Soup is good for you and does good

TEXAS FOOD BANK ANNOUNCES 13TH ANNUAL EMPTY BOWLS “Enjoy Lunch, Feed A Bunch” March 9, at the Meyerson Symphony Center

WHAT: NTFB’s 13th Annual Empty Bowls Presented by Tom Thumb <http://www.ntfb.org/d_empty_bowls_info.cfm>

Dine out with friends or colleagues and enjoy the best lunch deal in town! Select a handmade bowl created by a local artisan, sample a variety of delicious soups, breads and desserts from popular area restaurants and food purveyors*, and enjoy classical music by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Young Strings. All proceeds benefit the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and its efforts to “ReThink Hunger,” so be the first to get your bowl

!NTFB distributes 92,000 meals a day, yet the community need is closer to 300,000 meals a day. Every $1 donated provides three meals for hungry North Texans.

Tickets: $35 in advance online <http://www.ntfb.org/d_empty_bowls_info.cfm>
$20 no-bowl ticket
$40 at the door
Reserved tables for 10 guests - $1,500 (main level) and $1,000 (upper level) Limited number of $100 VIP tickets for early 10:30am entrance

WHEN: Friday, March 9, 2012 - 11am – 1pm
WHERE: Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center - 2301 Flora St. Dallas, TX

75201Empty Bowls began in 1990 as a small fundraising project among Michigan high school students that has now grown into a worldwide fundraising event to help end hunger. Diners are able to enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread served in a decorative ceramic bowl that guests keep as a reminder of those who suffer from hunger.

The Dallas chapter of Empty Bowls was started by John Williams, potter and former owner of Trinity Ceramic Supply Inc., and his wife Darlene. Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, Dallas’ Empty Bowls benefiting the North Texas Food Bank has helped countless in need, providing nearly 2.5 million meals over the last 12 years!

*Participating restaurants and food purveyors of the North Texas Food Bank’s 13th Annual Empty Bowls event include: The Blue Goose Cantina, Blue Mesa Grill, Bolsa, Bread Winners Café & Bakery, Celebration Market & Restaurant, Empire Baking Co., Freeb!rds World Burrito, Hattie's, McAlister's Deli, Dining at the Meyerson, Milestone Culinary Arts Center, Nick & Sam's Grill, North Texas Food Bank Community Kitchen, Place at Perry's, ReMARKable Affairs Catering, Royal Cup Coffee, Tom Thumb, Truluck's Seafood Steak and Crab House, and Wolfgang Puck Catering.

My nearly nude week

Last night I went to the Gautier exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. Rooms filled with boudoir-like costumes, erotic photos and extremely revealing garmets.

Friday night I am going to a performance by Uptown Players that has mostly nude men in a locker room.

Uptown Players opens its 2012 season with Richard Greenberg's Tony Award-winning Best Play, the revealing baseball comedy Take Me Out, at the Kalita Humphrey's Theater from February 3 - 19, 2012.

Greenberg's Broadway sensation, Take Me Out, throws a curveball at American's favorite pastime. Darren Lemming, a young, iconic baseball star, is at the top of his game both personally and professionally. When he calls a press conference that results in a shocking admission to the media, Lemming sends a ripple of effects through the team, the fans and the nation.

Both hilarious and hard-hitting, Take Me Out strips baseball bare. Playwright Richard Greenberg examines the dynamics of homophobia, isolation, racial tension and the cult of celebrity in this funny, moving love letter to America's favorite pastime.

The 12-member all-male cast features Lloyd Harvey, Kevin Moore, Art Kedzierski, Andrews W. Cope, Chester Maple, Travis Ponikiewski, Anthony A. Gonzalez, Antonio Garcia, Ryan Manalansan, Darius Warren, Tony Martin and Bronze Hill.

The production is under the direction of Michael Serrecchia. The Uptown Players all-star design team includes lighting design by Jason Foster, costume design by Suzi Cranford, sound design by Virgil Justice, set design by Andy Redmon, stage management by Cathy O'Neal, and hair and make up by Coy Covington.

Take Me Out runs February 3 through February 19, 2012, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (no performance February 5).

A special Thursday night performance will take place on February 16 at 8 p.m.

Performances will take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd at Blackburn, Dallas TX 75219.

Tickets are $25-$35 and can be purchased online at www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at (214) 219-2718.

About This Production

Take Me Out

By: Richard Greenberg

Content Advisory: Mature Themes/Full Nudity - Ages 17 and up

Directed By: Michael Serrecchia

Dates: February 3, 4, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18 @ 8 p.m. February 12 & 19 @ 2 p.m

Tickets: $25-$35

Box Office Info -Online: www.uptownplayers.org

Phone: (214) 219-2718

Mardi Gras Madness

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady


Throw me Something Mista!
Painting the Town Purple, Green and Gold
January 6 – March 8, 2012

From Jan. 6 to March 8, “Throw me something, mister!” is a common phrase around Southwest Louisiana. Lake Charles, La. hosts the 2nd largest Mardi Gras, second only to New Orleans. Once 12th Night kicks the season into gear, the more than 55 Mardi Gras krewes in Southwest Louisiana make the area a magical place to be.

From parades and galas for the whole family, to cook-offs and Children’s Day, rest assured there
is always a family-friendly activity for everyone to enjoy.

