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News Feed - CultureMap Dallas http://dallas.culturemap.com/feeds/news/ 2014-11-23T13:37:48-06:00 New Trinity Groves diner gifts Dallas with another holiday tamale option 2014-11-23T13:37:48-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-23-14-didis-tamale-diner-trinity-groves/
 The newest opening at Trinity Groves is a full-service Latin restaurant and tequila bar called DiDi's Tamale Diner, which focuses on Mexican and Central American tamales that combine traditional tastes with innovative flavors. Opening date is November 23 — just in time for holiday tamales.

 Tamale ingredients include smoked brisket, spicy pork, chicken and cheese. DiDi's also offers tortas, which are Mexican sandwiches filled with a variety of savory ingredients — barbacoa, pork, chicken — and topped with pickled vegetables. Sides include Mexican rice and three types of beans. There are also dessert tamales and paletas, the Latin American ice pops.

 The DiDi's team includes Michael Beck and Andina "DiDi" Fernandez, along with cooks from Mexico. Beck, a portfolio and marketing manager for Gerald L. Ray & Associates, worked with Fernandez 20 years ago. He came up with the concept after eating Fernandez's tamales.

 Hailing from Guatemala, Fernandez started making tamales out of her kitchen, selling to friends and family. Once she and Beck teamed up in 2010, they perfected the recipes and added more tamale types.

 They originally opened DiDi's in Mesquite three-and-a-half years ago, but they closed that to focus on the opportunity at Trinity Groves.

 The dining room at DiDi's Tamale Diner seats 70 to 80 people, and a full bar features tequilas, margaritas, beer and mezcal. Individual tamales are $2-$3.50 each; tamale combos are $9. Tamales also can be purchased to go.
 DART schedule changes for Thanksgiving are a little more serious than usual 2014-11-23T12:02:51-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/11-23-14-dart-thanksgiving-schedule-downtown-track-repair/
 If you intend to use Dallas Area Rapid Transit or the Trinity Railway Express during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend, you'll want to read on before starting your trip. DART has some serious schedule changes you need to know about.

 All downtown Dallas light rail service will be shut down from Thursday, November 27, to Sunday, November 30, to replace aging train tracks. This has been ongoing during the weekends; now that downtime will run for four days.

 DART shuttle buses will serve the affected stations. Buses will load and unload at the red "Rail Disruption" bus stops located near each station. You can find out more at DART.org/cbdrailreplacement.

 Buses and light rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thursday, November 27, and a Saturday schedule on Friday, November 28.

 The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will not operate on Thanksgiving Day. On Friday, it will follow a modified schedule. Schedule details are available at TrinityRailwayExpress.org.

 DART Paratransit will operate on a holiday schedule on Thanksgiving Day and the day after. The Paratransit scheduling center will be closed on Thursday and Friday. This means regular subscription trips are canceled on those days.

 Customers may call on Wednesday, November 26, to schedule service for Thursday, November 27, through Tuesday, December 2. Customers should call 214-515-7272 and choose option 3 to schedule their trip. Next-day scheduling is also available each day using DART's voice mail booking application and automated X-Press Booking feature.

 DART's customer information center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day but will open Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. It is available by calling 214-979-1111.

 DART administrative offices and the customer care center — which handles complaints, commendations, suggestions, and lost and found — will be closed both Thanksgiving Day and Friday.
 New all-in-one ticket grants access to hottest Dallas Art Fair events 2014-11-23T10:34:45-06:00 Alex Bentley http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/arts/11-23-14-dalpass-dallas-art-fair-all-access-pass/
 The annual Dallas Art Fair is the place to see and be seen every April. For those art enthusiasts who want to make sure they're present at all the big events, fair organizers have introduced the new DalPass for 2015.

 The DalPass grants you access to seven of the hottest events during Dallas Art Fair week, including the Dallas Contemporary members opening celebration, Dallas Art Fair VIP preview luncheon, Dallas Art Fair preview gala, Goss-Michael Foundation breakfast, private tours of Nasher Collection and Melvin Edwards: Five Decades, MTV RE:DEFINE gala dinner and art auction, and Art Ball 50 after party.

 The 2015 DalPass also includes entrance to Dallas Art Fair, taking place at Fashion Industry Gallery from April 9-12.

 The DalPass doesn't come cheap, though: $1,500 per person. But of that $1,500, $1,000 goes toward MTV RE:DEFINE, $250 goes to the Art Ball 50 after party and $250 goes to the Dallas Art Fair preview gala, meaning you essentially get seven events, plus the fair itself, for the price of three.

 For that art- and society-obsessed friend or family member, the DalPass might be just the ticket when it comes to gift-giving this holiday season.
 Trammell Crow's historic Highland Park estate carries hefty price tag 2014-11-23T09:01:03-06:00 Leah Shafer http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/11-23-14-trammell-crow-estate-highland-park-for-sale-allie-beth-allman/
 A slice of local history has hit the market: The Highland Park estate of the late Dallas real estate developer and art collector Trammell Crow and his late wife Margaret is now listed with Allie Beth Allman & Associates for $59.4 million.

 Located between Preston Road and Turtle Creek Boulevard, the 10,000-square-foot Tudor-style house has a price tag that reflects storied history, palatial size and tony creekside location. As of now, this is an off-market listing not yet in the MLS.

 Sitting on almost 6 acres, the mansion was built in 1912 by Henry Lee Edwards, a Dallas cotton tycoon, who hired architect C.D. Hill to design the place. Hill is responsible for many of Dallas' architecturally significant buildings and residences of the early 1900s, like the Beaux Arts beauty at 106 S. Harwood St. in downtown (old city hall), Oak Lawn United Methodist Church and the Spanish mansion at 3318 Beverly Dr. in Highland Park.

 In addition to the main house, the Crow estate has a 986-square-foot guesthouse and a 1,590-square-foot servants quarters, located above the garages, according to Steve Brown at the Dallas Morning News. There's even a tree on the land that dates to the founding of Highland Park over 100 years ago.

 The Crow family has called this estate home since moving there in 1961, but the deaths of Mr. Crow in January 2009 and Mrs. Crow this April prompted the family to put it on the market.

 The next owners will not only inherit great stories of a half century of swinging soirées attended by Dallas elite, but they also will have some big-name neighbors: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and financier Edward "Rusty" Rose. Son Harlan Crow's mega-estate is just up Preston Road.

 To put this $59.4 million price tag in prospective, there's only one other residential property on the market for more, the Crespi Hicks Estate, home of Tom Hicks. This Preston Hollow mansion is 42,000 square feet, listed for $60 million with less land, but it originally was listed for $135 million for all 25 acres.

 The next highest property listed by Allie Beth Allman is 5950 Deloache Ave., at $37.5 million. This 9-acre Preston Hollow estate offers a 15,000-square-foot home designed by legendary architect Robert A.M. Stern. That is, of course, the home of Dallas attorney Lisa Blue.

 ---

 A version of this story originally was published on Candy's Dirt.
 Texas farmer masters cuttings as creative alternative to seeds 2014-11-23T06:00:00-06:00 Marshall Hinsley http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-23-14-texas-farmer-cuttings-seed-alternative/
 Still a novice at growing things, I feel that any new skill I learn is a huge step forward. Most recently added to my bag of tricks is the ability to do root cuttings, which allows me to propagate plants not from seed but from other plants.

 In cuttings, you take a twig from an established plant and insert it into a growing medium. If all goes well, it form roots and leaves and becomes a new, independent plant.

 I'd tried to root cuttings when I was a child but always failed. But after my wife and I took a one-evening community course on plant propagation taught by a botanist, the process became clear. I learned that you take a cutting of the stem from the most recent year's growth — distinct from older growth because it's still soft and bendable, and it has some green left in the outer skin.

  Take a twig from an established plant and insert it into a growing medium. If all goes well, it form roots and leaves and becomes a new, independent plant.

 Cut a section of a stem just below a so-called node, the place on a stem where it looks like a branch or a leaf is trying to bud out. A node is usually a thicker spot on the stem and has a concentration of literal stem cells that can become a leafy branch or roots.

 About three to four inches up from that node, cut the stem again, this time so that this top tip includes a node just below the cut. You should end up with a twig about the length and roundness of a golf pencil, maybe a little longer, with a node at the bottom and a node at the top. It's important to keep track of which tip was closest to the roots because that's the tip that needs to be designated as the bottom of the cutting.

 I trim my cuttings so that there's a leaf or two left on each one, in the upper fourth of the twig. The lower three-fourths of the cutting I dip into a container of rooting hormone powder, then immediately insert the powder-coated portion of the cutting into a small, 4-inch pot filled with moist vermiculite. All that pops up out of the top of the pot of vermiculite is a short portion of the cutting; the majority gets buried.

 The new cutting is prone to drying out, so placing a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over it will retain moisture lost from the vermiculite and create a high humidity dome for the cutting. Kept in a warm spot with only filtered sunlight, not full sun, the cutting should show signs of life in a month or two by unfurling a new leaf.

 The chances of the cutting staying alive are dismal. It may produce a little new growth, but something is very likely to go wrong: the vermiculite gets too dry, fungus attacks or the cutting just fails to thrive. Perhaps the greatest secret I learned from the class is that you should root a lot of cuttings.

 You're up against the odds for winning, so you must place your bet on dozens and dozens of cuttings to see just one take hold. Or at least I do because I'm new to this.

  Kept in a warm spot with only filtered sunlight, a cutting should show signs of life in a month or two by unfurling a new leaf.

