Advocate Magazine

Norma’s expands its business, celebrates 57th anniversary

Monica S. Nagy — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:26:57 +0000

Due to the mile-high success Norma’s Cafe has had in North Dallas, owner Ed Murph says he’s bringing his cream pies, pot roast and other down-home favorites to Frisco by the first week of June. Murph says he sought out a new Norma’s about two years ago after his restaurant was so well received in our ‘hood. The original Norma’s started in Oak Cliff in a “truly old cafe,” and is still there today. After finding a location that will fit his concept — a spot that beckons Texas flag booths, abundant red color and three dimensional objects, Murph found his new location on Gaylord Parkway in Frisco. Murph says he’s got workers “building the place up” right now, and he has job openings at the ready. “We are certainly hiring form the area. We’ve been recruiting a lot of folks, a lot of people that work two jobs, but not stealing them from their current jobs,” he says with sincerity. “Just people looking for extra work.” Murph says though the new joint will be a bit smaller in square footage, the set up, amount of seating and menu will be the same as North Dallas’ location. “Our customers will demand that it be exactly the same. They are very loyal bunch of folks and when they want their Norma’s they want it the way they have known it for many years, ” he says. The restaurant will host some trial runs where they invite segments of the community to try out different sections of the menu, and at some point in June they’ll celebrate with a grand opening. Which coincidentally is when Norma’s is celebrating its 57th anniversary June 25. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. that day, patrons at any of the three Norma’s locations can dine on some good ol’ Texas-style chicken fried steak, meatloaf or chicken and dressing all served with fresh green beans and homemade mashed potatoes for $1.79. Murph says though he’s looking forward to opening in Frisco, his current locations will maintain the same “great service and food that people have come to know.” When I asked Murph how he’s managed to stay in business for 57 years he said the answer was a simple one. “Treat the people the way you want to be treated,” he says. “Give them respect. Make sure the kind of food you serve is what they want, and are familiar with, and give them that quality product at a value price.” Oh, and one more thing … “Throw in one to two ornery waitresses and that seals the deal,” he says with a chuckle. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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This weekend: Taste Addison, Warbirds in the sky and Twilight Cabaret

Monica S. Nagy — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:20:19 +0000

More than 70 restaurants will serve up food, and bands Blue October, Sister Hazel, Turnpike Troubadours and Reckless Kelly will perform May 17–19 for Taste Addison. The festivities kick off 6 p.m. Friday and last until 5 p.m. Sunday where you can: –Run through the streets of Addison for the Tasty Run 5K and receive bite size samples during your course. –Watch chefs’ showcase demos featuring Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House, Kent Rathbun and Tre Wilcox. –Forget about the TV show “American Idol.” “Addison Idol” is where it’s at. There are also bounce houses, face painting, carnival rides and a children’s production of Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr., for the kids. Cavanaugh Flight Museum invites the community to celebrate the history of flight for “Warbirds over Addison,” 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. May 18–19. At the event you’ll get to see vintage planes take flight with WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam-era airplanes including: the P‐51 Mustang, AD-5 Skyraider, FM2 Wildcat, T-28B Trojan, P-40 Warhawk and the flying debut of the FG-1D Corsair. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children where you’ll get to touch and look at the planes up close. You can even take an airplane ride in one of several planes. Prices for flights start at $75. For $10 you can dine on desserts and watch a “Twilight Cabaret” at Repertory Company Theatre 8 p.m. May 18. Seven performers will entertain the audience with Broadway hits. Call 972.690.5029 for tickets. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Addison Improv celebrates 50th anniversary with some seriously funny men

Monica S. Nagy — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:51:23 +0000

Comedians Godfrey, John Witherspoon and Bobbly Lee will perform at Addison Improv for its 50th anniversary celebration. Godfrey Danchimah, Jr., known for his work in films “Zoolander” and “Black by accident,” and TV shows “Louie” and “Chelsea Lately,” will perform at various times from 7:30 p.m to as late as 10:30 p.m. May 16-19. John Witherspoon of “The Wayans Brothers,” “The Tracy Morgan Show,” “Boondocks,” the urban film trilogy “Friday,” will perform at various times from 7 p.m. to as late as 11:30 p.m. May 17-19. Bobby Lee, known for his work in films “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” “Pineapple Express” and “The Dictator,” and TV shows “MadTV” and “Chelsea Lately,” will perform at various times from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 24-26. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Dallas City Plan Commission to vote on rezoning for Valley View area

