Dallas,TX

Country
Shiner Sunday with Rusty Weir and Guthrie Kennard opening. $10. 4-6 p.m.
Love and War in Texas 601 E. Plano Pkwy, Plano (just off Central Expwy.) 972-422-6201. KHYI Live Broadcast.
Rusty is billed as the world’s greatest saloon singer. Come see why. He puts on a good show.

Blues
Blues jam with Hash Brown at 8 p.m.
Cottage Lounge 3006 W. Northwest Hwy. 214-358-3018
Good blues with a long Dallas history.

Jazz
Dave Burris Group at 7 p.m., Arthur Riddles Jazz Trio at 9 p.m.
Balcony Club 1825 Abrams Rd. 214-826-8104

Indie
Receiving End of Sirens, Emmanuel, and others at 7:30 p.m.
The Door 3202 Elm in Deep Ellum 214-742-DOOR

Have a good evening and Peace be with you.

Whistle Fair 2007
Everybody loves trains. At the very least it is an interesting afternoon. Singles can check out the festivities and then spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the entertainment of Deep Ellum. Families can enjoy the afternoon observing and learning about trains before heading back to a Sunday evening together before school, church, and extracurricular activities begin in the next couple of weeks. The Whistle Fair will have music from a steam-powered calliope and arts and crafts as well as balloons and door prizes.
Today 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum of the American Railroad, 1105 Washington St., Fair Park (at Gate 2). 214-428-0101. $6, $3 for children.

Storybook Children’s Theatre
Take the family to the dual productions of children’s theater - by children for children. They are presenting two musicals, separated by a 15-minute intermission, for two different age groups. Dalmatians is presented first with 48 kids ages 5-11. After the intermission Alice features 27 youths ages 11-16. They are community productions and should make an entertaining afternoon for the family.
Today at 2 p.m. Courtyard Theater, 1509 Ave. H, Plano 972-516-1653. www.dancedepot.net. $12, $8 children 12 and younger.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Sons of Hermann SonsStock Sale
There is still time to get by the SonsStock sale at the Sons of Hermann Hall. Records, posters, vintage clothes, pottery and other items can be found at the sale. Catch various acoustic shows as well. The sale benefits the Sons of Hermann Columbia Lodge No. 66.
Today until 8 p.m. Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm St., 214-923-6286, 214-747-4422. Free admission.

Anand Bazaar
This evening go on out to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie and help celebrate India’s Independence Day. The event is organized by the India Association of North Texas and will include a parade, cultural entertainment, games, and fireworks. Enjoy experiencing authentic Indian food while browsing arts and crafts, clothing, and other items at over 190 vendors.
Today from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. Lone Star Park, 1000 Lone Star Parkway, Grand Prairie. 972-234-4268 $5 in advance, $8 at the gate, children 5 and under free.

Have a good evening, check back for Sunday events, and Peace be with you.

The rodeo is always a good time. In between animals to watch you can watch the people. There are all kinds of people at the rodeo. But the real action is on the arena floor. With events like bareback riding, bull riding, chuck wagon races, cowboy poker, there is something for everyone. If none of those float your boat, there is also cowgirl barrel racing, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and tie-down roping. Plenty of fine looking animals and fearless cowboys and pretty cowgirls. Personally I like them all. As they say, variety is the spice of life - and makes for an enjoyable rodeo.

There are even events for the children. When give the call for the Calf Scramble, the children go down to the arena and gather. At a given signal, they try to catch a couple of calves. When you let your child participate, remember that the rodeo assumes no responsibility for injury.

Smaller children, 4 and older, but 55 lbs. and under, can sign up on Friday and Saturday night for Mutton Bustin’. Eight children are randomly drawn to participate in the actual rodeo and ride a sheep. All eight participants receive prizes with the winner receiving a special prize. Parents are required to sign waivers. Mutton Bustin’ is how they begin to train future bull riders. It also looks like a lot of fun for the children.

The Mesquite Championship Rodeo has shows every Friday and Saturday night from April to September. This year’s season began on April 6 and will end Sept. 29. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. The rodeo is from 8-10 p.m. The rodeo is held at Resistol Arena, Interstate 635 at Military Parkway in Mesquite. Box Seats are $14 - $30; reserved grandstand seats $12, $7 for ages 59 and over and ages 3-12. $5 for parking. 972-285-8777.

