November Events OPENERS

WESTON: SIMPLY MASTERFUL



In 1923, Edward Weston walked out of his commercial portrait studio in Glendale, California, and took off for Mexico. The next three years marked a watershed in his career. He had been taking pictures (and winning awards for them) in the then-popular soft-focus pictorial style. But under the influence of the clear Mexican light and, perhaps, the visual splendor and squalor of Mexican life, he abruptly changed styles.

Weston began making photographs that had an almost classic simplicity. Sharply focused and brightly lit, they signaled his transformation from romanticist to classicist. When he returned to the United States, he embarked on the series of nature studies that eventually were to make him one of the most famous and influential photographers of this century.

Edward Weston: Mexican Photographs 1923-1926,which opens at Fort Worth’s Amon Carter Museum Nov. 9, examines the artist’s work during this critical period. The 133 prints in the show, most of which have never before been published or exhibited, document his shift from portraiture to still-life pictures of commonplace subjects as he increasingly refined and clarified his vision.

In connection with the show, which was organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Amon Carter Museum will present a day-long symposium on Weston and his work, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m.

Nov. 9-Jan. 6 at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5:30. (817) 738-1933.

-Ken Barrow



MUSKETEER PREMIERE



After the austere elegance of its New York City Ballet program last month, the Dallas Ballet will try something completely different in November. The American premiere of Flemming Flindt’s extravaganza, The Three Musketeers,set to a score by Academy Award-winner George Delerue, will have enough swashbuckling entertainment to keep a whole family-balletomanes and their children-happy.

Flindt first created the work for the Royal Danish Ballet in 1966, and Dallas is reviving it with the original sets and costumes by Bernard Dayd?. All three of the creators will appear at the opening-night festivities, and Delerue will conduct.

The ballet will feature the talents of tried-and-true Dallas Ballet principals. They will alternate in the lead roles with newer members of the company, including recent import Claus Hjort from Denmark. In addition to the dancing, Flindt plans to fill the stage with actors participating in the spectacle.

Nov. 15-17 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tickets $25-$5. 744-4430.

-Willard Spiegelman



SUPERTITLES FOR SUPER OPERAS



For Dallas opera lovers, November is the best month of all. That’s when the Dallas Opera subscription season goes into full swing. And this year, opera fans have something new to look forward to with the introduction of “supertitles” in two of the company’s four productions. An English translation will be projected on a screen above the stage during “su-pertitled” performances.

Reaction to this new innovation has been favorable in other cities, and Dallasites are eagerly waiting to judge for themselves during the performances of Wagner’s Siegfried and Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte.

The season opens with Verdi’s La Traviata, starring soprano Maria Chiara, tenor Alfredo Kraus and baritone Juan Pons. La Traviata is directed by Sarah Ventura and conducted by Nicola Rescigno. Siegfried follows, starring tenor Wolfgang Neumann, baritone Wolfgang Probst, soprano Berit Lindholm and tenor Gerhard Unger. It’s directed by Roberto Oswald and conducted by Berislav Klobucar. The season continues with Cosi fan tutte, with soprano Rachel Yakar, mezzo-soprano Judith Forst, tenor Rockwell Blake and baritones Makael Melbye and Renato Capecchi. The opera is directed by Lofti Mansouri and conducted by Nicola Rescigno.

La Traviata: Nov. 1, 7 & 10 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. Siegfried: Nov. 15, 21 & 24 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. Cosi fan tutte: Nov. 29 & Dec. 5 & 8 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. All performances at Fair Park Music Hall. Tickets $50-$6 for individual performances, $250-$18 for season subscriptions. 871-0090.

In addition to these performances, the Dallas Opera offers a series of Opera Insights, featuring panel discussions with performers, on Oct. 31, Nov. 14 & Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m., as well as special presentations by Simon Sargon on Nov. 11 & 25 at 4 p.m. All Opera Insights programs will be in Gooch Auditorium, University of Texas Health-Science Center, Butler at Harry Hines. Tickets free to Dallas Opera Guild members, $3 to others. 747-8600.

-Wayne Lee Gay



D’s Openers include this month’s theater, music, film, sports, art, dance, enlightenment and recreation events, as well as a list of the top nightlife establishments in Dallas. These listings are updated and supplemented each month. They have nothing whatsoever to do with paid advertising.

All events listings should be addressed to the Openers editor and must be received at least two months before publication.

Credit card notations: MC/MasterCard, V/Visa, AE/American Express, DC/Diners Club, CB/Carte Blanche. “All credit cards” indicates that all five cards are accepted.



ART



Arnold Newman. Artists, actors, musicians, writers-practically everyone who’s anyone in the creative life-has sat for the camera of this celebrated and sensitive portraitist. Through Nov 25 at Allen Street Gallery. 4101 Commerce. Wed-Fri noon-5, Sat 10-4, Sun 1-5. 821-8260.

Bob Wade. The Dallas artist who created the famous Tango frogs (they’re really toads) treats his home city to a rare and entertaining exhibit of his work. Through Nov 7 at Modern Realism Gallery, 1903 McMillan. Room No. 1. Wed 6-9 pm. 827-0376.

Charleston Artists Exhibition. A collection of paintings by artists in the Bloomsbury group, a clique of avant-garde British writers and artists, includes works by Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell. Roger Fry and Dora Carrington. Through Dec 9 at the Meadows Gallery. Owen Arts Center, SMU. Free. 692-2727.

Dale Chihuly. A master of blown-glass sculpture for the past decade, Chihuly has crossed over from the decorative to the fine arts to produce structures of pure light and color that have the diaphanous beauty of exotic sea creatures. Through Nov 18 at the Fort Worth Art Museum, 1309 Montgomery, Fort Worth. Tue 10-9, Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (817) 738-9215.

Frank Stella: The Swan Engravings. These big, spectacular prints in dazzling black and white with occasional touches of color have a weight and formality that has been missing from Stella’s work for a long time. Through Dec 2 at the Fort Worth Art Museum, 1309 Montgomery, Fort Worth. Tue 10-9, Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5.(817)738-9215.

Jenny Holzer. Truisms, slogans, messages and mini-essays are both the content and the form of this New York artist’s work. Through Jan 1 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N Harwood. Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat 10-5; Thur 10-10; Sun noon-5. 922-0220.



