DIME POP UP SHOP

Words and photos by Dave Koen ​

Big things are happening for Etsy Denton. First and foremost, they are no longer called “Etsy Denton”. They have changed their name to “DIME”, or the Denton Independent Maker Exchange. Second, they are opening a brick-and-mortar store only a short walk from the Square at 501 S. Locust Street. While the store doesn’t officially open until April 5, they are hosting a pre-party and pop-up show during 35 Denton.

Featuring fifteen local artists and craftsmen selling their goods, the pop-up shop had its opening from 6-9pm on Friday night. It was a great opportunity for people to come in and browse DIME’s new space where they will not only run a store but also put on workshops, art classes, and gallery shows.

If you weren’t able to make it, fear not. The event continues Saturday from 11am until 7pm with live music and fun. Come check it out and get a peek of what Denton’s creative class has to offer.

Follow DIME on Facebook for updates and future events.

HEY WISEGUY: MIFFED AT MEXICANA

Hey Wiseguy is a recurring column featured in Denton's Little D After Dark. Here, we are presenting a bonus edition of the Wiseguy column for 35 Denton. Make sure to check out Little D's new website when it's up!

​La Mexicana, "authentic" Mexican food for 35 Denton attendees. 

Hey Wiseguy,

I’m a waiter at a local restaurant called La Mexicana. It’s located on S. Locust St. over by Eagle. Anyways. I’ve worked here for about five years now and I’ve just put together that every March, things get kinda weird. For a few days in the middle of the month we have an influx of customers. Not just customers, but a specific kind of customer. I’m not sure how to describe them. They overly enunciate words such as cilantro or carne asada and they always ask for “off-the-menu” items.

We have a few people who come in at other times in the year (I think one of them is a local city councilman), but it’s always the worst in the middle of March. Anyway, as nice as it is to have the extra business, they don’t tip well and they make me feel really awkward. Do you have any tips on how to deal with these March people? Thanks in advance, Wiseguy.

Sincerely,

Miffed at La Mexicana

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Dear Miffed,

Email your Question to ​Hey Wiseguy

Oh no. We think that we might have been that person before. The temptation to roll “R’s” when given the opportunity is just too much to resist. Is hitting the “T” in “horchata” really frowned upon, as well? If so, we’ll stop it. Promise!

Anyway. I think I have half of an answer for you (we’re good at that -- it’s the full answers we have problems with). 35 Denton is a local music festival that happens every year in the middle of March. The bands booked at this music festival tend to attract the type of people you’re describing. The majority of the festival happens in or around the square, but oftentimes some of the crowd will eek out to other areas of Denton and you guys are pretty close, as-is. It’s good for our local economy, but hard on some folks' patience. 

“...think about temporarily changing the name to ‘THE Mexicana.’”

Anyway, attendees of this event are probably the patrons you’re having problems with. They tend to seek out the most “authentic” places of any given area and eat/shop there. Take it as a compliment! La Mexicana must be pretty authentic Mexican food in their eyes. We tend to eat our Mexican food on the EMTC (read East McKinney Taco Corridor), but to each their own. If you want them to stop attending your establishment, think about temporarily changing the name to “THE Mexicana,” putting ketchup bottles on the table or by having exclusively large-breasted women work as waitresses for a bit. They’ll stop showing up. Promise. If nothing else, just put up a sign that says, “Closed for 35 Denton. Go eat at La Sabrocita.” Then go fishing. They’ll be gone by Monday.

EFTERKLANG AT DAN'S SILVERLEAF

​Efterklang, Chambers and Nightlands played Dan's Silverleaf this past Tuesday. We Denton Do It contributor (and the most productive person ever), Courtney Marie, was there to catch it. Read on for more!

​Efterklang at Dan's Silverleaf by Courtney Marie

Efterklang, the Danish band whose newest album, Piramida, was recently explored on NPR, played to a packed room of fans at Dan's Silverleaf on Tuesday. The band was excited to be in Texas. Casper Clausen, the lead singer, took a moment in the middle of the set to pass on messages written to Denton from fans in other cities, and encouraged the crowd to write their own messages that he could read to the folks at their next stop with our friends down 35, Austin, TX. The six-piece played a long set, including a great deal from their latest album, 2012's Magic Chairs, intertwining the beautiful vocal arrangements they have become so well known for with their newest collection of “found” sounds retrieved from a industrial ghost town on a small island off the coast of Greenland. Chambers and Nightlands rounded out the bill. 

