Enjoy an Art Museum, Docent Tour, and Lunch in a Day Trip

It is an excuse for a tasty lunch. We justify the true goal of the day, trying a new (to us) restaurant, with the appearance of culture. Living in the suburbs of Dallas, it is not a huge ordeal to trek into the city and enjoy the resources available to us. Even better, we will share a simple stress free outing with you.

Sleep in on a Saturday morning, since the Dallas Museum of Art does not open until eleven. Knowing a decent lunch awaits, we curtail our breakfast bounty and read the paper curled around a bowl of cereal. It is a gorgeous clear, sunny day with a hint of fall in the air. Dressed in sturdy walking shoes and casual wear, we drive the twenty miles into the city. Downtown Dallas on a Saturday morning is not teeming with life. The Arts District off of Pearl Street is just waking up and we easily find a meter to plunk in a few quarters. It is silly to pay the full day parking lot rate, when we plan to browse and then bolt for lunch.

There are some families and students waiting for the doors to open and we join the group to pay the ten dollars admission fee. We find our name on the docent tour list and end up with a private tour. Now, the docent tour was a bit of a bonus. My friend had won a silent auction bid a year ago and the tour was expiring. Even with a month's notice, friends and family were too busy to join in the festivities. Hence, it was the two of us. The docent tours can be arranged privately or there is a free public tour at two o'clock daily.

The tour is a pleasant surprise and gives us a new perspective of the museum. Rather than a seemingly random hodge-podge of art, there is a flow to the building and the docent guides us to a starting point upstairs. As we walk up the steps we enjoy the glass sculpture in the window of the art café. Flowers or sea creature creations, the bright glass glistens and allows the imagination to wander. An added bonus from the second floor is a view into the Nasher Sculpture Center next door. This is a year old cultural coup for the city of Dallas. Raymond Nasher donated his collection to the city, as well as actively participating in the building and presentation of his sculptures. The Nasher Center is a possible side trip depending on your art ambition for a day.

Our docent begins in the early American galleries and proceeds to stop and discuss various favorites and newly acquired pieces. As we proceed, we get a mixture of opinion, art history, and technique. With a different view and some lively discussion, we enjoy our stroll through the Dallas art galleries. We sit in front of Frederick Church's The Iceberg to rest our feet. The Dallas Museum of Art has a wide-ranging collection from American to African art, from classical to modern. A few hours here can enlighten young minds or invigorate the old. Constantly changing and rearranging the art on the walls, the museum wants you to return to see old favorites in new settings or to enjoy new works. It is easy to take the museum for granted, but an occasional visit is refreshing.

After two hours, we thank our guide and proceed to lunch. A short drive from the arts district, McKinney Avenue offers a variety of funky stores, trendy clubs, and fabulous eateries. We head to Cretia's on McKinney , a bistro and bakery. At one in the afternoon it has a decent crowd, and with the gorgeous weather, the patio seating is full of patrons. The menu does not disappoint with choice of lunch or weekend brunch items. We chose the chicken croissant sandwich and the hot roast beef sandwich. The lunches come with salad choices, fries, or fruits. Save room for dessert because the bakery section of this establishment is wonderful. We savored carrot cake with real cream cheese frosting and a red velvet cheesecake that was melt- in- the mouth delicious. Cretia's proves to be an enjoyable reward for our dose of art culture.

To burn off a few calories, we finish the afternoon with a stroll up McKinney to the Knox shopping area. Unique specialty shops and popular stores such as Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel line the streets. Shop, people watch, or plan the next outing complete with a restaurant choice on McKinney. This is one little section of Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art is only one of many museums to see. Take the time to enjoy some art and lunch.

Dallas Museum of Art Arts District
Cretia's 4438 McKinney Ave Dallas Texas 75205

Making Movies for the 48 Hour Film Festival

So you fancy yourself a filmmaker, but you don't know how to get yourself known? Are you just a great big hulking load of moviemaking talent looking for the opportunity to present yourself as an alternative to the constant stream of dreck that Hollywood keeps forcing down our throats? Or hey, maybe you are one of those unfortunate types who thinks that Hollywood has finally hit its stride and you want to showcase your talent by jumping headlong into the great big pool of mediocrity that is American film today.

The Blair Witch Project pretty much changed everything for independent film. The profit that film made proved that no matter how crappy a film you actually make, as long as you can make it as cheaply as possible and turn a big profit, then you will get noticed. And DV technology has brought that ability to make a film with a ridiculously small budget into the home of every wannabe Spielberg alive today.

