As the final night of Hanukkah approaches, the Jewish Community Center of Dallas savors the last moments of the holiday. Today from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the JCC, teens will fry to the death in a Latke Cookoff. Latkes, yummy and greasy potato pancakes, are traditionally served during Hanukkah. If your teen is interested in this latke showdown, click here.

It’s 1 p.m. and the fog still hasn’t lifted from downtown. I feel like I’m writing this post while looking out of an airplane window. But don’t let the murky horizon get you down. There’s plenty of fun to be had in the Hollow.

Today: If you love children and Christmas carols, then you probably have a heart and a pulse. Head to NorthPark Center to hear ESD’s lower school students sing at NorthCourt at 2 p.m. Perhaps your Christmas spirit is still running on empty, fill up at 7 p.m. during St. Mark’s band concert.

Saturday: Everyone needs to do some level of holiday shopping. Help out a local school at the same time and buy your gifts at the Jesuit Christmas Bazaar, which starts at 9 a.m. Knock out your Christmas card photo and bring the kids to meet Santa at the Plaza at Preston Center. The sleigh arrives at 11 a.m. Get your reality TV fix in at the JCC’s “Dancing with the community stars” event. The fun begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency hotel.

Sunday: Temple Emanu-El is hosting a Hanukkah Bazaar at 8 a.m., which gives you plenty of time to make Camp Gingerbread at 11 a.m. in NorthPark Center.

During the Jewish Federation’s 100^th annual Mitzvah Day, which is this Sunday, there will be hundreds of service projects offered throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Here is a guide to the ones most convenient to the Hollow.

For (almost) Teens: The Jewish Community Center

Perfect for pre-teens eager to experience independence. Teen Connection, the precursor to BBYO, is hosting a service project for grades 6-8. From 1 to 5 p.m.

For Foodies: Temple Emanu-El

The next time your stomach grumbles, imagine the pains of those who go without enough food every day. Go to Temple Emanu-El and help make sandwiches for the homeless. From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

For Creative Thinkers: Children’s Medical Center

Who hasn’t suffered from the boredom blues while waiting at a doctor’s office? Assemble sheets of word games and crossword puzzles to help adults with sick children pass the time while waiting at the hospital. From 9 a.m. to noon.

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It’s good weekend that includes the final days of the State Fair and the World Series. Oh yeah, and temperatures will range from 60 to 80 degrees. I can’t think of a better 48 hours to be in Dallas.

Today: If you’re a Marksman, don’t miss the St. Mark’s Homecoming kick-off party at 6 p.m. If you’re not, check out Cinderella’s Pumpkin Village at the Dallas Arboretum. According to the DA, it’s the “world’s only pumpkin village.” You hear that, cosmos?

Saturday: Do you have a preschool-aged child? Are you looking for a fun family activity with less crowds and cost than the State Fair? Head to Preston Royal Preschool for a fall carnival and silent auction from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. When that’s over, party-hop on over to the Preston Royal Village Fall Family Festival, which is from 4 to 7 p.m. Say hi to your friendly Preston Hollow People staff, who will be manning a booth o’ fun.

Sunday: You know I love a good theme. And what could be better than a dance clinic followed by a dance? Drop your daughter off at Hillcrest High School for the Panadatte Clinic at 1 p.m. When she’s finished, swing by the JCC’s father-daughter dance at 5:30 p.m. to show off her mad skills.

With new fall shows such as Pan Am, The Playboy Club, Charlie’s Angels, and The X-Factor, I am guilty of spending a little too much time in front of a screen and not enough time curling up with a good book. In the midst of the television cravings, can Preston Hollow keep reading alive? It’s certainly trying.

From October to August, the Jewish Community Center is hosting authors from around the country to talk about their new books. On Oct. 25, the J Book Fair is launching with Wendy Dubow Polins, former Preston Hollow resident and author of the newly released sci-fi novel, Fare Forward, at the Samuel Lynne Galleries. For a complete list of authors visiting, click here.

If the JCC is not your crowd, Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Park has author meet-and-greets stacked up through fall. On Saturday, Kaleta Doolin, the daughter of  the Frito-Lay founder, will share personal stories about her family business and recipes from her new book, Fritos Pie: Stories, Recipes, and More. For a high-wattage celebrity sighting, come to Barnes & Noble on Oct. 29 and talk to Glee star Jane Lynch about her new memoir, Happy Accidents.

Is all this reading make you itch to pick up a pen and paper? Students in any Dallas school can enter in the Dallas Public Library’s 16th annual Express Yourself! youth poetry competition. Send in your poems here.

I know the general theme for these posts is GO OUTSIDE. But this time I really mean it. We’ll hit triple digits again next week, so enjoy tolerable temps while you can.

In between trips to the park, pick-up games of basketball, and high-fiving the earth, check out these local gems of activity.

Today: If you missed Daryl Johnston popping his chiseled jaw into the ESD trial this week, have no fear. You can still get your legendary Dallas Cowboy sighting on. Emmitt Smith signs Game On! Find Your Purpose—Pursue Your Dream 7 p.m. at Barnes and Noble Lincoln Park.

