African-American Museum
3536 Grand Avenue – Fair Park
Dallas, TX
August 24-26
From the website:
Tulisoma, Swahili for "we read", is a community-based literary festival promoting literacy and the arts in the South Dallas/Fair Park area. Founded in 2003, by former City Councilman Leo V. Chaney, Jr., and Dr. Harry Robinson, President and CEO of the African American Museum, the goal of Tulisoma is to create a dynamic event tailored to engage local families, avid readers, aspiring writers and visitors to the city.
For more information: http://www.tulisoma.com/index.htm
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
6th Annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas
August 23 – 30, 2007
Landmark Magnolia Theatre
3699 McKinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75204
For more information regarding features, show times, and ticketing:
http://affd.org/2007/index.html
As an African-American, I am often bothered by the lack of variety in the images/stories of African-Americans on screen. I am often lamenting to my friends, “Are there no other African/African-American stories to be told besides inner-city violence, overcoming bigotry and hatred, and your good old-fashioned minstrel shows?” If you were to judge by Hollywood’s standards, you would determine that these are, in fact, the only stories we have to tell. Of course, this isn’t true.
It is because of this chasm between what is real and what is portrayed, that I have a kindred appreciation for Dallas’s 6th Annual Asian Film Festival. Though the three images that Hollywood may have of America’s Asian community (martial arts masters, math/science whizzes, and Korean grocers or nail salon technicians) may differ from those it holds of the African-American community, the images are no less limiting and, quite frankly, insulting. Consequently, I am encouraging you to give your support to the Asian Film Festival where you can be introduced to 25+ stories beyond the Hollywood norm.
Of particular interest (at least to me) is the film, “And Thereafter II.” The film “explores the reasons why Korean women continue to marry American GIs despite the fact that it turns the brides into outcasts in their own country…” (http://affd.org/2007/filmindex.html#l4s)
If this film doesn’t “float your boat” there are plenty of others to choose from: romance, intrigue, suspense, etc. That’s the beauty of this film festival (and others like it). All the pesky limitations are gone.
Landmark Magnolia Theatre
3699 McKinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75204
For more information regarding features, show times, and ticketing:
http://affd.org/2007/index.html
As an African-American, I am often bothered by the lack of variety in the images/stories of African-Americans on screen. I am often lamenting to my friends, “Are there no other African/African-American stories to be told besides inner-city violence, overcoming bigotry and hatred, and your good old-fashioned minstrel shows?” If you were to judge by Hollywood’s standards, you would determine that these are, in fact, the only stories we have to tell. Of course, this isn’t true.
It is because of this chasm between what is real and what is portrayed, that I have a kindred appreciation for Dallas’s 6th Annual Asian Film Festival. Though the three images that Hollywood may have of America’s Asian community (martial arts masters, math/science whizzes, and Korean grocers or nail salon technicians) may differ from those it holds of the African-American community, the images are no less limiting and, quite frankly, insulting. Consequently, I am encouraging you to give your support to the Asian Film Festival where you can be introduced to 25+ stories beyond the Hollywood norm.
Of particular interest (at least to me) is the film, “And Thereafter II.” The film “explores the reasons why Korean women continue to marry American GIs despite the fact that it turns the brides into outcasts in their own country…” (http://affd.org/2007/filmindex.html#l4s)
If this film doesn’t “float your boat” there are plenty of others to choose from: romance, intrigue, suspense, etc. That’s the beauty of this film festival (and others like it). All the pesky limitations are gone.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Brooklyn Jazz Cafe
1701 South Lamar St.
Dallas, TX 75215
214.428.0025
http://www.brooklynjazzcafe.com/default.php
Dallas, TX 75215
214.428.0025
I’m surprised that it has taken me so long to write this review given the number of times I’ve been to Brooklyn’s. Perhaps it’s because I’ve had a long-standing love/hate relationship with the venue and have been conflicted over whether to give it a positive review or a negative one. Perhaps I keep hoping it will get better with time. It’s a tough decision to make; there are so many things to consider. Therefore, in true Libra fashion, I choose not to decide. Instead, I will list Brooklyn’s pros and cons (as I understand them) and let you, my dear readers, weigh them for yourselves.
