Fort Worth Weekly // May 10-16, 2023

Separating church and hate, the local singersongwriter has a simple message for her listeners: Love on yourself and love on people.

BY EDWARD BROWN

FEATURE

The drag show goes on, protestors or not.

BY EDWARD BROWN

EATS & DRINKS

Follow us on the hunt for the best espresso martinis in town.

BY EDWARD BROWN

ART

Remembering Vernon Fisher, Fort Worth’s best-known visualarts export.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

STUFF

With its remake, Capcom has improved on Resident Evil 4.

BY COLE WILLIAMS

CONNECT WITH ART THROUGH COCKTAILS, CONVERSATIONS, AND CREATIVITY.

Each month you’ll find something different—from performances, artist talks, and unique tours to art making, music, and films.

MAY 11, 2023 | FREE Toasts & Tunes

Enjoy an evening enhanced with art making and cocktails while listening to local musicians perform on our Porch.

Second Thursdays at the Carter is generously supported by the Louella Martin Foundation.

Giant Steps

By Kristian Lin

10

STAFF

Anthony Mariani, Editor

Lee Newquist, Publisher

Bob Niehoff, General Manager

Ryan Burger, Art Director

Jim Erickson, Circulation Director

Edward Brown, Staff Writer

Emmy Smith, Proofreader

Michael Newquist, Regional Sales Director

Jennifer Bovee, Marketing Director

Stacey Hammons, Senior Account Executive

Julie Strehl, Account Executive

Tony Diaz, Account Executive

Wyatt Newquist, Digital Coordinator

Clintastic, Brand Ambassador

CONTRIBUTORS

Christina

Love on Everyone

Anthony Mariani, Edward Brown, Emmy Smith

Courtesy 15 20

Prolepsis Pictures 4

up, small men. Fort Worth’s drag culture isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Mommy

They Are the Champions

Republican-led

METROPOLIS

BY EDWARD BROWN

“Make some fucking noise!” an exuberant Kiana Lee shouted to a raucous crowd.

Bathed in blue light and dressed in a tight, glittering dress, Lee told the 1851 Bar customers about the evening’s special guest. Salem Moon stepped out as “Running Up that Hill” blared overhead. Her eyes flirted with the audience as she pulled off her cape, revealing a blackand-white unitard. After lip-syncing and dancing through a five-minute set, a noticeably winded Moon chatted up the crowd ahead of the five guest performers competing for $100 that night.

“What are y’all drinking?” she asked a group in the back.

“Everything,” one of them replied.

“Those are the people I’m afraid of,” Moon said with a sly smile.

Everyone was having a blast. In the relative comfort and safety of Arlington’s only gay bar, the national right-wing uproar over drag performances wasn’t a topic of discussion, but privately to me after the show, Moon and Lee expressed confusion and frustration over how Republicans mischaracterize drag performers — who are business owners and community leaders during the day who happen to enjoy inhabiting strong female characters and entertaining all genders at night.

Republican state legislators across the country are drafting or passing laws that could restrict drag performances or criminalize them even though cross dressing has a storied history throughout Western culture, notably in the theaters of Elizabethan England and Ancient

Greece, where men wore dresses to play the roles of women and girls.

SB12, filed by State Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola, recently passed the Texas Senate along party lines. The bill would ban kids from drag shows if the events are deemed sexually explicit by law enforcement. The proposed legislation that has the backing of Lt. Gov. Dan

Patrick could slap drag queens with a Class A misdemeanor while the host businesses could be fined up to $10,000. The state senate also passed another bill by Hughes, SB1601, which would ban drag queens from reading to children in public libraries. Libraries that violate the bill could lose one year of state funding.

The Republican-led effort to falsely

portray drag queens as sexual deviants has emboldened right-wing groups to protest outside performances, and subsequent anti-protester actions can lead to armed confrontations. Recently outside Fort Brewery and Pizza near the Cultural District, the anti-LGBTQ+ group Protect Our Kids brought around a dozen protestors wielding signs that read, “Stop Grooming Children” and “Stop Sexualizing Minors.” In response, and presumably alerted to the protest by the rightwing group’s earlier social media posts, continued on page 5

efforts to vilify drag performers haven’t stopped these dancers from sashaying to glory.

Several armed members of the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club arrived at Fort Brewery and Pizza to counterprotest members of the antiLGBTQ group Protect Our Kids.

Courtesy A.J.

Kiana Lee opened for Salem Moon at a recent show at the 1851 Bar in Arlington.

Agustin Gonzalez

several members of the leftist Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club arrived clad in all black and armed with long rifles. The two sides clashed.

Area resident A.J., who requested anonymity to protect her privacy, said she was shocked to see the confrontation.

“I was walking home from the park [that afternoon] when I noticed a man dressed in all black” sitting near Fort Brewery, she said. “I noticed he had a loaded gun propped next to him. I didn’t know who he was or why he was there. Was I going to get shot? The police were outside of the brewery and aware of these armed men walking the street. Who can feel safe when this is allowed? I certainly don’t.”

Fort Worth police arrested three members of the John Brown club for a range of charges, including assault, assaulting a peace officer, resisting and evading arrest, and interference with public duties. Video footage of the confrontation appears to show one member of the gun club pepper-spraying anti-LGBTQ protestors. In a tweet, Fort Worth police said the alleged pepper-sprayer was one of the three suspects arrested that day.

