DENTONLIVE
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
july-December 2013
Street
Fanatics
Classic collectibles
fuel the Arts, Antiques
& Autos Extravaganza
North Texas State Fair
Holiday Lighting
Denton’s New Identity
Photo by by David Halloran
DENTONLIVE
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
North Texas State Fair
Holiday Lighting
Arts, Antiques & Autos
july-December 2013
Diverse
Denton
A mix of old
and new lifestyles
sweep across the city
DENTONLIVE
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
july-December 2013
Flash of
Holiday
Spirit
25 years
of lights
illuminate
Denton
North Texas State Fair
Arts, Antiques & Autos
Denton’s New Identity
Photo by James Coreas
DENTONLIVE
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
july-December 2013
Texas
Tiaras
North
Texas fair
boosts
confidence
through
beauty
pageants
Arts, Antiques & Autos
Holiday Lighting
Photo by Meagan Hatton
Denton’s New Identity
Hometown University — Lifetime Partner
© FRANK ROGOZIENSKI
We are proud to be Denton’s hometown university and a partner in addressing the needs and
solving the problems of the community we serve. Together, we’re building a stronger Denton
and a better tomorrow.
UNT Kristin Farmer Autism Center
Providing autism diagnostic testing, counseling and comprehensive
intervention services, including behavioral, speech, occupational and
physical therapy services.
autism.unt.edu
UNT Speech and Hearing Center
Offering comprehensive assessment and treatment services, including
state-of-the-art hearing aid technology, for individuals with hearing,
speech and language problems.
speechandhearing.unt.edu/sphs-clinic
UNT Center for Sport Psychology
and Performance Excellence
Offering sport psychology consultation to individual athletes and sport
teams to help them develop the skills and mindset needed to reach
optimal levels of performance.
sportpsych.unt.edu
UNT Early Childhood Music Program
Offering musical development and preparation to children 5 years of
age and younger.
music.unt.edu/musiced/ecmusic
AA/EOE/ADA
© 2013 UNT
WHAT’S
INSIDE
July-December
2013
36
PAGE
PAGE
30
20
PAGE
PAGE
22
20 PAGEANT PRINCESS
competing at the fair
22 HOLIDAY LIGHTs
Christmas at the Square
30 Dining Out
mouth-watering meals
36 Peter Weller
a chat with a local celeb
3 DENTON RADIO
25 NEW DENTON BRAND
6 RECYCLED READINGS
28 UNT QUIDDITCH
8 BEAST FEAST
32 ROCK AT THE RODEO
local music rocks the web
new look, same feel
opera house shelves rich history Harry Potter sweeps through Denton
meat madness and more
happenings at Denton’s country bar
10 BEAUJOLAIS
wine and dine on a dime
2 From the mayor
12 UNIQUELY DENTon
4 A-train
records spin again in Denton
14 Arts, antiques, autos
dentonlive.com car show comes to the Square
1
D E N T O N
L I V E
18 Calendar
34 map and listings
Let ter
from the
mayor
Wel come to Denton L ive,
you r g u id e fo r wh at ’s g o in g o n in
D en to n fo r t h e se c o n d h al f o f 2013.
S um m e r win d in g d own m e an s
a wh o l e n ew se aso n o f fu n is
c r a n kin g u p h e re in De n to n .
DENTONLIVE
Summer’s big finale for the past
84 years has been the North Texas
State Fair and Rodeo in August. Relive
our history with the Butterfield and
Chisholm Trails during nine actionpacked days of PRCA Rodeo, midway
rides, and boot-scootin’ concerts
featuring some of country music’s top
tickets. As fall sets in, we party at the
Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza,
the Wild Beast Feast, Blues Fest and
Mean Green football tailgating at the
impressive
wind-powered
Apogee
Stadium.
As an award-winning Main Street
City, we love inviting visitors into our
community’s living room – our historic
Downtown Denton Square, the heart
of the city, vibrantly alive, original, and
pulsing with the independent spirit that
sets Denton apart from other destinations. Our famous 1896 Courthouseon-the-Square crowns downtown yearround, but especially when she’s decked
out for the Holiday Lighting Festival,
Denton’s postcard-pretty family tradition
for bringing on the Christmas spirit.
Music is the thread in Denton’s fabric
of life, from Grammy-winning jazz and
polka-rock to world class Indie bands
based right here in Denton. We are a
festival city, and music is featured in
every one of our 20 major, signature
events and more than 100 smaller ones.
We now deliver Denton music to the
world. DentonRadio.com is our all-new,
Internet-based radio station featuring
purely Denton artists and all original
music. Check it out from wherever you
are; then next time you visit, look up your
new favorite artists in any of more than
20 live music venues – all within walking
distance of the downtown Square! We
have our special brand of nightlife
happening all the time and you won’t find
it anywhere else. We invite you to soak it
up - your style, your way.
The A-train’s expanded schedule and
PUBLISHER
Roy Busby, Ph.D.
Director, Frank W. Mayborn
Graduate Institute of Journalism,
and Graduate Associate Dean
University of North Texas
EDITOR
Adam Pitluk
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Wendy Moore
[email protected]
Convention & Visitors Bureau
414 Parkway
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 382-7895
(888) 381-1818
discoverdenton.com
Convention & Visitor Bureau
Students in the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn
School of Journalism and Frank W. Mayborn
Graduate Institute of Journalism wrote the
articles and designed the layout of Denton
Live: Adriana Rodriguez, Alicia Auping, Alison
Matlock, Ann Smajstrla, Audra Stamp, Bryan
Cytron, Bryan Mangan, Christina Nava, David
Halloran, Elizabeth Boyle, Haylee Howard,
Korynthia Peal, Meagan Hatton and
Michelle Heath.
escapetodenton.com
EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD
MAYOR
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
DENTON CITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, DENTON CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE VICE PRESIDENT, DENTON
CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Mark Burroughs
Kevin Roden
James King
Jim Englebrecht
Chuck Carpenter
Kim Phillips
2
D E N T O N
L I V E
connection to the Dallas Area Rapid
Transit (DART) makes trekking between
Denton and points in the DFW Metroplex
south and beyond a cinch, further broadening tourism experiences for visitors.
Our beautiful Downtown Denton Transit
Station, one of two Denton stations, is the
top of the A-train line. From here, visitors
can explore the best of Denton by bus,
pedicab, bike, or simply by strolling our
wide sidewalks to our hip arts and entertainment scene featuring national and
international award-winning theater,
galleries, shows, festivals, and, of course,
music all year long.
Enjoy this issue of Denton Live ... then
come on out and enjoy the fun! Welcome
to Denton.
M ark B urroughs ,
M ayor of D enton
Denton Live is published by the Frank W. Mayborn
Graduate Institute of Journalism at the
University of North Texas in partnership with
the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau.
© 2013 by Mayborn • 1155 Union Circle, #311460
Denton, TX 76203-5017 • (940) 565-4564
All rights reserved.
Comments on stories go to UNT’s Mayborn School
while distribution queries go to the Denton CVB.
Printed by Eagle & Wheeler, Denton, Texas
For additional information, visit our website
www.dentonlive.com.
Radio -free denton
De n to n i s de f i ne d by i ts mus ic a nd it s people, a nd t ha nks to
De n to n R ad i o.com, the p e op le c a n t a ke t he mus ic globa l.
b y B r ya n M a n g a n
photo by Adriana Rodriguez
T
he sounds of music canvas
the city of Denton. Local businesses like Dan’s Silver Leaf
regularly display local music
talent in a city nationally recognized as a
Main Street community by the National
Main Street Program. Now, thanks to
online radio station DentonRadio.com,
that special brand of local music can be
heard online, anytime, all the time.
Jake Laughlin, the CEO and one of
the two founders of DentonRadio.com
alongside influential local musician Bone
Doggie, says the idea originally came to
him as he did some small-scale booking
back in March 2011. Laughlin says he
noticed the musicians he was booking
wanted an outlet to be heard. “I thought
‘maybe we could do that. Maybe we could
give them that,’ ” Laughlin says.
Bone Doggie (his stage name and
preferred reference), says Laughlin first
pitched the idea as they were editing a
video of Doggie’s band, Bone Doggie and
the Hickory Street Hellraisers. “I looked at
it and said ‘sounds like fun,’ ” Doggie says.
“About a year ago we went on the air and
have been working on it ever since.”
The site shares many different genres
including rock, salsa, classical, bluegrass
and jazz, to name a few, with Denton
musicians such as Vita Brevis, Soul Police
and Gravity Feed. Special shows are also
featured on the website, such as “Doggie
Time,” a talk show hosted by Bone Doggie
himself.
DentonRadio.com’s means of recruiting
musicians are simple and straightforward:
The site allows for online registration and
is regularly promoted at open mic nights
at venues such as the Banter Bistro. Many
musicians have also been directed to
DentonRadio.com through Bone Doggie’s
referral. “If you play music in Denton, you
probably know Bone Doggie. So he’s able
to grab a bunch of his friends, and we’re
still pulling them in,” Laughlin says.
“To put it honestly,” Laughlin says,
“We don’t have a very tech-savvy team.”
But what they lack in technological skills
they more than make up for in creativity,
which has made the start-up commercially
and financially viable. Laughlin says
DentonRadio.com was originally going
to be an FM station but couldn’t because
the frequencies and towers were already
bought out. “So to come in and start a new
radio station, the only way you’re going
to be able to do it is to buy a new tower,
and that would be millions,” Laughlin
says. “And after you spend those millions,
you’re going to have to deal with FCC red
tape.”
The other reason, Laughlin says, is
the Internet’s increasing dominance in
modern-day culture. He cites the Internet
capabilities of cars and phones, as well as
the success of online radio stations like
Pandora as signs that “FM is on its way
down and online is on its way up.” As
DentonRadio.com’s Pat York puts it, “It’s
the future of radio.”
Since its debut, DentonRadio.com has
obtained several endorsements from
Denton businesses such as The Labb and
Denton Square Donuts, with more coming
3
D E N T O N
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on board every day. Even the Denton
Convention & Visitor’s Bureau supports
DentonRadio.com in a formal partnership,
forgoing their own similar online radio
project, Discover Denton Radio. York
prefers to call these businesses “partners”
rather than sponsors, however. He says it’s
a coordinated effort between advertising
sponsors, the radio stations, the musicians
and the Convention & Visitors Bureau to
support local artists.
Listeners can expect even more from
DentonRadio.com in the future. In fact, the
station just relaunched the site, developed
by branding agencies Aria Media and
Square 205, the latter of whom also hosts
DentonRadio.com’s server. The upgraded
site has new features to facilitate listeners’
experiences discovering new artists,
bands, and tunes or to simply hone in on
their preferred music genres. The station
is also now phone-friendly, making listening-on-the-go even easier.
“The Denton music scene is the most
remarkable music scene I have ever seen
in my life,” Bone Doggie says. “I’ve lived in
many towns, but I’ve never lived in a town
that had the talent and the ambition and
the vastness of style that Denton has.”
“We’ve only just begun to touch the
fringes of all that Denton has to offer,”
Laughlin says. “And we would love to be
able to play more and more of these new,
fresh, upcoming artists.”
Photo above: (from left to right) Local musicians
and DentonRadio.com staff Kelsey Henry, Bone
Doggie, Jake Laughlin and Pat York.
Connecting the lines
Th e n ew, s le e k Swi ss- mad e S t a dler c a rs connec t Nor t h Texa s
re s i d en ts to De nto n’s c u l tu re a nd night life.
s to r y a n d p h oto s b y M i c h e l l e h e at h
A
t the Downtown Denton
transit center, waiting passengers wrap themselves deeper
into their coats as they eagerly
sit at the stop. I am one of them. Around
this time, I’m thinking that wearing
these flats without socks was probably a
bad idea because the weather is unseasonably cold.
It’s still early, about 20 minutes before
the A-train comes in and departs for its
southbound journey to five different
stops. But I don’t have a true destination;
this is a trip of curiosity and adventure,
like taking the subway around New York.
Everyone who’s told me about the train
so far has pretty much said the same
thing: “It’s relaxing. It’s quiet.” Everyone
really seems to enjoy it, but no one can
really articulate why.
The train arrives around 7:30 p.m.
and at least 20 people pour out of the
first car, probably to enjoy some Denton
Saturday nightlife. I rush on the train
and my frozen toes immediately start to
warm up. These trains are heated.
I plop down on the first seat I see and
find a way to curl up in a ball. The seats
are soft and definitely posture-supportive, but I find a way to put my feet
up in the seat and hug my knees.
The train is scheduled to leave at
7:52 p.m. I can’t wait for it to move, not
because I’m in a hurry, but because of
the excitement of riding for the first
time. When the train makes a smooth
take off, a small adrenaline rush, like
the kind you get from a roller coaster
or an airplane, takes hold of me. Even
though the ride is smooth, I can still
feel the movement and the way the
vehicle glides against the rails. The
feeling is a bit surreal and when I look
outside, traffic and headlights combine
to dance in the night. North Texas
at night, while flying by on the train,
creates a certain harmony between the
city and nature—they form together
and become this beautiful, blurry
picture.
The stops go by fast- Med Park,
Lewisville Lake/Highland Village, Old
Town, Hebron and Trinity Mills. From
the Trinity Mills station, the highway
(I-35E) looks like something out of Tron,
the headlights moving fast, becoming a
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D E N T O N
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streak of light. As I wait at this station,
I take notice of the train itself. To get
outside, you press a button on the
door, and then it beeps and opens up.
