Type Cast

Texas authors talk about their state and the arts

Comments (0) Thursday, Feb 5 2004

2/7

Joe Rocco

More About

Ask the barefoot and pregnant-by-a-first-cousin young women slouching in broken lawn chairs, drinking Coors Light and smoking unfiltered Camels under hail-damaged awnings outside rusted-aluminum trailer homes on the outskirts of Little Rock if they like being lumped into a big, stinky stereotype such as "Arkansas girls." It's not always flattering to be identified with the state where you live; labeled, as it were, with an itchy blanket of generalizations. Artists hate to be called "Dallas artists," preferring to be regarded as denizens of the world. Otherwise, they say, "We're seen as deep-South, conservative thinkers in shit-stained cowboy boots." How limiting is that, when your quest is to make an indelible mark on the international art scene? The Texas authors lecturing Saturday for the Dallas Historical Society embrace their Lone Star modifier. It describes who they are and what they write about as much as their home address. Talking about their Texas tomes at the DHS' February 7 Have a Heart for History seminar will be Helen Green, author of East Texas Daughter; Richard Haddaway, Where the River Bends; Francis Ray, Someone to Love Me; Clay Reynolds, Threading the Needle; Joyce Gibson Roach, Horn Frogs; and Carlton Stowers, Scream at the Sky: Five Texas Murders and One Man's Crusade for Justice. The noon-to-1 p.m. talk and book signing rounds out an all-day celebration of all things Texan, including presentations on Dallas architecture and photography and appraising Texas fine art and antiques from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hall of State in Fair Park. Admission is free. Visit www.dallashistory.org or call 214-421-4500, ext. 105. --Annabelle Massey Helber

Cool as Ice
2/6

Dear Mr. Bruce Campbell: We'll swallow your soul! Just kidding, man. It's us at the Dallas Observer again. We know it's been a while since we've written, but we've been busy fixing potholes and reporting on kids with cow-flop collections. Anyway, we're pumped about your 1998 movie, The Ice Rink,coming to The Palace Arts Center on Friday at 6 p.m. for Dinner and a Movie. We hadn't heard of it, but a "madcap romantic comedy" with a film-within-a-film twist sounds groovy. So it's kinda like 8 1/2on ice, but funny? If you wanna come, it's at 300 S. Main St. in Grapevine. We'll call 817-410-3100 for reservations. Just let us know. Hugs (and boomsticks!), Dallas Observer. P.S. When is Evil Dead 4coming out? --Matt Hursh

Live Fast, Date Fast
2/10

Some would argue that eight minutes isn't enough time for Cupid to draw his bow, much less shoot his arrow and make a love connection. Organizers at the 8MinuteDating singles' parties disagree, claiming that 90 percent of their event participants meet someone they want to see again. 8MinuteDating offers eight-minute, one-on-one conversations with eight singles, as well as appetizers and a cash bar. An 8MinuteDating party for African-American singles 28 to 38 years old begins at 7:08 p.m. Tuesday at Pacific Grill, 1700 Pacific Ave. Cost is $35. Advance registration is required. Visit www.8minutedating.com or e-mail audelle@8minutedating.com. --Stephanie Durham

My Yummy Valentine
2/6

Valentine's Day means selecting a card that says, "Today we celebrate our love, in hopes you'll forget that I did your ex-roommate." Or chocolate that declares, "Ironically, if you eat this, you'll get fat and I'll leave you." Or a teddy bear that expresses, "I'm not looking for the commitment that jewelry implies." Whatever crisis you anticipate this year, it can at least be accompanied by a memorable meal. Chef Laura Orso is prepared to help you create "an easy but lovely" Valentine's dinner to impress your sweetie, for once. Get the skills at Whole Foods, 2201 Preston Road, Plano, on February 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fee is $20, and advance registration is required. Call 972-612-6729. --Michelle Martinez