L25 Travels Outside Her Mind With ‘Outerspace’

Dallas-based singer L25 has spent a lot of time trapped inside of her mind. Even before COVID, she had spent years reflecting on her life and undergoing necessary transformations to improve her own quality of living. Now, she is using her music as a means of recovery. Born Sarah Ledford,…

The Story Behind Deep Ellum’s Ichigoh Ramen

Two years ago, Ichigoh Ramen Lounge quietly took over the Deep Ellum space previously occupied by Tanoshii. It’s owned by George Itoh and Andy Tam, who came from New York City to Dallas after falling in love with the Deep Ellum neighborhood. Itoh has more than 26 non-consecutive years of…

Eat This: Crushcraft’s Kra Pao

We might not be able to go out and about in the streets right now, but Crushcraft Thai Eats is still serving some tasty dishes. Plus, many of the items are under $10 and make for filling, comforting meals. Your safest bet is home delivery, but if you go to…

Rock Your Heart Out Shines a Light on Immigrant Artists

Immigration is an issue this election season, and a group of Dallas-Fort Worth artists and storytellers is looking to continue the dialogue by focusing on immigration in the community. Rock Your Heart Out will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, beginning at 6 p.m. A free, virtual event by the Human…

Encina Opens Friday in Oak Cliff

The space that was once home to Bolsa is alive again, this time through the lens of Encina. Chef Matt Balke and co-owner Corey McCombs took inspiration from the former’s hometown of Uvalde for the restaurant. “Encina” is Spanish for “holm oak,” which is also the original name of Uvalde…

Meet the Chef Behind Dallas ISD’s Meals

The 2020-21 school year looks different from anything we could’ve ever imagined, but several people are working behind the scenes to ensure the wellbeing of students. In Dallas ISD, chef Juanita Mejia has the role of bringing nutritious food to them. As a food specialist in the district, Mejia’s duties…

Rapper SniperShot Has a New Aim: Making Personal Music

On his newest album True Story, Dallas rapper SniperShot revisits trying times over the past few years. Born Wes Brown and raised in East Dallas, SniperShot grew up listening to hip-hop and fell in love with the genre. His affinity for rap music began in the fifth grade, when he discovered…

Artist Mariell Guzman Welcomes Us to the Jungle With Synthetic Anesthetic

Known for her murals and immersive works, Dallas-based artist Mariell Guzman’s newest project is bringing attention to nature and how humans often disregard the health of the environment. This past Friday, Guzman launched Synthetic Aesthetic, an interactive jungle installation in Fort Worth transporting viewers to a jungle without having to…

Doublepluspop’s Debut Album Took 18 Years to Come to Light

Many artists have used pandemic time to get creative and crank out an album within the course of a few months. Some have used this time to revisit projects that they have previously abandoned. In the case of doublepluspop, the four-piece revisited the project that was supposed to be their…

Dallas Chef Takes Creativity Beyond the Plate to Stickers

Since COVID struck, many of us have had to find creative ways to pass the time. While this is a daunting era for all industries, hospitality, bartenders, chefs and restaurateurs have found ways to create temporary moments of joy. Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, executive chef at José in North Dallas, took to…

Through Loss, Singer LO Found Her Musical Purpose

On her upcoming album Holy Wars, LO creates a dark and dreamy pop landscape, evoking a whirlwind of  emotions, not unlike what the year 2020 has felt like. The work will be a two-part album expressing the 25-year-old singer-songwriter’s duality. Holy Wars was preceded by the lead single “Lost in Translation,”…

An Update on (Almost) Every Live Music Venue in DFW

When COVID-19 hit, music venues were forced to shut down, leaving artists without tour dates and patrons without the joy of music. As restaurants reopened with new guidelines in place, many bars and music venues remain closed. Not all can afford to build kitchens to function as a restaurant —  one…

Iranian Refugee Singer Shab Turns Pain Into Power

Having spent much of her life moving between countries, Persian singer-songwriter Shab has had to learn to adapt to various cultures. Over the past few years, Shab has built a strong Persian fanbase. Now, the Dallas-based mother of two is ready to break into the English market. This past spring,…

Chef Diana Zamora: From Kitchens to Pop-Ups and Helping Others

If you’re living in Dallas and have a sweet tooth, you’ve probably tasted some of chef Diana Zamora’s creations. Over the years, the Northwest Dallas resident has built an impressive resume: In the past year, she has been the pastry chef at Nosh Bistro and the self-proclaimed “doughnut queen” at…