Posted by Nancy Millar on Fri, May 17, 2013 @ 03:43 PM
Auditions for short film LODO
"A boy finds comfort and guidance in his mother's spirit when they are reunited through a sequence of mystical events in a Texas border town"
Directed by Nikki Roberts. Written by Alessandro Gentile.
ERU Age 11 Native Spanish and English Speaker
Eru is a pre -teen boy of Mexican descent with a dark complexion and short hair.
KASPER Age 11
A version of Corey Feldman's character in Stand By Me. He has a light complexion and looks to be of Mexican descent, mixed or Caucasian.
GRANDMA Native Mexican-Spanish Speaker
She's a young grandma, in her 50s, a religious and spiritual woman.
DON CIRILO Age 55+
Cirilo's broad frame and sun-worn appearance is intimidating to the people of his town.
Potential cast will be given instructions for a meeting on May 25, 2013 in Brownsville at 1:00 p.m.
Cast: email photo of yourself along with contact information to marita@lodothefilm.com:
Crew Positions: Production Designer, Props Master, Gaffer (w/ truck), Key grip, driver/swing, 2nd AC, Sound mixer (w/ gear), Script Supervisor
Crew: email your resumes and list of any equipment owned to marita@lodothefilm.com
Production Start Date is November 1, 2013. Production Wrap Date is November 6, 2013.
Special notes for potential Cast/Crew: Prefer native Spanish speakers living in Brownsville, TX. Only submit if perfectly fluent in Mexican Spanish and can work as local hire in Brownsville, TX.
Paid/Non-Paid: Paid
Other/Additional Compensation: Film Credit, DVD Copy
Meals/Lodging/Transportation Provided: Meals, Snacks and Beverages
Click here for film website.
Click here for film Facebook page.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Thu, May 16, 2013 @ 10:10 AM
Cambria Suites, the stylish all-suite, all new construction hotel brand which is franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc., one of the world's largest lodging companies, announces two hotel franchise agreements, on of which will be in McAllen, Texas. Cambria Suites offers contemporary, upscale accommodations at affordable prices. The hotel's suites are larger than standard hotel rooms and include a separate living, working and sleeping space, providing business and leisure travelers a haven to relax, socialize and network. As of March 31, 2013, there were 19 properties open across the country, representing nearly 2200 guest suites, and 26 properties in various stages of development, representing an additional 3700 guest suites.
Cambria Suites is working with the McAllen Strategic Group LLC and affiliates Hankin Enterprises and Fulcrum Management Corp as the official hotel of the McAllen Convention Center and promises an upscale lodging option. The Cambria Suites hotel will be a 121 suite, 4-story property which will also offer two banquet rooms and an executive conference room and will feature a resort style pool, alfresco living room inspired decor, cabana lounge pods and a fire pit.
"Cambria Suites is the perfect brand for these expanding markets," said Michael Murphy, senior vice president of upscale brands for Choice Hotels International. "We are seeing incredible growth in the Fargo, North Dakota and South Texas regions. Multi-national companies are expanding very fast in these cities, attracting business travelers and driving demand for a spacious, upscale lodging option where they can relax and remain productive on the road. We are working with developers who understand these markets as well as we do and Cambria Suites hits a sweet spot with these guests."
In 2012, U.S. Census Bureau rated McAllen one of the ten fastest growing cities in the United States, largely due to the McAllen-Foreign Trade Zone. The McAllen FTZ is one of the country's most active due to provisions under the North American Free Trade Agreement which offer tariff and tax relief and other cost-savings to businesses. This has attracted major global companies in recent years, transforming the McAllen metropolitan area into an international hub where multi-national companies have dedicated significant investment and resources. These organizations include: LG, Panasonic, Corning, Motorola and Black & Decker, to name a few. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol McAllen Station also has a major presence attracting government employees and civilian contractors to support its mission overseeing operation of the FTZ and for patrolling 53 miles of the Rio Grande.
Conveniently located near McAllen International Airport, Cambria Suites McAllen Convention Center is situated in close proximity to major interstate highways and numerous international cross border bridges. The city leads the state of Texas in retail sales making it a major shopping and restaurant destination. Right next door, guests of Cambria Suites can enjoy the Simon Property Group's popular 350,000 square foot lifestyle retail center, Palms Crossing.
