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Articles about Good Deeds

Open Letter to Mark Cuban: Shark Tank for Dallas Restaurateurs? I’d Watch it!

Bring it! Let's get this city turned around! (image swiped from ABC)

Dear Mark,

I am addicted to Shark Tank. And because I am too lazy to jump through the hoops to get on the show and present my idea, I’m using the power of my pudgy fingers to reach you. Let’s pick and roll:

I walk on the set of Shark Tank. “Daymond John, you are so out,” I say. “Barbara, if I wanted to sell my cellulite-reducing sous-vide hot dog you’d be my best friend, but I’m keeping it to myself. You’re out.”

I watch the other sharks glance around, really scared at this point, and go for the kill. “Kevin, don’t even open that ugly mouth. You’re out. Robert, you can buy me dinner after the show but, for now, you are dead to me.”

Cameras swing: Close-up of Cuban. Music swells.

Mark. We live in the same city. We love the same teams. More importantly, we eat in the same restaurants. Last night, our city’s finest chef, Bruno Davaillon of the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, lost Best Chef in the Southwest at the James Beard Awards in New York City to a young chef in Austin who appeared on Top Chef. It has been 18 years since a Dallas chef won this title. We need a local version of Shark Tank geared towards Dallas restaurateurs. That way, you and I can work together to tighten up our game and turn it around. We have the talent, we need the exposure. And that exposure shouldn’t have to come from the Food Network or Bravo.

I propose we put together a panel of experts and ask  restaurateurs to pitch their ideas BEFORE they decide to sink their life savings into an upscale seafood and sushi restaurant in a bad location. Let’s kick the steak house wannabes to Fort Worth. Mark, I’m asking you to invest whatever it takes to help us bring the talent of the Dallas restaurant community to the international scene. In exchange, I offer you fifty percent of my idea. Oh, and you can keep the Mavs.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Nancy

P.S. If this helps illustrate my talent: I promoted women’s basketball in Dallas before the Mavericks were a thought in your brain. Just ask Nancy Lieberman.

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 8th, 2012 10:14am | filed under Bring it!, Celebrity Chefs, GO MAVS!, Go Rangers!, Good Deeds, Hippie revolutions, How to Open a Restaurant 101, I'm about to get fired, Making Up Is Hard To Do, My Happy Pills Are Working, Not-so-skinny bitches, Nutjobs, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Rants, Shamless self promotion, Somebody Help, That is Just Wrong, restaurant business news, youthful spontaneous restaurants | 12 Comments »

Where to Get a Taste of Mardi Gras in Dallas

Atchafalaya with crawfish étouffée from the Alligator Cafe. Photography by Kevin Hunter Marple.

Cajun food is soul food. There’s nothing better than chowing down on a bowl of gumbo or crawfish etouffee that makes your insides feel warm and gooey – which is exactly how I spent Mardi Gras in New Orleans last year. I ate fried oyster po’ boys and laughed at all the drunk people. I scarfed down beignets at 2 am sitting next to a table of old grandmas wearing inappropriate clothing for their age. And mine, for that matter. Since you can’t get the whole Mardi Gras experience here in Dallas (and let’s face it, who doesn’t like watching debauchery sometimes?), here’s where you should go to get a taste:

Jump for some Cajun cravings

(more…)

posted by Carol Shih | February 17th, 2012 10:49am | filed under Gifts, Good Deeds, Hippie revolutions, Hole in the wall, Holidays, hold on to your effin hat | 8 Comments »

Faye Blackmon’s Culinary Class

Faye Blackmon gets a hug from Shara (photography by Micah Nunley)

Fudgenugget. I was born in the wrong school district. If I had taken Faye Blackmon’s culinary class back when I was in high school, I bet I’d be on Top Chef right now basking in the glory of Paul’s shiny knives. But I digress. Wednesday morning, I dragged along photo intern Micah Nunley to Duncanville High School, where we watched legendary Faye Blackmon teach a batch of seniors real life skills inside the kitchen.

