Festiva's Best of 2011
We had a Valley contestant on America’s Next Top Model. We had a homegrown actor get props from Roger Ebert, and a local director receive a Guinness World Record.
But nobody in the Valley came close to having the impact on pop culture that Sara Leal did in 2011.
The 23-year-old McAllen beauty made worldwide headlines for a wild night with Ashton Kutcher that left his marriage to Demi Moore in shambles. The story was splashed all over TV, radio and print news --- she even landed on the cover of US Weekly.
Say what you will about her; everybody else already has. Readers flooded our website in unprecedented numbers to crucify Leal and her “evil” act. Who knew that in an area plagued by murder, human trafficking and other violent crime, the worst thing you could be is a young woman who wants to party with hot famous actors?
You can bet things would have been different if we were talking about a boy from the Valley in a hot tub with Demi Moore. We’d be too busy throwing him a parade to talk about morality.
Like it or not, Sara Leal was the face of the Rio Grande Valley for much of the world in 2011. Maybe what’s most upsetting is that you and I look more like her than we’re willing to admit: holy on the outside, but human as ever within.
YEAR OF THE MODEL
If anything, 2011 was the year of the model. From runways to TV, Valley girls proved they could hold their own against New York and Los Angeles girls groomed for pictorials.
SARA LONGORIA In February, Festiva saw a photo of a leggy Edinburg student as one of the selected few for “America’s Next Top Model.” She became a hometown heroine for Valley girls practicing their pouts and poses in their bathroom mirrors. Although she didn’t win the competition, Longoria went on to book several modeling gigs, including Festiva’s Hottest of Valley Rock — and some more professional stints like in Europe.
NICOLE ESPERANZA ZEPEDA Nicole Esperanza Zepeda emailed Festiva seeking help from her former local community. The plus size model needed votes to win an online PLUS Model magazine and City Chic model contest. Not only did she win the contest, which netted her a seven-page spread in the glossy, she also modeled for the City Chic clothing line. After her win, 26-year-old Zepeda scored jobs strutting for numerous designers during Full Figured Fashion Week in New York.
ERIKA CAVAZOS When we first got wind that Weslaco native Erika Cavazos was going to be living with more than a dozen Latina models in a house in Las Vegas, we searched cable channels high and low for Nuvo TV’s “Model Latina.” Eventually, we just caught up with each week’s episode on Hulu.com and watched 25-year-old Cavazos hover under the radar and slowly improve her skills. She came home to visit family and friends and host a viewing party for the finale — which she won. As the winner of “Model Latina,” Cavazos received a $20,000 prize, a one-year contract with Q Management and she’s been doing some spokes modeling work for Nuvo TV.
BEST CHEESY ADULT CONTEMPORARY CONCERT: YANNI
Yanni made hearts melt when he performed at the McAllen Civic Center. He also granted the wish of one of his biggest fans when he met Joe Eguia backstage after the show.
BEST REPEAT PERFORMER: KEVIN FOWLER
Country singer Kevin Fowler would’ve performed at least three times this year, if his Dec. 30 show hadn’t been moved to next February. Still, the artist has visited the Valley more in the past few years than any other.
BEST TEENAGE CHEF: SEBY JOSEPH
Eighteen-year-old Seby Joseph had a good shot at becoming the next “MasterChef.” He impressed the judges with his knife skills and cooking chops, but he failed to wow them with a chicken dish. He’s currently honing his talent at The Art Institute of Austin.
BRANDON GARCIA’S FAVES
CALLE 13 – ‘ENTREN LOS QUE QUIERAN’
Never in my life did I think I would sing the praises of reggaeton, but this is a witty, genre-bending collection with a lot to say about the state of the world today.
This is the biggest thing to happen to music since the MP3. Spotify has practically every song ever recorded in its library, and you can listen to whatever you want, whenever you want, as many times as you want. For free. Hallelujah!
DAFT PUNK – ‘TRON: LEGACY’ SOUNDTRACK
Crystal pointed out this rousing electronic score, perfect for productivity. Daft Punk improves upon the fun but chilly blips and beeps of the original movie’s soundtrack.
