November ISSUE

November 2011

Emerging

Kyrie

Church for the un-churched.

The Gruenewalds make Greenwood’s an authentic German dining experience.

HITTIN’ THE ROAD:

GRANBURY, TX

Also Inside:

REAL ESTATE TIPS FROM A PRO:

Putting on the Show.

November 2011

4

Presale Reservations Now Accepted

3 14

12 F E AT U R E S 3 Kyrie Services 4 10 16

Forest Park Building Rebirth Hittin’ the Road: Granbury Real Estate Tips from a Pro

COLUMNS 8 The Foodie Pages 12 Kidding Around 14 Arts & Entertainment

ON THE

COVER

Cover photo by Karyn Kelbaugh.

Thanks to Mambo’s for opening after hours to allow us to take photos.

INSIDE Fort Worth is a free monthly publication distributed in the Fort Worth center city. The entire contents of INSIDE Fort Worth are copyright 2005 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.

Advertising Director Rebecca Harris 817-321-9724

Business/Operations Trish Bermejo

rebecca@insidefortworthnow.com

Managing Editor Dana Crumbliss danac@insidefortworthnow.com 2

INSIDE fort worth

Art Director Bonnie Mays

Production Designers Betsy Lewis, Matt Mabe

november 2011

Forest Park Tower Condominiums Hurry, these condos won’t last. This is a rare opportunity to own an affordably priced renovated historic highrise condominium. This 12 story architectural jewel is comprised of only 36 units with 3 units per floor. The first closings are projected for Forest Park Tower mid-2012.

Built in 1927 high atop a bluff overlooking the Trinity River, the iconic Forest Park Tower is adjacent to the historic Berkely Place, Fairmount and Mistletoe neighborhoods, the Medical & Cultural Districts, the Fort Worth Zoo, TCU, and Downtown Fort Worth.

Each condo will feature all modern amenities including new stainless appliances, granite countertops, refurbished vintage hardwoods, separate HVAC, individual water heaters, washer/dryers...

The Historic “Forest Park Gates” and much more!

Built in 1918 • 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom from $135,000 to $140,000 • 2 bedroom / 1 bathroom from $175,000 to $180,000 • 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom from $240,000 to $245,000 Furnished model open Mon. thru Fri. 9 - 5 and Sat. & Sun. 12 - 4 Please call for an appointment

Forest Park Tower 2306 Park Place Ave. Fort Worth, Texas 76110

office 817.926.2306 fax 817-926-2880 forestpark@fairfaxcorp.com

Emerging church or heretical party: Whatever you call this new service, it’s inspiring positivity.

S

o a pastor walked into a bar one night –– and had an epiphany.

Up until he had entered the joint, he didn’t consider himself a pastor, just a leader of church services, but then one of his congregants grabbed him and introduced him to his friends. “This is my pastor,” the guy said. “My church is Kyrie.”

“The person saying it was someone who hates church and had a horrible experience growing up in church … and said they would never go again,” recalled 35-year-old Kyrie pastor Neil Christopher. “That word and that label mean so much to this person, I thought, I would be invalidating them … by saying, ‘Oh, no, no, no, no. You don’t go to church. We’re just a bunch of drunks in a bar who talk about God.’ And so that’s when I finally embraced it. We’re a church. Let’s do it.”

The bar where Kyrie (pronounced kear-ee-AY) happens –– the first and third Sundays of every month –– is Mambo’s downtown. From the first service, in May, until now, the number of congregants has grown to more than 60. Though the liturgy of the Eucharist is always performed, Kyrie services may range from live secular music –– local notables Tim Platt, Joshua Irwin, and Tripp Mathis have played –– to spoken word performances to drum circles to Taizé, an old French tradition that involves hymns and personal reflection.

Oh, yeah. And booze. Kyrie always involves booze.

Christopher, whose father is a minister and brother-in-law a pastor, had wrestled with his faith for years before recently deciding that he could be a Christian, just maybe not the kind of Christian he knew growing up. “I discovered I could be a Christ-follower … and still maintain my own identity,” he said. “I could still be involved in art and music. I could still stand up for the rights of my gay friends. I could still have a beer. I could still enjoy life, just a lot more than how it was presented to me as a kid.”

