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Transcript of BY TERESA GUBBINS UNIqUELY - Discover Denton › wp-content › uploads › 2013 › 09 › ... ·...

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www.dentonlive.com www.dentonlive.com �

2008YOUREVENTSOURCE

what’s inside

features

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PERRY McNEILL

PUBLISHER Gwen DiBelloEDITORIAL DIRECTOR Adam PitlukDESIGN DIRECTOR Chris Philpot

EDITOR Jennifer Robertson NorrisSENIOR EDITORS Casey Casteel Amy Robinson

ASSISTANT EDITOR Haley Shapley

SENIOR DESIGNER Ted Goodridge

COPY EDITOR Eric Jahnke EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Ruth Wofford

EDITORIAL INTERN Jocelyn Rollerson

4�4 Parkway, Denton, TX 7620� (940) 382-7895, (888) 38�-�8�8

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDMAYOR Perry McNeillDENTON CITY COUNCIL Bob MontgomeryDENTON CITY COUNCIL Pete KampDENTON CITY COUNCIL Chris WattsPRESIDENT, DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Chuck CarpenterVICE PRESIDENT, DENTON CONVENTION & VISITOR BUREAU Kim Phillips

PRESIDENT AND Susan Gordon GROUP PUBLISHER

DIRECTOR Ben Johnson

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Yvonne Anguiano

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE John Pittman

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Cindy McAlister

MARKETING RESEARCH Janice Dickerson

MANAGER OF INFORMATION Paul Schaefer TECHNOLOGY

EDITORIAL OFFICES 4333 Amon Carter Blvd., MD 5374, Fort Worth, TX 76�55

Gwen DiBello [email protected] Robertson Norris [email protected]

Editorial Department Phone (8�7) 93�-5927Editorial Department Fax (8�7) 963-3�28

Custom Publishing (8�7) 93�-�446

Denton Live is published by AAP Custom, a unit of American Airlines. © 2006 by American Airlines. All rights reserved. Address correspondence for subscriptions to the address above. AAP Custom does not accept unsolicited queries. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts or art. No part of this magazine may be reprinted or otherwise duplicated without the written permission of the editor.

elcome to another issue of Denton Live, our

official guide to exciting entertainment and

year-round fun for everyone.

It is no secret that Denton is an event city. We love to celebrate, and the spring and summer seasons represent the best time to enjoy festivals and events of every genre. Coming this spring 2008, get ready for an exciting line-up that includes the Tejas Storytelling Festival, The Redbud Festival, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, and the Dog Days of Denton Festival. Add the fact that we thrive on celebrating our diversity and it should come as no surprise that Denton is home to one of the largest Cinco de Mayo festivals in North Texas. A fun-filled weekend of Juneteenth adds more opportunity for celebrating. Diversity is a key theme threaded throughout this issue of Denton Live, one reason being a brand new attraction in our downtown historic park. The new African American Museum will open in conjunction with Black History Month in February 2008. As our historic park continues to evolve, we are thrilled to have this wonderful museum dedicated to remembering the important role played by the African American community throughout our city and county history. Denton is a unique place, known throughout North Texas and the world as a breeding ground for artists, musicians, and cutting-edge creativity. In our last issue of Denton Live, we focused attention on the fact that Denton has become a premier location for environment-friendly endeavors, highlighting ways the city and the community have teamed together to make Denton green. Since then, we are very proud that the City of Denton’s Fire Station No. 7 has been awarded a Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating from the United States Green Building Council. The building was designed and built using LEED standards to provide a state-of-the-art fire station and incorporate the concepts of sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. It is only the second fire station in the nation to receive this rating, and the City hopes that it serves as an educational tool that can be used to demonstrate the benefits of LEED and Green Building designs. We have a lot to be proud of in this city, and we invite you to discover and enjoy Denton. So, sit back and read all about us in Denton Live. Then visit www.dentonlive.com every day for the latest, most up-to-date calendar of what is going on and where. Finally, get out and get into Denton—where something is happening all the time!

See you in Denton!

Dr. Perry R. McNeill, P.E.Mayor of Denton

2 UNIqUELY DENTON Denton’s unique community benefits from the city’s eclectic mix of commerce and artistic energy.

4 TEXAS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL TWU hosts the annual celebration of the oral tradition of storytelling.

7 ARTS & JAzz FESTIVAL Denton’s premier event draws families to the festival of music and art.

�0 CINCO DE MAYO The celebration of heritage returns to the streets of Denton with a parade and festive dancing.

�3 DOG DAYS OF DENTON Dogs and their owners enjoy a day out during this dog day afternoon.

�6 DENTON AIR SHOW Denton’s air show takes to the sky featuring aerial demonstrations and activities.

�9 MATERIALS: HARD AND SOFT Denton’s Center for the Visual Arts hosts its longstanding annual art installation.

22 AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM Denton County opens its first African American Museum in February.

20 CALENDAR OF EVENTS On any given date, there are a ton of great things to do in this fun-filled city.

28 RESTAURANTS Discover the best places to dine in Denton.

30 MAP AND GENERAL INFORMATION From places to rest your head to a detailed map of Denton, we’ve got you covered.

32 MEAN JOE GREENE The legendary defensive tackle is one of the greatest Pittsburgh Steelers, but he started as a Mean Green Eagle.

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UNIqUELYdenton

enton’s vibrant arts and music scene, picturesque landscape, and friendly community attract visitors and residents alike. What’s not to love about the thriving city that’s still quaint enough to encompass

the attractive characteristics of a small town? Denton has a quintessential town square, as lively today

as it was in 1857. Anchored by the elegant Denton County Courthouse—now home to a historical museum—the square creates a sense of community and serves as a central point for restaurants, shops, and museums. The city organizes myriad entertainment events—many of which are free, all of which are affordable. The opportunity to stroll from the art galleries at the Center for the Visual Arts to restaurants and ice cream shops affords a taste of the big city but on a smaller, more approachable scale.

D

The opportunity to stroll from the art galleries at the Center for Visual Arts to restaurants affords a taste of the big city but on a smaller scale.

[ BY TERESA GUBBINS ]

Another major ingredient in Denton’s uniqueness is its niche as a college town: home to Texas Woman’s University, known for its high-caliber academics and touted gymnastics program, and the University of North Texas, whose world-class music program has defined Denton in a myriad of ways.

Aside from helping to launch successful musical acts such as Brave Combo, Deep Blue Something, and Norah Jones, UNT’s student population has set the stage for a local music scene that rivals Austin’s as the best in Texas. Fry Street, once the site of an annual music festival, is in the midst of a redevelopment, and seems on its way to vibrant revitalization.

And then there’s Denton’s year-full of festivals, proving the heartbeat behind the town is its vibrant community.

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[ BY RACHEL STOWE MASTER ]

THE POWER of story

Texas Storytelling Festival celebrates oral tradition in a new venue.

hether it’s a dark and stormy night, or a glum and soggy afternoon, the atmosphere will be fun and festive at the 23rd Texas Storytelling Festival—

which is moving indoors. The 2008 event is set for April 10-13 in Hubbard Hall on the campus of Texas Woman’s University.

“We had really bad weather last year. And after surveying the membership, we found that most would prefer a festival that was inside,” says Cristin Thomas, executive director of the Tejas Storytelling Association, which hosts the annual event. “We were ecstatic when we found out TWU was an option for us.”

Stories as ArtCelebrating a unique art form, the Texas Storytelling Festival focuses on oral tradition with a tri-fold goal of promoting literacy, teaching the skill of storytelling, and entertaining the audience. Hosting local, regional, and national tellers, the event runs the gamut of genres: hair-raising to heart-warming, tall tales to true stories, cowboy poetry to live music, along with Native American lore, Jewish traditions, Cuban folktales, children’s stories, and more.

“We have some of the most talented tellers in Texas, and we also have the capability of bringing gifted tellers that are nationally known,” Thomas says.

Talented TellersNational tellers include award-winning Carmen Agra Deedy, a bilingual teller and author of numerous best-selling children’s books, who

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is making her first appearance at the Denton event. “She’s hysterical,” Thomas says.

Tim Tingle, acclaimed storyteller and award-winning author of Native American fiction and folklore, will be returning to the festival, as will Doug Lipman, a professional storyteller, storytelling coach, and musician for over 25 years.

Lipman says his audiences can expect “stories that kind of move you and change your perspective just a bit.” His stories come from a variety of customs, especially Jewish mystical tradition, and are not familiar to most people.

Throughout the festival, audience members will get to experience great stories, as well as a sense of community from sharing the occasion with others.

“If they’ve never been to a storytelling festival, they will get a whole weekend where they get to roam in the land of their own imagination—with expert guides,” Lipman says. “That’s something we don’t do very much in our society—listen carefully and delightedly while someone talks. And we’re willing to do it because the stories are so good and because we get this flex of imagination muscle.”

