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Nolan Ryan Pitches Biz Advice with YMCA

September 19, 2012 By 1


Nolan Ryan will be the Keynote Speaker for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas Key Leaders Luncheon on September 25, 2012 starting at 11:30AM at the Fairmont Hotel.

Baseball’s all-time strikeout leader will share his wisdom on how to “strikeout” the competition, with a multi-faceted look to business as a cattleman, team owner and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ryan currently serves as CEO & President of the Texas Rangers and is part of the team’s ownership group, Rangers Baseball Express, which completed its purchase of the franchise on August 12, 2010. He oversees all baseball and business operations for the franchise.

Ryan has served as a positive influence as the Rangers develop and refine their pitching philosophies while incorporating conditioning, hard work, good mechanics, focus and mental toughness. Ryan will lead a dialogue with Senior Vice President of Ball Park Entertainment for the Texas Rangers Chuck Morgan. Don’t miss this exclusive event for Dallas-area business leaders!

Tickets may be purchased for $100 per person (limit six) here. Table Sponsorships start at $1500 for group purchase over six.

Addison Celebrates 25 Years of Oktoberfest

September 17, 2012 By 3

The first Oktoberfest was not really a festival at all, but the public celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria on October 17, 1810. Held on a large meadow in Munich, the party featured a horse race, beer, food, music and dancing. Anniversary celebrations continued each year, usually starting in late September and ending in the first week of October. Oktoberfests have been held in Munich for almost 200 years (with the exception of wartime). As immigrants from Germany came to North America, smaller Oktoberfests sprouted up in their communities.

Can you guess what city battles Munich for the largest Oktoberfest? Cincinnati! In Cincinnati, close to 700,000 people jam the streets of “Zinzinnati” during late September, jostling to music from seven large entertainment stages, while dozens of food vendors serve bratwurst, sauerkraut and thousands of gallons of beer.

These giant fests set the stage for similar Oktoberfests across North America like the one held in Addison, Texas, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary of Oktoberfest! Four day festival include the famed German polka band, the Munich Evergreens along with Grammy-award winning legends Brave Combo, schnitzel, folk dancing, sing-alongs and kid’s entertainment! Enjoy fun contests such as dachshund races, bier barrel bowling, a yodeling contest and a German spelling bee!  Wanting a more intimate experience? Dine at the Brau Haus, with full service Bavarian dining and an exclusive menu for the $45 available Thursday through Saturday.  You can also enjoy the Teutonic tradition of kuchen and kaffee at the Oktoberfest’s new bakery! Click here for more info.

Guten Appetit!

MTV RE:DEFINE Art Pops in Dallas

September 15, 2012 By 0

RE:DEFINE returns to The Goss-Michael Foundation for its second year on Saturday, September 22, 2012. This dynamic pop exhibition and auction will bring together iconic and specially-commissioned photography and artworks by established and emerging talent, including Mat Collishaw, Ralf Kaspers, Ryan McGinness, Michael Craig Martin and Jen Stark.

Artist: Marc Quinn

All proceeds from sales will benefit the MTV Staying Alive Foundation. The MTV Staying Alive Foundation is a global HIV prevention and awareness charity that is 100% donor funded. The Foundation operates with a simple vision – to stop the spread of HIV before it starts. By funding young people running grassroots prevention projects, and producing content that raises awareness to global youth, the Foundation fights HIV the smart way.

Artist: Michael Craig-Martin

Tickets are available here starting at $350. The event begins at 7PM. In addition to the exhibition and auction, the event is complemented by a dynamic range of supporting activities, including a 100 ft public mural in downtown Dallas by Lee Baker, exclusive limited edition RE:DEFINE t-shirts designed by Parra, a specially-commissioned fine art print edition by Mark Webber and live painting at the gala auction by Dave White.

Artist: Michael Reisch
Artist: Ralf Kaspers
Artist: Ryan McGinness

Galleria Dallas Celebrates Fashion’s Night Out

August 16, 2012 By 2

I hope you’re having fun getting ready for Fashion’s Night Out happening around the world on September 6, 2012.  The Galleria Dallas is pulling out all the stops to make this a wonderful night! They are getting ready for THREE runway shows this weekend (Runway Revue shows are at 12PM, 2 PM and 4PM on THIS Saturday). Galleria Dallas is reinventing Fashion’s Night Out in a style that’s uniquely DALLAS!

When Fashion’s Night Out was created in New York, it was designed to support the retail industry in tough economic times.  Well, here in Dallas, we shop VERY well. But what DOES define us is a commitment to community, and that’s what differentiates the FNO celebration at Galleria Dallas.

While Fashion’s Night Out at Galleria Dallas has signature elements like it’s QUARTER MILE long runway shows created by Jan Strimple (over 40 models will each trek over 1 ½ miles in heels to showcase the latest fall fashions) and pre-events like free Beauty Stops which start at 3PM. Check out who’s partnering with Galleria Dallas and its stores to engage the community.