Christopher has lived all over North America –– Canada, Arizona, Maryland –– and found his way to Fort Worth after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan and landing a job as a youth minister at a Plano church. Before moving, he spent a weekend in North Texas, checking out the vibe, looking for a place to live. “Fort Worth screamed, ‘Home,’ ” he said.

He started Kyrie on the side, encouraged by John Rody, host of the Mambo’s WebCast with John Rody, a variety show webcast live from Mambo’s every Wednesday at 7pm. Rody was introduced to Christopher via the show’s producer, Tony Diaz, who asked his new friend Christopher to fill in for a canceled act one night. “Here’s the heavily tatted youth minister who drinks and smokes,” the pastor recalled Diaz saying with a laugh.

Photos by Kar yn Kelbaugh

Kyrie Takes Flight Christopher, Diaz, and Rody began hanging out together, and inspired by the engaging philosophical and religious conversations that always seemed to blossom around Christopher, Rody helped make room at Mambo’s for Kyrie. The service became so popular so quickly that Christopher no longer had time for Plano.

The Kyrie group’s main goal now is to embrace the community, “getting involved in the arts, getting involved in music, service projects, and AIDS clinics,” Christopher said, noting that he’s also interested in starting a charity, partly inspired by the logistical and financial help he’s receiving from other local churches.

“I discovered that people are inherently good and everybody has some kind of spiritual nature inside of them, and if you just present them with something positive and breathe life into that, good things will happen,” Christopher said. “Even if they don’t wind up being the same religion as you, even if they stay atheist or Buddhist or whatever, you’re still going to develop a real positive community. And that’s really all I care about now. I’m not trying to convert anyone.”

The next two Kyrie services are Sun, Nov 6, and Sun, Nov 20, both from 5:30pm ’til whenever.

For more information, visit www. kyriefortworth.com.

November 2011

INSIDE fort worth

3

Forest Park Tower: The Tops Renovation is underway on a grande dame of a building near the Zoo. t the top of a hill overlooking the Trinity River, adjacent to historic neighborhoods of Berkeley Place and Mistletoe Heights, sits Forest Park Tower, a soaring, 12-story structure built in 1927 for $250,000 as the Forest Park Apartments and attracting a very posh Fort Worth crowd. Few people realize the extensive history of the building as they pass it on the way to the Fort Worth Zoo or nearby destinations.

Today a local realty group is planning to convert the historic building into luxury condos. Tom Loughborough of Fairfax Realty Corporation, the majority owner of the tower, says he saw the building as the perfect condo conversion.

“You have this 12-story building, with only 36 units, in this incredible location,” Loughborough said.

“How many times has there been a high-rise apartment built in the ’30s that wasn’t in a central business district? It’s very unusual to have a really neat, very old building that’s not in downtown.”

A brochure from 1929 promoted the tower’s apartments as they could be described today: “Exclusive and conveniently located on a bluff within the gates of Forest Park, overlooking without obstruction acres of verdant forest and Trinity parks … in the exclusive residential south side of the city, just a six-minute drive from the business, shopping, and amusement centers.”

Tarleton L. Redden of St. Louis bought the building in 1935 when it was put up for auction and coowned it with his wife until 1973.

A

1

2 “So many famous people lived there — it was the crème de la crème of Fort Worth,”

1 | Only 36 units are contained in this architectural gem from 1927. 2 | The historic Forest Park Gates have been greeting visitors since 1918.

4

INSIDE fort worth

november 2011

By Celestina Phillips

The tower, built with bricks from Fort Worth-based Acme Brick Company, touted only three units per floor: a one-, two-, and threebedroom. Loughborough says if a 12-story residential building was constructed today, it would more likely cover a couple square blocks and have hundreds of units.

Each apartment had 13-foot ceilings, claw-foot bathtubs, thick oak doors, glass doorknobs, and steam-heated radiators. There was no air conditioning and no insulation in the tower when it was built, gracing early residents with an occasional whiff from the direction of the Zoo. “So many famous people lived there –– it was the crème de la crème of Fort Worth,” Loughborough said, adding that the in the ’30s and ’40s the tower was often referred to as the “oil baron’s mistress building.”

