The Sounding of Two Canons

        MS Walk 2010 is here in Midland, this Saturday, May 8th!  Benefiting National Multiple Sclerosis Society Midland.  Join the movement at Wadley Baron Park (the duck pond).  Check-in starts at 8:30 and the walk starts at 10:00.  Be sure to come out!  Volunteers needed in Midland; they could use a little extra help on Saturday morning for the walk. If you are interested in volunteering, please see their Facebook page, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, West Texas, or call 1 (888) 999-7992.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Multiple-Sclerosis-Society-West-Texas/173924982908 

Willie: Tonight, Thursday April 22 at Dos Amigos.  Let’s just say we’ve seen Willie before (just once or twice… maybe a few times), the most recently being the last time he played at Dos Amigos in Odessa.  The concert is currently sold out, but for more information or to check on new ticket availability, call 432.368.7556.  Doors open at 6:30, concert at 8:00 P.M.

Landon Pigg: Heart of Rock & Roll Benefit Concert for Koby White at Kroc’s.  Kroc’s in Midland will be hosting a benefit concert for Koby White who recently had a heart transplant. The show is this Saturday, April 24th at 8:00 p.m. The show will feature performances various bands, but most importantly features special guest Landon Pigg.  This music artist most recently co-starred in the movie Whip It with Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, and his hit song, “Falling In Love at a Coffee Shop,” is everywhere (you’ve heard it on the new AT&T commercial).  A great cause, all proceeds will go to the White family, and it’s a great opportunity to hear the singer here in Midland before he performs at Stubb’s in Austin in June.

Finally, our new favorite resource to find out what’s going on in Midland, and the latest happenings in Midland/Odessa area entertainment: Check out this website, http://goodtimeswtx.com/  The site has a great theatre calendar, music events calendar, list of fundraisers and events, and more!  You can also subscribe to their newsletter by e-mail on their homepage. 

Newsletter: April 19-25, 2010

http://goodtimeswtx.com/newsletter/wassup-weekly-april-1925

Have a great weekend everybody!  C&C

DOWNTOWN:

Astronomy Day 2010 @ Museum of the Southwest

Events all day from 10-5, then a star party beginning at 8:00 P.M. (weather permitting)

Bring the kids!  Event is free!  Shows: $3 for adults and $1 for children

Schedule of Events:

http://www.museumsw.org/newsletters/Astronomy%20Day%202010.pdf

Rocky Horror Picture Show – LIVE at the Historic Yucca Theatre

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/04/19/entertainment/top_stories/mct_rocky_horror_at_yucca_for_a_and_amp_amp_e.txt

What: “The Rocky Horror Show”

When: 8 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, and next weekend April 30 and May 1

Where: The Yucca Theatre, 208 E. Colorado Ave., downtown

Tickets: $18 for adults. Recommended for adults.

Reservations: Call 570-4111 or purchase online.

Info: Live theatrical production. Not the movie.

Midland Downtown Farmer’s Market

501 W. Texas (at Marienfeld under the green awnings)

9:00 a.m. ~ 1:00 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC DOWNTOWN:

Live music at The Bar and Cigar Frogs both Friday and Saturday

www.cigarfrogs.com

http://www.thebarmidland.com/

CHOW DOWN FOR CHARITY:

Permian Basin Cook-Off

26th Annual Grillin and Chillin for Charity

Friday, April 23rd – Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Hog Pit Pub and Grub – Midland, Texas

The Permian Basin Cook Off, Inc. is holding its 26th Annual Cook Off at the Hot Pit this weekend. 100 percent goes back to charity: Mission Messiah and Rainbow Rooms Midland & Odessa.  It all stays in the Basin so come out and have fun while helping your neighbors. Live Band each night.  Competition for Brisket, ribs,chicken, fajitas, open meat, dessert and chili.  www.permianbasincookoff.com

Crawfish Boil at Clear Springs

Benefiting Relay for Life, American Cancer Society

http://www.clearspringscafe.com/

Tickets are $8, includes 1 lb. of Crawfish plus Potatoes and Corn; Purchase advance tickets at Clear Springs, 5707 Andrews Highway, Midland.

