Sundance Square Stockyards Cultural District Near Southside
Y our P assport T o C enter C it y L ife
Fort Worth Galleries Are gearing Up For Summer Crowds
June 2009
YWCA Unveils New Art | So7 Update | Fort Worth Cats | Montgomery Plaza Update
INSIDE
Fort Worth Galleries Arting up for summer crowds .................................
Montgomery Plaza Still growing, still going strong .................................
Promise Fulfilled New art unveiled at YWCA .....................................
So7 Luxury living and so much more ............................
The Foodie Pages
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Table Scout ................................................. 10 You Gotta Try This......................................... 10 Beat the Clock ............................................ 11
Fort Worth Cats Baseball
12 June Entertainment What’s going on around Cowtown ........................ 14 Summer nights are heating up at LaGrave Field ...
JUNE • 2009 DOWNTOWN FW is a free monthly publication distributed in the Fort Worth center city, and supported by the downtown Public Improvement District. The entire contents of DOWNTOWN FW are copyright 2005 by DFWI and JSW Publishing. NO portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publication. DFWI Mission Statement To be the catalyst for transforming Downtown Fort Worth into a vibrant place to live, visit, enjoy and conduct
business through aggressive leadership of programs, projects and partnerships.
Andy Taft, President 777 Taylor St., Suite 100 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817-870-1692 • www.dfwi.org Editor Stacey Pierce, Director of Marketing and Communications Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. • stacey@dfwi.org Advertising Director Kristen Jenkins Marketing Director Dana Crumbliss-Mariani JSW Publishing 817-321-9724 Business/Operations Trish Bermejo Art Director/Layout Editor Amy Royer
URBAN LIVING on the PARK
What’s So Hot at So7? The Summer Sales Release of our ArtHouse Loft condominiums is soon to be in full swing.
downtown fort worth
june 2009
Here’s a sneak peek to heat things up – select homes will be value priced between $20K and $80K OFF the previous prices. With interest rates at some of the lowest levels in history, now is the time to buy!
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Don’t delay, the So7 Summer Sales Release ends on July 15th. So call or come visit us today at our Sales Center located at 2604 Museum Way across from Montgomery Plaza.
LOFTS Model Homes Now Open VALUE PRICED This is not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, to residents of any state $20K - $80K OFF or province in whichrestrictions and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. This advertisement is void where prohibited by law. The prices, plans, amenities, availability IT’S GETTING HOT and improvements shown are subject to change without notice. All pictures, photographs, and images are owned or licensed by Playground Destination Properties Inc., Broker or its affiliates. Any use, reproduction or distribution of pictures, photographs, and images without IN HERE! written permission is expressly prohibited.
817-885-7700 If you haven’t already had the chance, check out So7 online at www.sosevenfortworth.com/sohot
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DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH
june, 2009
FORT WORTH GALLERIES ARE GEARING UP FOR SUMMER CROWDS
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And Boast Some of The Greatest Art Exhibits in the Country
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downtown fort worth
june 2009
uch like people today around the globe, Italians during the Renaissance blew a lot of money on weddings. Art & Love in Renaissance Italy at the Kimbell Art Museum (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., in the Cultural District, 817332-8451) features about 150 paintings and art objects circa 1400 through 1600. Jewelry, maiolica (tin-glazed ceramic), Renaissance glassware, cassone panels, birth trays, drawings and prints of, amorous subjects, and portraits and paintings that celebrate sensual love and fertility comprise the exhibit that closes June 14. Visit www.kimbellart.org. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St., in the Cultural District, 817-738-9215) has spent the past few seasons hosting fantastic temporary exhibits. Recently, though, the Modern has shifted the focus back to its own collection. The Collection and Then Some includes nearly 100 works and covers both floors of the museum. “Now and then, we like to air out as much of the collection as we can,” Chief Curator
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Modern Art Museum
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Kimbell Art Museum Michael Auping has said. “In this case, we will give the collection a slightly new face. Along with many old favorites, we will bring out some works from storage that have not been seen in some time. There will be a few guest appearances of works that are not in the Modern’s holdings but are borrowed from area collections. It should provide an interesting dialogue between various mediums and approaches to imagery.” The exhibit, drawn from the Modern’s collection, the second largest collection of postWWII art in the country, will include the handiwork of luminaries such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Francis Bacon, Fort Worthians Dennis Blagg and Julie Bozzi, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Gerhard Richter, Andres Serrano, Frank Stella, Fort Worth Modernist Bror Utter, Andy Warhol, and many others. The exhibit will be on display throughout the summer. Visit www.themodern.org. Through August 23, the Amon Carter Museum (3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., in the Cultural District, 817738-1933) will exhibit The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper. One of the most vaunted private collections of African-American art in the world, the exhibit features more than 90 works by more than 50 artists. Some pieces are dated as early as the late 1800s with others as recent as the early 2000s. Elizabeth Catlett, William H. Johnson, and Charles White are just some of the artists represented. The various media include block printing, etching, lithography, and screen-printing, as well as pastel, pen and ink, and watercolor. Most of the work is from the 1930s and ‘40s, a period that birthed African-American regionalism. There also is a good deal of work from the turbulent ‘60s and ‘70s, when politics began to
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Amon Carter
ART BY NUMBER 4. 5.
