Courtney E. Smith
@thecourtneyesmith.bsky.social
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Unemployed food journalist covering Texas and your mom’s house. My newsletter.
So many people are speculating about why and how Mamani in Dallas earned a Michelin star after only two months. I’ve got a list of reasons.
theleftovers.beehiiv.com/p/why-mamani...
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A List of Reasons Mamani Earned a Michelin Star
Because I've had to explain this at multiple dinner parties, so clearly people want to understand it.
https://theleftovers.beehiiv.com/p/why-mamani-dallas-earned-michelin-star
3 days ago
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What does a MAGA entertainment company look like? Paramount, baby.
variety.com/2025/film/fe...
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Inside David Ellison’s Dramatic First 100 Days at Paramount: Courting Tom Cruise Blockbusters, Forging Ties With Trump and Daring Anyone Else to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery
David Ellison is the ultimate Hollywood disruptor. This week's Variety cover story goes deep on the Paramount-Skydance boss' industry takeover.
https://variety.com/2025/film/features/david-ellison-hollywood-takeover-paramount-warner-bros-1236569136/
5 days ago
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When I say I want more affordable all day cafes and spaces with good music, I mean like this one. A couple of good folks are saving a Deep Ellum institution from closing down, and I covered it for
@dmagazine.bsky.social
.
www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2...
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AllGood Cafe’s New Owners Will Keep the Music Going for a New Generation
The new crew, themselves musicians, talk about their plans to change the restaurant (very little) and preserve its legacy.
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2025/11/allgood-cafes-new-owners-will-keep-the-music-going-for-a-new-generation/
6 days ago
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Four restaurants, four very different nights out in Dallas. In this week’s issue of The Leftovers, I’m sharing what happened when I revisited some big-name dining rooms — and was lucky enough to find myself in one of the city’s most exciting pop-ups.
10 days ago
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Halloween playlist drop! Yeah I know, I’m switching to Apple, the overtly less evil music streaming service but it’s not actually.
open.spotify.com/playlist/3C5...
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Ssssssspooky!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3C5anLXxamlxeAmsMcbuuF?si=lUMg538tThmAC8LZ6t3idw&pi=n1503LSUSsWSG
16 days ago
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There is nothing I love more than being right. So, I put together a list of the new Michelin-recognized restaurants across Texas that I told you to try. You’re welcome.
theleftovers.beehiiv.com/p/love-to-be...
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Love to Be Right
Places I've written about and recommended in the last year that earned Michelin recognition in Texas.
https://theleftovers.beehiiv.com/p/love-to-be-right
18 days ago
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A comedy of errors in Dallas, in which one hand is not speaking to the other in city government.
www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2...
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City Hall Wants to Strengthen Dallas Nightlife. It’s Cracking Down Instead.
A new task force has a disruptive mission: prevent live music venues from charging music fees.
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2025/10/city-hall-wants-to-strengthen-dallas-nightlife-its-cracking-down-instead/
20 days ago
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One woman. Ten barbecue spots in three days. Too much brisket. Not enough cold slaw. These are my hottest takes on where to eat barbecue in the great city of Houston.
www.theinfatuation.com/houston/guid...
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The 13 Best BBQ Spots In Houston - Houston - The Infatuation
The best BBQ spots in Houston for smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, boudin, and chopped beef baked potatoes.
https://www.theinfatuation.com/houston/guides/best-bbq-houston
23 days ago
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I ate at ten barbecue spots in Houston to put together a hit map for The Infatiation, including the Michelin-starred barbecue in Spring. I finished more confused than ever about what makes a barbecue spot Michelin-worthy.
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24 days ago
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Okay women of a certain age in Dallas, who is coming??
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about 1 month ago
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I’m a big fan of THC. When I was going through serious anxiety and depression related to PTSD, it was one of the things that helped me manage it. But it can also just be fun - which I’ve grown to appreciate.
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
D Magazine
about 2 months ago
Its creators—one from Colombia, the other born in a farmers market—met at a Home Depot parking lot and were accepted into the Fair on their seventh attempt.
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The Best Dessert at the State Fair of Texas - D Magazine
Its creators—one from Colombia, the other born in a farmers market—met at a Home Depot parking lot and were accepted into the Fair on their seventh attempt.
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2025/09/the-incredible-but-true-story-behind-the-state-fair-of-texas-best-new-dessert/
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Making my debut in
@dmagazine.bsky.social
today with a bang!
www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2...
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The Best Dessert at the State Fair of Texas - D Magazine
Its creators—one from Colombia, the other born in a farmers market—met at a Home Depot parking lot and were accepted into the Fair on their seventh attempt.
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2025/09/the-incredible-but-true-story-behind-the-state-fair-of-texas-best-new-dessert/
about 2 months ago
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Women of a certain age in DFW: Do you want to dance again and still be in bed by 10 pm? There’s a party for that and I’m throwing it. There will be good music from your exactly heyday and snacks. See you there.
about 2 months ago
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I was excited to try Opal’s Oysters in Waco, the first non-barbecue spot from Texas barbecue legends, Terry Black’s. It turns out, there isn’t room for two raw bars in the small city of Waco, Texas.
about 2 months ago
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Free speech for me and not for thee, yet again in Texas. Now they want to “examine free speech on college campuses” across the state because students didn’t mourn him the way they wanted. No one elected official, when asked, saw the irony.
www.dallasnews.com/news/politic...