 So last fall, when I seized the optimal time of year to start cuttings, I prepared 24. By the spring of this year, about seven looked like they took hold. By the end of summer, only one remained. But that one flourished and even flowered by August with a beautiful red bloom disproportionately large on such a tiny base.

 By October, it bloomed again. I can now plant it out in the ground, or pot it up and give it a head start before I put it out into the elements.

 Now that I've finally had success with rooting cuttings, I may never have to buy a potted landscaping plant again. I'll just root my own. What's more, I can root trees and shrubs that garden centers will never touch, such as cottonwood trees — the ones that produce the light and airy cottony seed structures that float gracefully down like snowflakes from branches towering high up in the sky, rather than the cottonless varieties.

 Save a rose
 Best of all, having acquired this new skill means I might be able to save a forgotten rose bush I've had my eye on for almost 35 years now.

 Along an abandoned rural road, about a mile from where I live south of Waxahachie, there's a forgotten homesite I found when I was a kid, back in the '70s. No house remains there; I've never seen it as it was gone long before.

 I found it one day as was riding my bike down the road and spotted irises growing along the ditch bank. So showy and un-Texas were they that I knew they had to have been planted by someone. I took in the pretty sight of the huge, soft, white blooms, each about the size of a crumpled facial tissue billowing in the wind, and then came across a scraggy rosebush.

 I concluded that I was in someone's forgotten yard. Nearby bricks forming the foundation of what looked like a fireplace confirmed my suspicions.

  Now that I've finally had success with rooting cuttings, I may never have to buy a potted landscaping plant again.

 Something about the living remnants of someone's life, by then long over, gave me a sense of curiosity tinged with sadness. Who knows how many people lived in that home, or how long ago — maybe more than a century ago, because it had disappeared long before my parents bought land nearby.

 I wondered if a woman planted the irises and if the husband planted the rose bush. They were planted from a desire to create beauty, and then a generation or two later, these living historical markers remained alive and were still creating beauty.

 In my early teens, I dug up a few dozen of the irises and transplanted them in front of my home. They were easy to relocate and have bloomed each year in their new spot for three decades now.

 But how to transplant the rosebush has always eluded me. From time to time I've visited it and thought about ways to continue its legacy before the land is sold and someone wipes it off the earth to make way for something new. But not until the plant propagation class, and my first success with rooting a cutting, did I think I stood a chance of rescuing the rose.

 On a gloomy day in early November, I returned to the site. It had been about 15 years since I'd seen the bush, even though it's just a mile or so away. The new tenants of the land run cattle on it, and they had built brush piles in the area of the homesite.

 I searched the land for more than an hour trying to find the rosebush. Crisscrossing the weedy ground, I saw that the irises were still going strong. I came across a used motor oil collection container that some miscreant had dumped on the property in the '90s. I thought the rosebush was near it, but when I found no thorny bush, I began to conclude that it had succumbed to the drought of 2011, which killed many trees throughout the state and set the ones that survived up for future failure, hence why thunderstorms seem to be toppling more trees now than ever before.

 As the sun set and the clouds darkened, in the light that remained I found the rosebush. It had hung onto life, persisting all these years in isolation with no one to see its yellow blooms. But only just barely had it survived. It had always been scraggly, but now it was a single branch with a few scrawny stems. Perhaps it had died back to the roots a few times.

 My newfound skill of plant propagation comes in what could be the last season of this rosebush's life. If I can apply what I've learned and cultivate new plants from it, the intention to cultivate beauty that its initial planter had so long ago will be renewed.
 Earthquake in Irving gives Dallas-Fort Worth a jolt 2014-11-22T23:44:14-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/11-22-14-earthquake-irving-texas-stadium-love-field/
 An earthquake hit Dallas on Saturday, November 22, at 9:15 pm. According to earthquaketrack.com, the epicenter was in Irving and was a magnitude 3.3. Within an hour, more than 900 people had filed notifications with earthquake.usgovs.org.

 People reported feeling it across Dallas and the Mid-Cities, including Arlington, Benbrook, Grand Prairie, Southlake and Valley Ranch, all the way to Carrollton, Addison, Allen, East Dallas, University Park, Oak Cliff and Deep Ellum. Residents near Love Field felt it more palpably, and some homes in Irving rattled and shook.

 The quake was more of an abrupt jolt than a rolling quake. CBS 11 meteorologist Jeffrey Ray called it the strongest earthquake to shake the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2009. This marks the third earthquake in Irving in the past two weeks, but it was the largest.

 According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake's centere was approximately 2 miles beneath east Irving, near the former Texas Stadium site.
 Santa's naughty-and-nice list and Sam's Club protest top this week's city news 2014-11-22T13:32:33-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/11-22-14-city-news-sams-club-protest-naughty-nice-trinity-toll-road-philip-kingston/
 It's not Christmas yet, but Dallas City Council member Philip "Santa" Kingston has already created a naughty-and-nice list of who's for the Trinity toll road and who's against. Another high-speed train is being considered in North Texas, and there was a protest in the streets over Sam's Club.

 These are some of the biggest things that happened in Dallas this week:

 Naughty and nice
 Dallas City Council member Philip Kingston put together a list of who is for and against the controversial Trinity toll road, broken down into who's "naughty" (for the road) and "nice" (against). The naughty include Mayor Mike Rawlings; former city manager Mary Suhm; Craig Holcomb of the Trinity Commons Foundation; Greater Dallas Regional Chamber; Dallas Citizens Council; city council members Jerry Allen, Rick Callahan, Monica Alonzo, Lee Kleinman, Vonciel Hill; and more.

 The nice include Angela Hunt; city council members Scott Griggs, Adam Medrano and Sandy Greyson; architects Larry Good and Robert Meckfessel; architecture critic Mark Lamster; Patrick "Walkable DFW" Kennedy; and many more.

 Just say no
 Architecture critic Mark Lamster offers advice to the design experts drafted by Mayor Mike Rawlings to reexamine the proposed Trinity toll road: "Don't come. Please. There is only one legitimate answer to the question you will be asked, 'What should we do about this road.' That answer is 'Kill it.'" He warns them that they are pawns in a political game and recommends they "just say no."

 Sam's Club protest
 Neighbors opposed to the Sam's Club near CityPlace held a protest on November 19 during rush hour to make the point that, once it's built, rush hour traffic will only get worse. Protesters say that any kind of megastore will destroy the heavily residential area — one that also has two schools, including the Lighthouse for the Blind. Despite Trammell Crow's lead-footed intractability, residents in the neighborhood are determined not to give up.

 More high-speed trains
 The Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration hosted a series of public meetings to solicit input on a high-speed rail line under consideration between Dallas and Fort Worth, including a stop in Arlington. Proposed routes include alongside I-30 or alongside the Trinity Railway Express. TxDOT got a federal grant to conduct an environmental impact study. Michael Morris, director of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, says that there's a private sector entity interested in building it.

 Horse pucky
 Assistant city manager Jill Jordan has cleared River Ranch Educational Charities, the company that will operate the Texas Horse Park, of violations that included clearing land and erecting a barbed wire fence. River Ranch is the Plano outfit headed up by Wayne Kirk, who has previously been accused of cruelty to animals. The company has yet to finalize its insurance requirements, however.
 The Loon returns, Deep Ellum goes French and more popular stories this week 2014-11-22T09:01:35-06:00 Jennifer Chininis http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/11-22-14-loon-reopens-cliffs-bar-grill-deep-ellum-cepage-jonas-brothers-house/
 Editor's note: Another week has come and gone, and there's a lot we all probably missed. But we're looking out for you, kid. Here are the most popular stories from this past week:

 1. The Loon reopens as Cliff's Bar & Grill and drinks are as stiff as ever. It took a few more months than expected, but beloved hole-in-the-wall The Loon is open for business in a new Uptown location. It just has a different name: Cliff's Bar & Grill. It opened November 20 to a full house of former Loon regulars looking to sip on the strongest drinks in town.

 2. Jonas Brothers leave Westlake with $3.2 million parting gift in Vaquero. Anyone with around $3.2 million to burn can live like the Jonas Brothers did in Westlake. The Disney stars-turned-heartthrobs have put their 7,360-square-foot Vaquero manse at 1724 Wisteria Way on the market with Ebby Halliday's Lott Group.

 3. Deep Ellum kisses BBQ short-timer goodbye to welcome new French bistro. EZ Dude BBQ restaurant, which opened in a prime address at 2713 Elm St. in March, has closed. But these days, nothing sits empty in Deep Ellum, and so there is already a replacement, a French bistro called Cepage. It comes from longtime DFW restaurateur Jean-Michel Sakouhi.

 4. Better move on this Dallas midcentury treasure for sale on Disney Streets. Midcentury modern enthusiasts in the market for a home will be happy to learn there is a new listing at 11023 Pinocchio Dr., in the sought-after Disney Streets of Midway Hills. It was designed by architect George Halfin for the 1954 Parade of Homes.

