May Scene and Heard

If you haven’t heard about Morgan’s Wonderland by now, you’ve been missing one of the most important stories in San Antonio. The amazingly accessible theme park inspired by Gordon Hartman’s daughter, Morgan, is the first of its kind in the world; a place of creativity and wonder, celebrating the bonds of understanding and human connectedness through the joy of child’s play. In his Power of One column this month, Ken Rodriguez introduces you to the girl behind the vision, whose bright spirit inspired her father to turn an abandoned quarry into a 25-acre oasis where every child can play. The transcendent power of a father’s love; the power of one to inspire countless others; the deep common bonds of humanity; these are the true wonders of Morgan’s Wonderland. When folks thank Gordon Hartman for the money, time and love it took to create a place so extraordinarily special in S.A., he’s quick to say his main role was bringing many people together to make his dream a reality. When he said that to me recently, it got me thinking. Remember back in 2005, when Hartman left his successful home-building business? He wanted to spend more time on family and philanthropy, he said. And so he has. But around that time, a lot of San Antonio leaders encouraged him to run for mayor. He openly considered the idea for a while. Then he began to work on his vision for Morgan’s Wonderland. In doing so, he brought this community a marvelous and lasting gift, one that has already touched and inspired people around the nation and the world. Now that his vision for Morgan is a reality, might the city’s top job be in Hartman’s future? For now, he’s in the moment—Morgan’s moment. But the possibility sure is inspiring food for thought.

The big buzz about Morgan’s Wonderland means it’s also playing host to some big names. David Robinson, Eva Longoria Parker (whose special sister Liza inspired the star’s foundation, Eva’s Heroes), iconic preacher Buckner Fanning and many more helped open the park formally last month. A few days later, S.A. business leaders convened there for an up-close look at the park, and to honor longtime S.A. biz leader Arthur Emerson, CEO of GRE Communications, with the Greater S.A. Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Distinguished Leader Award at an invitation-only CEO luncheon. Over the years Emerson has chaired the Greater Chamber, the CPS Energy board, Port San Antonio and the S.A. Hispanic Chamber. That’s a lot of chairs, and he’s still not sitting down on the job. More power to him.

Every day is a sunny day for S.A.’s Bill Sinkin. Even in the rain, the founder and chairman of the non-profit Solar San Antonio organization wears his sunny disposition as faithfully as he sports his trademark bow tie. Sinkin’s son Lanny took over as the group’s executive director last year, but Sinkin senior isn’t resting on his laurels. As chairman, he’s working as hard, and as hopefully, as ever on the causes that seem to keep him young. May 20, he’ll have one more reason to smile, as Solar SA celebrates its 11^th year —and Sinkin’s 97^th birthday—with a luncheon at the Pearl Stables, right next to the city’s largest solar panel array atop Pearl’s Full Goods building. It promises to be a power lunch in more ways than one, with County Judge Nelson Wolff, Mayor Julián Castro, Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, Congressman Charlie Gonzales, Henry Cisneros and a crowd of area power brokers at the tables, and dynamic solar pioneer Jigar Shah (returning after a brilliant presentation last year) as featured speaker. This spring, Sinkin was as busy as that famous battery-powered bunny, working with Lanny and the Solar SA staff on the group’s May 1 Solar Fest and his May 20 birthday event. As if those weren’t enough to keep him occupied, he was also deep into planning a completely different event in early June. He hopes to reconvene the Beaus of Bexar, a collegial group of local bow tie fans he and a few dozen like-minded snappy dressers started back in 1998. Happy birthday, Mr. Sinkin. Shine on! Then take a bow (tie).

There’s a whole lotta shakin’ going on in SA circles May 20. Some of the movers and shakers at Solar SA’s lunch that day will be back in the social swing that night, at a dinner that may well serve as Archbishop Jose Gomez’s big despedida (going-away party). The invitations to Catholic Charities’ annual gala, this year honoring Gomez with the group’s Lifetime of Faith & Service Award, were in the mail before news broke that the Pope has named Gomez as the successor to L.A.’s Cardinal Roger Mahony, head of the nation’s largest Catholic archdiocese. Gomez is set to leave S.A. May 26, so he’ll still be in town to bid well-wishers adios at the Catholic Charities bash. (No word yet on who’ll replace Gomez as S.A.’s archbishop, but there’s plenty of buzz about S.A. auxiliary bishop Oscar Cantu. Stay tuned.)

Fiesta San Antonio never fails to generate zillions of stories. This year, one of the most memorable, if only in its weirdness, was a royally ridiculous wrangle; the Rey Feo/Rey Fido Affair. And the fur started flying just a week before Fiesta’s official kick-off, when Scholarship Committee prez Tom Sandoval tried to halt the Humane Society of S.A.’s light-hearted “coronation” of Rey Fido VIII. Why? Well, according to Sandoval, “Rey Fido” (Dog King) sounds too much like the committee’s trademarked “Rey Feo” (Ugly King). His reason: folks might get confused and donate money to the Humane Society fundraiser when they meant to give to LULAC’s Rey Feo race. Sadly, Sandoval’s group was serious, and the Rey Fido title could wind up in court. Happily for King Fido VIII, Nancy Bradshaw’s dog Dingo, the Humane Society went right ahead with the planned coronation of his royal court, a free, pet-friendly pre-Fiesta event featuring the Princess of the Indestructible Chew Toy, Prince of the Perpetual Food Bowl and other doggie dignitaries. The best part is that the four-legged royals’ owners raised some $30,000 for the Humane Society this year. Sandoval’s legal threat shouldn’t be taken lightly, though—he’s a veteran of the bitter five-year Battle of the Rey Feos, which led to two separate Rey Feos finally duking it out before a judge. Sandoval did suggest one solution in interviews the week the flap arose. “We’ve asked them to consider using the name King Fido,” he said. As in King Antonio? Arf.

Former Spurs star Robert Horry brought another unusual critter to life this spring. The day before Easter, the seven-time NBA champ Spurs fans called “Big Shot Bob” made a widely-advertised promotional appearance at the Southside Lone Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership owned by corporate big shots Charlie Amato, Bill Day and Gary Dudley. This was no run-of-the-mill famous athlete appearance, however. Horry, decked out in a spiffy white tux and tails, appeared as “the Easter Bobby” to distribute Easter eggs to kiddos. (“The newest of all rabbits will come dribbling down the San Antonio Easter trail,” trumpeted a press release.) Horry proudly noted the Easter Bobby bit was his idea, in the tradition of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Jim Carey as the Grinch. That may be a stretch, but he was pretty darned cute in that get-up. Who knows? This Easter Bobby might just make it big.

There were no Easter Bobbies at the opening of Rick Cavender’s new Audi dealership. But Cavender, a talented musician who schmoozes as well as he sings, made sure there was plenty of entertainment for the cocktail-sipping crowd. Judges Tom Rickhoff (a longtime Audi fan) and Tim Johnson, Rob and Fannie Germain and scores of other guests ogled the cars and filled out entries to win prizes from a giant Easter Basket (Johnson won it) to baskets of Godiva chocolate. We overheard one couple recounting the story of the salesman who once called Cavender about a customer who was in the dealership and ready to sign for a new car, but insisted that Rick sing her a song first. He launched right into Elvis mode, belting out “It’s Now Or Never.” Talk about a born salesman…

S.A. photographer Dan Borris is one creative guy. Now he’s reaping the benefit of creative imagination, as a photo series he started for fun five years ago has turned into a popular hit. Borris’ wife Alejandra Diaz-Berrio is a serious yoga devotee, and the discipline sparked the idea of photographing dogs in what appear to be yoga poses. Now Borris’ website, www.yogadogzs.com, has a huge following. (Who could resist “Lili, the enlightened pug” or the invitation to “Get in touch with your inner pup?”) Now Borris’ Yoga Dogs and Yoga Cats calendars are selling briskly, new Yoga Puppies and Kittens calendars and a whole line of back-to-school products are due out this summer, and venerable art publisher Abrams Books (the company also publishes William Wegman’s famous Weimaraner photos) has signed him for a Yoga Dogs book, due out next year. Next, maybe he could try “Yoga Reyes Feos.”