I had to try it. Like a little kid, I press
the button, go out into the cold and
press it again once the door closes. It’s
probably one of the cooler buttons I’ve
ever touched.
On the way back, I think about how
nice it has been to be alone and really
experience the train, but I can’t wait to
get back to Denton. I wonder if this is
how everyone feels on the northbound
journey. My friends are waiting for me
along with restaurants, bars and live
music that fill up Saturday nights in
Denton.
When I first roll back into the
Denton transit center, colorful string
lights and neon signs shine across a
field. It’s the closest restaurant to the
train station and the hoots of the new
high-tech Stadler cars ring out through
the fried fish shack called Hoochie’s
Oyster House.
Customers listen for these sounds.
The train whistles more than 50 times
every day and each time it does,
Hoochie’s Oyster House owner Sam
Solomon sells a 10 ounce frosty mug of
Lone Star for a buck.
“We thought that would be a nice
gimmick to get people down here,”
Solomon says.
But after the train quits running,
Solomon gets plenty of business as
regulars stop by. Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) employees
frequent the restaurant so much that
Solomon calls the conductors every
night to see exactly what time they’ll be
coming in.
“I’ll ask what time they want their
food and they’ll go, ‘9:17’,” Solomon says.
The A-train stops at the Downtown
Denton Transit Center 27 times on the
weekdays, from 5:04 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.
Like clockwork. Shawnee Leonard, a
merchandising student at the University of North Texas, schedules her days
around the A-train. Since she doesn’t
have a car, the A-train is the only way
she can get to school.
Leonard found out about the A-train
in the fall of 2011, right after the DCTA
purchased 11 new Swiss-made Stadler
cars. So she made a decision to transfer
to UNT and live at home in Dallas until
she could afford to get an apartment in
Denton.
Leonard moved to Denton in the fall
of 2012, but had to move back home to
Dallas in the spring of 2013 for financial
reasons. Once again, she found herself
riding the rails.
She doesn’t mind the ride though.
The Stadler cars make little noise and
are smooth, unlike the Budd Rail Diesel
Cars (RDC) DCTA used to use. And a
smoother ride means a calmer mien.
“It’s peaceful,” Leonard says.
As the beauty director for Method
Seven magazine, UNT’s student-run
fashion publication, Leonard spends
most of her nights coordinating makeup
for photo shoots or just helping friends
get dressed up for a night out.
She counts on a long and quiet
morning ride to finish her homework
from the night before.
But the A-train crowd isn’t always
sparse.
During the Holiday Lighting Festival
in December 2012, the train was packed
with visitors from around the area.
“We want to make the train a part of
the festival experience,” says Kristina
Brevard, DCTA Marketing and Communications manager.
When crowds of people first walk
over those
A-train
tracks, the
first
thing
they see is the
neon yellow shack
and the wrap-around
porch
of
Hoochie’s.
For Solomon, events like
the Holiday Lighting Festival
combined with the A-train make
for the busiest nights.
Though Solomon picked his restaurant’s location because he saw potential
in the building, he believes South Bell
Avenue will become the next frontier
for Denton. Parallel to Industrial Street,
where places like Dan’s Silverleaf and
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop are frequented, South
Bell Avenue is beginning to flourish.
The A-train and transit center could
be partly responsible for this phenomenon. Transit centers like Mockingbird
Station in Dallas were built up after
the DART rail station opened in 2001,
causing the surrounding area to see
growth in retail and housing, Brevard
says.
“You look at the Downtown Denton
area, with us having our transit center,
it has kind of revitalized the east side of
the tracks,” Brevard says.
The Federal Railroad Administration
has to approve all operations when it
comes to trains, but when it came to
the Stadler cars, the technology was
very new, making it difficult to see if the
vehicles met specific standards. After
thoroughly examining the train, the FRA
found that everything was safe and gave
the DCTA a waiver, the first of its kind,
which stated that the new technology
met as many standards, if not more,
than the old.
“Now that they’ve researched it,
looked into it and really inspected
everything, they’ve accepted our
vehicle as compliant,” Brevard says.
“So we’ve really set the pathway for
other agencies to use the same vehicle
moving forward.”
DCTA already has ginned up ideas for
the rail line, which currently runs from
Denton to Carrollton, to expand in the
future. Besides connecting more North
Texas communities, the DCTA’s goal is
to eliminate traffic and give commuters
a more affordable option for getting to
work. Recently, DCTA and DART officials
have been discussing connecting Collin
County to Denton County to alleviate
traffic on Highway 121, the George
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D E N T O N
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Bush
turnpike
and Interstate 635.
“There are a
lot of residents who
are doing the east and
west travel. You can tell
by the traffic,” says Brevard,
who makes this commute. “It’s
horrible.”
Though I’m an amateur when
it comes to riding trains, I’m not a
stranger to trying new things. Three
dollars gets a two-hour train ticket.
So I suggest hopping on the train with
an iPhone and maybe a notepad or a
sketchbook and just taking the train for
fun. I know I’m going back soon. I have
got to press that button again.
Dow n tow n d en ton
tran si t cen ter
6 04 E . Hickory St.
( 940) 243 -007 7
w w w. dcta .net
just t he facts
Number of vehicles: 11
Maximum speed: 75 mph
Seating capacity: 104
Stand capacity: 96
Enhanced air conditioning
Local System Day Pass: $6
Local System 7-Day Pass: $25
Regional Pass: $10
Children: $2.50
Once Upon a Time
in Denton...
Don Foster has been dishing out fact and fiction with a splash of
nostalgia for the past 30 years, making his business a Denton staple.
by korynthia peal
photos by whitney rogers
O
n any given day, you’ll
find Don Foster huddled
between rows of bookshelves, doing his level-best
to alphabetize one genre after the next.
A casual, gray-haired man, Foster’s
gotten pretty good at shifting between
the task of organizing classic literature
and old jazz records, all while whistling
to the music in his head. Wearing jeans
and a striped sweater, he stands with
his arms folded and eyes peeking over
his reading glasses as he talks about the
bookstore he’s owned for 30 years.
“I mean, we couldn’t do it without
our customers,” Foster says. “It changed
my life entirely. It’s the only thing I’m
good at.”
The chance to own a place like
Recycled Books sort of fell into Foster’s
lap. As a customer, he visited the
bookstore where he met his now ex-wife,
who was working as an employee
in 1983. After they married, the two
co-owned Recycled Books, which was
eventually left under Foster’s care.
At the edge of Denton’s Square stands
the historic, lavender Opera House.
Music doesn’t echo from its windows
anymore, but if you’d like to read about
the Opera, you’re in the right place.
Nearly every form of entertainment is
kept in this 17,000-square-foot labyrinth,
and each day, new crowds stop by
Recycled Books to unearth its treasures.
Through the bumper-sticker-covered
doors comes the smell of aging paper,
welcoming book lovers into familiar
territory. The buzzing sounds of
beaming overhead lights combined with
faint alternative music set the cozy scene
it’s known for. Wherever the sand-col-
6
D E N T O N
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ored carpet runs, you can find yourself
surrounded by more than 40 genres of
information ranging from celebrities to
metaphysics, philosophy to mystery, and
that’s just on the second floor. Down the
creaky basement steps, you’ll discover
travel, military and ethnic studies books
that take up only half of the store’s lower
floor, while classic literature, contemporary literature and poetry take up
the entire third level. Locked display
cases and roped-off sections guard rare
and collectible books: Maltese Falcon
by Dashielle Hammet, The Seven Who
Waited by August Derleth and Thomas
Pynchon V, 1st edition, for instance.
Dorie Mishael grew to love Recycled
Books after visiting the Square last year.
A visual arts major at the University
of North Texas, she spends a lot of her
time browsing the store’s art history
“It looks the same as it did in 1971.
It’s kind of like getting away
from the rat race of the big city.”
collection. Today, she calls it one of her
favorite places on the Square.
“It’s just really exciting and really
big and homey. It’s an awesome part
of Denton,” Mishael says. “I like it even
better than the regular bookstores
because there’s so much. You never
know what you’re going to find.”
Recycled Books has something for
music junkies, too. A music lover himself,
Foster talks about his own interests in
records, especially after listening to
artists like San Francisco poet Lawrence
Ferlinghetti and jazz musician Cal Tjader
as a child. Over the years, he watched the
growth and decline of the record store.
But now that vinyls are on the rise again,
Foster has an idea of how to draw people
back to playing records and how having
an informed music staff is important to
maintaining their popularity.
“At one time, the suits would come
in and fire all the long hairs who knew
everything and could help customers
and suggest things. Just put in pretty
faces who didn’t know anything and all
that stuff went away,” Foster says. “You
need to have knowledgeable people.”
The music continues in the next room
as the wheat-colored carpet transitions
to bright gold, introducing another
room of entertainment. The walls are
plastered with movie posters and a
cardboard cutout of Captain Jean-Luc
Picard stands among the open space of
science fiction, fantasy novels and an
impressive record collection. Organized
by genre, shoppers have the treat of
choosing between Jimi Hendrix’s guitar
riffs to Donna Summer’s disco tunes or
Lou Rawls’ classic voice. Tattered Earl
Klugh and Shelly Winters albums share
the spotlight with other big names like
Frank Sinatra and Carlos Santana. And
if you look hard enough, you might catch
a glimpse of Amos ‘n’ Andy recordings
somewhere in the mix.
Charles Darden, a loyal customer
since Recycled’s early days, lives in
North Richland Hills but visits the
square as often as he can. He enjoys
sifting through vintage records and
catching up on Texas history, but he
especially loves the old school look that
Recycled’s managed to preserve since
he first visited the store 40 years ago as
a North Texas State student.
“I was surprised they were still here.
It looks the same as it did in 1971,”
Darden says, smiling. “It’s kind of like
getting away from the rat race of the
big city.”
Kaleo Kaualoku moved to Denton in
2006 to finish his history degree. After
graduating from the University of North
Texas two years later, he decided to stick
around and continue making music with
his indie rock band, Spooky Folk. He says
music played a role in his decision to
stay in Denton and he likes the idea of
Recycled selling local music.
Since making the old Opera House
their home, Recycled Books has made
an effort to appeal to Denton’s eclectic
atmosphere. In a way, the business is a
reflection of the community. The purple
exterior is what grabs your attention,
and the possibilities of what you can
learn the moment you walk in are
infinite. Like a proud parent, Recycled
Books hangs neighborhood artwork and
poetry across its walls and in turn, the
people respond by sharing their tastes in
tales and music down at the Old Opera
House. Here, the employees call you by
name and understand the community
they serve. And you most certainly won’t
find electronic books anywhere.
From Foster’s childhood years spent
soaking up sports novels to right now,
it’s always been about the books and
keeping the spirit of reading alive.
Like the astute professor that he is, he
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D E N T O N
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concludes his quasi-sermon with some
parenting advice: “I made sure I read to
my kids when they were young and now
they are all huge readers. If you are a
parent or plan to be, please do it.” With that, he unfolds his arms and
rearranges his reading glasses back on
the center of his nose. The large pile
of CDs and records scattered behind
the counter catch his eye, triggering
an instinct he developed as the store’s
owner. Grabbing a mix of vinyls and
burying them in his arms, he follows the
golden carpet to the back of the store and
disappears around the corner.
200 N Lo cust St.
De nton , TX 76 201
( 940) 5 6 6 -5 6 88
w w w.recyc l e d books.com
j ust the facts
Last year’s (2012) inventory
totaled to 500,000 books, 20,000 CDs
and 4,000 DVDs
Recycled Books changed
location two times before finally
settling on the square 23 years ago
DON FOSTER was the first male child
born in Pilot Point, Texas’s clinic
Most of the items taped to the
sides of each bookshelf were left
behind from previous book owners
There are five rooms hidden
within the store…filled with books,
of course
Recycled Books was featured
in a Scandinavian magazine.
Unfortunatley, Foster couldn’t
understand it
The Old Opera House was built in
1899
THE PURPLE BUILDING was not
Foster’s idea, but he admits it sets
them apart
hun t ing dow n f lavo r
at W il d B e a st F e a st
Doe s o u r w r i te r have what i t t a kes to s hoot her ow n ga me?
b y h ay l e e h o wa r d
photos by be th higgins
O
ut in Aubrey, Texas, there is
a small 10-acre piece of land
flooded with rabbits. Local
homeowners complain about
the small game animals getting into their
gardens and ruining the harvest. But as
the weather warms, I beg to differ.
Just after sunrise, I set foot onto the
small property with a 12-gauge shotgun
in hand, excited for an opportunity to
bag a few to cook with an old family
recipe. As I traveled down the fencerow,
I tried to keep an eye out for thick brush
piles. Rabbits typically hide out in small
spaces with thick covering to keep out of
view of predators like owls and coyotes.
While mortality rates for rabbits are
around 90 percent, the recruitment—or
reproduction—rate is about the same.
Cottontails are abundant and practically every carnivore likes to eat them,
including humans.
Most of the time, if you want to
eat game animals, you have to get the
animal yourself and prepare it. But not
in Denton, Texas. Each September, the
Greater Denton Arts Council (GDAC)
hosts the Wild Beast Feast, a large
cook-off fundraiser featuring cooked
and uniquely prepared game animals,
such as rabbit, alligator, deer and turkey.
