“Valentine’s is a shoddy excuse for super commercialism.”
“Why do I have to spend hundreds of dollars on this day just because someone decided I have to?”
Give me a break! It’s Valentine’s Day. Stop whining and go love somebody.
And on that note, here are some last-minute gift ideas for those less prepared and still indignant. Read More
You can’t tell upon a cursory glance, but Galveston has recovered a lot since Hurricane Ike. And even though it’s in the middle of winter, people are still migrating from the north to catch a glimpse of the gulf. Even Schlitterbahn is open with its indoor pool. (I don’t see the appeal, but to each his own.) MeVs was there with three main itinerary items: The Aquarium Pyramid, Festival of Lights/Ice Skating, and Hotel Galvez/Bernardo’s. Read More
The History: The Red River Rivalry a.k.a. the Red River Shootout is the annual battle for pride between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners. It is arguably the greatest rivaly in American sports. For both teams, the rivalry is bitterly emotional and territorial in nature relating to the two states’ close proximity, past border disputes and economic and cultural differences. Read More
A Tale of Two Festivals MONOLITH 2009 represented some of the best and worst aspects of large music festivals. It suffered from some of the most appalling conditions you could imagine, but it still managed to churn out some extremely memorable performances. The difference between the event’s Saturday and Sunday editions are a prime example of how weather, setting, audience, and performers all affect one another in determining the overall festival experience. For better of for worse, here’s the MeVersus take on MONOLITH 2009 -
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Vegas, the city where the rich go to flaunt, the meager go to dream, and the likes of MeVs go to escape for a few days in the penthouse at Caesars Palace.
With a few hours to spare, we had a chance to traverse The Strip without having to stop every few steps to photograph family members with plastered smiles. Our journey commenced from Caesars Palace, where the bell desk hospitably checked in our bags; then continued through the Bellagio, where high-end shops taunted our modest bank accounts. Read More
MeVs got dolled up Saturday evening and headed to the Dallas Center of Performing Arts downtown. One would assume the typical pageant stereotypes: moms living vicariously through their disturbingly identical looking daughters, absurd amounts of creepy old men evenly peppered among the crowd (sans family/participating contestant) and the slew of lame stall-jokes between acts via emcees. Miss Asian American Texas delivered. Read More
The following was a note posted via facebook by one Katherine Fan or Ming-Shing. Did I say that right?
So a few days ago, Texas representative Betty Brown gave minorities something exciting to buzz about.
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.
Brown later told [Organization of Chinese Americans representative Ramey] Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”
I’m too lazy to watch the video, because I can’t hear her at all anyway… but here’s the visual context of the quote, live from Texas.
Are Asian Americans/Democrats/minori
ties/naysayers making a mountain out of a molehill? Yes and no.Of course, there are vast political motives for Democrats to oust her, and this slip-up is a great opportunity for them to do so. And yes, it does seem like “such a small thing to get upset about.” So then… why am I? Read More
This weekend’s events coming to an end, I thought Sunday would be a night full of rest and sleep. (with the addition of the occasional spooning, big.)
Wrong. Matt M. of North Dallas tells of last night’s tale.
So, last night, I was privy to an interesting sight. To my credit, this time I did not go chasing after the criminal, so family and friends should be pleased.
Since I’m too lazy to type out the saga numerous times, I’m just pasting my IM conversation with my neighbor, Joe. (I am the first person to speak.)
“Dude, did you wake up last night, around 3:45?”
“yes! i couldn’t sleep at all”
“I saw it all!”
“what happened?”
“You know the Kwik Car Lube?”
“yea”
“Ok, so, my bedroom is the one on the west side, and I have a view of the place. About 3:45 or so, I hear a noise like glass smashing. I look out my window, and I see this guy in a white hoodie walking around that parking lot. He then goes through an empty pane of glass on the “garage door” of the Lube shop.”
“whaat?”
“He goes in, and I see a light inside. It wasn’t an overhead light, it was kinda like the light that appears when there’s “live electricity”, if that makes sense.”
“yea”
“(It was a white “flickering”, as opposed to something steady) Well, then there looks to be another light, localized and low to the ground. Possibly from a flashlight.”
“this is very observant”
“The guy then comes back out of the “bay” and starts walking away, with the hood pulled over his head. His hands are in the “pockets”, near the stomach. The lights go out, and he proceeds to head back towards the Lube place. About 30 seconds or so pass… All of a sudden, the headlights of one of the cars in the docking bay comes on.”
“did you call anybody?”
“And the dude drives the car through the closed garage door.”
“o damn”
“Yeah, I called the police once I saw him start to head in.”
“intense. what kind of car”
“Couldn’t really tell. It had a build similar to a Jetta, but I wouldn’t stake my life on that being the make / model. So, I’m talking to 9-1-1, telling them all this. Of course, they end up showing up at the scene around 4:15 or 4:20. My phone rings. An officer wants all the details. I am going through it, and he tells me that they can’t turn the power on inside, so I guess he did something to the fuse box, which would explain the first light I saw.
I give him my details and get back into bed. 20 minutes later, he calls again.”“jeez”
“Asked if I knew how the guy got into the lube place. I explain that, while I didn’t see how he smashed the glass, I saw him go in through an empty pane, and the noise that presumably resulted from him initially breaking the glass was what caught my attention.”
“i remember hearing hammering. louds bangs”
“Apparently, there were multiple incidents of that kind of behavior last night.”
“wow. all at the lube place?”
“Yeah. Oh, well, not all at the same one. But a bunch of similar types of places up and down Greenville.”
“yea…greenville can get quite shady”
“Apparently so.”
“specifically across 12″
“I just didn’t know if you heard anything. I told you about when I was on a jury last year, right?”
“na. i def. heard stuff”
“The case I was “dealt” was a crime that happened right off of Park, a mile (at most) from where we live. Dude, we live close to one of the heaviest “crime areas” in the mteroplex.”
Greenville Ave. has been mighty shady lately. Looking to take advantage of the great housing market? Do your research.
If you’ve visited New Orleans, you definitely appreciated your visit to the original Cafe Du Monde (where they specialize in coffee and beignets.) I may not be a big coffee drinker, but the fluffy pastries with generous sprinkles of powder sugar could warrant a trip. The last time I was there, I had to find an excuse to return after the breakfast helping. Needless to say, these delectables consumed my heart as I consumed them.
Upon returning to Dallas, I missed them terribly. A specialty shop in Houston offers them, but even I know driving 259 miles to Chez Beignet seemed irrational. But on one beautiful, Sunday morning, something serendipitous happened. I discovered Pala Cafe. In the tradition of New Orleans, intermingled with Vietnamese influence, Pala offers fresh coffee with my much-yearned-for beignets. I ordered two portions and devoured too eagerly.
Oh yeah, the rest of the menu isn’t too bad: pho, Philly cheesesteak sandwich, lemongrass chicken on rice, hoagies. Any of those items will satiate at a decent price. Not to mention the friendliest ownder on the face of Earth. I return regularly and receive the same affection that makes any cold day warm.
UPDATE: Pala Cafe has fallen prey to the vicious and unforgiving economy. It recently closed and I am back on the beignet market. Suggestions?
Being a pretty geeky geek, I thought this was a pretty sweet gift for under $20. Kind of looks like Uncle Dan’s get-up during holiday festivities. Just keep these sweaters honey ham free. The Post Family via Inhabitant
And for the athletic geek, here’s a track jacket slip cover.
