Denton Live Spring 2016 Cover

DENTONLIVE
Celebrating Original Independence In North Texas
SPRING-SUMMER 2016 VISITOR GUIDE
Big Smiles and Open Hearts
Get a sneak peek into the new
Discover Denton Welcome Center
finding
your
Denton
plus
UNT turns 125
Hear the inside scoop on the
Denton Black Film Festival
Plan your next getaway at:
discoverdenton.com
take a
look inside!
combining creativity and culture
At UNT, we broaden your horizons, engage your intellect and
touch your hearts. Below are a few of our upcoming events.
German Expressionist Prints
from the Kopriva Collection
The UNT College of Visual Arts and Design Collections, Cultures and Collaborations Series
will feature German modernist prints from the Collection of Gus Kopriva of Houston.
Accompanying the collection of fine art prints will be a selection of film screenings as well as
research by graduate students under the direction of Jennifer Way. The exhibition is curated
by Victoria DeCuir.
Jan. 21-Feb. 20
UNT Art Gallery
Information: gallery.unt.edu/exhibitions
Faculty Dance Concert
The event will include works created by UNT faculty Shelley Cushman and Teresa Cooper
as well as student pieces. Students also will perform a dance created by choreographer Ana
Maria Alvarez, founder and artistic director of Contra-Tiempo dance theatre in Los Angeles.
Presented by the UNT Department of Dance and Theatre.
Artistic director is faculty member Robin Lakes.
8 p.m. Feb. 11-13 and 2 p.m. Feb. 14
University Theatre in the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building
Information: danceandtheatre.unt.edu
Danilo Pérez & Panama 500 with
the One O’Clock Lab Band
Jazz, Pan-American folkloric traditions and European classical music combine to create Danilo
Pérez’s most ambitious project yet, an evolution of what Pérez calls “three dimensional music.” The
first half of the concert will feature the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, led by Jay Saunders, with
guest artist Pérez, followed by a second half featuring Pérez and Panama 500 joined by members
of the One O’Clock Lab Band. This performance is a presentation of the Gomez Endowment and
Rawlins Fine Arts Series.
8 p.m. March 3
adventure starts now.
Denton’s making moves and now’s the time to be a part of the growing
city. Start here and find out what the Little d has for you.
Bill Nye
EVEN
» Your
10 | Hannah’s
Murchison Performing Arts Center
Information: thempac.com
2 016TS
Photo by Nika Potts
Best known for his Bill Nye the Science Guy TV series that won 18 Emmy
awards, the famous scientist, educator, engineer and former vice president of
the Planetary Society will speak as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series.
8 p.m. April 6
UNT Coliseum
Information: studentaffairs.unt.edu/distinguished-lecture-series
See what chef Sheena Croft serves up at this local favorite
16 | Discover Denton Welcome Center
Get a sneak peek at the new Denton spot on the Square
18 | Denton Black Film Festival
Hear the inside scoop on this second-year filmmaker event
Departments
4
5
6
29
30
31
Denton Map
#dentoning
The Denton Sound
Denton Makers
Save the Date
Stay and Play
24 | Rose Costumes
Created by the Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing
AA/EOE/ADA ©2015 UNT URCM 11/15 (16-237)
Dress up in vintage attire from this unique costume shop
DENTON LIVE
1
[Discover Denton]
Put a Dent in Denton
7
Dark Art Tattoo Studio
8
Audacity Brewhouse
9
Arts & Jazz Festival
14
12
UNT turns 125
See how UNT celebrate its 125th birthday and
how it’s preparing for the next 125 years
One O’Clock Lab Band
15
Mad World Records
22
Oak-Hickory Historic District
26
Soma Massage Therapy
28
20
2
DENTON LIVE
When the Smoke Clears
Get a look from above Denton in the annual
Denton Airshow
“Word: dentoning. Definition:
Exploring the shops, restaurants,
music venues and cultural
attractions in Denton, TX.”
This is Livability.com’s
summarized definition of dentoning,
a word common in Denton culture.
It is a word coined some years ago
by Dentonite Scott Campbell who
made up the word to describe “the
experience of enjoying/discovering/
exploring all that the great city of
Denton, TX has to offer.”
Livability.com obviously
understands its meaning, because
Denton has appeared on its
scientifically deducted list of
“Top 100 Best Places to Live”
for the past two years. And just
recently, Livability.com rolled out a
measurement that named Denton
No. 5 among the “10 Best College
Towns” in the country.
Welcome to Denton Live
magazine, a creatively written guide
to discovering Denton and finding
your personal #dentoning style.
Guests in Denton, like the
128,000 people who choose to live
here, have something quite definitive
in common: we all seek uniquely
customized, Denton-centric
adventures in our internationally
acclaimed way-cool vibe. We call
this vibe original, independent.
Original is a spirit manifested
in the physical fabric of our city.
It is creative energy fueled for the
past 125 years by our universities,
DENTONLIVE
take a
look inside!
#DENTONING:
It’s How We Roll
PUBLISHER
arts community, music industry,
business community, the North
Texas Horse Country and our
vibrant, no-faux-about-it downtown
square. We hold originality in high
regard.
Independent is more of that same
spirit. Consider our burgeoning
music scene. Denton is known
around the world for the music
that’s been organically evolving here
for some 75 years. Interestingly,
though, there is not a specific
“Denton sound” that anyone can
identify in a word. That is the result
of original and independent. Our
sound is a combination of individual
sounds where writers, musicians,
poets and venues have their own
messages, rhythms, tunes and
atmospheres. Listeners get the entire
breadth, as varied or not as they
choose.
You can see the spirit in the
surrounding horse country too.
Here we possess the most diverse
equine population and
disciplines in one area
than anywhere else on
Planet Earth. That’s
independent, and
it results in a lively,
energetic culture.
People come to
Denton in pursuit of
their passions. You’ll
meet some of them
in the pages to follow.
They are filmmakers,
Dorothy Bland
Dean, Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism
Director, Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism
University of North Texas
EDITORIAL DIRECTORS
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Sharon Jared
Eric Nishimoto
Wendy Haun
[email protected]
Students in the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn
School of Journalism and Frank W. Mayborn
Graduate Institute of Journalism produce
Denton Live.
Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau
A division of the
Denton Chamber of Commerce
414 Parkway | Denton, TX 76201
(940) 382-7895 | (888) 381-1818
chefs and craft brewers. There
are those who rocket toward the
heavens, some even in planes built
with their own hands. And there
are many, many more with whom
you will brush shoulders around
just about every corner for we are
wealthy in impassioned, intelligent,
enthusiastic creativity.
Ours is a vibrant, diverse culture
celebrated all year long in festivals
like the world-famous Denton Arts
& Jazz Fest. These events entertain,
for sure. They are highlights on
our annual calendar. But they
serve an even greater purpose by
inviting us and you to experience
and appreciate one another, broaden
our understanding of the world
around us and embrace the powerful
uniqueness our differences lend
to the character of this wonderful
place.
#dentoning. This is your
adventure. Make it original.
Embrace independence. Go enjoy
Denton!
Vice President
Denton Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
Denton Live is published by the Frank W. Mayborn
Graduate Institute of Journalism at the University
of North Texas in partnership with the Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau. © 2015 by Mayborn • 1155
Union Circle, #311460, Denton, TX 76203-5017 • (940)
565-4564. All rights reserved. Comments on stories
go to UNT’s Mayborn School while distribution
queries go to the Denton CVB. Printed by Eagle &
Wheeler, Denton, Texas
discoverdenton.com
PRESIDENT, DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Chuck Carpenter
VICE PRESIDENT, DENTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Kim Phillips
DENTON LIVE
3
are you
#dentoning?
Sweet Dreams are Made of This
@snowberrylife knows all about Hypnotic Donuts, a popular Denton site,
famous for its delicious chicken biscuits and homemade donuts.
Finding locally made
goodies @brittany_scmo discovered the
Austin Street Truck Stop and how it is a popular
spot to find a bite to eat, courtesy of a fleet of local
food trucks. One of the food trucks, the Waffle
Wagon, is a local favorite for Belgian waffles.
Join the dentoning craze
by using the #dentoning
hashtag on Instagram,
Twitter and Facebook. We’ll
publish our favorites in
the next issue of Denton
Live and you’ll win a cool
#dentoning t-shirt.
4
DENTON LIVE
come together Community festivals and events often
bring Dentonites together, usually on the Square, with @collagedntn
putting on movie nights.
DENTON LIVE
5
J.R. BYRD
If you like unplugged and
stripped-down versions
of songs, then give this
album a good listen. This
University of North Texas
alum delivers acoustic
versions of his most popular
songs, such as “Planted”
and “Robot Monkey.”
Byrd creates a carefree vibe
with a jazzy sound that
transitions smoothly from
song to song. His soothing
voice makes you forget
about your worries and
simply enjoy the music.
tune in.
Reviews by Kaitlin Bresette
Album art courtesy of artists’ Bandcamp
EXIT GLACIERS
DARCY
Tapping your feet to the beats of
Darcy’s songs is irresistible. This
Denton melodic-rock band brings
guitar-driven songs and their
mellow sound to their sophomore
album “The Fall of the Economy.”
Darcy uses their lyrics and sound
to paint a picture of a broken yet
seemingly delightful America on
this six-track album.
MANY VOICES
Many Voices captures your attention
on each song with acoustic folk
melodies. Simple,yet powerful lyrics are
featured as the album progresses.
Every few songs, Many Voices
surprises their listener with just the
soothing sounds of a single acoustic
guitar. “Paper Tapes” will leave you
feeling more serene than you were
before.
Try listening to the “Moon Jelly EP”and
not automatically sway to the beats of
soothing folk and alternative melodies.
Formed in 2012, Exit Glaciers has created
the perfect combination of the two genres
with their 2014 EP that is reminiscent of
early 90s alternative rock.
JESSIE FRYE
This singer/songwriter
and pianist delivers a fun
combination of rock and pop to
the table with her 2014 debut LP
“Obsidian.” Frye shows off her
versatility by fusing together
multiple rhythmic avenues to
make each song different than the
last. Blasts of percussions begin
the album with “Never Been to
Paris” and “Teenage Luck,” a
piano-led ballad ends the album
on a strong note.
6
DENTON LIVE
SONAR LIGHTS
This Denton rock trio has created a
sound that has been deeply missed in
the industry. “Here We Are” embraces
the sound of heavy alternative rock
with crunchy riffs, rhythmic texture
and strong songwriting on songs such
as “Goodman” and “Here We Are.”
DentonRadio.com is an online, 24/7 radio station devoted to Denton’s one-of-a-kind sound,
playing original songs by Denton musicians - and nothing else.
Put a dent
in Denton
Story by Amie Smith
Photos by Frank Franco
P
erched on a large cylinder is a
bronze statue, a dust devil darkened over time. On a guided
study tour of Denton, the group
of Denton Live writers ponder the dust
devil,
welded
leaves and debris
tangled up into a
whirlwind. Unbeknownst to most
people, the sculpture artist hid a
guitar pick among
these leaves. The
writers find the
pick, one of many
hidden
gems
they’ll discover in
Denton today.
The first door
they walk through
leads
into
an
old-fashioned ice
cream parlor that
is a confectioner’s
dream. The sweet
smell of freshbaked waffle cones lingers in the air. The
chalkboard menu hanging on the wall
lists an overwhelming selection of ice
cream flavors, sundaes and even lunches. Everyone is smiling. No room for any
negative energy in this shop. Everyone
is savoring their spoonful of creamy
goodness and reveling in the social atmosphere.
Making their way down Hickory
Street, the writers stop in front of another
door. This place could give Willy Wonka
a run for his money. Piling into Atomic
Candy, they step into a childhood
throwback. Shelf after shelf stocked full
with candies, toys and soda that bring
a longing for yesteryears. The décor is
late 20th century, with ’60s-esque baby
dolls and retro paintings, plus, classics
like bubble gum cigarettes and GooGoo
Clusters.
Classics are no stranger to Denton’s
historic downtown. On the opposite
corner of Atomic Candy, the group enters Recycled Books. The purple Opera
House is a maze of faded bookcases.
A faint, musky smell lingers over the
aged pages throughout the store, but it
is a comforting smell. It is your favorite
spot in the back of the library, or a lazy
Sunday afternoon lounging on your best
friend’s couch. This isn’t a store but a familiar place filled with an immense collection of the most
random reading
material and music selections.
As
the
day
winds down, the
dentoning
tour
comes to a halt as
many of the doors
on the square
prepare to lock
up while others
remain open for
the night crowd.
Denton is not to
be judged on its
first impression
but rather on its
second,
third,
or even fourth.
Exploration goes
a long way in this
city of hidden gems – like the guitar
pick in the statue – which are worth
looking for. Search Denton in an honest
manner, and the city will reveal its many
treasures to you.
Writer reflections
Brittany Sodic
There is no greater feeling than to be in
a space in which you can truly be your
own self. Your home may allow that, but
what if there was a whole city that could
encompass this same feeling? What if
there was a city that could not only do
this, but also challenge and mold you for
the better at the same time?
Brittany Lloyd
Denton’s eclectic music scene is
inclusive and best showcased through
its varying styles of artists, performing
live. There is enough variety to meet
any preferred sound and ample
opportunity for finding the perfect
patio to sit with friends, sip a beer and
pass the time.
Haley Killman
Dentonites understand what it means
to celebrate a city built on history and the
full support of each other. Visiting Denton
doesn’t leave a sense of exploration but a
sense of understanding what history to
a community really means. A history
that is present throughout every turn. A
history that is fully present.
Frank Franco
Dan’s Silver Leaf is the perfect place
for this group to end their night.
Wooing and cheering the performers
– Chris Caruvana, Julie Livingston,
and Dunashay Thomas – the group
lull themselves between songs, giving
feedback and interacting with the trio
on stage. Bouncing back this love, the
musicians smile, promising more, one
after the other. This is what dentoning is
all about: musicality, love and adventure.
Samantha Sullivan
Some downtowns are dead, but not
this downtown. Denton is vibrant, and
it paints every wall and every street
corner with uniqueness down to the
once plain walls behind businesses now
covered in art. An energetic downtown
with anything your taste buds desire
and musicians with talent so striking it
will leave you craving more.
Katie Gibbs
The store smells like paper and feels
like history. Any book lover could get
lost in there for hours.
Shelby Adelsen
Dentoning isn’t a building, business
or a park. It’s not a specific place, but
an experience. And in a city as unique
as Denton, you never know what you
might find.
Kati Walker
Denton is a misfit – place for the lost to
find purpose. Full of culture, freedom
of expression and tradition, Denton
attracts those who don’t exactly belong
anywhere else.
DENTON LIVE
7
Developing Denton’s other fine art
Story by Kiley Miles
Photos courtesy of Rember Orellana
T
he shop sits on the corner of the
Denton square. Inside, your first
impression is that this is not your
average parlor – it looks more
like a Victorian sitting room, with ornate
crown molding and a luxurious scarlet
and gold sofa looking at home in the
chandeliered waiting room.
The low hum of Rember Orellana’s machine is as familiar to him now as his own
heartbeat. The
pungent, sharp
smell of antiseptic mingled
with ink that is
unique to a tattoo parlor is a
comfort to him.
His
subject
shifts while Rember refills the machine
with ink, sweeping his gaze over the artwork coming to life with every stroke.
He studies the photograph on his workstation to his left before turning back to
his client and carefully adding lines and
shading. He strives to make every piece
perfect and translate each element in the
photograph as realistically as possible
onto a living canvas.
After nearly a decade in the industry,
Rember has developed a style and
reputation unlike any artist in the DFW
area. The portrait works he specializes
in have more life and detail than the
original photographs. Which is why he
has a three and a half year waiting list
for appointments. Credit in part an odd
happenstance from his youth: a boxer in
his teens, Rember was hit one too many
times, leaving his retina permanently
detached, which somehow allows him
to add depth and dimension to his work
that is unmatched.
Though he has created countless works
of art, Rember differs from the stereotypic
tattoo artist covered from head to toe in
ink. He only has one tattoo: a portrait of
his son on his chest that was done by his
8
DENTON LIVE
idol, Bob Tyrell, whose style he attempted
to mimic in the beginning.
Rember was born in Guatemala and
immigrated to the United States to attend
high school. Before beginning his career
in tattooing, he was an amateur boxer and
wrestler. While his true passions have
always been painting and drawing, it
wasn’t until 2007 when he tried tattooing
as his creative outlet. Rember was always
drawing. His friends saw his talent and
encouraged him to become a tattoo artist.
“So, I just jumped into it, creating art on
my friends,” he said.
With no formal apprenticeship, he
trained by watching other artists and
attending art classes. He quickly made a
name for himself, earning many awards
including being voted Best in Denton
County 2015. Rember opened Dark
Age Tattoo in July 2014 with Francisco
Sanchez, another celebrated tattoo artist
in the metroplex. The parlor specializes
in realism, a complex combination of
intricate shading and fine lines. Rember
focuses on portrait work as well as
elaborate realist pieces.
“Ever since I started drawing, I was
always challenging myself,” Rember
said. “When I draw something, I want
to make it look exactly like the picture.
Often it takes me hours and hours to
finish something.”
Rember practices the same precision
when tattooing. He has always prided
himself on being a perfectionist, even in
his early days of tattooing. “I was always the slowest one in the
shop trying to make everything flawless,”
Rember recalls. His patrons appreciate
him for the time and care he puts into his
work. “Unless I feel like it’s perfect, I can’t
stop working on it.”
Rember and Francisco wanted to create
a studio that could hold its own in the
DFW market. Employing seven artists
and one apprentice, most pieces created
inside Dark Age are inspected by either of
the two owners before clients are allowed
to pay for their piece.
“I came to realize there are tattoo artists
everywhere, but there are only a few that
focus on making
sure that things
are as perfect
as they can be,”
Rember explains.
“They only do
things as nice
as the client lets
them. But from
my point of view,
I can’t really let
anything walk
out of here that’s not perfect. When I
opened up my shop, I made sure that
every artist that works for me has the
same mentality.”
While he originally didn’t plan on
Denton, now he sees that he couldn’t
have picked a better place to set up shop.
“People around here are more artistic,”
Rember said. “They are more creative
with their tattoos, and that’s something
that I like a lot about Denton.”
A city that embraces art in all forms
made for the ideal location for him to
practice his passion and enjoy huge
success at the same time. What could be
better?
“I found a place where I get to draw
and practice my art, and I’m paid for it?”
Rember said. “It doesn’t feel like a job
when you get to do what you love.”
Dark Age Tattoo Studio is located at 124 W. Oak St. To
find out more, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/
DarkAge.Tattoostudio.
The other
photos
on this
page show
some of
Rember’s
portrait
work. Dark
Age Studio
offers a
unique
setting
atypical
of tattoo
shops.
AUDACIOUS
HOME BREW
C
risp. Cool. Quality... Craft.
The chill comes from the
glass in hand, and with the
slightest tilt of the pint, the
crisp breaks through, quenching the
thirst.
Welcome to the taste of Audacity.
It was an unprecedented night in the
North Texas college town. The calendar
read October 24, 2014, and it was time
for ‘Li’l d’ to introduce its first, very
own microbrewery. Its name: Audacity.
“Everything you see says ‘Denton’s
Hometown Brewery’ or ‘Hometown
Crafted Beer.’ That’s because Denton’s
our spot,” said Scott Lindsey,
Audacity’s owner.
On the perfectly fitting harvest day
back in 2014, Audacity’s brew house
doors opened to the public. Regardless
of being prepared for its share of
adverse opinions and constructive
criticism, its doors unlocked, open
signs lit up, and people came in to
taste Audacity’s many unique varieties
of flavors unleashed for the first time.
Since then the microbrewery has done
remarkably well in introducing its
brand and gaining recognition in a
considerably competitive market.
Following its first month of business,
inventory of draft beer showed the
equivalent of 600 gallons produced
and sold. Fast forward to September
2015, just shy of its first anniversary,
and the updated inventory reads the
equivalent to 10,000 gallons, exceeding
its inaugural sales by 16 times in its first
11 months.
October
2015
starred
several
highlights for the growing company,
one most notable being its introduction
to Austin’s popular 6th Street,
renowned for its high volume and
eclectic consumer base. Others include
sponsoring Denton’s 2015 Oaktopia
festival, UNT football at Apogee
Stadium and Texas Motor Speedway,
as well as being featured at Globe Life
Park in Arlington.
These ventures are especially
meaningful to Scott, with deep respect
toward his forever home, the great
state of Texas. The most rewarding of
all now pours into oversized souvenir
cups behind rows of rowdy crowds,
packed into bright blue sunbaked
stadium seats.
The cheering roar echoes through
each section corridor and into
connecting hallways, where concession
stands attract swarms of thirsty fans.
Here Scott stands in awe, and orders
his very own craft beer.
“We saw our beer on tap at Ranger’s
Stadium...that still seems kind of
surreal,” he reminisced. “I’ve been a
Texas Ranger’s fan forever, and now
I go and I see a product that I created
and that people are receptive to...that’s
Story by Brittany Lloyd
Photos by Brittany Lloyd
and courtesy of Audacity
pretty cool.”
Audacity is making a name for
itself, served at more than 50 bars and
restaurants in Denton alone. Working
with one of the country’s most
reputable distributors has proven to be
a successful strategy, with Scott giving
Ben E. Keith Distribution Company
credit for making such success to
date possible. The company helps
put Audacity brews into tap spouts
spanning from Wichita Falls to the San
Antonio Riverwalk.
Audacity’s home base is big and bulky,
structurally something more expected
of New York City’s Warehouse District.
