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CONTENTS<br />
A BRIEF HISTORY OF<br />
SAN ANTONIO<br />
PRIVATE SCHOOLS<br />
5 STAR EATS<br />
DAY TRIPS<br />
SAN ANTONIO SPURS<br />
GOLF COURSES<br />
THE TOBIN CENTER<br />
SPOTLIGHT ON<br />
DARIO ROBLETO<br />
THE SAN ANTONIO<br />
RIVER WALK<br />
5<br />
13<br />
17<br />
25<br />
27<br />
39<br />
45<br />
51<br />
57<br />
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FIESTA<br />
SAN ANTONIO<br />
61<br />
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PRODUCED BY<br />
FINGERPULSE MEDIA, INC.<br />
LAYOUT DESIGNER<br />
CASEY JONES<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITER<br />
BRENDA MASSE<br />
EDITOR<br />
SP COMMUNICATIONS, SCOTT PATTERSON<br />
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San Antonio is one of the oldest European<br />
settlements in the Americas. However, for<br />
thousands of years before that, indigenous<br />
peoples inhabited the area around the San<br />
Antonio River. The Payaya were probably<br />
the prevalent culture when Europeans first<br />
ventured into the area.<br />
After a brief recorded visit by Spanish<br />
explorer Cabeza de Vaca in 1536, Texas<br />
became more and more of a strategic<br />
necessity to the Spanish crown, and<br />
expeditions of explorers and missionaries<br />
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set out to search for places in which to<br />
build settlements. As the story goes, in 1691,<br />
one such expedition encountered the river<br />
on June 13. This was the feast day of Saint<br />
Anthony, and so they named the river San<br />
Antonio in his honor.<br />
In the early 18th century, the mission<br />
settlements created working communities<br />
with a dual purpose: to spread Christianity<br />
to the native population and to establish<br />
outposts of the Spanish empire in the<br />
area. The benefits of mission life included<br />
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specifically the area around San Antonio.<br />
The government designated empressarios<br />
to act on its behalf, granting tracts of land<br />
in return for managing settlers – Stephen F.<br />
Austin among them. Santa Anna, elected<br />
President of Mexico in 1833, revoked the<br />
Mexican constitution of 1824, which allowed<br />
for democratic rule in the province of Texas,<br />
causing violence to break out.<br />
THE MAJESTIC THEATER<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN DYER<br />
community maintained residences, farmland<br />
and livestock along with schooling and<br />
defense. As a result, both European settlers<br />
and native peoples in these communities<br />
thrived within the safety and structure<br />
provided by mission life.<br />
Mexico won independence from Spain in<br />
1821, and the new Mexican government<br />
invited American settlers to Texas,<br />
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The Texans, a mix of Anglo-American and<br />
Mexican settlers, calling themselves Texians<br />
and Tejanos, respectively, banded together<br />
to defend their rights and demand a return<br />
to the constitution of 1824. Despite taking<br />
control of major parts of Texas in the initial<br />
fighting, Santa Anna’s army moved north,<br />
determined to take San Antonio. In the<br />
Battle of Alamo, a band of volunteers fought<br />
valiantly to keep the Mexican army from<br />
taking San Antonio, but Santa Anna was<br />
ultimately victorious. During the battle, the<br />
Texas Congress declared independence,<br />
which was officially won in the Battle of San<br />
Jacinto a month later, under the rallying cry,<br />
“Remember the Alamo!”<br />
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MISSION SAN JOSÉ<br />
From April of 1836 until 1845, San Antonio<br />
was part of the Republic of Texas. The United<br />
States annexed Texas in 1845, causing<br />
the Mexican War, which was devastating<br />
to San Antonio, despite defining much<br />
of what is now the American Southwest.<br />
The area rebounded during the Civil War<br />
era, attracting a large number of German<br />
immigrants who settled in the area, adding<br />
to the Spanish, Mexican, Anglo and<br />
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indigenous cultural influences that make up<br />
San Antonio’s rich history.<br />
Driving the streets of San Antonio today,<br />
one is never far from reminders of the city’s<br />
rich cultural history. The names of our streets,<br />