CHINGO BLING – “RANCHO EN McALLEN”
Chingo Bling’s raunchy, hilarious rhymes about the Texas border walk a fine line between satire and loving tribute. Prepare to die laughing if you’re a native McAllenite.
Gather up all the floppy disks, CD-Rs and flash drives you haven’t managed to lose yet and throw them in a bonfire --- they’re useless. Dropbox is a free service that syncs 2GB of data to your computers, phone, etc. Also for free.
BEST NEW VENUE: PHARR EVENTS CENTER
At first, we weren’t sure what to expect when Pharr converted its old convention center into a viable venue for concerts and sporting events. About halfway through the year, we knew: the Pharr Events Center was the mid-sized locale the Valley needed. An expensive renovation improved the looks and functionality of the place, and then the concerts started to pour in.
BEST SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH: COCA-COLA FREESTYLE
Last year, employees at Valley-area Wing Stop locations travelled forward in time and came back with a soda machine that could dispense hundreds of drink options from the same nozzle. OK, the time travel part is bunk, but they do have that machine, which is a Coca Cola prototype spreading across the nation. http://www.themonitor.com/articles/box-54487-drink-ramirez.html
2011’S RISING STARS
RAUL CASTILLO McAllen native Raúl Castillo had a very big year. He received praise for his work in the indie mystery feature film “Cold Weather” — kind words from critics Roger Ebert and publications like “The New York Times” and “GQ” magazine. Then the actor came home to support friends in a play and took time out of his schedule to pose for Festiva’s Hottest of Valley Rock. He also stars in the web series “The Trainee,” which debuted at CineSol. Oh, and he’s the star of an indie short film titled “Kiss Me,” in which he depicts a Latino boxer who kills an opponent in the ring. The plot also focuses on homosexuality in the sport. Watch for him in the upcoming film adaptation of “Bless Me Ultima.”
MARISA QUINTANILLA Landing the role of “Huilen” in the final installment of the “Twilight” film series was a really big deal for Marisa Quintanilla. Now it seems as though the McAllen-born actress is booking gig after gig. She’ll be appearing in episodes of TV series “American Horror Story” and “Private Practice” next year.
JD MATA Actor J.D. Mata snagged the role of a brujo, a medicine man, in the wildly popular primetime series “True Blood.” He shared scenes with Nelsan Ellis and Kevin Alejandro.
GABRIELLE RUIZ Gabrielle Ruiz has been dancing most of her life, and she reached three of her major goals in the past few years, including starring in a national tour of “A Chorus Line,” dancing in a Broadway show (“In the Heights”) and, this year, as the leading lady in “My One and Only.” Her next goal: originating a role.
STEVEN ESCOBAR Steven Escobar, the Valley native who moved to L.A., did a bunch of sweet stuff and landed himself an Emmy for his work on “The Amazing Race,” was at it again last year in the “cool things” department. This time he was murdering tons of people en route to breaking the Guinness World Record for highest body count in a slasher flick for “The Summer of Massacre,” which he produced. http://www.themonitor.com/articles/escobar-57010-kind-steven.html
BEST NEW EVENTS: Jardin Del Arte and Alfesco Weslaco
It’s been nearly a decade since McAllen debuted the popular first-Friday Art Walk, and this year a couple other cities kick-started their own monthly art-centric nights. Mid-Valley residents have Alfresco Weslaco to attend Thursday evenings, and Edinburg began its Jardin del Arte festival this past summer.
BEST TREND: REBIRTH OF POETRY
Poetry made a huge comeback in 2011. From Pasta and Poetry events at a local restaurant to the Valley International Poetry Festival, spoken word was hip again. Even a Chamber Concert featured a Russian pianist and poetess and local writer Christopher Carmona released a book of poetry.
AMY NICHOL SMITH’S FAVES
MY FAVORITE MOVIE … isn’t a new one at all. “Brick,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, was a wonderful modern take on film noir. Another film in the same vein would be “Cold Weather,” starring McAllen’s Raúl Castillo. And an honorable mention goes to “I’m a Cyborg But That’s OK” because the Korean film is wonderfully bizarre and touching.
MY FAVORITE SONG … Goyte’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” (featuring Kimbra). It’s a powerful song with a great video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY
MY FAVORITE BOOK … Ernest Cline’s novel “Ready Player One” was such a fun read for me. It’s perfect for the late 20s/early 30s crowd who grew up on Nintendo and PC games and John Hughes films. Nostalgia, geekdom and pure win.