Have a good weekend and Peace be with you.

Road Shows
Rock of various styles: Family Values Tour with Korn, Evanescence, Flyleaf (Texas Rockers), Hellyeah, Atreyu, Trivium, Neurosonic, Droid, and others. 3 p.m. at Smirnoff Music Centre, Fair Park. Gates open at 2 p.m. Ticketmaster or 214-421-1111. $9.99 - $59.50. Article at Guidelive.com.

Blues (albeit jazz-inspired at times): Cat Power with Dirty Delta Blues, Micah P. Hinson opening. Granada Theater 3524 Greenville Ave. Doors open at 8. 214-824-9933. $22.50. Article at Guidelive.com.

Locally

Blues: Cheryl Arena at Hole in The Wall at 9:30 p.m. 11654 Harry Hines Blvd. 972-247-2253. Funky place with good hamburgers.

Indie rock: Rigby at Poor David’s Pub at 9 p.m. 1313 South Lamar St. 214-565-1295

Folk: Josh Alan at Uncle Calvin’s Coffeehouse at 8 p.m. Josh has been around a while and always puts on a consistently good show. Johann Wagner opens. 9555 N. Central Expwy. at Northpark Presbyterian Church. 214-363-0044

Country: Austin Cunningham at Love & War in Texas, Plano at 7:30. Austin Cunningham is a songwriter’s songwriter, he does it so well. His unique voice adds a touch of Texas soil (and soul) to the songs’ interpretations. Add that to the delicious Texas cuisine of Love & War in Texas and you have an evening full of food and entertainment. 601 E. Plano Pkwy (just off Central) 972-422-6201

Jazz rock, jazz: Kenny Daniel & the Happy Hour Band, 5:30 p.m.; Marchel Ivery Trio at 9 p.m. Pearl 2038 Commerce 214-655-8824 21 & over. Smokin’ Joe Kubek on Sat.

Celtic: Paddy Gone Wild at 7:30 p.m. Tipperary Inn, Live Oak @ Skillman 972-931-0007

Have a good afternoon and evening. Check back for more weekend activities - for families, and more.
Peace be with you.

D Magazine says Lonestar 92.5 is the best road trip station (hence the title of the post). This pick I agree with - in a way. But the magazine wrongly listed the website as www.lonestarfm.com. That is the website of a radio station in Bryan/College Station. The Dallas station they refer to is the refurbished 92.5 classic rock station found at www.lonestar925.com.

They say that Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash are “three of the station’s “core artists.”” That is only partly true. The magazine also says that mainstream country stations “quit playing country long ago.” That is true. “But Lonestar is more than just its Western roots.”

Okay, it is hard to say that a station that just changed from classic rock to classic rock and country has “western roots.” If they are referring to the roots of the new station, a brand new format has no roots. But the mainstream country stations have quit playing (or relegated to other than prime times) the country staples we all love as well as the new artists that write and sing from the heart - not the pocketbook.

Next the issue of the core artists. Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash can be heard, that is true. But I would swear that Jon Dillon and Willie Nelson have a significant share of the new Dallas station. Yes, Willie Nelson is a core artist. Boy, do they play Willie! And Waylon Jennings - about him and Willie. And they play ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughan in between Willie songs. Willie even did the promo spots in which he intimated that he is somewhat in charge.

Jon Dillon has been around for years (I don’t want to date him - he is around my own age). I remember him introducing ZZ Top at concerts in the 1970’s. He has never been shy about being good buddies with the band. I have no doubt he feels the same way about the late Stevie Ray. But even with these two artists, they don’t have to play the same songs day after day. They really have recorded other songs.

Yet the reason I disagree with the basic pick is that KHYI 95.3 has been putting together the mix of songs that Lonestar has now. They don’t play as much classic rock, but that was not their format to begin with. My personal thought is that KHYI began to attract a increasingly larger share of the Dallas market and Willie wanted a radio station. There are some classic rock songs that KHYI does not play, but they make up for it with Texas artists and unique country songs.

