Ok guys here’s the deal, you’re in Dallas this summer and you’re bored. Have no fear, a quick rundown of some cool stuff going on in D-town to help you keep your sanity!

Texas Rangers Baseball
Last summer I stated that I had intentionally left out Texas Rangers games cause it seemed kind of a typical to thing to do in the area during the summer. BUT… This year it’s a completely different story. This year the Rangers are on top of their division, they are winning and doing it often! Not only is it fun to come to the games to see them win, but the Rangers organization has made it easier to do so through all kinds of ticket specials and promotions including fireworks after Friday home games! Check out www.texasrangers.com to see a list of the specials and buy tickets.

Get Reel Summer Movie Series & Movie Madness
Here are a couple of ideas from last year that are still very cool. Get Reel Summer Movie Series @ Victory Park check out all the info at http://www.victoryparktheatre.com/ Another sweet movie event is Movie Madness at The Inwood theater. See what’s playing at http://www.landmarktheaters.com/Market/Dallas/Dallas_Frameset.htm (scroll down towards the bottom of the page for the Movie Madness list) All of the movies during Movie Madness play on mid-night on Friday and Saturday nights in the downstairs theater which is furnished with LoveSac couches and beanbag chairs.

Dallas City Arts Festival
Coming up at the end of this week is the Dallas City Arts Festival. It’s a must attend event for tons of free entertainment including: Food, Music and Art! All the info at http://www.dallascityarts.com/

Dallas Museum of Art
Some places never get old, like the Dallas Museum of Art. Not only do changing exhibits make it interesting, the DMA’s special events are always tons of fun, like Jazz Under the Stars, and Late Nights at the Dallas Museum of Art to name a couple. Check out http://dallasmuseumofart.org/Dallas_Museum_of_Art/Experience/Special_Events/index.htm to see all the special events at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Meteor Showers
Ok this event isn’t until August, but it’s brought to you by good ole nature so it can’t really be rushed, and I thought it would be a good way to say bye to Summer. I was inspired to look into it by Tom Hanks’ appearance on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. For viewing tips and the meteor showers schedule check out this site http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

Check out these other sites to see other events going on this summer!
http://www.town-mall.net/community/events-june.html From Concert Series to festivals this has tons of events going on in the DFW Area during the month of June.
http://www.town-mall.net/community/events-july.html Same as above for July (one of the events on this link is Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show, seriously… Awesome!)
http://dallasobserver.com/ Find music events, restaurants, bars, clubs, and other events year round. Also available in print.
http://www.quickdfw.com/ Find music events, restaurants, bars, clubs, and other events year round. Also available in print.

So yeah there you have it some sweet stuff to do in Dallas this summer. Enjoy! Until next time.

Ok, so I have to admit I haven’t always been as into sports as I am now. I guess if you look at the big picture you can kinda see a trend leading to the place I am now, not just a sports fan, but a sports fanatic. I not only watch the games, I read articles, listen to sports radio, and watch hours of Sports Center, and other sports shows. Now that my brain is filled with so much sports knowledge, like Zack Greinke’s bloated ERA after his last outing (1.10 by the way), I have to let it out… So here are some of my ramblings on some of the biggest sports topics right now…

NBA:
Ok so i think most people know that the dream match up that David Stern, Nike, and even Justin Timberlake have been pushing for is not going to happen. Kobe will not face LeBron in the NBA Finals. I mean its not as bad as what it could have been, Carmelo Anthony v.s. Dwight Howard, but that’s neither here nor there, the point is the star studded Finals of Lakers v.s. Cavs just isn’t going to happen.

As Dwight Howard and his teammates were celebrating their victory over the Cavs, one man walked out, went to his locker, changed, and left. He did not speak to anyone, including the media, and everyone freaked. This man was the one person on the Cavs that seemed like he belonged in the Conference Finals. He had done everything right all playoffs long. There wasn’t much more he could have done. But because he snubbed the handshake at the end of the game, and he didn’t show up to answer questions from the media, he is all of a sudden a bad sport, and ungentlemanly. Well that’s what everyone in the media is saying. Its actually quite funny, they say its ok that he snubbed the media, but its almost unforgivable that he didn’t shake hands with Dwight Howard and congratulate him. I actually think the media is upset they got snubbed but to avoid sounding whinny, they just act like they’re upset about his actions towards Howard.

Anyway, besides the media and their feelings and their loyalty, I mean its really cute how they all stick up for each other, I think they are completely missing the point. LeBron was not trying to be rude to Howard, or even snub the media, I don’t think he was trying to be ungentlemanly, in fact i think not speaking to the media was the most gentleman-like thing he could have done. How could he sit up there and answer questions to the media about losing the game, when he wasn’t the one that lost it? How is he supposed to sit there and say, “well I averaged 35.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game during this years playoffs, and it still wasn’t enough” Is he supposed to sit there and blame his supporting cast, or lack there of, for losing the playoffs despite his efforts? The way I see it is they lost the game, let them answer to the media. He already had to stand up for and support Mo Williams for his comments, guaranteeing a series win. He wasn’t going to sit up there and speak poorly about his team. I think he was so affected by the loss that holding his tongue so soon after may have proved harder than getting to the NBA Finals with the Cavs.

Avoiding the handshake with Howard and other members of the Magic, well i think that was LeBron trying to get out of the building as soon as he could, not an attempt to be a sore loser, but to let his emotions settle and get to a point where he could think clearly. If I were a pro athlete, I would want my star to be so affected by a loss. The drive he has to win, has to affect him when he loses, well not when he loses, but when other people lose for him. It shouldn’t even be an issue. After a baseball game who shakes hands or gives high-fives? The team high-fives each other, not the other team. In football do they go and get all buddy-buddy with the opposition? No, they headbutt each other, slap each other on the butt, high-five, well in other words they celebrate with their own team. LeBron going on and getting alone after a loss and giving himself some time before addressing the media is no problem at all, when he starts averaging 10 points a game, then start to complain. Until then LeBron is still King, maybe after he becomes a free agent he’ll get signed to a team that can help him out a bit.

Next time: My MLB Power Rankings

Its common knowledge that drinking a 20oz Mountain Dew is like doing two-hundred crunches. If you have any more than that, its like working out multiple times! That being the case, Mountain Dew has just added to its repertoire an entire new work out plan. Until this summer Mountain Dew had six brands being manufactured. Those included: Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Code Red, Diet Code Red, Live Wire, and Baja Blast (only served at Taco Bell restaurants). Mountain Dew Game Fuel has recently been discontinued and an oldie but goodie, Mountain Dew Blue Shock has been revived as a Slurpee flavor at 7-Eleven stores. But now Mountain Dew has unleashed three new flavors for a limited time and has kicked off a campaign called DEWmocracy. People can log on to www.dewmocracy.com and vote for their favorite flavor. At the end of this campaign only one flavor will remain, and the choice is yours!

So you may be asking what is the purpose of this blog… well I’ll tell you. When I first heard of these three new flavors coming out, I knew I would taste them all and tell people what I thought, pretty much I would tell anyone and everyone. But then I ran into a small problem. I couldn’t find them anywhere. Once I did find them, I could only find them in a twelve pack… Awesome… So I kept hunting until a couple of nights ago I received a call from my good friend Skip, who had found a location that had these three Dews in the perfect 200 crunch equivalent, 20oz bottles. I was stoaked to say the least. So I have now tasted all three new Dews and will break them down for you in no particular order. You’ll wanna stick around, this is gonna change your life.

Supernova is the new flavor that has a pinkish color to it because its main flavor is strawberry, with melon flavors as well. Out of all the new flavors this one has the most “dew” like taste. It has an initial taste of strawberry that is not over bearing, the after taste is more of the classic dew taste. Its a nice subtle twist on the classic Dew flavor. This Dew is definitely a big “DO”

Next is Voltage its a darker blue, borderline purple color, and its flavor is rasberry citrus. This is probably the most balanced of the new flavors, it has a distinct berry taste at the begining but compared to the others its “dew” like after taste doesn’t stand out enough to really constitue and after taste. The flavors seem to hit all at the same time, while maintaining its distinct new flavor. This Dew is definitely a huge “DO”

Last but not least is Revolution. This is personally my favorite. It is a light blue and its flavor is wildberry fruit. As apposed to Supernova, the initial taste is more of a classic Dew, but then hits with a strong distinct wildberry flavor after taste. The hit of each taste is more seperated than with Voltage. The after taste may be too sweet for some, but after each drink you know you’ve had something different. I think thats why I like it better than the others, you start off with the classic taste, and end with the sweet taste of Revolution. This Dew is the biggest “DO” of them all.

So drink them all, find your fav, vote @ dewmocracy.com Hope your flavor wins!

We all know that summer, with all its freedoms, can sometimes get really boring. And sometimes its hard to find whats going on, I mean there has to be stuff to do right? I wanted to make a list… kind of a survival guide if you will, of things that it would be helpful to know about to survive a boring summer in Dallas. (I’ve left out somethings that seemed a little obvious, like Texas Rangers games or Six Flags, which can be fun, but kind of normal expected summer activities) Ok so with out further ado, if you are in the Dallas area for the summer, here is my top 10 things you need to know to help you from going crazy from boredom! (appearing in no particular order)

1. Get Reel Summer Movie Series @ Victory Park:

Every Tuesday from June to August they will be showing movies outside at Victory Park in Dallas. This is really awesome because it is so unique and free! Last Tuesday I went out and saw Top Gun, it was a really cool experience. You can bring your own lawn chairs out, or you can sit at some tables and chairs that are provided. Also you can bring your own snacks or buy some from a couple of vendors that are there. It starts at 7:30, we got there last week at around 7:05 to beat the crowd and there weren’t to many people there so we got to get a good spot, it kind of filled up later, but not to where it was uncomfortable. There is a parking lot a couple of blocks south of Victory Park where parking is free for the first two hours and only three dollars for up to four hours of parking. This week they will be showing The Mummy, and are advertising the following showings before the movie starts, unfortunately I could not find a place online where they had the viewings listed. http://www.victoryparktheatre.com/

2. MOKAH Coffee Bar

This is a sweet place to chill and get drinks during the week and on Thursdays – Saturday nights, its an even sweeter place to hear cool music and check out some sweet art. They’ve got events going on year round and you can check out their website here to get more info, also click here to see their MySpace for more information.

3. QuickDFW.com and DallasObserver.com

Ok so its the weekend and you’re starting to get bored, and you don’t know whats going on in Big D. Well you are in luck. There are a couple of places that can help solve this problem, depending on what you’re looking for. From Night Life events to Local Music, QuickDFW.com has you covered. They make a print edition of the Quick that I love, its one of the best daily publications ever, but if you’re at home and all you got is the net to help you out, their website can do just that. On the other hand The Dallas Observer online is far better than its print edition. You can visit their website and search all kind of things going on. You can search from free events to read reviews on cool new restaurants to eat. They have an excellent search bar that will help you narrow it down from price range to neighborhood in Dallas. You can visit the Quick website at http://www.quickdfw.com/ and the Dallas Observer website here http://dallasobserver.com/

4. Top Secret Recipes

Ok so you don’t really have to live around Dallas to enjoy this one, but this is a really cool website you can check out in those times of boredom. http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/ is a website that has all types of really cool secret recipes from Brand Name Restaurants revealed! For instance I remember seeing this guy on Oprah when I was a kid, and he was revealing how to make a McDonald’s Big Mac, of course this was back when the secret sauce was still a secret, but I was so impressed. Well here we are years later, and he just wow’d me again by revealing the secret to making Twinkies (you can check that vid out here) Most of the recipes are for sale, you can order books and junk like that, but there are also free recipes you can check out, they are denoted by the red FREE, by each listing, for example the 7-Eleven slushee recipe is free and is next on my list to try. So when you’re bored and you’re tired of going out to eat, why not invite some friends over and have some of your favorite restaurant meals, in the comfort of your own home?

5. Music Hall at Fair Park

Stomp, Hairspray, High School Musical, Jerry Seinfeld… if any of those things catch your attention, you need to check out Music Hall at Fair Park. They have all kinds of events going on this summer that are worth checking out. I’ve seen a couple of operas here and they have been allot of fun. You can get all the information you need from their event calender to ticket pricing here at their website. http://www.liveatthemusichall.com/index.shtm

6. MCR

Before the Alt Rock, Post Hardcore, Emo band My Chemical Romance gave the initials MCR a new meaning, it stood for one thing in Texas, Mesquite Championship Rodeo! Thats right Mesquite Championship Rodeo currently has its season going on now every Friday and Saturday night at Resistol Arena in Mesquite Tx. Gates open at 6:30 and the performance starts at 8:00. Adults tickets start at just $12. If you’ve never experienced the rodeo, you’re missing out. Check out their website for special events and ticket information. http://www.mesquiterodeo.com/

7. Dallas City Arts Festival

A free arts showcase with multiple outdoor stages featuring dance, a variety of music and cultural performances, a juried art show, culinary demonstrations and wine tastings, complimentary admission to world-class museums, exciting exhibits, interactive children’s activities, and much more! The festival starts Friday June 13 and goes until Sunday June15. Go to http://www.dallascityarts.com/Index.htm for more information.

8. Taste of Dallas in the West End

Taste of Dallas is July 11- July 13, some of the best restaurants in Dallas will be on hand to show off. Bring your appetite! Samples range from $2-$5. In addition to the great food and entertainment there are crafts vendors and children’s events. You can check out their website for a detailed list of all the entertainment, map of the event, and other information. http://www.tasteofdallas.org/

9. Addison

With one restaurant for every 79 people in Addison, there is always something going on. You can explore and find a sweet place to eat that will satisfy everyone in your group. But Addison has also got some pretty sweet stuff going on this summer, from Free Live Salsa music on Friday nights, and outdoor movies, and one of the largest 4th of July fireworks displays, Addison has allot to offer! Check out their events calender for more details. http://www.addisontexas.net/about_addison/article_event_schedule.asp

10. Landmark Theaters (Dallas)

Ok so i know I said that these were listed in no particular order, but this has been one of my favorite finds in Dallas, so I’ve kept the best for last. There are two Landmark theaters in Dallas, The Magnolia located in West Village, and The Inwood Theater located just off the Tollway on Lovers Lane. These theaters have really cool events as well as showing some of the best indie films around. A couple of months ago I got a chance to see the 2007 Academy Awards nominees for best animated short film, it was a really neat experience.

So there are two reasons why this find has been the best, both of them are at The Inwood Theater. At first I favored The Magnolia because it has more screens, therefore offering a wider selection of movies that were interesting to me, but then after a couple of visits I signed up for the Landmark Theater’s Film Club, (which I strongly encourage you to do) and found out in the Film Club e-mail that they were going to be playing a special midnight viewing of Rushmore at The Inwood Theater. Rushmore being one of my favorite films, I had to go see it. I learned that they would be showing a number of films in special midnight viewings, and that really excited me. Since then I’ve seen along with Rushmore, American Psycho, Grease the Sing-Along, and Dazed and Confused, as midnight viewings. Its called Midnight Madness and its every Friday and Saturday night. Its been really great, the atmosphere is really laid back, its just a blast. So thats the first reason I really love The Inwood Theater.

The second reason goes back to the whole atmosphere that I just mentioned, because on the 1st level of The Inwood Theater, they have converted that theater into what they call the “Landmark Living Room” IT IS AMAZING! Hands down its the best way to watch a movie. They have removed all of the standard movie theater seats, and replaced them with LoveSac couches and bean bag chairs. Its the first theater of its kind and the most comfortable thing ever, I really can’t stop thinking about that theater for days after I go. Plus its only $6.50 with a student I.D. If they are showing a movie I want to see there, I’m going there over any other place for the rest of my life… It truly is that amazing. In fact it can turn a movie you don’t really want to see, into the highlight of your week. The Magnolia still offers a broader selection and is a really good theater, but the Landmark Living Room at The Inwood Theater will change your life! To find out more about the Landmark Theaters in Dallas or to sign up for the Landmark Film Club check out their website. http://landmarktheaters.com/Market/Dallas/Dallas_Frameset.htm

Alright so there you have it my Top 10 things you need to know about Dallas to keep your sanity during this summer. I hope this helps and you have an awesome time this summer… and if you need someone to do all these amazing things with, hit me up… I’m bored too!

So its been forever since I’ve blogged or needlessly expressed my opinion online, so for all of you that have been on the edge of your seat waiting for this very post… here it goes.

Life has been good lately. I’ve just completed recording an EP for Mimo and Daniel, aka Something in the Wheel. We had a CD release show the other night and it was great. I’ve been experiencing some new things, which have been awesome, as well as getting back into some old stuff which has been equally as enjoyable.

MUSIC

Ok as far as music goes, I’ve so been into the across the universe soundtrack. Its freaking amazing. If you like the Beatles you will love this soundtrack, if you don’t like the Beatles, you have no taste. I’m joking cause well I don’t think I know anyone who isn’t into the Beatles at least a little. Anyways back to the soundtrack, its like hearing some of these songs for the first time all over again, and yet they don’t take away from anything the Beatles originally did with these great songs. I recommend the extended version it has some of the key tracks missed out by the standard version.

I also recommend the EP, Sometimes Things Go Sour, by Something in the Wheel. It’s really fantastic. I don’t just say this because I had a hand in the project, but because it’s genuinely a great set of songs, if anything isn’t the highest standard on this EP its probably the things I had control over. As a songwriter I understand that when people listen to songs about such things as relationships, they don’t want to hear about mediocre situations, or the girl you kind of like, so sometimes songs get fluffed up a bit. Maybe the songwriter really is in love or they’re just using more intense language to sell a point. When this happens it’s sometimes very easy to see through. Sometimes you can’t really believe the lyrics. The thing that hit me about this EP more than anything is how real the lyrics are. These words have not been fluffed up for anyone, they are raw and true. If you get a chance to listen to this EP do it immediately. If you want you can contact me for info on how to get this marvelous EP that I can’t praise enough.

MOVIES

So I’ve watched quite a few movies lately and I must say there are a couple that stand out. Firstly there’s Juno, which besides all the hype is really a great film. (I say besides all the hype because I usually have trouble liking films that have been extremely hyped) I loved the story, the music, the humor. It’s just a well-rounded film.

Another great film that is kind of out of the box is Persepolis. While the audience for this may not be as wide an audience as those that will enjoy Juno, it was just as enjoyable and refreshing for me to see. Its in French, subtitled in English and is animated. As if those two characteristics wouldn’t make it stand out alone, the subject matter is equally as outstanding. Persepolis is a true story of a childhood coinciding with regime change and war in Iran. It hits a wide range of emotions with out trying to do too much. Its funny and informative, bringing to light things I may have never considered. Its fantastic, if you love art, expression and good story telling, watch this film. I’m not sure how long this movie will run in theaters but you can check it out at the Landmark theaters in Dallas.

Speaking of the Landmark Theaters, at the Magnolia they are showing the 2007 Academy Award nominees for Live Action and Animated Shorts. I’m not sure how long they will have these showings at the Magnolia, but they will also have showings at the Ft Worth Museum of Modern Art from Feb. 29^th – March 1^st. Each set of shorts only require one admission and have five nominees each.

Oh yeah to tie in the music section with the movie section, check out Across the Universe, out on DVD now. It’s a great film, with awesome music, and trippy visuals. If you haven’t heard about Across the Universe, it’s a musical comprised entirely of Beatles songs. Although the story may run thin at times, the other aspects of the film more than make up for it.

If you haven’t seen a good movie lately check out the ones I’ve mentioned above or some of my favorites: Garden State, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ten Things I Hate About You, Faris Bullers Day Off, How to Loose a Guy in Ten Days, oh and if you’re in the mood for a slightly disturbing documentary check out Jesus Camp.

Well there are my pointless ramblings of things that I like. Hopefully you’ll like them too!