One name among early residents is J.A. Hulen, who was likely Maj. Gen. John Augustus Hulen, commander of the 72nd Infantry Brigade at Camp Bowie whose name now dons a busy street and mall. Author and historian Marion Day Mullins was a resident, as well as attorney Arthur Haddaway.

Loughborough says he anticipates the complete condo conversion project will take a couple of years. He’s currently taking reservations and predicts the tower will be sold out in six months. “I love old buildings,” he said. “There’s nothing else like this around.”

Serving Fort Worth since 1919

817-332-2265 or 817-738-9287 1220 Pennsylvania Ave, FW | 6200 Camp Bowie Blvd, FW | www.gordonboswell.com

Voted Best Florist in Tarrant County November 2011

INSIDE fort worth

5

Staging to sell?

I

Put on THE SHOW!

n today’s challenging real estate economy, sellers preparing to put their home on the market can benefit from taking the time to stage it properly. Staging can make a home more marketable and appealing to potential buyers, leading to less time on the market and a potentially higher sales price for a seller.

Here are a few easy staging tips to get your home READY FOR THE SHOW! • CHECK THE BACKDROP Neutralize bright wall colors and remove patterned wallpaper. Buyers are less distracted by neutral palates.

SET THE “STAGE” Limit decorative items on furniture to restricted groups of one, three, or five. Consider removing extra furniture until your home sells.

Remember, less is best!

LIGHTS! Replace all burned out bulbs, add lamps in dark spaces, and open the window treatments. Bright homes often appear larger and provide a more positive viewing experience for buyers.

CAMERA! Pack up the personal touches to make your home look more generic. This way, buyers will spend more time looking at your home instead of all of your personal photos and accessories.

ACTION! Add details to the interior and exterior to make the home more visually appealing such as a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter, placesettings at the dining room table, or potted seasonal color at the entrance.

before

after

before

Staging does not need to be complicated or cost a lot of money to be effective, but following these few simple guidelines can really pay off for sellers. Treat the staging of your home like preparing it for a performance. Make sure your home is ready for the show! after A c t u a l S t a g i n g w o r k a n d b e f o r e p h o t o s b y K e l l e y W a t s o n - W a l k e r | A f t e r P h o t o s t a k e n b y Tr e y F r e e z e

6

INSIDE fort worth

november 2011

Greenwo d’s

Darrell Whitsel Florist Proud to be of service to Tarrant County

German Restaurant

TUESDAY NIGHT:

Schnitzel Special $9.99 WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

Goulasch w/ Spatzle & Salad $9.99 THURSDAY NIGHT:

Peter’s Dinner Special $9.99 Lunch Th & Fri 11-2p • Dinner Tue-Th 4p-9p • Fri & Sat 4p-10p Closed Sunday & Monday 3522 Bluebonnet Circle • FW 76109 817-921-6777 fax 6779 www.greenwoodsgerman.com CBD 1-2 page Inside FW Ad 7.75X4.75.pdf 10/27/11 1:31:52 PM

Premier Southside Florist 1506 W. Magnolia Ave. | 817-335-9363 | www.darrellwhitselflorist.com

Hi, Hi Santa!

See you on

Camp Camp Bowie.

Bowie.

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Saturdays, Dec. 10 & 17 • Santa & his “Reinsteer”

M

Y

Y

More information : CampBowieDistrict.com

PRESENTED BY

• Holiday treats • Gingerbread house competition • Celebrity chefs • Crafts & games • Live entertainment, carolers and much more!

The Village at Camp Bowie 6323 Camp Bowie Blvd.

november 2011

INSIDE fort worth

7

FoodiePicks

Ingredients (feeds 4-6 people) 1 lb. Brown Lentil 3 oz. Carrots (Chopped) 3 oz. Celery (Chopped) 3 oz. leek (Chopped) 3 oz. Potatoes raw, peel (Chopped) 1 small Onion (minced) 1 Glove Garlic (minced) 6 oz. Bacon (small cubed) 3-4 tbsp. white Vinaigrette (or more!! ) 1 1/2 quart Beef stock 1 bunch Parsley (washed and chopped) Salt Pepper Marjoram 2 Barley leaves 1 tsp. Marjoram (dry) 1/2 cup Oil Directions Wash and strain Lentils. Heat the Oil in a Pot and roast the bacon nice crispy, add Onion and Garlic and roast it light .Put the Lentil, Barley and the Stock into the Pot, bring it to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 30 min -40 min (don’t forget to stir, also add Water if it get to thick).Now you add Carrots, Leek, Celery, Marjoram and Potatoes for another 15 min.

Finally season with Salt, Pepper and Vinaigrette, take off Barley leaf and put in the Parsley.

This Dish Can be served, as an Appetizer or as a Meal (Eintopf).

I choose the Lentil soup with sliced Frankfurter Sausage.

Bon Appetit Chef Peter, Greenwood’s German Restaurant

Wine pairing suggested by

8

INSIDE fort worth

Greenwood’s Blossoms Native German chef Peter Gruenewald’s authentic fare makes this quaint TCU-area eatery a destination.

F

Erin Potter

German Lentil Soup

Peter and Vlatka Gruenewald are Greenwood’s.

or six years, master chef Peter Gruenewald has been cooking traditional German fare just a few blocks from TCU, on Bluebonnet Circle, far from his home in Offenbach, Germany, just north of Frankfurt.

Love brought the chef to Fort Worth after years of cooking in restaurants and hotels throughout Germany and having earned his master craftsmanship certificate, awarded for mastering the skills of cooking, baking, teaching, wine pairing, and even marketing and running a restaurant. In 1992, a young, married Yugoslavian woman named Vlatka, whose family eventually ended up in Germany after World War II, worked for Peter, and the two became fast friends. Shortly after her husband passed away, Vlatka took the opportunity to move to Fort Worth, in 1998 (knowing no English at all), and she started working at an Albertson’s supermarket.

“All I knew was ‘plastic or paper,’ ” Vlatka recalled with a big laugh. An American friend at the church Vlatka attended gladly drove Vlatka to English lessons for three years. “People here are so nice, so giving of their time.”

Peter and Vlatka kept in touch over the years, even visiting each other, and then married in 2005 soon after Peter relocated to Texas. Due to his extensive schooling and working in kitchens since the age of 14, Peter spoke English and even French (“the language of food”), so his transition to America was relatively smooth. Starting over at 50 was exciting, he said. He just needed to figure out what he wanted to do.

“I didn’t want to work in a restaurant,” Peter recollected. “I grew up in restaurants. I was

november 2011

surrounded by cooks, and my father was a baker and pastry chef. I started my chef apprenticeship at 14, and restaurants are very hard work.”

After some time dinning at other local German restaurants and realizing that a chef is who he is, Peter decided to give the people of Fort Worth true German food, and on Dec. 24, 2006, the Gruenewalds opened Greenwoods (a rough American translation of his surname). Since goose is the focus of German Christmas dinners, and ever since the public first got a taste of Greenwood’s authentic Christmas goose, Peter and Vlatka just can’t keep it in stock. “We sell out!” Vlatka said. “We have sold out on Christmas Eve!” On all other days, Greenwood’s menu is short and sweet, offering just the basics of German cuisine. “That is what the people want,” Peter said. “We stay focused on German dishes and give the people what they want. I love barbecue, and I love hamburgers, but I love to cook German food, and that is why people come here.”

Peter gives a lot of credit to the success of Greenwood’s not only to his cooking style but to Vlatka’s ability to explain the food to more cautious diners. “She tells them what it is and that they will love it,” Peter said. “If a customer says they don’t like mushrooms, she tells them, ‘No, you will love it!’ ” Love for sharing German food with people has kept Peter and Vlatka here running their humble and homey restaurant, and the two do it all together: Peter in the kitchen and Vlatka with the customers.

The fantastic food speaks for itself –– in a language everyone can understand.

beat the clock The Taco Spot

Time in: 12:15am Time out: 12:50pm

The Setting: The Taco Spot sits at the end of a brand new Arlington shopping strip located just a few miles from all the activity (Cowboys, Rangers, and Six Flags). The soft hues, windowed walls, and walk-up counter are comparable to other quick service taco restaurants, but The Taco Spot departs from the rest when it comes to food. How can we sum it up?