Moon said armed conflicts like the one at Fort Brewery steal the public narrative at a time when the media should be working to dispel myths about drag shows. Armed escalations from the left only further endanger the public, Moon said, adding that drag queens and their fans should trust law enforcement and venue security to keep people safe — from counterprotestors or heavily armed right-wingers.

Moon added that drag queens know how to tailor their sets to be age appropriate. If there’s a daytime performance among minors, the performers avoid cursing and wearing revealing clothing. Concrete Cowboy, Club Reflection, Funky Picnic Brewery & Café, and Red Goose Saloon are just a few other Fort Worth venues that host safe, regular dragthemed events.

As for the misinformed protestors who have taken to picketing her shows and accusing her of “grooming” children, Moon doesn’t see their antics ending soon, but she does have a reminder for them.

“I’m usually wearing more layers of clothing than the protestors,” she said. l

Salem Moon said the public is often misinformed about what actually happens during drag shows.

Agustin Gonzalez

Father Along

Readers had lots of reactions to Staff Writer Edward Brown’s article last week about family courts (“Courting Fatherhood,” May 3). Below are some of the comments we received. These letters reflect the opinions and fact-gathering of the authors and only the authors and not the Fort Worth Weekly. To submit a letter, please email Editor Anthony Mariani at Anthony@ FWWeekly.com. He will gently edit it for clarity and concision.

About time somebody started talking about the 231st District Court. I knew immediately Judge Jesse Nevarez was compromised because of what was happening in his associate court with former judge Lindsay DeVos. When I sat down with him, he seemed like a very nice man but as phony as a $3 dollar bill. I didn’t have to look far to find several litigants that were experiencing the same thing in his court but only within the context of certain attorneys. He just seems to sign off on anything. He is heavily dependent on [retired visiting judge] Randy Catterton, and where you find him, you always find trouble. They often refer to us as “bitter parents,” but that is not what is going on in Judge Nevarez’s court. I urge you to continue reporting on the 231st District Court because the community shouldn’t be expected to overlook what they can’t see. If I am wrong about Judge Jesse Nevarez, heck, I will be the first to apologize.

An anonymous mother

Fort Worth

I am praying daily for your battle in and with the terrible judicial court system we have in place. Nothing seems fair or even reasonable. The wheels grind slowly while our children suffer and families suffer. I can’t begin to imagine your pain and frustration. Your son and entire family are very dear to me.

Bonnie Dove

Arlington

This was a good read and very much relatable. I could talk for days about what I went through just so that I could maintain a relationship with my daughter, which caused me much stress, pain, and money.

Douglas Nipper Plano

I completely feel the heavy hand of this oppressive and corrupt 231st family court. I’ve tried many times to write google reviews about the court only to be deleted. I’ve put in complaints on judges at the 231st to include Nevarez, [Kevin J.] Schmid, and DeVos: Nevarez because he won’t recuse himself from my case (he is a JAG reservist and my son’s father is also a JAG), Devos because she took away my child and made

him live with his abuser, Schmitt because he told me not to talk about the abuse my child receives from his father and to take down all petitions and writeups exposing my son’s father and the court. Nope. That’s my First Amendment right I fought for [as a veteran]. This courthouse is run by thugs who strip people of their rights, strip them of money, and are not held accountable. They are buddy buddy with petitioners and lawyers. I won’t comply. All family courts are corrupt and illegal because there is no mention of a separate family court in the Constitution. That’s why family courts look so nice. Through taxes, we fund an illegal system and the people placed in charge. That’s another reason why they don’t care about the children and their “best interest of the child” is incorrect. I can’t wait till common law takes over.

Rebekah Montgomery

Currently in hiding from Judge Nevarez

Excellent article! Let us hope that Texans for Judicial Accountability is able to do its job. There is nothing fair or just or sometimes even logical about our judicial system. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct needs major reform. Cameras in the courtroom? Excellent idea! I look forward to [supporting Texans for Judicial Accountability]. I’ve always said that the only problem we have, as a nation, is apathy. Keep up the enlightenment, and maybe the apathy will become activity.

Joseph Villarreal

Fort Worth

In response to Edward Brown’s factually deficient rant because he was a loser in family litigation, be advised I have known Judge Jesse Nevarez for many years. He is a good person, and good lawyer, and a great judge. As much as Brown obviously loves his children, he is obviously ignorant about the law. After 45 years of practice, I’ve noted the high standards the Star-Telegram has for objectively reporting accurately about litigation. The Fort Worth Weekly has disrespected their readers by publishing what can best be described as garbage, not objective journalism. Take a lesson from the S-T, FWW.

Chuck Noteboom

Fort Worth

Boycotting Texas

Thank you for having the words to express the way many born-and-raised Texans feel about these hateful morons running our state (“Boycott Texas,” May 3). I don’t express my feelings about these crooked politicians in fear of retaliation to me or any member of my family. And many of these evil, so-called evangelical Christians are to blame for the hate that has been created. I wish [Donald] Trump never happened because he woke and brought out the white supremacist idealists that have ruined this country. I will keep fighting for the blue. Thanks.

Pete Garcia Fort Worth

STUFF

Bingo!

Resident Evil 4 Remake manages to mostly improve on the original classic.

BY COLE WILLIAMS

Resident Evil 4 (2005) reinvented the series at the time, taking a chance to mess with the formula by upping the action quota to match the scares. It paid off supremely well, resulting in a game awash in acclaim and sales and has since been re-released perhaps more than Skyrim and gone on to influence every third-person action game since, from God of War to The Last of Us. Following the success of remakes of Resident Evils 2 and 3, Capcom is now taking a stab at the highlight of the series and what is widely considered one of the best games ever made. The question is, could they possibly touch such a high benchmark? It turns out, in a few ways, they manage to top it.

