Decades come to Dallas

Sarah and I will be heading to Forty Five Ten for the much anticipated December Decadence that benefits Family Place this evening. Willa Ford-Modano and Mike Modano are this year’s Honorary Chair. Cameron Silver, owner of famed LA-based vintage couture store, Decades will be making an appearance along with some of his finest selections (think Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Chanel, Pucci, Hermes, and more - a treasure trove for vintage vixens), as well as handbag designer Alexandra Knight, and jewelry designer Nancey Chapman. If you missed out on getting a ticket to tonight’s event, no need to fret, a trunk show of goodies from each will be at the store through tomorrow at 4 P.M.

Where Some People Watched Last Night’s Game

Funny you should mention Hef, Glenn. Some representatives of Playboy were in town and joined reps from Cuervo Black to throw a VIP watching party at Bolt Studios. A half dozen Playmates would be in attendance. Sadly, I was not. But our very own Nightlife Maven Kyle Kearbey and D photographer Elizabeth Lavin went. (That’s Elizabeth on the left, Kyle in the middle, and Kyle’s friend Sara at right.) I asked Kyle to write a recap of the evening. She did, and it — along with some photos taken by Matthew Shelley — is after the jump.

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Celebrities Spotted

A two-fer, as two eagle-eyed FrontBurnervian pass along word of celebrities in our midst:

Monk’s Tony Shaloub at Terminal C security line at DFW Airport.

Also, Julie Delpy at the Preston-Royal Border’s. How’d she look, I wondered:

Pretty fantastic and she was wandering around talking on her cell phone in French.

Not sure what she’s doing in town. It’s not like Ethan Hawke had a book signing or anything.

DMN Has Picture Problems

The intern staff at the Morning News may look like a Benetton ad compared to ours, but an informal survey by Dallas South Blog of the black-and-white and colored images the newspaper runs on a daily basis looks like a pictorial version of a John Rocker monologue. Snap.

Re: Really, NFL Network?

I know Gumball was pretty bad last night, Adam, but about 100 guys gathered at deBoulle didn’t seem to care much. They were chomping on Sabino Sotelo’s hand-rolled cigars, scarfing up snacks from George Restaurant and catching the ‘Boys-Packers on a wide-screen TV the size of an 18-wheeler. The occasion was the upscale retailer’s Guys Night Out bash, which happens annually. Last night’s also involved Ferraris, Ducatis, high-end bauble shopping, and gorgeous miniskirted women pouring 12-year-old Crown Royal. The only thing missing was Hugh Hefner and a couple of Bunnies.

Local High Schools in U.S. Rankings

Bah on U.S. News. Its just-released annual ranking lists DISD’s Talented and Talented Magnet as #14 and its Science/Engineering Magnet as #18 in the nation (and dear old Highland Park only comes in at #33–what’s that?). I’ll stick with Newsweek, where the TAG magnet ranked as #1 and the Science magnet ranked as #2 (with HP coming in at #16).

Woman Beaten, Robbed of Ring

The DMN has the basics about the man who seemingly followed a Preston Hollow woman home from Whole Foods, beat her up, and then made off with her $350,000 wedding ring. Over at Overheard, Merritt Patterson does the story one better with a supposed email from the victim, which looks legit to me. Check it out and be careful out there.

Update: MSNBC has a pic of the ring. Jeepers, is it big.

Hablas Ingles?

A new study by the Pew Center gives encouraging news for the English-only crowd (of which I am sometimes a member).

Mockingbird at Abrams, Yesterday, 5:38 P.M.

Nancy, what’s going on with the birds? Last night I was nearly killed by what looked like an angry murder of grackles. (Side note: do grackles come in murders, flocks, gaggles, what?) Have they come in from the countryside? Grackles don’t migrate, right? Help me.

Really, NFL Network? Really?

I had a mind to get all long-winded about the NFL Network’s broadcast last night — you know, about the hullabaloo over cable versus satellite and it being one of the biggest games of the season yet millions of non-sports-bar-going fans couldn’t see it, all as prelude to the stinker of a job turned in by Bryant Gumbel, Cris Collinsworth, and nearly the whole dang production crew. But I won’t go on and on, because those who care have no doubt had the same watercooler discussion already. Perhaps you, too, kept a list of the things that came out of the duo’s mouths that seemed nonsensical to the point of distraction. You know, things like Collinsworth calling Roy Williams “the best tackling safety in the league.” The plays that started immediately after a commercial break, and the extra point that cameras completely missed. And, at the end of the game, after mentioning the Cowboys quarterback in every sentence possible, Gumbel teasing a post-commercial interview with “Rick Romo.” Like I said, I could get long-winded, but I won’t.

