Downtown Residents Association

THE DOWNTOWNER December 2008

Dec 06, 2008

December 2008

Message from the President

It already looks a lot like Christmas! The joy of the holiday season is why many of us love living on the River. No one can decorate like the city of San Antonio. I hope everyone enjoyed the River lighting as well as the city's efforts to light up several downtown area parks. Invite your friends and family from outside our DRA boundaries to once again enjoy what our city offers during the holiday season.

Our November general meeting was one of our most informative meetings. Our thanks to the San Antonio Park Police and the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) for taking time to inform us about downtown trends and what to be alert to as far as local safety and awareness. We received a survey via email from SAPD concerning our knowledge about gangs and their presence downtown. Please respond the best that you can and let's work with our local law enforcement agencies to keep our downtown neighborhood safe. For their contact numbers, check out the newsletter.

The Plaza Club opened their doors to us in November with gracious hospitality and a wonderful offer. Until the end of the year, our DRA members can join the Plaza Club at a nominal monthly fee, a one-time application fee and no initiation fee. Contact KIMBERLY GERTSON, Membership Director at Kimberly.gertson@ourclub.com or call her at 210.227.4191. The Plaza Club is a wonderful place to enjoy fine dining and neighborhood networking.

Our December meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 6:00 PM, at Aldaco's at Sunset Station. We will continue our tradition of collecting for the SAMM's shelter. Please bring travel size toiletries, clothes, or cash for our annual donation. Plenty of FREE parking is available on-site. Joan has sent out our flyer-so mark your calendars! (Please note this is one week earlier than our regularly scheduled meeting.)

Safe travels to everyone this holiday season and a Happy New Year to everyone!

Cathey Meyer, President
226-1878
catheymeyer@aol.com

DRA Business

FOR SALE - DRA Polo Shirts

Polo Shirts with DRA logo displayed prominently on the front (upper left side).

Sizes M to 2XL $10.00
Call John Bonny at 932-8137


Announcements

December DRA Meeting Tuesday, December 9, at 6 PM
Aldacos at Sunset Station
Bring a donation of cash, small toiletries, etc for
SAMM Shelter

Hey, Zocolocos
The January 19th gathering!
The Crocket Hotel
320 Bonham Street (behind the Alamo)
Meet at Ernies's Bar

Our thanks to the Majestic and all others that posted the party flyers in their buildings!!
.................................................................
This unique downtown event is sponsored by the DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION.

These are folks who have an interest in our downtown and generally made up of those living here or planning to live here.
Many are from outside of the DRA boundaries such as Lavaca, Southtown, King Willian, etc.

We hope you will come, enjoy meeting new neighbors, get a little something to eat and mingle. We will look forward to seeing you there.

ACTIVE MEMBERS WANTED: You DO NOT have to be a DRA Board member to have a voice in DRA. We need help with our meeting planning committee and membership committee. Please consider donating a couple of hours a month to help us grow and discover wonderful downtown locations to host our meetings. Contact Cathey at catheymeyer@aol.com or 226-1878 to serve your DRA!

DID YOU KNOW?

If you submit your photo(s) to our editor, John Bonny, (email: park3850@satx.rr.com) we will gladly share your activities with our members!

If you see trouble on the Riverwalk, you can call the Park Police (207-8590) or the SAPD Bike Patrol (207-7764).

The Downtown Blog
Ben Olivo, Entertainment Editor of My San Antonio, a feature of the Express-News, has a downtown blog at: http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/downtown




DRA New Members

No new members this month. Work it!!


Upcoming Events


Downtown Alliance's Annual Urban Spaces Tour.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Get an inside look of downtown's Near East Side while enjoying good food and libations. Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing for this walking and shuttle bus tour.
Only 250 tour spaces available and advance purchase is required. Reserve your space now. This event will sell out.
$70/individual; $125/couple; $360/6-pack group special
Contact: 210-225-3862 or bburnett@downtownsa.org


Alamodome
100 Montana St.
San Antonio, TX 78203
Call for ticket info: (210) 207-3663

Alamo Bowl to announce teams Sunday, Dec. 8th

The Valero Alamo Bowl will announce the participating teams for its 2008 game at 5 p.m. Once teams are announced there will be a press conference with the coaches of the two teams.
The list of possible pairings for this year's game is beginning to whittle down and will be finalized pending the result of Saturday's Big 12 Championship between Missouri and Oklahoma.
As of now, Missouri and Oklahoma State are the most likely Big 12 representatives, while Northwestern and Iowa are potential Big Ten representatives.
ESPN.com analysts Bruce Feldman and Mark Sclabach predict an Oklahoma State vs. Northwestern matchup in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Meanwhile, College Football News.com predicts a Missouri vs. Northwestern game for the bowl and the San Antonio Express-News predicts an Oklahoma State vs. Northwestern game.
Enjoy the Big 12 Championship this Saturday and make sure to check www.alamobowl.com next week for an update on our developing bowl picture.
Big 12 Championship - Saturday, December 6 (all times are CST):
#20 Missouri (9-3) vs. #2 Oklahoma (10-1), 7:00 p.m. (ABC)
Alamo Bowl - Monday, December 29, 7:00 p.m.