RUN FOR CHARITY:

Blue Ribbon Run: 5K and 1K

Race to End Child Abuse: Benefitting Midland County Child Welfare Board

Entry Form:       http://pbrunningclub.tripod.com/blue-ribbon-reg10.pdf

Where:              Midland College, 3600 N. Garfield Ave., Midland, TX 79705

Start Time:        5K at 10:00 am (Kid’s 1K at 9:30 am)

For more information contact Patricia Nelson at (432) 631-2872

One of Midland, Texas’ most popular shops, The Wine Rack is located in the same shopping center as Abuelo’s, Jason’s Deli, and The Pottery.  Though it is not a Downtown establishment, since it has come under new ownership recently (disclaimer, a friend of ours), we thought we would take a moment to plug the new store, and all their new products and events!  

The Wine Rack still offers the same selection of wines, in all price ranges.  The shop now offers a growing gourmet food section and pottery section, offering beautiful Spanish and Italian pottery.  The new Spanish selection includes chorizo, saffron, Spanish olives and olive oils.  The Wine Rack offers Tasting Events, which are limited to 24 people and often there is a wait list.  Upcoming tastings are April 22^nd at 7PM, Tasting 101 – Spring Wines, for $30/person, and on May 17^th there will be a Wine Dinner presented by the Garlic Press and Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards.

To make your reservation for upcoming Wine Rack events, please call, e-mail, or stop by the store to reserve your spot.  You may also subscribe to their monthly newsletter by e-mailing Thewinerackmidland@gmail.com.  Enjoy!  C&C

The Wine Rack, 4610 N. Garfield, Suite D-4

Midland, Texas 79705

432-570-9463, Thewinerackmidland@gmail.com

We wanted to update you on a couple of issues we’ve posted on in the past, namely, our wish for an Alamo Drafthouse come to town, and our hopes to see the end of euthanasia of animals at the Midland animal shelter. 

First, we got a call from the President of Triple Tap Ventures last week, who told us they are still doing all they can to make an Alamo in the Midland/Odessa area a reality.  Not much of an update, we know, but a promising one nonetheless!  It’s so nice of him to keep us updated after we sent the petition around last Fall, because we know he is a private businessman and does not have to give us any updates whatsoever.  Cheers to him, and good luck to those who are trying to make a Midland Alamo happen!  Any future news we get, we will post it here and on the Facebook page.

Second, we read an article from one of our favorite writers at the MRT, Kathleen Thurber, who reported last month on local citizens being upset that the Midland SPCA was facing funding problems after 62 years in Midland.  We thought the quote from Director of Midland Animal Control Paul O’Neil was interesting: He said he’s looked into a community collaborative grant program known as Maddie’s Fund that would provide a significant amount of money to help Midlanders achieve a society where euthanasia isn’t necessary; but that to apply for the grant, each of the city’s rescue organizations would have to agree to work together under a lead organization and also collaborate with veterinarians with the goal of achieving a no-kill status city-wide within 10 years.  Another person quoted in the article said that was never going to happen, since all the animal control organizations around town have different philosophies and techniques.  We applaud the local non-profit animal organizations’ efforts, of course, but we sure do wish that they could work together to achieve no-kill status for Midland.  If Midland became a no-kill city, we feel this would be something of which our community could be really proud.

Animal rescue organizations, shelters work to fill their respective niches

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/02/28/news/top_stories/animal_organizations_sunday.txt#ixzz0kcGCl4lb

Happy Friday!   C&C

Finally, opening day at the ballpark.  We love Rockhounds games! 

Opening Day 2010 at Citibank Ballpark

Thursday, April 8th

Hounds Begin Defense of Texas League Title Tonight vs. Arkansas

Gates Open - 6:00 PM

First Pitch - 7:00 PM

http://midland.rockhounds.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t237

1st 1000 Fans will receive a RockHounds Magnet Schedule

THIRSTY THURSDAY - ALL FOUNTAIN SODAS AND DRAFT BEERS ARE HALF PRICE

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS: http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=3533&pid=6699148

or call (432) 520-2255

You are invited to the opening reception of “New York, September 11th” to be held today, Wednesday, April 7th from 6pm till 7:30pm at the Museum of the Southwest, Midland, Texas. Thirty nine photographs from the world renowned photographic cooperative, Magnum Photographers, will be exhibited.  Special thanks to sponsors Jim Geitgey and Stacy Whiting.  Photos previously shown at the New York Historical Society.  Exhibit runs April 2 – May 30, 2010. Please call the Museum for more information. 683-2882.

