(L to R): Cindy Yared, Rini Kar, Ione Gamber, Lovie Roberson, Lisa Clement, Pam Spell, and Susan McSherry

Cheers to Norma’s!

Norma’s Café event, “Biscuits For Boobies,” was an overwhelming success, thanks to their enthusiastic, fun-loving staff. On Sept. 15, Norma’s hosted “Biscuits for Boobies” to raise money for Dallas’ Susan G. Koman 3-day For The Cure 60-mile walk. Ten percent of all proceeds were donated to the cause. And, naturally, Norma’s Oak Cliff beat out the North Dallas locale.

Total donations collected: $1,900
Donations from sales (both Norma’s locations): $1,300
Oak Cliff donation collection box: $450
North Dallas donation collection box: $150

With this donation, the Tough Ta-Ta’s team has raised $33,239 toward its $54,000 goal.

Job well done, Norma’s team!

Bubble gum and Chardonnay — a winning combination

The missus and I went to the Oak Cliff Prom on Saturday night — after we stopped in at Bar Belmont for a drink. That’s where I took this picture of my wife, the former Jessica Harbaugh of Winnetka Heights. That’s also where we were the subject of a lot of sidelong glances. Apparently, not many couples come to Bar Belmont wearing a tuxedo and a facsimile of an early Madonna video. Go figure.

If you want to see photos of some of the other couples who attended the Oak Cliff Prom, pick up a copy of this week’s paper. However, one female attendee who called our office today can rest assured that we will not be publishing her photo. She told Raya Ramsey, who’s in charge of party photos for D Magazine‘s website, that her lawyer advised her to request that her picture be withheld because she’s going through a divorce, and she attended the prom with someone who is not her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

When I emailed photographer Christina Barany to explain why I was holding one of her photos, she sent back this response:

That explains a lot because she was acting really strange that night. When I asked for her name, she said, “Why don’t you ask him,” pointing to her date. “I’d like to see if he knows it.” She stared at him with her arms crossed while he called her Whitney. Then she told me her real name in a big huff. It was really awkward.

Students at the Kessler School had a zoo visit Friday — and they didn’t even leave campus. Yep.

The young critter at left is Erwin, a baby alligator who arrived alongside a sloth, an African penguin (hilarious and adorable to behold, let me tell you), and a van full of other guests from the Dallas Zoo. It’s all part of an outreach program the zoo offers, for a fee, to Dallas-area schools. And it’ll make a reporter start scrambling for her camera phone.

For clearer photos, kids, and a high cuteness-factor, pick up our Sept. 30 paper.

I just left the Current Planning Department at City Hall, where they were kind enough to let me look through the file on the zoning-change application for the Sylvan Thirty development. That file includes letters of support, all dated between July 26 and Aug. 17, from:

– State Rep. Rafael Anchia
– State Rep. Eric Johnson
– County Commissioner Elba Garcia
– Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce president Bob Stimson
– West Dallas Chamber of Commerce chairman Victor Toledo and vice chairman Randall White
– Jim Lake Jr., who owns half the Bishop Arts District
– Ged Dipprey of Nest Realty
– Realtors Steve Habgood and Kathy Hewitt (separate letters)
– Go Oak Cliff board members Edwin Cabaniss, Amy Wallace Cowan, and Jason Roberts (again, separate letters)
– West Kessler Neighborhood Association president C. Mariam Anderson
– Winnetka Heights Neighborhood Association president Lee Ruiz
– The Highlands of Kessler Park Homeowners Association president Jane Gaines

Give a gift they’ll never forget! Greatest Generation Aircraft is offering gift certificates for historic rides on a WWII C47. Rides will be conducted at Meacham International Airport, located at 505 NW 38th St. Certificates are good through December 2012, so they’ll make the perfect birthday or holiday gift. Normally at $199 per person, Greatest Generation Aircraft is offering this great deal for $99 each.

Certificates for rides on a B25 Bomber are also available at $500 each. This offer is good through October 1.

To purchase, call (817) 659-9249 or email greatestgeneration@yahoo.com.