Dallas Area Businesses News and Information Blog

Dallas Deep Ellum Arts Festival

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:10:51 +0000

This festival lasts from April 5 – 7 for this year’s 2013 festival. There will be more than 200 decorative and visual artists selling and commissioning original works, hundreds of original bands and performance artists performing the newest music on five different stages!

Deep Ellum is a wonderful place to walk and stretch your legs and you will discover many little hole in the wall clubs, music venues, and shops as you listen to the different bands performing.

Deep Ellum and downtown Dallas can be dangerous at night so stay where the public is at and don’t vear off into any dark alleys.

Six blocks of Main Street in the Deep Ellum entertainment district will be transformed into one enormous street festival featuring, 200 top-notch juried decorative and visual artists.

There will be at least 100 original bands, singer/songwriters and performance artists performing from five different stages, the renowned Pet Parade, and copious food and drink.

Festival attendees can stroll through displays of cutting-edge decorative arts and admire, commission, and purchase the art of sculptors, muralists, jewelers, painters, and fine artists; some of whom will be creating pieces on the spot.

In summary if you are looking for some fun Dallas night life to do around April 5 - 7 you couldn’t have stumbled upon a better idea. The earliest stage performances start at 11 a.m. and you can view the whole schedule here: Performance schedule

Similar Posts:

What to Do While in Dallas?

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:41:47 +0000

I usually try to get to Dallas in the afternoon and have all afternoon and night available so neither I or my wife feel rushed. I recommend going to Eatzie’s as a start.

3403 Oak Lawn Avenue Dallas, TX 75219
(214) 526-1515

EatZie’s offers a gourmet food selection to choose from and it is like shopping in a gourmet grocery store but with the added option of being able to heat up the food and eat it there. The stuff you don’t eat you can take with you if you have a place to keep it.

We often will go here and sit out on the patio. The shopping experience inside, interesting premade food selections, and the nice outdoor area make this the perfect place to bring your significant other.

After your done here you can visit a nearby shopping center. The very fancy but awesome outdoor shopping mall is near here called, The West Village. This shopping area is so nice you might see a Dallas Mavericks superstar walking by, a model, or actress. I usually end up window shopping and don’t actually buy anything more than a dish towel but it is worth strolling around window shopping if nothing else than stretching the legs.

There is also the Highland Park Village that is a much older shopping mall that is all outdoor but it is fascinating to see the kind of luxury that walks around this place and the sports cars, models, celebrities, etc you might see. Again I simply walk around, take in the $10,000 T-shirt price tags for the entertainment of it all and leave with a washing rag or bar of soap.

47 Highland Park Village Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 443-9898

After a nice leisurely stroll at one of these malls its best if you have something planned. I usually like to plan a trip to a Mavericks game, Texas Rangers game, or possibly an REI adventure club meeting. There are also the music venues like the Gexa Music Pavilion at the fair grounds or the downtown House of Blues.

Have a more entertaining sports event or concert planned to go to for the evening and wrap things up by eating at the event to save time for the drive back home.

Similar Posts:

Genesis Theatre Children’s Theatre in Plano Texas

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:25:51 +0000

The Genesis Theatre is a new, high quality children’s theatre in North Texas, located in Plano. Whether your child is just beginning to explore theatre or is a stage veteran, The Genesis Theatre will take them to the next level in their craft. We have exciting programs and productions for students ages 5-18 led by a professional staff with unequaled experience. We provide each acting student with the training they need to be successful on the stage and in life because theatre is more than being onstage; it is a vehicle for learning responsibility, cooperation, and self-confidence. Come begin your journey at The Genesis Theatre!

Announcing our Summer 2011 Drama Camps!! From stimulating the imagination through creative drama for beginners to a fun, full-length musical and a classic drama for teens, our children’s summer camps have something for everyone. We are also offering film production classes! Let your child star in their own movie filmed with professional equipment! Registration is open NOW and we offer financial assistance for those qualified families.

Here is a link to their website www.genesistheatre.org and they are also on facebook here: Genesis Theatre on FacebookSimilar Posts:

The Bicycle path, Denton

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:16:17 +0000

The Bicycle path is one of several bike shops that serve the Denton area. While many bicycle shops concentrate primarily on one aspect of biking The Bicycle path is by far the most eclectic of Denton’s bicycle shops. Whether you are in need of a new pair of clips for an upcoming competition, a shiny new wheel set for your track bike, or a new BMX to trick around on The Bicycle Path can definitely help you on all accounts. The staff at The Bicycle Path are extremely competent and knowledgeable of the bikes they repair and sell daily and will guide you to the exact right buying decision when it comes to the sizing and compatibility of you’re bike.