The Art of Jamaica

As early as the Twenties, the island of Jamaica had developed an active local arts scene that drew on two separate traditions: Those painters and sculptors who looked to Europe for their training and styles, and those “intuitive” artists who looked to the life of the island itself and to their own untutored but lively imaginations. Jamaican Art 1922-1982,which opens at the Museum of African-American Life & Culture this month, samples the best of both schools. Organized by the National Gallery of Jamaica and the Smithsonian Institution, the show concentrates mainly on figurative work with a strong social content. Nov. 10-Dec 23 at the Museum of African-American Life & Culture, lower level, Zale Library Building, Bishop College, 3837 Simpson-Stuart Rd. Mon-Fri 10-4, Sat noon-3, Sun 2-4. 372-8738.

Linda Finnell. The camera becomes a tool for relentlessly probing the nature of human relationships and identities in the photographs and the photographic books of this Dallas artist. Nov 3-29 at DW Gallery. 3200 Main. Tue-Sat 11-5. 939-0045.

Masterpieces from the Collection. A museum once known mainly for its rip-roaring Remingtons and Russells puts a century and a half of American art on display, from the gentle landscapes of the Hudson River School to the desert-purified visions of Georgia O’Keeffe. Through Nov 4 at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5:30.(817)738-1933.



LTV Gallery Debuts

A maquette is a small model, usually in clay or wax, with which a sculptor works out the proportions and forms of large-scale works. And Maquette to Monumental: Sculpture from Rodin to Our Days is the first exhibit of Campanile Gallery, located in the new LTV Center in the downtown Arts District. Displayed in conjunction with London’s Bruton Gallery, the show features mostly figurative works by a number of 19th-and 20th-century French sculptors. Some, such as Rodin and Maillol, are famous; others, such as Bernard, Des-piau and Buxin, are barely known on this side of the Atlantic. Nov. 14-Dec. 31 at Campanile Gallery, second level, LTV Center, 2001 Ross. Mon-Fri 10-5. 742-8483.



Norman Lundin. The images of faces, figures, objects and places seem to represent things actually seen, but each is a vision concocted entirely from the artist’s imagination Through Nov 24 at Adams-Middleton Gallery, 3000 Maple. Tue-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5, 742-3682.

Pierre Bonnard. For all their perceptual distortions and shimmering fields of incandescent color. Bonnard’s late landscapes and intimate interiors remain rooted in the sunny, bourgeois pleasures of the late 19th century. Through Nov 11 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N Harwood. Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat 11-5; Thur 11-10; Sun noon-5. Tickets $3 for adults, $1 for children. 922-0220.

Sculptors Who Draw. Most do, sooner or later, and this show, organized by the director of New York’s Holly Solomon Gallery, presents the two-dimensional work of artists widely known for their three-dimensional work. Nov 15-Dec 12 at Mattingly Baker Gallery, 3004 McKin-ney. Tue-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5. 526-0031.

Torger Thompson. A commercial artist during the Sixties, Thompson achieved his own Sistine Chapel, as it were, in the 124-foot-long painting “Miracle at Pentecost.” Here’s a retrospective of his lesser works. Through Nov 21 at the Biblical Arts Center, 7500 Park Lane. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 691-4661.

Weavers, Merchants and Kings. A rug is a rug, but these 60 extravagantly patterned and colored carpets from Armenia, created between the 18th and 20th centuries, are beautiful and exotic works of art. Through Dec 30 at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5.(817) 332-8451.



THEATER



And a Nightingale Sang. From the pen of C.P.Taylor – who startled Broadway audiences two seasons ago with “Good,” a play about the structure of conscience as revealed in an ambivalent Nazi -comes his latest acclaimed work, a romance set among the momentous wartime events of World War II. Nov 14-Dec 16 at the Plaza Theatre. 6719 Snider Plaza. Tue-Fri at 8:15 pm, Sat & Sun at 2:30 & 8:15 pm. Tickets $18 & $16 Fri & Sat evenings; $15 & $13 Tue-Thur; $12 & $10 Sat matinee & Sun. 363-7000.

Anything Goes. “Love Boat” will never sail with the buoyancy of this classic musical comedy about shipboard romance and mischief, freighted with some of Cole Porter’s most popular songs, including “It’s De-Lovely,” “You’re the Top,” and, of course, the title tune. Nov 8-18 at Eastfield College, 3737 Motley Dr., Mes-quite. Thur-Sun at 8 pm, matinees Nov 11 & 18 at 2 pm. Tickets $5. 324-7185.

Arms and the Man. George Bernard Shaw’s theater of ideas comes to life in this amusing, provocative comedy that punctures our romantic illusions about love, war and human nature. Nov 23-Dec 23 at Theatre Three, the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Tue-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7 pm. Tickets $13.50 Fri & Sat; $11 Tue-Thur & Sun. 871-3300.

Betrayal. This is Harold Pinter’s anatomy of a love affair, dissected chronologically backward. The seven-year romance between a woman and her husband’s best friend is made particularly interesting, since all three characters are well-sketched and no easy judgments are made. Through Nov 24 at New Arts Theatre, 702 Ross at Market. Wed-Fri at 8 pm. Sat at 5 & 9 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm. Tickets$12.50 Sat at 9; $10.50 Fri & Sat at 5; $8.50 Wed, Thur & Sun. 761-9064.

Infidelities. Patrick Kelly directs this translation of “La Double Inconstance,” an early 18th-century comedy by Marivaux about the precarious position of innocence in a very worldly court. Oct 23-27 & Oct 31 -Nov 3 at the Margaret Jonsson Theater. University of Dallas, Irving. All performances at 8:15 pm. Tickets $3. 721-5314.

Little Shop of Horrors. When you mix a bad Fifties schlock sci-fi flick about a man-eating plant with some terrific doo-wah music, a nerd-gets-girl plot, tons of funny business and no small dose of wit, you get this: a decidedly Eighties tongue-in-cheek musical that’s been driving em wild in New York for two years and that will surely do the same here. Nov 27-Dec 2 at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tue-Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2:30 & 8 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $25-$19 Fri & Sat evening; $23-$18 Tue-Thur, Sat & Sun matinees. Tickets available at Ticketron outlets. 265-2646.