Artspace 111 William Campbell
FWCAC
greatly influence all artists, especially African-American artists, whose lives, whose histories, were inextricably linked to achieving, finally, social equality. The exhibit will be complemented by African-American Art: Selections from the Amon Carter Museum’s Collection, featuring Catlett, Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, William E. Smith, and John Wilson, among others. Visit www.cartermmuseum.org.
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www.casamanana.Org
STILL GROWING... STILL GOING STRONG W
downtown fort worth
june 2009
photos by Amy Royer
hen the Montgomery Ward landmark retail and mail-order store was built in Fort Worth in 1928, it stood proudly as the largest building in Texas at the time. Surviving a flood in 1949 and a tornado in 2000, Montgomery Plaza stands refurbished and renewed as a symbol of our city’s history and a gateway into the future of Seventh Street development. An architectural and historical icon, the Mission Revival structure now features eclectic restaurants and retail Sculpture outside outlets, as well as luxurious residences and a rooftop patio, Uncommon Angles. soon to be completed. Popular tenants include Gloria’s, the Dallas-based Cuban-inspired eatery that features refreshing sangria and salsa dancing late night, and Boomerjack’s Grill and Bar, best known for it’s outdoor bar and patio that is regularly packed with patrons. “Montgomery Plaza is a place where everyone can enjoy the unique liveliness of Fort Worth,” said Ryan Tinch, vice president of United Commercial Realty, the Dallas-based firm who handles the building retail leasing. New tenants will soon include Sushi Axiom, the trendy sushi spot whose original Fort Worth location is at Hulen and Donnelly. Having built a respectable reputation for quality rolls, sashimi and service, the highly anticipated Montgomery Plaza location will no doubt draw big crowds. The restaurant is expected to open in August. Luke’s Locker, the admired fitness store that has been faithfully serving the running community for more than 25 years, will move their long-time University Drive location into the Plaza within the month. The store will occupy a large, prominent corner space facing Seventh Street, providing convenient access for Luke’s loyal fans. Uncommon Angles has moved their location from the outside of the Plaza to the inside, joining the row of retailers along the main breezeway in the center of the Plaza. Guests will find an assortment of artistic and unexpected gifts, including colorful baubles, jewelry, and décor. Uncommon Angles parking is marked by a tall outdoor sculpture directly in front of the new, larger store. Starbucks, Pei Wei, and Mac’s on 7th round out the current dining options in the Plaza. Mac’s, whose original location is based in Arlington, offers an upscale menu featuring steaks, seafood and prime rib with a Southwestern influence. Mac’s wine list is extensive and cozy outdoor patio is popular during Sunday brunch. Other Montgomery Plaza retail tenants include Dolce Vita (a chic boutique featuring both super trendy and classic styles), Wine Styles Wine & Gifts, Merle Norman Cosmetics, RadioShack, Ritz Camera, Edible Arrangements, Blu-Glo Home Media Systems and Dr. Rubin’s new home of Luke’s Locker. dental office. The Lash Lounge, touted as Texas’ first eyelash salon, opened in 2008 and offers eyelash and permanent makeup services. RE/MAX® also holds an office in the building and works with individuals interested in calling Montgomery Plaza home. Spaces are selling quickly and residents will soon enjoy downtown views, high ceilings, a glass-walled fitness center, outdoor dining and grilling areas, a rooftop pool, spa and cabanas, and a 24-seat home theatre with 10-foot screen.
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June 23 - 28 at Bass Performance hall
July 7 - 12 at Bass Performance hall
august 4 - 9 at Bass Performance hall
september 1 - 6 at Bass Performance hall
Order Online at www.casamanana.Org call 817.212.4280 Or visit the Bass hall BOx Office fOr seasOn tickets:
call 817.332.2272 Or visit the casa mañana BOx Office The Official Airline of Casa Mañana This season made possible, in part, with the support of the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the City of Fort Worth and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Fulfilled...
photos by Amy Royer
New Sculpture Unveiled at YWCA
income children. Of the approximately 750 children served every year, more than half are homeless. In addition, three floors of the downtown YWCA serve as residential housing for homeless women and for young women who have aged out of foster care. The Department for Racial Justice was created in 2005 to help further the mission of the YWCA, which is “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.” Dialogue on Race and the Institute for Public Leadership are programs that strive to help people understand the repercussions of prejudice and institutional racism and to further public policy leadership among underrepresented groups within the community. In addition to these core programs, Ms. Bishop was responsible for creating social entrepreneurship endeavors that help raise funds for YWCA programs. She believed the beautiful YWCA facility downtown could be a money maker for the organization. In 1999, a Capital Campaign raised nearly $5 million to renovate the 1928 historic landmark building, as well as the YWCA Polytechnic Child Development Center. Since then, rental of the facility for weddings and gala events has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for YWCA programs for homeless and low-income women and children. She also started the YWCA Resale Shop in 2004. All proceeds from the shop benefit programs, as well.
