The Ultimate Guide to Your Weekend in Dallas, April 15-17

Do This! 
There is so much art to see in Dallas this weekend, it's hella exciting for the artistically inclined. One can't-miss exhibition is Paolo Pivi's Ma’am. The Milanese artist works with friendly, fluorescent polar bears and fanciful multimedia installations. We've been promised canvases of pearls, the bears and a number of new works. The exhibition opens with a members reception Friday evening and to the general public at 11 a.m. Saturday. Pivi will discuss the exhibition with Director of Exhibitions and Senior Curator Justine Ludwig at noon Saturday. 

If you want to stay up late with the new Irving Penn exhibition, Beyond Beauty, at the Dallas Museum of Art – and trust us, you do – then this Friday's Late Night is the event for you. There will be discussions of the exhibition, music by the Vinyl Stripes and more. Tickets are $15. 


Eat This! 
You had us at Chocolate Fest. Load up on cocoa to your heart's content in Grapevine this weekend. For $50, Friday night is an all-you-can-eat-and-drink chocolate and wine extravaganza. Saturday tickets go for $15, which gets you 10 chocolate samples, and there are also tickets available for specific tasting events. Head to 1209 S. Main St. in Grapevine from 7-10 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Want a taste of Paree without dropping a few thou on a plane ticket? Head to Oak Cliff's Bouchon 1314, where you'll be "wine-hugged" and dined with ze best of 'zem. Try the rack of lamb Provençal, says our food expert. 

If you're bouncing around town Saturday and haven't yet visited the new Farmers Market "food hall," there's plenty to try, from cheese to baked goods to "architecturally inspired ice cream." Los Angeles food truck turned ice cream parlor, Coolhaus, set up shop in The Market and it's a chill option for a warm day.

Drink This! 
Our cocktail of the week can be found at Henderson Avenue staple Capitol Pub. The Psycho Killer is a delectably fresh combination of lime, ginger beer and cucumber flavors topped off with a bit of fresh rosemary. 

OK, OK, this one is technically a BYOB event. But Better Block design studio, The Annex, at 700 W. Davis St. (former Brumley's Gardens), will someday be a biergarten, and this weekend, they're offering visitors a sneak peek. Stop by and see the digs from 6-10 p.m. Sunday. 

On the food blog, we're wrestling with the question: Can a beer really surprise us anymore? Furthermore, can Texas Ale Project's 100 Million Angels Singing do the trick? Here's the answer: "Very bready, a little cheesy and faintly funky, it tasted like the pint had been aged with a few slices of stuffed-crust pizza (which is an endorsement, by the way)." So, yes?

Hear This! 
There's an advantage to being the hometown band. For example, if you're the Old 97's you can throw yourself a County Fair. This weekend, the band is joined by Drive-By Truckers, Lucero, Deer Tick and more at Main Street Garden Park, 1950 Main St. The concert starts at 1 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $35-$100.

You won't want to be the one who misses the Kurt Vile show with Purling Hiss this weekend. But you might be if you don't already have tickets. It's sold out, but here's hoping your best friend breaks up with her boyfriend before 8 p.m. Saturday and you can have his ticket. Or go with him. You've always thought he was cute. It's at the Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. 

There aren't many people worth hauling your ass up to the WinStar Casino at 7 p.m. on a Friday night, but for some, James Taylor is one of those people. I can respect that. Grab a ticket to the show for $85-$195. 


See This! 
This weekend the Dallas International Film Festival kicks off. It can be hard to navigate a festival with more than 60 feature films and 50 shorts, so our resident film expert has you covered with some recommendations. Get out there and get watching.
 
This weekend, the latest from playwright Len Jenkin at the great Undermain Theatre hits stages. Jonah is an up-to-date rendition of the classic allegory about a man trapped in the belly of a whale. It was developed with assistance from the Sundance Institute Theatre Program. Tickets start at $15 and showtimes are 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. Opening night is Saturday. 

The art of the solo show has been getting its due all over town. This weekend, the House Party Theatre gang presents HPThree, an evening of three shows by artists Chris McCreary, Taylor Harris and Justin Lemieux. The show starts at 8 p.m. Saturday at an off-the-grid location: 2203 Obenchain St. If the sign says Arrington Roofing, you're in the right place. Tickets are $10.