 5. Mayor Mike Rawlings' letter gets leaked and more news from around Dallas. Given the shortage of funds and overwhelming public dislike, it seems unfathomable that some local mucky-mucks would still think the Trinity River toll road is a good idea, or that they might still be trying to lobby for it. But they do and they are. Fortunately, we can protest that in the streets, thanks to a move by the Dallas City Council.
 DIFFA Dallas devotees show first signs of Christmas spirit at annual wreaths event 2014-11-21T17:14:27-06:00 Diana Oates http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/society/11-21-14-diffa-19th-annual-holiday-wreaths-collection/
 What: DIFFA/Dallas 19th annual Holiday Wreath Collection

 Where: Galleria Dallas

 The 411: DIFFA/Dallas kicked off the holiday season with a festive mall excursion in which patrons mingled among unique wreaths produced and donated by more than 40 national and local businesses, designers and individuals. DJ Lucy Wrubel entertained the crowd while guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvre and bid on the one-of-a-kind wreaths and extraordinary auction packages. Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA/Dallas) raises funds for organizations that aid in the fight against HIV/AIDS by providing preventative education programs, treatment and direct care services for people living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS. Since 1984, DIFFA/Dallas has granted more than $6 million to more than 25 front-line HIV/AIDS service organizations in North Texas.

 Who: DIFFA/Dallas chairman of the board Clint Bradley, Wreath Collection co-chairs Matt Wilkerson and Carol Quist, Holly Quartaro, Ron Corning, Amy Vanderoef, Jason and Brittanie Buchanan Oleniczak, LeeAnne Locken, Melissa Enriquez, Darin Kunz, Simona Beal, Justin Bundick, Carol Hatton, Krystal and Tommy DeAlano, Ron Brady, Edo Popken, Tatyana Murphy, Rhonda Vandiver-White, Jenn Clark, Tre Wilcox, Norma Johnson, Melinda Thomas, Ivana Hall, and Lynn Van Amburgh.
 Dallas embraces status as world-class art city with launch of ArtPrize 2014-11-21T16:35:48-06:00 Kendall Morgan http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/arts/11-21-14-artprize-dallas-2016-launch-ariel-saldivar/
 Dallas artists both established and aspiring have a reason for good cheer this holiday season. The international art competition ArtPrize just announced a Big D expansion in 2016, with up to $560,000 prizes and grants for local talent.

 Established in 2009 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by entrepreneur Rick DeVos, the 19-day event takes over venues both traditional and unexpected — lobbies, laundromats and auto body shops among them — with contemporary art, providing a critical dialogue among both the general populace and art critics.

 Having a $22.2 million economic impact on Grand Rapids in 2013 alone, the expansion of ArtPrize was always a foregone conclusion, and the organization's executive director, Christian Gaines, says Dallas is just the right place to do it.

  "Dallas seems to have an appetite for it," says ArtPrize executive director Christian Gaines.

 "The impact it could have on a city was established after its second year, and we spent time thinking about and developing the guiding principles about what ArtPrize is," Gaines says. "We had a few conversations with different cities, but when we started to talk to Dallas, we got a sense quickly of a community that was really ready for ArtPrize.

 "Dallas seems to have an appetite for it, and the conversations just sped up and got more and more interesting."

 Former Goss-Michael Foundation associate director Ariel Saldivar, who served as an ArtPrize juror in the 2014 competition, will take on the role of executive director of ArtPrize Dallas. Having approached crucial players in the Dallas arts scene, she found a warm reception for the concept, starting with Mayor Mike Rawlings.

 "Dallas right now is in a very different time than it was 10 years ago or even five years ago," Saldivar says. "There's such an appetite here with Aurora and the Dallas Art Fair coming to town and in terms of a growing art community. There's also room to expand the arts audience. The artists are hungry for it, and ArtPrize will be part of that story."

 Although still in the planning stages, the event will mostly likely launch the week after the Dallas Art Fair in downtown and Deep Ellum, with possible expansion to the Cedars and Fair Park. Any artist over the age of 18 is eligible to register online, and venues will connect online with talent at artprize.org. The public can vote on works via mobile devices to award half the prize money, with a jury of international experts rewarding the other half.

 "You can compare and contrast what the public thinks and what the experts think," Gaines says. "Anyone can self-identify as an artist, and anyone who identifies as a venue can participate. The purpose of that is to make the process truly open and accessible to all."

 With an average of 400,000 visitors, this annual event should have a significant impact on both the culture and the economy of Dallas. "Whether you're an artist or venue or any kind of business or nonprofit or family or individual, you're looking at that big holiday and coming up with ideas on how to celebrate it," Gaines says. "Everyone's got a part to play, and that's what's fun about it."
 Dallas Cowboys want Tony Romo for playoff push whether he's healthy or not 2014-11-21T14:37:45-06:00 Brad Seal http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/sports/11-21-14-cowboys-quarterback-tony-romo-back-injury-playoff-push/
 Tony Romo is used to pressure being placed on his shoulders. He may not be as used to its being placed on his back. That surgically repaired part of his body may determine whether the Cowboys can survive the upcoming schedule grind to make a playoff run.

 Currently, Romo has two fractured bones in his back that have made it nearly impossible for him to do simple tasks such as tying his shoes. Logic says that the Cowboys should let him take some time to heal, so he can be ready for that final December playoff push. But Dallas owner Jerry Jones doesn't subscribe to normal logic.

 It's not that the Cowboys didn't try to give the franchise quarterback some rest. Three weeks ago, Romo sat out during a game with the NFC-leading Arizona Cardinals. Backup quarterback Brandon Weeden made them regret that decision. Now the oft-criticized Romo will deal with a different kind of burden — the pressure to stay upright and play through immense pain.

 The Weeden disaster showed everyone that despite the top-notch running game and offensive line, Dallas needs Tony Romo to be a playoff contender. He is enjoying the most effective season of his career (his highest quarterback rating to date and second-highest completion percentage, just to name a couple of key stats). He can make a team regret committing too many players to stop DeMarco Murray and the Dallas ground game.

 Therefore, instead of getting much-needed healing time, Romo found himself on a plane to London to play Jacksonville despite his injury. Luckily, he survived that trip across the pond and then had a bye week to help with the healing.

 Now the grind has arrived, and it starts with a nasty trifecta, as the Cowboys have to play three games in fewer than two weeks, including trips to the frozen lands of New York and Chicago, plus a Thanksgiving showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles for a shot at the division title.

 Romo's back is still hurting. Dallas' opponents know it's hurting, which means they will be sending players at the Cowboys quarterback from all angles in an effort to take his mind off the game. The good news is that Romo has become very adept at making teams pay for blitzing him too much by hitting receivers for big plays. The bad news is that it takes only one big shot to his back to sink the Cowboys season.

 Tony Romo has more help than he's ever had before in his quest for a Super Bowl run. But he and his ailing back are still the foundation to this team's success.
 Austin menswear fave invades Dallas with new Knox-Henderson shop 2014-11-21T13:01:13-06:00 Jennifer Chininis http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/fashion/11-21-14-stag-provisions-men-austin-knox-henderson-shop/
 Stag, the Austin menswear shop that has caught the attention of national pubs like Men's Journal and GQ, is in expansion mode: A Dallas location opened November 21 in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood.

 Currently it is housed in a temporary, 1,300-square-foot space at 4539 Travis St., but it will move into permanent 2,400-square-foot digs on Cole Street, adjacent to Trader Joe's, later in 2015. Stag also opened a shop in Venice, California, in September. The Dallas store is its third.

 Co-founder Don Weir describes the Stag philosophy thusly: "We're of the mind that menswear shouldn't be too precious and that good style is timeless. Be it a pair of washed or raw blue jeans, a wool cardigan, a leather jacket or a pair of lace-up work boots, those pieces never go out of style and, if bought well, can live in a guy's closet for years and years to come.

 "Above all, we focus on personal style over trends and take pride in putting together what we think is a unique assortment of well-made, long-lasting and all-around beautiful goods."

 Stag opened in Austin in 2009, offering a blend of eclectic apparel, accessories, grooming essentials and home goods. The store stocks up-and-coming brands alongside established designers and mixes contemporary art with one-of-a-kind vintage finds. The Austin locale is reflective of its South Congress address, offering "everything the frontman for a cowboy band could need," according to Men's Journal.

 Weir says the Dallas outpost is rooted in the same ideals as the original in Austin, but the product offering varies a bit, and the shop itself has a more refined aesthetic. "For us, one of the fun parts of running a shop is getting to know our customer and neighborhood and city's style and evolving our store over time, and we look forward to this store developing its own special character as we join the Knox-Henderson community.

 "In terms of local elements, we'll open the shop with several one-of-a-kind art pieces from Texas-based artists and plan to incorporate some Dallas-specific art in the coming months," he says.

 When asked why Venice came second, Weir says that they had their eyes on Dallas and Houston (which is coming in 2015) for a couple of years, but they weren't finding viable options in terms of real estate. "So we turned our attention to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice — one of our favorite streets in the U.S. and a market that we feel works well for Stag's aesthetic and offering. The space that we found out there is really beautiful, so we jumped on it."

 Weir says they are open to the idea of future locations, but for now they are happy with four markets. "Right now we're just focused on earning our stripes in Dallas, Venice and Houston and taking care of things back home in Austin," he says.
 CultureMap attracts Dallas social butterflies to Cointreau cocktail party 2014-11-21T12:02:37-06:00 Diana Oates http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/society/11-21-14-young-professionals-social-cointreau-ilume-park/
 We happen to believe you can never have too much of a good thing, so we partnered with Cointreau again for one last CultureMap Social of the year. This time the festivities took place at ilume Park in the bustling Cedar Springs neighborhood.

 Partygoers left their keys with the valet, scoped out the Lexus parked out front and headed straight for the Cointreau Garden to create their own custom cocktails. Fresh apples, blackberries and herbs were available for muddling and mixing with soda or lime juice. If they preferred, guests could also leave the mixology to the bartenders.

