Design District Discounts

My favorite subject: superior mark-downs! Thanks to ShoppingBuzz for the tip!

Saturday, Nov. 3, renowned designer showrooms Allan Knight, Adele Kerr, Bausman, Carlin & Co., Heaven-n-Earth, Nova Collection, RMA and Tufenkian will be open from 10:00am-4:00pm with drastically reduced merchandise including furniture, unique accessories, fixtures, rugs, and Holiday items such as stockings, tree skirts and ornaments.

Head on over to 150 Turtle Creek Boulevard, west of Stemmons at Irving Boulevard. Additionally, Margaux’s Restaurant will be open for lunch11:30am-2:30pm.

Lighting to Love

This LED Bench (2002) by Ingo Maurer is installed in the first room of the Cooper Hewitt's exhibition, "Provoking Magic", featuring the esteemed lighting designer and artist. According to one site's (punctuationally-challenged) description, "this limited production table is a grand masterpiece by maurer. each bench is personally signed by ingo maurer. an extravagant table made of glass, 288 white internal leds that emit light on both sides. power conversion is provided by an external transformer. life span of the leds is an average of 100,000 hours (according to the manufacturer's specification)." All I can say is that the cool internal glow emanating from the glass is something fabulous, and it was a difficult piece to walk away from. The price for the privilege of unlimited seating time: approximately $24k. The rest of the exhibit (the whole second floor of the old Carnegie mansion on the Upper East Side) features installations like LED-equipped wedding costumes, maquettes for well-known designs, and some familiar works, like Lucellino lamps and MaMo Nouchies.

Oak Cliff Artists

There's a whole lot of art going in independent art: the fledgling La Reunion artists' collective, the reopening of the Texas Theater, and the renkindled Arts Conspiracy. Cliff Dweller magazine features artists working in Oak Cliff in this week's edition. There's always someone or something new to discover with the Dallas Arts Revue calendar. I can't say how many times I've been pleasantly surprised with a new find.

A good place to start exploring is the Artisan's Collective, which has recently moved around the block from Davis to Bishop Arts. The first Thursday of each month, galleries and stores stay open until 10pm, so it's a nice time to sip and stroll.

Architecturally Nosy

Sure, admit it. You like snooping around homes to see those little design details, whether it's at someone's party, an organized tour, an online real estate query, or an open house. You're nosy because you care about execution of design. Preservation Dallas's fall home tour is just a few weekends away, and this weekend it's mid-century modern and beyond on the Oak Cliff home tour. If the weather, football, the Fair, or work keeps you away from the Oak Cliff event this weekend, consider some couch-touring instead. This site pleasantly curates some of the signature gem homes in Dallas, from Tudor to post-modern. While we all know some of the homes on this list, it also includes some off the beaten track.

Upcoming: Slocum Street

The SLOCUM STREET ANTIQUES AND DESIGN ASSOCIATION and D Home kick-off the 9th annual October Slocum Street Night Walk on Thursday October 4th, beginning at 6pm.

Free to the public, more than 30 showrooms open their doors to share beautiful treasures and indulge guests with food, spirits and live music. Silent auctions at various showrooms and a vacation giveaway all benefit the Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation philanthropies.

Valet parking is available at the entrance to Slocum Street at Hi Line Drive. Guests stroll up and down Slocum Street, which will be closed to vehicle traffic for the evening. Trolley service is also available.

Last year's event was a fabulous time. More details at D Home.

Green gets easier

At the UN's world conference on climate change today, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon proclaimed, "“Inaction now will prove the costliest action of all in the long term.” (More details)

In honor of the international gathering to raise awareness of the global responsibility for our changing world, here's a review of some energy-conscious home innovations:

Integrate solar panel roofing tiles (Sharp Electronics)Evaluate your personal consumption impact from living. working and traveling with this tool that surveys your energy uses and patterns of carbon offsetting and use of renewable energy sources. If you're inspired, make some changes around the home (like compact fluorescent bulbs, Energy Star compliant appliances, or low flow showerheads and toilets.

Acquaint yourself with innovations that seek to improve the global standard of living. New designs from housing, to education, agriculture and health were exhibited recently in New York, and they are featured in this curated site.

Explore decreasing personal consumption. Start examining all those shopping impulses and the marketing machine that bombards us all daily a little more closely. If you can't avoiding getting something new, consider reuse avenues like Craigslist, eBay, or Freecycle, or recycle a favorite but aged possession into a new form (some examples: jeans purse, plastic bag yarn, fused plastic bags, pet blankets, reuse coffee grounds, CD flower pot, pastry bag, kiddie desks, storage boxes).

Educate yourself on the climate crisis and become more informed about how we all impact.

Urban Arts Festival

This weekend (tonight and tomorrow) South Side on Lamar hosts the second annual Urban Arts Festival, featuring artists, musicians, and fun for all. It's a great opportunity to explore this developing sector of town and grassroots creative artists in Dallas.

Tonight is Art Love Magic, a Live Art Experience from 8:00 pm – Midnight in the Janette Kennedy Gallery/Artist Quarter. For $7 admission, you can enjoy simultaneous events as paintings, jewelry and ceramics come to life. Live music and poetry will be featured all night long.

Tomorrow from 10am to 8pm you can partake in a melange of arts and musical performances along with Make It Yourself stations sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art. The evening is capped off with performances at Opening Bell and Poor David's.

Modern at the Mosaic

Modern Evening at the Mosaic, Thursday, Sept 13 6-8pm

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Join the Preservation Dallas Modern Committee for Modern Evening at the Mosaic.

Mix and mingle on the private, eighth floor pool deck of this incredible 1952 tower for an ultra urban posh party featuring cocktails and global inspired hors d' ouevres by Chef Blaine Staniford of the Mosaic Building's restaurant Scene.

The former Fidelity Union Tower will have residential units open with interiors designed by Ike Isenhour Inc, Ray + Thornton and Merriman Associates Architects, Inc. Not to mention a very special Modern Lifestyle Silent Auction.

Thursday, September 13th
6 to 8 p.m.

The Mosaic Building
300 North Akard
Complimentary valet parking

Reservations are required!
214-821-3290
sroebuck@preservationdallas.org
$20 members - Preservation Dallas and A.I.A. Dallas
$30 for non-members