In addition to the three national tellers, the festival will also showcase regional talent, including motivational speaker and Christian humorist James Ford; Onions in the Stew: Tales of the Scots-Irish author Donna Lively; and “The Old Texan” Doc Moore, who brings more than 35 years of public school and university teaching experience to his historic, folk, ghost, and inspirational stories.

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[ just the facts ]

Festival FavoritesAlthough the location is new, the festival continues its longtime favorites. Ghost Tales promises to spook on Thursday night, while Tiny Tales for Tiny Tots returns Friday morning at the Denton Center for the Visual Arts. Storytelling is ongoing all day and into the evening on Friday and Saturday, as well as much of the day Sunday. Friday morning is field trip day, Saturday morning is the traditional Native American concert, and the annual Talespinner Party—a catered dinner and silent auction fundraiser—concludes the evening.

The festival also hosts 10 or 12 storytelling workshops and a few master classes. The popular Swapping Grounds is perfect for those itching to try their yarn-spinning skills. “It’s an open ground for anybody who wants to try out a story,” Thomas says. “A lot of times tellers will sit around and toss stories back and forth. It’s open for play.”

Filled with captivating tales, educational workshops, and a storytelling gift shop, the 23rd Texas Storytelling Festival offers festival-goers a full weekend of entertainment.

“Actually, storytelling is within all of our daily lives—people just don’t realize it,” Thomas says. “This is a festival that is promoting that art form, allowing people to acknowledge what art they have inside themselves—and that’s the power of story.”

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When: April �0-�3

Time: 8 p.m. Ghost Tales concert on Thursday; 9 a.m. to �� p.m. Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

Where: Hubbard Hall, Texas Woman’s University, 303 Administration Dr., Denton 76204

Admission: Costs vary for storytelling concerts and special events.

Parking: Free. Visit www.tejasstorytelling .com for a map.

Attendance: 8,000

Best seat: VIP seats or right in the middle

Don’t forget: Cash or credit cards, family, and friends

Leave at home: Alcohol, coolers, cameras, recording devices, cell phones, chairs, and pets

Proceeds benefit: Tejas Storytelling Association and its effort to promote and preserve storytelling as an oral tradition, a performing art, and a tool to promote literacy while maintaining family and cultural values.

Volunteers: Administrative, concert, workshop, gift shop, and registration volunteers are needed. For info: www .tejasstorytelling.com, (940) 382-70�4

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[ BY TERESA GUBBINS ]

Denton Arts & JAzz FestivAl: double the fun

Learn the ropes at Denton’s premier music and art festival.

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[ just the facts ]

Dento

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Dedicated to brave fi refi ghters past and present, the Denton Firefi ghter’s Museum is a must see for anyone seeking insight

into the arduous job of fi ghting fi re. Open since 2005, Denton’s newest museum showcases fascinating

memorabilia from the 1800’s to the present, including an old hose cart pulled by hand,

items from a 1935 ladder truck, antique gear, and volumes of daily fi re

report logs. Open weekdays 8a.m.-5p.m.

Guided tours available and group tours

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When: April 25–27

Time: 5 to �� p.m. Friday; �0 a.m. to �� p.m. Saturday; �� a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Where: quakertown Park, 32� E. McKinney St.

Admission: Free

Attendance: 200,000

Parking: Anywhere in the area around the park grounds. See www.dentonjazzfest.com for five shuttle stop locations.

Don’t forget: Lawn chairs and blankets

Leave at home: Coolers and dogs

Standard fare: Five food courts with approximately 50 booths, including ribs, turkey legs, nachos, wraps, smoothies, gyros, beer, and wine.

WHERE TO HEAR THE MUSIC:

Wells Fargo/Budweiser Jazz Stage: Professional jazz bands

Best seat: Hard-core fans settle in, front-and-center, the entire weekend. But the hilly park means you can get a decent view from higher spots in the back.

Budweiser Courtyard Stage: Eclectic, rock, pop, and country music

Best seat: Sit on the grass in front of the stage or in the courtyard at one of several picnic benches.

KNTU-FM 88.� Roving River Stage: A variety of music including mariachis, Latin, and Celtic

Best seat: Hunker down at the picnic tables in North Park.

Denton Record-Chronicle Festival Stage: Dancers and community groups

Best seat: Permanent outdoor stage has a broad grassy swath as well as picnic tables.

Wells Fargo Celebration Stage: Colleges, universities, and high school performance groups

Best seat: Viewing tent in front of the stage provides shade and picnic tables.

Target Center Stage: Chorale groups and elementary school groups

Best seat: Indoor stage has seating for �50 to 200, with standing room for another �00.

More Information: www.dentonjazzfest .com, (940) 565-093�

he Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is a unique event for North Texas, giving you two festivals in one. Produced by the Denton Festival Foundation Inc., this

annual event combines great music—more than 2,200 performers on six stages—with art from 160 artists from Texas and beyond.

This year’s festival (April 25-27 in Quakertown Park) stars headliners Delbert McClinton and Denton’s own Brave Combo. Factor in treats from more than 50 food vendors and free admission, and it’s easy to see why this event draws 200,000 people every year.

“What makes the festival unique is the combination of art and music,” Children’s Art Tent Chairwoman Jane Ruestmann says. “The art is wonderful, and we have some pretty big names in music that come to perform.”

The Artist’s PerspectiveThe Arts & Jazz Festival is the result of a merger of two events: Spring Fling, which began in 1980 as an arts fundraiser, and the

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music-centric JazzFest. The fusion resulted in a vibrant event with participating artists such as glass jewelry makers Paul and Denise Kollaritsch savoring the music as a meaningful fringe benefit.

“When the booths close down, it gives us a chance to hear the bands perform,” Paul says.

Among the 160 artists’ booths inside and around the Civic Center are displays of pottery, sculpture, watercolors, jewelry, and stained glass. It’s a juried show with art subjected to an appraisal before acceptance. Festival founder and director Carol Short loves seeing artists mature through their work.

“When the artist is developing and growing and being challenged by their art, you notice new works, new media they’re working in, and that gives us great pride to see that development through the years,” she says.

Kids get an opportunity to be creative at the Children’s Art Tent, where they can draw, paint, and make prints under the supervision of a volunteer staff of art teachers from Denton’s school system and students

from Texas Woman’s University.The festival also features other junior-set

amusements: face painting, inflatable games, rock-climbing, and a Ferris wheel.

Getting on StageIf jazz is what you came to hear, Friday night (April 25) is the best time to enjoy it with this year’s headlining act, The Neville Brothers. Saturday (April 26) climaxes with blues-rocker Delbert McClinton. On Sunday (April 27) the weekend culminates with a closing celebration starring Denton’s favorite polka band, Brave Combo.

Of the six stages, three feature professional performers: heavy-hitters on the Wells Fargo and Budweiser Jazz Stage, eclectic beats on the Budweiser Courtyard Stage, and a variety of performances on the KNTU-FM 88.1 Roving River Stage.

The other three—Wells Fargo Celebration Stage, Denton-Record Chronicle’s Festival Stage, and the Target Center Stage—are community stages where students and up-

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and-comers can learn the ropes of performing professionally.

“We treat those kids and college musicians as if they are pros,” Short says. “They’re just as important for the overall look and feel of the festival as our paid professionals. And you never know what little dancer is going to be on that bigger stage someday. We feel that we’re not only developing audiences but also future artists.”

Short knows of many high school bands that make the festival a field trip; it becomes an inadvertent recruiting tool for the University of North Texas.

People Make It HappenAlong with the many sponsors, volunteers help make the Arts & Jazz Festival a success every year. From big corporations to independent businesses, Denton community support drives the success of the event. More than 400 Top Hands, or festival volunteers, man booths and run errands, making sure the experience is top notch.

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Top Hands work four-hour shifts, though some prefer to come for a whole day. For $15, members get perks such as a parking pass, free food and drink coupons, and the opportunity to listen to some fantastic music. To volunteer, call the festival office at (940) 565-0931.

“And it couldn’t be done without the cooperation of the city,” says Festival Foundation president Kathleen Duffy. “The city of Denton is a major sponsor in terms of providing us with a park to use and parks and recreation employees. It’s a wonderful partnership which we have because it’s a free event,” she says.

There is one notable change this year for the usually inclusive festival, Short says. The festival organizers are discouraging visitors from bringing their dogs (except for service dogs), due to dense crowds and safety concerns.

