RE: DUCE NEEDS NINE

One last bite for Duce from a dining-out FBvian:

Hmmm, maybe it’s just me, but in looking at the menu for his new venture it screams “trying too hard to be cute” but not in a very cute way. Delicious Chile Piquillo Gnudi, Sage Brown Butter? What the hell is that?

And, when you rank worse in the city health inspection score than Burger Street and Arby’s? That ain’t fine dining if you ask me. I think it’s called, “I’m safer eating an Exxon convenience store hot dog…”

BIG CH-CH-CH-CHANGES AT PATRIZIO

Several weeks ago, FB reported that Jack Knox, owner of Patrizio and Café Pacific, sold Patrizio to Ed and Lee Bailey, who, in Jack’s words, are “smart and talented people and sophisticated investors.” I’ve heard nothing but complaints about the popular HP spot since the takeover. Here are two reports from FrontBurnervian Foodies:
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J. CREW = GOOD NEWS FOR TPG

Market watchers already know that J. Crew went public yesterday with a boffo IPO. That’s extra good news for Fort Worth-based Texas Pacific Group. The investors over there got a big win. From The Deal:

Including unrealized gains, TPG is showing more than a 425% gain on the $125 million to $135 million it invested over nine years.

Lessee … 425 percent of $130 million … carry the 4 … that’s, like, at least $20.

RE: HANSEN STYLE

In fact, Adam, I do know something more. Just hung up with Hansen. Yes, Dallas Can is suing him. (I refuse to use their exclamation mark!) Here’s his side of the story. It entails golf, revenge, and Dennis Miller. And it’s a bit complicated. So buckle up:
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CELEB SPOTTING

A Blackberry-toting FrontBurnervian notes that none other than Deion Sanders is on his Southwest Airlines flight from Austin to Dallas. Boarding Group B.

I guess that’s how Prime Time rolls these days.

RE: DUCE NEEDS NINE

A web-wise FBvian notes that if you can’t get enough Tim Love from the Duce site or the health department, try myspace.com. As for the spelling:

Scary. But I do admit that I am relieved to learn that “Duce” is not an Italian place. That would be too weird, even for Fort Worth.

DUCE NEEDS NINE

Nancy, Tim Love’s Duce restaurant may consider itself too cool for skul (hey, they changed the spelling of Deuce), but it ain’t immune to the Fort Worth health inspectors, who handed out 21 demerits in a recent visit. 30 is the magic number to “initiate immediate corrective action.” Bon ap, hip dude.

MOLE PEOPLE REVOLT

That’s the only sensible explanation I can come up with. On my travels about town during lunch and errands, I noticed no fewer than FOUR hard-hatted, reflector-vested crews digging up streets and doing who-knows-what beneath the street surface.

Developing.

BAD NEWS FOR LOCAL UNDERGROUND POKER PLAYERS

A poker-playing FrontBurnervian wonders if we’ve noticed the rash of police raids on underground card rooms this week. We have. Kind of. More detailed detailings can of course be found amidst the various levels of debauchery over at Pokerati. Stay tuned.

MAVS DRAFT PICK

God bless Bill Simmons. He live blogged the NBA draft so we didn’t have to. Here, his bon mots about the Mavs first-round pick:

10:20 — The Mavs take Maurice Ager at No. 28. He puts his head in his hands and starts sobbing hysterically as his entourage congratulates him. It’s about time we had some emotion tonight, dammit. Ager walks up to the stage in a triple-breasted, oversized beige suit, goes to shake hands with Stern and immediately gets whistled for a foul on Dwyane Wade.

It’s funny ’cause it’s true.

RUMORMONGERING, HANSEN-STYLE

A forum-reading FrontBurnervian passes along this suspect item. Apparently Dale told Randy Galloway that he and the Dallas Can Academy had parted ways. In fact, Dallas Can is allegedly suing Hansen. Anyone know anything more?

DOES THE DMN DARE TO WEAR ITS TROUSERS ROLLED?

I note without further comment or reference to TS Eliot the video from Washington in which veteran reporter (please don’t ‘buy’ him out) and one-time Media League softball foe Alan Pusey highlights the U.S. Supreme Court redistricting decision. To see it, you have to first watch a clip for Metamucil–”stay regular, stay strong.”

If I did have one more comment, it might have to do with newspaper demographics and revenues and layoffs, but a promise is a promise.

HOW POLITE

Kudos to Truman Duncan. The rail yard worker who was cut in two by a train in Cleburne was exceedingly kind to the 911 operator he called. From the story:

In a tape of the 911 call, Duncan tells the operator, “I need 911… I think I’m cut in two.”

“Someone got run over?” the operator asks.

“It was me,” Duncan responds. “I guess I’m going into shock. Hurry up, ma’am, because I’m about to pass out.”

TENET OUT OF THE WOODS

Tenet Healthcare has been under investigation for Medicare fraud. No longer. The Dallas-based company settled with the gubment for $900 million. Which apparently is good news.

RE: DEATH OF FRONTBURNER

Adam, I continue to write the back page column only so that you can make it great.

W HOTEL GRAND OPENING TONIGHT

Tonight is the W’s chichi opening party. But, from what I hear, it has been “opening” for weeks. Finnesse Mitchell and crew were the first to stay in the hotel last weekend when they were in town for the Celebrity Heroes Baseball Weekend. Laura heard that someone here (who was it?) attended a soft opening on Tuesday night where the condo salesman was whispering into the ears of party guests that Jessica and Ashlee Simpson and Angie Harmon have purchased places at the hotel. Stephanie, Jennifer, and I will be at the party tonight to get the scoop on the hotel, Bliss Spa, Ghostbar, and Craft Restaurant. Come here tomorrow (probably not early morning) for juicy details. I hear there are some celebs to attend.

RE: DEATH OF FRONTBURNER

…and yet you continue to write the back page column for D? Does not compute.

THE DEATH OF FRONTBURNER

I’ve got a big bag of nothing this morning. I say we shut this thing down. Tired of it.