Update: The kind commenters have reminded me of similar instances of broadcasting buffoonery. As just one for instance, Deion’s “sideline” reporting that was really from the corner of the endzone. Remember? Someone thought it’d be a good idea to have the cameraman circle Deion as he talked about … something or other. And then stop circling when he got behind Deion and the game was going on way in the distance. “Hello?” I wanted to tell Prime-Time. “Over here. Over here?” Argh.

Friday Fun

Happy Friday, which might feel like Monday — or even Tuesday — since the Cowboys played last night. Throws the whole week off, don’t it? Anyway. Yes. It’s Friday. And today’s Friday Fun is called Headcase. It’s a promotional game by Wrigley, but as promotional games go, it’s pretty good. You control the little guy who can walk on walls in the maze-type structure while watered-down techno music plays. Enjoy it.

Leading Off

1. The money quote from this article on the downtown club Purgatory works as both drama and comedy:

Since the club opened, police reports show, patrons have been knocked unconscious, hit in the head with beer bottles, punched, kicked, slapped, scratched, choked until passing out, bitten on the thigh, beaten with a Glock pistol, hit with a flashlight, hit with a crowbar, hit with a small weight attached to a heavy chain, thrown headfirst into a parking meter, threatened with a handgun for groping women after drinking eight Incredible Hulk shots, pushed, Maced, Tasered, pulled by the hair and hit in the face with a high-heeled shoe.

2. DART is considering moving its Lake Highlands station.

3. The Press Club of Dallas has dropped its lawsuit against Elizabeth Albanese, because she couldn’t pay the organization back even if it won.

New Coach at SMU?

In some football news that’s not Cowboys-Packers related, some strong rumors are out there that Navy’s Paul Johnson just might be Mustangs new football coach. People Newspapers‘ Scott Farrell had it early this afternoon. CBS’ Dennis Dodd has some stuff to add as well. If it turns out to be true, I agree, awesome awesomeness. Go, Ponies.

Re: Rating Marty Cortland

Hey, Glenn, we conduct reader research all the time and in many different ways. If the results are brutally honest, that’s perfect. But in this case, you have to remember that we’re essentially conducting a focus group. The group is one of FrontBurnervians, which certainly overlaps with our “print product” readership. But they are not the same audience. All of which is to say, this poll is just another tool — not the only tool — that we’ll use to evaluate Marty. Something like this, a back-page column, really comes down to a matter of taste. Mine, mostly. I happen to like Marty, which is why I brought him on.

I like him because he doesn’t do what most columnist do: play the everyman, beg to be liked. Marty is very much not the everyman. Because his net worth easily puts him in the top 1 percent of the country. But the themes he writes about — jealousy, greed, marital discord, the anxiety that comes from living in an environment that often seems beyond your control — are universal. Even if the details of his life cost more than the ones in your life or mine, you can still identify. And if you can’t, it’s fun to watch from the outside. Most important, Marty is a good writer.

Two final things. 1) In response to the comments on the poll post, no, Marty Cortland is not my alter ego. He’s a real person. I’ve been to his house. 2) If it helps, think of it this way: Marty Cortland isn’t Bill Cosby; he’s Bill Hicks.

Re: Rating Marty Cortland

Tim, that poll is brutal. Talk about the cold, hard facts of life. Doubt if I’d survive one–especially if my wife answered.

7-Eleven Goes for Gamers. Gamers Say, “Menh.”

7-Eleven is hoping to capture a big part of kids’ allowances by selling game cards at their convenience stores in the real world that enhance the virtual worlds of Nexon games. It’s a savvy business move, even though some in the gaming community aren’t so enthusiastic.

Rate Marty Cortland

A few months back, we debuted a new back-page columnist in the “print product.” His name is Marty Cortland. I’ve already gotten a lot of feedback on the guy, but I’d like to hear yours. Ready? Go.

Sack of Kittens: Egress

Tim called down the thunder. Well, now you’ve got it. After the jump, Sack of Kittens comes out of retirement for a moment.

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Cowboys/Packers Showdown Breakdown

It’s time for another supergood partytime local athletic team preview with me, your Resident Sports Expert. This time, the city is atwitter with tonight’s match-up between your Dallas Cowboys and those cheeseheads from the north, the Green Bay Packers. Both teams are 10-1 and are vying for a spot in the most super of all bowls—that’s right, the Super Bowl.