The story remains largely unchanged.

4 Remake still follows former police officer Leon Kennedy from RE2, who’s now a special forces agent sent to rural Spain to find the U.S. president’s missing daughter. Ashley was last seen getting in with a bad crowd. And by that, I mean she’s been kidnapped by violent cultists who are infected with mutation-causing parasites. Leon’s adventure will take him across the derelict village and beyond as players must find and escort Ashley back to safety.

But while the story remains mostly the same, that doesn’t mean you’re playing the

same game as in 2005. This is a complete remake from the ground up in Capcom’s RE Engine, with refinements to both story and gameplay. Leon is no longer stuck in place while shooting but able to move freely, albeit slowly, while aiming. He can also use his trusty knife to counter some attacks. However, your knife can also break and need repair, which adds even more tension to every encounter. This is compounded by the addition of stealth options, allowing you to sneak up and shiv enemies if you prefer to take them out quietly, but the game’s focus still remains on the tight balance of its satisfying shooting and managing the precious ammo and resources you find.

It also wisely knows you’ve probably played the original more than a few times, so it throws a few curveballs here and there for veteran players while also changing things up to appeal to modern newbies, such as Leon’s improved mobility, ability to duck away from some attacks, and an auto-sort for inventory management. And while the original definitely focused on action over horror, here the scarier elements are played up even higher. It’s still a game where you can suplex injured enemies and downed dog monsters

will leave precious ammo, so expect to have scary fun.

A bigger change comes in the form of Ashley. She no longer has her own health bar to worry about and instead just gets incapacitated by enemy attacks, and Leon can quickly get her back on her feet with the press of a button. That doesn’t mean she’s still not in any danger. Players will still spend a chunk of the game escorting her and preventing Los Illuminados members from snatching her up, leading to a game over. You can also accidentally blow up Ashley if you’re not careful with your grenades, as certain players who definitely aren’t me found out the hard way.

One of the few ways the game doesn’t live up to the original is in the villains or rather their presentation. In the original, they would often hack into Leon’s communications and taunt him, giving them a lively presence. Here, they appear infrequently, with main baddie Lord Saddler in particular coming off as more of a cypher than the charming cult leader he was in the original.

Also returning is perhaps the game’s most beloved character, the Merchant. A cloaked figure who’s a sort of traveling

flea market with a hint of pirate, he still has plenty of guns to sell and upgrade and is more than happy to buy all the treasures you find. This time, however, you can also trade in the small gems you find for special items like long-range scopes and weapon upgrade tickets. He still won’t sell you ammo, though, because that would make the game too easy.

But it’s obvious from the adjustments to gameplay and story that RE4 Remake was honed and refined with much reverence and care for the original. While some levels and bosses are missing, that just helps the game feel leaner and tighter. Returning players and newcomers alike are in for a frightful treat not to be missed. l

Though the villains aren’t as well defined as the original, they still torment Leon.

Courtesy Capcom

ART

R.I.P., Vernon Fisher

A pillar of Fort Worth’s art scene passes away while a documentary celebrates him.

BY KRISTIAN LIN

All the obituaries for Vernon Fisher are using the words “blackboard” or “chalkboard.” It is true, many of the artist’s works feature an off-black background festooned with smudges of white that recall the classroom slates of olden days

that would need their chalk marks wiped imperfectly clean at the end of the day. Against those, he would place incongruous splotches of color, doodles of Mickey Mouse or Richard Nixon, or cartoon characters imagining the Hindenburg disaster

and freaking out. Those so-called “blackboard paintings” wound up being Fisher’s calling card in museums all over the world.

The Fort Worth-born artist who taught for decades at UNT died at the age of 80 on April 23. In a bitter irony, his

passing came a few days before the premiere of Breaking the Code , Michael Flanagan’s documentary film about him, at the Dallas International Film Festival and the Thin Line Film Festival last weekend. (DIFF is holding an additional screening today.)

Fisher was born on Feb. 19, 1943, in Fort Worth and spent much of his childhood in Granbury. In our profile of him after his retrospective at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (“How Vernon continued on page 11

Fisher’s 1995 work “Private Africa” is among his best-known “blackboard paintings.” (It’s actually on wood.)

Courtesy Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Vernon Fisher talks about his art in Michael Flanagan’s documentary Breaking the Code.

Photo courtesy of Prolepsis Pictures

Fisher Came to K-Mart Conceptualism,” Oct. 27, 2010), he admitted he hadn’t given serious thought to a career in art during his formative years, instead going out for sports like so many other young men in his hometown.

“I tried to be a very normal kid,” he said. “In small-town Texas, there’ll be 60 people in your class, and you’ll know everybody. There’s a lot of pressure to fit in, and you really don’t have that many choices.”

He attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, where he initially was a math student. He eventually received an English degree in 1967, but he stayed there another year to pursue his vocation as an artist.

He earned an M.F.A. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the only substantive time he spent outside the Lone Star State. Much of the press coverage has concentrated on his decision to spend most of his life in North Texas, despite the conventional wisdom of his youth that said artists had to live on one of America’s coasts to build a career. Fisher proved them wrong, as his works in various media found their way onto the walls of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Guggenheim Museum (New York), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston). His 1987 installation “Coriolis Effect” is part of the Modern’s permanent collection.