Saturday: I’ve always found it’s easier to go for a run when you know there’s a tasty treat waiting for you at the finish line. Apparently, I’m not alone in my logic. Join the folks at Cooper Fitness Center (12100 Preston Road) for the third annual Run Proud For Dessert 5K. Cost is $35 on race day. Registration opens at 7 a.m. and the races (kids and adult) begin at 8. All finishers get a cupcake!

The summer blockbusters are over, and the mainstream movie options are a bit lacking these days. So why not head over to the Aaron Family JCC for the 15th Annual Jewish Film Festival. The footage starts at 9 p.m.

Sunday: Calling all Arrested Development fanatics. I say fanatics because for a show that only ran for three seasons five years ago, it has managed to draw a pretty large following. And I happily include myself in that bandwagon crowd. Actor Tony Hale, who played Buster, will discuss “Can Hollywood and Integrity Coexist?” at 7:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Theater. That’s outside the Hollow, but he’s being hosted by the Covenant School.

After a three-year hiatus, the Jewish Arts Fest of Dallas returned to the Meyerson yesterday to support the Jewish Community Center and local Jewish artists. To say there was a variety of art is an understatement. Appealing to everyone’s interests, the festival included music, speakers, comedy routines, arts and crafts, galleries, food, and more.

Thirty mini-art galleries were scattered throughout the Meyerson, where local Jewish artists exhibited their unique pieces. Galleries displayed oil paintings of biblical stories, “found object” sculptures, Hebrew inscribed jewelry, and more. The Blevins Studio gallery added a competitive element as the husband and wife duo sat side-by-side, simultaneously sculpting the head of a live model. Witnesses saw two masterpieces created before their eyes. At the Meridane Design booth, the buyer played detective, searching for letters and numbers hidden in each piece of jewelry.

Performance arts also captivated the audience. Well-known Jewish artist Rick Recht loosened up the crowd with both modern and classic Jewish music. After Rick rocked the house, Joshua Nelson mixed African-American and Jewish cultures. The fans were entertained by comedian and actor Elon Gold, who is known for his appearances on The Tonight Show and Chelsea Lately. The Slappy and Monday Comedy Show performed a lovable routine with music, dance, and juggling. Throughout the event kids migrated towards the Kidz Kingdom and enjoyed music videos, crafts, tattoos, and photo booths.

Taking advantage of the clientele, Jewish organizations throughout Dallas held booths with information about their services. Onlookers navigated through Jewish youth groups, synagogues, publishings, and schools to find out more about these Jewish services.

Did not make it to the festival? Click here to find out how you can support the JCC.

You only have about an hour to decide, so just take my word for it, OK?

Start the weekend out by saying goodbye to Rabbi Oren Hayon of Temple Emanu-El fame. Hayon has been on staff for seven years at the temple and endeared himself to me by promptly returning a phone call a couple of months ago. It doesn’t take much, people, really. The farewell Shabbat starts at 6:15 p.m.

Sure, X-men might be debuting its critically acclaimed prequel this weekend, but don’t let that stop you from hitting up the Preston Royal Library for a free screening of Tron 2: Legacy at 2:30 p.m. For all those life-long Dallasites, the Forest Lane cruise scene is a picking up again — for one night at least. Get a full serving of nostalgia with Forest Lane Cruise-In, which kicks off at 7 p.m. and runs until the wee hours of the morning, just like the good ol’ days. The event promises ice-cold Lone Star beer, local music, and around 500 cars for only $5. And who can put a price on time-travel? RSVP on Facebook.

Although I readily partake in athletic competition, I’ve always enjoyed the fine art of lounging as well. If you’re looking to achieve this delicate balance for your child on Sunday, then look no further. The JCC is hosting a kid’s triathlon at 7 a.m. with plenty of activity to get that pint-sized heart racing. Settle things down in the evening with a combination concert/ice-cream social event at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. in Jubilee Hall.

Give or take a few days, summer vacation is here. That means those delightful little (and not so little) tikes that were usually only home after 3 p.m. will now be all yours, all the time. If you’re not as with it as Michele, and still need to get your summer schedules in order, keep reading.

The overnight camp experience can be daunting. If they’re not quite ready for it, day camps will help ease them into the idea. For a sampling of local entertainment options to keep your kids—and you—sane this summer, go to the jump. Read More…

For those of us beyond school-age, summer means little more than scalding hot steering wheels and high air-conditioner bills. But, as the semester draws to a close, this weekend offers a chance to capture some of the spontaneity of summer with a few unusual activities. Sure, it’s not three months of unabashed lounging, but it’s a pretty sweet 48-hours. Take what you can get.

Remember a couple of years ago when it became cool to explain anything by comparing it to jazz? I do. I couldn’t go a day without someone telling me how much their book/garden/pasta sauce was “like jazz.” Well, every good fad has a bandwagon. Impress your date/spouse/significant other with your smooth style while subtlety alluding to your delightful impulsiveness with Jazz Night at Greenhill. The music starts at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, start the morning off right by eradicating an infectious disease. Or at least contemplating the idea. Preston Hollow United Methodist Church is hosting a cake-decorating party for “Imagine No Malaria” at 10 a.m. The expertly-iced treats will be for sale the following day to raise money for Malaria medicine.

Sunday morning you have the rare chance to earn your breakfast by participating in the 25th annual Bagel Run. The fun begins at 8 a.m. at the JCC but get there an hour earlier with $25 if you need to register.