Out & About

March 2012

March 2-4 Bridge-o-Rama

In celebration of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opening, neighbors are invited to Bridge-o-Rama, a weekend-long festival with 40-plus events. On Saturday the Parade of Giants leads oversized, hand-carried puppets of historical figures such as Sarah Cockrell and Bonnie and Clyde down Singleton Boulevard and across the bridge. During Sunday’s Urban Emergence lecture at Methodist hospital’s Hitt Auditorum, architects and urban planners discuss what the bridge means to the future of Oak Cliff and West Dallas. Visit the website for details of all events. Locations vary, bridgeorama.com, free

Through March 3

Michael Henderson

Texas artist Michael Henderson studied painting and drawing at UNT and has shown his videos, video installations, digital prints, drawings and paintings across the country.

Mighty Fine Arts, 419 N. Tyler, 214.942.5241, mfagallery.com, free

Through March 5

Focus on the Bridge

Beginning with a 6:30-7:30 p.m. opening reception on March 1, the Haley-Henman Gallery presents a special exhibit celebrating the opening of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. It features photographs from David Clanton, Cecelia Feld, Bob Johnson, Michael Lyon and Alan Robertson.

Haley-Henman Gallery, 2335 Hardwick, 214.749.1277, haleyhenman.com, free

MARCH 2

Wine to Water

Share the Love Foundation and Oak Cliff neighbors present this second-annual wine-tasting benefit. Proceeds will fund a water well drilling expedition to Central America. The event allows guests the opportunity to sample wines, cheeses, breads and chocolates while enjoying a silent auction and live entertainment. 7-10 p.m.

Oak Cliff Cultural Center, 223 W. Jefferson, 214.467.7625, winetowateroc.com, $20

MARCH 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Friday live music series

This month, the Belmont Hotel hosts a relaxed live music series that showcases the music of Chris Johnson, Gaston Light, Bill Longhorse and John Pedigo. 901 Fort Worth, 214.393.2300, belmontdallas.com, free

MARCH 13

Tuesday Night Trash: ‘Father’s Day’

Texas Theatre presents “Father’s Day” as a part of its free series of awesomely terrible B Movies. Show begins at 9 p.m. This film is rated R.

The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, 214.948.1546, thetexastheatre.com, free

March 3-April 15

Gerardo R.: Un Dia a la Vez

Start Gallery Dallas presents the first solo show of Oak Cliff-based artist Gerardo R. With an opening reception on March 3 from 5:30-8 p.m., the exhibit features largescale paintings and drawings depicting the impact of the ongoing drug war in Mexico. 1004 W. Page, 469.337.8055, startgallerydallas.com, free

March 24

Paula Cole

Grammy award-winning singersongwriter Paula Cole comes to The Kessler stage to perform hits from her 17-year career, which includes six albums. Cole was the first woman to receive a Best Producer Grammy nomination. Doors open at 7 p.m. The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $20-$25

MARCH 24

Historic neighborhood tour

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the Dallas Historical Society offers a tour through some of the city’s most historic neighborhoods, including Oak Cliff. Participants will learn how and by whom these areas were established. The tour departs from the Hall of State in Fair Park and includes lunch.

Hall of State, 3939 Grand, 214.421.4500, dallashistory.org, $50/non members, $35/members

MARCH 31

It’s My Park Day

From 8 a.m.-noon, the Dallas Park and Recreation Department invites residents to gather at local parks for a day of beautification. Here’s how it works: Choose your project, register as a volunteer by calling the park and rec department, and get ready to work. Deadline to register is March 19. Volunteers will be clearing litter and debris, removing graffiti, weeding, mulching and planting, and cleaning up creeks and shorelines.

214.670.8400, itsmyparkdaydallas. eventbrite.com, free

Do you have missing teeth? Do you have loose dentures? Do you have difficulty chewing food due to loose, painful teeth or multiple missing teeth?

