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

More than a pretty face

Courtesy photo

UPDATE: The date has been changed to October 10.

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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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Prominent Hill Country winery cracks open new tasting room in Fredericksburg

Winery news

One of the most prominent names in Hill Country wines has uncorked a new tasting room in Fredericksburg. On September 22, Grape Creek Vineyard’s owners, Brian and Jennifer Heath, cut the ribbon to their latest property, Invention Vineyards, at 4222 S. State Hwy. 16.

Heath Family Brands has used the name for some time, first as a vintage from the Grape Creek portfolio. A 2022 purchase of Slate Mill Wine Collective cleared the way for Invention to be born as its own estate label.

Under longtime winemaker Jason Eglert, Invention crafts mostly Texas blends. The line also includes several single-varietal wines, focusing on Old World grapes like Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, and Viognier.

The property echoes that approach. The tasting room is on the former 35-acre site of Pioneer Flour Mills founder Carl Hilmar Guenther’s original mill. The entrepreneur did business in Fredericksburg for eight years before volatile weather conditions prompted a move to San Antonio.

A handful of Guenther’s original stone buildings still stand near the entry to Invention, but new construction houses the brand’s tasting room and state-of-the-art production facility. Nodding to the original structures, the rustic-industrial facility utilizes weathered brick and a corrugated roof.

Though the business has been open during the build-out, the grand opening marked the first opportunity for guests to see the completed compound.

For hours, memberships, tastings, and more, visit the website.

Cidercade cider and games venue opens mega-facility in heart of Arlington

Cider News

Cider and games are coming to Arlington with the opening of Cidercade, a new entertainment venue opening at 500 E. Division St. in the heart of Arlington on September 29.

Cidercade has hundreds of arcade games, shuffleboard, pool tables, and more, all available for playing with a single admission fee, as well as dozens of drinks on tap. It's all ages during the day then turns 21+ at 8 pm.

Arlington is the fifth location in Texas, following existing Cidercades in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston, and is the largest yet with a huge space spanning 25,000-plus square feet.

It houses more than 300 retro and modern arcade games, pool tables, ping pong tables, shuffleboard courts (a Cidercade first), party rooms, and event spaces for groups of all sizes.

In a statement, co-founder and CEO Joel Malone says that with Arlington's reputation as an entertainment destination, he knew they had to build "something awesome."

"Cidercade Arlington is not only our largest location yet, but it includes a much larger variety of games and experiences," he says.

Cidercade customers pay an admission fee of $12 and get unlimited play on all the games and activities once inside. Cidercade also offers a $20 monthly membership that includes unlimited admissions as well as discounts on drinks and merch.

Beyond the games, multiple bars serve a big lineup of adult beverages on tap, all made by Bishop Cider, and soft drinks from soda machines with unlimited refills.

Customers are allowed to bring their own food or have it delivered from nearby restaurants.

In addition to the Arlington expansion, Bishop is also relocating the Dallas Cidercade to a new site near Love Field Airport, where it will be expanded dramatically to 79,000 square feet, nearly 10 times larger. It will feature concepts, games, and activities that aren’t offered anywhere else in Texas, and will open in 2024. The current location will remain open until then.

Malone and and his wife and partner Laura Malone initially founded Bishop Cider as a quaint 704-square-foot cider bar a decade ago. The company has since grown into a leader in beverage manufacturing and beverage experiences comprising four brands:

TexBev, a co-packer for carbonated soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, wine, beer, and RTDs.
Cidercade, the cider and game venue
Bishop Cider, the hard cider company
Wild Acre Brewing, a brewery and beer garden venue in Fort Worth that produces seasonal brews and year-round core beers like Texas Blonde, Juice Slinger IPA, and Sundance Wheat.

Dallas can now rent pickleball and tennis courts in people's backyards

PLAY BALL

Dallas-Fort Worth pickleball and tennis lovers can now play on courts that were previously inaccessible: in people's backyards.

The service is from Swimply, the online provider that has previously let homeowners rent out their private pools by the hour. They've now expanded their services to include courts.

Swimply says in a release that other backyard spaces for rent were the "logical next step" -- especially given the popularity of pickleball.

"Pickleball is a phenomenon and there aren't enough courts to meet demand," the release says."Tennis, likewise, has historically been an exclusive leisure activity where people pay upwards of $100 an hour at private clubs for court time."

In addition to tennis and pickleball, basketball courts will also be listed for rent on the site, beginning at $25 an hour. There are currently nine pickleball courts for rent in the DFW area and one tennis court, spanning from Allen to Aubrey to Mansfield to McKinney. (The DFW service has just started and will surely amass more options.)

These join 200 spaces in Austin, and 300-plus available across markets in Houston, New York, and Los Angeles.

Swimply founder and CEO Bunim Laskin says this new launch is a "game changer" for communities whose members want greater accessibility to recreational spaces.

"We're excited to offer this new opportunity for families and friends to have fun, exercise, and connect with each other in a safe, affordable, and convenient way," Laskin says. "Our mission has always been about democratizing access to exclusive spaces and creating positive social impact, and we believe that court rentals are a natural extension of that vision."

It won't stop there: Swimply is looking into expanding their recreational offerings to include backyards for events, music studios, and more.

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