  • Fashion Group International will host a lounge in the center’s common area.
  • The Smartwater Shopper Lounge will be hosted by Fox 4’s Lauren Przybyl and Cattle Baron’s Ball.
  • Attitudes and Attire will collect gently used handbags at Dooney & Bourke (donors will enjoy a free limited-edition Dooney eyeglass case with any pre-owned purse donation).
  • Equest at Faconnable (15% of the evenings sales will benefit Equest, and one lucky attendee will receive a shirt each season for the coming year from Faconnable, and another will receive a private visit from one of Equests’s adorable miniature horse ambassadors, perfect for a child’s school or a senior center.
  • Luminaries Yvonne Crum and Allison Lehman will host a benefit for the Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas at Bachendorf’s.
  • Italian shoe show-stopper Carlo Pazolini will host a benefit for PAWS in the City.  10% of sales will be returned to the group, and the party will be hosted by Tara Harper.
  • Society of Women Who Love Shoes will be at Saks Fifth Avenue as they celebrate new limited edition fall shows from Brian Atwood.
  • Danielle Vollmar will join Trooper’s Team for a benefit party at Apricot Lane, where 15% of the evening’s sales will go to help animals in need.
  • SWAGG Magazine celebrates Fashion’s Night Out at Galleria Dallas with Brahmin Handbags (the designers of the OFFICIAL FNO tote!) for shopping, giveaways and more!

Each of these parties are open to attend, and include tidbits and tasty drinks.  Dozens of other retailers are also hosting events featuring DJ’s, drawings and more!

Walking Tour in NYC with StumbleUpon

August 7, 2012 By 0

When I travel, I like to go where the locals go. I have to admit that tours scare me. A large group of people looking at “touristy” places is not for me. BUT, this time in New York I decided it is time to learn more about the city. I humbly accepted to “stumble upon” NYC Midtown landmarks, and I didn’t regret it. Thank you to StumbleUpon for providing a cool Starbucks iced latte and a guide into Midtown! Side note: StumbleUpon is a discovery engine (a form of web search engine) that finds and recommends web content to its users. Its features allow users to discover and rate Web pages, photos and videos that are personalized to their tastes and interests using peer-sourcing and social-networking principles.

Midtown is the heart of Manhattan, packed with architectural landmarks, the city’s most popular retail shopping and several of its top museums. The tour started at the Hilton New York. It is a couple of blocks away from the southeast corner of Central Park. This is one of the park’s loveliest sections, near the zoo and Wollman Rink.

We continued down Sixth Avenue, where we saw Radio City Music Hall, recently restored to all its original art deco splendor. I was even able to go inside to where the Rockette’s rehearse for a personalized workout with two of them. Click here to read all about it. 🙂

Stretching from 48th to 50th Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues is Rockefeller Center, a magnificent complex of towering skyscrapers and country flags. We entered between 49th and 50th Streets, past Channel Gardens (and a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop) to the main plaza, tucked under the golden statue of Prometheus. Dominating the plaza is the soaring art deco GE Building. NBC’s television studios are nearby (including the streetside set used for the Today show).

My roommate, Jen Sobel, also known as Punky and the City

We continued to Fifth Avenue. On the east side of Fifth, between 49th and 50th, stand the chic confines of Saks Fifth Avenue. Across 50th Street rise the twin Gothic spires of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, seat of the Archdiocese of New York. It’s worth a peek inside to see the interior, where Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald were married, and where funeral services were held for Bobby Kennedy.

Later I went down Fifth to 42nd Street, where I reached the magnificent main branch of the New York Public Library, a 1911 Beaux Arts temple with rows of Corinthian columns. Two vigilant stone lions (dubbed Patience and Fortitude by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia) stand sentry at the entrance. I headed west, past the library, to Bryant Park, a lovely green oasis in the heart of Midtown. I grabbed a chair at Bryant Park Grill and join the lively crowd who came here for a casual bite after work.

Dallasite and fellow food lover, Alex Young of Eat. Style. Dallas.

We ended the tour at Time Square. Formerly named Longacre Square, it was renamed in April 1904 after the New York Times moved its headquarters to the Times Building, now called One Times Square. Famous for its electric, neon and illuminated signs including Coca-Cola, Toshiba and the curved NASDAQ sign.

Chevy Girls {Girls Night Out} Sweeps

July 23, 2012 By 1


Who is dying for a girls night out? *Waving!* Who wants the chance to win a gift card to Texas Roadhouse? *Waving and jumping up and down!*

North Texas Chevy Girls is giving away a $100 gift card to Texas Roadhouse this week as part of their Girls Night Out Sweeps! Make sure that you enter over at their Facebook Page. Every week they are giving away some really awesome prizes! This past week was a massage…I would love that! They are doing more, so keep tuning in throughout the summer.

Make sure that you not only visit their Facebook page to enter, but follow them on Twitter as well. We have all been discussing our summer plans and so much more. So, who will heading over to win that Texas Roadhouse gift card?

