Tei-An Receives Five Glowing Stars

Yesteday, Leslie Brenner, The Dallas Morning News food critic gave a glowing review + 5 star rating to our beloved Japanese restaurant, Tei-An! We're thrilled and excited as this isn't easily obtained. I've raved about this place since it opened. Dallas is so lucky to have this establishment, as it's one of the few places in the entire US of A that provides delicious, daily, hand-made soba noodles - a common Japanese favorite. And now that it's nippy outside there's nothing more delicious than a hot bowl of delicious soba (curry being my personal favorite). So log onto www.ArtsPlazaEvents.com to make your reservation today. Domo arigato Leslie.

Tonight - Arts District Tree Lighting

Today the Arts District is celebrating the holidays with day-long activites suitable for the entire family at the museums and AT&T Performing Arts Center. In the evening there will be free outdoor holiday performances and a spectacular tree lighting ceremony at 6 pm (followed by the opening night of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas musical). For a detailed list of activities and more information click here.

Jorge's Cazadores Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Margarita

Jorge's Tex-Mex Cafe just created a new holiday cocktail: Cazadores Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Margarita. It was also just featured this week in "The 12 Drinks of Christmas MetroMix" post. Click here to check it out.

Here's the recipe for you to whip some up for those holiday parties:

Pour into shaker with ice: 1 ounce Cazadores Reposado Tequila, 1/2 ounce of Pumpkin Spice Batoni Italian Liquor, 1/2 ounce Grand Mariner, a sprinkle of Splenda, a dash fresh squeezed lime juice (one wedge). Shake shaker vigorously, pour into short stem Martini glass...garnish with half salted rim, a lime wedge and a cinnamon stick..and voila!

Live Holiday Music In Our Lobby This Week Only

So TO-DAY is the first day of December. It's gettin chilly outside, sparkling lights are going up and holiday music is permeating our surroundings to get us in the right mood for the holiday season. And One Arts Plaza, along with WRR, is pitching in for the holiday spirit. One of the most beatuiful things to listen to is a live chorus and we are offering it several times this week for our lunchtime crowd. From 12:45 pm - 1:00 pm on Wednesday and Friday we will have a live chorus singing in our commercial lobby. Surprisingly, the acoustics are perfect for this use...it almost sounds like an urban cathedral. Check out the video to hear the performance from this past Monday afternoon. Join us in the sun-filled lobby with fresh bright red poinsettas and a very tall Santa, to get you in the holiday spirit.

FREE Holiday Performance Today in Lobby - Arts District Chorale

Want to get in the holiday spirit? Join us today in our commercial lobby from 12:45 pm - 1:00 pm for a free choir performance by the Arts District Chorale. Afterwards stick around and grab some lunch at any of our four delicious plaza restaurants. Both Screen Door and Jorge's are also offering some yummy lunch-on-the-go on their food carts. There's even some sunshine and weather looks nice enough to sit outside.

Arts District Public Forum - Today at D!

Today, at 5:30 pm, D Magazine is hosting a public forum on the Arts District at the D Magazine offices, 750 N. St. Paul St., Suite 2100. Speakers will include Dallas Arts District executive director Veletta Lill, TITAS artistic director Charles Santos, AT&T Performing Arts Center board member Deedie Rose, and urban planner and writer Patrick Kennedy. Everyone is invited to join the conversation about the vital part of our city and cultural life. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Fall Block Party - today!

Come on out now from 11 am - 3 pm to enjoy all of the culinary fall delights. We have a chef cook-off at NOON & a bartender mix-off at 1:30 pm. All restaurants are offering free samples + each has a food cart offering cooking demos + selling delicious items including bbq pulled pork sandwiches, bacon flavored cotton candy (huh?), pork dumplings, shiitake, truffled fried rice (yum), mini tacos, pizza, pici pasta and more. All of Flora Street is celebrating Art in October and also be sure to check out the entertainment and food carts b/w Olive & Pearl. This portion of the street is blocked off and features about 5+ food carts, plus all museums are open and free. Click here to check out our feature on Channel 8's Good Morning Texas Friday morning. Hunter Sullivan will be performing live on the plaza at 3:30. For more details and timelines click on http://www.oneartsplaza.com/.

Cadillac's Test Drives at Fall Block Party - this Sunday

This Sunday is our 2nd Block Party where we close off our plaza for pedestiran-only traffic and set up a myriad of vendors including dairy products, fresh vegetables, breads, chocolates and more. Since it's Halloween we'll have face painters for the kids, a balloon artist as well as floral vendors, artists selling their unique goods and live music including the famous and fabulous Hunter Sullivan jazz band. This is one of THE best weather months in Dallas and One Arts is a fabulous place to spend an afternoon in the sun relaxing on our patios surrounding the dynamic fountains. Our four restaurants will be hosting cooking demos with free samples as well as food carts selling all sorts of Fall goodness. Plus, Cadillac will be featuring several of their luxurious vehicles with specialists on hand to answer questions and offer free test drives! It's a big day in the Arts District so come join us for an afternoon of Halloween treats! Click here for a full schedule of events.