Misalliance. Mr. Charleton is a proper British prag-matist. His daughter. Hypatia, is a properly stubborn dreamer. Mr. Charleton believes that Hypatia should marry the wimpish Bentley, but Hypatia believes that someone perfect should drop from the sky. In this irresistible comedy by George Bernard Shaw filled with arguments and unlikelihoods, is it any surprise that the hero really does? Through Nov 4 at the Dallas Theater Center, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri at 8:30 pm, Sat at 4 & 8:30 pm. Sun at 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $15 & $14 Fri & Sat evening; $12.50 & $11 Tue-Thur, Sat & Sun matinees. 526-8857.

Mother Courage and Her Children. Mother Courage has the same pragmatism and mind for business as the men who make war. As she travels in a wagon through their ruined fields with her three children in tow, she is both funnier and more frightening than she should be in this powerful drama by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Nov 8-18 at Theatre SMU, Bob Hope Theatre, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Thur-Sat at 8 pm, Sun at 2:15 pm. Tickets $6; $4 for students and senior citizens. 692-2573.

Native Speech. The press release says it’s daring, but that has become Stage No. 1’s middle name. Eric Over-meyer wrote this new play about a disc-jockey-type character who presides over the end of the world. Nov 7-Dec 16 at Stage No. 1, Greenville Avenue Theatre. 2914 Greenville. Wed-Fri at 8:15 pm, Sat at 5:30 & 9 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Tickets $12.50 Fri & Sat at 9; $10 Wed. Thur, Sat at 5:30 & Sun. 760-9542.

Outside Waco. Upon their mother’s death, three middle-aged sisters find themselves back in Central Texas, fighting over who’ll get stuck with their dotty father. This touching comedy is revived from its brief run last spring at Theatre Three’s Festival of New Playwrights. Through Nov 18 at Theatre Three, the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Tue-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7 pm. No evening show Nov 18. Tickets $13 50 Fri & Sat; $11 Tue-Thur & Sun. 871-3300.



MUSIC



American Guild of Organists. The Dallas chapter’s annual concert series continues with Viennese organist Martin Haselbock performing a recital including Liszt transcriptions of music by J.S. Bach, the American premiere of Jean Francaix’s “Suite Profane” and other works. Nov 12 at 8:15 pm at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 6306 Kenwood. Tickets $6. 821 -3450.

Cliburn Foundation Concerts. Nov 13: Clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and pianist-bassoonist Bill Douglas perform Schumann’s Three Romances, Op. 94; Pou-lenc’s Clarinet Sonata (1962); Douglas’ Miniatures for clarinet and piano; Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for clarinet; Bernstein’s Clarinet Sonata (1941); and selections from the two-part inventions of J.S. Bach. Fine Arts Auditorium, Texas Wesleyan College, Wesleyan at Rosedale, Fort Worth, Nov 20: The Annapolis Brass Quintet joins Fort Worth’s Schola Cantorum for a concert of 16th- and 17th-century music for brass and voices at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Both concerts at 8 pm. Tickets $10. (817) 738-6536.

Dallas Civic Music Association. Pianist Murray Per-ahia appears in concert Nov 12 at 815 pm at McFar-lin Auditorium. SMU. Tickets $25-$4. 526-6870.

Fort Worth Opera. The 1984-85 season opens with Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus,” sung in English with Joseph Evans as Eisenstein, David Britton as Alfred, Karen Huffstodt as Rosalinda and Susan Peterson as Adele. with Evans Haile conducting. Nov 16 at 8 pm and Nov 18 at 2:30 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theater, 1101 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $30-$5. (817) 737-0775.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. John Giordano conducts a concert featuring Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, Bloch’s “Schelomo” (with cellist Nathaniel Rosen) and Stravinsky’s “Petrushka.” Nov 10 at 8 pm and Nov 11 at 3 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center, 1101 Houston. Fort Worth. Tickets $15-$5 439-1181.

Fort Worth Symphony Pops. Andy Williams appears in concert Nov 23 & 24 at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theater, 1101 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $18-$10. 429-1181.

Meadows School of the Arts. Nov 6: SMU Choral Union. Nov 7: SMU Chamber Orchestra performs Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto (with soloist Steve Girko), Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D and a work by Meadows Composer-in-Residence Sydney Hodkinson, with Anshel Brusilow conducting. Nov 10 & 11: SMU Opera Theater presents three contemporary American one-act operas under the direction of Simon Sargon in the Margo Jones Theatre; tickets $6. Nov 12: Music by faculty composer Jack Waldenmeier. Nov 13: Contemporary music performed by student new music ensemble Perspectives. Nov 14: SMU Wind Ensemble. Nov 17: Faculty guitarist Tim Ardino in recital. Nov 18: The SMU Vocal Consort presents Spanish music in the Meadows Museum at 4 pm. Nov 19: Resident chamber ensemble Voices of Change presents Paul Cooper’s “Tomorrow’s Songs,” the world premiere of John Hil-liard’s “Menhir,” the world premiere of Louis Karchin’s “Songs of John Keats,” Paul Schoenfield’s “Three Country Fiddle Pieces” and Morton Subotnik’s “Passages of the Beast”; tickets $6. 692-3189. Nov 20: Faculty pianist Gary Okeson in recital. Nov 30: SMU Jazz Ensemble performs. Unless otherwise indicated, all performances are at 8:15 pm in Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU, and are free. 692-2643.



Bream at the Majestic

Julian Bream, one of the best-loved guitarists of our time and one of the leaders of the 20th-century renaissance of the classic guitar and lute, returns to Dallas this month for his first appearance at the Majestic Theatre. The special concert, sponsored by the Dallas Classic Guitar Society, will include works by Weiss, Sor, Mompou, Granados, Tippett and Albeniz, as well as Sir Michael Tip-pett’s sonata The Blue Guitar, composed especially for Bream in 1983. Nov. 11 at 4 pm at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tickets $25-$10. 265-0789.



