Mmm, more cheese

Whole Foods is opening a new store in Lakewood, near my neighborhood. It's about two miles closer than the old Greenville Avenue store, but that two miles makes a world of difference. The new WF is about six times larger, prettier, and much more of a destination. The old store was too cramped and cluttered. It was like a teenager still squeezing into her "Jonas Brothers" t-shirt. It was too small and it needed to move on and grow up.

The new store as all sorts of corporate nods to its "new" neighborhood, from Live Oak leaves decorating the ceiling to a Lakewood-centric timeline - Do you know what year the Corinthian Sailing Club was founded? How about LCC? - on the cold-foods wall.

There is more merchandise than was at the old Greenville store, but less of its charming birkenstock-y attitude. Whole Foods Lakewood feels more corporate and less granola, but it's not the mecca the Austin store is, nor does it have the uber-suburbia feel of the Preston Road store - spa, anyone? However, if Lakewood ever wanted a place to hang out and bump into everyone in the 'hood, this Whole Foods will be just perfect for that.

It opens Monday, at 9:30am. I'll be there to break bread with them; come get a slice.

Thrifty shopping

At thrift stores there are shoes, and tchotchkes, and dishes... OMG there are dishes - "Shakespeare's Birthplace" and Royal Doulton, 1970's shopping store give-away and one-of-kind design-fading dinnerware, can-you-believe-someone-ate-off-that?, and more...

And then there are treasures such as these type-setter's trays from an old printhouse that closed in East Dallas. They couldn't even remember its name. Trays and trays of typeset. I don't know if they threw away the keys that were in these, but other trays "Jolly" and "42PT Spart" and "18PT Stymie" were full.

I wanted to save every one and set print and see what 42 point words looked like in "Spart." But instead, I took a photo. Which I found was a very good thing to do in a thrift shop. I felt like I had come home with it all, but none of it would ever be dusty.

Oh, Oh, O's!

Can't wait, can't wait! 'til Thursday...

The O's came over to my new studio, before there was even any electricity, and wonderful videographer Alex Kanakis rolled ... um... pixels. No "tape" for us.

Before we got started Taylor (on the left, with mustache) asked me what questions I would ask in our interview, and I went through my usual, "What do you like about Lakewood, where do you hang out, did you grow up in Dallas, when are you releasing the CD, what are you working on now... you know, that sort of thing." He nodded, and Alex began recording. I think I asked them, "What are your favorite places to hang out in Lakewood?" but for twenty minutes after that, I couldn't get in another word, I was laughing so hard. The O's were on a roll. They are Dallas' version of the Smothers Brothers, and the funniest, best FreakFolk* players I know.

You can find the O's everywhere.

*not my terminology. I'd rather go with "PopFolk" if you're asking my opinion.

Working our thumbs black

Thumbs get a workout in photography. Mine holds my camera steady, and at the end of a nine hour wedding, it was black. The other thumb (in the hip plaid jacket) belongs to wedding photographer Carissa Byers, who hires me to second shoot with her. It was the end of the night, and our thumbs were aching.

Sunset in the 'hood

I love living near White Rock Lake. I see this on my way home. How amazing is that?

In Loving Memory

Occasionally I find my photos appearing in other works that I know nothing about. Sometimes it irritates me (just ask, OK?), but every now and then, I'm honored. This is very much the latter. Anyone know ProphLEET (Eric ....)? Tell him, "good job."

We miss you Carter.

Beauty and the beasties

Joette White was chosen as one of the most beautiful women in Dallas by D Magazine, and she's a neighborhood resident, so of course we had to do a story on her.

But her name was so... familiar. Dallas is small; six degrees of separation? I think not.

Joette's company had been my pet sitters for years, though we had never met, we had had plenty of phone conversations. If your four-legged family needs sitting, call Park Cities Pet Sitters; they're great.

There is no bad pizza...

I've lived in East Dallas for ten years (gasp: 10!) and have never eaten at Angelo's Italian Grill. Today, BWR sent me there for a photo for the lovely Leslie Lee, our ad designer. Bernadette and Maria were lamenting their customers still keeping to NewYear's resolutions to save money and lose weight (i.e. not eat out at a pizza buffet for lunch), but Bernadette firmly believes, "they'll be back in February." She's right, you know.

yum.