The Taco Spot does not have a freezer. This simple street-taco-style eatery serves only the freshest ingredients and gives diners complete reign over their orders.

The Menu: Ordering couldn’t be easier at The Taco Spot. You walk up to the counter and order –– the menu offers everything from tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tortas, and tostadas to fish tacos and even a sonora hot dog (a frank wrapped in bacon). Once you’ve made that momentous decision, choose your meat, ranging from the old standbys

chicken and steak to barbacoa, chorizo, carnitas, shredded white meat chicken in a chipotle tomato sauce (chicken tinga), or the house specialty: al pastor.

All the meats are marinated and freshly prepared, making them extra tender and juicy. The Baja fish tacos were surprisingly large and scrumptious. The beer-battered, lightly fried cod was tender and not dry, and the accompanying mango salsa was supremely chunky and flavorful. Lastly, top your masterpiece with fresh toppings from the salsa bar –– the chipotle salsa is a must!

Smokey and tangy, it’s perfect with any menu item or even just chips.

The Verdict: When you want to have street tacos made your way, The Taco Spot is the answer to your dining question. The option to choose what you want and how you want it is something most in-and-out Tex-Mex restaurants don’t offer.

WORLD FAMOUS STREET TACOS serving

BREAKFAST LUNCH & DINNER

BYOB

Beer-battered cod and fresh homemade mango salsa make the Baja fish tacos a great choice.

The Taco Spot 2500 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Ste 100, Arlington, 817-652-3510 Closed Sun, 10:30am-9pm Mon-Fri, 7am-10pm Sat

Come for the Golf...

Stay for the Food.

A one-of-a-kind championship course nestled in the woodlands of southwest Arlington. Close to everything but miles away from the noise and stress of city life.

So beautifully laid out, you’ll feel like you have the course all to yourself.

daily

Come experience Tierra Verde’s extraordinary blend of natural beauty and innovative design – the best golf North Texas has to offer.

TRY OUR FAMOUS

Costras

2500 NE Green Oaks Blvd #100, Arlington, TX 76006 817-652-3510 • www.tacospot.co Coming Soon to Mansfield, TX & Las Vegas, NV!

BRING IN THIS AD AND RECEIVE $15 OFF regular green fee and cart rental, good anytime Monday-Thursday and after noon on Friday-Sunday. Not valid with any other coupon or offer or during tournament play. This offer expires Nov. 30, 2011.

7005 Golf Club Drive Arlington, TX 76001 817-572-1300 arlingtongolf.com November 2011

INSIDE fort worth

9

Hittin’TheRoad

Visit Granbury

This quaint nearby town has a lot to offer, including great food and bed-and-breakfasts.

If you’re looking for a fun road trip that will cost you less than a tank of gas, look no further than Granbury, Texas. Whether it’s fun on the picturesque lake, shopping in the historic town square, dining at the critically lauded restaurants, catching some live music or theater, or staying at any one of the many comfy bed and breakfasts, Granbury has something for everyone.

Overlooking the crystalline shores of Lake Granbury is a bed and breakfast as elegant as it is comfortable. The Inn on Lake Granbury (205 W Doyle St, 817-5730046) is the perfect romantic setting for a couple or just a great place to kick back on a hammock and enjoy the upscale amenities. Top of the Vine (107 E Bridge St, 817-579-0260) is housed in a historic building, and its balcony overlooks the Victorianera town square, and visiting Pomegranate House & Cottages (1002 W Pearl St, 817-279-7412) is like stepping through a time portal, into an English countryside garden.

If it’s entertainment you crave, Granbury has an amazing variety.

The Rio Brazos Music Hall, Café & Cantina (6611 Glen Rose Hwy, 817579-0808) may have just opened, but with world-class acts like Willie Nelson, Tommy Alverson, George Jones, Clint Black, and Ray Wylie Hubbard already booked, it has positioned itself atop the hierarchy

10

INSIDE fort worth

of local music venues in North Texas.

If live theater is more your thing, The Granbury Opera House (113 E State Loop 426, 817-573-9191) is home to some of the area’s best professional musical theater and houses a thriving community theater.

Granbury also is one of only a few places in the country that has a thriving drive-in movie theater.