Except instead of subtle sandstone
and textured earth tones it stands less
classically, in both style and shape,
comfortably shaded by overgrown oak
trees. Not forest, emerald, sage or some
other natural green hue, but instead it’s
an unusually bright shade, and obtuse
and stout in shape, closely resembling
a pack of Wrigley’s Doublemint gum.
But despite its practically glowing
presence, it maintains its obscurity,
tucked beneath reaching branches of
mature oak trees, amongst a diverse
landscape of plants and sparsely placed
cacti. It poetically fits, ever so nicely, its
spot at 1012 Shady Oak Drive.
Inside, 12 tap heads line the wall
behind the brew house bar. Standing
side by side, they are uniform in color,
shape and size. But the personality
of each is unique with distinct flavor
profiles.
“Creating a product is the coolest
part,” Scott said. “We start with four
ingredients… We have water, malted
grain, hops and yeast. We take it and
mix it together in just the right way,
and we create a product that is really
cool to see.”
“For us, Denton is everything. It’s so
important to us. And if we can make
more beer, that’s fine, and we’ll send a
little bit of it down to Austin, we’ll send
it into Dallas, but we’ll always focus
on Denton. This is our spot... We are
Denton.”
DENTON LIVE
9
“Does it leave you
wanting more?”
Steak for lunch makes for a
happy customer.
Hannah’s Off the Square chef Sheena Croft has
worked hard to create plates of food to appeal to all
Story by Katie Gibbs
Photos by Roberto Aguilar
A
sprig of rosemary, a cut of lemon or a flower garnish
is thoughtfully placed on the plate to complete a
dish. Chef Sheena Croft adds the finishing touches
to each dish that comes out of the kitchen. She gives
the plate a quick swipe, a final flourish, an artful presentation
before placing it in the window with the rest of a table’s order.
Cooks in the kitchen portion salmon and crack eggs for
A hamburger waits for chef approval.
later as pans clank and plates are stacked. They pour liquid
into pans, causing flames from the gas stove to leap up and
spread heat throughout
the
kitchen.
Orders
stream and hang from
the shelf, ready for Chef’s
attention. Servers come
and go between kitchen
and tables. Plates and staff
are in constant motion as
this kitchen ritual repeats
itself hundreds of times a
day.
This is Hannah’s Off the
Square, where Sheena,
as executive chef, is
responsible for every
dish of upscale comfort
food showcasing fresh
and local ingredients
Salads get the final touches at
the garnishing station.
10
DENTON LIVE
for which the restaurant is known. At this moment, Sheena
and her sous-chef work in tandem to approve and garnish
dishes. While the sous-chef brings completed dinners to their
worktable, Sheena looks over a salmon dish before lighting a
blowtorch to delicately scorch a lemon to accompany it. She
places the plate carefully in the window before continuing
on to the next course – a crème brulee, which also comes
under the blowtorch’s flame, caramelizing the sugar on top
to a subtlety toasted shell. Sheena plates pieces of carrot cake
for the large dinner party there that night. She handles each
piece with precision and care, tops them with ribbon-cut
carrots, then into the window and out to the guest they go.
Sheena is constantly thinking about plating when preparing
a dish. “I think about what type of plate it needs to go on.
Does it have enough color? Is there enough negative space? Is
it not just sitting in a big pool of whatever? Does it leave you
wanting more? Is it over indulgent? Everything.”
Hannah’s opened in 2001 in a small space off the square.
The restaurant moved to its current location, at 111 W.
Mulberry in July 2004. The building was a blacksmith shop,
now beautifully refurbished and able to accommodate more
diners.
Sheena likes the camaraderie in the kitchen. Sharing the
cooking experiences with other people is a good day for her.
As the orders slack off, she takes her break and grabs a drink
of water, anticipating the next surge of diners. Out in the
dining room the ambiance is elegant yet relaxed as patrons
take their time eating and conversing.
Hannah’s is two different worlds: the kitchen is hot, noisy
and busy, while the dining room is cool, quiet and relaxed.
The tables are all adorned with crisp white tablecloths and
the lighting is dim, creating an intimate atmosphere.
Break over and back in the kitchen, Sheena continues
garnishing dishes while joking with her sous-chef. Every
dish requires something extra to make it perfect.
Sheena didn’t always want to be a chef. She first attended
college to study marine biology until she saw a commercial
for a culinary school. She called her mom and said that
she wanted to train to be a chef. A few weeks later she was
doing just that at the
First Coast Institute’s
culinary school in
Florida.
Even though she
was not a stranger to a
kitchen, having grown
up cooking with her
family, Sheena was
intimidated when she
arrived at First Coast.
The desire sparked
by that television
commercial
came
from a seed planted in
her childhood, as she
watched Julia Child
and the Galloping
Gourmet on television
after school. She is
thankful
to
have
Today’s special is prepared for the lunch rush. grown up on a farm,
local sourcing the
expectation in culinary
arts today. “I think
people expect fresh, the best that you can give them when
they come into the restaurant,” she said.
That’s why Hannah’s is committed to sourcing local
ingredients for their patrons, working with regional
farmers to get their vegetables and meats. Many guests are
regulars and Hannah’s attributes that to their success. The
idea of farm-to-table has been a growing phenomenon in
restaurants as customers become more concerned about
what they eat and where it comes from.
It’s almost closing time at Hannah’s, so Sheena has a
short meeting with the other chefs about the strengths and
weaknesses of the shift. Then she heads out into the dining
room to check on diners and to see if they were satisfied with
their food. Once she makes the rounds, she sits at a table,
orders a glass of wine and starts planning for tomorrow.
A roasted beet salad waits in the window for prompt delivery.
DENTON LIVE
11
UNT TURNS TH E B IG 125
Story by Shelby Adelsen
Photos courtesy of UNT
O
n the second floor of a small
building in the middle of
town, 70 students are gathered
in a stuffy room. Young
Texans are seated side-by-side with
Creek Indians, a rare sight these days.
They are beginning their educational
journey toward teaching careers at
Texas Normal College. It’s 1890, and,
unbeknownst to them, these students
are establishing a legacy of diversity,
openness and education that will grow
and shape the city around them for the
next 125 years.
That time is long gone now,
commemorated with a simple bronze
plaque on the side of Thomas Ethan
Allen store at the downtown corner of
Oak and Elm Streets, in the shadow of
the historic courthouse square. But it’s
not the structure that is important; it’s
what it represents: the beginning of
the 125-year legacy of the University of
North Texas.
The 2015-2016 school year is special,
as UNT celebrates 125 successful years
in Denton. Over the course of the year
the UNT community and its supporters
celebrate the past and look to the future
in hopes of continuing North Texas’
long legacy of spirit, individuality and
education.
Even with only 70 students above a
hardware store, UNT has been ahead
of the curve since day one, with a rich
history of tradition and acceptance
that remains an integral part to the
university. The 125th celebration is a
time of reflection, appreciation for the
progressive minds of those that paved
the way for UNT students today. UNT’s
first class in 1890 included women and
Native Americans, uncommon at the
time. This policy continued into 1919,
when Edith Clark became the first Dean
of Women, through 1954, when UNT
became one of the first institutions in
the entire South to integrate their school
and athletic program. And this tradition
of diversity continues today.
“We grew as a community that was
very interdependent, and we engaged
everybody,” said UNT’s current
president, Dr. Neal Smatresk. Looking
at UNT’s campus today, you can see
this warm, accepting environment,
something Dr. Smatresk has not seen
many other places.
Johnny Quinn, 2014 Olympic silvermedalist, former NFL player, and
UNT alumnus brings this sense of
community and family to life when he
recalled the wellspring of support he
received from UNT during his time at
the Olympic Games. Encouragement
came from fellow students of his UNT
days, and from current students.
“Once you wear the green and white,
you’re part of the UNT family,” Johnny
said.
Academically, UNT leads the nation
in energy conservation, sustainability
research,
nationally-accredited
schools, and areas of study. UNT
began its focus on global sustainability
in the mid-1930s with water quality
research led by biologist J.K.G. Silvey,
and has since made tremendous strides
in green initiatives on campus and off,
leading to the creation of the We Mean
Green Campaign in 2008.
HELP CELEBRATE UNT125!
Wingspan Gala, April 14-17, 2016
Events include the grand opening and dedication
of the University Union, open houses and tours,
concert series and the gala, which honors excellence
in teaching, student success and notable alumni.
One of the milestones of a more
sustainable
campus
is
nearly
impossible to miss: Apogee Stadium.
Not only is it home to the Mean Green
football team, but it’s also been awarded
the highest level in Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design.
Green isn’t just a school color, but a
North Texas lifestyle. But UNT, much
like its students, excels at more than
just this.
Thousands of musicians have flocked
to North Texas to participate in a 70year tradition of musical excellence. In
1946, jazz studies, the first of its kind in
the nation, began under the direction
of Gene Hall. The program has since
contributed to the music school’s rise
to No. 1 in the nation, producing many
Grammy Award-winning alumni.
While UNT takes pause to celebrate
the past and present, eyes must be on
the future too, so that the school can
grow and flourish and continue its
tradition of excellence.
“I’m incredibly proud of this
institution,” Dr. Smatresk said. “And I
know if President Chilton [UNT’s first
president] were here with me today, he
would be proud of what we’ve become
as well.”
QUICK FACTS
1890 - UNT founded as Texas Normal College
and Teacher Training Institute by President
Joshua C. Chilton. First classes on Sept. 16 over
a hardware store on the Denton town square.
1907 - The colors “green and white” were
listed as the official colors. To honor
that idea, this tartan plaid was created to
commemorate UNT’s 125th anniversary.
1900’s
1890’s
1891 - Land for campus donated by
The Syndicate, a group of 10 Denton
businessmen. The location was
narrowly approved due to being so far
out of town. The first campus building,
Normal Building, was later struck by
lightning in 1907 and burned down,
but the Spirit Bell survived.
12
DENTON LIVE
1919 - The first official bachelor’s degrees (B.A. in education - with
language required - and B.S. in education - with no language
requirement) were granted. (The first master’s degrees were not awarded
until 1936.)
1910’s
1916 - The student newspaper, The Campus Chat, began weekly
publication. It became the North Texas Daily in 1970.
1920’s
1922 - The Alma Mater “Glory
to the Green and White” was
composed and the eagle was
selected as the mascot.
1946 - Jazz studies program in the country was formed.
The curriculum was proposed in the Master’s thesis of
Gene Hall.
ALL NAME INCARNATIONS:
1890-94 Texas Normal College and Teacher
Training Institute
1894-1901 North Texas Normal College
1901-23 North Texas State Normal College
1923-49 North Texas State Teachers College
1949-61 North Texas State College
1961-88 North Texas State University
1988-present University of North Texas
1940’s
First enrollment: 70 students
Current enrollment: 36,000 students
1949 - The Memorial Student Union, the first
permanent Union building on campus, was dedicated.
First graduate majors offered: biology, chemistry,
economics, home economics, physical and
health education, English, government, history,
mathematics, Spanish, elementary education,
secondary education and school administration.
Current majors offered: 99 undergraduate,
83 Master’s, 36 doctoral programs
First president: Joshua C. Chilton
First dormitory: Marquis Hall
First African-American student: A. Tennyson
Miller (1954)
DENTON LIVE
13
JAZZ IT UP
Story by Kaitlin Bresette
Photos by Chris Demers
It hits you like a wave when you walk
into Denton’s Quakertown Park – a sensory overload – music fills your ears,
arts and crafts fill your eyes. And then
there’s all that food. You can taste the
smoky hickory barbecue and sugary
funnel cakes just by smelling them. You
come for the jazz and arts, but even the
food leaves an everlasting impact on
Denton Arts & Jazz Festival goers.
Terry Nobles is the current President
of the Denton Festival Foundation, Inc.,
a non-profit organization that produces
the annual Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. The organization has a 35-member
Board of Trustees, 2 two paid staff, 400
members and 250 sponsors that contribute financial support to maintain the
free event.
“I would recommend that festival
goers go to the guy that does the kettle corn and make sure you get a gyro
at one of the great places,” Terry said.
“Try one of the beers from the beer wall
too. Then find some shade and sit down
for a while, enjoy your food and your
drink, and select a band or artist that
you’d like to see.”
Terry said. “Just to see how much fun
they were having.”
Terry has been working as a volunteer
for the festival for the past 15 years. He
worked in the hospitality tent at the Jazz
Stage, the main stage for headliners,
showing up an hour before the festival
opens each morning and not leaving
until an hour after it closes – roughly 16
to 18 hours per day. Among his favorites to work with over the years are Al
Jarreau and the Blues Brothers, because
of the way they interact with their fans.
“Al Jarreau was amazing,” Terry said.
“He went down and sat at a table and
signed autographs until the last person
left at 11:30 p.m. The original Blues
Brothers – those guys were totally
amazing.”
Of course, this being Texas, you
can’t go 25 years without occasionally
experiencing inclement weather during
the two and half day weekend event. The
2015 Arts and Jazz Festival experienced
the worst weather in the history of the
festival, according to Terry. There was
JUST THE FACTS
What: Denton Arts & Jazz
Festival
When: April 29 - May 1, 2016
Hours: Friday: 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
A devoted fan of the festival, Terry,
his wife and two children attended their
very first Denton Arts and Jazz Festival
in 1991, after moving to Denton from
Baton Rouge a year prior. At that time,
the festival was significantly smaller
than it is today, having roughly 12,000
people in attendance. An event bringing
together musicians, local artists, vendors and children’s activities captivated
the Nobles. Both children were still in
strollers, but it didn’t keep them from
having fun or making fond memories.
“One of my great memories is with
my kids when they were little, going
into the Children’s Art Tent and giving
them a hammer and nails and letting
them put wood together and paint it,”
14
DENTON LIVE
Headliners:
Patrice Rushen & Friends
(Friday, April 29, 9:00 p.m.)
The Flatlanders
(Saturday, April 30, 9:00 p.m.)
Brave Combo
(Sunday, May 1, 7:00 p.m.)
Features: 3,000+ musicians
7 stages
350+ artisans
7 food courts
Children’s area
Parking: Anywhere around the
park grounds
Arts & Jazz Festival provides yearly
final hurrah for One O’Clock Lab Band
Story by Lorena Gonzalez
Photo by Gillian Murphy
so much rain the week of the festival
that the festival grounds were a muddy
mess. But the show went on regardless,
with fans nary noticing or caring.
“We pulled together,” Terry said. “We
all put on rain boots and ponchos and
just kept going. You know, it’s when
people pull together that it’s always a
lot of fun.”
“It is three days of fun,
art, music, food and
family – all things that
make Denton great.”
- Carol Short, Executive Director of the Denton
Festival Foundation
Terry sees himself as a natural host,
whether it’s at his home or his business,
so setting up for the event is no different
than prepping his home to welcome
guests.
“To me, we’re fixing up the tents and
trying to look at this like we’re inviting
them into our living room,” Terry said.
“We want to make sure everything’s
there and everybody gets what they
need – everybody gets served properly.”
Attending the Arts & Jazz Festival
is not just Terry’s once-a-year job,
although volunteering takes up about
75 to 85 hours per year. His children,
now 26 and 27 years old, look forward
to the festival like many are eager
for Christmas and Thanksgiving. It’s
become a family tradition. One they
wouldn’t miss for the world.
For more information and for sponsorship opportunities,
visit dentonjazzfest.com.
The smell of rain is fading into the
Friday night spring air. Conversations
are lighthearted despite the fact that the
crowd stands huddled together and
mired in the muddy, grassy area facing a
large performance stage. Nearing the 7:00
p.m. hour, the gathered audience eagerly
awaits the next act.
The band and audience are still,
anticipating the first song. Suddenly
the music explodes off the stage, the
musicians playing fast out of the gate
like a runaway freight train. Trumpets
and saxophones trail after each other,
swiftly changing notes darting and
swirling around one another. Overhead
the stage lights illuminate performers and
instruments, spilling off the edge into the
front rows of the audience. Wide-eyed, the
crowd is hooked. The music speeds on as
men, women and children of all ages try
to keep time by swaying, nodding, even
hopping and dancing in the mud. The
One O’Clock Lab Band is off and running
with “Things to Come,” a jazz piece once
played by Dizzy Gillespie in 1968.
The One O’Clock Lab Band has been
the top jazz ensemble from UNT’s storied
jazz program and music school for 67
years. The band has won numerous
major awards including seven Grammy
nominations. Every year they play the
Denton Arts & Jazz Festival along with
the other eight UNT jazz bands. The lab
bands are named in numerical order
by the clock, starting from the top One
O’Clock all the way to Nine O’Clock.
A highly anticipated part of Arts & Jazz
Festival is Lab Band Madness. Starting
Saturday at 1 p.m., the UNT Jazz Bands
perform every hour in reverse order from
the Nine O’Clock to the One O’Clock,
Saturday night’s highlight.
John Sturino, a UNT senior drummer,
will be playing with the One O’Clock
Lab band for the first time at this year’s
festival. John appreciates the great honor
of playing for one of the best college jazz
bands in the country.
“It’s people that I like to make music
with,” John said. “I’ve known the people
that I have been playing with for so long, I
know stuff about them musically. I know
that the bass player will play a certain
way and that the trumpet player will play
a certain way.”
Jay Saunders, the current lab director,
has been to the Denton Arts & Jazz
Festival since the festival was first called
Spring Fling. His wife has also been
involved over the years as a volunteer for
festival vendors.
“The other thing that’s a lot of fun for the
jazz students, it’s the fact that it is the last
concert of the year,” Jay said. “It gives the
students a chance to all get together and
mingle. It’s a great feeling of community.
They all listen to everybody and the other
bands.”
Jay was a member of the One O’Clock
Lab Band, graduating in 1968. Jay joined
the Army during the Vietnam War and
was the lead trumpet player in their band
for three years. He also went on two tours
with the Stan Kenton Orchestra before
returning to UNT to earn his Master’s
degree.
Since then, Jay has been involved with
Jazz in some way, performing in and
around the Dallas-Fort Worth area and
sharing his expertise as a professor at
several colleges around North Texas.
He’s now going on his second year as the
director of the One O’Clock Lab band,
continuing the legacy of UNT’s top band.
The
band
continually
performs
throughout the year and raises money in
fundraisers, such as performing with the
Dallas Symphony Orchestra last year for
a Cancer Blows Concert at the Meyerson
Symphony Center. They’ve also been
around, including performances at the
White House and trips all around the
world: Europe, Japan, Thailand and soon
Australia.
Catch the One O’Clock Lab Band, along with the other UNT
jazz bands, at this year’s Arts & Jazz Festival on Saturday,
April 30, 2016.
DENTON LIVE
15
FROM POINT A
TO POINT B
AND EVERYWHERE
IN BETWEEN
A-train Commuter Rail
Connect Bus Service
Connect RSVP
Access Service
Regional Connections
Campus Connections
Commuter Vanpools
A-train Rail Trail
Discounted Pass Programs
Big Smiles & Open Arms
Denton greeting extends beyond a quick
‘hello’ at Downtown Denton Welcome Center
Story by Aimy Smith
Photos by Alex Lilley
“Wow, I had no idea all this stuff
was going on!”
This city is a cornucopia of sights,
sounds, tastes and smells sure to fill
just about any imaginable craving.
Around every corner are opportunities
to expand your physical, mental and
spiritual self. Old homes converted
into shops and workplaces bring a
revitalized vibe to neighborhoods.
The city celebrates music through
small, intimate stages in cozy coffee
shops and spirited bars to big festivals
filling several city blocks. Mom-andPop businesses are the norm and the
preferred here. This is Denton, and
people from all over visit to experience
first-hand the hype about Denton’s
unique and quirky character. Yet even
some life-long residents haven’t fully
grasped what about Denton is truly
original and independent. And many
folks are still surprised to find what
all there is to offer here.
It has been a long time in the
works, but in early 2016, the Denton
Convention and Visitors Bureau
(CVB) will finally open the Discover
16
DENTON LIVE
Denton Welcome Center to connect
people to the Denton experience.
It was originally an idea from the
2012 graduating class of Leadership
Denton, a learning experience for
leaders living or working in the
Denton area. For their class project,
they developed a plan to enhance
Denton visitors’ interaction in the
city. The CVB embraced the plan and
is bringing it to life in the downtown
square, the very heart of Denton.
“In Denton we take all we have for
granted and think that it’s obvious
to everyone, but it’s really not,” said
Kim Phillips, CVB Vice President.
This center should not be confused
with the typical visitors’ center filled
with brochure racks. The Discover
Denton Welcome Center will go far
beyond pictures in a pamphlet and
be an essential, entertaining guide.
Extraordinary Dentoning experts will
counsel visitors, custom designing
the Denton experience, passion by
passion, person by person.
Ask them about places to eat, familyfriendly adventures around town,
where to find new art or vintage
merchandise, or who carries Abba
Zabbas or Dark Horse comics. Get into
the college town atmosphere as you
browse the tables of UNT and TWU
merchandise. And don’t forget to hit
the sampling stations for food and
drinks from neighboring businesses
such as Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned
Ice Cream and Jupiter House Coffee.
Then there’s the video wall, where nine
individual flat-screens fit together into
one big screen. Sometimes the wall is
an electronic current events bulletin
board of events happening in town.
Other times the individual screens
stream live feeds from different
stages at festivals held in town, all
aired simultaneously. The viewing
options are endless and help bring all
of Denton to life during a visit to the
welcome center.
It’s not some generic tourist trap
of T-shirts and over-priced mini
snow globes. This welcome center
focuses on the authenticity of the
community through its partnership
with
the
Denton
Independent
Makers Exchange, or DIME Store.
The Welcome Center will be a second
location to DIME’s little shop off
Locust Street, which carries the work
of more than 200 local artists and
collectors. On certain days, an artisan
is present to demonstrate how some
of these crafts are made, so visitors
can experience first-hand the personal
artistry that goes into creating the
merchandise. They can leave with
something that captures a unique piece
of Denton.
Avid listeners of Internet-based
DentonRadio.com are also in for a
treat. The whole front window of
the building will be replaced with
solid glass and a part of the glass will
extend inside to create an in-house
radio studio. Jake Laughlin, creator of
DentonRadio.com and now manager
of the Welcome Center, plans to secure
talent for the studio space and have
radio personalities spinning records,
talking about Denton, and more. Even
onlookers from the sidewalk will be
able to see and hear the DJs, listening
to live performances through speakers.
Though the center plans to open its
doors in early 2016, there is already
talk of expansion. Golden Triangle Mall
approached the CVB about establishing
a satellite Welcome Center in the mall.
The new Rayzor Ranch Town Center, on
the south side of West University Drive,
is another prospective site. Both sites
will distribute Dentoning information,
but the merchandising aspect will be
unique to the downtown location for
the foreseeable future.
The Discover Denton Welcome Center
will not only be a great opportunity for
growing tourism and business revenue
but also for inspiring people to get out
and explore their beloved city.
Discover Denton Welcome Center partners showcased
merchandise during the 2015 Holiday Lighting Festival
on December 4, 2015. (Photo by Kim Phillips)
FEATURES OF THE NEW
DISCOVER DENTON
WELCOME CENTER
• Brochures
• Information about
local establishments
• UNT and TWU
merchandise for sale
• Sampling stations
for local food and
beverages
• Video wall with
nine flat screen TVs,
showing events
around town
• Consignment shop
with DIME Store
• DentonRadio.com
radio station
DENTON LIVE
17
guess who’s
coming to Denton?
Story by Denisha McKnight
Photos by Will McQueen
DENTON BLACK FILM FESTIVAL BRINGS
‘RICH, COLORFUL EXPERIENCE’ TO TOWN
A
rush of people fill the basement of the Grand United
Order of Odd Fellows lodge, scrambling about
looking for friends and places to sit. The basement is
packed wall-to-wall with people ranging from adults
to young children hurriedly getting settled. Its time for the
show to start.
On stage, a traveling troupe of African-American actors
enters the room and performs dramatic pieces for the Denton residents. The delighted
crowd roars its approval before a spool-wounded roll of
film is cranked into a camera,
turning the basement into a
1920s Hollywood movie theater. Images move and flicker across the wall serving as
a makeshift screen, allowing
everyone to forget about their
problems and relax in the
comfort of community created
by the shared joy of watching
a movie.
This is part of Denton’s past
involving cinema and black
culture. In the 1920s traveling
troupes provided such entertainment to the Denton African-American community
known then as Quakertown,
establishing and holding a
community together through
seemingly simple amusements. Denton’s historical
cinema roots run deep, sprouting todays community-driven
movie event called The Denton Black Film Festival. This festival attracts everyone from filmheads to regular people, showcasing different aspects of black culture through the integration of visual arts. Like Quakertown’s community movies, the
Denton Black Film Festival celebrates a culture by drawing
people together through entertainment.
There weren’t any black film festivals in the Denton area, so
the film festival committee has tried to bring a “rich, colorful
experience to the community,” said Mesha, the festival’s
Special Projects coordinator. “Its job is to attract independent
filmmakers and an audience looking for great independent
films.”
The festival shows a medley of movies ranging from
independent award-winning feature films, documentaries
and shorts produced by independent filmmakers from around
the world, along with submissions from local high school and
college students. The festivals major sponsor is the AfricanAmerican Scholarship Foundation, a 31-year-old non-profit
organization that awards scholarships to high school students
in the Denton area.
Last year, the film festival opened to a full house at the
Campus Theater. A diverse audience watched every film,
popcorn in hand, smiles lit up by the theater’s bright screen.
After viewing films such as 2013 British period piece Belle and
the critically acclaimed independent film Dear White People,
attendees were able to en-joy a Q&A session with Texas actress
Irma P. Hall, widely known for her roles in movies such as
Ladykillers (2004) and Soul Food (1997).
OPENING CREDITS
This year, the film festival will incorporate more artistic
elements. There will be an art exhibit at UNT on the Square for
the month of January featuring the works of Annette Lawrence,
a visual arts professor from UNT.
There will be a pre-festival art and music event at the
Patterson-Appleton Center for the Visual Arts on January 23rd
which will include a children’s program in the morning and
free films. Artists’ works will feature paintings, metal and
It began as a small spark in the mind of Denton Black Film
Festival Chairman Harry Eaddy after a night out with his wife
at a local film festival two years ago. Not long after, the fire
spread to fellow Denton Black Film Festival organizers Mesha
George and Cheylon Brown.
18
DENTON LIVE
Filmmakers Coy L. Poitier and Jacolby Percy answer
questions following a screening of their film, “Cowboys in
Color” at the 2015 Denton Black Film Festival.
wood works and sculptures. A variety of music including
reggae, hip hop, R&B, jazz and fusion will also be featured
during the exhibit.
Other activities during the 3-day event will include a Gospel
Brunch, spoken word showcases, submissions from their
film competition, interpretative dance and a night dedicated
to Irma P. Hall, where she will be receiving a Lifetime
Achievement Award for her vast body of work throughout
her career as a mentor, poet and visual artist for more than
30 years.
The event places a huge emphasis on building a community
based on partnership through its many collaborations with
other local establishments such as the Greater Denton Art
Council, UNT, TWU, the Denton Public Library, the Denton
Black Chamber of Commerce and more.
FESTIVAL EVENTS
Art Exhibit: January 6 - February 2, 2016
Pre-Film Festival Event: January 23, 2016
Irma P. Hall Lifetime Achievement Award
Award-Winning Films
Tribute to Gospel Music
Spoken Word
Music Venues
according to James Martin, the festivals Artistic Director.
Award-winning filmmaker Coy Poitier, Vice President of
“[We’re] making sure to create something thats going to be Nu Reel Entertainment, believes black film festivals are the
valuable and worthwhile to the community to fulfill our goal, fountainheads that allow filmmakers of all races to showcase
which is to entertain, educate and inspire,” Mesha said.
their art and educate viewers on the multidimensional
Denton has become a melting pot over the years, and Den- structure of black culture. African-American stories aren’t
ton African-American events, such as
the most popular and are often not
the Denton Black Film Festival, build
portrayed properly by mainstream
on the foundation laid by Denton
media. Through black film festivals,
black history. Denton black culture
spectators get the chance to accurately
is sprouting into a fruitful existence
see black narratives.
that stretches beyond its Quakertown
“We have to find a way to create
roots, and there is more to Denton
[an] industry for ourselves,” Coy
Harry Eaddy,
black culture than people realize.
said. “Media plays a huge role in how
Chairman,
Denton
Black Film Festival
Through cinema, the festival coordipeople see us, and until we’re able to
nators hope to screen many faces that
control the way we are viewed in film,
aren’t often seen. The festival is com[people] are going to continue seeing
mitted to changing perceptions. us that way.”
“There’s so many aspects that make [African-Americans]
The focus of the film festival’s camera lens goes far beyond
whole people that are very often not portrayed or those [films] what the festival can do for the African-American community,
aren’t the commercially successful films that people want to but what it can do for all cultures in Denton. Through the
see,” Mesha said. “They might see us as the sidekick in the compelling content exhibited, the festival organizers aim
film, but what about the generous side, the relationship, [or] to give all people a glimpse into a culture that is uniquely
different. the loving side?”
EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, INSPIRE
“The film festival
can change lives.”
From left to right: Georgette Taylor, Irma P. Hall, Mesha George and Gigi Johnson
at the 2015 Festival. Irma P. Hall will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at
the 2016 festival on January 29.
COMING TO THE STAGE!
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
“The film festival can change lives,” Harry said. Black cinema can be the bridge closing the gap between
Denton’s diverse cultures. Black visual arts can cross
any boundary and intertwine multiple cultures together,
The Denton Black Film Festival will run January 29-31 at the Campus Theater on 214
W. Hickory St. Ticket prices are $7-10, and people will be able to pay for individual,
day and all-access passes online on their website, www.dbff.com
DENTON LIVE
19
When the smoke clears
Story by Kati Walker
Photos by Mach Point One Aviation
Annual Denton Airshow brings
aerobatic fun to Enterprise Airport
T
he engine hum turns into a roar as the beast comes
to life. A giant swoosh of wind can be heard from the
cockpit as the pilot comes online, signaling air control
that she is ready to take flight. Her heart’s pounding
is the only sound she can hear over the engines’ growing
crescendo. Then the day’s most exciting three words are
shouted into her headset: “Ready for takeoff!”
Up in the air pilots focus on every gauge, every movement of
their planes and every maneuver they make as they attempt
death-defying stunts. They’re sole masters of their craft and
over their own well-being. The wrong flick of the wrist or shift
in wind direction can be disastrous. But they are focused. The
rush of adrenaline and resistance of gravity hit as they pull
back on the yoke and fly straight up into their next tailslide.
On the ground, the aerobatic planes’ buzz high above the
tarmac is much quieter. The crowd is oblivious to the violent
activity in the cockpits, the buffeting of the planes and the
G-forces on the pilots. Here the loudest sounds are the laughter
and chatter of the audience and the chorus of oohs and ahhs
filling the air as they watch the planes in the sky. Like any
show, the details comprising a good performance are lost on
the spectators.
The Denton Airshow is a popular event drawing audience
members from all over the state, country and even the world.
The pilots are also from diverse backgrounds – some are private
pilots while others fly military aircraft every day – but they all
come together in Denton for the shared love of aerobatics.
“When we get together, it’s like a big family reunion,” said
Amanda Addington, director of media relations for the Denton
Airshow. “I used to cook, and everyone would be in the kitchen,
helping and hanging out, like family. It’s something neat.”
“Pilots have never met a stranger,” Amanda continues. “When
a pilot meets another pilot, they are immediately friends. It’s
like two long-lost brothers meeting for the first time.”
Last year the airshow community lost one of its long-time
pilots and friends, Andrew Wright, in an airplane accident that
occurred during practice. They pulled together, reaching out
and offering support even though they usually only see each
other once a year.
“After flying so many times, you’re eventually going to have
20
DENTON LIVE
something happen. The difference is how they handle the
situation when put under that kind of pressure,” Amanda said.
“If everyone stopped doing what they loved when something
happened, no one would do anything. He [Andrew]would
never want any of us to stop flying. That’s the last thing he
would want.”
Despite the imminent danger in flying planes and
maneuvering aerobatics, pilots can’t imagine doing anything
else. And for the Denton Airshow crowd, their main goal is to
put on a good performance and maybe even inspire a young
person to pursue a career in aviation.
Kate Kyer, another pilot from last year’s show, said her
motivation to fly comes from the children she inspires to
follow in her footsteps.
“First of all, it’s fun! It also allows me to share my love of
aviation with anyone interested in flying,” Kate said. “In this
male-dominated field, I especially want the little girls out there
watching my show to know they can do this too, if that’s their
dream.”
The sense of community is also a reason why the pilots love
coming to Denton and participating in the airshow. They
like the small-town feel here – something that extends to the
spectators too, where pilots and fans mingle.
“My experience at the Denton Airshow has always been
wonderful,” Kate said. “I’ve flown it several times. The
organizers take excellent care of the performers and provide a
fantastic experience in the perfect venue for attendees.”
Another group of pilots is the Falcon Flight group. The
aircraft they fly are classified as “experimental,” meaning they
were not factory-assembled. In fact, most are built by hand.
“Our team is a precision-formation demonstration team—
think ‘Blue Angels’ without all of the aerobatics,” said Ron
Walker, one of the pilots for Falcon Flight. “My favorite
[maneuver] is flying in my position with enough stability and
precision that we all can look good.”
The Denton Airshow happens every Father’s Day weekend at
the Denton Enterprise Airport, located off Airport Road about
5 miles from Interstate 35. The airport has hosted the airshow
for almost 15 years and has been a working airport since 1942.
Though smaller than international airports, Denton’s Enterprise
Airport has the eighth busiest runway in Texas for takeoffs and
landings, and is the perfect venue for this thrilling event.
In the past vendors would set up
away from the tarmac but recently have
moved to the center of the action. This
way, patrons don’t have to look away
from the jaw-dropping performances
to order some delicious barbecue or
fried cheese on a stick.
The pilots also take extra time to
connect with audiences while in town.
They host a breakfast the morning
before the airshow for fans to meet and
greet the pilots. Last year some of the
pilots gave a demonstration for the kids
at the Parks and Recreation’s Summer
Day Camp. Gracie Cabrales was one of
the lucky kids to participate.
“It was awesome getting to see the
equipment and how they work,” Gracie
said. “They were so fun and nice too.”
Landing gear jutting out, the planes
make a swift descent until their wheels
contact the tarmac. The screech and
smell of burning rubber signal the
end of another successful flight. Still
amped-up on adrenaline, the pilots
scramble out of their planes and are
greeted by the cheers of the excited
audience. Taking a bow, all the pilots
can think about is the next time they’ll
take off.
Kevin is elated.
Growing up in the ’90s, what attracts Kevin to vinyl is,
“the sound, the art and the beauty of it,” he said. Personally
amassing a hefty collection ranging from hip-hop, indie, to
German experimental prog-rock – Kevin’s love for vinyl is
deep.
Today, he is visiting Mad World for the first time with his
girlfriend and fellow music lover, Caroline. He describes
listening to vinyl as something “romantic – something I like
to do to relax at home, even study to.” For Kevin, events like
Record Store Day are well deserving of hype and anticipation.
“Granted, I didn’t grow up listening to vinyl, but there is a
difference between what I hear in my car to what I can hear at
home from my records. There’s a feel behind it that I get a lot of
enjoyment from. It’s hard to put into words,” he said.
At Mad World you can find rare gems like original pressings
of artists ranging from King Crimson to Neu! as well as more
commonly found artists like The Who or The Beatles. The store
Photo by Diana Elijah
The Comforts of Madness
for him,” he said.
Burke’s relationship with music doesn’t stop with having a
huge personal collection of vinyl. It goes deeper. Having been
in a number of punk bands and working at music stores since
he was a teenager, Burke has a deep understanding of music,
which puts Mad World above the rest. This worldliness and
experience also allow Burke to actualize a DIY philosophy
running his shop, noticeable the minute you step through the
door. The end result is inspiring.
Story by Frank Franco
Photos by Diana Elijah and Frank Franco
M
ark Burke is rushed. Surrounding him are small neat
stacks of CDs on one side, and records flowing out
of cardboard boxes on the other. He is overwrought
with things to do, with more stacks waiting to be
sorted behind the counter. He looks at the time, moving fast – so
fast that if you blinked too long you’d swear the shelves were
stocking themselves.
It’s 11:00 a.m. at Mad World Records, and with the sound of
keys accompanying Mark’s steps the place goes from “Sorry,
we’re closed,” to “Yes, we’re open.” It’s in these brief moments
as he walks back from unlocking the door that he’s finally able
to relax. He is now ready for his guests of honor: his customers.
This morning ritual is a daily routine for the scruffy, hat-andglasses-wearing 42-year old, but today is special. For today is
Record Store Day, the one day out of the entire year celebrating
not just stores like Mark’s, but music lovers everywhere.
Since 2007, on the third Saturday of April, music aficionados
around the world gather to salute vinyl – a format once written
off after the emergence of the cassette, CD and MP3.
Within the soft yellow walls of Mad World, posters and records
Once an extinct contemporary of ’50s-era clips of American decorate the shop. Shelves not only feature records from Frank
Bandstand, the reemergence of vinyl has been quite remarkable. Sinatra and Bob Dylan, but also share the space with action
In fact, it was recently announced that vinyl is not only back but figures like He-Man and Godzilla. Campy to some, nostalgia to
stands as the top-selling audio format of choice.
others, the concocted atmosphere invites visitors to please their
“The whole idea of Record Store Day is really just about ears no matter what the format. Whether it’s wax or plastic, it’s
bringing the whole community together,” said employee all here.
Bailey Lewis. Working at the store for a couple of years, he is
One cannot only find a wide selection of rock, indie, jazz, and
a music junkie and avid supporter of Record Store Day.
hip- hop, but notable up-and-coming acts from the local circuit
Bailey credits his parents for getting him into music and relates as well. A listening station sits ready to give visitors something
that the fanaticism for vinyl can only be attributed to how we are new to check out. After all, Denton is a music town.
taught to value music.
“There is no such thing as bad music,”
For Mark, the topic of handing down
Mark said. “You can have a 10-year-old girl
music is not something cliché or unfamiliar,
get way more excited about the new Taylor
but rather something he finds himself
Swift album than a 25-year old would get
currently experiencing as he talks about his
about a new Radiohead album coming out.
five-year-old son, Wren.
That’s positive energy that you can’t ignore
“He’s
musical.
He
just
started
and want to cater to.
kindergarten, but he’s always picked the
“Honestly, what I focus on is what the
weirdest songs,” Mark laughs. He lights
neighborhood
wants the most – because
Mark Burke
up explaining his son’s favorite songs–
that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to
favorites like the Ghostbusters theme song
make the neighborhood happy,” he said.
and Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name.” “He goes for the “Sure, it’s my creative outlet, but it’s for the community. I sell
more pop-driven stuff, which is understandable, since he’s a what the community wants.”
kid. But when he gets older and into his own music, I think it’ll
Kevin Ryan, a student at UNT, couldn’t be happier about that.
be safe to let go of some of the stuff that I’ve been hanging onto He eagerly approaches the checkout counter to ask about a
record not stocked in the shelves. Informing him that the record
22 DENTON LIVE
will arrive later in the week, Mark offers to hold a copy for him.
“There is no
such thing as
bad music.”
-
Mayborn Conference Ad Half-Page.pdf 1 11/18/2015 3:20:51 PM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
buys and sells used records, which make up a third of their
inventory. You can also find gently used DVDs, memorabilia
like buttons, and CDs and cassettes, which have also recently
made a comeback.
Visitors come and go, one after the other, letting noise from
outside add to sound of the music playing inside. Some come
in to buy, while others come in just to look, attracted by the
décor that Mark and staff exhibit so well. It’s like a miniature
Rock ‘n’ Roll museum, decked out a teenager’s bedroom.
Soon after the shop closes, with Mark and his employees well
prepared for the day ahead.
THE DAY OF…
It’s 6:30 a.m. Across the Denton County Courthouse-onthe-Square, before the dew of morning grass, figures in
sweaters wearing backpacks and carrying packable lawn
chairs are seating themselves in front of the store. Every 15
minutes or so more people trickle in doing the same.
“Guess, I won’t be the first one in line,” said a boy of 17, as
he approaches what is now a line of four people.
“Sorry,” said the slightly older guy in front, comfortably
reclining in his lawn chair. They both laugh, with the boy
pulling out his phone as he sits down on the sidewalk.
Hours pass, with the line grown to a dozen people. Talk
about favorite records, concerts attended and musicians
excites the people waiting, setting the mood for record
shopping. This fandom is rare but not forgotten, reminiscent
of the days when people used to camp out for concert
tickets, the age before the MP3 and online shopping. This is
a congregation of music lovers.
Record Store Day will be Saturday, April 16th. It is an
all-ages affair, welcoming everyone and anyone who
appreciates the cultural exchange that happens through
music. The local record store is back!
“EXPECT
THE WEIRD”
Story by Samantha Sullivan
Photos by Ian Clark
Experience Secondhand Rose and her costumes
Rose Costumes
Secondhand clothes
That’s why they call me
Secondhand Rose
Even our piano in the parlor
Daddy bought for ten cents on the dollar
Secondhand pearls
I’m wearing secondhand curls
24
DENTON LIVE
“These costumes
are my children,
because I create
these things and
put my heart into
them.”
“I want people to feel inspired when they
come in,” Judy said. To be able to touch, see
and feel these costumes is what she really
enjoys people doing while in her shop. “These
costumes are my children, because I create
these things and put my heart into them.”
Anything you ever wanted to be on Halloween, in a parade or in a theater performance
fill the many racks of material creativity. The
funny thing is that Halloween isn’t even Judy’s favorite time of year – it’s one-act play
season.
On an average day, you might hear the
laughter of local theater kids trying on their
custom-made ensembles for the play they
have been rehearsing. During their fittings
(in six different themed rooms) with Rose’s
helpful staff, they giggle and get into character wishing they could leave their costume on
a little longer.
“Do I really need to take it off already?” one
teenage boy protests as everyone laughs.
“Once we put them in a costume, we see
them start singing and doing their lines better
and walking the way they’re supposed to, all
because they’re in the costume,” Judy said.
If there is one thing Judy hopes people take
away from her shop, it is inspiration and creativity. Her employees are imagineers just as
she is. One question on her job application is,
“What did you dress up for last year on Halloween?” She wants to see what they can do
with things they’d normally throw away. Just
as Judy has done with all of her costumes.
Take a tour through
the storied history
of Denton’s heroic
firefighters!
T
he outside looks like an old grocery store building with
its beige stucco and Alamo arches on top. Even the big
red lettering reads “Rose Costumes,” “Make-Up” and
“Theatrical Accessories” doesn’t look like much – from
the outside. As you enter through the doors, you escape the
ordinary and step foot into a creative warehouse filled with
thousands of theatrical-themed rooms that serve as a home to
hand-stitched costumes.
