68 September 19 - 25, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER CONTENTS | READERS’ PICKS | SHOPPING & SERVICES | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | FOOD & DRINK | SPORTS & RECREATION sode ranges from 30 minutes to an hour with the hosts inviting guests to discuss their corner of the hemp market. Recently, the podcast celebrated its four-year anni- versary and hosted discussions about pos- sible bans on delta-8 and delta-9 products in Texas. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-texas- hemp-show/id1534822507 Best Local Radio Personality Paul Slavens Dallas multi-instrumentalist Paul Slavens hosts the award-winning weekly radio program The Paul Slavens Show on 91.7 KXT. During the program, you’ll hear a diverse mix of music from varying time periods and genres. From jazz to country, Slavens plays it all. Listeners can also suggest tunes in the comments section on KXT’s website. This year, Slavens cel- ebrates 20 years on the radio, starting out on the Sunday night shift on KERA 90.1. When KXT was formed, Slavens moved over to the station where The Paul Slavens Show was created. If you miss a song, don’t worry. Slavens posts the playlist on his blog after each show. Tune into KXT at 8 p.m. every Sunday. Best Actor Jesse Plemons For the second year in a row, Jesse Ple- mons has taken the cake when it comes to North Texas actors. Born in Dallas and raised outside of Waco, Plemons received the Best Actor award at Cannes this year for his role in Kinds of Kindness, the lat- est from Yorgos Lanthimos. Plemons solidified himself as a Texas boy back in his Friday Night Lights days, and now he has cemented his spot within the Holly- wood elites. His cover profile with Texas Monthly is worth the read. Best Book Club Dallas Book and Sip Club Dallas Book and Sip Club is not your average book club. The flagship Book and Sip Club was founded in Houston in August 2023. In less than a year, the community-focused book club has ex- ploded with 26 chapters worldwide. Mallory Jordan founded Dallas’ chapter in April 2024 and has since accumulated a membership waitlist of hundreds of ea- ger readers. It’s no surprise why. Jordan selflessly invests in the aesthetics and community-building aspects of the Dal- las chapter. There are various socializing opportunities around the city, including pizza making, happy hours and movie outings. Once a month, the club gathers for an intricately planned, themed book club meeting. It’s the perfect opportu- nity to make new friends, visit Dallas hot spots and dive into engaging conversa- tions about books with a diverse group of literary aficionados. instagram.com/dallasbookandsipclub Best Record Store for Budget Collectors Faded Blue Founded in 2016 in a little house on Locust Street in Denton a little more than half a mile from the Downtown Square, Faded Blue is more than just a record store with its vintage furniture, home decor, crafts, clothing and any other kind of odd or end that is old and cool, especially vinyl re- cords. Faded Blue is by no means a large record store. One could easily flip through the store’s entire selection in about an hour, but there are always plenty more in the back. Owner Devin Drake prices records fairly, meaning that you’re not going to pay more just because it’s by the Rolling Stones. Maybe that copy of Beggar’s Banquet has some cover damage or a minor scratch on the vinyl, but this decent copy of the classic album will only set you back $15. To keep up with the space, Drake will move records that haven’t been sold into a $5 bin and then into a $1 bin. Anything that sits too long in the $1 bin will be gathered in a bun- dle of 20 mystery albums that is sold for $5. That deal alone is worth the drive. 1100 N. Locust St., Denton 940-390-6976 Best LGBTQ+ Bar Barbara’s Pavillion This rainbow Oak Cliff haunt welcomes folks from all walks of life. With a colorful interior, interactive jukebox, and loungy Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Jesse Plemons // BEST ACTOR