 Fueled by delicious bites courtesy of Wendy Krispin Caterer, everyone enjoyed an exclusive pop-up performance by Jeff Mitchell of Decks in the Park and got their pictures taken in the Photomadic booth. Guests — including Sarah Crilley, Madisen Reid, Erin and John Adolph, Justin Bundick, Chris McCullough, and Alison Johnson — also were spotted tweeting and Instagramming what they wished to take home as parting gifts. But more on that later.

 Attendees also explored the venue's grand lounge, replete with piano, cocktail bar, coffee bar and dog lounge. The brand new ilume Park has a fondness for our four-legged friends, as it also has a bone-shaped splash pool; enclosed walking trails; and dog walking, sitting and grooming services onsite.

 So back to the swag, which never disappoints. This time around, guests left with bags filled with goodies from Chocolate Secrets, Cointreau, Kendra Scott, Mizzen+Main and NorthPark Center.

 Now rest up, CultureMap Insiders, because our Holiday Pop-up Shop is right around the corner, on December 7. Tickets are now available for $10 each.
 The Loon reopens as Cliff's Bar & Grill and drinks are as stiff as ever 2014-11-21T11:00:54-06:00 Jonathan Rienstra http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-21-14-loon-bar-reopen-mckinney-avenue-cliffs-bar-grill/
 It took a few more months than expected, but beloved hole-in-the-wall The Loon is open for business in a new Uptown location. It just has a different name: Cliff's Bar & Grill.

 Named after owner Cliff Gonzales, who operated The Loon for 22 years, Cliff's Bar & Grill opened November 20 to a full house of former Loon regulars looking to sip on the strongest drinks in town. It takes over the former House 34 spot on McKinney Avenue, just north of Quarter Bar and So & So's.

 The Loon's last call in its former location was back in May; it was torn down to make way for a CVS.

 Though located in Uptown, the space doesn't share many of The Loon's physical qualities. For starters, the interior is well-lit, squeaky clean and snug. There's no pool table, and there are windows that actually let light in. '

 One bartender said they plan to black them out as soon as possible, but she might have been joking.

 The Loon was a treasure to those who like enjoying themselves in Uptown without dropping $60 a night. Its laid-back atmosphere created a family vibe that's in increasingly small supply in Uptown.

 Outside, Cliff's has an expansive patio letting out onto McKinney Avenue, a legacy from the extensive remodel that House 34 undertook. The Loon was the antithesis of Dallas' patio culture, but it did always have a gaggle of smokers out front, so this might work out.

 Although Cliff's doesn't look like The Loon, it still features a heavy pour that will cause a chemical flashback to its old location, and that's what it's all about. They're also serving thin-crust pizza to keep you from getting too silly from whiskey Cokes.
 Dallas-Fort Worth dominates list of best public high schools in Texas 2014-11-21T09:45:06-06:00 Jonathan Rienstra http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/city-life/11-21-14-best-public-schools-texas-dallas-fort-worth-rankings/
 Austin might have the top two public high schools in Texas, but half of the 10 best reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to rankings by Niche.

 Niche ranked 14,431 public high schools across the United States, taking into consideration survey answers from students, parents and recent alumni. In addition to millions of survey results, researchers also graded each school in the following seven categories: academics, health and safety, student culture and diversity, teachers, extracurriculars and activities, resources and facilities, and sports and fitness.

 Dallas' School for the Talented & Gifted ranked third in the state behind Westlake High School and Austin's Liberal Arts & Science Academy, and it landed at No. 15 nationally thanks to A+ marks in academics, teachers, and student culture and diversity. It was hurt by a D grade for sports and fitness, but come on.

 Plano West, Carroll and Plano Senior High took the five through seven spots with B or better letter grades — save for Carroll's C in student culture and diversity. Highland Park High School took the No. 10 spot; it was also hurt by a C grade for student culture and diversity.

 Dallas' School of Science & Engineering, Flower Mound High School, Westlake Academy and Coppell High School all made the top 20 in Texas. On the national list, Plano West came in at No. 28, Carroll took the No. 51 spot, Plano Senior High ranked No. 59 and Highland Park squeaked into the top 100 at No. 99.
 No ties required at this dessert party kickoff for AIDS Services of Dallas 2014-11-21T08:35:32-06:00 Diana Oates http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/society/11-21-14-no-ties-dinner-dessert-party-kickoff/
 It's No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party's 10th year on the Dallas philanthropic scene, and 150 of the event's biggest supporters showed up at Scott + Cooner for the best kick-off party to date.

 Co-chairs David Nelson and Dennis Kershner and honorary co-chairs Jody and Sterling O'Donnell introduced themselves and let everyone in on some exciting updates about the annual fundraiser, including a new VIP ticket option (offering exclusive auction packages, cocktails and desserts) and a shiny new website.

 With lively Hindi music filling the venue, and models Deanna Cahill and Alika Ray dressed in exotic Indian fashions and cat walking around the showroom, it didn't take guests long to figure out the 2015 theme, "Under the Yum Yum Tree." The Bollywood-style kick-off served as a small taste of things to come at the main event, which is set for Saturday, March 28, 2015, at the Frontiers of Flight Museum.

 As guests — including Don Maison, LeeAnne Locken, Steve Kemble, Stuart Boslow, Rob Cahill, Blake Baker, Chris Huffstutler and Sara Fangmeyer — sipped cocktails from Equality Vodka and enjoyed bites from Hattie's, they also signed up to be dinner hosts, sponsors, volunteers or guests at the spring party. Nothing like a little buzzed food coma to really get people in the mood to give their time and money. I like their style.

 No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party is the largest fundraiser for AIDS Services of Dallas, which provides housing and supportive services for low-income and formerly homeless men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS.
 Mockingjay - Part 1 sets up final Hunger Games chapter brilliantly 2014-11-21T00:00:00-06:00 Alex Bentley http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/11-21-14-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1-movie-review/
 Splitting the final film of a popular book-turned-movie series into two parts is all the rage these days, as the makers of the Harry Potter, Twilight and now The Hunger Games series have all opted to do so. Detractors decry the overt commercialism of these moves, while supporters rejoice in an extra chance to spend time with their favorite characters.

 Whatever side of the debate you fall on, the results have been iffy at best. But The Hunger Games is looking to buck that trend with Mockingjay - Part 1, the first step toward all-out revolution in the world of Panem.

  Instead of just throwing Katniss into war, they make her struggles fully real for the audience, which results in a more powerful drama.

 The film throws the audience directly into Katniss Everdeen's (Jennifer Lawrence) new reality: living underground in the recently revealed District 13. There, 13's President Coin (Julianne Moore), former gamesmaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and others try to convince Katniss to become the face of the revolution against the Capitol, something she is loath to do.

 But when she sees videos of Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) suffering at the hands of President Snow (Donald Sutherland), along with what happened to her former home in District 12, she complies. With the help of Effie (Elizabeth Banks), Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Katniss starts to become whom she is meant to be, whether she likes it or not.

 One's enjoyment of Mockingjay - Part 1 depends on two factors. First and most obviously, you have to know that you will not get closure in this film. Second and most important, there is very little action. The first part is all about setting up the battle royale in part two, and the filmmakers have saved most of the big set pieces for that film.

 That said, there's much to love about part one. Commercial qualms aside, splitting the final film in two is good for both lovers of the books and movie fans. By devoting almost an entire film to Katniss' uneasiness at being the virtual leader of the revolution, director Francis Lawrence and his team were able to really delve into details that would be glossed over otherwise.

 Instead of just throwing her directly into war, which would happen if the whole story was told in two-and-a-half to three hours, they make her struggles fully real for the audience, which results in a more powerful drama. It also makes the few action scenes in the film impactful in a way that they wouldn't be if the movie were full of them.

 The filmmakers also deserve credit for not sugarcoating the darker parts of the story. The film definitely falls in the PG-13 range, but the themes it covers make it feel closer to an R. The film is definitely not for younger children, and even older viewers may find themselves shocked at various violent acts, implied or otherwise.

 At this point in the series, the interactions between the characters are as important to the story's success as any plot twists. Despite their somewhat dire circumstances, it's a pleasure to see Katniss, Effie, Haymitch, Gale and others band together to get things done. They all feel essential to the plot, especially in a film that features more dialogue than fighting.

 The film is an actor's idea of heaven and nearly all of them rise to the challenge. Lawrence is as great as ever, as is the late Hoffman, Banks, Harrelson and newcomer Moore. Even actors in smaller roles, like Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin and Natalie Dormer, make the most of their moments in the spotlight.

 There is no real resolution in Mockingjay - Part 1, but it delivers more than enough to satisfy fans while they endure the yearlong wait for Part 2. War is coming, and the calm before the storm is the perfect way to prepare the audience for the end of the story.
 Former prez and country star inspire at stadium-sized Habitat for Humanity dinner 2014-11-20T16:01:35-06:00 Diana Oates http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/society/11-20-14-habitat-humanity-jimmy-rosalynn-carter-work-project-building-hope/
 Leave it to a 90-year-old former president to show us that effecting change doesn't have to slow down with age. At last month's Building Hope Celebration Dinner at AT&T Stadium former President Jimmy Carter joined chairs Lynn and Allen McBee and a thousand guests who helped raise $900,000 to support the 2014 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, during which thousands of volunteers helped build or repair more than 100 homes in Dallas and Fort Worth.

