Within the sphere of lofty cultural movements, there is the smaller, but no less lofty, category of culture that moves. Like mobile lending libraries that visit library-less villages, Artrain USA thrives on the idea of accessibility. It's already pulled into many places where art usually does not arrive: LeRoy, Kansas; Sisseton, South Dakota; Jesup, Iowa. The paintings and works of art hung in the train are part of an exhibition called Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture, "to redefine Native American art by broadening the limits and stereotypes that currently define it." One way to do that is to bring the art to people in little towns who would never get a chance to see it if it weren't brought to their front door. Another is to haul the art around to places such as Dallas that already have a thriving art scene. In Texas, it's doing both: After it comes to Dallas from November 4 through November 7 and stops at the Age of Steam Railroad Museum in Fair Park, it will mosey on to Silsbee, where 6,393 people live deep in East Texas. On November 4 and November 5, the Artrain will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and, on November 6 and November 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Call 214-428-0101. --Claiborne Smith
Father-Daughter Cook Off
11/5
Some dads fire up the can opener. Others fire up the grill. Then there are those who fire up taste buds, daring to serve dishes such as grilled salmon Vera Cruz with lemon-and-thyme-scented salsa--items other kids would pass over for breaded nuggets of processed chicken. But when the dad is Rick Bayless (owner/chef of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, host of PBS' Mexico--One Plate at a Time and cookbook author), it's no wonder a 13-year-old daughter would want to cook Moroccan meatballs in tomato sauce. While other father-daughter combos are doing three-legged races and fighting about Ashlee Simpson, the Baylesses have written and published Rick and Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures, a cookbook and travel memoir of foods not served in printed tin foil. Rick and Lanie will sign books and do a cooking demonstration from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday at Williams-Sonoma, 51 Highland Park Village, 214-219-1753. On Saturday, they will talk about and sign copies of their book at 1 p.m. at Shakespeare, Beethoven and Company in the Galleria, 972-387-1720, followed by a 4 p.m.-to-5:30 p.m. class at Central Market, 5750 E. Lovers Lane, that includes a demonstration of two recipes and a book discussion. Admission to the class is $75, which includes a signed book; call 214-361-5754. --Shannon Sutlief
Dino-Mite
11/6
I'm so excited that this weekend (Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.) is Dino Weekend at the Dallas Museum of Natural History. I thought I was the only one who loved that little guy. Do you remember The Flintstone Comedy Show on CBS from 1980-'81? One segment always featured Dino going after Cavemouse. That crazy purple...oh, wait. What? Oh. It's about dino...saurs. Fossils and stuff. That's cool, too. Try 214-421-3466 or www.dallasdino.org. --Eric Celeste
Hounddog Hoedown
11/6
In their latest step toward achieving complete pet-people equality in America, the SPCA of Texas and Purina present Fall Petfest, a three-and-a-half-hour event that brings both owner and ownee (or companion and guardian, if you're PC) together for activities such as Doggie Dress Up, Tennis Ball Fetch and something called Cat Attack. Beginning at 8 a.m., this animal adventure will take place at the SPCA of Texas' Phoebe Sherwood Perry Animal Care Center, 8411 FM 720, McKinney, and registration fees range from $20 to $25. Call 972-562-7297 or visit www.spca.com. --Mary Monigold
Buzzers and Bells
11/5
Every game has its eccentric players, the sort who take an otherwise meaningless contest best played between swigs of Bud and elevate it to an obsession that matters. And those who don't understand it, well, they don't understand life very well, do they? For instance, there are now rock-paper-scissors tournaments in Washington, D.C. No joke. People use strategy--whatever that means--to win. And people who don't win vow to return next year as stronger competitors. Does it surprise you that pinball players use strategy, too? Would it surprise you if some make vows to themselves? That rock opera movie did a lot for the game, but c'mon, there's no way Tommy could have ever been a pinball wizard, despite his supple wrists. Supple wrists, it turns out, are the least of the pinball player's attributes. Like anyone in pursuit of athletic, or at least hand-eye, excellence, there are the hours of practice, a sharp decline in the number of quarters in one's pocket and the haunting fear that the player--despite his hours logged--is a failure and will always be one, which only drives the best player onward. Thing is, we're kinda kidding about this stuff, and we're kinda not. Go to the Texas Pinball Festival from November 5 through November 7 at the Holiday Inn Select in Irving and see for yourself. Seven different tournaments are taking place, some of them for cash prizes, and one of them, The Pinball Wizard Tournament, includes a first-place check of $500. For the novice, there'll be 125 machines to play for free. The Holiday Inn is located at 4441 Highway 114 at Esters Boulevard in Irving. A weekend pass is $30 for adults and $20 for children. Call 214-632-5537. --Paul Kix
