And With That, We’re Outta Here

Just got an e-mail from Brett Shipp, and I’d have to say that the three things he’s NOT thankful for are:

1. Me
2. FrontBurner
3. Me

That said, I told him I’d be happy to post his response, should he want me to do so. Other than that, we’re pretty much winding down for the holiday here. Have a very Cowboys-y Thanksgiving, and we’ll see you Monday.

Re: Downtown Sale

Trey, since you mentioned DallasCEO, this seems like a good time to ask folks to check out a great column in the December issue by Spencer Michlin. It looks at hits and misses in the advertising-billboard game, and applauds one particular billboard off North Central Expressway for Troy Aikman Ford. Only problem is, Aikman Ford said earlier this month–just after we went to press–that it would close its doors soon. Pesky monthly deadlines.

Fake Dirk, What Are You Thankful For?

“Dude, are you serious? Look at me. Do you know how many times I had to go as Shaggy for Halloween before Dirk came to town? I’ll save you the trouble: a lot. Now, all I need is a No. 41 jersey and my fall-down juice and the party is on. What’s that, bro? Hold on, I’m talking to this reporter dude. Dude, Steve, I said in a minute. Anyway, what was I saying? Right. If I put on some upper body mass, I might be able to pull this off for real, at like Medici or something. So, yeah, to answer your question, I’m thankful for weed.”

Metroplex, What Are You Thankful For?

“Well, for one thing, I’m thankful that far fewer people confuse me with a certain metropolitan area in North Texas. [coughDallas-FortWorthcough] So, yeah, that’s been nice. I thought Metroplex was going to have to unleash his full arsenal on the puny humans. But, you know, I can’t lie to you. What I’m most thankful for is how Transformers did at the box office. I wasn’t able to be in the first one, but I was talking to Shia the other day, and let me tell you, you will be seeing a different side of Metroplex come summer 2009. Spoiler alert: there’s a love scene.”

Tony Romo, What Are You Thankful For?

“I think it goes without saying that I’m thankful to be the quarterback of such a great team and a member of such a fine organization as the Dallas Cowboys. And that Jerry and everyone else stood by me after the botched hold against the Seahawks, and a summer spent courting public embarrassment across the country. I just try to keep smiling and take it one game at a time, you know, and that’s worked out pretty well so far. That said, what I’m most thankful for is that I’m me and you’re not. Scoreboard.”

Tom Leppert, What Are You Thankful For?

“Well, obviously, I’m thankful to be mayor of such a fine city. Moreover, I’m especially happy that the recent Trinity vote was able to bring the citizens of Dallas together. But, I guess, if I’m being really honest with myself, what I’m most thankful for is that God has blessed me with such long, slender, not-scary-at-all fingers. So, yeah, I’d have to say I’m thankful for the scissorhands.”

Downtown Sale Shows Dallas Market Strength

Kudos to my boys at Stream Realty Partners, who are getting close to the $300 million they were asking for Chase Tower downtown. Those in the know — readers of Dallas CEO, that is — knew from our 2008 commercial real estate forecast that this pending sale was a mile-marker on how much faith the capital and investment community has in the strength of the Dallas market going into 2008. (Want to know what kind of profit that deal made? In 2006, Stream partnered with Highland Capital Real Estate Funds and purchased the skyscraper for $260 million. Roughly $40 million is serious walkin’ around money.)

French Food Returns To The Miracle Mile

 Once upon a time, West Lovers Lane between the Tollway and Inwood was home to the finest French restaurants in town. There was the superb pepper steak, frites, and fried parsley at Ewald’s, the loveliest rack of lamb I ever seen or tasted at Mr. Peppe, and the unforgettable beef Wellington, the specialty of the house at Marcel’s. Then along came the nouvelle cuisine, the evil food trend with it’s “no-butter-no-cream” theme and all the tiny chef-driven French joints went au revoir. Well, tra la la la. Today comes word that Hedda Gioia Dowd, creative manager and owner of Antique Harvest, Mark Maguire, operational manager and owner of Maguire’s restaurant in Dallas, and chef Cherif Brahmi, executive chef and partner of Maguire’s are teaming together and debuting Rise n°1, a 92-seat “salon de soufflé” and wine bar in Inwood Village. Set to open in early December, the menu will feature French onion soup, salad nicoise, and soufflés, including savory varieties like ham and Gruyere, spinach and goat cheese. There will also be a wide selection of sweet ones like chocolate, raspberry, caramel, and apricot. It’s all authentically French except for the prices—entrees range from $4 to $14. Cela est que je parle de! (Or something like that.)

Where You Should Be Saturday

By Saturday night you’ll need a break from the turkey and the shopping and the family values overkill. Head over to the Lakewood Theater for the DNA Blues Ball where you can have some frosty drink and cool tunes, all to raise money for the Innocence Project of Texas. Among other local and national acts to perform, Kim Wilson (of the Fabulous Thunderbirds), Wanda King and Candye Kane, and among other guests is Dallas DA Craig Watkins. Money raised goes to efforts to free those wrongfully convicted of crimes.

