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Photo courtesy of Brian McKnight

Clear your calendars for the holiday weekend ahead for concerts, cultural festivities, and more can’t-miss happenings. Frolic in the sunflowers at Traders Village or see top musical talent live on some of the most-loved stages in Alamo City and beyond. Check out the top seven things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, May 25

Briscoe Western Art Museum presents "Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch" Preview Party
Be among the first to view the newest Briscoe Western Art Museum exhibition showcasing the collected works of late American art dealer Elaine Horwitch. Esteemed guests Bisco President and CEO Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., and curator of "Southwest Rising" Dr. Julie Sasse will be in attendance among the partygoers. Tickets to the preview party include complimentary valet, specialty cocktails, light bites, beer, and wine.

Friday, May 26

Traders Village presents Sunflower Field
A seasonal San Antonio tradition is back in full bloom for locals and visitors alike to experience. Traders Village features 10 acres of sunflower fields lining paths and mazes for guests to wander through at their leisure. Other activities include a petting zoo, photo opportunities, and an inflatable slide. The sunflower field will open through June 18. For more information, visit tradersvillage.com.

Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club presents Jamie Kennedy
Entertainer and multihyphenate talent Jamie Kennedy takes up weekend residence at The Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club. Kennedy is best known for his roles in Wes Craven’s Scream and Scream 2, which catapulted him to scene-stealing fame. Shows are scheduled through May 28.

An Evening with Brian McKnight
Singer-songwriter and R&B star Brian McKnight serenades fans live in concert at Majestic Theatre for one night only. McKnight has released 19 albums throughout his 25-year career and is a 16-time Grammy-nominated artist. He’s best known for hit songs like “Hold Me” and “Anytime.” Get seating information on Ticketmaster.

Saturday, May 27

Spoon in concert
Spoon comes to New Braunfels’ Whitewater Amphitheater in support of their 2022 album, Lucifer on the Sofa. The Austin-based band is best known for songs like “Inside Out” and “Don’t You Evah.” Get additional concert information on Ticketweb.

UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures presents Asian Festival
The University of Texas at San Antonio invites visitors to the downtown campus for the first Asian Festival since the pandemic. Guests can feast on authentic food while enjoying multicultural performances, crafts, music, and more. Get a schedule of events and festival tickets at asianfestivalsa.org.

Kool & The Gang in concert
Groovin’ soul band Kool & The Gang comes to San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre in support of their 2021 album, Perfect Union. The musical band of biological brothers and longtime friends is behind timeless classics such as “Get Down on It” and “Ladies Night” and has amassed fans around the world since forming in 1964. Buy tickets on majesticempire.com.

Brian McKnight
Photo courtesy of Brian McKnight

Brian McKnight performs live in concert at Majestic Theatre this Friday.

Tune into the virtual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Thursday at 7 pm.

Here are the top 7 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

Weekend Event Guide

You could stay at home and enjoy a quiet retreat from the daily grind, but this action-packed Alamo City agenda won’t make it easy. Raise a glass to the culinary talent of San Antonio at our premiere event, the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, or get your regular weekly helping of live entertainment at Majestic Theatre and Rosedale Park. Check out the top seven things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, May 18

CultureMap San Antonio 2023 Tastemaker Awards
Our annual celebration of the top bar and restaurant talent in San Antonio returns with equal parts flavor and fanfare. Tickets to this signature tasting event and awards ceremony grant access to bites, samples, and specialty cocktails, plus a chance to meet and mingle with the biggest names and rising stars in the local food and drink industry. Check out our San Antonio Tastemaker Awards site to learn more.

Mission Marquee Plaza Outdoor Family Film Series: Grease
Bring your blankets, picnic snacks, and lawn chairs to Mission Marquee Plaza for an evening of family-friendly cinema al fresco. Attendees can enjoy an outdoor screening of Grease, starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. Other highlights include a performance by the Wonder Theatre’s Premier Performance Group and a classic car show hosted by the Push Rods Car Club. Food trucks will also be onsite to take orders from hungry guests. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

San Antonio Botanical Garden presents "Lush: Twilight in the Garden"
Relax, unwind, and indulge at another installment of the after-hours entertainment series at San Antonio Botanical Garden. This month’s activities are inspired by the theme Rosé and Roses, and will include extended garden hours, live music, entertainment, a signature beverage, and an array of floral displays for ambiance. For more information and to snag your tickets, visit sabot.org.

