Month: July 2018

Categories
Restaurant Reviews DFW

Weekend Happenings 7/27 – 7/29: Mumm Champagne Dinner, Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights, and more.

Truluck’s presents Mumm Champagne Dinner

7/27 at 7:00 p.m.

Truluck’s Seafood Steak & Crab House

Truluck’s will present a four-course champagne dinner. Savor signature fresh seafood dishes and house-made desserts, sumptuously paired with an array of Champagne selections from the centuries-long Maison Mumm dynasty. For tickets click here.

Photo courtesy of Truluck’s

 

Scardello Artisan Cheese presents French Wine and Cheese

7/27 at 8:00 p.m.

Scardello Artisan Cheese

 

Scardello Artisan Cheese will explore 1,000 cheeses paired with fantastic wines from several of the best wine regions of France. Experience true cheese bliss, or as they say in France, “Joie de Vivre!” Tickets can be bought at the door or purchased here.

Photo courtesy of Scardello Artisan Cheese

 

Lone Star Ranch and Rescue presents Horse-a-Palooza

7/28 at 5:30 p.m.

Tupps Brewery

 

Lone Star Ranch and Rescue will present Horse-a-Palooza, featuring great food, craft beers, and music from Red Leather. The evening will raise money to rescue, rehab, and rehome some horses. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of Lone Star Ranch & Rescue

 

2018 Dallas Hip-Hop Dance Festival

7/28 at 7:00 p.m.

Majestic Theater

 

Dallas Hip-Hop Dance Festival is the largest hip-hop dance festival in the south, featuring dancers of all ages and representing all forms of hip-hop dance. DHDF will host three unique events during the festival: Convention, Battle, and The Show. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo by Sean Malone

 

The Rustic presents Stars Stripes and Summer Nights

7/29 at 4:00 p.m.

The Rustic

 

The Rustic will present an afternoon of live music and everyone’s favorite summer indulgences, all while supporting Folds of Honor. Standout local blues and soul powerhouse Abraham Alexander will kick off the event with live music. Luke Pell, U.S. Army Captain turned country music heartthrob after starring on The Bachelorette, will take the stage next. Catch Pell performing his chart-topping hit, “Ball Caps” and “Blue Jeans.” The live music doesn’t stop there. One of Texas country’s finest, Wade Bowen, will cap off the night with a high energy, full band performance, and with Bowen, you never know who might join him on stage. One hundred percent of the proceeds from ticket sales and a percentage of the proceeds from the vendors will benefit Folds of Honor, an organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members. Tickets can be purchased here.

Via Facebook

 

Categories
Restaurant Reviews DFW

Weekend Happenings 7/20 – 7/22: Asian Film Festival, Ira Glass, and more

Asian Film Festival of Dallas
7/19 – 7/26
Angelika Film Center

The Asian Film Festival of Dallas celebrates its 17th year with returning presenting sponsor Well Go USA Entertainment. This festival year boasts its first Kashmiri drama film and returns with a women’s showcase of Asian directed and produced films by women. Sixty-six films will screened throughout the week, including six short blocks (Drama, Experimental, Women’s, Student’s, Late Night and Documentary) and 31 feature films. Film fans can expect films from the U.S., Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Indian, Japan, South Korea, and Tibet. Genres will include action, comedy, crime drama, documentary, drama, martial arts, psycho drama, thriller, romantic comedy, and horror. For a full schedule of events, click here

Angels Wear White will screen as part of the 2018 Asian Film Festival of Dallas. Photo courtesy of Asian Film Festival of Dallas

Supper at the Sons: Pop-Up Dinner and Concert
7/20 at 7:00 p.m.
Sons of Hermann Hall

RVC Promotions is proud to present a very special event at The Sons of Hermann Hall on Friday, July 20th. Supper at the Sons: A Pop Up Dinner & Concert with Chef Justin Box and Musical Guest: The Vandoliers. The evening begins at 7pm with a four-course dinner created by Chef Justin Box. Each course will be perfectly paired with a delicious Deep Eddy Vodka cocktail. Once dinner is completed, The Vandoliers will come on to perform a 60-minute set for everyone in attendance. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of RVC Promotions

 

Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery Backyard Barbeque
7/21 at 12:00 p.m.
Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery (Dripping Springs, TX)

Experience the perfect summer Saturday in Texas on July 21st at the Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery in Dripping Springs! For only $30 per person you can enjoy a BBQ lunch and two Signature Texas Cocktails made from Deep Eddy Vodka. Plus live music and a special guest appearance from Donovan Lewis of Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket. It goes down from 12p-5p on Saturday, July 21st. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of RVC Promotions