North Texas State University. Nov 9, 11 & 14: Dennis Wakeling directs and Serge Zehnacker conducts Prokofiev’s opera “Love for Three Oranges” at 8 pm in the main auditorium, NTSU, Denton. Ticket prices to be announced. (817) 565-2791. Nov 12: Soprano Elly Ameling performs in the NTSU Fine Arts Series at 8:15 pm at First Baptist Church, Denton. Tickets $8. (817) 565-3842.

Richardson Symphony Orchestra. Violinist Phillip Lewis performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D in a concert also featuring Brahms’ Tragic Overture and Ward’s Symphony No. 1, with Chris Xeros conducting. Nov 3 at 8 pm at Richardson High School Auditorium, 1250 W Belt Line. Tickets $10. 234-4195.

Texas Baroque Ensemble. “An Evening in the Pleasure Gardens” includes little-known works from 18th-century England, performed by Dallas’ original instrument specialists. Nov 10 at 8:15 pm at St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Dr, Mesquite. Tickets $8. 278-2458.

Texas Christian University. Nov 5: Ronald Shirey conducts the TCU Concert Chorale. Nov 12: Faculty pianist Caio Pagano performs with Gerard Behague and John Boudler in a concert of Latin American music. Nov 19: TCU Orchestra performs. Nov 30: TCU Jazz Ensemble in concert. All performances at 8 pm in Ed Landreth Auditorium, University at Cantey, Fort Worth. Free. (817) 921-7601.



DANCE



Dallas Black Dance Theater. “Dancin’ for Dallas” is presented by the Dallas Black Dance Theater Nov 4 at 2 pm at the Dallas Home for Jewish Aged, 2525 Center-ville. Free. 371-1170.

Dancers Unlimited Repertory Company. The opening concert of the company’s fifth season features three new works and one piece from its repertory Headlining the program is a world premiere work by Ronnie DeMarco, one of America’s leading jazz choreographers, and the Dallas premiere of Houston choreographer Chris Lidvall’s innovative “Vroom.” The third new work, “A Ceremony of Carols” by SMU dance faculty member Bob Beard, is performed to Old English Christmas carols arranged by composer Benjamin Britten. Nov 2 & 3 at 8 pm at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Reserved seat tickets $27-$13; general admission $5. 742-7821.

The International Theatrical Arts Society. TITAS and the Dallas Museum of Art present the Alwin Nikolais Dance Theater in its Dallas debut. The famous company will perform “Ponds,” “Tensile Involvement” and “Persons and Structures.” Nov 16 & 17 at 8 pm in McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. Tickets $25-$5. 528-5273.

Texas Woman’s University. TWU’s department of dance presents the Bella Lewitzky Dance Company in residence Nov 12-14. Nov 12:A free slide lecture on the Olympic Arts Festival will be presented at 7:30 pm. Nov 13:A free mini-concert will be presented by the company at 1 pm in Margo Jones Auditorium, TWU, Den-ton. Nov 14:The company performs at 8 pm in Margo Jones Auditorium, TWU, Denton. Tickets $6-$2. (817) 383-1573.



ENLIGHTENMENT



Archaeology Conference.The Second New World Conference on Rescue Archaeology. Nov 15-17, has as its theme “Can Development Take Place in Harmony with Archaeology at an Acceptable Cost?” Dr. Galo Plaza Lasso, former president of Ecuador, will deliver the keynote address, which is free and open to the public. Nov 15 at 8 pm in Caruth Auditorium, SMU. Conference tickets $125. 692-2924.

Bath House Cultural Center. “White Rock Past and Present” is the theme of this photography exhibit that surveys the Bath House’s evolution from a “swimming hole” to the first neighborhood cultural center in Dallas, All works will be for sale. Nov 10-30 at Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E Lawther. Mon-Fri & Sun 9 am-5 pm, Sat 2-6 pm. Free. 328-8427.

Dallas Cowboys Anniversary Exhibit. The Dallas Public Library hosts an exhibit of Cowboys memorabilia, including photographs and Super Bowl trophies, as part of the team’s 25th anniversary celebration. Several Cowboys are scheduled to appear during the exhibit, which runs through Nov 11. Community Showcase. Central Dallas Public Library, 1515 Young. Free. 749-4100.

Dallas Museum of Natural History. A collection of antique decoys are featured in “Sitting Ducks: Decoys and Nature in Art.” The exhibit, which traces the history of decoy carving, types of decoys and their uses, is on display Nov 2-Jan 6. In addition, the exhibit “Inside Out: A Look at Skeletons.” which compares the skeletons of animals of differing habits and demonstrates the engineering principles of the bones in an animal’s body, continues through Dec 2. Dallas Museum of Natural History, Fair Park. Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm, Sun noon-5 pm. Free 421-2169.

Hollywood Musicals Lecture. The USA Film Festival sponsors a five-week series on the Hollywood musical films of the Thirties and Forties, including such films as “42nd Street,” “Flying Down to Rio” and “Carefree.” Nov 20-Dec 8 at the Inwood Theater, Lovers Lane at In-wood. Series tickets $20 for non-members, $15 for members; single-show tickets $4.50 for non-members, $3.50 for members. Call for complete listing of films. 760-8575.

Morris L. Hite Lecture Series. Thomas J. Peters will speak on “Managing Tomorrow’s Corporations” in the fourth lecture of the Morris L. Hite Memorial Speaker Series, which is sponsored by the Dallas Advertising League. The four-part series benefits the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. Nov 30 at noon at the Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. Tickets $50. 721-5199.

Religion in the Arts. The Kimbell Art Museum, in conjunction with TCU, is sponsoring a two-part lecture series including “The Morality of Modern Painting” on Nov 13 and “Structures of Mayan Culture and Religion” on Nov 27. Both lectures are free and begin at 8 pm at the Kimbell Art Musem, 3333 Camp Bowie. (817) 332-8451.

SMU Distinguished Lecture Series. SMU’s lecture series continues this month with a lecture by Jonas Salk, the medical pioneer who established the first polio vaccine in 1954. Salk, who is director of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, is an award-winning author whose fourth book, “Anatomy of Reality,” is a Socratic dialogue about the nature of the universe and man’s place in it. Nov 13 at 8 pm in McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. General admission tickets $45 for the series. 692-2339.