parks, bridges and buildings all reflect the<br />
past: names like Espada, Travis, De Zavala<br />
and Hildebrand hearken back to the many<br />
influences of our city’s past.<br />
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137 RIVER CROSSING<br />
Cordillera Ranch on the Guadalupe<br />
Price available upon request<br />
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Antonian College Preparatory High School<br />
6425 West Avenue<br />
San Antonio, TX 78213<br />
antonian.org<br />
Central Catholic<br />
1403 N. St. Mary’s<br />
San Antonio, TX 78215<br />
cchs-satx.org<br />
San Antonio is known for its<br />
first-class private, independent<br />
and faith-based schools that<br />
offer a wide range of education<br />
opportunities to serve the<br />
whole child, in addition to<br />
excellence in academics: sports<br />
and recreation, study abroad<br />
programs, leadership programs,<br />
language immersion, fine arts<br />
and religious studies.<br />
Geneva School of Boerne<br />
113 Cascade Cavern<br />
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 78015<br />
genevaschooltx.org<br />
Hill Country Montessori<br />
50 Stone Wall Drive<br />
Boerne, TX 78006<br />
hcmontessori.org<br />
Holy Cross of San Antonio<br />
426 N. San Felipe<br />
San Antonio, TX 78228<br />
holycross-sa.org<br />
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Incarnate Word High School<br />
727 E. Hildebrand Avenue<br />
San Antonio, TX 78212<br />
incarnatewordhs.org<br />
Keystone School<br />
119 E. Craig Place<br />
San Antonio, TX 78212<br />
keystoneschool.org<br />
Mount Sacred Heart<br />
619 Mount Sacred Heart<br />
San Antonio, TX 78216<br />
mountsacredheart.org<br />
Saint Mary’s Hall<br />
9401 Starcrest Drive<br />
San Antonio, TX 78217<br />
smhall.org<br />
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St. Gregory Catholic School<br />
700 Dewhurst<br />
San Antonio, TX 78213<br />
stgregorysa.org<br />
Spanish Grove Academy<br />
22215 Wilderness Oak<br />
San Antonio, TX 78258<br />
spanishgroveacademy.com<br />
Texas Military Institute<br />
20955 W. Tejas Trail<br />
San Antonio, TX 78257<br />
tmi-sa.com<br />
The Winston School<br />
8565 Ewing Halsell Drive<br />
San Antonio, TX 78229<br />
winston-sa.org<br />
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PEARL BREWERY<br />
PHOTO BY: NICK SIMONITE<br />
Pearl Brewery<br />
The recently renovated Pearl Brewery has<br />
become a mecca for foodies. As stated<br />
on their website, the creators “like to<br />
think of Pearl as an experimental space,<br />
collaboration between farmers, ranchers,<br />
chefs, home cooks and people who just love<br />
food.” The Pearl Brewery hosts many food<br />
and drink-centric special events and is home<br />
to the famed Culinary Institute of America<br />
and several incredible restaurants, bakeries,<br />
cafes and bars.<br />
Atpearl.com<br />
San Antonio has become a culinary destination,<br />
for both its local fare that can only be found in<br />
San Antonio, and for its chefs and cuisine that<br />
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have gained national and International attention.<br />
Bakery Lorraine<br />
Owners Jeremy and Anne met while working<br />
for culinary genius Thomas Keller in the<br />
Napa Valley and opened this traditional<br />
French bakery, which features the perfect<br />
combination of technique and playful<br />
inventiveness.<br />
bakerylorraine.com<br />
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Boiler House<br />
Executive Chef Jeff White’s Texas ranch-style<br />
cuisine focuses on grilling, wild game and<br />
farm fresh ingredients.<br />
boilerhousesa.com<br />
Cured<br />
The perfect blend of modern and historic<br />
atmosphere, Cured features hand-crafted<br />
cured foods, from charcuterie to pickles.<br />
Cured was nominated for Bon Appetit’s Best<br />
New Restaurants of 2014.<br />
curedatpearl.com<br />
The Granary<br />
The Granary combines globally inspired<br />
barbeque traditions and flavors with draft<br />
beers from around the world, and housemade<br />
brews.<br />
thegranarysa.com<br />
CURED<br />
PHOTO BY: SCOTT MARTIN<br />
Green<br />
Chef driven, affordable, vegetarian, kosher<br />
comfort food – these are descriptors not<br />
often found together. Green’s focus is on<br />
excellent food and sustainable practices.<br />
greensanantonio.com<br />
Il Sogno Osteria<br />
A five-star Italian café owned by James<br />
Beard Award-Winning Chef, Andrew<br />