for more information on the sculpture or about programs of YwCA fort worth & tarrant County, call 817-332-6171.
june 2009
new piece of downtown art was unveiled to the public during the June 1st retirement celebration of Judi V. Bishop, Executive Director of YWCA Fort Worth & Tarrant County. The sculpture, entitled “Promise Fulfilled,” was created by Fort Worth artist Michael Pavlovsky. “Promised Fulfilled” is a bronze sculpture of a young woman reaching toward the sky to free a bird. The plaque attached to the concrete base reads, “Promised Fulfilled by Michael Pavlovsky dedicated to Judi V. Bishop, YWCA Executive Director, 1989-2009.” The sculpture was unveiled to Ms. Bishop May 26th. The sculpture stands in front of the YWCA, located at 512 West 4th Street in downtown Fort Worth. “The sculpture is so beautiful and so very symbolic of the work of the YWCA,” said Ms. Bishop on the day of the private unveiling. “We work so hard to free women and children from poverty and homelessness. Our work is truly a promise fulfilled and I’m humbled and honored that such a work of art is dedicated to me.” For 20 years, Ms. Bishop has been leading the charge to provide important services to homeless and disadvantaged women and children. On her first day with the Fort Worth YWCA, she discovered an association struggling to provide services with little support or funding. From her first phone call to a local foundation, Judi was on her way to building one of the most respected YWCAs in the country and one of the most dedicated and hard-working nonprofit organizations in Tarrant County. YWCA Fort Worth & Tarrant County has three child development centers serving homeless and low-
downtown fort worth
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paintings that may make viewers more cognizant of their surroundings, be they inside familiar dwellings or in the thick of the city. Harding’s and Neito’s hyper-flat surfaces have an Op-Art quality that indeed may play tricks on viewers’ eyes – and their mind’s eyes. Check out the exhibit at TCU’s Fort Worth Contemporary Arts (2900 W. Berry St., at Greene Street, 817-257-2588) through t h e s u m m e r. Vi s i t www.theartgalleries. tcu.edu. Inspired by all of the looking you’ve done? Then start doing. For the youngsters, there’s the Modern’s popular Art Camp and Summer Art Study. The camp is for ages 5 to 13, and Summer Art Study is for ages 14 to 16. (Volunteers are always needed and must be 17 or older.) The programs, according to the Modern, introduce students to “some of the complex and challenging concepts and practices behind Modern and contemporary art.” Learning is emphasized through direct observation of art and activities inspired by current exhibitions. At the Kimbell, the Young Artists’ Workshop will allow students (ages 1215) to “explore new ideas and techniques for producing original artworks,” under the guidance of a professional artists/art educator, from June 16-19 (2-4:30pm). Light midafternoon snacks will be provided, and the materials fee is $125 ($100 for Kimbell members). To register, call 817-332-8451, ext. 297. And for the adults, there’s the Modern’s Drawing from the Collection, a drawing class open to adults of all skill levels. The class is free for members and for non-members, the cost is the price of admission. Bring your pencils and notebooks. Instructors will be on hand to offer assistance. On Sat., June 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., join the Sign up your young artist for National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame for Cowgirl wokshops at the Modern or U.: Saddle Making, a non-public tour of one of the Kimbell. country’s most esteemed saddle makers: M.L. Leddy and Sons of Fort Worth (located in the Stockyards). Saddles and Western boots from the family-owned shop are hand-built with the finest leathers and materials. Participants will observe the different stages of saddle making, create a coaster out of leather, and end the experience with lunch in the historic Stockyards. Registration is limited to only 10 people. Reserve your place today by contacting Patty Pierce at 817509-8967 or patty@ cowgirl.net. Visit www. leddys.com.
