City of San Antonio World Heritage Office presents Viva Poesía: Palabras, Música, y Cultura

Photo courtesy of City of San Antonio World Heritage Office

The City of San Antonio World Heritage Office will present the official kick-off of National Poetry Month in the city at the 9th annual Viva Poesía: Palabras, Musica, y Cultura. The event will feature performances from present and past poets laureate, live music, visual arts, and more.

This year's theme is "For Reels! A Poetic Tribute to the Movies," in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the historic Mission Drive-In. With original pieces created specifically for this event, San Antonio's literary luminaries will sing in verse the cinematic magic and nostalgia of some of the films that have inspired people as human beings

Courtesy of the Witte Museum

7 scintillating ways to soak up the arts in San Antonio this month

State of the Arts

March brings some stellar exhibits to Alamo City with themes as varied as women and Latinx artists to dogs, dinosaurs, saints, and the Wild West. The Fronteriza project at Presa House focuses on women artists in Texas contemplating the U.S.-Mexico border through their art; “Alchemy” features Latin American artists demonstrating the magical process of transformation that occurs when art is created. Meanwhile, the Witte introduces viewers to the dinosaurs of the Antarctic, where 200 million years ago these Early Jurassic theropods thrived, while “Night of Artists” at the Briscoe celebrates cowboys. There's so much art to devour, so giddy up and get out there.

Ruiz-Healy Art

“Alchemy: Works on Paper” — Now through April 1
“Alchemy” features Latin American and Texas-based artists, and demonstrates the power of the brushstroke and the seemingly magical process of transformation that occurs in the creation of an artwork. The flexible quality of paper, and its two-dimensional constraints, is manipulated in this way to blur the realms of reality and fantasy. The immediacy of drawing, collage, and photograms find kinship with the multi-step techniques of printmaking and papermaking. In the case of Jesse Amado’s “Machine,” materials such as ink and graphite produce an elaborate three-dimensional drawing, while “A Bailar,” by Cisco Jimenez playfully uses collage to deconstruct the human body.

The Witte Museum

“Antarctic Dinosaurs” — Now through September 10
Visit Antarctica at the Witte: Now one of the most isolated and dangerous environments on Earth, Antarctica was a bountiful, forested habitat where dinosaurs thrived 200 million years ago. “Antarctic Dinosaurs” transports visitors back in time to discover the dinosaurs that ruled these now-fossilized forests. Explore the plants and animals that once flourished in the thick forests of Jurassic Antarctica, then part of the supercontinent Gondwanaland, and learn how the land drifted and changed to become the polar continent we know today. View fossils that reveal Antarctica’s past, alongside large-scale replicas of dinosaur species unique to the continent. Marvel at the 25-foot-long Cryolophosaurus, the largest and most complete Early Jurassic theropod in the world, and a new-to-science juvenile sauropodomorph.

AnArte Gallery

“Sergio Mata: Saint Anthony” — Now through March 30
On June 13, 1691, San Antonio was named after Saint Anthony, the Spanish version of the name. Sergio C Mata, a 31-year-old artist from San Antonio, creates modern colorful portraits of Saint Anthony with titles that reflect the color palette like, “Cantaloupe Anthony,” “Lavender Anthony,” and “Citrine Anthony.” The artist’s intention is that the Saint Anthony’s will “watch over those who live within his city,” Mata says in an artist statement. “My art project will hopefully show the entire world how San Antonio's belief in art and culture is above all miraculous.”

Blue Star Contemporary

“The Dog Show: Hiromi Stringer” — Now through June 4
Almost 30 years ago, Hiromi Stringer was inspired by seeing a Siberian Husky dog on a busy street in Bangkok, and this later informed his work in “Dog Show: Time Traveler Umeyama’s Drawings from the 21st Century.” Intertwined with the various dogs in the gouache and sumi ink on oriental paper paintings is the story of Umeyama, a mediocre scholar who time-travels to various times and places. His base point is the Japan of 170 years ago when the country was under government-enforced national isolation. “There are many parallels between him and myself,” Stringer shares in a statement, “but he is not my alter ego. I use him to see the world more objectively through his subjective view, yet some traces of my subjectivity are not denied in my works.”