Mardi Gras kicks off on 12th Night, Thursday, Jan. 6 (12 days after Christmas). The 2011
Royal courts of the many krewes will take this opportunity for one last promenade at the Lake
Charles Civic Center at 7 p.m., making way for next year’s Royal court. This event is the official
opening of the 2012 Mardi Gras season and is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $6, children under the age of 12 are admitted for free.

Mardi Gras weekend begins with the Merchant’s Parade, Friday, March 4. Local merchants join in the spirit of the season to delight parade goers at this evening parade. The parade will roll through Lake Charles at 7 p.m.

The weekend rolls on with the Krewe of Omega parade at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, that
weaves around downtown, bringing festival-goers back to the Civic Center for a Zydeco Dance, from 3-5 p.m. There will also be a furry, four-legged parade at 3 p.m. with the Krewe of Barkus. Man’s Best Friend never looked so good in green, gold and purple!

And be sure to bring your spoon and appetite for the World-Famous Cajun Extravaganza and Gumbo Cook-off, being held at the Civic Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.

Although most Mardi Gras balls are private, two krewes in the area open theirs up to the public on Saturday night. The Krewe of Illusions will hold its own ticketed gala at 7:30 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The Krewe of Cosmos will be strutting their stuff Saturday, March 5 at
the Sulphur High School Auditorium beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 6 will bring a day full of activities! For just $6, you can taste from every pot
at the Taste de la Louisiane, and bring the little ones to Children’s Day, from noon – 3 p.m. This is a free cultural event. They will participate in arts and crafts, music and a Mardi Gras celebration that is just their size. Afterward, head outside for the Children’s Parade, just for them and the whole family! Polish off Sunday night with a glittering spectacle of lights on the lake for the annual Lighted Boat Parade at 7:30 p.m.

Lundi Gras, or the Monday before Mardi Gras, March 7, has been coined the Cinderella Moment of the season with the Royal Gala, a night of glitz, glamour and royalty at the Lake Charles Civic Center. At 7 p.m. the 2012 courts will promenade in noble fashion, preparing for the big Krewe of Krewes parade on the final night of Carnival. This event is open to the public and the only of its kind in the state of Louisiana. Tickets are $6 at the door and children under the age of 12 are admitted for free.

On Mardi Gras Day, March 8, wake up and head to Downtown Lake Charles for the Krewe de
Charlie Sioux Block Party starting at noon. Food, music and fun will be going on all day. There will also be children’s activities, so it is an event for the whole family. The Hot Rods, Classics and Motorcycle Parade will roar through Lake Charles at 1 p.m.

Finally, that night, the streets of Lake Charles come alive for one final night of purple, green,
gold and all the magic and revelry that can be mustered. Be sure to bring a bag to carry home all of your treasures!

Hotel room packages are available for those wishing to experience Mardi Gras in Lake Charles. Packages can be viewed at www.visitlakecharles.org/mambo and include lodging and a pass to many of the events listed above.

For more details on the various Mardi Gras events, visit www.swlamardigras.com.


Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who experienced first Mardi Gras in Lake Charles, Louisiana this year. Read her stories on http://www.travellady.com/, http://www.carladynews.com/, http://www.coffeeatlas.com/, http://www.cocktailatlas.com/, http://www.chocolateatlas.com/, http://www.teaatlas.com/, and http://www.yogayaya.com/

Titas presents American Ballet Theatre

Winspear Opera House 8 p.m. January 20-21, 2012

Founded in 1940, the American Ballet Theatre has become one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal the company’s combination ofsize, scope and outreach. ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 600,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so.

It has also made more than 15 international tours to 42 countries, and has been sponsored by the StateDepartment of the United States on many of these engagements. In keeping with thecompany's long-standing commitment to bringing the finest in dance to the widest international audience, ABT recently enjoyed triumphant engagements in Tokyo, London, Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Palermo, Italy, and in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. Under the direction of Kevin McKenzie, the company continues to be focused on bringing the magic of dance theater to the great stages of the world.

Love dance?

Command Performance Winspear Opera House March 9, 2012 TITAS continues its tradition of presenting Command Performance, the definitive dance event of the season. Command Performance will take place in the Winspear Opera House. The world’s greatest dance stars will come together for a spectacular evening of dance, with classic pas de deux alongside awe-inspiring contemporary works.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.attpac.org by phone at 214.880.0202, or in person at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Box Office at the Winspear Opera House,2403 Flora Street (Monday through Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm; Sunday 11 am – 4 pm), or at the remote Box Office at Park Place Lexus Plano at 1025 Preston Road.

About the AT&T Performing Arts Center

Open since October 2009, the AT&T Performing Arts Center is a vibrant destination for entertainmentin the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District. The Center presents a variety of programs, includingits Lexus Broadway Series, Brinker International Forum and, in association with TITAS, contemporary dance and music, and other performances. The Center also provides performance space for The DallasOpera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, inunparalleled venues set within a 10-acre urban park.

Do you dream of looking like Snooki?

GreatApps.com Is Helping Users “Snookify” Themselves

The app allows users to “Snookify” pictures of themselves and their friends and post them to Facebook walls, email, or upload to a “Snooki” Gallery that allows other users to rate their “Snookify Me!” created pictures. Users of the app can choose from Snooki’s different hairstyles including Snooki’s famous “poof,” various clothing apparel, stylish sunglasses, flashy jewelry, and even tan themselves to look like the most popular of Jersey Shore’s cast members.

The “Snookify Me!” app costs only $1.99 to download and is available on Google’s Android Market, Apple’s iTunes and is now profiled on theGreatApps.com homepage.