Since 2007, the Wild Beast Feast has
become an autumn tradition. During
the festival, attendees visit each cooking
teams’ individual booths to taste
generous samples of game animals and
some more common fare as well. The
community gathers for hours on end,
exploring new taste sensations, dancing
on the grass to live music and placing
bids on auction items. Attendees place
money in jars at each of the vendors’
stations for which sampling they liked
best and at the end the “Best of the
Beast” award is bestowed on the vendor
with the most money collected.
Rabbit hunting has dropped in
popularity. All the glory in hunting has
8
D E N T O N
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been promoted toward hunting larger
game species on leases, such as turkey,
elk and deer. Demand for rabbits has
diminished as fur has fallen out of fancy
in recent years.
Unlike most game animals, rabbits
are pretty difficult animals to mess up
in the kitchen. They are easy to clean
and you can usually get about six cutlets
off each, making it easy to serve a large
feast. Growing up in a family full of
hunters, game animals were always a
part of the meal. From rabbit to elk, I
have tried it all.
In December 2006, a few GDAC board
members gathered together and started
brainstorming ideas for a new fundraiser.
In that first sit-down, Margaret
Chalfant, GDAC’s Executive Director,
shared her experience with the “Wild
Beast Feast” concept as successful in her
previous position in Louisiana.
“And all board members were immediately ‘game’ to this new community
event,” says Rita Burleson, this year’s
board president.
What started out as a collective
brainstorming, the Wild Beast Feast has
turned into GDAC’s largest and most
successful fundraiser.
Last year, though, the weather threatened to cancel the festival.
“It rained harder than I’ve ever
seen it rain,” Burleson says. “It was just
sheets of silver. Umbrellas were blowing
backwards. Everyone was soaked. It
flooded so badly that it created a suction
cup of mud at the entrance. But the
consensus was, ‘No, we’re going to have
our party.’ ”
Gunning through the rain paid off for
not just the board, but the entire crowd
in attendance. Burleson remembers the
2012 event as one of its best to date. The
teams included several small business
owners
throughout
Denton,
like
Frenchy’s Lawn Care and the Chestnut
Tree Tea Room.
The greatest challenge to preparing
game meat is working correctly with
the flavors. A lot of animals, rabbits
included, can be prepared incorrectly.
But, luckily for us, the small business
owners of Denton spend months
preparing their recipes to shame the
competition.
“In recent years, we have started
seeing more trash talking through things
like Facebook and other social media,”
Burleson laughs. “We have even seen
the competitor’s putting money in their
own jars.”
This year, the Wild Beast Feast will
be held at the North Texas Fairgrounds
on Sept. 28, 2013, come rain or shine.
Burleson, a Wild Beast Feast committee
member for the past five years, will
co-chair the event with Cathy Kerley,
who is planning to change it up a little
this year.
“We are going to try to work with
Denton County Transportation Authority
so that we can arrange transportation
from the train,” Kerley says. “We could
have a Beast Feast Express that could go
back and forth from the train station to
the fairgrounds.”
Kerley is a fundraiser and grant
writer at Texas Woman’s University. She
was recently voted onto the GDAC board
and into the co- chair’s position.
Heading down the fence line, I
started to notice the first signs of
cottontails. Little pathways began to
emerge along the bottom of the wire
fencing, creating little burrows about
the size of a Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit. Just ahead, a honeysuckle bush
with thin, etiolated leaves appeared.
This seemed promising.
A tree nearby looked like a good spot
to set up and wait. Small vegetation
and succulents are always a sure sign
of cottontails, and I was surrounded by
them. Around 10 a.m., the waiting game
was beginning to drain my senses, but I
just knew I would catch something.
Between the fence line and some
under brush about 50 yards away, two
furry ears perked up into view. Through
the scope, I tried to balance the crosshairs
on the back of its head. As I wrapped my
finger around the trigger and pulled, the
buck from the 12-gauge jolted my right
shoulder and a loud boom thundered
out. But to no avail. I missed.
The rabbit habit is to run in a range
around its home base, but without
a beagle by my side to help, coming
around to a second shot isn’t so easy.
After another hour, I lost hope. I think I’ll just have to leave the
hunting and cooking to the teams at the
Wild Beast Feast.
just the facts
When: Sept. 28
where: The North Texas Fairgrounds,
2217 N. Carroll Blvd.
Admission: $20
highlights: Local business owners
whip up exotic game and common
fare, live music and auction, “Best of
the Beast Award”
number of animals killed by
haylee: 0
www.dentonarts.com
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D E N T O N
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Something To Wine About
A Fren c h trad i ti on come s to Texa s —The Bea ujola is a nd More
fe s ti val m i g ht j u st b e the b igges t (a nd bes t ) pa r t y in D enton.
by Ann Sma jstrla
p h o t o s b y D av i d Ha l l o r a n
S
troll into the Denton Civic
Center and the inviting aroma
of
freshly-prepared
food
samples hits your nose. You
hear echoes of a live band performing
from a stage at the front of the room.
Multiple bottles of wine from all
over the world, including Beaujolais
Nouveau just shipped from France, are
on display as you contemplate which
one you want to taste first. You are a
part of what has come to be known as
“the biggest party in town” by regular
attendees: the Beaujolais and More
Wine and Food Tasting.
This French-inspired event takes
place from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. the third
Thursday of November each year at the
Denton Civic Center. For an entry fee of
$25 and presentation of a picture ID
(attendees must be over 21), all the food
and drink samples you can consume
are yours for the taking (but please
drink responsibly). For a minimal
cost, raffle tickets offer the chance to
win great door prizes. All proceeds
go to the care and maintenance of the
historic Campus Theatre on Hickory
Street near the Square.
“It is a fun event for the community
that’s a good bang for the buck,” says
Denton Community Theatre production
board member and three-time Beaujolais attendee Francie Pavelek. “The
Campus Theatre is such an important
establishment in Denton, and drinking
wine for a good cause is a lot of fun.”
The Beaujolais and More Wine
and Food Tasting began when Denton
couple and wine connoisseurs Gary
and Carol Kirchoff hosted a party at
their home dovetailed around the
release of the Beaujolais Nouveau
wine. The party was such a hit that
it became an annual tradition after
each batch was released. Beaujolais
Nouveau, a red wine, is usually bottled
six to eight weeks after the harvest of
red grapes in Beaujolais, France. The
wine is unique in that it is not aged
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D E N T O N
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very long, unlike most wines, before
consumption. As a tradition dating
back to the 1950s, every year the
Beaujolais Nouveau is released at 12:01
a.m. the third Thursday of November
and subsequently shipped around
the world. The Kirchoffs brought
this tradition to Denton. Friends and
relatives would gather at the Kirchoff’s
to sip Beaujolais Nouveau and enjoy
a meal. The Kirchoff’s, who were also
involved with Denton Community
Theatre (DCT), had the idea to turn
their personal Beaujolais gathering
into a fundraising event for the Campus
Theatre, where DCT frequently holds
its performances and serves as the
managing company in residence.
The Kirchoffs made their idea a
reality more than 15 years ago. Gary
Kirchoff passed away in August 2000,
but Carol Kirchoff remains integral to
the wine and food tasting.
“Carol’s still very involved,” says
DCT Managing Director Mike Barrow,
“which I think is one reason it’s stayed
as popular as it has through the years,
because Carol’s been a driving force
behind it.”
Each year, Beaujolais nouveau is
flown in directly from the Beaujolais region of France to Dallas, then
delivered to Denton for attendees to
enjoy. There is also a plethora of other
wines to try, which DCT buys from
Vigne Wine Shop & Deli and Metzler’s
Bar-B-Q. In 2012, the event offered a
holiday beer tasting for the first time,
which DCT plans to bring back for
future events.
Along with the beverages, more
than 20 restaurants and caterers set
up booths at the event and serve their
signature food samples.
“You have a wide variety of types.
Everything from Thai to Italian to
Mexican to desserts, fudge, doughnuts,”
says DCT Office Manager Kyla Welch.
“We’re still talking about the duck
gumbo [the Wildwood Inn] had three,
four years ago. It was just out of this
world. Phenomenal.”
The Denton Country Club, Hannah’s,
Giuseppe’s and Andaman Thai are
more examples of the wide variety of
fare dished out at Beaujolais. Raffle
tickets are an added attraction for the
chance to win prizes. In 2012, longtime
DCT volunteer Buster Maloney, who’s
been attending the event since its
inception, won the grand prize: a
42-inch flat-screen TV.
“This past year’s attendance, was
one of the biggest ones I’ve ever seen,”
he says. “There were really a lot of
people there. So it just seems to get
more and more popular each year. It’s
a cool event.”
The celebration started with about
100 people, Maloney estimates, and
grew to 500 by last year. The venue
has also changed with Beaujolais’
growth. It started at the Denton Center
for Visual Arts, then moved to a tent
outside the Campus Theatre and finally
settled into its current home at the
Denton Civic Center.
Beaujolais raises between $15,000
and $20,000 each year, estimates
Welch, 100 percent of which is spent
on the Campus Theatre’s upkeep. Built
in 1949, the Campus has many older
features that require special care.
Vintage plaster on the walls must be
repaired. The air conditioning, which
contains components dating back to
1949, must be maintained and repaired.
There are more than 25 different types
of light bulbs in the building that must
be replaced periodically.
“We have very specific, custom
carpet that has to be repaired and
re-stretched from time to time,
cleaned,” Welch says. “The neon sign
has to be repaired from time to time.
So you have to get a specialized sign
person to work on that vintage neon.”
These repairs are expensive, but
thanks to funds raised by the Beaujolais and More Wine and Food Tasting,
the Campus Theatre staff can preserve
the building’s original integrity.
While no big changes are planned
for the 2013 Beaujolais and More
Wine and Food Tasting, the DCT is
anticipating that event attendance
will continue to increase, Barrow says.
Even with its burgeoning numbers, the
current plan is to keep Beaujolais at the
Denton Civic Center in 2013.
This year, get in on great wine and
great food. While you eat, drink and be
merry, rest assured: You are personally
helping to preserve a historic Denton
landmark. “It’s a big wine and food
tasting that has really captured the
imagination and enjoyment of many
people,” Welch says. “People look
forward to it every year.”
11
D E N T O N
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an
experience
like no other.
Rayzor Ranch Marketplace
is Denton’s shopping, dining
and convenience destination.
Experience an exceptional mix
of retailers, health and beauty
services, restaurants and
amenities for the entire family.
opening
2013
I-35 (N) & US-380 (E)
Denton, TX 76207
www.RayzorRanchShopping.com
Now with over 28 of your
favorite places to shop, dine
and get things done.
records reviving,
businesses thriving
Lo c al l y ow n e d store s o n the S qua re ha ng
o n an d ad d to g rowi ng re co rd s a les.
b y c h r i s t i n a n ava
p h oto s by am b e r p lu m l e y
L
et’s take a walk down memory
lane, a lane lined with stacked
vinyl records. Or let’s sit in
the front parlor among the
records piled by the windows. Or let’s
just go to Mad World Records and do
both. Old band posters and album
art cover the yellow walls. An Atari
console with games rests in the back
for all who wish to play it. Thousands
of CDs and records from different eras
fill the bins. Upon entering Mad World
Records, it’s impossible not to get hit
with a feeling of nostalgia.
Now walk across the Square to the
corner. There’s a big, purple two-story
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D E N T O N
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building that’s hard to miss called
Recycled Books (see story on page 6).
It’s overflowing with thousands of
used books, CDs and DVDs. Along with
those, Recycled Books has about 15,000
records; some of them are new, but
most are used.
With hardly any record stores still
in business, some may think vinyl
records have forever gone the way of
the Betamax. They need to think again.
Mad World Records and Recycled
Books demonstrate—resoundingly—
that records and record stores are
making a comeback.
These independently owned stores
are within walking distance of each
other on the Square. Despite their
close proximity, Recycled Books has an
average of 200 sales daily while Mad
World Records averages 30 sales daily,
excluding the rest of the people who
just come in to browse. Both stores have
noticed a steady increase in record
sales within the past few years. While
Recycled Books has been around since
1983, Mad World Records first opened
two years ago.
Mark Burke, the owner of Mad World
Records, is no stranger to the music
business. At 39, he’s been involved in it
for the past 20 years, beginning during
his college days at the University of
North Texas when he got a full-time job
at a record store. When he graduated,
he decided to open a shop of his own.
“When you have this many years of
experience doing something, it’s kind
of like breathing,” Burke says. “I love
music, and I love finding music for
people.”
According to the Almighty Institute
of Music Retail, a record retail organization based in Los Angeles, more
than 4,000 record stores closed down
between 2000 and 2010. Now, there are
1,600 record stores remaining in the
U.S. The Texas Music Office, a music
industry information clearinghouse
based in Austin, Texas, lists only about
10 to 12 record stores left in the Dallas/
Fort Worth area. Burke’s store stands
out. Not only does he sell used records,
but he also stocks up on new ones,
offering customers the best of both
worlds. He sells music of various genres
based on his philosophy that there is
no such thing as good or bad music
because, “every single piece of music is
loved by someone.”
At his store, prices for used records
range from 99 cents to $20 with the new
records selling for about $13 to $25. At
Recycled Books, the vast majority of the
records are $5 to $20.
Recycled Books, more known for its
massive quantity of literature, puts a
sale on the records and has musicians
perform live in the store every year
for Record Store Day—an international
celebration on April 20 aimed at celebrating the art of music and indepen-
dent record stores that still exist.
