RE: GIANT REDESIGN

I’ve mentioned Giant before, the magazine funded by Mort Meyerson. I’ve even mentioned the recent redesign. Yet, somehow, I still feel compelled to post MediaBistro FishBowl NY’s analysis of it. And, no, I didn’t get a free subscription just for mentioning the thing so many times. You’d think I would, though, right? Where’s the love? Where’s the graft?

RE: FULL FRONTAL’S BEST OF BIG D

Yes, I was handing out chair massages at the Best of Big D party. But I can’t believe the Observer operatives didn’t notice Tim’s generosity in the other corner of Gilley’s, where he was handing out Misty Wizards like they were going out of style.

SPEAKING OF RESTAURANT DEPOT

A little blue bird from the north just flew into my inbox to say:

Restaurant Depot has now opened in Richardson, at 1300 Glenville Drive, just N of Arapaho. Slogan: “It’s where the restaurants shop.” Competing with Sam’s Club and Costco, based in College Point, N.Y., Restaurant Depot stores carry fresh meat and produce, frozen products, dry groceries, paper supplies, cleaning supplies, beverages, and equipment. It has about 35 stores across the country, but this is the first one in Texas; according to the company’s Web site, more stores are coming soon to Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

On your mark…

A POST ABOUT LOCAL MUSIC THAT ADAM WILL WISH HE’D POSTED

A musically inclined FBvian lets us know that Sports Illustrated’s Luke Winn (who?) was recently in Dallas and caught a Professional Juice show at Club Dada. Winn really dug them (scroll down). I think the last time I saw a show at Dada, it was Ten Hands. Me = old loser.

ANOTHER IMPOSTER

An FoF has found another bogus FrontBurner. The Restaurant Depot has a newsletter with a name that’s going to get them a letter from our attorneys (scroll down, left side).

RE: NEPAL

I really hope this story ends well. One FrontBurnervian who knows Trevor says he’s “like, a trained wilderness survival guy, so there’s an outside shot.” But another, law-practicing FrontBurnervian says he’s spoken to Nepalese abducted by Maoists and held for ransom. There’s even a travel warning.

RE: D DOES GOOD

Glad you posted that pic, Adam. The few people left working at the Observer implied this week that we didn’t actually raise money for Scottish Rite (click here, scroll down to the Full Frontal image with the two monkeys). And, Adam, I didn’t know you were giving chair massages at the party.

JESSICA ON STAGE

You want pictures of Jessica Simpson at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia at the screening of Dukes of Hazzard? Okay. IDontLikeYouInThatWay has ‘em.

SO LONG CALVIN

Something’s come between you and your Calvin’s. Bad news for all you Calvin Klein loving fashionistas…the announcement was released last night that the freestanding boutique in Highland Park Village, that’s been there for over 20 years, will be closing its doors for good come December 2005. According to the Tom Murry (President and COO of Calvin Klein), “The customer profile has changed in Highland Park Village since the Dallas Calvin Klein Collection store opened.” Click below to read the full release and explanation.
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MAN GOES MISSING IN NEPAL

A link-sending FrontBurnervian sends along this story about Trevor Stokol, 25, who made an eight-month trek across Southeast Asia and India. Trevor, son of Plano optometrist Arnold Stokol, went missing in his last week of the trek, during a day trip away from the camp to take photos. The WFAA story includes this link to Trevor’s online journal, which is fascinating but creepy to read. His last entry deals with his excitement in leaving China and his plans to push his return flight back one more day.

D DOES GOOD

See? Last week’s Best of Big D party was for a good cause. This morning, D’s marketing team headed over to Scottish Rite, the beneficiaries of ticket sales and the silent auction, to present a mighty big check for a mighty large sum: $25,000. The people in that picture are (left to right): Kelly Christensen (VP of Public Relations of Scottish Rite), Stephanie Brigger (VP & Director of Development of Scottish Rite), Mary Poe (Marketing Director of D), J.C. Montgomery Jr. (President of Scottish Rite). (Photo taken by the lovely Ashlie McGill.) Giving feels good.

USA TODAY RATES BASEBALL BROADCAST TEAMS

And the voices of the Rangers, Eric Nadel and Victor Rojas, get good marks.

BEST OF BIG D ON GLENN MITCHELL

For those who missed Nancy, Adam, and me on Glenn Mitchell yesterday, you listen to an archive of the show here (scroll down to “Listen to This Hour,” and keep it on the DL, as the KERA brass isn’t aware of this new feature).

A PODCAST FOR LOCAL MUSIC SNOBS

Two local gadabouts have decided to use their powers for good, combining forces to create DConstruction. Who are they? Summer Break Records producer Robert Jenkins and part-time student, part-time worker bee, and full-time smarty Lindsay Graham. What is DConstruction? It’s a podcast devoted to independent music in and around Dallas. What’s a podcast? You ask too many questions. Check out DConstruction, and then do as I did, bookmark it so you can revisit it again and again.

(Full disclosure: I’ve known Robert off and on for more than 15 years; he and I went to high school together, though he’s a couple of years older. Also, I know Lindsay. He has been discribed as my doppelganger and I as his. Betcha didn’t think you’d see the word doppelganger today, did ya?)