Scotch & Cigars at Screen Door

Join Chef David McMillan & the Masters from "The Macallan" at Screen Door tomorrow night, Oct. 21, 5-9 pm for an evening of great scotch & cigars. The weather is great, so come by for a casual night of informal tasting featuring great food & scotch. The food pairing includes grilled quail, scotch, truffle & cream, smoked short rib, celery root & black salt, pumpking spice cake & scotch syrup. A complimentary cigar is even included or you're welcome to bring your own. The price is $45 per peron. So if you're swinging by give them a call at 214-270-9111 or visit www.ScreeenDoorDallas.com.

Fall Block Party - Oct 31

Sorry guys, we've been absent a while but we're back & psyched with this ah-mazing Fall weather! Our patios are full of people sitting back, relaxing, enjoying the sunshine and fountains and cool breeze. We've got live music now every Thurs - Sat evening (7-10 pm) for the rest of October and throughout November and we'll pick a few dates in December depending on weather.

Okay, so mark your calendars for our second Fall Block Party on Halloween, from 11 am - 3 pm. We'll have the plaza closed off for pedestrian use only (love since hardly anywhere in Dallas do you find this), some live music, farmers market vendors, artists, cooking demos and this time we're spicing it up with a CHEF COOK OFF at noon and then a BARTENDER MIX OFF at 1:30 pm. We'll have a panel of judges but everyone will also be availble to try samples and vote. It's FREE (restaurants of course will be selling food as well) and it's in the beautiful Arts District which will also be full of life with events taking place at each of the major institutions (face painting, choir sing-offs, live outdoor performances, food carts, oragami making, films, + more). Oh, and Hunter Sullivan will be performing live at 3:30 pm. So come out and join us on Sunday, Oct. 31.

PaperCity Photo Shoot - September Issue

Here's a sneak peak of a fun photoshoot we did a few weeks ago. We gathered several agents on the pool rooftop of One Arts Plaza for an ad we're working on in the upcoming September issue. It was a perfect summer evening with a soft warm breeze (luckily the sizzling heat had died down - whew) and the sun had just set over the horizon leaving behind soft hues of blues, greys and soft pinks. We had cocktails and bites and lots of fun getting everyone balanced in just the right spot. So keep an eye out for the the full page photo ad in a few weeks and let us know what you think!

4th of July Lakewood Parade

Last month, for 4th of July, our Art Cart partook in the annual 4th of July Lakewood Parade. We teamed up with The Children's Center of Dallas and some of their kids. Wanted to share these cute pictures with all of you.

July 29 - Screen Door Bourbon Tasting

If you like bourbon, cigars and good southern food then you're in for a real treat. On Thursday Screen Door is offering an evening of genteel sophistication and civility with this special tasting. Chef David McMillan & Bourbon Ambassador Greg Stowell from Sazerac will talk about the featured bourbons including Blanton's Single Barrell, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare 10 year, Weller and Sazerac Rye 6 year plus a couple of rare bottles. The menu will feature venison tartar with Texas toast, BBQ brisket with blue grits & blue cheese & chocolate red chili cake with bacon caramel. A complimentary cigar is included in this southern affair.

Cost is $40 per person.

Please call to reserve your seat at 214-720-9111 or visit www.screendoordallas.com.

"If I cannot drink bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven than I shall not go." - Mark Twain

Summer Block Party Tonight

Come out tonight to the Arts District's summertime celebration featuring the DMA's Late Night, the 'til Midnight at the Nasher and the Crow's Collection After Dark events. The evening will be filled with all sorts of fabulous fun for kiddos + adults alike. Outdoor activies are free and indoor activies are covered by general admission. The west end of Flora will be blocked off and there will be food vendors including delicious, fresh popsicles from local vendor Frutitas, yummy cupcakes from one of One Arts Plaza retailers (to open early July) Dimples Cupcakes, and more. You can park at One Arts Plaza and hop on the Art Cart for free. Also, if you bring your DMA or Nasher ticket stub and dine at any of our five restaurants, you'll get 10% off your meal. For more information and prices click here.

June 19th - 5th Annual Grill Daddy at Screen Door

Just in time to fire up the grills for summer. Screen Door is offering the "5th Annual Grill Daddy" outdoor grilling class on Saturday, June 19th from 1-4 pm at One Arts Plaza.

