Articles for September, 2011
Purvi Patel, Hollie Huggins, Tara Harper, Pat Smith, and Dawn Tongish Need Your Votes
Purvi Patel, Hollie Huggins, Tara Harper, Pat Smith, and Dawn Tongish
Remember Purvi Patel? Our artistic attorney and Madonna’s biggest fan? She needs your vote.
Remember Hollie Huggins? The gun totin’, need-for-speed, Nascar expert? You know the drill.
Feel like you know Tara Harper, doggie philanthropist from Most Eligible Dallas? Vote for her.
Recall Pat Smith? Emmitt Smith’s wife with a heart of gold? Vote for her this curly-haired girl.
Remember Dawn Tongish, heavy hitting news reporter with great guns. (Arms, I mean.) Vote!
A Preview of the New Lakes at Castle Hills Golf Course. Or: Why Mike Modano and I Are in a Fight
There are two things you should know before you read this post about the media tournament that went down yesterday at the Lakes at Castle Hills. First, I did not pay for a lot of stuff. Per Federal Trade Commission rules, it is my duty to inform you that I drank beer, ate sushi and gravlax, cooled my neck with mango-scented iced towels, and played golf without shelling out anything but a few tips for people who deserved to be tipped more than I tipped them. Second, you should know that, as a result of yesterday’s golf action at the Lakes at Castle Hills, Mike Modano and I are now in a fight.
Dallas Will Have Park(ing) Day Friday
In case you haven’t heard, Park(ing) Day is happening this Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Main Street District (between Field and Ervay), in Deep Ellum (between Good Latimer and Malcom X), and in the Arts District (between Pearl and Olive on Flora). Park(ing) Day was started in San Francisco in 2005. It’s now held throughout the world and in 183 cities. It’s basically a day where groups take over metered spots and turn those 9-by-18-foot spaces into parks (or whatever they dream up). This will be Dallas’ first year. (Actually, I’m wrong. Dallas’ first year was in 2008 and held in Oak Cliff.) Since it’s right down the street and right up our alley, D will be taking over a spot.
We’re teaming up with Dirt, Half Price Books, and JD’s Tree Service to transform a boring area of concrete into a reading room forest. We’ll be on Main Street, right in front of Dirt and across from Iron Cactus. Please bring your gently used books and magazines and swap them for something new (or, at least new to you). Also, bring your kids around 5:30 as we’ll have some storytellers. And be sure to check out the rest of the street. I’ve heard there will be everything from bands and a pumpkin patch to a seesaw and a nature trail.
Oh, and if you’re looking for parking, we’re not taking up all the spots, so there will still be a few available. Or ride your bike.
American Apparel Responds to Nancy Upton’s Plus-Size Model Spoof
You remember Nancy Upton, the Dallas actress who, for the American Apparel plus-size model search, submitted photos of herself in various states of undress, wearing various kinds of foods. Once the photos went viral, Upton got more votes than anyone else. Last week she said she didn’t expect to hear from American Apparel. This week she did. She got a letter — CC’d to the media — from the company’s creative director, Iris Alonzo. While it contains plenty of corporate-tastic talk (”Look how many jobs we create!”), the letter is relatively frank…and uses the word “firstly”.
Some highlights include Alonzo’s apology-ish sentiment:
“Firstly, we are very sorry that we offended you. Our only motive was to discover and celebrate the many beautiful XL women around the globe who enjoy our brand, and to promote the recent size additions to our collection. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Some public shaming:
“It’s a shame that your project attempts to discredit the positive intentions of our challenge based on your personal distaste for our use of light-hearted language, and that ‘bootylicous’ was too much for you to handle.”
Some explanations for PR goofs:
“You’re literally witnessing a transparent, sincere, innovative, creative company go through puberty in the spotlight of modern media. It’s not easy!”
And the sad news that, while she did technically win the contest, yeah, that modeling contract isn’t going to happen:
“Oh – and regarding winning the contest, while you were clearly the popular choice, we have decided to award the prizes to other contestants that we feel truly exemplify the idea of beauty inside and out, and whom we will be proud to have representing our company.”
