G.R.i.D. (Get Rich in Dallas)

But I guess any kind of card is a sweet idea. Now you can create yer own for not just yer special someone, but for lots of people to see. Project (Red) has this in mind:

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Hello (RED) friends!

We received such a great response about the (RED) holiday cards at HipsterCards.com that we’d love to post new ecards designed by you for Valentine’s Day!

Sample:



Here are the card specs:
Send us a jpg of your submission in the following size:
Vertical card 312X416 pixels
OR
Horizontal card 416X312 pixels

You can incorporate the (RED) logo and JOINRED.COM url into your design if you’d like. Download the images here: http://www.joinred.com/logos/364-26_1_2007-redlogos.zip

To submit your design, send an email to INFO@JOINRED.COM with the following information:

Subject: VALENTINE POSTCARD

In the body of the email, include the following information:
Your Name:
Email:
Phone:
Please include this text in your email: I grant (RED) permission to use my design as an electronic greeting card.

Thank you! We look forward to your designs!

Jim brilliantly discusses his prognosis of East Dallas in this week’s issue. That came out yesterday. Interestingly enough, the cover story of the February issue of Advocate is titled ‘What We Love to Hate about East Dallas.’ And then I started thinking…what the heck? Is the shift of a comatose Deep Ellum moving over to an apparent degeneration of East Dallas? McMansions are the newest neighborhood crisis and Whole Foods on Lower Greenville moving to the Minyards Lakewood location has sparked a community crisis.

Beware the McMansion

OK, East Dallas has a certain charm and character and history. I live there and I love it. But those two problems aren’t really bringing down anything. If that’s what’s needed to be cried about then maybe a focus is being lost on the ‘hood. Anybody take a look at that old empty shell of a grocery store on Carroll and Fitzugh that used to be a Minyards? I see some refurbishing going on over there but not sure what is about to take it’s place. I think it was a dollar store last. Anybody talking about that and the probably not-so-rich neighborhood folks who frequented either incarnation. Nope. Hadn’t heard anything.

Or what about the desolate shopping center on Haskell and Gaston that is a major eyesore across the street from the nice shiny Starbucks? Anybody ever sit there and think about what’s needed to raze that place down? Or at least clean it up? Not that I’ve heard of.

Nope. Everybody’s stuck on the nice new houses and the grocery store moving from its original location to a nice newer one that’s also going to have a larger crew which means, a few more jobs to go around.

And don’t get me wrong. I love me some and have huge respect for Mr. Jim. He’s my colleague but definitely outta my league. He knows his stuff but I just think maybe there’s more that needs to be looked at in and around what is East Dallas.

If you haven’t heard then this is the latest and hopefully final word from the man himself who was going to do the new Trees honors. I’m so tired of hearing about this that I’m close to just saying burn the place down. Smirk. 

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The following was written by Kenny Brattain, Owner Fat Daddy’s Sound Shack:

To whom this may concern, we have successfully filed our SUP for 2707-09 Elm Street, Deep Ellum. I personally spent over 2 days and over $1,300 filing for the SUP. Our SUP was accepted, and now we have to wait for the Dallas City Council to vote on it. That will take about 3 months; meanwhile we are paying rent on a building we cannot use.

BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE!!!! THIS IS WHAT DID IT!!!

Of course, after we have spent the money with the city filing the SUP we are now told we need an SUP for the PARKING LOT.

David Cossum told us that under the new SUP law, we had to have 50+ parking spaces. We only have 20. So we contracted with an independent parking lot owner to supply us 30 more spaces. We had planned on paying for the additional expense by charging to park in Deep Ellum, like everyone else does, even the City of Dallas.

Now we are told that we cannot charge for parking. So the 20 parking spaces we have, we cannot charge for, and we cannot charge for the contracted 30 remote parking spaces.

