Out & About

Dec. 23 ‘Elf’

2015

Buddy the Elf says, “Stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup,” and bring the family to a 6 p.m. screening of this 2003 holiday classic. Among many others, the library also offers these programs in December: Lego challenge, for elementary students, starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. “Trivia King” for teens, adults and seniors starts at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19; teams can have two to five players. A “ladies sweet social,” offers an introduction to the library’s adult programming. Have tea and sweets and get to know your neighbors, starting at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.

Preston Royal Library, 5626 Royal, 214.670.7128, dallaslibrary.org, free

THROUGH DECEMBER 23

Storytime with Santa

Santa has been a lot of places and seen a lot of things — that means he has a lot of great stories. Listen to his tales MondaySaturday at 10:30 a.m. or Sunday at 12 p.m. on level one near Macy’s. NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central, 214.363.7441, northparkcenter.com, free

THROUGH JAN. 3

The Trains at NorthPark

Mini trains traverse 1,600-feet of track in this exhibit benefitting Ronald McDonald House. The trains follow miniature cityscapes including Dallas, Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco, plus the Grand Canyon, the fall foliage of New England and more.

NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central, 214.363.7441, thetrainsatnorthpark.com, $3-$7

DEC. 4

Acoustic Americana

Twangtown Paramours bring acoustic harmonies and top-notch singing in an 8 p.m. show. They’ll blend the sounds of Nashville and Austin in their Dallas showcase.

Uncle Calvin’s Coffee House, 9555 N. Central, 214-363-0044, unclecalvins.org, $15-$18

DEC. 14

Ken Rove

The political mastermind called “Bush’s Brain” brings his new book, “The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters” to a 6:30 p.m. book signing and talk.

George W. Bush Presidential Center, 2943 SMU Boulevard, 214.200.4300, bushcenter.org, $30-$45

DEC. 17

‘Train to Warsaw’

Two survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto return to Poland 40 years later in Gwen Edelman’s second novel. A reception for the author and book signing begin at 5:30 p.m. Edelman’s talk, presented by the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance, begins at 6:30 p.m.

Jewish Community Center of Dallas, 7900 Northaven, 214.739.2737, jccdallas.org, free

DEC. 26

Nutcracker puppetry

S&D Puppetry presents “Nutcracker in a Nutshell,” a new twist on the seasonal classic, starting at 2 p.m.

Bookmarks in NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, 214.671.1381, free

Dec. 17

Christmas choral music

The Orpheus Chamber Singers perform holiday music, including carols, ancient melodies and motets and sing-alongs.

Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, 14115 Hillcrest, 214.871.5000, orpheuschambersingers.org,

$10-$40

All three women in Taylor Nicholson’s immediate family have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten. Her sister, Erin, was diagnosed first.

“I started making food bars for her,” Nicholson says. “She was a pre-med student — really busy and tired of eating nuts and dried fruit all day. That was kind of the impetus for this whole thing.”

“This whole thing” refers to Unrefined, the bakery Nicholson and her mother, Anne Hoyt, founded five years ago near White Rock Lake. Since then, the ladies have opened three additional shops. The newest sits in Preston Center.

“A lot of our customer base said, ‘Go west of the tollway, go west of the tollway,” Nicholson explains. So they did.

The space is small, but that’s just fine, because everything on the menu is grab and go. You’ll find food bars, of course, but there are also sandwiches — which you can order on Paleo bread — and bags of frozen cornbread to reheat at home. The main attraction, though, is undeniably the pastry case. It’s filled with muffins, cookies and cupcakes in flavors like lemon, strawberry and Loaded Monkey, a fusion of banana bread, chocolate chips and peanut butter. No matter what you select, it’s guaranteed to be organic, gluten-free and soy-free. But Nicholson swears that won’t stop it from being delicious.

“We don’t want people to feel left out just because they have food allergies or food limitations,” she says. “Food is a part of our culture. We celebrate with food. If you’re a little kid [with allergies] and you want a sprinkle cupcake like every other normal little kid, awesome — why not?”

—Elizabeth Barbee

Unrefined

6055 Sherry Lane

469.816.2414 unrefinedbakery.com

AMBIANCE: GRAB AND GO

PRICE RANGE: $1.25 FOR COOKIES - $45 FOR BIRTHDAY CAKES

HOURS: 10 A.M. – 6 P.M. MONDAY – SATURDAY

DID YOU KNOW?

UNREFINED ALSO MAKES WEDDING CAKES. “I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO SEND A THANK YOU NOTE TO MY WEDDING CAKE DESIGNER,” NICHOLSON SAYS. “BUT I’VE GOTTEN QUITE A FEW OF THEM.”

| MORE Panini Bakery

Tying the knot? in wedding cakes. works with customers rable designs. been shaped burgers, cowboy beer caps.

6063 Sherry 214.363.1225 paninicakes.com

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes tion. The pastry ing in seven Columbia. If your sweet fix, works like a you don’t have goods.

2020 Villanova 214.369.0004 sprinkles.com

Society Bakery

This appropriately whipped up Cuban, Billy others. Cupcakes but pies, tarts, round out the 7777 Forest 973.566.7558 societybakery.com