Read the entire letter after the jump.
Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Sep. 14
A bit of sad news today. Chromeo was all set to swing by the House of Blues tonight with one of my favorites, Mayer Hawthorne, on their way to Austin City Limits. Due to the death of producer DJ Mehdi, a friend, they’re postponing the show until late November. I just hope Hawthorne stays on as the opening act. Maybe so, maybe no.
This isn’t necessarily an evening pursuit, but Brewtopia kicks off at Central Market today with an excellent sale (up to 25% off, depending how much you spend) and lots of beer-related events over the next couple weeks. As acting beer mule for my Brooklyn-based friend Michael, I may or may not be driving to San Antonio soon on his behalf to pick up a limited release from Freetail Brewery. But at Central Market, I’m on the hunt for something called Jester King Commercial Suicide, which might not even be available in bottles yet. I live for the impossible. Unfortunately, tonight’s cooking with beer class is sold out, but you can still join the waiting list.
And in things that go well with beer, there’s sports. FC Dallas plays Tauro FC of Panama as part of the club’s first foray into the CONCACAF Champions League tournament. They’ve played two out-of-town games so far (and won them both), and they have home field advantage tonight. Don’t worry; I let Ryan Jones, who is actually knowledgeable about this sort of thing, tell you all about it. Secret fun fact about me, though. I played varsity soccer in high school. I was not terrible. Nor was I very good. The Londoner would do just fine pre or post game. It’s about an eight minute walk away. Meanwhile, here’s midfielder Brek Shea painting, which has almost nothing to do with soccer.
For more to do this evening, go here.
Thomas Friedman Notes That It’s Hot in Dallas
An alert, nature-loving FrontBurnervian points us to a Thomas Friedman op-ed in the Times today. He points to the hell-hot summer we’ve had in Dallas and suggests that Rick Perry might want to reconsider his position on global warming. Yeah, but tomorrow’s high will only be 87. Take that, Thomas Friedman.
Leading Off (9/14/11)
Commissioners Get Angry. Yeah. I know. That headline isn’t really news, because it happens often. But this time, it was Commissioner John Wiley Price accusing Commissioner Maurine Dickey of giving more than $300,000 in state grant money to a church friend.
Journalists Do Good. A group of volunteers went out to the house of Macario Martinez and built him a wheelchair ramp so he could leave his house. Last week, Grand Prairie city officials told him that if he didn’t get a $20 permit for his house, then it would give him a $20 fine. He doesn’t have money for either. So while doing the story, WFAA called the city and asked for its side of the story. Officials said they’d waive the fine and fix a bad curb for him. I will tell this story to our interns whose parents wanted them to go to med school and law school, because it proves that in journalism, you can do some good.
HOV Fines Are Reduced. As of October 3, you’ll be able to illegally drive in the HOV lane and be charged only a $50 fine, instead of the now $250 fine. But, I bet if you could come up with a good excuse, you could maybe get out of that fine. Driving a hearse? Technically, there’s another person in the car. I treat my dog as a child. So, if he’s in the car, it’s like my kid’s in there. Pregnant? Technically, there are two people in the car. Hearing voices in your head? Sure, argue that.
Texas-OU Will Survive Conference Shake-Ups…Probably
Whatever happens to the Big 12, it looks like Texas and OU will continue their rivalry. That’s according to Richie Whitt over at Sportatorium. He says he has “sources familiar with the talks” and that those sources say the schools will keep playing each other after their 2015 contract ends, though they may eventually switch to a home-and-home series instead of playing in Dallas — an idea that has been tossed around for decades. Now, Whitt has been wrong a few times in the past, but this still sounds like it’s probably good news for Sooners and Longhorn fans.
Katarina Vargas, Samantha Cox, Shusmita Farhad, and Aubree-Anna Stinson Need Your Votes
Remember Katarina Vargas, our luscious-lipped model? If you haven’t seen her face grace the pages of local magazines, maybe you’ve seen her out and about with her equally beautiful daughter. Either way. She needs your votes. Get to it.
