcoholic beverages into his cocktail menu to serve a craft experience for all to savor. From the botanical Garden Gimlet to the sweet-tart I Love Yuzu, each showcases an alcohol alternative in the ingredients list.

Where to rest your head

Stow your suitcase at the newly opened Aloft hotel, or check into an Airbnb managed by Home on the Range LBK, which owns four beautifully decorated properties all near Texas Tech University.

Looking forward

In the coming months, Lubbock will see the debut of Milestones Park and a new Dave & Busters. Even if you've visited before, there's always more to discover in Hub City — plan your next visit now.

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