T

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[ BY JASON GOODMAN ]

CELEBRATING heritage

Denton hosts one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo festivals in North Texas.

h e r e i s a c o m m o n misconception that Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico’s independence from Spain. Some are surprised to

learn that Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain on September 16. And while its roots are deeply tied to the ideal of Mexican patriotism, Cinco de Mayo is really the celebration of a single battle. On May 5, 1862, near the Mexican town of Puebla, the underdog Mexican army soundly defeated the French army, which, at the time, was considered the greatest military force in the world. The victory became known as the Batalla de Puebla, but has since simply become Cinco de Mayo.

Oddly, Cinco de Mayo is considered a minor holiday in most of Mexico. It’s only here in the United States that it receives the royal treatment, so to speak. In the U.S., and especially in Texas, it’s one of the biggest holidays of the year, with celebrations rivaling those on the Fourth of July.

Denton County FiestaDenton knows how to celebrate Cinco de Mayo right. With more than 12,000 people expected

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to attend the 21st celebration of the holiday in the city of Denton, it’s one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo events in North Texas.

It all starts the morning of May 3 with a colorful parade. Participants dressed in traditional Mexican attire, decorated low-riders, and Mexican dancers will make their way from Texas Woman’s University, past the courthouse and into the Denton Civic Center parking lot. Once the parade arrives, the festival begins. Expect to find more than

60 vendors selling food, jewelry, and crafts; dancing—lots of dancing; and entertainment on two stages.

“The entire family is welcome and we usually see the whole family, from nieces and nephews to grandparents,” says Denton Civic Center Manager Myra Anderson. “It’s a celebration of Mexican culture, but it’s open to the entire community.”

And then there is the centerpiece of the festival: the crowning of La Reina de Cinco

“The entire family is welcome. It’s a celebration of Mexican culture, but it’s open to the entire community.” —Civic Center Manager Myra Anderson

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[ just the facts ]

When: May 3

Time: �0 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: quakertown Park, 32� E. McKinney St.

Admission: Free

Parking: Civic Center parking lot, quakertown Park, and at City Hall

Typical Attendance: �2,000

Don’t forget: Lawn chairs and the whole family

Leave at home: Alcohol and glass containers

Best Seat: Behind the benches at the soccer field

Volunteer: Call (940) 349-8733

de Mayo, “The Queen of Cinco de Mayo.” La Reina is chosen from a group of teenage girls who participate in several events throughout the day, including an interview and dance competition. It all culminates in a crowning ceremony that features a traditionally choreographed dance.

“We usually start training about four or five months before the festival, and we rehearse about three times a week for three to four

of those months,” says Gricelda Samano, chairwoman of the La Reina committee and dance choreographer for the event. “It’s a big honor in Mexican society to be crowned La Reina.”

As if all that wasn’t enough for one day, there’s also the crowd-favorite soccer tournament and plenty of activities for the kids, including bounce houses, piñatas, and an arts-and-crafts activity area.

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[ BY JASON GOODMAN ]

IT’S A dog’s life

Denton’s dog-centric festival gives dogs

and their owners a day out before the

summer heat really sets in.

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[ just the facts ]

When: May 3�

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: quakertown Park, 32� E. McKinney St.

Admission: Free

Parking: Civic Center parking lot, quakertown Park, and City Hall

Attendance: About �0,000

Don’t forget: Plastic bags for waste, current dog vaccinations, all pets on a leash, and lawn chairs

Leave at home: Alcohol, dogs in heat, and aggressive dogs

he laziest days of summer bring with them guilt-free lethargy and a firm resolve to do nothing more than sit poolside or, really, anywhere a cold drink and some

shade can be found. But in Denton, the dog days are a reason to celebrate.

The Dog Days of Denton festival started 15 years ago when organizers realized how many pets attended the city’s other festivals. These were the days before designer dog collars and canine hotels, so a festival dedicated to dogs might have seemed a bit eccentric. The first festival reflected that, with only 300 attendees sweltering in the afternoon heat. But now, it’s one of the most popular festivals in the city, with crowds often exceeding 10,000 people, many of whom are looking for a dog of their own.

“It was just a small festival where people could come with their dogs and enjoy an outdoor event that catered to them,” says

Christine Gossett, event and marketing coordinator. “We are finding that people expect Dog Days to take place, and they will come to the event to find a new family dog with one of the rescue groups in attendance.”

There are activities galore for both man and beast. Typically, arts-and-crafts vendors peddle their standard festival wares next to food vendors. But at Dog Days of Denton, the dog-centric vendors come close to outnumbering the human-centric ones. Attending dogs can have their picture taken at the Glamfur Shots photo booth, have their fortune told by the Great Barkini, and even find delicious baked treats or the perfect collar to complete their wardrobes.

The festival also features musicians, a musical dog show featuring a unicyclist, and Frisbee demonstrations. Dog competitions will offer pets a chance to show off their best talents as they vie for prizes that, undoubtedly, will

feature some highly sought-after treats. “The festival draws people from all over

Texas and neighboring states,” Gossett says. “It is the original festival for people and their pooches in the state of Texas.”

Spokesdog DutiesEach year, the Dog Days of Denton Festival awards the title of Spokesdog to one special pooch. This year, the Spokesdog is Denton resident Bacardi the Papillon, who can’t seem to get enough of his Robin Hood costume. Bacardi’s duties include promoting the festival at other dog-centric events throughout the year; but the Spokesdog’s essential qualities are to be comfortable in a costume and have a friendly disposition.

» Get InvolvedA portion of the proceeds from the festival go to charitable organizations, and volunteers are always welcome—there are a lot of jobs at Dog Days of Denton.

Dog Days of Denton provides opportunities for pet-related non-profit organizations to raise funds and offer information about their services, Gossett says. A portion of proceeds are donated to local entities that serve to

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protect and promote the well-being of pets and their families.

If you’d like to lend a hand, or a paw, visit www.dogdaysdenton.com or e-mail [email protected].

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The Dog Days of Denton festival started �5 years ago when organizers realized how many pets attended the city’s other festivals.

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[ BY HALEY SHAPLEY ]

TOPguns

Denton Air Show readies for takeoff.

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[ just the facts ]

When: June �4

Time: 9 a.m., aerobatics and aerial demonstrations � to 4 p.m.

Where: Denton Airport, 5007 Airport Road

Admission: $5 for adults; $3 for ages 7 to �7; children 6 and under are free

Parking: Free designated parking around the airport

Typical attendance: 3,000 to 4,000

Don’t forget: Folding chairs and blankets

Leave at home: Pets, alcohol, glass containers, coolers (food is allowed), bicycles, skates, and skateboards

For the kids: Children’s activity pavilion

Contact Information: (940) 484-�603

n June, the Denton Air Show will take to the skies for its 11th year, celebrating the history and future of aviation.

Hosted by Denton Air Fair, a 501(c)3 nonprofit group dedicated to promoting aviation and the history of aviation, the Denton Air Show features war birds, static display aircraft, military demonstrations, and more.

“There are so many people who have never been up close and personal with an aircraft. And we’ve had so many historic aircraft at our event that it really lets children see what our past was,” says Amanda Addington, who volunteers as marketing director for Denton Air Fair.

Ready to Soar“The thing that is unique and great about the

Denton Air Show is that it brings aviation to the citizens of Denton. It gives them a chance to come out and learn about airplanes and flight and things of that nature,” says Tim Whitman, airport manager at Denton Airport.

He says that the air show also provides a chance to showcase the airport as an economic engine of the community.

The airport’s new terminal is on track to be operational by December. Whitman says that the airport is hoping to have a grand-opening celebration for the terminal in conjunction with the air show.

»

For the 11th annual event, Denton Air Fair is contracting with David Schultz Airshows, a Pennsylvania-based professional aerial event coordinator. The 2008 event will feature aerial exhibitions, aerobatic performers, a military parachute demonstration team, historic military displays, experimental aircraft, and static displays from the local aviation community. It also incorporates former and current pilots and military personnel. KHYI 95.3 FM The Range will do a live broadcast.

First Class for FamiliesThe Denton Air Show takes a family-

friendly approach to aviation. “We want to put families first,” Addington says. “This needs to be a family event. That’s why we make sure we keep our prices low so that everyone can come out and enjoy.”

A children’s pavilion features hands-on activities for the kiddos. A variety of food and drink vendors will sell concessions.

Each year Denton Air Fair officials continue to explore ways to improve and expand the air show, Addington says. Local ROTC and Civilian Air Patrol cadets help a great deal with the show, and volunteers are also needed to help with setup, parking, and cleanup.

Addington notes that dates could change to accommodate another air show participant. Check www.dentonlive.com for updates.

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I

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[ BY PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE ]

MATERIALShard & softLongstanding art installation returns to the basics.

very winter, the Meadows Gallery of Denton’s Center for the Visual Arts is filled to the brim with exquisite furniture, ceramics, and fabric; delicately

fashioned jewelry and paper work; even whimsical teapots and metal devices that appear as if they jumped out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Each year, the artwork that comprises Denton’s venerable Materials: Hard and Soft exhibition not only delights visitors, but also garners greater respect and attention from the art world.