But just because you can make a cheap film is no guarantee that anybody but your friends and family will see it. Until now, that is. A trio of guys living in LA has made it possible for anyone reading this article in even the most remote village in Croatia to have their eight minute masterpiece potentially viewed by movers and shakers in the business.

And by the business, of course, I mean the industry.

The 48 Hour Film Festival is the brainchild of Mark Kochinski, Keith Matz and John Parenteau. All three are involved in the film industry in various ways and all three have long dreamed of being filmmakers themselves. One day while sitting around bemoaning the state of the industry and how things were going to be different once they start making those dreams inside their heads come to life on celluloid, Matz casually mentioned that a friend of his had entered a one day filmmaking contest. By the end of the day the gauntlet had been thrown down and Kochinski and Matz-along with three others-spent the weekend making a movie to see who could do it best within a strict 48 hour time frame. Although by Kochinski's own admission all five of the films were less than spectacular, lightning had struck and history was born. Interestingly enough, if you just change the names, that story also details exactly how the Academy Awards was born. Go figure.

The budding film revolutionaries held a screening of those famously bad two day movies and much in the way that most people who ever actually attended a Sex Pistols concert wound up starting their own bands, those people who watched those movied wanted in on the action and demanded another two day film festival in which to showcase their own visions. Three months later enough participants had submitted a film that the renting of a screening room was required. Which immediately sold out. It probably goes without saying that most of those attending that screening also wanted a shot. It didn't take a psychic to see where this was heading.

At that point John Parenteau was brought it to help develop an actual film festival. First the trio founded ExtremeFilmmaker.Com. The first order of business was to get in touch with the other similar concepts around the country and make sure nobody's toes were being stepped on. After all, America is a litigious country if it is nothing else. After that potential mess was rooted out, the 48 Hour Film Festival was born.

The rules are simple. And they can be found at ExtremeFilmmaker.com if you want all the details, but the basics are these: All movies must be filmed from the first shot to the final edit within a 48 hour time period. Film can be no longer than eight minutes, though certain exceptions are made in the case of extraordinarily well-made movies. And by extraordinary, they mean it. The content cannot be considered deserving of a hard R or NC-17 or XXX rating. All preproduction efforts, including screenwriting, are exempt from the 48 hour time limit.

The first big time 48 Hour Film Festival was held at the Chaplin Theater at Raleigh Studios, a 150 seat venue that soon proved too small for the growing audience eager to attend. Currently, the festival is presented at the Arclight Theater on Sunset Blvd. All proceeds go to the Starbright Foundation.

The ExtremeFilmmaker web site not only gives all the pertinent information regarding the 48 Hour Film Festival, but provides a wealth of information for budding filmmakers. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter so you can keep up to date on the 48 Hour Film Festival updates. Also included on the site are guides for picking the right equipment and the right software for editing your masterpiece. In addition, you will find fabulous tips on the actual process of making a movie; for instance, such things as framing, lighting, and using the camera itself as an actor are covered.

Perhaps nothing is a better teacher of how to make a film than watching a film. Heck, there's no perhaps about it. You can read all the theory you want and listen to all the seminars and read every word ever written about film from DW Griffith to Quentin Tarantino, but if you haven't watched a lot of movies, you can't hope to make an original movie. It has been said that Orson Welles prepared to make Citizen Kane by watching Stagecoach dozens of times. Although the story is probably apocryphal, the idea has merit. If you don't watch a lot of movies you can't make movies. (Which, of course, is going to present some heavy duty problems to the next generation of filmmakers who, instead of being exposed to daily doses of Hawks, Welles, Ford and Stevens are instead being treated to three showings on three straight nights of You've Got Mail on TNT and nothing but James Bond movies for a whole week on American Movie Classics.)

But I digress.

The point is that if you really want to learn what it takes to make a 48 hour movie, then you should check out what has been submitted before. And the site makes that possible by listing many of the best submissions according to the festival in which they were shown. This is your classroom. Watch these films and learn. And then grab your camera and go out and make your own and, who knows, you just may find your own flick available for download.

Lest you think this is all just an exercise in wishful thinking and that nobody is ever going to get noticed by making a movie in 48 hours, consider that no less a proponent of independent film and the digital revolution than writer-composer-editor-director Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon A Time In Mexico) took notice of the 48 Hour Film Festival and asserted that it represents the very essence of independent filmmaking.