“We are excited to add “Snookify Me” to our site and believe it’s a great addition for our customers as the celebrity app trend is taking off, “said Rick Singer, CEO of GreatApps.com. “While we continue to expand on our innovative service we look forward to working with Apps Genius in the future.”

Apps Genius markets, publishes and distributes social games and software applications that consumers can use on a variety of platforms. They will continue to develop some of the most pioneering and trend setting apps in the industry.

"We are delighted to have our application showcased on GreatApps.com,” stated Adam Kotkin, CEO of Apps Genius. “We are pleased with the apps exposure we have received in the media and believe that GreatApps.com will put us in the position to reach our targeted demographic. We look forward to building a relationship with GreatApps.com moving forward.”

Appsgenius.com (www.appsgenius.com), a company that develops, markets, publishes and distributes social games and software applications is now featuring their newest application, “Snookify Me!” by Nicole “snooki Polizzi” on GreatApps.com

About GreatApps.com

GreatApps.com is a media company that focuses on app marketing and consumer use of apps. GreatApps.com offers a platform to showcase apps to people who may never have thought to search for it. To provide the best user experience and to preserve individuality, the GreatApps.com platform only allows up to 15 new apps to be displayed daily. GreatApps.com has a national marketing reach that goes well beyond what an individual could typically achieve on their own. GreatApps.com fills the biggest void in the mobile space which is app marketing.

About Apps Genius Corp

Apps Genius Corp ( www.appsgenius.com) develops, markets, publishes and distributes social games and software applications that consumers can use on a variety of platforms. The platforms include social networks, wireless devices such as cellular phones and smartphones including the Apple iPhone™ and standalone websites. The Company’s Celebrity Entertainment Division focuses on leveraging the fan base of noted celebrities to build apps and games around their personas. The first title in this division, ‘Snookify Me!, was created for Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi of the reality TV show Jersey Shore. Additionally, the Company has released several applications including ‘Bed Bug Alert,’ an informational tool for the Apple iPhone™, ‘My Mad Millions,’ a game application for Facebook™, ‘Slap a Friend,’ a game application for the Apple iPhone™, ‘Bruisers,’ a game application for Facebook™, and ‘Crazy Dream’ Application for Facebook™. Apps Genius Corp’s goal is to develop and publish new titles on a recurring basis that are based on the same property and gaming platform. Examples of this franchise approach are ‘My Mad Millions’ and ‘Rock The House,’ currently under development, which both utilize the same underlying platform. A core focus of the Company’s Social Gaming and Mobile Application development is to allow users and players to reach across different networks into a virtual application or gaming environment such as Facebook, MySpace, iPhone and Android and be able to play games and use applications from all users no matter what environment they are using the application in.

Not exactly an eggstra special day..

.

Friday the 13^th came late for me. Friday night I went to my usual restorative yoga class. Only they were holding a special seminar with an instructor named Eagle from Kuai. It sounded too challenging for me.

Friday, January 14

I woke up and drove to my dressmaker who lives 25 miles away. Only I forgot the bag that had the things I needed her to fix.

Stopped at grocery store. I asked the cashier to put cold things together in bags that were not too heavy.

But she put the eggs at the bottom of one of the bags. She put things like grapes on top of the eggs.

When I got home I got a cart to bring things up to my loft.I had a lot stuff to bring up—errands from Walmart in addition to shopping. I filled it to overflowing.

I took the groceries in first. When I opened the last bag—surprize! The eggs were broken and dripping all over. I left everything else in the cart outside my door. When I went outside, someone had moved the car to the elevator. With all my stuff in it!

So all I saw was the cart was gone..and I thought so was all of my stuff.

When I went to the elevator to tell the concierge was had happened, a neighbor saw me and said “isn’t this your cart. We had talked earlier. She was as surprised as I was to see the cart with all my stuff at the elevator.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day.

Keep your holiday smile all year long

Nourish and heal skin naturally with the soothing powers of Frownies' Immune Shield Vitamin E Skin Serum.

When young, sun damage may seem like no big deal since sunburns quickly disappear turning skin golden or bronzed. Yet later on in life the sun's effects start to show in the form of redness, blemishes, and dull, leathery feeling skin. Rather than live in fear of a little more sunshine, let Frownies' Immune Shield Vitamin E Skin Serum revitalize skin ravaged by UV rays, so you can enjoy the outside world confidently.

Frownies, the company known for eradicating wrinkles for over 120 years, was inspired by the natural healing properties of Vitamin E when creating Immune Shield. Made from 40% vitamin E from whole oats, Immune Shield's anti-oxidant rich formula softens wrinkles and penetrates deeply for softer, younger looking skin. It offers women and men a new, safe way to start repairing skin damage caused by over exposure to the sun without having to go under the needle.

Simply apply after showering to irritated areas including underneath the eyes and around the mouth, to bring inflammation down and even out the skin's tone. Over time the skin will start to repair itself and appear noticeably younger. Immune Shield isn't just for correcting sun exposure, it's rich in poly phenols and amino acids that can help dry out acne, aid in the healing of scars, and provide lasting hydration.

Pair Immune Shield with their Immune Perfect Wrinkle Cream for an added boost of firmness and protection from the aging rays of the sun. It's bio-active plant based antioxidants protect the DNA of the skin and provide a nurturing layer that locks in moisture all day long.

