Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Dallas-Fort Worth residents hunker down for Election Night activities

Comments (41)

DALLAS — On Election Night, Tuesday November 4, we can look forward to what will likely be a drama-packed night, with one of the most highly anticipated, early-voted elections in recent history.

An informal, strictly unscientific survey of Dallas-Fort Worth residents revealed that most intended to watch the returns on TV -- some at home, some off-site. There's plenty of activities around town. A number of restaurants including Hotel Zaza, Campania, and Eat the World are offering watching parties and special cocktails.

Here's a sampling of some of the activities locals have planned:

Keeping score on favorite candidates.

Paige Phelps, freelance journalist: "I canceled my TV service so I'm going to be scrambling to find a friend who will allow me to indulge in election returns. We'll see how that turns out. Can't head to my 'rents in Lake Highlands, because they are McCain fans and I just know that would turn out badly."

Dallas Progress blogger and Dallas Planning Commissioner Michael Davis: "I had an invite to be at Grant Park in Chicago with the campaign but couldn't accept. I will be home with my wife, with plenty of food and both laptops running with election results. (TV talking heads will be on mute.)"

Carissa Hughes, Universal Music Group: "Trust me, this election is huge for me! But so are the Dallas Mavs. Definitely combining a Mavs/election watch party at my place with friends. So the night will start off watching the Mavs beat out the San Antonio Spurs, with election coverage breaks during commercials and halftime. Then, right when the game ends is when all the political action will start heating up as results are finalized throughout the U.S. I plan on watching coverage on CNN, MSNBC, and Comedy Central. (Anderson, Gregory and Stewart, Oh My!) It will be a night of high energy, high anticipation, and hopefully double celebrations!"

Brandi Beakley DeAtley, Wall Street Journal: "[My husband] and I and our kids will be at a house party with a bunch of our Democrat friends. They have hired one of the teachers from the school to watch all the kids while we have drinks, eat and do a little electoral map gambling! We're hoping to be able to celebrate something before we all have to go home."

Burger aficionado Craig Spitzberg: "I'm bursting at the seams with ELECTION. I'll probably watch the returns with my Dad, let out an exhaustive SIGH, and burn an effigy of W in the back yard."

Catherine Collins, publisher of the Dallas edition of Culinary Concierge: "We are staying home with extended family and friends and having a shrimpfest. We’ll watch returns on numerous channels!"

Richardson Echo blogger Andrew Laska: "I'll try to visit with Sandra Vule and Angie Chen Button (candidates for State Rep District 112) during the evening as results come in. Then I'll depend on lame network TV for the other results."

Corley Schissler, multimedia specialist: "Tomorrow I will do my best to not watch anything presidential! I have already voted, so what is done is done. I may have to catch up with the backlog of shows on my DVR to keep my mind off the election madness. Wednesday morning I will be anxious to find out the final results. Who will it be?"

Journalist Angela Shah, soon to be employed by The National in Abu Dhabi, UAE: "I am going to my friend Margot's house for the third Quadrennial Election Watch Party. We first met back in 2000 -- both new to Dallas -- thinking we'd get together for a quick dinner and watch the returns come in. Well, by the middle of night, I had to call it quits and head home. In 2004, we expanded the guest list and had invitees pick swing states and bring food from there. I chose Florida and brought ingredients for mojitos! This year, I'm the ultimate undecided party guest. I'll decide tomorrow what I'm bringing."

Schoolteacher Diana Andro: "I'll be watching the returns at home with my family. I'll probably get sick of all the talk, and go to bed early."

KERA commentator Rawlins Gilliland: "I plan to: Put on my tuxedo after preparing an herbal prime rib dinner, and dine alone watching the network and PBS. I'll eat my five-course meal with Cuvee Champagne, eating and drinking until the results begin to become clear. If Obama is declared the victor, I plan to drive to Brooklyn Jazz Cafe on South Lamar and shake the hand of every black person I see and say, "I am proud to have lived to see this moment and I wanted to tell you so."

Jeff Liles, musician/DJ/Renaissance man: "I'm watching it at Space, directly above Hal Samples Gallery in Deep Ellum."

Lori Young, assistant to Brave Combo (and resident of Chicago): "I'll probably be plopped in front of my computer and checking in on the results on-line every once in the while. And although I live in Ground Zero of Obama-land, I'll be checking out the rally on TV and staying as far away from Grant Park as possible. They are predicting a million people might try to attend (and only 70,000 official tickets being handed out.)"

Anne Young Fritsche, concierge at Hotel Palomar: "Perhaps ~~Gilley's~~ Bishop Arts for the Obama party, perhaps Lakewood Landing, perhaps Arcade Bar."

DJ Mark "Mr. Rid" Ridlen: "I'll be at 4 Out of 5 Doctors Present "Derision '08: Crashing the Party" at the Pocket Sandwich Theater -- a semi-musical tribute to the most important election since the last one. The Docs illuminate the vast differences between the Democans and Republicrats, with song, sketches, and improv. After the show, we'll head across the street to Trinity Hall to watch election results."

Rob Brinkley, editor at PaperCity and co-author of Domestic Art: Curated Interiors: "I'm going to Matt's Rancho Martinez in Lakewood, with friends, to numb out on margaritas and refried beans -- and then I think I'll go home and start packing for Switzerland if my candidate doesn't win. (I know, I know: BAD AMERICAN.) But I do love Switzerland."

Dena Peterson, chef at Cafe Modern in Fort Worth: "I am off all day so I plan on spending the entire day on the couch in my jammies. Makes for good election watching. If I do choose to drag my ass off the couch, I will probably join my friends at my local watering hole, so we can get happy and cheer really loud! My dogs are staunch Republicans, so I can't wait to rub their noses in yet something else..."

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Comments

Danno Anonymous

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

1 year ago

Alex Bentley Staff

No spam, please, Danno.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

frank Anonymous

Election results party w/ DEEP @ Amsterdam bar tonight. Half priced pints too!

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Teresa Gubbins Staff

frank that sounds tempting. i was all set to watch comedy channel's coverage with jon stewart and stephen colbert.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

I think I'm going to go to a friend's place to get hammered and await the results; if I stay home and McCain wins, I might be too tempted to pack a suitcase and buy a plane ticket to someplace sane.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

xdavidwattsx Anonymous

I think I may have to shimmy on over to the official watch part in Bishop Arts. It's a little out of my way but it's sounds like this will be the big daddy party.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

luniz Anonymous

I'll be deadlifting 500 lbs, and listening to NPR declare the winner on the way home.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Anne Young Fritsche Verified

I think I would be awfully lonely at Gilley's tonight. I meant to say Bishop Arts for the Dallas County Democratic Party -- but had a flashback to the primaries as I replied to Teresa.

(Um, yeaaahhh.... as a concierge, I'm supposed to be a person who knows what's going on around town. Sheesh.)

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

hellofromfw Anonymous

I'll be parked in front of my mac, watching the coverage on the onion. check it: www.theonion.com.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Teresa Gubbins Staff

anne, fixed!

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

I made my vote and hope this will come out as they ,the other guys down the block reminded me why we need this vote..Then again the night is not here yet and the ever watchful eyes has to again be very sure......A.T, voting bug

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

BethAnderson Anonymous

Pizza, Prosecco, perhaps a shot or two, and copious amounts of election coverage whilst I yell at the TV.

If I don't wake up hoarse, hung over and manic tomorrow, I haven't done election night properly.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

I pretty much know how the first act turns out. Next week will start to get interesting, though.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Teresa Gubbins Staff

Pizza + Prosecco = bliss

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC Anonymous

We divided the team between Calgary and Dallas, each willing to evacuate the other as necessary. It's saying something to have someone make Stephen Harper look appealing.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

One thing for sure...........it will be a Historic night......and where you will be will be an importnat statement in this life to realize, no history books stuff, this is the real thing....good luck to all. A.T, Momment Relizer.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

My daughter and I both voted early and so tonight we will open the wine, watch Colbert, hang the F' on to our hats and put on rose colored glasses.

If Obama loses then we'll continue to watch the riot coverage....and drink more wine.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

High winds on fast bicycle = Blistex

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Travis Bush Verified

I voted for this one..

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

Comedy and the routine of errors has some simple taste in this kind of activity, while the midg is going to have a voters day if that is the terms, while what will we learn on the Novemeber day....saddle up to vote the election is almost ...T,V.. hot now and time to go home.......cold beer and potato chips on the winner by 12. A.T... Munchingan

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

You keep using those words. I do not think it means what you think it means.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

NO... I dont mean to use those words, besides it is kind of shocking isnt it, besides, whos your mamma...a.t

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Chris Kidd Verified

I'll be eating tempura shrimp, pizza rolls and shopping online for a mixer and mics for my new internet radio show, as well as catching the onions coverage of "our dumb election -2008"

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost Verified

"Inconceivable!"

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't distract me.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

There's a reason I hang out here.

My way isn't very sportsman like.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

Well but your hanging like the rest of us and the crowds are out tonight, a lot of people are going to the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff,until then..a.t

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

I do not mean to pry, but you don't, by any chance, happen to have six fingers on your right hand?

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Travis Bush Verified

Bill, please share your election night drugs with us!

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

When I was your age, television was called "books."

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Travis Bush Verified

Thanks goodness for spell check..now we call them "televisions."

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99 Anonymous

You must be that little Spanish brat I taught a lesson to all those years ago.

How marvelous.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Travis Bush Verified

Not very likely..although I am probably the one that snipped all your Christmas lights and took your seat on the Hop-A-Bus...

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

It looks like a close and yet famous evening is about to end and begin out there voters, its time to kick out the jams...until then, going to the Cliff and hang the lights at the Bishop Arts,,A.T,..Jazz man.....

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

You appear to be suffering from an over developed sense of vengeance.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

alexander troup Verified

Can I say one thing, dosent anyone care about the moment now, ok..hop a bus.. speak spanish and do the Snoop Dog but wait a minute, this evening is going to change everthing, wont it.......A.T.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

Sure, I'll wake up in a whole new world. Affirmative action will be a thing of the past and my kids will have a shot at college scholarships without having to play football. Crime, once disproportionately represented in the poorer neighborhoods will have evaporated and there will be a sitcom worth getting cable TV for.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

Bill, in the mean time, rest well and dream of large women.

g'night.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

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