The Bicycle Path is fully equipped with some of the finest bikes available, if you suddenly needed to pick up a professional, top of the line carbon fiber road bike on short notice you would still be hard pressed to find a better choice than the stock selection available at The Bicycle Path. Their merchandise is superior in quality when compared to the competitors and no other shop in town carries the handcrafted English goodness of Brooks saddles or advanced components such as egg beater clips. For the serious riders they have energy and protein supplements in gel or bar form to fuel your love for high endurance, long distance riding.

A column of tools are prominently displayed near the register, conveniently located near the other more mechanical merchandise of the store all of which has been placed in a helpful proximity to the register allowing you to get information about your needs and buy the exact part or tool you need to fix your bicycle. The selection of mechanical parts never seems to be idealy sufficient in any bike shop and The Bicycle Path is no exception, this problem can even be more prevalent here due to the sheer popularity of the shop. The popularity of The Bicycle path is well deserved, a quality of service exists here that is available no where else in the Denton area. The staff do their best to satisfy their customers and they consistently succeed in this endevour.

Repairing bikes in a timely and impressive manner, giving the consumer the exact information needed as well as any relevant advice to the problem at hand. The staff consists primarily of students, and entirely of kind and easy going people. The Bicycle Path has impressive resources in bike parts, bicycles and bike knowledge and they even have a large selection of cycling apparel to better equip cyclists with a professional kit and save many pairs of pants from the inevitable destruction that heavy riding can dish out. The Bicycle Path is located off of 288 and although it may be a little farther away from the university than other bike shops the distance is well worth it in the advantages of shopping there.Similar Posts:

Midway Mart in Denton TX

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:10:37 +0000

Midway Mart is a quaint little convenience store specializing mostly in beer and other alcoholic drinks. Midway Mart has an incredible selection of popular beers as well as wine. Midway Mart is the hub of alcoholic drinks in Denton and virtually everyone uses it for their party preparation. Midway Mart is ready to prepare you for your weekend thirst with kegs available in many excellent varieties, Midway Mart carries the popular brands such as Shiner the Texas favorite that now comes in cans which is much to the delight of the many bikers that come to Midway Mart in need of portable delicious party favors.

Or there’s always the classic choices of Blue Moon in it’s many seasonal forms, always a good choice for crowd pleasing. Midway Mart also has options for the many connoisseurs of fine beers, the miniature market is abreast with rare and wonderful items such as peach malts or the ever innovative banana bread beer, another excellent choice in fanciful new experiences with alcohol is the beer Little Kings which is the first malted beer ever made that still persists as a unique eight pack of unbelievably smooth and crisp beer in tiny monk laden green bottles filled with a beverage that could practically pass for a cream soda.

If fresh fruit is your forte then you might consider the Wild Blueberry beer stock at Midway Mart which tastes exactly how you would ask that blueberry beer taste, mind blowing. Or if you have more of a taste for the harder stuff you might pick up a six pack of Lobotomy Bock a pleasantly bitter, high percentage beer that is sure to be more than enough for the adventurous drinker. Or if cheap is the name of your game then look no further than the back wall where you will find the staples of the beer world as well as classics such as the Denton favorite, Pabst Blue Ribbon which comes in assortments of six packs, 12 packs and the ever plentiful six pack of 16 ounce cans which is perfect for a night of portable and plentiful beer drinking. Midway Mart is also a functional gas station although this would not be its claim to fame.

The prices at Midway Mart are very reasonable for the standard convenience store mark up. The one criticism I would have about Midway Mart would be the occasional poor service from disgruntled employees. Midway provides a handy bike rack which is helpful considering the large amount of bike traffic that they received. Although just be sure that as you lock your bike you do not accidentally hit the window in any way, this has been known to result in being unfairly turned away from business at the store. Midway Mart does have a modest selection of wines but of equally modest quality. Apart from the alcohol Midway Mart functions as your regular old gas station with candy, soda pop and various general accessories.Similar Posts:

HMS Art and Frame Shop in Denton TX

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:03:29 +0000

In Denton you can go two places for art supplies, Voertman’s or HMS. HMS has the quaint advantage of being smaller,applying itself only to the needs of the artist instead of all school supplies HMS can stock specialty merchandise such as a large variety paper including watercolor paper hot and cold pressed in addition to paper for the other mediums. While most art supply stores sell their canvases prepackaged HMS knows that the dedicated painter prefers to stretch their own canvas over a frame they’ve constructed personally in order to ensure satisfaction in quality.