downtown fort worth
There are three excellent shows hanging at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center (1300 Gendy St., 817-738-1938) that will close in late June: TAC Featured Artist Exhibit: Recent Works by Ron A. Cheek (through June 28); Focus Gallery One: Hiding in Suits: New Works by Brian Spolans (through June 20); Focus Gallery Two: Waxy Buildup: Cleaning House, by Trayc Claybrook and Deanna Wood (through June 20). Cheek paints in the high style of classicists such as Caravaggio and Rubens. His figurative portraits are moody and epic. Spolans’ drawings have an intense outsider-artist feel. Done in acrylic and pencil, and in mostly neutral hues such as beiges and light-greens, the pieces are large tableaux populated by bears, bees, humanoids, high-rises, business offices and dwellings, trees, and blackly shrouded skeletons. They suggest some sort of narrative or, more precisely, a set of narratives – every city has a million stories. As for Waxy Buildup, it’s a semi-satirical, semi-nostalgic mixed-media take on the concept of the ‘50s housewife. Visit www.fwcac.com. As the rest of Fort Worth’s galleries slow down for the summer, Artspace 111 and William Campbell Contemporary Art are going full throttle. Through June 18, brothers Daniel and Dennis Blagg’s esteemed gallery and studio (111 Hampton St., downtown, 817-692-3228) will exhibit J.C. Pace III: New Works, a collection of sculptures, drawings, and silkscreens of assorted odd subjects, mainly pieces of gardening equipment (lawnmowers, chainsaws, weed eaters) and fruits and vegetables. Through June 13, WCCA (4935 Byers Ave., 817-737-9566) will exhibit two shows: Effects of Time & Weather by J u d y Yo u n g b l o o d and Cliff Garten’s Organic Geometries. Youngblood’s exhibit assembles a couple dozen of her wry, colorful drawings. Garten’s collects etudes of the mixed-media artist’s hyper-kinetic sculptures. Visit www.artspace111.com or www. williamcampbellcontemporaryart.com. On Thursday, June 25, the entire city will celebrate one of Fort Worth’s most ambitious public artworks, “Avenue of Light” by Cliff Garten (see: the William Campbell Contemporary Art write-up). Consisting of six 35-foot-tall stainless steel sculptures that incorporate energy-efficient LED lights, “Avenue of Light” can be found along the median from Lamar Street to Main/Commerce streets. The ceremony will feature guest appearances by Mayor Mike Moncrief, Mayor Pro Tem Cathline Hicks, and artist Garten himself. The event will take place at the corner of Lancaster Avenue and Throckmorton Street and will begin around 8:30 p.m., when light refreshments will be served. The program itself will start at 9 p.m. when the sculptures will become a “canvas” for a 30-minute color light program that was created specifically for the occasion. Parking will be available at the new Fort Worth Convention Center Parking Garage, another piece of public art itself - check out the illuminated details along the building’s corners. Visit www.fwcac.com. Massive bronze sculptures of a firefighter, police officer, and riderless horse will be unveiled at the dedication ceremony for the Fort Worth Police and Firefighters Memorial. Adjacent to the sculptures will be two large walls of names that will Saddle randomly list all of the firefighters, police officers, and marshals who making in the have died in the line of duty. The memorial, designed by Fort Stockyards. Worth architecture firm Gideon Toal, includes black granite kiosks that will allow visitors to follow several eras of Fort Worth history and according to www.cfwfallenheroes.org, “tell the stories of some of our fallen heroes.” Visitors will be guided by a granite path that winds through the trees. Occupying five acres of parkland, the memorial is located on the north end of Trinity Park along West 7th Street. The event includes a performance by Schola Cantorum of Texas, bagpipes, and the presentation of colors. All 95 of Fort Worth’s fallen heroes will have their names and the dates of their deaths read aloud. The dedication begins at 9:30 a.m. Tim Harding’s and Rubin Nieto’s Flat Plains: Neither Unexciting Nor Dull consists of large-scale installations and
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To Live In Downtown The Depot Lofts 555 Elm Street • 817-885-7600
www.thedepotapts.com • myspace.com/thedepotlofts Mon - Thurs: 10am - 6pm • Fri & Sat 10am - 5pm • Sunday 1pm - 5pm
he new master plan and re-development that the entire Seventh Street area of Fort Worth has been experiencing in the last few years is about to add one more piece of the puzzle. As the cranes and construction crews clear out of the So7 development, nestled between downtown and the cultural district, they leave in their place one of the most exciting real estate visions in the city. The master-planned So7 development offers traditional luxury apartments, upscale New York style lofts and retail and restaurant space. One of the most unique aspects of So7 is its connection to Trinity Park, and smack in the middle of the fastest growing, and trendiest areas of the city. So everything is at your doorstep year round. The Art House luxury condos, a 65unit building, and one of the components of the So7 development, is already one of the hottest new places to live in the city and now there’s even more incentive to be in the “It” area of town: Art House is preparing to announce its Summer Sales Event. For a limited time only, select homes in Art House are currently value priced between $20,000$80,000 off previous prices. Coupled with interest rates being close to the lowest level in recent history Arthouse makes a very compelling story if you’ve been looking for relax in the trendy, open bedrooms. a reason to buy real estate! Art House is ideal for first-time buyers, young professionals, or active empty nesters looking to downsize. Among the many features that make ArtHouse one-of-a-kind are the open floor plans, 20-foot ceilings in some of the homes, and spacious outdoor terraces and balconies. Choose from polished concrete or wood floors, European kitchen and bath cabinets, deep soaker tubs, huge walk in closets and KitchenAid stainless steel appliances. The private outdoor pool with fountains create a lush entry to Art House. Many of the residences have panoramic downtown views. For your rental needs, Parkside at So7, also features many of the same amenities. The retail spaces are already filling up. Some of the proposed tenants include JeanMichel Wine Bar, Tim Love’s Love Shack, Crust, an upscale pizza restaurant, boutique clothing store Chester by Glenn Arthur, and the Fort Worth Running Company. Ken Hughes, President of Hughes Development LP said “Downtown Fort Worth is one of the most respected, fastest growing [areas] in the country. So7 is in the midst of bustling retail and restaurants, with an incomparable adjacency to Trinity Park and downtown. The mix of restaurants and retail with the Marriott Hotel gives the intimacy of suburban living with all the conveniences of Spacious living areas with a urban living.” spectacular view. He went on to say that his company has gone to great lengths to create a neighborhood and not just a development. Fort Worth has also received $1 million in federal money for extensive pedestrianways, ornamental street lighting and public fountains that will further the neighborhood feel. Some other renowned Hughes projects include The Quadrangle, Mockingbird Station, recognized for design excellence by The Urban Land Institute and Pavilion Saks Fifth Avenue in Houston.