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents #hearhere: Ira Glass
7/21 at 8:00 p.m.
Winspear Opera House

Ira Glass is the creator, producer & host of This American Life, the iconic weekly public radio program with millions of listeners around the world. Using audio clips, music, and video, Ira Glass delivers a unique talk; sharing lessons from his life and career in storytelling: What inspires him to create? What drives his passion? How have failures and successes informed his decisions? During his presentation, Ira Glass will mix stories live onstage and help his audience better follow the creative process of one of our foremost storytellers. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of AdWeek

Dallas Night Markets presents Asian Night Market
7/22 at 5:00 p.m.
Bomb Factory

Dallas Night Markets presents the inaugural Asian Night Market, showcasing up and coming Asian restaurateurs and chefs, Asian street foods, music and some art. DJ Lucky Lou, a resident DJ in Vegas, will fly in for the occasion and celebrate the inaugural Asian Night Market with music. Chefs and restaurants include Agu Ramen, Bobaddiction, Four Sisters, Ka-Tip, Khao Noodle Shop, Matcha Craft, Chef Matt Hua, Monkey King Noodle House, Mr. Max, Niwa Japanese BBQ, SXSE Food Co., Wu DuJour and Yoshi Shabu Shabu, serving Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai and modern Asian cuisines. Guests can expect menu items like yakitori, okinawa musubi, matcha drinks and pancake bites, boat noodle soup, katsu sandwiches, soboro bowls, korokke, papaya salad, grilled porks, deviled teas, pork baos, boba tea, prime rib larb tacos and more. All menu items at each station will all be under $10.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Night Markets
Categories
Restaurant Reviews DFW

Kent Rathbun Opens Imoto in Victory Park

While it may be crowded on game nights and during concerts, Victory Park is one of Dallas’s less-frequented neighborhoods. Although the district houses the American Airlines Center, a WFAA news station, and Happiest Hour bar, the action in Victory Park is relatively low compared to that of Dallas’s other neighborhoods. A few restaurant owners, including Kent Rathbun, owner of Imoto, are hoping to help boost the nightlife action over in Victory Park.

Imoto, a sushi and pan-Asian restaurant, was the first of several restaurants to open in Victory Park, over a year after a revamp of the neighborhood was proposed.

It is Imoto’s sixth day in business at the time of this interview, and so far, Rathbun feels that opening Imoto in Victory Park was a good investment made.

“The people revamping this entire Victory Park district approached us and asked if we’d want to open a restaurant down here,” Rathbun says.  “At first, we were a little bit reluctant about opening here, but the more we heard about what was happening and what was coming and seeing who was signing, we decided that this is where we want to be.”

Rathbun describes the first few days of operation as “eerily phenomenal.”

“I’m not even talking about the size of the crowds, or about the money we’ve pulled in,” Rathbun says, “I’m talking about the performance of our staff, the performance of our kitchen, and the response from our guests.”

Imoto serves top-notch Pan-Asian food (via Facebook)

Rathburn then emphasizes the importance of starting slow and gradually picking up the pace.

“Right now, it’s not about being packed to the brim, it’s not about bringing in a huge amount of revenue,” Rathbun says, “it’s about creating an environment that everyone likes and in which everyone feels comfortable. I don’t care how good of a restaurant you are; if you start off at 100 miles per hour, you’re going to fall on your face.”

This philosophy can also be tied back to the process of creating and opening the restaurant. It took Rathbun nearly two decades to achieve his desired aesthetic and atmosphere.

“When I first was researching concepts for another restaurant of mine, Abacus, back in 1998, I went to a restaurant called Buddha Bar in Paris, France,” Rathbun says. “It was a restaurant that featured sushi and pan-Asian food. The cool thing about this restaurant is that it had a vibe I would never forget. Ever since, I’ve been trying to recreate that vibe. Abacus came very close, but Abacus was more world cuisine.”

Rathbun, having worked exclusively in the hospitality industry since the young age of 14, can attest to this fact. Despite not having trained in a culinary arts program, he considers himself very to have learned under the mentors he worked with in the early beginnings of his career.

“I have no formal degree in culinary arts,” Rathbun says. “I am sort of just a product of working in really good restaurants with really good chefs. I don’t use the term ‘self-trained’ specifically because I’m not self-trained. I’ve been fortunate to work with fantastic chefs in fantastic restaurants and just pay attention.”

Peking Duck Spring Rolls from Imoto (Via Facebook)

Despite taking immense pride in his work, Rathbun still has his eyes set on the bigger picture.