RECREATION



Chi Omega Christmas. This annual Christmas boutique of unique shops, sponsored by the Dallas alumnae of Chi Omega sorority, features a collection of specialty merchandise from all over the country. It benefits the Special Care and Career center for developmen-tally delayed individuals and an endowed scholarship at SMU. Nov 8-10 at North Park Inn Convention Center, 9300 N Central Expwy. Thur 10 am-8 pm, Fri 10 am-5 pm, Sat 10 am-4 pm. Tickets $4 in advance; $5 at the door; $10 for “preferred shopping,” which features 80 door prizes, group rates available. 827-3826.

Holiday Magic.About 60 merchants from across the country will offer three days of unique one-stop shopping at the Junior League of Arlington’s Holiday Magic. Demonstrations, musical entertainment and refreshments will enhance the festive holiday atmosphere. Special events will include a preview party on Nov 8 (tickets $25), the Ladies Bid-n-Brunch and Show on Nov 9 (tickets $20), Children’s Day on Nov 10 and Family Day on Nov 11. Nov 8-11 at Texas Commerce Tower. 500 E Border, Arlington. General admission tickets $2 in advance. $3 at the door, $1 for children 12 and under on Children’s Day. (817) 277-9481.

Lakewood Home Tour.Six houses in the Lakewood area will be open for viewing during the eighth annual Lakewood Home Tour sponsored by the Lakewood Preschool PTA. Nov 17, 10 am-5 pm. A craft fair held in conjunction with the tour will be open Nov 16 & 17, 10 am-5 pm daily, at 6447 Vickery. Tickets $5; available at First Lakewood Bank, Top Hat Cleaners and Kids Kollection. 327-3660.

Senior Citizens’ Craft Fair. Items handmade by Dallas County senior citizens are showcased at this fair, which features items ranging from paintings and jewelry to dolls and stained glass. Nov 2-4 in the Women’s Building, Fair Park. Fri & Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun noon-5 pm. Free. 357-8822.

Some Like It Hot Chill Cookoff. This cookoff, sponsored by the Church of the Incarnation, features both a sanctioned and a neophyte division. A nursery and a children’s area will be available. Nov 10, 11:30 am-5:30 pm, at the Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney. Tasting price 25 cents per taste. 248-6886.

A Taste of Dallas. This annual gala sponsored by the Dallas Restaurant Association and the Women’s Auxiliary benefits the Stars for Children Child Abuse Prevention Center. About 100 tasting booths will feature cuisine from Dallas’ finest restaurants, and Stars for Children will present several “celebrity hosts and hostesses” to share the tasting and special events. The tasting will be followed by a dance at Union Station. Nov 5, 7-9 pm, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. Tickets $35; avail-able at Rainbow-Ticketmaster outlets. Metro 469-7827.

Theta Designer Showhouse. The work of 15 of Dallas’ leading interior designers is featured in the 1984 Kappa Alpha Theta Designer Showhouse, the Austin-stone mansion featured as Pam Ewing’s home in the “Dallas” TV series. Each room in the showhouse will be decorated by a different designer to give visitors a look at each designer’s style. Proceeds benefit the Dallas Society of Crippled Children, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children and the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. Through Nov 4 at 4930 Park Lane. Mon-Fri 10-4, Sat 11-5, Sun 1 -5. Tickets $5 in advance, $6 at the door; available from Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae and from Henry S. Miller real estate offices. 521-4410.



SPORTS



Dallas Cowboys. Texas Stadium, Irving. Reserved seat tickets $19; available at the Dallas Cowboys Ticket Office, 6116 N Central Expwy. 369-8000.

Nov 4 at noon vs New York Giants

22 at 3 pm vs New England

Dallas Mavericks. Reunion Arena, Dallas. Home game tickets $7 & $5; available at Rainbow-Ticketmaster outlets or at Reunion Arena box office. All games start at 7:30 pm. 988-0117.

Nov 3 vs Phoenix

6 vs New York

8 vs Atlanta

10 vs Seattle

17 vs Detroit

20 vs Milwaukee

24 vs Houston

27 vs Boston

30 vs Seattle

SMU. Texas Stadium, Irving, Individual home game tickets $14; upper deck end zone tickets $7. Single-game parking pass $4. Tickets available at SMU ticket office in Moody Coliseum or at Rainbow-Ticketmaster outlets. Games start at 2 pm, 692-2902.

Nov 3 vs Texas A & M (homecoming)

24 vs Arkansas

TCU. Amon Carter Stadium, Fort Worth. Individual home game tickets $12 for reserved seats, $6 for end zone seats; available at TCU ticket office. Games start at 2 pm. (817) 921-7967.

Nov 10 vs Texas Tech

17 vs Texas

World Powerlift Championship. The 1984 championships will include a free seminar by Bob Goldman, author of “Death in the Locker Room,” as well as competitions In weight classes ranging from 52 kilograms to super heavyweight, Nov 23-25 at Memorial Theater, Dallas Convention Center. Tickets $7.50 per session, $30 for entire contest; available at Rainbow-Ticket-master outlets and Sears stores. Call metro 263-9191 for tickets; 223-5691 for information.



NIGHTLIFE

ENTERTAINMENT/DANCING



Belle Starr. The famous lady outlaw herself would have felt in good company at this country/western hangout. With an extensive bar from which beer flows copiously, a large dance floor and live country music, the cowboys and cowgirls that frequent this club are kept satisfied (the place is packed on weekends). Round up some visiting Yankees and take them to Belle Starr for some good, two-steppin’, honky-tonkin’ Texas nightlife. (7724 N Central Expwy near Southwestern, 750-4787. Tue-Sat 7 pm-2 am. Sun 2 pm-2 am, Mon 8 pm-2 am. All credit cards.)

Boardwalk Beach Club. This place is a pleasant (if fast-paced) mixture of opposites. The club’s drawing card is Fifties and Sixties music, but patrons are mostly under-30 singles. Space has been cleared for a dance floor next to the South Seas mural on one wall, but strangely enough, hardly anyone dances. Drinks are pretty solid here, but the snail-like service may hamper your enjoyment of them. (6332 La Vista. 823-5340. Wed & Thur 8 pm-2 am, Fri & Sat 5 pm-2 am. Closed Sun-Tue. MC. V, AE.)

