Halloween

Since when did throwing on a pair of wings and walking around in your underwear become such a popular Halloween costume. Last night I witnessed some of the worst and some of the best costumes I had seen in a long time....ok, well maybe since last year, but you get the point. I'm not going to say I went all out this year, because I didn't. But at least I didn't just sport some wings and call it a night!

Highlights:

There were a couple of really impressive costumes, but it was nothing a few dollars couldn't get anyone. I saw one guy dressed as the Mad Hatter from the most recent Alice in Wonderland. I also saw one really cute Dorothy (Wizard of Oz), but I had also seen that one at a party earlier in the month. I think Lady Gaga and The Jersey Shore characters were very abundant this year. I'm not sure that I saw a lot of originality, but I did see a lot of campy fun. Wait...I take that back. OMG...one guy was dressed as Mike Yuchnitz (the guy accused of allegedly hiring someone to kill his wife). It was CLASSIC!!!

Downfalls:

One guy strutted around in a pair of wings and his underwear. There was nothing exciting and definitely not original about it. I also seemed to see about two or three other guys with just wings. WHAT'S WITH THE WINGS??? Seriously.

Original or not, I have to give props to anyone who dressed up. I think Halloween can be really fun. It's really one of the only nights of the year you can leave your house dressed like anything, and be accepting of laughs. So whether your costume rocked or just plain sucked, give yourself a pat on the back for at least having the nerve to go out in public that way.

Obesity Wars!

Why is it all about, "she's making me fat," or "he's making me fat," or "they're making me fat?" Why can't everyone take the blame for making "themselves" fat? As I was sitting down and watching an MSNBC segment on the McDonald's fast-food empire, Carl Quintanilla starts questioning some of the big wigs behind this conglomerate, almost in an accusatory manner, about their role in making Americans obese.

Why are People so lazy as to blame someone else for their bad habits? Yes, eating unhealthy is a bad habit, you dumb Americans. Eating a Quarter Pounder with cheese, an order of large fries and a large Coke, will indeed make you fat when eaten on a regular basis. But don't blame the golden arches for your negligence. I know they can be hypnotizing, especially when you're driving down the highway, and you see them from a quarter mile away, and you're just so hungry.

No one is putting a gun to your head and telling you to stop at McDonalds. No one is ramming that Big Mac down your mouth. And they're not even giving you the food for free. You're the one that's making the choice to pay for it. You're the one who's making the choice to eat there. And you're the one who's made the unhealthy decision to eat this way.

I mean, seriously, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that burgers and fries and shakes are not healthy, and could lead to health problems down the road. So the chain continues to be the victim of lawsuits and bad practice claims when it comes to selling food. I don't see why they should be required to change anything about their menus when it's what they're known for. If you want burgers and fries in a hurry, go to McDonald's. If you want something healthy and nutritious, go somewhere else, you bunch of idiots! Seriously!!!

Until then, stop complaining and stop blaming others for your own actions. Maybe parents don't mean to do it. They don't mean to feed their kids so unhealthy all the time. And I'm sure some parents are just super busy and need a quick solution to dinner, hence the drive through window, which seems to work wonders for the parent-on-the-go. But again, you can't blame the restaurants for your actions.

Empress Hotel

I have to give props where props are due. This is definitely for the staff at a not quite so cozy hotel in the Big Easy, or New Orleans if you will. Now I'm going to admit, this is definitely not my first choice (and probably not yours either) in where to stay when in NOLA.

I have to say, I didn't exactly read the reviews beforehand, but what can I say...it was a last minute thing. Upon my arrival, my jaw almost fell to the floor. This is how stunned I was at the room! And I don't mean that in a good way. But you know what? I knew that I didn't plan on being in the room very long at all, and I would be out totally boozing it up and acting a fool, because that's what I do when I'm in New Orleans. I'm not gonna lie about that!

So back to the Empress Hotel. It wasn't the nicest looking, and even according to a friend of mine that lives there, it wasn't in the best of neighborhoods. After returning home, I FINALLY decided to check out the reviews on tripadvisor.com. Those people had no mercy for this place! And for somewhat good reason. But what were they expecting, seriously? The room was very inexpensive. And one reviewer really said what was on my mind:

"Don't worry about the neighborhood it looks worse than it is.Unlike the hotel where it looks better than it is."