Remember Samantha Cox? Our fiercely smart attorney with a penchant for comic books and obsession with her dog, Teddy? (Named for Theodore Roosevelt, thank you.) Well, she needs your click of approval, as well. Head over and vote.
Recall the enchanting eyes of Shusmita Farhad? Our 24-year-old Bangladesh babe, working through her bucket list, which, so far, has included a black belt karate class and skydiving? Yep. You know what to do. Give her the vote of confidence.
Think Aubree-Anna Stinson’s top tier? She’s the sultry jazz singer you find charming the crowd at the Library Bar. Think her love of classic music is as beautiful as we do? Give her your vote. Head to the ballot and click away.
Out Of Control Grassfire Near Waxahachie
This is getting a little too close for comfort.
Creating a Tom Leppert Speech Using His Last Eight Tweets
And, also, the first eight results when doing the Google image search “Tom Leppert for Senate.” The tweets are from the last 24 hours.
Dallas Opera Will Be Dialing for Dollars
If you’re the type who donates to nonprofits like the Dallas Opera, don’t be surprised to receive
an urgent phone call or two in the next few weeks. The reason: the deficit-plagued opera company, which recently had to deep-six one of its main-stage productions for the 2011-’12 season, is nearing an Oct. 31 deadline to match an anonymous, $10 million, dollar-for-dollar challenge grant for its endowment fund not with pledges but with cold, hard cash.
So far, DO chairman Dr. Kern Wildenthal disclosed last night, the opera has raised around $8 million of the needed $10 million. “It’s looking a lot better than it was six months ago,” said Wildenthal (shown in photo by Jeanne Prejean). And while the challenge grant is not an all-or-nothing proposition, he explained, “you hate to leave anything on the table. So, there will be a lot of phone calls going out soon.” A number of people have asked, “Well, should we give for the endowment fund or for the [Dallas Opera's] operating funds?,” Wildenthal added, “and I tell them: Ideally, both!”
Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Sep. 13
As Rodney my absolute favorite security guard commented this morning, today feels like yesterday all over again. Chuck Palahniuk (who is visiting Dallas in October, by the way) posits that hell is a place where The English Patient is screened on an infinite loop. For extra beatings with the evil stick, I’d like to add a perpetual Monday to the list.
But we’re moving on. The last time she was in North Texas (which was not actually all that long ago), Broadway powerhouse Patti LuPone eschewed Dallas for Fort Worth. This time, the leading lady is all ours. She’ll fly solo without orchestra accompaniment (just a piano player that I hoped in vain would be named Sam) for an evening entitled “The Gypsy In My Soul.” Which is apropos, given that her turn as Rose in Gypsy won her one of her many Tony Awards.
LuPone is set to perform some pop songs and hits from her most memorable roles. Expect “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina,” and one of my personal favorites, “A Boy Like That” from West Side Story. On a somewhat related side note, there’s an apparently excellent production of Gypsy happening just about 20 minutes away in my home town of Irving that’s using Martin Pakledinaz’s costumes from the 2008 Broadway revival. Which is actually a very cool thing. Pakledinaz is a master. If LuPone is feeling seriously nostalgic and possibly sneaky, she could steal her wig back.
Now allow me to briefly direct your attention to FrontRow, where we have an excellent new-to-us addition to the team. Welcome, Hunter Hauk. Now go read his two part fall music preview, because it’s great. And then go here, for more to do this evening.
Smoke and Mirrors at the University of Texas
Last month I endorsed the questions Jeff Sandefer has raised about the performance of our two major public universities. In answer to those questions, UT Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa presented a “Framework for Advancing Excellence,” which was endorsed unanimously by the Board of Regents and praised widely by editorial writers.
Professor Robert Koons thinks the document does deserve admiration, not as a blueprint for excellence but as a classic in the fine art of academic evasion:
The Plan is packed with words like “action items”, “goals”, “metrics”, and “responsible parties”, all designed to give the casual reader the impression that UT is serious about producing real results.
But the impression is false, because it avoids real accountability for results:
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