PROS:
Location – Located on Lamar St. just south of downtown Dallas, Brooklyn’s is convenient for those African-Americans who live in Southern Dallas and Dallas’s southern suburbs.
Crowd – Brooklyn’s is definitely for a mature, predominately African-American crowd. Late twenty-somethings, thiry-somethings, and even a few forty-somethings are the most common patrons. There is no DJ - only live music - and I can’t recall ever seeing a “white tee.”
Entertainment Value – A well-stocked bar, a full dinner menu (and Sunday brunch), and live jazz nightly.
Parking – There’s plenty of it – valet and street parking.
Patio – During the cooler months, it’s nice to sit on the patio. It’s quite large, and there are speakers and monitors so you can enjoy the live music being played inside.
CONS:
Food – I’ve been to Brooklyn’s for brunch, happy hour, dinner, and dessert and I have yet to enjoy any of my meals. The food is mediocre at best; and given the prices on the menu, I expect better.
Patio – Apparently, word has gotten out that the patio can be reserved for large parties and special events. Therefore, the patio isn’t always available to enjoy.
Layout – This is probably my biggest problem with the venue. Let’s be honest, though Brooklyn’s may have been envisioned as a supper club from the days of old, the reality is that Brooklyn’s is where the “mature” crowd goes “hunting” for new acquaintances (if you get my drift). As such, the layout is not very mingle-friendly. In essence, you’re faced with two options upon entering:
[if you get there early enough] sit at one of the tables positioned so closely together that it’s too much trouble to get up again once you’ve been seated (mostly women), or
stand at the bar which can only comfortably accommodate about 15 people, but instead is usually surrounded by 35+ people (mostly men) not including the waitstaff who have to walk back and forth to the bar to serve those who are seated.
It’s a hassle and it creates a situation such that one can only “mingle” if one loiters at the bar which isn’t nearly large enough to accommodate the traffic.
Music – Some of the bands are better than others, but all of the bands are too loud. If you’re seated inside Brooklyn’s you can barely hear yourself think, let alone hear the person sitting/standing next to you. I know that jazz is the main attraction, but so is the “hunt” remember?
So, you tell me. Is Brooklyn’s a hit or a miss? Speak on it in the comments section.
http://www.brooklynjazzcafe.com/default.php
Monday, August 13, 2007
Amuse Restaurant and Lounge
1326 South Lamar
Dallas, TX
214.428.7300
Restaurants in Dallas’s “southern sector” (please read between those lines) are pretty routine and predictable. You’ve got your classic fish, chicken, and BBQ joints. You’ve got a few chain restaurants, fast food places, cafeteria style restaurants, Chinese buffets, and a seemingly endless supply of taquerias. Residents of Dallas’s south side often travel to northern Dallas in search of something fresh and new. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. Exhibit A: Amuse Restaurant and Lounge.
Amuse is located just south of downtown Dallas across the street from the South Side on Lamar Lofts. I will admit, this location isn’t truly South Dallas but it’s a heck of a lot closer than Addison or Plano. Though the building itself is somewhat nondescript, the interior is alive with prompt, friendly waitstaff, comfy booths, dark woods, and sparkling wine glasses on every table. It’s definitely more than you might expect.
I popped in one Friday evening thinking I would choose something light from the dinner menu (like a salad) and was pleasantly surprised to learn that in addition to its lunch, dinner, and brunch menus, Amuse has a tapas menu as well. I tried the hummus (delicious) and the cheese plate (tasty), but the hit of the evening was the FREE (that’s right, FREE) seasoned pita bread (or is it flatbread?) that they provide. You’ve got to try this stuff. The bread is served fresh from the oven with some kind of pizza/marinara sauce. I have no idea what the recipe is; I just know that the pita bread is positively scrumptious. My companion and I had no shame in asking for basket after basket. Each subsequent basket was delivered with the same promptness and cheery smile as the first.
