A strong Patti LuPone vibe buzzes through Lyric Stage’s Gypsy, running through September 18 at the Irving Arts Center, and not just because the company purchased all the costumes from the most recent Broadway production, the one that starred LuPone as that mother of all stage mothers, Momma Rose. The…
As stripped-down and propulsive as its robotic title, Drive is the most “American” movie yet by Danish genre director Nicolas Winding Refn. The film, for which Refn was named best director last May in Cannes, is a sleek, tense piece of work that, as a vehicle for Ryan Gosling, has…
What I don’t know: why these movies keep getting made. I Don’t Know How She Does It is based on Allison Pearson’s 2002 diaristic comic bestseller and directed by Douglas McGrath. But its real auteur is screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, scripter of wan workplace romantic comedies such as the limp…
If you’re one of the sad plebes who doesn’t have toys on your desk at work, then either you have a sucky, soul crushing job or you just haven’t had a chance to get your hands on some cool vinyl toyage. Well, if you fall in the first camp then…
The Tour de France is a bicycle race full of gruesome crashes as thousands of riders trek in and out of a mountain range for three weeks. We lose our breath just thinking about it. Compared to that professional cycling event, the Tour de Fleurs is a walk in the…
We’re not usually keen on pampering our pets since we don’t dress them up or spoil them homemade, organic meals like Tara on Most Eligible Dallas. But we don’t mind treating Fido to an afternoon of fun at the Wags & Waves pool party. The pool party is open to…
The Ochre House earned the “Best Place To See A Weird Play” distinction in our 2009 Best of DallasTM(r)(c) awards, and it doesn’t look like Matthew Posey’s theater is giving up its hold on that claim any time soon. The current production, written and directed by Posey, concerns the dysfunctional…
The Midwest town of Blaine may have made a name for itself during the great stool boom, but years later the “bastard people” on its city council couldn’t even afford to give Corky St. Claire a penny for his thoughts, much less the $100,000 he requested to produce a small…
Just thought you should know: If you put on lipstick or blush today, you may have reddened yourself with pulverized insects. The dye carmine (also called crimson lake, natural red No. 4 and E120) is made by crushing the tiny cochineal beetle, a cactus parasite common to Central and South…
Whether it’s your first time in the air or you’re a professional daredevil that takes to the skies regularly, a ride on a hot air balloon is always a thrilling experience. Never taken to the skies in a balloon? Now’s your chance at the 32nd Annual InTouch Credit Union Plano…
Whether it’s a red wine from the Beaujolais in France, or a white wine from a small vineyard in Sonoma, California, a glass of wine with just about any meal can make the food taste even more spectacular. This weekend marks the 25th Annual GrapeFest – A Wine Experience, a…
Before The Dude (Jeff Bridges) took his mush-mouthed turn as Rooster Cogburn in 2010’s True Grit, there was The Duke, an all-American, alpha-male badass who brought home an Oscar for his 1969 portrayal of the slovenly, tough-as-nails U.S. Marshall Cogburn. John Wayne spent most of his storied, 60-year career, however,…
On St. Patty’s Day, everybody’s Irish. During Oktoberfest, everybody’s German. Ireland may have Guinness, but beer is deeply entrenched in Germany’s very thirsty culture. They keep it simple — malt, hops, yeast and water — but there are thousands of brands, from light to dark, smooth to robust. We get…
Can you break new ground in a tried-and-true Hollywood formula film? If you’ve been victimized by a viewing of The Change-Up lately, you’re probably inclined to say no. And we don’t really blame you. That particular film is a painful example of how the film industry shamelessly recycles old material…
How we love bacon and beer. One is crispy culinary powerhouse, its sizzle alone enough to bring grown war veterans to tears. The other? Perhaps the finest drink on the planet. Could the folks at Plano’s Central Market Cooking School (320 Coit Road) really have put together a better one-two…
Like most parents probably do, we just dump cash into our kids’ school lunch account and plead with them not to throw away whatever fruit or vegetable gets plopped onto the plate. But Amy Kalafa, a nutritionist and the creator of the documentary Two Angry Moms: Fighting For The Health…
Over the years, MTV has gotten a lot of flack for its decision making. It has capitalized on reality television, aired controversial commercials for condoms and the like and it certainly killed the radio star. However, what the network is frequently undervalued for is its role in societal problems, namely…
Any driver on the road whose car sports a rosary on the rear-view or a Jesus fish on the bumper would be envious of Joseph Daun’s ride, a zippy, motorized crucifix lined with Madonna-blue neon lights. You won’t see it parked in front of Dallas’ mega churches, but instead at…
With more than 6,000 women getting their first dose of menopause daily, it’s a part of life that gives everyone involved hot flashes. Take heed, though, because Heidi Houston saves the day with the award-winning documentary Hot Flash Havoc. This film throws you into the inner workings of what it…
An annoyance that 0.01 percent of you will care about: Beer companies sometimes call certain offerings “Belgian” regardless of their origin when “Belgian-style” is more accurate. Belgium being home to amazing breweries, marketing beers — even American-brewed ones — as “Belgian” carries serious cache. But Cooperstown, New York-brewed Ommegang is…
While some people spend their summer fighting insidious plants like poison ivy or Japanese stilt grass, former Dallas artist Jennifer Pepper embraces and features them in her art. Since moving to rural Tennessee, Pepper has introduced elements of the landscape into her painting and sculpture to discuss such issues as…
Thirty years ago the Bath House, which once played host to swimmers and fun-seekers at White Rock Lake in the early part of the 20th century, reopened as a cultural center after being shuttered for years. Since 1981, the Bath House has been home to art exhibitions, plays and other…
