Drop by Make Shop & Studio for First Thursday in Bishop Arts, and you’ll get cut-rate class fees (a month-long promotion) and discounted merchandise. Drinks and light snacks, too.

Por que, you ask? It’s Make’s 5th birthday.

My favorite Oak Cliff spring activity is _______.

Jim Richardson, creator of Oak Cliff Cellars wine, and Paul Pinnell, owner of Dali Wine Bar on Routh Street, are teaming up to host a five course dinner at Dali on April 7, featuring current and new releases from the winery. The menu will be prepared by chef Joel Harloff, and will feature six OCC wines including my favs: ’08 Napa chardonnay and ’08 lake country petite sirah. I know for a fact the wines are superb and I’m sure the food will be too. Cost is $75 per person. For more information and to make reservations, call 469-385-9360.

As the staff discussed the “Where’s Neumann?” Facebook phenomenon Friday, Dan Koller, our managing editor,  brought up the point that we’ve photographed City Councilman Dave Neumann at several Oak Cliff events over the past few months. The most recent photographic evidence comes from photos taken on March 5 at Rosemont Elementary’s celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday (Suess would have been 106 on March 2).

A few notes on the photo: It was not printed in the March 12 paper, however another very similar photo of Neumann reading to the kids was printed with the following caption, “City Councilman Dave Neumann reads a Dr. Seuss book to a classroom of first-graders at Rosemont Primary School — Chris V. Semos Campus.”

The book Neumann was reading is Suess’ Cat in the Hat Comes Back, a 1958 sequel to the Cat in the Hat which Seuss wrote in the same anapestic tetrameter commonly found in comic works. However, Seuss pulled the latter off using only 236 distinct words — 221 of which are monosyllabic.

State Rep. Rafael Anchia and noted children’s author/Oak Cliff resident Trish Holland were also guest readers that day. But, Neumann is the only guest reader who was photograped wearing a green star on the right breast of his suit jacket. I have no idea of the significance of the green star.

Neumann also appears to be asking the children a question, but again I have no clue as to what the question(s) or answer(s) happened to be. Although not visible in the printed version of this photo, the back of a child’s t-shirt declares in bold white letters, “Bring It.” The slogan of a revolutionary, guerrilla-style group in North Oak Cliff or just a harmless t-shirt referencing a fictional movie about cheer leading? Probably just a harmless t-shirt.

Another child seated to the left of Neumann is holding his right palm up and open, as if to say, “Councilman Neumann I think it’s best if you hand me the book now before a riot breaks out. There are only 30 seconds left until recess.”

Also notable is the page to which the book is open, a point in the story where Suess’ anthropomorphic cat has flooded the bathroom and Sally tries to scold him by saying, “What a bad thing to do!” The cat replies by laughing and saying, “But I like to eat cake In a tub,” and “You should try it some time.” Of course the cat cleans up the entire house before mother comes home, but not without driving Sally and her older brother  to the limits of their patiance. The children get a taste of parenthood …

My Oak Cliff Easter weekend will include _________.

At last night’s Pints for Paint, the beer was flowing, the karaoake was being roakked, and the opinions on Progress Dallas’ petition(s) drive were plentiful — in support of a wet Oak Cliff that is.  So, like any reporter worth his/her/its salt, I went out in search of an opposing viewpoint … and found one.

The following are comments from verified Cliffians who both support and question the movement to make Oak Cliff wet. (Note to self: plan more interviews at bars.):

Mikal Beth Hughey of Kiestwood
I want Oak Cliff to be wet mostly because I want to be able to by alcohol here and I want to buy local. I’m not afraid of happening what I think people are afraid will happen in Oak Cliff.

Pete Bihari of Winnetka Heights
It’s about convenience. We should be able to have the freedom [to purchase alcohol in Oak Cliff]. (shouts “freedom” for emphasis in the style of Mel Gibson’s interpretation of William Wallace)

Nikki Cotten of Elmwood Estates
There is a school and a convenience store two blocks from my house.  As crime is already higher in my zip code, bringing local alcohol into the mix would just increase the problems that my husband and I are trying to change.

Which candidate will you be voting for in the District 7 DISD school board race?

I just drove by Norma’s Restaurant on Davis and saw a film crew.
Apparently, the crew is shooting a commercial for a power company there until around 8 p.m.
I hope the crew all gets a piece of pie.

Anyone headed to the Rockers versus Mods meet-and-greet this Friday at Bar Belmont? If you are — or even if you’re not, and want to talk about it anyway — drop me a line at georgia.fisher@peoplenewspapers.com.

UPDATE 12:53 p.m. !! Where’s Neumann answers our query after the jump.

A photo-chopped picture of “Where’s Waldo” with the face of city councilman Dave Neumann has become the hallmark of a Facebook group that asks the following question:

“Has anyone else noticed that Dave Neumann, Dallas City Councilperson for District 3… is missing? Help us find Dave Neumann!”

I’ve sent the group a few questions via the magic of the Facebook messaging system and placed a call to Neumann’s office for comment. Stay tuned as we find out how far this bunny hole goes …

Josh,

This group was started out of a real concern that Dave Neumann is lost on the wrong side of the river and can’t find his way back to District 3. If we could just slip him a map…

Seems that we kept hearing people ask ‘Where’s Neumann’ at event after event over the past 12 months. Mardi Gras parade? No show. Cliff Fest? No sign of him. First Thursday in the Bishop Arts District? I’m not even convinced he’s heard of it.

There are lots of great things going on in Oak Cliff right now, but his absence is conspicuous.

He’s a little like a leprechaun… perhaps he thinks the pot of gold is on the other side of the river?

Let us know if you see him around!

Where’s Neumann