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Photo courtesy of The Home Edit

UPDATE 6-23-2023: Changes have been made to the tour schedule, but they do not affect the Dallas show. For an updated list of tour stops, visit the website.

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It’s time to pull out the labelmakers and look back at those #DesignInspo pics. The leading ladies behind the Emmy Award-nominated Netflix series The Home Editare coming to Dallas in July.

Founders and series hosts Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin will bring their vibrant personalities and passion for organization to the Eisemann Center on Friday, July 7 for their first-ever "Summer of Fun Tour." They’ll reveal some of their best tips for organizing and share candid (and funny) conversations about parenting, pop culture, business, and more.

The duo rose to fame thanks to their organizing services, Netflix series, New York Times bestselling books, and product line. Their signature style matches their three values, they say.

"With a unique blend of form, function, and fun, we strive to improve the everyday," The Home Edit's website says. "As we continue to cultivate a global collective, we remain committed to inspiring the individual."

On their top-rated Netflix series, the hosts help celebrities and everyday clients edit, categorize, and contain their clutter to make messy places into stunning spaces. Guests have included Reese Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore, Eva Longoria, Neil Patrick Harris, Kane Brown, and more.

Attendees at the live shows also can expect to see special appearances by celebrities and friends of Clea and Joanna, they say.

The duo promise that the tour will be “perfect for enjoying with girlfriends and all the home-organizing obsessed people in your life,” according to a release.

Following their first stop in Dallas, they’ll visit the Brown Theater in Houston on July 9 as their only other Texas stop.

The full schedule for The Home Edit’s "Summer of Fun Tour" is as follows:

  • July 7 – Eisemann Center in Dallas
  • July 9 – Wortham Center in Houston
  • July 11 – Showroom at Wild Horse Path in Phoenix
  • July 13 – Saban Theater in Los Angeles
  • July 16 – Lynn Theater in Boston
  • July 21 – Miller Theater in Philadelphia
  • July 26 – Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C.
  • July 28 – Copernicus Center in Chicago
  • July 30 – Elgin and Winter Garden Theater in Toronto, Ontario
  • August 4 – Andrew Jackson Hall in Nashville

Tickets ($49-$101) can be purchased at eisemanncenter.com. Doors open at 7 pm and the show begins at 8 pm. More information about the Summer of Fun Tour can be found on thehomeedit.com.

Photo by Avery Nicole

Historic Hill Country mansion transforms into luxe vacation getaway

Hill Country excursion

A historic Hill Country property is being transformed into a glorious getaway destination fusing elegant Victorian-style design and Texas history.

The Menagerie, located at 302 West Travis St. in Fredericksburg - just blocks from the historic downtown Main Street - is in the final stages of renovation, with the overhaul expected to be completed by summer 2023.

The property spans 9,500 square feet across 12 total units on both sides of West Travis Street: the original landmark mansion, a carriage house, a five-unit converted barn/garage, and four units in three cottage-style bungalows. The Menagerie can accommodate up to 34 guests over 14 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.

The original mansion was built in the early 1900s as the private residence for Fredericksburg’s first mayor, and was heavily influenced by Queen Anne Victorian-style design. Property owners Nicole and Ramzi Al Rashid wanted to keep those aspects in mind when choosing a design team to renovate the house, which led them to Austin-based land design studio Twistleaf and interior designer Sarah Stacey.

“We have an excellent team of all-stars working on this project, and we’re incredibly thankful for the work Twistleaf and Sarah Stacey have put into making The Menagerie inviting, restful and lively for groups of many sizes,” Ramzi Al Rashid says in a press release.

Nicole Al Rashid says they wanted to collaborate with inspiring designers who would “elevate [their] spaces and do great work for [their] guests and the local community."

Details of the property renovation include:

  • New fencing and gates
  • A hardscape reconfiguration
  • LED landscape lighting
  • Mutabilis rose bushes and native ornamental grasses by the pool
  • Native Hill Country plant species
  • Natural color schemes

The interior design refresh will include vivid, bold colors with theatrical elements and a few modern updates for practicality. Each room on the property will feature antique furniture, eccentric wallpaper, and vintage decor that pays homage to the site’s history.