Amuse definitely gets my approval. I will have to go back for lunch/dinner to get the full experience, and I’m already excited by the variety of options on their menus. The only drawback is that Amuse is kind of pricey. The median entrée price for dinner is $17 (unless you’re ordering a sandwich or salad). BUT remember, the pita bread is free. So order something from the tapas menu and tell’em to keep the bread coming.
Dallas, TX
214.428.7300
Restaurants in Dallas’s “southern sector” (please read between those lines) are pretty routine and predictable. You’ve got your classic fish, chicken, and BBQ joints. You’ve got a few chain restaurants, fast food places, cafeteria style restaurants, Chinese buffets, and a seemingly endless supply of taquerias. Residents of Dallas’s south side often travel to northern Dallas in search of something fresh and new. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. Exhibit A: Amuse Restaurant and Lounge.
Amuse is located just south of downtown Dallas across the street from the South Side on Lamar Lofts. I will admit, this location isn’t truly South Dallas but it’s a heck of a lot closer than Addison or Plano. Though the building itself is somewhat nondescript, the interior is alive with prompt, friendly waitstaff, comfy booths, dark woods, and sparkling wine glasses on every table. It’s definitely more than you might expect.
I popped in one Friday evening thinking I would choose something light from the dinner menu (like a salad) and was pleasantly surprised to learn that in addition to its lunch, dinner, and brunch menus, Amuse has a tapas menu as well. I tried the hummus (delicious) and the cheese plate (tasty), but the hit of the evening was the FREE (that’s right, FREE) seasoned pita bread (or is it flatbread?) that they provide. You’ve got to try this stuff. The bread is served fresh from the oven with some kind of pizza/marinara sauce. I have no idea what the recipe is; I just know that the pita bread is positively scrumptious. My companion and I had no shame in asking for basket after basket. Each subsequent basket was delivered with the same promptness and cheery smile as the first.
Amuse definitely gets my approval. I will have to go back for lunch/dinner to get the full experience, and I’m already excited by the variety of options on their menus. The only drawback is that Amuse is kind of pricey. The median entrée price for dinner is $17 (unless you’re ordering a sandwich or salad). BUT remember, the pita bread is free. So order something from the tapas menu and tell’em to keep the bread coming.
Petrus Lounge
1217 Main Street
Dallas, TX
214.760.9000
I will admit it. On more than one occasion I’ve fantasized about living a perfectly glamorous, cosmopolitan life (a la Sheila E) filled with gallery openings, trendy eateries, and swanky lounges. Imagine my excitement when a friend of mine tipped me off to Petrus Lounge. Let me set the scene: located at the corner of Main and Field in downtown Dallas, Petrus Lounge offers its patrons four levels of glamour – an art gallery on level 1, a high-end restaurant called Luqa on level 2, a sexy club/lounge with plush couches and dark corners on level 3, and a rooftop deck/garden - complete with elevated “catwalk” and wishing fountain flowing beneath it - on level 4. This review concerns itself primarily with the restaurant on level 2 as the bulk of my time at Petrus Lounge was spent there.
At first glance, Luca has everything a hip, new upscale restaurant should have – good location, ambient lighting, covered tables with full place settings, waitstaff with European accents, and seating along glass walls so that you can be entertained by the goings on of the street below (and simultaneously be the envy of all who see you in return). Then, you open the menu and that’s where all the trouble begins and ends.
I went there for dinner Saturday evening. As with any good meal, I started with an appetizer – fried green tomatoes, a southern favorite. My appetizer arrived artfully arranged on a black marble tile – not a plate, not a tray, but a black marble tile not much unlike what you would find at a home improvement store. I immediately could have judged the restaurant to be pompous and unnecessarily pretentious, but instead, I reasoned that the restaurant was simply maintaining the artistic values of the gallery on the first floor. I took my first bite and it was all downhill from there. My fried green tomatoes were bland (to put it mildly). I tried to sop up (yes, I said sop up; it is a southern dish) as much of the hollandaise sauce as I could, but when you consider there was approximately ½ a teaspoon of hollandaise on the entire plate, excuse me, tile, that was easier said than done. The only things tasty were the marinated cherry tomatoes that were used to garnish the fried green tomatoes.