Ok, so maybe some reviewers claimed it was in "the ghetto," and even my local friend claimed it was not the best of neighborhoods, but I can say this much; We were totally ok walking from the hotel to the French Quarter and even downtown...even late at night. And I'm talking about 3 and even 4am. The neighborhood to me didn't seem as bad as others on tripadvisor make it out to be. Even in passing on the sidewalk, we were greeted in that neighborhood with a friendly "hello" and a smile.

And Empress is only like 2 blocks from the French Quarter. It was an easy stroll! So now going back again to the hotel, the pictures looked ok, and yeah, the room wasn't the nicest. It kind of reminded us of the crazy, scary motel in Vacancy, starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. The bathroom was kind of creepy, and I can honestly say I've stayed at Motel 6's that were nicer.

The staff however, were peaches and cream! They were so nice. Even after I walked in and totally went off on the lady at the front desk one night in particular. I had been drinking and was very unpleasant to her. But I apologized the next day, and she was sweet as pie after that. Then again, it's really hard to resist my charm. ;)

So to sum up, here's what I recommend: If you want somewhere really cheap and really close to the French Quarter, and you don't mind such a seedy place (as long as you don't plan on lounging in your room long), then this place is an easy last minute book, and the staff is friendly. If you prefer something classy, or even something with a pool (for those of you who plan on having a boring time and spending MOST of your time in a hotel), then stay within the French Quarter or even the downtown area.

I'm not sure that I would necessarily recommend this place to anyone who is used to all the fine amenities offered by the likes of The Saint Louis or Wyndham or The Shearaton. But I think the next time I'm in a crunch and need a place to possibly just sleep for a few hours, I might consider it again.

Big Lou's, Big Pizza, Big Disappointment

I've heard many big things about Big Lou's Pizzeria on San Antonio's southeast side. But nothing prepared me for the big disappointment I encountered there.

Let me first say, if you're a busy establishment, and you know the wait is going to be long, please give your patrons a heads up or add an extra 10-15 minutes just in case. When we arrived, we ordered and were told the wait would be 25 minutes. That was at 7:40 according to our receipt. We were finally seated at about 8:56, and only after we complained.

The wait time was partly the biggest let down. So I figured their pizza would redeem them. Wow, was I wrong. I'm not saying the pizza was bad. In all honesty, my first thought was: "A greasy good time in your mouth!" But then I thought it may have been the fact that we had waited so long to eat. The pizza was mediocre at best. But Big Lou's is really a unique place in San Antonio because they offer such gigantic works of pepperoni and cheese.

On a scale of 1-10, I'm going to have to give them a 3 on the wait time. I understand it's a busy place, but when you say 25 minutes, and actually wait over an hour, it's just wrong. I'm giving their pizza a rating of 6. Only because I heard such great reviews, and they didn't live up to my expectations. I'm giving them a 7 for customer service. They really looked like they were trying.

So my recommendation: If you want to try something new (as I did tonight), go for it. Stop by Big Lou's. They've got like 40" pizzas, but if you want great pizza, don't go to Big Lou's. I did like the beer. I'll give them that much credit.

Powderkids go out with a bang!

Tonight I got to watch the highly anticipated local independently made film, The Powderkids. So I have to give props to my Buddy Calvo and Perla Rivera for putting me on the list. I got there just as they started allowing people into the auditorium where the flick was playing. I was surprised as to how many people were there. It wasn't a sell-out, but unless you consider enough empty seats to make up about two and a half or three rows bad, this turnout was...how can I put this best? It was the shit.

Saw quite a few people out there that I recognized from either Facebook or just familiar hometown faces, including Maclovio Perez, spokesperson for Harlandale ISD, and former WOAI meteorologist, and Brian Alonzo from KSAT-12. And of course all most of the cast of the movie were on hand. Isn't it always strange to see someone in person and realize either how short or tall they really are?

Well if you missed the movie, let me describe it to you this way. This is the Goodfellas for the twentysomethings of today. The lead male character, Lucas, narrates most of the film, but he keeps you up to speed with who's who and how everything falls into place. I was very impressed with most of the acting as well, for people who had never acted before.

I'm not gonna lie! Not everyone was good, but hey, as I said, these guys weren't actors. Still, it was a good story, that seemed to keep the audience in a trance throughout. The film was also screened on BluRay, which made it look that much better.

Calvo wasn't kidding, for a shoestring budget, these guys really went all out and got the bang for their buck! Awesome sound, which of course was all thanks to The Living Room Studio. So the movie will go from here onto film festivals everywhere. I have a good feeling about The Powderkids. I just hope the real critics feel the same. Good luck and congrats to Calvo and his team!

