Articles for September, 2010
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Sept. 16
It’s possible you’re already thinking about lunch and staring dolefully at the can of salt-free minestrone on your desk. Healthy? Yes. Joyless? Yes. It doesn’t have to be this way, people. Thanks to the kind souls at Burguesa Burger, you can score a free hot dog today. And, if you show up wearing a sombrero, you’ll get a free combo meal. (I’d like to see photographic evidence if you do this).
Next up, vanity. (more…)
Accessory of the Week: Anna-Sophia van Zweden
Not only is Anna-Sophia van Zweden the daughter of Dallas Symphony Orchestra musical director Jaap van Zweden, she’s also a sculptor and champions the battle against autism. This past weekend she was the honorary co-chair of the DSO’s post-gala party at the Meyerson and took glamorous and gorgeous to new levels of “Wow!”
It appears that the Dutch miss has gotten a bit blonder since her chat with Tim last year.
Bina Palnitkar Patel, Ashley Burghardt, and Alex Tran Need Your Votes
Bina Palnitkar Patel, Ashley Burghardt, and Alex Tran Need Your Votes
Remember Bina Palnitkar Patel? Our sultry attorney who dreams of making an appearance on Jeopardy!? She needs votes this week. Do it here.
Recall Ashley Burghardt? Bubbly purse designer and fondue pot collector? She needs votes, too. Get movin’.
Remember Alex Tran? Pageant girl and biochem grad? This pretty former Miss Vietnam USA also needs some votes. Make it happen.
See all 13 beauties here.
Remember Bina Palnitkar Patel? Our sultry attorney who dreams of making an appearance on Jeopardy!? She needs votes this week. Do it here.
Recall Ashley Burghardt? Bubbly purse designer and fondue pot collector? She needs votes, too. Get movin’.
Remember Alex Tran? Pageant girl and biochem grad? This pretty former Miss Vietnam USA also needs some votes. Make it happen.
See all 13 beauties here.
Leading Off (9/16/10)
1. Who else waited all day yesterday to see the video of the officers (allegedly) beating a man only to listen to a 30-minute speech about how the actions of a few shouldn’t reflect on the entire group and then hear that the footage would only be released to the reporters who were at the press conference thus meaning a longer wait? So. Disappointing. (The fact that they didn’t show the video at the conference. And, ya know, that whole officers-allegedly-beating-a-citizen thing.)
2. We already know Dallas is a hotbed of sex. And that Arlington is in the top-10 of Men’s Health’s Most Sex-Happy list. But now comes word that women in Dallas prefer their men with a smoky aroma. I wonder how quickly that allure is lost after a man spends an afternoon eating barbecue and then blogs about his, ahem, issues.
3. Note to self: next time I plan a bank heist, do a test run with the Super Glue before. Also. Wear a mask.
Dallas Real Estate Has Something in Common With Miami and Phoenix
What does it share besides beautiful homes and hot weather? The sharpest declines in home prices for the last three months, according to one market report. Details and more over on DallasDirt.
Tarrant County Probate Judge, Ctd.
It seems that Judge Pat Ferhill (and thanks to the FrontBurnervian who tagged him) has a penchant for secret ex parte hearings, where the existing parent or guardian is not even notified of the proceeding, much less allowed to present his case. Here’s an equally disturbing story from Fort Worth Weekly in 2008.
AOL Comes Crawling Back to Dallas With “City’s Best”
AOL is back! They’re relaunching AOL City’s Best, which I know because I got the following e-mail from a gentleman named David Kirkpatrick:
We are relaunching AOL City’s Best for the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex at the end of the month and are in the process of creating new content for the launch. You have been chosen as one of the best local bloggers and I would appreciate some information for your profile.
1. A brief bio on yourself and the FrontBurner blog.
2. A JPEG profile photo (at least 72 dpi) or an image/logo for the blog
3. A brief quote on on your favorite places to dine, drink, shop and relax in Dallas.Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thank you,
Yes, I have three questions. 1) Why would I do your work for you 2) Because I like beer, the first part of your site I visited was the guide to local taprooms. How could you overlook Meddlesome Moth? 3) You do live here, right?
Anyway, good luck!
Mayor Tom Leppert’s State of the City Address
This afternoon, the Hyatt Regency played host to the Dallas Regional Chamber 2010 State of the City luncheon featuring, Mayor Tom Leppert. We dispatched intern Valerie Turturro to cover the event. Her report follows after the jump. Perhaps the most surprising part of the mayor’s speech? He didn’t bring up the proposed tax hike.
