Franco Mondini-Ruiz; Joan Frederick; Vincent Valdez (with a trumpet instead of a brush); Joaquin Abrego with Los Nahuatalatos; Terry Ybanez, Deborah Vasquez, David Zamora Casas, Rita Contreras, Rolando Briseno, Dee Murff, and many many more, came together at Bihl Haus Arts to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Bihl Haus Arts, one of San Antonio's cultural centers and gathering place for some of the city's most interesting and best artists. It was a night of ART. LITERATURE. MUSICA! BAILE. Over 40 visual artists created original covers for the first Chicana novel published by the University of Texas Press, "Golondrina, why did you leave me?" by Barbara Renaud Gonzalez. It was a humbling noche that left me hallucinated by the beauty of what we can make together.

Now this is a book reading! At my favorite bar! La Azeneth, the owner of Salute!, is struggling to keep the historic bar open (Esteban Jordan performs there every friday night, like forever). So, a Benefit/Reading/Borlote: On Friday night, May 22nd, I will read the dance chapters from Golondrina as women dance-along and some may even read-along. MAMBO! RUMBA! SALSA!!! POLKA! DANZON! LO QUE QUIERAS!!!! The Dancers are: Norma Zamora; Florinda Castillo; Dee Murff and Janie Alonso; Jessica Cerda The artist Terry Ybanez will exhibit a series of prints that are golondrina-inspired, and the photographer Joan Frederick is exhibiting twenty years of Salute! Bar photos! Also for sale. Salute! Bar International 2801 N St. Mary's San Antonio 210.732.5307 www.saluteinternational.com The Reading begins at 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm. FREE. Includes Deliciosa Comida. Cash Bar. If you want to stay and hear Esteban, $10.00 at 10:00 pm PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT AZENETH AND LA MUSICA BIEN GROOVY!

Ok, so if you want to cry, laugh, dance, get a little nekkid, and celebrate this impossible state of Texas, please join me for my Premiere Reading in San Antonio y mas: Tuesday, April 14th, Northwest Vista College, Cypress College Center, 2:00 -4:00 pm Wednesday, April 15th, PREMIERE READING, Twig Bookstore, 5005 Broadway, San Antonio, 5:00 pm (Get your taxes done early !) http://www.sacurrent.com/story.asp?id=70048 Monday, April 20th, Latino Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas, 7pm Sunday, May 3rd, BookWoman Bookstore, Austin, Texas, 3pm Saturday, May 9th, Celebration of our Mother Tardeada, Pa'htilKali Gifts, 1024 Donaldson, San Antonio, Texas, 4-6 pm Friday, May 22nd, Salute! Bar (warm-up for Esteban Jordan) 9:00 pm $10.00 admission -- includes Esteban Jordan, Joan Frederick's twenty-years of photographs of the venerable Salute! Bar, comida, and dancing while I read and of course, when Esteban plays Sunday, May 31st, Retro-Mex Vintage on Hildebrand, 4pm Pilar is hosting - she...

I do not want to glorify war anymore. Gracias a Laura Varela, a filmmaker who envisioned these images, and Joan Frederick, who took these glorious photographs as San Antonio's Luminaria Celebration on Saturday, March 14, 2009.

Because women are here to heal the world. Men are here to destroy it. We are the ones who must guide men to use their power constructively. Have you ever seen a man cry? Believe me, they want to. The love of women for the world is a divine gift, and too often we have let men take it away. It is more powerful to love than it is to hate. The Alamo is a monument to war. Join me for a Reading/Platica and Q&A about the Yellow Rose of Texas and Reclaiming the Alma, the Soul of Texas. Saturday, March 14, 2009 3-5 pm Luminaria Reading Bihl Haus Arts 2803 Fredericksburg San Antonio, TX 78201 210.383.9723 photo credits: Joan Frederick @2008