Take an exclusive journey marrying exquisite smokehouse flavors and premium tequila as Barrel & Bones’ location in The Colony partners with Don Julio Tequila to host a one-of-a-kind tequila dinner at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20.

The menu, created by Executive Chef Omar Adame, features five lavish courses.

FIRST COURSE

Mahi Mahi ceviche - Kombu-marinated Mahi Mahi, Hoja Santa-lime fume, corn, salsa macha, tortilla tatemada

Paired with ALEGRIA - Don Julio Blanco, lime juice, velvet falernum, coconut milk, lemongrass syrup, black smoked salt

SECOND COURSE

Crema de Camarόn - Shrimp bisque, butter-poached camarόn, tequila foam, toasted brioche, black garlic, chives

Paired with Don Julio Reposado

THIRD COURSE

Salmon Albondigas Gobernador – Chipotle-marinated salmon meatball, crushed avocado, chiltepin salsa macha, lemon mojo, malanga chips

Paired with Don Julio Añejo

FOURTH COURSE

Tacos de Mexico - Pork al pastor (recado rojo marinated pork), Carne Asada (epazote-marinated inside skirt steak), Huachinango (adobo-marinated red snapper)

Paired with Beso de Rosas - Don Julio 70 “Cristalino,” almond liqueur, passion fruit, lemon juice, chamomile syrup

DULCE

Passion Fruit White Flan - Coconut cream, queso fresco, Mexican vanilla, passion fruit gelee, tequila meringue

Paired with Don Julio 1942

Founded in 1942 by a young Don Julio González, Don Julio Tequila quickly became the world’s first luxury tequila. Each of the distillery’s nine lauded tequilas are crafted with only the finest blue agave plants using a time-honored method.

Tickets for the Don Julio tequila dinner are $70 per person plus tax and gratuity. They can be purchased at barrelandbonestx.com/experiences. For more information on Barrel & Bones, visit barrelandbonestx.com.

LOCATION

The Colony

2801 Plano Parkway, Suite 140

The Colony, TX, 75056

469-353-8810

About Barrel & Bones

Barrel & Bones Craft Bar & Smokehouse celebrates the art of in-house smoked barbecue. The restaurant, with locations in Dallas, The Colony, Carrollton and Farmers Branch, is renowned for its mouthwatering smoked brisket, tender turkey, savory sausages and more. Barrel & Bones’ menu extends beyond the classics to feature chef-driven interpretations of classics that better appeal to today’s discerning diner. In addition to its extraordinary menu, Barrel & Bones offers one of the largest selections of bourbon and whiskey in Dallas/Fort Worth, along with a wide range of craft beers and cocktails.

THE STATLER AND BOURBON & BANTER CELEBRATE THE ARTISTRY OF MAKER’S MARK WITH AN EXCLUSIVE DINNER AND TASTING ON NOV. 14

The Statler has long been recognized as the premier historic hotel in North Texas, and now, the acclaimed hotel and its popular speakeasy, Bourbon & Banter, are celebrating the history of America’s most iconic spirit, bourbon whiskey, with a special dinner and exclusive tasting of Maker’s Mark bourbons on Thursday, Nov. 14.

Stewarded by the Samuels family since 1953, three years before The Statler opened in Dallas, Maker’s Mark is headed by master distiller Rob Samuels, an eighth-generation distiller with a real commitment to excellence. The brand’s history of excellence makes it the perfect partner for The Statler.

From 7 to 9 p.m., guests can enjoy a curated four-course menu crafted by Statler Executive Chef Marcelus Cordeiro designed to pair perfectly with Maker’s Mark spirits. The dinner will be held in The Statler’s beautifully appointed private dining room. The menu includes:

Course 1:

Beet Carpaccio with Goat Cheese Mousse – Thinly sliced roasted beets drizzled with a light vinaigrette, topped with whipped goat cheese mousse, crushed pistachios and microgreens

Paired with black Mission Fig-infused Maker’s Mark 46, coffee bean-infused Campari, PX Sherry, Carpano Antica

Course 2:

Duck Confit on Cauliflower Purée - A delicate portion of duck confit served on smooth cauliflower purée, drizzled with black cherry bourbon reduction and garnished with pomegranate arils

Paired with Maker’s Mark Bourbon, lemon juice, plum-cinnamon-ginger reduction, fiery ginger and Cardamaro

Course 3:

Lamb Loin Medallions with Red Wine Jus - Lightly seared lamb loin medallions served with red wine jus and a small serving of roasted root vegetables

Paired with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, with a port wine reduction

Course 4:

Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta with Berry Compote - Silky dark chocolate panna cotta topped with a mixed-berry bourbon compote and garnished with a fresh mint sprig

Paired with Maker’s Mark Heart Release 2024 Neat

Along with dinner, each purchased ticket also comes with a special takeaway of the brand’s iconic red wax-dipped glass, hand dipped on-site. The four-course dinner is $150 per person and can be reserved here.