“Obviously, we want to be successful, but the real bottom line is to be part of bringing this district back to life,” Rathbun says. “If that happens, everyone wins. We’re just a piece of the puzzle here. But if that piece of the puzzle fits and that puzzle eventually turns out to be one of the hottest districts in Dallas, which I think it will be, then we’ve done our job.”

Imoto is currently open for dinner in Victory Park. For information on menu items, hours, and specials, visit imotodallas.com

 

 

 

 

Categories
Pop-up Dinners

Weekend Happenings 7/13 – 7/15: World Cup Final, Wine & Magic, and more

Dallas Farmers Market presents Karaoke Night

Dallas Farmers Market will present a Friday Night Block Party. Warm up your vocal cords & join DJ Robert-O for a night of vocal self-expression & listening fun. Food and drink available at The Market. The event is free to attend and kicks off at 6:00 P.M.

Photo by Kevin Marple



Bastille on Bishop

Bastille on Bishop is an annual festival in the heart of the Bishop Arts District that celebrates Oak Cliff’s unique French roots.​ Visitors can don their best berets and join friends for a little champagne and dancing in the streets. To consume alcoholic beverages at the festival, guests must have one of the event wine glasses. Glasses comes with two tokens, which can be redeemed for either beverages or food. Cocktails, beer, and wine require one token. Most food requires one token as well. The only people who need a ticket are those who plan to consume alcohol. The festival is free for those who are simply coming to enjoy the atmosphere. Additional tokens for food and drink will be available at the event at $6 per token. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo by Elliot Muñoz

 

 

Barbecue Bus – Fort Worth

The BBQ Bus is hitting Fort Worth for the first time on Saturday from 1p-5p. Guests will meet up at HopFusion Ale Works and head out to Billy’s Oak Acres, Cousin’s Bar-B-Q and Riscky’s Barbeque. At each location, we will enjoy a plate of brisket, ribs, and sausage! Plus the beer is stocked with craft brews from Hopfusion! Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of RVC Promotions

 

Checkered Past Winery presents Wine and Magic

Checkered Past Winery will host award-winning magician Trigg Watson for Wine and Magic. Signature wines, pizza, charcuterie, desserts, and more will be available for purchase during the intimate show. Watson first fell in love with magic in his native Australia and later honed his craft while living in New Orleans. Watson has called Dallas home ever since attending and graduating from Southern Methodist University. He has since performed on several national television shows and won multiple awards. Tickets can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy of Trigg Watson

 

World Cup Final Watch Party at Legacy Hall

Watch France and Croatia go head to head at The Box Garden at Legacy Hall for the official North Dallas Summer of Soccer FINAL Watch Party this Sunday at 10 a.m. They are teaming up with FC Dallas for a celebration that will include: FIFA PlayStation gaming, the FC Drumline, player appearances, swag and more! The event is free to attend.

Via Plano Magazine
Categories
Restaurant Reviews DFW

“Lighting is more fun and exciting than it’s ever been”: Larry Sayah on Lights Fantastic, LED lighting, and more.

With the constant debacle in regards to home living and environmental consciousness, lights and fixtures are a hot topic. Over the years, we’ve shifted from incandescent lighting, fluorescent lighting, and now to LED lighting, and Larry Sayah, the owner of Lights Fantastic, has been there for it all.

“Lighting is more fun and exciting than it’s ever been,” Sayah says. “LED saves a lot of energy, produces better color. That is the future.”

Sayah is an MIT alumnus with a background in engineering. He came to Texas from Pennsylvania in 1965. While building a house in Dallas, he was frustrated at the fact that he was not able to find a place to purchase contemporary lighting. Having previously purchased Fleco, Fluorescent Light Equipment Co., Sayah turned his eye over to a new market and converted Fleco’s manufacturing operation, Texas Fluorescents, into a showroom.

A look inside Sayah’s Lights Fantastic Pro showroom (Photo credit: Tammany Stern)

“I’m an engineer by education,” Sayah says. “I have expertise in manufacturing pretty much anything.”

Sayah’s ambition drove him to open Lights Fantastic stores and showrooms across Texas, with locations in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. However, due to economic downfalls, Sayah was forced to reduce the number of stores from 26 to three, with one in Austin and Dallas each, and a Lights Fantastic Pro store in The Colony.

“Lights Fantastic Pro on 121 is the only store in the country that showcases all the variations of LED fixtures and how to use them,” Sayah says. “We have bedroom lights, kitchen lights, outdoor lights, and so much more.”

Since opening the first of the Lights Fantastic stores, Sayah has been up-to-date with lighting trends. Currently, he believes LED is the next big revolution in lighting.