To find out more about So7 call 817-885-7700 or visit them online at www.sosevenfortworth.com.
Experience the Near Southside... The best entertainment Fort Worth has to offer Fort Worth South, Inc. presents
FIRSTFRIDAY A Taste of the Mediterranean Relax on our herb-filled patio, or enjoy FREE HUMMUS at the bar during HAPPY HOUR Mon-Fri 4pm-7pm
ONTHEGREEN Friday, June 5th @ 6pm featuring 3 live performances by:
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-10pm • Closed Sunday
1622 Park Place Ave • Fort Worth, TX 76110 817-9CHADRA (817-924-2372) chadramezza.com
Sponsored by:
Center
sloanclark.com 817 560-3344
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Bring your family, blankets, chairs, pets & friends for the latest in a series of live music events at Magnolia Green Park.
For sponsorship info, call Michel at 817-923-1343
Admission is Free however we ask that everyone donate a can of food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
1100 Block of Lipscomb (between Rosedale & Magnolia)
••••••••••• Fort Worth South, Inc. www.fortworthsouth.org•••••••••••
DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH
june, 2009
Upcoming First Friday dates: Aug 7th, Sept 4th & Oct 2nd
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Dixie House Café
515 Houston St., 817-347-9333 Mon-Sat 6:30am - 9pm; breakfast until 11am weekdays, 2pm Saturdays Breakfast specials $4.50-$7.95; lunch and dinner meat-and-two plates $7.95 Downtowners who love down-home cooking have new reason to rejoice: Dixie House Café, famed for its country-style fare, has made the move to the city center. The successful mini-chain (five other Tarrant locations plus one in Weatherford) recently took over the former Bennigan’s space at Fifth and Houston streets, and you won’t recognize the place: All the green is gone (thank goodness), replaced with citified yet soothing earth tones against dark-wood trim, and the 6,400-squarefoot space has been carved into cozy eating areas. The “Sex and the City” and “Batman Begins” posters might be a little incongruous, but the country radio station and hey-hon waitresses bring you right back home. Though Downtown Fort Worth has plenty of terrific lunch and dinner spots, a hearty breakfast is a little harder to come
pepper-battered, crispy-fried, plate-size version, topped with classic cream gravy, is always one of the daily specials at every Dixie House location-regulars would riot otherwise. As for the rotating specials, you’ll need - and want - to dine at Dixie house every day to catch plates like juicy chicken-fried chicken and a pot roast like Grandma used to slow-cook. Vegetables (choice of two included with each plate) also change daily, with homestyle mashed potatoes a comforting constant; other stand-outs include fresh-fried okra and extra-creamy mac & cheese. Sandwiches, salads, and burgers round out the menu; chili lovers will find their dream meal in a Mexican burger with a side of “Monster” fries, both smothered with housemade chili, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos. Clearly, Dixie House Café isn’t exactly diet fare, but waist-watchers who fear the
restaurant’s motto - “Home of the Big Buns” - are welcomed with low-carb plates like lightly seasoned grilled pork chops or hamburger steak with caramelized onions. Even several of Dixie House’s legendary pies are sugar-free (though you wouldn’t know it from the taste). Ask your waitress for the day’s dessert selection, and whatever you choose - cream pie, meringue, cobbler, cake, cheesecake - be prepared to be amazed. Dixie House caters to working folk, not to loungers - you’ll be seated as soon as you walk in the door, and your meal will come out as fast as the kitchen staff can prep it. But these experienced and pleasant servers will never make you feel rushed. Your only job is to relax, loosen your belt a notch or two, and enjoy the best homecooking around.
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by here - and that’s why even though Dixie House Café also serves a great homestyle lunch and dinner, we’re particularly excited about their morning offerings. The Dixie House Scramble makes “biscuit and gravy” into a full meal, adding bacon or sausage, hash browns, and two eggs under the blanket of cream gravy. Threeegg omelets come with choice of fillings; we like ours “loaded,” with three meats, several veggies, and lots of gooey cheese, plus hash browns and a biscuit, for a breakfast that will stick to the ribs all day long. Lighter appetites might choose a breakfast taco or a sausage-and-egg sandwich; cowboys will reach for the classic two eggs, hash browns, biscuit & gravy - with a huge chicken-fried steak on the side. Of course, chicken-fried steak isn’t just for breakfast. Dixie House’s celebrated
The Real Smooth Smoothie definitely lives up to its name. This frozen blend of banana, strawberry, blueberry, and pineapple is perfect for a hot summer day and is hearty enough to be a meal itself. The fruits are combined and blended to a (not too) thick consistency and the resulting flavor is slightly sweet, yet slightly tart and 100% smooth. The all vegan friendly Spiral Diner uses top quaility organic ingredients so rest assured that this smoothie is not only delicious and refreshing but great for the body and soul as well. the real Smooth Smoothie
the real Smooth Smoothie 16 oz. $4.50 (Add a shot of ginger for $1.75/oz.) at Spiral diner • 1314 w. Magnolia Ave • 817-332-8834 •spiraldiner.com
Beat Clock the
Short lunch break? Grab a quick and tasty meal in under an hour!