Guests can add an intimate experience with limited-edition allocated Maker’s Mark spirits. The event will share unique cocktails and private tasting of the Maker's Mark Cellar-Aged collection, led by a Maker's Mark distillery representative. Seating for this tasting, which includes the dinner menu above, is $200 per person and very limited.           

Further details on this and other events at Bourbon & Banter can be found at BourbonAndBanterDallas.com.

EVENT INFORMATION

What: Maker’s Mark Dinner and Tasting at The Statler

When: Thursday, Nov. 14. at 7 p.m.

Where: The Statler, 1914 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75201

Tickets: $150 per person for dinner, which includes a hand-dipped Maker’s Mark glass. $200 per person for dinner and an exclusive tasting of Maker’s Mark Cellar-Aged collection.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-statler-presents-a-makers-mark-experience-tickets-1048928733077.

Soulful Struttin’

by

Julia Pierre Hammond

illustrated by Ana Latese

I never thought the act of cleaning the house could be so joyful!

Soulful Struttin’ is a new children’s picture book by Julia Pierre Hammond, gloriously illustrated by Ana Latese, that takes household chores and turns them into a joyful Sunday family tradition. Like Clara, the young protagonist, I never thought cleaning up could be such a playful experience and joyful only when behind us. 

Clara’s father has two Sunday traditions:” singing and cleaning the house. While Clara (and probably every reader) thinks singing could be pretty sweet, she would heartily love to avoid the weekly cleanup. However, her playful, energetic, and upbeat father won’t even entertain doing otherwise. Soon, he has the entire family singing and swaying to his specially curated playlist of tunes to clean by. Time speeds by, and their home sparkles, as do everyone’s spirits. 

The illustrations add to the absolute joy, with pictures that fairly dance off the page. As a bonus, the author includes the family’s perfect playlist for readers to recreate in their own music app and the recipe for Grandma Sentelia’s Gumbo. Get that gumbo simmering on the stove early in the day and relax with a ready and delicious meal after the chores are complete. 

The plot reminds us all that chores go better with a positive attitude, compelling tunes, and the family working together as a team. Young readers will enjoy the fun story and vibrant illustrations, and everyone will have their favorite songs to add to the family’s musical playlist. 

I recommend SOULFUL STRUTTIN’ to those with young readers and listeners. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy via Netgalley.

See this and more of my reviews on Boys' Mom Reads!

McRae’s American Bistro and Cocktails, located near White Rock Lake, presents a tempting Thanksgiving feast in a cozy and distinctive ambience. Known for its comfortable, eclectic décor, innovative menu, and hand-crafted cocktails, McRae’s offers a unique and impressive dining experience.

This Thanksgiving, let our chef take all the stress and work away while you relax and savor the company of friends and family. Enjoy a specially prepared, prix fixe menu beginning with your choice of Granny Smith Salad or Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Crostini. The second course features Traditional Roasted Turkey Breast, Cornbread Dressing, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Turkey Gravy, Green Beans Amandine, and House Made Cranberry Sauce.

The Thanksgiving dinner is available only on Thanksgiving Day beginning at 10 a.m. with the last seating at 3 p.m. and is offered for $35/adult, $15/children under 12.

For those who prefer something a little less traditional, a la carte appetizers and entrees will be available, including McRae’s popular Texas Twinkies, Texas Jalapeno Pimiento Cheese with Spiced Butter Crackers, and Southern Deviled Eggs – as well as Filet Mignon, Salmon Meuniere, and Lemon Caper Chicken.

Save room for dessert because Thanksgiving will not be complete without our indulgent Bourbon Pecan Pie or Chocolate Espresso Cake.

McRae’s, located at 9913 Garland Road in East Dallas, opened in the summer of 2023 to rave reviews. With a loyal following, McRae’s continues to make a name for itself recently receiving four Gold awards in the Dallas Morning News “Best in DFW” – Best Cocktail Bar, Best Brunch, Best Martini, Best Outdoor Dining, and a Silver award for Best Date Night Spot.

Reserve your table now for this impressive Thanksgiving celebration, make a reservation at mcraesamericanbistro.com.  Look for additional parking in the lot behind the restaurant.

Starting Sunday, Nov. 10, Galleria Dallas will begin the creation of what has become the most iconic holiday visual in the state of Texas: the construction of its 95-foot-tall Christmas tree, the tallest indoor holiday tree in the United States. This year, in addition to new lighting schemes for the tree’s unique Twinkly LED lighting, there will be festive new starburst ornaments joining the thousands of ball ornaments for which the tree is known. The massive evergreen has been a fixture at the shopping center for decades.

It takes a team of nearly 50 of Santa’s best elves five days to construct the tree. After the massive steel frame, which weighs five tons, goes up, teams will work to install more than 700 branches, each of which is essentially a 3’ to 5’ tree. It took 14,000 shop hours to hand-sew twigs on them.

Galleria Dallas’ Christmas tree features LED lighting by Twinkly, the Italian firm that also creates the lighted tree at the Vatican, that allows for brilliant, animated and immersive light shows on the tree.  There are over 200,000 programmable LED lights on the tree, which allow for animations that include dancing reindeer, Santa Claus and floating candy canes and holiday gifts that move across the surface of the tree. The tree is topped by a 100-pound, 10-foot LED star that was the first of its kind in the United States.

“The holiday season has always been our time to shine at Galleria Dallas,” said General Manager Angie Freed. “The beautiful handiwork and visually stunning technology will truly allow us to create the biggest, brightest, merriest holiday experiences for all of North Texas.”

The tree will be complete by Thursday, Nov. 14 and will stand until Monday, Jan. 6. A time-lapse video of the construction of the 2023 Galleria Dallas Christmas Tree can be found here.

However, for most North Texans, the finest visual of the Galleria Dallas Christmas Tree is during the center’s famed Grand Tree Lightings, which occur at noon Black Friday, Nov. 29, and Saturday, Nov. 30. These massive free tree lightings and skate shows will feature two-time national champion and 2022 Olympian Ashley Cain, two-time Olympian Keegan Messing and 2022 Olympian ice dancers Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker. Nearly 100 students from the Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center will perform whimsical group numbers. Then, the real celebrity arrives. Missile Toes, Galleria Dallas’ backflipping Santa who shoots fireworks from his skates, officially rings in the holiday season.

The show closes with a countdown and a pyrotechnic spectacle. The fireworks were added to the Grand Tree Lighting shows in 1993 and new features and improvements debut almost every year. But those fireworks require special precautions. For example, the colorful suit worn by Missile Toes took more than five years to develop and requires special flame-retardant protection.

Galleria Dallas’ Christmas Tree provides special holiday memories throughout the season. More skaters ice-skate around the tree than around the one at Rockefeller Center in New York City each season. And each year, many couples decide to pop the question while skating around the special tree. Several times each day, shoppers come to a stop to watch the Illumination Celebration, which will be an amazing sight to see when the 200,000 Twinkly lights on the tree “dance” in time to specially orchestrated music. The Illumination Celebration will occur daily at noon, 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. starting Black Friday.

The entire shopping center is bedecked to match the splendor of the Christmas tree. There are 44 palm trees lining Level 3 custom wrapped with an additional 50,000 lights. Ten additional Christmas trees (2 36’, 2 12’ and 6 9’ trees) throughout the shopping center are festooned with an additional 40,000 lights. Outside the center, the 30 trees along the Dallas North Tollway are adorned in 100,000 red LED lights.

The new outdoor plaza at Galleria Dallas will serve as the site of a massive holiday art installation. Roseaux, an interactive art installation created by Canadian creative company 1ToMn, was installed on Nov. 1 and will remain up through the holiday season. Composed of individual reeds that are 15 feet tall, Roseaux invites users to step on sensors that rhythmically propel multiple colors up the stems. Friends can race each other to try to give different reeds a single, solid color. Adding in sound, the installation creates an energizing sensory experience for users of all ages.

Each day during the holiday season, Galleria Dallas hosts amazing free shows and entertainment. A full list of the holiday experiences at Galleria Dallas can be found at www.galleriadallas.com/holiday.

About Galleria Dallas 

Galleria Dallas is an iconic shopping center with a unique collection of more than 200 retailers, restaurants and experiences including Nordstrom, Macy’s, the world’s only GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy combo anchor, The Westin Galleria Dallas and the signature Galleria Ice Skating Center. Welcoming more than 12 million visitors annually, only Galleria Dallas delivers the consummate Dallas shopping experience. Visit galleriadallas.com for hours and to learn more about the shopping center. Galleria Dallas is owned by MetLife Investment Management, managed by Trademark Property Group, Inc.  Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas, 75240.

For Social Media:  @GalleriaDallas #GalleriaDallas @galleriadallasiceskating #galleriadallasiceskating

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