​Efterklang Daning it up at Dan's. - Photo by Courtney Marie

Katinka Vindelev sings at Dan's Silverleaf this past Tuesday.  - photo by Courtney Marie

​Casper Clausen of Efterklang reads letters to Denton from their previous show. - photo by Courtney Marie

WEEKEND PREVIEW: MARCH 7TH - MARCH 10TH

​Yes, there are plenty of shows to go to this week. You could throw a rock and there'd most likely be an anti-folk show going on where-ever it landed. We've combed through hundreds of events and hand-picked what we decided were the two or three best-looking shows to attend this weekend. Disagree? Let us know in the comments. 

Thursday, March 7

Buxton / Ralph White / Spooky Folk / Isaac Hoskins - Dan's Silverleaf | 9:30pm | 35 Denton wristband
Ralph White is a modern nod to the old, weird America of Harry Smith, and his live offerings can be pretty transcendent. Buxton being a rare, fully-capable band from Houston, anchors this show that's rounded out with hometown-heros Spooky Folk and one of our most underrated and nicest guys to boot, Isaac Hoskins.

Pallbearer / Power Trip / Pinkish Black / Terminator 2 - Hailey's | 9pm | wristband
Doom, glorious doom.

Friday, March 8

Beer and Tacos with The Pink Antler | Oak Street Draft House | 5pm | $5 with wristband; $10 without wristband
Since We Denton Do It is taco-centric, we are sponsoring this fun little event at the always fun OSDH. Oh, and we love beer also so it's kind of a perfect match. This was all put together by our lovely and talented Alyssa Jarrell, who is also the food writer at Little D and the person behind The Pink Antler recipe and home blog.

The DIME Store Pre-Party and Pop-Up Show - The Dime Store | 6pm | free
Hang out with local artists and celebrate the opening of this easy born creation.

Baptist Generals Listening Party - Dan's Silverleaf | 2pm | wristband
Flemmons described this to me the other night as, "not a garage record."

Saturday, March 9

Denton: A City, a College, and a Creative Class - a 35 Denton Day Panel - Oak Street Draft House | 5pm | wristband
Moderated by city council member Kevin Roden, this promises to be a brainy and inspired discussion geared towards the type of folks who are interested in all things Denton.

The Earthwise 2nd Annual Local Food Festival | The Hive | 10am | Free
What better way to nurse your 35D hangover on Saturday morning than sampling artisan cheeses, honey, olive oil, and fresh produce that all come from nearby. Please tell me there will also be breakfast tacos and coffee and we're golden, y'all.

March Radness Alley Cat - UNT Language Building | 12pm | $5 to buy into the race
If you want to enter this bike race sponsored by the likes of Bullseye Bike Shop, Sprockets, Oak St. Drafthouse, and Pan Ector Industries, check into their Facebook page. 

Sunday, March 10

Marnie Stern / The Coathangers / Daniel Francis Doyle / Eat Avery's Bones - Dan's Silverleaf | 9:30pm | wristband
How hip are you? If you don't get into Dan's Sunday night, you've got your answer. Shame on you in advance.

The Last Bison | Doug Burr | Somebody's Darling |  The Treelines - Sweetwater Grill & Tavern | 9:30pm | wristband
Denton songwriting hero, Doug Burr emerges after having spent 2012 feverishly writing new material for his next record due later on in 2013. Although, this will be a set of new takes on old material (they've since added Dave Sims to the "duo" lineup), this promises to not disappoint.

INSTAGRAM CONTEST

Spune ​is giving away two free tickets to any of their upcoming shows at Dans Silverleaf.  They have lined up some great shows coming through Dan's from the likes of; Clinic, Goat, Caveman, Pure Bathing Culture, and Telekinesis. If you want to see any of these bands or any other show on the Spune/Dan's list you are just a gram away from free tickets. 

​Lame pictures of the Courthouse need not apply.

The contest ends Sunday at midnight so get to gram'n. Winner announced on Monday.

