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

Thank you CD Source for putting this little compilation of upcoming fests together. Start marking your calendars cause these are some good times. You’ll always find me at the Deep Ellum Arts Fest and the Main St. fest in Fort Worth. Highly recommend.

TASTE OF PLANO

Nosh on food from more than 30 restaurants at this event, which also features a children’s area, live music and a live auction that raises money for a scholarship fund.

• April 2 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Plano Centre, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. $15 in advance, $20 at the door; $5 for kindergarteners through 12th-graders. 214-205-8005.

DALLAS WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL

This fest, made up of several events, showcases wines from around the world.

• April 25-29 at several locations in Dallas. $25 to $95. 214-741-6888.

DENTON ARTS & JAZZ FESTIVAL

Six stages provide plenty of chances to jam to jazz, blues and more. The juried arts and crafts show features about 160 artists, and a children’s art tent and food are among the other attractions.

• April 27 from 5 to 11 p.m., April 28 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., April 29 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Quakertown Park (formerly Civic Center Park), 321 E. McKinney St., Denton. Free admission. 940-565-0931.

Is it just me or did this rain come out of nowhere? I don’t remember it in today’s forecast but I also woke up in quite a haze. What a dreary day.

If you brave the rains and have a concern for the fate of Deep Ellum then you might consider this. Tonight is the D.E.E.P. (that would be the Deep Ellum Enrichment Project) Meeting Night where the battlecry is “Come Help Save the Scene!!!” This is what else they say:

Everyone who cares about the scene in Deep Ellum should be not only supporting local events but also attending these meetings and helping however they can. Lord Byron, Elle Chaos and others are planning to be at this week’s meeting and we’d love to see more people come support the Deep Ellum scene!

So the details? Read on:

Monday Night Meeting @ Elbow Room, 9 PM
March 26, 2007
3010 Gaston Avenue
Notes: Parking is located in lot across the street.

The new House of Blues just announced their job fair. You know, that new place quietly opening in the South Side? For those of you in the restaurant/club/music biz, you may just want to take a look. The place looks phenomenal and dare I say probably a big hit ’round these parts. So here’s the lowdown:

House of Blues Job Fair
April 3 & 4 - 10 am to 6 pm
Smirnoff Music Center
Fair Park - Gate 9

We are looking for experienced people for the following positions…

Bartender/Barback
Fine Dining Server
Cocktail Server
Restaurant Servers/Hosts
Security - Door Host
Line/Prep Cook
Dishwasher
Retail Clerk
Box Office Ticket Seller
Receiving Clerks
Production (stage, lighting, sound)
Sous Chef
Kitchen Supervisor

More Info:
www.hob.com/careers

Thanks to the breaking news from the Plano Star Courier -

Peaceful Vocations was founded two years ago to provide information to high school students who are being wooed by military recruiters. We exist to counter military recruitment and to create alternatives to the heavy military influence in our schools and the North Texas community. PV enables youth to make informed choices about their future and provides information for alternative vocations. Funds raised by this event will be used to purchase materials needed by the organization, such as printing, display materials for counseling offices, and advertising in high school publications.

Dallas Police Officer Sr. Cpl. Mark Nix, 33, was killed in the line of duty Friday night while attempting to arrest homicide suspect Wesley Lynn Ruiz. Read the full details here.

Any man or woman who has chosen to take upon the duty of protecting and serving the public is an immediate hero in my eyes. The loss of such in this fashion is a tragedy and I can only offer my sincere condolences to the DPD and the Nix family.

-Rich

G.R.I.D. didn’t win the Dallas Voice’s Reader’s Choice Award for best blog. Although I was fairly optimistic I remained with no expectations. I just hate the fact that I lost to a msypace blog. Whatever it is that dallas_artists has that I don’t, I can’t figure out. Can someone please tell me? But hey, congrats to the bloggers from Art is Art.

Sigh. Now I’m having blog insecurities.

The Awards issue came out yesterday but interestingly enough I can’t find them online other than the introductory article. So this will get you going, but you’re gonna have to go out and pick up a Voice to find out what tops the gay community’s choices. I’m definitely compelled to comment on some of the choices later but a collective OY escapes me at the moment.

I’m sure you can come up with lots of ideas - shopping, kite flying (my fave), picnicking…but consider this option. How about some sports? And unquely enough, how about some rugby?

The Dallas Diablos Rugby Club are playing this afternoon in Denton at 2pm. Yeah, probably some scheduling involved but hey, think of it as checking ’seeing a rugby game’ off your list of things to do in life. Right? It’s on my list. But I have to work today. If you decide to wait, it’s gonna be about a month before their next game April 21 where they are also playing host to the Dallas Invitational Pride Cup.

Take 35E to north of Denton, exit on highway 380(exit 469).
Head right on 380 to Bonnie Brae.
Take a left on Bonnie Brae.
Right, right at the stop sign - Windsor.
Follow Windsor to Riney Rd - go left and then into the driveway.

Tipperary Inn can’t let go of the holiday with their Patty Party tonight. Well, I guess really, they don’t let go of it at all being an Irish pub and all. Can’t say I make it over there all that much but they finally put out a good poster for tonight’s event where you can meet the High Seas Hotties roller derby team so I couldn’t resist passing the word along Top o’ the mornin’ to ya begorrah blarneys.

Saturday & Sunday, March 24 & 25, 9:00 a.m.

Farmers Branch ‘Let the Voters Decide’ Volunteer Weekend
This weekend Let the Voters Decide will be holding its largest volunteer weekend to date to influence the vote on the ordinance requiring landlords to collect proof of citizenship from apartment renters. Volunteers can help to: register voters, conduct outreach in the apartment communities, contact local businesses and distribute yard signs. Meet at the Let the Voters Decide Campaign Headquarters, 2704 Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch.

Sunday, March 25, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Solutions to Violence: Local & Global Nonviolent Action
This is the seventh of an eight-week session discussion group that meets weekly to discuss classics in peace and justice literature. This week’s discussions will be around Local & Global Nonviolent Action and we’ll be looking at the application of nonviolent strategies for social change. These essays are found in Lesson SEVEN. Please join us! We meet at the Dallas Peace Center, 4301 Bryan St, Suite 202. There is no charge. For more information, contact Michele.

Monday, March 26

End the Occupation of Iraq Committee
Keep the pressure on to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Meet at the Dallas Peace Center - 4301 Bryan St, Suite 202 in Dallas - for a planning session with coalition partners, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

To find out about other peace and justice activities in the North Texas area, go to the Dallas Peace Center CALENDAR.

Dallas Peace Center
4301 Bryan St.,
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 823-7793