So who will walk away victorious from tonight’s game? Hard to say, even for me, your Resident Sports Expert. But as everyone knows, behind every good team is a great quarterback. Let’s take a look at tonight’s starting QBs, Tony Romo and Brett Favre, in a head-to-head comparison, after which, I’ll make my prediction.

What he brings to the table:
Favre: The seasoned veteran. Older, and presumably wiser. He brings with him experience, maturity, and know-how.
Romo: The boy wonder. Seemingly can do no wrong. (Besides that whole fumbling the snap thing last year. That was pretty bad.) He brings with him youthful exuberance, enthusiasm, and dimples.
Advantage: Favre
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Project Runway Report: Not Much From Local Crazy Last Night

Last night on Project Runway, the contestants were asked to make a menswear garment that Tiki Barber could wear on the Today Show. The designers had no idea who he was. This challenge was very stressful because apparently almost none of the folks had ever made anything for men. Ever. Sadly, last week hometown favorite Marion was auffed, so we only have nutty Elisa to half-heartedly cheer for now. Despite the cotton balls in her hair and the dreamy expression on her face in the picture to the left, nothing that interesting happened this week–except when she told her male model she wouldn’t watch him undress because it was disrespecting her boyfriend (murmur). Carmen was auffed due to the fact that she used a scarf as a shirt and the crotch of her pants was described by Michael Kors as “insane.” Also, Tim Gunn made that horrible snarl-and-raised-eyebrow face so many times last night I almost had to flip over to “Dirty, Sexy Money.” Almost. More (hopefully, come on Elisa!) next week. Photo courtesy of Bravotv.com.

Dailies Aren’t Dead

So thinks Dallas-based American Consolidated. The media company just purchased about $160 million of the things as part of a spending spree of publications in smaller markets. Good luck with all of that.

Tony Romo Gets Dogg’d

I’m a day late on this because of the pesky print version, but a numbers-crunching FBvian sends along this ESPN.com article, which includes some freestyle by Snoop Dogg about Dallas’ quarterbacking Casanova. A sample:

It’s like a real deal, this is not a promo
It’s big Snoop Dogg, they can compare me to Romo.
But when I bring it to you, you know you gonna go slow
Listen to me give it to you — pause — take the photo.

Snoop also provides an analysis of Romo’s game and explains why he and ToRo are alike: “The people around him, he make them look good, but they make him look better.” That’s fo’ shizzle.

New CEO Appointed at Handango

Readers of DallasCEO might recall the story of Handango, a Dallas-based company that creates the content that goes on your Smartphone. It’s just been announced that company founder (and whippersnapper, at just age 31) Randy Eisenman has stepped down as CEO, with industry heavyweight Bill Stone taking his place. Eisenman will remain on the company’s board.

Half Of Immigrants In Texas Are Illegal

So says today’s report from the anti-immigration Center for Immigration Studies, based on its deductions from census data. That should be no surprise to readers of the print edition of FrontBurner. In February, we reported:

No one knows exactly how many undocumented immigrants live among the 1.2 million residents of the City of Dallas, but the figure can be estimated. Approximately half of Dallas’ 516,000 Hispanics (43 percent of 1.2 million) are immigrants, or 258,000. Only 19 percent are naturalized citizens. According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, about 30 percent of U.S. immigrants are undocumented, which would indicate 77,400 of the immigrants in Dallas are undocumented. But the immigrant information clearinghouse DFW International says close to half of the foreign-born in Dallas are without documents [italics added]—which would make about 126,000. That’s about one person in 10 in the city. And the odds are at least six in 10 that he or she will be Mexican—10 percent of that country’s population is in the United States, as is 14 percent of its workforce, mostly sin papeles, without documentation.

Accepting the CIS numbers as fact, the question is, what to do about it? The need is for comprehensive reform of immigration policies, including some form of amnesty (yes, let’s use the forbidden word). But the government is paralyzed. Democrats fear offending the Hispanic vote; Republicans fear offending Lou Dobbs. So we can expect, as long as the Dallas economy is booming, for illegals to be drawn in greater numbers to fill the jobs our economy is producing. Where governments fail, the laws of economics take over.

Study: D/FW International Has 3rd Slowest Security Lines

The findings posted at FareCompare aren’t surprising. TSA employees aren’t exactly the best and brightest anyway, and the ones working pickpocket alley at D/FW seem particularly challenged.