Posts by Dan Koller
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Zeal Med Spa Has Closed, But Our Story Lives On
On my way to dinner last night at Fish City Grill (where gumbo + peach tea = yummy), I noticed an April 2 letter taped to the door of Zeal Med Spa. The letter said the locks had been changed because the spa’s owners failed to pay their rent. As I read the letter, I vaguely recalled that we published a story trumpeting the opening of this place. Then I looked slightly to my left, and there it was.
By Dan Koller Apr. 30, 2012 | 8:26 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Carbone’s Decor Pays Tribute to ‘Goodfellas’
In today’s edition of Preston Hollow People, Georgia Fisher writes about Carbone’s, the new restaurant opened by Julian Barsotti this month in The Shops at Highland Park. See that painting of the old man with the two dogs? I immediately recognized it as the work of Tommy DeVito’s mother in Goodfellas. (Skip ahead to the 2:50 mark to see the painting, or just watch the entire 3-minute-and-20-second clip, because it’s a scene from one of the greatest movies ever made.)
By Dan Koller Apr. 27, 2012 | 10:07 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
My Knowledge of Labyrinths is Lacking
This is the most intriguing church marquee I’ve seen since Midway Hills Christian called out Robert Jeffress.
By Dan Koller Apr. 23, 2012 | 1:40 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Villalba Dominates Sign Competition
If the prevalence of a candidate’s campaign signs can forecast his success in an election, then Jason Villalba has the District 114 race in the bag. I spent a lot of time driving the streets of Preston Hollow this weekend, and Villalba’s name was everywhere.
By Dan Koller Apr. 23, 2012 | 9:36 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Duck!
I’m at a friend’s house in Glen Meadow Estates (north of Forest, west of Midway), where two ducks have inexplicably appeared on his roof. Anyone else having this problem?
By Dan Koller Apr. 20, 2012 | 6:53 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
R.I.P., AMC Glen Lakes
If this picture had been taken 20 years earlier, the concession stand would be right in the middle.
Recently, the AMC Glen Lakes multiplex was demolished to make way for a new Dave and Buster’s. Obviously, based on the state of things in this picture I snapped Saturday, I got there too late to grab a brick as a souvenir. The Glen Lakes was where I worked during my junior and senior years of high school, as well as the summer after my freshman year of college. I’ve never had a job I enjoyed more than that one. Maybe that’s because all of the income I earned for tearing tickets, serving popcorn, and cleaning auditoriums was completely disposable, since I had zero responsibilities at the time. The free movies didn’t hurt either. … [cue the touching off-mic tribute] … Stay hard, Glen Lakes!
I took this picture only because nobody was there to stop me.
By Dan Koller Apr. 16, 2012 | 8:52 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Strait Lane Estate Needs Second Electric Meter
It's a big ... duh duh duh DUH duh ... hooouuuse.
Richard J. Malouf, who apparently built his fortune through orthodontics, has a big house on Strait Lane. A really big house. A house so big that he wants to add a second electric meter to his estate, specifically a meter for three-phase power.
Dallas code allows only one meter per single-family property, so Malouf is asking the Board of Adjustment (scroll to page 38) for an exception to the rule. His request will likely be granted at Tuesday’s public hearing, because City Hall sent notices to a dozen of his neighbors — including Dirk Nowitzki, Phil Romano, and the parents of Luke and Owen Wilson — and none of them offered up any opposition.
When D Magazine last published its biennial list of the most expensive homes in Dallas, Malouf’s came in at No. 54. The blurb about the house said, “To the north, their neighbor is Dirk Nowitzki. To the south, it’s themselves. Their second house was on our list in 2009 but was reduced.”
That would be No. 67 on the 2009 rankings. I think we get an explanation for the reduction from an email that consultant Mark C. Webb sent to the Board of Adjustment on Malouf’s behalf.
“Two lots were platted into one lot, and the two houses are being connected into one house,” Webb wrote. “We don’t want the board to think we are asking for two houses on one lot, just two electric meters (one single phase and one 3 phase).”
By Dan Koller Apr. 13, 2012 | 8:01 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Preston Royal Village to Get New Owner
Steve Brown of The Dallas Morning News has the details.
By Dan Koller Apr. 12, 2012 | 12:26 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Editor & Publisher Honors Claire St. Amant
Things are looking up for Claire St. Amant, as is she. (Staff photo: Alana Harrison)
And by “Editor & Publisher,” I don’t mean me and Karen Mordecai, although we think Claire’s pretty good at what she does. Editor & Publisher magazine has included Claire in its “25 Under 35” feature, naming her one of the people to watch in the newspaper business.
Before Claire’s head gets too big, I should point out that some people think she has the fifth-worst job in America.
By Dan Koller Apr. 12, 2012 | 9:55 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Central Market Helps Tornado Victims
Our friends at Central Market — more specifically, its parent company, H-E-B — have donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross in the wake of Tuesday’s tornadoes. H-E-B also sent a trailer loaded with 20 pallets of bottled water and sports drinks to the Red Cross. Additionally, food, baby food, and health/beauty products were distributed to the shelter in Lancaster, one of the areas affected most by the tornadoes.
Customers can make donations of their own at any Central Market by adding increments of $1, $3, or $5 to their grocery bills.
“We are committed to providing assistance during this time of crisis as many of our neighbors face loss and uncertainty due to the recent tornadoes,” said Stephen Butt, senior vice president of Central Market. “It is our hope that H-E-B’s donations, along with our loyal customers’ support, will help support the needs of our displaced neighbors.”
By Dan Koller Apr. 5, 2012 | 12:55 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS
