Sundown, the New Bar at the Granada, is Open (Photos)

Sundown at Granada, owned and operated by Granada Theater owner Mike Schoder and girlfriend Julia Garton, opened its doors yesterday in what used to be M Street Bar. The once dingy and abrasively painted red and black interior has been transformed by earth tones, warm woods and vintage furniture hand-selected…

Avila’s Off-Menu Shrimp Tacos: An Appreciation

On Thursday afternoon, a blackboard out front of Avila’s Mexican Restaurant boasted — in bright pink and blue chalk — an enchilada lunch special. After being seated, and having chips and salsa thrust at me, I nearly ordered the enchiladas, but was swayed when I noticed another chalk board in…

Guilty Pleasures of 2011: Rihanna’s “We Found Love”

Often, usually after a long night out, in the wee hours of the morning, I find myself fixated on my computer, repeatedly blaring whatever music video strikes my fancy at the time. While there are certain videos I frequently resort to — I’m a sucker for anything by Thieves Like…

Old Snack

Denton trio Old Snack’s debut full-length is aptly titled for a nine-song LP that clocks in at 18-and-a-half minutes. Everything is Happening So Fast doesn’t stray far from garage rock nostalgia, yet each track stands as its own sonic entity and breezes by without warning. The album is grainy and…

Come Get Nogged With Us at Our December Tweet Up Party

‘Tis the season to get drunk at your office holiday party and sloppily flail around on the makeshift dance floor to “Sexy Back” — don’t act like that wasn’t you last year. But this year, spare yourself the Monday morning embarrassment by skipping the holiday party altogether and getting drunk…

The Winter Cocktails of Dallas

The holidays are here, and restaurants and bars around town have broken out their seasonal boozing menus. So I went on a pub crawl and explored some of Dallas’ best wintry concoctions over the past couple of weeks, stopping at The Library Bar, Windmill Lounge, Bolsa, Meddlesome Moth, Marquee Grill,…

Arboretum Chases Away Holiday Blues

Do you find yourself void of Christmas cheer this year? Are you having a hard time envisioning sugar plum fairies, reindeer and Santa? The Dallas Arboretum’s Holiday at the Arboretum is an event for the entire family that might be the answer to your holiday blues. From now until January…

Here’s A Book Called Hot Guys and Baby Animals

Earlier today, the most important book of all time, Hot Guys and Baby Animals, appeared at the Dallas Observer headquarters. With its arrival came a ripple of unrelenting excitement and joy as it circulated around the newsroom. The book is straightforward, as you may have postulated: It’s 40 pages displaying…

Thai-Rrific is Open on Cedar Springs (Photos)

Thai-Rrific closed its longstanding North Dallas location and opened its doors on Cedar Springs last month, where Hung Dinger used to live. The first thing I noticed walking into the restaurant was a refrigerated case full of multicolored cakes. The green tea and “rainbow” cake caught my eye before I…

Divine Inspiration

You know you’re in for an interesting art show when one of the two artists featured has a disclaimer on his website explaining that it is not a hate site, rather it “exposes counterfeits and dupes in regard to religious and biblical interpretation…”, that’s the case with visual artist Norbert…

Are Sugar Plum Fairies Edible?

If you know you or your kids would have a hard time sitting through both acts of The Nutcracker, then The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, 2121 McKinney Ave., has a more family-friendly option this holiday season: brunch. The luxury hotel will host a Nutcracker-inspired Brunch of the Sugar Plum Fairy on Sunday…

Come Party With Us, and 75-Cent Beers, Tonight at The Bone

The flier is fairly self explanatory, but we thought we’d reiterate the details for you. Tonight the Observer is hosting its monthly Tweet Up party, which means you’ll have the opportunity to hang out, listen to music (provided by DJ Pun), win free swag and most importantly, drink cheap booze…

This Black Leather is Spiked with Silver and Misanthropy

Name: Keith P, 29 Occupation: Event planner and DJ Location: Double-Wide Influences:”Misanthropy, melancholy, melody in all forms of music both modern and classical. People who have pride in their origins and the cities they live in as well as those who put work into the cultural offerings of their city.”…

Last Night: Morrissey at SMU McFarlin Auditorium

Better than: Staying home and watching the Morrissey: Live in Dallas DVD Morrissey crooned the lyrics of The Smith’s “I Know It’s Over” to a packed SMU McFarland Auditorium last night “…tonight is just like any other night” he sang, as three security guards escorted a shirtless man up the…

Andi’s Thrifty Finds Make for a Nifty Night-Out Look

Name: Andi Harman, 20 Occupation: Blog editor for 35 Denton Location: Dallas Contemporary Style Breakdown: “The dress is from a thrift store in Brooklyn, actually, everything is from thrift stores.” Influences: “I am a student, so I want to be comfy but I also want to stand out. I like…

Morrissey

The Smiths were undoubtedly one of the most important English bands of the ’80s, and while the band dissolved in 1987 after a five-year run, frontman Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as just Morrissey, grew to become one of the most significant music icons of the 20th century. Pegged as…