The Greater Denton Arts Council has sponsored the artistic mainstay for 21 years. As an annual juried exhibition, Materials brings about 80 pieces of the best contemporary craft—in fiber, paper, metal, wood, and jewelry—from around the country to Denton.

Art lovers and the artfully curious will find that the exhibition catalog and center’s accessible weekday and weekend hours make it easy to spend an hour or two exploring the perspectives and ideas of the different works.

GDAC executive director Margaret Chalfant says visitors are welcome to request a guide. The arts council’s trained volunteers, or docents, offer informative tours of the exhibition.

“We have a group of people who study the art and can give background information,” Chalfant says.

The docents customize their scripts, whether guiding a school group or the general public, sharing their own discoveries and increasing enjoyment for everyone.

Return to Artistic RootThis year, officials returned to the exhibition’s roots by enlisting the help of the Materials: Hard & Soft founder, Georgia Gough, to judge the entries. Gough, a ceramic artist and

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E

[ just the facts ]

When: January 26–March 20

Where: Meadows Gallery, Center for the Visual Arts, 400 E. Hickory St.

Admission: Free

Hours: � p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays.

Parking: Ample, off-street parking is available in a lot adjacent to the gallery located at Bell Avenue and Hickory Street.

Attendance: Approximately �,500 people visit during the 8-week exhibition

Don’t forget: To make the most of your visit, be sure to ask for a copy of the exhibition catalog or call ahead for a docent-guided tour.

Leave at home: Food and drink are not permitted.

retired art professor from the University of North Texas, says the exhibition has changed a great deal in the past two decades.

“In the early years, in ceramics, for example, a pot was a pot,” Gough says. “Now, the work is tending toward sculptural forms.”

In other words, these days, a teapot may have been the inspiration for the form of the work, but the final ceramic piece may not be able to function as a teapot. “I don’t think that’s bad,” Gough says. “That’s just the way our culture is going.”

Several new construction techniques are present in the world of fabric and fiber, while quilts have taken off. Some of the evolution of the craft also reflects a change in philosophy by the artists. “There’s a desire on the part of artists to send a message, rather than just create traditional craft objects,” Gough says.

Career MakerMany of the artists who have been selected are young and innovative and go on to have successful careers after their work is selected for Materials. As a result, the exhibition, which includes nationally known jurors and $5,000 in cash prizes for some of the best artwork, has earned the respect of dealers and curators around the country.

“It’s like being published,” Gough says. “Getting in a show like this might get you a gallery or an agent.”

»

Getting InvolvedThe arts council hosts about a dozen exhibitions each year in both galleries. While Chalfant says the staff installs the artwork, volunteers are needed to give tours of exhibits. A docent leader trains volunteers how to research the art and talk about it. For more information, call (940) 382-2787 or visit the arts council web site at www.dentonarts.com.

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2: TWU Basketball vs. Texas A&M–Commerce Magee Arena

�0: Victorian Culture: New Year Resolutions Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

�2: Mean Green Basketball vs. Louisiana-Lafayette UNT Super Pit

�8: The Butterfield Trail Courthouse-on-the-Square Local historian and civic leader Bob Montgomery will discuss the Butterfield Trail and its impact on Denton County.

�8: Visual Arts Society of Texas (VAST) 2008 Gala Center for Visual Arts Honoring Dean Mitchell, painter

�9: TWU Gymnastics vs. Oklahoma Magee Arena

26: Victorian Culture: House & Home in the New Year Bayless-Selby House Museum Victorian Home Series

29: UNT College of Music Faculty Gala Recital Recital Hall

30: Victorian Décor: There’s a Bed in the Piano Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

january

�–�0: Fences Campus Theatre This play examines race relations in the mid-20th century through the eyes of Troy Maxson, a black former baseball star.

2: Groundhog Day Gala UNT Gateway Center An annual gala for the Denton Independent School District

3: Mean Green Tennis vs. Middle Tennessee Waranch Tennis Complex

7: UNT Wind Symphony Winspear Performance Hall

8: TWU Gymnastics vs. Southeast Missouri State Magee Arena

9–�0: TWU Softball Tournament Pioneer Field

�2: UNT Symphonic Band Winspear Performance Hall

�4: Victorian Celebrations: Be My Valentine! Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

�5–�7, 22–24: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Campus Theatre This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum know as “the relationship.”

�6: Opening of Denton County African American Museum Historical Park

29, MARCH �–2: Wait Until Dark Studio Theatre UNT Dance & Theatre presents the story of Sam Hendrix, who was persuaded to transport a mysterious doll across the Canadian border, not knowing that narcotics were sewn inside.

february

�: TWU Basketball vs. West Texas A&M University Magee Arena Senior night

8: Victorian Pastimes: quilling, Stories, Toys & Games Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

�3: Taste of North Texas UNT Coliseum Presented by the Kiwanis Club of Denton

�3: UNT Night of Percussion Concert Hall

�4: The Women of Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square In honor of Women’s History Month, Peggy Capps talks about women who left their mark on Denton County.

�5: Victorian Tools & Gadgets: Hand-Forged Tools Bayless-Selby House Museum Victorian Home Series

�9: Victorian Celebrations: Easter Eggs, Bonnets & Bows Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

march

20: Victorian Architecture: Miracles on Mulberry Street Bayless-Selby House Museum Victorian Home Series

2: TWU Gymnastics vs. Iowa Magee Arena

6: U.S. Army Brass quintet UNT Recital Hall

2�–30: The Sound of Music Campus Theatre Based on a true story, this musical tells the famous tale of Maria and the von Trapp family.

FEATURED EVENT

january-june 2008

3: Victorian Lady of the House: Handpainted Porcelain Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

4–6, �0–�3: Landscape of the Body UNT University Theatre UNT Dance & Theatre presents a play about a family’s American Dream gone awry.

6: Samsung 500 Texas Motor Speedway A NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race

�0–�3: Texas Storytelling Festival TWU campus Storytellers from across the nation gather to tell stories of war, sports, and mystery.

�5: 6�st Annual Lab Band Madness Winspear Hall, UNT Murchison Center Annual spring concert

�8–20, 25–27: Thoroughly Modern Millie Campus Theatre A high-spirited musical set in the �920s

25–27: Denton Arts & Jazz Festival quakertown Park More than 200,000 travel to Denton each year to experience this celebration of music.

25–27: New Choreographers Concert UNT University Theatre This show presents new dance works created by senior dance students as part of their advanced choreography class at UNT.

�2: �4th Annual Denton Redbud Festival and Romp Courthouse-on-the-Square Festival includes 5K run, home and garden shows, and educational programs.

april

�—JUNE 26: Twilight Tunes Concert Series Downtown Square Local musicians perform every Thursday evening Courthouse-on-the-Square lawn.

3: Denton Cinco de Mayo quakertown Park Festivities include a parade, children’s arts and crafts, and entertainment.

9–�8: To Kill a Mockingbird Campus Theatre Scout, a young girl in a quiet southern town, is about to experience the dramatic events that will affect the rest of her life.

2�: Victorian Furnishings: Revolution in the Dining Room Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

24: The Victorian Woman: Fashions for the Summer Events of a Century Ago Bayless-Selby House Museum Victorian Home Series

may

�3–22: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Campus Theatre One of Shakespeare’s strangest and most delightful creations, this play marks a departure from his earlier works and from others of the English Renaissance.

�4: Denton Air Show Denton Airport Festival features aerobatics and aerial demonstrations and children’s activity pavilion.

2�: 27th Annual Juneteenth Celebration Fred Moore Park Annual celebration includes live music, softball tournament, parade, and basketball tournament.

june

4, 6, ��, �3: Britten: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 64 Lyric Theater Presented by UNT Opera

�7: Planning an Inner-City Historical Park Bayless-Selby House Museum Victorian Home Series

�8: How to Do Historical Research or How My Book on Jim Miller Evolved Courthouse-on-the-Square Bill James, author of Jim Miller: The Untold Story of a Texas Badman

8: Victorian Frames: Hanging Words & Images Bayless-Selby House Museum Lecture/tour

��: Music for Mother’s Day The Selwyn School Lighter music for the entire family from the Denton Bach Society

�7: Water Works Season Preview Water Works Park

3�: Dog Days of Denton Celebration quakertown Park Denton hosts the original festival for pooches and their people.

3—SEPT 30: Denton County Farmers Market opens for the season Bayless-Selby House parking lot Local farmers sell fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits.

6-7: Race Weekend: Texas Motor Speedway Bombardier Learjet 550k Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Sam’s Town 400 Craftsman Truck Series

�3: The Gardens of Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Local gardeners discuss the plants that grow and thrive in Denton County.