 The evening began as any good celebration should, with a VIP reception. More than 150 patrons, along with Carter Work Project honorary chairs Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Micki Rawlings and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Tom Price, mingled over cocktails and hors d'oeuvre. Midway through the reception, President Carter arrived and greeted each person in attendance.

 When the dinner bell rang, celebrants took their seats at tables spread from the 50-yard line to the end zone. But their dinner chatter was interrupted by the sounds of hammers and birds, as students from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts took the stage. Dressed as Habitat for Humanity volunteers, they performed to "Our House" by Madness while a Habitat home was built behind them in three minutes.

 Then a video played that explained the journey of new Dallas Habitat homeowner Benita Luna and her two children. At the end of the video, President Carter walked through the front door of the house built onstage and handed the Lunas the keys to their new Habitat home.

 Once the Lunas had the keys to their future in hand, special guest Wynonna Judd stepped into the spotlight. Her heartfelt performance turned into a nostalgic storytelling session at times, as she dedicated the song "Grandpa" to her own that inspired her in her journey to become a musician. During her final song of the evening, "No One Else on Earth," guests rushed the stage, and leading the pack were Gillian Breidenbach, Kate Rose Marquez, Amy Simmons and Leigh Ann Haugh.

 In addition to the aforementioned VIPs, North Texans — including Dallas-area Habitat for Humanity CEO Bill Hall and Kelli Hall, Trinity Habitat for Humanity executive director Gage Yager and Emily Yager, Shannon and Ted Skokos, Heather and Scott Alexander, Brian Casey, Stephen Goldmann, Joyce Goss, Kenny Goss, Matthew Simon, Keith Schumann, Jennifer Staubach Gates, Amy Simmons, Ruth O'Donnell Mutch, Mary and Mike Terry, and Jennifer Sampson — showed up en masse to support President Carter and all that he has done to help change lives through Habitat For Humanity.

 For 30 years, former President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have given a week of their time to help Habitat for Humanity improve and build homes throughout the world. The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project helps raise awareness for the critical need for simple, decent and affordable housing.
 Southlake's Bolo Italian Grill takes Chipotle formula where it's never gone before 2014-11-20T15:07:45-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-20-14-bolo-italian-grill-chipotle-jud-phillips-southlake/
 A new fast-casual restaurant called Bolo Italian Grill will take the "Chipotle" style of dining to a place it's never gone before: Italian food. Slated to open in Southlake in mid-December, Bolo comes from Jud Phillips, who has a long and successful track record as a restaurateur in Dallas.

 "If you look at what's hot, Chipotle has been the hottest thing in the restaurant business," he says. "I took what they do and 'Italian-ized' it."

 Bolo's menu begins with a "bolo," an Italian thin-crust flatbread named after Bologne, Italy, which Phillips describes as an Italian version of a tortilla. It gets filled to customers' specifications with angel hair pasta and choice of meat, vegetables, cheese and house-made sauce. It's sort of like a cross between a burrito and a calzone, except it's like nothing else you've had.

 If you're skipping bread, you can do the equivalent of a rice bowl, but with angel hair pasta, choice of protein, vegetables and sauce. Or take the salad route, with greens, protein, vegetables and dressing.

 "Proteins" include chicken, crispy chicken, steak, Italian sausage, turkey meatballs, salmon and vegetarian.

 Sauces come in hot and cold varieties: Marinara is crushed tomatoes, garlic and basil. Bolognese is spicy tomatoes, ground beef, garlic and chili flakes. Alfredo is cream and Parmigiano Reggiano. The simplest hot sauce is an herbed oil with garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, oregano, parsley and rosemary.

 Cold sauces include basil pesto, red wine vinaigrette, balsamic and ranch. There are two dozen vegetable ingredients, four kinds of cheese, plus some sides such as polenta fries and a spinach-artichoke dip.

 Phillips has extensive experience as a multi-unit owner of chains such as McDonald's, Quizno's and Pizza Patron. It took him more than a year to find the right location for this first store, at 260 N. Kimball Ave., in what was previously a Planet Burrito, between Southlake Boulevard and Highway 114.

 "Uptown, Fort Worth, Frisco — you name it, I looked at it," he says. "But this is a perfect location with great visibility. I wanted to make sure that it didn't fail because of a bad location."

 Bolo will use good-quality ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible, with a limited bar of beer and wine that will be sure to include Italian labels.

 Phillips, who grew up in the Midwest, loves Italian food.

 "The city I grew up in was heavily Italian. I felt like I was Italian without being Italian," he says. "With Bolo, I just wanted to put a modern quick spin on great Italian food."
 Dallas City Lights 2014 changes date under threat of rain 2014-11-20T14:13:59-06:00 Alex Bentley http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/11-20-14-city-lights-downtown-date-change-weather/
 In 2013, an ice storm interrupted many planned holiday events, and now weather is intervening yet again. Dallas City Lights, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, November 22, has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 23, due to expected rainy conditions.

 The event, which takes place along Main Street with activities happening at both Main Street Garden and Pegasus Plaza, otherwise will go off as planned.

 The festival includes such family-friendly activities as an outdoor market, face painting, ornament making, and, of course, the tree lighting and arrival of Santa Claus.

 There also will be a variety of performances, including ones by Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, Dallas Black Dance Academy/Allegro, Dallas Symphony Orchestra: Christmas Pops, Larry g(EE), WaterTower Theatre, cast of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical and the Turtle Creek Chorale.
 Black Friday done right at The Shops at Park Lane 2014-11-20T13:25:40-06:00 Promoted Series Correspondent http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/fashion/11-20-14-shops-park-lane-black-friday/
 You know the drill: First you gobble 'til you wobble. Then you shop.'Til. You. Drop.

 To survive the biggest shopping day of the year, we stick to one simple mantra: Shop. Save. Snack. Repeat. And that's exactly what's going down this Black Friday at The Shops at Park Lane.

 Before you devise your Black Friday shopping plan of attack, it's crucial to know what time your must-hit stores open and where they're located so you can maximize your shopping time and score exactly what's topping your shopping list. Check out this handy property map to help you plan and navigate, and find the specific holiday hours for your favorite stores and restaurants here.

 Tip: Download The Shops at Park Lane app for iPhone and Android to have the map at your fingertips on Black Friday.

 As you plan your shopping extravaganza, be sure to pencil in time for a fashionable fuel-up between stores with free coffee and doughnuts from Mo' Joe A Go-Go, which will be onsite from midnight until 8 am. And just in case you've left your Black Friday shopping list to the last minute, check out The Shops at Park Lane's "Black Friday Most Wanted" Pinterest board.

 Win Big
 The fun doesn't end on Black Friday. Don't forget about Cyber Monday! Watch The Shops at Park Lane Facebook page for hourly giveaways on Monday, December 1. From 8 am to 7 pm, a new question will be posted on the hour. Just answer the question to be entered to win a different prize each hour.

 About The Shops at Park Lane
 The Shops at Park Lane is a 33.5-acre mixed-use development in the heart of Dallas that sits at the most-shopped intersection in Dallas, at Park Lane and US 75. The property is the city's premier destination for designer fashion and home décor at surprising values. Additionally, it serves up a unique mix of restaurants and entertainment venues, making The Shops at Park Lane the ultimate Dallas destination for smart luxury and stylish fun.

 Visit The Shops at Park Lane website, and follow them on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
 A restaurant critic's take on new gourmet pies from Plano-based Pizza Hut 2014-11-20T12:23:30-06:00 Teresa Gubbins http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-20-14-pizza-hut-new-gourmet-pizza-ingredients-skinny/
 With pizza tastes in America scaling up, Plano-based Pizza Hut launched a new menu on November 19 with new crust flavors, "skinny" pizzas and premium ingredients. In a release, Pizza Hut describes these as the biggest change the pizza category has ever seen.

 "We know that American tastes and preferences are evolving, and this new menu is designed to completely wow them," says Pizza Hut chef Wiley Bates III.

 Ready to be wowed, we visited the Pizza Hut at 1909 Skillman St. on November 19. At 6:30 pm, peak dinner hour, a steady line of people picked up to-go orders; who knew business at the Lakewood Pizza Hut was so good?

  Pizza Hut describes these as the biggest change the pizza category has ever seen.

 Customers were working-class, male and female, 25 to 45 years old. We felt like we knew everyone, because the monitor over the cash register showed people's names and the status of their orders.

 We competed with no one for one of the four tables in the narrow, triangular "dining room," which was painted a garish red. A telephone rang almost constantly, and a buzzer buzzed whenever an order was up. An episode of Shark Tank aired on the wall-mounted flat-screen television.

 We wished Pizza Hut served beer.

 The glossy paper menu did not delineate new items — Peruvian cherry peppers, fresh spinach, "premium" salami, meatball — from old. Overwhelmed, we ordered two trademarked combos: Skinny with a Kick and Garden Party.

 Skinny with a Kick is described thusly: "premium crushed tomato sauce topped with pepperoni, sliced jalapeño peppers, Peruvian cherry peppers, fresh green bell peppers and fresh red onions — flavored up with fiery red pepper on the crust edge."

 Garden Party had "premium crushed tomato sauce topped with fresh green bell peppers, fresh red onions, fresh mushrooms, diced roma tomatoes and fresh spinach — flavored up with our Hut Favorite on the crust edge and a balsamic sauce drizzle."

  Skinny pies can only be ordered in the large size — no medium or "personal" size. There goes the skinny.

