Ennis presents 21st Annual Autumn Daze

Photo courtesy of the City of Ennis

Autumn Daze in Ennis is back for its 21st year with more than 15,000 pumpkins. The theme for this year's Autumn Daze is "Season of Harvest" and it will feature a giant pumpkin house, corn husk tepees, a corn display, pumpkin walk, and professional carvers.

The star of Autumn Daze is the Giant Hay Maze and Pumpkin Patch. Along with the main attractions, kids will enjoy pumpkin painting, carnival rides, climbing on the life-size tractor made from haybales, a gigantic harvest moon, and the huge corn pit.

Adults can compete for a cash prize of $1,000 in a corn hole tournament while enjoying food, a beer garden, and shopping from an array of vendors. Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch award-winning pumpkin carver Greg Butauski and his team create masterpieces at the festival. They will be carving pumpkins weighing up to 3,000 pounds.

The festival will feature live music throughout the weekend, including Le Freak, Josh Weathers, and David Lee Garza y los Musicales.

Photo courtesy of The Sound at Cypress Waters

The Sound Beer and Wine Feast

The Sound Beer and Wine Feast is a celebration of beer, wine, food, and live music. At the inaugural festival, dmission includes the choice of beer or wine taster card and commemorative Beer and Wine Feast taster glass for 12 beer samples or 12 sample pours from Landon Winery.

VIP patrons will enjoy early entrance, beer or wine taster card, commemorative VIP taster glass and lanyard, t-shirt, complimentary refreshments, and a food token to be redeemed at Flying Saucer, Rodeo Goat, Flying Fish or Landon’s Winery.

Food is available for purchase from area restaurants and additional tasting cards can be purchased for $10. There will be a selection of full pours available at Flying Saucer and Landon’s Winery.

The festival also features games, a costume contest with prizes, and live music on The Sound stage from Clint Martin, Wyatt Martin, Dev Wolf, and Jackleg.

A portion of the proceeds benefit Pints for Prostates a grassroots organization designed to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the importance of early detection in fighting the disease.

Photo courtesy of Equest

Equest presents Fall Fun Fest

Equest's annual Fall Fun Fest celebrates the accomplishments of Equest clients, the dedication of volunteers, the support of their donors, and families in the greater southeast Dallas community that Equest calls home.

The community is welcome to come learn more about Equest’s mission, meet other resource providers who also serve families with special needs, and learn more about their programs supporting veterans and first responders as well.

The festival will include games, food trucks, a petting zoo, face painting, and more.

Photo by Elliott Muñoz

Shops of Eighth Street presents British Invasion of Bishop Arts

The Shops of Eighth Street will present a "British Invasion" block party, featuring a performance by Beatles tribute band Hard Night’s Day, who will play two sets, with occasional interruptions by Austin Powers. Mid-concert, Powers will lead a "paw-rade" of corgis and English bulldogs through the party.

Two dozen classic British automobiles will be on display. The Abbey Road album cover will be recreated for Instagram photos. Kiddies can take turns as batter and bowler at a cricket demonstration.

Surrounding shops and restaurants will have English-themed special offerings, including pub food and drink. Donations will benefit Dallas Youth Sports, whose leagues serve the children of Oak Cliff. The party will showcase a block of Eighth Street where century-old cottages are being restored for commercial use.

Photo courtesy of DFW Italian Festival

DFW Italian Festival

The inaugural DFW Italian Festival will celebrate the rich heritage and culture of Italy. The one-day festival will be filled with Italian food, wine tastings, stage performances by local and national artists, arts and crafts for kids, gondola rides, and more.

Performers will include Amanda Pascali, Giulia Milanta, Mike Borelli, and University of Dallas Chorale. On the cultural stage will be an olive oil presentation by Luigi Mungioli, Italian fairy tale reading by Raffaele Ranieri, and small play acts like Commedia Dell’arte presented by the University of Dallas Drama Department and Dallas in Prizzi produced by Dr. Dave Atkinson and directed by Luca Vullo.

The festival will be held at the southeast corner of Las Colinas Blvd. and N. O’Connor Blvd., across from The Mustangs of Las Colinas.

Photo courtesy of Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau

Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau presents Butterfly Flutterby

At Butterfly Flutterby, visitors can celebrate the migration of the monarch butterfly as they make their way from Canada to Mexico. The event begins with the butterfly costume parade where visitors can wear their best butterfly ensemble for prizes. The parade ends at the Grapevine Botanical Gardens, where families can enjoy interactive games, crafts, a scavenger hunt, face painting and more. More than 200 butterflies will be released.