Despite the decrease in record stores,
sales continue to increase. Based on
a report by a music data information
system Nielsen SoundScan, record sales
have been steadily rising in the U.S.
since 1993, with a noticeable jump in
recent years. Current sales are almost
double what they were in 2009.
Store Manager Chris Garver has his
own record collection of about 700. He
says the rise in records sales is a direct
reaction to the rise in digital music.
Because consumers can acquire music
through downloads off the Internet, the
physical aspect vanishes. It leaves some
consumers longing for a physical representation that’s only attainable through
CDs and records.
As for Burke, though, he says sound
waves in MP3s and CDs are completely
cut off or compressed, removing the
“highs and lows” of the music. Vinyl
records are the only way to hear the full
range of sounds.
“Some things on records just have
more warmth,” Burke says. “It almost
feels like a live sound, like you’re seeing
the band. You can listen to something
that you’ve heard a thousand times,
but the first time you hear it on vinyl, it
sounds different.”
Alex Holland, a 19-year-old computer
engineering freshman at UNT, has been
buying records for two years. He is
one of those consumers who prefers
to buy them instead of MP3s because
they’re something he can hold onto.
When he wants to buy jazz or blues
music, he heads over to Recycled Books
because of their huge selection. When
he’s craving punk-rock, he goes to Mad
World Records.
Holland says one of the reasons
Mad World Records has been able to
stay in business while others have not
is because it integrates local musicians
in its store by carrying their records
and other memorabilia. “It supports
the community by giving it a record
store to shop at, and the community
gives back by giving the store music to
sell,” he says.
Thirty-four-year-old record collector
Aaron Anderson and his 51-year-old
friend, Richard Oram, run a blog about
records called Weekly Wax. Katey
Margolis, another friend of theirs, also
contributes to the blog. In their spare
time, they explore record stores and
post reviews about them. Anderson and
Oram have been to eight record stores in
the North Texas area, but out of them all,
they prefer the ones on Denton’s Square.
Anderson says Burke’s inventive,
hard-working attitude and the passion
he has for his record store have a lot
to do with why it continues to receive
steady business. As for the resurgence
of records, Anderson says that when
CDs first came out, almost nothing was
produced on vinyl anymore. Now CDs
have become hard to sell.
“I think records sell more now due
to the superior sound and the fact that
they are more collectible, like a piece of
art, as opposed to the disposable nature
of CDs,” he says.
Oram has been buying records since
he was 8. He’s even bought records
just for the album art, even though he
wasn’t fond of the music. The fact that
the Square is full of locally run businesses instead of big chains is what
draws him to the area.
“It boggles my mind how some of
those stores survive, to be honest with
you. But I’m glad they do,” Oram says.
“To me, if someone I know comes to
Denton for the first time, I’m always
going to guide them to the Square; I
think it’s unique in itself.”
just the facts
Mad World Records
115 W. Hickory St.
940-591-3001
www.facebook.com/madworldrecords
Recycled Books
200 N. Locust St.
940-566-5688
www.recycledbooks.com
13
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Arts,Antiques
& Autos
Story and photos by David halloran
14
D E N T O N
L I V E
Denton’s Courthouse Square reverts
back to the good ol’ days as art
aficionados, antique collectors and
vintage auto enthusiasts come to town.
15
D E N T O N
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G
reg Coward sits next to his most recent project.
The custom red-and-white paint shimmers
under the fluorescent lights in his home shop. It
is a bright Sunday morning, and Greg is taking
the wheels off of a 1955 Chevy Bel Air that he’s only had for
about four weeks. He carefully places each lug nut back
in place after removing the wheel and rolling it out of the
way. Greg is going through the steps of making sure his
American classic is in top shape before taking it for a drive.
Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza.
The Denton Main Street Association, the nonprofit tasked
with promoting and preserving the historic downtown
district around the courthouse, has been holding the Arts,
Antiques & Autos Extravaganza for 13 years. The event
consists of a car and motorcycle show, tables of fine arts and
crafts, activities for kids, and antique appraisals. There are
several local food vendors around the Square, plus a silent
auction held in the courthouse.
The Extravaganza has become one of the largest events
that the Denton Main Street Association holds throughout
the year. According to Christine Gossett, event coordinator for the Denton Main Street Association, there was an
estimated attendance of 8,000 last year. Additionally, at last
year’s event, 170 entrants lined their shining, chrome-clad
vehicles around the Square for the crush of visitors to enjoy.
The streets surrounding the Denton courthouse are
closed off to traffic, providing a safe environment for pedestrians to walk between the cars, shops and the courthouse
lawn. Children run about and parents walk from vehicle to
vehicle, examining the details and conversing with owners.
Greg, who has shown cars and motorcycles in the past,
enjoys how “the older crowd likes to tell you about how they
had one, or wish they could have had one, or wish they could
have afforded one.” Greg explains that when he brings out
his 1958 and 1962 Cushman scooters “every guy in his 50s,
60s or 70s will tell me a story about how he had one and he
threw a paper route on it, or his neighbor had one.”
In addition to the cars and motorcycles that line the
streets surrounding the old courthouse, there is an arts and
antiques side of the event. Local artists set up booths along
the sidewalks with their wares for sale, including hand-crafted
Greg’s shop, where the Chevy is kept, is covered in relics
from the past. The walls are built from memories of his
childhood: the door from his father’s house, the wood
from a horse barn he and his father built, and a fence from
his childhood home he used to climb when he was just a
whimsical lad. Vintage signs and pictures of his previous
classic vehicles decorate the walls. There is a shelf high
above his workbench where he displays his trophies from
past car shows. “A little bit of a museum of my life, my
history,” as he describes it.
Four-year-old Kennedy, Greg’s daughter, is playing on the
floor nearby. When Greg has free time on the weekends and
in the evenings, Kennedy can often be found accompanying
him in the shop. “She loves coming out here,” he states with
a smile on his face. “She wants to come out here and help
me, as she says, work on the cars or help me work on a
motorcycle.” The joy of riding around with his daughter is
what led Greg to sell his 1941 Ford truck – a two-seater – and
invest in something more family friendly. She “decided she
really likes to go to the car shows and go for a ride with
daddy.” A love for old cars and the joy of riding around
with his family are just a few reasons that Greg, a Denton
native, will join other car enthusiasts in September for the
16
D E N T O N
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having a good time,” he continues. “It is just neat to watch
the people.” In September, Greg and his family will join
other car and motorcycle enthusiasts, in his ’55 Bel Air as
they park around the Square to enjoy the 14th year of the
Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza.
Photo on first page: Greg Coward’s 1955 Chevy Bel Air.
Photo left: Greg and his daughter Kennedy
just the facts
What: Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza
When: Sept. 14, 2013, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: The historic Courthouse Square, 110 W. Hickory St.
Admission: Free
Free Parking: Parking lots and streets around
the Denton Square
Auto Show, Art Show and vendor applications: Visit
the website for entry forms and deadlines. Fees to enter auto
show, art show, antique appraisals and vendor spaces apply.
See website for details.
More Info: “Dust it off and bring it out!”
dentonmainstreet.org
Photo Courtesy of Denton Main Street Association
jewelry, paintings, photographs and woodcarvings. Last year,
Lora Amyx-Gorman started an art contest to draw in more
local artists, especially from the local universities–University
of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. She intends
for it to be, “something where people will want to submit
their art because they know it will be used for the next year’s
posters, T-shirts, different promotions,” as well as a silent
auction that began two years ago to support the Main Street
Association. In addition to the art vendors, there are booths
with antiques scattered about the Square. Amyx-Gorman and
her brother, Joe Amyx, co-owners of Amyx Fine Jewelry, offer
“verbal approximation of value” at the Extravaganza for those
who want to find out the value of their fine jewelry. Other
local business owners offer the same service for many other
collectible and antique items.
Greg has attended several car shows throughout the
years, but to him, the Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza
is the one that shows off the town he grew up in. Craig
Thomas, the chairman of the event, says visitors really
get a feel for Denton and its history vis-á-vis the event.
“Downtown has been able to maintain its architecture,”
Thomas says. “Everything still looks a lot like it did years
ago. We maintain that feel of a downtown, of a smaller
town.”
Old-style shops, like Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice
Cream shop or Atomic Candy, which sells bulk candy and
other goodies, dot the Square, offering familiar treats for
the crowds of all ages to share. Locally-owned record stores,
books stores and antiques shops also add to the small-town
ambiance. “You know,” Greg says, “it kind of brings back
that nostalgia and the small-town feel.
“You see everyone walking around, and the kids are
17
D E N T O N
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CalendaR
FESTIVALS
June-Sept: Denton County Farmers
Market, Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays, Denton County Historical Park
July 4: Kiwanis Fireworks Show,
University of North Texas, Fouts Field
July 4: Fourth of July Jubilee–”Liberty
Fun Run,” Quakertown Park (festivities
include the Yankee Doodle parade and a
free children’s carnival)
July 4: Twilight Tunes Special 4th of July
Concert featuring Sol Tax 12:30-2 p.m.
on the Square
Aug. 16-24: North Texas State Fair,
North Texas Fairgrounds (Story on
page 20)
Sept. 14: Arts, Antiques & Autos
Extravaganza, Downtown Square
(Page 14)
Sept. 21-22: Blues Fest, Quaker Town
Park
Sept. 28: Wild Beast Feast, North Texas
Fairgrounds (Page 8)
Nov. 1-3: Winstar World Casino 350,
O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge & AAA
500, Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 21: Beaujolais & More Wine
and Food Tasting, Denton Civic Center
(Page 10)
On Stage
The Campus Theatre
June 7:-16 Sly Fox
Nov. 26: One O’Clock Lab Band Fall
Concert, University of North Texas,
Winspear Hall, UNT Murchison Center
June 21-30: Greater Tuna
Oct. 26: Day of the Dead Festival at
Industrial St. & Hickory St.
Sep. 20-29: August: Osage County
Dec. 6: Holiday Lighting Festival of
Denton, Downtown Square (Page 20)
speakers
Aug. 9-18: The Color Purple
Oct. 18-27: Young Frankenstein
Nov. 8-17: Urinetown
Dec. 13-22: Miracle on 34th Street
Black Box Theatre
Aug. 2-4: Death and God
Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum
July 28: Getting From Here to There:
The Development of Roads presented by
William Covington
Sept. 19: Historic Iron Bridges presented
by DJ Taylor
Meadows Gallery
April 25-June 2: VAST National Juried
Exhibition
Nov. 17-Jan. 17: Dancing by the Light
of the Moon: The Art of Fred Marcellino
Gough Gallery
May-June 21: Portrait Quilts
Oct. 17: Streetcars in Denton: The Denton
Traction Company presented by Terry
Pohlen
Dec. 18: 12th Annual Holiday Sing-ALong presented by Bing Burton, Leslie
Willingham and David Mollen
First Friday of every month: First
Fridays Denton, 7-10 p.m., A Creative Art
Studio, 227 W. Oak St., Suite 101
April-Nov.: Denton Community Market,
every Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Mulberry
St. & Carroll Blvd.
June-Sept.: Denton Farmers’ Market,
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 7
a.m. – Noon, Mulberry St. & Carroll Blvd.
Denton County Historical Park
July 7-Aug. 23: Paper + Wood
University of North Texas
Sep. 25-28: Proof by David Auburn,
Studio Theatre
Oct. 31-Nov. 10: Marisol by Jose
Rivera, University Theatre
Nov. 21-24: New Choreographers
Concert, University Theatre
Redbud Theatre
June 19-30: Bunnicula
Oct. 16-20: Rabbit Hole by David
Lindsay-Abaire
Nov. 20-24: Night Witches by Steven
Young
fine Arts
Sept. 8-Nov. 1: Uprising
Nov. 17-Dec. 29: Dance with Life - Works
in Fiber
UNT on the Square
June 12-July 17: UNT Graduate
Student Painting Exhibition
July 29-Aug. 14: On My Own Time:
UNT Employee Art Exhibition
markets & other events
June-Oct.: Public shows, Saturdays at 2
p.m. & 8 p.m., UNT Sky Theater
July 12: “Seasons Reasons Show,” 12:30
p.m., UNT Sky Theater
Sept. 14, Oct. 5 & Nov. 2: North Texas
Horse Country Tours
July 5: “The Little Star that Could,” 12:30
p.m., UNT Sky Theater
July 19: “Solar System Tours,” 12:30 p.m.,
UNT Sky Theater
August 10: UNT Undergraduate
Commencement, UNT Coliseum
July 9-11: Sports International Passing
and Receiving Football Camp, UNT
July 26: “Dinosaur Passage to Pangea,”
12:30 p.m., UNT Sky Theater
Sept. 4: UNT Fall Convocation, UNT
Gateway Center
July 11: Sports International Kicking,
Punting and Long Snapping Football
Camp, UNT
Sept. 13-15: Western Heritage Cowboy
Trade Show & Auction, 5800 N. I-35
Oct. 17: Planner’s Zone, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.,
UNT Gateway Center
Nov. 9: Pistons and Paint Car Show at the
North Texas State Fairgrounds
june - december 2013
UNT
Winspear Performance Hall
July 13: Alan McClung & All-State Choir
Camp Concert
July 27: Donna Emmanuel & Mariachi
Concert
Sept. 25: David Itkin & Symphony
Orchestra
Sept. 26: Dennis W. Fisher &
Symphonic Band
Oct. 1: Choralfest!