My entrée, California Artichoke Ravioli, was unremarkable as well, but more bothersome than the lack of flavor was the lack of variety in the selection. In essence, there were seven entrees to choose from: fish, chicken, lamb, a meatless option, pork, steak, and lobster (unavailable the night that I was there). Considering that I eat neither pork nor red meat, the only options I had were fish, chicken, and the meatless option. Since I eat chicken all the time, and the butterfish on the menu was replaced with salmon for the night (which I didn’t have a taste for), the only option I had left was the California Artichoke Ravioli – another pretty presentation, another unsatisfying dish.
Finally, I get to the best part of the meal – dessert. I chose the Mascarpone Cream. It ended up being the highlight of my meal. Mascarpone is basically the Italian version of American cream cheese. My dessert tasted not much unlike cheesecake filling. Again, I was bothered by the poor selection. In addition to my choice, there were approximately 4 ice cream based offerings, and a cheese plate. WTH? Ice cream? Give me a break. I can buy a tub of great ice cream (Blue Bell, anyone?) for $5 at my local Kroger. And more importantly, what kind of upscale restaurant doesn’t have Crème Brule on the dessert menu? Isn’t that the first rule of the upscale restaurant handbook?
My bottom line is this: no matter how many bells and whistles you place on a restaurant, no matter how many glamorous accoutrements you attach to it, its merit is determined by one thing and one thing only - its food. I have no problem paying $124 for a meal (2 people + 1 bottle of wine) as long as I can walk away with a full stomach and a satisfied grin. I got neither of those from Luqa. Still, if the restaurant isn’t your cup of tea, you need not give up on your fantasies of a glamorous life. Remember, you’ve got three other levels of glamour to choose from.
Tip: Don’t be fooled by the menu posted on the website. What you see isn’t necessarily what you’re going to get. http://petruslounge.com/
Dallas, TX
214.760.9000
I will admit it. On more than one occasion I’ve fantasized about living a perfectly glamorous, cosmopolitan life (a la Sheila E) filled with gallery openings, trendy eateries, and swanky lounges. Imagine my excitement when a friend of mine tipped me off to Petrus Lounge. Let me set the scene: located at the corner of Main and Field in downtown Dallas, Petrus Lounge offers its patrons four levels of glamour – an art gallery on level 1, a high-end restaurant called Luqa on level 2, a sexy club/lounge with plush couches and dark corners on level 3, and a rooftop deck/garden - complete with elevated “catwalk” and wishing fountain flowing beneath it - on level 4. This review concerns itself primarily with the restaurant on level 2 as the bulk of my time at Petrus Lounge was spent there.
At first glance, Luca has everything a hip, new upscale restaurant should have – good location, ambient lighting, covered tables with full place settings, waitstaff with European accents, and seating along glass walls so that you can be entertained by the goings on of the street below (and simultaneously be the envy of all who see you in return). Then, you open the menu and that’s where all the trouble begins and ends.
I went there for dinner Saturday evening. As with any good meal, I started with an appetizer – fried green tomatoes, a southern favorite. My appetizer arrived artfully arranged on a black marble tile – not a plate, not a tray, but a black marble tile not much unlike what you would find at a home improvement store. I immediately could have judged the restaurant to be pompous and unnecessarily pretentious, but instead, I reasoned that the restaurant was simply maintaining the artistic values of the gallery on the first floor. I took my first bite and it was all downhill from there. My fried green tomatoes were bland (to put it mildly). I tried to sop up (yes, I said sop up; it is a southern dish) as much of the hollandaise sauce as I could, but when you consider there was approximately ½ a teaspoon of hollandaise on the entire plate, excuse me, tile, that was easier said than done. The only things tasty were the marinated cherry tomatoes that were used to garnish the fried green tomatoes.