While his earliest works were in an abstract vein, he rejected the modish labels of Pop Art and abstract expressionism as well as any overly neat interpretations of his art. The pop-culture characters in his work sprang from the culture of his youth without offering up direct commentary on the popular culture outside the realm of high art. His works, many of which were produced in his art studio at 1109 N. Main St., invited viewers to take their own

meanings and mixed hilarity with serious themes to prevent fans and critics from pigeonholing him.

He taught for nine years at Austin College in Sherman, but he was better known for his time at UNT, where he started teaching in 1977. From that post, he exerted profound influence on Texas artists even beyond the satiric, sophisticated works that rippled far out into the world. He is survived by his wife, the fine artist Julie Bozzi. l

Fisher’s “Man Cutting Globe” is comic panellike painting from 1988 that comments on our view of the world.

Courtesy Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Vernon Fisher’s “Coriolis Effect,” an example of his text-based art, remains in the city of his birth. Photo courtesy Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

The exhibition is organized by the The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Kimbell Art Museum. It is supported in part by the William and Catherine Bryce Memorial Fund, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District.

support provided by

DINING LOCAL

Fort Worth Welcomes Mayan Cuisine & Works of Art to the Cultural District

Promotional Feature

Given his grandfather’s culinary career and his family’s love of home cooking, it’s no surprise that Chef Federico López ’ first steps into the culinary world were taken through his family.

When he reached adolescence, López seized an opportunity to work at the famous Hotel Nico in Mexico City. Then later, he was able to professionalize his vocation at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

Wanting to learn firsthand about Mexican cuisine, López moved to Cancun some 20 years ago, where he was welcomed with open arms and open doors. He became fascinated with traditional Mayan cuisine and the mythical stories behind each dish, told through its colors and textures.

“The key essence of Yucatecan cuisine is the meeting of flavors, ingredients, and products from the land and the sea

that characterize peninsular food,” says Chef López. “It is an emblematic kitchen that belongs to the people of the peninsular communities. They share ingredients, methods, and techniques, which has helped bring dishes like salbutes, papadzules, panuchos, and cochinita pibil to the table” giving diners a chance to discover the culinary experiences of the states of Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo.

In fact, López’ extensive knowledge of peninsular gastronomy will allow him to share signature dishes inspired by traditional cuisine during his participation in the Maya: Peninsular Cuisine Festival at Don Artemio Mexican Heritage (3268 W 7th St, Fort Worth, 817-470-1439).

Dishes such as the black pumpkin broth, the chochoyotas, and the scorched octopus tentacle in a black errand, will delight the attendees, a delicacy that, for chef Federico López, is nothing more than a gastronomic ode to the Mayan communities who deserve recognition for transmitting generation to generation, the exceptional culinary heritage. For festival updates, follow the restaurant at Facebook. com/DonArtemioFortWorth.

The festival starts this Thursday and runs thru Sun, Jun 4, during the same timeframe as the Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-332-8451) featuring nearly 100

rarely-seen Myan masterpieces and recent discoveries.

Created by masters of the Classic period (A.D. 250–900) in the spectacular royal cities in the tropical forests of what is now Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, the landmark works in Lives of the Gods evoke a world in which the divine, human, and natural realms are interrelated and intertwined. Lenders include major museum collections in Europe, the United States, and Latin America, with many works on view for the first time in the U.S., including new discoveries from Palenque (Mexico) and El Zotz (Guatemala).

For more info, visit KimbellArt.org/ Maya-Gods.

Courtesy Kimbell Art Museum

See a Myan plate at the museum, then enjoy a plate of Mayan food at Don Artemio thru early Sep.

1.) Enjoy a decadent chef-prepared meal with all your brunch favorites at the annual Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday at the Omni Hotel (1300 Houston St, Second Level, Fort Worth, 817-535-6664). There will be live music and a special treat for the mothers in attendance. Seating times are available every 45 minutes 11am-3pm. The cost is $78 for adults, $40 for children ages 6-12, and complimentary for children ages 5 and under. See the menu selections at OmniHotels.com/Hotels/Fort-Worth/Dining. For reservations, visit bit.ly/3GOPwyU.

2.) At 1pm Sat, Finn MacCool’s (1700 8th Av, Fort Worth, 817-923-2121) is kicking off Mother’s Day weekend with a Mother’s Day Bake Off & Vendor Market. Bring your best baked goods to the bar to be judged by the bartenders. While you await the results, do some last-minute shopping. Vendor booth space is free, as is entry into the contest and admission in general.

3.) From 10am to 3pm Sun, Fort Brewery & Pizza (2737 Tillar St, Fort Worth, 817-9238000) invites you to Treat Mom to Brunch

Enjoy mimosas on the patio with live music from Gus Clark and Brock Dewald. Fort Brewery does brunch every 10am-3pm SatSun with a brunch menu in the $9-17 range. Eggs Benny ($14) sounds nice. It includes cage-free poached eggs, a brown butter hollandaise, sliced avocado, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, and fresh parsley on house-made focaccia bread. While Mom indulges in that, I think I’ll have a much-needed Hangover Burger ($15).

4.) Without a “concrete” answer as to why Lola’s Farmers Market has now become Lola’s Community Market, we’ll all just have to speculate. (There’s a story here, but in the meanwhile, I’ve got jokes.) On the second Sunday of every month, head to Lola’s (2000 W Berry St, Fort Worth, @LolasFortWorth) to shop the local growers and makers, enjoy live music, and grab a bite from food trucks 11am-4pm. Admission is free.