Oct. 2: Clay Couturiaux & Concert
Orchestra
Oct. 3: Eugene M. Corporon & Wind
Symphony
Nov. 22: Baroque Orchestra &
Collegium Singers
Nov. 25: Nicholas Williams & Concert
Band
Nov. 26: Steve Wiest & One O’ Clock
Lab Band
Lyric Theatre
Nov. 8, 10, 15 & 17: UNT Opera and
Symphony Orchestra
Clubs and Coffee Houses
Banter:
Poetry Out Loud on Mondays
Oct. 13: Opera Gala
Hailey’s:
Free shows on Mondays
‘90s night on Tuesdays
Nov. 5: Alan McClung & Concert Choir
Courthouse-on-the-Square
Every Saturday: Acoustic Lawn Jam,
10 a.m. - Noon
Nov. 7: Eugene M. Corporon & Wind
Symphony
June-July 4: Twilight Tunes, Thursdays
6:30-8 p.m. on the Square
Nov. 11: Brian Bowman & Brass Band
Nov. 13: David Itkin & Symphony
Orchestra
Nov. 20: Clay Couturiaux & Concert
Orchestra
Nov. 21: Eugene M. Corporon and
Dennis W. Fisher & Wind Symphony and
Symphonic Band
July 19-21: MGA Match Play, Denton
Country Club
July 14-17: UNT Swimming CampAdvanced Stroke Technique
July 21: FWRC’s Hi-Noon Shoot-Out
1.2-mile run, Fort Worth
July 21-25: UNT Women’s Soccer
Summer College Prep Camp
July 28: TWU Pioneer Power Point
Spring Triathlon, Denton
July 21-25: UNT Nike Tennis CampHigh School
Aug. 24-25: Junior Club Championship,
Denton Country Club
July 26: Dan McCarney Kicking Camp
July 5-7: World Championshop Roping,
Diamond T
Big Mike’s Coffee Shop:
Bellydancing on Tuesday Nights
Oct. 24: Dennis W. Fisher & Symphonic
Band
July 12-14: Basketball Summer
Shootout, Denton Area Gyms
Open mic night Thursdays
Oct. 11: Baroque Orchestra & Collegium
Singers
For other music venues
dentonlive.com
dentonradio.com
mydentonmusic.com
dentonlivemusic.com
discoverdenton.com
Music
Diamond T Arena
July 4-6, 2013 – Roy Cooper’s Calf
Roping World Championship
October 4-5, 2013 – Texas Cowboys
Against Cancer Team Roping & Barrel
Racing
October 12-13, 2013 – Texas
Stampede Roping Competition
UNT
July 7-11: UNT Swimming CampComplete Stroke Technique
July 4: Fourth of July Jubilee- “Liberty
Fun Run,” Quakertown Park
Classical, Jazz and Oui Bis on Fridays &
Saturdays
Sports
July 4: July 4th Golf Tournament,
Denton Country Club
Hot Hot Night! Sing, Play, Dance! first
Tuesday of every month
Oct. 9: Nicholas Williams & Concert
Band
Oct. 14: Brian Bowman & Brass Band
July 3-5: Kids’ Polo Camp & Exhibition
at Prestonwood Polo
Sept. 8: Ole College Tri, Denton
July 26: Denton #2-“Friday Night
Lights”
Oct. 18-20: Men’s & Ladies Club
Championship, Denton Country Club
July 28-Aug 1: UNT Nike Tennis CampHigh School
Oct. 19-20: USDAA Dog Agility Trial,
Diamond T Arena
Aug. 31: UNT Football vs. Idaho
Nov. 1: Winstar Casino 350 Camping
World Truck Series at TMS, Fort Worth
Oct. 12: UNT Football vs. Middle
Tennessee
Nov. 3: AAA Texas 500 Sprint Cup at
TMS, Fort Worth
Oct. 31: UNT Football vs. Rice
Nov. 17: FWRC’s Mote in Motion half
Marathon & Relay, Fort Worth
Dec. 7: Reindeer Romp 4.2-mile run,
2.5-mile walk, South Lakes Park (date
subject to change)
Nov. 23: UNT Football vs. UTSA
(University of Texas-San Antonio)
For more
calendar events
in Denton, go to
dentonlive.com
Sept. 14: UNT Football vs. Ball State
Nov. 9: UNT Football vs. UTEP
(University of Texas-El Paso)
TEXAS
TIaras
story and photos by Meagan hatton
J
essica Foster turns her body to walk off the stage and
time is suddenly slower than it has ever been. With one
heel in front of the other, she puts her hand on the rail
and places her foot on the first step. She can still hear
people cheering in the background, congratulating her with
whistles and clapping. Lights beam down at her face as she lets
down her other foot—she still hears the lively crowd. She turns
to see her mom tearing up and cheering her on and thinks to
herself, “Did I just hear that right?” She turns back around and
walks down the last two steps. Just when her heart feels like it
has stopped, a deep, heavy breath rolls out of her body. She has
just been crowned 2012 Miss North Texas State Fair.
The North Texas State Fair and Rodeo is a volunteer
supported, nonprofit organization and has been a part of
Jessica’s life from childhood until now, a 17-year-old beauty
queen. Celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, the fair is
only possible because of volunteers. Carl Anderson, president
of the board of directors of the North Texas State Fair and
Rodeo, says the leadership’s excellence and passion for the
fair is responsible for its successful 85 years. “We have the
20
D E N T O N
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The journey of a beauty
queen to an aspiring nurse,
and the stage that helped
build her confidence.
most wonderful group of volunteers that any organization
could imagine,” Anderson says.
There’s no doubting Jessica’s confidence on the stage these
days, but that’s because she has come a long way since her
first pageant at the fair when she was just 10 years old. In
fact, she says pageants have helped shape her from a shy,
reserved little girl to a confident young woman ready to
begin her nursing career.
“People make fun of pageant girls. They say they are just
stupid, pretty girls that have nothing better to do and nothing
better to spend their money on,” Jessica says. “And it’s kind
of frustrating, because it’s really helpful. It helps your confidence; it helps with being able to speak in public; it helps you
get college scholarships; and I think that’s really important.”
The North Texas State Fair and Rodeo is dedicated to
supporting youth and community, which is something Michelle
Foster, Jessica’s mother, appreciates. “You’re surrounded by
your community at the fair,” Michelle says. The fair gives away
thousands of dollars every year to graduating seniors through
three different scholarships: The North Texas State Fair and
Rodeo Scholarship, the Continuing Education Scholarship and
The Bob C. Powers Scholarship. Michelle says originally the
family would go to the fair “for the rodeo,” but by 2005, the
family was going to support Jessica.
It all started when Jessica’s grandmother bought her her
first dress. She wanted to wear it to something, so she signed
up for the North Texas State Fair pageant. Jessica, although
incredibly shy, was a natural in pageants. In her first year of
competing in 2005, she was crowned Junior Miss North Texas
State Fair. She was only in the 4th grade at the time, but she
knew she wanted to continue competing.
“It was an adrenaline rush! I was thinking I want to do
this; I want to keep doing this; I want to do this all the time,”
Jessica says.
Michelle remembers her daughter’s first pageant and
the chaos backstage with tons of little girls wildly running
around to get their hair curled and makeup done. She says
her family was nervous for Jessica because they didn’t know
what to expect, but were confident in their daughter without
the glitter and glam. “Jessica was just there to be her sweet
self,” Michelle says. “No makeup, no curls. She was herself,
and she won because of that.”
And seven years later, Jessica feels she has triumphed.
“I’ve been doing this pageant since the 4th grade, and I think
that winning this title as the Miss North Texas State Fair was
kind of a big deal for me.”
But what’s a greater deal is how much competing in
pageants has helped her gain confidence, build character and
be comfortable in her own skin. For Jessica, it means calming
her nerves down before a winner is announced.
“I would just tell myself, ‘Somebody’s going to win. If it’s
not me, that’s fine. Then somebody else deserves it.’”
But most importantly, pageants have helped her cope
with stress, pressure and disappointment. She says that
losing pageants over the years has helped her learn how to
maintain confidence, which is something she believes will be
applicable when she enters college.
Jessica comes from an animal-loving family in Denton,
where she was born and raised. Her mother has supported
Jessica’s pageant interests since she entered her first one
at the North Texas State Fair, and prefers this pageant to
others. “We like it because it’s not a pageant like Toddlers and
Tiaras,” Michelle says. “It’s a community one. You feel like
you’re a part of Denton.”
Anderson agrees that Denton is the place to be come fair
time, especially if you’re looking for that sense of community.
“It is by far the best value for your money, not only in Denton
County, but probably in the great state of Texas,” Anderson says.
Community is something Jessica knows all about. She has
been volunteering at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital
in Denton to get hands-on pre-med experience. For most of
her life, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, but after volunteering at the hospital through a class at the Advanced Technology Complex, Jessica realized her passion lies in nursing.
“I’d rather have that stronger connection with my patients
and really know what’s going on and actually be there for
them,” she says.
In August 2013, Jessica will begin her first semester at the
University of Arkansas for nursing. “Denton has offered so
many opportunities and has left me with great memories that
I’ll be sad to leave behind,” she says. “I love Denton. I have loved
going to the Arts and Jazz Fest, the North Texas State Fair and
Rodeo and the Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square with my
family every year. The people and atmosphere that envelop
Denton have made all of my experiences so rewarding.” As far
as pageants go, Jessica says she’s ready to throw in the towel,
but she’s not scared about attending college, she says, because
of the social skills she’s acquired competing in pageants at the
North Texas State Fair and Rodeo and the teachers that have
helped her along the way.
j ust the facts
What: 85th Annual North Texas State Fair and Rodeo
When: August 16-24th, 2013
Where: 2217 North Carroll Blvd., Denton, TX 76201
Phone: (940) 387-2632
ww.ntfair.com
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D E N T O N
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25 years of
lights
STORY by alison matlock | photos by james coreas
A QUARTER-CENTURY AFTER ITS
INCEPTION, THE DENTON HOLIDAY
FESTIVAL HAS THE SAME AUTHENTIC
FEEL AS IT DID IN THE ‘80S.
A
“It truly does feel nostalgic and
hometown, but with amazing
and top-notch, regionally
popular musical talent.”
s the sky begins to darken, crisp air whips around
and carries the Christmas spirit throughout the
crowd. After the singing of carols fades, a rosycheeked child, with the help of Santa, switches on the
glow of red, blue and green lights from the giant 20-foot-tall
pine tree. The other trees around the courthouse are lit next,
creating a gleaming canopy of white light above the Square.
Shop owners distribute wassail as the Denton Square bursts at
its seams with holiday spirit. For 25 years, Denton has kicked
off the holidays and brewed up the Christmas season with a
festival unlike any other.
Although 25 years have passed since the first lighting,
not much has changed about the Denton Holiday Lighting
Festival, which will be held on Dec. 6, 2013. It still has the
same small-town vibe, but now caters to a larger crowd.
“The beauty of this event is its simplicity, and how it
really works for this community in particular,” says Kelley
Pound, co-chair of the Denton Holiday Lighting Festival
Association (DHFA), a nonprofit organization led entirely
by volunteers. Many board members have been a part of
the event for decades. “I attended when I was in college,
and now I attend with my children,” Pound says. “I love
this community so much.”
Small tweaks have been made throughout the years, such
as changing the event from a Thursday to a Friday in 2011.
This made the event appeal more to families, especially those
with small children whose sparkling eyes anticipate seeing
Santa. “It is really just a kick-off to the holidays,” says Micah
Pazoureck, co-chair of the DHFA. “The air is crisp, and it just
gets you excited for the season.”
The genuine feel and atmosphere of the event is the same
as it was in 1988 when the lighting first began. “It is not just
your big ol’ commercial event,” says Bob Moses, co-owner of
Beth Marie’s, an ice cream shop on the Square. “It is in a real
authentic, historic town.” The event is about remaining true
to how Christmas was celebrated decades ago. Moses came to
the Square in 1999 and has been a part of the event ever since.
Over the 14 years he has been in Denton, he has found that the
festival still feels the same as it did the first time he attended.
The size of the crowd is what has changed.
Last year, there was a record crowd of about 15,000
people. In previous years, the crowd ranged from 5,000 to
10,000 attendees. The number of vendors has multiplied as
well. On this 25th anniversary, the magnitude of people is
expected to be even greater. The DHFA is trying to figure out
how the event needs to change in order to accommodate the
increasing throng of people, according to Pound. The event
has attracted many more out-of-towners in recent years as
folks travel from surrounding cities like Dallas, Fort Worth,
Lewisville and McKinney.
Although the numbers have risen, the event is still quaint.
“Because of the beauty and the unique characteristics of the
Square, it is different from other holiday festivals in larger
cities like Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington,” Pound says. “It
truly does feel nostalgic and hometown, but with amazing and
top-notch, regionally popular musical talent.” According to
Pazoureck, visitors say the event reminds them of a Norman
Rockwell painting.
With stages set up around the Square on the night of the
festival, many popular bands and groups look forward to the
exposure that comes from performing in front of thousands
of people. There are performances by students, independent
dance groups and local bands. The musical performances
end with the Denton Holiday Spectacular, a conglomerate of
multiple bands that wrap up the last 90 minutes of the event.
