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Dallas, You Are Very Charitable

So says Charity Navigator today in a press release announcing The Most Charity-Conscious Cities in America -- we're right there at No. 3 on the highest-rated-cities list, so barely behind No. 1 Pittsburgh and No. 2 Houston (Houston). So, to all those who give till it hurts, a hearty mazel...
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After Last-Second Stay of Execution, the Big XII Lives to Play Another Day

Who's the commissioner/savior/magician of the Big XII Conference, David Blaine? In a death-defying, last-second escape that would make the famed illusionist proud, Big XII commissioner Dan Beebe has somehow kept his league alive and, I think, well. Lured to stay put by the carrots of doubled TV revenues, Texas and Texas...
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Free Energy Brings Back A Classic Sound

The opening riffs of Free Energy's lead single, the self-titled "Free Energy," sounds strangely familiar. But it's not a Cheap Trick deep cut. Nor is it a Thin Lizzy cover either. It just sounds like one. "We're trying to make our own version of what we like," says Free Energy...
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Cats vs. Squirrels: Who Do You Hate Worse?

You know how I feel about squirrels, but ... When I was a kid - thankfully I only have a vague memory of the experience - I underwent this allergy test. A bunch of razor-blade nicks in my bare back to see how I reacted to chemicals and whatnot. Result: I...
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Six Alternatives to “Bros Icing Bros”

Bros icing bros? Oh mah gah, we are so over it. Running up to a dude and flashing a bottle of Smirnoff Ice so that he has to chug it? Whatever. Not only is just an easy cop-out for when you wake up naked on the pool table spooning your...
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Chick Fight: Popeye’s vs. Pollo Campero

Toque to Toque has made strides this year, delving into various cultures and cuisines. Some of our favorites included the mussel challenge, the soup dumpling debacle and the souffle cook-off where we met a former president. A chef friend recently told me that we shouldn't call this Toque to Toque...
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Pho Que Huong: Not Quite as Comforting
As Food from Home

I haven't written a Pho From Home in some time, as I've been reserving it for when the cold temperatures return. Last week, however, I found myself in the odd position of craving pho in the middle of the Texas summer. After botching a job interview in Las Colinas, I...
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The 15 Worst …and Friends! Albums Of All-Time

It's hard not to remember Santana's 1999 album Supernatural. Besides just the Rob Thomas collab "Smooth," which we've spent the past decade trying to erase from our memories, the album received a lot of attention at the time for being one of those records that featured a different collaboration with...
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100 Favorite Dishes: Fried Green Beans at Local

As a countdown to the Dallas Observer's "Best of Dallas" 2010, City of Ate is serving up 100 of the favorite dishes we crave, savor and hope to scarf down again soon. These dishes are in no particular order. Some are little known, others celebrated. Some are pricey, others can...
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Japan House: Overabundance Does Not a Good Meal Make

I really wanted to like Japan House. Upon first glance, I was in love. The staff is incredibly friendly, the dining area is modern, and the spread looks vast and promising. Because of all the above, it's difficult for me to write what I'm about to write. Located off of...
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Plants & Animals Evolves Naturally.

When deciding what to name their trio, Warren Spicer, Matt Woodley and Nic Basque came up with a tag that they, at the time, felt was relatively innocuous and meaningless moniker as it pertained to their collective future. In short: Deciding on Plants & Animals wasn't exactly an earth-shattering experience...
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Despicable Me Is Any But Despicable.

As the lights were dimming before a preview screening of Despicable Me, the 6-year-old who lives in my house leaned over and said, "I hope this is funny--not like Toy Story 3." Now don't misunderstand: He adored that movie. It's just that whenever the subject comes up, the first word...
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Clearing Out The Mailroom: Tuesday, June 22, 2010.

We've got quite a backlog of CDs we've never gotten around to, so we're going to try to chip away at the pile with this regular feature. The plan: to take a few at a time and play each CD for as long as I can stand it.Sugar and Gold...