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED EVENT

For more information and additional events, log on to www.dentonlive.com.All dates are subject to change without notice.

Coming in 2008:August: North Texas State Fair and Rodeo September: Arts, Antiques & AutosDecember: Holiday Lighting Festival

26–MARCH 20: Materials: Hard & Soft Center for the Visual Arts An annual competition and exhibition of contemporary crafts

FEATURED EVENT

8: St. Patrick’s Day Dinner, Concert, and Dance Fundraiser Fremaux’s Metropolitan Catering A benefit for the Denton Community Chorus

�6: Our Fallen Brothers: A Talk in Honor of Denton County Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty Courthouse-on-the-Square A lecture by the Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with Law Enforcement Memorial Week

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED EVENTFEATURED EVENT

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Visit Denton’s Newest Museumin the Denton CountyHistorical Park.

Visit Denton’s Newest Museumin the Denton CountyHistorical Park.

The new Denton County African American Museum features a collection of African American

cultural traditions, heritage and history relatingto Denton County, Texas. The museum is located in

the Historical Park of Denton Countyat 317 W. Mulberry Street.

For more information on the museum,call (940) 349-2865 or visit www.dentoncounty.com/dcaam

22 www.dentonlive.com

HISTORY comes to life

The addition of the Denton County African American Museum makes the top of the Golden Triangle home to a triad of museums.

Initially, the museum collection will mainly consist of historic photographs, but one of the most significant exhibits is about Dr. Edwin Moten, Denton’s first black physician, who resided in the city from 1907 to 1920. This collection includes letters written by Dr. Moten, photographs, postcards, medical records, medicine cases, and prescription pads, among other items.

[ Down On The Farm ] The inside of the Denton County African American Museum may hold a number of treasures, but don’t discount the parking lot. There, you can make a pit stop at the Denton County Farmers’ Market. The hours are informal, but your best chances at getting a taste of some home-grown goodies are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, starting in late May. The market opens at 8 a.m. and runs until—well, until they run out of things to sell.

“It ’s just a bunch of guys growing produce and showing up to sell it,” says Bob Montgomery, the City Council member who spearheaded the project. “The biggest deal about our market is that everything there is from Denton County. Nothing is brought from afar; it’s just locally grown produce.”

Tomatoes are the main draw, but you can find peaches, black-eyed peas, watermelons, cantaloupes, squash, blackberries, and okra. Currently, �6 farmers participate in the market. The stand is located at Carroll Boulevard and Sycamore Street. —H.S.

[ just the facts ]

Opens: February �6

Where: 3�7 W. Mulberry St.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday �0 a.m. to noon, � to 3 p.m.

Admission: Free

Featured Collection: Dr. Edwin Moten, first black physician in Denton

All three rooms of the house will be used for exhibits. The introductory room features rotating exhibits on African-American life in Denton County from 1870 to 1950. A second room is reserved for the history of African-Americans in the city of Denton,

while the third room depicts life in Denton County, from communities such as Krum, Pilot Point, Lewisville, and Southlake.

For more information about the Denton County African American Museum, visit www.dentoncounty.com/dcaam.

ooking for a special way to celebrate Black History Month in Denton? Plan on attending the opening of the Denton County African American

Museum on Feb. 16. According to Dr. Georgia Caraway, executive director of the Denton County museums, this newest installment to Denton’s museums commemorates African-American lifestyle, culture, and heritage.

Even the house that the museum calls home is an artifact. A goal of the Historical Park Foundation and its first chairman, Fred Patterson, has always been to include one of the houses from the area known as Quakertown, Caraway says.

That’s exactly what they found three years

ago. One of the original Quakertown houses, built around 1900, became available and was moved to the Historical Park on Mulberry Street. Part of the museum will tell the story of Quakertown, a Denton neighborhood settled in 1875 by African-American families. In the early 1920s, Quakertown residents were relocated for the development of Civic Center Park.

“The story of Quakertown is an unfortunate part of Denton’s history, this museum is a way to heal,” Caraway says. “People from every walk of life have been involved in the formation and creation of this particular museum. It crosses all boundaries, and I think interest is across the entire community for this particular museum.”

L

Paula Blincoe Collins’ two-part dimensional brick mural commemorates quakertown. It is the first commissioned art work by the Public Art Committee.

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A trip to Denton can offer many experiences, from great art exhibits and music performances to niche festivals celebrating the quaint community. Another aspect of the city is that it is literally located in the middle of a metropolitan area full of life. A simple 40-minute drive down the road offers sites and sounds for visitors to extend their trip to Deton.

Much like Denton’s Main Street, Decatur’s Main Street organizes events to celebrate its historical downtown area located 30 minutes west of Denton. In the shadow of the fully-functioning, red granite �895 Wise County Courthouse, the city hosts Chisholm Trail Days on June 2�, 2008. An original stop on the Chisholm Trail, Decatur commemorates its cattle-driving heritage every June.

NORTH TEXAS excursions

Billy Bob’s Texas

Billy Bob’s Texas features family entertainment: concerts, real bull riding, dance lessons, arcade games, a restaurant, celebrity wall of fame, and gift shop. That’s why it’s been named the “Country Music Club of the Year” nine times. Located in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, the world’s largest honky tonk offers full service event and catering for up to 6,000 fun lovin’ folks. 2520 Rodeo Plaza, (8�7) 624-7��7, www.billybobstexas.com

Chisholm Trail Days Western Heritage Festival

Decatur Main Street’s annual event welcomes visitors to the historic Wise County Courthouse on Saturday, June 2�, 2008, from noon to �� p.m. The festival features live entertainment, including an open fiddle contest and a performance by Jake Hooker and the Outsiders. Other activities include chuck wagon competitions, a homemade ice cream contest, western crafts, a petting zoo, and more. Admission is free. �0� N. Trinity, (940) 627-274�, www.decaturmainstreet.com

Frank Buck zoo

North Texas’ zoo—Open Daily Year Round. Located right in the heart of Gainesville, Texas, the Frank Buck zoo has been serving the children, schools, and citizens of North Central Texas and Southern Oklahoma for over 50 years. We support conservation and preservation through education. See giraffe feeding daily at �0:30 a.m. Located just 30 minutes north of Denton off I-35E.�000 W. California St., (940) 668-4539, www.frankbuckzoo.com

WinStar Golf Course

The new “golfer friendly” �8-hole WinStar Golf Course was created with all skill levels in mind. This D.A. Weibring-designed daily-fee course allows golfers to have more fun and play faster rounds with its generously wide and well-manicured fairways, no forced carries over hazards, and the Prolink GPS system. The course is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Take Oklahoma Exit � off I-35 after the Red River and follow WinStar Casino signs, (866) 466-�482, www.winstargolfcourse.com

Discover North Texas in a day.BY JULIA SCHWARz

While visiting the festival, poke around for quaint antiques, crafts, home furnishings, and surprisingly chic accessories.

Enjoying the many outdoor activities Denton has to offer? Continue communing with nature with a trip to the Frank Buck zoo in Gainesville, Texas, located a short 20-minute drive north on I-35. Frank Buck was born in Gainesville in �9�� and traveled the world to find and bring back rare and interesting animals to zoos across the country. Gainesville pays homage to its beloved son with the kid-friendly namesake zoo, which carries on Buck’s legacy by exhibiting more than �30 animals, including the boar-pygmy goat and turkey vulture, from four continents.

Interested in more physical activity while you’re visiting Denton? Golf is a favorite pastime for Denton residents and visitors alike, with a picturesque round of golf located only 45 minutes away. The WinStar Casino opened the �8-hole WinStar Golf Course in the summer of 2006. Located north of Denton, just across the Red River in Thackerville, Okla., a foursome can hit a gorgeous �8-holes and be back in time to enjoy a well-deserved dinner at any of Denton’s great restaurants.

The golfer-friendly course caters to players of all levels, and prides itself on its well-manicured grounds. It’s an impressive landscape, with plenty of lakes, bunkers, and trees, but still open for a clear shot.

Denton’s nightlife offers the best in music venues and world-class acts. But we’re sure you’ve heard of the world’s largest honky tonk. Did you realize that it is located just 45 minutes south? Billy Bob’s Texas, where Texas greats like Pat Green and Willie Nelson return to their roots, hosts intimate concerts to a packed (and fanatic) house.

The venue encompasses an indoor rodeo arena, two dance floors, a fully legal, token-based casino, and more. Rent out the Texas Club or neon-lit Guitar Bar for corporate or private events. And don’t let its country veneer fool you: Everyone from Pat Benetar to Ringo Starr has played here. Plus the quick commute back to Denton is just long enough to play one of those Live From Billy Bob’s CDs from your favorite artist.