My entrée, California Artichoke Ravioli, was unremarkable as well, but more bothersome than the lack of flavor was the lack of variety in the selection. In essence, there were seven entrees to choose from: fish, chicken, lamb, a meatless option, pork, steak, and lobster (unavailable the night that I was there). Considering that I eat neither pork nor red meat, the only options I had were fish, chicken, and the meatless option. Since I eat chicken all the time, and the butterfish on the menu was replaced with salmon for the night (which I didn’t have a taste for), the only option I had left was the California Artichoke Ravioli – another pretty presentation, another unsatisfying dish.
Finally, I get to the best part of the meal – dessert. I chose the Mascarpone Cream. It ended up being the highlight of my meal. Mascarpone is basically the Italian version of American cream cheese. My dessert tasted not much unlike cheesecake filling. Again, I was bothered by the poor selection. In addition to my choice, there were approximately 4 ice cream based offerings, and a cheese plate. WTH? Ice cream? Give me a break. I can buy a tub of great ice cream (Blue Bell, anyone?) for $5 at my local Kroger. And more importantly, what kind of upscale restaurant doesn’t have Crème Brule on the dessert menu? Isn’t that the first rule of the upscale restaurant handbook?
My bottom line is this: no matter how many bells and whistles you place on a restaurant, no matter how many glamorous accoutrements you attach to it, its merit is determined by one thing and one thing only - its food. I have no problem paying $124 for a meal (2 people + 1 bottle of wine) as long as I can walk away with a full stomach and a satisfied grin. I got neither of those from Luqa. Still, if the restaurant isn’t your cup of tea, you need not give up on your fantasies of a glamorous life. Remember, you’ve got three other levels of glamour to choose from.
Tip: Don’t be fooled by the menu posted on the website. What you see isn’t necessarily what you’re going to get. http://petruslounge.com/
Ten Sports Grill
1302 Main Street
214.748.1010
Ten Sports Grill is not much unlike your local, dive bar – small, dark, and unremarkable. The bar can hold (including standing room) maybe 150 people. There aren’t 100 TVs showing every sporting event known to man. Instead, there is one large jumbo-screen and about eight other TVs posted throughout the bar. I counted only three different sporting matches being shown while I was there: Cowboys vs Colts (pre-season), a soccer match showcasing the uber-handsome (yet only moderately skilled) David Beckham, and something else that I can’t remember because clearly I didn’t find it relevant to my life. There are 3 or 4 large banquet tables in the center of the room, and various two and four-person tables scattered around them (all have seen better days). The chairs reminded me of those that were present in the banquet hall of my old Baptist church some twenty years ago – vinyl with really thin padding.
Located in downtown Dallas at the corner of Field and Main, the bar’s patrons were an interesting mix of downtown workers and “urbanites” that live on the south side of town. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic – most seemed to be serious sports fans. You could feel the pain in their groans at every incomplete pass, and revel in their cheers at every touchdown. Ten Sports Grill is not where you go to see and be seen; and perhaps that’s why it was voted as “best place to watch a game with a Maverick or a Cowboy” on citysearch.com. Professional athletes (and regular Joes and Janes) can go there and not be bothered with the pomp and circumstance of some other sports bars. I especially appreciated that, as a non-smoker in a room full of smokers, the air quality/ventilation was most excellent all things considered.
So if you’re a serious sports fan and for some reason your HD flat panel, big screen TV has died, then Ten Sports Grill is a fine substitute.
Tip: Thursday nights there are happy-hour drink specials all night long and all appetizers are 2 for $10.
http://www.tensportsgrill.com/
214.748.1010
Ten Sports Grill is not much unlike your local, dive bar – small, dark, and unremarkable. The bar can hold (including standing room) maybe 150 people. There aren’t 100 TVs showing every sporting event known to man. Instead, there is one large jumbo-screen and about eight other TVs posted throughout the bar. I counted only three different sporting matches being shown while I was there: Cowboys vs Colts (pre-season), a soccer match showcasing the uber-handsome (yet only moderately skilled) David Beckham, and something else that I can’t remember because clearly I didn’t find it relevant to my life. There are 3 or 4 large banquet tables in the center of the room, and various two and four-person tables scattered around them (all have seen better days). The chairs reminded me of those that were present in the banquet hall of my old Baptist church some twenty years ago – vinyl with really thin padding.