Weissman.<br />
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Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery<br />
Chef Jeff Balfour explores Texas cross-cultural<br />
cuisine paired with house-made craft beer.<br />
southerleigh.com<br />
One Lucky Duck<br />
The famous juice bar has its first location<br />
outside New York at Pearl Brewery, featuring<br />
pressed and made-to-order juices, cleanses<br />
and healthy, chef-driven cuisine.<br />
La Gloria<br />
La Gloria’s menu is inspired by interior<br />
Mexican street food. San Antonio native chef<br />
Johnny Hernandez’s restaurant has been<br />
featured in New York Magazine, The Boston<br />
Globe, Washington Post, Food & Wine, Bon<br />
Appetit, Poder, Travel & Leisure, NBC Latino,<br />
Southern Living and many others.<br />
chefjohnnyhernandez.com<br />
Sandbar<br />
Another of Andrew Weissman’s concepts,<br />
Sandbar is an upscale oyster bar featuring<br />
the freshest seafood in San Antonio.<br />
sandbarsa.com<br />
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LA GLORIA<br />
PHOTO BY: JON ALONZO<br />
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10 MERRIVALE PLACE<br />
Panoramic Views in the Dominion<br />
Price available upon request<br />
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Whether traveling for business or pleasure,<br />
San Antonio is within easy driving distance of<br />
Texas’ other major metropolitan areas like<br />
Houston, Austin and Dallas. But sometimes<br />
it’s nice to get away from the hustle of a<br />
big city, and Central & South Texas have a<br />
number of wonderful small towns that are<br />
destinations for either a quick day trip or<br />
an extended getaway. Fredricksburg and<br />
Gruene are two of the best such destinations<br />
that Texas has to offer.<br />
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GRUENE HISTORIC DISTRICT<br />
Gruene<br />
Another historic Texas town, Gruene<br />
(pronounced GREEN), lies just 45 minutes<br />
northeast of central San Antonio. Gruene is<br />
a river town, located along the Guadalupe,<br />
and is a popular destination for tubing,<br />
canoeing, kayaking and camping. Luxurious<br />
riverfront homes line the banks of the<br />
Guadalupe from Gruene to New Braunfels.<br />
The town was established in the 1840’s by<br />
German farmers, namely the Gruene family,<br />
who were instrumental in the development<br />
of a mill, a mercantile and beautiful<br />
Victorian-style homes, all of which stand<br />
today in Gruene Historic District. The original<br />
cotton gin is now a popular restaurant and<br />
tourist attraction, The Gristmill, where you<br />
must try the Texas-sized chicken-fried steak.<br />
The mercantile is now Gruene General<br />
Store, where you can find Texas treats like<br />
homemade honey-butter, fudge, jalapeño<br />
jellies and salsas. Gruene Hall was built during<br />
this time as well, and is the longest running<br />
dance hall/live music venue in Texas. For<br />
almost 150 years, Gruene Hall has hosted<br />
local celebrations, performances from up<br />
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and coming musicians and national touring<br />
acts.<br />
Fredericksburg<br />
An hour’s drive from San Antonio will<br />
transport you to the charming, historic<br />
town of Fredericksburg. Drive in for a<br />
day’s adventure or book a room at one<br />
of the many picturesque bed & breakfasts<br />
or homes for rent near Main Street,<br />
Fredericksburg’s center. Spend the day<br />
exploring quaint local shops and enjoy some<br />
local cuisine – a wonderful range of German,<br />
Spanish and Texas influenced foods paired<br />
with local libations from one of the many<br />
breweries and vineyards in the area.<br />
History buffs will love the Admiral Nimitz State<br />
Historical Site and the National Museum of<br />
the Pacific War, the largest collection of<br />
World War II artifacts focused on the war in<br />
the Pacific. A Fredericksburg native, Admiral<br />
Nimitz was a part of one of the founding<br />
families of the town, and the main museum<br />
complex is located in the historic Nimitz hotel,<br />
a hub of town life since the 1840s.<br />
Wine and beer aficionados will enjoy the<br />
290 Wine Trail, a string of excellent Texas<br />
wineries and breweries that winds its way<br />
around the scenic Hill Country surrounding<br />
Fredericksburg. Hire a limousine and sample<br />
Texas’ handcrafted wines and beers in style.<br />