5.) The Burleson location of Old Texas Brewing Company (112 W Ellison St, 817447-2337) hosts a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet 9am-1pm Sun. Adults dine for $17.99 and children for $7.99. Reservations are recommended for parties of six or more. Old Texas always has brunch 9am-1pm Sat-Sun, so you can check out the menu at OldTexasBrewing.com/Menus/#Brunch.

6.) For its first Mother’s Day, Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall (122 E Exchange St, Ste 200, Tannahills.com) hosts its Gospel Brunch & Social Sunday. The lounge opens at 11am, brunch begins at noon, and then a live gospel performance begins at 12:30pm. Tickets are $40 plus 20% gratuity, excluding alcohol, on Eventbrite.com. For announcements about this Sunday’s featured artist, menu selections, and more, keep an eye on Facebook.com/TannahillsMusicHall.

7.) Home Plate Restaurant & Patio at the Texas Rangers Golf Club (701 Brown Blvd, Arlington, 817-275-5941) invites you to treat Mom to brunch at the club 10am-2pm Sun. Guests will enjoy a wide assortment of grazing and dessert stations, pastries, salads, and some specialty entrees that the chef is creating for the event. Brunch menu prices range from $21 to $40. To see all the selections, visit TexasRangersGolfClub.com and select Mother’s Day in the Home Plate Restaurant dropdown. Call 817-575-8299 by Friday to RSVP.

8.) With four locations in North Texas, including The Colony (5754 Grandscape Blvd, Ste 205, 972-410-2240), Dallas (7859 Walnut Hill Ln, Ste 140, 214-272-8147), Euless (1220 Chisholm Trl, Ste 100, 817-283-9000), and Irving (350 W Las Colinas Blvd, 214-496-0400), Thirsty Lion Gastropub has a memorable Mother’s Day experience planned. Featured items include a grilled filet mignon ($39.95) or ribeye steak ($36.95) with white cheddar mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables ($36.95); and a parmesan panko-crusted halibut ($34.95) coated with fresh herbs, panko, and Romano cheese, grilled with lemon beurre blanc and served with cilantro jasmine rice and seasonal vegetables. Other brunch menu items range from $10.95 to $20.95. Reservations are highly recommended. For more information, visit ThirstyLionGastroPub.com.

Come see Mamma & Pappa for Mother's Day this Sunday! We'll have complimentary roses for Mom!

817.551.3713

5733 crowley rd fort worth, tx 76134 GIOVANNISFW.COM

Fort Brewery’s brunch Sat-Sun.

Enjoy the Eggs

By Jennifer Bovee

Benny and more at

Filet mignon and ribeye steaks are among the options for Mother’s Day at the Thirsty Lion.

EATS & drinks

Bitter, Sweet

BY EDWARD BROWN

Lately, our evenings have started with the same refrain.

“Three espresso martinis, please.”

For the past few weeks, two friends and I have been on the hunt for the quintessential coffee-spiked ’tini. Just as a sport coat or cocktail dress sets the tone for a special night out, an opening round of coffee-laden libations offers the perfect refined and sophisticated pick-me-up. The y-shaped glass harks to smoky 1950s and ’60s jazz clubs while the namesake ingredient anchors the boozy drink in America’s rich coffee culture.

And vodka? That neutral spirit dutifully diffuses the java-kissed martini’s ingredients with intoxicating results. Depending on where and what you order, your caffeinated hooch may come sweet, bitter, creamy, boozy, or some combination of the four.

Our first stop was Branch & Bird (640 Taylor St, 682-785-8888), whose bar serves a mildly sweet version made with Kahlua and simple syrup. The well-presented drink (sans traditional roasted bean garnish) had a lovely roast-y aroma, a frothy head, and a boozy bite.

Feeling tipsy, our trio closed out and headed to nearby Del Frisco’s Grille (154 E 3rd St, 817-887-9900) to continue our search.

On the menu was a sweet variant, the hazel-

nut espresso. We broke our informal vow to order only the classic versions of our favorite cocktail and were glad we did.

The dessert drink was a creamy delight. It wasn’t overly sweet (a plus, in my opinion) but had a thick mouthfeel and rich, nutty, chocolate flavors covering up the booze for an all-around smooth drinking experience.

I’m a relative newcomer to the espresso martini fan club and have noticed an uptick in the number of orders for this caffeinated

drink in recent months. While sipping the newest variant of this libation — carajillo — at Rusty Nickel IceHouse (2836 Stanley Av, 817-528-1682), I was told by the waiter that many people order espresso martinis after seeing someone else request one. The cocktail that has gone viral in Fort Worth is certainly distinctive with its dark, alluring hue and telltale thin-stemmed glass.

The carajillo, mixed from espresso and continued on page 19

Espresso martinis are more popular than ever, and Fort Worth’s bars serve a variety of versions to jolt your late-night fun.

Want a little pecan flavor in your martini? Blackland Distillery has the right libation for you.

Courtesy Blackland Distillery

Hot

continued

Licor 43 and poured in a tumbler with a single, large cube of ice, was less coffee-forward and had a robust profile of cinnamon, anise, vanilla, and orange blossom. The Latin version of my favorite adult beverage is another welcome addition to the espresso martini family.

The dark brown environs of Blackland Distillery (2616 Weisenberger St, 682-2685333) offer the perfect backdrop for a frothy pour of this sumptuous mixed drink. The Texpresso Yourself is dry with hints of pecan pie, thanks to a generous 2-ounce pour of Blackland’s popular Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon. The well-whisked head supported three beans for a perfect presentation.