MY FAVORITE TV SHOW … I didn’t expect to enjoy “Once Upon a Time” as much as I have been. It’s taking the place of “Lost” for me right now. A couple of friends also introduced me to a fabulous little Japanese series called “Absolute Boyfriend.” It’s funny, sweet and surprisingly emotional at the end.
BEST USE OF REALLY SHORT GUYS IN UNDERWEAR: MIDGET WRESTLING
The Extreme Midget Wrestling Federation came to the Valley one glorious Sunday in early October, and I’ve just now stopped giggling about it. It was that awesome.
http://www.themonitor.com/entertainment/libres-55216-lucha-entertainment.html
BEST CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY BY SCHOOL TEACHERS: MARIACHI LOS ARRIEROS
It’s not every year that a bunch of school teachers from the Valley make mariachi music that’s so good it wins a nomination for an actual Grammy, rather than one of those Latin Grammys that seem to be going around all over lately. Wait, scratch that. It’s not ANY year that that happens. Major kudos to these guys on the success of their first album after more than a decade of making mariachi music.
http://www.themonitor.com/entertainment/mariachi-57070-festival-vargas.html
ZACK QUAINTANCE’S FAVORITES
>> My favorite thing I sort of remember drinking
I think it was called Penguin or Tokyo or some sh-shtuff. Who can remember after drinking one of these? It was like four Bud Lights worth of drunkness crammed into one little glass and tasting exactly what I’ve imagined magical syrup would taste like. Exactly. Subsequent sober online research revealed the beer was Brewdog’s Tokio*, and it clocks in at a whopping 18.2 percent alcohol by volume.
http://www.themonitor.com/entertainment/roosevelt-20636-beers-owners.html
>>My favorite movie of the year
Don’t laugh, but it was The Muppets. It was super well-written and funny, especially the awesome musical numbers which were obviously the work of Flight of the Conchord’s Brett McKenzie. Anyone who saw it will agree with me: I still can’t believe I fell for Muppet Man.
>>My favorite TV show
NBC’s Community was great this year, if only because I’ve never seen a show so thoroughly not care about what the average viewer thinks. At some point, this became a really esoteric show for people who cared to watch all the existing episodes repeatedly, analyzing the characters and running trends. That’s not an unusual quality for something like “The Sopranos,” but for a network sitcom? It’s unheard of and probably the reason the show has been put on the shelf indefinitely, with no word from the network on when it will return.
>>The Valley needs a….
Lazer tag place. I wouldn’t play it, but c’mon, there’s like two gazillion kids here. It’d be a gold mine. I’ll write up a business plan if one of our many über-wealthy readers wants to invest. Just call me, I’ll be home alone all New Year’s Eve staring at my cell phone anyway. Seriously, please call me.
BEST MASS FACEBOOK PHOTO SHOOT: BUSH CONCERT AT PHARR EVENTS CENTER
The über grungy mid ‘90s group Bush came to the Valley for one night only, but basically everyone I’ve ever met here now has a picture of themselves with Gavin Rossdale as their Facebook default, cell phone background or driver’s license photo, which is clearly illegal. But apparently the concert was that well received.
http://www.themonitor.com/articles/bush-55817-oct-win.html
BEST SPONTANEOUS OUTBURST OF DISCO DANCING: HOPSONIC RADIO ICONS PARTY
This groovy shindig went down three times at Molina’s Mexican Restaurant on South 23rd Street, a surprisingly apt venue for a disco party. It’s tough to find the words to describe why this trio of dance-heavy events was so fun last year, but any combination of praise should involve the phrase “boogie oogie woogie.”
CRYSTAL OLVERA’S FAVES
MOVIE: X-Men: First Class
I must admit, after the trainwreck that was “X-Men Last Stand,” my expectations for a prequel to the X-Men franchise were incredibly low. Did we really need another X-Men origins movie? Wasn’t the ridiculous “Wolverine” enough? Little did I know that “First Class” would wipe the slate clean and revamp the franchise into a slick, sexy vintage version of itself. With magnetic performances from James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, “X-Men: First Class” brought the X-Men back to life.
