David Schechter (@DavidSchechter) via Twitter

Is it bad that when I first got a glimpse of David Schecter’s dead gator discovery on his Twitter yesterday, my brain processed the news in this exact progression?

1) There is no way I’m stepping foot in Trinity River. Ever. Not after that Mud Run participant died there, and especially not after this 11.5 gator swam in those waters.

2) How many pounds of gator nuggets can you make with this big ‘ole reptile?

Your guesses, please.

D Home editor Joslyn Taylor had this brilliant idea of doing a cross post. Since the weather has been kind of wunderbar, we thought it’d be fun if I picked out my ideal picnic basket foods while Joslyn paired them with pretty basket accessories.

Jump if you can’t wait for this weekend.

I tried to pick foods that would be good for families with kids and no kids. (Or even picnic baskets for those of us who like to go on dates by ourselves with a nice book.) Either way, the grub has to be good, right?

1. JJ&B jelly - I’m just terribly smitten with the toasted pecan-pepper jam. Kathy Neumuller makes her jams locally, and you can find her sitting at a booth every second and fourth Saturday at the White Rock Local Market. If that’s too long of a wait, then head over to the Garden Cafe where they offer a little shelf of these jam beauties.

2. Crackers and jam go hand-in-hand. Ak-mak 100% whole wheat crackers are the most versatile crackers I have ever eaten. They go well with hummus, cheese, and any other kind of spread. Whole Foods, Central Market, and Bolsa Mercado all carry them.

3. Enough about side items. You need something light, but filling, to occupy your stomach. Bridge Bistro’s chicken salad sandwich is not too mayonnaise-y, and it has onions, tomatoes, lettuce, grape halves, and nuts infused in the chicken salad mixture. I could eat one every single day of my life, and that’s saying a lot. Order this item to-go and save yourself some time.

4. Holy moly, have you tried Holy Kombucha yet? I walked into Bolsa Mercado the other day and saw that they offered green apple ginger and pomegranate for $4 a cup. A little pricey, if you ask me, but totally worth this brew of fermented tea and sugar cane. It’s also a local product that you can support.

5. Your picky little ones might not like weird kombucha flavors. I suggest you mix your own lemonade for the kiddos instead. (Recipe here.) It’s easy and takes two seconds.

6. Edamame is such an easy snack. You can buy these anywhere, and the steam bags are a time saver. A friend of mine told me that edamame is a great way to keep his kids occupied. They’re so busy getting the pods out that they’re quiet and enjoying something healthy at the same time. If you don’t want your kids running wild around your picnic blanket, hand them some edamame.

7. What’s a picnic without strawberries? Now that they’re in season, you can buy them everywhere as well. I really do suggest you pop into Urban Acres, though, and buy your strawberries the local way.

The Ackermans Entertain at Hotel Palomar's Spring Wine Hour

One perk for guests at the Hotel Palomar in Dallas is the Wine Hour they host in the evenings. Last week, the hotel opened the event to the public and combined it with a fundraiser for the Promise of Peace Community Garden. The Ackermans provided musical entertainment. Promise of Peace is a non-profit active in East Dallas that aims to reduce the school dropout rate, reduce crime, gang involvement and teen pregnancy through local initiatives that increase community involvement. The organization’s two main activities are the community garden on East Grand and photography classes.
More below.

East Dallas Students at The Peace Garden.

Hotel Palomar provided ‘lite bites’ from Central 214, the Hotel’s restaurant, along with wine to accompany them. Hotel Palomar has supported the Promise of Peace Community garden in the past, including providing the irrigation system.

Promise of Peace’s next event is Eco Fest on April 15^th from noon to 5pm at the garden.

I love Boxing Day, the first business day after Christmas. All of Ontario closes and we sit on the chesterfield and chow down on donuts, beer, macaroni and cheese, and watch hockey. The NHL pretty much owns Canada on Boxing Day now. They have TEN GAMES scheduled. My friend’s mum puts out (uhoot) a hellofa buffet (boo-fay). And k.d. lang always sends me a fruit cake. Go Leafs! (Q: Why don’t the Leafs drink tea? A: Because the Canadiens have all the cups.) And hello Peterborough!

My Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree contribution to D Magazine's holiday party.Circa 2008.

Three years ago, I introduced you to Charles Phoenix, the “Ambassador of Americana.” More importantly, I introduced you to his “recipe” for the Astro-Weenie Christmas Tree. (I made several for the D Magazine holiday party in 2008.  Co-workers still stalk me for my secret herbal ingredient.)

