Dallas-Fort Worth History & Culture: Meet People & Have Fun!

The Detroit Institute of Arts: The American Collection - Art History Livestream

You’re invited to join us for a livestream art history tour of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the top art museums in the United States. This particular program will focus on American art, with the DIA having one of the best American collections in the world. On a later date we’ll focus on some other areas, including European highlights and Impressionism. Your host, Robert, spent the first two years of his career working at the Detroit Institute of Arts and is extremely familiar with the museum and its collection.

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), located in Detroit, Michigan, has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States. With over 100 galleries, it covers 658,000 square feet. The DIA collection is regarded as among the top six museums in the United States with an encyclopedic collection which spans the globe from ancient Egyptian and European works to contemporary art. Its art collection is valued in billions of dollars, up to $8.1 billion according to a 2014 appraisal. The DIA campus is located in Detroit's Cultural Center Historic District, about two miles (3 km) north of the downtown area.
The museum building is highly regarded by architects. The original building, designed by Paul Philippe Cret, is flanked by north and south wings with the white marble as the main exterior material for the entire structure. The campus is part of the city's Cultural Center Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The museum's first painting was donated in 1883 and its collection consists of over 65,000 works. With about 677,500 visitors annually for 2015, the DIA is among the most visited art museums in the world.

Downtown Dallas: Art, Architecture & History Walk (FREE) + Farmers Market Lunch
Saturday, July 26 - 9:30 am. All are welcome.
Meeting Point: The Dallas Farmers Market "Shed" (123 Taylor Street - the corner of Taylor & South Pearl Expressway - Dallas).

Join us for a casual walk through Downtown Dallas, to get some steps in, with a group of friendly people - all are welcome.
We’ll explore several artistic, architectural, cultural, and historical sites in Downtown Dallas followed by an optional lunch and shopping at the Dallas Farmers Market.

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Event Details (Subject to Change) …

Cost: FREE for the walking tour and optional Farmers Market lunch at your own expense.

Weather: The event will take place light rain or shine - if it’s on our calendar then we’re proceeding as planned.

Parking: There are a variety of free and paid parking options throughout the Farmers Market area. Please arrive to the area early so you have time to find parking and get to our meeting point.

Dallas Farmers Market Hours: The Shed = 9:00 am to 5:00 pm & The Market = 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Meeting Point: 9:00 am at the Dallas Farmers Market "Shed" (123 Taylor Street - the corner of Taylor & South Pearl Expressway - Dallas). Please be on-time, or even early. Plan additional time to find parking and walk to our meeting point. Look for your hosts Robert (wearing a fedora-style hat) and Michele, along with a group of friendly people. We'll depart on our walk at 9:15 am.

Icebreaker Introductions: We should have a good-sized group and so instead of everyone introducing themselves to the group we will get to know each other by distributing blank stickers and colored markers and we’ll ask everyone to write down on their sticker: 1). first name. 2). favorite food. 3). dream vacation. Example: “Michele - Strawberries - Kenya” or “Robert - Chocolate - Tokyo”.

Walking Distance: Approximately 2 miles.

Photo Breaks: Yes, of course.

Itinerary: First, we’ll walk inside of the Farmers Market "Shed" and then "The Market" so people can see the available food and dining options. Next, we’ll be walking in a northwest direction on Harwood Street to the Lighthouse ArtSpace, then west on Young Street to City Hall, Pioneer Plaza and the Omni Hotel. Then we'll walk back to the Farmers Market for lunch.

“Walk The Line” with Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash - Music History Livestream

Let’s celebrate the life and musical career of Johnny Cash (September 23, 1930 - June 10, 2004) with a screening of the 2005 biopic “Walk the Line” starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash.

The first portion of our two-part program (approximately 15-20 minutes) will be a brief overview of the film, including its historical context, plot summary, things to look for, accuracy, etc.
The second portion of our two-part program will be a full showing of the film.
During the screening we invite you to participate in a discussion of the film with your fellow participants via Zoom.

John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of Cash's music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. He was known for his deep, calm, bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his backing band, the Tennessee Three, that was characterized by its train-like chugging guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, and his free prison concerts. Cash wore a trademark all-black stage wardrobe, which earned him the nickname "Man in Black".
Born to poor cotton farmers in Kingsland, Arkansas, Cash grew up on gospel music and played on a local radio station in high school. He served four years in the Air Force, much of it in West Germany. After his return to the United States, he rose to fame during the mid-1950s in the burgeoning rockabilly scene in Memphis, Tennessee. He traditionally began his concerts by introducing himself with "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash". He began to follow that by "Folsom Prison Blues", one of his signature songs. His other signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous numbers like "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue", a duet with his future wife June called "Jackson" (followed by many further duets after they married), and railroad songs such as "Hey, Porter", "Orange Blossom Special", and "Rock Island Line".
Cash is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. His genre-spanning music embraced country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel sounds. This crossover appeal earned him the rare honor of being inducted into the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.

Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. The screenplay, written by Mangold and Gill Dennis, is based on two autobiographies by the American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash: Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words (1975) and Cash: The Autobiography (1997). The film follows Cash's early life, his romance with the singer June Carter, his ascent in the country music scene, and his drug addiction. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, Reese Witherspoon as Carter, Ginnifer Goodwin as Cash's first wife Vivian Liberto, and Robert Patrick as Cash's father.
Walk the Line premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 2005, and was theatrically released by 20th Century Fox on November 18. It received positive reviews and was a box office success, grossing $187 million on a $28 million budget. At the 78th Academy Awards, Witherspoon won Best Actress while the film was also nominated for Best Actor (Phoenix), Best Sound, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.

Downtown Dallas Art, Architecture & History Guided Walking Tour (FREE) with Optional Exchange Hall Lunch After!
Saturday, August 23 - 9:00 am. All are welcome.
Meeting Point: The Flying Horse Café (inside the Magnolia Dallas Downtown) – 1401 Commerce Street - Dallas.
All are welcome.

We invite you to join us for a FREE guided walking tour of downtown Dallas focusing on the Big D’s art, architecture and history.

Highlights include:
Magnolia & Adolphus Hotels
The AT&T Discovery District
AT&T Discovery District
Giant Eyeball Sculpture
Historic Majestic Theatre
Thanks-Giving Square & Chapel by Philip Johnson
Fountain Place
Whaling Wall Mural
Several Historical Markers, Noteworthy Buildings & Public Art Works
Optional Lunch Afterwards at the AT&T Exchange Hall

Our walk will be hosted by Robert and Michele and will cover approximately 2 miles at a moderate pace, with several stops along the way for pictures, etc.

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Event Details ...

Cost: FREE for the guided walking tour - optional lunch afterward at your own expense.

Weather: This event will take place light rain or shine. If it’s on our calendar then we’re proceeding as planned.

Parking: Several options throughout the area, and the AT&T District has several affordable parking garages. Please arrive in the area several minutes early so that you have time to find parking and walk to our meeting point.

Before the Event: Optional lunch, socializing and restrooms at the Flying Horse Café.