Archive for March, 2012

« Older Entries

Commercials: the Actor’s Resume Builder

Posted by    |    March 29th, 2012 at 6:33 pm

Watching television is like playing a game of Memory: where have I seen this character before? I’m a fan of utilizing context-dependent memory, so as long as an actor or actress has appeared on my television screen at a single point in time, I can place which other shows, movies and/or commercials the agency-represented talent has graced with his or her acting ability.

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend where both current and syndicated television stars are advertising products to me, chewing gum to insurance, and instead of making me want to purchase the products they so seductively offer, I just want to see them have more guest appearances on my favorite NBC shows.

First up is Mark Saul, the adorably nerdy guy from 90′s-cult hit All That. He won audiences over during this year’s Super Bowl spot, Jack in the Box ‘Marry Bacon’. He also appears in the Mentos UP2U gum commercial where he has a run-in with a tiger. For some reason I think he’s super cute. Am I alone here? (more…)

Posted in Television | 1 Comment »

Happy First Birthday Celebration for Legoland Discovery Center!

Posted by    |    March 28th, 2012 at 7:44 am

Guests are invited to join LEGOLAND Discovery Center (LDC) to celebrate their first anniversary on Friday, March 30 beginning at 10 a.m. with a special birthday party. Activities include fun birthday themed LEGO creations including a cupcake, Happy Birthday sign and present. At 1 p.m. guests will enjoy cupcakes from a giant cupcake tower in the LDC Café (while supplies last).

LEGOLAND Discovery Center wants to share the fun with those who also have a March 30th birthday. Just show a valid form of identification with your birth date and you’ll get in free that day. It’s our birthday gift to you!

In addition, anyone who joins as a new annual pass holder on March 30 will receive a discounted rate of $45 and any annual pass holder renewals will receive a special $40 price.

 

Tags:
Posted in Events, Museums | No Comments »

YouPlusDallas Photo Gallery: FUN.

Posted by    |    March 22nd, 2012 at 2:46 pm

YouPLusDallas covered FUN. at the House of Blues. 3.21.12

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Events, House of Blues Dallas, Music, Photos | No Comments »

A Look At St. Patrick’s Day

Posted by    |    March 19th, 2012 at 8:16 pm

If you live in Dallas, and you were in town on Saturday, you were probably out celebrating the glorious 17th of March. Here are a couple photos that pretty much sum up the raging, bright green festivities that took place at the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

(more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Holiday, Over the Weekend | No Comments »

Take our survey and win $100!

Posted by    |    March 16th, 2012 at 5:20 am

ArtBabble is doing a little soul searching, and we want to know what you think, too!

Help us improve ArtBabble by answering a 3 minute user survey at the end of your visit. In exchange for your participation, your email address will be entered in a drawing to win $100!

read more

Posted in Events | No Comments »

Getting to Know Landman-Slash-Musician, Albert Aguilar. Yeah, You Heard Me Correctly.

Posted by    |    March 15th, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Oklahoma City oil and gas man Albert Aguilar is the most atypical musician I’ve ever interviewed. The earth’s natural elements fuel his paycheck; music is more of a hobby for him, despite his EP and upcoming album that would suggest otherwise. I spoke with Aguilar in Dallas late last year during his first national tour alongside British artist Lee MacDougall. We sit down in the green room of Poor David’s (which I always want to call ‘Poor Richard’s’, but that’s a side effect of me being a junkie for The Office) where he hands me a Miller Light. As I set the beer down on the counter, his tour manager enters the sullen room and tries to pay Aguilar the earnings from his performance, but he refuses to accept the cash.

The tour manager places the green in Aguilar’s hand, before being chased down by the musician who tries to shove the money down the manager’s bowling shirt.  Muffled, argumentative voices are overheard for a good two minutes as I begin to laugh into my tape recorder. He’s the only musician that I have ever seen refuse money.

“I feel bad, there are a lot of struggling musicians out there. Me, yeah I get paid for [performing], but…” he tells me, his eyes resting on the ground. Aguilar’s day job provides him with something few musicians have: peace of mind and a reconciled checking account. The money doesn’t matter to him. “Yeah, I just like to play,” he confesses.

The men finally settle on an amount of money that Aguilar is comfortable accepting, and he sits down to continue our interview.

Aguilar describes his music as “real and honest.” Says the musican, “I honestly feel like I have something to offer if you really want to listen.” Also, can we talk about how pretty he is? Because, damn. (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Music | No Comments »

SXSW Music Festival: Now & Then

Posted by    |    March 13th, 2012 at 11:14 am

The aesthetics in Austin are quickly changing. Clean cut technophiles who previously roamed the Austin Convention Center whispering ideas about the iPhone 5 and swearing that Google+ actually does have a purpose are disappearing; in their place, music enthusiasts with faux-hawks and skinny jeans wander 6th street, their ears open, trying to discover a new favorite band. The SXSW Music Festival has begun.