http://www.museumsw.org/Sept.11.php

Sorry we haven’t blogged in a while….  It has been a busy three weeks!  I think it’s funny sometimes people think there’s nothing to do in Midland, because I have been busier here than I’ve ever been in the other places I’ve lived.  Week before last I was constantly busy with meetings: fun ones too, like book club, wine club, birthday luncheons, and you know, that thing they call “work”….  Chris went skiing with his buddies from A&M, as they get together every year for a reunion, and had a great time….  Last week my lovely husband threw me a surprise dinner birthday party at Cancun Grill (Downtown) on a Monday, two days before my birthday, so needless to say it was a surprise (Thank you to Joe and Javier for putting up with our table!  Best place in town).  Add to that a visit from our triplet niece and nephews for their Spring Break, and most recently a fun family Easter weekend, and it really has been the best three weeks ever! 

We love the Spring!  We love how it is lighter, later, and everyone is able to stay outside longer.  We missed Buckshot Bash and Gary P. Nunn, as we had an engagement party in Austin weekend before last, and let us tell you the bluebonnets are out in full force.  If you have a chance to make the drive to the Hill Country, do it, the wildflowers are so beautiful right now!  We did hear Buckshot Bash was a huge success, that the concert was great, and that the Midland Center was full.  Another successful fundraiser for the Junior League of Midland!

As for Downtown….  Sorry for the stream of consciousness, we have so many thoughts we’re just going to put them all here….

Farmer Matt and the Community Garden: this article by Burr Williams of the MRT is so neat.  Really, what a difference one person is making in this community.  First, he brings Midland the Downtown Farmers’ Market, and now Farmer Matt has arranged to use the yard behind the yellow house at the Scarborough-Lineberry Historical House as a community garden.  There’s a lot of talk out there about improving quality of life in Midland, and this is someone who actually does something about it.  Cheers to Farmer Matt Hanson.

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/03/24/news/opinion/columns/burr_williams.txt

Looking for new lunch places Downtown?  We always are.  Try these….  We haven’t had a chance to go to Graham’s Pharmacy since they’ve moved, but we are meaning to….

Garcia’s Burrito (on Main a block down from Cigar Frogs)

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/03/04/life/top_stories/doc4b901f57b878a119128752.txt

Graham Pharmacy (glad the old soda fountain made the move!)

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/02/28/life/top_stories/doc4b85527410117449327306.txt

Happy Wednesday!  -CC

Usually we bloggers are completely out of the loop when it comes to all things Live Midland, but we learned yesterday that this website is soon to get a new blogger, one who we believe will do a fantastic job.  She is very involved around town, and she is also very enthusiastic about this project.  She told us the good news yesterday, and the plan is she could be set up as early as next week.  Her blog will be replacing Laura’s “Downtown Junkie,” which is a good thing because, though Laura was only supposed to be a temporary blogger for a month or two in the beginning (October 2008), she blogged for almost an entire year regardless.  Believe it or not, it’s not easy to recruit people to sign up to be volunteer bloggers!  We think this new writer is going to be great at letting readers know what is going on around Midland, and Downtown especially.  Can’t wait for her to begin next week…..  WELCOME to the team!!!   C&C

April 16, 2010, 6:00 pm

Midland College

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

Anyone can participate in Relay For Life. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.

The only requirement to participate in Relay For Life is the $10 registration/commitment fee (per person) that is due upon registration. After that, anything you can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is graciously accepted. It is recommended that each participant to set a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that’s even better. Even if you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate.

This event is very near and dear to our family, as my brother, Michael Canon, is a 28 year survivor of brain cancer.  Without the help of the American Cancer Society and other organizations dedicated to winning the battle with cancer, we would not have the joy of today watching our brother take an active role in giving back to the support community that helped to save his life.  Every year Michael participates and raises money for this wonderful cause, and we are so proud of him.  Please, if you do not wish to participate, there are many ways to give your time/resources to this very worthy cause.  Thank you for any help!  - Chris

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=24155