WINDFALLS

Save Your Bread

Pepperidge Farm bread is generally acknowledged as the Cadillac of commercial breads but unfortunately it is priced in the Cadillac bracket.

Salvation for Volkswagen-type shoppers can be found at the Southwest corner of Webbs Chapel and Forest, where the Pepperidge Farm Thrift Shop sells its high quality products for up to 40% off. Frozen cakes, turnovers, cookies, goldfish, and several varieties of bread, are “one day old” but still fresh. Example: Their party rolls, usually 69 cents a package, sell for 41 cents. Open 10-6 Mon-Fri; 10-5 Sat/ 243-6707.

With the pennies you pinch at the Pepperidge Farm store you can keep shopping at the Oro-wheat Thrift Shop, just a few blocks west at Denton Drive and Forest. Health food freaks are among those who will want to jump on the discounts here. Loaves of whole wheat bread, two for 79 cents; sandwich bread loaves usually priced at 59 cents each are three for $1; 8 hotdog buns, 39 cents; Dolly Madison pies are six for $1. Also on sale are bags of wheat, barley & oats for your family or your livestock. Remember to bring your own shopping bag. Open 9-6:30, Mon-Sat /247-2392. Garland shoppers will find another location at 3425 Buckingham, open 9:30-6:30 Mon-Sat /495-5949.

A Spring in the Fall

The next time you visit Turtle Creek for an autumn stroll treat yourself to a little sideshow. Break away from feeding the ducks and walk towards the intersection of! Laurel and Lakeside. About 12’ feet off the street you will find a natural spring that hundreds of people pass each day without knowing it’s there.

The spring was recorded historically by the Edmonson family; back in 1850 when their wagon1 train stopped en route to the town of Cedar Springs. It was a perfect place to water their horses and until the horseless carriage came alona. the Spring was a favorite gathering place for area landowners. People would even ride out from Dallas to visit the spring, sometimes an all day escapade for teenagers. Later the spring began to lose its visitors to an area on the creek a few hundred feet to the north when Col. Henry Exall dammed the creek to form Exall Lake, a popular swimming and picnic area at the turn of the century. (Hence the name Lakeside Drive instead of Creekside).

Discovering the natural spring could make an interesting outing for you and your kids. Or leave the kids with a sitter and take your horse for a drink.

Be a Star

So, you’ve always wanted to be an actor. Well, go to Hollywood.

But, you say, Hollywood is too far. A suggestion: try Fort Worth.

No kidding. Casa Manana in Fort Worth sponsors one of the largest theater schools in the nation. Courses are taught in film, acting, dance, creative drama, musical theater, and more. Fall semester classes are starting in mid-September, so hurry. Call (817)332-9319.

But, you say, Fort Worth is too far. Suggestion: try Dallas.

The Actors Workshop, located at 3506 Cedar Springs Road, begins its fall semester on October 13. A class entitled Basic Acting Workshop for All Media is the one you’ll want to take. Jeff Alexander of the Actors Workshop has been teaching 18 years (seven in Hollywood, 11 here) and says, “We, in Dallas, are on the verge of becoming a very strong film-making center for all areas of film.” And who knows? One of his students, Pat Delaney, has just landed a key role in ABC’s Swiss Family Robinson. You could be next. Call 528-2700 for more information.

Objets Darts

The biggest thing to hit Dallas bars since draft beer is the dart throwing craze. Now past the. fad stage, dart throwing has matured into established barroom recreation.

At one point it seemed that every dart thrower was a first-timer whose single quest was to hit the board three times in a row. Now every bar has its resident experts and there is an organization called the Dallas Dart Association boasting a membership of over 1200 (fourth largest in the nation). Everyone seems to be getting into the act but before you can even challenge yourself you need your own set of darts.

The best place to buy darts is Southwest Darts located at 3527 Oak Lawn – in fact, the only dart shop in the Southwest. John Yates began his dart business four years ago when Dallas had four dart teams. Now there are 72. If you’re a beginner, Yates will show you the correct stance and throw, or tell you what you’re doing wrong. His darts are priced anywhere from $1.25 to $77 for a set of three. The basic brass darts ($5.45 per set) are used by 90% of the dartists.

Yates will also set up a board in any interested bar or you can buy one out of his shop for about $36. He is working on a marketing system in which he will bypass the English distributor and manufacture dart boards himself, thus establishing himself as the third largest dart board manufacturer in the world.

Witch Way to the Sale?

One morning last October some 200 women were waiting anxiously in the street in front of the home at 5623 Farquhar. Their object? The opening of the 2nd annual Witches’ Christmas, a yard sale extraordinaire made up entirely of handmade items. The pillows, pottery, plants, paintings, and playtoys – crafted by 40 talented Dallas women – were all sold by noon.

Those same creative hands have been busy ever since, and directors Carol Holloway and Cindy Ward promise that this year’s 3rd annual Witches’ Christmas will offer twice as much and run for two days. Included will be handmade clothes, baked goods, holiday decorations, and even Halloween costumes.

Witches’ Christmas? “That means that you can have all your holiday shopping done before October 31st.”

Friday and Saturday, Oct 17 & 18, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Alternate rain date: Oct 24 & 25.) Better get there early.

5632 Farquhar, 357-5500.

-Harriett Adams

The Greeks Have a Food for It

Go ahead. Take that Greek vacation you’ve always dreamed of. It’ll only cost you a few dollars. The nineteenth annual Greek Food Festival, sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church happens this year on October 23, 24 & 25. Lay off the hamburgers for a few days and build up a good appetite, because the Greek food is out of this world. The perennial favorites are the wonderful pastries – baklava, kourambiedes and galto-douriko to name a few. Frozen foods are available to take home – and where else can you get frozen dolmas, tiropetas or souzou-kakia? Lunches ($3.50/$1.50 children) are served on Thursday and Friday; dinner ($6 / $2.50) on all three evenings.

We recommend that you call (823-3509) and make dinner reservations in advance (even then you may find yourself in long lines, but it’s worth it.)

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Swiss at Haskell, Thursday & Friday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 5 p.m.-11 p.m.