A Family’s Battle Against Tarrant Co. Probate Judge
Emily Ramshaw over at Texas Tribune tells a heart-rending story about Frank and Chila Covington’s loss of guardianship of their Down Syndrome daughter because they did not want her to receive psychotropic drugs in a group home. Texas law makes it easy for the state to quash parental rights, and in this case the judge did it in a secret ex parte hearing. So far the legal battle to appeal the judge’s decision has cost the Covingtons $55,000.
This is the nightmare of every parent of a disabled child. Allisonette #3 is Down Syndrome, and I feel just like the Covingtons: she is a gift from God. The idea that a psychiatrist or “mental health expert” can use the court system to harm a child and to separate her from a loving family is nauseating.
I have two questions for Ramshaw about the story. She doesn’t name the Tarrant County probate judge who made the decision and who has now recused himself. She does mention that several complaints have been filed against him. So, Emily, who is he? And why the free pass?
Just In: DISD’s Hinojosa Rumored to be Leaving
The Dallas Business Journal is reporting that DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa is leaving and the announcement is due out tomorrow. He’s supposed to be a finalist for the head of the Clark County School District in Nevada.
Hinojosa isn’t commenting. Mayor Tom Leppert isn’t commenting. Is anybody going to comment?
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Sept. 15
Is that haze I’m seeing from my perch at the D Observatory, or is it a giant cloud of sneezes and itchy eyes in the making? Seriously. I can barely see the screen through the pollen coating my conjunctiva. Curse you, vegetation. And yet, I must press on.
After you’ve taken your favorite non-drowsy antihistamine, hop in your car and head to Barry Whistler Gallery to see Michael Miller’s exhibit, Today I Am Thankful for All I Have. Isn’t that a nice title? Miller says he’s “intrigued by” (I’m going to go ahead and translate this as “disdainful of”) rich suburban youths’ co-opting of gang culture, a practice he calls “cultural larceny.” He also says he strives to create beauty out of ugliness. Let’s see if he’s successful.
Becky Parks, Kat Reilly, Reshoo Patel, and LeeAnne Locken Need Your Votes
Remember Becky Parks? Our vivacious redhead? If you looked at her page at all during Week 3, we’d be shocked if you don’t remember those sparkling blue eyes. Give her a click.
Remember Kat Reilly? The stunning 6’1” blonde? She also needs a click. Get to it.
Recall animal-loving LeeAnne Locken? (She starred on a season of She’s Got the Look.) She needs your votes this week. Go, go, go.
Remember Reshoo Patel? The Bollywood dance teacher/accountant/philanthropist? She needs votes, too. Don’t let her down; go vote.
See all 13 gorgeous gals here.
Have Trouble Catching a Cab This Morning?
Took a little detour on the way to work. Four friends from Michigan, in Dallas for a health care conference, needed a ride from the Anatole to D/FW Airport to catch their flight home. They were tipped last night on the way back to the hotel—after watching the Rangers trounce their beloved Detroit Tigers—about a taxi cab strike this morning. The driver told them cabbies are still upset about special privileges given to those whose taxis run on natural gas. The cabbies planned to strike from 7-9 a.m. then converge on Dallas City Hall. So if you have a downtown meeting this morning, you may encounter a bit of a traffic jam.
What Not to Do in Dallas Today
Do not ride a full-to-the-gills DART train from Richardson to downtown without air conditioning. Jee-zus. I just got to work, and I already need another shower.
Leading Off (9/15/10)
1. It now appears that Jose “Pepe” Ayala, the Javier’s GM, committed suicide around the time he went missing in April. This story in the Morning News says that “puzzles remain.” One part of that puzzle: why did it take so long to discover his remains? People traipse through that wooded area near Norbuck Park all the time with their dogs. Cross-country teams run through that area. I don’t get how a decomposing body went unnoticed that long.
2. What a crock. MLB has suspended Ian Kinsler for returning to the field after he was ejected from Friday’s game against the Yankees. The reason he returned to the field? To celebrate Nelson Cruz’s walkoff homer. Apparently Kinsler ran onto the field before Cruz touched home, so technically the game was still under way.
3. After being associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas since 1886, Broadway Baptist Church of Fort Worth has pulled out of the organization in support of its gay members. Good work, people.
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