SOUTHWEST SCHOOL of ART & CRAFT

Navarro Campus/October 30, 2008 - January 11, 2009
Travis Townsend: Anxious Accumulations
Russell Hill Rogers Gallery I

Holly Hanessian: The Poetry of Space
Russell Hill Rogers Gallery II
Hanessian, from Michigan, reflects upon the notions of fate, luck and chance through her ceramic installation.

Tzompantli
Navarro Lobby
A series of prints by Mexican artists addressing the Mesoamerican practice of displaying skulls on rocks.

Art for Giving
Ursuline Hall Gallery
Art.i.copia holiday event, December 13th
Art.i.copia - Contemporary Art for Giving
Southwest School of Art & Craft
300 Augusta (Augusta at Navarro) | San Antonio, TX 78205
Free event | Parking available
Proceeds benefit the many programs of the nonprofit arts school

Art.i.copia: A Holiday Abundance of Artistic Gifts
For one day only, on Saturday December 13th, the Southwest School of Art & Craft will overflow with an Art.i.copia of unusual and tempting gifts from the school's Gallery Shop. Visitors will find artful, contemporary surprises for all those hard-to-please folk on their lists, and enjoy complimentary holiday refreshments while shopping. Free gift with purchase over $100.

Artists from all over the U.S. designed the opulent textures, sinuous glass pieces, unique ceramics, paintings and sculpture, and masterful jewelry on display.
Special local guest artists this year are: Jane Bishop, J. L. Collier, Mary Fischer, Wesley Harvey, Amy Henderson, Kari Stringer, and the School by the River Press.
It's the season for giving - and purchasing gifts at the Gallery Shop helps support the many community programs of the not-for-profit Southwest School of Art & Craft. www.swschool.org

Aldaco's has it's own Energy Relief Effort with Complimentary Shuttle Service in the downtown area. That's right, they will come pick you or your group up for lunch and or dinner and then drop you back off at the office. You save gas by carpooling with coworkers for lunch. Their driver is standing by so please give them a call @ 210.222.0561. While you are here, try their Express Lunch Buffet for $9.95. Menu choices vary daily. Please visit their website at www.aldacos.net to view their lunch and dinner menus. They are open from 11am-10pm Monday thru Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 11am-11pm and closed Sundays. Available for private parties any day of the week and including breakfast meetings. Please give them a call to see how they can accommodate your needs. 210.222.0561
NOTE: 10% off your meal anytime you show your DRA membership card!!

SAMA Welcomes Chocolate: A Photography Exhibition
September 6, 2008 through January 11, 2009
The San Antonio Museum of Art announces Chocolate: A Photography Exhibition, opening to the public September 6, 2008. The exhibition will feature the work of four conceptual artists who use chocolate as a source material for making photographs. The exhibition will be on view during FotoSeptiembreUSA, San Antonio's annual version of Fotofest.
Please visit www.samusuem.org

Check out the fresh vegetables, fruits and other treats at the Friday Morning Farmers Market on Main Plaza.

For more information visit http://www.downtownsa.org/
More Downtown Events and Issues Resources

There is a lot of pertinent information to downtown living in the following newsletters published. Explore the links to their newsletters:




Downtown Operations Newsletter




San Antonio.gov
Houston Street Fair & Market
Saturday, December 27th on Houston Street from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm, for details call 207-7258 or visit www.houstonstreetfairandmarket.com


San Antonio Symphony Concerts Event Calendar

The Nutcracker - December 5-7 and 12-14
Join the Nutcracker Prince as he takes Clara through the ethereal Land of the Snow to the magical Kingdom of the Sweets, where they will tell their tale to the Sugar Plum Fairy. Delight your whole family by attending a holiday tradition - The Nutcracker, presented by ARTS San Antonio and performed by the San Antonio Symphony and Ballet San Antonio. Don't miss this charming holiday classic. It's a holiday celebration for the whole family!

WHERE: Lila Cockrell Theatre, 200 E. Market

WHEN: Fridays 7 p.m.; Saturdays 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sundays 2 p.m.

TICKETS: $5 to $60; To reserve tickets; call 210-554-1010.www.sasymphony.org

Handel's Messiah - December 12 and 13
Give your family a holiday tradition this year as the San Antonio Symphony and San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers perform the timeless and glorious holiday classic, George Frideric Handel's Messiah. With beautiful choruses and dramatic solos, Messiah is one of the most beloved works in the history of music. Music director candidate Jean-Marie Zeitouni will conduct the evening performances and he will share the stage with guest vocalists Soprano Nathalie Paulin, Alto Mireille Lebel, Tenor Antonio Figueroa and Baritone Stephen Hegedus.

WHERE: Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston Street

WHEN: 7 p.m. Pre-concert discussion, 8 p.m. Concert

TICKETS: $10 to $60; To reserve tickets, call 210-554-1010.
All tickets are subject to a $1.50 Majestic Theatre Preservation Fee.
www.sasymphony.org

"Deck the Halls" with the San Antonio Symphony
December 19-21 - Fidelity Investments Pops Concert - Holiday Pops
Share "A Celebration of Christmas" with fellow holiday revelers as the San Antonio Symphony celebrates the sounds of the holiday season. Join family and friends during this fun-filled program of festive singing and holiday cheer with your world-class orchestra, the Children's Chorus of San Antonio, the Trinity University Handbell Choir and Soprano Gail Wettstein.