Well, thanks to SideDish, Phoenix’s  career and has catapulted over hosting grade school field trips and roller skating parties to doing national TV spots with Martha Stewart and commenting on NPR. (Rawlins in drag?) I think it’s time to bring back the Astro-Weenie recipe. Remember, as they say in England, you can always make one suitable for vegetarians. Mind your head.

McRib? Wie viel würze passt in einen burger!

Huh? Hasn’t this icky boneless mystery meat sandwich already had more comebacks than Donny and Marie? According to this, they’re rolling out the old queen on November 14. One interesting note in the story is that Germany is the only place where it’s always been available. WTF? Germany? McRib? Do you people eat this stuff? Food snobs speak up!

Cub Reporter: McVitie

Every year the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) works with the the Deep Ellum Foundation to raise funds for GALT’s work saving greyhounds. Pups (any breed and many breed) and their owners walk between participating merchants collecting poker cards. At the end the highest hand wins a prize. Entrants also got an event t-shirt, drink/food specials and GALT goody bag. Pup crawl stops included Trees, Club Dada, St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin, The Bone, and Reno’s Chop Shop.

SideDish planned to send Andrew Chalk to this but he was laid up due to a nagging FarmVille injury. However, he was able to send his dog to cover it…

McVItie barks below.

“The human parked outside a place called “The Red Dog” and I wanted to go in to see the dog but he wouldn’t let me even though it smelled of pizza inside and I wanted to try a slice or two so then he yanked me over to the dog park Bark Park Central and I discovered I wasn’t the only dog in the world and the humans signed in and got a bag of goodies then we went to Urban Paws which was FULL of food and I had some then I had a drink and there were so many smells because of all the dogs inside and stop sniffing my butt Pomeranian so then I followed a trail but they wouldn’t let me into their doggie day care but we left and walked along some pretty dog scent covered roads to Trees but I couldn’t pee on the tree coz’ it wasn’t a real tree and the humans picked up these playing cards and a breakfast taco which they didn’t eat right away (weird) so I tried to get it out of the goodie bag but they weren’t very sporting about that then there were no squirrels so we went Club Dada where the humans picked up another playing card (weird) and then we went to Reno’s Chop House where they didn’t have any cards or chops and another dog tried to sniff my butt but I growled and then we went to The Bone where their weren’t any bones (weird) and the humans picked up another card (even weirder) and then we went to St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin where the GALT Executive Director wouldn’t sniff my butt then the humans put me back in the car and took a nap to recharge my battery for the next assignment.”

Here’s how…

Yeller

In honor of Greyhound Awareness Month, The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) and The Deep Ellum Foundation pair up for the Deep Ellum Pup Crawl and Poker Run on Saturday, October 22nd from 12:30 to 7pm. Registration begins at 12:30 pm at Bark Park Central (southwestern corner of the intersection of Good-Latimer Expressway and Commerce Streets, underneath the elevated portion of US75) in Deep Ellum.

Cost is $25 per person and includes poker, event t-shirt, drink/food specials and GALT goody bag. Pup crawl stops include Trees, Club Dada, St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin, The Bone and Reno’s Chop Shop. All breeds are welcome. Proceeds benefit The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas.  For the Poker Run, Pup Crawlers receive a playing card at each stop. At the final destination, prizes will be awarded to the highest hands.

The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) celebrates Greyhound Awareness Month with various events and fundraisers throughout October. For a list of all events and to purchase tickets at the Deep Ellum Pup Crawl and Poker Run, go to www.galtx.org or call 972-503-GALT.

Greyhound Awareness Month is a time chosen each year to honor the Greyhound and its relatives throughout the world. The purpose of this international event is to raise the public’s awareness of the wonder and magic of Greyhounds as pets, and educate others on the current status of Greyhounds around the world.

*** End of Press Release ***

Postscript: GALT has around 60 dogs in its foster care at the present time looking for permahomes. Would you like to make one of these magnificent creatures part of your home? Go here for details.

TEXAS                                   OKLAHOMA

Kent Black                                Keith Jennison

Black’s  – Lockhart                  Elmer’s    – Tulsa

Joe Duncan                               Charles Smith

Baker’s Ribs – Dallas              Leo’s BBQ -  Oklahoma City

Kelly Duncan                            Jev Vandegrift

Big Daddy’s – Lavon               Van’s Pig Stand – Shawnee

Cliff Payne                                  Joe Wells

Cousin’s – Fort Worth             Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch and RV Park – Davis

The competition will take place on October 6.  Pitmasters will be cooking their signature St. Louis pork ribs and sauces all day in Downtown’s Main Street Garden (St. Paul and Main Street) for a 7 p.m. special private judging by a panel of food experts, sports industry members, and community leaders.  From this “blind” judging (where judges will not know who cooked what recipe and judge only on food) , two winners, one from Oklahoma and one from Texas will be selected.  (The panel of judges will be announced in advance of October 6.)

