Tony Blei Sammy Sosa was more than so-so this spring. Which doesn’t mean anything, we know. Less’n he can pitch. The Texas Rangers invite you to show up tonight as the team returns from spring training. Especially if you can pitch. I praise the Rangers’ pitching staff one day, and…
Here it goes again: Will Uptown upchuck another one? Lay odds now. Turns out the space that once hosted now-at-the-Mansion-on-Turtle-Creek chef Tim Byres’ Standard is now in the clutches of one Larry Lavine. You know him. He founded a little restaurant called Chili’s. Also Tia’s Tex-Mex. Now he operates this…
A couple of arts ‘n’ crafts notes with which to begin your day: Well, at last it’s official: I know you couldn’t sleep at night, but the great St. Vincent (which is to say, Polyphonic Spree’s Annie Clark) is indeed a rostermate of Badly Drawn Boy, Thom Yorke and Super…
Let’s see, Jose Canseco comes to town seeking a pahdnuh to help him announce a new television reality show, and just whom does he seek out? This guy? Splendid guess, but no. Her? What would be the point? No, it’s his old friend, radio talk-show host — and, yeah, former…
Irving-based TRUE.com promises “safer dating online,” via extensive background checks that prohibit felons from hookin’ up with online lonelyhearts. Course, every now and then it doesn’t exactly go as planned: Today, the online dating company announced it filed in federal court in Dallas a lawsuit against Edward Alvin Hodges Jr.,…
SURPRISE, Arizona—Sammy Sosa is dead. Not buried 6 feet under Wrigley Field on Chicago’s north side. Not ascended to hardball heaven, sipping suds and butchering classics with Harry Caray. Not over at the cryogenics lab in Scottsdale chillin’ with Ted Williams’ head. But the Sammy Sosa you remember—the one who…
The press conference starts in 45 seconds, and I am going to be late. Oh, I’m hurrying as fast as I can, jogging down a path lined with picket signs and a couple of motorcycles. I can see the platform up ahead where everyone will be gathering to hear about…
On a rainy night in a North Dallas classroom, 40 voices speaking simultaneously create a mid-level hum, punctuated by the occasional high-five or revelatory “Yes!” Teachers and students sit side by side or across from each other, books open on the folding tables before them. They’ve come here for a…
The timing couldn’t have been worse. Just days before Bryan’s House—a Dallas care center for kids affected by HIV/AIDS—was set to celebrate its 20th anniversary, state authorities removed 18 foster children from the facility. The children were removed over a two-week period after an X-ray revealed that a 5-month-old boy,…
Oh, my papa: It was strange the first time we heard it; now we’re kind of getting used to it. In January, Dallas County Constable Mike Dupree told us that he ended a sexual relationship with teenager Angel Martinez because they both preferred more of a father-son relationship. Now, Leo…
R.I.P., Ray Nasher Wrong about Ray: Let me get this straight. On September 12, 1996, the Dallas Observer reported that Ray Nasher will screw the city of Dallas, do a slow dance and not hand over anything to the public anytime soon. Yeah, that’s what happened. You people are as…
Because the Friend of Unfair Park loves reading ACLU-generated reports so close to closing time, we thought we’d direct your attention to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas’ just-released study about the prison population in Texas titled Texas: Tougher than Ever. Specifically, the report compares how Texas and New…
How many things can you find wrong with this invitation to Central Dallas Ministries’ 12th Annual Urban Ministries Prayer Breakfast? (Hurry: Ed Housewright at Bold Types is already way ahead of you.) –Robert Wilonsky…
Darrell Jordan seems like a swell guy. In his pursuit to become Laura Miller’s successor as ruler of our fair burg, he’s raised lots of money and received plenty of support from influential Dallasites such as SMU booster Gerald J. Ford, Republican National Committee bigwig and EDS Byron Nelson Championship…
From left, Michelle Berger, Matthew Dempsky and Jack Lindamood were among the competitors at a computer-programming competition in Tokyo. Us, we can’t even get our computers to adjust for Daylight Savings Time. This probably doesn’t make for a great spectator sport. Nonetheless, a team of three computer-science students from UT-Dallas…
Roy Cooper Collection, KTVT-TV/Courtesy The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza The kid peeking out in this photo, taken in Fort Worth on November 22, 1963, is none other than actor-director Bill Paxton. On Thursday night, during the AFI Dallas International Film Festival’s opening-night wingding at Neiman Marcus, Bill Paxton…
This is the controversial film Mark Cuban’s about to distribute. Discuss. You know you want to. Wrap yourself in the flag, slap another “Support Our Troops” magnet on your pickup and crank the Toby Keith, ‘cuz this is gonna test every last drop of your American red blood. Doubly so…
That’s Jack Valenti at the far left, peeking over some flowers, aboard Air Force One in Dallas on November 22, 1963. On Friday, former Motion Picture Association of America bossman and Texas native Jack Valenti was scheduled to speak at the Nasher Sculpture Center, as part of the AFI Dallas…
Jonathan Palant’s the new artistic director of the Turtle Creek Chorale. After a six-month search, Peter Andersen, Board Chair of the Turtle Creek Chorale, announced yesterday that Jonathan Palant will take the helm as the new artistic director. Palant’s replacing Dr. Tim Seelig, whose 20-year tenure ends this summer, at…
Best thing ever: This is the pic of Marvin Hamlisch that accompanies his Wikipedia entry — which also includes a 1996 movie called Dirk Nowitzki, silly hackers. Tonight’s AFI Dallas bigwig event is a gratis, come-one-come-all show-and-tell featuring legendary film and Broadway composer Marvin Hamlisch. (Sorry, but I will always…
This is apparently a “kids small” T-shirt — or, at least, that’s how it’s being sold on eBay. Because, yeah, nothing says, “I sure do love you, son” like giving him some woman’s, uh, gently used Dallas Cowboys jersey. And if you’re so interested, the same a) model, b) stripper…
After the jump, a Friend of Unfair Park who works at Central Market sends a behind-the-scenes story about his Sunday spent with David Lynch during his coffee sale. Turns out, Lynch isn’t a grind. Get it? Damn it. Is it Friday yet? –Robert Wilonsky…