Jakes, 515 Main St., 817-332-JAKE (5253) The setting: The popular Dallas burger joint has made an easy transition into Downtown Fort Worth, turning the former Chili’s at Fifth and Main Streets into a neighborhood hangout. The crowd skews young and happy, but suits and old fogeys will be smiling after their first bite, too.
to be show-stoppers, from crunchy hot tater tots ($1.59) to gloriously greasy fried pickle chips ($3.95) to sweet potato fries ($3.95). And don’t auto-order your usual thirst-quencher until you’ve checked out the shakes and malts menu (vanilla, chocolate, Oreo, or strawberry, $2.95).
The menu: Salads and sandwiches are pretty darn good - one stand-out is the Flaming Rooster, a grilled chicken crowned with Monterey Jack cheese and pico and slathered with hot mustard - but Jakes’ burgers are the real draw. The old-fashioned grill flavor of these thin but juicy patties is all the more tasty when dolloped with Thousand Island dressing in the double-meat “Jakes Special” ($5.99). For a bolder bite, try the jalapeño burger ($5.49), piled with fried pepper slices (“jalapeño bottle caps,” in Jakes parlance). Humble sides turn out
The service: Friendly and skimpily dressed waitresses, here known as “Jakettes,” keep the mood light and fun - but they still hustle. Even at the peak of lunch rush, service is super snappy. You won’t have to ask twice for more marshmallow sauce for your sweet potato fries. The verdict: Great burgers, thick shakes, and delightful servers are an unbeatable combo. Welcome to Fort Worth, Jakes!
Time in: 12:15 Pm
Time out: 12:45 pm
LIVE MUSIC jUnE Wed, June 3
Fri, June 19
Zach Heffley
Shelley Carrol
Fri, June 5
Sat, June 20
Ricki Derek's Birthday Soiree
Red Young Organ Trio
Sun, June 7
Mi Son Tue, June 9
Paul Unger & Steve Harlos Wed, June 10
justin Thompson
Mi Son Tue, June 23
Brian Piper Trio Wed, June 24
Pete Gallio Fri, June 26
Ricki Derek & The Vegas Six Sat, June 27
Mack Goldsbury
Shawn Pickler Trio featuring Melissa McMillan
Sat, June 13
Sun, June 28
Ricki Derek & The Vegas Six
Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards Festival 4pm-11 FREE
Fri, June 12
Sun, June 14
Mi Son Tue, June 16
Ricki Derek & His Big Band Wed, June 17
Tue, June 30
Dave Monsch Every Thursday
johnny Reno
Pete Gallio
"Top 100 Jazz Clubs" -DoWnBeaT MaGazine '09
Great Happy Hour Specials all month Long. Tuesday – Friday • 5pm – 7pm
Visit our website for details www.scatjazzlounge.com Hours: Tues-Fri 5pm-2am • Sat 6pm-2am • Sunday 7pm-1am • Closed Mondays
111 W. 4th, Suite 11 • 817-870-9100 • Downstairs - Sundance Square
june 2009
Ardina Lockhart
Sun, June 21
downtown fort worth
Sat, June 6
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Summer Nights Are Heating Up at LaGrave Field S
downtown fort worth
june 2009
for more information on the fort worth Cats go to www.fwcats.com or call 817.226.CAtS
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ince the 2005 season, The Fort Worth Cats have won the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball championship three times. Last year that string was broken, but the Cats still made it to the division series. They play in a ballpark that has been honored as one of the top ten little stadium gems in the country. Their ticket prices are cheap, they do wonderful promotions, fireworks every Friday, and a view of downtown - where the buildings glimmer beyond right field in the s u n s e t that is breathtaking. So if you need a reason to catch some games just north of downtown this summer at La Grave Field, consider one more thing: the baseball club is off to one of its hottest starts in team history and is currently in first place. “We’re pretty excited about this year,” said Cats’ President and Chief Operating Officer John Dittrich. “We like to present a winning team to the fans of Fort Worth, and that is very important. But what is more important is that we give these fans an experience at a game that is affordable, a time when kids and their parents can enjoy a fun night out, great promotions, and an excitement level that young and old fans alike experience.” “What we are doing,” Dittrich continued, “is giving fans a baseball experience the way it used to be done.” Indeed, the Cats do have the history to draw from. There has been minor league baseball in
2009 FREE R OO OUTD ERT CONC
General Admission FREE Reserved Table Seating: Single $25, Table for four $80 Dinner Available at Performance Site Cafe Aspen pre-order at 817-738-0838
Cowtown since 1888. During that time, fans were able to watch baseball stars like former Cats such as Bobby Bragan, Duke Snider, Maury Wills, Sparky Anderson, Carl Erskine, Rogers Hornsby and other Hall of Famers like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Stan Musial. The Fort Worth team merged with a Dallas minor league team in the mid-sixties and moved to Arlington. But in 2001, local businessman Carl Bell resurrected the team and positioned it in the independent league (the team is not affiliated with any major league club). Bell commissioned a new ballpark to be built in
allowed to run out with and stand next to one of the Cats’ players for the national anthem. Nearly every game has a special promotion (such as bobblehead nights and baseball card giveaways), but each weekday does as well. Senior citizens get 2 for 1 tickets on Sundays; there are family deals on Mondays; Wednesdays are $1 hot dog night; drink specials on Thursdays; and fireworks every Friday. One of the biggest events for Fort Worth and their beloved baseball team is the Fort Worth Cats participation in the Fourth of July celebration. This year the fireworks will take place on three straight nights, from July 3-5.
