The best-dressed new-millennium baby is as likely to wear a solid black, Metallica-logo-emblazoned romper one day as he is to wear a Swedish jester's cap and clogs from chichi baby direct-mail retailer Hanna Anderson. Baby style is all over the place, and we like that. The best selection and fairly decent pricing of cool baby clothes and linens is at a nearly newborn store in Lakewood. Susan O'Neill opened her Bebe Grande last year, with inspired selections of unique, artful baby clothing from 0-24 months, and by the time you read this, she'll have added more toddler togs in the 2T-3T-4T range. Simply irresistible are O'Neill's savvy instincts to buy and sell all the best French stuff--Catamini, Les Bebes de Tardis, Petit Bateau--and unique imports such as her line of hand-embroidered South African-made tiny outfits from Gordonsbury. Bebe Grande has a good selection of nursery bedding, good toys such as Lamaze and Manhattan and offers new releases of classic children's books. It's a cozy shop, overall, with baby pastel walls and décor, which you may notice on the way to the sale rack.
A pink stove? Sixties divan? Dukes of Hazzard lunch box? Vintage adult gag gifts? Watercolor painting of amputee friends? We found all of the above at Metro Retro. And you thought your grandmother had great stuff...if given the opportunity and the funds, we could furnish an entire abode with the random findings that are Metro Retro. A tip: Make several trips around the floor; you won't find that perfect item on the first time around. Another tip: Ask for help or just chat with Laura and Andrea. If you can't find that perfect Bionic Woman doll or spinning ashtray circa 1954, they'll keep an eye out and let you know. Make it a regularly scheduled destination and the shop won't let you down. When you happen upon a gem, you'll know. Let's just say we bought that painting and we're saving up for the divan.
Suits? Who wears suits? Everyone we know is in something casual, and this venerable department store has one of the widest casual selections around. The Polo and Tommy sections are huge, and the hipper Guess and Lucky Brand areas are big enough to satisfy. Even the house brand, Daniel Cremieux, with its slightly European designs and quality fabrics, is worth checking out. As for shoes, they carry those cool Cole Haan/Nike Air jobs and a bunch of European walking brands that will have you bopping out to your car on some pretty cool cakes.
Contrary to what you might think, these critters don't fight crime, terrorize Tokyo in Godzilla movies or wreak havoc with computer networks. Instead, these large beetle larvae satisfy the cravings of pets, including large birds, small primates and reptiles such as the Texas box turtle. They also make swell fishing bait for those of us who cling to the dream of pulling a wall trophy out of White Rock Lake. Super worms are high in crude protein, and reptiles are especially attracted to their "thrashing" activity, making them as much fun to catch as they are to eat. And at World of Pets, these fat feisty little brown critters are just a buck a dozen. They'll even throw in a piece of nutritious egg crate at no extra charge. But keep a lid on this, before some flamboyant chefs start using them in their niçoise salads.
What? How can the Dallas Observer give Best Video Store to Blockbuster, that evil, excessive-late-fee-charging corporate Godzilla? Simple. For one thing, convenience counts, and we don't have to explain why this company edges out its competitors on that note. Sure, Premiere Video, which has owned this award since 1907, has a better, more eclectic selection. But not everyone lives off Mockingbird Lane, we have to remind ourselves, and convenience does count. While it may be true that Blockbuster recently fought off complaints about its late-fee policy, at least you can still rent videos that don't have to be returned the next day. And you have to give the Dallas-based company credit for evolving: Although the store still focuses on the latest blockbusters, its new releases now include a much broader selection of independent films. If you missed that Spanish thriller that was recently playing at the Angelika, chances are good you can now rent it at Blockbuster.