Happy New (Working) Year

,
Happy new working year... actually my year begins in August, but a long break between 2008 and 2009 is appreciated. 2008 burned me out. Too much work, too many commitments. But that's a good thing, right? Right.

However, in 2009 -because now is the time to make resolutions- I will...
1. Plan.
2. Commit, and uncommit, because I overcommited in 2008.
3. Do: less thinking, more doing, as in, posting to this blog. Beginning now, I'm chronicling my projects and hobbies, and often, I'm sure, my foibles. Unintentionally, of course.

Just to get off the right foot, as of today, I work for BWR, SMU, and am a freelance editorial photographer shooting in Dallas, Texas. I love music, my job, and my life. I only occasionally shoot weddings, and if you ask I'll ask you to contact Carissa or Turk and request me. I want to shoot more food, architecture, and better portraits. I'm going to Santa Fe in March to study lighting with David Tejada. and now I have to plan, commit, and do, and will post about my projects after all that.
Cheers!

ArtCon4

Please come. I'm participating. Since the theme of ArtCon4 is "deconstructed" (referring to the cold and windy warehouse we'll be working in?), I'm doing something on the now-defunct podcast, www.dconstruction.org, which showcased local bands. If your band was on dcon, check out my piece. You might see yourself. Or something that sortof looks like your band. Maybe. I haven't made my piece yet. Come Saturday, and bid for a good cause.

"Art Conspiracy strives to put on guerrilla-style, affordable art fundraisers and use the proceeds from these events to reinvest in the local arts economy."
_____________________________

My ArtCon 2008 project "Dconstruction." Layered plexiglas and Sharpie marker, based on my photos of the artists. Thanks to Cindy Chaffin who bought it and is probably wondering how to hang it, because the screws were way too long. Cool that she has it, because she knows all the bands depicted.

from the top...
The bands featured on the dconstruction podcast were The Valentines, Sorta with Carter Albrecht, The Strange Boys, Pleasant Grove, Solly, Salim Nourallah, Old 97s, Happy Bullets, Baboon, Deathray Davies and podcast hosts Robert Jenkins and Lindsay Graham.

I know. I know.

It's been a while since I've posted. I know. However, I'm thinking very hard about posting. Way more than I ever thought about it before. So, give me a bit. And go here, or here, if you want to see what I've been up to. Far less music listening and show going, but more shooting and sleeping fill my days and nights. I miss music and everyone in it.

I love more I Love Math

New album! This one has been in the works for a while, and now, now it's out!

I Love Math
The Barley House
Tuesday May 27th 7:30pm
CD listening party.
Getting to the Point is Beside It
with the lovely, petite song, "Josephine Street."

...then they go on tour with the Old 97s, since the two bands share drummer extraordinarie Philip Peeples.
Speaking of the Old 97s, their Dallas show is at the House of Blues on 5/31.
But not with I Love Math. =(

(The photo is from a very rare John Dufilho solo set at Barley.)

MUSIC in the LIFE of cARTer

Please come.
I have photos in the show.
Please bring money (for donation to CAMF).
thank you.

MUSIC in the LIFE of cARTer
May 1st 7-10pm
@ Life in Deep Ellum
2803 Taylor Street
www.carteralbrechtmusicfoundation.org

The highlight of Marfa

From a PR email... clearly a must-see art show:

Former Dallas artist and current Marfa resident, Campbell Bosworth will show over 40 pieces from his current work in painting and sculpture on Saturday, May 3 6-8:30 p.m. at the Janette Kennedy Gallery in Southside at Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar. The reception and exhibition are free. The exhibition continues through May 31. To view the exhibition beyond reception hours, call 214-426-1575 or visit http://southsideliving.info/art_of_urban_living/gallery_history.htm.

BORDERLINE GREATNESS features paintings and sculpture depicting images and objects from Marfa and the Far, West Texas border region. Specifically, Bosworth has chosen to focus on the narco-trafficking aspect of the border. The show features oversized sculptures of carved wooden Glock pistols, a six-foot, silver leafed AK-47 and giant tequila bottles.