Nature lovers must visit one of Texas’ most<br />
beautiful natural assets: Enchanted Rock, a<br />
massive pink granite dome surrounded by a<br />
1600-acre state park. The largest pink granite<br />
“mountain” in the U.S., the site is also known<br />
for its archaeological importance (evidence<br />
of human activity dating back at least 11,000<br />
years), significant flora and fauna, as well as<br />
excellent hiking and camping.<br />
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE www.DebraJanes.com<br />
CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG
The Spurs are a huge part of the life of the<br />
city, and not merely because they are<br />
one of the winningest professional sports<br />
teams in the country. The Spurs have five<br />
NBA Championships, 20 division titles, and<br />
have made the playoffs in 24 of the last<br />
25 seasons. Spurs fans are perhaps a little<br />
spoiled in that they expect to win and DO!<br />
Former and current Spurs are active and<br />
valued members of the San Antonio<br />
community. David Robinson, “The Admiral,”<br />
started the Carver Academy, a public<br />
charter school committed to excellence<br />
in academics as well as social, emotional,<br />
physical and spiritual wellbeing, offering<br />
an extremely well-regarded program for<br />
children pre-K through 6th grade. Another<br />
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superstar of the game, George Gervin,<br />
established the George Gervin Youth Center<br />
in San Antonio, which serves as both a public<br />
charter school and a resource center for<br />
homeless youth and pregnant teens.<br />
In 2014, the Spurs hired the first female full<br />
time coach in the NBA, Becky Hammon.<br />
Hammon led the team to the Las Vegas<br />
Summer League title as head coach in<br />
2015, again the first female ever to hold that<br />
position. Hammon and the team’s much<br />
loved head coach, Gregg Popovich, “Pop,”<br />
are leaders in the community. Popovich is<br />
currently the longest-tenured active coach<br />
in the NBA – and all U.S. major sports. He also<br />
holds the record for the most consecutive<br />
winning seasons.<br />
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135 WOODLAND RANCH<br />
26+ Acre Boerne Equestrain Estate<br />
Price available upon request<br />
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Debra<br />
Janes<br />
high-end luxury home and ranch<br />
sales, Debra has sold hundreds<br />
of millions of dollars of Texas<br />
properties.<br />
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A San Antonio native, Debra<br />
Janes has excelled in and<br />
served the <strong>Luxury</strong><br />
Real Estate Market since<br />
1993. Focusing on<br />
Gary<br />
Peterson<br />
Gary Peterson is a highly<br />
acclaimed luxury home,<br />
farm & ranch and highend<br />
development broker<br />
that has specialized in the<br />
Boerne Texas area for the last 16<br />
years. His successes include top<br />
sales in the prestigious Cordierra<br />
Ranch neighborhood.<br />
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Casey<br />
Janes<br />
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Casey Janes, MA, LMSW,<br />
depends heavily on her<br />
knowledge and experience<br />
in communication and<br />
ethics to provide superb<br />
customer service in luxury real estate.<br />
As Debra’s daughter she is poised<br />
for real estate greatness.<br />
Neal<br />
Dunn<br />
family business and real estate, he<br />
also raises competition horses with<br />
his wife, Melinda.<br />
A native south Texan, Neal<br />
Dunn has experience in<br />
oil and gas, international<br />
business and the cattle<br />
industry. Now devoted to<br />
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Chad<br />
Taylor<br />
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Chad Taylor feels that<br />
family is the most<br />
important aspect of life.<br />
With 17 years of luxury<br />
hospitality and his<br />
in-depth knowledge of San Antonio,<br />
Chad can find the perfect home for<br />
a client and their family.<br />
Maria<br />
Freyre<br />
Debra Janes in 1998, Maria earned<br />
her real estate license and joined<br />
the team as their official translator.<br />
Born in Yucatan, Maria<br />
Freyre moved to the U.S.<br />
and started her own<br />
business at The Dominion<br />
Country Club. After meeting<br />
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MARC DEWALL<br />