Opened in 1952, the Brazos Drivein (1800 W Pearl St, 817-573-1311) is one of seven sites recently added to Preservation Texas, Inc.’s annual list of Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places. The drive-in features familyfriendly movies and serves traditional cinema concessions you can enjoy right in the comfort of your own car.

On the historic town square you’ll find great places to buy local art.

Your Private Collection Art Gallery (106 N Houston St, 817-579-7733) houses some award-winning, cuttingedge Texas art and some innovative, glowing sculptures. Nearby Artefactz (120 N Houston St, 817-573-9446) features a variety of gift ideas, jewelry, and wonderful glass pieces.

The shops in Granbury are legendary. Dakota’s Kabin (202 N Houston St, 817-579-0275) features rustic Western wear with a modern twist. Christina’s Boutique (125 E State Loop 426, 817-579-1707) is the ultimate eclectic ladies’ clothing and accessories boutique and carries the Fossil line of purses and accessories.

november 2011

Our Place on the Square (109 E Bridge St, 817-573-2253) offers chic women’s apparel, skincare products, and home décor items.

Granbury is also one of a growing number of Texas cities that boasts its own winery. Barking Rocks winery (1919 Allen Crt, 817-579-0007) is Granbury’s most prominent purveyor of vino, offering tours, tastings, and often live music. D’Vine Wines of Texas (107 E Bridge St, 817-573-7200) is located on the square and bottles its juice in-house. D’Vine also has tastings and a weekly karaoke night.

Your Granbury dining options are seemingly limitless. Near the square is the folksy fun of Babe’s Chicken Dinner House (114 W Pearl St, 817573-9777), where you can enjoy enormous portions of Grandmaapproved chicken-fried anything. If you’d like something more upscale, The Loft (115 E State Loop 426, 817-579-1116) is Granbury’s premier fine-dining restaurant and martini bar, famous for its crab cakes. Pearl Street Station (120 W Pearl St, 817-579-7233) serves up homemade spicy Cajun cuisine made from scratch.

Granbury offers everything you’d ever want out of a relaxing vacation.

It’s close enough to do a weekend road trip, and diverse enough to keep you entertained for a longer visit. Your dream vacation may just be only a 45-minute car ride away.

ARTHOUSE at SO7 Full-Service Floral Boutique

No Wedding is Too Small

condos & gallery homes

TUCKED AWAY IN THE HEART OF SO7 IS THE FANTASTIC ARTHOUSE. URBAN LIVING AT ITS BEST, NEIGHBORING THE BEAUTIFUL TRINITY PARK. TRENDY. CONVENIENT. EXCITING.

AFFORDABLE. DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A PIECE OF THE HOTTEST REAL ESTATE IN TOWN! CONDOMINIUMS - 1 & 2 Bedroom units available with multiple floorplans to choose from.

2 bedroom units starting at $245,000.

GALLERY HOMES - a unique opportunity in the West 7th corridor! Only TWO left!

Move-in ready for only $325,000.

SALES OFFICE OPEN 1-5 PM TUES - SUN 2608 MUSEUM WAY JOSEPH BERKES - JENNY PRICE - MAGGIE MOORE - SPENCER PERRY

120 West 3rd Street | Sundance Square 817-339-2555 | flowerstogofw.com

WILLIAMS TREW REAL ESTATE 817-332-7772 www.williamstrew.com www.so7arthouse.com

The T’s Holiday Lights tour December 10th and 11th!

5:30pm | Stockyards Station (130 E. Exchange Ave.) Tickets $5 | Children five and under ride free Free parking is available north of Stockyards Station.

For more information: The-T.com • 817.215.8600

November 2011

INSIDE fort worth

11

KiddingAround

Uh-oh. That jolly sound you hear?

That’s Santa comin’ down the lane.

Y

es, kids and people under the age of 18. It’s that time of year. Time for mistletoe and holly (and turkey). Time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men (and women). Time for just smiling as Uncle Chuck takes the last, delicious slice of pumpkin pie.

Time for just whistling carelessly as the kids fight over the game controls. Time for just pouring a stiff glass of egg nog when Dad nods off in front of the TV instead of helping with the dishes.