Nothing kid-like about The Powderkids

By Chris Perez

Just listening to Buddy Calvo, director of the upcoming indie film The Powderkids, was like watching a kid read his Christmas list to Santa Clause. The gleam in his eye, the excitement in his voice, the motioning of his hands...Calvo couldn't wait to tell his story. And when the film is screened at Santikos Palladium theater on Thursday, the audience can witness for themselves exactly why this young director was so anxious.

Calvo and producer, Perla Rivera, are no newbies in the indie film world. In 2008, the two collaborated on Jacob, another low budget film, which like Powderkids, is based on true events.

Like Lucas, the protagonist in The Powderkids, Calvo also took a break from college to find something, another calling if you will. What he found instead were his old high school friends, pretty much doing the same ol' same ol', being wild, partying, and using drugs, but having a thrill ride of their own nonetheless.

"I went to UTSA for a few years. I had a full scholarship, but my grades started slipping," Calvo said. "I had to have a certain grade-point-average for that scholarship, and sure enough I wasn't making it so I left.

That's when Calvo said he began hanging out with his old friends whom suggested that he follow them around and make a movie about their lives.

"That was a weird time," Calvo admits. "I was at Kinko's, I just left UTSA, I broke up with my girlfriend. I had nothing to do."

He said at first, he thought following his friends was just a waste of time. It wasn't until his friend Joe Gallegos, another of the film's producers, suggested Calvo make a movie involving drugs. Calvo said one of his initial thought was a movie about girls and cocaine, possibly called The Powder Room.

Gallegos thought it would be better if the film revolved around him, Calvo, and a few other friends, suggesting they call it The Powderkids. The name stuck.

"It really is a collection of stories," Calvo said. " In the credits it says written and directed by Buddy Calvo. Stories by Buddy Calvo and Joe Gallegos."

So the idea of a few friends involved in a world of drugs just so happened to take shape in this 90-minute drama. Don't let the drama tag fool you. Calvo promised enough action to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Those viewers can also expect to see lots of newcomers in this movie. For being a little "green," as he put it, Calvo said the actors were very convincing. Stephanie Hunter is one of the only faces you may remember if you happened to catch his last film, Jacob.

People should keep in mind the actors were not paid for the long hours they put into this production. The other female lead, Tasja Sachs, said she had so manipulate her time in order to shoot her scenes.

"I worked at FedEx and had to take a lot of time off," Sachs said. "I used all the vacation time, sick days and floating holidays I had. I almost got fired because I spent so much time on the film"

Sachs also recalled an incident in which she called in to work from the set of the movie and had to put on another performance for them as she played the sick role. It was all worth it she admits.

"I totally loved my character. I could relate to her because I have so many friends that are party girls," Sachs said while hiccuping during a phone interview. She admitted to having a few drinks prior to the interview, only proving that she was a reflection of the fun party girl she played in the movie.

After shooting for nine months, and editing for another three or so, Calvo hopes his small budget production will get a huge turnout. His company, Machina Cinema is currently working on smaller projects and taking a percentage of those earnings to put toward his next film.

Even though the company's budget was far from grand, don't expect a cheesy product. Whereas most movies are screened on dvd, The Powderkids will screened on Blu-Ray.

The Powderkids will be screened Thrusday August 19 and Thrusday August 26 at Santikos Palladium Theater located at The Rim on the city's northwest side. Tickets are available online at www.machinacinema.com. But tickets are going fast and will not be sold at the door, so be sure to purchase them soon.

For more information, follow The Powderkids on Twitter @The_Powderkids and find them on Facebook at facebook.com/the.powderkids.

Looking for local business and their owners

So I've decided to try this new thing where I, San Antonio's very own TheGossipGuy, go out to local places of business that I think may interest my FB friends. I think I'll try this on a weekly basis or more if time permits. The plan is, I will go to businesses listed on my page and will write up my own review of what I think makes this place what it is (ie. the food, products, services, etc.).

Hopefully local business owners will welcome me rather than run me out...lol! So watch out everyone. I'll be out there lurking around your stores, restaurants, and whatever else you got. Please see terms and conditions below.


Void where prohibited in Texas. You may send me a message via FB to let me know of best day to swing by for specials, sales, drinks, etc. May arrive with company or alone. I reserve the right to walk out if not completely satisfied....LOL