For Mom

Experiential outings are how we're gifting quality time this Mother's Day

The Ascendants XVIII (She Is Here And So Are You), 2021. Wangari Mathenge. Oil on canvas. Dallas Museum of Art, TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Fund, 2022.27. © Wangari Mathenge.

Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London

Here's your official warning: Mother's Day is less than a month away. You won't want to leave her gift(s) until the last minute — Mom deserves the best — so book that brunch reservation now and then start shopping for an experience you can enjoy together.

We have a few ideas to get you started:

Dallas Museum of Art
Give mom the gift of art with tickets to the DMA, which start at only $10. Whether the mom in your life is into the classics or prefers something on the contemporary side, the DMA has something special for everyone. Current exhibitions include:

"When You See Me: Visibility in Contemporary Art/History," an exhibition that breaks away from traditional storytelling and visual strategies to amplify the voices of the silenced. From abstract expressions to vivid figurations, this exhibition explores themes of invisibility, hypervisibility, the desire to be seen, and the right to be private. See how artists navigate the intricate nuances of visibility, allowing for richer representations of those who have been traditionally excluded or erased.

"The Impressionist Revolution from Monet to Matisse": Why give her a bouquet of flowers when you can have Monet’s full garden instead? This exhibition presents iconic artists that we all know and love — think Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and Paul Gauguin — against the backdrop of their revolutionary innovations in art.

"He Said/She Said: Contemporary Women Artists Interject" celebrates the power of womanhood by showcasing female artists from the 1970s to today who use their art to question the myth of the sole male genius.

Make a day of it by grabbing a bite at the DMA Cafe, shopping art-inspired treasures at the DMA Store, or strolling through the galleries during your visit. The DMA’s free permanent collection showcases over 5,000 years of stunning works by artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Salvador Dalí, and Jeffrey Gibson.

When you see me, 2019. Deborah Roberts. Mixed media and collage on canvas. Dallas Museum of Art, TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art Fund, 2020.20. © Deborah Roberts. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London and New York

Broadway Dallas
You can’t stop the beat! Hairspray, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon, is back on tour and in Dallas June 18-30 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show.

Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring a beloved score that includes the hit songs “Welcome to the ’60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat, ” this all-new touring production of Hairspray is sure to charm a new generation of theater audiences.

Broadway Dallas presents the all-new national tour of Hairspray. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

Dallas Comedy Club
Ivan Decker is an award-winning comedian that has been seen on Conan, Netflix, and more. His sharp, polished, and multi-layered observational comedy makes for a show your mom will love. Get 2-for-1 tickets to either of his Friday, May 10, shows at 7:30 pm or 9:30 pm by using code LOVEMOM at checkout.

Let Ivan Decker charm both you and Mom.Photo by Jon Mark Photo

Cyndi Lauper at Turtle Creek Chorale's Rhapsody gala
Wanna experience a full, live-band concert by the iconic Cyndi Lauper, all in an intimate setting with 600 of your closest friends? Then this is your personal invitation to experience Rhapsody, Turtle Creek Chorale's premier fundraising gala.

This black-tie event is a grand affair with an elegant reception, sumptuous dinner, luxury live auction, and an intimate and unforgettable concert. Then, dance the night away with DJ Rockstar Aaron.

Not only is Rhapsody a highlight on the social calendar, but it also serves as the primary source of funding for TCC's mission to make their concerts and the arts accessible to all. Rhapsody is Saturday, June 1, at Omni Dallas Hotel. Tickets start at $600.

Cyndi Lauper headlines the Rhapsody gala.Photo courtesy of Turtle Creek Chorale

Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts
Get tickets to An Evening with Lee Asher on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 8 pm, presented by the Eisemann Center. Lee is an animal rescue advocate, content creator, motivational speaker, and star of the Animal Planet series My Pack Life who documents his rescue missions and daily life around The Asher House Sanctuary, a registered nonprofit sanctuary in Estacada, Oregon, that rescues animals that have been discarded or unwanted.

After quitting his day job in 2017 to pursue his passion for rescuing animals and helping people, Lee and his dogs hit the road in a converted school bus, working with shelters across the nation to host meet-and-greets and adoption events. Along the way, Lee learned to harness the power of social media to inspire positivity, laughter, and happy tears among his 8 million-plus followers.

Tickets are $40-$50, or go one step further and buy Mom a VIP meet-and-greet (only available to ticket purchasers).

