Productivity killer: Conan's St. Patty's in Chinatown

Do you miss the world's funniest Irishman, Conan O'Brien on late night? Well, you could see him this spring at SMU, but the tickets are pretty pricey. While you're thinking about it, spend a few moments with Conan on his 2009 St. Patrick's Day stroll through Chinatown.

• Posted by Christina Hughes Babb on Mar 12, 2010 at 02:35 PM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Restaurant talk: off-the-beaten-path restaurants in Preston Hollow

This week, your Preston Hollow foodie Marlena Chavira-Medford is out of town, so for today's restaurant talk, we'll revisit a 2008 Advocate story about off-the-beaten-path restaurants.

I just reread the piece and it made me hungry ... and happy to realize that even with all the restaurant closings around Dallas in the past two years, most of the mom 'n' pop Preston Hollow eateries we visited for the story — Howard Wang's China Grill, European Market and Deli, Taj Mahal and Kereje  (all of which you can read about here) — are still in business. Only (sadly) Metro Diner has closed.

• Posted by Christina Hughes Babb on Mar 12, 2010 at 02:07 PM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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January sales tax hits budget

That's pretty good news, all things considered. The city expected to take in $15.2 million in sales tax revenue in January, and it did. Still, it's only the second time in the past two years that the budget forecasts have been correct. And, for the year, we're off budget projections by 7.5 percent.

Does this mean that sales tax collections have turned the corner? Your guess is as good as mine. Next month's numbers should help answer that.

Here is our handy clip and save sales tax chart for the 2009-10 fiscal year. The basics: The sales tax accounts for abut 22 percent of the city general budget; another 43 percent comes from property tax receipts. The official figures are on the state comptroller Web site. The months listed on that site are, for accounting purposes, about two months ahead, so the March result listed is for January.

• Posted by Jeff Siegel on Mar 12, 2010 at 06:09 AM in City Hall, Siegel, Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Video: Drum roll for respect

It certainly is a guilty pleasure watching grown up man in suits go bunkers and dance around like five year olds. This is exactly what Council members Dwaine Caraway, Jerry Allen and Tennell Atkins did while hosting a drum line face-off in front of City Hall. Bands from Lake Highlands, Skyline, Adamson and Townview put on quite a show to bring attention to the March for Respect, a walk through the West End on March 27 to show support for Texans with developmental disabilities.

Click here for the slide show

Continue reading “Video: Drum roll for respect”

• Posted by Can Turkyilmaz on Mar 11, 2010 at 06:01 PM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Will wet-dry election actually turn all of Dallas wet?

What happens if the city schedules a wet-dry election, but state law makes the result moot for part of the city? That's what we may find out if the group gathering signatures for a November vote gets on the ballot.

That's because a section of Texas' Alcoholic Beverage Code doesn't allow a city-wide election to change the wet-dry status of an area if that area has already voted on the issue and if the area is "wholly contained" within the city. And Oak Cliff seems to fit that definition, even if the dry parts of Preston Hollow, Lake Highlands, and Far North Dallas don't.

Sound confusing? That's because it is; so confusing, in fact, that several attorneys told me that the city could be sued for even scheduling an election, let alone over what the results mean. More, after the jump:

Continue reading “Will wet-dry election actually turn all of Dallas wet?”

• Posted by Jeff Siegel on Mar 11, 2010 at 03:25 PM in Neighborhood, Siegel, Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Pack your Advocate for spring break travels

If you're heading somewhere exotic or picturesque for spring break, make sure to take an Advocate with you, and snap a pic of you and your family or friends with the magazine at a scenic locale. If you send us the photo, along with a description of who and what is in the picture, you may find yourself in an upcoming edition of the Advocate.

If you don't have an Advocate lying around at home, you may be able to pick up a copy of March's issue at one of our neighborhood rack locations. And if you're not traveling during spring break (like the many of us who no longer get a "spring break"), no worries — just pack your Advocate the next time you go on a trip, and send us whatever you come up with.