“What we are doing is giving fans a baseball experience the way it used to be done.” the exact spot as the old stadium. In 2002 they moved in, and have usually led their league in attendance with about 4,000 fans per game. Putting the stadium on the exact spot of the old ballpark has led to a strange oddity. When excavation began, the construction crew uncovered the old concrete dugouts from the original stadium. But rather than get rid of the old dugouts, Bell decided to leave them be and construct two more modern dugouts. So La Grave Field is the only baseball stadium in the country with four dugouts. And fans can watch the games from the old dugouts, which date back to 1926. For $400, 10 people can see the game, and each dugout suite includes: 10 hot dogs, 10 waters, 10 boxes of popcorn, 10 sodas and 10 adjustable Fort Worth Cats caps. Individual game ticket prices run between $4 and $15. There are group specials and birthday party deals. One of the most popular promotions is where youth group members are
Last year, more than 12,000 fans were on hand for the Fourth of July celebration. If you get to La Grave Field there is one more thing to do before cheering your team and munching down a hot dog. Say hello to first base coach Wayne Terwilliger. “Twig” started out as a major leaguer in 1948, and has since participated in more than 7,000 professional baseball games as a player, manager and coach. Now 83, Twig was the manager of the Cats’ 2005 championship team and joined the legendary Connie Mack as the only two 80-year-old managers in baseball history. And maybe Coach Terwilliger embodies just what the Fort Worth Cats are. They take you back to a time when families rooted for their baseball teams each summer, and it didn’t cut too far into the family budget. But Twig will tell you it is also about winning now. He should know. He’s been doing it for more than 60 years now.
SUMMER DANCE CONCERT June 25, 26, 27 & 28 • 8:30pm
Trinity Park Pavilion • 2300 W. 7th Street Presented by Ballet Concerto • Margo Dean, Artistic Director
CASUAL AND REFRESHING PROFESSIONAL BALLET PERFORMANCE. BRING A PICNIC AND ENJOY FREE LAWN SEATING OF CALL TO CLAIM YOUR SPOT AT OUR RESERVED TABLES
“The best outdoor cultural event of the summer!” -FWWeekly
817.738.7915 • www.balletconcerto.com
SPONSORS Amon G. Carter Foundation Smallwood Foundation Wm. E. Scott Foundation
Two Distinctive Properties One Prestigious Address Introducing Colonial Park and Gallery 1701
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DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH
Visit our leasing office and move in today! 1800 Rogers Road - Fort Worth - 76107 817-698-0422
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Fort Worth’s Perfect Urban Lifestyle
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here’s something for everyone this June, especially people who like music, theater, and running (though not at the same time). Every year for the past 11, the Fort Worth Weekly has celebrated the best in local music by putting on the Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards, a popular vote (look for the ballot online at www.fwweekly.com and in the paper every Wednesday) that’s complemented by a daylong festival. The 2009 fest is Sun., June 28, at six downtown clubs: 8.0 Café & Bar (111 E. 3rd St.), Bent Lounge (907 Houston St.), Flying Saucer Draught Emporium (111 E. 4th St.), Embargo (210 E. 8th St.), Paddy Reds Irish Pub (903 Throckmorton), and Scat Jazz Lounge (111 W. 4th St.). More than 30 of the best bands from the 817 are slated to play, including The Burning Hotels, The Orbans, Josh Weathers + the True Endeavors, Telegraph Canyon, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Rivercrest Yacht Club, Maren Morris, KatsüK, Telegraph Canyon Chatterton, and many more. Last year, nearly 3,000 people came and went throughout the day and saw some great Fort Worth/817local music. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon in the middle of the summer. The best part? Admission is free. As part of the award-winning alt-weekly’s annual event, a compilation CD featuring about a dozen new songs from select Maren Morris nominees is produced. Copies of the album -- available this year only as a convenient and highly portable SoundTraxx soundcard -- are sold for $5 apiece. Proceeds benefit this year’s charity sponsor, Tarrant Area Food Bank. Over the past couple of years, the Weekly had raised more than $5,000 for its previous charity sponsor, SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a shelter for abused and battered women and children. Visit www.fwweekly. com. The entire month of June will be packed with live local music, courtesy of the Weekly and Central Market. Every Thursday at CM (at I-30 and South Hulen) is Thursday Night Live, a series of concerts on the glorious supermarket’s spacious patio that started in the early spring and will wrap up in the fall. Coming up this month are The Campaign (on the 11th), Josh Weathers + the True Endeavors (the 18th), and Big Daddy Alright (the 25th). For more information, pick up the Weekly every Wednesday or visit www.fwweekly.com. Also back again this year is Stars Under the Stars, a series of movies shown outdoors on Thursday evenings Josh Weathers + the True Endeavors in the Chisholm Trail Parking Lot at 4th and Main streets. The screenings are free, and showtimes are at dusk. Leave the four-legged friends and coolers at home -- just bring you and yours, lawn-chairs and/or blankets, and your enthusiasm. Parking at all Sundance Square lots is free after 5 p.m. The June 11th flick is the 1963 award-winning comedy The Pink