Presa House Gallery

“Fronteriza: Aquí y Allá"— Now through April 15
The Fronteriza project focuses on women artists in Texas contemplating the U.S.-Mexico border through their art. The nine participating artists bring a different perspective from uniquely personal experiences depicted in various media and techniques, such as ceramics, fibers, textiles, painting, drawing, photography, video, and performance. As women, the collective approaches art and themes about the border collaboratively; the interconnectedness in their work includes aspects of the female perspective in family history, culture, place, and politics.

The McNay Art Museum

“Womanish: Audacious, Courageous, Willful Art” — Now through July 2
"Womanish” features artwork by women acquired by the McNay from 2010 to the present. The title of this exhibition is inspired by Alice Walker’s essay "Womanist," in which she defines womanish as “usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous or willful behavior.” By highlighting the wide variety of ways women express themselves through art, this exhibition aims to celebrate the term “womanish,” which is all too often considered derogatory. The work represented spans over 90 years and includes portraiture, abstraction, landscapes, and more.

Briscoe Western Art Museum

Courtesy of the Witte Museum

Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Witte Museum.

“2023 Night of Artists”— March 26 through May 7
This annual event allows the public to view and purchase over 270 new works of painting, sculpture, and mixed media by 80 of the country’s leading contemporary Western artists. The wide range of artworks reflect the vastness of the great American West: From scenic landscapes and inspired Native Americans, classic cowboys, and dazzling vaqueros, to stunning wildlife and detailed portraiture, “Night of Artists” has something for everyone enthralled with the Wild West.

Image courtesy of Centro Cultural Aztlan

Centro Cultural Aztlan presents "Mujeres de Aztlan: Rise, Speak, Act." opening reception

Centro Cultural Aztlan will present the 14^th annual Mujeres de Aztlan exhibition, titled "Mujeres de Aztlan: Rise, Speak, Act." Through this annual exhibition, Centro Cultural Aztlan aims to raise the visibility of women artists working to develop their careers and expand their artistic expressions.

This year’s exhibition and floricanto will focus on social issues facing women, including reproductive justice, working conditions, access, identity, and other relevant issues of today. We selected artwork that addresses women’s experiences, struggles, roles, and contributions as creators, supporters, change-makers, nurturers, and more. Artists are encouraged to express their unique perspectives on diverse social issues.

The Lead Artist for this exhibition is Sarah Shore. Other participating artists include Santa Barraza, Kim Bishop, Anel Flores, Angelica Gomez Mayorga, Norma Jean Moore, Gricelda C. Nill, Denise Perez, Lenise Perez-Miller, Savannah Rust, Sarah Sharp, Ethel Shipton, Monica Walker, Angela Weddle, and Liliana Wilson.

photo courtesy the artist

Clamp Light Studios and Gallery presents "If You Could Read My Mind" opening reception

"If You Could Read My Mind" is a two-city art exhibition exchange between Clamp Light Studios & Gallery, an artist-run studio and exhibition space based in San Antonio, and Box 13 Artspace, an artist-run studio and exhibition space in Houston.

While close to 200 miles separate the two artist groups, the common goal is to support their fellow artists and share their community’s creative output. The first phase of the exchange features works by Box13 Artspace artists at Clamp Light Studios & Gallery, curated by Bianca Alvarez. Phase two of the exchange features works by current and former Clamp Light resident artists at Box13 Artspace, curated by Rosa Ana Orlando.

"If You Could Read My Mind" features artworks from drawing to video, by 12 Houston-based artists that were produced during the height of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Although created in sequestered studio practices, the selected works collectively explore themes surrounding isolation, introspection, and identity through images of nature and organic or bodily references.

However, a tension is palpable. Where images of our physical world may conjure picturesque or idealized scenes; the presentation of these artworks subverts that notion to speak to the relationship between psychological and natural landscapes. Here, those theoretical borders blur to implore reflections on memory, purpose, and belonging, while emphasizing our own resilience when viewed within the context from which these artworks emerged.

Bianca Alvarez Artists include Peter Broz, Celia Butler, Joshua Caleb, Angel Castelán, Ahra Cho, Chelsea Clarke, Sandra de la Rosa, Kevin Lopez, Elias Lytton, Venessa Monokian, Sydney Parks and Charles VanMeter.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on view through April 8.