Target First Saturday Hits the Mark

July 6, 2012 By 0

Nasher Sculpture Center and Target have partnered up on the first Saturday of every month providing FREE admission to this beautiful museum from 10AM-12PM. They provide children’s activities like an art scavenger hunt, kids’ art activity (where the kids’ “get their hands dirty”), sculpture demo, family tours and story time with the Dallas Public Library.

As you enter into the museum, each child receives a gift bag with information about the center and an art scavenger hunt. This scavenger hunt uses a picture of part of the art, and the kids (and parents) search around the museum to find out what the art is called and who created it. Kids are great explorers, and this activity really challenges the kids to look and study the art. I LOVE IT!

As we are searching for art, we run into other exhibits at the museum that we LOVE. Currently at the Nasher, they have an interactive art called “Cuddle on the Tightrope.” Wow! The kids thought this was “sooo cool” & thought the colors were “pretty.”This exhibit is only available until September 9, 2012, so you better head to the museum and check it out soon.

After exploring the museum and “cuddling on the tightrope,” we were hungry. Nasher has a wonderful cafe with Wolfgang Puck’s delicious seasonal sandwiches, salads and soups prepared with farmer’s market produce, artisanal breads and locally-supplied ingredients. They have NasherKids meals that are delicious AND healthy.

Thank you to Target for providing an opportunity for my kids to enjoy art AND to Nasher for have great exhibits for them experience it!

Nasher Sculture Center
2001 Flora St.
Dallas, Texas

Mentoring the Future with Big Brother Big Sister

May 24, 2012 By 1

Positive role models can make a big impact in the life of an at-risk youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters match children ages 6-18 with adults, who want to make a difference in their lives. They are in a constant need for volunteers, especially men, to mentor these children, or “littles,” as Regional Executive Director Tarrant County Kelly Imig affectionately calls them.

Mentors are asked to serve for a minimum of one year, but the benefits of the relationships begin appearing after that time, so they’re urged to continue longer if possible. “One year is the point at which positive results tend to be seen,” Imig explained. “The longer you go the more positive impact the relationship has.” The mentors meet with their little “sibling” at least once per week. The program sponsors both community mentoring, in which the mentors take their charges on outings around town, or site-based mentoring, in which the mentors meet their littles at a school site.

Thanks to companies such as Reliant Energy who help Big Brothers Big Sisters change the way children grow up in Texas by hosting Home Run Derby.

Yesterday, Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett and eight of the team’s players went to bat for BBBS.

About 150 members of the BBBS organization cheered on the Cowboys at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Cowboys’ Tight End John Phillips was clearly the star of the show by blasting the baseball on the second row of the left field seats.

Home Run Derby resulted in Reliant making a $40,000 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Consider making a donation or more importantly becoming a mentor for a child. Big Brothers Big Sisters is actively seeking new adult volunteers, especially men. Your impact will be life-changing!

Light the Runway

May 18, 2012 By 0

Dress For Success hosts their first fashion show event, “Light up the Runway” at Tootsies in Dallas TONIGHT, May 18, 2012. The fashion show will feature local celebrities and their fathers. Dress for Success’ mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Tickets start at $100, and you can buy them here. Remember to valet off Preston Road…it’s complimentary.

Support Dress for Success while enjoying beautiful fashions in a stylish atmosphere! Come out for an explosion of fashion while giving North Texas women a helping hand!

Boots and Bling: A Texas Fling

May 9, 2012 By 0

The Vince Young Foundation and Matt Nordgren’s Leadership Foundation have teamed up to host Boots and Bling: A Texas Fling on May 10-11, 2012. The two-day charity bash kicks off with the Texas Swing Golf Classic, a round of golf at the prestigious Dallas National Golf Club for top-level sponsors and many Texas Longhorn legends. On Friday, May 11 the festivities continue at Eddie Deen’s Ranch in Downtown Dallas with a Texas Longhorn studded red carpet arrival and private VIP sponsor reception. Patrons will get the opportunity to meet Texas Longhorn football heroes and have their photograph taken with many of the 2005 National Championship team’s greats. Jerry Jeff Walker will performing and their will be some delicious Texas barbecue.

Longhorns expected to attend include Earl Campbell, Vince Young, Matt Nordgren, Bo Scaife, Cedric Benson, Jamaal Charles, Ahmard Hall, Terrell Brown, Selvin Young, Kasey Studdard, Derrick Johnson, Aaron Ross, Rodrique Wright, Michael Huff, Jonathan Scott, Marcus Griffin, Michael Griffin, Brian Orakpo and many more.

Tickets are still available here for this Friday at Eddie Deen’s Ranch at 944 South Lamar, Dallas, TX 75002 starting at $250. VIP red carpet and reception are scheduled to begin at 6PM, followed by a barbecue dinner and concert performance by Jerry Jeff Walker starting at 7PM.

Hook’em Horns!