Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Clink!

For awhile now I've been wanting to have a semi-regular feature that focuses on cocktails and spirits. I've finally decided to make that a reality. The purpose of Clink! is to focus on cocktail and drinking events around Dallas and talk about what the Architect and I are drinking.

So let's get started. In the next few weeks there will be quite a few cocktail and beer events happening around town.

1. This Thursday is the Dallas Beer Snobs beer dinner at Il Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum. Spots are still available but going fast. Info here.

2. On Monday, May 2, 2011, The Cedars Social will be hosting a cocktail tasting with liquor distributor Haus Alpenz. The tasting will feature pre-prohibition cocktails made with lesser known liquors such as Crème de Violette, Dolin Vermouth’s and Velvet Falernum. Cocktails will be 4.00 each. Tasting is from 6 to 7:30pm.

3. May 13-14, 2011 is the North Texas Beer Festival at the Plano Center. There will speakers, classes, live music and of course, beer tastings.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Weekend Plans

1. Saturday is Cupcake Camp. 10 bucks gets you in to taste cupcakes from 12 local bakeries.

2. Friday and Saturday is Dallas' Earth Day celebrations in the Arts District. There will be exhibits, music and food trucks!

3. It is Easter this Sunday, if you are looking for a spot for brunch go here.

Monday, April 18, 2011

What is going on with that Lake Highlands Town Center?

Last week Becky Range, Executive Director of the Lake Highlands Public Improvement District (PID) spoke to the Lake Highlands Junior Women's League about recent developments in the PID and what is happening to that broad swath of land at Walnut Hill and Skillman - i.e. the future Lake Highlands Town Center.

First, what is a PID? A PID is a special tax assessment agreement between the City and property owners within a specified district to fund public improvements beyond existing municipal services. A PID helps commercial property owners and involved residential owners maintain and revitalize public/common areas within the District.

The Lake Highlands PID has 3 goals: 1) address crime problems, 2) request city services, and 3) capital improvements.

As far as crime prevention, the PID hired additional security via off duty cops and crime dropped 26% in 2010. Most of the crime is centered in the apartment complexes located in the Lake Highlands area. The PID is attempting to come up with other ways to engage the apartment complex property owners to address the crime in their complexes.

Regarding capital improvements, the focus is on the Skillman corridor, particularly where it intersects with LBJ freeway. The PID is working with the Dallas AIA to come up with a redesign of that intersection. The PID is also working on landscape master plan.

But perhaps the most visible work of the PID is the Lake Highlands Town Center. I happen to live around the corner from the site. I watched with anticipation as the derelict apartments came down and was excited for what was in store. I wasn't too crazy about the architecture, but there was talk about a small grocer, shops, and more restaurants. If you have tried to go to Picasso's Pizza or Mi Cocina on a Friday night, you know how exciting a restaurant - any kind of restaurant would be.

Well thanks to the Great Recession and the credit crunch, all we have right now are some nice paved roads, street lights and stop lights around the unfinished town center. Oh and the DART rail station that sits out there on its own.

The news is that the property owners Prescott Realty are back to negotiating for an anchor grocery store. Originally, Prescott had been talking to Sprouts, but they couldn't get the financing. Prescott has invited Sprouts back to the table because the community has stated that this is a store we would like in the area. While it was not directly stated, I got the impression that if a deal couldn't be reached with Sprouts, the runner up could be Tom Thumb. If Tom Thumb were to go in, that would probably mean closure of 2 stores in the area. There was no information as to when building might begin. That appears to be contingent on financing. Sigh. So it looks like I'll be staring at roads and streetlights to nowhere for a bit longer.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Beer Dinner at Il Cane Rosso

Do you like a good pizza? How about a frosty pint of beer? Well, if you answered "yes" to both of those questions you better grab your place at Il Cane Rosso's first beer dinner on April 28, 2011.

My friend Tim over at Dallas Beer Snobs set up the event. The details are:

"The fine folks at Il Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum have graciously agreed to co-sponsor a special event for our beer loving fans. On Thursday, April 28th at 7:00 pm chef Matt Reddick will be serving unique dishes prepared specially to be served with a selection of beers chosen by the snobs.

There will be 4 food courses and 5 beer selections for you to enjoy. The cost will be $45/ person and you must leave your credit card number to reserve your space. We are limited to a maximun of 30 people so please make sure that you reserve early.

The theme will be spring/seasonal beers and we would like the Beer Snobs family to help make the selection. Heck, if you are going to drink it you may as well choose your poison. Please email us at dallasbeersnobs@gmail.com and tell us what you would like to be served, local if possible, but definitely seasonal and we ask that you send your choices to us by Sunday evening the 17th of April.

Please contact Stepanie Meyer at (214) 741-1188 to make your reservation."

We look forward to seeing you there!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Weekend Plans

1. White Rock Home Tour - Saturday and Sunday come tour 5 modern and mid century modern homes. I'll be volunteering at the Woodgrove home on Sunday from 12-2. Come by and say hello. Proceeds from the home tour benefit Hexter Elementary.

2. DADA Art Walk - Saturday is the Dallas Art Dealers Association Spring Gallery Walk. Tour the 35 participating galleries all over Dallas.

3. Creek Craze - Sunday head down to Lee Park for a more kid centric Easter event. There will be an Easter Egg hunt, pet photos, costume contest, balloon animals, face painting and more.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Odds and Ends

Some things I have been reading about on the interwebs:

1. Price Tower in Bartlesville,OK has been nominated to be an UNESCO World Heritage site. Next weekend Price Tower will be hosting multiple events to celebrate the nomination and discuss the history and significance of Price Tower. You can read about my trip to Price Tower here and here.

2. LEED v. U2's The Edge. The Edge is developing a community of homes (called Leaves in the Wind) in Malibu that has many architects, homeowners and environmentalists questioning whether the project is truly green. While the project may "check the box" on all the required elements needed to obtain LEED status, some are saying this project does not follow the spirit of what LEED is about. Make your own judgments here.

3. The next architecturally significant building to get the Lego treatment will be Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House. Now I just need to convince the Architect that a Lego house should qualify as an acceptable piece of art to be displayed in the house.

4. The folks over at The Park have a new video of what the park should like upon completion.

5. Apparently, The Simpsons took a few jabs at our Arts District and Jerryworld in a recent episode.

6. Second Shelters has a sneak peek into what is happening at the Statler Hotel now that it is under new ownership.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Weekend Plans

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are some ideas.

1. Dallas Art and Design Fair - this will be the first year for the design portion of the fair. Can't wait to see what modern goodies I might find.

2. A Day in the Park - Main Street Garden will have music, dance demonstrations, and tours of the architecture of Main Street.

3. The Dallas Film Festival ends this weekend, but you still have some time to see the next Oscar nominated movie.