CELEBRITY CRUSH: Michael Fassbender
Is there anyone out there that hasn’t been totally captivated by Michael Fassbender? The Irish-born actor has had a heck of year starring in five critically lauded films. Of course, he’s also got a great set of piercing blue eyes (“Jane Eyre”), he can speak three languages (“Inglorious Basterds”) and looks great in leather (“X-Men: First Class”). There’s also a little movie called “Shame” on the horizon, in which he plays a sex addict that already has critics buzzinig about an Oscar nom. Of course, the NC-17 film is also rumored to be a hit with his admirers.
TV SHOW: “Breaking Bad”
I had heard a lot about AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” but nothing would prepare me for the marathon I chose to endure this fall. A high school chemistry teacher finds out he has cancer and decides to live the remainder of his life cooking up meth in order to provide for his family, long after his death. I decided to watch the entire show from beginning to this year’s season finale in the span of a couple of weeks, just to see what all the fuss was about. I had no idea I would develop a painful addiction to such a bleak, yet mesmerizing depiction of suburban America. I had been tardy to the “Breaking Bad” party, but I was so glad I hadn’t missed it.
SONG: Childish Gambino “Freaks and Geeks”
Even though I’ve probably played Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Watch the Throne,” more than a million times, it still has not surpassed my love for Childish Gambino’s “Freaks and Geeks.” The song is a look into the quirky mind of comedy writer/actor Donald Glover (“Community”). With lyrics like: “I have worked all winter, I will not fail summer in the back of the bush like Gavin Rossdale’s drummer,” it’s hard not to smile and appreciate the comedian’s lyrical prowess.
SADDEST GOODBYES
AMANDA FROM 106.3 We don’t want to get too sappy here, but Festiva would like to take a moment to say good-bye to one of our favorite radio deejays: Amanda Flores. We’re not sure why she left or if she’ll be back on the air anytime soon, but a lot of listeners will miss her. She was the other half of Jay and Amanda on Hot KISS 106.3 FM in the mornings. Her infectious giggle and witty banter made waking up early a bit more bearable.
AMBROSIA The little brick ranch house on 10th Street as you head toward Trenton is the saddest building in town. You just look at it and see the ghosts of hipsters chaining their bikes to the rack, drinking coffee or cheap beer and talking about things you won’t have heard of for another three months long into the evening.
IN MEMORIAM
SNOWBALL DE LA CRUZ It will be hard to forget Ramiro de la Cruz. Not only was the guitar virtuoso a Tejano Roots Hall-of-Famer, the white-haired McAllen resident was a staple throughout conjunto’s golden age. The 68-year-old died of a heart attack, May 20, in McAllen, where he spent his life playing and recording conjunto and tejano music. A McAllen High School graduate, De La Cruz, nicknamed “Snowball,” because of his albinism, grew up in South McAllen’s Paloma neighborhood. When he was 17, he named his first guitar “Rusty,” and went on to become one of tejano’s most beloved legends. The guitarist performed with classic groups such as Los Fabulosos 4, Los Unicos, Los Dos Gilbertos, Freddy Fender, as well as his group Snowball and Company with superstar vocalist Laura Canales. But even though tejano’s popularity faded, the musician continued to play, recording music in 2002 with Christian band Los Mensajeros de Cristo. In 2004, he was a Tejano Roots Hall of Fame inductee.
CHA CHA JIMENEZ As a Vietnam veteran, conjunto legend, and theatre actor, it seemed as though there was nothing Cha Cha Jimenez couldn’t do. The 64-year-old musician who died June 15, after a long battle with liver cancer, will forever be remembered for his many accomplishments. The vocalist, whose full name is Abelardo Jimenez, played accordion, keyboard and guitar, and recorded with pioneer conjunto labels Hacienda Records and Freddie Records with Conjunto Bernal and his own group Los Chachos. The Alamo resident spent most of his life staying true to his roots, performing conjunto music at El Baile Grande in McAllen in the ‘60s to present day dances at La Lomita Park, where he performed earlier this year. Jimenez was inducted into the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame in 2003. His most recent endeavor was in the local play “Pat & Lyndon,” as a singing bartender.
