Though I shudder at the thought of clowns, I love the circus. Tigers, elephants, high-wire acts, cotton candy, pony rides…and it all goes to a good cause. Well, normally it all goes into the owner’s pocket, but the Moslah Shriners’ 66th Annual Shrine Circus–put on by the guys that wear…
When the days grow shorter and the leaves rattle on the trees, while pumpkins begin to appear beside front doors to await their violent, eviscerated ends, lots of people put on spooky seasonal shows calculated to appeal to those who love this macabre time of the year (anyone who has…
There are definite perks to being the second richest man in the world. For instance, instead of writing your memoirs, just pick out a writer to write a biography for you. Warren Buffett, investment “Oracle of Omaha” did just that, selecting Alice Schroeder to do the honors. And she’s here…
Lots of people find car shows frightening, but the British Halloween car show combines two frightening things: Dads pacing around cars and Halloween. The British Emporium (billed as “the most British spot in town”) is hosting its annual fall car show, and it will be made even more frightening this…
Last month they took on the Germans, this month they’re taking on the world. Where will Addison strike next? But seriously, those with a hankering for travel and diverse cultural experiences should head on out to the town that brought us a parade of Dachshunds and a Dachshund race just…
The first time I heard James McMurtry’s music, I groaned to myself, wished for some Hank Williams instead and dismissed it quite quickly. The second time I heard it, I actually started listening. The third time I came across his songs, I was hooked. The Austin-based McMurtry’s Steve Earle-like music…
During the last presidential debate in 2004, my shoe somehow flew across the room and missed the television screen at which it was aimed, hitting (and breaking) the antenna. It took me a year and a half to get around to getting a new one. The lesson that I learned…
I have a relative who insists that the door from a public bathroom must be opened with a paper towel. She has her reasons, explaining that when people don’t wash their hands, they touch the doorknob and…you get the picture. The first time she told me this I stared at…
Pops Carter looks every bit the part of a funk god in his crushed velvet purple suit, dark sunglasses and wide fedora, but don’t let the outfit fool you: Carter’s a bluesman at heart, and when he takes the stage with his band the Funkmonsters, his searing vocals and overall…
If the thought of church has your lapsed Catholic soul squirming and scratching like itchy underwear, then this may or may not be the show for you. The WaterTower Theatre in Addison is opening its season with Doubt, A Parable, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by John Patrick Shanley (you know,…
Reading about the imagined private lives and inner workings of historical figures is a lot of fun, and when I get that smidgen of doubt brought on by the literary disrespect of such work, it’s all OK, because these books may be bodice heavers…but they’re well-researched bodice heavers. And yes,…
Neko Case may be banned from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry (a topless performance tends to have that effect) but her calling voice, cutting lyrics and twangy, swooshing sound ironically prove an interesting point: Country music isn’t dead; it’s just hanging out with the indie crowd. Nope, the…
Yes, the rumors are true–there will be dachshunds. Clothed dachshunds, parading dachshunds, even racing dachshunds. Of course there will be other stuff at Addison’s annual Oktoberfest–after all, this is one of the largest Oktoberfests outside of that one in Munich. While sipping on beer and nibbling at a sausage, you’ll…
If you find yourself running low on incense and craving a drum circle, head for the Moonlady Festival at the Bath House Cultural Center. There will be henna tattoos, jewelry, a yoga theater and a vegetarian café. There will also be a Songwriters Peace Picnic, a Peace Zone, a Peace…