HMS is undeniably cozy, the sterile branded packaging seen in most retailers is scarce leaving shelves stocked with high quality tools and supplies in a nonabrasive and welcoming manner reminiscent of a mid century hardware store. Unique items such as gold leaf are in ready supply for those in need of it’s one of a kind effect, or perhaps you are looking for an authentic Sumi ink set to provide you with the pure aesthetic of traditional Japanese methods. HMS supplies such exotic merchandise but along with the professional utensils required for disciplines such as precise drafting or print making.

HMS has covered every angle of the art supplier, from top shelf spray paint in vibrant colors to specialized caps that produce various spray patterns. Jewelry makers will appreciate the incredible supply of tools for shaping and designing metal as well as the selection of bronze and silver wire. As you enter HMS you can typically see the owner and perhaps a regular or two taking advantage of the couch and coffee table that occupie a small lounge looking out of the large shop windows adorned with a stained glass ornament of the iconic symbol of HMS a mustached old woman.

In front of the two shelves sit an expanse of pens and pencils, the aisle to the right has an impressive selection of very high quality brushes for any type of paint. The quality of paint in HMS is unmatched by any art supplier in the area, giving colors and brands that produce results that would satisfy the most scrutinizing painter and the same can be said for the options in dry medium such as charcoal, graphite and pastels. Supporting a small business is a joy on it’s own, but rarely does a small business greatly exceed all competition while meeting popular and specific demand in every concentration.Similar Posts:

Milestone Culinary Arts Center and Viking Cooking School

admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:57:31 +0000

Milestone Culinary Arts Center and Viking Cooking School

4531 McKinney Avenue

Dallas, TX. 75205

(214) 217-2818

www.milestoneculinary.com

If you love cooking or are addicted to the numerous wonderful cooking shows on TV then you will really enjoy the Milestone Culinary Arts Center and Viking Cooking School located in Uptown Dallas.

The MCAC and Viking Cooking School offer you the opportunity to take part in lots of amazing culinary and life experiences such as hands-on cooking classes, celebrity chef appearances, Stainless Steel Chef competitions, and catered private, corporate and team building events.

At the Viking Cooking School enroll in classes that cover a single topic and last just a few hours or in a series class which covers several topics and last up to twelve weeks.

Here are some of the great options you have to choose from.

In a Hands-On Workshop students learn cooking techniques from an instructor by preparing menu items using Viking’s professional appliances, cookware, and cutlery. The class is limited to twelve students and only takes a few hours.

Students can also take Demonstrations classes where they learn by watching an instructor take them step by step though the preparation of a dish or dishes. The Demonstrations are meant to be interactive, informative discussions. And best of all at the end you get tastings of the dishes as well as a beverage.

The Series Classes offer students a more in depth instruction period which can last days or even weeks. The Three Day Culinary Basics class is a series of workshops designed to teach students basic cooking techniques. The Essential Cooking Series meets each week for twelve weeks. These interactive sessions are each devoted to specific subjects.

The Taste of Viking is a great way to get your feet wet and see if the Viking School is for you. It is a one hour class meant to show how the cooking school works.

The Viking Test Drive gives you check out the professional Viking appliances, cookware, and cutlery and see how it operates and handles.

Their are also classes available for teens and children if you have a son or daughter who is very interested in cooking. The classes also teach them great life skills.

Right now there are two featured classes coming up that you can get involved in. In the Kitchen with Chef Andre is an interactive demonstration which teaches you all about bread baking. It takes place on February 20th from 12pm – 4pm. The cost is $99.00. Don’t wait till the last minute though. This one is almost sold out.

Finally, there is the Advanced Cake Decorating Fondant and Gum Paste class is a hands-on workshop which also takes place on February 20th from 1pm – 6pm. The cost is $135.00. Sign up and find out how the Cake Boss works his magic.Similar Posts:

Sack and Save

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:57:59 +0000

Sack and Save is a one of a kind grocery experience. When encountering a Sack and Save one might notice the seemingly dilapidated state of the store and react skeptically, although this state of disrepair is typical of the small discount grocery store in my opinion the only majorly noticeable effect is the neglect of the donut case resulting in an inability to keep bugs out or donuts fresh.

However I would readily put my faith in the stores many other sanitary and reasonably priced products, except maybe some of the ham products, but that could just be me. Sack and Save is notoriously low cost, offering a variety of alternative products many of a Spanish origin. The Sack N Save franchise can be accurately labeled a standard mediocre quality grocery store. They provide the basic products needed for simple hygiene as well as general house hold and kitchen sanitation.

A modest variety of choice is provided for each section of food stuffs with generic cheap brands shared by other such low quality grocery stores. Sack N Save is also a multi purposed market, housed inside the store is a Western Union station capable of cashing pay checks, there is a coin star for any one needing to sort there change collection, as well as a U.S. post office so you can mail letters while you cash your pay check and get groceries.

