Happy weekend, everyone. As usual, I start off thinking with my stomach.
Friday
The big deal Dallas Food and Wine Festival continues this evening with the Texas Salute!* dinnerfest at the Farmers Market. You get a complimentary wine glass, which you can then fill (and refill) with the alcoholic fruit juice stuff we all like so much. Once that’s taken care of, create a hodgepodge meal of shrimp cocktail from Big Shucks, tamales from La Popular, and plenty more. Whiskey Cake will be serving their signature namesake dessert, which, according to Sarah over at SideDish, is a must eat. In fact, if there’s a line, you should probably fight your way to the front of it to make sure you don’t miss out. And if you happen to step on some cowboy-booted toes in the process, well, that’s just the way the cake crumbles. Attire is “western chic and casual,” making this a golden opportunity to whip out your rhinestone-studded belt.
Saturday
I hear that kids these days don’t get a lot of exercise. I also hear that the only thing these children like to eat is some mythical food called “McDonald’s.” Whether or not these rumors are true, the fact is, childhood obesity is a problem that lasts into adulthood. In 2007, 38% of Dallas high-schoolers were listed as overweight, and in 2009, nearly 66.8% of Texas adults were either overweight or obese. The Get Kidz Fit Fest, put on by the Dallas Area Coalition to Prevent Childhood Obesity, is an afternoon event designed to get the whole family involved in making healthy decisions. Elementary school aged children will like the non-stop basketball clinics, soccer games, and rock climbing (all run by friendly SMU athletes); little bro or sis will like the bounce house. Bonus: parents go home with a goodie bag and and kids who might be worn out enough to hit the hay early.
And if the weather holds, head out to White Rock Lake for their annual festival of live music, food, face painting, and more. And this one is special, since White Rock turns 100 this year. I couldn’t reach anyone to see if there were plans for inclement weather, but safe to say, if there’s lightning, you don’t want to be out on the water in a canoe. Otherwise, paddle away.
Sunday
Unfortunately, I have to recommend staying mostly indoors. Which is fine with me, since I love going to Sunday matinee theater performances anyway. Red Light Winter is on at Second Thought Theatre in Addison (technically, it’s the WaterTower black box), and it’s worth your time for a couple of reasons. Lindsey Wilson details them better than I could in her FrontRow review, but it’s a daring show with fearless performances from talented actors. Dallas has a lot of those– Steven Walters, Second Thought’s co-artistic director, just got called up to New York. Fair warning, though. If you’re offended by nakedness and sex, Red Light Winter probably isn’t the play for you.
For more things to do in Dallas this weekend, go here.
*Not my exclamation point, exclamation point police.
