Creative Genes

Art is something that many of us take very seriously. We go see an exhibit and try and figure out the story behind the artist…what drove him or her to express themselves in this way? For the most part, we think of the cultural context behind the piece, and don’t…

Blow Me Away

Some people love to live life on the edge. Skydiving, mountain climbing, deep sea fishing–the more the activity is drenched in adrenaline, the better. Then there are others who like to live vicariously–or, a hell of a lot more safely–through others. Instead of actually touring the Sahara, they’d rather read…

Heavenly Views

Sometimes abstract art can be infuriatingly obtuse. Sometimes if you unfocus your vision you can see a pony, like in the Magic Eye books. Sometimes it’s intriguing and strikes you upon glance. And sometimes it really is upside down. Or you can just go with whatever they tell you at…

Working New

You know, these days it seems as though the term “starving artist” is more relevant than ever before. Well, with the economy the way it is right now, it seems as though it’s becoming harder and harder to get where you want to be. Have no fear, my gifted, creative…

Art Raid

JFK went to Berlin and was inspired to proclaim himself a jelly donut (“Ich bin ein Berliner”). OK, he was actually trying to say he was a Berliner, and got the translation wrong. While the odds are good that Berlin won’t inspire most of us to make an internationally quotable…

Girl Group-A-Go-Go

Before Britney was toxic, before Brandy and Monica were fighting over a boy and before Lady Gaga was suffering from a bad romance, there were Janis, Aretha, Diana and very big hair. Janis sang about her and Bobby McGee, Aretha just wanted a little respect and Diana, well, Diana wasn’t…

Barnyard Mutiny?

The animals take over the barnyard in this musical comedy for kids at Dallas Children’s Theater. But it doesn’t become Animal Farm. The beasties merely want pizza instead of hay for dinner and while Farmer Brown is on vacation, they want his city-slicker brother to come out and play with…

Pint-Sized Foodies

Are you bound and determined to learn your kid into a pint-sized locavore? Did you catch little Johnny swapping his organic Arugula for his friend’s Cheetos one day? Then send him off for a little reeducation camp as Central Market hosts Kid’s Camp: From Market to Table. Kids ages 8…

Out To Lunch

Ahhh…remember the days of 2D cinema? Yes? What’s that? We’re still living in them? Huh. Well, remember the days when those cute, well-made, European slice-of-life movies were imported like handcrafted dolls? Oh, those are still here too? Let me guess, this one’s been praised by numerous critics using words like…

Hogging the Field

Okay, so the Rangers are doing pretty damn good right now. Let’s say that again–right now. The guys are also pretty damn good at letting us down. So when they do start their losing streak, probably around mid-season or so, pack up your grills and horseshoe rings and head on…

Karate Kid Remake Is Too Cynical To Catch A Fly With Chopsticks

Like its predecessor, 2010’s Harald Zwart-directed The Karate Kid begins with an uprooting. Young Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and his mother (Taraji P. Henson) are introduced in the Detroit apartment that he grew up in, now packed into boxes. Ralph Macchio shipped off to the Valley; Dre is going to…

Princess Kaiulani

Q’orianka Kilcher’s first role since her stunning breakout as Pocahontas in Terrence Malick’s The New World finds her playing to type as the last princess of Hawaii, struggling against the American takeover of a then-sovereign republic. It’s her second indigenous-versus-white people role in a row, which suggests troubling things about…

Casino Jack & The United States of Money

Passionate Republican, fervent Orthodox Jew, ruthless wheeler-dealer and super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff at his height fashioned himself into a human ATM machine who lined the pockets of politicians on every side of the aisle. Sooner or later, everybody from Tom DeLay to Patrick Kennedy was at least marginally in his debt…

Summertime, Unplugged

Those kids never believe you when you try to tell them about your childhood–walking barefoot in the snow 15 miles to school, uphill both ways. Prove to them that they have it easy by sending them to the Wagons West day camp at Log Cabin Village, 2100 Log Cabin Village…

Gem of the Ocean

Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth stages a marvelous, if LOUD, production of this August Wilson play, the ninth in his 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle, but the first chapter in the overall saga of the American Black Experience, decade by decade. Aunt Ester Tyler (Cheryl Tyre) is 200-plus years old, a survivor…

He’s The King Of The Old World

Yes, there was Einstein. Yes, there was Picasso. But long, long ago in a galaxy not so far away there lived a man named Leonardo. Now Leonardo was not your average, everyday hero. In fact, he possessed far more brain power than any human being could ever imagine. Leonardo da…

Expose Your Star Power

Come see Kelly Clarkson, Metallica and maybe even The Beatles at the Gaylord Texan (1501 Gaylord Trail in Grapevine) during their SummerFest event. If you love watching other people fail while thinking to yourself, “I could do that way better,” then spending a Tuesday evening (4 to 7 p.m.) watching…

The Sounds Of Rebirth

With all of the variety found in Fair Park over the years–opera, ShamWow demonstrations, women’s history, funnel cakes, that bizarre Magnum P.I. ride on the midway, musical theater, auto shows, educational gardens, science and history exhibitions, Big Tex, etc.–it should be no surprise that the newly reopened Band Shell Amphitheater…

Take Some Time For The Torso

Quit rubbing your friends the wrong way. There’s nothing worse than a bad massage–the type that’s too rough, too delicate or leaves knots along your spine. Learn safe and effective basic massage techniques at BODIES: The Exhibition. Jo Grier, a certified massage therapist of 12 years and owner of her…

Tanya Does Texas

Tanya Tucker fits into so many categories, it is hard to know where to begin. From prodigy (she had a hit with “Delta Dawn” at 13!) to actress to addict to outlaw to country legend, she filled so many roles so early in life. She also added author to that…

Meet Big D’s D-Files

We’ve all seen the stereotypical dragonfly–the little stick bug with four wings that resides on juice glasses or pillows or wallpaper or garden stakes. Seems like unfairly limited representation when you consider that in Dallas alone there are 75 species of the “winged jewel.” Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park…