Members of Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot form Discovery

Rotsam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles of Ra Ra Riot have partnered up to create the band Discovery. Their album "LP' drops on July 7, but you can listen to the whole album on their website here. You can download the first song off the album, "Orange Shirt" here.

The album reminds me a lot of Sterolab and The Postal Service. Good Stuff. I am completely in love with their album cover, its made of squares!

Austin MCM designed by first black graduate of UT up for sale

The Austin-American Statesman has a nice story about a renovated MCM designed by UT Austin's first black architecture school graduate, John S. Chase, Jr.

Read about it here.

It can be yours for $488,000.oo here.

H/T to PrairieMod.

House of Representatives to vote on American Clean Energy and Security Act Friday

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is seeking help on passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Within this bill, is the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance Programm (REEP). REEP provides financial incentives through state block grants to help homeowners and businesses save money on energy upgrades, including weatherization or window repair. It also provides additional incentives for owners of older and historic properties to make these upgrades while keeping with the historic character of the homes, buildings, and neghborhoods.

You can send an email directly to your representative asking he/she to vote yes to the bill here.

Or, pass the word on to your friends to encourage their representatives to vote yes here.

Hard Rock Cafe returns to Big D

While it seems like everyone is vacating Victory Park these days; at least one thing is actually coming to Victory Park - the return of the Hard Rock Cafe. As you recall, the old Hard Rock Cafe on McKinney closed about two years or so ago and the site demolished to make way for a CVS.

Come July 15, 2009 the Hard Rock Cafe returns landing in Victory Plaza. Read all about it on the Dallas Observer blog here.

ModKnobs

Check out these super cool door knobs at ModKnobs. I now want to replace all the knobs in my house with these; especially the Pivot Knob - in orange. The knobs are made of vulcanized rubber with a textured edge for easy gripping.

Weekend Plans

1. Late Night Summer Block Party in the Arts District - stroll through the DMA, Crow Collection, and the Nasher where there will be live music, food, and free movies.

2. Artania - Think Cirque de Soleil but with horses.

3. DFW Summer Balloon Classic - head outside the bubble to Midlothian to see balloons and stay for the lighting of the balloons Saturday night.

94.5 The Edge 20th Reunion

Remember way back when The Edge radio station used to play music and was 94.5 on the radio dial and not 102.1? Remember Brian "The Butler"and the Adventure Club with Josh and Kevin? The Tales from The Edge CDs? Edgefest when it had decent bands?

Well, here is your chance to relive the good ol days. The old crew of 94.5 is having a reunion party on July 3rd at the Lakewood Theater. Tickets are $9.45. More info, pictures, and memories here.

Weekend Plans

1. Saturday head on over to Lake Highlands for the first ever Lake Highlands/White Rock Farmers Market. Open from 8am - 1pm. Info here.

2. Dallas City Arts Festival is this weekend in the Arts District. Food, wine, and arts. Also free admission to the DMA and Nasher Sculpture Center all weekend long.

3. Head over to the 'Cliff for the Speed Bump Art Tour. You can tour 11 art galleries in the Bishop Arts area of Oak Cliff. Info and map here.

The return of Trees to Deep Ellum

The old Trees concert venue in Deep Ellum always had a special place in my heart. My first trip to Deep Ellum was to Trees to see a concert by The Nixons. As many know Trees closed down awhile back. Well it looks like it is set to re-open late this Summer now that the City of Dallas had given them their special use permit.

More info here at Unfair Park.

Herman Miller and DWR to reissue Eames chair with dowel legs

Starting September 1 DWR will be the exclusive retailer of the Herman Miller re-issue of the Eames molded arm chair (DAW - $499) and side chair (DSW - $399) with the wood dowel legs. You can pre-order your chairs starting in August. Grassroots Modern has got all the pretty pictures here.

H/T to Grassroots Modern.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum...

Tomorrow the Sigel's Elite on Fitzhugh in Uptown will be having a rum tasting. When you arrive you receive a passport which entitles you to 12 tastings of your choice. Turn in your passport to be entered into a drawing for a door prize at the end of the evening. The Architect and I have gone to their scotch and tequila tastings in the past and have had a great time. The distributors are usually pretty knowledgable and there is a lot of free swag to pick up as well.

The tasting is from 6-8pm on Wednesday, June 3. Info here.