Taylor Swift continues Texas takeover with new Eras exhibition at DFW museum

IN HER MUSEUM ERA

Photo courtesy of the Arlington Museum of Art

Taylor Swift’s reign in Arlington won't end when her March 31-April 2 "Eras Tour" shows end. She'll continue to dominate Dallas-Fort Worth thanks to a special exhibition called "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection" opening this summer at the Arlington Museum of Art.

In collaboration with the HELP Center for LGBT Health & Wellness, "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection," will feature items from Swift’s private collection. It will open June 3 and run through September 24, 2023.

Visitors will be able to experience her journey as an artist and view outfits, photographs, and concert videos from the “eras” of her life and career, a press release says. Highlights of the collection are eight iconic costumes from four of Swift’s albums.

“As an artist, Swift's career is rich in depth and detail, and we believe the exhibition will appeal not only to her fans, music lovers, and art lovers, but to the next generation of emerging museum-goers,” says Arlington Museum of Art president and CEO Chris Hightower in a press release.

Hightower also shared that the new museum exhibition is the perfect opportunity for guests to understand the gravity of what it takes to become a multimedia artist, and what it means to sustain that popularity, especially through the eyes of a 12-time Grammy winner.

“Great artists throughout history have been able to express themselves so sublimely because they were so dedicated to their craft,” he says. “They never stop learning and never hold back. They influence the future because they take creative risks in spite of opposing forces.”

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross says in the release that the collection reflects the city's dedication to building its reputation for world-class entertainment and the arts, and upholding its Texas Music-Friendly Community designation.

“In Arlington, we love collaboration, a can-do spirit, and out-of-the-box thinking,” said Mayor Ross, “and the team at the Arlington Museum of Art continues to surprise and thrill us by really putting all that into practice. It has been so exciting to see the Arlington Museum of Art find its voice in the last few years, and there is no doubt that even bigger things are on the horizon.”

The "Eras Tour Collection" will run June 3-September 24. Arlington Museum of Art members will be able to purchase tickets starting 10 am April 13, and the general public sale will begin at 10 am April 17. Tickets ($5-$20) can be purchased at arlingtonmuseum.org.

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Japanese-style 'sandos' pop-up finds permanent home in downtown Dallas

Sando News

A popular sandwich pop-up has found permanent quarters in downtown Dallas: Sandoitchi, which serves Japanese "sandos" with creative fillings, will move into the space near the Joule at 1604 Main St., next to/under the Joule Hotel. It's the space that was previously occupied by La Tarte Tropezienne, the French bakery that closed in 2021.

Sandoitchi has already started to use the space for pop-up events, with a remodel in the works for later this year, says spokesman Keith Tran.

"We've had a great partnership with Headington Companies, who own the space, for more than a year, doing pop-ups at Midnight Rambler and at the Eye Ball," Tran says. "Their marketing team has been working to bring energy to their spaces and this gives us the benefit of having a permanent location."

Sandoitchi was founded in 2020, part of a wave of pandemic foodie pop-ups, but has persevered long past the pandemic both with its consistency and its ever-evolving menu of trademark sandos and other Japanese eats.

Their sandwiches are served on soft, rich milk bread, with fillings that include egg salad, Nashville-style hot chicken, pork katsu, and even Japanese wagyu topped with caviar, as well as dessert sandos filled with fruit and cream.

Their branding and packaging are sharp: The sandwiches are trimmed neatly, like finger sandwiches, and come in cute little boxes that display the ingredients winningly.

They also come with serious culinary firepower: Chef Stevie Nguyen worked at Uchi in both Dallas and Houston before heading to New York where he worked at Momofuku Ko, the two-Michelin-starred crown jewel in superstar chef David Chang's culinary empire. Nguyen shows off his techniques in a number of ways, including by using three different egg preparations to make his egg salad and coating the chicken with an umami-packed "wet shio koji solution."

They use social media skillfully and have won legions of fans, not just in Dallas but also at road-trip pop-ups to the West Coast and cities such as Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City.

They plan to continue doing pop-ups — for example, they have one this weekend in Orange County, California. But there's something to be said for having a home.

"Our model was built during and post-COVID, but with the return to normal, it's tougher to find spaces to host pop-ups," Tran says. "Our team includes high-end chefs with strong pedigrees who continue to evolve and remain creative, and we want to have a home base."

The location will definitely require some retrofitting; they'll start serious renovations at the end of the summer. In the interim, they're hosting pop-ups at the space, usually on weekends, over the next month or two.