Frownies was originally founded by Margaret Kroesen in 1889 as a simple anti-aging tool to help her daughter fight unsightly wrinkles. Since then the company has passed down through the family and is now captained by fourth generation woman, naturopath, certified nutritional consultant, author, and wellness educator Kathy Wright. Since becoming CEO, Kathy has lent her experience in the health and beauty industry to the business and brought the Frownies line of anti-aging products to the public eye. Frownies has been featured in magazines such as Oprah, Good Housekeeping, and Body & Soul, and has been endorsed by actors throughout the years including such beauties as Raquel Welch and Renee Russo.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Winspear Opera House
8 p.m.
Sunday, January 15, 2012

The intricate rhythms and stirring harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s SouthAfrican sound have captivated audiences for more than 40 years. Led by Joseph Shabalala, the group’s discography currently includes more than 50 recordings.

Borrowing heavily from a traditional music called “isicathamiya,” which was developedin the mines of South Africa, the group’s philosophy has always been as much about thepreservation of musical heritage as it is about entertainment.

The group has recordedwith numerous artists from around the world, including Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban,Dolly Parton, Ben Harper and many more. They have been featured on several motion picture sound tracks including Coming to America, Invictus, and Cry The Beloved

Country. In addition, they’ve performed for the Queen of England, South

African President Nelson Mandela, at two Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies, and at the 1996 summer Olympics.

To get in the spirit, I am going to dinner before at an Ethiopian restaurant.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.attpac.org by phone at 214.880.0202, or inperson at the AT&T Performing Arts Center Box Office at the Winspear Opera House,2403 Flora Street (Monday through Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm; Sunday 11 am – 4 pm), or atthe remote Box Office at Park Place Lexus Plano at 1025 Preston Road.


About the AT&T Performing Arts Center

Open since October 2009, the AT&T Performing Arts Center is a vibrant destination for entertainmentin the heart of the downtown Dallas Arts District. The Center presents a variety of programs, includingits Lexus Broadway Series, Brinker International Forum and, in association with TITAS, contemporarydance and music, and other performances.

The Center also provides performance space for The DallasOpera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, inunparalleled venues set within a 10-acre urban park.

Some things are best in Black and White

The Frequency of Death! takes place in the studios of radio station WKIL during a

live broadcast of “The Mystery Challenge.” The program is hijacked by a mysterious voice—that of Dr. Big! A demented but brilliant scientist who’s crossed paths with Harry, Nigel, and Lt. Foster before, Dr. Big is bent on revenge—no matter the cost. He’s rigged the building to explode if anyone tries to come in or leave. The only hope our heroes have is to stop Dr. Big before the program signs off—permanently!

With Harry on the scene, the murderer's chances of "getting away with it" just got a whole lot better. An affectionate parody of detective films on the 1930s and 40s, this new comedy murder-mystery will delight the whole family!

The Frequency of Death! plays at the Eisemann Center through January 22, 2012, with performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Eisemann Center Box Office at 972-744-4650.

More press coverage on female focused websites

December 30, 2011
Specialized websites beckon to women who care about cars

From McClatchy News Service


DALLAS — For some reason, gear ratios don’t interest most women.

But as women continue to reshape the male-dominated auto industry, they do want to know about the space in a car’s interior, its exterior styling and its fuel economy and safety ratings, Tara Weingarten says.

“Where men see eye candy in a hot car, women wonder, ’How will my life be different if I choose that car?’ ” said Weingarten, 49, a founder of Vroomgirls.com, one of the newest of a small but expanding number of automobile websites aimed at women.

“I want to leave out the jargon and humanize cars,” said Weingarten, a native Californian and longtime enthusiast who was Newsweek’s auto reviewer for 15 years. “I want it to be Motor Trend edited by Martha Stewart.”

Her weeks-old site joins Carladynews.com on the Web, a Dallas-based site aimed at women that has been up for “six or seven years,” said publisher Madelyn Miller.

Miller, 64, figures that about a dozen women-oriented car sites compete for readers in the U.S., compared with thousands of mainstream and enthusiast auto websites.

“Men don’t even think about some of the things that matter to women — like trunk space and interior layout and space for your purse,” said Miller, whose site offers vehicle reviews and features.

While few, these specialized car sites can pack some real punch. Women influence nearly 70 percent of new-car purchase decisions and make about 40 percent of the purchases, industry officials say.

And automakers and auto-related companies scour the Web for new women-oriented sites, seeking effective alternative ways to advertise their products.

“Potentially, a new site like (Vroomgirls) has 100 percent of the attention of the visitors she gets — as opposed to maybe 1 percent of the visitors to some general site,” said Scott Monty, head of social media at Ford Motor Co. “Consumers want to know about what matters to them, and they want to know it now.”

Ford devotes about a quarter of its marketing budget to digital and social media, Monty said.

Although he declined to say how much the total budget typically is, some outside Ford estimate that it could be more than $1 billion a year.

Neville Manohar, head of digital marketing at Chrysler Group LLC, said he was already aware of Vroomgirls.

“It’s a dynamic environment that is growing and changing,” Manohar said of the Web in general. “One study found that consumers used 18 different sources of information before making a car purchase, which is more than most do with heart surgery.”

Web neophyte Weingarten and her business partner, Marjory Hawkins of Austin, hope to draw a sizable share of those clicks with quality and style.

In its first five weeks, the site attracted 35,000 page views, which Weingarten considers “pretty good.”