All Cambria Suites hotels are new-construction and the brand leads the rest of the upscale lodging segment in guest satisfaction scores as measured by guests' likelihood to recommend (LTR). As of today, many Cambria Suites hotels are ranked #1 and #2 in their respective markets on TripAdvisor.
All Cambria Suites hotels feature Reflect, a casual dining and gathering area serving a dinner menu, liquor, wine, beer, freshly prepared grab-and-go gourmet salads and sandwiches, a barista bar featuring Wolfgang Puck® coffee and a hot breakfast buffet; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with an elegant pool and hot tub/spa area; and Refill, a 24-7 convenience store that offers energy drinks, snacks and sundries.
In addition, each suite offers the latest technology, including two flat-screen LCD televisions and MediaHub™ plug-and-play technology, allowing guests to connect their laptop, MP3 player, game console, digital camera or CD/DVD player hassle-free. Free high-speed wired and wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel so that guests can stay connected.
"Our team couldn't be more enthusiastic about our affiliation with the remarkable Cambria Suites brand," said Christopher Haridopolos, principal of McAllen Strategic Group LLC. "We look forward to growing within the ever expanding Cambria Suites family."
Cambria Suites McAllen Convention Center is expected to break ground in the third quarter of 2013.
SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc. Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. website, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Wed, May 15, 2013 @ 10:19 AM
Current Exhibits:
The Third Mexican "Shinzaburo Takeda" Biennial of Printmaking
Apr. 25, 2013 - Jul. 21, 2013
The 10,000 Springs Pavilion
in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution
Feb. 10, 2013 - Aug. 18, 2013
Sacred Visions
Stained Glass Windows from the Studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany
On Permanent Loan
Weekly Events:
Family Fun Nights
Enjoy General Admission every Thursday from 4pm-8pm for just $1/person!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Next Week...
Posted by Nancy Millar on Mon, May 06, 2013 @ 09:29 AM
The South Texas College Mid-Valley Campus Library presents “STC Capstone Student Art Exhibition,” featuring the artwork of Esteban Calderas Jr., Dulce A. Cortés, Victor Manuel Espinoza Jr., Kevin Huerta, Linda L. López and Alexis Ramos. The exhibit will open Tuesday, April 30, 2013 and continue through May 14 at the Mid-Valley Campus Library (Bldg. E) located at 400 N. Border in Weslaco. A reception will be held on May 7, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the same location. Admission to both events is free and open to the public.
“The capstone class is the culmination of an art student's career at South Texas College, before moving on to a bachelor's degree or a career in the visual arts,” said STC Art Instructor Scott Nicol. “The exhibition at the Mid Valley Campus Library will give capstone students the opportunity to present the finest work that they have yet produced, and allow the community the chance to see great art made here in the Rio Grande Valley. There is great diversity in the visions of these six artists, making for what promises to be an excellent show.”
South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery exhibits regional, national and international artwork, explores new visions and theories of creativity, and introduces innovative artistic expressions to the South Texas region.
For more information contact Dawn Haughey at 956-872-3488, dhaughey@southtexascollege.edu, Lillian Carrillo at 956-447-6663 or visit http://lag.southtexascollege.edu.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Wed, May 01, 2013 @ 10:06 AM
Olga Valle-Herr recalled giving away her first poems for the price of a bag of chips or a soda.
“Every day I was writing love poems,” Valle-Herr remembered. “And I had lots of friends that would say, ‘Hey, can you give me a copy?’ And back then, we didn’t even have typewriters, much less a computer. So I’d be writing them in long-hand and handing them out, and they’d buy me a Coke or something, a bag of Fritos. That was my selling.”
In April, the 73-year-old received a much more enduring reward: Valle-Herr was proclaimed McAllen’s first city poet laureate. A poet laureate is an appointed poet representative for a location or institution who composes and presents poetry for official events.
She was chosen from a number of applicants by the McAllen Arts Council, a panel run by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. Nancy Millar, the vice president of Convention and Visitors Bureau at the Chamber, said the idea for choosing a poet representative for the city had been percolating for some time.
She said that the city has worked tirelessly to increase awareness of the quality and quantity of artists in McAllen, but she felt that the verse as an art form had not been properly celebrated.
“One of the areas that we haven’t paid as much attention as we would like is the literary arts. So we felt like, along with the painters and sculptors and musicians, that this is also a very important part of the arts. This was a way to expose more local people to what we really have down here.”