Diamond Jim’s.Although this is really a country/ western disco, rock ’n’ roll frequently prevails. Tight quarters make for close encounters between patrons, both on and off the rather small dance floor. (5601 Greenville. 691-2411. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 5-8 pm. Thur 5-9 pm. MC. V. AE.)

4500 McKinney.Finally, there’s a place for quality entertainment at a small supper club. 4500 McKinney is very intimate, there’s probably too much pink (from napkins to spotlights), and dinner isn’t God’s gift to the gastric juices. But it has great nightclub atmosphere and show tunes/blues/pop singers. If you don’t want dinner, you can pay the cover charge at the door and sip drinks while enjoying the show. (4500 McKinney at Armstrong. 522-5818. Tue-Sun 6:30 pm-2 am: shows at 9 & 11 pm. Cover: $10 Sun & Tue-Thur. $15 Fri & Sat. Closed Mon. MC, V, AE.)

The Golden Parachute.Who misses elan? Remember the private Greenville Avenue disco that closed last year7 Now you’ve got a better imitation in Far North Dallas. The only problem is that the membership for a year costs $200. Once inside, you’re in your typical elegant disco with sensual people (these places never change), But there is a nice verandah where you can cool off outside if your hormones get too hot. (5505 Belt Line. 233-9499. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am. Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am. MC. V, AE.)

In Cahoots. Like a randy phoenix rising from the remains of the old Papagayo’s, this multilevel, chromed-out fleshpot is Babylon revisited in NorthPark East. What has the Me Generation come to? The obligatory video here is a mix of cartoons, rock and Selfdance – you can watch your celluloid self writhing on the dance floor, in case there’s any doubt about your reality. The waitresses are scantily clad, the drinks are strong and the happy-hour buffet ranks with the best in Dallas. (NorthPark East, 8796 N Central Expwy. 692-5412. Mon- Thur 4:30 pm-2 am. Fri & Sat 6:30 pm-3 am. Sun 6:30 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4:30-8 pm. Sat & Sun 6 30-8 pm. MC, V, AE, DC.)

Jazba at Ratcliffe’s. If we mention this place loo loudly, will we have trouble getting a table when we want one? This small, elegant jazz bar in Ratcliffe’s seafood restaurant has what we like: clean lines, smooth music and Southern comfort. There’s food, too! (1901 McKinney. 748-7480. Tue-Sat 6 pm-1:30 am. live music beginning at 9 pm. Weekend cover: $5. MC. V, AE.)

Longhorn Ballroom. The Longhorn hasn’t changed much since the last time you were there. It still offers only beer and setups and one of the best country/western dance floors in Dallas. Owner Dewey Groom has made his place synonymous with country music and a lasting source of local pride. (216 Corinth at Industrial. 428-3128. Wed & Thur 7 pm-1 am, Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am. Sun 5-11:30 pm. All credit cards.)

Mistral. This very lavish dance and supper club is the product of a search across Europe to find all the elements of the perfect nightclub. The results: extravagant lighting, an enormous video screen, a state-of-the-art sound system, a Japanese chef and very prominent entertainers who appear about once a month. (Loews Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Frwy. 760-9000. Mon-Fri & Sun 5 pm-2 am, Sat 7 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE, DC.)

Popsicle Toes. Go here to listen to the live and lively jazz, funk and rock ’n’ roll, not just to hear it. Granted, you’ll have trouble hearing anything else, but that’s okay, because the music is great. Don’t be disappointed, though; Popsicle Toes isn’t a place to be “seen,” although this jazz-oriented club attracts a spirited, sincere-looking dance crowd. (5627 Dyer. 368-9706. Tue-Sun 8 pm-2 am. Closed Mon. Happy hour: Fri 4-7 pm. MC, V, AE.)

The Prohibition Room. This rustic tavern and live jazz and pop music showroom in the basement of the Brewery was once a speakeasy. It still looks much as it did then, with large concrete pillars and mortar-crusted brick. (The Brewery, 703 McKinney beside Woodall Rodgers Frwy. 954-4407. Mon- Thur 4 pm-1 am, Fri & Sat 6 pm-2 am. Closed Sun. AE, DC.)

Ravel’s. This cavernous singles bar may remind you of a bad 1967 sci-fi movie version of “The Future.” Track lights cut through the smoky blackness, beaming down like searchlights from a spaceship. Music video screens are everywhere. The well drinks are expensive, and the service can be slow, even when the room is mostly empty. Ravel’s is also part restaurant, offering a limited and pricey menu. (The Registry Hotel, 15201 Dallas Pkwy. 386-6000. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour: daily 5-8 pm. All credit cards.)

The Saloon. This is the best bluegrass bar in Dallas. It may be the only bluegrass bar in Dallas. But it sometimes books bands that have never heard of bluegrass. Oh well, you can still eat decent nachos, occasionally watch some of the regulars do mountain clogging (some kind of dance), drink lots of beer and act like a hillbilly in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. (2818 Greenville. 823-6550. Mon-Fri 3 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun noon-2 am. Sat & Sun jam sessions start at noon. MC, V, AE.)

Starck Club. You waited three years for the high-tech, beautiful-people’s bar to open, and now you want to go. Here’s what you should know about. First: the $10 cover -and that’s only if they let you inside. Second: the most decadent bathroom lounges in town. Third: the sunken dance floor, down a flight of stairs. Fourth: the variety of people, from gays to straights to Nuevo Wavo to models to just normal Joe Blows (the place is huge enough to accommodate any type). Best time: Saturday night, when it becomes incredibly packed. Despite the hype, it’s still the hottest chichi nightclub in the city, (703 McKinney in the Brewery. 720-0130. Daily 4 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.)

Studebaker’s. This latest offering in nostalgic dance bars with car themes gets its name from the bright red Studebaker at one end of the dance floor. The disc jockey favors hits from the fabulous Fifties and Sixties (Studebaker’s doesn’t play any music recorded after 1969), and the waitresses wear poodle skirts and saddle oxfords. It all makes for a boppin’ good time. (NorthPark East, 8788 N Central Expwy. 696-2475. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat & Sun 4 pm-2 am. Happy hour: daily 11 am-8 pm. Dress code after 4 pm. MC, V, AE.)