Photo courtesy of Tina Medina

Presa House Gallery presents "Aquí y Allá" opening reception

Presa House hosts Nuestra Artist Collective's second curation in their Fronteriza project, "Aquí y Allá." The exhibition features work by nine Texas-based women artists contemplating the U.S.-Mexico border.

Nuestra Artist Collective was founded in 2021 by Dallas-based artists Tina Medina, Karla García, and Eliana Miranda. Their mission is to support and create platforms that empower the voices of Xicana and Latina artists. Their inaugural curation, Fronteriza, was exhibited in October 2022 at Oak Cliff Cultural Center in Dallas.

The Fronteriza project focuses on women artists in Texas contemplating the U.S.-Mexico border through their art. The nine participating artists include Michelle Cortez Gonzales, Melissa Gámez-Herrera, Karla García, Sara Herrera, Tina Medina, Analise Minjarez, Eliana Miranda, Tesa Morin, and Lupita Murillo Tinnen. Each artist brings a different perspective from uniquely personal experiences depicted in various media and techniques, such as ceramics, fibers, textiles, painting, drawing, photography, video, and performance.

The exhibition will remain on display through April 15.

Joan Miró, Poster for an exhibition of the artist’s work, held at the Galerie Maeght, 1948. Lithograph. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Mrs. Jerry Lawson, 1994.142. © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ ADAGP, Paris

McNay Art Museum presents "Off the Wall: Posters as Art"

For nearly 200 years the combination of imagery and text found on posters has served to advertise performances, goods and services, as well as political viewpoints. Mass-produced, using modern lithographic processes, posters originally had little or no value. They spurred the public’s interest before being discarded. Fortunately, some collectors saw the artistic value in these bits of ephemera that would otherwise have been lost and began preserving them.

The McNay has a small number of these works ranging from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s posters promoting the cabaret appearances of the great 1890s Parisian stage impresario Aristide Bruant to Ben Shahn’s heartbreaking work which sought to open the eyes of the world to the atrocities of the Nazi regime in the 1940s.

The visual language of the poster has had a great influence on the art of the twentieth century and up to the present day, as seen in the works of Shepard Fairey which are also featured in the show. Other artists included are Alphonse Mucha, Pierre Bonnard, Joan Miro, and Angel Bracho.

A highlight of the exhibition is Charles Gesmar’s Mistinguett, which features an Art Deco portrait of the highest paid singer and actress of the 1920s. This recently acquired poster, one of the largest prints ever produced, is over ten feet tall.

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Property Showcase

San Antonio home sales continue to decline in February, latest report shows

REAL ESTATE REPORT

Home prices went up and sales went down in February, an inauspicious prediction for both homebuyers and sellers in San Antonio’s real estate market. That’s according to the latest market report from the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR).

The latest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data shows steady price increases in the San Antonio area. The average home price is now at $365,679, an $8,700-plus increase from 2022. Median home prices have hit $310,000, which is a smaller increase from last year, but $50,000 more than 2021.

Despite new home construction skyrocketing at the same rate, existing home sales have dropped by 28 percent. Homes are also staying on the market much longer than they did in February 2022, at around 70 days.

SABOR’s 2023 board chair Sara Briseño Gerrish shared her insights on the current market.

“The months of inventory is being reported at 3.3 and 93.5% of homes closed of their original listing price,” she said. “To close February, there were 3,531 new listings, 2,407 pending listings and 9,712 active listings.”

To add to February’s home sale woes, Bexar County saw a 16.4 percent decline with only 1,612 closed listings, while average prices increased 4.4 percent to $341,204.

Statewide, only 21,838 homes were sold in February, a 14 percent decrease year-over-year.

The full report can be found on sabor.com.

11 reasons to escape the San Antonio bustle with a day trip to Dripping Springs

JUST WEST OF WEIRD

As a Dripping Springs native, I like to think I know it pretty well. The town has come a long way from being known as the place “just west of weird," exploding in recent years into a suburb of Austin (though many would frown upon that designation). If you’re driving on Highway 290, viewing the Dripping Springs water tower with its “Gateway to the Hill Country” motto in bold letters serves as a personal welcome for residents and newcomers alike.

