David Bowie hit it on the nose when he sang, "Oo-oo-ooh, call them the Diamond Dogs." All right, so maybe he wasn't exactly speaking of the canine species, but we couldn't help the reference since deBoulle Diamond and Jewelry is hosting the second annual deBoulle Goes to the Dogs. The fund-raising event benefits Operation Kindness, the nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter. Patrons are invited to visit the store from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with their pooches, make a donation to the shelter and peruse an exhibition of photography by Deborah Samuels and Vincelee Stevens (known for their animal portraiture). OK's orphaned dogs and kitties may not get actual rocks on their paws or collars, but they'll no doubt appreciate deBoulle's efforts to keep them healthy and happy in rawhides and toy mice. DeBoulle Diamond and Jewelry is located at 6821 Preston Road. Call 214-522-2400.
Friday, June 10
It's Black Music Month, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is celebrating loud and strong with two major events. First comes the annual African American Festival Concert on Friday. With guest conductor Leslie B. Dunner and pianist Jade Simmons, the DSO presents An Evening With the American Masters. Featuring 75 years of American composition, the concert covers George Gershwin to today's Woody Woods. Before the music begins, check out a DISD student art show and the district's step team. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., and will get everyone primed for the second installment of Black Music Month on June 24--a collaboration between the DSO and the Potter's House mass choir called African Portraits. Admission to the African American Festival Concert is free, but tickets are required. (Tickets for the upcoming African Portraits are also available for $35.) Call 214-692-0203.
Saturday, June 11
High-stress jobs dealing with crime and general mayhem may be rewarding, but think of the emotional exhaustion that comes with them. Every so often, a hero's gotta have a good time, and hockey seems a perfect release. Dr Pepper StarCenter Euless, 1400 S. Pipeline Road, hosts the Irving 9-1-1 Cup Hockey Game pitting the Fire against the Police. It's the hoses versus the holsters! The trucks against the cruisers! The huge protective helmets against the small tidy hats! The sirens versus the, uh, sirens! But anyway...On Saturday at 3 p.m. and for just $10 ($5 for kids 5 to 12), fans can watch goals, checks and possibly a hat trick or two between the proud and the uniformed. Proceeds benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Irving Police Athletic League. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 214-223-3157.
Sunday, June 12
You're a beer-drinking sports fan. She's a cultural encyclopedia of wine, art and pretty much everything else. (Or vice versa--we support the equal opportunity hypothetical, after all.) It'd be easy to just chalk it up to different worlds and let it go, but you might be missing out. Instead, oh simple hops-head, why not dazzle with a Sunday night of wine and dance? Phoenixdancetheatre presents Tango After Dark, an edgy performance that emphasizes the "surrender and release" of Argentine Tango in the unusual venue of The Wine Therapist, 1810 Skillman St. at LaVista Drive. Tickets are only $15 and include a glass of wine, so not only will your image get a cultural boost, but your wallet won't lose all its padding in one place. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited, so for reservations, call 469-235-0601.
Monday, June 13
When we found out about Cathey Miller's Just Visiting exhibition at IR Gallery, 830 Exposition Ave., we also discovered something very unusual about her. According to the gallery, Miller believes in an alternative universe called "Cathedonia," of which she is the queen. Now that's kind of odd, but it isn't so difficult to understand that if one--an artist, no less--believed in such a zany place, she'd want to paint it. We envy her, really. Our imaginary world fell by the wayside about the time we stopped getting school-sanctioned nap times. Miller's practice is childlike, imaginative, and it's gotta be an awesome escape. Coupling acrylic paint with magpie tendencies, Miller paints her world and embellishes it with fake jewels, sparkly stuff and shiny goodness, then she presents "Cathedonia" and its inhabitants visiting here on Earth with the flair of sideshow poster art. Now if only we could remember what that magical world under our couch-cushion fort was like. The show runs from June 10 through July 8 with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 18. Call 469-951-7323.
Tuesday, June 14
Three things that make the Texas Rangers versus the Atlanta Braves a not-so-scary opposition: The Washington Nationals just beat the Braves for two of three games, and may we remind you it's the Nats' first year? The Braves have trouble with the pitching. Call us crazy, but even though re-Cub-ed Greg Maddux is in the dreaded area of age 40, we're thinking the Braves wish they had him back. Rangers shortstop Michael Young is kickin' it in his new-ish post (A-Rod who?) and making quite the sweet team with second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Good timing equals double plays, boys, and we love 'em. Now with any luck, Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. game at Ameriquest Field, 1000 Ballpark Way at Interstate 30, will offer a great reason for the fans to bring out the brooms Wednesday. Sweep it, fellas, and then if you could, take it all the way to the playoffs. Tickets are $5 to $75. Call 817-273-2100.
Wednesday, June 15
We'll be honest. The offer we're writing about here is the only way we'll ever be able to afford dinner at Smith & Wollensky. We're writers, remember? And writers with big bubbling cauldrons of debt like ours don't often get to partake in classy dinners where even appetizers are priced with two numbers before the decimal point. Until, that is, S&W started the Pay Your Age Dinner offer. Now, we can go any night starting at 8:30 and get an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert for an amount equal to our age (proven, of course, with proper identification). The lowest price is $25 (sorry, teens), but Granny gets a deal because the prix fixe is capped at $65. And let's just say that even $65 is a steal for three courses of completely delectable S&W fare. We even have our dinner picked out already. We'll start with Wollensky's Famous Split Pea Soup and follow with...well, you get the idea. We're not giving away our age or our caloric intake, thanks very much. Smith & Wollensky is located at 18438 N. Dallas Parkway. Call 972-930-9200 and don't forget your ID.
