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THE CONSUMER WINDFALLS

By D Magazine |

In Charm’s Way



Budding clowns, magicians, and other entertainers in the old style should check out Gene Jeffries’ Magicland, a magic supply store in Midway Plaza. Clowns will find bright red wigs, size-30 shoes, red ball noses, magic scarves, and a book to help them get their act together. Magicians can choose from 500 tricks at various levels of skill, including the Siberian Chain Escape, the Miracle Glass, and the Easy-Way-Out Dove Production (dove not included). Actually, almost anyone can find a nice bit of weirdness to take home; disco dancers should check out Jeffries’ collection of spangled masks. Jeffries’ Magicland, Suite 407 Midway Plaza, 12801 Midway Road at LBJ Freeway. 747-0787. Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30, Sat 10-5.

– Jane Albritton

Laser Fare



If you doubt that the world of art has been touched by modern physics, step into The Fringe Element at 2727 Routh Street. Open since January, Bob and Kathleen Bardell’s gallery is one of the few in the world dedicated to the display of holograms. So what is a hologram? Essentially, it’s a three-dimensional laser image, rather like a three-D movie or the view through your grandmother’s stereopticon. Only better, since as you walk around a holographic image, it moves, changes color, advances, retreats – and in some cases, looks back. Whether you grasp the principles or not, you will be dazzled with the results. The Fringe Element, 2727D Routh Street. 741-5219. Tues-Sun 10 am-6 pm.

– J. A.

You Audubon in Pictures

When David Gibson says, “Would you like to look at my etchings?” he means etchings, and lots of them. An old garage in the Vineyard District now houses his splendid collection of 16th- to 20th-century prints and maps. Originals every one, the prints range from $8 for a steel engraving of a Texas cactus, done in an 1856 survey of the U.S.-Mexican border, to $2400 for a hand-colored print of a bird from the Audubon Elephant Folio (elephant refers to the size of the print).

Other items include 1935 hand-colored celestial maps ($45), Art Nouveau posters ($35-$150), 1660 etchings of the battles of Louis IV ($250), and a little bit of everything else. For the collector, Gibson maintains an appraisal and locating service; for the novice who thinks “intaglio” was Michelangelo’s illegitimate son, Gibson provides coffee, comfortable chairs, and a quick education in the pull, cut, wash, and press of print-making. David L. Gibson’s Early Prints and Maps, 2723 Routh St. 744-3474. Mon-Sat 10 am-5 pm.

– J. A.

Shake Your Beauty



There’s no reason to pay an arm and a leg to be beautiful, especially when Dallas offers discount outlets like Beauty Mart. Beauty Mart’s six stores sell Vidal Sassoon shampoo concentrate for $8.55; add water to make two gallons of shampoo and you’ve saved $87 off retail. A henna treatment in a beauty salon costs from $15 to $30, but you can pick up the henna for $7 at Beauty Mart and apply it at home. The stores also have kits for hair coloring and perming, nail sculpting, leg waxing, and eydash tabbing; for those who haven’t tried these techniques before, there’s a licensed cosmetologist in each store to provide instruction. Beauty Mart at six locations: 108 Preston Royal Center, 128 Meadow Central Mall, 5935 Greenville Avenue, 14852 Venture in Farmers Branch, 5441 Alpha Road at Mont-fort, and 3100 Independence Square in Piano.

– Sam Meador

The Bells Aren’t Ringing



If you’re bothered by unwanted phone calls and can’t just unplug your phone jack, you might want to consider the Silencer, a little gadget that clips to the phone and muffles the bell at the flip of a switch. The caller hears the phone ringing, but you don’t; when you’re ready to accept calls again, flip the Silencer off. To order, send $9.95 to Pace Products, P.O. Box 782, New Ulm, Minn. 56073.– S. M.



Best Vets

The Emergency Animal Clinic provides dogs, cats, and other small pets with emergency medical care when other clinics are closed. Equipped with examination, X-ray, and surgical facilities, the clinic keeps one vet and at least two technicians on duty – not to mention a cat named Shadow on call as a blood donor. In case of an emergency, call the clinic first so they can prepare for arrival. Fees are $20 paid in advance, extra for lab tests, medicine, and surgery. Emergency Animal Clinic, Suite 118, 13031 Coit Rd. 661-2112. Open weekdays 6 am-7 pm, Sat noon-7 am, Sun & holidays 7 am till 7 am the next day. Checks, Visa, and Master Charge accepted. – J. A.

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