Tonight is the night for the fall installment of Arts Goggle on the Near Southside. For the uninitiated, Arts Goggle is an event put on by Fort Worth South, Inc., the group that has led the urbanization of the Near Southside. Local businesses around the district open their doors tonight from 5:00 to 10:00 for an exhibition of local artists and music. This time around, it’s the biggest Arts Goggle yet, featuring fifty-four venues around the district - the big clusters being Magnolia Avenue, Park Place, South Main, and Vickery. Even better, this time around Fort Worth South will be providing a circulator bus and pedicabs, so everybody can enjoy Arts Goggle car-free! A complete program is available here.

I’ve participated in Goggles past - exhibiting my work (Fort Worth urban photography) at Fort Worth Urban Living, Texana Townhomes, and Panther City Bicycles. This time around, I’ve snagged another fantastic spot - I’ll be exhibiting at Spiral Diner, the frighteningly delicious vegan restaurant at Magnolia & 6th. If you attend, stop by and say hello.

(And for the curious - yes, Arts Goggle is free!)

Featured live music for tonight’s Goggle includes: [Read more]

One of my favorite urban Fort Worth events is coming up again soon - it’s almost Arts Goggle time! For the uninitiated, Arts Goggle is a night of art, music, food, and general good times on the Near Southside. It’s centered around Magnolia, though not limited to it as the Park Place restaurant row and others also get in on the fun. Local businesses and eateries open their doors on a Friday night from 5:00 to 10:00 PM for exhibition of local artists and musicians. It is always a grand time, and this year will be no exception. Fort Worth South is even going to provide a circulator bus this time around so you can park your car and then walk/take transit through the whole event.

As usual, I’ll be exhibiting my Fort Worth urban photography. Last time, I was in Panther City Bicycles, and prior to that, in the offices of Urban Realty Resources. This time around I’ll be in another extremely cool location - possibly my favorite of them all. That’s right, I’m lucky enough to be exhibiting at the outstanding Spiral Diner at Magnolia & 6th Avenue, the best vegan restaurant in the country.

This will be a great night of fun and art in one of the city’s coolest urban environments. I encourage all West and Clear readers to attend and show their support for this city’s indie spirit. More details forthcoming!

Most people have a love-hate relationship with their local paper — they love to hate it.

Consider this — the latest flashpoint in the culture wars between Dallas and Fort Worth has become, unbelievably, DaFoWoShow, the three minutes of snarkiness brought to you each Thursday by the Startlegram.

OK, that’s massive overstatement. However, there is a difference of opinion between the left and right sides of the Metromess on this’n. I am previously on record as saying I like it, which prompted one S-T editor who shall remain unnamed to say, “I’ve lost all respect for you. How could you think that was funny?”

Well, to paraphrase John Belushi, that’s your bad. You fucked up. You trusted me.

But this person wasn’t the only soul in the Fort with a low opinion. Anthony Mariani at FWWeekly also weighed in with his instant disapproval of the show’s “really lame jokes, or jokes for the blissfully suburban fortysomething-plus set, or for people who’ve only recently become acquainted with the concept of sarcasm.”

But a funny thing happens when you go east of Arlington and HEB where the S-T ain’t so local and there ain’t so much hate for Tarrant’s daily — the show got funnier as it went through the tubes of teh Internets. Maybe that’s why the Frontburner review is far more kind.

Former Startlegramer and current D Magaziner Eric Celeste called DaFoWo “more proof that the S-T gets it. … It’s not riotous, but it’s a clever and amusing webcast, and the use of random video clips is perfect, especially the [David Hasselhoff] vid in the second one we watched. Well done, folks. Should just get better with age.”

Take that D(a)MN! So, is DaFoWo too Dallas? Is it too not funny? Are some people in the Fort just wearing their underwear too tight? Whatcha think? [Read more]

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, and you’re into art, then our fair city is just gushing with opportunities for you.

Please note that this is NOT intended to be all-inclusive, it’s just a few quick links to things that are uncommon or not very well known.

The first is VDAY in Fort Worth. V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls. The main fundraising event for V-Day is a performance of The Vagina Monologues. This year that’s happening at Martin Hall on the TCU campus. The show is Saturday, and there are two performances, at 3PM and 8PM. Tickets are $15, available at the door.

Stuck is the story of a man who in 2001 was hit by a drunk and stoned driver and lodged in her windshield, then left to die by the woman who hit him. It happened here, but the movie is set in Rhode Island. Cinematical covers the story much better than I could, go on over and check it out.

Stuck is showing at AFI Dallas this weekend, so if you happen to find yourself out east tomorrow night and looking for something to do, that’s an option.

I’ll be at Gallery Night Saturday night (and Arts Goggle tonight!). Come out and meet your neighbors and take in some really cool local art tonight, then meet some more neighbors and take in some really good local and international (there are works by names even I recognize in a few galleries on Camp Bowie) art tomorrow night!

I don’t like tense movies anyway. My life is suspenseful enough.

That’s right - it’s time for another Arts Goggle! For the uninitiated, Arts Goggle is a festival of art, live music, and food & drink that happens a couple of times a year in Fort Worth’s Near Southside. The happenings are centered around Magnolia Avenue, with goings-on also occuring on 8th Avenue and other streets around the district. It’s a lively pedestrian-oriented event that always guarantees a great time and plenty of awesome art, photography, sculpture, and music.

Yours truly will once again be exhibiting my urban Fort Worth photography. I’ll have photos for sale, if you’re so inclined, or just to look at. It’ll be fun, as always. I’m very excited, because I’m going to be in a higher profile location than in previous Arts Goggles. Here’s a hint…

Yep, that’s right - I’ll be exhibiting photos at Panther City Bicycles, right on Magnolia! Heck yeah! So, make sure to attend Arts Goggle this Friday, March 28. The event runs from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and there will be art, sculpture, and music aplenty. A great time for all ages. Make sure to stop by Panther City Bicycles and visit yours truly/buy some photography/talk about urban development. I always love chatting with fans of West and Clear and Fort Worthology.

For more info, check out Fort Worth South’s site.