This time last year, we really started to get to know the Dallas music scene as we interviewed local bands The O’s, The Orbans, Smile Smile and more. We carried our video equipment all over Austin, interviewing these musicians who so willingly let us stick a camera in their faces and ask them questions about their bands. I’m feeling nostalgic, so, please just watch our videos from SXSW 2011 while I go find a kleenex.

Here’s where you can catch The O’s in Austin during SXSW 2012:

3.14.12 St. David’s Church SXSW Official Showcase

3.15.12 Opal Devine’s – Lagunita’s Sonoma Sound Showcase

3.16.12 -Maria’s Taco Express (Sin City Social Club Party)
(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Music, SXSW Dallas Style | No Comments »

Grapevine Mills Kick-off Spring Break With Fun Activities

Posted by    |    March 12th, 2012 at 3:47 pm

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is hosting “Spring Brick” featuring exciting themed builds, such as favorite sports and flowers, each day during spring break week. On Saturday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Grapevine Mills Food Court the Junior Construction Panel competition kicks off and the winners will work in private events with the LDC model builder team throughout the 2012 year!

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Spring Break Hours: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. – last admission 2 hours prior to closing; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. – last admission at 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. – last admission at 4 p.m.

SEA LIFE Grapevine will celebrate Pirates Weekend on Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18 where guests are encouraged to dress up as their best pirate and use quiz trail cards to search for treasure answers throughout the attraction. The SEA LIFE gift shop is also full of pirate loot for purchase, including pirate swords, pirate figures, skull pencil toppers and pirate ships.

SEA LIFE Grapevine Spring Break Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. – last admission two hours before; Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – last admission two hours before.

 

Tags: ,
Posted in Events, Museums | No Comments »

Get Sucked Into Octopus Garden At Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium

Posted by    |    March 11th, 2012 at 3:34 pm

Octopus Garden, a new innovative attraction opening April 4 at SEA LIFE™ Grapevine Aquarium, introduces families to the amazing world of cephalopods. From octopus and cuttlefish to nautilus, these distinctive creatures have almost supernatural abilities including camouflage, ink clouds and jet propulsion. Octopus Garden includes hands-on activities demonstrating some of the unique skills belonging to cephalopods.

“We are thrilled to show visitors how strangely beautiful these creatures are,” said Iain Scouller, General Manager of SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center. “Octopus Garden will educate guests about these unique creatures in a fun and interactive environment as only SEA LIFE can do.”

With five new display tanks, the exhibit features a Giant Pacific Octopus, Zebra Octopus, Pharaoh Cuttlefish and Chambered Nautilus. Octopus Garden also includes: a hide-and-seek octopus game, an octopus memory quiz, octopus maze activity and two new educational presentations.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Events, Museums | No Comments »

O’Brother to Perform at Bryan Street Tavern This Saturday, Interview with Lead Singer Tanner Merritt

Posted by    |    March 9th, 2012 at 6:13 pm

It’s FINALLY March, and March brings the winds of musical change to the Dallas area, as our venues begin to flood with the sweet sounds of talented and buzzworthy artists. Atlanta, Georgia band O’Brother is bringing their ambient sound to Dallas tomorrow, Saturday March 10th, as they tour in in support of their debut album, Beneath Your Garden Window. I caught up with lead singer and guitarist Tanner Merritt discuss relevant music topics, such as ice cream.

For your debut record, Beneath Your Garden Window, which song was the most challenging to record?

The last song, it’s called “Last Breath.” We recorded it, and we rearranged it; scrapped a pretty good part of it several times…just the labor of love, I guess. We just wanted to make it work and finally we got it to the point where we were happy with it.

If you were describing your sound to an unfamiliar ear, what would you say about O’Brother?

It’s loud and aggressive at times, but pretty and ambient and at other times. It’s kind of diverse.

The Wall Street Journal said, “Garden Window is an album that works, not only as a recording, but as an enticement to see the band in concert.” How did that make you feel? Is the publication correct?

I think we always aspire to be a better live band and we work really hard on making the songs translate well. We put a lot into the performance. I think we always want to remain predominately a live band because that’s really important to us

I agree – especially since, as a musician – most of your revenue is generated from people coming to see the live music experience.

Yes – almost all of it! (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Backstage with YouPlusDallas, Music | No Comments »

« Older Entries