Tampa

College Football's National Championship Is Coming to Dal ... er, Arlington

The corpse of the Bowl Championship Series, college football's much-maligned way of wrapping up each season in often incomprehensible fashion, has gone cold. The organization that will replace it now has a clever name -- the College Football Playoff -- that leaves plenty of room for a big-dollar cor ... More >>

Addison Melting Pot Closes: Prom Dates Forced To Look Elsewhere.

This Friday March, 1 the Addison location of popular chain The Melting Pot announced its permanent closure. A news release blames "financial reasons independent of the business that prevent the current franchisees from continuing to operate the restaurant." Approximately 35 employees were notified ... More >>

First Baptist's Robert Jeffress: Mormonism is Still a Cult, But Obama? He's Basically Hitler.

Yesterday, speaking before a gathering of pastors in Tampa, First Baptist's Robert Jeffress stopped short of endorsing a particular candidate in the presidential race. Such overt political advocacy could risk his church's tax-exempt status -- not that he has let such concerns hinder him in the past. ... More >>

Crossroads Audio's Ed Spoto: "It's Horrible To Go To A Concert With An Audio Engineer"

Ed Spoto helms Crossroads Audio, which provides many of the mics, PAs, lighting systems and rigs you see at local shows and festivals. Locally, his client list includes acts like Bowling For Soup, Erykah Badu, The Denton Blues Festival and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Nationally, Spoto, his wife ... More >>

You Can't Handle the Truth

Not if you're willing to listen Paul Ryan and his cronies, that is.

Mark Cuban: Of Course We're Better Off Than Four Years Ago, So Stop Asking

The Democrats are gathered in Charlotte for the quadrennial circle jerk in which they deliver bombastic speeches and anoint their presidential nominee. Last week, the Republicans did the same in Tampa. These respective echo chambers inevitably lead to an increase in the type of one-sided political b ... More >>

How to Speak Republican: Decoding the GOP

Fear, Loathing and Tons of Strippers: What Happens When the GOP Comes to Town

Magic Mike Reveals Its Cast but Is No Revelation

Dallas is America's 25th Fattest City, Houston is the Fattest, and Austin? Screw Austin.

Men's Fitness has taken measure of our nation and, once again, growing girth is the trend. In the March issue, which is on newsstands but not online, the magazine uses fitness industry and CDC stats to compile a list of America's 25 fattest cities. Houston is the fattest, which the magazine partia ... More >>

The Super Bowl Prostitution Hoax Returns

Indianapolis mobilizes for an epic battle with an urban legend.

Last Night: The Jayhawks, Jolie Holland

The Jayhawks.​Last Night: The Jayhawks, Jolie Holland Granada Theater November 16 Better than: rummaging through closets for dubbed copies of Crossroads episodes. Looking only at The Jayhawks' set list from last night, you could think the show was more for a hardcore fan than a casual one, b ... More >>

Labor Day 2011: Let's Work This Out

​One of the best things about being a sportswriter? Getting paid to go to games. One of the worst things about being a sportswriter? Working on holidays. Not that I'm complaining. I've got lots of media friends who are without full-time jobs, and there's nothing more stressful than trying to ... More >>

In Memoriam: the Best 'Macho Man' Randy Savage Slim Jim Commercials

R.I.P. Macho Man, who snapped into his last Slim Jim today.​Maybe you've heard the news "Macho Man" Randy Savage died today in a car accident in Tampa, Florida. The story is all over Twitter and Facebook right now, and fans of his incredible character-acting performances in movies like Spider- ... More >>

My Top 21 Texas Rangers in the History of Ever

​C.J. Wilson was superb in last night's much-needed win over Seattle. Pedro Strop is gone. Mark Lowe is back (uh-oh). Tommy Hunter and Nefali Feliz are getting close. And dazzling Cuban defector Leonys Martin is fast-tracking our way.In the middle of a very transitory Rangers season I was ... More >>

The Super Bowl Prostitute Myth: 100,000 Hookers Won't Be Showing Up in Dallas

Boy's Taquería Is Just Getting Started and Is Already Superb

​I was hoping for a stellar dining experience on the cold morning when I hopped off the train at Tyler/Vernon Station for a short walk to Boy's Taquería, fingers numb from the frigid temperatures. The new restaurant, opened for just over a month, is owned by a husband and wife from San Luis P ... More >>

35 Conferette Adds Miami Horror, Turbo Fruits, Pujol and Eight Others To Growing 2011 Lineup

​Things are getting down to the nitty gritty for the folks up at Denton's 35 Conferette. The fest, formerly called NX35, has made some big announcements on the performer front in the past few weeks, but, sitting just 10 weeks away from its 2011 launch, the festival's yet to announce its full lineu ... More >>

Pour Your Own Beer: A Gimmick That Works...At Least in Tampa

​Craft-beer bar chains are nothing new. As a matter of fact, they might be the most beloved chains of all. Relatively small in size, like local fave Flying Saucer, they offer a consistent quality par excellence. When I learned from my brother-in-law in Florida that a craft-beer restaurant-bar ... More >>