Twistleaf founder Sarah Yant says renovating a property with a rich past like The Menagerie is an "exciting opportunity" for her team.

“Nicole, Ramzi and Sarah Stacey brought expansive vision to this project, and our landscape design mirrors their excellence," she says. "We're working to improve the land with Hill Country-friendly plants and create a design that adds to the intuitiveness, circulation and comfort of the outdoor spaces. All the changes are designed to enhance the functionality and hospitality of the property.”

The Menagerie is expected to open in summer 2023. More information can be found on themenagerieatx.com.

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Rock star Bono's daughter makes her own sweet music in Flora and Son

Movie Review

The new Apple TV+ film Flora and Son centers on a single mother and her teenage son, a situation that typically calls for an uplifting story about the mother’s struggles trying to support the two of them, and the bond that develops between them as go through the troubles together. While that element exists somewhat here, it goes down a much different path that’s both saltier and equally as rewarding.

Eve Hewson and Oren Kinlan in Flora and Son

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Eve Hewson and Oren Kinlan in Flora and Son.

Set in Dublin, Ireland, the film follows Flora (Eve Hewson), a single mom to Max (Oren Kinlan), who gets in a fair bit of trouble. She shares custody with her ex, Ian (Jack Reynor), and their antagonistic relationship, along with Max being a teenager, likely has an effect on how Flora and Max get along. A typical interchange between mother and son has them calling each other all sorts of bad names, although there rarely seems to be any true animosity behind their arguments.

When a guitar Flora refurbishes for Max goes unappreciated, she instead starts taking online lessons herself with an American named Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). She’s no less brash with him, but her sincere interest in learning how to play and in finding out more about Jeff’s music opens a new door for Flora. Soon, a discovery that Max is making music of his own on his laptop helps them communicate better than they have in a long time.

Flora & Son is the latest music-focused film from writer/director John Carney (Once, Sing Street), and he once again finds the sweet spot in telling a personal story enhanced by song. Flora has more than a few rough edges, making her a less-than-ideal protagonist, but the heart of the character shines through precisely because she has no filter. Once music is added to the equation, it become that much easier to see the type of person she is and why you should root for her.

Both Hewson and Gordon-Levitt are charming actors, so they establish a connection through a screen well. Fortunately, though, Carney chooses not to leave it at that, adding a slight fantasy element to some of their scenes by having Flora imagine Jeff in the room with her. A romantic element naturally arises, but it’s the unexpected way in which two lonely souls find each other from across the world that makes them the most interesting.

There are a couple of decent songs that come out of the process of all of the music-making, but nothing that you could truly call an earworm. Instead, it’s the feeling you get seeing the characters interact when they’re sharing music with each other that makes the film sing. Only one character could be classified as a professional musician, with the rest of them making music for the pure joy of it, an emotion Carney translates well in his storytelling.

Hewson (the daughter of U2’s Bono, in case you were unaware) is having a moment after 15 years in the business. She has a boldness that serves her as well in this role as it did in the recent Apple TV+ limited series, Bad Sisters. This is Kinlan’s first major part, and he acquits himself well. Both Gordon-Levitt and Reynor are seasoned actors who know how to make the most of their limited scenes.

The depiction of a mother/child relationship in Flora and Son is atypical, but it still winds up in a great spot thanks to the power of music and some fine performances. Carney’s love for both songs and filmmaking has yielded some memorable movies over the years, this one included.

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Flora and Son opens in select theaters and on Apple TV+ on September 29.

American doll store relocates flagship from one Dallas mall to another

Shopping News

A doll store is moving from one Dallas mall to another, but this is American Girl, the doll store-combination-restaurant-combination-kiddie-salon chain, and it's the store's only location in Dallas, as well as the only location in Texas, as well as one of a limited number of stores across the U.S. Thus this story.

The store is departing its current location at Galleria Dallas and relocating to The Shops at Park Lane where it will establish a new flagship in a two-story space between Nordstrom Rack and opposite HomeGoods. According to a release, it will open in early 2024.

In addition to carrying American Girl dolls, the new store will feature a full-service restaurant, personal shopping, and both doll and girl hairstyling, manicures, and ear piercing at the Dolled Up Salon.