Julia Schwarz is a Dallas freelance writer who enjoys her quick trips to Denton.

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Hard to believe that within Denton city limits you can move easily from rustic frontier fare to New American cuisine to dressed-down Southwestern fine dining to French gourmet. The savory destinations may be different, but the gastronomic rewards are equally rich.

Decisions on where to begin your Denton food journey can easily grind into deadlock. It’s best to take cues from the land. Start with frontier cuisine at the Prarie House, where custom chow includes cowboy beans, Texas toothpicks (breaded and fried strips of jalapeno and onion), and spiced half-pound buffalo burgers, the latter heaped with praise from the Dallas Morning News. “We aren’t the

flashiest place in town,” says Prairie House Restaurant owner James Murray. But it may be the sassiest.

Prairie House grills a variety of juicy meats—rib eyes, filets, venison medallions, prime rib, catfish, plus yardbirds (chicken in various guises, from fried to barbecued)—in a hulking customized 8-by-4-foot steel-plated mesquite grill. The restaurant has ribs too; luscious slabs of meat that slips from the bone. “I had a guy tell me that he would crawl across rusty razor blades to eat the ribs at the Prairie House,” Murray says. Gather up the weathered Gillettes and pave the way.

In the mood for grilling, but want a more

FINE DINING in Denton

GreenHouse

The GreenHouse Restaurant features an open-fire mesquite grill perfect for our choice-cut steaks and seafood. The restaurant’s eclectic menu offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, and vegetarian entrees. Enjoy daily specials, a full bar with a great wine list, and live jazz on Monday and Thursday nights. Two dining rooms accommodate special events. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 600 N. Locust St., (940) 484-�349, www.greenhouserestaurantdenton.com

Hannah’s

Hannah’s is a casual fine dining restaurant nestled in the heart of Denton. With the largest wine selection in the city, Hannah’s offers an array of eclectic cuisines and a unique atmosphere. Not only is it a perfect destination for brunch, lunch, or dinner, but the restaurant also offers catering and delivery. ��� W. Mulberry St., (940) 566-���0, www .hannahsoffthesquare.com

Prairie House Restaurant

Enjoy delicious frontier cooking, specializing in steaks and barbeque in a truly Texas-style atmosphere. Open daily �� a.m. to �0 p.m. Hear live music every weekend May through October. Catering, full bar, private party room, and patio dining are also available. The restaurant is conveniently located just a few miles east of Denton. �000� Hwy. 380, (940) 440-9760, www.prairiehouserestaurant.com

Wildwood Inn

The Wildwood Inn is a romantic, European-inspired bed and breakfast with a fine-dining restaurant that is equally idyllic for an intimate table for two or a memorable party. Patio dining is available or during cooler weather ask for a table near our hand-carved fireplace. Our wine list features wines to please the most discriminating palate. Reservations required. Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. 2602 Lillian Miller Pkwy., (940) 243-49�9, www.denton-wildwoodinn.com

The eclectic town hosts an assortment of excellent restaurants. BY MARK STUERTz

modern menu? The GreenHouse Restaurant & Bar grills juicy steaks, meaty pork chops, and rich slabs of salmon over mesquite-fed fires, but that’s not all. “I come from a steakhouse-slash-barbecue background,” says owner Ken Currin. “So I know within families there are people who don’t always want to eat the same thing.”

The GreenHouse blooms with New American cuisine cast in bold Southwestern flavors. Here ,you’ll find grilled chicken baited with mango pico de gallo, tender beef flautas in queso sauce, and crispy-tender fried calamari with sweet-spicy Southwest sauce. You could call it sacrilege, but GreenHouse has a complement of tasty vegetarian dishes too, including avocado tacos and black bean chalupas.

Now that you’re full, it’s time for dessert. The folks at Hannah’s Restaurant, Wine & Martini Bar believe life’s too short, so their meal begins with dessert: an award-winning carrot cake packed with two pounds of carrots under a lustrous sheen of sweet cream cheese frosting.

Located just off Denton’s downtown square, Hannah’s is not the perfect spot for dessert alone, but the capstone of casual fine dining. Savor sweet seared sea scallops with Texas ruby red grapefruit, arugula, and Yukon potato in a sherry Dijon vinaigrette. Relish the creamy white truffle risotto with a thick-cut fried green tomato and smears of smoky tomato coulis. Smack lips over cedar plank salmon marinated in a heady brew of brown sugar, lemon, and Worcestershire sauce served with black pepper gnocchi.

If the inside foodie in you is excited by the French-inspired cuisine at Hannah’s, you’re sure to enjoy Wildwood Inn, another fine-dining Denton establishment.

In the end you’ll find nothing delivers pure Euro-elegance to Denton like the Wildwood Inn. Revel in Wildwood’s French Chateau semblance. It’s a savvy bed and breakfast; a feast for eyes, ears, and appetite. “We specialize in romantic evenings,” says Wildwood’s Becky Bradford. While the rooms coddle with plush featherbeds and fine linens, the richly furnished restaurant eases with a patio that overlooks Wildwood’s garden and pool area.

Under the inspired tutelage of executive chef Pam Chittenden, the Wildwood Inn kitchen offers a serenely exuberant New American menu etched with decisive Mediterranean, Asian, and Southwestern flavors.

Grilled shrimp, quail, and beef nuzzle Romesco sauce and a little risotto. Sample the coffee crusted pork tenderloin swabbed with a cherry port reduction. Close with an airy puff of chocolate soufflé—a perfect Euro-foil and complete journey from those Texas toothpicks you started with on the Prairie.

Mark Stuertz is a James Beard Award-winning Dallas-based food writer.

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ETHNIC

MASTER GRILL CHURRASCARIA BRAzILIAN STEAKHOUSE�800 S. Loop 288(940) 243-�888

YUMMY’S (GREEK)2�0 W. University Dr.(940) 383-244�

STEAKHOUSE

BURGUNDY STEAKS & SEAFOOD222 W. Hickory, Ste. �04(940) 384-�800

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE300 S. I-35E(940) 320-5373

PARKER BROTHERS TRAIL DUST2650� Hwy. 380(940) 365-4440

RANCHMAN’S STEAK HOUSE��0 W. Bailey (Ponder)(940) 479-222�

TEXAS ROADHOUSE28�7 S. I-35E(940) 243-7427

ITALIAN

BARI’S PASTA & PIzzA�407 W. Oak(940) 382-9577

DOUBLE DAVE’S PIzzAWORKS220 W. University Dr.(940) 243-3283

GIUSEPPE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT82� N. Locust(940) 38�-27�2

J&J’S PIzzA-ON- THE-SqUARE��8 W. Oak(940) 382-7769

JOHNNY CARINO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT�5�6 Centre Place Dr.(940) 898-0990

LUIGI’S PIzzA ITALIAN RESTAURANT23�7 W. University Dr. (940) 59�-�988

MILAN PIzzERIA�607 E. McKinney, Ste. 850(940) 387-2000

OLIVE GARDEN2809 S. I-35 E(940) 38�-2549

ROMAN’S PIzzA300� N. Elm St., Ste. 200(940) 484-4000

TINA’S ITALIAN RISTORANTE��25 E. University Dr.(940) 59�-92�2

TJ’S PIzzA, WINGS & THINGS420 S. Carroll(940) 382-8777

MEXICAN

CAFé GARIBALDI�8�3 N. Elm St.(940) 59�-��3�

CASA GALAVIz508 S. Elm St.(940) 387-2675

CHIPOTLE�800 S. Loop 288, Ste. 398(940) 565-0990

EL CHAPARRAL CANTINA & GRILLE2098 W. Hickory(940) 243-�3�3

EL GUAPO’S4�9 S. Elm St.(940) 566-5575

EL MATADOR RESTAURANT720 W. University Dr.(940) 387-��37

EL PARIENTE2532 Louise St.(940) 380-�208

MAzATLAN�928 N. Ruddell(940) 566-�7�8

MI RANCHITO��22 Fort Worth Dr.(940) 38�-��67

ON THE BORDER2829 S. I-35E(940) 566-0399

ASIAN

ANDAMAN THAI RESTAURANT508 S. Elm St.(940) 59�-8790

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO2430 S. I-35E, Ste. �26(940) 383-98�2

CHINATOWN CAFé23�7 W. University Dr. (940) 382-8797

GOLDEN CHINA7�7 I-35E, Ste. �00(940) 566-5588

MR. CHOPSTICKS�633 Scripture(940) 382-5437

ORIENTAL EXPRESS�000 S. Ave. C(940) 383-2098

PEI WEI ASIAN DINER�93� S. Loop 288 (940) 380-9303

RED PEPPER’S RESTAURANT & PUB24�2 S. I-35E(940) 89�-�688

RICEBOXX�400 S. Loop 288(940) 383-8838

ROYAL EAST ASIAN CUISINE�622 W. UniversityDr., Ste. A(940) 383-7633

SIAM HOUSE909 Ave. C(940) 382-5��8

qUICK STIR�633 Scripture(940) 566-567�

SWEETS/DESSERTS

BETH MARIE’S OLD FASHIONED ICE CREAM & SODA FOUNTAIN��7 W. Hickory(940) 384-�8�8

CANDY STORE��0-B W. Oak(940) 382-�00�

COLD STONE CREAMERY�400 S. Loop 288, Ste. �08(940) 387-5800

THE DONUT PALACE2430 I-35E, Ste. �02(940) 89�-0536

RAVELIN BAKERY4�6 S. Elm(940) 382-856�

For a complete list of restaurants visit www.discoverdenton.com

in dentonDINING Your guide to Denton restaurants, coffee houses, bars, and clubs.