Monica S. Nagy — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:03:11 +0000

On May 16 the Dallas City Plan Commission will vote to rezone the entire 430 acres surrounding Valley View Center to the Galleria, which is set to become an urban village known as Dallas Midtown. Commissioners already approved the Valley View-Galleria Area Plan late April, and if approved, the View-Galleria Area Special Purpose District will divide the 430 acres into seven walkable subdistricts. If you’re unable to make the meeting, but want to know more details of the plan click here and you’ll be directed to a draft ordinance, streets plan and more. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Galleria hosts meet and greet with Byron Nelson players

Victoria Hilbert — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:17 +0000

Think you missed out on getting in on the Byron Nelson action? Think again. The Galleria is hosting a “Happy Hour and Meet & Greet” 5–8 p.m. May 15. As PGA tour players mingle at the event, and the Townhouse Kitchen + Bar and The Grill on the Alley serve happy hour menus for food and drink, attendees can putt for a chance to win tickets to the tournament and Byron Nelson gifts. The event is free and at The Grill on the Alley. © Victoria Hilbert for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Picture day: Tim Cowlishaw and razorblades

Monica S. Nagy — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:45:23 +0000

Photo and story by photo editor Danny Fulgencio We opted for a conceptual shot for our May story on Tim Cowlishaw; Richardson High School alumnus, ESPN’s “Around the Horn” commentator and long-time Dallas Morning News columnist. Cowlishaw recently published his book “Drunk on Sports,” which grapples with the inherent risks of using sports as an excuse to binge drink. A moody dive bar seemed appropriate. Of course, this meant finding such a bar. The Lakewood Landing proved ideal. Manager Roger Nelson was more than accommodating, even letting us show up two hours before the bar opened so we could set up and shoot. Before the shoot I scouted the location and sketched out our shot options, which is a good way to get the juices flowing and consider logistical issues. Here’s the sketch: Subtly communicating the dangers of alcoholism was a little challenging, and in the end I used a frosted pint glass filled with razor blades. Want to guess how many razorblades we used? 300. (And yes, I probably looked like a total psycho pushing a stroller through Home Depot to buy 300 razorblades.) Photo intern Ethan Healy was on hand to assist with our lighting setup an hour before Tim arrived. Truth be told, setup takes longer than anything. Just as we finished prepping the shoot, Tim arrived and was asked only to sit at the bar and watch ESPN, which seemed to come naturally. We had our shots within 10 minutes. Click here to check out Monica’s excellent interview with Tim. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Update: Staubach Gates scores, Kleinman a hike ahead, Chumney and Lanet face run-off

Monica S. Nagy — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:14:10 +0000

Update 4:19 p.m.: It appears there was some confusion on who won the Richardson ISD place 4 seat. Rachel Chumney did not win the election with 44.85 percent of the vote. A candidate must have at least 50 percent of the vote to win, therefore Rachel Chumney and long-time incumbent Lanet Greenhaw (41.56 percent) will run-off in the June 15 elections. Original 8 a.m.: It appears endorsements from Ann Margolin and Mitchell Rasansky weren’t enough to to land Leland Burk the District 13 council seat. Jennifer Staubach Gates won by an overwhelming 64.36 percent to Burk’s 34.63 percent in the May 11 Dallas County elections. The District 13 contenders beat out all 14 Dallas council districts when it came to campaign money, and though Leland “Experience” Burk tried to backtrack after making a couple of misstatements, the voters chose volunteer and former nurse Staubach Gates. It also appears that Bishop Lynch senior Jacob King will begin his fall in Texas A&M University after all. Lee Kleinman beat out contender Ori Raphael for the District 11 council seat that will now cover portions of District 12. Though Raphael said he was behind locals on hot-button issues like the Cotton Belt Rail Line, Kleinman, a former District 11 Dallas Park Board member, won by a sweep with 62.72 percent of the vote compared to Raphael’s 37.28 percent. Kleinman vocalized his immense support of the Dallas Bike Plan, completing the Northaven Trail and all hike and bike plans, while the “young” candidate, Raphael, emphasized repairing roads, banning texting while driving, and making life in the road lane, instead of the bike lane, more enjoyable. Rachel Chumney, advocate for special needs students, won the Richardson ISD place 4 seat with 44 percent of the vote. Chumney recently told the audience RISD Board of Trustees Forum that she spent the last two months giving herself a “crash course on just about every single thing you can possibly imagine.” She beat long-time incumbent Lanet Greenhaw by 2 percent. © Monica S. Nagy for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Three things for Monday: Election roundup