Friday, May 19

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center presents the Tejano Conjunto Festival
The first and longest-running conjunto festival in the country is back for another year of Texas musical tradition. The three-day festival at Rosedale Park includes headliners Ricky Naranjo y Los Gamblers, Tony Tigre Saenz, Los Texmaniacs featuring special guest Flaco Jimenez, and more than 20 other performers hailing from nearly every region in the Lone Star State. Visit guadalupeculturalarts.org for more information.

Majestic Theatre presents Rain: A Tribute To the Beatles
Relive the iconic moments and songs from the Beatles’ Rooftop Concert and their hit album Abbey Road live at this tribute performance. Audiences can expect a musical journey through one of the band’s most pivotal eras, complete with theatrics and beloved fan-favorite tunes. Tickets for both showtimes are available on Ticketmaster.

CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

Tastemaker

The San Antonio CultureMap Tastemaker Awards take place at Briscoe Western Art Museum this Thursday, May 18.

The Pan-African Cultural Community presents Message to the People: A Story of Malcolm X
The life and words of Malcolm X take center stage in front of a live audience at Ella Austin Community Center. This production blends elements of both classical and musical theater together for a poignant historical dramatization. Audiences will enjoy original music, photographs, and vivid glimpses into the mind and memory of this important figure in Black and American history. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

Tobin Center presents Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Tour
Comedian and podcast host Matteo Lane performs live at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, with fresh material as part of his national tour. The New York-based entertainer has an impressive comedic roster, including appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, HBO's Crashing, and Will & Grace. Visit tobincenter.org for more information.

Photo courtesy of Republic Records

Groundbreaking singer and actor Billy Porter brings his bombastic tour to San Antonio this weekend

The Porter Portal

When Billy Porter arrives in May, San Antonio will know. Not much of a wallflower, the singer and actor (just an "O" away from "EGOT"), is known for bombastic entrances, vulnerable and groundbreaking characters, and red carpet showstoppers.

In case anyone is drawing a blank on any part of Porter's decades-long resume when the "Oh my God, there's Billy Porter" whispers start circulating, the star is coming to Texas with a career retrospective in the form of a pop concert. The San Antonio stop of the Black Mona Lisa Tour: Volume 1 will be at the Tobin Center on May 12.

Porter's early fame was mostly on Broadway, first as Teen Angel in the 1994 revival of Grease and later as drag queen Lola, star of Kinky Boots. Now audiences' freshest impressions of Porter are likely from Pose, a fictional TV series about ballroom culture and gender identity in the 80s, in which the actor played a barbed, but loyal and passionate emcee called Pray Tell.

The show garnered praise for, among many other achievements, bringing the AIDS epidemic to the forefront in an art — drag — that is becoming more and more mainstream in TV adaptations. Porter later shared that his personal experience with HIV, which he had kept quiet for more than a decade, motivated parts of his performance. On April 12, the Hollywood Reporter announced that Porter will play writer and activist James Baldwin in an upcoming feature film.

Queerness, Blackness, and shades of masculinity are nearly always at the center of Porter's work, and music binds it all together. Porter's first album, Untitled, announced the singer to the pop world for the first time in 1997, but since then, most of his musical achievements have been singles, covers, and original performances of works written by other composers. This retrospective tour shares a name with an upcoming album, Black Mona Lisa, that will re-introduce the iconic singer to the pop music space. Things there are warming up already with the release of his new single, "Baby Was A Dancer," a contemporary disco track delivering an uplifting allegory about Porter's personal trajectory.

CultureMap spoke with Porter about the show at the Tobin Center, the single and upcoming album, and the healing he hopes to contribute through his music.

CultureMap: How many costumes do you have for this tour?
BP: Oh, I don’t know. [Laughs.] I’m still working on that. I’ll be changing a couple of times, but … I’m focused on the music.