Jump for more.

Then, the two winning pitmasters will cook their winning recipes up all day on Friday, October 7, to be sold at The Texas/OU Red River Barbecue Shootout Celebration in Main Street Garden from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.  The Ultimate Champion Winning Pitmaster will be determined by a People’s Choice vote among the 2,000-plus attendees expected at the event.  This will also be a “blind” contest, during which attendees will be invited to purchase a Shootout Rib Plate with “Ribs A and B” identified only and for which they will place a vote. A $1,000 prize, and additional gifts and prizes will be presented to the Champion Pitmaster at 8:30 p.m.

Then on Friday, October 7, Main Street in downtown will be the spot to be for music, food and fun. As a part of the celebration, DRG Concepts and Downtown Dallas inc. are bringing in music from Dallas’ Eleven Hundred Springs, Norman’s Damn Quails, and Austin’s Backporch Mary.  The bands will perform all evening on October 7, starting at 5:30 p.m. The concerts are free and open to the public.  Everyone is invited to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the music on the lawn at Main Street Garden.

Food, including the Red River Shootout People’s Choice Rib Plate, as well as beer, wine and margaritas, will be available for purchase at the October 7 event.

I first encountered this tasty treat while walking past a street vendor in Paris. It is a custard tart of some kind, I have never figured out the actual name.The are available everywhere in Paris from bakeries to street vendors and SO tasty. Please help!

Well, he at least took a picture and said please. Okay, let’s get busy.

This dog may look cuddly and sweet, but she could steal your burger or bite you in the leg if allowed on the patio of a restaurant.

Despite the heat, I’m seeing an uptick in the number of restaurants advertising their dog friendly patios. In mid-2008 the City of Dallas amended their ordinance allowing dogs on restaurant patios under certain conditions, such as no outside food prep, entering only through an outdoor entrance, leashed only, and not allowed to sit on tables, chairs, or counter tops.

I might take some heat for it here on SideDish, but I’m just not a fan of dogs on a restaurant patio. While 90% of dogs (and their owners) are well-behaved, that leaves 1 out of 10 that are not.  When I lived in Europe, it was very common to have dogs on the patios and inside of the restaurants, roaming at will and sitting on chairs.  I’ve had my fill of dogs sniffing around my table.

So let’s just throw this open for discussion.  Are you a fan of dog friendly patios?  Have you had any problems?

Bark.

Anqullkah Udama, Elaine Vasquez, John Tesar, Maria Mejia, and Rich Lacamana (Photo by Desirée Espada)

I snuck in to John Tesar’s Hater’s Party last night. My friend Laura and I arrived early and watched them set up. Tesar was running around organizing the seating and the free booze and tacos in the Camanera Tequila truck parked outside the restaurant. By the time we left (7:30PM), there were about 40 people on the patio. I witnessed no hate; only love for John Tesar. Our photographer, Desiree Espada, took pictures.

Jump for the love of John.

Gloria and Dan Burrows (Photo by Desirée Espada)

Shannon Silver, Drunk guy "Matt", Lisa Strouv, and Michael Miller (Photo by Desirée Espada)

The Camanera Tequila taco truck parked in One Arts Plaza. (Photo by Desirée Espada)

Lailani Mckeel and Lance McFarland (left); Greg and Angie Barrett brought their pup Grace Kelly to escape the heat. (Photos by Desirée Espada)

The sign advising Haters to party on the plaza (left); Anqullkah Udamaand Elaine Vasquez (right). (Photo by Desirée Espada)

Tacos, nachos & beer. (Photo by Desirée Espada)

Empties (Photo by Desirée Espada)

John Tesar hands off pork tacos from inside the Camanera Tequila taco truck. (Photo by Desirée Espada)

Hunky Town, Twin Pricks, Tooter’s, Pecker’s Hot Italian Sausage, Tube Steak Junction, Cake Balls to the Walls, Nuts and Butts, Quickies, Long Dong Silver, Tally Whacker’s, Love Mussels, Wee Willie’s, Twig and Berries.

Ladies, the floor is open.