Jeff Siegel — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:38:09 +0000

• KERA focuses on the loss of women and Hispanic members on the incoming city council, noting Dallas’ growing Hispanic population. The city is half Anglo and about half black and Hispanic, but the new council could have nine white members, including the mayor. Eight of them could be white men. Can anyone say lawsuit? • Mayor Rawlings isn’t especially concerned about the Hispanic issue, reports The Morning News. “This is democracy,” he said. “Democracy takes time.” Who knew a Dallas mayor would be so excited about the concept of democracy? • Steve Thompson at The News writes (behind the paywall) that Jennifer Staubach Gates’ election in District 13 in Preston Hollow and parts of far north Dallas signals a new era in Dallas politics. That all sounds well and good, but ask yourself this: If her name was Jennifer Smith Gates, would she have won the election, let alone by an almost 2-to-1 margin? © Jeff Siegel for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Four things we learned from Saturday’s city council elections

Jeff Siegel — Sun, 12 May 2013 11:55:33 +0000

1. No one cares. Even where turnout was heaviest – abut 20 percent in District 13 (Preston Hollow and parts of far north Dallas), where Jennifer Staubach Gates beat Leland Burk – it still wasn’t much. And some of the totals in the contested races were embarrassing – 1,423 in Pleasant Grove and 909 in west Dallas’ district 6. Countywide, turnout was 7 percent. 2. The Dallas Cowboys are the most important thing to ever happen to the city of Dallas. Ever. In its history. Ever. That Roger Staubach’s daughter could handily beat the well-financed Burk, who was endorsed by the popular Mitch Rasansky, says all we need to know about the cultural role the Cowboys play in this city. I will leave it to others, more educated in these things, to decide what that means. 3 . Soon to be former councilwoman Angela Hunt has a legacy. Philip Kingston, whom she endorsed to replace her in East Dallas’ District 14, will face the downtown elite’s candidate, Bobby Abtahi, in a runoff on June 15. Kingston led the field on Saturday, taking about 34 percent of the vote against the better-financed and heavily-endorsed Abtahi. I wouldn’t bet against Kingston next month. 4. North Oak Cliff’s Scott Griggs has a future in Dallas politics, and he will be mentioned when people start talking about the 2015 mayoral race. It’s not so much that he beat Delia Jasso, another incumbent, in District 1. It’s that he ran a smart campaign and won easily, with almost 61 percent of the vote in a race the downtown elite wanted him to lose. © Jeff Siegel for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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Lane closures along LBJ and Dallas North Tollway cause delays

Victoria Hilbert — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:10:02 +0000

Due to beam installations along westbound LBJ between Marsh and Midway, and deck pours along the Dallas North Tollway and LBJ intersection, we can expect even more overnight road closures this weekend and next. If you’re taking Preston to LBJ west, expect at least a 10 minute delay when you reach Marsh. 11 p.m.-6 a.m. May 10: -There will be various closures on the northbound DNT main lanes from Forest Lane to Alpha Road. At least one lane will remain open to traffic. -The northbound DNT exit ramps to eastbound and westbound LBJ will be closed. -The loop ramp from eastbound LBJ to northbound DNT will be closed. -There will be various closures on the southbound DNT main lanes from Alpha Road to Forest Lane. At least one lane will remain open to traffic. -The southbound DNT exit ramps to eastbound and westbound LBJ will be closed. -The loop ramp from westbound LBJ to southbound DNT will be closed. 9 p.m.-10 a.m. May 10 and 17, 7 p.m.-midnight May 11 and 18, and 8 p.m.-6 a.m. May 12 and 19: -The northbound and southbound lanes on Marsh and Midway at LBJ will be closed. -The westbound frontage road between Welch and the Midway exit ramp will be closed. -The two left lanes on the eastbound general purpose lanes will be closed. -The westbound general purpose lanes will be closed between the Midway off-ramp and the Marsh on-ramp. One lane will be diverted to the westbound frontage road. Source: LBJ Express © Victoria Hilbert for Advocate Magazine, 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags:

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