I like both stations. KHYI has some disc jockeys that I cannot stand hearing. Alan Peck drives me nuts. So I switch to Lonestar. Sometimes it works to my listening benefit. Unless they are playing Willie, or “The Sky is Crying” by Stevie Ray one more time. Then I’m screwed. I have been a ZZ Top fan as well as a fan of Willie and Stevie Ray. But I’ve heard them over, and over, and over again. There’s a lot more good music out there that doesn’t get played, but should.

So for best road trip station - I would call it a tie. But when it comes down to it, I do not listen to one station all the time. I like what I like and I do not own a radio station. Will I agree with the next Best Of that I feature here? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Here is an update on an earlier review I did of Burger Island on August 7th. One of the dangers of finding or trying a new establishment is that they make a fabulous first impression, but subsequent trips are not as satisfactory. That is happily not the case with Burger Island. After dropping the rest of the family off where they needed to be, our youngest son and I stopped by Burger Island on the way home to split a combo.

One of these days, I will have to try other burgers and sandwiches, but the Mushroom Cheeseburger was so delicious the first time, I wanted to try it again. I was not disappointed. J.D. tried the mushrooms even though we had talked about him taking them off of his part. They were so good that he almost liked them. Just for him to want to try them said something about the quality.

I remembered to ask them to fix the fries well done and crispy. They made an honest effort to do so. With the thickness of the cut of the fries, it would have taken longer than they wanted to make me wait. I made a mental note to let them know I am not in any hurry. J.D.’s eyes got big at the size of the hamburger. Followed by a “hmm…m…m..” after the first bite. Even at age eleven, he knows a good hamburger when he tastes it.

Burger Island, 1208 E. Beltline, Carrollton, TX 972-245-4628. Do me a favor and let them know you read the review on this blog. I would appreciate it. When you bite into the hamburger or sandwich, you will not regret your decision to try it.

Check back for the first post in the Best Of category.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

“The Joy of Lunchboxes Road Trip” will be at Traders Village this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Presented by Sara Lee, it is part of an eight-city tour focusing on the benefits of whole-grain nutrition. A dietician will present tips for adults on packing nutritious and fun lunches. It will also include children’s, tastings of Sara Lee’s latest bread recipe, and a bread giveaway. Free admission, but $3 per car for parking. 2602 Mayfield Rd. in Grand Prairie. www.thejoyofeating.com/wholegraingiveaway.

If you are like my wife and I, you are always looking for new and creative ideas for lunches to send with your children to school. Sending lunches helps us to know what our children are eating and control the cost of lunches.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Sticking with the water theme - since I posted about the Dallas Aquarium this morning - for a more uptown adventure there is the Dallas World Aquarium. It is a fascinating place. I had a job in the West End while it was being constructed. Which was an adventure in itself. Watching an actual rainforest be put together.

A conservatory as much as an aquarium, the rain forest exhibit is about the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela. There is also a shark tank, snakes, and flamingos in the Maya - inspired display. Coral reef ecosystems and marine life are featured in the saltwater tanks. After spending time going through the exhibits, you can have a meal at the Jungle Café and restaurant.

It is a little pricey to take the whole family if you have more than one child. It is a wonderful learning experience though. Most schools or recreation programs take groups there on a field trip at a lower cost.

It would, however, make a nice date - a beginning date or for single or married couples. Afterwards, you could stroll through the West End and make a night of it.

Dallas World Aquarium 1801 N. Griffin in the West End. Daily 10-5 $16.95 ($13.95 for seniors, $9.95 children 3-12) 214-720-2224

Have a good day, and Peace be with you.

In these dog days of summer, our thoughts often turn to water. Drinking enough water, to be sure. Swimming in the local pool or water park. But there are ways to feel the soothing effects of water without actually getting wet.

The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park is connected with the Dallas Zoo (albeit separated by distance). They feature fish, reptiles, and invertebrates from South America, Africa, and Texas. Habitat information is posted with the exhibits. They regard their exhibits of sharks, sea horses, stingrays, jellyfish, and turtles as among their highlights. You can also observe the breeding lab for endangered species.

