Estancia del Norte Held Exciting Loteria de Comida Sept 8

Estancia del Norte Combines Art & Food into Fun Loteria de Comida Game Night

Estancia del Norte hosted a Loteria game night on September 8th and I was lucky enough to be invited to this entertaining event. The Loteria de Comida was held in the beautiful and expansive Paseo Bar inside the hotel. This inaugural game was a huge success with all chairs filled and much laughter throughout the room.

Loteria or “Mexican Bingo” has a rich cultural history as a traditional “game of chance” that traces back to 15th Century Italy. Loterias are still popular in the southern United States and in Mexico today.

There are many versions of the game of loteria and the “ART” distinguishes each individual game. Local artist Tracey Maurer (see more about Tracey below), a professional food photographer, was inspired to create her own spin-off of the game, Loteria de Comida. Her version of loteria, likewise, uses customized photography techniques to capture two distinct facets of our local San Antonio lifestyle: a familiar cuisine and a beloved social pastime. In addition, Loteria de Comida pays homage to these historical games of the past by reinforcing their traditional and cultural influences along with referencing San Antonio and its iconic food.

“Food brings people together and connects us all to the world around us” – Tracey Maurer

How to Play Loteria de Comida

Tracey tells how to play Loteria de Comida ….

Lotería de Comida was designed with San Antonio FOOD culture in mind. Each game box features brightly colored images of familiar Mexican food icons. Like the traditional Loterías from the past 150 years, Lotería de Comida uses a deck of 54 playing cards and 10 tablets or “tablas” so that up to 10 people can play at a time. Each card has a food related image, a corresponding Spanish name and a number.

The 10 tablas consist of different selections of 16 images arranged in a random pattern matching images found in the playing deck. In honor of some of the oldest versions of the game, Lotería de Comida also includes a collection of playful verses that the dealer can recite for each card drawn. Her colourful game is a Fiesta-in-a-box and is suitable for kids of all ages. Pick your own, tailor-made and age-appropriate game token pieces from items around your house. Then break out the chips & salsa on game night for a fun filled evening with family and friends. With only 4 pinto beans or 4 bottle caps in a row for the win, be the first to shout out “¡Lotería!”

Save the Date

Mark your calendar for October 30th from 6-8pm when the next Loteria de Comida will be hosted at Estancia del Norte with a Halloween/ Day of the Dead theme. This night’s game will be called by a celebrity emcee which they are keeping a surprise until game time. The Paseo Bar will be creating some spooky cocktails to add to the fun of the evening!

Come play for FREE, so no tickets needed, but you should arrive early to get your favorite seat.

If you have fun playing this game of chance, be sure to stop into Estancia’s boutique gift shop, Regalo, where you can purchase a game box. Look for the lively bright PINK box with the fiesta ribbons. It makes a unique present for birthdays, weddings or hostess gifts. This game will also be boxed in red and blue for Christmas & Hanukkah gift giving during the holidays.

About Regalo

Regalo at Estancia del Norte is redefining luxury retail, one artisan at a time. Explore an ever-changing selection of art and luxe goods — all designed by local creatives and small businesses — to find the perfect gift for any occasion.

About Tracey Maurer

Tracey is a Texas native who has specialized in commercial photography for the last 28 years. She holds a BFA in acting from UT Austin and attended the graduate program at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. Tracey’s experiences in arts and her work as a commercial photographer have given her a keen eye for inspired “lighting & Storytelling”. She has built a successful business by bringing a creative edge to her photography and by maintaining high standards and quality. Tracey has also been a member of Les Dames d’ Escoffier for over 20 years.

Tracey’s original Loteria art was created using photography and story telling to capture iconic “San Antonio” food. Each subject was selectively chosen from offerings at farmers markets, panaderias, taquerias, local mercados, paleterias or made in her own kitchen. The artistic process is unique to her art and encompasses a range of photographic techniques she developed over the last 30 years of photographing food.

In addition to the game, check out Regalo for both posters & cards of Tracey’s food art which are perfect for framing or sending back home to friends.

“As I have witnessed, the emotional connection to Loteria enthusiasts is as profound as the connection we all have to food. The thread that ties the two together is the social interaction reminiscent of families or friends making a meal together”, states Tracey.