Located in downtown Dallas at the corner of Field and Main, the bar’s patrons were an interesting mix of downtown workers and “urbanites” that live on the south side of town. The crowd was loud and enthusiastic – most seemed to be serious sports fans. You could feel the pain in their groans at every incomplete pass, and revel in their cheers at every touchdown. Ten Sports Grill is not where you go to see and be seen; and perhaps that’s why it was voted as “best place to watch a game with a Maverick or a Cowboy” on citysearch.com. Professional athletes (and regular Joes and Janes) can go there and not be bothered with the pomp and circumstance of some other sports bars. I especially appreciated that, as a non-smoker in a room full of smokers, the air quality/ventilation was most excellent all things considered.
So if you’re a serious sports fan and for some reason your HD flat panel, big screen TV has died, then Ten Sports Grill is a fine substitute.
Tip: Thursday nights there are happy-hour drink specials all night long and all appetizers are 2 for $10.
http://www.tensportsgrill.com/
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
A Brief History of White Music [a musical]
I will admit, I am completely biased about this posting because one of the stars of the musical is an old high school classmate of mine, Ms. Chimberly "Coco" Carter. I'm really proud of her for following her dreams.
A Brief History of White Music
By Dee Dee Thomas & David Tweedy
What if a trio of African-Amercian singers reinterpreted the music of the Andrews Sisters, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles?
Hip and moving, A Brief History of White Music sings the songs you grew up loving…as they’ve never been sung before! A Brief History of White Music features musical favorites such as:
That'll Be The Day-
Walk Like A Man-
Who Put The Bomp-
Love Potion #9-
Blue Suede Shoes-
California Dreamin'-
Do Wah Diddy-
I Wanna Hold Your Hand-
These Boots Are Made For Walking-
Son Of A Preacher Man
And much more!
For more info and to see pictures of the cast: http://www.watertowertheatre.org/studio.asp#1
Show runs August 2 - 26, 2007.
A Brief History of White Music
By Dee Dee Thomas & David Tweedy
What if a trio of African-Amercian singers reinterpreted the music of the Andrews Sisters, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles?
Hip and moving, A Brief History of White Music sings the songs you grew up loving…as they’ve never been sung before! A Brief History of White Music features musical favorites such as:
That'll Be The Day-
Walk Like A Man-
Who Put The Bomp-
Love Potion #9-
Blue Suede Shoes-
California Dreamin'-
Do Wah Diddy-
I Wanna Hold Your Hand-
These Boots Are Made For Walking-
Son Of A Preacher Man
And much more!
For more info and to see pictures of the cast: http://www.watertowertheatre.org/studio.asp#1
Show runs August 2 - 26, 2007.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Cheap Date Alert #6
FREE concerts, oh how I love you. Let me count the ways...
Symphonic Saturdays (8pm - 10pm)
Esplanade Park
5044 Addison Circle Drive
Addison, Texas
Picnic in the park or dine in at one of Addison Circle's many great eateries as you enjoy soothing symphonic music from the Richardson Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony.
DATES:
August 4 - Richardson Symphony Orchestra
August 11 - Dallas Wind Symphony
August 18 - Richardson Symphony Orchestra
August 25 - Dallas Wind Symphony
COST: Free
Symphonic Saturdays (8pm - 10pm)
Esplanade Park
5044 Addison Circle Drive
Addison, Texas
Picnic in the park or dine in at one of Addison Circle's many great eateries as you enjoy soothing symphonic music from the Richardson Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony.
DATES:
August 4 - Richardson Symphony Orchestra
August 11 - Dallas Wind Symphony
August 18 - Richardson Symphony Orchestra
August 25 - Dallas Wind Symphony
COST: Free
CONGRATULATIONS
I'm sending a special shout out to the koolest of kats: Joseph E. Coleman (my pops).
For the first time in 23 years, the USPS formally recognized the innumerable contributions he's made on the job.
It's about DAMN TIME!!!!
For the first time in 23 years, the USPS formally recognized the innumerable contributions he's made on the job.
It's about DAMN TIME!!!!
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