KwanzaaFest 2008

Kwanzaa is an often misunderstood holiday-celebration-week of atonement.

Here's your (and my) opportunity to learn more about it.

KwanzaaFest is on Saturday, December 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.and Sunday, December 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Automobile Building at Fair Park. Estimated attendees for both days exceeded 50,000 in 2007.

From http://www.dallasnews.com/ :

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price will present the annual community festival on Saturday and Sunday at Fair Park. It will feature performances by R&B artists, gospel singers, dancers, jazz ensembles, drummers and more. The lineup will include Jazmine Sullivan, Plies, Baby Bash, Play N Skillz and Mary Mary. Other activities will include a health fair with screenings and information booths, a high school debate competition and a vendor fair. – NANCY MOORE / Staff Writer

This year's KwanzaaFest is noteworthy because a new event has been added to the festival. Inspired by the movie "The Great Debaters," debate teams from Carter and Roosevelt high schools will battle it out Sunday, December 14th at 2pm on the main stage.

http://www.johnwileyprice.com/kwanzaa-main.html

Salvation Army Angel Tree - It's Not Too Late

The Salvation Army is an AWESOME charitable organization that serves individuals and families 365 days/year. While we know (or should know) that Christmas isn't about gifts or money, your donation to the Salvation Army can help bring a little Christmas cheer to hundreds (thousands?) of people in North Texas.

You can drop your spare change in the red bucket, make a contribution online (or via USPS), but my personal favorite is the Angel Tree. Visit one of the many Angel Trees throughout the metroplex and adopt one or more "Angels" from the tree (I always go to Northpark Mall). These "Angels" represent individuals in need. Each card displays just two items that the person would like for Christmas: an item they need and an item they want. I know we're in a recession, but it's just two gifts and often the "Angels" ask so little of us.

My sister and I adopted 5 "Angels" this year. One "Angel" is a 66 year old woman who needs a coat and wants a knit hat. Another of our "Angels" is a 7 year old boy who needs a jacket and wants a hand held game. You see? No one's asking you to break the bank; but I am asking you to consider opening your heart and adopting an "Angel" today.

For complete details on the Angel tree, click below. Hurry! All "Angel" gifts are due back at the designated drop-off location (the same place where you adopted your Angel) by December 15, 2008. Don't delay!

http://www.salvationarmydfw.org/

Life Happens..

Rather than attempt to explain my absence over the last couple of weeks, I'll just share a few pictures and let you weave together a story. It's more fun that way.

Feeling Charitable? Wine, Women & Shoes event November 20-21, 2008

Wine, Women & Shoes is a charity event benefiting The Women’s Museum at Fair Park. Wine, Women & Shoes is comprised of three separate events that range in price from $45 - $275 depending on seating and whether you’re a member of the museum.

Rather than give you all the details, I will whet your appetite (pun included) with the names of the separate events and encourage you to visit the website for more information. This event is too rich for my blood (recession remember?) but I would love to hear about your experience if you go and would be grateful for any pictures.

Sip, Savor, and Learn
November 20th 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Sip & Shop
November 21st 11:30am – 1:30pm

Sip & Dine
November 21st 7pm

TIP: If you can afford to attend, I suspect this is going to be an excellent networking opportunity for any young (or not), ambitious woman. You never know who might be sitting on your left/right.

For more info:

http://www.winewomenandshoes.com/dallas.html

Cheap Date Alert #10: CityLights! Downtown Dallas November 14, 2008

Generally, I think that Christmas is a holiday for kids – the thoughtfulness of making a list, the preparation of cookies and milk to win the favor of the imaginary fat guy, the uncontrollable excitement that still is not enough to keep you from falling asleep on December 24th, and the ultimate rush of tearing through wrapping paper to see what the mystical fat man left under your tree (or leaning against the wall with a bow on it when I got the Pogo stick that year). Unfortunately, my sister and I are on track to becoming old maids so there are not any little people running around our homes necessitating that we decorate with wreaths, trees, and garland, and pipe endless Christmas music and the smells of vanilla and nutmeg through the air.

BUT this year I’m going to reclaim the holiday season for myself by attending CityLights! in Downtown Dallas Friday, November 14th at 6:30pm. I always cringe when people use New York City as their point of reference for an event/activity. I haven’t sipped the “NYC is the best city on Earth Kool-Aid.” However, in this case, it’s just easier. CityLights! is similar to all the festivities surrounding the lighting of the Christmas tree in NYC’s Rockefeller Center each year. During this year’s CityLights! event there will be live music, street performers, face painting, and other revelry in the immediate vicinity of Neiman Marcus on Main Street.

6:30PM – Festivities begin.

7:00PM – Lighting of Neiman Marcus store and unveiling of Neiman Marcus Christmas tree and holiday displays

7:30PM – Lighting of official downtown holiday tree at Pegasus Plaza

Area retailers and restaurants will keep their doors open later with holiday specials and other persuasive offers. Just because it’s still 73 degrees outside doesn’t mean that the holidays aren’t here. Hope to see you there.


TIP: The three Main Street District CityPark garages are offering $2 FLAT parking for the event.

Want to Buy a Piece of History?

The Dallas Morning News is selling a picture (in various sizes) shot by one of its staff of the new "First Family" of the United States during the victory celebration at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night. Click the link below to see the picture and to place your order. If for some reason the link doesn't work, just cut and paste into your browser.

AND/OR

You can buy a reprint of the front page of today's Dallas Morning News which includes the pic from above and all the accompanying headlines. You can also choose to have your item professionally framed.

http://www.pictopia.com/perl/ptp/dallasmn?photo_name=2008/11/081104_NPO_04OBAMAbarack4.jpg&embedded=y&thumbnail_url=www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/pt/photos/2008/11/081104_NPO_04OBAMAbarack4.jpg&title=&pps=dmnpt&time=1225915152502
I'll be placing my order tonight.

If you're feeling the pinch of the recession, fear not. There will be a special commemorative section in Sunday's edition of Dallas Morning News. And you can always cut things out of the paper and frame them yourself.

UPDATE: Beware of shipping charges. I ordered a framed reprint of the front page and the shipping cost was $37.95. That's waaaaay steep.

CONGRATULATIONS President-Elect BARACK OBAMA !!!