The Dallas Aquarium is located at First Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fair Park. Open daily 9 - 4:30. Admission is $4, children 3-11 $3, free for children under 3. 214-670-8443. www.dallaszoo.com.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Good Morning! I hope your day started well and without incident - however small. If you have not yet gone to work and are in the North Dallas, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, or Addison area, drop by Dunn Bros. Coffee in Addison on the northeast corner of the intersection of Marsh and Beltline. 3725 Beltline Rd., Addison, TX 75001. 972-406-9711

If you’re already at work, but in the area, drop by for lunch. They have packaged sandwiches which are unique and quite tasty when heated and accompanied by chips. If coffee with lunch is not your style - whether cold or hot - they have an iced tea that I assure you will help to get you through the rest of the day. You may even have it flavored and there is a variety of bottled drinks. They also have three computers for internet access and free wifi for customers with laptops.

Should you not be able to get by until sometime in the evening, they have live music on most nights of the week. They also have wine and other beverages in the evenings. A free wine tasting is held on the second Thursday of every month. The surroundings are pleasant, the smell of roasting coffee soothing, and there is outdoor seating if you would like to talk and have the music in the background.

If you can’t get by today, make a mental note - or written one if you so desire - to stop by Dunn Bros. when you are in the area. There is also a location on the westbound access road of LBJ Freeway (635) just west of the Tollway that has a drive through. Good service, good coffee, and good atmosphere. You won’t be disappointed.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

What: Savannah Reunion
When: Tonight around 8:30 p.m., Doors open at 7 p.m.
Where: Poor David’s Pub 1313 South Lamar St., Dallas
www.poordavids.com or 214-565-1295

Savannah was one of the cover bands that played around Dallas - specifically on Greenville Avenue. More specifically, Upper Greenville, between Park Lane and Lovers Lane. Lower Greenville was, and is, between Mockingbird and Ross. I do not remember the section of Greenville from Lovers to Mockingbird being called Middle Greenville - it was simply where the SMU hangouts were. That and a few strip clubs that no one really misses.
Dallas got liquor by the drink in the early 1970s and clubs were opening all over the place. Particularly in party areas such as Greenville Ave. Greenville has always been a hodge podge of restaurants, clubs, and shops. If you did not live here then, or were not old enough to go to clubs, the article yesterday in the Dallas Morning News by Matt Weitz - GuideLive.com -will give you a good starting clue. I’ll add my several cents worth. I think Matt and I crossed writing paths through the years - I wrote a music review column and articles in several papers and magazines around Texas for years, starting (amazingly enough) in the early 70s - but I would not swear to it.
I was playing guitar and writing songs - and articles - at the time. But cover bands were the hot gigs. I did not have a band until the latter part of the decade and the cover songs I played were seldom requested until the progressive country scene in the mid to late seventies. Then I could play my original tunes as well as the cover tunes I wanted to play.
But I digress. In the mid-seventies I was bartending at a new restaurant on Greenville at University called Desperado’s. It was, and is, a wonderful Mexican Restaurant. Look for a review in a future post. It is still one of my favorite restaurants. Back then though, when Jorge Levy was just getting the restaurant going, they had live entertainment in the lounge area. I’m almost sure Savannah played there, but I also saw them at other Greenville clubs and restaurants.
It should be a good show. The enthusiasm of a good cover band is contagious and there will be plenty of enthusiasm tonight. If I get all my writing done - in between shopping trips and running teenagers around (yes, dads do that too!) - and can find somewhere for the boys to go, I will try to make it down to Poor David’s Pub for the reunion. It is not just a reunion of the band, but a reunion for anyone involved in the Dallas music scene at the time. It should be great fun. If you do were not around at the time, you can get a sense of the fun we had partying back then and the music we enjoyed at the time.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

For the older rock ‘n’ roll crowd, Rush is appearing at 7:30 at Smirnoff Music Centre 1818 First Avenue at Fair Park in Dallas 214-421-1111. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at approximately 7:30 p.m. Tickets at Ticketmaster - but only if you can print them out at home or have them left at Will Call. Or buy tickets there.

For the country or western swing crowd, check out Asleep at the Wheel at Pier 121 Marina at Lake Lewisville. 1481 East Hill Park Road, Lewisville. 972-625-2233. Contact Lake Fest Texas for further information. Call ahead to reserve a table.