But between wonderful, simply wonderful celebrations at home, decking the metaphoric halls with joy, laughter, and reindeer hides, get outside and take in the local sights. There’s a lot going on in Fort Worth this November to put you and the little ones in just the right, seasonal, peaceful, nonhomicidal mood.

Log Cabin Village (2100 Log Cabin Village Ln, TCU area, 817392-5881) will be full of yuletidethemed activities throughout the month, starting 1-4pm on Sat, Nov 12, with Photos with St. Nicholas, perfect for sending out those Christmas cards. Cost is regular admission plus a $5 fee for photo and folder. And 1-4pm Sat-Sun,

12

INSIDE fort worth

november 2011

Nov 12-13, and Sat-Sun, Nov 1920, Log Cabin will offer candle dripping, allowing visitors to make their own candles to take home. Cost is regular admission plus a $3 fee to dip candles.

No reservations are required for either event. Visit www. logcabinvillage.org.

In what has become an annual Holiday tradition, the Omni Theater (an IMAX dome) at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (1600 Gendy St, Cultural District, 817-255-9300) will screen The Polar Express: The IMAX Experience, the tale of a boy’s belief in Santa, from Sat, Nov 19, through Mon, Jan 2, 2012.

Visit www.fwmuseum.org.

At Casa Mañana (3101 W Lancaster Av, Cultural District, 817-332-2272) from Sat, Nov 26, through Wed, Dec 23, Casa’s Children’s Series presents Santa Claus the Musical, inspired by the book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which everything you ever wanted to know about jolly, ol’ St. Nick is explained, including why he prefers entering houses

via chimneys, fills stockings with toys, and lives in the North Pole.

Tickets are $20-25. Visit www. casamanana.org.

And you just simply cannot have Christmas in these here parts without making a trip to Grapevine. From Fri, Nov 11, through New Year’s Day, Gaylord Texan Resort (1501 Gaylord Tr, 817778-2000) will be Christmasized to the max. The annual ICE attraction will debut DreamWorks’ Shrek the Halls, DreamWorks’ animated holiday TV special brought to life in colorful ice sculptures and featuring Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots, and all of the other characters we’ve come to know and love (and laugh at) from the popular movie series. Of course, the resort building will be decked out in 1.5 million holiday lights, a 52-foot rotating Christmas tree, a life-sized gingerbread house, and 12,000 ornaments, and the big guy in the red suit will be making regular appearances. Visit www. gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-texan.

Oh, by gosh, by golly. It is time for mistletoe and holly. (And egg nog. Lots and lots of egg nog.)

Sophisticated Living is the Address for Le Bijou...

• Spacious Living Areas •Gourmet Kitchens •Personal Entries, Elevator & Attached Garages • Incredible View from Rooftop Terrace For further information please visit www.williamstrew.com For an appointment please contact

Jenny Price at 817-602-7817

ScatLounge Jazz

Live Music in November Tue, 11/1- Pete Gallio Thu, 11/3 - Zach Heffley Fri, 11/4 - The Krewe of Swing Sat, 11/5 - Melissa McMillan Tue, 11/8 - Flipside Thu, 11/10 - Dazey Chain Sat, 11/12 - Ricki Derek & the Vegas Six Tue, 11/15 - Sarah Kervin Thu, 11/17 - Evan Weiss Quartet Fri, 11/18 - The Royal Rhythmaires Sat, 11/19 - Johnny Reno Tue, 11/22 - Paul Unger Trio Thu, 11/24 - CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING Fri, 11/25 - Daybreak Express Sat, 11/26 - Red Young with Ephriam Owens Wed, 11/30 - Two Year Anniversary Party of Nawlins Nights – No Cover

Weekly Shows – NO COVER

Top 100 Jazz Clubs

(in the world) -Downbeat Magazine

Best Cocktail Lounge

- FW Weekly ‘09 Wednesdays – Nawlins’ Nights Sundays – Black Dog Revisited – A Jazz Jam HAPPY HOUR • 5-7pm Tues-Fri

Hours: Tues-Fri 5pm-2am • Sat 6pm-2am • Sunday 7pm-1am • Closed Mondays

111 W. 4th, Suite 11 • 817-870-9100 Downstairs - Sundance Square • www.scatjazzlounge.com

Salon Purple Fastest growing salon in DFW

Looking to expand our team with experienced stylists Oct. 15, 2011 – Jan. 22, 2012 Readers’ Choice Best of 2011 - Fort Worth Weekly

See 100 original objects, including the only surviving complete set of his famous dentures!