She was recently on NBC’s “Today” show to discuss Vroomgirls, as well as shows in Phoenix, Dallas, Houston and Miami.

Recent content included an essay by actress Jamie Lee Curtis on her love of driving in her native Los Angeles; reviews of the Audi A6, Ford Explorer and Hyundai Sonata turbo; and road stories on Texas’ historic dance halls and driving Route 66.

“I’m not a girly-girl — I’m a journalist,” said Weingarten, who was also a news reporter at Time and worked at the Dallas Times Herald in the 1980s, where she met her husband. “But I recognize what women like, and I want to give them a product with honest information delivered in an entertaining, stylish way.”

She got the idea for a women’s website at a Mazda Christmas party about a year ago. Another reporter came up with it, then later decided that she didn’t want to participate.

With the print world crumbling around her, Weingarten said, she felt she had to seriously consider the website concept.

“I’m not a website lover,” she said. “I’m a newspaper and print person. But one day, after being in this business all my life, I looked at the landscape and said, ’My beautiful, beautiful business is going away.’ ”

Weingarten, who dipped deeply into savings to initially fund Vroomgirls, said neither she nor Hawkins plans to take a salary from the business for the next year. That will allow them to pay their small staff and about a dozen freelancers who regularly contribute to the site.

In addition, the site has secured as sponsors Toyota, Ferrari and Lamborghini, among others, and has a relationship with TrueCar.com, which drives its retail auto component for readers interested in a new vehicle.

Jerry Reynolds, a former Ford dealer and longtime host of “The Car Pro Show,” said VroomGirls’ Web traffic sounds encouraging for a start-up. Reynolds’ Car Pro website attracts about 70,000 visitors a month.

“Although there are millions of websites, there are even more users,” he said. “There’s enough room for another player in this field, in my opinion.”

Carladynews is one of 10 websites that Miller owns — ranging from travel and food to cocktails and chocolate — and she said she hasn’t seen recent numbers on its traffic. But she likes the site’s demographics.

“It may not be half and half, but I think a lot of men read it,” Miller said. “One of my biggest groups (of men) seems to be auto dealers and manufacturers who read it to try to get an understanding of what women want in cars.”

When Weingarten and Hawkins began discussing the Vroomgirls concept, “we concluded that one of the big things we can offer is quality,” said Weingarten, who has been to racing school and is comfortable on a track.

“I’m not struggling with this concept,” she said. “It’s like I know on some level where it needs to go.”

Israeli Consulate presents the Transformation of the Port of Tel Aviv

Architect of Israel’s Tel Aviv PortProject to Speak

Israel’s Port of Tel Aviv has been changed forever by the talent and expertise of architectural firm of Mayslits Kassif. On Wednesday, November 30th at noon, the Museum of Biblical Art and Consulate General of Israel will host apresentation by the Architect, Ganit Mayslits Kassif.

Situated on one of Israel’s most breathtaking waterfronts, the Tel Aviv Port was plagued with neglect since 1965, when its primary use as an operational docking port was abandoned.

The recently completed public space development project managed to restore this unique part of the city, and turn it into a prominent, vivacious urban landmark.

The architects viewed the project as a unique opportunity to construct a public space which challenges the common contrast between private and public development, and suggests a new agenda of hospitality for collective open spaces.

The design introduces an extensive undulating, non-hierarchical surface, that acts both as a reflection of the mythological dunes on which the port was built, and as an open invitation to free interpretations and unstructured activities.

The port’s public spaces regeneration project is considered oneof the most influential public spaces projects in Tel Aviv. Being a new urban landmark which revives the city’s waterfront, the project became a trigger for a series of public space projects along Tel Aviv’s shoreline which altogether revolutionize the city’s connection to its waterfront.


Co-sponsored by Bnai Zion Foundation and Society of Israel Philatelists, Dallas Chapter


Israeli Architect Ganit Mayslits Kassif

Free Admission – Noon Talk and Presentationon Wednesday, November 30th

The Museum of Biblical Art – The Biblical Arts Center

7500 Park Lane Dallas, TX 75225 Across from North Park Center 214-368-4622

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 to 5:00Sunday 1:00 to 5:00

www.biblicalarts.org

11 arts organizations benefiting 4 Aids Charities

A Gathering: The Dallas Arts Community Reflects on 30 Years of AIDS

December 6, 7:00pm, Winspear Opera House




To put it simply, this is going to be an amazing night of music, dance and theater.

Some of Dallas' most talented singers, dancers, choreographers and actors are coming together for one amazing show! The Dallas arts community is coming together for a spectacular One-Night-Onlyperformance commemorating 30 Years of AIDS. An unprecedented collaboration between some of the finest arts organizations in Dallas, A Gathering: The Dallas Arts Community Reflects on 30 Years of AIDS will feature eleven Dallas cultural institutions coming together and sharing their talents to create a powerful evening of entertainment. With a cast of more than 200 singers, dancers and actors, A Gathering promises to be a soul-stirring performance, and a night to remember.

All the organizations involved are donating their time and talent for this unique performance. 100% of the proceeds will directly benefit four of Dallas’ leading AIDS service organizations. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to be a part of an extraordinary night of song, dance, hope and solidarity.

Vocalists include: Denise Lee, Gary Floyd, Patty Breckenridge, John Holiday, Damon K. Clark, Rachel Dupard, CoryCooper

Participating organizations: AT&T Performing Arts Center, Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, Bruce Wood Dance Project, charlieuniformtango, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Texas Ballet Theater, TITAS and Turtle Creek Chorale, as well as many individual artists, local community leaders and dignitaries.