Despite the rapid recent growth in the Austin area, Dripping Springs still has many of the small-town features that its local residents — and transplants — all love. Many of the culinary staples I enjoyed as a teenager are still thriving, years after the COVID-19 pandemic threatened local businesses statewide. The annual April Founders Day Festival has been a must-see for families for decades.

Those in search of a new day trip spot should consider these 11 places to visit in Dripping Springs.

Where to Eat

Homespun Kitchen & Bar
Homespun is a farm-to-table American restaurant with European influences that serves brunch, lunch, and dinner with live music and kid-friendly spaces. Chef Michael St. Germain is behind all menu choices, applying his experience from San Francisco restaurants and bringing critical acclaim for his burgers, according to the restaurant's website. With weekday specials, fresh-made desserts and over 300 whiskeys to choose from, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy. Reserve at homespunkitchenandbar.com.

Oak Creek Cafe
Who can say no to some good Southern comfort food? Oak Creek Cafe has been operating at the corner of Sportplex Drive and Highway 290 for several years. Must-try menu items include the chicken fried steaks, biscuits and gravy, and mushroom Swiss burger. The cafe regularly posts photos of its large plates of comfort food on Facebook, and Google reviewers love it as a breakfast spot above all.

Rolling in Thyme & Dough
A personal favorite: Rolling in Thyme & Dough’s original Highway 290 location is in the center of Dripping Springs, offering delicious pastries, breakfast, and lunch options. Fan favorites include the smoky chipotle breakfast sandwich, the TX two-step sandwich for lunch, and any of the freshly-baked pastries. They also have weekly BYOB bistro nights on Wednesdays in the spring, utilizing fresh ingredients from the Dripping Springs Farmers Market.

Mazama Coffee Co
Since its founding in 2012, Dripping Springs’ first independent coffee shop has been caffeinating the town for over a decade. They micro-roast their own beans from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Brazil. They also have a bakery to provide customers with well-loved baked goods and lunch. Mazama’s was named the Best Coffee Shop of Dripping Springs from 2018-2021, according to their site.

The Great British Baking Company
This cozy food spot is a newer addition to Mercer Street. The Great British Baking Company adds to the growing food culture in town with their homemade sticky toffee pudding, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and rotating soups. All of their menu items are made right behind the checkout counter in their open kitchen. Don’t forget to browse their selection of imported British goods, and make sure to take home a parfait or chocolate mousse in a jar.

What to Do

Dripping Springs Chocolate Company
The Wilson family created their chocolate business as a way to support local economies in Nicaragua after a family mission trip. In their mission statement, they aim to create the best chocolate while “improv[ing] the lives of the farmers and communities that grow the cacao.” They’ve since expanded their initial chocolate offerings to spice rubs, dessert and hot cocoa mixes, and chocolate-covered snacks.

The Sated Sheep
As a self-described “psychologist-turned-fiber-junkie,” this yarn shop owner has created her own community surrounding fiber crafts and a love of knitting. Allison’s shop has been a must-see for any visitors looking to pick up a new hobby, or wanting to grab a glass of wine and watch other knitters or crocheters create works of art. The shop offers affordable classes for any skill level, private lessons, and workshops for special events.

Vintage Soul
If you’ve never met Julie Crawford, you’re missing out on one of the most bubbly and welcoming personalities in Dripping Springs. Whether you’re in her Mercer Street shop or watching her weekly “Try-on Tuesday” Instagram stories, Julie makes everyone feel confident in her clothes and accessories. And let’s be honest, everyone loves information about true garment sizing before you try it on or buy online.

Starrs on Mercer
Two sisters with zero retail experience collaborated in 2015 to build a bustling “modern day department store” on Mercer Street. Born out of a love for shopping and convenience, Starrs on Mercer is a one-stop shop for women’s, men’s, and baby clothing, plus accessories, and gifts. The Starr sisters have since opened a travel agency, Starrs On The Go, to expand their endeavors.

Treaty Oak Distilling
You can’t write about Dripping Springs without including some popular distilleries. When it was founded in 2006, Treaty Oak says it was only the fourth distillery operating in the state. The distillery sits on a 28-acre property on Fitzhugh Road with plenty of space for children to explore while you sit back and enjoy a hand-crafted cocktail. Tours of the distillery are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and classes are available on select Saturdays every month.

