Ridin' Dirty

Few things are as tacky as a Gaylord Hotel. Big, brash and garish, Gaylord's larger-than-life accomodations hit you on the head with their all-thumbs design. The Gaylord Hotel in Nashville, for example, features a slightly smaller version of the Mississippi Delta where Midwestern tourists can be seen paying for boat rides down the indoor river, typically looking as if they might spot a steamboat at any moment. The Gaylord Texan is no less subtle; it's the architectural equivalent of a U.S. Olympic Basketball Team, where money can't buy style. Still, the Grapevine hotel may be the perfect place to host the epic Stars & Rides Benefit Gala, which will feature top-notch performances by Erykah Badu, Don Diego and Orlando Salinas, along with the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico. There will be a hearty dinner, dessert and luxury automobiles on display, followed by dancing, live music and a special guest DJ. The Stars and Rides Benefit Gala takes place 6 p.m Saturday at 1501 Gaylord Trail in Grapevine. Tickets cost $175 individually or $1,500 for a table of ten. The gala benefits Refuge House, Million Voices Foundation and the North Texas Food Bank. Call 214-592-2042 or visit 3rdcoastrides.com/events.htm.
Fri., Dec. 15, 6 p.m.