Millar went on to say that the Chamber hopes the appointment will inspire others to explore their own creative abilities, which would improve the Rio Grande Valley as a whole.
“Not everybody is talented with a paint brush or a guitar, or is blessed with a beautiful singing voice, but a lot of people can express themselves very well through writing,” she said. “So I’m hoping this will free up other people to feel like they can join that if they want to and show they don’t have to have a doctorate in literature in order to express themselves.”
Valle-Herr said that she discovered her love of poetry and the written word while cleaning out a musty attic with her mother when she was just 9 years old.
“(My mom) was dusting and putting things away, and she found this little tablet,” Valle-Herr said. “She was getting carried away in her thoughts, so I asked her to tell me what she was reading, and she said, ‘This is my old diary. Would you like to hear how I met your dad?’ And I was just captivated by her words. … Then I asked if I could have a diary for Christmas. … That was the beginning of my writing.”
Since then, the retired social worker has recorded her thoughts on love, work, nature and the everyday people and occurrences that evoke a strong reaction in her.
“It’s more like different things that I never thought I would be inspired by,” she said. “I called a poem ‘The Petal Pusher.’ It’s about the man who sells roses — I don’t know if you’ve seen him, but he wears the suit and sells roses on 10th Street. He was so darling, you know? He once told me that he was doing that right now, but he was going to have his own flower shop one day.”
Since she retired in 2004, Valle-Herr has been published several times. She was featured in Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul, and in an anthology with the Texas Poet Laureate Jan Seale and other Valley writers,Valleysong: An Anthology Echoing the Rhythm and Cadence of Life in the Rio Grande Valley.
This was a particularly touching moment for Valle-Herr, as she had studied under Seale for 15 years. Last January, she published her first solo effort, Pearl Harvest, a collection of poetry and short stories available at J’aime Les Livres bookstore in McAllen. It was her proudest moment, she said, until she was appointed city poet laureate.
Valle-Herr said she was proud and excited to start her work conducting readings in schools and at city events. The author said she’d like to impart that self-expression is necessary to human evolution, and that invaluable lessons can be taught and learned through the power of poetry.
“So many topics are available to us. It doesn’t have to be just love or nature. It can be about what’s going on in the world. Poetry is such a delight, but it can also be instructing. You can instruct or leave some wisdom after you’re through with a poem. Never preach ever, but leave those last lines with something to think about. Instead of preaching it, we leave sort of a question mark. ‘What can I do? What’s after this?’ That we learn something — that’s what I think is important.”
Posted by Nancy Millar on Tue, Apr 30, 2013 @ 11:11 AM
The South Texas College Mid-Valley Campus Library presents “STC Capstone Student Art Exhibition,” featuring the artwork of Esteban Calderas Jr., Dulce A. Cortés, Victor Manuel Espinoza Jr., Kevin Huerta, Linda L. López and Alexis Ramos. The exhibit will open Tuesday, April 30, 2013 and continue through May 14 at the Mid-Valley Campus Library (Bldg. E) located at 400 N. Border in Weslaco. A reception will be held on May 7, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the same location. Admission to both events is free and open to the public.
“The capstone class is the culmination of an art student's career at South Texas College, before moving on to a bachelor's degree or a career in the visual arts,” said STC Art Instructor Scott Nicol. “The exhibition at the Mid Valley Campus Library will give capstone students the opportunity to present the finest work that they have yet produced, and allow the community the chance to see great art made here in the Rio Grande Valley. There is great diversity in the visions of these six artists, making for what promises to be an excellent show.”
South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery exhibits regional, national and international artwork, explores new visions and theories of creativity, and introduces innovative artistic expressions to the South Texas region.
For more information contact Dawn Haughey at 956-872-3488, dhaughey@southtexascollege.edu, Lillian Carrillo at 956-447-6663 or visit http://lag.southtexascollege.edu.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Tue, Apr 23, 2013 @ 11:10 AM
Thursday, April 25, 2013
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Opening Reception:
The Third Mexican “Shinzaburo Takeda”
Biennial of Printmaking
IMAS will give welcome to The Third Mexican “Shinzaburo Takeda” Biennial of Printmaking with an opening reception next Thursday, April 25, 2013 at IMAS from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The exhibit will be on display at the museum for a short period of time from Thursday, April 25, 2013 to Sunday, July 21, 2013.
