You don't have to have or be a little girl to see the Nutcracker

I don't care how cool or mature you think you are, you have a little kid inside of you that loves to play. If you don't, he or she has run off and you need to find them.

Mine is hyper and needs fun things to do often, so naturally my sister and I gathered a group of willing grown kiddos to go see Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker at Bass Hall.

We left the boyfriends, husbands and actual children at home. Before the show our group met at Del Frisco's Grille for some bar snacks and wine. It is always great to catch up with friends no matter the occasion. This is a Fort Worth event I recommend for everyone, except my husband, father, son and father-in-law.

Parents who look at this like a burden you must endure year after year with your child, stop. The music is more sophisticated and beautiful than anything you will hear on your favorite top 40 station. They sell adult beverages if you need a little help with your restless leg syndrome, and the dancers with Texas Ballet Theater are the real deal. The show takes you out of your monotonous daily routine and into a little girl's dream of an Arabian prince and princess, waltzing flowers, fighting rats and a sugar plum fairy.

WHAT: The Nutcracker

WHEN: Dec. 13-Dec. 27

WHERE: The Bass Hall in Fort Worth, Texas

WHY: Because some culture with girlfriends never hurt.

HOW MUCH: Ticket's start at $20 and go up to $105 on the lowest balcony.

Comments

Piola's and Other Great Fort Worth Patios

Spring is making the transition into summer, and people are looking for a great porch to dine and enjoy the weather. My favorite porch in town is at Piola Italian Restaurant and Garden on the corner of Haskell and Mattison in Fort Worth. The restaurant is inside a little house and tucked in a neighborhood on the west side. It can be hard to find, but is worth the search. (Click for map) . It's even harder to find a place that has great food and a great patio that's not in a shopping center, which is why we love this place. The atmosphere is great inside and out. We went last weekend and enjoyed every bite of what we ordered. We can also be hard to please when it comes to the good-food-to-price ratio. We started with the giant calamari. It was fried and smothered in parmesan cheese and a sweet, spicy chili sauce. My husband ordered the baked ziti. He gave me some. The noodles were perfectly cooked al dente, and the five cheeses were rich and flavorful. Last week, I...

Big Sky No. 2, parts 1+ 2

By Jocelyn Tatum I have an affinity for all things that cause me to look up — mostly trees and clouds. When I walk the dogs or go for a long run, I often trip over something because I am admiring tree limbs reaching toward the ever-changing clouds, or the way sunlight plays with both. Komorebi is a Japanese word that doesn't have an English translation, which means the way light travels through the leaves of trees. I wonder if there is a word for the way light shines through the clouds. Fall Gallery Night 2019, I stumbled upon a magnanimous canvas of clouds with the sun piercing through. It knocked me back. I took a picture just to admire it from home but walked away knowing I would never allow myself to get it. A year later, it occurred to me that I still think about that art. The strange state of things and lots of extra time at home has encouraged me to do things I never thought possible. And I don't understand the correlation between the pandemic and my n...

My Marfa 2020

By Jocelyn Tatum I n the 12 years that I have been going to Marfa almost annually, a lot has changed. But the small-town-in-a-vast-desert charm has stayed the same. Here are a few things I always plan to do in my two days and two nights in Marfa. First, drive. I know it seems like it is far away, and it is, but this road trip goes fast because there is no traffic headed west and away from civilization. Driving is part of the right of passage to get there. I also feel like I shed the societal sludge that builds up on my shoulders as I careen across Interstate 20. Once you turn off onto HWY 17 in Pecos, the drive starts to transition from sulfur and pumpjacks to pure beauty. It always reminds me of my road trip though the Scottish Highlands. My thoughts change with the landscape. Again, no traffic and no crowds. A tip: when you do pass a fellow road warrior once you get into the mountains, give them the friendly L-shaped finger wave the locals do th...

Adventures in and Around Fort Worth

Search This Blog