Views From The 4th Estate

March 11
When: noon-12:30 p.m.
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Texas Ave.
Program: Bowie Fine Arts Academy Choir, Kathy Pysh, Director
Admission: Free. A $6 lunch will be offered before and after the performance.
Call: 684-7821

March 24
When: noon-12:30 p.m.
FPC’s Lynn Hall
Program: Midland High Band
Admission: Free. A $6 lunch will be offered before and after the performance.
Call: 684-7821

March 31
When: noon-12:30 p.m.
Where: FPC’s Lynn Hall
Program: Lee High School Honor Band
Admission: Free. A $6 lunch will be offered before and after the performance.
Call: 684-7821

Our friends at Cigar Frogs sent us the following tentative schedule.

March 16th — The Classic Movie Club will be showing ” Petrified Forest ”
March 18th — Victor Ochoa
March 19th — g6
March 20th — Burt Herrin
March 20th — We will be having a Poetry Festival hosted by Epic
March 23rd — The Classic Movie Club will be showing “Sandpiper”
March 25th — Victor Ochoa
March 26th — Christopher Digby
March 27th — “Weaterstone” featuring Ryman Peters, Trey Walker and Eric Schreiber
March 30th — The Classic Movie Club will be showing “English Patient”

Our featured artist of the month is Stephanie Seibert

I can honestly say I have never met a Midlander against downtown revitalization. Maybe someone once wondered what the fuss is about, but really I can’t remember people marching down Wall Street calling for the end of downtown revitalization.
Still I have long supported any idea that would create a more vibrant downtown and will continue to back those primarily private sector initiatives.
With downtown on the brain, we provide kudos to the Vision 2020 report which had downtown front and center.
We are intrigued with the discussion of a Yucca Theatre upgrade in the next decade. Considering the Yucca’s history and status in the community, we believe there is merit to what people are saying. We agree that government shouldn’t take a lead role here (OK not agreeing as much as indicating a preference), but should be supportive.
We also compliment Jim Nelson for his analysis on a downtown comeback. A downtown movie theater and a central area for eateries, shops and other entertainment also will be key to downtown’s success as an after 5 p.m. venue, Nelson said.
We have been talking about a similar idea for a while now.
Can the Yucca lead the way here? Maybe. Could a big piece in the revitalization puzzle come in the form of Alamo Drafthouse? In November we talked about a company calling for bids for “new construction, site work” for “Restaurant, Theaters / Auditoriums” in the downtown area. We think the announcement of Alamo Drafthouse locating downtown would be as big for revitalization efforts as anything we have seen downtown in the 15 years we have been in Midland.
But, yes, there needs to be a plan B. And the Yucca upgrade would be a good one.

Here is the full post at Newsroom Stew

Aphasia Center of West Texas - Chocolate Decadence fundraiser
When: 6-10 p.m. Feb. 11
Where: Midland Center

Romie’s Mexican Restaurante
701 S. Marienfeld St.
683-5344

Payment accepted: Checks, credit cards, cash
Entree price range: $5.99-$16.99 (fajitas for two)
Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Meals served: Lunch
Kid’s menu? Yes
Parking? Ample parking lot
Outdoor seating? No
Private dining room for parties? No, but space available in dining room for groups.
Take out?Yes
Catering? Yes

Romie’s, lunch done right near downtown
By Joan Huff
Reporter-Telegram

I have discovered another delicious Mexican dining establishment. As I walked in the door with my lunch group, I laughed because I think I am about the last person in Midland to find it. In business for 11 years, Romie’s Mexican Restaurante, located at 701 S. Marienfeld St., is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
With a parking lot quickly filling up and people coming through the door, a very friendly waitress promptly seated us and drink orders were taken.  Mexican music drifted over the speakers and traditional Mexican decor covered the walls.
As we looked at the menu, we saw that Romie’s offers daily specials at a very reasonable price. For example, on Monday the special is a regular dinner consisting of a cheese enchilada and a ground beef taco. Tuesday features the Vallita (two cheese, ground beef or shredded chicken enchiladas) and Wednesday offers fajitas. Each special is only $6.99 a plate.
If you are extra hungry and would like an appetizer, Romie’s offers chile con queso, guacamole, stuffed jalapenos and flautitas, just to name a few. The restaurant also features several versions of nachos, including a choice of chicken or beef fajita. The hot sauce is delicious when combined with the chips that are placed on the table as you order.

See the full story in the Feb. 4 edition of Pulse.

Here is the link.

There will be more information on Improv at the Yucca and Bynum School’s annual Children’s Festival in this week’s Pulse.

Improv at the Yucca
When: Jan. 15-16
Where: Yucca Theatre
Tickets: $15 for the pit, $12 for the floor
Reservations: Call 570-4111. Tickets also sold at the door. Recommended for 18 and older. 90-minutes, no intermission.

Bynum School’s annual Children’s Festival
When: Jan. 16
Where: Midland Center

Midland Downtown Farmers’ Market
When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Jan. 23, Feb. 20, March 6
Where: 501 W. Texas Ave., under the green

Check out Wednesday’s Pulse in the Reporter-Telegram for the full list of New Year’s events and the cover story on downtown celebrations.

Downtown New Year’s Eve events:
Cigar Frogs: Victor Ochoa to perform. $5 cover charge, free champagne at midnight.
Ground Floor Coffee House: In Epitome and Jackson’s Lost Cause will play a free show starting at 7 p.m.
Hilton Midland Plaza: Roland Zertuche, 9 p.m. in Mahogany Lounge. Packages for rooms and tickets available. Call 683-6131 for more information.
Martini Glass Grill: Doors open at 7 p.m. DJ will play, free party favors will be available. $20 cover charge.
Palmer Drug Abuse Program: Celebration Midland opens at 7 p.m. at the Midland Center. Games, food and entertainment for kids and adults. Free. Call 685-3645 for more information or to volunteer.
The Bar: Grindstone plays at 9 p.m. Cover will be charged.

Restaurants advising groups make reservations include:
Cancun Bar and Grill, 618-0390, six course meal being served, live music offered
Luigi’s, 683-6363, reservations advised for parties of five or more
Wall Street Bar and Grill, 684-8686, reservations advised for parties of six or more

Saturday
Movie in the Park: “Polar Express,” 7 p.m. Centennial Plaza

Through Dec. 30
Christmas at the Mansion
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 2-5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Museum of the Southwest
Info: Christmas at the Mansion is the Museum of the Southwest’s annual holiday extravaganza with “Southwest Express” train exhibit, carolers and beautiful decorations. Luncheons: Wednesday and Friday through Dec. 18. Cost: $30 per person. Reservations required. Teas: 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3-17. Cost: $5. Reservations required. Call: 683-2882. Closed  Dec. 24 and 25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

“A Christmas Story”
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12
Where: Centennial Plaza

Celebrations of Light Annual Storytelling Festival
When:  9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 7 p.m.  Saturday, Dec. 12
Where: First United Methodist Church
Info: Nationally acclaimed storytellers in three concerts: Charlotte Blake Alston, Willy Claflin, Donald Davis, Rex Ellis, Barbara McBride-Smith, Laura Pershin Raynor, and Antonio Rocha and two rising stars: Annalon Gilbreath and Sue Roseberry

Movies in the Park — “A Christmas Story”
When: 7 p.m. , Saturday, Dec. 12
Where: Centennial Plaza