A glass bottle was poised above Shirley Rogers’ lips as she moved to choreography in the chilled waters of Aquarena Springs. Rogers drank soda underwater as an Aquarena Springs Submarine Theatre “aquamaid” many times before. Fond memories of her time in the theater are now immortalized on film.

The thought of pumpkin soup made retired U.S. Air Force Col. James L. Lamar sick to his stomach. Lamar remembered the way the pumpkin was sliced and thrown into water, including the seeds. The pumpkin water was given to him during his six-year, nine-month and four-day stint as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, North Vietnam.

Lamar spoke about his experiences as a Vietnam War veteran and prisoner of war for the first time at Friday’s annual POW-MIA Remembrance at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3413 in San Marcos.

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Llanes

Lenin, Reagan and Gorbachev never sounded so good. An indie-rock band from Long Beach, Calif., Cold War Kids derived its name from member Matt Maust’s website. The site featured original artwork inspired by 1980s eastern European images. Band members Nathan Willett, Jonnie Russell and Matt Aveiro contributed to Maust’s website.

The interests among members in one Texas State organization may be out in “left field,” but its intentions are crystal clear.

Diamond Sweethearts was founded in 2001 by baseball coach Ty Harrington to promote the campus team. The all-female, special interest organization is now employed by the campus athletic department to support all the university’s sports.

Harrington based the Diamond Sweethearts on successful programs at Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Yvonne Lambert performs with The Octopus Project, an Austin-based experimental electronic band, Sept. 10 at Texas Music Theater.

The Austin-based indie electronica band, The Octopus Project, has been extending their metaphorical tentacles across the music scene for years.

Austin-based funk-rock band Bright Light Social Hour performs Saturday at Texas Music Theater on The Square. The band took home six awards including band of the year at the 29th Annual Austin Music Awards. Photo by Carlos Valdez, Staff Photographer.

Located in the middle of San Marcos is the only fault line cave open to the public. One hundred and eight years after its public opening, the natural amusement park is still providing activities for the whole family.

Wonder World provides half-hour guided tours of the park’s attractions to more than 75,000 people each year. Tour guides lead patrons into the Balcones Fault Line Cave, also known as Wonder Cave. 

Ben Brennan, Senior Photographer

San Antonio-based singer, songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Henry Roland found himself in a hairy situation. As “theonemanphunkband,” Henry + the Invisibles, Roland occasionally wears a “bear” hat during performances that he purchased from an artist at Tantra Coffeehouse. 

Photo Courtesy of Mother Falcon

A 15-hour car ride to Alabama from Texas brought out the best and worst in members of the Austin-based orchestral-indie band, Mother Falcon. Inside jokes about the fictional birth of bassoonist Gilman Lykken ensued during the three-day summer tour with The Monarchs, a band whose lead singer, Celeste Griffin, is from Alabama. 

Lauren Carlton, Staff Photographer

A once abandoned historical site is being reborn as a unique San Marcos family venture.

The Railyard Bar and Grill will offer a selection of lunch and dinner items, a full-bar, live music and indoor and outdoor games.