The convenience in location also plays a huge part in the advantage of Sack and Save, sitting directly off of I-35E and practically on the campus of UNT it is in the perfect location to bring poor college kids a close by and cheap resource for food as well as being tripling as a post office and bank.

So although Sack N Save does not have the highest quality food they do have decent quality vegetables most of the time, occasionally the avocado section will have a few more flies than I’m comfortable with do to the avocado’s being blended in their own skin and bleeding everywhere. But what Sack N Save lacks in quality it tries to make up for in price and sometimes almost does, but the majority of time they don’t really come close to competing with larger grocery store chains.

The service is good but in all honesty grocery stores don’t really require a huge degree of personal service other than checking and bagging even though Sack N Save leaves the bagging to you. So, although the staff isn’t unpleasant in any way you still have to bag your own groceries and the food may not be tainted per se there are still too many flies and general unsanitary conditions. However these things never really stopped me from shopping there, but for some peoples standards Sack N Save might be a little shy of passing.Similar Posts:

Circa 77 Thrift Store in Denton TX

admin — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:07:04 +0000

Celebrating six years of selling, altering and renting some of the most fashionable clothing in the area Circa 77 is the queen of Denton thrift. Although calling Circa 77 a thrift store does not come near doing it justice, in reality Circa 77 is a boutique and ambassador of contemporary style for north Texas.

Circa 77 is flooded with vintage clothing poised to have you ready for any upcoming formal event with a unique and stylish outfit for you to wear. However, purchasing a brand new tux, suit or dress can be expensive and impractical for many people especially when the event comes with short notice buying may not be possible, that is why Circa 77 is happy to offer an abundant selection of rental items for every shape and taste in dress.
[ad#Google Adsense All Posts and Pages]
The gracious owner and operator will happily guide your curiosity and direct you to your desired orientation of style. And if the prices of vintage and custom tailored clothing are too rich for your particular blood have no fear for as this magnanimous boutique patron says Circa 77 is “very easy” when it comes to prices.

You would benefit to remember that store owners, especially small independent ones, want to sell you clothes as much as you want to buy clothes, so if you don’t have enough for those pants and those sunglasses maybe an inquiry into a multiple item discount could be in order. In fact Circa 77 is so easy going they even have a hutch of free items in front of the store at all times to keep the homeless warm as well as keep your supply of tacky sweaters filled.

The owner as well as her kind employee are both expert seamstresses also and given the opportunity they can transform any mal-fitted article into the outfit you had always imagined it could be. Really there is no reason to go to some generic formal outfit rental store when Circa 77 can give you something both refreshingly different and fitted to your personal sense of style.

But their function as a rental and formal wear shop has absolutely no diminishing effect on the quality of Circa 77’s exceptional choices in casual attire. Some of the most beautiful dresses in town reside in this stores windows as do some of the most interestingly retro t-shirts jackets and pants. All of this goodness awaits and that’s not even to mention the lovely glass center piece of the stores front room which encases a plethora of unique and in some cases valuable jewelry and sunglasses to get you all glittered up for Easter.

Yes, Circa 77 has been an institution of Denton fashion for six years and will hopefully be here to serve the North Texas community for many more.Similar Posts:

Vegan Freak

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:42:45 +0000

Denton is a thriving and progressive community with a growing population of vegans. More and more students arrive each year and with it so does more and more demand for a healthy alternative lifestyle.

Vegan-ism is no easy accomplishment and the local organic grocery store is not likely to have a vegan option for anything besides select frozen food items and if you’re lucky a few toiletries. That’s where Vegan Freak steps in with all of its righteously specific merchandise you’ll be not using dead animals in no time at all.

In the unlikely case you’re not aware, being vegan is hard work and can seriously limit your options regarding every single thing you buy and use daily. Vegan Freak provides a great convenience to local vegans, they supply the daily amenities of life that are dominated by generic brand names across the country.

There’s no need to order expensive and difficult to ship ethically conscious laundry detergent online anymore, Vegan Freak has that covered. In fact they have even done their part to keep the love alive in the vegan community with their vegan condoms and massage oils.

The store may be small but they have occupied an essential niche in Denton. Providing the people with new options for their consuming habits and making the world a better place for all living things.

With every handful of flax seed crackers or with every oatmeal and raisin cookie you can do your part to help cut back on animal cruelty as well as irresponsible food and packaging production.

Even local artists will be happy to know they can buy vegan supplies like recycled pencils and sketchbooks to express themselves in their art as well as in their materials.

Vegan Freak has provided much needed accommodations for the many neglected aspects of vegan living. This caring and specific store has broken new territory in Denton and with our communities support is sure to improve and expand it’s already impressive selection of vegan products.Similar Posts: