Granbury Wine Walk. April 29 - 30, 2011.

I like Granbury, and I like that part of Texas that's easing its way into the Hill Country. So, I am happy to help promote next weekend's, Granbury Wine Walk.

At $20 for two days, it looks like a great deal. The following is from their Press Release:

The 2011 Granbury Wine Walk, to be held on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30, will be featuring the most popular Texas wineries, gourmet cuisine from DFW’s prominent chefs and unique neighborhood restaurants, along with an eclectic mix of live music and art exhibitions from regionally acclaimed artists. The cost is $20 per person for a two-day ticket ($15 if purchased in advance), with proceeds benefiting Tarleton State University’s Langdon Cultural and Educational Center – the community’s cultural hub that supports and showcases music and the arts from regionally and nationally renowned artists.
Culinary patrons can ‘Swirl, Sip and Stroll’ through the intimate Square where they can taste and sample Texas wines paired with palatable foods from the Square’s boutique eateries, while enjoying live music and art exhibits along the Wine Walk. An education station will also be available for those curious to learn more about grape growing and Texas wineries. Many of the wineries will also offer their wines for sale by the glass or bottle. In addition, local downtown shops and restaurants will have special offers for Wine Walk attendees to shop and dine.

Of course, there will be plenty of good food for the festivities. See the website for more information.

Granbury Wine Walk
201 E. Pearl Street C-200
Granbury, Texas USA 76048
817-579-9181 (local)

Fort Worth Stock Show, 2009.

My granddaughter called me yesterday: "Pop pop, we're going to buy a Billy goat." "Great," I replied, remembering the time her mother (my daughter) had goats, and happy it was her turn to care for them.

Her inspiration for Billy had its origin in her attending one of Fort Worth's premier annual events, the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show. If you haven't been, go. If you have children, go. The Stock Show has all the amenities of a county fair, tons of free exhibits, a serious competitive element of show animals, and the rodeo.

Our favorite: the sheep dog trials (free). If you have never been and you like dogs, you are in for a treat. Sheep dog trial's dates: dailyevents.asp

Once the modest Stock show general admission fee is paid there are dozens of free events including music, animal shows, milking parlors, etc. The following site is a pretty good introduction.

List of events:www.dfw.com

January 16 - February 18, 2009
Will Rogers Memorial Center
Fort Worth, Texas.

Events Upcoming in Fort Worth:

The Fort Worth Opera at Bass Hall

I am commenting on only two of the many good performances Bass Hall is hosting in the next month. For a more complete calendar please visit their website at www.basshall.com

Turandot / Puccini / May 24, June 1 and June 6.

Luciano Pavarotti made popular the Nessun Dorma aria from this opera, Turandot. The final "vincero" brings me to tears every time I hear it. Everyone should see Turandot at least once. Trust me, this stuff is better than any movie you'll see this year.

Story line from Fort Worth Opera website:

Peking, legendary times. In a quarter near the Forbidden City, a Mandarin reads an edict: any prince seeking to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles - and if he fails, he will die. Her latest suitor is executed at Turandot’s command. In the crowd, Calaf is smitten with the princess’ beauty and goes before the princess to answer the riddles, which he does to her great distress. . .

Lucia Di Lammermoor / Donizetti / May 25, 30 and June 1.
Sung in Italian with English sub-titles. Known as one of the greatest Italian romantic operas and for its soaring soprano arias. I have not seen this opera but I am very excited that Bass Hall is hosting it. Story line from Fort Worth Opera website:

Lucia is on cloud nine; Edgardo has asked her to marry him and she is thrilled at the possibility. Unbeknownst to her, though, her brother has arranged a politically tidy marriage to another man and sets out to make sure it happens, to tragic consequences.

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Kimbell Art Museum / The Impressionists / June 29th

Okay, it's a few weeks before it gets here but this is pretty exciting for Impressionist enthusiasts. A one-of-a-kind exhibition on loan from Chicago.

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The Colonial or Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial / May 19 - May 25

For local golf lovers, socialites, and just outdoor beer drinkers, this is a great event and one of the events of the year. I'm not a golfer but I do enjoy watching the sport -- but even if you don't like golf, the Colonial is worth a visit. And this year at least Michelson is playing.

Some Events This Week

A few events this week that look good to this writer.

Kris Kristofferson performs at Bass Hall, May 15th. I like Kristofferson's sound. It's got a lot of Texas in it.


If you want a taste of local sports the Fort Worth Cats have started their season. The ballpark is great, the setting is perfect, and the baseball is . . . well it's good baseball. Great seats for $12. Or a good seat for $4. Ride your bike along the river to get to the game.

I received a press release from the Texas Dance Hall Preservation Society about the Anhalt Mayfest and dance at the Anhalt Dance Hall. This is German Texas country where the beer is cold and sausages are genuine Brots. Okay, it's a bit of a drive to Spring Branch but you will see an authentic Texas Dance Hall.

Sunday May 18th.
Anhalt Hall
Germania Farmers Verein
2390 Anhalt Road
Spring Branch, TX 78070

Prairie Fest on the Eastside - Saturday

I have lived on the Eastside of Fort Worth for 25 years. The Eastside has many beautiful, old homes as well as new homes. We have native live oaks and other indigenous trees scattered around the neighborhood, big lots for our homes, parks, a good municipal golf course and easy access to downtown Fort Worth and routes east.

One of our parks is not like a lot of parks in the city in that is kept intentionally as nature made it -- and it's worth seeing. From the Tandy Hills Natural Area website:

Tandy Hills Natural Area (THNA) is a 160 acre indigenous remnant of Fort Worth prairie located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas.
Noted for its unusually complete collection of prairie flora, THNA contains more than 500 native plant species. The show of spring wildflowers is unsurpassed in the Metroplex. The land is a living demonstration of how most of Fort Worth and the Great Plains appeared in pre-development times.

The Tandy Hill Natural Area is holding a Prairie Fest this weekend.

Here's a brief version of their press release. To see more visit the website at: http://www.tandyhills.org/prairiefest.htm

Prairie Fest is:

• Wildflower/Prairie tours led by master naturalists at the best place to see spring wildflowers, Tandy Hills Natural Area.
• Sustainable and green living exhibitors representing clean energy, green building, yard & garden, recycling, transportation, food & agriculture and conservation. (over 60 booths) A forum for all environmental organizations in the the north Texas region, with a keynote speech by Jarid Manos, founder of Great Plains Restoration Council.
• A special gathering of North Texas artists. Take one or more of these paintings home with you by bidding on them in an auction during the festival.
• Music, dance, poetry and other performances for all ages. Featuring: The Ackermans; Kerri Arista; Brave Combo. Food and drink provided by Chadra Mezze and Grill; Hot Damn Tamales;
• New Belgian Brewing Company; Rahr Brothers Brewery; and Smokey's Barbecue.
• FREE and open to the public

April 26, 2008

On the Eastside south of I30, between Meadowbrook and Beach.

Events Upcoming

We Fort Worthians are proud of our Zoo. It's easily the best in the DFW area, arguably the best in the state, and ranks fairly well nationally.
If you like to run and you like the zoo, consider joining about 1,000 others for the Fort Worth Zoo Run, 5k and 10k. It's a good event for a good cause. If you don't run but would like to get involved they do need volunteers.

April 19 / Fort Worth Zoo Run / $25
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Baseball is back. Today in Arlington.

Today, Tuesday is opening day at the Ballpark in Arlington. And for food lovers (quantity, not quality) the Ballpark now has "all you can eat" seats. How many trays of nachos with jalapenos can you eat?

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Merle Haggard / Bass Hall / April 9.

If I could choose a singing voice with the right blend of timber and soul it might be Merle Haggard's. Besides his voice, I think he has a song or two that approaches real beauty. Merle's coming to Bass Hall, Wednesday, April 9. Merle Haggard is described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the greatest country artist of our time." I happen to agree.

Main St Arts Festival

I have a few favorite events in Fort Worth. The Turkey Trot, the Cowtown Marathon, Christmas midnight mass at St. Mary's, and, right up there is the Main St. Arts Festival. It's a serious event for artists from all over the country and a great addition to our annual calendar of events.

At this point I don't think you could say that spring is in the air, but it is not far off. Main St. Festival arrives on April 17 - April 20 -- I mention these dates now because they are looking for volunteers.

Have a couple extra hours? Volunteer to help.

http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org/More-Ways-To-Explore/Volunteers.aspx

Bass Hall and Gruene Hall - That's Texas.

There is a lot of good music coming to Fort Worth in the next few months. I'll be commenting on my favorites as they get close.

If you like choral music. If you like male choral music, it doesn't get any better than Chanticleer. That's not hyperbole. The New Yorker calls them "America's favorite choral ensemble", and the Los Angeles Times describes their sound as "luxurious perfection." From Renaissance to jazz, and from gospel to venturesome new music. These guys are good.

My son, training in voice for opera, has a couple of their CD's and we listen to them often.

Seats at Bass Hall range from $5 - 100. March 3 at 8pm.
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Take a bit of a musical 180 degree turn and on March 5 at Bass Hall you can hear Joe Ely and band. About 10 years ago my wife and I saw him perform at Gruene Hall, south of Austin in Gruene, Texas. His music is Texas country, with a strong guitar, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and even a little Mexican influence thrown in. Ely has been around the block a few times and it shows in his lyrics. He puts a lot of energy into his performances, at least he did in Gruene, and the audience responded. Of course, beer consumption and response kind of trend together, making Bass Hall and Gruene Hall a slightly different evening -- plus Bass Hall doesn't have tables to stand on.

March 5 / Bass Hall / Seats $20 - 100.

This recent album cover from 2007 shows a Joe Ely of many years ago.

New Museum Exhibits & Our Local Film Society

We are fortunate, in Fort Worth, to have quality parks and outdoor exercise areas, a top-ten zoo, good music venues, and of course museums (pl: musea?). I would rank them as some of the best for cities our size and larger. A lot of volunteer effort goes into these places and a lot of donated money, something for which I am most grateful.

This February, the Amon Carter Museum opens two attractive exhibitions. Admission is always free.

Here they are:

Intimate Modernism: Fort Worth Circle Artists in the 1940s
February 16 – May 11
Discover the fascinating story of visual art and American modernism that is embedded in the history of 1940s Fort Worth. See nearly 100 works created by a group of artists who together formed the first modern art colony in Texas. Drawn together by a shared interest in art, dance, music, theater, and myth, they sought new avenues of artistic expression to counter the prevailing preference for more conservative artistic styles. This unique cultural moment in the city's history developed into what is now a thriving arts community in Fort Worth.

The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888 – 1978
February 16 – April 27
Experience the range and creativity of amateur photography in the United States in this first-ever exhibition to examine the evolution of snapshot imagery in America. With the advent of George Eastman’s Kodak camera and roll film in 1888, photography became an everyday aspect of modern life. Learn about this phenomenon and its profound impact on American life, memory, and fine art photography. Organized by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

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On a similar note, we are fortunate to have a new addition to the arts community:

The Lone Star Film Society is a Fort Worth based, non-profit organization whose mission is the "supporting of the art of independent films." They hosted a well attended Film Festival last year and are planning a new one for 2008. The Film Festival website is: www.lsiff.com. Also, the organization has started a new blog. If you are interested in films and independent films, the weblog address is: http://lonestarfilmsociety.blogspot.com

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Unrelated word origin thought: The word "museum" I assumed to be of Latin origin. I was wrong. Without looking it up, as I did, on Wikipedia, can you guess the country of origin and what proper noun it derives its meaning from?

Coming Soon: The Cowtown Marathon

The Cowtown Marathon is great local event. It's a legitimate Boston Marathon qualifier and it's in Fort Worth.

If a marathon or half-marathon scares you off, try the 10k. If you can't run the 10k, walk it. Or the 5k. I promise you will enjoy being downtown with thousands of runners and spectators. Can't walk or run too far these days? The marathon is always looking for good volunteers.

February 23, 2008. Good Luck.

http://www.cowtownmarathon.org/

Live Christmas Music, the next two weeks . . .

I suggest any recital by the Schola Cantorum. They perform in Tarrant County three times this holiday season, December 9 - 11, including a performance at St. Stephens Presbyterian Church, near TCU. http://www.scholatexas.com/

Take in a performance of Dickens', A Christmas Carol. This year, Casa Manana performs a Broadway version that has been was well received. Performed at Bass Hall, December 21 - 29. http://www.casamanana.org/



Orpheus, considered the best chamber choir in the area, performs in Dallas this year. I know it's a drive but if you like choral renditions of Christmas music, you will find no better than this. December 18, at St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church, Dallas, Texas. http://www.orpheuschambersingers.org/


Recommendations are made for one reason: I have gone to the performances and liked them.

Two Fort Worth Holiday Events I Enjoy

Don't forget -------

If you run or walk and want to get out of the house Thanksgiving morning join me and 5,000 others for the YMCA sponsored Turkey Trot on Camp Bowie. It's a well run event with food, music, exercise -- and because it's a day off everybody's having a good time. The 5k starts at 8 a.m., but be there plenty early, parking gets scarce. The 10k begins at 8:50. The cost is about $15, the website doesn't say. Early registration starts 11/10/07 . I'll be there. http://www.fwrunco.com/fwtrot/


You might think this a little AARP'ish, but I like the Parade of Lights and the lighting of the Christmas Tree downtown. This year, it will be held on November 23, 2007. The Christmas tree provides a festive mood to downtown during the holiday season. See the schedule for when Santa will be there for the kids. The tree is Blue Spruce and is 56 feet tall. It's an impressive site and worth seeing, especially if you are new to the area. http://www.fortworthparadeoflights.org/FtWorthChristmasTree.aspx

ZestFest and Chili Pepper

If I were in Fort Worth this weekend, or anywhere near it, I would be at ZestFest, a convention of spicy, zesty and hot-food lovers. Today, in preparation for the event, Chili Pepper magazine is holding contests in 80 hot dish categories. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram 600 contestants are at the Stockyards in hopes of winning one of the 80 prizes. http://www.star-telegram.com/629/story/226638.html.
Tomorrow starts Zestfest at Will Rogers. http://www.zestfest2007.com/html/
This is a local convention sponsored by local people, it attracts food lovers from around the Southwest but for Fort Worth and food lovers this is a homemade product. If you like spicy food go to ZestFest. Entrance fee, $10.