Back Talk Lakewood/East Dallas

Forgetting Sarah Marshall at Studio Movie Grill

Every time I go to Studio Movie Grill, the theater is packed. Granted, it¹s usually a Friday or Saturday night, but even films that have been out for a while seem to draw crowds. I guess everybody just loves the idea of dinner and a movie in one-stop-shopping form.

The food isn¹t stellar, but I would consider it pretty good for a movie theater kitchen. This weekend I tried one of the specials  -- a toaster burger with cheddar, grilled onions and bacon (yum). We typically like the coconut chicken tenders, too. It¹s also tempting to go on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights for $8.99 all you can eat pizza.

Every time I go to Studio Movie Grill, the theater is packed. Granted, it¹s usually a Friday or Saturday night, but even films that have been out for a while seem to draw crowds. I guess everybody just loves the idea of dinner and a movie in one-stop-shopping form.

The food isn¹t stellar, but I would consider it pretty good for a movie theater kitchen. This weekend I tried one of the specials  -- a toaster burger with cheddar, grilled onions and bacon (yum). We typically like the coconut chicken tenders, too. It¹s also tempting to go on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights for $8.99 all you can eat pizza.

Cashing in on heartbreak with exboyfriendjewelry.com

Anyone who€™se been through a breakup can tell you it's no fun. But now some women are turning their breakups into bank deposits thanks to a new Web site.
Women who log on to exboyfriendjewelry.com can sell any unwanted gifts from their ex-boyfriends. The concept is a lot like eBay, only there'€™s also a forum where women can blog about their breakups.
A good chunk of the site's inventory is rings––€“but there'€™s also a "€œgifts that should have been jewelry" section where you can browse high-end handbags.
The site'€™s founder Marie Perry told a Today Show reporter she was inspired to start the site after she broke up with a boyfriend and was left with jewelry that she "never felt right about wearing post breakup."
She had a hunch other women out there felt the same way, and thus the birth of exboyfriendjewelry.com.
Hmmm, I wonder if an exgirlfriendelectronics.com is in the works yet.

Umpire hit in the face by a 96 mph fastball

In case you missed it, check out the video of one very unfortunate umpire who took a 96 mph fastball to the face during a Dodgers game this weekend. The pitch skimmed the tip of the catcher’s mitt, hitting the umpire in the jaw and knocking him unconscious. He was taken to the hospital, and although he was wearing a protective mask, doctors suspect he still suffered a concussion. Geeze, talk about on-the-job hazards.

Firefighters out filling the boots

I’ll have to admit I cringed when the uniformed fireman approached my window this morning. I hardly ever carry cash, so I guess I just felt … awkward. Then I looked around and saw smiling drivers rolling down windows and handing the firemen bills (simply seeing a driver smile while in Garland-Buckner intersection traffic is heartwarming in itself). I watched the men hopping from car to car — running, really. They didn’t look at all beaten by the fact that they were spending a morning “fillin’ the boot” — they were happy to do it. My next thought was, “man, I’m a jerk.”
These guys are out here fundraising for the fight against muscular dystrophy — as they do every year. I think firefighter Borris McRay summed up what they are doing perfectly in this NBC interview.
So, I humbly pressed the YES button when the 7-11 credit card machine asked if I wanted cash back. I will carry some bills with me for the remainder of the weekend — and I hope you’ll do the same!

Get your groove on at Dance for the Planet

May's cover story (which should be at your doorstep soon, if it isn't yet) is all about free stuff, and here's another great free event: Dance for the Planet is this weekend, Saturday and Sunday April 26-27, noon-5 p.m.

The two-day festival takes place at the temporary Annette Strauss Artist Square at Samuell-Grand Park. You can sit back and watch performances one one of the three stages, or learn some moves of your own: Free swing classes and hip hop classes are being offered both Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 2:30 p.m. and 1 and 3:30 p.m., respectively.

The Dance Council website has more information on what to expect, like food vendors and such.

Developer asking for town homes near Lochwood-Old Lake Highlands

I was driving along Lake Highlands Drive when I saw one of those red and white Rezoning Request signs — the origin of many a neighborhood battle — on a patch of grass just south of R.T. Hill Middle School (sorta between Old Lake Highlands and Lochwood in District 9).

Despite the fact that I had two minutes to get my kids to school — I made a quick (legal) U Turn to write down the reference number (see how dedicated I am to getting information to our readers?).

I noticed the request was to rezone the 1.95-acre residential (R-7.5) land to town home property (TH-2). From my experience in Lake Highlands I know folks get flustered when you try to increase density, so I called the City and learned what I could from Olga Torres-Holyoak in Development: The proposed rezoning would allow no more than 10 town homes in the spot and would allow a height of 36 feet. Thomas Welker filed the request and has listed land use planning consultants Baldwin Associates as the representative. (I’m putting a call in to them and will keep you posted on any findings.) The case is set to go to the City Plan Commission June 19.

Frito-Lay's snack foods will either cost more or be in smaller portions

If you're planning to buy some snack food this weekend, you're in for a bit of a shock: Prices could be higher or portions could be smaller. This won't be a surprise if you've been buying the small potato chip/snack bags when you're eating out at lunch, since you've probably noticed the bag size seems to be the same, but the air-to-chip quotient appears to be rising.

Well, Frito-Lay admitted as much in today's DMN by saying that, for the most part, the company's snack portions are shrinking or the snack prices are rising — but not both at the same time to the same product. On larger snack bags, up to one ounce less food is being poured into each bag, the company says, while declining to say how much prices are being increased.

Next, I imagine they'll be using the reduced portion sizes to brag about how each bag now has even less trans-fat in it ...

How the heck is Blockbuster going to survive the economy and changing trends?

Frankly, I've had my doubts about whether Dallas-based Blockbuster is going to be long for this world, what with over-the-internet movie downloads and Netflix and millions of channels on cable and satellite.

But a story in the DMN lays out Blockbuster's plans, along with identifying a number of stores — some in our neighborhood — where we can see various portions of the survival plan. Things like selling big-screen TVs, offering fountain sodas, play areas for the kids, and 6 a.m. store openings are part of the plan, and Blockbuster is testing these ideas and more to see what works and what doesn't.

I don't know that I'm going to run out and buy any Blockbuster stock just yet, but at least I can see the company has a plan. And who knows? It might work.

SPCA poster contest now taking submissions

Think your kid could be the next Picasso? Well, if you've got a truly artsy tyke, listen up: The SPCA's "Be Kind to Animals Week" is coming up (May 4–10). In celebration of that, the SPCA folks are having a poster contest for kids age 8 through 12. The posters must have an animal theme, and they must be turned in no later than Wednesday, April 30.
If you'd like to enter your child's art submission, check the SPCA website to find out where you can drop it off or mail it. All winning entries will be publicly displayed at various shelter locations during the "Be Kind to Animals Week." There's also going to be several free activities for kids that week. If you'd like to sign your kids up for the free activities, just contact Jason Firebaugh, or call 214.461.1811.

Kick your old refrigerator to the curb for $50

If you've got an old, inefficient refrigerator or freezer, you may be about to collect $50 for it (perhaps better than a garage sale profit) and have it picked up directly from your house. That's because of a new Oncor program — The Great Texas Refrigerator Roundup. The point is for you to get a new, more energy-efficient refrigerator, plus dispose of your old one properly.