Goodbye, November. I’d say I’m sorry to see you go, but I’m ready to get down to the serious business of crafting my Christmas wish list.
Some people seem to think that their birthday entitles them to weeks of getting their way. My oldest friend, Meagan, is not like this. Today is her birthday, and she hasn’t even sent so much as a text message exclaiming “BIRTHDAY MONTH!!” Which is definitely not what I did. And speaking of birthdays, Rich Rogers over at Scardello is celebrating one today, too. Head to the Best of Big D cheese shop for Cheesemonger’s Birthday Surprise, an evening devoted to tasting his favorite cheeses paired with his favorite wines. It’s lucky that Rogers has good taste. There are only two spots left, so hurry.
If you feel like celebrating the start of the season by giving back, there are two opportunities to do that tonight. First, there’s the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Toast and Taste Wine Opener in the Bank of America building. Half the ticket price is tax deductible, and all the proceeds fund research and awareness of the disease. Drink, admire the Dallas skyline, and partake of the dessert station (which, let’s be honest, excites me almost as much as the prospect of so many varieties of alcoholic grape juice).
A little bit further away, the Dallas chapter of Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS hosts a party so big, it requires three different locations. Hop from Nest to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams to Design Within Reach (don’t worry, they’re all across the street from each other) for three themed parties where you’ll eat, drink, and bid on unique holiday wreaths created by local and national designers. Raya tells me that Whoopi Goldberg did one this year, so look for her name on the tag. Proceeds from the wreath auction go to North Texas AIDS service organizations.
For more to do this evening, go here. Those looking for Christmas cheer should head this way.
SideDish has a full recap of last night’s Top Chef: Texas episode on the way (UPDATE: Here it is.), but I wanted to remark upon the season’s first episode to be set in Dallas. What was the first impression that producers gave viewers of our city? Why, Highland Park, of course.
Sisters Kim Schlegel Whitman and Kari Schlegel Kloewer hosted two-thirds of a “progressive dinner.” I’ll leave the food talk to SideDish, except to say that the “gummy bear” that Court and Kameron Westcott (They hosted the dessert portion of the dinner. Kameron was one of our 10 Most Beautiful Women in 2009) said they had at their wedding sounds truly disgusting. And the Top Chef judges were taken aback when they heard that Kari’s wedding had 700 guests and Kim’s wedding had 1,200 guests. They thought the ladies were joking.
Never heard of the Schlegels? Umm, have you never visited this website before?
Wondering where they got all that money? Here’s how.
That Taiwanese animation company known for its absurd videos about current events takes on the American Airlines bankruptcy:
I love the moment when the panda takes out Uncle Sam.
Tyson Chandler Expects to Leave the Mavericks. “I really think I’m going to be on a new team come training camp,” he told ESPN.com. “I’m really taking a hard look at all of my options, trying to see what best suits me.” What best suits me is FORGETTING I EVER READ THAT STUPID QUOTE.
AA Pilots Picked a Bad Time to Halt Negotiations. Now that American Airlines in in bankruptcy, the pilots’ salaries figure to be going from business to coach. (Ohmygod, did you see what I just did?) “There’s no way to dress this thing up. It’s ugly,” said Tom Hoban of the pilots’ union. He then stated the flight time, cruising altitude, and pointed out a nice view of downtown Dallas out of the right side of the cabin.
Heritage Auctions Sells a Piece of Paper for $388,375. OK, it was a checklist that helped Apollo 13 commander Tom Hanks guide the damaged spacecraft back to Earth. What do you want me to end with: a “Houston, we have a problem” joke or an Apollo Creed reference? TOO SLOW. Here’s a scene from Space Jam instead.