Backstage with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan

Shortly before the concert that closed the San Antonio Mariachi Festival in December 2008, members of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, the original Best Mariachi in the World, graciously allowed my wife Paula Van Lare and myself to get backstage for a couple of quick pictures.

I knew getting the photographs was a big deal at the time, but only later have I been able to appreciate how big of a deal it was. My thanks go out to Mariachi Vargas, their crew and Festival personnel for making the moment possible.

A Young Reader in San Antonio

I'm far behind on posting my San Antonio Mariachi Festival pictures, but I will now start to catch up.

The pictures above and below the text were taken with young reader and cantante Luis L., who sings as "El Gallito" (the Little Rooster). Gallito's parents graciously allowed me to have my picture taken with him, as he reminds me a bit of Gustavo.

I saw him rock the stage a couple of times in San Antonio, where he quickly applied what he learned in a master class.

More San Antonio pictures are forthcoming, along with news on both Mariachi and non-Mariachi fronts.

Live from San Antonio, Parte Dos!

Today's reading at Borders at the Quarry in San Antonio went very well, thanks to booksellers Joanna and Angel and a wonderful audience of both adults and children.

I also had the opportunity to speak to adults and children at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium.

Pictures from both events will appear in this very blog, and we'll see what comes of being in the audience for tonight's performance by Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan.

Live from San Antonio!

I am writing this dispatch from the business center of the historic St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio.

At the San Antonio Civic Center this morning I had the opportunity to speak to several hundred students ranging in age from early grade school to college level about the value of higher education and about The Best Mariachi in the World/El Mejor Mariachi del Mundo. I also gave away a hardcover of each version (bilingual, Spanish and English) as prizes for answering mariachi trivia questions.

The rest of today will include a bit of tourism and watching student competitions this evening, not to mention taking advantage of the local cuisine.

On Saturday, December 6 I will spend the morning getting reading for my reading at Borders at the Quarry.