"We've been experimenting, we recently tried doing breakfast — it's been a valuable opportunity to gather data on what does well," Tran says.

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Eric Sandler contributed to this story.

Refined lounge to open in Dallas' West Village with star behind the bar

Fancy Cocktail News

There's a swanky new bar and tasting restaurant coming to the West Village: Called Colette, it will open in the former Pok the Raw Bar space at 3699 McKinney Ave. #306, with a seasonal menu of signature cocktails and small tastings.

The concept is from Brandon Cohanim, (Pok, Namo), who has partnered with Ruben Rolon, who previously served as head bartender at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Miami and Le Jardiniere Miami where he was awarded the 2022 Florida Exceptional Cocktails Award by the inaugural Michelin Guide Miami.

Their vision: an intimate space, an artisan aperitif destination offering a sophisticated and upscale experience that pulls inspiration from the bar and food culture of Europe.

According to a release, it'll open later this year.

Dishes could be an exquisite croissant savored during a morning stroll in Paris or a prosciutto and melon appetizer enjoyed in the streets of Parma.

Furnishings will be top-notch, from bespoke glassware to custom marble tabletops and designed floors.

The bar will focus on European spirits, with a "science-forward" cocktail process that includes ingredient preservation, fermentation, and clarification, as well as creating in-house chartreuse, vermouth, and bitters to accompany select spirits.

“Colette will be an establishment for a quality crafted cocktail that leaves guest nostalgic and fondly looking back on their experience,” says Rolon. “An ever-rotating menu will mean something new upon every visit and provide a sense of whimsy & wonder, like that of travels. While a destination can be visited multiple times each trip holds something new to be explored and we are delighted to offer guests this journey brought tableside.”

These are the 17 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

This weekend in and around Dallas is jam-packed with events, to the point that it was difficult to pare down the list. Choices that made the cut include five theater productions, a music festival, several big concerts, art openings, the annual Pride celebration, and more.

Below are the best ways to spend your precious free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events. Find some big food and drink events here.

Thursday, June 1

Josh Gates: An Evening of Legends, Mysteries and Tales of Adventure
Adventurer, television personality and author Josh Gates is the host and executive producer of the Discovery Channel series Expedition Unknown. The show follows Gates as he sets out on a global journey to explore archaeological discoveries, historic mysteries, and scientific breakthroughs. Gates immerses himself in each story, conducting his own investigations, showcasing the work of dedicated explorers while also highlighting vibrant cultures and fascinating destinations. He'll talk about his experiences during this event at Winspear Opera House.

Undermain Theatre presents The Way She Spoke
The Way She Spoke is a haunting and theatrical one-woman play which travels from the stage to the treacherous streets of Juárez, Mexico, where thousands of women have been murdered in an epidemic of violence that has yet to stop. The play is a raw and riveting exploration of responsibility: one playwright's journey to give voice to a city of women silenced by violence, fear and a world that has turned a deaf ear to their stories. The production runs through June 18 at Undermain Theatre.

Uptown Players presents Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical
In an epic game of cat and mouse, two diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet, and vow to destroy anyone who gets in their way. Seduced by passion and revenge, this devious duo spins a web of dangerous liaisons and find themselves entangled in the cruelest game of all: love. Based on the cult classic film and featuring favorite '90s hits, the production runs through June 11 at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Belle Sauvage presents The Last Flapper
Is she mad… or just angry? Alone in a mental hospital, Zelda Fitzgerald, icon of the Jazz age, asks the questions her doctor should have. Did F. Scott steal her words? Did he claim she was insane just to gain his freedom? Can a woman decide her own fate? In this poignant, playful and truthful one-woman show, Zelda finally gets to tell her side of the story. The historical play wrestles with issues that are not at all a thing of the past. The production runs through June 11 in Theatre Too at Theatre Three.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents Poems for Broken Screens
Part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project series, Poems for Broken Screens is a transmedia performance art project spanning multiple genres and disciplines. It is an adventurous expression of 21st century poetry, broadly interpreted: the poem as sound, as image, as movement, as media. This ambitious project is an avant-garde interpretation of poetic forms translated through technology and experimental performance. There will be three performances through Saturday at Hamon Hall inside Winspear Opera House.