Sugarman’s (165 8th Av, Ste 137, 817886-4141) has a new menu featuring locally inspired drinks, and the Cafe Camille, named after bar regular Camille Smith, is a bourbon-based take on the espresso martini, with a lovely cinnamon nose, creamy mouth feel, and warm finish.

Fort Worth’s oldest craft cocktail bar, The Usual (1408 W Magnolia Av, 817-8100114), serves a version made with cold press coffee. The low acidity java lent the drink a profile that was delicious but a bit too sweet for my taste.

After our journey, I’ve concluded that my ideal espresso martini blends rich, freshly ground and brewed beans with a light sweetener and generous pour of vodka — it is a martini, after all — shaken to produce a hearty head. Three espresso beans are the ideal garnish. While some bars are trying to get away with Manhattan-level prices, I’m

willing to shell out $12-15 tops. My friends and I are on an espresso martini odyssey that won’t end soon. With more bars offering the uber-popular liba-

tion by the week, Fort Worth will be awash in caffeinated martinis for the foreseeable future. l

Courtesy Camille Smith

Branch & Bird’s Blackbird hit all the marks for a quintessential espresso martini experience.

Courtesy James Talambas

MUSIC

Averi Burk

several-song set of originals with guest performers (rappers, singers, guitarists) who weaved in and out of the tightly knit medley as she launched into guitar solos, amped up the audience, and smiled wide.

One crowd-pleaser, “But Jesus Loves Me,” was a brooding take on the Christian lullaby with pummeling drum work, a lengthy crescendo to frenzied guitar riffs, and Burk’s sultry vocals. The Grand Prairie native recently told me the song is a commentary on her time in the church. Now 25, she moved with her family to Bedford 15 years ago and soon became an active churchgoer.

“Since I was 12, I was heavily involved in church,” said Burk, who is openly gay and in a four-year relationship with her girlfriend. “I wrote it as a reminder that God loves you no matter who you love.”

Throughout her teens, Burk reluctantly tolerated the conservative Christian view that homosexuality is sinful even as she harbored questions about her own sexuality. Meeting her current girlfriend in 2018 lifted that burden of self-doubt, she said, and she has actively been self-healing since.

BY EDWARD BROWN

Averi Burk has a natural command of the stage and a knack for theatrics. The altrock singer-songwriter was a headliner at a local mini-festival when she caught my attention last August. At the Will Rogers Auditorium concert that featured several other local acts, Burk launched into a

She also has been steadily networking with other musicians, building her reputation performing locally as a solo singer-songwriter, and booking larger shows when she can, including a performance at Birdie’s Social Club next Friday, May 19. She recently performed in Austin at the popular indie-rock venue Mohawk after her guitarist who recently moved to the state capital invited her.

continued on page 21

Separating church and hate, the local singersongwriter has a simple message for her listeners: Love on yourself and love on people.

Averi Burk: “God loves you no matter who you love.”

Con the Baptist

Music

continued from page 20

“I’m trying to figure out how to play outside of DFW,” she said, adding that she and her producer, Brandon Saiz (Sam Harvey, Brandon Marcel, Kompany), are working on some new singles and how to best market them. “You can’t just put things out these days. You have to be precise and intentional.”

Burk said that since venue and festival managers are quick to ask about online followers and streams, she plans to pay for online ads and other forms of marketing with her limited budget.

“Everyone is releasing songs online” and hoping for the best, she added. “You are fighting a streaming platform algorithm that’s hard to predict.”

While she works on the marketing side of building her brand, Burk plans to release singles on a nearly monthly basis. Her newest song, “Choke,” is a rebuke of homophobic Christian rhetoric.

“This lady was coming at me saying being gay is wrong,” Burk said. “I’ve heard it all before. She even offered this [conversion] program. That’s why the lyrics say, ‘Take your claims to the grave / Watch them go up in flames.’ ”

Burk exudes self-confidence, but she only recently found coping mechanisms for addressing her nearly life-long battles with anxiety, depression, and OCD.

“Depression hit me young because of my interactions with the church,” she said. “I was 18 when I had my first deep bout of depression. Addiction runs in my family. I think it is important to be aware of it. If you [talk about it], it is so much less scary.”

Burk found that a mix of therapy, exercise, and group talk with friends has

Fri, May 19, at Birdie’s Social Club, 2736 W 6th St, FW. Free. 817-888-8914.

helped her manage her symptoms.

“My parents are so supportive,” Burk said. “I’ve always come to my mom to share worrisome thoughts I’ve had. Talking about it is the best thing you can do. It almost makes [the perceived dangers] less real. There are so many tools that are available.”

Through her music and personal interactions with fans, Burk is open about topics like spiritual abuse by church leaders and struggles with mental health disorders. Many DMs and notes from followers thank the young alt-rock musician for being transparent about her struggles.

With two bandmates recently departed to Los Angeles, Burk is rebuilding her band as she looks for steady gigs and ways to reach new followers online. Personally and professionally, she said she is in a good place — most importantly because she is surrounded by supportive friends.

