Finding Art in the Oddest of Places

Local artist David Anaya stands before one of his large pieces
 located on the wall at Rainbow Spirits, 2811 N. Saint Marys

You find art in the oddest of places. And so it was that on walking into Rainbow Spirits at 2811 N St. Marys, I found local artist David Anaya sitting in the old barber chair right at the end of one of the display racks.

We got to talking, and explaining that I shoot "street", I asked if he knew who did the unusual modern-Aztec style wall-art that was all over the side of the building.  He modestly replied that he was the artist, and that some more of his work could be seen outside on the back wall. 

On stepping out into the back parking lot, I saw that, sure enough, there was another large piece, titled "Para Mi Primo" blasting its colors into the adjoining neighborhood.



"Para Mi Primo" - a large art piece by local
artist David Anaya

Asking how he got his style and if perhaps he had central american roots, he indicated that he did not, and that he just painted what came to his mind.

David showed me other pieces on display in between the liquor racks and near the front door, and those also had a style that was graffiti-ish, yet of a different genre. Unlike modern LA -style graffiti, with its bold strokes across broad patterns, and nowadays having a symbology that is generally the artist’s name, thrown up in so abstract a form, that although a cacophony of color, is becoming increasingly difficult to make out, David' s form is more detailed, with smaller components, painted in more of the muted greens and reds that one associates with earth tones, as opposed to "candy" tones such as those that come out of a Montana spray can.



David showed me the latest piece that he was working on, a 12x18 slab on canvas which is priced for sale at $450.

Latest piece by artist David Anaya
Oil on Canvas ~ approx 12 x 18
$450

　

He can be found most days, 12-9 pm  at his gallery co-located with Rainbow Spirits, 2811 N. St. Mary's Street, San Antonio, Tx, and is reachable by phone at 734-8920. True to form as an artist, David has his own style, such style being that he deals with patrons face-to-face, and has no website or email.

Not the Usual Stuff - Chunky's Burgers

"I’ll take one of those "Hickory Burger" things.

And so began my trip down the rabbit hole of psychedelic tongue wonder at Chunky’s Burgers located at the rear of The Hangar, one of the bars on what I call the Broadway Club Zone, located just south of the intersection of Broadway and 410.

I had come to do photo coverage of the bikini contest being held that night at the Hangar, and after a couple hours getting some shots for stock and editorial coverage, I was hungry and decided to give the place a try.

Thus it came to be that I was standing there right next to the pool table, giving my order thru the slot window at the back of the bar to the order cook who goes by the name Kino.

Cyrstal Cavazos seves up one of the
kick ass burgers to be found at Chunky's located
in The Hangar Bar, 8203 Broadway Street

Just being thankful for anything, I was not expecting much. Man, was I ever surprised, for on getting that burger and biting into it, my taste buds lit up like a Christmas tree. Talk about a dopamine rush - and speaking quite frankly, I do not see why people need to do coke when they have this kind of legal stuff all around.

First off, the burger came hot off the grill with no waiting around to get cold, and second ( a very important second) the bun was toasted on the grill, and the bottom of it was hot, hot, hot, quite unlike those that are found at many places such as Chester’s which itself makes a pretty good burger, but which has failed to catch on that you do not leave the bun laying out on a cold stainless table while the patty cooks.

Back to Chunky’s - So hot was the bun that I had to put it down because it was steaming my fingers, but because my hunger curve was steeper than my pain tolerance curve, I let it cool a few seconds, and then took my first bite.

Even before the taste of the patty, I was hit by the crunch of the onion rings laid into the hickory sauce on top of the meat itself. Next, the taste of the tangy sauce hit me, being followed in train by the prick of some sort of pepper heat., and then the burger. To me, it tasted like a good sirloin steak, having just the right combination of fat and meat, which is sooo important to having a flavorful experience, and 

Kino - man behind the scenes at
Chunky's located in the Hangar
8203 Broadway Street

I plowed right through the thing. It was not until I was about halfway thru that I remembered that I am a street photographer too, but alas that I had gotten so far ahead of myself and had already eaten the photographic evidence! Oh well, win some lose some.


Seeing that I am just the gregarious sort, and figure that everybody wants to listen to what I have to say, I went to the window, and sticking my head in, got the attention of Connie, Kino and Crystal, who at first must have thought I was coming to complain. Quite the contrary, and I told them that this was the most kickassedness burger I ever had. It was then that I found out that this Chunky’s was featured on Man vs Food when the host came down to eat the Four Horsemen Burger - the one made with the "ghost chili" - the pepper that is the hottest in the world.


We talked a bit more about what made the burgers so good, and I truly believe that it is because they come off a seasoned grill which somehow imparts a hard-to-describe body to the food. Kino confirmed my take on things.


