Grand prize giveaway: Live large with a luxurious $7,000 weekend at theRitz-Carlton, Dallas

Puttin' on the Ritz

Our grand prize is a $7,000 experience at the Ritz-Carlton, including access tothe Ritz-Carlton Club® Level.
Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
Buffalo tenderloin at Fearing's might be on the menu for your three-coursefeast.
Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
The giveaway includes a trip to the spa.
Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
Unwind with a drink in the Rattlesnake Bar.
Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Dallas

Editor’s Note: If you have been entering our Amazing Give-back Giveaway, you have been entered automatically to win our grand prize, described below. If you have missed the previous 30 or so chances (silly!), we invite you to enter by 11:59 pm, Saturday, December 22. Share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning. Santa will notify the winner on December 25. Good luck!

We at CultureMap are fond of a grand finale. That’s why we’ve saved one of our very best giveaways for last: an ultra-luxe, super-swank weekend stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

We’re not just talking about checking into an ordinary room. No, this $7,000 prize includes access to the Ritz-Carlton Club® Level, the only experience of its kind in Big D.

Spoil yourself (and a friend or loved one) with an array of amenities, including movies, games, and complimentary food and beverages from breakfast to cocktail hour. Check your computer with wireless access to post Instagram photos of how much fun you’re having.

Be sure to keep your own Club Level concierge busy; he or she will be at your side to assist with reservations, unpacking or anything else your heart desires.

Get prettified for the night with two Ritz-Carlton signature facials or massages in the spa’s VIP couple suite before tucking into a three-course dinner designed by renowned Texan chef Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant — complete with wine pairings, naturally)

It’s fabulous, it’s fancy and — best of all — it’s free!

Enter now for your chance to win.

December 21 giveaway: Shake off stress with a 6-month membership for 2 to HiatusSpa & Retreat

On Hiatus

Editor’s Note: The Amazing Give-back Giveaway is a luxe sweepstakes that culminates with a grand-prize drawing Christmas Day. Enter once a day, every day, to win one of 31 fabulous gifts and experiences from some of Dallas’ most exclusive retailers.

The prize below is available only for December 21. So enter now, and share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

We all need a little holiday from the everyday, and some pampering wouldn’t hurt, either. To ensure a zen New Year, today’s giveaway is two gold memberships — worth $886 — at that temple of relaxation and rejuvenation, Hiatus Spa & Retreat.

With a mission to create an exceptional spa experience for each and every guest, this Lovers Lane enclave offers such essential services as customized skin and body treatments, signature hand and foot massages, and customized aromatherapy.

Enjoy one essential service for two each month with your six-month gold membership, plus discounted pricing for additional services.

What a spa-tacular way to start 2013!

Enter now for your chance to win.

December 20 giveaway: Spend an enchanted $1,000 evening at the Mansion on TurtleCreek

ISN’T IT ROMANTIC

The prize below is available only for December 20. So enter now, and share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

Valentine’s Day is months away (not that we’re counting). But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a jumpstart on romance with a $1,000 night to remember at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

Dallas’ top getaway for well-heeled trysts and rock star rendezvous, the Mansion is also known for serving up superior service from lobby to stylish suite.

Explore a room adorned with Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Dine à deux in the award-winning Mansion restaurant. Relax with a massage before soaking in an aromatherapy bath.

Then enjoy an in-room movie or listen to a CD of amorous tunes — unless, of course, you’re too distracted. And cap it all off with a rose turndown, complete with two embroidered pillowcases stitched with the initials of you and your true love.

You’ll even receive an intimate American breakfast for two before departing. L’amour in total luxury plus free valet — what could be better?

Enter now for your chance to win.

December 19 giveaway: $1,000 shopping spree at Five and Ten in Highland ParkVillage

Pretty Awesome

The prize below is available only for December 19. So enter now, and share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

It’s life’s little luxuries that make it all worthwhile. We’re talking about the finer things — bags by Be&D, pants by Proenza Schouler, jewels from Melissa Joy Manning.

You’ll find all that — and more — at Highland Park Village’s Five and Ten, a tony concept shop brought to you by the same chicsters who created Forty Five Ten.

And to assure a most stylish new year, we’re giving away one $1,000 shopping spree at this fab five-and-dime revamp, along with a covetable appointment with one of the shop’s expert stylists.

Super-chic? For sure. Ultra-glam? To be certain. The winner of this covetable giveaway will certainly find themselves on 2013’s best-dressed list.

Enter now for your chance to win.

December 18 giveaway: Store it all with style in a beautiful London trunk byTimothy Oulton

THE “IT” BRIT GET

The prize below is available only for December 18. So enter now, and share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

It’s not the stuff you’ve got; it’s how you store it. And keeping a mess at bay has never been chicer than with a London trunk by Timothy Oulton.