WHERE: Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston Street

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday/Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday

TICKETS: $10 to $60; To reserve tickets, call 210-554-1010.
All tickets are subject to a $1.50 Majestic Theatre Preservation Fee.
www.sasymphony.org

Sisters Share Stage: Soprano Edlyn de Oliveira and Cellist Marilyn de Oliveira
December 31 - A Night in Old Vienna New Year's Eve
Begin your New Year's Eve festivities with the San Antonio Symphony's Night in Old Vienna concert. The orchestra celebrates New Year's Eve by uniting Symphony cellist Marilyn de Oliveira with her sister and soprano star Edlyn de Oliveira for an evening of romantic waltzes and familiar polkas. Evoking visions of the Viennese countryside and kicking off a romantic New Year, Edlyn de Oliveira will perform works by composers Johann Strauss Jr. and Franz Leh?¡r.

WHERE: Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston Street

WHEN: 8 p.m.

TICKETS: $10 to $60; To reserve tickets, call 210-554-1010.
All tickets are subject to a $1.50 Majestic Theatre Preservation Fee.
www.sasymphony.org

To reserve tickets, call 210-554-1010.
All single tickets are subject to a $1.50 Majestic Theatre Preservation Fee. http://www.sasymphony.org

DRA members can call Karen Cramer at 554-1066 or email cramerk@sasymphony.org for further information and/or to place an order.
Need a Stocking Stuffer?


The Volunteer Group at the Ursuline Academy Museum is selling this cookbook with recipes provided by them. It makes a very nice Christmas stocking stuffer or special occasion gift for $10.
If you wish to place an order, please let me know.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Rosalinda 932-8137 (H)
roseoftexas@satx.rr.com
"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously."
- Hubert H. Humphrey

Sincerely,
John Bonny
Downtown Residents Association
Table of Contents:
Message from the President
DRA Business
DRA New Members
Upcoming Events
Dates and Times

DRA Meeting
12/9 6 PM

Urban Spaces Tour
12/5

Alamo Bowl
Team Announcement
12/8 5 PM

SSAC Exibits
Various Dates

SAMA Chocolate Photo Exibit
Thru 1/11/09

Houston Street Fair & Market
12/27 - 12-6 PM

SA Symphony
Various Dates

Events are listed in the order they appear in the newletter. See the item for more details.


Join the Lunch Bunch for a tasty meal and meet your neighbors.

Join your neighbors for a brown bag lunch at the Arneson River Theatre to hear the 30th annual TubaMeister Christmas concert, Saturday 20 Dec at 11:45 AM. Concert begins at noon and is free. We will meet at the top of the theater near the street entrance (in La Villita) where there is plenty of room for wheelchairs, walkers and baby strollers.
Need an immediate update on downtown activities?

Go to: www.visitsanantonio.com and/or find out what is happening with the Downtown Alliance at www.downtownsa.org.
New downtown organization: The San Antonio River North Improvement Alliance.
Meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month. Membership is
$10 annually.
Contact Harper Huddleston at harperm@harperhuddlestoninc.com or call 821-4001 x. 303.


Starbucks Hear Music on College and Navarro offers a 10% discount every Tuesday to people who live or work downtown.
CONTACT
CATHEY MEYER
226-1878
or
catheymeyer@aol.com
to volunteer for the DRA committes.
Officers and
Board Members
President:
Cathey Meyer
226-1878
catheymeyer@aol.com

Vice President:
Vacant

Secretary:
Joanna Foster
212-7279
jfoster19@satx.rr.com

Treasurer:
Fred Preston
375-6692
frederick.preston@sunysb.edu

Board Members:
Joan Korte
225-6783
korte@satx.rr.com

Kay Kutchins
228-0094
kaykutchins@att.net

Sandra Willis
512-663-3174
willissg@aol.com

Robert Potts
883-5223
Rpotts@dixonwater.org

Tony Cantu
394-1148
CENTURYV8@aol.com

Tom DeBrooke
H: 225-5866
C: 487-0666
Tom@CredibilitySharing.com
Joanne Stawicki
382-7885
js@toolboxstudios.com

John Bonny
932-8137
park3850@satx.rr.com

Rose Bonny
932-8137
roseoftexas@satx.rr.com


The purposes of the
Downtown Residents Association is to perpetuate the social well-being of the residents living in downtown San Antonio; to preserve, protect and develop the downtown area; to provide a quality environment for living and enjoying the multi-cultural heritage of downtown San Antonio-past, present
and future.


If you have news or events that you'd like to share with your fellow downtowners, please send them to me at my email address below.


Sincerely,
Cathey Meyer,
President
226-1878
catheymeyer@aol.com
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Downtown Residents Association | 222 E. Houston St | Suite 600 | San Antonio | TX | 78205