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Texas Legislature creates committee in honor of Charlie Kirk to examine speech at colleges
The committees will examine the implementation of two laws enacted in response to perceptions of liberal bias on college campuses.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/09/12/texas-legislature-creates-committee-in-honor-of-charlie-kirk-to-examine-speech-at-colleges/
2 months ago
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HAVE YOU BEEN INFLUENCED? Call the law offices of Courtney E. Smith; you may be entitled to compensation.
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2 months ago
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I’ve been waiting all year for Mamani to open in Dallas. Going prompted me to explore a new content type with my weekly newsletter, looking not just at a review of the food that I ordered but the philosophy of the restaurant and how customers can get the most out of a menu with luxury prices.
2 months ago
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Hotel restaurants aren’t usually a destination, but the Duchess in the Nobelman, a Marriott cosplaying as a boutique hotel in an up-and-coming Fort Worth neighborhood, is an exception.
2 months ago
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I visited Emerald City Lounge, Fort Worth’s first cannabis lounge, this weekend and it was a really good time. I like how the goal is to make it social and destigmatize partaking. Also it was just super cute.
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2 months ago
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So, where do I sign up for Chorus?
3 months ago
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I am stupider for having read this.
www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2...
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Note to All Restaurateurs: Turn Down the Bloody Music!
An Englishman's review of Far Out, specifically, and of Dallas culture, in general.
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/2025/08/note-to-all-restaurateurs-turn-down-the-bloody-music/
3 months ago
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I’ve been eating queso all year to try and pull together a list of the best places to eat it. It turns out, cheaper and classic is better. In this week’s edition of the Lefotovers, I look at why - and where to eat it in Texas.
3 months ago
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How much should a burger cost? How about a burger by a chef with a Michelin-starred restaurant (it serves pasta)? How about a burger I personally judged and gave a winning nod to at a food festival? In my first newsletter, I break down the hidden costs of a damn good burger.
3 months ago
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5 months ago
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I do still write about music from time to time and I appreciate the fine folks at Uproxx letting me finally put this theory about the country/hip hop crossover and youth sports into something.
uproxx.com/country/nell...
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Nelly’s ’Country Grammar’ And The Rise Of Hick-Hop
The time has come to reflect on the cross-genre impact of Nelly’s ’Country Grammar’ with him performing the album in full at Stagecoach
https://uproxx.com/country/nellys-country-grammar-stagecoach-victory-lap-and-the-rise-of-hick-hop/
7 months ago
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I love when chefs care about sustainability. This guy just wants to keep pollinators going so we get to keep eating oranges and avocados and all the fruits that depend on them.
austin.eater.com/2025/4/9/244...
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Chef Richard Sandoval Is on a Mission to Save the Bees
Texans can eat pollinator-dependent dishes at the Viva Abejas dinner, hosted in chef Sandavol’s restaurants in Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth
https://austin.eater.com/2025/4/9/24404734/chef-richard-sandoval-toro-toro-cicolo-austin-houston-fort-worth-viva-abejas-bee-hive-honey
7 months ago
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It’s the first time ever that a POC chef is heading up the legendary kitchen at the Mansion in Dallas.
dallas.eater.com/2025/4/7/243...
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How One of LA’s Most Talented Chefs Injected Life Into Dallas’s Fine Dining Scene
Chef Charles Olalia looked to the Mansion’s history, and a sprinkle of Filipino five-spice mix, to reimagine the mainstay’s menu
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/4/7/24399801/mansion-restaurant-dallas-rosewood-charles-olalia
7 months ago
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Wrote about a dude doing Texas barbecue with Louisiana flare, and I’ve never had crawfish cornbread dressing but I want some right now.
austin.eater.com/2025/4/3/244...
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A Taste of Louisiana Makes Its Way to Austin at Parish Barbecue
Pitmaster Holden Fulco has worked at some of the best barbecue spots in Central Texas. Now, he’s ready to go out on his own with the Louisiana flavors of his childhood.
https://austin.eater.com/2025/4/3/24400330/austin-parish-barbecue-opening-food-photos-menu
8 months ago
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In a surprising turn, Dallas leads Texas for the James Beard Awards. Thrilled to see many of my favorite places, chefs, and bar managers land honors.
dallas.eater.com/2025/4/2/243...
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Here Are the Dallas 2025 James Beard Award Finalists
Leading the pack is a major award for Chad Houser of Cafe Momentum
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/4/2/24399509/james-beard-awards-nominees-2025-texas-dallas-restaurants-finalists
8 months ago
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Waking up today to learn a lot of y’all haven’t seen the movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington starring Jimmy Stewart, but Cory Booker has.