For Tickets: fortworthmuseum.org or 817-255-9540

the color experts 3124 E. Belknap Suite 200 | 817.834.4400 | salonpurple.com

1600 Gendy St. • Fort Worth, TX 76107 • 817.255.9300 november 2011

INSIDE fort worth

13

Arts&Entertainment

Jack Frost is nipping at your heels.

(Already? Yes.) S

eems like just yesterday we were complaining about the excessive heat. Now Christmas is right around the corner.

For most people, the Holidays represent nothing but rampant commercialism and lots of (possibly painful, potentially fatal) family obligations. Well, phooey on those Scrooges and Grinches, because there are a lot of people, like your friends here at INSIDE, who think that Christmas is just fine and dandy and should be celebrated all year round. What’s wrong with peace on Earth and goodwill toward men?! (And women.) What’s wrong with decking the halls with boughs of holly (whatever that means)?!

What’s wrong with gay, happy meetings when friends come to call (though we’ll settle for just “happy meetings”)?! That’s right: Nothing. So put on your red stockings, take a

14

INSIDE fort worth

november 2011

shot (or 12) of egg nog, and get ready to embrace the most wonderful time of the year, damnit!

Onstage at Jubilee Theatre (506 Main St, downtown, 817-338-4411) from Sat, Nov 26, through Christmas Eve eve is Auntee Explains X-Mas, an annual laugh-outloud treat from North Texas’ only African-American troupe. (No shows Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Fri, Nov 25.)

And no Christmas in Fort Worth is complete without the annual Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights. The 2011 version takes place on Fri, Nov 25, downtown.

Speaking of rampant commercialism, Bing Crosby’s version of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. The longstanding tale is that Berlin wrote the song in 1940 poolside at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, telling his secretary, “Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I’ve ever written –– heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody’s ever written.” From Tue, Nov 29, through Sun, Dec 4, at Bass Performance Hall (525 Commerce St, downtown, 817-212-4280), Broadway at the Bass presents the musical inspired by

the song, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, in which two old war buddies who also happen to be entertainers put on the show of their lives –– and score some love in the process.

Parker, who with his Royal Tribute Band and Brass will put on An Elvis Kind of Christmas, Sat, Nov 26, at Uptown Theater (120 E Main St, Grand Prairie, 972-237-8786).

And another traditional Christmastime Fort Worth staple is A Tuna Christmas, comedians Joe Sears and Jaston Williams’ show in which they portray all 24 residents of Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas, dealing with a seemingly cursed littletheatre production of A Christmas Carol and the sabotaging of a yarddecorating contest by a mysterious Christmas phantom. The show runs Thu, Nov 10, through Sun, Nov 20, at Casa Mañana (3101 Lancaster Av, Cultural District, 817-332-2272).

Of all the holidays, Thanksgiving seems to be the most liked by Scrooges and Grinches, probably because it hasn’t been commercialized –– yet.

But even though Turkey Day, as it’s lovingly known, is a homecentered holiday, there’s still some tradition to be explored beyond the hearth, starting with the wild turkey. No, not Wild Turkey. The actual bird, whose history will be discussed at 1 and 2pm on Sat, Nov 19, at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge (9601 Fossil Ridge Rd, FW, 817-392-7410).

The talk is free with paid admission (free-$2-$5).

You know who was a big fan of Christmas? Elvis.

That’s right. The King churned out more Christmas numbers than a North Pole elf hopped up on bennies. And you know that if Elvis were around today, he’d be charming the slacks and kneehigh pantyhose off all the gray-hairs in Branson every year around this time.

Alas, the main man is no longer with us, but his spirit –– and likeness –– live on in the form of Kraig

So have yourself a merry little November.

(Already? Yes.)

November 2011

INSIDE fort worth

15

125394_SHI-11042_DallasObserver 1

Job#: SHI-11042 L/S: 100 Size: 10 x 11.5”

7/22/11 4:28 PM