Along with the performances, the festival has unique
aspects like the Denton Main Street Association’s Wassail
Fest, which is an apple cider tasting contest. Businesses
around downtown create their own twist on the hot holiday
beverage. Attendees get to vote for the wassail they like most,
and then a wassail king or queen is named. Last year, the
men of I (heart) Denton took the coveted crown. I (heart)
Denton is an organization started by four brothers that seeks
to serve the Denton community by raising money to provide
solutions such as air conditioning in the blistering summers
and heat in the dreary winters to people lacking them. “I
think the wassail tasting is an unusual thing we do, different
from a lot of other towns,” Moses says. The tradition started
13 years ago by the Denton Main Street Association with only
10 participants. Nearly 30 businesses are now concocting
secret recipes.
Another great part of the event is that it is free. The event
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D E N T O N
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is funded by donations including online
contributions, sponsorships and grants. And
in the truest spirit of Christmas, it encourages
the act of giving at the Denton County Toy
Store’s annual toy drive.
The DHFA and shop owners around the
Square want the event to continue to swell,
but not undergo too many alterations. Moses
envisions the festival becoming a three-day
event. If the activities rolled over to Saturday
and Sunday, the fun would not have to come
to a halt after a few hours. “I think the whole
idea of having an old authentic town here
and getting back to the way Christmas was
celebrated 100 years ago would be kind of
neat,” Moses says.
On this 25th anniversary, the occasion is
more immense but has kept its original glow.
Shop owners and the DHFA do not want the
event becoming commercialized, but rather
remaining old-fashioned. “This is the real
thing,” Moses says.
The Denton Holiday Lighting Festival and
the Denton Main Street Association welcome
as many wassail tasters that can be squeezed
onto the Square. People of all ages are invited
to kick-start their holidays with the Denton
community this December and join in on this
25th anniversary celebration.
j ust the facts
What: 25th annual Denton Holiday Lighting
Festival
When: Dec. 6, 2013
Time: At 5:30 p.m. the event will kick off with
a community sing-along and the lighting of
the giant Christmas tree. Musical
performances begin at 6 p.m. all around the
Square, on stages, and in businesses and
historical buildings until 8 p.m. when the
Holiday Music Spectacular closes out the
evening.
Admission: Free
For kids: Bring an unwrapped gift for the
Denton Community Toy Drive.
Avoid traffic: Take the Wonderland
Express in Carrollton or Lewisville for $3 one
way.
More info:
dentonholidaylighting.com or
facebook.com/dentonholidaylighting
dentonmainstreet.org
24
D E N T O N
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Defining
Denton
Photo courtesy of Denton Convention Bureau
By Alicia Auping
Generations of independenceloving, original thinkers
come together in a city
as unique as its people
T
he typical customer at Jupiter House
Coffee has a long gray beard, leather hat,
black jacket and sunglasses; he looks
like a stand-in for ZZ Top. The typical
customer is a polished young businesswoman
with a designer handbag on her arm. Or he’s an
old farmer with leathered skin and a belt cinched
around a waist that muscularly melds from toned
torso to slender legs. He smiles and waves at the
young woman.
25
D E N T O N
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Indeed, the typical Jupiter House customer
is a college student with green headphones
hunkered over a term paper, face illuminated by
the glowing apple emanating a soft light from the
back of a silver laptop. On a Saturday, children
clad in numbered jerseys and shin guards weave
in and out of the farmers, cowboys, college
students and Billy Gibbons look-alikes, oblivious
to the singular rarity of what surrounds them.
Denton, Texas, is a paradox—a contradiction
Photo courtesy of Denton CVB
“Whatever creative outlet
you’re after, it’s here
because we embrace
creativity and individuality.”
of itself. It is a city steeped in tradition that celebrates
its rich heritage, cultural diversity and entrepreneurial
innovations. It has the cultural amenities of a larger metropolitan area while maintaining its identity as everytown:
Main Street, USA, as it were. “It has a small town feel but
not in a way that we don’t accept outsiders. We embrace
new people,” says Jupiter House owner Joey Hawkins. Older
generations of cowboys, blue-collar workers and business
owners coexist with young innovative artists, musicians
and entrepreneurs. More importantly, they support each
other. “We found the motivation to grow and hold on to
who we are,” says Kim Phillips, vice president of the Denton
Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).
“People are really involved in decisions,” Hawkins
continues. “The city council listens to them. People really
care about where they live, and I think that’s a lot of what
ends up happening.” Whether born in Denton or getting
here as fast as they can, residents feel a connection with
and a responsibility to the city they call home.
So when the Denton CVB teamed up with destination
marketing agency Aria Media to rebrand the city, they knew
they had to get it right. “In a process like this, what we try to
do is understand the unique DNA, the unique components
that make up any one destination,” says Jordan Wollman,
partner and the chief creative officer at Aria Media. “It’s an
attitude for Denton. We found this real strong, deep-rooted
sense of—and reverence for—originality. You’ve got this
independent-minded,
business-minded,
entrepreneurial-minded spirit in Denton.”
It’s an emphatic stamp: Original. Independent. Denton.
Conveyed in earthy grays and burnt reds, Denton’s
“Original/Independent” logo appears weathered and worn.
Like Denton, it has some wear and tear but maintains a
strong sense of identity. Denton has always been original
and independent, and city officials want to recognize and
celebrate that. “Whatever you’re looking for,” says Phillips,
“whatever creative outlet you’re after, it’s here because we
embrace creativity and individuality.”
community. Today, young musicians, artists and entrepreneurs flock to Denton each year seeking the lifestyle that it
offers. “We call Denton the Independent Music Capital of the
World,” Wollman says. Whatever music you’re in to, you’ll
find it in Denton because there is no “distinct sound.” Artists
such as Sarah Jaffe, Midlake, Brave Combo and others create
a “cacophony of sound,” according to Phillips.
However, music provides much more than a soundtrack
to the city. “Our music scene not only attracts people to live
in Denton, but it attracts visitors from all over the world to
experience our music scene,” says Michael Seman, Denton
resident and doctoral candidate in urban planning at the
University of Texas at Arlington. “Many people are in bands,
but that is not their career. They’re graphic designers.
They’re game developers. They’re coders. They’re IT people.
They’re looking for somewhere creative that will be tolerant
of the fact that they play in a band at night, and they do
coding during the day. They’re looking for a certain lifestyle
that Denton offers—99 percent of the people who play in
bands do something else.” To Seman and his ilk, the secret
is out: Denton is eclectic. But don’t just take his word for it.
Look at the statistics: According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
Denton is the seventh fastest growing city in the nation.
EAT, DRINK and be MERRY
Denton’s music scene has also become entrenched in
the city’s long tradition of festivals. The sheer number of
festivals Denton has to offer is one of its strongest traits,
and it never fails to bring generations together. The North
Texas State Fair and Rodeo began in 1928, and families
from all over the world continue to visit Denton each year
to celebrate the cowboy culture over the course of several
days. (For more on this festival and its reigning pageant
queen, turn to page 20.) The Tejas Storytelling Festival, Dog
Days of Denton Celebration, and Arts, Antiques and Autos
Extravaganza (For more on this throwback celebration of
classic cars, hot rods and all things retro, turn to page 14.)
are old standards that continue to grow bigger and bigger
each year.
As the city has grown, new festivals have been added,
including 35 Denton, Thin Line Film Fest and Day of the
Dead. For every person’s passion, there is a festival, and
residents and visitors come together throughout the year to
A NOD TO HISTORY
When Denton resident Houston Bell formed the city’s
first music group, The Juanita Band, in 1892, he began a
tradition of music that has woven itself into the fabric of the
26
D E N T O N
L I V E
Photo by Desiree Cousineau
celebrate those passions. “With all of the forward thinking
of the universities, and all of the past reminiscing of the
older residents, everyone just enjoys having a good time,”
Seman says. “You have so many festivals. There’s always
something going on. There’s always a party, and everyone’s
always happy to tell you where it is.”
Oak Street, a block behind the bookstore there, the purple
bookstore. And that was my favorite haunt.”
The father and son owners have seen the Square change
a lot in the past half-century. They remember when Jupiter
House was T & Sons Sporting Goods and before that when it
was a drug store with a soda fountain. When T & Sons came
in, they kept the soda fountain and a few of the booths behind
it, creating a one-stop-shop for lunch and hunting equipment.
Despite the changes, a strong sense of community and family
remains among the businesses. “Right now, we have a lot of
new young business owners, which is good,” Craig says, “and
we still have a lot that are my age.”
Today, with exposed brick walls and wooden tables
illuminated by granny-inspired lamps, Jupiter House is the
community’s living room. During the week, Hawkins can
tell time by observing who occupies his coffee shop. “In the
morning, you’ll see a ton of suits,” he says. Bankers, lawyers,
even the mayor, stop by for their morning jolt of caffeine,
sometimes staying a while to prep for a meeting. As the day
progresses, students and commuter workers arrive and set
up office for the day. “By nine o’clock at night, it’s pretty
crazy,” he says. “I really like the vibe. It feels like people
talk to each other. It’s pretty cool. I don’t know how that
happens.”
The clientele at Jupiter House and the resulting vibe is
indicative of Denton itself: an amalgamation of young and
old, hip and traditional, small town and big city. “It is a very
dynamic city that has a foothold in the past and the future and
enjoys living in today,” says Seman. Which begs the question,
how did it happen? “In the end,” Seman says, “everyone in
Denton is here because they want to be here, and that love for
the city really breaks down any boundaries.” It’s the people
who ultimately define the city that refuses to be defined.
AT THE HEART OF IT
The pulse of Denton remains in the city’s historic
downtown Square, where many of its festivals take place.
It is where old and new come together, where residents
live, work and play. The original county courthouse, built
in 1896 and renovated in 2003, handsomely stands sentry
in the center of town as the community around it continues
to grow and prosper. The sun shines down on the courthouse, a place for families to picnic, children to play and
street musicians to showcase their talents. Nostalgic businesses such as Beth Marie’s Ice Cream, McNeill’s Furniture
& Appliance and J&J’s Pizza frame the historic courthouse,
providing a snapshot of the past. However, as the sun sets,
Denton’s nightlife comes alive around the Square. With
more than a dozen live music venues within blocks of the
Square and even more restaurants and bars, there is always
something to do; somewhere to go after the lights go down.
FAMILY MATTERS
Many businesses have been on the Square for a long time,
but Thomas Ethan Allen owner Bill Thomas proudly takes
credit for being one of the oldest businesses downtown.
He bought the furniture store in 1962 when his son, Craig
Thomas, was 5 years old. “As a kid, I used to have pretty
much free rein of the downtown area,” Craig recalls. “There
used to be a toy store that was at the other end on East
27
D E N T O N
L I V E
Get your Brooms up
From th e pag e s o f H ar r y Po t ter, muggle Q uidditch players a re
fl y i n g ac ro ss De nton, i n ho pes of s natching t he S nitch
s to r y a n d p h oto B y Au d r a S ta m p
T
he referee releases the Snitch
runner while both teams
kneel on the turf with their
heads down and eyes closed.
The Snitch, in his bright gold-colored
shorts, disappears out of sight, the
ref yells “brooms up,” and the game
begins. Instantly, the Beaters of both
teams are grabbing for the bludgers off
of the middle line set up like a game of
dodge ball, and the University of North
Texas Chasers must play defense as the
opposing team reaches the quaffle first.
The game is quickly one-sided as the
opponent’s Chaser leaps into the air, one
hand still on his broom, the other hand
throwing the quaffle with full force
through the 6-foot-hoop. Not defeated
yet, UNT remounts their brooms and
play resumes.
The game of Harry Potter’s Quidditch
has become an all-too real sport in the
last eight years. A mixture of rugby,
dodge ball and wrestling, Quidditch
takes much more athleticism than the
ability to fly on a broom. The sport
involves a lot of running, throwing and
tackling. And while it looked rough in
Harry Potter, these muggles take many
more hits and beatings than any Harry
Potter character ever encountered.
Back on the field, bludgers are being
28
D E N T O N
L I V E
launched, the quaffle is being passed
around, and the golden Snitch runner
reappears. The Seekers are tripping
over each other in hopes of snatching
the Snitch first. Although the Snitch
runner appears thin, his muscles and
speed pose a difficulty for both Seekers.
The audience is torn by what to
watch. The Chasers are wrestling on the
ground for the quaffle, the Beaters are
pegging them with bludgers. The Snitch
is crouched, slowly backing up, staring
into the eyes of both Seekers who are
poised to attack.
Scott Gitthens, the UNT Seeker,
knows that if he grabs the Snitch ball,
he will gain 30 points, ending the game.
Seeing the opposing Seeker as a threat,
Gitthens wraps his free arm around the
other Seeker’s waist, pulling both to the
ground.
Back on their feet quickly and
ignoring the bludgers flying through
the air, the opposing Seeker tackles
Gitthens to the ground and swiftly
circles the Snitch runner who is caught
off guard. The game is over. The other
team has caught the Snitch ball and
UNT loses the match.
“It’s extremely exhilarating. I love
tackling people, I love running around
people,” says Bryan Perez, UNT team
captain. “All that physical activity is
what I live for.”
Starting back in 2005, Xander
Manshel and friends came up with the
game of real life Quidditch at Middlebury College in Vermont. For the first
few years, the game remained an intramural sport, but when Alex Benepe
took over in 2007 he focused on making
it a club sport. The game attracted a lot
of interest and a second school, Vassar
College in New York, came to Middlebury to play their first official game. The
event sparked media attention and the
game grew quickly from there.