The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch<br />
1092 Clubs Drive<br />
Boerne, TX 78006<br />
clubsofcordilleraranch.com<br />
Cordillera Ranch features a Jack Nicklaus<br />
Signature Golf Course design that winds its<br />
way over 500 acres of rugged landscape.<br />
The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch has held a<br />
consistent position among Texas’ top-ranked<br />
courses, including 2014 National Golf Course<br />
Owners Association Course of the Year.<br />
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San Antonio has several premiere golf courses,<br />
including PGA <strong>To</strong>ur courses, 5-star resort courses,<br />
private courses and first-class public courses.<br />
TPC San Antonio - JW Marriott<br />
238080 Resort Pkwy<br />
San Antonio, Texas 78261<br />
tpcsanantonio.com<br />
TPC San Antonio is a golf resort with two 18-<br />
hole championship golf courses designed by<br />
two of golf’s most innovative architects: Pete<br />
Dye and Greg Norman. Both courses play<br />
host to PGA <strong>To</strong>ur events, with the AT&T Oaks<br />
Course serving as the venue for the PGA<br />
TOUR’s Valero Texas Open since 2010. The<br />
AT&T Canyons Course is the site of the San<br />
Antonio Championship, a Champions <strong>To</strong>ur<br />
stop in October.<br />
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PHOTO COURTESY OF LA CANTERA RESORT<br />
The Dominion Country Club<br />
1 Dominion Dr.<br />
San Antonio, TX 78257-1247<br />
the-dominion.com<br />
The Dominion Country Club is a gracefully<br />
designed Hill Country course that was home<br />
to a Senior PGA <strong>To</strong>ur event for 17 years.<br />
La Cantera Resort and Golf Club<br />
17865 Babcock Rd<br />
San Antonio, TX 78255-2214<br />
lacanteragolfclub.com<br />
La Cantera is ranked #2 on the “<strong>To</strong>p 30<br />
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Resorts in North America” and among the<br />
“<strong>To</strong>p 50 Golf Resorts in the U.S.” by Conde<br />
Nast Traveler. The $115-million hilltop resort<br />
combines the best in golf with the best of<br />
luxury.<br />
Silverhorn Golf Club<br />
1100 W. Bitters Rd<br />
San Antonio, TX 78216-7809<br />
silverhorngolfclub.com<br />
Widely regarded as a challenging, expertly<br />
laid-out course, Silverhorn was designed by<br />
Randy Heckenkemper with PGA <strong>To</strong>ur Pros<br />
Willie Wood and Scott Verplank.<br />
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2 READING LANE<br />
The Dominion<br />
Price available upon request<br />
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The <strong>To</strong>bin Center For The Performing Arts,<br />
San Antonio’s world class performing arts<br />
center, graces the River Walk, combining<br />
the façade of the original, historic structure<br />
with a completely unique, modern design.<br />
It is a perfect expression of the city of San<br />
Antonio itself, honoring cultural history while<br />
embracing modern innovation.<br />
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The Municipal Auditorium Building, which<br />
was named a historic monument in 1981,<br />
stood on the spot now occupied by the<br />
<strong>To</strong>bin Center. The traditional meeting hall<br />
and performance space was built in 1926<br />
as a memorial to World War I veterans. The<br />
building was awarded a gold medal by the<br />
American Institute of Architects in 1929 for its<br />
design by famed San Antonio architect Atlee<br />
Ayres.<br />
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RIVER WALK PLAZA<br />
PHOTO BY: MARK MENJVAR
The <strong>To</strong>bin Center’s signature architectural<br />
structure, the “veil,” is complex in its seeming<br />
simplicity. The see-through structure is<br />
comprised of 18,000 panels of varying shapes<br />
– some double-wide with half the face inset,<br />
some single-wide with see-through gaps<br />
between them; some partially perforated;<br />
some with projecting fins; some with<br />
diagonal slits that allow a narrow patch of<br />
sunlight to hit the face of an adjoining inset<br />
panel at certain times of day. The different<br />
types of panels are deployed in several<br />
configurations and rhythms, depending on<br />
the part of the building.<br />
The magnificent H-E-B Performance Hall<br />
has an $8 million GALA Spiralift flexible<br />
seating system, the first of its kind in the<br />
nation. This electronic convertible floor<br />
transforms the 1,759-seat theater to a flat<br />