For tickets call the Box Office at 214-880-0202

Celebrate Green Tuesday

“BLACK FRIDAY” AND “CYBER MONDAY”: MAKE ROOM FOR “GREEN TUESDAY”

Citing Statistics on Growing Ranks of Green-Focused Consumers, Nonprofit Green America Pushes For New Annual Holiday Shopping Tradition

Shoppers who want to save green – and be greener – during the holiday season are the focus of a major new push by the nonprofit Green America to make the Tuesday after every Thanksgiving “Green Tuesday.”

To kick off this new annual holiday shopping tradition, Green America’s GreenDeals.org website (http://www.GreenDeals.org) will be offering special deals for the week starting on the first “Green Tuesday” (November 29, 2011).

Much like Groupon does for general shoppers, GreenDeals.org offers discounts and deals from local and national green online businesses that are approved by Green America. GreenDeals.org features a new deal or discount every 24-48 hours.

Examples of special deals to be offered during the initial “Green Tuesday” week include the following products and services:

* Fromwartopeace.com – Jewelry made from recycled nuclear bomb equipment;

* Backtotheroots.com – Indoor mushroom garden kit (as featured in the Wall Street Journal);

* Driwater.com – Self-watering system for indoor or outdoor plants;

* Organic Essence Lip Balm – USDA organic certified balm for chapped lips this winter;

* Better World Club Annual Membership – The green auto (and bicycle!) club; and

* Indigenous Designs Clothing – Stylish fair trade and organic clothes for women and men.

A total of 15-20 products and coupons ranging from 30-50 percent off will be featured from November 29 - December 6. Additional “side deals” for 10-20 percent off also will be featured on GreenDeals.org Web pages. Additionally, the GreenDeals.org Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Deals/105903999445423) will feature daily contests and special GreenDeals.org credits.

Green America Corporate Responsibility Director Todd Larsen said: “Green Deals makes it possible to give great gifts for the holidays, while also giving back to the planet. Many consumers who are turned off by shopping at big-box stores during the holiday season will welcome this opportunity to participate in a way that is in line with their values, and save money at the same time.”

Since its launch one year ago, GreenDeals.org has acquired over 160,000 green members and has featured over 150 deals from green businesses.

Jonah Mytro, director of GreenDeals.org, noted that a growing body of marketing research shows that there is a major audience for “Green Tuesday” as an annual shopping tradition:

* 80 percent of consumers are likely to switch brands, similar in price and quality, to one that supports a cause. (Cone 2010 Cause Evolution Study - http://www.coneinc.com/files/2010-Cone-Cause-Evolution-Study.pdf);

* 54 percent of shoppers say they consider elements of sustainability (sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, product use, disposal) as they select products and stores. (GMA/Deloitte Green Shopper Study, 2009 -http://www.greenbiz.com/sites/default/files/document/US_CP_GMADeloitteGreenShopperStudy_2009.pdf);

* In 2009, 47 percent of consumers said they bought products from a socially or environmentally responsible company. Going into 2010, 76 percent of all consumers said they expected to purchase more from environmentally responsible companies. (Tiller, 2009 - http://www.tillerllc.com/pdf/TillerGreenSurvey2009.pdf);

* 92 percent of mothers want to buy a product supporting a cause. They are also more likely to switch brands and have purchased more cause-related products in the past year than any other demographic. (Cone 2010 Cause Evolution Study – see above);

* 88 percent of women say they like brands that “allow me to do something good.” (“Women, Power & Money: The Shift to the Female-Driven Economy,” Fleishman-Hillard/Harrison Group, 2010 - http://fleishmanhillard.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2010-Fleishman-Hillard-Women-Power-Money.pdf); and

* 76 percent of Millennials want brands to be ecologically conscious. (Generate Insight, 2009 - http://adage.com/article/goodworks/truth-millennials-green-movement/136331/).

ADDITIONAL GREEN SHOPPING RESOURCES FROM GREEN AMERICA

In addition to the green products and services offered on GreenDeals.org, holiday shoppers can find great green purchases at:

* GreenPages.org, the nation’s leading directory of green products and services, featuring thousands of businesses nationwide; and

* Green America’s Holiday Green Gift Guide (http://www.greenpages.org/content/green-americas-green-gift-guide.html) which features great deals on green products.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA

Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. For more information, go to: http://www.GreenAmerica.org.

WORLD Toilet Day

Special Alert For World Toilet Day


World Toilet Day is November 19. Several WASH organizations are hosting events around the world to bring awareness to the importance of sanitation. Here are ways You can celebrate World Toilet Day.


Golden Poo Awards


Following the successful Golden Poo Awards animation competition in 2009, PooP Creative is hosting the finals of this year’s competition: The Search for The Best Toilet Humor.

The evening, hosted by well-known grumpy man Arthur Smith, will feature poo-themed stand-up routines by the carefully chosen finalists. The audience will vote for the winning act who will receive a much coveted Golden Poo Award. Golden Poo


Healthy Latrines

This World Toilet Day, Water Missions International will run an awareness campaign that informs people about the need for sanitation around the world, while educating them on their sanitation and Healthy Latrine programs. The Healthy Latrine program provides needed sanitation facilities in rural and peri-urban settlements.