“I would say the act of calling it a
sport is the biggest transformation,”
Benepe, a co-founder and commissioner
of the International Quidditch Association, says. “It’s extremely strategic, and
extremely physically demanding, and
the fact that it’s co-ed also makes it very
different from other sports.”
Of the more than 870 official
teams nationally in the International
Quidditch Association, there are
more than 50 in Texas. However, UNT
currently has the only recognized collegiate Quidditch team in North Texas.
Beginning their first season in the fall
of 2012, the UNT team has struggled to
maintain consistent players, but enjoys
the sport.
The game was inspired and founded
off of the Harry Potter version. There
are seven players for each team and
the game begins as the Snitch runner is
released to roam boundaries set forth
at the beginning of the tournament. The
Seekers can capture the Snitch off or
on the field, and the Snitch catch ends
the game. There is one Keeper who acts
as a goalie. Three Chasers handle the
quaffle and try to score through one
of the three hoops, each hoop being
worth 10 points. Lastly, two Beaters use
the bludgers as a defense mechanism,
pegging other Beaters and Chasers.
While some of the UNT players like
the novelty of the game and its root
in Harry Potter, the game is moving
away from the books and movies. In
fact, more players on the UNT team
have never read or watched the Harry
Potter series than have; this sport has
become more about the intensity and
physicality.
“I think all of us are fans on some
level or else we wouldn’t have tried
it out, but none of us are fanatics,”
says Scott Gitthens, UNT Quidditch
president. “The sport started out with
really big Harry Potter buffs, but it has
become more of a stand-alone sport.”
All sizes can play, from small framed
women to large ex-Marines. The smaller
players who might be at a disadvantage
in other sports don’t have that disadvantage in Quidditch, Perez says.
Gender is no issue either: men tackle
women and women tackle men. While
many sports are gender biased and
usually involve some form of protection, Quidditch allows for players to
tackle another player head-on. It’s not
just a nerdy Harry Potter game that
both Perez and Gitthens first expected.
Perez has no shame in, “abusing people
of the opposite gender.”
“It took a little getting used to,”
freshman Chaser/Seeker Marissa Hunt
says. “You have to show that you can
hang with them [men], and show them
that you can fight just as hard.”
So for any who need to see to
believe, the UNT team has many of their
practices at the Santa Fe/Traditions field
and holds open scrimmages on Fridays
at 3 p.m. from September to May. Many
of the tournaments are posted on
www.internationalquidditch.org and
they are free to attend. Because it is a
growing sport at UNT, newcomers are
encouraged and an audience is highly
appreciated.
While
many
people
assume
Quidditch is a sport only for the Harry
Potter faithful, they should look again.
These players take what they do
seriously, leaving the field with bloody
noses and minor concussions, tackling
men double their weight and chasing
a golden-dressed Snitch. They are
Quidditch players and they come armed
with courage and athleticism (no magic
necessary).
Photo: UNT Quidditch team competes at the Southwest Regional Championship at Texas A&M.
29
D E N T O N
L I V E
Quiddi tc h
q ui c k facts
Pitch: The ovular shaped field
marked with cones or lines.
3 Chasers: These players must move
the quaffle down the pitch by running
and/or passing, with the aim of throwing or kicking it through the opposing
team’s hoops to score.
2 Beaters: These players must throw
or kick the bludgers at opposing
players in order to temporarily knock
them out of play.
1 Keeper: These players must defend
their team’s hoops to prevent the
other team from scoring.
1 Seeker: These players must chase
down the Snitch runner and remove
the snitch, scoring 30 points and
ending the game.
Quaffle: The quaffle is a volleyball
that the Chasers use to score with. It
is not pumped up all the way so that a
player can grip it with one hand.
Bludger: The bludgers are dodge
balls used by the Beaters as a defense
mechanism. If hit by a bludger, a
player must drop any balls he/she is
holding, dismount the broom and run
back and touch his/her hoops before
being back in play.
Snitch: The role of the Snitch runner
is to prevent the Snitch ball - a tennis
ball inside a sock hanging from the
back of the Snitch runner’s shorts from being snatched by either team’s
Seeker. The Snitch runner is not a
member of either team. The Snitch
runner should be dressed in all yellow
or gold. The Snitch runner is not allowed to intentionally hurt or partake
in reckless play.
Hoops: There are three hoops at 3
feet, 4.5 feet and 6 feet tall. This is
what the Chasers score the quaffle
into, each hoop counting 10 points
and can be scored on the front or back
side of the hoop.
www.facebook.com/UntQuidditch
b y B r ya n C y t r o n
i l lu s t r at i o n b y E r i k a E d wa r d s
p h oto s b y M i c h e l l e He at h
Wh at d ri ve s p e op l e
to vi s i t a ci t y or
c ome b ack ?
A
long tradition of sports, scenery and spectacular entertainment is a start. And while
Denton has all those things, what really
gets people’s mouths watering is great food. While
the chains layer the streets, it’s the local spots that
make Denton food unique. Whether it’s a staple like
El Guapo’s Tex-Mex, the rich history of New York Sub
Hub or the powerhouse new flavor of Treehouse Bar
and Grill, Denton is chock full of great finds that you
can smell from a mile away. So delve into the delectable doozies of Denton!
30
D E N T O N
L I V E
El Guapo’s
9 4 0 - 5 6 6 - 5 575
4 1 9 S. El m S t.
De nto n, T X 7 6201
w w w.e l g u ap os.com
Touting low prices for large portions
is impossible for a restaurant in today’s
economy, right? Not at El Guapo’s. The
Tex-Mex joint has not changed its prices
since opening day on May 4, 2004. As
owner Michael “El Guapo” Zampino
puts it, he wants the customer to feel like
they’ve “taken him.”
El Guapo’s food is made fresh
in-house after each order. It is truly
Tex-Mex paradise. The Texas portion
of the menu features succulent baconwrapped voodoo shrimp, concocted with
a mix of curry, cayenne and coriander
peppers, and served with a tasty
barbecue sauce. From spicy to traditional, their ribs are served dangling off
the plate with a side of barbecue sauce
that has a hint of chipotle baste. The
enormous hand-breaded chicken fried
steak is so good that its owner will stack
it against anybody’s, and it’s only $7.99!
The homemade gravy begins with bacon
drippings, where the bacon goes inside
and settles while sizzling, and is then
accompanied by the rest of the ingredients to complete this masterpiece that
tastes as good as it looks.
The Mexican side of the menu is just as
intriguing. Their award-winning Queso
Mas Guapo is the perfect starter that
mixes queso with taco meat and a dollop
of guacamole. Served with homemade
tortillas and fresh chips, this dip is
scrumptious. Another starter that truly
embodies the variety of this gem is “La
Bamba.” This smorgasbord has quesadillas, flautas, nachos, stuffed jalapeños,
guacamole
and
queso that challenges any restaurant’s
botana
platter.
What
really
differentiates El Guapo’s
from the rest of
the pack is its skirt
fajita meat that
comes right off
the grill and tastes
like filet mignon.
El Guapo’s is
named after the
bullying, bad guy
who tore up the
town of Santa
Poco in the 1986
classic
comedy,
Three Amigos! But,
don’t let this fool
you: Zampino is
all about pleasing
his customers.
“They’re
not
just a number
walking in,” he says. “They are flesh and
blood that we care about, and that we
strive to know.”
While Zampino has customer service
covered, he makes sure every area is
handled with just as much professionalism and care. After running Tia’s
Tex-Mex as a managing partner for nine
years, he acquired valuable experience,
which he applied to his restaurant,
along with many of its cooks and staff
Tr ee hous e
Bar and Grill
9 4 0 - 4 84-7900
1 5 1 2 W. Hickor y S t.
De nto n, T X 76201
w w w. thet re e ho u se d e nto n. c o m
31
D E N T O N
L I V E
that have a combined 200 years of experience. His end product has Denton’s
faithful buzzing.
“El Guapo’s is definitely my go-to
Mexican restaurant in Denton,” says
resident Ryan Balcom. “I like the
chicken fajita meal, as well as the cheese
enchilada meal. Regardless of what
mood I’m in, both are delicious and a
perfect example of my ideal Mexican
food.”
It hasn’t even been open a full year,
but already the Treehouse Bar and Grill
is known around town for its great mix
of food, drink specials and entertainment.
With a $100 cash poker giveaway on
Mondays, a comedy show on Tuesdays,
karaoke on Wednesdays and a DJ on
Saturdays, the place is in constant
motion. Add to that the great accommo-
Co n t inue d o n n e x t p ag e
dations of a patio, a deck, an upstairs
and downstairs bar and plenty of TVs,
and this place is a premier hangout
in Denton. Just ask co-owner Grant
McGuire.
“We wanted to be a place where the
façade of the exterior is nicer, but we’re
still a bar along a college campus, and
still want to be known for having a good
time,” McGuire says.
McGuire, a Carrollton, Texas, native,
graduated from the Wharton School of
Business at the University of Pennsylvania. From that experience, he and his
father, Mike, set out to start something
they had a passion for: A bar seemed
like a good idea for financial reasons as
well as for low-hassle, practical start-up
reasons. But what really sold them was
how they fell in love with Denton and
the area.
“I think the community itself is a
developing Austin with a similar 6th
Street mentality,” Grant says. “There are
a variety of businesses, which helps give
the whole area an identity.”
The setting at Treehouse is as diverse
as the amenities it offers. It functions
as a restaurant during the day, a happy
hour in the evenings and a true Fry
Street bar at night. Fry Street, developing since the 1960s, features a diverse
collection of restaurants and plush
housing just across from campus. Still
trying to get people to think of them as
a nightlife spot, the two-bar look is a
simple concept for Grant.
“Having frequented a large number
of bars myself, I know that nothing is
worse than not being able to get a drink,
or feeling like it took forever to get one,”
Grant says. “So, I felt like if we put one
downstairs and one upstairs, it would
help the flow.”
Another deliciously affordable treat
is the food. You won’t find an item more
than $7, and non-alcoholic drinks are
on-the-house with every entrée. Chef
and UNT alum Nick Carrera has a menu
that is very satisfying. From fresh fries
that are layered with caramelized onions
and Parmesan cheese to beer battered
onion rings to an appetizer sampler,
this is a fried food lover’s paradise.
Throw in bold, build-your-own burgers,
grilled cheese with special tomato jam
and luscious wings, and you have the
ultimate Treehouse experience.
One person who particularly loves
Treehouse is Kalle Taylor, who drives 14
miles just to eat at the bar and grill.
“Treehouse has awesome food at a
very reasonable price,” Taylor says. “I
love the fries and pork rib sandwich.”
T wo - Step p in’
The night Away
De nto n’s onl y count r y a nd wes tern
l i ve mus ic a nd da ncing venue
b y e l i z a b e t h B oy l e
p h o t o b y D av i d H a l l o r a n
It’s 8 p.m. on Thursday night, and
the dance floor is gradually filling up—
slowly at first—then all at once. As the
crowd grows, the atmosphere becomes
increasingly electric. Euphoric, even.
A few hundred people are dancing the
night away in their cowboy boots. And
this is just a typical night at Rockin
Rodeo, a country and western dance
club in the state that popularized the
genre.
The true Texas experience is
apparent just by walking through the
32
D E N T O N
L I V E
doors of Rockin Rodeo. The environment offers something for everyone,
from dancing and socializing to
shooting a friendly game of pool. Many
customers have become regulars, but
the employees love the fact that they
still get so many new faces in every
week from all over the world.
“My favorite thing about Rockin
Rodeo is definitely the sense of
community. It’s very open and
welcoming, and it’s small and quaint,”
says Elise Raley, a Denton resident and
Ne w York S u b - H u b
9 4 0 - 3 8 3 - 3 213
9 0 6 Ave nue C
De nton, Texas, 7 6 201
w w w.new yor k su b hub.com
From their humble beginnings in
1979, in what was then rural Denton,
to their thriving business in today’s
growing city, owners Hunter and Ken
Christiansen have taken New York
Sub-Hub from a grassroots restaurant
to a booming sandwich haven.
The phenomenon began before
Subway and was called New York
Subway. In hopes of franchising, Ken,
who grew up just across the river
from New York City in Middlesex,
N.J, changed the name to New York
Sub-Hub, which currently has three
locations in Denton. The original
restaurant on Avenue C may look
ordinary, but inside are two of New
York’s finest sub connoisseurs.
The Christiansen’s have decorated
their hotspot with actual street signs
and benches from New York, along with
plenty of pictures of the legendary Babe
Ruth and other sports memorabilia.
From 32 mouth-watering sandwiches,
your choice of ingredients and the fact
that it’s hand-sliced and prepared in
front of your watching eyes, there is
freshness every time. Just ask Hunter,
who recently assumed the reins working
countless hours with his father to keep
the customers happy.
“We try to define ourselves by our
cleanliness and our friendliness,” Hunter
says. “There’s probably 30 people I know
that when they walk through the door,
I know their sandwich before they get
up here. We distinguish ourselves by
knowing each customer as a person, not
just another customer.”
just t he facts
member of UNT’s Country and Western
Dance Club.
Employees are adamant about
running a club where both locals and
visitors can experience a positive
alternative to nightly pub crawling. At
Rockin Rodeo, folks may show up with
the intention of grabbing a quick drink
on their way to somewhere else, but
they end up staying all night.