floor that can accommodate 2,000 general<br />
admission standing-room guests or 700<br />
seated banquet-style. The sound system<br />
and acoustics are ranked among the best<br />
in the world. The acoustics can be “tuned”<br />
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to optimize sound quality for any type of<br />
performance.<br />
The 250-seat Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater is<br />
an incredibly versatile space used for more<br />
intimate performances, rehearsal space<br />
for the resident companies, banquets,<br />
receptions and private events. The wall<br />
facing the River Walk opens into a walk-in<br />
window that allows access to both the lobby<br />
and the River Plaza.<br />
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE TOBIN<br />
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H-E-B PERFORMANCE HALL<br />
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE TOBIN<br />
The River Plaza can seat 600 for outdoor<br />
performances and also adds a unique and<br />
beautiful outdoor space for the <strong>To</strong>bin Center<br />
with access to river taxis. The combined<br />
historical significance and technological<br />
innovation of the center is most present here,<br />
with the 30 foot AT&T SkyWall above, and the<br />
monuments to San Antonio’s Medal of Honor<br />
recipients along the slopes of the plaza.<br />
There are 10 resident companies at the <strong>To</strong>bin,<br />
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forming an unprecedented collaboration<br />
among the major arts organizations of the<br />
city: San Antonio Symphony, Ballet San<br />
Antonio, Opera San Antonio, Chamber<br />
Orchestra of San Antonio, Children’s Fine<br />
Arts Series, Children’s International Puppet<br />
Festival, Youth Orchestra of San Antonio,<br />
SOLI Chamber Ensemble and San Antonio<br />
Chamber Choir.<br />
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San Antonio native Dario Robleto is an<br />
internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor<br />
who has had a profound influence on the art<br />
world, especially in San Antonio and Texas as<br />
a whole. He was recently named Texas State<br />
Visual 3D Artist for 2016.<br />
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The present<br />
is an<br />
accumulation<br />
of the past<br />
– Dario Robleto<br />
In a 2015 interview, Lara Palmquist of<br />
Ploughshares Magazine describes his<br />
work as that of a “materialist poet — a<br />
term that encapsulates his method of<br />
creating sculptural responses to lyrical<br />
material lists that mediate on the human<br />
condition.” A renowned conceptual artist,<br />
Robleto is known for his unconventional<br />
reinterpretations of objects, often utilizing<br />
sound as inspiration. His work is deeply<br />
connected to history and memory, exploring<br />
music, popular culture, war and human<br />
history.<br />
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Robleto is a former International Artist in<br />
Residence at Artpace San Antonio and is<br />
currently on their board of directors. Artpace,<br />
an art gallery and artists’ laboratory that<br />
facilitates artists from around the world, has<br />
referred to Robleto as a DJ of sculpture:<br />
“Robleto samples, cuts, mixes and spins<br />
together narratives, materials, and personal<br />
experience to create intimate, hand-made<br />
objects that are infused with romantic<br />
pleasure.” Robleto is also the youngest<br />
featured artist to every have a solo exhibition<br />
at the famed Menil museum in Houston.<br />
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His sculpture entitled The Pause Became<br />
Permanence (2006) is in the permanent<br />
collection at the San Antonio Museum of<br />
Art. The piece’s notes give one an idea of<br />
the layers of meaning that can be found in<br />
Robleto’s work:<br />
“Ink-dyed willow and ash, hair lockets<br />
made of stretched and curled audiotape<br />
recordings of the last known Confederate<br />
and Union Civil War soldiers’ voices,<br />
excavated and melted shrapnel from various<br />
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wars, hair flowers braided by war widows,<br />
homemade paper (pulp made from soldiers’<br />
letters home sent by sea), lace and fabric<br />
from widows’ mourning dresses, colored<br />
paper, silk, ribbon, milk paint, glass, typeset.”<br />
Robleto’s work is transformative,<br />