Sanitation in Madagascar

Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) and USAID Madagascar are celebrating World Toilet Day with educational entertainment. The event in the communities of Andranonahoatra and Bemasoandro, in Antananarivo, will include traditional songs, a drama performance and a puppet show. The mayor of the commune of Andranonahoatra and the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy will give formal speeches about the importance of sanitation.


Give A Crap About Human Rights

WaterAid and Amnesty International USA have launched a new campaign targeting student and community groups and social media in advance of World Toilet Day.


Give A Crap About Human Rights highlights the rights to water and sanitation in the context of housing and women’s rights, and urges people to take action in support of the Water for the World Act of 2011. Give A Crap

Crisis Talks


Crisis Talks are being organized across the globe on and around World Toilet Day 2011. Plans are underway in Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Malawi, Liberia and more - bringing people affected by poor water and sanitation together with civil society leaders, the media, government ministers, decision makers and civil servants.


Talk Sh*t All Week


Join Matt Damon and Water.org this week and Talk Sh*t All Week on Facebook and Twitter. Left unsolved, life without a toilet causes shame, missed opportunities, disease, and all too often death. Lend your voice to build awareness for the importance of improved sanitation! Talk Sh*t


LOO Carnival



The Restroom Association of Singapore (RAS) is organizing the Let’s Observe Ourselves (LOO) Carnival at City Square Mall on November 24.


The highlight of the event, a giant toilet sculpture, will be erected at the venue. The 4-metre high sculpture is made of ‘Domex’ bottles courtesy of Unilever Singapore. This family friendly event will feature fun games and prizes. RAS will also honor restroom owners and toilet cleaners nationwide who have been excellent models for clean toilets in Singapore.

Pilobolus

Saturday, November 19 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location
Winspear Opera House
AT&T Performing Arts Center


Innovative and intriguing, the New York Times says, "Pilobolus is a new form of Pop Dance." For almost 40 years, Pilobolus has been internationally recognized for its athletic and inventive exploration of artistic collaboration. The company, which consists of Pilobolus Dance Theatre, The Pilobolus Institute and Pilobolus Creative Services, has received many awards including the Berlin Critic's Prize, the Brandeis Award, the Scotsman Award for performances at the Edinburgh Festival, the New England Theatre Conference Prize, the Connecticut Commission on the Arts Award for Excellence and a 1997 Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in cultural programming.

In June 2000 Pilobolus received the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for lifetime achievement in choreography, and in 2004 the company was the subject of a feature profile on CBS' 60 Minutes. They also lent their creativity and inventiveness to the 2007 television broadcast of the 79th Academy Awards. Always an audience favorite, TITAS is proud to bring Pilobolus back to Dallas.


Tickets starting at $12: http://tickets.attpac.org/single/EventDetail.aspx?p=22570

Beaujolais Nouveau

GAMAY MEETS GRAFFITI
Omni Dallas Hotel Celebrates Art and Beaujolais Nouveau November 18

As part of the national celebration Nouveau Expression, French Beaujolais winemaker and longtime arts supporter Georges Duboeuf is bringing a party of the senses to Dallas at a Nouveau Expression food and wine tasting November 18 at the Omni Dallas Hotel from 7 – 9 p.m.

Presented by The French-American Chamber of Commerce of Dallas/Fort Worth (FACC), the party will include a chance to meet Miss Texas 2011 along with music by DJ Jeff Hickock, food and wine tasting, a silent auction and more. General admission is $60 and discounts apply with parties of four or more. To make a reservation please e-mail info@faccdallas.com or call 972.241.0111. To purchase tickets in advance, please visit www.faccdallas.com. Tickets will be available at the door for $65.

The event also celebrates the first taste of the 2011 vintage as it coincides with the arrival of the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, a fresh and fruity red wine made from the local Gamay grape that is released after midnight annually on the third Thursday in November. The 2011 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, with a first-ever graffiti-inspired label designed by renowned Brooklyn artist “Kaves,” will be available nationwide at a retail price of $10. Nouveau is a very popular wine for serving during the holidays; its ripe berry aromas and flavors are food-friendly and versatile with many dishes.

Nouveau Expression is a celebration of creativity, self expression and enjoying the moment. It's a fun, vibrant new way for Duboeuf to connect with its Beaujolais Nouveau’s enthusiasts through art and for people to connect with each other through social media and celebrations around the U.S. We’re planning Nouveau Expression parties around the nation and are delighted to be celebrating in Dallas, TX”, said Franck Duboeuf, co-proprietor of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.


Event details:
Date and Time: November 18, 2011, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Address: Omni Dallas Hotel
555 South Lamar
Dallas, TX 75202

Admission price: General Admission $60
Parties of (4) or more $55 each
Tickets at door $65

Where to purchase tickets: www.faccdallas.com

Reservation Info: 972.241.0111 or info@faccdallas.com

Boot Scootin' Extravaganza

Join the Oak Cliff Lions Club 2011 Boot Scootin' Extravaganza next Thursday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Salon Las Americas, 1004 Fort Worth Avenue in Oak Cliff. The Western-style dinner/dance features some great homestyle country cooking including BBQ Brisket, potato salad, cole slaw, pinto beans and dessert plus tea and coffee.

Country music entertainers will be District Lions Renee Francey and Britnie Rosenbalm, and Oak Cliff Lions Club members demonstrating line dances.