In May, Blackmon, 69, is retiring from Duncanville HS after teaching for 37 years.

Jump for beautiful photos of kids and food. (more…)

posted by Carol Shih | February 3rd, 2012 1:53pm | filed under Baking, Chocolate, Good Deeds, Slow News Day, Valentines Day, cookies | 4 Comments »

The Perfect Procrastination: How To Boil an Egg

My perfectly boiled egg.

As you can tell from the headline, I am deep in the process of procrastinating. While my real job calls for thousands of words about dining, I am convinced it is far more important that I drop what I am supposed to be doing and answer a question sent to me by PR boy toy Jef Tingley. Yes, he spells his name with one “f,” but I will save that analysis for a later procrastination post.

“Jef with one f” asked me how to boil an egg. Don’t laugh. How many times have you had tiny shards of shell pierce the delicate skin beneath your fingernail? I shared my secret with “Jef with one f” by private message on Facebook which made several people curious enough to email and ask (BEG!) for my secret.

You are going to have to jump hard. (more…)

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 10th, 2012 2:21pm | filed under Chick Chefs Rule!, Cooking, Cooking Classes, Cult Cuisine, Good Deeds, I Went to College for This?, I'm about to get fired, Mistakes I made, Not-so-skinny bitches, Nutjobs, PR People, Recipes, Special Report, Steven Doyle, Trending, game | 11 Comments »

Somebody Help This Poor Boy: He Wants to Give Back to the Food Community

Just when you think that the world is filled with Big Blue Meanies armed with master computer killers, someone sends you a note and you realize there are still nice people who want to help others. Consider this lovely soul

In an effort to become a “well rounded human being,” I am trying to step out and find some ways to give back to the community. In light of that, I thought it would be neat to find a way to combine the desire to help out with my enjoyment of food and the preparation thereof. So, I was wondering if you might know of any opportunities on that avenue, or if there’s anyone out there who might know more about it.

The avenue is long and wide. Help him find a place to park.

posted by Nancy Nichols | January 10th, 2012 9:34am | filed under Charity events, Good Deeds, How About This Weather? | 9 Comments »

Do-Gooding Norma’s Does Good Again

This just in…

Continuing its 23-year holiday tradition, Norma’s Cafe, the original Dallas comfort-food icon that has served Texas home cooking for 55 years, will again host its annual free Thanksgiving Feast on Nov. 24 from 11 am to 1 pm at its Oak Cliff location on 1123 W. Davis Street in Dallas.

During the event, 55 volunteers, many of whom helped start the tradition in 1988, will serve more than 4,000 home-cooked, Thanksgiving meals to hungry Dallas community members.

“The purpose of this day has never changed in 23 years – we enjoy sharing this day with the community and invite anyone who needs or wants a hearty, home-cooked meal to join us. That’s the meaning of the holiday to us,” said Ed Murph, owner of Norma’s Cafe. “At Norma’s Cafe, we are so thankful for our talented staff, loyal customers, and our volunteers and sponsors who make this event possible every year.”

Guests who partake of the Thanksgiving Day feast can expect a full spread of holiday staples, including turkey and dressing with cranberry sauce and gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, salad with ranch dressing, homemade rolls and cornbread, and fruit or a slice of the famous Norma’s Cafe Mile-High Cream Pies for dessert. In addition to the Oak Cliff event, Norma’s Cafe will be collecting monetary donations for the North Texas Food Bank and will be delivering to-go turkey dinners to several local churches and charity organizations.

This year’s event is made possible in part by several generous sponsors, including Ben E Keith, Schepps, Classic Caps, Clicks Radiator Service, Instant Whip Foods, Community Coffee, and Tyson.

posted by Sarah Reiss | November 15th, 2011 10:59am | filed under Copy/Paste Press Release, Events, Good Deeds, Holidays, Thanksgiving |