August Scene and Heard

If local politicians were rock stars…the crowd would have been a lot wilder at the AT&T Center, when County Judge Nelson Wolff belted out his State of the County address.

OK, well, he didn’t belt it out. But the “Bexar County Rocks!” theme folks at the Greater S.A. Chamber chose for the luncheon event sure loosened up the business lunch crowd, from the pounding music to the Spurs Coyote’s entrance to the ring of fire (Hot!) on the arena’s surround-screens.

But while Wolff can pitch a sizzling line drive with the best of ‘em, his style is more Grand Ol’ Opry than Ozzfest – especially the jokes.

Noting that Mayor Julián Castro was giving a speech in Washington, D.C. at the time, Wolff added:  “One of the great things about the mayor is that he can be in two places at one time -- so please stand and be recognized…. State Representative Joaquin Castro.”

“Just kidding! “We had fun working that little skit out…”” Nelson chortled happily, as the lunch guests rolled their eyes and groaned. You gotta love the guy…

But seriously…

Wolff’s address was heartily upbeat, but he did hit some serious notes.

It’s not like Wolff to sound discouraged, but he sure did when it came to hopes that S.A. may finally build a world-class children’s hospital.  That project was derailed by fierce bickering more than a decade ago, but Wolff has been in the vanguard of reviving the idea. Unfortunately, relations between different hospital groups here may be even worse now than they were back then. We just heard that the S.A. Hospital Council, the organization that coordinated joint projects with private hospitals, the military and the medical school here, has been disbanded. Some docs privately say the rivalry between Baptist and Methodist hospital systems is particularly competitive, And Humana’s recent very public dispute with Methodist hospitals over insurance coverage last month is one more indication of the bitter rivalries behind the local medical scene.

“It’s been five years since we started working on this again,” Wolff said. “It’s been a lot more difficult than I thought.”

“I hope,” he told the movers and shakers in the crowd, “you will put the pressure on these hospitals to do right for San Antonio, and not just their own systems.”  Good luck with that…

Music City, Si!

Next time, Wolff may want to go with a Tejano theme for his annual “State of the County” speech.   In July, Forbes mag spotlighted S.A. as one of “America’s Top Music Cities,” along with Chicago, Nashville, L.A., Memphis, Detroit and San Francisco.  The wealth of Tejano, Norteno and Conjunto music here earned us the acoustic accolade. As home to the Tejano Music Awards and the Tejano-Conjunto Festival (the largest in the world, by the way), S.A. is increasingly renowned as a lively musical hub. Take that, Austin! The Third coast really starts here.

All that jazz

There’s more to Latin sounds than Tejano. Take Henry Brun and his Latin Playerz, who have been drawing devoted S.A. fans to hear their irresistible Latin jazz for 20 years.   The Grammy-winning group will celebrate with a 20th Anniversary CD and an August 14 show with vocalist Judi DeLeon at the Majestic Theater, sponsored by ARTS San Antonio.  Most of ARTS SA’s shows feature big out-of-town stars, so this is a true (and well-deserved) coup for the popular Brun and his ensemble.  Play it again, Henry!

Eat, Pray, Fiesta!

The way to a traveler's heart is often thorough his stomach. New S.A. Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) jefe Scott White and his creative crew understand the power of the palate, and they're playing on it this month. Partnering with folks at Culinaria (the re-named New World Food and Wine Festival), they've come up with a great new excuse for visitors – and local folks – to experiment in adventurous eating. It’s the first CULINARIA Restaurant Week, set for August 21-28.  CULINARIA CEO Suzanne Taranto is rounding up some of S.A.'s top chefs and restaurateurs to offer special deals on gourmet meals -- an appetizing way to bring get folks spending in local eateries in these  “dog days” doldrums of August. (Check out details at www.culinariasa.org.) The CVB’s outreach to gastronomic tourists is piggybacking on the release of the hot new Julia Roberts movie,  "Eat Pray Love."  Neat way to spread the word about S.A. as a booming foodie destination. – Only in S.A., we might say “Eat, Pray, Fiesta” instead.

Kudos to …

S.A. event planner Billinda Wilkinson. Her national reputation for lavish weddings, dazzling deb parties and imaginative mega-events led to star billing for her seminar at the recent National Association of Catering Executives annual meeting.  As featured event design presenter, Wilkinson showed America’s top party planners new ways to spiff up their shindigs. Party on!

And to…

Sharon Mullen, new director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of S.A.  Shalom and good luck to Mullen, who has big shoes to fill -- those of former director Maxine Cohen, who's retiring after years of dedicated work. The museum, part of the Jewish Federation, draws more than 100,000 visitors a year, most of them non-Jewish. Who knew?

Taste of the River

S.A. is a city with great taste. Seems like every event named “A Taste of” something draws overflow crowds. Now new Paseo del Rio director Nancy Hunt and her River Walk-promoting non-profit are planning a “tasting” of their own. “A Taste of the River Walk” is the new name for the Paseo’s long-running Pachanga del Rio. The Pachanga brought droves of residents, as well as visitors, downtown to sample specialties from many riverside restaurants, with a single ticket covering the evening riverside grazing.

The name isn’t the only thing that’s changing. This year’s Dos XX Taste of the River Walk, set Sept. 8 and 9, is expanding to two nights and more establishments on the river, with live music, big prize drawings and a Scene in S.A. after-party each night. You can buy a ticket to either night, or one for both nights combined. It’s a spectacular way for tourists and long-time San Antonians to sample new hot spots and old favorites on the river. Whether you prefer to “taste” or “pachanga,” it’s a treat! Want to know more? Check out www.paseodelrio.org, or call (210) 227-4262. Bon appetit!

Party paradise

The last time I visited the luxurious urban estate built by late S.A. gas station magnate Tom E. Turner (who put his initials on his TETCO empire) guests were lining up to shake hands with then-presidential candidate Al Gore.  In other words, it’s been ages.

Turner’s fabulous estate on Nacogdoches Road just outside Loop 410, a stellar site for celebrations, has been off and on the market since his death.  But now it’s a party place in an even bigger way.

There were lots of familiar faces at the kickoff bash for Turner’s spread, now the 2900 Estates Venue, an upscale place for parties and weddings.  The party hostesses were the chief cooks, too – S.A.’s Michele West and her four daughters, who own Four Sisters Catering.

Larry Reba, a long-time friend of West’s, took me on a short behind-the-scenes tour of the estate’s living spaces, including a 2,000 square-foot master bath and dressing area (bigger than my 2-story condo!), second living suite (where S.A.  political activist Kay Turner lived during her marriage to Tom) and a separate guest and pool house. Posh!  Dr. Charles Christian, Ralph Bender and Liz Fritz, culinary writer Bonnie Walker and artist Rex Hausmann were among the happily grazing guests.  Several folks compared it to the former Red Berry mansion as a great party place with its own treasure trove of stories about a S.A. magnate in his boom years.  Should be a big hit with folks looking for a wedding or party venue convenient to Olmos Park, Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills and the near North Side  -- or meeting planners hoping to channel echoes of Turner’s dynamic entrepreneurial spirit.  But if any skeletons once lurked in the walk-in closets, they’re gone now.

Have a hot tip or cool comment for Scene & Heard? E-mail editor@scenepublications.  Cheers!