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New brunches and fall dishes put some yum in this Dallas restaurant news

News You Can Eat

Fall weather may not be here yet but Dallas restaurants are happily paying no mind, gifting us with ramen, pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin souffles, and beer cheese fondues. It'll be cold soon enough. There are also some restaurant openings here, some new brunches, and a meal deal for seniors.

Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news.

Fish City Grill has opened a location in Prosper at 1150 S. Preston Rd., just north of U.S. Highway 380 in The Gates of Prosper. It features seafood and cocktails, with specials on the restaurant’s trademark Chalkboard which are unique to each location and change twice each day. (Visit fishcitygrill.com/locations to view the Chalkboard cameras.) This is the chain's 23rd location.

White Rhino Coffee has opened a location in Frisco at 8075 FM 423 #100. This is the 10th location for the chain first founded in 2007 by Chris Parvin in Cedar Hill.

Captain D’s has opened a new location at 522 E. Belt Line Rd. in Cedar Hill, owned and operated by Golden Chick franchisee Joseph Omobogie. It's the 21st Captain D’s in Texas and a momentous step for Omobogie, who has 14 Golden Chick locations, as he ventures into new culinary territory. Captain D's serves fried catfish, fried shrimp, and chicken tenders.

True Food Kitchen has unveiled what a release calls "its biggest menu innovation of 15 years" with a reimagined brunch and cocktail program in addition to new seasonal dishes. Brunch highlights include Cinnamon Toastini, Berry Cerealtini, huevos rancheros, Hawaiian Fried Rice, and a tasting tower. New cocktails include Dazzling Eyes with Don Q rum, coconut, carrot juice, and Thai basil; and True Story with gin, chareau aloe, cucumber, snap pea, pineapple, and lemon.

Stirr recently launched a new autumn menu, with brunch, lunch, main and cocktail offerings including Pumpkin Spice pancakes, Chicken & Waffles, Wagyu Italian Beef Sandwich, Fried Chicken Cobb, Baby Back Ribs, Chicken Parm, Cajun Chicken Frites, Steakhouse Salad, Blackened Redfish, Lobster Ravioli, Beer Cheese Fondue, and a Count of Monte Cristo sandwich, which is so trendy right now.

McRae’s American Bistro is introducing a new weekend brunch on Sunday October 1, with deviled eggs, jalapeno pimento cheese, frittata muffaletta, chicken & waffles, chipotle eggs benedict, Lakewood latke, croque madame, corned beef hash & eggs, and more. More being cocktails, including a bloody Mary bar, espresso martini, sangria, wines, and beer. It'll run Saturday-Sunday from 11 am-3 pm.

BarNone has launched a new Whiskey Club. Members get a monthly e-newsletter, access to distillery and brewery tours, access to BarNone's master distiller meet & greets, entry into year-end Pappy Van Winkle 10 year and BTAC (George Stagg, William Larue Weller, Sazerac 18, Thomas Handy and Eagle Rare 17 year) giveaway, free whiskey rating forms, access to allocated whiskeys, ryes, scotches, and world whiskeys, and BarNone Whiskey Club private barrels. BarNone has also expanded its whiskey offerings to 173 varieties with selections from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, UK, Japan, and Ireland. Entry is free, sign up online.

Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar has a new Miso-Chili Tonkotsu Ramen with charred bok choy, scallions, sun noodle, sesame, ajitama egg, and choice of brisket or prawns, for $18, served Tuesday-Wednesday starting at 4 pm.

Monarch has a new dessert for the fall: Pumpkin Spice Latte Souffle featuring pumpkin spice, coffee crème anglaise, and sweet cream ice cream, available through the end of October.

Tiff’s Treats has new filled cookies including PB&J (peanut butter cookie with raspberry jam) and decadent Double Chocolate Salted Caramel (Double Chocolate cookie filled with dulce de leche and sprinkled with sea salt). They're available in a combo package where you get a dozen filled and a dozen classic for $43.

Melting Pot, the fondue restaurant, has launched an Oktober FondueFest limited-time 3-course menu with Bavarian Beer Cheese Fondue paired with dippers like bratwurst, braised short rib, and pretzels, with choice of salad and decadent Black Forest Chocolate Fondue. German-inspired sips include the new Black Forest Fashioned and St-Germain Spritz cocktail along with seasonal Sam Adams Octoberfest. Served Monday-Thursday through October 26.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has a 3-course senior menu for 65+ before 6 pm, available daily for $39. First course offers choices from wedge, Caesar, field green, pear & candied pecan salad, French onion soup, or lobster bisque. Second course offers choices from pork chop, filet mignon, salmon, chicken oscar, vegan skillet chopped steak, or fried shrimp. Third course is side dish or dessert from a choice of cheesecake, chocolate crunch tower, crème brûlée, whipped potatoes, creamed spinach, or chargrilled vegetables.