Delicious Sandwiches

Owner

Dawkins

Chris Zielke says, “it’s like a Brooklyn deli and a local produce shop with a coffee shop feel,” but you won’t get it until you walk into the newly opened Bolsa Mercado. It has a sense of community and Texas warmth, exactly the vibe that Zielke and his business partner Jessica Jeffers wanted to create. “We pick the best local and organic products to stock our shelves,” Zielke says. “There’s also a wish list that customers can add to if they can’t find their favorite products.” With a focus on small farms and local food, just about anything is available to make your own gourmet feast, but it’s hard to pass up the tasty graband-go menu options such as the house-smoked turkey sandwich layered with avocado spread, sharp cheddar, pepper relish, bacon and arugula. Another favorite is the wild boar and goat cheese kolache, an unusual yet distinctly Texan treat. —Breajna

BOlSa MerCaDO

634 W. Davis

972.942.0451 bolsadallas.com

Price range: $9-$14 ambiance: coffee shoP and grocery hours: 11 a.m.-10 P.m. mon-Thu and sun

11 a.m.-11 P.m. fri-saT

TiP: chef jeff harris and crew make Their own cured meaTs.

| more sandwich spots |

1 Spiral Diner

This vegan menu doesn’t skimp on the sandwiches, which are stuffed with good-for-you ingredients. Try the hummus wrap with baked sweet potato, broccoli, cucumber, avocado, greens and spicy pecans.

1101 n. Beckley

214.948.4747 spiraldiner.com

2 Oddfellows

This breakfast hotspot also has indulgent lunch items such as the fried green tomato sandwich with bacon, sprouts, avocado and mayo on a ciabatta bun. They do a mean sloppy Joe, too.

316 w. seventh

214.944.5958 oddfellowsdallas.com

3 Café Brazil

c hoosing from the never-ending sandwich menu can be daunting, but you can’t go wrong with the chicken salad sandwich served on a large hoagie bun. You’ll have another meal left over.

611 n. Bishop, suite 101

214.946.7927 cafebrazil.com

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Cafe Maya

Lunch

Mondays:

Wine 102

Duchman Family vermentino ($12) Texas

Wine drinkers are creatures of habit. We tend to drink the same wines and shop in the same places for those wines, which, frankly, doesn’t do much to expand our wine horizons. This is an especial problem for beginning wine drinkers, whose lack of experience is compounded by the intimidation factor — wine can be a scary thing for newcomers, who are overwhelmed with labels, names, terms and the like.

So, four easy things anyone can do to boost their wine savvy:

One of the things that people always laugh at when I talk about wine is the idea that they can learn more by drinking more. For example, if you like pinot noir, why not try a different kind than what you usually drink? One choice is the Mandolin pinot (about $12), which has less fruit than similarly priced wines, but a little more earthiness.

It’s amazing how this will change your perspective, especially if you buy wine only in grocery stores. Wine retailers are more likely to carry something such as the red and white from France’s Chateau Bonnet (about $10) solid, dependable and tasty wines that don’t have cute labels or marketing budgets.

And even those you don’t. No one, including the so-called experts, remembers the name of every wine they drink. That way, the next time you shop for wine, you know what to look for, and avoid. You don’t have to do it often. But every once in a while, if you don’t like sweet wine or red wine or whatever, taste one. Given that your palate will change over time as you gain more experience, there’s also a chance you’ll appreciate wine you didn’t like before. Regional wine fits here: Texas’ Duchman Family Winery vermentino (about $12). It’s a white wine that is bright and fresh, with some lemon-lime fruit.

JEFF SIEGEL’S WEEKLY WINE REVIEWS appear in our Eat Local dining newsletter. Sign up at advocatemag.com/newsletter.

Ask the wine guy

—Jeff Siegel

I liked a wine a lot, but when I went back to the store to buy more, there wasn’t any. Why is that?

ause wine, unlike other consumer ds, isn’t always replaceable. You can ays make another bottle of ketchup, but e a wine is gone, it’s gone. This isn’t lly a problem with most grocery store es, but it can be for wine that is sold tly in wine retailers.

ASK THE WINE GUY

Jeff Siegel

with your wine Oven ‘grilled’ country-style ribs

Ribs have an air of mystery around them: They look weird, and they seem like they should be difficult to cook. And countrystyle ribs, which have less bone and are shaped differently, seem even more confusing. But they’re actually quite straightforward; serve with red wine like the Bonnet or the Mandolin.

Grocery List

2-3 lbs country-style ribs

1 Tbsp spice rub for pork

Directions