COFFEE HOUSES

BANTER2�9 W. Oak(940) 565-�638

JUPITER HOUSE�06 N. Locust(940) 387-7�00

UNCOMMON GROUND COFFEE�40� W. Oak(940) 380-�030

BARS/CLUBS

ANDY’S BAR & GRILL ON THE SqUARE �22 N. Locust. Ste. B(940) 565-5400

COOL BEANS�2�0 W. Hickory(940) 382-7025

DAN’S SILVER LEAF�03 Industrial(940) 320-2000

DUSTY’S BAR & GRILL��9 S. Elm St.(940) 243-7300

FRY STREET TAVERN�2� Ave. A(940) 383-2337

THE GARAGE��3 Ave. A(940) 383-0045

HAILEY’S �22 Mulberry(940) 323-��60

LOOPHOLE COURTHOUSE PUB & GRILL��9 W. Hickory(940) 565-0770

LUCKY LOU’S�207 W. Hickory(940) 484-5550

R BAR827 Eagle Dr.(940) 320-0405

RINGERS807 E. Eagle Dr.(940) 380-0060

RIPROCK’S BAR & GRILL�2�� W. Hickory(940) 382-323�

ROCKIN’ RODEO�009 Ave. C(940) 565-66��

RUBBER GLOVES REHEARSAL STUDIOS4�� E. Sycamore(940) 387-778�

SANDSTORMz BAR AND VOLLEYBALL3520 E. McKinney(940) 483-�300

SUNSET BAR & GRILL809 Sunset(940) 484-4�65

SWEETWATER GRILL & TAVERN��5 S. Elm St.(940) 484-2888

TEXAS JIVE�206 W. Hickory(940) 566-5483

RESTAURANTS

BARBECUE

COLTER’S BBq & GRILL2229 S. I-35E(940) 383-�577

METzLER’S FOOD AND BEVERAGE628 Londonderry(940) 59�-�652

RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE AND BAR-B-q520 S. I-35E(940) 484-7839

SMOKEHOUSE��23 Fort Worth Dr.(940) 566-3073

CAJUN/SEAFOOD

CATFISH KING2220 W. University Dr.(940) 382-5606

FRILLY’S SEAFOOD BAYOU KITCHEN�925 Denison St.(940) 243-2�26

TC’S CATFISH�607 E. McKinney(940) 89�-3663

THREE FINS SEAFOOD GRILL2303 I-35E (940) 898-�404

AMERICAN

BIG TIME BOB’S BURGERS2430 S. I-35E(940) 89�-2627

BOOMERJACK WINGS407 W. University Dr.(940) 566-9464

CENTRAL GRILL�005 Ave. C(940) 323-9464

CHESTNUT TREE�07 W. Hickory(940) 59�-9475

CRACKER BARREL4008 N. I-35E(940) 382-5277

CUPBOARD NATURAL FOODS AND CAFé200 W. Congress(940) 387-5386

DENTON COUNTY INDEPENDENT HAMBURGER CO.��3 W. Hickory(940) 383-�022

DENTON MOVIE TAVERN9�6 W. University Dr.(940) 566-3456

FUDDRUCKERS�732 S. Loop 288 (940) 243-�300

GREENHOUSE RESTAURANT & BAR600 N. Locust(940) 484-�349

HANNAH’S OFF THE SqUARE��� W. Mulberry(940) 566-���0

HOOYA! THE ULTIMATE BURRITO�007 Ave. C(940) 38�-0372

J’S BURGER BARN324 E. McKinney St.(940) 387-9498

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES�07 Ave. A(940) 484-5466

KRYSTAL BURGER�707 S. Loop 288(940) 484-5566

MADISON HOUSE CAFE & TEA ROOM5800 N. I-35, Ste. 307(940) 566-7053

MCALISTER’S�93� S. Loop 288(940) 320-7722

MG’S RESTAURANT & BREWERY30� W. University Dr.(940) 384-��33

NEW YORK SUB-WAY305 W. University Dr.(940) 566-�823

OLD WEST CAFé�020 Dallas Dr.(940) 382-8220

PANERA BREAD COMPANY�60� Brinker Rd., #��7(940) 483-9800

PRAIRIE HOUSE RESTAURANT�000� Hwy. 380 @ Naylor(940) 440-9760

RUBY’S DINER��� N. Elm St.(940) 387-7706

WILDWOOD INN2602 Lillian Miller Pkwy.(940) 243-49�9

WING STOP2430 S. I-35E Ste. �00(940) 483-9464

Around the block, around the clock...it’s happening in

Historic Downtown Denton.

Around the block, around the clock...it’s happening in

Historic Downtown Denton.

Call or log on for more information on dates and details for these events and other fun promotions in downtown.

(940) 349-8529 www.DENTONMAINSTREET.ORG

Upcoming Events: Thursday Twilight Tunes in May and June • Elvis is Rockin’ DowntownDenton in August • Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza in September• Wassail Fest at Holiday Lighting in December

Shopping • Dining • Festivals • Live Music • Performing Arts• Museums • GalleriesThat’s entertainment!

Shopping • Dining • Festivals • Live Music • Performing Arts• Museums • GalleriesThat’s entertainment!

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37

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

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GENERALinformation

www.dentonlive.com

ACCOMMODATIONS

� AMERICAN BEST VALUE

INN & SUITES

820 S. I-35E

(940) 387-059�

2 BEST WESTERN INN & SUITES

29�0 W. University Dr.

(940) 59�-7726,

www.bestwestern.com

3 COMFORT SUITES

��00 I-35E

(940) 898-85�0,

www.comfortsuitesdenton.com

4 DAYS INN

60� N. I-35E

(940) 566-�990,

www.daysinn.com

5 DESERT SANDS MOTOR INN

6�� N. I-35E

(940) 387-6�8�

6 EXEL INN OF DENTON

42�� N. I-35

(940) 383-�47�,

www.exelinns.com

7 FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES

2900 W. University Dr.

(940) 384-�700,

www.marriott.com/DFWDN

8 HAMPTON INN & SUITES

�5�3 Centre Place Dr.

(940) 89�-4900,

www.hamptoninn.com

9 THE HERITAGE INNS

(BED AND BREAKFAST CLUSTER)

8�5 N. Locust St.

(940) 565-64�4,

www.theheritageinns.com

�0 HOLIDAY INN &

CONFERENCE CENTER

�434 Centre Place Dr.

(940) 383-4�00

�� HOWARD JOHNSON EXPRESS INN

3��6 Bandera St.

(940) 383-�68�,

www.hojo.com

�2 LA qUINTA INN

700 Fort Worth Dr.

(940) 387-5840,

www.lq.com

�3 MERITT BOIS-D’-ARC EVENT

CENTER AND HOTEL

2946 Ganzer Road W.

(940) 482-3409

www.mbrevents.com

�4 MOTEL 6

4�25 N. I-35

(940) 566-4798,

www.motel6.com

�5 qUALITY INN AND SUITES

�500 Dallas Dr.

(940) 387-35��,

www.choicehotels.com

�6 RADISSON HOTEL

22�� N. I-35E

(940) 565-8499,

www.radisson.com/dentontx

�7 ROYAL HOTEL SUITES

�2�0 N. I-35E

(940) 383-2007,

www.royalhotelsuites.com

�8 SUPER 8 MOTEL

620 S. I-35E

(940) 380-8888,

www.super8.com

�9 VALUE PLACE INN

4505 N. I-35

(940) 387-3400

20 THE WILDWOOD INN

2602 Lillian Miller Parkway

(940) 243-49�9,

www.denton-wildwoodinn.com

IMPORTANT CONTACTS

2� DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AND DENTON CONVENTION

& VISITOR BUREAU

4�4 Parkway

(940) 382-7895, (888) 38�-�8�8,

www.discoverdenton.com

22 EMILY FOWLER LIBRARY

502 Oakland St.

(940) 349-87�2

23 NORTH BRANCH

CENTRAL LIBRARY

3020 N. Locust St.

(940) 349-8756

24 SOUTH BRANCH LIBRARY

3228 Teasley Ln.

(940) 349-825�

25 CITY HALL

2�5 E. McKinney

(940) 349-8200

MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITS

26 BAYLESS-SELBY HOUSE MUSEUM

3�7 W. Mulberry St.