Pappasito's celebrates its 40th anniversary through October at all four DFW locations including two at DFW Airport, plus locations in Arlington and Fort Worth with a $40 special on beef fajitas or beef & chicken fajita platters, with guacamole, rice, frijoles a la charra, and tortillas serving 2-3 people, available on Wednesdays starting at 4 pm.

McDonald’s of North Texas is adding two new limited-edition sauces to the menu starting October 9: McDonald’s Sweet & Spicy Jam, a jammy red pepper dipping sauce with apple cider vinegar, Szechuan peppercorn, and cayenne pepper; Mambo Sauce, a tomato-based sweet, spicy, and vinegary sauce inspired by the regional Washington, D.C. area sauce staple.

Lucky s the Oak Lawn diner is celebrating the State Fair of Texas with two limited-edition menu items: two corn dogs with fries, for $11, and Cotton Candy Pilsner from Texas Ale Project for $5.50, served through October 22.

Target has a new free Drive Up service for Starbucks menu items where customers can place an order and have it delivered straight to their car. The service has been popular in other markets and now it's in Dallas. The three top-selling items for Drive Up with Starbucks are Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Birthday Cake Pop, and Iced Caramel Macchiato. You place your order, park in the Drive Up area, and tap “I’m here” in the Target app. A Target staffer delivers the Starbucks order, along with whatever else in your Drive Up purchase. By October, all 1,700-plus Target stores that have a Starbucks Café and offer Drive Up will have the Drive Up with Starbucks service.

Dunkin’ has launched the Texas Dunkin’ Community Cruiser, a mobile coffee truck that delivers free samples of hot and iced coffee directly to local community events. The Texas Dunkin’ Community Cruiser follows in the footsteps of several successful Cruiser programs built throughout the country over the last 10 years.

Norma's Cafe will provide six meals to the North Texas Food Bank for every holiday dinner purchased from now until November 18. The original Oak Cliff location at 1123 W. Davis St. will be open on Thanksgiving Day, November 23 from 11 am-1 pm to feed the homeless.

Salata, the salad chain, has launched of bottled salad dressings in its five most popular flavors: Buttermilk Ranch, Chipotle Ranch, Herb Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Ginger Lime Vinaigrette. They come in 12.5-oz bottles and are available at select H-E-B locations for $6.48.

Farrah Fawcett Foundation honors cancer-crusading 'angel' Katie Couric at 2023 Dallas benefit

Starry night

Hollywood icons and angels descended on Dallas for the second year, for the 2023 Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta.

Held at The Rustic on September 28, the star-studded benefit included a red carpet, Tex-Mex buffet dinner, award presentations, live auction, and margaritas that flowed all night long - all to raise money for the fight against cancer. Proceeds went to The American Cancer Society/Cattle Baron's Ball and Stand Up To Cancer.

Co-chairs Alana Stewart, Jaclyn Smith, and Linda Gray - the late Farrah Fawcett's bestie, Charlie's Angels co-star, and last year's Angel Award winner, respectively - welcomed guests. Then actor and famously tanned man George Hamilton took over to emcee the presentations with his signature charm, wit, and sweet banter with ex-wife Stewart.

Dr. Lawrence Piro, Fawcett’s former oncologist and Chief Medical Advisor for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, underscored the importance of the evening’s fundraising efforts. Fawcett passed away from rectal cancer in 2009, at the age of 62. The foundation that bears her name and raises money for cancer-related causes is her greatest legacy, her friends agreed on stage.

A live auction led by Samantha Robinson of Heritage Auctions raised thousands of dollars with one-of-a-kind items like lunch with George Hamilton the following day at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek (sold for $10,000) and a "Hollywood Experience" including lunch with "The Fonz" Henry Winkler (sold for $14,000).

Country music star Brett Eldredge got the crowd on its feet with a quick set of his hits, and DJ 13lackbeard kept the party beats lively. Actress Dyan Cannon gave a heartfelt tribute, and Patrick Foley - Fawcett’s long time friend, make-up artist, and Neiman Marcus’ resident make-up artist - was recognized for his support of the Foundation.

But the emotional highlight of the evening was the presentation of the foundation's 2023 Angel Award to Katie Couric. The trailblazing journalist famously underwent a colonoscopy on air after her husband, Jay Monahan, died of colon cancer at age 42 in 1998. In September 2022, Couric revealed her own breast cancer diagnosis.

In her acceptance speech, Couric spoke poignantly about all the things the cancer took away from her two daughters, who were just 2 and 6 years old when their dad passed.

"I know what it's like to lose someone you love way before their time," she said. "In two words: It sucks ... devastating, life-shattering, horrific. No adjective sufficiently describes what that period of my life was like."

She encouraged people not to "get squeamish" about "cancers that occur below the belt" (referring specifically to rectal and colon cancers).

"I've always said, 'Don't die of embarrassment,'" she said. "You know, if we're lucky, we all have colons, we all have anuses, it's just part of our biology, so let's get real about that, people."

After Couric's colonoscopy on The Today Show, the number of people who got screened increased 20 percent, she said.

"But that statistic means so much more," she said. "It means that so many people got to watch their child score a goal at a soccer game, so many people got to watch their child graduate with honors, so many people got to watch their child walk down the aisle."

She said she often wonders what Farrah and Jay would be doing today.

"Honestly, I get so sad and so mad when I think about everything [her daughters] have missed," she said. "We couldn't save them, but we can use every ounce of our energy to spare others from a similar fate."

Among the patrons there to support the event were actress Donna Mills, designer Cynthia Rowley, John Tatum, Jim Foley, Christine Romeo, Jeffrey Lane, and hundreds of generous Dallasites.

Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta 2023

Photo courtesy of Farrah Fawcett Foundation

Jaclyn Smith, Alana Stewart, Katie Couric, Linda Gray

Ferah Smokehouse & Cantina to bring Wylie 2 top cuisines: BBQ & Tex-Mex

BBQ News

A Mediterranean concept in Dallas-Fort Worth that dabbles in Texan is about to get a new sibling with an even stronger Texan focus. Called Ferah Smokehouse and Cantina, it's an offshoot of Ferah Tex-Med Kitchen, and will open in Wylie in early 2024.

Ferah is from husband-and-wife Burak and Stephanie Ozcan, known for the innovative fusion of Mediterranean and Texas cuisines they've created at Ferah Tex-Med Kitchen, which debuted in 2019.

The Smokehouse, located on the west side of Wylie at 960 S. Westgate Way, represents a chance to dig more deeply in to Texas cuisine, namely smoked meats and Tex-Mex, with signatures like brisket enchiladas.

“It gives us an opportunity to make this space our own and give homage to Texas," Stephanie says. "I'm a born-and-bred Texan, and Burak has been in Texas since 2009. He has a passion for Texas and the cuisine that we offer."

A native of Turkey, where he attended the world-famous Mengen Anatolian Culinary School, Burak has worked in gourmet kitchens around the world, including a stint as sous chef at Samar By Stephan Pyles, and has worked at numerous hotel restaurants both in Dallas and Istanbul, including Westin, Renaissance, and Marriott.

The couple opened the first Ferah Tex-Med in Garland in June 2019, months before the onset of pandemic; Southlake followed in 2022.

During the pandemic, they witnessed ardent support from communities like Wylie, which further fueled their choice of location. They also live in Sachse, nearby.

For the new smokehouse, they've partnered with husband-and-wife Jeremy and Heidi Berlin, who will lend their business expertise in operating the restaurant. Jeremy previously worked in the hotel industry, and Heidi runs a hair styling and design business.

The structure where they're opening is a 3500-square-foot barn-like space that was built in 2019 adjacent to the Seventy8 And Westgate Apartments development. Getting it restaurant-ready will require a complete interior buildout.

Stephanie says the interior will feature a full bar, semi-private dining space, and covered patio.

"I’ve designed a groovy Southwestern interior featuring cognac-toned leather, with terracotta, black and gold accents," she says. "Our goal is to provide an elevated yet comfortable ambiance for our foodies."

They'll be sharing behind-the-scenes updates of the buildout and design journey on their Instagram.

As a prelude to opening, they've tested out some of the Smokehouse dishes with customers at Ferah Tex-Med, including brisket enchiladas served on a cast-iron skillet, and a charcuterie-like "butcherblock" featuring assorted smoked meats.

"Barbecue and Tex-Mex are the two favorite cuisines of people in Texas," Stephanie says. "We wanted to try something that was familiar to people but approach it in a new way."

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