Lower Oak Lawn

There’s plenty of fresh, new art coming to Dallas this Saturday! Here’s what you have to look forward to on Dragon and nearby streets between 5 and 10 p.m.:

“From the Back Room” at PDNB Gallery, 1202 Dragon St., 5-8 p.m.

“Dream Continuum” at Circuit12 Contemporary, 1130 Dragon St. Suite 150, 6-10 p.m.

“Nick Barby: Proclamation” at Plush Gallery, 918 Dragon St., 5-9 p.m.

“Wanderlust” at Samuel Lynne Galleries, 1105 Dragon St., 5-9 p.m.

“2012 Group Show” at Craighead Green Gallery, 1011 Dragon St., 5-8 p.m.

“Asian Invasion” at Galerie Urbane, 2277 Monitor St., 5-8 p.m.

“hinterland” at Cris Worley Fine Arts, 2277 Monitor St., 5:30-8:30 p.m.

“Spring Forward” at Mary Tomas Gallery, 1110 Dragon St., 6-9 p.m.

“Blair Blayre” at Cohn Drennan Contemporary, 1107 Dragon St., 6-8 p.m.

Johnny Robertson, Catherine Colangelo & C. Meng at Conduit Gallery, 1626 C Hi Line Dr., 6-8 p.m.

“Linear Landscapes” at Holly Johnson Gallery, 1411 Dragon St., 6-8 p.m.

“Wayne White: I Say A  Lot of Things” at Marty Walker Gallery, 2135 Farrington St., 5-8 p.m.

On Thursday, March 29, the long-awaited Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge will partially open to traffic. According to WFAA, the bridge will open in these initial phases:

1. Eastbound Singleton Boulevard to Woodall Rodgers Freeway or Interstate 35E northbound.
2. Westbound Woodall Rodgers to Beckley Avenue or Singleton Boulevard.
3. Southbound I-35E to westbound Singleton or Beckley.
4. Southbound Riverfront Boulevard to Singleton or Beckley.

The directions eastbound from the bridge to Riverfront Blvd. and westbound to Woodall Rodgers from Riverfront will open at a later, unspecified date due to construction delays.

What better way to kick off the week than with two promising job opportunities? I’ve recently received an influx of emails from qualified job seekers, so I’m sure these spots will go quickly. Send in your resumes and put your best foot forward!

Also, don’t forget to submit your LOL job board success stories to me at kendall@loweroaklawn.com!

Luxury Furniture Sales Representative, Baker Furniture 

Baker Furniture is a proud member of the Kohler Interiors family. As a Luxury Furniture Sales Representative, this is your unique opportunity to set your mark and live on the leading edge. The Luxury Furniture Sales Representative has the primary responsibility to maximize sales volume by growing existing business, developing new business and providing the best possible customer service while enhancing Baker’s and Kohler’s mission to offer the highest quality and service standards in the industry.

Job Responsibilities

• Assist all customers as called in rotation.
• Create and maintain quotations for customers who come into the Showroom or who call for information.
• Follow up on all quotations within one week and on a weekly basis.
• Inform customers of price increases two weeks prior to the increase occurring. Inform customers of discontinued product, extended lead times, etc.
• Provide customers with product information.
• Assist the designer’s client when the designer is unavailable.
• Assist end users when available or when requested by the manager.
• Maintain professional courtesy with associates and customers at all times.
• Monitor all open orders from placement to delivery.
• Once the product is shipped, contact customers to ensure the product and the service are acceptable.
• Maintain updated customer information including contact data, special interests, etc.
• Maintain knowledge of all vendor products, pricing, options, finishes, details, etc. Maintain thorough, up-to-date knowledge of all products, pricing and local competition. (more…)

Fusion Fitness, Lander Peerman’s class-centered exercise studio, is now open in Suite 19 of Trinity Loft, 1403 Slocum Street.

Her unique fitness approach combines fast-paced cardio, resistance strength training and pilates to burn, tighten and elongate. All of Peerman’s classes are limited to 15 people and last 60 minutes — you can sign up for a space in class online beforehand. Classes alternate daily, with names like “Motivating Monday,” “Tight Tush Tuesday,” “Fit and FABulous Friday,” and “Sweat and Stretch Saturday.”

And, from now until April 6th, DailyCandy is offering 50% off your monthly membership ($75 as opposed to $150). Even if you miss the deal, you can still get the “Design District” discount if you live or work in the Design District, and a one-week trial is only $20. Peerman also offers private training sessions and small group training.

Either way, your first class is free, so there’s no excuse not to try it! Check out the class schedule to sign up.

Yes, the Trinity Strand Trail already went out to the City of Dallas for construction bids last July.

But, they withdrew that bid to add half a mile to the construction plans, a move that will save the project money in the long run. Here’s the official update from the Trinity Strand’s website:

“The construction contract for Phase 1 of the trail will soon go out to bid. For those of you who have been following us, you will recall that the project already went out to bid. However, that bid has been withdrawn and we are adding an additional 1/2 mile to the new construction bid. Phase 1 now includes 2.2 miles of concrete trail along the old river channel from the intersection of Oak Lawn/Stemmons to Farrington Street. This is very good news!

Each piece of property of Phase 1 has been generously donated to the City by area landowners, and we hope to begin construction in fall 2012. We will continue to update you on our progress, so check back occasionally for status updates!”