In summary - props to Kino, Connie, and Crystal at Chunky’s Burgers in the Hangar.


StreetMan's Recommendation - Thumbs Up
　
Disclaimer:
For those of you wondering if this is one of those paid write-ups in exchange for graft and corruption, I tell you that it is not. I do not work for the clubs, or the circuit, and I was not asked to write this review. I am a street photographer seeking to explore, in real time, what people do in their everyday lives, and when I run across something that really jacks me up, I write about it. Thus it is that I came to write up this article and the others below:


The Smoke Shack
Rocker Dogz
Revolution Room
The Hangar Bikini Contest

　
Shameless Plug
In addition taking pictures, I stock them for editorial, large format fine art, and other uses. So - if you like the images in my gallery, go ahead and buy a few. Many of them would look great in 16 x 24 mounted blowup format  for corporate wall art. And certainly, if you are looking for something special in the way of photographic services drop me an email at the address on the www.koenigphotoart.com site.

Gourmet Hot Dogs? - You Better Believe It!

~ Art Koenig
San Antonio, Texas

“Gawd man, I have never done drugs, but this must be what cocaine feels like.” So said me, the guy cramming another bite of one of Chef Kris Martinez’s Rocker Dogz into my mouth.

Never in a million years would I have thought such a thing existed - out of a club vendor’s food cart no less, but that is exactly the way it went down Friday Night at the Lava Lounge on N. St Marys Street in San Antonio, where I was doing photographic coverage on the wild and crazy Beyond the Canvas Body Painting event.

Heaven on Earth ~ A Rocker Dogz (Thai Kickboxer Rocker)

At first, I was just trying to get the lay of the club while waiting for the painter’s models to show up, and after I made the circuit, I wandered back to the front, where I struck up a conversation with Kris Martinez, who turned out to be the owner of Rocker Dogz.

He was dressed in a white chef's-jacket, looking like he just stepped out of one of those Food and Wine magazines, and he was standing in from of his stainless steel vendor cart. At first, I wondered what that was all about - I mean usually when I see a club vendor they are dressed pretty much like me when I think nobody is looking. (Think tatters and tears with grease spots on the tee shirt.)

Being a curious sort, as we street scene photographers are, and asking what kind of "drug" he was pushing from the cart, and looking for a shot (photograph opportunity), he replied “Gourmet Hot Dogs”. Aww come on, I thought, a gourmet hot dog? That was like me telling viewers on my Facebook profile that I look like Tom Cruise.

We talked a bit and while doing so, Chris offered to fix me up one of his Rocker Dogz. I declined, saying that I did not want to get all filled up before the photo shoot at the club. He insisted, saying that he would do it just to show me what it looked like. I replied OK, go ahead and I can see if it makes for a street scene shot.

As Kris goes about making my dog, (Thai Kick Boxer Rocker ) the first thing I see is a bun that has toasting marks on the outside of it . Hummmm ... This looks like a good sign is what was going thru my head. Next, he lays in a plump dog having some sort of glaze to it, and then what does he do but start putting on some Thai red cabbage slaw, some pickled things that turned out to be pickled Serrano peppers, and then laying into the top of it with some sort of dressing.

Presenting it to me, all wrapped in its foil boat, he said "Here it is the Thai Kick Boxer Rocker". Seeing as how he had gone to all that trouble .......I took it, sat my camera aside, wrapped down the foil a bit, and plowed ahead.

What struck me was an unbelievable combination of tangy sauce, the crunch of the cabbage and then the taste of the dog spices and glaze. After that first bite, I took another, and just then I was starting to feel the heat from the pickled serranos. Thereafter, the tastes got even better.Holding that dog and looking at it, shaking my head, and licking the drool off my chin I blurted out to Kris the lead to this story ...“Gawd man, I have never done drugs, but this must be what cocaine feels like.”

Big smile on his face he says ... I told you so. Man was he right.


Rocker Dogz by Chef Kris Martinez

To be found outside Lava Lounge Friday and Saturday night and also doing corporate events and perk parties for staff.


Rockerdogz business number is (210)467-8066.

ROCKERDOGZ “GOURMET STREET DOGZ" page on Facebook under category of restaurant/café.



Menu Follows

Thai Kick Boxer Rocker
All beef hot dog glazed with sweet chili sauce, topped with sliced tomato, pickled Serrano peppers, mustard, Thai red cabbage slaw drizzled with mint and cilantro lime sesame vinaigrette


The "Chicano style" Rockero
All beef hot dog with savory homemade chili, roasted poblano queso blanco, pico de gallo, caramelized Spanish onion with fresh thyme, chile de arbol salsa roja and a drizzle of Mexican crema


Italian Stallion Rocker
Grilled Italian sausage topped with grilled peppers & onions, parmesan cheese, mustard and drizzle of balsamic reduction and chopped Italian parsley