The Taco Trail Takes a Trip to Tampa

​In Tampa's historic Seminole Heights neighborhood, one of bungalows and art deco buildings and neighbors who know neighbors and care for each other, a white bus has stalled permanently. Owned by Rene Valenzuela, a Mexico native and veteran taquero, the Tampa Taco Bus offers Northern Mexican ... More >>

Cuban Sandwich Crisis: Taste of Cuba vs. Caribbean Cafe

Photos by Steven DoyleTaste of Cuba was the fairest of them all.​ Many people, when they consider Cuba, think of Fidel, Guantanamo Bay, the Bay of Pigs and cigars. City of Ate thinks sandwiches. Taking their cue from Caribbean, African and Spanish cuisine, Cubans have developed a flavor of t ... More >>

Rangers v. Rays: Josh Hamilton is Healthy, Hitting

​The 90 wins (just the fourth 90-win season in the franchise's 39-year history). The nine-game win in the American League West (largest ever). The claw. The antlers. The playoffs. The excitement. Let's face it, without Josh Hamilton in the post-season it would all amount to tantalizing f ... More >>

Texas Rangers Fans: Let's Go Yankees! Clap ... Clap ... ClapClapClap!!

​I've seen Mavericks' forward Popeye Jones inadvertently tip a jump ball into his own basket, giving the Cleveland Cavaliers two points. I've seen Cowboys' defensive lineman Leon Lett inexplicably attempt to recover a blocked field goal on an icy Thanksgiving field at Texas Stadium, handing t ... More >>

Rays 24, Rangers 11: My Top 10 Observations

​10. Gawd, that was ugly. A three-game sweep - including an 8-6 loss Wednesday - at one of the best teams in baseball isn't that big of a deal when your injury-riddled lineup looks like the JV, but still ... that looked like the same ol' Rangers of shitty years gone by. I realize it will ... More >>

For an Authentic Cuban Sandwich, Stay Away from Cuba

Flickr user jasonlam​"Original Cuban sandwiches come from Ybor City; everything else is just a sub." This rather controversial statement comes to us courtesy of Andy Huse, Assistant Librarian at the University of South Florida, as quoted in Cigar City Magazine. Immediately, most readers are prob ... More >>

Lilith Fair To Return This Summer With Local Artists And A Dallas Stop

This logo wasn't lying. ​In yet another sign that the '90s are back, or perhaps never really ended, Lilith Fair is returning this summer with a 33-city schedule (including Dallas) revealed so far. Even better news: the lineup is strong enough that you won't have to promise your boyfriend a blowjob ... More >>

Lowe Blow: Get Motivated! Co-Founder Says Dubya Was "Inspirational," Not a "Caricature"

​Seems Tamara Lowe, one half of the couple behind Monday's Get Motivated! sell-or-be-sold hoedown at the Fort Worth Convention Center, isn't too keen on the coverage of the event. Her peoples have sent word that Lowe wants to right the media's wrongs: Per the press release freshly landed in the Un ... More >>

Pudge Over Potential

​I realize Pudge Rodriguez was brought here with the understanding he'd be a backup. But less than a week into his second coming, scuh-roo that! If starting Pudge throughout the three-game series against the Yankees that starts tonight in New York hurts Taylor Teagarden's wittle feewings or m ... More >>

I Got Yer Feel-Good Super Bowl Story Right Here

One of our football coaches is headed to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. Surprise, he has nothing to do with your Dallas Cowboys. I blogged, oh-so briefly, about Grapevine Faith's Nov. 7 high-school game against the Gainesville State Tornadoes. Ring a bell? Rick Reilly's terriffic ESPN The ... More >>

Mojito Bowl

Friday Pop Quiz

If you knew the tenants of this joint are a combined 7-14-3 and that the building got majorly snubbed this afternoon, you might be headed for a gold star. And stuff. Simple. Anyone getting the matches perfecto wins a year’s free subscription to the Dallas Observer (redeemable each Thursday a ... More >>

The Moose is Loose! Or: Dallas Cowboys Fans Are Damned Dirty Rats!

Today's School Lunch: Honoring Dimebag Darrell

A Honey Creek of a Deal

Till Death Do Us ... Oh, Whatever

Home Solutions Apparently Needs Some New Solutions, Pronto

Steak n Shake Up

Woodie Guthrie pre-show with Terri Hendrix, Lloyd Maines, Ronny Elliot, Don Conoscenti

Friday, July 6, at Uncle Calvin's Coffee House

A New-Wave Flashback, Courtesy the Ghost of PM Magazine

In Flames, Cannibal Corpse

Monday, July 24, at the Ridglea Theater

Movin' On Up

Smokin'

DTC kicks it up a notch with Anna in the Tropics; area critics honor the year's best stage work

Homecoming

Dallas dancers return from the big city

The Datsuns, the D4, the Electric Six, the Sights; Sahara Hotnights, Ikara Colt, the Washdown

March 15

Red Scare

Dallas County is setting up a surveillance system a Commie would love

Out & About

Aaron Carter

True Disbelievers

Deeper Life ministry says it saves homeless people from drugs and sin. Some ex-members say the church takes advantage of those who need help most.

The last roundup

Soul Food Cafe throws in the towel

Stylistic etouffee

Hippie Gumbo gets it right