I come from a back porch kind of family. The back porch and back yard of my home growing up was our family’s most utilized space. It served as a dining room, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Okay, well the yard was a bathroom only for our dog Chica, but still, my point is that our back porch was more than a back porch –  it was an outdoor room.

The concept of an “outdoor room” has really taken hold in the past few years as more homeowners invest in their outdoor areas, creating spaces for entertaining, cooking, relaxing and family fun, year-round. HGTV has dedicated an entire show to this topic. Get Out, Way Out  focuses on making over homeowners’ outdoor spaces into incredible living areas. (more…)

Beacon Hill’s new Outdoor Ikats collection caught my attention in more ways than one. The updated ikat intrigued me (tribal prints are so á la mode right now) and the cool colors (even Kate Middleton is sporting these hot hues!) won me over.

I just adore Beacon Hill’s contemporary take on the ikat pattern. Ikat is an Indonesian word that translates as “knot” or “to tie” and refers to the dye pattern on fabric. Beacon Hill’s ikat, inspired by original ikat silks from Uzbekistan, is unlike any I’ve seen. Their print takes the traditional ikat dying technique and weaves it into an updated striped pattern.

“Ikats are distinctive design motifs, and this collection celebrates their unique contours in outdoor constructions,” says Alexis Audette, operating vice president of design for Beacon Hill.

In addition to an on trend print, Beacon Hill nailed it with their colorways. Coral is everywhere this spring. The color has been particularly noticeable in fashion’s big spring look: colored jeans. Lauren Conrad pairs her coral colored skinnies with a crisp white top in her collection for Kohls, while the ever stylish Kate Middleton jazzes up her J Brand denim with a preppy navy blazer.

In addition to being stylish, Beacon Hill’s new collection is sturdy, durable and easy-to-maintain. All Beacon Hill Outdoor Ikats are woven with Sunbrella yarns, giving them easy cleanability and a sturdy construction.

Though intended for outdoor use, the soft and supple feel of the Outdoor Ikats enable them to transition to indoor application as well. Amy Armstrong from RSVP Design Services in Dallas recently commented about this on the RSVP blog, saying “These outdoor fabrics don’t feel like outdoor fabrics. They have a wonderfully soft hand.”

The Ikat Outdoor collection is available at Robert Allen Beacon Hill in the Dallas Design Center.

Photos via: HRH Royal Kate, 2012 Fashion, and Beacon Hill

Chef Matt McCallister, of Campo in Oak Cliff, just announced his plans to open a new modern American restaurant off of Hi Line Drive in the Design District.

According to his Facebook page:

“I am excited to announce to my friends on this page, the upcoming opening of my restaurant FT 33. FT 33 is slated to open in late summer 2012 and will be located off Hi Line Drive in Dallas’s Design District. Serving handcrafted American cuisine using modern techniques with an emphasis on Texas ingredients.”

We’ll keep you posted as more details are released!

Picture from Chef Matt McCallister’s Facebook page.

This week art takes center stage in Lower Oak Lawn as two exciting exhibits make their Design District debuts. From mixed media to multi-media, you’re sure to enjoy the colorful creativity presented in these two shows.

Jerrold Burchman at Gremillion & Co. Fine Art
Thursday, March 27, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

California-based artist Jerrold Burchman debuts “Recent Paintings and Collage,” a new exhibition at Gremillion & Co. Fine Art. A reflection of his intuitive response to the natural world, his new works strike a balance of determined structural organization and free improvisation of form and color.

The artist, whose works have been described as lyrical and poetic, continues his ongoing interest in color nuance, paint manipulation, linear gesture, and experimental process.

“For the past several years I have been working on a series of paintings and mixed media collages that respond to the variety and complexity of nature: intricate surface patterns, erosion, random stains, etc. These paintings are symbolic rather than literal. The collages are intimate in scale, creating a dialogue between found materials and a combination of paint processes. I attempt to create images that are both mysterious and timeless.”

Jerrold Burchman’s exhibit will be on display through April 26, 2012 (more…)

Job opportunities in the Dallas Design District are coming in faster than I can post them! Here are two new positions that are currently hiring. Also, don’t forget to submit your LOL job board success stories to me at kendall@loweroaklawn.com!

Part-Time Administrative Assistant, J. Robert Scott

The position requires a high-level of attention to details with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Expediting and order follow-up is basic to the job, including back-up sales support and knowledge of terms relevant to the design industry. It is necessary to be experienced in Microsoft Outlook and Excel. This is an effective solution for a candidate interested in flexible hours.

Please send resumes to lfrederick@jrobertscott.com.

Assistant Designer, Chambers Interiors

High-end residential interior design firm Chambers Interiors has an immediate full-time opening available for an assistant designer. A minimum of 1 – 2 years experience working in the field of interior design is required, preferably doing residential design and with a degree from an accredited interior design school. Candidate must already be proficient in AutoCAD and Microsoft Office. We are searching for someone that is a fast learner, organized, can multitask well and is willing to work on social media and marketing tasks.

Please submit resumes to Margaret at margaret@chambersinteriors.com.

Get more updates on job opportunities in the Dallas Design District and network with other local professionals by joining the Lower Oak Lawn LinkedIn Group!