The Shinzaburo Takeda Biennial of Printmaking was created in 2008 through the efforts of a group of artists from Oaxaca lead by Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda in order to create a forum that would foster the creation of new artistic works that showcase the traditional techniques of printmaking. The biennial invited top-rising printmakers from Mexico to compete for the Top 3 awards, as well as the Takeda Award.
In its third edition, this Biennial is undoubtedly an endeavor which has come to full fruition with increased interest from Mexican and foreign artists wanting to contribute their talents and vision. 68 works of the over 460 received were chosen under via an arduous selection process to represent the third edition of the Biennial.
The Shinzaburo Takeda Biennial of Printmaking has brought a new energy to Mexican art and life, especially to the city of Oaxaca which is a Mecca for this art form. A city of over 300,000 inhabitants, Oaxaca has an incredible print scene lead by a rare mix of young and old talent.
Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda was born in Seto, Japan in 1935 during World War II. He attended the University of Fine Arts in Tokyo and moved to Mexico, where he quickly assimilated into the country’s rich culture. He studied mural painting and lithography, and worked for the Mexican Museo Nacional de las Culturas as a graphic artist and painter. By the late 1970’s, Takeda moved to the Mixteca region of Oaxaca and became an integrate part of the School of Fine Arts at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca. Till this day at age 77, Takeda continues teaching printmaking at the university. In November 9, 2012, Maestro Takeda received the Medal of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from Emperor Akihito in Tokyo, Japan, in recognition for his work as a professor and artist, and his philanthropic initiatives in improving the quality of education of the School of Fine Arts at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Tue, Apr 23, 2013 @ 11:06 AM
The public is invited to the 6th Annual Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival (V.I.P.F.) on Apr. 25—28, 2013 at events across the Rio Grande Valley and Matamoros. Evening events will be held in Edinburg on Thursday and in McAllen on Friday. Many events will take place on Saturday from morning to night as 50 registered poets from across the Valley and Texas—and even poets from England Minnesota, and Washington and northern Mexico converge in the Valley to participate in workshops, poetry slams, and readings during our four-day festival.
The festival, which started with 18 registered Rio Grande Valle poets in 2008, has since grown steadily, welcoming poets from around the world. This year, we have an additional 15 poets whose submitted work was accepted into Boundless, the official anthology of the Rio Grande Valley Int’l. Poetry Festival—with poems coming in from the U.K., Guatemala, and across the U.S.
“People often ask me, ‘Why just poetry?’” García Ordaz said. “It’s not that we’re against prose. We have quite a few budding novelists and some well-published folks that attend. We focus on poetry as a salute to National Poetry Month. More importantly, it’s because you don’t get rich being a poet. Nobody sells the movie rights to a haiku. If you want to make money, write a collection of short stories or a novel. If you want to make a difference, write a poem.”
Featured poets include Amalia Ortiz (HBO’s Def Poetry), Tammy Gómez, Lupe Méndez, Emmy Pérez, Diana Dominguez, and Mona D. Sizer.
“One of the things that makes V.I.P.F. unique is that we are the only poetry festival in the world with concurrent readings in two different countries,” said Daniel García Ordaz, one of the founders of the four-day festival. “We also feed the poets as part of our Poetry Pachanga. You don’t get that at other festivals.”
The Poetry Pachanga—the precursor to the festival—originated in 2007 when García Ordaz organized a reading by 14 poets at UT-Pan American.
“We had fourteen poets and twelve tamales,” he said. “We knew the Valley was ready to support a festival when one poet’s son flew in from Dallas just to hear his dad read for ten minutes. We had 170 people in the audience and we saw the hunger for festival like this.”
V.I.P.F. is a program of Art That Heals, Inc. and is sponsored in 2013 by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, Creative Alignment Consulting, El Zarape Press, Edinburg Arts, and Barrio Poet Productions. The mission of Art That Heals, Inc. is to encourage cultural awareness by promoting the arts and to use art to help end the AIDS pandemic.
Most events are free and open to the public—except for some workshops with limited seating for the registered poets and a private dinner that is unique to our festival: the Poetry Pachanga—which includes public readings following dinner.
For a full schedule of dates, times, and locations and for a list of poets, biographies, and other details, visit www.vipf.org/sched.html. Contact the festival via e-mail at rgvipf@hotmail.com or find us on Facebook.
* * * *
The Art That Heals, Inc. logo depicts a red ribbon for HIV/AIDS awareness, a pen, and a paintbrush—which incorporates the arts.