“I don’t feel called” to go back to the church anytime soon, she said. “I see God in nature and people. We don’t have to figure out what God is. We just have to figure out how to be the best person we can. Just be here and love on yourself and love on people. The church made it hard to love people. They tried to teach me that the things that brought me joy were bad. I’ve learned that not everything that brings you joy is bad.” l

Averi Burk

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Texas Commission on environmenTal QualiTy

Consolidated Notice of Receipt of Application and Intent to Obtain Permit and Notice of Application and Preliminary Decision

Air Quality Standard Permit for Concrete Batch Plants Proposed Registration No. 172416

Application. Estrada Concrete Company, LLC, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for an Air Quality Standard Permit, Registration No. 172416, which would authorize construction of a concrete batch plant located at the following driving directions: From the intersection of Floyd Hampton Road and Old Granbury Road (Farm-to-Market Road 1902), go north on Old Granbury Road (Farm-to-Market Road 1902) for 0.3 miles. Site entrance on the right, Crowley, Tarrant County, Texas 76036. This application is being processed in an expedited manner, as allowed by the commission’s rules in 30 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 101, Subchapter J. AVISO DE IDIOMA ALTERNATIVO. El aviso de idioma alternativo en espanol está disponible en https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/air/newsourcereview/airpermits-pendingpermit-apps. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice. For exact location, refer to application. https://gisweb.tceq.texas.gov/LocationMapper/?marker=-97.427488,32.562562&level=13. The proposed facility will emit the following air contaminants: particulate matter including (but not limited to) aggregate, cement, road dust, and particulate matter with diameters of 10 microns or less and 2.5 microns or less.

BORN IN BLOOD, LOW GEAR, VEIN, CREWL

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RIDGLEA LOUNGE

FRI 5/12

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FRI 5/19 SWARM

FRI 5/26

ISLE OF BELISLE, BLOODIED

CHRISTOPHER RYLE’S 1ST ANNUAL SUMMER RAWK PARTY SHOWCASE

This application was submitted to the TCEQ on April 4, 2023. The executive director has completed the administrative and technical reviews of the application and determined that the application meets all of the requirements of a standard permit authorized by 30 TAC § 116.611, which would establish the conditions under which the plant must operate. The executive director has made a preliminary decision to issue the registration because it meets all applicable rules. The application, executive director’s preliminary decision, and standard permit will be available for viewing and copying at the TCEQ central office, the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth regional office, and at the Crowley Public Library, 409 South Oak Street, Crowley, Tarrant County, Texas, beginning the first day of publication of this notice. The facility’s compliance file, if any exists, is available for public review at the TCEQ Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Office, 2309 Gravel Dr, Fort Worth, Texas. Visit www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cbp to review the standard permit.

Public Comment/Public Meeting. You may submit public comments or request a public meeting. See Contacts section. The TCEQ will consider all public comments in developing a final decision on the application. The deadline to submit public comments or meeting requests is 30 days after newspaper notice is published. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the TCEQ’s jurisdiction to consider in the permit process.

The purpose of a public meeting is to provide the opportunity to submit comments or ask questions about the application. A public meeting about the application will be held if the executive director determines that there is a significant degree of public interest in the application or if requested by a local legislator. A public meeting is not a contested case hearing. If a public meeting is held, the deadline to submit public comments is extended to the end of the public meeting.

Contested Case Hearing. You may request a contested case hearing. A contested case hearing is a legal proceeding similar to a civil trial in state district court. Unless a written request for a contested case hearing is filed within 30 days from this notice, the executive director may approve the application.

A person who may be affected by emissions of air contaminants from the facility is entitled to request a hearing. To request a hearing, a person must actually reside in a permanent residence within 440 yards of the proposed plant. If requesting a contested case hearing, you must submit the following: (1) your name (or for a group or association, an official representative), mailing address, daytime phone number; (2) applicant’s name and registration number; (3) the statement “[I/we] request a contested case hearing;” (4) a specific description of how you would be adversely affected by the application and air emissions from the facility in a way not common to the general public; (5) the location and distance of your property relative to the facility; (6) a description of how you use the property which may be impacted by the facility; and (7) a list of all disputed issues of fact that you submit during the comment period. If the request is made by a group or association, one or more members who have standing to request a hearing must be identified by name and physical address. The interests which the group or association seeks to protect must be identified. You may submit your proposed adjustments to the application which would satisfy your concerns. See Contacts section.

TCEQ Action. After the deadline for public comments, the executive director will consider the comments and prepare a response to all relevant and material, or significant public comments. The executive director’s decision on the application, and any response to comments, will be mailed to all persons on the mailing list. If no timely contested case hearing requests are received, or if all hearing requests are withdrawn, the executive director may issue final approval of the application. If all timely hearing requests are not withdrawn, the executive director will not issue final approval of the permit and will forward the application and requests to the Commissioners for their consideration at a scheduled commission meeting. The Commission may only grant a request for a contested case hearing on issues the requestor submitted in their timely comments that were not subsequently withdrawn. If a hearing is granted, the subject of a hearing will be limited to disputed issues of fact or mixed questions of fact and law relating to relevant and material air quality concerns submitted during the comment period. Issues such as property values, noise, traffic safety, and zoning are outside of the Commission’s jurisdiction to address in this proceeding.

Mailing List. You may ask to be placed on a mailing list to receive additional information on this specific application. See Contacts section.

Information Available Online. For details about the status of the application, visit the Commissioners’ Integrated Database (CID) at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Once you have access to the CID using the link, enter the registration number at the top of this notice. Contacts. Public comments and requests must be submitted either electronically at www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, or in writing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 787113087. Please be aware that any contact information you provide, including your name, phone number, email address and physical address will become part of the agency’s public record. For more information about this application or the permitting process, please call the TCEQ Public Education Program toll free at 1800687-4040 or visit their website at www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/pep. Si desea información en Español, puede llamar al 1-800-687-4040.