Known for his handcrafted upholstery, case goods and lighting — all designed with a uniquely British sensibility — Oulton recently opened his first U.S. flagship gallery in the Knox-Henderson area. With the finest sprung locks, hand-finished solid wood trims and hand-applied studs, his London trunks are classic collectibles that recall the charm and romance of a bygone era of travel.

We’re giving away one of these essential items trimmed in striped flour sack ramut — a $1,195 value. Both posh and practical, it’s the perfect way to say “Cheerio!” to clutter.

Enter now for your chance to win.

December 17 giveaway: Make time for romance at the Rosewood Crescent Hotel

It Takes Two

The prize below is available only for December 17. So enter now, and share on Facebook to increase your chances of winning.

Finding the perfect gift for the one you love can be a process fraught with peril. An ugly tie or household appliance can derail a relationship as soon as the wrapping paper is off.

To play it safe, we’ve got a giveaway that both you and your sweetie can share — a relaxing night for two in the luxe environs of the Rosewood Crescent Hotel.

This $750 prize includes valet parking, use of the facilities at The Spa at the Crescent and an aromatherapy massage for two. You’ll even be able to have a complimentary breakfast together in The Conservatory — or the privacy of your room, if you so desire.

We’re sure your better half will still be thanking you, long after the holiday are over.

Enter now for your chance to win.

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Top Dallas chef re-emerges at upscale Mexican pop-up at West Village

Chef News

There's culinary action brewing in Dallas' West Village with an award-winning chef turning out some amazing Mexican food. It's a new restaurant pop-up called Mexican Test Kitchen, located at 3699 McKinney Ave. #307, and it stars Matt McCallister, one of Dallas' most high-profile chefs.

Mexican Test Kitchen is the working title for a new concept in the works between McCallister and restaurateur Mike Karns, who recently took ownership of the West Village. It occupies the space that was previously Honest Tacos (and before that, Taco Diner); Honest Taco closed in April.

For now, they are doing a pop-up, with a menu that McCallister has designed, featuring tacos, bowls, and salads, plus inventive margaritas.

"I didn't want to see the West Village get hurt with the closure of a restaurant, so we mobilized our team and opened Mexican Test Kitchen as a pop-up," Karns says.

Their plan is to be open this summer with an interim menu of dishes they are developing, while they reconcept and redesign the space.

"It'll still be Mexican but leaning a little more healthy than Tex-Mex — more like healthy Mex, with a lower price point and a little more casual," Karns says. "We feel like it will bring some energy to West Village."

McCallister is now working with Karns' Local Favorite Restaurants group (El Fenix, Snuffer's, Meso Maya, Taqueria La Ventana, Tulum, Village Burger Bar, Jalisco Norte, Twisted Root) full time. He joined following the untimely closure of Homewood, the award-winning restaurant on Oak Lawn Avenue.

"When Homewood closed, I reached out to Matt," Karns says. "He works with us now as well as Alex Urrunaga (Plan B Group, Reach Restaurants)."

That team will help create their fun new concept. Karns says they'll close the pop-up in late August, then re-open in September after the remodel is complete.

"Mike is a super cool guy, it's kinda crazy I get to work for him," McCallister says. "At the end of the day I just want to contribute my slice of the pie to Mike's vision for the company."

Those craving McCallister flavors can meanwhile enjoy the current pop-up menu featuring:

Citrus pig with citrus-braised carnitas, griddled onions, pineapple, cotija cheese, & mint
Brisket, barbacoa style with rajas, blistered corn, & chipotle mayo
Asada Steak with cilantro, caramelized onion, peanut salsa macha
Grilled chicken with smoky chipotle marinade, chiles toreados
Habanero lime shrimp with pickled red onion & watermelon radish
Tempura cod with Mexican tartar sauce, & green cabbage crunch
Griddled Came, with sweet potato, goat cheese, toasted pepita sprinkle, charred green onions
Mexican mushroom with caramelized creminis, maitakes, trumpets, & oyster mushrooms, griddled onion, cilantro, & watermelon radish

Chips & queso feature a pale whipped queso fresco with peanut salsa macha and pumpkin seed crunch. Guacamole comes topped with pomegranate and toasted pistachio.

Salads and bowls include a beautiful ensalada rossa with wild arugula & matchstick beets; a “shades of green” salad with hearty greens, spinach, tri-color quinoa, crispy chickpeas, avocado, roasted corn, cried cranberries, & green Carognola olives; and a Ranchero bowl with black beans, white rice, sweet potato, marinated beets, crispy Brussels sprouts, Mexican kimchee, hearty greens, & mojo.

If all that's not enough, everything's crazy-cheap: Tacos come in at $4-5, and salads and bowls at $12.