Tickets are $50 each that include the Reverse Raffle where the winner receives a $5,000 credit card of his/her choice, or $25 for dinner and entertainment only without the raffle. If you are able to be our guest for this fun event, please rsvp to Jo Ann Holt at joannholt@gmail.com.

50/50

50/50 a compassionately humorous movie

Who would have thought a movie about Cancer would be humorous?
Cancer is both sad and scary. Yet the filmakers of 50/50 dealt with compassion, finding humor in small details..

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen star as best friends whose lives are changed by a cancer diagnosis in this new comedy directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness). Inspired by personal experiences, 50/50 is an original story about friendship, love, survival and finding humor in unlikely places.
In spite of his healthy lifestyle, Adam (Gordon-Levitt) receives shocking news that he has a rare form of cancer. In complete denial at first, he relies on his annoying yet humorous best friend Kyle (Rogen), his family and a young medical student, Katie (Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air) for moral and psychological support as he comes to terms with his condition and gathers the courage to fight for his life.

50/50 is the story of a guy's transformative and, yes, sometimes funny journey to health—drawing its emotional core from writer Will Reiser's own experience with cancer and reminding us that friendship and love, no matter what bizarre turns they take, are the greatest healers. Also starring Anjelica Huston. Official Web Site
Director:
Jonathan Levine
Cast:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston
MPAA Rating:
R
Run Time:
1hr 40mins

Mad men meets Milk

Uptown Players Presents The Temperamentals


Uptown Players closes its 2011 season with the regional premiere of the 2010 off-Broadway hit, The Temperamentals, at the Kalita Humphreys Theater from October 7 through October 23, 2011.

Jon Marans’ The Temperamentals tells the story of two men, the communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and designer Rudi Gernreich, as they fall in love while building the Mattachine Society, the first gay rights organization in the United States pre Stonewall. It is an intimate portrayal of the men who created history and the epic struggles they overcame.

The characters consist of the actual men who founded the Mattachine Society, as well as other prominent figures of the time in Hollywood and the film industry, as well as the world of fashion. The story weaves together the personal and political to tell a relatively unknown chapter in gay history. It explores the love between two complex men, as their impossible dream of forming such an unheard of organization becomes a reality in this perilous, unpredictable world.

Described as "Mad Men meets Milk," Marans’ play was a sold-out sensation off-Broadway last year and earned a GLAAD nomination for Outstanding New York Theater. This production features Gregory Lush as Harry Hay and Montgomery Sutton as Rudi Geinrich; Paul J. Williams, Kevin Moore and Daylon Walton round out the cast, with Bruce R. Coleman directing.

The Temperamentals runs October 7 through October 23, 2011, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (no performance October 9). A special Thursday night performance will take place on October 20 at 8 p.m.. Performances will take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. at Blackburn, Dallas TX 75219. Tickets are $25 - $35 and can be purchased online at www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at 214-219-2718.

About Uptown Players:

Now in its tenth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of over 15,000 patrons, including nearly 1000 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including over 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 15 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first seven seasons. In recent years, Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers Awards, and the Dallas Observer, and has appeared on the WFAA-A list and Best of Big D – D Magazine. Uptown Players has recently been featured on Good Morning Texas and Daybreak on WFAA.

Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

WEST SIDE STORY

GRAMMY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY SMASH HIT

NATIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION
PRESENTED BY DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS
AT THE MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK
OCTOBER 4-23, 2011

The national touring production of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST
SIDE STORY will be presented by Dallas Summer Musicals Tuesday, October 4 through
Sunday, October 23 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Single tickets, priced from $20-$85, are now on sale at The Box Office, 5959 Royal Lane, #542 in Preston Royal Shopping Center; or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available by calling 1-800-982-ARTS, or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. For groups of 15 or more, please call 214-426-GROUP.

Proclaimed “Bold, fresh and transcendent” and “So exciting it makes you ache with pleasure” by The New Yorker, WEST SIDE STORY is also the State Fair of Texas musical for 2011. The state fair runs Sept. 30-Oct. 23.

Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

The cast stars Kyle Harris as Tony, Ali Ewoldt as Maria, Michelle Aravena as Anita, Joseph J. Simeone as Riff and German Santiago as Bernardo. Also featured are Mike Boland as Krupke,Ryan Christopher Chotto as A-rab, Stephen DeRosa as Glad Hand, Drew Foster as Action,Alexandra Frohlinger as Anybodys, Jay Garcia as Chino, Grant Gustin as Baby John, Nathan Keen as Big Deal, Christopher Patrick Mullen as Schrank, John O’Creagh as Doc, Kyle Robinson as Diesel, Cary Tedder as Snowboy, along with Karolina Blonski, Alicia Charles, Lauryn Ciardullo,Beth Crandall, Dean Andre de Luna, Ted Ely, Lori Ann Ferreri, Ryan Ghysels, Tim Hausmann,Thayne Jasperson, Déa Julien, Kristen Paulicelli, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Alexandra Blake Redelico, Michael Scirrotto, Jeffrey C. Sousa, Dani Spieler, Jessica Swesey, Kathryn Lin Terza and Kirstin Tucker.

The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday,
February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history. The original production, which had held the record,played 732 performances on Broadway.

WEST SIDE STORY features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony
Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who’s Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).

WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner
Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein
(music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.

WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller
with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman/Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman/Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.

Season sponsors for Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, are The Dallas Morning News, Metro PCS, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and Texas Instruments.

For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica Bank, visit their website at www.dallassummermusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678.