The Dallas store originally opened at the Galleria in November 2007.

Headquartered in Wisconsin, the chain was founded in 1986 and became a subsidiary of Mattel in 1998. Their website says they have 12 retail stores plus a digital site where their $100-and-up dolls are sold, but their retail site shows nine U.S. locations in cities such as Chicago, Orlando, Nashville, and Los Angeles, and no stand-alone locations in Canada.

A story on Patch puts the number at 10 outlets in the U.S. and six in Canada, with a few permanent closures that occurred during the pandemic. American Girl did not respond to an inquiry for comment.

The company professes that its mission is to build girls of strong character and help them reach their full potential, but a story on Money.com notes that the company's practice of selling dolls in limited quantities means that they can be worth "big money," especially on sites like Amazon and eBay, where "some American Girl doll sellers can really rake in cash."

Dolls start at $98 and if you choose the popular customization option, where you can create a doll in your own image, it's $220, plus the additional cost of buying your own matching outfit, ranging from $60 to $135.

These are the 18 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Weekend Event Planner

The last weekend of September was already a big one in Dallas because of the start of the State Fair of Texas. But this year that major event will be competing with a ton of other big happenings, including seven concerts with notable names, the start of six local theater productions, a symphony concert, and a trio of comedy performances.

Big Tex and State Fair of Texas at sunset
Photo courtesy of the State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas starts its 24-day run at Fair Park on September 29.

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.

Thursday, September 28

Luke Bryan in concert
Since his debut album in 2011, country singer Luke Bryan has been as consistent as they come, with each of his five albums featuring all-original songs going to No. 1 on the Billboard Country charts and making at least the top 5 on the Billboard 200. He's also upped his profile by appearing on The Voice and, since 2018, serving as a judge on American Idol. He'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of his 2022 compilation album, Prayin' In A Deer Stand.

Wilco in concert
Alt-rock band Wilco is one of those groups who has always scored well with music critics and its loyal fanbase, even if their albums have rarely become big hits. They have released 13 albums over 28 years, including the new Cousin, with their heyday coming from 2004-2011, when they had four straight top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. They'll play at South Side Ballroom.

Undermain Theatre presents Bondage
Bondage, making its regional premiere at Undermain Theatre, takes place pre-Emancipation on a small island in the South. With the onset of puberty, Zuri must use her wits to outsmart the twisted desires of a drunken master and a sadistic mistress on a haunted plantation. Hierarchies of race and gender collide in this AfroSurreal tale of an enslaved girl who dares to follow her own instincts toward liberation by any means. The production will run through October 15.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Copland and Liszt"
"Copland and Liszt," featuring conductor Fabio Luisi, clarinetist Anthony McGill, tenor Carl Tanner, and the Dallas Symphony Chorus, will include William Schuman's American Festival Overture, Copland's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, and Liszt's A Faust Symphony. It will be performed on Thursday and Sunday only at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Theatre Three presents Lizzie: The Musical
Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in the late summer of 1892. Lizzie: The Musical explores the mind of Borden and speculates on the motivations she may have had: overwhelming oppression, abuse, and madness. By her side is her older sister Emma, maid Bridget, and neighbor Alice. Together, the four women tell the story of why the legend of Lizzie Borden was born with an electric punk rock score. The production runs at Theatre Three through October 29.

Friday, September 29

State Fair of Texas
The 24-day, four-weekend extravaganza that is the State Fair of Texas returns, with its impressive butter sculptures, nightly fireworks, oodles of fried food, and more. Visitors can try all the new concoctions, check out the Midway, enjoy free concerts from artists like Lonestar, Ceelo Green, and Lil Jon, or take a trip to the top of the Top 'o Texas Tower. Just make sure you don't pay full price for your tickets! The Fair goes on at Fair Park through October 22.

Pink in concert
It can be difficult for a singer to maintain a certain image over a long period of time, but Pink - or, if you prefer, P!nk - has managed to do just that. She's stuck with her version of pop/rock for over 20 years, and her fans have rewarded her by pushing her to the top of the charts with every album, including the new Trustfall. She'll play at Globe Life Field in Arlington as part of her Summer Carnival Tour, joined by Brandi Carlile, Grouplove, and KidCutUp.