Chicago Italian restaurant Quartino readies for Texas debut at The Colony

Italian Restaurant News

A new Italian concept from Chicago is coming to Dallas-Fort Worth: Quartino Ristorante and Wine Bar, a Chicago-based authentic Italian neighborhood restaurant, pizzeria, and wine bar, is making its Texas debut with a location in the Grotto District of Grandscape, in The Colony.

According to a release, it'll open June 19.

Quartino will occupy two levels of indoor and outdoor bar and dining room seating. A red-toned brick exterior with awnings gives the space a relaxed yet refined vibe.

Quartino features an approachable menu of Italian shared plates that feature regional specialties, like artisanal salumi, housemade cheeses, Neapolitan-style pizza, handmade pasta, Aquerello risotto, and seafood.

The bar program includes an expansive, value-driven wine list highlighting family-owned, small-production wines available by the quartino (quarter liter), mezzo (half-liter), litro (liter) and bottle; plus craft cocktails, negronis, and house-made limoncello.

Quartino is part of Gibsons Restaurant Group, which also owns and operates American brands like Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse and Gibsons Italia in Chicago and The Boathouse at Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida.

GRG chose to expand into Texas because of the area’s promising future. This is the first Quartino to open since the original opened in 2005. It is the latest location for GRG, one of the highest-grossing independent restaurant groups in the nation.

Quartino's General Manager, Erick Starke, recently relocated his family from Chicago to The Colony. He says, “Quartino selected The Colony as its first home in Texas because of its friendly people, incomparable growth, culture, and diversity. Our goal is to serve up southern hospitality Italian style and create an unforgettable experience for our customers."

Customers can make dining reservations at www.quartinoristorante.com.

GRG founder Steve Lombardo says that customer satisfaction is at the heart of every GRG restaurant.

“Quartino is known for its commitment to the highest quality, authentic Italian food and wine, a lively dining experience, and putting the customer first, and we are excited to bring this experience to North Texas," Lombardo said.

Quartino is located at 5754 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, TX 75056, directly behind and across the street from Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, and next to Thirsty Lion.

——

About Quartino:
Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar first opened in December 2005 by Gibsons Restaurant Group and founding chef John Coletta in Chicago’s vibrant and bustling River North neighborhood. Quartino is the recipient of the coveted Ospitalita Italiana, which is awarded by the Italian government and recognizes restaurants that uphold the traditions of Italian culture. In 2022, Thrillist named Quartino as one of the Best Italian restaurants in Chicago. Quartino is on Open Table’s 2019 list of the 100 Best Restaurants in America for a Big Night Out. In 2018, Quartino was named one of the world’s 70 best restaurants with a pizzeria by Ristorazione Italiana Magazine. Always festive and welcoming with two spacious levels and outdoor seating, Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Brooke Shields to headline trailblazing Dallas nonprofit's big fall fundraiser

More than a pretty face

Model, actress, and author Brooke Shields will deliver the keynote address at the 2023 Trailblazer Awards Luncheon on September 29 at the Hilton Anatole. The annual fundraiser - one of Dallas' most anticipated luncheons of fall - benefits The Family Place, Texas’ largest family violence service agency marking its 45th year.

Lindsay Jacaman and Holly Krug will serve as luncheon co-chairs, with philanthropists and former Real Housewives of Dallas stars Stephanie and Travis Hollman as honorary chairs, the organization announced on June 6.

"We hope attendees will be inspired by our featured speaker Brooke Shields as she shares her unique story and her personal resilience that led her to become the role model she is today," says The Family Place CEO Mimi Sterling in a release. "Through the collective efforts of our co-chairs and honorary chairs, we know we will raise important funds to serve women, men and children in need of safety."

Shields, who turned 58 on May 31, has made headlines recently as the topic of a critically acclaimed new docu-series about her life. Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, released in April on Hulu, examines her journey "from a sexualized young girl to a Princeton graduate, mother, and advocate who has embraced her identity and voice," Hulu says.

Shields famously started her career as a child star, becoming - at age 14 - the youngest fashion model ever to grace on the cover of Vogue. In addition to garnering awards as an actress onscreen, Shields is now a best-selling author and creator of an apparel and accessories line called Brooke Shields Timeless.

The wife and mother of two teen daughters is also, the release notes, "an advocate for women and the arts and serves on the board of WIN, an organization dedicated to providing housing, services and programs to homeless women and children in New York City."

The Trailblazer Awards Luncheon is The Family Place's biggest annual fundraiser. Proceeds will help further the nonprofit's mission to empower survivors of family violence by providing safe housing, counseling, and skills that create independence, organizers say.

The event will include a VIP reception, seated luncheon, and recognition of this year’s Texas Trailblazer Award recipient (not yet announced). Tickets start at $350 are available on The Family Place's website.

Family Place Luncheon 2023, Brooke Shields

Courtesy photo

Brooke Shields will headline the Trailblazer Awards Luncheon on September 29.

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