Charitable Donations

It's that time of year...
Now we all know we can make charitable donations any time for any reason. And if you regularly schlep your gently worn but clean clothes to a local thrift store (I like the Friends of the Family one on University that benefits our women's shelter) or are a supporting member of KERA, more power to you.
If you're like many of us and you do your giving all at once, and right around this time, let me please run down just a few of the excellent non-profits who are helping our community.
In no particular order:


Our Daily Bread
A true community organization that gets its support from individuals, church partners, business and community groups. They provide a provide a daily meal in a safe environment for all who are hungry, as well as physical and emotional support for the needy people of Denton County, including transients and especially the homeless.

And they would love your help.
You can make donations of food or new, warm clothing (sweatshirts, hats, scarves, gloves) at their location 300 West Oak Street (That’s the basement kitchen of St Andrew Presbyterian, y’all) M-F 9:30- 1:30. Ask for Liz Whitaker or Jenny Hawkins.

You can donate money M-F 8:30- 4:30, same place, to same people – or mail them to:
Our Daily Bread
300 West Oak Street
Denton, TX 76201

Get your donation to this non-profit in before Dec 31 and you get to claim it on your income tax. You get to help the truly needy and maybe get a kick back from Uncle Sam. Everybody wins.

Denton Humane Society
Oh lord do I wish our local charities were big enough/organized enough to accept online donations.
But they don’t. Yet.
On the other hand, that in no way diminishes the work they do. And the folks at our local branch of the Humane society operate on a shoe string. A frayed shoe string, which is a crying shame, considering all the good they do for our stray feline and canine residents. They also help resident of the homo sapiens variety make life-long love connections. I got two amazing kittens from them, who grew up to be the cats of destiny. Turned my S.O. into a cat man, and gave up pure shots of love on a regular basis.
If you’re ready for a pet, contact them. If you just want to help some innocent animals who – let’s be honest – can’t help themselves, contact them.
And check it out, if you just set up your Kroger card , you can help them every time you shop. Come on, that’s the least we can do.

Want to do more and mail a check or money order?
DENTON HUMANE SOCIETY
P.O. Box 1972
Denton, TX 76202-1972

Call 940.382.7387 with any questions.

UNT Feral Cat Rescue Group
Did you know that people come to Denton, go to school, adopt adorable kittens and then abandon them when they leave?
Shocking, right?
It makes me sick, but it’s true.

Well the good folks at the UNT Feral Cat Rescue Group have taken an active, almost guerilla approach to this problem. Practicing the Trap, Neuter and Return method, they will trap local feral strays, have them spayed or neutered and return them to their neighborhood haunts. In addition, they have feeders set up around the UNT campus to feed some of these poor animals. Their goal is simply to stop the cycle of strays begetting more strays, but their site also provides resources and referrals to other area rescue groups.

Again, all donations tax-deductible.
Mail to:
UNT Feral Cat Rescue Group
1155 Union Circle #310475
Denton, TX 76203

Call 940. 565.4206 or 940.497.6049 with any questions.

Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home

Do you know there is a residential facility for neglected and abused children right here in Denton?

“CPCH is a licensed General Residential Operation through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services that protects children and teens ages 5-17 who, for various reasons, cannot live with their families.”

Pretty grim statement, right? Only imagine how grim the lives of these children were before they came to CPCH.
I guess you can figure that they need your help. Happily, you can even donate on line! A first!
Never forget you can donate your time here too. Some volunteer gigs don’t even require a long-term commitment. There are a bunch of children you could help out, right here in town. Want to learn more? Go to the Web site or call 940.382.5112

The Local Kiwanis

Want to know why? Read this blog post from July.
If you already know why, the Kiwanis assure me they accept donations all year long at:

Denton Area Kiwanis
225 W. Hickory, Ste A
Denton, TX 76201

Atomic Christmas

This month, and I hope in time for the holidays, I bring you some more artsy crafters. I don't know anything about them - other than they keep their lawn retiree neat year round, and for the last 11 years - at least - they've offered up these awesome holiday light configurations.
And I say "holiday" consciously. I don't care if you don't put up a tree and Christmas isn't your thing; it's my opinion that anyone can enjoy decorating their houses with greens and lights. That harkens back to a muuuch older tradition.

Stepping off of her soap box, your friendly neighborhood Dentonista asks, "You recognize these lights, right?" They aren't just holiday lights - these are pieces of classic Americana.
Made in the traditional fashion from roughly a squajillion Solo cups, you need to see them to fully appreciate the clever craftsmanship - my crummy pictures certainly don't do them justice. (I hate this camera.)
And you can see them, at the corner of Panhandle and Fulton streets.

You know what else I like about them? Their fresh, contemporary appeal.
As you know, mid-century modern style is all the rage right now (here, here, here), and I can think of nothing more atomic-chic than these Sputnik-y lights.
And you know what? You can take one (or several) home!
That's right. For just $20 you can own your very own bit of hand-crafted holiday kitsch.
Even if you're not lucky enough to live in an atomic ranch, (and I know they're tough, though not impossible, to come by in Denton), these lights are so classic, they'll go with everything. If you live in one of the gazillion post-war 'grannies" (check out the Panhandle, Egan, Congress, streets area right around this house), these lights are even architecturally appropriate for that style too.
So drive by and check them out, or call 940.387.1480 to grab some of these awesome lights. I have the feeling that when they're gone, they're gone for the year.

Oh, and have a very happy holiday season and a safe and lovely New Year, my dears.

Across The Tracks Mexican

Soul food. Not a lot of it in North Texas. In fact, since the late lamented fire and subsequent closing of Steve’s Barbecue (the same BBQ joint where you might see the dreamy Harry Connick Jr…), I don’t even think you can get sweet potato pie in Denton.
(Want to know more about Steve’s? Click here, here, here, and here.)

But I digress.

No matter, you can get TONS of Tex-Mex locally, and I think that is soul food to a lot of Texans. I mean, think about it. It’s comforting, greasy, and always served in abundance. That sounds like soul food to me.
Now, I’ve blogged and tweeted about eating at a couple of Mexican places around town, and I wanted to write more about Mi Ranchito. Though, to be honest, I did have an internal dialogue along the lines of, “Do I really want to share this with the blogosphere and maybe add-to-the-dinner-crowd?!”
However, my better self won out, so I’m going to tell you more about Mi Ranchito - one of the reasons I love Denton.
Around my house, we call it “Across the tracks Mexican”. It’s not really on the wrong side of the tracks, but just on the South side of Fort Worth Drive (377), it IS close to the RR overpass and on a sketchy stretch of road. Not sketchy dangerous, mind you, just sketchy run down.
All that said, Mi Ranchito is as good a place as any to get down with the chips, salsa, Dos Equis (all pictured), enchiladas etc. and maybe better than most.
After all, a nearly life long Dentonista turned me on to it years ago.
Now understand the Tex-Mex served here (and at most Tex-Mex places) is working people’s food.
You won’t find light dishes, small plates, fish (except the fried kind), or even the lighter, coastal-style of Mexican you can find elsewhere.
What you will find, in addition to tacos and combo plates you can find everywhere else, is a special weekend menu. If you go Thurs-Sun, you can sample:

A delicious, chocolatey Chicken Mole

The Tostada Ranchito (pictured)

El Trio

Seafood Cocktail (pictured)

You know those schooners of red something, with maybe some tentacles hanging out of it, that you’ve seen served up at some Mexican places? That’s the seafood cocktail.
Seriously, do yourself a favor; get outside your normal Tex-Mex routine, and try this. You can even take baby steps and get it with all shrimp, instead of the equally (or maybe more) delicious shrimp/octopus combo version.
Served up with saltines and picante sauce, you simply can’t not like this. (You know what’s good too? Using the tortilla chips to scoop up this deliciousness.)
And, in reliable Tex-Mex tradition, the small (pictured) is plenty enough to split as an appetizer, or more than enough as a meal for one.

If you’re still unsure, at least make time to try one of the other weekend specialties. (I swear, even the salsa is kicked up a notch on the weekends.)

Now, I mentioned this is working people’s food, right? And this is a working people’s restaurant. So, you’ll also find: couples; Families with kids; groupings of extended generations; and maybe a waiting line out the door.

What you shouldn’t find: hipsters in skinny jeans – not if they’re smart.
In fact, leave your tight or slim cut pants of any sort at home.
Track pants, sweat pants, NFL pants, maternity jeans, overalls - whatever your old, loose bottoms are, drag ‘em on.
You probably won’t have to hold them up when you leave.
Cause that’s how they set you up at Mi Ranchito; no body leaves here hungry.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention the lunch specials: Tues-Fri - $4.95.
Yeah.
What's not to love?
Try it and see.

So What? Sew Everything, If You're Clever

You know I love Denton for the artists and arts and crafters, right?
Well, one of my sisters, a former Dentonista and lifelong artist, joined the arts and crafts movement yonks ago – pottery, silk screening, print-making with some Japanese tool or other, etc.
All incredibly impressive, and I'm all, “More power to her.”
And then she started sewing.
With our Mother’s old sewing machine.
(You know those black and gold Singers? Yep, that old.)
The machine that I once used to make a chair pillow. A round one. Without a pattern. I know, right?
That machine. Whatever; no big.
And she started cranking out beautiful, useful things. With zippers!
And, I thought, “I could do that.”
You know, unlike everything else she does, I could do that.
But, unlike my sister, I’m not much of a self-teacher. If I’m going to learn something on my own, I look up the nearest class (in my case, usually some Adobe software) and sign up.
So, that’s what I did.
I found Seams Sew Easy, the only sewing class in town, that I know of, which has classes timed for working adults. I took Eileen's Adult Sewing Class, and I’m so glad I did.
I am currently using what I learned to engage in a crafty, reduced, reused, and recycled holiday season with my sisters (and friends).
That’s right.
We – the sisters and I – entered into a pact to give each other gifts that were homemade, recycled, or reduced (50% off or more).
My friends are just the lucky (I hope) beneficiaries of this pact.
So, sadly, I can’t post any pictures for you, because I’d ruin some surprises. Check back after the holidays though, and I might have uploaded some examples...
I can say that the adult class’ project was an apron.
Sounds easy (and or dull) right?
Not so!
This is the most engineered apron you will ever wear; a veritable sampler of simple and advanced stitches and techniques.
I love that thing, and I feel like a total bad ass every time I put it on.
I mean, I-made-that!

Meanwhile, if you're interested in a recycled holiday of your own, let me tell you Freecycle, Recycled Books Records CDs, and eBay are excellent sources.

Now, I might let secular, non-Christian, or just the quietly religious crafters know that even though the address for Seams Sew Easy is on the North Side of Denton, it meets in Jesusland. A common question to new comers is, “Do you home school?” Answers run the gamut from ‘yes’ to ‘not yet’.
I have to say though, that’s about as intense as the religious experience gets, and that doesn’t get in the way of me learning-to-sew!

Seriously y’all, you can’t over estimate how fun and satisfying this can be. I told the S.O. it was like learning Spanish – which I have not done, yet – it’s something I knew I could do, if I just made time...
And I did make time.
And now I’m doing it!

You can too my dears. Women, men, boys, and girls all welcome, and she will have you sewing in no time.
Go for it.

PS - You know what I found out?
Back in Black is good sewing music.
So is Smells Like Teen Spirit.
(Jesus, I just dated myself, didn’t I? Oh well.)
Think I’m wrong? I’m not wrong. Try it and see.

Feeling Silly? Feeling Saucy? Feeling Thristy? You Might Be Feeling Fuzzy's

Located on the rapidly gentrifying Industrial Street, Fuzzy's Taco Shop is across the street from Hot Box pizza. Yeah. I promise.
Anyway, ignore the sub- sophomoric name(s) and come in for the schooners of tap beer. At $2.25 for domestics and $3.25 for imports, they are the real stars of the show. Oh, and does ‘import” mean they have Dos Equis on tap? Oh yes, yes it does my dear.
And you know what a schooner is, right?
They’re those squatty goblets with bowls the size of your head that weigh as much as a new born baby… and they’re filled-with-ice-cold-beer!!
Oh yeah.

I would have said the tacos are ish, but they really do grow on you.
In fact, thinking about it, I would say all the food there has grown on me, and the pulled pork tacos ($1.99) are actually really good. I usually get the aforementioned pulled pork soft taco, with a soft grilled fish taco ($1.99) or two.
I used to get them habenero style, but I’ve had to back off that. I don’t know if I was tougher a few months ago, of if they’ve amped up the blend, but that habenero sauce is now nearly atomic. It will cause your whole mouth to burn, and possibly your lips to swell.

On the other hand… In your other hand there should be an ice-cold schooner of beer, so maybe you don’t care.
The significant other is a fool for the beef fajitas ($7.99), with the Latin potatoes.
We can’t figure out what makes them Latin, but they ARE good. Like the best home fries you’ve ever had, and surprisingly well matched to the fajitas.
We’ve tried both the borracho beans (nice) and the refried beans (creamy and comforting), but no other sides.
You know, I guess that means we’re pretty comfortable there, with what we’ve got.
That’s a recommendation, isn’t it?

And did I mention Fuzzy’s is right next door to Dan’s Silver Leaf, making it the perfect spot for a quick meal and fortifying beer pre- or après show?

So, you could make a real night of it, down on Industrial.

One last thing, they also have a ‘patio’. It’s not the least bit scenic, and it’s all picnic tables, but you can dine and drink outside, while enjoying the sun, breeze, and al fresco companions.

Swing by, you have nothing to lose, and a possibly a new watering hole to gain.