For the family, the Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus runs through tomorrow at the American Airlines Center. There are usually some seats still available. www.ringling.com for information or Ticketmaster for tickets. Or call 214-373-8000 (Dallas) or 972-647-5700 (Metro).

Have fun tonight and be safe. Peace be with you.

Good morning from the Dallas area - late morning that is. Although weekday posts are up by 10 a.m. (a little later if the computer or software gives me a hard time, but the goal is 10 a.m.). With teenagers in the house, weekend posts will be at different times, but often if possible. There are a variety of events and happenings on weekends in the Dallas area. As I get into a routine during the next couple of weeks, weekend events will be mentioned on earlier days as I receive them. After I have settled into a posting routine, you will find a pattern that you can depend on for information, events, comments, and insights into life in the Dallas area.
Check back later for some activities for the rest of the weekend. I am working on something interesting and informative for weekend and Sunday posts.
Have a good day and check back later and often. As always, feel free to comment or contact me if there is anything you would like to see here or have any questions.

Peace be with you.

There have been several instances in the past week or two in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in which children died due to negligence. A neighborhood pool was closed after a woman left a two year old to be watched by her 12 year old sibling while she went to get a diaper. A few years ago a man who did not ordinarily take his child to daycare before going to work drove to work, parked his car, went into work - forgetting his child was in the car - in the heat of the summer. The child - a baby - suffocated in the heat.
My wife, Cyndy, and I have four children. Our daughter is in her later twenties and married - our first grandchild is due in November. Our three sons are eleven, thirteen, and fourteen. I have a habit of checking to see if my children are in the car when they are in school or other places (safely) and I am by myself. When I am shopping by myself and a child says “Dad,” I turn around automatically, making sure it is not my child.
Yesterday was our youngest son, J.D.’s birthday - he turned eleven. I took him to breakfast while the rest of the family was still asleep. We went to McDonald’s and found a booth out of the sun through the windows. There were very few other customers present, most of them older and alone. I set up my computer, only to discover I could not get wifi access without signing up to the accessible service. I told my son I was going to the restroom and would be right back. It did not take long.
When I came out of the restroom the table was as I had left it, but J.D. was not there. My heart began to race and I went into panic mode. I returned to the table while looking around to find my son who was nowhere in site. The children’s area with the play station was dark - I had assumed it was not open yet. I looked through to see only darkness. I looked at all the other customers - looking for any signs that something had happened. They all seemed absorbed in their own thoughts, paying no attention to me.
A few minutes later, after scanning the children’s area for the “umpteenth” time, J.D. suddenly appeared through the glass partition waving at me. When he again joined me at the table, he assured me that he had been watching the computer. I told him that I did not know where he was, could not see him, and had panicked. Naturally, he apologized and told me again that he had been watching the computer - which had not been my foremost worry.
The Dallas-Ft. Worth area has grown considerably in the last few decades and continues to do so. Towns (now cities) between and bordering the two major metropolitan areas making up the Dallas-Ft.Worth moniker have now blended into the “metroplex.” Even though many of them are towns as old as the two larger cities that comprise the name of the general area. The population has expanded with mind-bending speed. So much so that my fellow bloggers in Ft. Worth, Arlington, and I will often overlap. We will also cover the areas that now “blend in” with our primary city of focus.
The majority of citizens are basically kind, generally caring, people. But we are all often self-absorbed in our personal activities. But please, take the time to smile or wave at the neighbor you do not really know. Even if you are single, if you are shopping and hear some child say “Dad” or “Mom,” take the time to look to see if there is a problem you can help with. Pause your cellphone conversation long enough to lend assistance to a lost child. Or politely correct them if they are acting up. And please be aware of what is going on around you when you are driving. School is starting soon.
The internet has created the global community - as this community of bloggers is an example. We need to wake up, take a breath, and pay attention to the world around us - we are all in it together. But remember - if you are parents - I, for one, and there are others like me, will help out if we see your children in store or shopping center. But I cannot help you remember that your child is in the car with you. I cannot help you in a situation in which you forgot to take diapers with you to the pool. We need to be aware of the world around us. We can always reply to, or send, a text message when we get to a long stop sign or pull into a parking space. The urgency is often only in our minds.

Have a good day. Peace be with you.