Take a Load Off, Don Lucas

Tomorrow is not only the pinnacle of my gastronomic year, it is also the 70th birthday of Luke’s Locker founder (and ultimate cheerleader/papa bear) Don Lucas. In recognition of his contribution to the local running (and walking) community, and commitment to our fair city, some of his friends want to buy him a bench. So runners can, you know, sit down. Jump for the deets on how you can help.

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How Does Dallas Rate on Crime? I Don’t Know.

I don’t know because I’m not spending the $49 to buy this week’s release of CQ’s City Crime Rankings. I’m sure the FrontBurner Nation, in all its deviousness, will find a way to inform us. Meanwhile, Richard Rosenfield thinks the rankings are bogus.

South of the Border Stories

Dallas advertising exec Robert Whitt is a cool guy. I know because I’ve been reading his book, Expat: Survival of an Expatriate in Latin America. There are some hilarious stories, like the time a competing publisher bribed customs officers in Mexico to switch out logos on ads in one of Whitt’s magazines before the page proofs were sent to the printer, causing an uproar from the violated clients. Good stuff.

More Black Friday Options

Yesterday I told you about Black Friday at NorthPark Center. Here are two more options for after-Thanksgiving shopping:
For night owls, the Outlets at Hillsboro will open up at midnight on Thanksgiving Day, and they won’t close until 9pm on Friday night. Which sounds really kind of crazy. A tree lighting is also involved.
In Victory Park, megastore LFT is offering 50% off and free gift wrap this weekend, and hip home design store Haven will extend their hours (10am-10pm) and give shoppers 50% off all cashmere.

So there. Go and spend money. Happy Thanksgiving.
Jump for full details on both.

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Still Waiting on Countrywide…

Two days ago I told about my Mother’s travails in cashing out her CD at Countrywide Bank on November 9. The elusive check was supposedly mailed last Wednesday. She has still not received it. Meanwhile, Countrywide is still getting the use of her money (which it apparently needs), and she is not getting interest. So when you see those high rates they’re offering, calculate a haircut for “the check’s in the mail.”

Travel Tidbits

Personally, I think I’ve got the whole “traveling during the holidays” thing down. I arrive at the airport extra early; I don’t pack anything that’s not clothes; and I prepare myself for no fewer than 17 moments of absolute frustration with humanity and/or the travel industry. But if you still have some questions, a couple of local outfits are here to help. D/FW Airport has Ask Jeff, with the airport’s CEO Jeff Fegan. That one starts … now. If you miss that, there’s The Window Seat blog at Travelocity, with updates from various high-trafficked airports and other stuff. Safe travels.

Yes, Dirk Is Good, But …

I tuned in last night as the Mavs sank to the game-high (-low?) 24-point deficit and watched in amazement as they came back to win. Fellow game-watchers will no doubt remember Dirk’s spectacular run of four 3-pointers in a row. Truly awesome. Not so awesome: the cutaway to a fan’s sign that was broadcast for half a second. It read, “Dirk will lead the Fourth Reich.” I don’t mean to get all P.C., but really? I mean. Really?

Phantom Tollbooth

Do not ask by whom the toll is paid. It is paid for by Maxwell House. At least, that’s what one Plano-living FrontBurnervian reports. He said the George Bush Tollway had one of those electrical construction signs, the kind that inform drivers of lane closings and the like. Yesterday he noted that the sign read, “Free tolls, 7am - 9am, brought to you by Maxwell House.” Smart.

Brett Shipp Gets Folks Fired Up Again

Didn’t see Channel 8 News last night, but got an email from a high-school sport-watching FBvian who takes issue with Shipp’s story on how a South Oak Cliff player may or may not have been ineligible to play a tournament last year.

The SOC player in question might well have been ineligible but there are plenty of logical explanations to why he was not. And the report was full of holes.

1. The grade card shown that had a 50 in the English III class showed the grade being for the first six weeks. That would have no impact on whether the kid would be eligibile for the basketball tournament in Feb.
2. The UIL guy was talking about state policy being violated for the kid dropping the English III course because he had a D. What the UIL guy said was wrong. There is no statewide policy. Each school district sets its own drop policy.
3. Shipp’s interview of the SOC coach in the gym was cut off but the coach when he asked Shipp if he had permission to be there. People — even crusading journalists — just can’t walk into schools when they please. They need to report to the office and obtain a visitor’s pass.
4. The fact that the 50 was changed to a 73 _ again, in the first six-week grading period _ is not unusual. The student might have done extra credit work to raise his grade.
5. Someone obviously gave Channel 8 the documents with the player’s grade info. Federal privacy laws are supposed to prevent grades from being released unless the student or his parents give permission. I guess if someone slipped Shipp an envelope with the information, then he’s one special investigative reporter.

I realize that it’s sweep’s month but that was a shabby example of gotcha journalism.

Leading Off

1. Irving has been told by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials that its aggressive program to send every suspected illegal immigrant it arrests to federal immigration officials “does not serve justice and undermines the [Criminal Aliens Program].”

2. I decided not to go to the Mavs game last night. Of course, the Mavs came back from 24 down to beat Toronto. Head down, shuffle off, cue Charlie Brown music, mope past Snoopy.

3. Mr. Snow Miser brings cold weather to DFW tomorrow. Which makes sense, since whatever he’ll touch turns to snow in his clutch. He’s too much.