Company of Rowlett Performers presents Arsenic and Old Lace
Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor - they killed him. Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family. The production runs through October 8 at Garland Civic Theatre.

Cara Mía Theatre presents We Have Iré
We Have Iré is a bilingual musical play about the triumphant journeys of artists from Cuba’s countryside to the United States and back. Brought together by their common pursuit of achieving their dreams, their stories come to life through Afro-Caribbean music, contemporary dance, spoken word, storytelling, and jazz. Cara Mía Theatre will put on three performances through Sunday at Latino Cultural Center.

Art Centre Theatre presents Fire Bringer
At the dawn of humanity, one tribe of cave-people survives the many trials of prehistoric life under the wise leadership of Jemilla, The Peacemaker. But one member of the tribe doesn't seem to fit in: Zazzalil. While out hatching her latest scheme, Zazzalil stumbles upon the most important discovery in history. One that will pit her tribe against wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and change the world forever. The production, featuring separate adult and teen casts, runs through October 15 at Art Centre Theatre in Plano.

Texas Theatre presents Christopher Titus
Christopher Titus is a prolific stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He is currently performing his ninth 90-minute special "Stories I Shouldn't Tell, while his most recent hit special, “Amerigeddon,” is available on Amazon. He also has a podcast,The Armageddon Update/Titus Podcast. He'll perform at Texas Theatre.

Russell Peters: "Act Your Age World Tour"
Canadian comedian Russell Peters holds the distinction of being the first comedian to get a Netflix stand-up special with 2013's Notorious. He's gone on to have another Netflix special and one for Amazon Prime Video, starred in a variety of movies and TV shows, and toured the world. Peters will be at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie as part of his "Act Your Age World Tour," in which he gives his hilarious takes on cancel culture, aging, and the current state of the world.

Girls Gotta Eat: "Snack City Tour"
Ashley and Rayna from the comedy podcast Girls Gotta Eat come to Dallas as part of their "Snack City Tour," in which they and special guests will answer burning questions about sex, dating, and relationships in a one-of-a-kind, interactive experience. No one leaves without a fresh outlook on dating and at least one new ab from laughing. They'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Theatre Coppell presents The Mousetrap
In The Mousetrap, a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a remote countryside guesthouse as news spreads of a murder in London. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst. One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. The production runs through October 15 at Coppell Arts Center.

Saturday, September 30

Maluma in concert
Colombian rapper/singer Maluma has been near or at the top of the Billboard Latin charts since his 2015 sophomore album, Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy. Since then he's collaborated with a bunch of other big artists, including Marc Anthony, Jason Derulo, Shakira, Madonna, and The Weeknd, as well as Jennifer Lopez, with whom he co-starred in the 2022 film Marry Me. He'll perform at American Airlines Center in support of his new album, Don Juan.

RBD in concert
Mexican Latin pop group RBD was huge in their native country and across Latin and South America in the 2000s, starting with their 2004 debut album, Rebelde. The group, which gained popularity due to them starring on the telenovela of the same name, would go on to release five albums (including versions in both Portuguese and English) before disbanding in 2009. Now they've reunited to celebrate that first album and more with the Soy Rebelde Tour. They'll perform at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

Sunday, October 1

Depeche Mode in concert
There are few bands who have been able to maintain both the passion and popularity to keep a career going for over 40 years, but Depeche Mode is one of those rare acts. They have released 15 albums since 1981, including the new Memento Mori, with every one of them since 1990 making the top 15 in both their native UK and the U.S. They'll play at American Airlines Center.

Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service in concert
It's rare for a singer to be well-known for two different groups, but Ben Gibbard has accomplished that feat. For 25 years, he's headed up Death Cab for Cutie, which reached its peak with 2005's Plans, featuring the hit "Soul Meets Body." But he also did a side project in 2003 with producer Jimmy Tamborello and Jenny Lewis called The Postal Service, producing a single album, Give Up, which featured the ubiquitous hit "Such Great Heights." The two bands will join forces for a special concert at Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie.