Oh, so much to do yet so little time and energy. Holiday pop-ups are aplenty. Central Market is hosting a tamale-making class. The charcuterie board shop Amor y Queso in Deep Ellum is celebrating their one-year anniversary this Sunday; stop by and give them a spanking. Or buy some snacks. (We can't say which they'd prefer.) And Plano is hosting a Dickens holiday event Saturday evening.
Below is a highlight reel. Now get out there and start some trouble.
Alexandre’s Repeal Party
4026 Cedar Springs Road
Friday, Dec. 3, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Uptown bar Alexandre’s is hosting a repeal of Prohibition party this Friday. They're celebrating the anniversary of One Nation Under Booze by converting their bar into a speakeasy for the night. They’ll have classic cocktails, music from the '30s, and “enough Champagne to celebrate the end of a very dark time in cocktail history.” La Pompe will hit the stage at 10 p.m. Yes, you should dress up. Definitely.
AT&T Discovery District, Brunch & Parade
211 S. Akard St. (Downtown)
Saturday, Dec 4, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The thing about parades is that you have to stand there forever, right? Or not. This Saturday, the Dallas Holiday Parade starts in downtown at 10 a.m., but head to The Exchange at AT&T Discovery District and snag seats on their patio or upstairs for a great view of the parade while brunching. Downstairs, you can watch the parade and enjoy brunch from Rise + Thyme. Upstairs, the Second Floor will serve an unlimited brunch buffet (haven't seen those words in a while). Better snag tickets quickly; use the links for each restaurant above. The food hall is open for regular business too.
Go back to the AT&T Discovery District on Sunday to watch the movie Elf on their 104-foot media wall. Showtime is 4 p.m. Bonus: They’ll have boozy hot chocolate and apple cider.
The White Rock Holiday Market
9150 Garland Road
Saturday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sure, Small Business Saturday was last weekend, but our local artisans can’t make it off one day a year. The White Rock Farmers Holiday Market is such a great opportunity to pick up some gifts and feast on fresh local food. This market will run the next three Saturdays (through Dec. 18) from 8 a.m. to noon.
NIWA Pop-up Pastry Market
2939 Main St. (Deep Ellum)
Saturday, Dec. 4, 1 to 5 p.m.
NIWA, the Japanese barbecue spot in Deep Ellum, has collaborated with Oh! Mai Goodness!, a French-inspired Japanese pastry shop, for a pop-up this Saturday. This "heavy cream and fluffy sponge specialist" will have a limited quantity of from-scratch panna cottas, mousse and Basque cheesecakes for sale from the window of the restaurant.
Lakewood Brewing Co., Bourbon Barrel Temptress 2021 Release
2302 Executive Drive (Garland)
Saturday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday is a big day for Garland. Each year the folks at Lakewood Brewing Co. pour their flagship imperial stout, Temptress, into a variety of bourbon barrels for five to 10 months. The result is a spectacularly sultry dark goddess. This Saturday the 2021 BBT is being released from its boozy wooden prison. Grab one of the first pulls at the brewery, or a few to-go, this Saturday. Like we said, big day for Garland.
12 Bars of Christmas Crawl at Playground Bar Uptown
2908 McKinney Ave.
Saturday, Dec. 4, 12 - 8 p.m.
Better have your drinking pants starched and pressed for this one. Playground Bar Uptown is the home base for this pub crawl Saturday. Registration is done in person and lasts from noon to 3 p.m. At that time, you'll get a 16-ounce color-changing Santa stadium cup for all your drinks. They slap a wristband on your arm and off you go into the Santa wonderland of some 11 other bars, at your leisure. Proper holiday attire is strongly suggested. There’s no cover at any of the bars, and your wristband will get you specials at each spot. Some of the participating bars include Cutie Pie’s Bar, Kung Fu Saloon and Nodding Donkey. Here’s a map. Get more details on their Facebook event page.
Celestial Beerworks Repeal Anniversary
2530 Butler St.
Sunday, Dec. 5, 2 to 7 p.m.
Toast our brewers this Sunday at Celestial's third annual repeal party. While you’re there, celebrate with their recently released Berliner Weisse, a raspberry, blackberry and blueberry beer hot off the press.
Dude, Sweet Chocolate Turns 12
408 W. Eighth St., #102
Sunday, Dec. 5, 5 to 9 p.m.
Baby Jesus isn't the only one with a birthday in December. And you best bet your chocolate salami Dude is throwing itself a birthday party like no other. Join them this Sunday at 5 p.m. for the party. From the invite: "You are invited to FOUR HOURS OF SMALL-BATCH HANDCRAFTED CHOCOLATE TASTINGS, SPIKED CHOCOLATE DRINKS & TUNES FOR ONE HELLUVA "DOZEN YEARS BIRTHDAY PARTY" “
They’ll have tastings galore of their small batch hand-crafted chocolates and plenty of dranks, including hot buttered chocolate rum. If that last part didn’t do it for you, then just forget it.
Brunch Screenings at Alamo Drafthouse
Multiple Locations
One of the things that we missed dearly during the (first part of) the pandemic was Sunday brunch screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse. Visit this brunch screenings page for the specific details. The December lineup includes Love, Actually this Sunday, followed by The Holiday on Dec. 11, Carol on Dec. 24. And New Years’ Day is The Apartment. Have you even seen that on your regular TV? Well, see it on the big screen with bacon taco in hand and then strain your pasta with a tennis racket for the rest of your life.
Show Some Love at Thunderbird Station
3400 Commerce St.
Scroll until you find the security footage reel on Thunderbird Station's Facebook page and watch a Subaru slam into their patio this week. Then, go by this weekend to show some love, buy a couple of drinks and some grub, to help them with what is likely a costly little incident. And take your foot off the gas on them curves, kids.