Desert Door Distillery
What was once a barren plot of land on Darden Hill Road has now developed into the only sotol distillery in the United States. Desert Door hosts a range of live music weekly, offers tours on weekends, and also has a rental space for private events. With a variety of cocktails and tacos made by James Beard award winner Jesse Griffiths and Spoke Hollow Steward, it’s definitely a go-to for any day trip itinerary.

San Antonio meat palace Fogo de Chao expands its menu with new plant-based options

Vegan News

Well, here's a twist: Fogo de Chão, the churrascuria-style restaurant concept from Brazil known for its dedication to meat, is expanding its menu in an unprecedented new direction: They're adding tofu.

Effective immediately, the restaurant will offer new plant-based and nutrient-dense dishes, alongside an enhanced Bar Fogo beverage list that has new non-alcoholic craft cocktails made with low-proof spirits (less than 0.5 percent alcohol).

Fogo CEO Barry McGowan says in a release that they're responding to demand from their younger, more health-conscious customers.

"Our young and dynamic guests consider themselves food explorers who seek new culinary discoveries with each visit,” McGowan says. “For nearly 45 years we’ve had nutrient-dense and plant-forward dining options for every occasion and dietary tribe throughour Market Table. With the rollout of our new dining choices and clean cocktails, we continue to offer our guests the variety and discoveries they crave while doing it in a wholesome and flavorful way.”

The Market Table is their famed salad bar, which has sated many a vegetarian diner or else those just not up for the whole skewered meat thing that is a trademark of Fogo and other churrascuria-style places.

Entrees
Two new plant-based innovations will join Fogo's existing Vegetarian and Pescatarian dishes such as the Cauliflower Steak, and will be available on the main dining menu available for lunch, brunch, and dinner as an alternative to the Full Churrasco Experience, as follows:

Seared Tofu with Miso Black Bean Pasta - Chimichurri-marinated tofu served atop black bean pasta sautéed with green onion, Napa cabbage, pickled onions and carrot ginger-miso dressing. Vegan and gluten-free.
Roasted Power Vegetable Bowl - Roasted eggplant, marinated mushrooms, roasted zucchini, asparagus, and baby peppers served with chimichurri spinach rice. Vegan and gluten-free.

togo power bowl Roasted Power Vegetable Bowl at Fogo de Chao.Photo courtesy of Fogo de Chao

They're also rolling out new dishes on the Market Table which for the past 45 years has showcased nutrient-dense and flavorful choices including seasonal salads, micro greens, natural and plant-based proteins, imported charcuterie, and more.

New items on the Market Table are as follows:

Spring Hummus - Fresh hummus blended with herbs, roasted garlic and citrus, topped with radish, fresh mint, edamame, and olive oil.
Baby Kale & Mango Salad - Fresh baby kale, Napa cabbage, red radish and mango, tossed in a lime honey dressing.
Miso Black Bean Pasta - Gluten-free black bean pasta tossed with green onion, Napa cabbage, pickled onions and carrot ginger-miso dressing.
Apple Manchego Salad - Granny Smith apples and Manchego cheese tossed with honey, cracked pepper and black mission figs.
Power Greens - A seasonal mix of vitamin-rich greens, fresh herbs and micro-shoots

The Bar
The Bar Fogo menu now features five new cocktails, including three made with Clean Co’s non-alcoholic spirits with less than 0.5% alcohol, as follows:

Yellowbird - Desolas Mezcal, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Cointreau, La Marca Prosecco
Espresso Martini - Diplomatico Reserva Rum, Caffe Borghetti and Licor 43
Clean Cosmo - CleanCo V (Vodka) Apple, Cranberry, Fresh Lemon
CleanR Sour - CleanCo R (Rum), Passionfruit, Pineapple, Aquafaba, Bitters
Clean Cucumber Martini - CleanCo V (Vodka) Apple, Cucumber, Basil, Lemon Twist

Founded in southern Brazil in 1979, Fogo has seven other locations across Texas: Addison, Uptown Dallas, Plano, Friendswood, Houston, Austin, and The Woodlands.

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