35DENTON/SPUNE/DAN'S SILVERLEAF​

JIVE FIVE: 35 DENTON

35 Denton is upon us once again. Sure, you could go out without any plans and probably manage to have a good time, but wouldn't it be much better if you let some strangers on a blog give you questionable advice? Of course it would! Here's a list of We Denton Do It-approved things you can do (and some that you shouldn't) during the next five days. We'll be updating with some coverage during the festival on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram so make sure to follow us there if you haven't already. Oh, and don't fest too hard, y'all! 

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Things to do:

Stop by Banter Friday evening to pick up compilation #4 in Gutterth’s ongoing series. It’s full of great music from Denton that you can own! If you miss the show, it’s still available to download on their site starting Friday!

Enjoy the non-35 Denton shows. Just because you spent some money getting your pretty wristband doesn’t mean you should ignore the free shows going on that aren’t part of 35. Your Facebook events page is probably filled with house shows and other day shows that aren’t affiliated with 35 in any way and are sure to be a blast. That said, still support 35 Denton!

Wear your vintage 35 Conferette or NX35 T-shirt. Remember that word Chris Flemmons made up that never caught on? Bring back those memories. Hopefully, you’ve washed the Flaming Lips confetti off of it since then.

Get one of those awesome, new Denton shirts from Pan Ector with the horrible profanity on the front. Watch them make it for you on the spot, while you’re at it.

Pick up a Local Lore zine from the Spiderweb Salon show -- it includes prose, poetry, essays, and art inspired by our amazing city and is the perfect memento for this weekend/life in Denton ($3).

Things not to do:

Don’t forget your rain jacket at home. We can’t remember a 35 that it hasn’t rained at least once. If you don’t own a rain jacket, be prepared to steal a stranger’s umbrella. Just make sure it’s a nondescript one!

Don’t eat at home! We’ve had the ability to have food trucks in town for about six months now, Denton, and we’re still pretty few and far between as far as consistent trucks go. Show the trucks at 35 Denton how much we like to eat and maybe they’ll come back again! Also, don’t forget to patronize the restaurants and shops around the square so that they’ll know that 35 Denton is a boom to local business.

Think that you can show up late to a show and get into a venue. 35 Denton shows can get to 1-in-1-out level very quickly. Don’t think you can show up ten minutes before Com Truise starts and expect to get in. Plan ahead, get there early and stay through the crappy opening bands.

Heckle the 35 volunteers. These people are working their butts off for free so you can celebrate flunking your midterms. If you’re one of the guys that normally walks right into Dan’s Silverleaf without question, these people will most likely question you. Be polite to them, Glen.

Wear your wristband anywhere other than your wrist. It ain’t a necklace and you don’t want to cut off circulation to your foot. Keep your wristband on your wrist where it belongs.

LOW ART NO MATCH FOR HIGH WINDS

​Article by Will Milne, Wind by Texas Weather 

Denton, art hates you. Or, more specifically, Matthew Hoffman’s large-scale art installation on top of Dan’s Silverleaf hates David Howard’s car.

Maybe you’ve noticed that at some point in the past few weeks, Denton’s skyline has been temporarily updated with some additional typographical work that isn’t a reference to corn kits. As a part of this year’s 35 Denton, Hoffman’s 100’ x 8’ traveling signage that spells out “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL” in all-caps was placed rather daintily on top of Dan’s Silverleaf in downtown Denton.

The part that you didn’t know was that Kevin McAlister, the designer of the board-game Mousetrap and Mother Nature, herself, were the construction workers who set up the “sculpture.” In what was to be the beginning of a calculated, long-winded scheme, the letters were placed on top of Dan’s and secured with 40lb sandbags. No screwdrivers or welding were involved.

In case you didn’t notice, last night was a particularly windy one. Not only did it bring in some colder weather, but it was also windy enough to blow the word “YOU” from the sculpture all the way down, sending both itself and two bags of sand that had been holding it in place into the cold air and right on top of Howard’s car, crushing the roof of his Toyota Carrola and causing him to question his own beauty.

Hoffman is on record saying, "I believe each and every one of us is compelled to make an impact on our world,” about his project and we bet that he’s currently wishing he would have used some different terminology because he definitely did make an impact, right guys?

The sign is now being secured with hammers, nails, screws and other fasteners by Chris Hawley and Marcus Watson. The "YOU," however, remains in pieces at the old Little Guys Movers  office. At this point, it’s unsure what will become of the art installation. Will it continue to just say “ARE BEAUTIFUL,” will they replace it with the old school Santa Claus that had been on top of Dan’s around Christmastime or will they replace the entire thing with the shattered remains of David Howard’s car as a new form of performance art?  

This happened later in the same evening that DCTA announced that they would in fact NOT be offering any additional service for 35 Denton this weekend. Are these events red herrings that 35 will be a mess this year? What else is gonna happen? Will Roky Erickson change his name to Roxy Erickson? Will Solange Knowles be replaced by her less talented older sister? Will Mike Seman of Shiny Around the Edges infamous orange pants be destroyed in a horrible marinara accident? Only time will tell. We suggest doing rain dances or something once an hour every hour until Thursday.

We reached out to both Dan Mojica, owner of Dan's Silverleaf, and David Howard, owner of a wrecked Toyota Corola, about the incident. Howard wanted to stress that he was definitely not upset at either Dan's or 35 Denton and Mojica was just happy no one was killed by art. 

A NIGHT OF LITERARY ABANDON

​Words and photos by Courtney Marie

Justin Bigos, one of the curators of the Kraken Reading Series, sits up high in the back of a pleased crowd. 

Dentonites tend to be desensitized by the sheer volume of events and activities they're regularly invited to on Facebook and in real life. We get used to hearing about all the great bands we're missing every weekend. We see show posters overlapping one another at Jupiter House and J and J's. And our excited friends won't ever keep quiet about their weekend plans. 

Listen. There's no denying that our music scene is off-the-chain, y'all. It's no wonder other forms of non-musical art go by the wayside when planning a fun night on the town. Squeezing a literary reading into the weekend’s agenda may not be as wild or loud as, say, a punk rock show at Andy’s or Rubber Gloves, but it can be just as stimulating, and you might wake up with less of a headache in the morning.

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Stephen Danos, poet, reading at Paschall Bar as part of the Kraken Reading Series

The unsung heros of Denton’s literary scene tend to be less outspoken than their creative friends in the music biz. That’s why we’re here to advise you to keep a lookout for these local organizations and what they’re up to.

Two weekends ago we attended a packed reading at Paschall Bar, featuring Ft. Worth’s own nationally acclaimed poet, Alex Lemon, and Stephen Danos, poet and co-curator of the Dollhouse Reading Series in Chicago. The event was hosted by Kraken Reading Series, an organization dedicated to poetry and interested in helping promote those who have just released their first or second book. They host several events a month, most of which are at Paschall Bar. 

The event was cozy and quiet and perfect for those seeking to grab a nice cocktail and enjoy the beauty of words or a breath of inspiration.

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The crew of Denton Performance Lab reads a humorous piece about meeting a significant other's  family. 

The Denton Performance Lab hosted a show that very same night, luckily beginning after the Kraken show ended. Originally hosted at the late Art Six, the group now gets together at Greenspace Art Collective, performing their own work and pieces by others. They have an open invitation to the community to submit pieces to be performed, and host a show once a month.

This particular show, themed “Love, Lust, and All That Bullshit,” was casual and fun, blending a healthy mix of comedy and serious literature together. Almost everything read was performed with a theatrical twist, including the sock puppet productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby. It complimented the earlier Kraken Reading Series very well and we definitely plan on hitting both up again. ​

“Almost everything read was performed with a theatrical twist, including the sock puppet productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby.”

Can’t get enough readings and performance art? Check out the other events and open mics hosted at Green Space, keep a lookout for the monthly show at Rubber Gloves hosted by Denton’s Spoken Word Collective, go laugh at one of the many comedy shows put on by the Denton Comedy Collective, and of course, try and keep up with Spiderweb Salon.

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Spiderweb Salon is a local creative arts collective that partners with We Denton Do It a few times a month. We recently discussed a show of theirs that we took in on the square. They also sometimes lend us short stories to post.

If this post got you hankerin' for taking in some of Denton's literary scene, you can catch the largest show Spiderweb has put on to date this Sunday, March 10th from 2-6pm at Dan's Silverleaf as part of 35 Denton. 

INTERVIEW: AUSTIN STREET APOTHECARY

Photos by Chris Newby  and Molly Tester

Caitlin Crawford is incredibly talented at keeping our lips from being chapped, our hands from being cracked, and our faces from looking anything but glowing. The creator of the local, all-natural personal care line, Austin Street Apothecary, has a few new things coming out this spring. We wanted to know what she's been up to and what's in the works. 

​Austin St. Apothecary's Sugar Scrub
Photo by Chris Newby

What inspired you to start Austin St. Apothecary?

Over the past few years my husband, Clint, and I have been on this investigative journey that started with household cleaning products, then transitioned to food, and now has us delving into personal care products. We found ourselves at a place where we sat back and just began asking simple questions about the things we were bringing into our home and bodies- Where do these things come from? What are they made of? How are they made? We came to the realization that so many of the products we depended on were filled with chemicals whose names we weren’t able to recognize, let alone pronounce. So Austin Street Apothecary was born out of a desire to provide pure, simple personal care products for my family made from natural, high-quality organic ingredients.

Since Denton is full of health-conscious people who share similar values, friends and neighbors began requesting products which gave me the idea to start a little business to see what would happen.

Austin St. seems like such a cool and tight knit community. Tell us about it.

We are crazy about our little neighborhood. We’ve lived there for almost five years- we’ve even moved once, almost directly across the street from our previous home- and can’t imagine living anywhere else.

To me, Austin Street encompasses what makes Denton so great. It’s a creative, civic-minded neighborhood that’s a little rough around the edges but full of heart. There’s a unique culture to our part of town and I love the community that we have here- neighbors organize trash pick-ups every few months and during the summer we sometimes play neighborhood kickball games at Quakertown Park.  

​Austin St. Apothecary products and ingredients.
Photo by Chris Newby

Tell is about your face oils. 

The first time I washed my face with oil I was convinced I had made a life-ruining mistake. Thankfully I was just being dramatic, but now I will never go back to using a store-bought face wash! Your body produces a natural oil called sebum which protects and moisturizes your skin. Typical store-bought cleansers, even the “natural” ones, usually contain harsh chemicals that strip your skin of sebum and leave skin overly dry and tight. In an effort to restore balance, your skin overproduces sebum which can lead to oily skin and blemishes, which usually leads to more washing or more severe products. And so the cycle continues.

Our oil cleansing face wash is full of organic, cold-pressed oils that dissolve the existing oil on your face that’s been made dirty by makeup, impurities, or pollutants by the end of the day. Pure essential oils nourish and heal the skin, and the oil leaves skin perfectly clean and moisturized. Oil cleansing face wash is one of our more unique items and I’ve gotten such great feedback from people who have tried it.  There’s a little bit of a learning curve when you start washing your skin with oil, but the process is so spa-like and serene I really looking forward to it in the evening. Setting aside time at the end of the day for self-care and reflection should be a habit for everyone.

What new products are coming our way this year?

I’m currently in the research and development phase for a few different products including a nourishing night-time serum and a conditioning beard oil for the fellas. I’ve seen some amazing beards around town so I know there’s definitely a market for it! I also just introduced a chamomile flavored lip balm and have a few more new flavors in mind for the spring and summer.

How was your experience with the Denton Community Market?

I have absolutely LOVED our time at the Denton Community Market! Selling handmade goods to customers in person is a wonderfully intimate exchange- these are products we’ve spent hours and hours dreaming up, researching, planning, developing, testing, and perfecting. It’s so rewarding to have a customer approach me with a need and then to be able to immediately meet that need with something I have made with my own hands.

If you could have a perfect Denton day – what would it entail?

First, we’d ride our Buddy scooter to Cups and Crepes for french toast, then spend a few hours browsing at Recycled and take our finds to lounge in the grass in front of the Courthouse and people watch while having a picnic lunch. Hopefully there’s live music playing somewhere. Pop into the Mini-Mall to hunt for some treasures to show off on our display hutch at Community Market then stop by Jupiter House to say hi to friends and have a chai latte. I’m always craving sushi, so we’d drop by Mr. Chopsticks for a rainbow roll and miso then finish up the night with drinks at Oak Street with friends.

​Get clean. 
Photo by Molly Tester

Caitlin Crawford, owner of Austin St. Apothecary
Photo by Chris Newby

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