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Open for Lunch
MON-FRI 11am-2pm WED-SAT 5pm-2am
Panther, starring David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. the notorious jewel thief known only as “The Phantom,” and Peter Sellers as the bumbling French police detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The June 18th movie is the Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein! Visit www.sundancesquare.org. Theater lovers will be buzzing all month. Through June 14, Stage West (821 W. Vickery, 817-784-9378) will present Dead Man’s Cell Phone, a black comedy about a young woman at a café who answers, well, a dead man’s cell phone and soon finds herself “on a journey, literally, to hell and back,” according to the theater. The play, which deals with the differences between electronic and “real” connections, promises to be both humorous and affecting. Visit www.stagewest.org. Through June 21 at Jubilee Theatre (506 Main St., downtown, 817-338-4411), there’s The Gospel Queen, starring beloved local theater star Sheran Goodspeed Keyton as legendary gospel and blues chanteuse Mahalia Jackson, who was raised in Chicago on the music of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith -- and the church. “Rock ‘n’ roll Stage West presents Dead Man’s was stolen out of the sanctified church!” as Jackson once Cell Phone. said. Visit www.jubileetheatre.org. The church is also the subject of Circle Theatre’s Hail Mary!, a play in two acts about a young parochial school novice and her Mother Superior. An eccentric priest and the return of a childhood sweetheart ensure that hilarity will ensue. Visit www.circletheatre.com. And don’t forget about The Bard! This month, the Department of Theatre at Texas Christian University inaugurates the Trinity Shakespeare Festival at TCU, a series of his classics performed by equity actors in collaboration with TCU student-intern actors and taking place in both the Marlene and Spencer Hays Theatre in the Walsh Center and the proscenium-style Jerita Foley Buschman Theatre in Ed Landreth Hall on the TCU campus. “Both are air-conditioned,” said Harry Parker, chairman of the theatre department and managing director of the festival, “and, in the heat of the Texas summer, we feel it will make enjoying Shakespeare that much more pleasant.” Traditional outdoor pre-show and after-show events on the TCU grounds also will take place. On tap are Sheran Goodspeed Keyton stars The Bard’s tragio-romance Romeo and Juliet and his in The Gospel Queen. comedy Twelfth Night. “This is true repertory theatre in the Elizabethan tradition and is both challenging and exciting to the actors and artists involved and a joy for audiences to see the versatility of their favorite performers from one show to the next,” said T.J. Walsh, associate professor and the fest’s artistic director. Visit www.trinityshakes.org. June also means Juneteenth. Register before June 11 for the fourth annual Juneteenth Race, starting by the Juneteenth Museum (at the intersection of E. Rosedale Street and Evans Avenue) on Sat., June 13. Early fees are $8, race-day is $10. All proceeds benefit Juneteenth Organization student scholarships. For more information, call 817-265-4578 or e-mail jephaa@yahoo.com.
6 VENUES 36 BANDS F FREE presents
$2 wells all the time
TAPAS CANTINA
Happy Hour 5-8pm
1010 Houston St. • Downtown Across From Convention Center Restaurant 817.336.3124 • www.parkcentralhotel.com
OPEN BLUES JAM THURSDAY LIVE MUSIC-FREE WiFi
Sunday June 28, 2009
4pm - 10pm • Downtown FW
CompilationAlbum Sales Benefit
Calhoun between Weatherford & 1st Streets Evenings after 5pm & Weekends
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SUNDANCE GARAGE I
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SUNDANCE GARAGE II
Commerce between 1st & 2nd Streets
Calhoun between 3rd & 4th Streets
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CHISHOLM TRAIL LOT 3rd Street - Evenings after 5pm & weekends Merchant & AMC Theater Validations
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SUNDANCE GARAGE III
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SUNDANCE SQUARE GATEWAY LOT
3rd Street between Taylor & Throckmorton
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CRESCENT
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CITY PLACE GARAGE
Calhoun between 5th & 6th Streets Bass Performance Hall Patrons Only
DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH
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TARRANT COUNTY FAMILY LAW GARAGE
june, 2009
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Belknap Street between Throckmorton and Taylor
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DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH
june, 2009