Meet animal rescue advocate Lee Asher.Photo courtesy of Eisemann Center Presents

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Animal News

Latest animal to die at Dallas Zoo is young male gorilla named Zola

Dallas Zoo

Zola RIP

Another animal at the Dallas Zoo has died an untimely death: Zola, a young Western lowland gorilla, died on Wednesday, November 5, at age 23.

The zoo does not know why Zola died. According to their post, he showed symptoms of lethargy, reduced appetite, and signs of discomfort at the end of October. A necropsy will be performed.

"Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to begin breathing on his own afterward, despite the extraordinary efforts of our veterinary and animal care teams," their post says. "With his comfort as our priority, we made the difficult decision to let him go peacefully."

The zoo did not announce Zola's death immediately, instead waiting two days until Friday afternoon at 3 pm. Politicians and government agencies prefer to choose Friday afternoons to post news that is negative or controversial, since fewer people, and definitely fewer journalists, are online on Friday afternoons. It's called the "Friday news dump."

The death is very inconvenient for the Dallas Zoo since they were just about to ship off their male gorillas, which also include Juba, B'Wenzi, and Zola's half-brother Shana, to the San Antonio Zoo. Animals are very dear to the zoo — until it's time to ship them off to another zoo.

For now, the relocation of the other three male gorillas is "temporarily on hold" but the zoo says they will be moved "when the time is right," and that is all you need to know about that.

The zoo has already said that they'll be shipping in other gorillas to replace them — although we do not know which gorillas and from where. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the overseeing body for zoos, only divulges that kind of intel on a "need to know" basis. Right now, you and I do not need to know. If we did know which gorillas were coming and where they were coming from, we might ask questions that would force the zoo to explain what it's up to.

Zola was born at the Bronx Zoo in 2002 and became internet famous as the "breakdancing gorilla" for splashing in pools and puddles. Some animal experts attributed his actions to frustration at being locked inside a zoo. He was relocated to the Calgary Zoo in 2009 when he was only 7 years old — zoos always play up what great bonds and family ties their animals have, until it's time to ship them somewhere else, and then suddenly the bonds and family ties don't matter.

Unfortunately, Zola did not "integrate well" at the Calgary Zoo, so he got shipped off to the Dallas Zoo in 2013.

At least now he won't have to be relocated again.

Death count
Zola's death is one more in a long-running series of deaths at the Dallas Zoo in recent years, the most previous being Jata, a 7-year-old painted dog who died in June 2024. Jata also showed signs of lethargy and decreased appetite, reportedly due to kidney disease.

Whenever a death occurs, they always wax on about their "extraordinary" veterinary and animal care teams — and yet, so many of these deaths were either unexplained or completely caught their teams by surprise.

Zola the Western lowland gorilla is the latest to join this death march of animals at the Dallas Zoo:

Jata, one of the zoo's three African painted dogs, died in June 2024, at seven years old.
Ferrell, a 15-year-old giraffe, died in December, 2023, following "an unexpected fall in the barn" that injured the giraffe's jaw so badly, they were forced to euthanize him.
Ajabu, a 6-year-old African elephant who died on May 8, 2023, from the herpes virus.
Pin, a 35-year-old lappet-faced vulture, died on January 22, 2023, cause unknown.
Jesse, a 14-year-old giraffe, died on October 29, 2021, cause unknown.
Auggie, a 19-year-old giraffe, died in late October 2021 of liver failure.
Marekani, a 3-month-old baby giraffe, sustained a mysterious injury and was euthanized on October 3, 2021.
Kirk, a 31-year-old chimpanzee, died in August 2021 due to "surprise" heart disease.
Keeya, a 6-year-old Hartmann's mountain zebra, died in March 2021 due to a mysterious unexplained head injury.
Subira, a 24-year-old silverback gorilla, died suddenly in March 2020, due to a cough, or maybe cardiovascular disease. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hope, a 23-year-old Western lowland gorilla, died suddenly in November 2019 after being at the zoo for only two years.
Ola, an 8-year-old female African painted dog, was killed in July 2019 by two other painted dogs, less than a month after she was transferred to the zoo.
Witten, a 1-year-old giraffe, died in June 2019 during a physical exam under anesthesia when he suddenly stopped breathing.
Adhama, a baby hippopotamus, mysteriously died in 2018.
Kipenzi, a baby giraffe, died in 2015 after running in her enclosure.
Kamau, a young cheetah, died of pneumonia in 2014.
Johari, a female lion, was killed in front of zoo spectators in 2013 by male lions with whom she shared an enclosure.

And in February 2021, they lost a crow called Onyx who was part of their "animal ambassador team," "participating in a training session" for a bird show. He was never found.

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