The ceiling is black and ordinary like in any office building,
except for the chickens. The ones nailed to the ceiling guiding
you to the back of the store.
But before you get there, you’ll pass a massive ship identical
to the Black Pearl in Pirates of the Caribbean. It nearly touches
the ceiling and is topped with a skeleton mermaid. In and
around it are countless handmade pirate hats dangling from
a chain hooked up to the ceiling along with boots stacked into
the Black Pearl and costumes hanging on nearby circular racks.
It all looks like it came straight from the movie set.
If you can pull yourself away from the ship, you’ll find several
other theatrical worlds within Rose Costumes. Just a few steps
away, enter the world of Sweeney Todd’s Barber Shop in Victorian London. The room is extremely authentic to the movie
set and you swear Johnny Depp mustn’t be too far away. There
light blue dress with patterned stitches of
a red bandana that was hand-sewn herself
and likely found at one of the many
garage sales she attends weekly. She can
visit up to 25 in one Saturday.
The only clothes she wears are from
garage sales. The same is true for her
costumes,although you’d never know it.
“I’m a walking billboard for my store,”
Judy said. Sometimes the stuff she finds at
estate sales is better quality and unusual.
Worn out fabric that most would see as
undesirable is like finding gold for Judy.
“To me that shows it’s lived a life. It has
a history.”
Judy’s latest location is in the Stonehill
Center at 5800 I-35N. She outgrew her first
shop, named after the Barbara Streisand
song “Secondhand Rose,” which was on
Denton’s popular Fry Street, opened in
1976. Judy has now become synonymous
with the name Rose. On a typical day she
spends most of it at home, sewing each of
her costumes until about 2 p.m.
“My house is an extension of my store,
and it’s a creative outlet for me to do
things there that I can’t do here. It lets me
just go crazy with ideas.”
She’s well known by Denton residents,
and what makes her shop unique – other
than the fact that everything is hand
sewed and custom – is that she allows her
costumes to hang on the racks out in the
- Rose Costumes owner Judy Smith
open.
are bloodstains on the walls, sink and floors and the barber’s
chair perched onto the hardwood floor shares space with the
goods that will transform anyone into the Demon Barber of
Fleet Street.
Still, the silent rubber chickens beckon you to follow them. So
you do, into the Sherlock Holmes-themed restroom where a
piano plays music all by itself. You almost don’t know if you’re
where you’re supposed to be.
“Rose Costumes is an experience, not just a store,”said Judy
Smith, the owner.
n n n
Just as a green thumb describes skillful gardening, Judy has
the green thumb for the art of costuming. “Expect the weird,”
she said as she herself is decoratively dressed in a long striped
Learn about the amazing history of triumph, tragedy
and true local heroes. Explore the museum as you
honor our brave firefighters both past and present.
Open Weekdays 8a.m.–5p.m.
Located inside the Denton
Fire Department Headquarters
find out more at firefightermuseum.com
discoverdenton.com Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau
markers.
The neighborhood group is also in
the process of proposing newly drawn
historic district borders that will include
more historical landmarks around the
city. The district will expand from W.
Oak Street to near Denton High School,
which will protect more historic homes.
AN ARMY OF HISTORIANS
A PASSION FOR
PRESERVATION
Oak-Hickory
Historic District
provides look
back
The Vanns – Don and Dolores—are
both native Dentonites who have lived
in their olive green-roofed Georgianstyle two-story home since the ‘60s and
have seen the neighborhood change in
many ways.
Although her eyesight, hearing and
memory are now waning, Dolores’ love
for W. Oak Street is as strong as ever. She
tells of days long gone as her withered
fingers brush the original paintings
done by her dear friend Dorothy Bertine,
which line the pearly white walls of her
kelly-green-carpeted living room.
The houses, some of which are in those
paintings, are different sizes, styles and
colors, and they all have a different story to tell. Residents have spent years researching the history of their homes. The
smallest house on the street was home to
the first superintendent for the Denton
school district when the school was built
in 1924.
The Vann’s neighbors discovered
that there had once been a well in their
backyard into which a previous owner
had jumped trying to commit suicide.
A pair of brothers built two identical,
emerald-trimmed houses near Denton
High School. Owners a few more houses
down found out that a woman who
used to live there was once kidnapped
by Native Americans.
The Vanns, along with Randy and
Annette, were just a few loyal Dentonites
who decided the city’s history was worth
preserving. Starting in the mid-1980s,
Dorothy and Don worked closely with
Bertine and Bullitt Lowry to draw up the
plans for the new historic district.
“I have people
around me that
understand and
have the same
passions as I do.”
Annetta Ramsay, owner of the Christal Home
Dorothy contributed by documenting
the history of the homes through
photographs and paintings, including
several houses along W. Oak and
Hickory Streets. Bullitt recorded it all
and constructed the boundaries for the
historic district. He became chair of the
Denton County Historical Commission
in 1985 and was recognized by the
state as the best chair of a Texas county
historical commission in 1987.
A CHANCE TO MOVE FORWARD
“Historic preservation is not a club,”
Randy said. “If you’ve got an older house,
be proud of it, be part of something.”
There are officially 90 houses in the district, and Randy and his team of historians want to expand. They’re working on
getting the district on the National Park
Service’s Register of Historic Places. Being part of the National Register shows
that at least 75 percent of a district is
historically preserved. Unlike many other historical designations, being on the
National Register includes restrictions
on what can and cannot be done to residents’ properties.
Randy and his team are also working
on changing the district’s name from
Oak-Hickory Historical District to Denton Senior High Historical District to
make the neighborhood more inclusive.
Opening people’s minds, getting them
out of their own homes to interact with
their neighbors, and getting them all to
work together to preserve their neighborhood is something in which Randy
takes a lot of pride. He describes a conversation he heard between two neighbors who hadn’t seen in each other in
years:
“I didn’t know you lived on this street,”
a neighbor said one day.
“I thought you’d died,” the other
neighbor replied.
“Why would you say that?”
“Well, you’re never outside no more.
You never walk that dog.”
“Well, the dog died.”
“Just to hear them talk, you do everything you can not to laugh,” he said.
Story by Anjulie Van Sickle
Photos by Brittney Sodic
T
he bulldozer came in the night.
The castle-like turret fell. The
wraparound porch sunk into the
ground. The diamond-shaped
windows shattered. The widow’s walk,
the balconies, the chimneys all followed
suit. The century-old, three-story ivory
mansion that was once an eclectic
architectural marvel now lay in pieces
on the ground. Residents of West Oak
Street woke up one cool morning in
October 1978 to find a house that had
been standing since the late 19th century
in ruins.
A few months before, the house
was inherited by the son of long-time
Dentonite A.E. Graham. After taking
possession of the house from his father,
Graham sold it to the city. Weeks later,
the Graham House was destroyed and
replaced with a three-story, ashen gray
brick apartment building, inhabited ever
since by college students.
The Oak-Hickory Historic District,
which follows West Oak and Hickory
26
DENTON LIVE
Streets between Locust and Elm Streets,
was formed in 1985 to protect any more
historic homes from demolition.
A SLEEPY TOWN AWAKES
Randy Hunt and Annetta Ramsay have
lived in their salmon-colored, centuryold home since 1981. They became quick
friends with a couple across the street,
Don and Dolores Vann, after moving into
the neighborhood. The Vanns played a
significant role in the preservation of the
neighborhood after the demolition of the
homes in the late ‘70s.
“It’s creating a neighborhood—that’s
the whole thing,” Randy said.
Since Randy started trying to bring
neighbors together, people have gotten
to know each other. A small group of
neighbors on Pearl Street garden together.
Some neighbors help paint each other’s
homes.
In the past few years, W. Oak Street
residents have become more organized.
They’ve held and planned several
events. In the summer of 2014, Randy
and Annetta hosted an ice cream social.
They also organized a Home Tour for
Denton residents in December 2014 as a
fundraiser for the new street lamps that
illuminate W. Oak Street in a periodcorrect glow. “Celebrate Friends” took
place at a historic mansion on Pearl Street.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at
the Denton Courthouse-on-the-Square.
A Christmas Eve brunch was hosted at
the Christal House. These events helped
create a close neighborhood.
“I love our neighbors,” Annetta said. “I
think for the first time in my life I really
feel like I have people around me that
understand and have the same passions
as I do. They love old things. We really
have a great community.”
Randy is the program director for
the University of North Texas Law
Enforcement Analysis Portal. He works
full time for UNT but his part-time gig
is protecting homes within the OakHickory Historic District. He spends
many nights working late in his home
office overlooking the street, planning
events and helping different homeowners
receive historical designations and
James and Margret Christal were the original owners of the Christal Home, now
owned by Randy and Annetta.
Randy Hunt holds up a picture of the house that Mr. and Mrs. Christal
gave to their son, Bennett Woolery.
(from previous page) 811 West Oak Street, the home of Don and Dolores Vann, has stood on Oak Street since the early 19th century. The Vanns have lived here
for more than 50 years and have fought for historic preservation.
DENTON LIVE
27
Get in touch
Story & Photos By
Haley Kilman
MASSAGE THERAPY PROVIDES RELIEF FOR EVERYONE
“One, two, three, four, five...” The numbers roll off Amber stroking back and forth while the water fountain behind her
Briggle’s tongue like gently flowing water over river rocks. She calmly falls. The lighting is dim aside from a small lamp and the
sits in her chair looking at her company’s schedule for the week, light from the fountain.
Denton is known for being original and independent, and
counting how many patients her company sees in a day.
Candles, the relaxing smell of lavender and the calm and the locally based restaurants and shops share this spirit. Soma
massage loves this about Denton as well.
peaceful sound of a trickling water
Amber moved to Boulder, Colorado
fountain greet you as soon as you walk
with her husband so he could begin
in. The graceful flow of water is only
graduate school. While there, she applied
the beginning to the relaxing ambiance.
to one of the top massage therapy schools
Amber, a massage therapist and owner of
in the world and began her year-long
Soma Massage Therapy here in Denton,
Soma Massage Therapy
studies which consisted of more than
likes to create in her business. Even the
520 Malone St, Suite 119, Denton
1,000 hours of massage therapy training.
soothing tone of Amber’s voice adds to
(940) 536-8720
the peaceful demeanor of the massage
They lived together in Holland for three
years afterwards before finally settling
center. Her center has only been open for
down in Denton.
two years but has grown quickly in that
Davanti Salon.Spa
“I did not intend to be a business
short amount of time. Another room was
1800 S Loop 288, Suite 222, Denton owner though, because I’ve never taken
recently added and is expected to bring in
(940) 380-1196
a business class,” Amber said. ”I know
an extra 20 to 30 customers a week.
nothing about marketing, I don’t do HR
Massage therapy can mean many
or tech support, but apparently you have
things. It can include getting a deep
Denton Massage on the Square
to do all those things as a small business
tissue, Swedish, hot stone or even
(940) 898-8500
owner.”
prenatal treatment. It has also been
109 East Oak St, Suite 100, Denton
Being locally owned is significant to
known to help ease the pain of arthritis
Amber. She wants everyone to feel at
and fibromyalgia. Swedish massage is a
home and peaceful when they come for
general massage that’s based on different
Denton Massage
a treatment.
strokes loosening muscle tissue in any
(940) 383-5780
“What makes us different than a lot of
given area.
