A study released today by Austin-based Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking reveals that the state of the banking industry in Texas is strong -- except in Dallas-Fort Worth, where the assets-to-loans ratio is on par with the woeful national average. Notes a managing partner in the banking industry advisory firm,...
John MacLean made his first major musical mark as the guitarist for Six Finger Satellite, a onetime Sub Pop signee that merged traditional rock with synthetic filigree. Then, after lying low for a few years, he re-emerged with 2005's Less Than Human, a full-out electronic opus released under the twisted...
Although the Radio crew's talent is well-established, the band's music has always raised user-friendliness questions: Sure, 2006's Return to Cookie Mountain was excellent, but did anyone other than rock critics listen to it? Dear Science tackles this conundrum head on, upping the accessibility quotient without smacking of sellout desperation. "Crying,"...
Nearly 4 inches long, the "Sand Dune" oyster from Prince Edward Island was so plump, it was bulging out of its shell "like a large breast in a small brassiere," as Rodney Clark, the owner of Rodney's Oyster House in Toronto, put it. Intensely briny and wonderfully sweet, the big,...
Run 'n Shootin' the wad? SMU’s June Jones era starts tonight in Houston. New uniforms (back to the white helmets of the Pony Express). New quarterback (Katy freshman Bo Levi Mitchell is in and two-year starter and record-setter Justin Willis is kaput.) New results?...
It's time to rank the best of what went around and came around again. BILLY JOEL The Stranger (Columbia/Legacy) As punk and disco exploded, the Piano Man's deeply unhip 1978 breakthrough proved that top-shelf Broadway/Brill Building songwriting could still sell - and, occasionally, rock. "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" and...
A couple of weeks ago, an expert on the Harry Potter series told an audience of high school kids how lucky they were to have this Big Shared Experience--these seven books and 41,000 words in common. What does Harry Potter have to do with hip-hop in 2008? In an age...
He always loved running. Helped him clear his head. If only Steve Damm could turn that trick now. Unfortunately, a pair of New Balance shoes and 15 miles per week can't combat inoperable brain cancer. Though a two-time ('01 and '02) finisher of the Dallas White Rock Marathon, chances are...
Here's the story, space monkeys. When a mysterious deviant (Brad Pitt in all his shirtless glory) invades the life and mind of our anonymous protagonist (Edward Norton), the two form an underground "fight club" where bare knuckles, blood and testosterone rule. The extracurricular activity gains popularity for its therapeutic ability...
Bengal CoastIn the strictest traditional sense, Bengal Coast is not an Indian restaurant at all. But it is Indian-inspired, and that’s close enough when the food’s this good. Bengal Coast roasts its own spices and simmers more than 27 distinct sauces and marinades. The startlingly fresh dishes blend Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai influences with an Indian […]
While the Bush administration spent most of the last decade tarnishing America's reputation on the global stage and building fences along our border with Mexico, Tucson, Arizona's Calexico did the opposite, improving international relations (at least musically) and honing their dusty border noir to a fine point—all while expanding its...
You can no longer get your boots at Western Warehouse. Mark Cuban is actually being pursued by a creditor. Oklahoma won a college football beauty contest over Texas. And there is a black man in the White House. Our city—our world—is incredibly inverted. To which the Dallas Cowboys say, rubbing...
Walking through Neiman Marcus I inevitably end up in the menagerie of wonder that is the shoe section. As my fingers run over the Manolos and Christian Louboutins, my mind takes me to my favorite image. The one where I am wearing one of these gorgeous creations and strutting--yes, I...
Robert Benton and Paul Newman on the set of Twilight Writer-director Robert Benton turns 76 today, a birthday worth noting for two reasons. One, as we documented in the paper version of Unfair Park five years back, the Oak Cliff-born filmmaker possesses an accomplished and acclaimed résumé: co-creator of Esquire's...
Like his 2006 album The Mighty Ocean and Nine Dark Theaters, Astronautalis' latest is a collection of stories about growing up, rebelling and dealing with adult responsibilities. But this time the central character isn't Andy Bothwell, the guy behind the microphone and the Astronautalis name—it's America. Bothwell extensively researched U.S...
The Barack Obama Rally at Reunion ArenaBased on the election results of 2004, the city of Dallas is actually the 32nd most liberal city in the country. But you wouldn’t know it, thanks to all the suburban interlopers running around. So it still came as somewhat of a shock when a crowd of thousands turned out on a bright morning—February 20—to […]
Writers in the SchoolsHey, you, the writerly type. We know you’re shy. We know you’d rather sit inside with your nose in a book, keeping humanity at bay. But you have to leave the house sometime, so you might as well do some good while you’re out there. We recommend volunteering with the Writers in the Schools Program […]
As this guy can tell you, by the third day, it's all about staying cool. (Dawn Jones-Garcia) As the final hours of ACL tick away, we salute all those still standing. It's been a hot mess of a festival, and those in it for the long haul had to get...
Savoy SorbetA few weeks back we made the horrific mistake of leaving the ice chest at home; but, hey, we should have known this Saturday would wind up like most—with a trip to the Dallas Farmers Market. Specifically, Shed 1, site of the homegrown goodies. Down toward the end was a table set up for relative […]
Taco CabanaThe food at the good ol’ TC hardly does a body good, but after a night of going hard at the bars on Lower Greenville, few drunkards seem to really care. And, as a result, the crowds show up in force at this branch of the Taco Cabana franchise once the 2 a.m. cries of […]
Pete's PlaceAccording to his blog, Pete’s Place is “a running commentary on whatever strikes me at the moment,” and the result is sharp and thoughtful commentary on issues ranging from college football to national politics. Pete Oppel, former music writer and entertainment editor for The Dallas Morning News, offers up a regular dose of movie and […]
Buzz's mother had three essential life lessons she attempted to impart to her son: 1) Shut up; 2) Show some respect; and 3) God help you if I ever catch you hanging around that pool hall. Despite her best efforts, delivered with the loving strokes of a left hook that...