• Posted by Keri Mitchell on Mar 11, 2010 at 12:29 PM in Advocate, Mitchell, Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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This weekend: $5 pants, wacky science, and exceptional artwork

Huge Haggar Pants Sale: On March 14, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., you can pick up a brand new pair of dressy or casual men’s pants for only $5 at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center. Accessories for women are also available for purchase and all proceeds benefit the J Senior Adult Programs.

Northpark Entertainment: On Saturday at 2, Professor Brainius will be presenting “Wild and Wacky Science by Team Family,” a show that is sure to mystify all audiences with its amazing science tricks. On Sunday at 1, a show choir from Garden City High School in Garden City, Kansas, will be performing in the mall for about half an hour. Both shows are in NorthCourt, which is located between Nordstrom and Macy’s, near AMC NorthPark 15 theatres.

Royal Splendor: From now until July 18, the magnificent art collection of King Charles IV of Spain will be on display at the Meadows Museum. More than 80 works of art will be featured, most of which have never traveled to the U.S. The collection will showcase the art styles from the end of the Enlightenment period, when Charles IV was forced into exile.

• Posted by Tyler Terrell on Mar 11, 2010 at 08:03 AM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Wine review: Villa Maria Riesling Private Bin 2008

New Zealand is best known for it sauvignon blanc, and deservedly so, for they are among the best in the world. What the Kiwis get much less attention for is riesling -- which is too bad, since they make some very, very nice ones.

The Villa Maria riesling  (about $14, purchased, widely available) is a lovely wine, with riesling oiliness (which is a very good thing), some lime zest citrus, stone fruit, and a long finish. Also, it's not especially sweet considering how much residual sugar is in the wine. In this, it's a finely crafted effort, in which the winmaker aimed at balance between the various components -- fruit, sweetness, and acid. Would that more winemakers tried to do this. And, of course, it has a screwcap.

The only drawback to this wine is that it's kind of picky with food. In this, it's a good example of why some wine is better with some food -- though everyone is free to drink whatever wine with whatever food they like, of course. If you're not going to drink the Villa Maria on its own, it really does need to be paired with a dish that complements it. Think salads or a lighter style seafood. I drank it with potato pancakes and braised red cabbage, and that didn't do much for the wine.

• Posted by Jeff Siegel on Mar 10, 2010 at 10:41 AM in Siegel, Wine, Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Friends of Northaven Trail board members selected

Board members have been selected to serve on the Friends of the Northhaven Trail, and they are: Warren Parham, Lee Kleinman, Larry Jones, Ben Johnston, Krisann Peters, Gwen Holmes, David Clark, Len Auman, Jeff Genecov, Martha Parks, and Terry O’Connor. The group is still looking for neighbors to serve on the fundraising committee and someone to serve as the event coordinator.

Board members have decided to formally organize the group as a 501(c) (3) organization by the beginning of April. They will meet on April 6 to formally adopt the FoNHT’s organizational documents and discuss the formation of committees for fundraising, landscape design, landscape maintenance, marketing and communications, safety, volunteers and community awareness. No word yet on exactly where or what time that meeting will be, but I’ll keep you posted.

The group also met with representatives from La Terra Studios, which is the principal project architect on contract with the Dallas Park & Recreation Department for this project. The board’s role will be to make sure that as this trail is developed, the communities that run along it are taken into consideration. They’ll also be working to raise funds for trail upgrades, like landscaping, benches, and water fountains.

Approximately $2.6 million bond dollars have been set aside to complete phase one of the trail, a 12-foot concrete pathway from Preston Road to St. Michaels. Funding to connect from St. Michael’s to the White Rock Creek Trail will be part of Phase II, and Dallas County is expected to help pick up the tab on that portion. Ultimately, the plan is to connect the trail from Preston Road west to Denton Drive, then on to the Irving’s Campion Trail.

• Posted by Marlena Chavira Medford on Mar 9, 2010 at 01:57 PM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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Free yogurt at Pinkberry

Pinkberry is unveiling its new mango-flavored frozen yogurt, which means free samples for you. Swing by for a free tasting this Friday afternoon from 5 to 9. There will also be trivia games with Pinkberry gift cards up for grabs.

• Posted by Marlena Chavira Medford on Mar 9, 2010 at 10:22 AM in Advocate Mag, Preston Hollow
  
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