Aliens & Dancing Fools

In monster oops, Lady Gaga mistakenly thanks Dallas at Houston concert

After a January 29 concert at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Monster Mother of them all Lady Gaga brought her Born This Way Ball show to Houston's Toyota Center. It's just a trip down I-45, but we all know what a change those 200-plus miles brings. All of us except for Gaga, it seems.

On January 31, Gaga entertained adoring fans in Houston with two-and-a-half hour spectacle featuring oversized meat grinders, a medieval castle and a mechanical horse.

The concert strings together more than 20 songs into a sort of rock opera starring Gaga as a dangerous fugitive from outer space. (Stay with me here.) She escapes from G.O.A.T. — Government-Owned Alien Territory — only to be chased down by a creepy animatronic head plastered with Gaga's own face.

It all works out in the end — but, my God, were there some twists and turns along the way. The biggest surprise of the night was arguably when, thanks to sponsor Virgin Mobile, Lady Gaga called a random guest in the crowd and offered a chance to hang backstage.

It was a touching scene, actually, as she sat at a piano surrounded by five young fans handpicked from the stageside VIP section. She sang a soothing acoustic rendition of "Born This Way" — then mistakenly thanked "Dallas" for such a great night.

Knowing that you don't just call Houston "Dallas," Gaga apologized profusely — not something the superstar is known for doing.

Sonny|Gaga shared this Twitter pic from the Houston concert.

Lady Gaga, Houston concert, January 2013

Photo by Sonny|Gaga Twitter

Sonny|Gaga shared this Twitter pic from the Houston concert.

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Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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