So the bottom line is this. We are being told that we need 50+ parking spaces. We have 20 parking spaces, so we are renting the remote parking spaces for an additional $3,000+ a month, and we will not be able to offset the expense because we can not charge to park. PLUS, we have to file another SUP for the Parking Lot and wait the 3 months for approval.

This makes this re-opening economically impossible. We are not a huge corporation; we are a small Mom/Pop business.

Well, City of Dallas, you did it. We are planning on not going forward with re-opening the “Trees” building. I guess we will look at a city that cares about its citizens and the local music scene. Good luck.

P.S. ATTN: City of Dallas! How come you can charge to park, but we cannot. ALSO THIS IS A WARNING TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO OPEN A “LIVE MUSIC VENUE” IN DEEP ELLUM, THAT IS NOT A CHURCH. DON’T DO IT. THE CITY OF DALLAS WILL NOT LET YOU!!

Thank you for your time,

Kenny Brattain

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Boohoo. OK, done. Now move on.

Nancy over at Frontburner wrote this tidbit the other day which actually made my Friday a little better.

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I FORGOT TO TELL YOU

That Casa Linda Cafeteria closed. That’s the end of the line for all things Highland Park Cafeteria. Sad. It makes me want a piece of chocolate cake. Like. Now.

Nancy Nichols · 03:11 PM

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I went there based o D Mag’s list of best neighborhood restaurants but this moved to the bottom of my list. A chicken plate and whatever else I had did not agree with me. For two days. Plus, the row of president’s pictures creeped me out. Not the Clinton one though. So good riddance to bad food deemed good by old people. Cause that’s pretty much all who was there when I went. I’ll take Luby’s anyday.

 

Some good news about local gallery Kettle Art that puts them in the big leagues. Here’s what they say: 

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Congrats to US! Kettle Art has just been accepted to join DADA aka the Dallas Art Dealers Association. This means that the playing field is now leveled between us and the established, credible stalwarts that have ruled this city for forever and a day, that rarely show new or local artists. So if you think we were messing w/ them before, look out, we’re just getting started! Bringing young, fresh homegrown talent to the attention of this town has always been our mission. We will continue to do so, now w/ the endorsement of these guys. Cool huh?

Aside from that, the current show, ‘Texas Art from Private Collections’ is up and kicking ass. It looks like the weather is gonna be sweet for a change so drop by and check it out.

Last but not least, our first Friday series, REWIND, the best of the Dallas Video Festival, begins next week. The Dallas Video Festival is closing in on it’s 20 year anniversary, so they will be showing the hits from the first 19 years. This event, as everything at Kettle, will be free! We will also allow BYOB, so for the price of a six pack or bottle of wine, you can bring a date and watch movies. Where else in town can you go out and be styling for next to nothing?

Hope to see you soon

Love these guys:

Before the Mavericks take on the Bulls, head over here for a stab of art. Comes with music and food.

I’m also going to try to fit this in to see the uber-talented Rhett Butler who may also be the nicest guy on the planet,

 

and then shoot back home for the game and then back out to here for these guys.

Oy.

Stupid Band Name OTW - New Riders of the Purple Sage

Come on. They just sound boring. Checked ‘em out…they are.

Performing tonight at The Granada @ 8pm. 

Awesome Band Name OTW - We’ll Kill You

Obnoxious names always win me over. However, their music doesn’t. Indiscernible local (Longview) metal w/o much purpose.

Performing Saturday, January 27 at the Darkside Lounge @ 10pm.

 

Local good guy Hal Samples is doing his thing for those in need but I’m gonna let him explain: 

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I’m having A Benefit for The Family Gateway Center
2-13-06 @ The GRANADA
Doors at 7 Starts at 8PM
The Black Angels
White Ghost Shivers
Shanghai 5

Tickets are $10 and $15
(17+)

(Film shorts will be screened inbetween the sets as well as a multi media visual performance by me during The Black Angels)

Thank you in advance for your support.

Stay tuned to my blog for some free ticket contest giveaways and other random Samplings*… this is going to be a show YOU DON”T WANNA MISS!!