Theatre Three presents Next to Normal
The Goodman family is just a “normal” family: Dad's an architect, mom packs lunches and makes birthday cakes, and their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens. Under the surface, their family is anything but. Next to Normal is an emotionally charged Tony-Award winning musical that explores a family’s raw and emotional journey with a mother struggling with chronic bipolar disorder as they navigate a world of therapists and medication. The highly anticipated production runs through July 2 at Theatre Three.

Friday, June 2

Dreamhack
At Dreamhack, guests can participate in a variety of activities, including esports tournaments featuring Counter-Strike and Halo, cosplay contests, shopping expo, visiting with content creators, and more. The event runs through Sunday at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Stonebriar Centre presents Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience
Disney and Pixar’s Elemental Experience invites fans into the world of the new film Elemental, featuring fun film-themed activities like photo and video opportunities, a chance to draw with Pixar artists, a movie-ticket grab in a wind tunnel, plus giveaways and special film content. The event runs through Sunday at Stonebriar Centre ahead of the film's opening on June 16.

KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents Texas Music Revolution
KHYI 95.3 The Range Radio presents the 27th annual Texas Music Revolution, a two-day event featuring over 75 bands on 15 stages throughout downtown McKinney. Performers will include Charlie Robison, Kevin Fowler, Chris Knight, John Baumann, Shane Smith & the Saints, Robert Earl Keen, Adam Hood, Micky & the Motorcars, and more.

Spark presents Prismatic
Prismatic is a pop-up experience where visitors can immerse themselves in rooms decorated with one single color and theme, designed and built entirely by local high school students. Taking place on weekends through August 27, the event is open to all ages, but will also include a variety of adult-only nights.

Janet Jackson in concert
Janet Jackson comes to Dallas as part of her ninth concert tour, Together Again. The tour will celebrate Jackson's 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight milestones for two of her most critically acclaimed albums - 25 years of The Velvet Rope, and 30 years of janet, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music. The concert will be at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Lady A in concert
What's in a name? Lady A has seemingly found out since shortening the former "Antebellum" part of their name in 2020. Prior to the change, each of their seven albums had reached No. 1 or 2 on the Billboard Country charts, and come in near the top of the Billboard 200. Their only album since the name change, 2021's What a Song Can Do, charted at No. 12 and 135 respectively, a far cry from their previous heights. And after playing at Dos Equis Pavilion in each of their three most recent visits to Dallas, they'll play the far more intimate Majestic Theatre this time around.

Rodney Crowell in concert
The soon-to-be 73-year-old Rodney Crowell has been a mainstay in country music since his debut album in 1978. Since then, he's gone on to release 22 albums, reaching his highest heights in 1988 and 1989, when all five singles off his album Diamonds and Dirt went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts. He'll play at Longhorn Ballroom in support of his new album, The Chicago Sessions. He will be joined by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley.

Heather McMahan: The Comeback Tour
A beloved standup comedian, storyteller, and the best friend everyone wants, Heather McMahan has seen her popularity skyrocket with fans and the industry falling for her voice, wit and southern flair. Her podcast, Absolutely Not With Heather McMahan was named one of the 10 Best Podcasts of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly. She'll perform at Winspear Opera House on Friday and Saturday.

Saturday, June 3

Arlington Museum of Art openings
Even though it's an art museum, music will be the centerpiece of two new exhibitions at the Arlington Museum of Art. Piggybacking on the recent visit by superstar Taylor Swift, they'll host Taylor Swift: "The Eras Tour Collection," curated by the museum from Swift’s own private collection and featuring original costumes, photographs, and concert videos drawn from her creative periods, or "eras." Also opening is "Girl in a Country Song: Women of Country Music," featuring intimate portraits of female country music legends like Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Tanya Tucker, LeAnn Rimes, and others. Both exhibitions will be on display through September 24.

Dallas Pride Weekend
Dallas Pride Weekend is a two-day event that includes a music festival headlined by Allison Ponthier on Saturday, the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade on Sunday, and other activities celebrating the LGBTQ community. The celebration takes place around Fair Park on both Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, June 4

Photo by Preston Meneses

Janet Jackson will play at Dos Equis Pavilion on June 2.

Mary Chapin Carpenter in concert
Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter debuted in the late 1980s, but she hit her peak in the 1990s with hits like "Passionate Kisses," "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," "I Take My Chances," and "Shut Up and Kiss Me." Those songs are more than enough to keep her relevant 30 years later even though she's continued to release new albums, most recently 2020's The Dirt and the Stars. Carpenter will play at Majestic Theatre.

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