The V.I.P.F. logos include flowers and birds. Birds in the ancient/pre-Columbian Americas are historically depicted as representatives of poet-gods, as deities often transformed into hummingbirds and other birds.
Note to the media: please open the attachment Poetry Media Fest for media contact information and our entire program--also attached for bios, event locations/times, etc. for details.
VIPF Program Final
Poetry Fest Media
Posted by Nancy Millar on Thu, Apr 18, 2013 @ 12:43 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 18, 2013
Media Contact: Gaby Jones, Director of Marketing & Communications, gjones@imasonline.org, (956) 682-0123
International Printmaking Biennial Visits IMAS
McAllen, TX- The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) will give welcome to The Third Mexican “Shinzaburo Takeda” Biennial of Printmaking with an opening reception next Thursday, April 25, 2013 at IMAS from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The exhibit will be on display at the museum for a short period of time from Thursday, April 25, 2013 to Sunday, July 21, 2013.
The Shinzaburo Takeda Biennial of Printmaking was created in 2008 through the efforts of a group of artists from Oaxaca lead by Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda in order to create a forum that would foster the creation of new artistic works that showcase the traditional techniques of printmaking. The biennial invited top-rising printmakers from Mexico to compete for the Top 3 awards, as well as the Takeda Award.
In its third edition, this Biennial is undoubtedly an endeavor which has come to full fruition with increased interest from Mexican and foreign artists wanting to contribute their talents and vision. 68 works of the over 460 received were chosen under via an arduous selection process to represent the third edition of the Biennial.
The Shinzaburo Takeda Biennial of Printmaking has brought a new energy to Mexican art and life, especially to the city of Oaxaca which is a Mecca for this art form. A city of over 300,000 inhabitants, Oaxaca has an incredible print scene lead by a rare mix of young and old talent.
Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda was born in Seto, Japan in 1935 during World War II. He attended the University of Fine Arts in Tokyo and moved to Mexico, where he quickly assimilated into the country’s rich culture. He studied mural painting and lithography, and worked for the Mexican Museo Nacional de las Culturas as a graphic artist and painter. By the late 1970’s, Takeda moved to the Mixteca region of Oaxaca and became an integrate part of the School of Fine Arts at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca. Till this day at age 77, Takeda continues teaching printmaking at the university. In November 9, 2012, Maestro Takeda received the Medal of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from Emperor Akihito in Tokyo, Japan, in recognition for his work as a professor and artist, and his philanthropic initiatives in improving the quality of education of the School of Fine Arts at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.
Admission to the opening reception of The Third Mexican “Shinzaburo Takeda” Biennial will be included in the price of General Admission during our Family Fun Night Program; $1/person and FREE for Members of IMAS. During the opening reception, the public will be able to meet and hear a discussion with Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda. The Third Mexican “Shinzaburo Takeda” Biennial of Printmaking will be on display at IMAS April 25, 2013 – July 21, 2013. For more information, please call (956) 682-123 or visit www.imasonline.org.
Pictured: Maestro Shinzaburo Takeda & "Family from Juchitan". Shinzaburo Takeda. Etching and lithographic pencil on paper, 2012.
Posted by Nancy Millar on Mon, Apr 15, 2013 @ 02:26 PM
You might have heard of 17th street - the busy area on the south side of McAllen that offers all the pleasures of the city's nightlife. Whether you're a current resident or just visiting the city, here are some things you don't want to miss in this popular entertainment district.
Amazing Restaurants
Want some of the most delicious tacos in south Texas? How about Chicago-style deep-dish pizza? Or steak and salad in a classy, upscale atmosphere? You can find it all on 17th street. When you've satisfied your taste budes, it's only a short walk to drinks and dancing. Speaking of which...
Endless Clubs & Bars
No matter what type of club or bar atmosphere you prefer, there's a place that's just right for you on 17th street. You'll find plenty of variety in drinks, too - including handcrafted beers, fine wines and cocktails. Put the two together, and you have a recipe for a relaxed and enjoyable evening with friends.
Cine El Rey
This historical building serves as an entertainment venue (and bar). Cine El Rey hosts outstanding entertainers, performers and special events. Their programming is always changing, so it helps to follow their Facebook page for event info.
You can find out more about the nightlife on 17th street here.
Any place we missed? What are the main draws of 17th Street for you? Tell us in the comments!
