We have a pretty solid weekend, both events and weather-wise, ahead of us. And yes, it’s opening day for Rangers baseball. That’s always an option.
Friday
At this point, I think we know each other pretty well, right? So it won’t come as too much of a surprise I’m on board with the mission of the Rosemont Early Childhood PTA, or RECPTA, which as founded more than 85 years ago to support the Rosemont public schools in Oak Cliff, specifically by raising money to supplement educational art programs that the primary, elementary, and middle school campuses might not otherwise have. I firmly believe that exposure to the performing and visual arts at a young age is vital. Anyway, if you feel like throwing a little bit of weight behind this excellent cause, RECPTA is throwing Do-Si-Dough For Rosemont at Four Corners Brewing Co. this evening. Tickets are only $40, and there’s food from Bolsa Mercado (yum) and an open bar (yay). There will be square dancing, so wear your boots, and come with a little extra cash for the auction.
The proceeds support, among other things, the Dallas Children’s Theater’s Artist-in-Residence program, murals, fine arts classes and supplies, musical instruments, library books, and dance costumes.
Meanwhile, the 19th incarnation of the Deep Ellum Arts Festival starts this evening and continues through Sunday. It’s basically a street party with live artist demonstrations, tons of bands, hundreds of artists displaying works for sale, food from local restaurants, and much more. Admission is free, but bring cash dollars for concessions (more accurately, bring money for exchanging into coupons for concessions) and artwork, just in case something speaks to you so loudly you just have to take it home.
Saturday
I’ll say it again. The weather is gorgeous. Get outside. A good way to do this is the Urban Street Bazaar in the Bishop Arts neighborhood of Oak Cliff. ShopTalk’s Raya gave you all the details yesterday, and says she’s adding a few new must-haves to her shopping list, such as “pendant necklaces from That Guy Joey, a soft summer tee from Dowdy Studio, and maybe more tea from By the Grace of Tea.” Side note: A friend of mine has a Dowdy Studio tee, and says it’s the most comfortable t-shirt she owns. I must get my hands on one of these.
Also today, there’s the spring Dallas Wine Trail. I cannot believe there are still tickets left for this. It’s one of my favorite things to do with a good girlfriend. We start at Times Ten Cellars, and finish at Fuqua so we can spend extra time chatting with our favorite volunteer wine-pourers, Mick and Jane. It’s just a fabulous time, and a great deal. You get generous wine samples at each of the four participating wineries, snacks, a bottle of wine to take home, and an excellent wine glass. Two things to keep in mind: Calais Winery in Deep Ellum is tiny, and gets insanely hot inside. Since it’s also the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, parking is going to be a monster.
No vino for you? Beer, then. Yesterday, Carol got a package from Shock Top that included a fancy Swiss Gear backpack and a bottle of the brand’s new limited edition beer, a disgusting concoction called Campfire Wheats. It’s seriously supposed to tastes like s’mores, and it is seriously gross. But you can have that and many, many other more drinkable brews at the Big Texas Beer Fest in Fair Park. The event benefits the North Texas Food Bank and showcases hundreds of craft beers, including more than 20 from the state of Texas. Festival founder Chad Montgomery is also keeping the food local, with fare from 10 different Dallas food trucks, cheese from Scardello, and soda from Armadillo Ale Works. North Texas bands Fish Fry Bingo, The O’s, and The Hanna Barbarians will perform on an outdoor stage.
Sunday
Get yourself to the Angelika Film Center, where The Bounceback has its final Dallas International Film Festival screening. It’s about a guy named Stan who has issues with his ex, Cathy. TYPICAL. Anyway, when he learns she’ll be in Austin for a weekend, he flies in the hopes of “accidentally” running into her. Their friends, however, are pretty set on keeping them apart. Local actor/writer/artistic director/wearer of many Stetson Steven Walters is one of the cowriters, and I have to say, it’s a funny script. I’m interested to see how it all comes off on screen, and since it’s shot in Austin, it’s part of the Texas Competition, which could earn these young filmmakers a nice camera rental package.
Ready your highball glass! Get out the maraschino cherries! Mad Men is back as of Sunday night, and you can watch the two-hour season six premiere with dapper friends on Sundown at the Granada’s rooftop patio while drinking drinks off a ’60s-themed menu and fantasizing about that cold day in hell when Don Draper finally gets his lesson in leavin’.
For more to do this weekend, including the annual Dog Bowl at Fair Park and a ton of other DIFF films, go here.