Further information may also be obtained from Estrada Concrete Company, LLC, 650 Skyline Dr, Hutchins, TX 75141-4147 or by calling Mr. Josh Butler, Principal Consultant, Elm Creek Environmental, LLC at (469) 946-8195.

Notice Issuance Date: May 5, 2023

CLASSIFIEDS

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGINEER CENTER JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO LACKLAND TEXAS

Would you like to learn more about environmental cleanup projects at Former Carswell Air Force Base (AFB)?

If yes, then please contact Mr. Elmer (Gordon) Smith at: elmer.smith.3@us.af.mil or call 1-866-725-7617 to get more information on participating in the startup of a Restoration Advisory Board, also known as a “RAB”

• What is a RAB?

o A RAB is a community group which meets to discuss and receive information on environmental restoration (cleanup) projects at Former Carswell AFB.

• What does a RAB do?

o A RAB facilitates and improves communication, outreach, and transparency between the former military base, the public, regulators, local governments, and interest groups for issues related to military cleanup activities. RABs offer a structured, focused, and interactive opportunity for community stakeholders to meaningfully participate in the cleanup process. A RAB enables local community members to receive from and exchange information with the Air Force and regulatory agencies managing environmental cleanup projects at Former Carswell AFB.

o RABs engage in and support the Department of Defense’s cleanup efforts by reviewing and commenting on cleanup documents and activities; serving as a liaison to and sharing cleanup information with the community; and providing a forum to exchange information about the schedule, type, and status of cleanup activities. RAB meetings allow RAB members and members of the community to receive updates and ask questions on the status of the environmental cleanup program at Former Carswell AFB.

o Though RABs are not a decision-making group, RABs do give local community members the opportunity to have their voices heard and provide a forum to provide valuable community insight to the Air Force and regulatory agencies.

• Are you interested in participating in Former Carswell AFB’s RAB?

o The Air Force is currently assessing whether there is enough community interest to reestablish a RAB at Former Carswell AFB.

o If you are interested in learning more about Former Carswell AFB’s environmental restoration projects and having the opportunity to give your input to base and regulatory agencies on their management of cleanup projects at Former Carswell AFB, either as a RAB member or by attending RAB meetings, then please contact:

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGINEER CENTER

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO LACKLAND TEXAS

Carswell Air Force Base (AFB)?

Si la contestación es sί, entonces por favor comuníquese con Mr. Elmer (Gordon) Smith al correo electronico: elmer.smith.3@us.af.mil o llame al 1-866725-7617 para obtener más información para participar en el comienzo de la Junta Consultoria de Restauración, conocido en ingles como “Restoration Advisory Board (RAB)”

• ¿Que es un RAB?

o RAB es un grupo compuesto de la comunidad, que se reúne para conversar sobre proyectos de limpieza y/o restauración ambiental en el formalmente conocido Carswell AFB.

• ¿Que hace un RAB?

o RAB facilita y mejora la communicación entre las actividades militares, el publico, los reguladores, el gobierno local y grupos interesados en asuntos relacionados con actividades de limpieza ambiental. RAB ofrece una oportunidad organizada, enfocada e interactiva para las comunidades interesadas en participar en el proceso de limpieza y/o restauracion ambiental. El RAB hace posible que los miembros de las comunidades locales reciban e intercambien información con la Fuerza Aérea y agencias regulatorias que estan acargo de projectos de limpieza ambiental en formalmente conocido Carswell AFB.

o RAB apoya a el Departamento de Defensa (Department of Defense) en los esfuerzos de limpieza, revisando, comentando los documentos y las actividades; sirviendo como enlace para intercambiar informacion con la comunidad; y provee un foro para presentar informacion sobre el progreso del programa y de las actividades de limpieza. Las reuniones del RAB permite que los miembros reciban actualizaciones y hagan preguntas sobre los programas de limpieza ambiental en formalmente conocido Carswell AFB.

o Aunque el RAB no es un grupo para tomar decisiones, permite a los miembros de la comunidad local la oportunidad de expresarse y de proveer valiosa información y preocupaciones a la Fuerza Aérea y agencias regulatorias.

• ¿Esta interesado en participar en el formalmente conocido Carswell AFB RAB?

o La Fuerza Aérea está actualmente evaluando si existe suficiente interés comunitario para re/establecer un RAB en el formalmente conocido Carswell AFB.

Mr. Elmer (Gordon) Smith at: elmer.smith.3@us.af.mil or call 1-866-725-7617 by Thursday, 15 June 2023

o Si usted está interesado/a en aprender más sobre proyectos de restauración ambiental para formalmente conocido Carswell AFB y de tener la oportunidad de expresar su opinión a la Fuerza Aérea y las agencias regulatorias sobre la administración de proyectos de limpieza ya sea como miembro o asistiendo a reuniones del RAB, favor comunicarse con:

Mr. Elmer (Gordon) Smith

Correo electronico: elmer.smith.3@us.af.mil o llamar al 1-866-725-7617 hasta el Jueves, 15 de Junio del 2023

¿Le gustaria aprender mas sobre proyectos de limpieza ambiental en formalmente conocido como

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HISTORIC RIDGLEA THEATER

THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. More info at theRidglea.com

PUBLIC NOTICE

The following vehicle(s) have been impounded with fees due to date by Texas Towing Wrecker, 205 S Commercial St, Fort Worth TX 76107, 817-877-0206 (VSF0000964): HYUNDAI Trailer, 1994, 3H3V532K4RS032210, $22,507.80.

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