Who is Shakey Amy? She’s an advocate, a Lakewood resident, a music lover, a wife, a videographer, a woman with dystonia. OK, so what is dystonia? It’s a neurological disorder causing severe, repetitive and painful muscle contractions. It’s not something to wish upon anyone as there is no cure–efforts can…
A scene in 2003’s Lost in Translation depicts Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) ordering shabu shabu from a menu that is basically a photo essay of various arrangements of raw meat. Bob, a bit frustrated for various reasons, looks at the waiter, points to the photo and fingers…
Will Rogers entertained audiences spanning several generations before his untimely and nation-shocking demise in a plane crash. He was endeared to America through his natural wit and accessible humor…not to mention his vaudeville, columns, radio shows, movies and stage work. Rogers was even an ace of the lariat—something some working…
Sehnsucht, a German “composite” word, loosely translates to “aspiration” or “longing” in English–at least, that’s the closest we can come since there’s no literal match. It’s an appropriate term for the title of the latest Light & Sie exhibition featuring former fashion powerhouse Hedi Slimane, photographer Jeremy Kotz, multimedia wiz…
My limited knowledge of comics remains confined to the vintage cartoons of Gorey and Addams, but The Armory Wars intrigues me. The brainchild of Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez, the tale follows a rebellion against tri-mage Wilhelm Ryan led by Jesse and supported by Claudio (Sanchez apparently named him…
Ironic trucker hats are not acceptable anymore. Seriously. Stop wearing them. Just go find a metal can, borrow my grandmother’s recipe for “hobo stew for the campfire” and use all the ones you have in your closet for fuel. Save the trees. All of you except Judah Friedlander. It’s OK…
Do you know Twyla? You may not think so, but you probably do. Even if you’ve only seen Robin Williams’ imitation of Twyla Tharp in The Birdcage, the 67-year-old dance legend continues to make an impact in the dance world via movie, musical and stage choreography. One of her main…
This might be your last chance. Pay attention to what I’m telling you: This Sunday, you can get half-priced food at the Libertine. Yeah, that’s right. The Libertine, home of that succulent steak sandwich, that sinful mac and cheese, and a ton of other tasty bites, is offering one last…
So you say you like baseball, huh? Ever been to a “big game”? You know, the ones that make you forget the rivulets of sweat behind your knees and the jerk behind you that poured beer down your back (OK, fine. That actually felt sorta good.) Well, the Library Bar…
Twenty years ago we launched this annual tradition called the Dallas Observer Music Awards—way back in April of 1988. “Our stated goal with these awards is to narrow the odds a bit in favor of locally created sounds,” then-music editor Clay McNear wrote at the time. It still rings true…
There’s Munich and various political boycotts. There have been various underdog medalists and the surefire champions and dopers. And there are particular years to apply to each circumstance and issue. David Maraniss felt 1960 was just as important in the history of the Olympic games. In his book Rome 1960:…
Group hugs have always left me smushed and gasping for breath–part of being short, I suppose. I never felt like everyone got their fare share of hug; there was always that one guy on the back end who just sort of leaned onto the group without really getting a good…
OK, so what to do you do if you’re an up-start designer and don’t land a spot on Project Runway? Doesn’t mean you don’t have the skills. Doesn’t mean you can’t cut a mean silhouette or work wonder with metals and clasps. Just means you may be one of the…
It’s easy to be intrigued by a play by Sir Alan Ayckbourn and man, does he have a few under his belt, but Theatre Three nabbed my attention with House and Garden. The 1999 creation of Ayckbourn could tell a rather droll tale of an afternoon spent trying to get…
No one said anything about grown-ups cornering the market on art. In fact, if there’s any group of people I know that truly have fun with a variety of artistic mediums, it’s those knee-high kiddos. Maybe they need to give us adults a little tutorial on finding our inner art…
I planned out a vacation. It was an ambitious world tour touching down in various European, Mediterranean and South American countries. I would pack a wardrobe that would allow me to fluctuate a good 10 or 20 pounds, since my itinerary would be heavily food-focused. Then I calculated airfare, cat…
In 1981, Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode after Speak & Spell (he wrote most of the album, which included DM’s first hit, “I Just Can’t Get Enough “) to team with singer Alison Moyet. As Yaz (or Yazoo), they put out two albums that would sweep dance clubs and provide…
Immigration these days, especially in this great state, is a loaded subject. People are passionate about the pros and cons, who is living in the house next to them, who’s working beside them. An interesting vantage point on the argument comes from gallery owner and artist Van Ditthavong, who escaped…
In Fort Worth, on July 5, 1958, Casa Mañana was born. A sold-out audience of dapper black-ties and fashionable gowns enjoyed a performance of the musical Can-Can and an icon nestled itself into a comfortable — and seriously reputable — home. Saturday, that same icon celebrates it’s mid-century birthday with…
A vacation to Napa? Right. A winery tour just isn’t in the budget. Or is it? Thanks to Nana and Napa’s Summers Estate Wines, I could throw down a mere $150 (OK, maybe it’s not mere, but it’s a helluva lot cheaper than even flying coach and a fleabag motel)…
Think, for a moment, on these known establishments: Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, Katz’s Delicatessen, Cheesecake Factory. Consider, even, a lesser-known vendor with “taqueria” in the name. When faced with the “What’ll it be?” at these places, you don’t pussyfoot around the menu. You dive…
Who would have ever thought Stone Temple Pilots would top off 16 drug- and drama-addled years by hitting the road for a reunion tour? I’ll admit it: not me. Then again, rehab’s expensive and with at least three albums’ worth of solid music (out of five), the band can make…