8 months ago
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I am so confused about why Joe Leo Tex Mex, the one restaurant the bride not only tagged in photos but posted photos of herself in front of the sign of, is all yeah no we’re not commenting. I think they’re cool with people knowing?
dallas.eater.com/2025/3/31/24...
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Hudson House Confirms Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney Stopped In Together
The duo also reportedly went to Joe Leo Fine Tex Mex and Park House — and John Stamos showed up too
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/3/31/24397550/glen-powell-sydney-sweeney-dallas-restaurants-wedding-hudson-house
8 months ago
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I had to sit on a tip about this for two weeks because everyone wants to snitch but no one wants to be an on the record source even if it is anonymous.
dallas.eater.com/2025/3/28/24...
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John Tesar’s Knife Restaurant and the Highland Hotel in Dallas Just Severed Their Relationship
The chef was anticipating a multi-million dollar renovation, but instead the restaurant will close
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/3/28/24386003/dallas-john-tesar-knife-highland-hotel-closing
8 months ago
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
Rebecca Fielding-Miller
8 months ago
Today I lost an NIH grant training clinicians to do research about intimate partner violence with perinatal women. More women are murdered in the perinatal period than die of obstetric complications. I didn't just lose a grant. We lost an entire cohort of people building careers to prevent that.
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I updated the first date map on Eater Dallas this week with myself in mind. It is 75% places I’d like to go. Posting this in case any cool, liberal men with acceptable taste in music were wondering if I’m single.
dallas.eater.com/maps/best-fi...
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Easy Bars and Restaurants for a First Date in Dallas
Suggestions for a classic drinks or coffee first date, places to play games and eat, and even some sit-down restaurants if you’re ready to commit
https://dallas.eater.com/maps/best-first-date-bars-restaurants-dallas
8 months ago
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My favorite genres are 5. Alien invasion in which unlikely heros save the world 4. Weird backwoods killer with more backstory than was needed 3. She’s having a baby 2. Is that how that accent should sound? 1. A pair of lovers talk endlessly while walking in Europe
add a skeleton here at some point
8 months ago
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I ate all 25 of these courses and it was glorious.
dallas.eater.com/2025/3/4/243...
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Inside Tim Love’s 25-Course Anniversary Menu Opus at Lonesome Dove
Here’s a look at five of the dishes he’ll be serving
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/3/4/24376845/lonesome-dove-tasting-menu-25-courses-menu-photos-food
8 months ago
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I see that this man is unfamiliar with using HRT to treat menopause. Cool cool cool.
www.dallasnews.com/news/politic...
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North Texas Republican’s bill would ban gender-affirming care for all Texans, even adults
Rep. Brent Money proposes expanding the scope of a 2023 law that banned gender care for minors.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/02/28/north-texas-republicans-bill-would-ban-gender-affirming-care-for-all-texans-even-adults/
9 months ago
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Anyone else get the distinct feeling that Bezos doesn’t know about the Spanish-American war?
9 months ago
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Someone sent this to me, I’ve never felt so hated.
9 months ago
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I somehow got dialed into this and it was awesome. Very proud of you Rep. Johnson.
add a skeleton here at some point
9 months ago
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It feels like half of the country has some sort of bug or straight up illness right now and the other half just got over one and will be getting reinfected momentarily.
9 months ago
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I wanted to write a feature for people who aren’t feeling the love this Valentine’s Day and I got a spaghetti sandwich. It was delicious.
dallas.eater.com/2025/2/11/24...
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You Don’t Have to Be in Love to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Rayo
In fact, it might be more fun if you’re not
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/2/11/24362863/rayo-bar-exposition-fair-park-food-menu-photos-valentines-day
9 months ago
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Screw the Super Bowl, I’m watching Gladiator 2. Better outfits, no ads, actual death.
9 months ago
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
jamelle
9 months ago
is it woke to want to end cancer?
add a skeleton here at some point
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
9 months ago
Hell yeah. Hold the line. This is what we need people to do. Slow things down, don’t comply in advance so the courts have time to stop them. It’s starting to work.
add a skeleton here at some point
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I ate at the new Chicken Guy in Dallas and like it’s a chicken sandwich, it’s not going to change your life but playing in the sauces is a good time.
dallas.eater.com/2025/2/7/243...
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The Secret Ingredient at Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy? It’s in the Sauce.
If you’re searching for Flavortown, go wild on those sauce options
https://dallas.eater.com/2025/2/7/24359511/chicken-guy-fieri-dallas-sandwich-photos-menu-food
9 months ago
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
Alison Willmore
9 months ago
5,000 @NYMag readers & counting have told @VoxMedia they plan to stand with @NYMagUnion if we walk out. Tomorrow we're back in bargaining. The time for a fair deal is now. If you haven’t signed, tell Vox you support New York’s 150 union members:
nymagunion.org/reader-pledge
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reposted by
Courtney E. Smith
More Perfect Union
9 months ago
BREAKING: Rep. Mark Pocan has introduced the ELON MUSK act which would ban "special" government employees like Musk from having federal contracts. The full title of the bill is the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy Act.
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