You'll learn to cook grilled oysters with horseradish, butter & lime, homemade grilled venison sausage & barebecued onion mustard, triple "B"-blue grits, blue cheese & brisket plus more. Delicious mouth-watering southern summer recipes. The Screen Door BBQ crew will send you home with recipes you can enjoy in your own backyard shindigs this summer. All you need to do is arrive hungry to enjoy the afternoon filled with eating & drinking.

Cost if $75 per person & space is limited to 60. It's always a sell-out so reserve your spot now by calling 214-720-9111 or visit http://www.screendoordallas.com/.

Somewhere Over The ....

So April showers bring May flowers. And May showers bring...rainbows? I think so. Take a look at this magnificent, high-arching, double rainbow that sprung from some pots of gold in east Dallas a few weeks ago. I love how the foreground is dark and the sun is beaming down on One Arts Plaza. Looking at rainbows always takes a bit of my breath away. So lovely.

Mother's Day Brunch at One Arts Plaza

I loved this vintage Mother's Day stamp collection. It's fun + happy and hope you enjoy it too.

Well if you haven't already made your brunch reservations for this Sunday to honor your mom, wife, sister or whomever that special mother may be, take a look at our brunch specials & make your reservations on www.ArtsDistrictDining.com

DALI - 3-course brunch from 11 am - 2:30 pm that includes a complimentary glass of champagne.
$38 pp, $19 children 6-12, free for children 5 & under

FEDORA - All you can eat brunch from 11 am - 2:30 pm that includes Italian specialties and bottomless Mimosas & Bloody Mary's for $10.
$25 pp, $12 children 6-12, free for children 5 & under

JORGE'S - Regular brunch, lunch & dinner menus + select chef specials that mom will love. They'll also have live Latin jazz on tha patio from 12 - 3 pm and a complimentary rose for mothers. Prices vary but there will be a special kids menu + 6 bottomless Mimosas.

SCREEN DOOR -3-course unique menu for both adults + children. 11 am - 3 pm. Includes complimentary Mimosas, glass of Champagne or a Ginger Lime Champagne cocktail.
$37 pp, $12 for children 12 & under

TEI-AN - Offering their regular Sunday menu + brunch from 11:30 am - 2 pm. Cool thing is that they will host the Japanes floral designer Kei Kamesawa who will be selling beautiful floral arrangements on their patio.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Jorge's

Come on down to Jorge's at One Arts Plaza today to celebrate this Mexican holiday honoring their defeat of the French army in 1862. It's a gorgeous day outside so come enjoy our patio with sips and bites and take in the sun, fountains and live music. Jorge's is getting an early start (12 noon to be exact) on happy hour with $6 Margaritas, $5 house wine + well drinks, $4 imported beer + $3 domestic beers & $5 Don Jorge's Mexican Martini's all day. From 6-7 pm they'll even be offering complimentary mini tacos + Tequilla samples sponsored by Don Julio & Jose Cuervo. To spice up the festivities even more, there will be a live, colorful performance by the Anita Martinez Ballet Folklorico dancers on their patio. Viva Mexico!

Renee Rouleau Skin Spa Tips

If you haven't already been you really should treat yourself to a facial at Renee Rouleau skin spa located at One Arts Plaza. I know sometimes it's difficult to find the time to pamper ourselves but let me tell you, it's one of THE best things I've done for myself. Besides the fact that it has so many physical and mental benefits, it's just something we all deserve. After I left my first session for an hour facial, I felt as though I had been at the spa for half a day...absolute bliss.

Here are a few "Spring Cleaning" tips:

-Spring clean your pores with a professional facial & apply a serum to your skin

-Lighten up your moisturizer to allow your skin to breathe

-Don't neglect your neck & exfoliate with a facial scrub

-Brighten up your skin with moisturizers & serums that have vitamin C & Bilberry Extract

-Wear sunscreen daily

-Out with the old, in with the new - treat yourself with an intense exfoliation & chemical peel

-Clean out & donate skin or beauty products you haven't used in over a year - women's shelters such as The Family Place are a great spot to start

Spring Block Party - this Sunday

Come join us this Sunday at One Arts Plaza in the Arts District for a fun-filled afternoon with free cooking + cocktail demos, live music, and fun under the sun. All five of our restaurants will have tables + grills set up on their respective patios offering food samples and classes on a variety of recipies including how to prepare pulled pork bbq, mouth-watering brisket tacos, Splenditas + more. We'll also have cheese + wine samplings & you can even watch some fire-breathing bartenders at Fedora (mama mia)! Tei-An has flown in 600 Unagi fresh-water eel to grill (can you believe?). So come by solo or with friends or with your dogs and enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon on our plaza. For more detailed information click here.