contemplative and unique. With more than<br />
30 solo exhibitions including local, national<br />
and international galleries, Robleto’s art can<br />
be found in galleries and museums in Paris,<br />
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and more.<br />
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The River Walk is one of San Antonio’s<br />
distinctive jewels. Strolling past the colorful<br />
shops, restaurants and hotels along the<br />
river canal reminds one of the Old World<br />
European style that inspired it. For many<br />
years, the River Walk has been where San<br />
Antonio comes to celebrate and where<br />
tourists come to experience the vibrant<br />
heart of the city. Now, visitors and residents<br />
alike will get to experience an expanded,<br />
even better River Walk that will impact San<br />
Antonio in beautiful ways.<br />
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The San Antonio River Walk has always been<br />
a center of entertainment and culture,<br />
hosting iconic celebrations like Fiesta and<br />
the Holiday River Parade and Lights Festival.<br />
Artisans, performers and food vendors come<br />
out multiple times a year for riverside arts &<br />
crafts festivals. The world-class <strong>To</strong>bin Center<br />
for the Performing Arts overlooks the River<br />
Walk, and offers a perfect evening of dinner<br />
and a show with a cool walk or ride along<br />
the river in between. The River Walk now<br />
reaches the redeveloped Pearl Brewery,<br />
home to exclusive boutique shopping, fine<br />
dining, casual dining, home of the Culinary<br />
Institute of America and the new luxurious<br />
Hotel Emma.<br />
Two exciting projects are underway to<br />
extend San Antonio’s enjoyment of the River<br />
Walk for generations to come. The Mission<br />
Reach Project is revitalizing 8 miles of the San<br />
Antonio River including aquatic restoration,<br />
woodland restoration and a network of hike<br />
& bike trails which will connect the River Walk<br />
to the historic Missions located upriver. The<br />
San Antonio River Improvements Project will<br />
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link 2,020 acres of protected of public lands<br />
with the San Antonio River running through<br />
it. This will be larger than all three of the<br />
most popular and iconic public parks in the<br />
USA: Central Park in New York City, Golden<br />
Gate Park in San Francisco, and the Chicago<br />
Lakeside Parks.<br />
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In 1891, the citizens of the thriving city of<br />
San Antonio decided to honor the heroes<br />
of the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of<br />
San Jacinto by holding a Battle of Flowers<br />
parade. The first parade featured horsedrawn<br />
carriages elaborately decorated with<br />
flowers, and a tradition was born. <strong>To</strong>day,<br />
the Battle of Flowers is the largest parade of<br />
the 10-day Fiesta celebration – second only<br />
in size nationally to the parade of Roses in<br />
California.<br />
April 2016 will mark the 125th anniversary of Fiesta, San<br />
Antonio’s signature annual celebration.<br />
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PHOTO BY: VICTOR MARTINS<br />
Over the years, many more events have<br />
become time-honored parts of the Fiesta<br />
celebration. The Order of the Alamo chooses<br />
a queen and court each year. The Texas<br />
Cavaliers choose a king and the people<br />
elect El Rey Feo. The royal court is introduced<br />
in parades, and they reign over the festival,<br />
raise money for scholarships and charity and<br />
visit hospitals.<br />
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QUEEN OF THE ORDER OF THE ALAMO 2015 LIDA EMILIA PHOTO<br />
BY: VICTOR MARTINS<br />
Fiesta has grown to feature some 100 events<br />
that include music, food, sports, pageantry,<br />
military and patriotic observances, exhibits<br />
and parades. Nonprofit organizations sponsor<br />
every activity, and each year the Fiesta<br />
San Antonio Commission accepts several<br />
new nonprofit organizations as members<br />
sponsoring official Fiesta events. The festival<br />
has an economic impact of nearly $284<br />
million on the city of San Antonio.<br />
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NOTES<br />
31 TUSCANY COURT<br />
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The Dominion
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