Once upon a time, Cannes was just a beach where women walked around topless. Once upon a time Sundance was just the quiet guy in a funny western movie. Right now the 48 Hour Film Festival is taking place inside a 450 seat venue.

Once upon a time it took place inside a small room at a special effects house.

Five Great Art Deco Buildings in Los Angeles

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Los Angeles is not known for any one architectural style in particular.  It is a city that contains modern glass curtain skyscrapers and buildings that look like giant hot dogs.  But Los Angeles does have several of the best example of the Art Deco architectural style to be found anywhere.  Here is a guide to some of these sites not to be missed.

Pasadena City College, 1570 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena

After an earthquake in 1933, building codes in California were updated to prevent structural damage from these inevitable natural shakes.  Pasadena Junior College, as it was known then, had to shut down its three major buildings for restructuring compliance.  These buildings had been named after early 20th century notables: Horace Mann, a social engineer attributed with conceiving the plan for our modern education system; Jane Addams, a proponent of the women's suffrage movement and co-recipient of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize, and; Dr. Louis Agassiz, a Harvard naturalist who proved the earth had an Ice Age.  None of these notables had any particular connection to Pasadena, or Los Angeles, for that matter.  When the school rededicated its buildings in 1937, it renamed these structures with the bland labels of Buildings C, D and E.  The campus may have lost some names, but it gained a dramatic new quad area.  With the help of funding from the Federal Administration of Public Works, Pasadena City College blossomed into an impressive Art Deco site which is still in evidence today.  The three main buildings are made even more impressive by the campus reflecting pools, or "mirror ponds" as the school refers to them.  This quad area makes a perfect photo opportunity.

Oviatt Building, 617 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles

This opulent structure was built in 1927 by the architectural firm of Walker & Eisen as the headquarters of Alexander & Oviatt, a high-end haberdashery of the day.  It was topped by a luxurious penthouse for owner James Oviatt.  It is reported that the forecourt of the lobby contained over 30 tons of glasswork by the famous French designer Rene Lalique.  Features such as the mailboxes, directory signs and elevator doors were custom created by Lalique.  Most of the glasswork has been sold, demolished or lost over the years.  But some of the original work remains, especially at the lobby column topping panels.  The original Alexander & Oviatt retail space has seen several incarnations of restaurants over the years, but still has the amazing Art Deco ceiling, fixtures and stair rails.  Mr. Oviatt's penthouse was a shrine to Art Deco.  It also dripped in Lalique glasswork and featured geometric parquet inlaid wood floors.  It was known for its terrace gardens, tennis courts, pool and artificial beach with imported sand and palm trees.  A great neon clock tower rises above the penthouse area, reminding us that the time of such meticulously crafted architecture has come and gone.

Eastern Columbia Building, 849 S. Broadway, Los Angeles

Perhaps the most prominent clock in the downtown Los Angeles area is the four-faced clock on the tower of the Eastern Columbia Building in the Broadway Theater District.  This monument to Art Deco was built in 1930 by architect Claud Beelman for Adolph Sieroty, who is not exactly a household name in Los Angeles today, but was the largest retailer of his time.  Sieroty owned both the Eastern Outfitting Company and the Columbia Outfitting Company, selling furnishings, appliances and clothing.  This building served as dual headquarters, with each company occupying opposite sides of the structure.   The structure is distinctive for its glossy turquoise colored terra cotta cladding and gold leaf detailing.  Art Deco motifs abound, with chevrons, stylized plants, zigzags and sunburst patterns.  Originally, the building was meant to accommodate mixed use, with office space above a retail pedestrian arcade.  Sieroty's son remodeled in 1956 to pure office space.  The building experienced refurbishing in the 1980s, and is currently being convered to accommodate residential units.

Southern California Edison Company Building, 601 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles

Everything about this building says it it the home of a major utility company.  The entrance to the limestone and terra cotta structure features Art Deco friezes of allegorical figures rendered by sculptor Merrell Gage in symbolic representation of light, power and hydroelectric energy.  Inside the lobby, a huge mural by Hugo Ballin tells the story of the Edison Company as the alchemist that magically turns water into power.  It is titled "The Apotheosis of Power."  The dramatic punch of this structure has been watered down by the addition of a shopping corridor in the 1990s, but enough of the original remains to deserve a visit.