Sayah’s Lights Fantastic Pro showroom is located in The Colony, TX (Photo credit: Tammany Stern)

“LED light bulbs use about a third of the energy of incandescent bulbs,” Sayah says. “You can order them in different colors so you can have different colors for different types of environments. They last about three to four times longer than regular bulbs and use less energy.”

Apart from the bulbs, Sayah also sells one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures. One of his most notable creations is a fixture on which the color of the light changes in accordance with wind pressure, allowing the owner to know whether or not the weather will be inclement on that day.

Although his products are innovative and game-changing, Sayah still runs into problems all business owners come across.

“Finding good people to work with is always a struggle,” Sayah says. “You have to have a passion for it. You have to know your product inside and out. Not very people know much about LED, but they are able to pick it up quickly.”

Sayah pictured with his son, Jon (left), who serves as the President of Saylite (Photo credit: Alex Gonzalez)

Sayah currently employs over 450 people across his three stores, and his manufacturing company, SayLite, formerly known as Texas Fluorescents. Most of his employees have been with him for 20 to 30 years. His son, Jon, works with him side-by-side and serves as the President of Saylite.

For information on Sayah’s store and showroom locations, visit http://lightsfantastic.com/

Categories
Restaurant Reviews DFW

Weekend Happenings 7/6 – 7/8: Hairspray, Road to Change, and more

Scardello Artisan Cheese presents European Standards and American Favorites

Tonight, Scardello Artisan Cheese will present a tasting comparison of the best known European cheeses like Roquefort alongside new world beauties of a similar style. They’ll talk about trends in American cheese making and what makes these new creations so exciting while seeing how they have evolved from their European forebears. They will serve some European standard wines, as well as new American classics, to taste along with the cheeses. Tickets for this event are $40 and can be purchased here or at the door.

Photo courtesy of Scardello Artisan Cheese

March For Our Lives presents Road to Change

March for Our Lives will present Road to Change, a panel discussion and engagement fair. The moderated discussion will include students and alumni from Marjory Stoneman Douglas as well as local students that have been affected by gun violence and Manuel Oliver, father of slain MSD student, Joaquin Oliver.The discussion will center around the importance of common-sense gun reform and student involvement in all levels of government. Following the panel discussion, the engagement fair will include booths from partner organizations, including MOVE Texas, Mi Familia Vota, and NAMI, Moms Demand Action as well as voter registration booths. Road to Change will take place at Paul Quinn College this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of March for Our Lives

 

Dallas Farmers Market presents Chef Demo with Café Momentum

Dallas Farmers Market will host Cafe Momentum for DFM’s Complimentary Chef Demo with Chef Chad Houser. Houser will be identifying local ingredients and incorporating them into a menu from vendors inside The Shed. Come see how to shop The Shed, view a cooking demonstration, and his final dish. Café Momentum, a Dallas-based restaurant and culinary training facility, transforms young lives by equipping our community’s most at-risk youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential. This event is free to attend.

Photo Courtesy of Cafe Momentum

Ferris Wheelers presents Fundraiser for the Dallas Five

This Saturday, Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ is partnering with Brotherhood for the Fallen to host a fundraising event to honor the memory of the fallen officers. During the event, the Dallas Police Choir will sing the national anthem, while the Dallas Police Honor Guard conducts a Presentation of the Colors. Bagpipers from the Fort Worth Police Department will also be present during the memorial program. In addition, Dallas native Ryan Berg and award-winning guitarist Mike “Junior” Clark will perform live throughout the night and Ferris Wheelers will host a silent auction to help BFTF reach their 2018 goal of $100,000. All of the donations, ticket and table sponsorship sales will also benefit BFTF. Ferris Wheelers’ menu features Texas staples such as brisket, ribs, house-made sausage, honey-brined smoked turkey breast and Carolina-style pork shoulder. The southern-influenced sides include smoked BBQ beans, smoked green beans, BBQ mac & cheese, jalapeño bacon cole slaw and southwestern potato salad.

Photo courtesy of Ferris Wheelers Backyard & BBQ

AT&T Performing Arts Center and Dallas Theater Center present Hairspray

You can’t stop the beat in this big and bold musical about one girl’s inspiring dream to dance. The 1950s are out, and change is in the air. Hairspray, winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is a family-friendly musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance and deliriously tuneful songs.It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has only one desire – to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob, Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network … all without denting her ‘do. For showtimes and tickets, click here.

Photo by Paxton Maroney

 

(Photos and copy pulled from CultureMap)