1720 Westminister, Denton
other places – because you can certainly
Soma Massage Therapy specializes in
get a good, relaxing massage, in a lot of
deep tissue work but offers hot stone and
places in Denton,” Amber said. “But
aromatherapy massages. Amber has also
made it a point that specific prenatal treatments are done so that there’s not a lot of places where you can get a good, relaxing
the comfort of the mother is always the first priority. There are massage that also will structurally change your body to make
also specialists at Soma who help with sports injuries, postural you balanced and healthier.”
The waiting room is dim and lit by the candles on the wall.
imbalances and other aches and ailments.
“Being able to fix the pain,” said Brandy, one of Soma’s Below the candles, a small bowl of water holds even smaller
massage therapists. “I mean, you walk in and I like being able to candles that help create a sense of peace within the room. From
do that for somebody.”
the moment customers enter and leave, their worries are left
Brandy’s hands move gracefully down her client’s back, outside the front door. Here, inside, there’s healing and relief.
CHECK OUT THESE
LOCAL SPAS
Photo from the Denton Community Market
DENTON LOVES LOCAL
Story by Sydney Wilburn
On Saturday mornings, the Denton
Community Market bustles with families and friends. Booths of different
shapes and sizes create a labyrinth of
handmade everything — from home
décor to food. Attendees browse the
booths leisurely while listening to a local
acoustic artist performing under a white
gazebo.
At the edge of the maze is a simple
white tent, filled with colorful merchandise. Blue, red and green T-shirts
flap in the wind and a rainbow assortment of koozies line the table. Handmade, rustic-looking mugs with the
Denton
Community Market
logo are proudly
displayed on the
white table cloth.
The man stands
behind the table,
smiling at passersby.
Behind
him, a large banner reads “Only
In Denton” in
bold,
colorful
letters.
Only In Denton
is an online directory of more than 400
local businesses. When he thought it up,
Scott Ballard’s mission was to promote
and bring awareness to local businesses
in Denton. Denton is a city that thrives
on creativity and residents take pride in
supporting local businesses. Through
Only In Denton, Scott cultivates and
shares Denton’s love of local with the
world.
“I realized that we live in a really cool
city and there’s a million things to do
and people to use for this type of stuff,”
Ballard said.
BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP
28
DENTON LIVE
Every morning at 6 a.m., Ballard visits
the locally-owned coffee shop Shift
Coffee. He picks up his drink and works
on Only In Denton business for about an
hour before heading to his full time job
in Flower Mound.
Only In Denton’s goal is to make it
easier for people in Denton to patronize
local businesses. As an online directory
with no brick-and-mortar business, they
spread this message mainly through
their merchandise—Only In Denton
shirts, mugs, stickers, and cozies. Ballard
said the next step in their business plan
is to draw more people to their website
and eventually to local businesses.
DENTON PRIDE
Locally-made goods shown from Only in Denton
and decor at the DIME Store. (Photos by Sydney
Wilburn)
“When I walk in here, Angelo could
literally have my drink ready,” Ballard
said, gesturing towards the barista
behind the counter. “He knows what
I want, he knows how I want it and he
knows what time I get here.”
Shift’s manager, Chase Record, is
behind the front counter making a
customer’s order. Like many university
students, Record came to Denton for an
education but ended up falling in love
with the city and built his life here after
graduating.
“It’s still a small town, even though
it feels big,” Record said, adjusting his
baseball cap. “I think as the students
fluctuate, it’s good to have that local
business base and the regular customer
base because that’s what keeps all the
people that stay here consistently alive.”
Denton’s vibe is unique and eclectic—
and its citizens are proud of it.
“You can’t manufacture the feeling
that the city has here—the people, the
Square, the courthouse—it’s something
that’s real special,” Eric “Emo” Hartman
said. Hartman, an Austin native, is the
VP of Operations at Barley and Board, a
recent dining addition to the Square.
Support for local businesses comes
from the relationship that business
owners have with their community,
customers, and each other.
“It’s a unique place where everyone
wants to support each other,” said
Shelley Christner, co-owner of the
DIME Store. “Denton wants to support
Denton.” The DIME Store features
over 50 local artists, selling a variety of
artwork and handcrafted goods.
LOVE AND SUPPORT
Paul Galloway stands behind the Only
In Denton booth on Saturday mornings,
sharing his passion for local Denton
businesses with Dentonites and visitors.
“People love the small businesses they
encounter here,” Galloway said, as two
customers approached the white tent,
intrigued by the colorful shirts they’ve
been seeing around town.
“And it doubles that you love the
business, you support the business, but it
also makes you feel that you’re pouring
back into the community of Denton,”
Galloway said.
DENTON LIVE
29
Calendar
» Stay and Play
January-June 2016
FESTIVALS
From dusk ‘till dawn, Denton’s hospitality team
will work to make your visit a memorable one!
Campus Theatre
January 15-24: The Lion In Winter
March 4-12: Into the Woods
April 8-17: Mary Poppins
May 6-14: In the Heights
June 10-19: Rumors
Center for Visual Arts
Feb. 5-April 1: Materials: Hard & Soft
April 15-June 5: VAST Merging Visions
May 5-July 29: Bob Chilton Photography
TWU Margo Jones Performance Hall
Feb. 24-28: In Love and Warcraft
April 13-17: The Triumph of Love
Photo by Ed Steele
January 29-13: Denton Black Film Festival, Campus Theatre
(page 21)
February 17-21: Thin Line Film Festival, Downtown Denton
March 10-13: Texas Storytelling Festival, Denton Civic
Center
March 11-13: 35 Denton, Downtown Denton
UNT Department of Dance and Theatre
April 21-30: The Merry Wives of Windsor
(at the DTFP Studio Theater)
UNT Murchison Performing Arts Center
April 7-10: UNT Opera: L’incoronazione di
Poppea by Monteverdi
Arts
April 23: Redbud Festival, Denton Civic Center
April 29-May 1: Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, Quakertown
Park (page 17)
May 14: Cinco de Mayo, Quakertown Park
Photo by Joy Estee
Markets & Other Events
April-Nov: Denton Community Market, every Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Denton County Historical Park
ACCOMMODATIONS
AMERICAS BEST VALUE INN & SUITES
820 S. I-35E
(940) 387-0591
americasbestvalueinn.com
FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES
2900 W. University Drive
(940) 384-1700
marriott.com/DFWDN
QUALITY INN AND SUITES
1500 Dallas Drive
(940) 387-3511
choicehotels.com/hotel/tx836
BEST WESTERN PLUS
2910 W. University Drive
(940) 591-7726 bestwesterntexas.com/denton
HAMPTON INN & SUITES
1513 Centre Place Drive
(940) 891-4900
dentonsuites.hamptoninn.com
BEST WESTERN PREMIER
2450 Brinker Road
(940) 387-1000 bestwesterntexas.com/premiercrownchase
HILTON GARDEN INN & SUITES
3110 Colorado Blvd.
(940) 891-4700
denton.hgi.com
RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT
3761 S. I-35E
Opening Spring 2016
940-591-8500
ResidenceInn.com/dfwrd
BUFFALO VALLEY EVENT
CENTER AND HOTEL
2946 Ganzer Road W.
(940) 482-3409
buffalovalleyeventcenter.com
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES
4485 N. I-35
(940) 808-0600
hiedenton.com
COMFORT INN
4050 Mesa Drive
(940) 320-5150
comfortinndenton.com
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT
2800 Colorado Blvd.
(940) 382-4600
mariott.com/dfwde
DAYS INN
4211 N. I-35
(940) 383-1471
daysinn.com/23887
March 5, April 2, May 7: North Texas Horse Country Tours, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
DATCU parking lot, 210 S Elm Street
Photo by Nan Coulter
30
DENTON LIVE
May 13-14: TWU Graduation, Kitty Magee
Arena
May 13-14: UNT Graduation, UNT Coliseum
HOWARD JOHNSON EXPRESS
3116 Bandera St.
(940) 383-1681
hojo.com
LA QUINTA INN & SUITES
4465 N. I-35
(940) 808-0444
laquinta.com
MOTEL 6
4125 N. I-35E
(940) 566-4798
motel6.com
STUDIO 6
700 Fort Worth Drive
(940) 387-5840
motel6.com
SUPER 8 MOTEL
620 S. I-35E
(940) 380-8888
super8.com
VALUE PLACE
4505 N. I-35
(940) 387-3400
valueplace.com
THE WILDWOOD INN
2602 Lillian Miller Parkway
(940) 243-4919
denton-wildwoodinn.com
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
First Friday of every month: First Friday Denton, 7-10 p.m., downtown
Denton square
For more calendar
events in Denton,
visit
discoverdenton.com
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON
2907 Shoreline Drive
(940) 382-0420
denton.homewoodsuites.com
SPRINGHILL SUITES DENTON
1434 Centre Place Drive
(940) 383-4100
marriott.com/dfwsd
DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/
DENTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
414 Parkway
(940) 382-7895 (888) 381-1818
discoverdenton.com
CITY HALL
215 E. McKinney St.
(940) 349-8200
cityofdenton.com
DISCOVER DENTON WELCOME CENTER
111 W. Hickory
discoverdenton.com
DENTON LIVE
31
It’s happening in Historic Downtown Denton
Texas Woman’s University
We’re Painting Denton Maroon
Texas Woman’s University has been a partner in the Denton community for more than a century.
Our students, faculty and staff spend countless hours volunteering and working with community
leaders to make Denton one of the best places to live, laugh and learn.
Whether you’re taking advantage of our health care clinics, cheering the Pioneers on to victory,
enjoying a performing arts show or ready to earn your degree from a university with nationally
Photo by: Jason Bodor
ranked programs, think TWU.
Museums. Galleries. Shopping. Dining. Festivals. Live Music. Performing Arts.
Denton Main Street Association
www.twu.edu
For information on events and promotions, visit
dentonmainstreet.org or call (940) 349-8529.
#DowntownDenton
DENTON
COMMUNIT Y
THEATRE
BU
SIN
S
gy
Biolo
HIS
TO
RY
FORTY-SIX YEARS OF EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE
Tickets: (940) 382-7014 or dentoncommunitytheatre.com
214 W. Hickory, Denton, TX 76201
ES
Denton Courthouse on the Square
ATTENTION:
INDEPENDENCE-LOVING,
ORIGINAL THINKERS
COME VISIT DENTON...
YOU’LL BE IN GOOD
COMPANY HERE
discoverdenton.com
Denton Convention & Visitors Bureau