 The pizzas took at least 15 minutes to bake. We analyzed the menu more carefully, reading over the combos we did not order: BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, Old-Fashioned Meatbrawl, Giddy-Up Barbeque Chicken, Pretzel Piggy, Skinny Luau and a bunch more.

 We attacked the skinny pie first. To get it skinny, Pizza Hut uses less dough and lighter toppings; slices range from 250 to 300 calories each. But skinny pies can only be ordered in the large size — no medium or "personal" size. There goes the skinny.

 When we first opened the box, the pizza glistened. At first glance, it seemed oily, but that shine was actually the fresh coat of fiery red pepper flavor they'd lacquered onto the crust. As the pizza cooled, the glaze soaked into the crust, and the sheen dimmed. The glaze is probably corn syrup-based, which would explain the pizza's underlying sweetness.

 For Pizza Hut pizza, this was an upgrade. The red pepper glaze on the crust had some noticeable heat that gave the otherwise bland crust some pizzazz. (Good word for a pizza review.) The pepperoni slices were extra-thin, so the edges got nice and crisp.

 The thickness of the jalapeño slices was wisely calibrated: thick enough to convey that they'd come from fresh jalapeño and to impart the right degree of heat. Bell pepper and onion were diced. Peruvian cherry peppers, cut into appealingly rough chunks, were sweet and spicy; their Peruvian provenance was impossible to glean.

 The Garden Party pizza looked like it should have been the "skinny" because it was covered with fresh spinach — unprecedented as a Pizza Hut topping. All of the vegetables on this veggie pizza — green bell pepper, red onion, mushroom — were clearly fresh. They were baked with the pizza.

 The spinach was tossed on after the pizza came out of the oven, letting it wilt nicely from the residual heat. Balsamic sauce drizzle, sweeter than balsamic vinegar, added a '90s-era gourmet note.

 Both pizzas had less gobs of gooey cheese; this was a plus. Although the skinny pizza was said to have had a thinner crust, there wasn't a noticeable difference between the two.

 Pizza Hut is owned by Yum! Brands Inc., which also owns Taco Bell and KFC. The company has been busy trying new things, including a banh mi sandwich concept Banh Shop and a Chick Fil-A gambit called Super Chix.

 Pizza Hut's crust will never have the flavor or personality of an artisanal pizza or an authentic Neapolitan-style pie, although it did have an artisanal price: For a large and medium pizza, the bill was $30. But for chain pizza, they were pretty good.
 Peek inside Park Cities homes on 15th annual tour for important cause 2014-11-20T11:14:10-06:00 Jennifer Chininis http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/home-design/11-20-14-new-friends-new-life-home-tour-park-cities/
 Dallasites seem to have two favorite pastimes: shopping and snooping through other people's homes. Fans of the latter have yet another opportunity this Sunday, November 23. But this one has a more serious — and important — cause: New Friends New Life.
 Auction winner gets a deal on Deion Sanders' former Prosper estate 2014-11-20T08:37:42-06:00 Candy Evans http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/11-20-14-deion-sanders-prosper-estate-auction-winner/
 Deion Sanders' former Prosper estate went up for auction on November 18, and someone sure got a deal: just under $4 million.

 The property was once marketed for $21 million, but that included 109 acres, the majority of which now belongs to Bloomfield Homes Inc. It's on the books with Collin County Appraisal District for just over $11.7 million.

 The official word from Concierge Auctions president Laura Brady, who conducted the event around 5 pm Tuesday, is that there were eight registered bidders, there was no reserve and there is a contract on the house.

 "In only five weeks, the auction outreach efforts conducted by Concierge Auctions and Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty resulted in over 27,000 views of the property video, 356 visitors to the property and 49 prospect showings," she said.

 So who bought it? I hear he is a "person of the arts" in Dallas. During the auction he stayed mostly to himself and did not engage in any banter. What he got was the 29,000-square-foot house and 9.4 acres.

 The 10-bedroom, 10-bath home has just about everything a professional athlete could want, including a regulation-sized indoor basketball court, full-sized football field, tennis courts, bowling alley, media room, arcade with wet bar, barber shop, indoor and outdoor pools with spas, 14-bay garage with two bays to fit a yacht or RV, cabana and full exterior kitchen, and 8-acre lake with fountain and private dock.

 There's also an awards gallery, but the new owner could repurpose that as a wine tasting room — or art gallery, perhaps?

 The master bedroom has that custom circle bed with built-in headboard and side tables, the master closet is the size of an apartment, and there is a sunken sauna tub in the master bath. The master also has a glass wall rotunda with views of pool, extensive built-in cabinetry, Brunelleschi- and Bernini-inspired columns with Corinthian capitals, black granite gas fireplace, and a walk-out patio.

 This is the home the former Dallas Cowboys football star and Prime Prep Academy founder shared with his ex-wife, Pilar, and their children.

 ---

 A version of this story was originally published on Candy's Dirt.
 City Lights and Marisa Tomei top best weekend events in Dallas-Fort Worth 2014-11-20T00:00:00-06:00 Alex Bentley http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/11-20-14-city-lights-marisa-tomei-art-film-best-weekend-events/
 In case the weather didn't tip you off that winter is nigh, this weekend is when the holiday events really start to kick into high gear around Dallas-Fort Worth, including two annual traditions and a musical based on a popular holiday movie. And don't forget our last CultureMap Social of the year, something that has become somewhat of a tradition itself.

 Below are the best options for your precious free time Thursday through Sunday. Don't like what you see? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

 Thursday, November 20

 CultureMap Social
 This is your last chance of the year to hang with the cool kids; indulge in a Cointreau Rickey or two; and take home some great swag courtesy of places like Chocolate Secrets, Kendra Scott and NorthPark Center. This social is moving uptown to ilume Park, so make sure to bring your A-game.

 Elf the Musical
 Elf has become one of those classic holiday movies, alongside A Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life. Now you can also enjoy the musical based on the movie, which plays at Bass Performance Hall through Sunday, for the first time in the area since it premiered on Broadway in 2010.

 Amy Schumer in concert
 Comedian Amy Schumer has been riding high of late thanks to the success of her Comedy Central show, Inside Amy Schumer, and various other high-profile roles. But when she comes to Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, she gets back to the down-and-dirty business of stand-up comedy, in which she talks about relationships, sex and more on her Back Door tour.

 Friday, November 21

 Dallas Film Society presents the Art of Film: Marisa Tomei
 The Dallas Film Society had a little bit of a hiccup with its Art of Film event this year, as original guest Toni Collette had to drop out due to filmmaking conflicts. But they've arguably upgraded with replacement Marisa Tomei, who's been nominated for an Oscar three times and won once. She speaks with film critic Elvis Mitchell at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

 Jackopierce in concert
 Since they celebrated their 25th anniversary last year, Jackopierce has been close to inescapable locally, playing a string of events. This concert is a little more intimate, as it's taking place at McDavid Studio inside Bass Performance Hall, because Elf is taking over the big room. But smaller shows are often better, and attendees for this one are likely in for a treat.

 Leon Russell in concert with Zack King Band
 Prior to 2010, you could be forgiven if you didn't know who Leon Russell was. Although he was a prolific and well-respected songwriter, his heyday had come many years before. But thanks to a collaboration with Elton John, Russell has been as popular as ever the past four years. He comes to Granada Theater in support of his first new album since 2006, the appropriately titled Life Journey. He is joined by opening act the Zack King Band.

 Saturday, November 22

 2014 Trains at NorthPark
 There are few holiday traditions more ingrained in Dallas culture than the Trains at NorthPark. Now celebrating its 16th year at NorthPark Center and 27th year overall, the exhibit features more than 1,600 feet of tracks taking model trains around famous landmarks from across the country, including Dallas, New York, D.C. and more. The exhibit is on display through January 4, 2015.

 Rhett Miller in concert with The Wind & the Wave, The O's, and Prophets and Outlaws
 It's always fun to see Old 97's frontman Rhett Miller in concert, with or without his bandmates, but when it's for a good cause, it makes you feel even better. This is the eighth straight year Miller has headlined the Cystic Fibrosis Concert Series at the Granada, and this year he's bringing along The Wind & the Wave, The O's, and Prophets and Outlaws for a night of fundraising and great music.

 Sunday, November 23

 Trinity River Vision presents Panther Island Ice
 The recent cold temperatures have gotten many people in the mood for ice skating, and Fort Worth delivers with Panther Island Ice, Fort Worth's only outdoor ice rink. Located at Coyote Drive-In, the rink is open every day — including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day — through January 19, 2015.

 Dallas City Lights 2014 (Note: City Lights was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of inclement weather)
 The annual City Lights event at both Main Street Garden and Pegasus Plaza in downtown Dallas is your opportunity to kick off the holiday season in earnest. It features a variety of activities along Main Street, including performances by arts groups, the arrival of Santa Claus and, of course, the lighting of the Christmas tree.

 ATTPAC Sunset Screenings: Raging Bull
 Memorable performances from Robert De Niro have been few and far between in recent years, so AT&T Performing Arts Center is giving us an opportunity to revisit one of his best roles ever. His Oscar-winning turn as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, which screens for free at Annette Strauss Square, reminds you that De Niro is capable of much more than he usually shows nowadays.