Living on the border, I've learned people bring their dreams in some form or another to the USA. Every week our local paper has stories of folks being busted with drugs. But behind those stories are real people or families working just to survive, says Bosworth.

Over 100 brick-sized, carved and painted wood 10,000 dollar bundles occupy a corner of the room. It is 1,000,000 million in cash for the lucky.

Bosworth quips, I woke up every morning and told my wife I was going to the studio to make money.

The highlight of the show may be the 10-foot-high, silver-leafed replica of the Marfa Water Tower. In keeping with the theme of the show, Bosworth has painstakingly engineered it to dispense fine tequila.

Bosworth moved to Marfa in 2001 and was represented by the Cidnee Patrick/Edith Baker Gallery in Dallas and is currently represented by the Koelsch Gallery in Houston. http://www.sawdustpoet.com

Tequila AND art? Oh, yeah. I'm soooo there.

New Old 97s

The guys are on Leno on Thursday.
As in, The Tonight Show.
Set yer TiVOs.

Tix to Quick's Big Thing

Want tix to Quick's Big Thing on 4/24 @ the Palladium? (see my post on this below) Leave a comment and get free tix. How's that for good stuff? Go!

Please do not put your address in the comments, I'll email you for that. Offer expires 4/18.

Update: yes, ppl won these (thanks for asking). No, I did not publish the comments with their emails.

Graffiti this, baby.

I have a soft spot for creative rebels. Really out-of-the-box screw-the-usual-form artists.

I heart Tony Bones.

I especially heart Banksy.
Isn't he amazing, LOL that's great, and damn, wish I'd thought of that. (and of course, superdamn, wish I had that talent. I don't. Not eeeeeeeven close.)

So, who's your inspiration?
Who's doing the unexpected?

It'll be a Lousy Sunday night - not.

I love Lousy Robot. They've recorded all their albums at Pleasantry Lane studios with Salim Nourallah and now they're coming back through Dallas from New Mexico. They're good friends with John Dufilho (he produced their CDs) so the show should be fun. They're straight-up pure pop goodness. Dark lyrics with fun tunes. Great guys. Tidbit of info: their bassist, Dandee Fleming was (until recently when Lousy Robot took up more time) also bassist for The Dirty Novels, who seem to play a lot of Lollipop Shoppe shows. Their Socyermom Records (guys- I want a T-Shirt!!) release, "Smile Like You Are Somewhere Else" follows their equally obliquely named "The Strange and True Story of Your Life."

They'll be in Austin, Ft. Worth, and Dallas on this tour. Catch them at

Friday, April 11th Troubadour Saloon - Austin TX 503 E 6th.
LOUSY ROBOT, THE ULTAVIOLET INDEX, PAUL BANKS, SEA LEGS

Saturday, April 12th - Fort Worth TX The Moon Bar 2911 W. Berry St.
W/ FELLOW AMERICANS AND QUO

Sunday, April 13th - Dallas, TX The Barley House 5612 Yale
W/ JOHN DUFILHO AND SPECIAL GUESTS

Yup. it's big alright!

I heart Quick, and Hunter Hauk, and Cindy Chaffin and Lance Spune and CJ Davis and Paul Salfen and all the other panelists (though I have never met the others) because, laudy, this is gonna be a great night!

At the Palladium, Thursday April 24 and don't you miss a minute of it. Performing are more people dear to me:
King Bucks with Salim Nourallah
Sarah Jaffe
Doug Burr
and Johnny Llloyd Rollins
and
The Polyphonic Spree ('cause it don't get bigger than them in Dallas music)
plus others.

(psst- if you're wondering if it's a good idea to have repeating letters in your name to be known in Dallas, you might ask PPT. oh yeah, they're on the bill, too. Sorry Record Hop, you guys must be from Denton.)

UPDATE: leave a comment to have FREE tix MAILED to you. First 5 commenters get 2 tix each. Offer ends 4/18.

Tomca(s)ting in the 'hood

Tom @ Tomcast 0208 059 ed, originally uploaded by Kate Mackley.

First there was a record label in Lakewood. Now there is a recording studio in Lake Highlands (and yes, there are a couple more of those nearby). I love East Dallas. Photo for an upcoming article in the Advocate.