Bullocks-Wilshire Department Store, 3050 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

It is more accurate to refer to this site as the Southwestern University School of Law, as that is the new proprietor.  Although the building no longer serves as a retail store, it is alive and well as the university's law library and administrative offices.  It is such adaptive reuse that saved Bullocks from possible demolition and oblivion.  What a loss it would have been.  This outstanding example of Art Deco was designed by architects John and Donald Parkinson in 1928.  It was one of the first businesses to recognize the rise of automobile traffic over pedestrian traffic.  In order to accommodate, the floorplan in essence turned its back on Wilshire Blvd. and opened its portals to the parking lot on the reverse side of the building.  It is on that side you will find the grand porte cochere featuring a gorgeous fresco on the ceiling by Herman Sachs paying tribute to modern modes of transportation.  A dominant aspect of the Bullocks building is the 241 foot tower rising from the north fascade.  This outstanding structure rests on a black marble base and has copper spandrels and chevron details between tan colored terra cotta.  The copper has oxidized to a rich green, giving the whole structure a sophisticated patina. 

Free Baby Products and Coupons for New Parents

baby seats australia

When I was pregnant with my first child, another mother advised me to sign up for newsletters and other mailings from companies that sell baby products. Later that day, I signed online and joined just about everyone mailing list I could find for baby care products. To be honest, I expect booklets and tips on how to successfully raise a child, but I received tons of samples and coupons for baby formula, food, diapers, and much more. I joined many of these mailing lists before my daughter was even born and over eighteen months later I am still receiving valuable coupons in the mail.

Below is a quick summary and list of company websites that may provide new mothers with coupons and sometimes products. On most questionnaires, you will have to enter in your name, age, address, information about your pregnancy, and your child's birth date or expected due date. It is important to enter in the correct information pertaining to your child's birth because many of these companies will send you coupons pertaining to the stage they are currently in.

Pampers is one of the most well known diaper brands among parents. Their website is at www.pampers.com. When you first arrive at their web page, you will be required to select your country and once you arrive on the following page, click on the link that mentions free coupons and samples. To join the Pampers Club, you must also pick a sign on name and password information. When my daughter was younger, Pampers would constantly send me coupons for baby wipes and diapers. Whenever she reached a new stage, Pampers would also include a sample diaper to try. Pampers is still sending coupons to my home and they generally arrive once a month.

One of the other well known diapers brands is Huggies. In addition to diapers and baby wipes, Huggies also has a line of bath care products for infants and toddlers. The company website is www.huggies.com. When you arrive at this web page, you will also have to select your country and when on the next page, select the "Happy Baby" link. Once you are in that section, select the tab at the top of the page labeled "Special Offers." When you are joining the Huggies mailing list, you will have to create a website screen name and password, allowing for easy return to the site. I generally receive coupons from Huggies about once every one or two months. Huggies will also send coupons for all of their products and they try and correspond them with your child's age.

Nestle produces various different types of baby formulas. The Nestle brand formula is formally known as Carnation. My daughter always had the Nestle Good Start Supreme formula and luckily Nestle is one of the best formula companies to receive samples and coupons from. Their company web page is http://www.verybestbaby.com. On their main page, you must sign up for the very best baby collection. Before my daughter even arrived, I had a free normal size can of Nestle Good Start formula. Later on I received a free baby book with stickers and tons of checks for formula. Nestle sends checks that are similar to coupons; however, they have your name on them and are good for formula at any retail store that sells it. The first three checks that I received actually covered one normal size can of formal from Nestle, you can't beat free formula! As your child develops the check size will decrease and when the standard child is off of baby formula, you will no longer receive mailings from Nestle.

When your infant is ready for baby food, Gerber and Beechnut are popular brands that many parents purchase. By visiting www.beechnut.com, parents can often times receive a free product from joining their newsletters and there are sometimes coupons to print off their website. With many supermarkets choosing to no longer accept printed internet coupons, www.gerber.com is the way to go. Gerber offers healthy baby food for children, finger foods for infants and toddlers, and Gerber Graduate Meals for toddlers. When you arrive at Gerber's home page, select the special offers tab. Once there, you must join the Growing Up Gerber plan. You will have to select a sign in name and password. To receive coupons, you will also be required to enter information about yourself and your child. If you wish to only receive coupons via postal mail, then you must check that box. I am still receiving coupons from Gerber and have been for over a year now. Each coupon specifically pertains to your child's age; therefore, make sure you enter in their correct birth date.

There are many companies that offer products relating to infants and toddlers, it is recommend that you check out each site and see what they have to offer. Raising a child can be very expensive, get a little help and receive coupons from companies whose products will come in useful to your and your new baby.