CM: What do you identify with in the Mona Lisa?
BP: Mona Lisa is past, present, and future. She’s relevant always and forever. That’s me — that’s what I do.

CM: You’ve shared that the goal of this album is to provide healing. What are some of the healing elements of the music itself?
BP: Well, the intention is in the writing, in the lyrics, in the hope of the lyrics, in the joy in the lyrics, and in the melodies; this album is very intentional. And I love it. So I hope everybody else is gonna love it too.

CM: Can we expect more original music like "Baby Was A Dancer" in this album?
BP: Yeah, it's all original music. It's a new pop album. Everything is new, everything is original, and I wrote all but one song with amazing writing teams [including] Justin Tranter, the late, great Andrea Martin, and MNEK.

CM: That single is in the third person. What inspired that angle versus something more confessional and raw?
BP: There's a lot of confessional and raw on the album. ["Baby Was A Dancer"] is about transcending the haters and dancing your way to heaven anyway. So it's just fun to speak in third person because you're sort of presenting [the story] — it's presentational that way.

CM: The show references a lot that people will recognize, and you have a memoir already out called Unprotected. Is there anything that you're telling audiences for the first time?
BP: Well, not really. However, because I exist in so many different creative spaces, those spaces don't always speak to each other. I spent the first 25 years of my career trying to get people to take me seriously as an actor. And now that I have, I've read comments online, like, “Oh, I didn't know Pray Tell could sing.” So it's a bit of an education that's getting ready to happen — for some people.

It’s not a musical theater show even though I'm a theater artist. My very first album came out in 1997 on A&M Records. It was an R&B soul record. The industry was very homophobic at the time, so it didn't work out for me [then]. And now I get a second chance in the mainstream [pop] music industry.

CM: Is there a moment where you felt that switch happen, when you felt like you were in the mainstream?
BP: My whole career has sort of built on itself, and the tipping point — Malcolm Gladwell talks about the tipping point — came with the convergence of everything that had happened before. And then Pose. Pose was where I cracked open beyond the 10-block radius of Broadway.

CM: When you were putting together this show, were there any memories that you regained or connections you made?
BP: I wrote a memoir — I've been connected and reconnected, and been searching and finding things and stories to tell for … four years to write my book, so it wasn't anything new for me. The concert is going to be a retrospective … [and] a celebration of life, and love, and joy, and hope, and peace. My plan is to give the world a big bear hug, and try to help in the healing of our civilization, because we've all been through a collective trauma. We're all still in the middle of it. None of us are okay, and that's okay.

I'm going to do 10 songs from the new album. Then I go back to the '90s. I'm going to do some stuff from my first album, Untitled — I haven't performed anything from that live in decades. There was a lot of trauma connected to that, so I'm releasing that, then I'm doing a lot of the Broadway stuff, Kinky Boots, some political stuff, and some gospel stuff. The last 20 minutes, half hour, is a dance party.

CM: To me, you're known for camp, but you also embody really earnest emotion. How do you find the line between camp and earnestness?
BP: Well, I call it fabulous and serious. Camp is very specific. I'm actually not camp unless I need to be camp. But I'm fabulous; fabulous and serious at the same time. That's my brand. And that's what I'm trying to remind the world: The two things can coexist. One can be fabulous and serious at the same time. And that's what I am. It can be confusing sometimes. But I'm here to let you know, don't be confused. [Laughs] I'm very intelligent, I’m very smart — yes, I wear dresses. Yes, I can be silly. And I know what's going on in the world, and I can go and sit in front of Congress and speak. I'm proud of that.

CM: We saw a lot of that recently at the Capitol, here in Texas. We had some drag queens on the senate floor. You said on a news show that you were “one of the beneficiaries of a government that actually cared about its people,” and talked about the government “pouring into” you. What do you want to pour into Texans who are facing [identity and expression] restrictions right now?
BP: First of all, it's about us coming together as a collective. We're always better together. And we've been siloed in our own spaces because of COVID for years, and that has been exploited. [Then], it's the education. Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it. The young people weren't here for the civil rights movement; The young people weren't here for the AIDS crisis. Life is cyclical … and love always wins. It takes time.

Being 53 years old, I can look at this and go, I've been here before. I've seen this. And I know how it works out. We win. Look at Tennessee last month. We won't be silenced. We're back in a conservative era; We were in a very progressive era for decades and decades and decades. It's just a moment, and this too shall pass. But we have to engage and take “scary” and “terrified” out of the lexicon. No room for that.

CM: What kind of people do you really hope to see in the audience?
BP: Anybody and everybody. I don't have any definitions of who can be there. I want anybody and everybody who wants to be there, to be there.

This Q&A has been edited for length and readability. Tickets for the show are still available at the Tobin Center.

Photo courtesy of Aerosmith

Rock legends Aerosmith peace out with final tour and stop in San Antonio

Dream On One Last Time

Rock legends Aerosmith will go on their final tour, dubbed "Peace Out," in fall/winter 2023, including a stop at San Antonio's AT&T arena on Wednesday, November 1.

The tour, one last chance for fans to celebrate the five decades of Aerosmith’s hits, kicks off on September 2 in Philadelphia, with the massive tour including 40 dates and lasting almost five months until the final stop in Montreal on January 26, 2024.

In addition to San Antonio, Aerosmith will also play in Austin on October 23 and Dallas on November 7. The band will be joined by special guests The Black Crowes at all stops.

In a joint statement, Aerosmith said “It’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT! Get ready and walk this way, you’re going to get the best show of our lives.”

Founding member and drummer Joey Kramer will not be part of the tour, however. He and the other band members have been at odds in recent years, and the band says in a statement that Kramer "has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health," a line that echoes previous statements.

Aerosmith has released 15 albums over their 50-year career, starting with their 1973 self-titled debut album. One of the rare bands to maintain popularity across multiple decades, they had top 10 hits like "Dream On" in the '70s, "Love in an Elevator" in the '80s, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" in the '90s, and "Jaded" in the 2000s.

The general on sale for the tour begins on Friday, May 5 at 10 am at Ticketmaster.com. The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences, including a premium reserved ticket, a personal photo opportunity with band members, limited edition merchandise and more. For more information, visit aerosmith.com/vip

AEROSMITH PEACE OUT™ 2023 TOUR DATES:

  • Sat Sep 02 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
  • Wed Sep 06 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
  • Sat Sep 09 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
  • Tue Sep 12 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
  • Fri Sep 15 – Chicago, IL – United Center
  • Mon Sep 18 – Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena
  • Thu Sep 21 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  • Sun Sep 24 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
  • Wed Sep 27 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
  • Wed Oct 11 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
  • Sat Oct 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
  • Tue Oct 17 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
  • Fri Oct 20 – Sunrise, FL – FLA Live Arena
  • Mon Oct 23 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
  • Thu Oct 26 – St Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
  • Sun Oct 29 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • Wed Nov 01 – San Antonio, TX - AT&T Arena
  • Sat Nov 04 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
  • Tue Nov 07 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
  • Fri Nov 10 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
  • Mon Nov 13 – St Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
  • Thu Nov 16 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
  • Sun Nov 19 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
  • Wed Nov 22 – Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Arena
  • Sat Nov 25 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
  • Tue Nov 28 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
  • Fri Dec 01 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
  • Mon Dec 04 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
  • Thu Dec 07 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
  • Sun Dec 10 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
  • Thu Dec 28 – Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
  • Sun Dec 31 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
  • Thu Jan 04 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Arena
  • Sun Jan 07 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
  • Wed Jan 10 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
  • Sat Jan 13 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena
  • Tue Jan 16 – Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center
  • Fri Jan 19 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
  • Tue Jan 23 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
  • Fri Jan 26 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Photo courtesy of SZA

R&B star SZA adds San Antonio stop to extended first arena tour

Good Days

If San Antonians missed SZA during her last few jaunts around Texas, the R&B singer is gracing the city with her suave presence on Sunday, October 15, at the AT&T Center. SZA (pronounced “sizzah,” like “scissor”) stands out from the usual arena fare; this may be an uncharacteristically sexy show.

