On The Town

Interesting Tony Awards note: This year they coincidentally fall on Father's Day. So you can be absolutely sure that Tracy Letts, when he's accepting his all-but-certain honors as playwright of August: Osage County will give a shout-out to his dad, Dennis Letts, who died earlier this year of cancer. The elder Mr. Letts, who spent most of his career as an educator in Oklahoma, starting acting in his 50s and made it to Broadway as the original patriarch in August. And Tracy, of course, spent a couple of years here as an actor before heading to the brighter lights of Chicago and New York.

Also, look for Tracy's mom, novelist Billie Letts, in the audience. Many local writers know her -- her first book, the Oprah-anointed Where the Heart Is, got its start by winning the manuscript contest at the UTD Craft of Writing Conference back in the 90s. Busy couple of weeks for the Letts family: Mama Letts' latest book, the ultra-charming Made in the U.S.A. hits bookstores on June 19.

Check out our roundup of places to see holiday lights. I went to Frisco Square on Saturday night, and it was fun. They had extra stuff going on in addition to the light show--vendors selling gifts, carriage rides, pics with Santa.

Here's a rundown on some top local lighted attractions.

Dane Cook performs his "special" brand of stand-up on Sunday at the AAC. A brief consensus of coworkers assures me that special = not funny. But maybe we're wrong. Did you see the concert? What did you think?

OPEN CALL TO ARTISTS - GULF SOUTH REGION – (December 11, 2007 submission deadline)

http://becagallery.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/11/beca-gallery-to.html

BECA gallery in New Orleans, LA presents the 'Gulf South Regional Contemporary Art Exhibit' from January 5 - 31, 2008. This competition for group exhibition is open to all visual artists residing in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida working in 2-D and 3-D mediums. One artist chosen from this group exhibition will be offered a solo show at BECA gallery to open in mid-2008.

On Thursday, whether you're headed downtown to eat brunch, run the Turkey Trot or remember JFK, beware of the traffic. More than 50,000 people are expected to be traveling to downtown, plus there will be street closures for the run and DART will be running buses -- not trains -- between West End and Mockingbird. Read more about it in Turkey Trot runners, JFK tourists to pack downtown Dallas.

The holiday event season gets started this weekend. The Gaylord Texan's hall are already decked for Lone Star Christmas, and the Trains at NorthPark are running on time. So tell us: what are your favorite holiday-related activities in the area? What's the can't-miss event that calls you back each year? What new thing are you excited about?

Our November contest runs through Monday, and you can win tickets for reserved bleacher seats at the Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children's Parade or for the Trains at NorthPark exhibit. Enter here.

The Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrius concert is tonight at the Fort Worth Convention Center! Tell us your plans for making a night of the big show.

Then after the show, log on Playlist at GuideLive.com/musicblog and give us your review of Hannah/Miley mania.

I told you about the billboards proclaiming that "Kiss FM" KHKS-FM (106.1) will flip on Nov. 15.

Now the Web site for Kidd Kraddick's show says the following:
"Someone is leaving Kidd Kraddick in the Morning. It's not a behind the scenes person...it is someone whose voice you've grown to know and love. We read our letters of resignation on Tuesday."

So what's the best part of the Texas Stampede and/or the LG Action Sports Championship?

Sunday's Chile Pepperama, sponsored by the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association, celebrates chiles and other spicy ingredients. There'll also be a chili cook-off with tasting cups for $5. Get the scoop here.

BARNABY FITZGERALD
Opens TONIGHT at Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden
Friday, November 9, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Goods to Go Sample Sale
Dallas Market Hall
Friday, November 9; 10 am - 6 pm
Saturday, November 10; 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday, November 11; noon - 5 pm

More weekend events

Verizon Wireless is putting on a Family Fun Day with a lip-synch contest this Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. The prize is a pair of tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana show on Wednesday in Fort Worth. It'll be at the Verizon Wireless Communications Store, 1970 North Central Expressway, McKinney.

... And that means you need stuff to do. Allow us to help out with that:

• Holly's Best of the Weekend feature
• My fall arts and music guide
• Katy Trail Days (if you've never been to the trails, you gotta go)
• Chi Omega Christmas Market (yes, that's the "C" word, already!)
• Girl Talk at Palladium Ballroom (you'll recognize at least a million of the songs this DJ samples, guaranteed)
• Have you had the Backyard Burger at Jerseyville Classic at the Shops at Willow Bend yet? You must.

So what's on your leisure to-do list?

So what's happening nightspot or event is the best-kept secret in town? We want to know where you think the masses should go to get their groove on.

Hang on, we're almost there! Need some ideas for going out this weekend?

• Holly's Best of the Weekend feature
• Lesley's Reflections nightclub review
• Our annual haunted houses guide
• A slew of other Halloween and fall-related events

So what's up for your weekend? Share your ideas by commenting below.

It's official. The record-breaking exhibition "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" is coming to the Dallas Museum of Art in October 2008, outgoing DMA director John R. Lane and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert announced Monday. The show will open at the DMA on Oct. 3, 2008, and stay until May 17, 2009.

Read the story.

Read Studio Movie Grills booming with menu of fun and films

From Staff Writer Ann Pinson explains why she loves Studio Movie Grills:

A trip to Studio Movie Grill is the ultimate lazy date.

I don't mean that in a negative way. If you're frazzled after a tough week at work, or an exhausted parent out on a rare date, it might seem heavenly to just sit in the comfortable chairs, watch a new movie and have someone serve you.

Sure, Halloween is blast for the kids, but we what to know the best places and parties for grown-ups. Tell us what your Halloween plans are.

Start getting that canine costume all picked out (it usually takes a lot of alteration to make it fit). Today's Guide has a roundup of upcoming dog-friendly Halloween events.

The pic is a shot of my dog's Pug-O-Ween costume a couple years ago.