(940) 349-2865

27 COURTHOUSE-ON-THE-

SqUARE MUSEUM

��0 W. Hickory St.

(940) 349-2850

28 TEXAS FIRST LADIES HISTORIC

COSTUME COLLECTION

Texas Woman’s University

(940) 898-3644

29 HANGAR �0 FLYING MUSEUM

Denton Airport

�945 Matt Wright Ln.

(940) 565-�945

30 THE DENTON COUNTY

HISTORICAL MUSEUM

5800 N. I-35, #308

(940) 380-0877,

www.dentoncountyhistorical

museum.com

3� UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

SKY THEATER PLANETARIUM

UNT Campus

EESAT Building

Hickory @ Avenue C

(940) 369-82�3,

www.skytheater.unt.edu

32 DENTON FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM

332 E. Hickory St.

(940) 349-8840

PERFORMING ARTS

33 THE CAMPUS THEATRE /

DENTON COMMUNITY THEATRE

2�4 W. Hickory St.

(940) 382-70�4

34 MARGO JONES

PERFORMANCE HALL

Texas Woman’s University

(940) 898-2500

35 MURCHISON PERFORMING

ARTS CENTER

University of North Texas

(940) 565-4647

36 REDBUD THEATRE

Texas Woman’s University

(940) 898-2020

37 STUDIO AND UNIVERSITY THEATRES

University of North Texas

(940) 565-2428

38 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE THEATRE

University of North Texas

(940) 565-22��

ATTRACTIONS

39 CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS

400 E. Hickory

(940) 382-2787

40 THE GREENBELT

Located off US 380

and FM 428

(940) 686-2�48

4� WATER WORKS AND SKATE WORKS

Loop 288 at Sherman Dr.

(940) 349-8800

For public art, horse country, or historic

self-guided tours, check with the

Convention and Visitor Bureau.

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153 Deluxe Guest Rooms, including 24 suites 4,500 Square Feet of

Meeting and Banquet Space Restaurant, Lounge, Indoor pool, and fitness center

1434 Centre Place Drive Denton, Texas 76205

940-383-4100 • FAX 940-383-4110 • www.holidayinn.com/dentontx

153 Deluxe Guest Rooms, including 24 suites 4,500 Square Feet of

Meeting and Banquet Space Restaurant, Lounge, Indoor pool, and fitness center

1434 Centre Place Drive Denton, Texas 76205

940-383-4100 • FAX 940-383-4110 • www.holidayinn.com/dentontx

(940) 898-8510www.csdentontx.com

1100 I-35E North • Denton, TX 76201

(940) 898-8510www.csdentontx.com

1100 I-35E North • Denton, TX 76201

• Coming from Dallas, Exit 466A/ McCormack St.• From Oklahoma, Take 35E, Exit 465B & Make a U-Turn• University of North Texas is Less Than 1/2 Mile

AAA/ AARP Approved

S P E C I A L S

Now you can adjust the firmnessand comfort of your mattress, withthe Sleep Number bed, exclusively atRadisson Hotels & Resorts.

On UNT campus at North Texas Blvd. • Radisson Hotel Denton2211 North I-35 E Exit 466-B, Denton, TX • 940-565-8499www.radisson.com/dentontx • 800-333-3333

*Rates from $79.00 based upon availability. Check our website for specials.

$79*

32 www.dentonlive.com

“Mean” Joe Greene

To initiate a turn-about in the failing Pittsburgh Steelers franchise, then-coach Chuck Noll bypassed more recognizable

talent from heavyweight college programs, drafting instead a relative unknown from an obscure college

in Denton, Texas. Back then he was known

simply as Joe Greene, a defensive lineman selected in the

first round of the �969 draft from North Texas State University (known today as the University

of North Texas). All grousing over the controversial choice soon vanished as Greene began collecting

honors and Super Bowl rings, ensconcing himself in the American sports lexicon as “Mean” Joe Greene.

Longtime club president and now owner (since �988) Dan Rooney calls Greene the all-time greatest Steeler. He was utterly indomitable, passionate to a fault, the linchpin of perhaps the most ornery NFL defense ever. The “Steel Curtain” emerged as the �970s gold standard of professional defenses, grinding up opponents en route to four Super Bowl wins.

The powerful lineman was voted into �0 Pro Bowls during a �3-year NFL career, which included NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in �972 and �974.

Bill Mercer, the former longtime voice of UNT sports, called Greene the most famous athlete to

come out of Denton. “He wasn’t as big as some of the guys who play today,” Mercer says. “But he was so blasted quick. They could put two guys on him, and he’d still manage to make plays.”

Greene, 6�, who now lives in nearby Flower Mound, spent �6 years as an NFL assistant coach after his playing days. Today he scouts for the Steelers,

evaluating teams before they face Pittsburgh.Oddly enough, the “Mean Joe” legend, shaped largely

by brute force, was later fortified by a historically sweet TV moment. Coca-Cola’s heartwarming spot from �980—which ends with a limping Greene tossing his jersey to a wide-eyed kid, who, responds, “Wow! Thanks, Mean Joe!”—once finished atop a

USAToday.com online poll of all-time best Super Bowl commercials.

Denton, Texas: Known as “Mean Joe” throughout his ca-

reer, Charles Edward Greene, standout defensive tackle

for the North Texas State University Eagles, displays his

defensive skills at Fouts Field in Denton, Texas. Greene

played for UNT from �966-68. The Eagles later be-

came known as the “Mean Green,” an alternate

nickname brought about by Mean Joe’s legacy

and the school colors.

Pittsburgh’s most famous Steeler started as UNT’s most versatile defensive player.

[ BY STEVE DAVIS ]

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Denton Convention & Visitor Bureau • 414 W. Parkway • Denton, TX 76201 • (940) 382-7895

August 15-23, 2008North Texas State Fair

World championship rodeo,concerts featuring some of

today’s hottest music stars,

carnival rides and games,

fi ddling contest, petting zoos

and barbecue cook-offs.

September 13, 2008Arts, Antiques &

Autos Extravaganza

This festival is like three eventsin one. Hot rods, classic

and custom cars lining theCourthouse Square, antique

appraisals and dealers,juried art show and

strolling entertainment.

September 20, 2008Denton Blues Fest

This all day festival is a worthyblues gathering. The event hosts

well-known national artistsplus popular local acts

Other features include foodand beverages, arts and crafts.

December 4, 2008Holiday Lighting Festival

of Denton

Held on the Courthouse Square, this festival includes lighting of

Christmas Tree, visits with Santa, children’s arts and crafts area,and Grammy award winning nuclear-polka band BraveCombo, a holiday kick-off

tradition in downtown Denton.

For detailed information on all events visit

Other events you won’t want to miss!September 26, 2008

FIESTA-ON-THE-SQUARE

October 30-November 2NASCAR EVENT

NEXTEL CUP AND BUSCH SERIES

November 25, 2008“ONE O’CLOCK” LAB BAND

FALL CONCERT

August 29-September 1, 2008Thin Line Film Festival

This festival is an all-documentary fi lm festivalfeaturing only fi lms that contain real people, real places, and real stories. It is competitive and thefi rst festival of its kind in the state of Texas.

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VALENTINE’S DAYF E B R U A R Y 1 4

Don’t forget to show your LOVE

and APPRECIATION.

Bring your mall-purchased items to Guest

Services, in Center Court, for convenient

and inexpensive gift wrapping!

Must provide store receipts.

Limited to 3 items.

The PERFECT Last-Minute Gift

Golden Triangle Mall makes lastminute shopping a breeze.

Golden Triangle Mall Gift Cards meets ALL YOUR NEEDS and are redeemable at most stores and restaurants throughout the mall and they are available at Customer Service during all mall hours.

HAPPY EASTERM a r c h 1 - 2 2

Visit and take photos with the Easter Bunny

located in the Dillard’s wing

BUNNY BREAKFASTM a r c h 1 5 — 9 a . m .

RSVP to attend. Snack, beverage and

tons of FUN provided!

HAPPYMOTHER’S DAY

S u n d a y , M a y 1 1 t h

Thank MOM for all she’s done for you

and always being there!

Bring your mall-purchased items to Guest

Services, in Center Court, for convenient,

inexpensive gift wrapping!

Must provide store receipts.

(940) 566-6024

wwwshopgoldentriangle.com