The singer visited Texas last month, and has just added a second leg to the tour that also stops at Houston's Toyota Center the day before, on October 14.

SZA’s performance at ACL in 2022 included some of the steamiest choreography the festival has seen, but the singer usually appears more reserved onstage, using slow, relaxed body language that feels more aligned with her languorous songwriting. She is touring in support of her second studio album, SOS, which is heralded for its nuance, both in its colloquial complexity and freedom from genre conventions. One review by the New York Times lauds the 23-track collection’s “unpredictable and emotionally charged flow.”

Even non-fans who spend enough time on social media would likely recognize “I Hate U,” a lilting, pouting track about giving a lover a taste of their own medicine. “And if you wondered if I hate you (I do),” starts many TikTok videos in a trend exposing common cultural gripes. (“Sh*tty of you to make me feel just like this/What I would do to make you feel just like this.”)

SZA was also featured on the upbeat Doja Cat earworm “Kiss Me More,” representing her biggest chart success yet (reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100), and perhaps even going as far as cementing a newly dominant style of dreamy, conversational, bubblegum R&B.

All this talk of a casual style may make it sound like SZA is singing with her head in the clouds, but more accomplishments include numerous awards and nominations, and collaborations with artists in a wide range of styles, such as Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, and Willow, among many others.

Despite seeming relatively new to the scene at a glance — given the sophomore album, recent string of high points, and relative newness at playing supersized venues — SZA has spent a decade in the industry since dropping her debut EP, See.SZA.Run. In addition to her seemingly endless list of features and collaborations, she has songwriting credits with superstars like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé. The 33-year-old also has a few extra years on many pop artists releasing second albums, and has adopted a franker, more assertive singing style than in previous releases.

SZA will be at the AT&T Center on Sunday, October 15, just after the Toyota Center in Houston on October 14, 2023. Tickets go on sale on April 13 at 10 am via Ticketmaster.

Photo by Francisco Cortes

Here are the top 5 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

Weekend Event Guide

Live entertainment is aplenty in virtually every corner of the city over the next few days. Enjoy world-class golf at TPC San Antonio or groove to the sounds of jazz at the Japanese Tea Garden. Check out the top five things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, March 30

Valero Texas Open
Some of the world’s best professional golfers will make their stand at the Valero Texas Open, ahead of the Masters, this weekend only. Fans and spectators can expect to see top players including defending champion J.J. Spaun, Jason Dufner, Francesco Molinari, and more. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit valerotexasopen.com. Playtime is scheduled through April 2.

Opera San Antonio presents Romeo & Juliet
The timeless and tragic story of two star-crossed lovers appears before audiences at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. This Shakespearean piece receives a melodic treatment courtesy of the talented performers of Opera San Antonio. The opera is dual-language and is performed in French with an English translation. For ticketing information, visit operasa.org.

Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto
Disney favorites Frozen and Encanto are brought to life on the ice at the Alamodome. The family-friendly production will feature a sing-along of a variety of top songs from the two films, world-class ice skating, and appearances by beloved characters like Mickey Mouse and Elsa. Shows are scheduled through April 2. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

Friday, March 31

San Antonio Parks Foundation presents "Jazz In The Garden"
Venture out into the lushness of the Japanese Tea Garden for the return of its live jazz music series. Audiences can enjoy intimate performances from local and regional artists while taking in the scenery adorned with a waterfall, koi point, and botanics. Guests are invited to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for an optimum entertainment experience. Leashed dogs are welcome. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit saparks.org.

Sunday, April 2

San Antonio Parks Foundation presents Jazz In The Garden
Photo by Francisco Cortes

San Antonio Parks Foundation presents "Jazz In The Garden" on March 31.

Depeche Mode in concert
Electronic band Depeche Mode performs live at AT&T Center for one night only. The English-based group is best known for songs like “Enjoy the Silence” and “Personal Jesus” and has amassed a global audience over the span of decades. They come to San Antonio in support of their new album, Memento Mori. Select tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.

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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 HideawayImagine 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.

Dripping Springs Riverfront Hideaway

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.

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

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 Quintanilla singer
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.