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Administration overhauls federal healthcare website
The Obama administration is revamping HealthCare.gov and scrapping significant parts of the federal health-insurance marketplace in an effort to avoid the problems that plagued the site's launch last fall, according to presentations to health insurers and interviews with government officials and contractors. But the makeover—and the tight timeline to accomplish it—are raising concerns that consumers could face another rocky rollout this fall when they return to the site to choose health plans. Some key back-end functions, including a system to automate payments to insurers, are running behind schedule, according to a presentation federal officials made to health insurers. [Subscription Required]
- As Retail Clinics Surge, Quality Metrics MIA
- Providers' Push to Consolidate Roils Payers
- Medicare Cost, Quality Data Tools Weak, Says GAO
- RN Named Chief Patient Experience Officer
- No Employee Satisfaction, No Patient-Centered Culture
- Former NQF Co-Chair Linked to Conflicts of Interest in Journal Probe
- Population Health Pays Off for NY Collaborative
- How Simple Data Analytics is Driving Physician Incentives
- AMA Pushes Lame Duck Congress for SGR Repeal
- In PCMH, the 'P' is Not for 'Physician'

subset: commoncrawl


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police dispatcher jobs near Cleveland, OH
Dispatcher - Police / Fire / Ems
Confidential- Beachwood, OH
Dispatcher-Police/ Fire/ EMS The City of Beachwood is accepting applications for the ... description may be obtained at the Beachwood Police Department-2700 Richmond Rd.13 days ago from TheJobNetwork
Police & Fire Dispatcher
City of Macedonia - Service Dept- Macedonia, OH
City of Macedonia PT Police & Fire Dispatcher - Varied hours and days, including holidays and weekends. Must pass polygraph and ... 24/7 at Macedonia Police Dept...19 days ago from TheJobNetwork
911 Dispatcher
City of Solon, Oh- Solon, OH
The City of Solon Police Department has an immediate opening for a 911 Dispatcher.The ... Police Department in addition to the Solon Police and Fire Departments. Solon's...10 days ago from JOBS Employment Board
Part time Dispatcher/Clerk
City of Brook Park- Cleveland, OH
City of Brook Park, Ohio Part time Dispatcher/Clerk GENERAL DUTIES: Receives calls and dis ... involves performing skilled clerical work in police records, identification, property and...18 days ago from TheJobNetwork
Emergency Center Optum / Picis Analyst
Ctg- Cleveland, OH
Title: Emergency Center Optum / Picis Analyst Location: United States Job Number: 14205224 CTG Health Solutions (CTGHS), a division of Computer Task Group, Inc., is a full-service...21 days ago from CTG
Group Management Services- Cleveland, OH
Dispatcher Summary: Dispatches chauffeured ground transportation in response to requests for service by performing the following duties. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:...8 days ago from Group Management Services
911 Dispatcher
City of Beachwood, Oh- Beachwood, OH
st have the ability to: multi-task, communicate effectively, operate computer equipment, interact with the public and perform under stress.Register and apply to be a 911...10 days ago from JOBS Employment Board
Temporary Contract- Cleveland, OH
Experienced dispatcher with good customer service skills for glass company. Full-time (M-F). Required Qualifications: * Three plus years in a Payroll Office performing all payroll...4 days ago from Elance
Night Dispatcher
Web Recruiter- Cleveland, OH
Recruiter is searching for a qualified Night Dispatcher for a full time position located in Cleveland, OH. The right candidate will have the following skills, experience or...6 days ago from Web Recruiter
Reilly Sweeping- Cleveland, OH
DISPATCHER (Walton Hills)Reilly Sweeping, Inc. is looking for a Dispatch person to work in their Walton Hills, Ohio facility. Please reply to this posting to submit your Resume...12 days ago from Akronworks.com
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Destrehan native rewarded for community service, academics
August 26, 2010 at 9:07 am | Mobile Reader | Print
|Courtesy photo
Moore was awarded the BC Cup scholarship through the Kelly Gibson Junior Golf Tour, recognizing his strength as a student, citizen and athlete.
Moore, 17, attends Brother Martin High School in New Orleans and currently has a 4.2 grade point average. Moore will be a senior this coming fall and enjoys giving back to society through volunteer work. For the past two years, Moore has dedicated his time to helping both his school and his community.
As a sophomore, Moore was a Brother Martin Student Ambassador, assisting at several special events hosted by the school. In the past two years, Moore has volunteered over 80 hours of his time at the no-kill animal shelter Animal Rescue of New Orleans located in Jefferson Parish. Moore has also volunteered at Ormond Nursing Home in Destrehan. He found his experience with the senior residents very rewarding.
The BC Cup Foundation, Inc. was founded in memory of Barry Hogan and Colin Headrick, the deceased sons of PGA Golf Professionals and close friends Tim Hogan and Jimmy Headrick.
The Kelly Gibson Junior Golf Tour was founded in 2009 by PGA Tour Professional Kelly Gibson. It is operated by Feed the Relief, Inc. with the mission of creating a positive learning experience through golf by providing competitive golf tournaments throughout the year. Scholarships are not awarded based on golfing ability.
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Latest San Diego sports headlines
Chargers / NFL
Padres / MLB
Horse Racing
High School / Prep
The 52
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Tony Gwynn: Padre Legend
More Sports
- California Chrome vs. Lexie Lou: Battle of Sexes
- Shaq, Hill join 6 others in college hoops Hall
- California Chrome ready for Del Mar
- Southwestern's bowl victory fueled by pride
- Palomar wins bowl game
- Three Hearts rolls out Red Carpet for Neil Drysdale
- Toreros gear up for rematch with UCLA
- Weekend Time Schedule
Chargers HeadlinesCalkins chat: Bring in Richie Incognito?
Updated Nov 20, 2014, 3:26 p.m.
Join our columnist to discuss Rivers' health, the Aztecs' win, MLB's offseason and more.
AztecsVIDEO: Aztecs hope to clinch bowl eligibility
Nov 20, 2014, 8 a.m.
The SDSU Aztecs can clinch bowl eligibility with a win over Air Force Friday night.
TorerosVIDEO: Impressive USD beats Florida A&M
Nov 20, 2014, 6:53 a.m.
The USD Toreros men's basketball team beat Florida A&M 71-42 in their home opener.
Chargers / NFLChargers offense is off, but not far off
Nov 20, 2014, 6 a.m.
Bolts mired in rare slump, but they've been close to being much better.
Chargers / NFLLinebacker Kavell Conner makes impact
Nov 20, 2014, 5 a.m.
The team named the inside linebacker its defensive player of the week.
High School / PrepsPrep scoreboard (Nov. 19 results)
Nov 19, 2014, 10:59 p.m.
San Diego Section scores and playoff schedules
Girls VolleyballRamona grabs lead when it counts
Nov 19, 2014, 10:50 p.m.
Bulldogs seem to thrive when trailing against Calvin Christian in Division II semifinals
Boys Water PoloOpen-shut case for heavyweights Carlsbad, Vista
Nov 19, 2014, 10:42 p.m.
Contrary to expectations, the new Open Division ended up closed to longtime powers Carlsbad and Vista in the San Diego Section boys water polo playoffs this season. The two teams, considered among the section's top six squads, found that the new power rankings proved powerless in recognizing their usual challenging schedule, which included strong opponents from beyond San Diego. So they instead met in the Division I semifinals in a rematch of the last four ...
TorerosUSD routs Florida A&M
Nov 19, 2014, 10:34 p.m.
For its 2014-15 home opener Wednesday, USD beat Florida A&M 72-41.
Aztecs3 thoughts: SDSU 53, Utah 49
Nov 19, 2014, 9:08 p.m.
Three thoughts on SDSU's 53-49 win against No. 25 Utah on Tuesday afternoon at Viejas Arena.
Chargers BlogRivers on injury report, but says he'll play
Nov 19, 2014, 6:22 p.m.
Philip Rivers said Wednesday he'll play against the Rams on Sunday despite a chest injury.
Horse RacingLook Back, Look Ahead Week 3 at Del Mar
Nov 19, 2014, 5:05 p.m.
DEL MAR Look Back Week 2 Del Mar's Bing Crosby Season Eventful week as Del Mar continued to deliver solid and safe racing and draw good crowds. Average attendance after seven days of racing was 9,019, representing a 172 percent increase of Hollywood Park's meeting over the same number of days last year. Overall betting handle of $10,324,274 is 20.1 percent better than Hollywood's last year. On-track betting out-did Hollywood Park, too, $1,141,954 to ...
AztecsFinal games will set SDSU's bowl fate
Nov 19, 2014, 5 p.m.
SDSU has good shot at playing in Poinsettia Bowl if can win final two games at home.
CollegeComets QB coach has undeniable pedigree
Nov 19, 2014, 3 p.m.
SAN MARCOS His pedigree is undeniable. Bill Diedrick has worked with the offenses and quarterbacks at Notre Dame, Stanford, Washington, Washington State and Indiana State, sending 12 quarterbacks to the NFL, including Brady Quinn and Drew Bledsoe. He has made Canadian Football League stops in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. Over a career that spans more than 40 years, Diedrick has coached in eight bowls and 12 playoff games. Saturday, Diedrick, 68, will add one ...
Public SafetyIron Mountain parking tickets dismissed
Nov 19, 2014, 2:33 p.m.
Tickets written for parking along Hwy. 67 in front of popular trailhead were problematic.
Horse RacingWhipping horses reduced for Calif. jockeys
Nov 19, 2014, 1:14 p.m.
Horses won't be disqualified, but jockeys face fines for overwhipping in California.
The Cheap SeatsMock Draft 2015: Chargers land Oakman
Nov 19, 2014, 11 a.m.
Looking forward to the NFL Draft? Let us tell you what will happen.
Preps BlogKnights to face alumni team
Nov 19, 2014, 10:59 a.m.
San Marcos coach Dante Carey heads list of players that will meet varsity Friday
Padres BlogBurning Question: Which pitcher to trade?
Nov 19, 2014, 10 a.m.
To boost their offense, the Padres may have to trade Cashner, Kennedy or Ross.