“I definitely try to make everybody’s
night here better than it was when they
entered the door,” says Rockin Rodeo
bartender Amber McGrath, smiling as
she speaks. “If they walked in and they
were happy, I’m going to serve them
and get them even happier and hope
they have a wonderful night and come
back.”
As for you folks who are passing
through Denton either for business
or pleasure, the staff and the patrons
of Rockin Rodeo would love to make
your acquaintance. Employees strive
to make first timers’ experiences more
enjoyable by buying the customers
a drink, and making sure they are
comfortable and having a good time.
“We feel like they will see something
they have never seen or experienced
before, and hopefully go home disappointed that there is no place like ours
in their hometown,” says Rockin Rodeo
owner Lloyd Banks.
There’s live music every Thursday
night. The club comes to life with the
sound of tried-and-true Texas country.
Well-known acts like Josh Abbott and
Aaron Watson have performed on the
Rockin Rodeo stage.
Banks insists that he and his staff put
the customer first, before anything else.
He takes their safety seriously, and in
some instances, when a customer has
had too much to drink, Rockin Rodeo
has purchased cab rides and hotel stays
to keep them from driving. “I don’t
think anyone works as hard to make
sure their customers get home safe as
we do,” Banks says.
33
D E N T O N
L I V E
Open:
Thursday, Friday
and Saturday nights
8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
LOCATED:
1009 Avenue C
Denton, TX 76201
phone:
940-565-6611
website:
www.rockinrodeodenton.com
Map of Denton &
LOOP
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43
STUART
BUFFALO VALLEY
MERITT RANCH
EVENT CENTER
(Located at I-35
AND HOTEL
4
and Ganzer
(Located
at Road)
I-35
and Ganzer Road)
General information
accommodations
1 Americas Best Value Inn & suites
820 S. I-35E
(940) 387-0591
americasbestvalueinn.com
2 Best Western Inn & Suites
2910 W. University Drive
(940) 591-7726 bestwesterntexas.com/denton
3 best western premier
2450 Brinker Road
(940) 387-1000 bestwesterntexas.com/premiercrownchase
4 Buffalo valley event Center and Hotel
2946 Ganzer Road W.
(940) 482-3409
buffalovalleyeventcenter.com
332 E. Hickory St.
(940) 349-8840
19 La Quinta INN & Suites
4465 N. I-35
(940) 808-0444
laquinta.com
37 Historical Park of Denton County: African
21 QUALITY Inn and Suites
american museum and bayless-selby House Museum
317 W. Mulberry St.
(940) 349-2865
dentoncounty.com
22 Royal INN & Suites
38 oxide gallery
211 N. Cedar St.
(940) 483-8900
oxidegallery.com
1500 Dallas Drive
(940) 387-3511
choicehotels.com/hotel/tx836
1210 N. I-35E
(940) 383-2007
royalinnsuitesdenton.com
6 Comfort Suites
1100 N. I-35E
(940) 898-8510
csdentontx.com
620 S. I-35E
(940) 380-8888
super8.com
7 Courtyard by Marriott
4505 N. I-35
(940) 387-3400
valueplace.com
Texas Woman’s University
(940) 898-3644
twu.edu/gown-collection
41 UNT ON THE SQUARE
109 N. Elm St.
(940) 369 8257
untonthesquare.unt.edu
25 The Wildwood Inn
9 FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES
2900 W. University Drive
(940) 384-1700
marriott.com/DFWDN
26 Denton Chamber of Commerce
The Heritage Inns (bed and breakfast cluster)
815 N. Locust St.
(940) 565-6414
theheritageinns.com
11
12 Hilton garden inn
3110 Colorado Blvd.
(940) 891-4700
denton.hgi.com
42 UnT Sky Theater Planetarium
Important contacts
Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau
414 Parkway
(940) 382-7895 (888) 381-1818
discoverdenton.com
27 EMILY FOWLER Central Library
502 Oakland St.
(940) 349-8752
28 North Branch
central library
3020 N. Locust St.
(940) 349-8752
29 South Branch Library
3228 Teasley Lane
(940) 349-8752
13 Holiday Inn express & suites
4485 N. I-35
(940) 808-0600
hiedenton.com
30 City Hall
215 E. McKinney St.
(940) 349-8200
cityofdenton.com
14 Holiday Inn & Conference Center
1434 Centre Place Drive
(940) 383-4100
holidayinn.com/dentontx
Museums & attractions
15 Homewood Suites by Hilton
2907 Shoreline Drive
(940) 382-0420
denton.homewoodsuites.com
16 Howard Johnson Express Inn
3116 Bandera St.
(940) 383-1681
hojo.com
17 KNIGHTS Inn
601 N. I-35E
(940) 566-1990
knightsinn.com
40 Texas First Ladies Historic Costume Collection
24 Value place
2602 Lillian Miller Parkway
(940) 243-4919
denton-wildwoodinn.com
1513 Centre Place Drive
(940) 891-4900
dentonsuites.hamptoninn.com
42
39 Skate Works park
2400 Long Road
(940) 349-8523
cityofdenton.com (skate works)
23 Super 8 Motel
8 Days inn
4211 N. I-35
(940) 383-1471
daysinn.com/23887
10 Hampton Inn & Suites
35 Greenbelt trail
Located off US 380 and FM 428
(940) 349-8202
36 Hangar 10 Flying Museum
Denton Airport
1945 Matt Wright Lane
(940) 565-1945
20 Motel 6
4125 N. I-35E
(940) 566-4798
motel6.com
5 Comfort Inn
4050 Mesa Drive
(940) 320-5150
comfortinndenton.com
2800 Colorado Blvd.
(940) 382-4600
mariott.com/dfwde
34 Denton firefighters museum
18 La Quinta Inn
700 Fort Worth Drive
(940) 387-5840
laquintadentontx.com
UNT Campus, EESAT Building
1704 W. Mulberry St.
(940) 369-8213
skytheater.unt.edu
43Water Works Park
Loop 288 at Sherman Drive
(940) 349-8810
cityofdenton.com (aquatics)
Performing Arts
44The Campus Theatre
214 W. Hickory St.
(940) 382-1915
campustheatre.com
45Denton black box theatre
318 E. Hickory St.
(940) 383-1356
dentoncommunitytheatre.com
46 Margo Jones Performance HalL
Texas Woman’s University
(940) 898-2500
twu.edu/music/margo-jones-hall.asp
31 Apogee Stadium
1251 S. Bonnie Brae
(940) 565-2527
stadium.meangreensports.com
47 Murchison Performing Arts Center
University of North Texas
(940) 369-7802
music.unt.edu/mpac
32 Center for the Visual Arts
48Redbud Theater
Texas Woman’s University
(940) 898-2020
twu.edu/redbud-theater
33 Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum
49UnT Department of dance & theatre
University of North Texas
(940) 565-2211
danceandtheatre.unt.edu
400 E. Hickory St.
(940) 382-2787
dentonarts.com
110 W. Hickory St.
(940) 349-2850
dentoncounty.com/chos
35
Peter Weller, Class act
Ro bo Co p was an ’80s classic , b ut t h e m an b eh i n d
the m a s k went way beyo nd a on e - h i t won d er.
by Adriana Rodriguez —
I
t took exactly one year and a moment
of self-realization for the 20-yearold jazz-infused trumpet player to
learn he would not be Miles Davis.
Ever. This moment came while sitting
in a theater class at North Texas State
University (NTSU) in Denton (now the
University of North Texas). “I realized
that this is what I was going to do. I was
going to act and do nothing else,” Peter
Weller says. Weller could not have been
more incorrect about his future.
With 73 movie titles to his credit—and
counting—12 directed projects, one for
which he received an Academy Award
nomination, a master’s degree in Italian
Renaissance art history, a doctorate in
15th century Venetian art history, and
considering he’s the first man on the
planet to answer to the name RoboCop,
Peter Weller has done more than just act.
Weller, over the years, has lived an
amazingly cultured life. Raised by a
helicopter pilot, Weller’s birthplace of
Steven’s Point, Wis., was only the first
of several places he lived while growing
up. Weller’s mother, however, was a
pianist representing three generations
of jazz pianists. It’s easy to see why NTSU
became the actor’s first choice in the
right direction.
UNT had outshone the rest of the
American academic community by
having the first jazz program in the
country. Weller’s passion for music was
not only inevitable but fueled by an
overriding curiosity from exposure as a
kid to artists such as Duke Ellington and
Miles Davis, who years later became a
dear friend.
This exposure ultimately led him
to playing trumpet for UNT’s 4 o’clock
and 5 o’clock Lab Bands, two of nine big
bands of the Jazz Studies Division at the
College of Music. “They were great jazz
bands,” he says.
But this wasn’t enough for Weller’s
involved and energetic attitude. His
dream at the time was to be Miles Davis.
“You know, there’s something about
Miles that everybody digs,” Weller says.
“He changed the face of American music
about three times and, not just in jazz.
He’s like Mozart to me.”
photo cour tesy of bill truesch
At the same time, Weller also loved
acting. It was something he had always
done for fun, and it was in his second
year that he knew it was what he would
be known for. A couple of days after his
epiphany, he hitched a ride with a guy
to Austin on his way to see his parents.
“And the guy says, ‘What do you do?’ and
out of my mouth came, ‘I’m an actor.’
And he said, ‘Oh, really? I said, ‘Yeah,
yeah, yeah, I’m at NTSU and I’m gonna
go to New York.’ And all of a sudden, I
realized that’s what I was. It was weird,”
Weller says. But his time in Denton was
just the beginning of what was to become
Weller’s life work.
It was 1969, the year he graduated,
that Weller did exactly what he said he
was going to do. Armed with a bachelor
of arts in theater and a scholarship
in hand to the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts (AADA), the oldest acting
school in the English-speaking world, he
journeyed from Denton to NYC where he
spent two years before making his debut
on a professional stage.
New York offered extraordinary
opportunities from which Weller
benefited. “I studied with a great teacher/
actress named Uta Hagen,” Weller
says. “Amazing actress and remarkable
teacher.” Hagen was a highly respected
German-born
actress-turned-teacher.
She was a three-time Tony Award
winner, who went on to become a highly
influential acting coach at the Herbert
Berghof Studio in NYC. She authored two
best-selling acting books and in 1981 was
elected to the American Theatre Hall of
Fame.
Two weeks after graduating from
the AADA in 1972, Weller made his first
professional stage debut in the New
York Shakespeare Festival’s Tony Award
winning production of David Rabe’s
Sticks and Bones. Carrying on since, he’s
appeared on and off Broadway several
times in works like, Rabe’s Streamers,
directed by Mike Nichols, and Thomas
Babe’s Full Circle and Rebel Women.
Weller has starred in two of the 1980’s
super cult classics, The Adventures
of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th
Dimension and RoboCop. He then went on
36
D E N T O N
L I V E
to perform the
more
surreal
and provocative
book adaptation
of Naked Lunch.
But Weller’s career went beyond
acting when he and friend—fellow acting
powerhouse Jeff Goldblum—formed a
jazz band. They started just playing at
parties in people’s living rooms, and it
was with the coaxing of close friends
Davis and Woody Allen that the band
became viable. “So I tell him that story
[about Davis suggesting a serious band]
and Woody says, ‘Well, yeah, that’s what
you gotta do, you gotta get a band,’”
Weller says in his best Woody Allen voice.
“‘Find a venue and pick their night where
they make no money. And then it’ll be a
hot night.’” Thus became Monday nights
at Michael’s in Los Angeles, along with
various club gigs long thereafter.
Weller enjoyed and embraced as
much as he could and never had to
sacrifice much because of his continuous
hunger for more. He even managed
to squeeze in a masters degree from
Syracuse University and a doctorate from
UCLA. Above all, Weller still found time
for love and family. In 2006, he married
longtime girlfriend Sheri Stowe and five
years later, they welcomed their first
and only child into the world, Theodore
Mark Gerald Francesco Weller. “One kid,
five names,” Weller says.
Every now and then, Weller comes
back to North Texas to get a taste of
Denton’s vibe. Most recently, he came
with his wife to meet up with a few old
college buddies. Weller’s roommate
back in the day, Jim Mahoney, formerly
of the Denton Record Chronicle, is one of
them. They lived off of Mulberry Street
together, just a few blocks from the
Square.
Weller’s love for his alma mater and
Denton is deep-rooted. He remembers
the intimacy of the place as his favorite
among its attributes. “It has a wonderful
small-town atmosphere. You could find
your friends really easily, and you could
walk to campus,” Weller says. “And there
was a whole lot of jazz – that’s what I
liked most.”
Around the block,
around the clock...
It’s happening in Historic
Downtown Denton.
Museums. Galleries. Shopping. Dining. Festivals. Live Music. Performing Arts.
That’s Entertainment!
Denton Main Street
Association
For information on events and promotions,
visit www.dentonmainstreet.org
or call (940) 349-8529
Denton County Office of History and Culture
For special exhibits and programs,
visit www.dentonmuseums.com
Historical Park of Denton County
Denton County African
American Museum
Bayless-Selby House Museum
317 W. Mulberry
Hours: Tues - Fri, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed Sundays and on Saturdays
on holiday weekends.
Denton County
Courthouse-on-the-Square
Museum
110 W. Hickory St.
Hours: Mon - Fri 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed Sundays and on Saturdays
on holiday weekends.
(940) 349-2850
Denton Firefighters’
Museum
332 E. Hickory St.
Hours: Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission is free.
For more information visit
www.dentonfirefightermuseum.com
or call (940) 349-8840