Tim Ballard’s. Dallasites are missing out on a good thing if they pass up this jazz bar on the Lemmon Avenue strip. It’s perfect for a late-afternoon chat over drinks. Perfect, that is, until the band heats up around 9 o’clock. Then it’s time to sit back, cut the chatter and enjoy the jazz that is the club’s drawing card. On the minus side, the service is haphazard, and the drinks are expensive. (3524 Inwood at Lemmon. 559-3050. Tue-Fri 4 pm-2 am, Sat 6 pm-2 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Tue-Fri 4-8 pm, Sat 6-8 pm, all night Sun. Weekend cover: $3. MC, V, AE.)

Top of the Dome. This revolving bar atop Reunion Tower affords guests a panoramic view of the city as well as live entertainment and a small dance floor. But the drink prices are as high as the bar. (Reunion Tower. 741-3663. Mon-Fri 2 pm-2 am, Sat noon-2 am, Sun noon-midnight. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 5-7 pm. All credit cards.)

Village Country Club. Pull out all the old jokes about the people from the Village Apartments, and you’ve got the makeup of this club, right? Wrong. A variety of local bands appear here, and the crowd doesn’t trade business cards or astrological signs. They hang out, act loose and appreciate the music. Is the stereotype disappearing? (8308 Southwestern. 361-9866. Mon-Wed 4 pm-midnight, Thur- Sat 4 pm-2 am, Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11 am-midnight. Live music presented Thur-Sat. MC, V, AE.)



NIGHTLIFE

DRINKING



Dave & Buster’s. “There’s nothing quite like it” is Dave & Buster’s slogan, and they’re not kidding. The place is enormous, but the brass and dark wood decor adds a degree of sophistication. Head for the umpteen pool tables lining the walls, try shuffleboard, darts, Pente or backgammon; or just sip a cool one at the large bar on the main floor. (2710 Electronic Lane, near Walnut Hill at Stemmons Frwy. 353-0620. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun 11:30 am-midnight. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4:30-7 pm. All credit cards.)

Eight-O. This still gets our vote for the most original bar in town. The sanitarium-green walls don’t seem quite as shocking now as when the Eight-0 first opened its New Wave doors, but the atmosphere is still spirited; the clientele, fascinating; and the jukebox, bitchin’. (The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh, Suite 125. 871-1180. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun 8 pm-2 am. Live jazz at lunch Wed-Sat. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-8 pm: all night Sun. MC, V, AE.)

500 Café. It’s not that there aren’t any people in this obscure corner of Deep Ellum next to the 500X Gallery; they’re just hidden behind crusty warehouse fronts doing mostly artistic things. This funky, casual cafe with a neon-lit patio (which resembles a drained swimming pool, only prettier) is a fitting place for artists and others to mingle. This place serves beer and wine only and las a chalkboard menu. (408 Exposition off Main Street, near Fair Park. 821-4623. Mon-Wed 11:30 am-midnight, Thur-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun 5 pm-mid-night. AE.)

Joe Miller’s. This is a perfect late-afternoon bar for friendly conversation: It’s easy on the background music, soft on the lights and hard on the sledgehammer drinks that, along with the media crowd, have helped build Joe’s substantial reputation as a bartender. But watch that third drink. (3531 McKinney. 521-2261. Mon-Fri noon-2 am, Sat 6 pm-2 am. Closed Sun. MC, V, AE.)

Knox Street Pub. Over the years, this neighborhood bar has worn very, very well. It’s a slice of the Sixties (popular with Woodstock veterans and the work shirt-and-jeans set), but it attracts other folks as well. And although Knox Street has its cadre of regulars, there’s no cliquish spirit here. The menu is limited, but the fare is reasonably priced and substantial. (3230 Knox. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 4 pm-midnight. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm. all day Sun. No credit cards.)

La Cave. When you’re in the mood to linger over a bottle of good wine. La Cave is a great place to go. The bistro atmosphere is relaxed, unhurried and conducive to conversation. Appetizers and light meals are offered, but the real value is the selection of foreign and domestic wines found in the walk-in wine cellar. (2926 N Henderson, 826-2190; 2019 N Lamar. 871-2072. Wine shop: Mon-Fri 10 am-11 pm, Sat noon-11:30 pm. Bistro: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-midnight, Sat 6 pm-midnight; Sun brunch 11-3. All credit cards.)

The Library. This quiet bar filled with soft couches, just down the hall from the lobby of the recently remodeled Melrose Hotel, is the place where seductions begin. Spacious, pleasant, with good lighting (hotel bars are notorious for bad track lighting), it’s a place where you can meet for what is called a “non-committal” drink before making your next move. (Melrose Hotel. Oak Lawn at Cedar Springs. 521-5151. Daily 11:30 am-2 am. MC, V. AE.)

Mariano’s. If nachos and frozen margaritas are your passion, this is the place for you. Mariano’s remodeled bar is a bright, airy place to enjoy some of the best Tex-Mex munchies in town. The chips and hot sauce are exemplary, and the margaritas are so famous that the mix is available for sale. (Old Town, 5500 Greenville. 691-3888. Sun-Thur 11:30 am-11 pm, Fri & Sat 10:30 am-midnight. Happy hour: daily 4-7 pm, MC, V, AE.)

Monopoly’s Park Place. With the coming of Monopoly’s, we may have reached the ultimate in cutesy theme bars. The name of the game here is Monopoly, of course. The dance floor is a huge game board checkered with old standbys like Vermont Avenue and Reading Railroad, along with a few new additions, such as Lowest Greenville, Old Town and European Crossroads (which rents for nothing). The staff seems earnest and eager to please, but our drinks had Boardwalk prices and Baltic quality. (6532 E Northwest Hwy. 696-3720. Sun-Thur 5 pm-2 am, Fri 5 pm-4 am, Sat 7 pm-4 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 5-9 pm, Sat & Sun 7-9 pm. All credit cards.)