Athletes of the WeekPrep Athletes of the Week
Nov 19, 2014, 9 a.m.
U-T San Diego's top high school performers
AztecsFisher gets contract extension at SDSU
Nov 19, 2014, 8:55 a.m.
Basketball coach Steve Fisher agrees to a three-year contract extension at SDSU.
Chargers BlogChargers right about Rivers' toughness
Nov 19, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
Despite increased pass rush, Philip Rivers continues to hang tough in the pocket.
Chargers HeadlinesAcee chat: Padres free agents, Bolts' OL
Updated Nov 19, 2014, 12:47 p.m.
Columnist discusses Rivers' health, Aztecs' shooting, Padres building.
TorerosToreros' aim to keep Rattlers winless
Nov 19, 2014, 6 a.m.
USD beat Florida A&M the only other time they played. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
AztecsOlder, healthier Air Force is flying high
Nov 19, 2014, 5 a.m.
The 8-2 Falcons have engineered one of college football's most remarkable turnarounds
High School / PrepsPrep scoreboard (Nov. 18 results)
Nov 18, 2014, 11:06 p.m.
San Diego Section scores and playoff schedules
Field HockeyDons pick right time for 'best game'
Nov 18, 2014, 10:54 p.m.
Cathedral Catholic one win from final after beating defending champion Canyon Crest
Boys Water PoloChampion could be spelled 'Fallbrok'
Nov 18, 2014, 10:40 p.m.
Yes, despite what the team's swim trunks say, that's Fallbrook High going to the San Diego Section Division III boys water polo final. A misprint in lettering proclaims "Fallbrok" on the Warriors' trunks. They'd simply like to be known as champions for the first time since 1993 when they last appeared in the finals. Junior Chaz Sommer got top-seeded Fallbrook off to a blazing start in the semifinals against Eastlake by scoring three of his ...
AztecsVIDEO: Aztecs still looking for identity
Nov 18, 2014, 8:33 p.m.
San Diego State basketball is searching for its identity after the loss of Xavier Thames
AztecsDefense great, but Aztecs must fix O
Nov 18, 2014, 8:05 p.m.
San Diego State's victory was two things: 1) An offensive disaster, 2) A fantastic win.
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Jurassic PokemonShare|ArchiveJurassic PokemonBy techgnoticRealistic Pokemon Season 1 by arvalisarvalis aka RJ Palmer is a long time deviant who has created his own unique niche at DeviantArt.He was first known as the artist who drew incredibly realistic dinosaurs. Somehow his depictions of dinosaurs began morphing into Pokemon characters. He is now renowned as dA's master of realistic Pokemon illustrations. His has been quite a success story through art. His rise has been quite a success story on how to build a following in the community. RJ has wonderful tutorial drawing sessions on his Dev
Pokemon is ForeverShare|ArchiveForeword by techgnoticKay (aka damphyr) is DeviantArt's go-to expert on everything "Pokémon." She also occupies the adventurous position of being one of DeviantArt's main enforcers of standards and practices. We thank her for being a guardian of artistic erotica and especially, for being able to answer every question we get asked about Pokémon and just about anything else for that matter. Supreme Keeper of all pop culture knowledge, Kay must be protected in case of global disaster.by damphyrAn incongruous collection of people lined the sidewalk outside the local video game retailer just before opening on March 6th, 2011. The first in line w
The Hunger Games: Accidental Statement of Protest?Share|ArchiveThe Hunger Games: An Accidental Statement of Protest?By techgnoticCatching fire by Kris-KamikakushiIn Bangkok, Thailand, students are being arrested for raising their hands in the air to flash Katniss' three–finger "freedom" salute.That's right, the Katniss who's the fictional heroine of the popular dystopian sci–fi "Hunger Games" movie series. The world has changed over the last few decades in a very big way, but some are apparently unaware of it or undisturbed by the stunning ramifications.Advanced sur
Star Wars: A New HopeShare|ArchiveStar Wars: A New HopeBy techgnoticThe Empire Bargains by dvsdesignerWho's the most important person now in the Star Wars franchise? JJ Abrams? Think again!It begins in mere weeks from now: The countdown to the first of the next Star Wars sequels, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, the first of a new trilogy for a new generation. The first 1 minute trailer, a mostly wordless montage of series' heroes, will debut attached to Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 or on Disney-owned ABC Television. American culture stirs in its sleep. Georg
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Black Friday shopping tips
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Researchers studied 1,050 mothers and their third-grade kids
to see if children were being purposefully introduced to alcohol at a young
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Q. I'm 26, my live-in fiancé of six years and I recently split up, and it's been very tough.
Last weekend I went to a work party, had way too much to drink, thinking it'd help cure my blues.
Due to clouded judgment of intoxication, I shared a rather blurry night of sex with a co-worker to whom I'm not the slightest bit attracted.
I was so disgusted with myself when I awoke that I couldn't get out of bed for two days. Now I'm more depressed than before, and have to work with this man every day.
We used condoms but I've only been with two other people, both long-term relationships, so I'm not sure if I'm at risk of having gotten an STD.
A. Get angry . . . yes, at yourself, but instead of wallowing in useless self-loathing, be proactive.
Get tested for STDs, immediately. This will put this drunken episode into reality mode: either you do need STD treatment, or you don't.
Then, examine your drinking habit and whether that was a one-off indulgence or what you repeatedly do when upset.
Be self-protective and learn this for the rest of your life: You cannot drink when depressed. Alcohol does not cure blues; rather, it can cause them and usually compounds blues that already exist.
Don't delude yourself about "clouded judgment" because of alcohol . . . the bad judgment came from you drinking as an escape.
That said, this whole event was a hard lesson; you've learned it, avoid the co-worker, and move on.
If the co-worker tries to reconnect, be straightforward and clear with your "explanation." This wasn't his fault alone, and you don't need/want someone you see daily to feel used and angry.
Say you're very sorry, that you drank way too much, and behaved in a way you never do ordinarily. If he suggests getting together, say you're not dating.
Father needs support while grieving
Q. My mother passed away in August. My siblings and I are all handling the loss in our own way. However, our father's grief is deeper; he'd loved her for 50 years.
We keep saying that each day is getting harder and harder to cope. We don't live in the same part of the country so can only offer support by phone.
He has no hobbies or interests that he didn't share with her. Even visits with friends are constant reminders of a life changed forever.
We've offered an extended visit over the winter, but so far he's declined. He's in his 70s and grew up believing you never sought counselling or support groups.
It's getting increasingly frustrating to call and hear only a rant of grief and sadness.
A. Do not give up, in any way. Deep grief can last over a year, and is at its most dangerous as everyone else gets distracted, and he has nothing but pain and loss.
One among the siblings should visit, and another follow, but go there to soothe, listen, and be company, not to suddenly impose new attitudes.
While there, however, you could go with him to things in his community — starting with an event, a book reading, and slowly try checking out a seniors' group, anything related to his interests, etc.
If you find his depression continuing or worsening, get him to a doctor rather than just tell him to see one. The phone is not enough.
And if necessary, insist that you need counselling and want him to help you get on with your life so you can go together and get him some help.
Feedback regarding the writer who was dumped (Oct. 31):
Reader: "We who've been dumped struggle with telling others, so we hide. We don't answer the phone, we fake illness, skip stuff, etc.
"We can't cope with telling people because sympathy sparks more tears and loss of hard-won control.
"Being dumped is painful and embarrassing. So how do we get it out there so we can get back out there?"
A. Tell your closest friends and family, but ask for time for you to absorb it.
Follow with being good to yourself, and getting out to things that comfort you, only with supportive people. Whether a few hours at a spa, taking walks outdoors, whatever gets you outside the focus on your pain.
As you heal, socialize more, and look for new people/interests.
But if emotional distress persists or builds, get counseling. It will help you rebuild self-confidence after a shattering breakup.
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Three Salon and Spa , serving Guelph and surrounding communities is a one-stop beauty destination...
Sealy Karate School based in Guelph, Ontario offers a number of classes and programs for children...


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|Riande Aeropuerto Hotel Casino
|Very good 8.5
|Riu Plaza Panama
|Fabulous 8.7
|Hotel El Panama
|Good 7.4
|Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge, Bocas del Toro
|Very good 8.1
|Veneto A Wyndham Grand Hotel & Veneto Casino
|Good 7.3
|Hotel Royal Decameron Golf, Beach Resort & Villas - All Inclusive
|Good 7.6
|Hard Rock Hotel Panama Megapolis
|Fabulous 8.6
|Tryp by Wyndham Panama at Albrook Mall
|Fabulous 8.9
|Bambu Guesthouse
|Fabulous 8.9
|Pacific Bay Resort
Armila Kuna Yala, Armila, Panama
Los Naranjos, Av. Central, at 1.8 kms from Catholic Church, Boquete, Panama
Beach Road n/a, Playa Reina, Mariato Veraguas, Los Chacareños, Panama
Avenida Tercera, Cabrera, Panama
Calle Urraca, 080202 Contadora, Panama
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