Texas Monthly August 2019

DIOR: FROM PARIS TO THE WORLD See the looks that changed the course of fashion as the Dallas Museum of Art hosts an unforgettable retrospective of Christian Dior’s work. The exhibit features 100 haute couture dresses, photographs, sketches, runway videos and more, as well as pieces from protégés like Yves Saint Laurent. WHEN? Through September 1 diorindallas.com WHERE? The Dallas Museum of Art RIVERFRONT JAZZ FEST Soothe your soul with three nights of the finest in jazz presented by VisitDallas and the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Performers include Cassandra Wilson, Jonathan Butler, Hiroshima, Tito Puente Jr., Roy Ayers and more—as well as an opening-night set from Dallas’s own Queen of Neo-Soul, Erykah Badu. WHEN? August 30 through September 1 visitdallas.com/riverfrontjazz WHERE? Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas DINOS AT THE DALLAS ZOO Bring the family, and discover over two dozen dinosaurs roaming the…

The Golden Isles is more than just golden-sand beaches: It’s a magical seaside retreat made up of four barrier islands - St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island - and their mainland city of Brunswick. Here, families can find new adventures around every bend, with another waiting each time they return. 1 TAKE A UNIQUE RIDE Take a guided horseback tour through maritime forests, near salt marshes, and even along our vast beaches. Or sit back, relax, and enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through Jekyll Island’s historic district. 2 GO TREASURE HUNTING If you look closely at certain majestic oak trees that cover St. Simons Island, it’s possible to find one staring back at you! Spend a day with the whole family searching for St. Simons Island’s favorite treasures:…

When Randa Duncan Williams was growing up in Houston in the 1970s, she was an avid reader, devouring everything from novels to literary nonfiction. She was particularly fond of a then-new magazine called Texas Monthly. When her parents’ subscription arrived each month, she would thrill to its true stories of outsized Texas characters. Over the years, she saved piles of old copies, and could quote passages of her favorite articles from memory. And so, when Randa announced on June 25 that she was buying Texas Monthly, we felt we were in good hands. “My family is delighted to provide the resources to support this iconic Texas institution,” she says. “The journalistic integrity and quality for which Texas Monthly is known will remain unchanged.” Her acquisition of this magazine is great news for…

“UPON MY DEMISE, MY ASHES ARE TO BE SCATTERED INTO THE WELCOMING ARMS OF THE BRAZOS RIVER FROM THE WACO SUSPENSION BRIDGE SO I MIGHT, OVER THE NEXT FEW MILLION YEARS, WANDER MY WAY THROUGH THE BEST PART OF THE PLANET.” From the Heart I have never written in before, but I wanted to commend Skip [Hollandsworth] for his article [“Sabika’s Story,” May 2019]. It was so lovely and heartbreaking that it moved me to tears. Thank you, Skip, for researching this story and reminding us what’s beneath the headlines. I am in awe. JULISSA TOPETE, AUSTIN Skip has outdone himself on this article. It should be required reading for all Texans concerned about violence in schools. This story is a reminder of how far-reaching the effects of these incidents are, and until we…

Far away from the cares of urban life, discover a seaside refuge bursting with life,” says Texas Parks and Wildlife’s interpretive guide to Sea Rim State Park. “Bursting with life,” absolutely: the park is home to (or rest stop for) an awesome collection of critters, from neotropical birds and bobcats to coyotes and alligators. And they’ve got the “refuge” part down. The whole swath of coastal plain between the Louisiana state line and the Bolivar Peninsula is one giant patchwork of wildlife sanctuaries, not just Sea Rim but also the J._D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area as well as the Anahuac, McFaddin, and Texas Point national wildlife refuges. But I’m not sure about the “far away” part. That vast acreage of beach and marshland feels almost like a defiant bulwark against…

Because Sea Rim is at the remote fringes of the Texas coast (and one cruise through the refineries is enough), you’ll likely want to get to the park and stay there. So fill your gas tank and load up on food (and mosquito repellent) on the way. But do venture next door to the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge (1). Just west of Sea Rim, where Highway 87 peters out, it’s a no-frills spot. If you’re not engaged in angling or seasonal waterfowl hunting (fish and ducks might quibble with “refuge”), there’s not much to do but drive among its 58,861 acres and sightsee, but you’re likely to spot alligators, the resident mottled ducks, and, depending on the time of year, migrating birds. (Incidentally, avoid the two-mile “cattle walk” trail at…