Peabody’s. Big bars, we’ve come to realize, are usually loud and impersonal. And institutional drinking can leave a patron feeling like little more than another Miller Lite along the wall or a faceless Seven and Seven at table 33. Peabody’s, while fairly roomy, is not of that genre. We spent a lengthy lunch chatting to our heart’s content at a corner table, and our friendly waitress never faltered in bringing our ice-cold beers. The comfortable couches and tables lend a relaxing ambiance in the evening as well. (4216 Oak Lawn. 559-3160. Mon-Thur 11 am-1 am, Fri & Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun noon-midnight. MC, V, AE, DC.)

SRO. SRO as in “standing room only,” which is becoming the case at this ever-so-black, ever-so-chichi nightclub trimmed in pink neon. There’s a wide assortment of drinks, an unusual assortment of food and the standard assortment of 30ish trendies who are doing more following than setting. (2900 McKinney. 748-5014. Daily 11 am-2 am. MC, V, AE, DC.)

St. Martin’s. What could be better for an intimate late-night rendezvous than sharing a good bottle of wine and a cheese-and-fruit or pate board in this quiet, relaxing Lower Greenville Avenue bistro? The atmosphere is romantic, with uncrowded candle-lit tables, fresh red carnations, crisp white tablecloths and soft classical music; the service is pleasant. (3020 Greenville. 826-0940. Mon-Thur 11 am-3 pm & 5-11 pm, Fri 11 am-3 pm & 5 pm-1 am, Sat 11 am-1 am. Sun 5-11 pm; Sun brunch: 11-3 All credit cards.)

Stoneleigh P.This is an artist’s bar. And a businessman’s bar. And a construction worker’s bar. And a housewife’s night-out-on-the-town bar. And just about anyone’s bar. There are no pretenses here, just a lot of open space with room to “do your own thing.” There’s a great jukebox, a varied selection of magazines and always an interesting assortment of people. (2926 Maple. 741-0824. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11 am-midnight. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm AE.)

Vickery Feed Store.This deli/bar has an odd but appealing mixture of country and class. Wooden walls, a wooden floor and a hometown atmosphere are combined with burgundy vinyl booths and slick black table-tops in what turns out to be a very pleasant watering hole. Vickery has good drinks, great deli/snack food and some of the friendliest service in town. (6918 Greenville. 363-9198. Mon 6 am-midnight, Tue-Fri 6 am-2 am. Sat 8 am-2 am, Sun 8 am-midnight. Happy hour: daily 3-7 pm. MC, V. AE.)

The Wine Press. This is the perfect place to go on a rainy night – or any time you’re looking for romance, intimacy and spirits. The Wine Press is decorated with wine bottles from floor to ceiling on almost every wall. The atmosphere is low-key and elegantly casual; the service, friendly but not hovering; the food, well-prepared; the wine selection, extensive -to say the least. (4217 Oak Lawn. 522-8720. Daily 11 am-2 am. All credit cards.)

Zanzibar. A fresh face on the burger-spattered strip of Lower Greenville Avenue, Zanzibar offers drinks and good deli food in a colorful cafe setting. The decor -neon, glass bricks and pink-and-green walls-is odd enough to work. (2912 Greenville. 828-2250. Tue-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun 10:30 am-midnight; Sun brunch: 10:30-3. Closed Mon. AE, DC.)



FORT WORTH NIGHTLIFE



Billy Bob’s Texas. This huge country/western club in the Fort Worth Stockyards has a lot going for it: two restaurants, 42 bar stations, a real bull-riding arena and several shops. It’s bigger than Gilley’s, more urban than the Longhorn Ballroom and is a “must-see” if you’re in Fort Worth. (2520 N Commerce in the stockyards. Metro 429-5979. Mon-Sat 9:30 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am. MC, V, AE.)

The Blue Bird. Even when the band’s not playing, you’ll feel like dancing at The Blue Bird: The jukebox is the best in Fort Worth. But then, the patrons of this near-Southside club don’t want that to get around; they know a good thing when they’ve found it. The club is packed nearly every weekend with regulars dancing to the infectious music of Robert Ealey and the Bluesblasters. This is rhythm and blues at its finest, but sssshhh! (5636 Wellesley. (817) 732-6243. Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am. No credit cards.)

Caravan of Dreams. Instead of heading to Fort Worth for its cowboy hoopla, drive over there for one of the sleekest, most entertaining nightclubs in the area. The Caravan of Dreams may have just about the best mix of people of any area nightspot. The club, which covers three floors of a chic Sundance Square building, has excellent live jazz/blues (and a bar) on the first floor, a theater with movies and live drama (and a bar) on the second floor and an outdoor patio with a cactus garden and tremendous margaritas (and a bar) on the roof. (312 Houston. (817) 887-3000. Daily 11 am-2 am, shows at 9:45 & 11:30 pm. No cover except for shows. MC, V, AE)

Cheers. Don’t expect Ted Danson or Shelley Long to be in this club’s crowd: This Confetti-like dancery is a far cry from the sophisticated wit of TV’s Boston bar. Female bartenders wear flesh-colored tights, skimpy leotards and baseball hats, and there’s enough paper confetti around to make you want to save a tree. By the looks of the crowd on the Tuesday night we visited, this is a good place for single women: The ratio of guys to gals was about 10 to 1. (6773 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. (817) 735-8814. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat & Sun 4 pm-2 am. All credit cards.)

The Hop. In three words, The Hop is warm, woody and wonderful It has the air of a typical college hangout (it’s located just one block from TCU), but it lacks the cutesy crowd or trendy atmosphere. A stage tucked in the corner features national and local bands, with music ranging from folk to reggae, rock to country. The food is good, but nothing could surpass the pizza. (2905 W Berry. (817) 923-7281. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun 4 pm-1 am. All credit cards.)

Spencer’s Beverly Hills. If you’ve been nostalgic fordisco, don’t worry: Saturday night fever is alive and wellin Fort Worth. The disco-crazed crowd gathers herealmost every night to shake their booties and to watchwide-screen movies such as “Fast Times at RidgemontHigh.” The drinks are heavy-handed – as are some ofthe regulars-but most of the patrons don’t seem tomind. (1724 S University. (817) 332-5651. Wed-Mon 4 pm-2 am. Closed Tue. MC, V, AE.)