Mold Remediation in Plano, TX

Thu, Nov 7, 2024 at 7:30 PM

The Plano House of Comedy, 7301 Lone Star Dr, Plano, TX, 75024

More info here

CIPHA SOUNDS

Cipha Sounds got his start carrying crates and opening for Funkmaster Flex at legendary New York nightspots, the Tunnel and the Palladium. Eventually his talent for song selection and infectious personality brought him to Hot 97 (New York’s #1 Hip Hop station), where he moved up the ranks—from Flex’s intern, to running his own show “Cipha Saturdays,” and finally to hosting the coveted morning spot. During his 17 years at Hot 97, and as a host for Eminem’s Shade 45 on SiriusXM, he helped launch the careers of Rihanna, Rick Ross, 50 Cent, and Sean Paul. His keen ear also led him to work as an A&R executive for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella and Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak record labels. Jay-Z, Rihanna, J.Lo, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim, and Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) are just a few artists he’s worked with as a live DJ.

Whether on the radio, as a VJ for MTV, or as a live DJ, Cipha always maintained a sharp sense of humor on the mic. He first emerged on the comedy scene as the official DJ for Chappelle’s Show and has worked with the eponymous host ever since. Despite persistent encouragement from Dave to pursue comedy, it wasn’t until well after the iconic series ended—when Cipha attended his first improv show—that he was fully inspired towards a career in comedy.

He came up studying improv at the original UCB while practicing stand-up throughout NY. He created the critically acclaimed UCB show Take It Personal – The Hip Hop Improv Show, which featured guests like Questlove, Zoe Kravitz, Donald Glover, 2 Chainz, and Fat Joe. He went from being a regular DJ at SNL afterparties to opening for Michael Che on international tours, appearing in his Netflix special and in That Damn Michael Che for Max. Cipha is known for hosting the TruTV series Laff Mobb Laff Tracks and more recently garnered critical acclaim as the host of A&E’s Hip Hop Treasures alongside producer LL Cool J. His earlier on-screen work includes a small role in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour and Wild-N-Out, which he served on as a consulting producer.

When not traveling the world to do stand-up with Chappelle, Michael Che, Michelle Wolf, Mo Amer, Ronny Chieng, and others, you can catch him at New York’s Comedy Cellar or headlining celebrated clubs around the country. You can listen to him Monday through Friday on New York’s 94.7 The Block and on the beloved Hip Hop podcast Juan EP Is Life (with Hot 97 and ESPN’s Peter Rosenberg). In 2023, Cipha became a key player on Bert Kreischer’s long-running Fully Loaded Festival Tour. He also performed at SXSW, New York Comedy Festival, and Just For Laughs.

PLANO COMEDY FESTIVAL

The Plano Comedy Festival is the largest comedy festival in North Texas presenting over 100 comedy acts in 6 days. The festival will feature stand-up, magic, characters, alternative comedy, panel discussions, workshops, and a Best of Fest Comedy Brunch.

The mission of the Plano Comedy Festival is to enrich the City of Plano and surrounding communities with the comedic arts by organizing an annual comedy festival that contributes to Plano's artistic development. Since 2018, over 500 comedians from all over the United States and internationally have showcased their talent on our stages providing opportunities to grow, network, and make great comedy together.

Plano Comedy Festival, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization and is funded in part by the City of Plano.

Stay up to date with the latest information about the Plano Comedy Festival such as the 2024 festival lineup, full schedule, and more via the official Plano Comedy Festival website https://planocomedyfestival.co....

Follow on social media @planocomedyfestival or @planocomedyfest and hashtag #planocomedyfest.

In a sunny, glass-encased front room, thin pieces of dough were filled and folded by four sets of steady hands as Jimmy Li watched closely, arms tucked behind his back.

Dumplings defined Li’s childhood, and now they define his career. Each one must be perfect.

As the son of chefs, Li spent his early years in Shanghai watching his parents make xiao long bao in their kitchen and later in the restaurant they opened after moving to the United States.

Six grams of dough. Eight grams of filling. Eighteen folds; left to right, top to bottom. It’s muscle memory now for the chef whose Las Vegas restaurant, ShangHai Taste, churns out 3,000 xiao long bao, commonly known as soup dumplings, a day.

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His dumplings have become fixtures in Sin City’s Chinatown since he opened the restaurant in 2018, and now Li’s seeing if the same can happen in North Texas.

The third location of ShangHai Taste, and first outside of Nevada, opened Oct. 8 in a small but busy Plano shopping center.

Behind the scenes: Shanghai Taste Prepares Ahead of Opening in Plano

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Staff at Shanghai Taste prepared a variety of dishes ahead of the restaurant's grand opening in Plano on Oct. 7, 2024.

Hours before Li opened the Plano restaurant to guests for the first time, he buzzed around its pristine kitchen prepping vegetables, stirring batches of earthy kao fu, tasting sauces and intermittently doling out feedback to the team of women responsible for tediously prepping hundreds of dumplings a day. At least four would-be customers knocked on the glass front door hoping the restaurant was already open.

For months he trained the Plano kitchen staff at his main Las Vegas restaurant to teach them how to make the classic Shanghainese dishes he’s become known for like the shell-on shrimp he dehydrates in corn starch then fries, and sheng jian bao — bao soup dumplings pan fried in sesame oil, steamed, then fried again for a crispy, golden-brown bottom.

Li, a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023 for Best Chef: Southwest, runs his kitchens with precision — and with the watchful eye of his mother who stops by from time to time to offer feedback.

When Li’s business partner and co-owner, Joe Muscaglione first tried his food in 2008 at the Las Vegas restaurant Li ran with his parents, he was floored by the depth of flavor and authenticity.

This guy is not a typical chef, Muscaglione thought as he polished off a basket of delicate pork xiao long bao.

Years later, when he and Li became business partners, Muscaglione said he was stunned by the skill and detail that goes into Li’s cooking. He recalled watching Li make a batch of stock by putting cuts of meat in a deep pot filled with ice cubes, not water. The water in ice cubes goes through a second filtration system so it’s more pure, Li told him, and the colder the water, the better the stock. So, why not start with ice?

“I had never seen that before, and I’ve seen everything in the restaurant business” Muscaglione said.

Li’s food and many of the cooking methods he employs come from longstanding culinary customs he feels responsible for preserving and continuing, he said.

The stock Li generously fills his xiao long bao with is cooked the traditional way: no pre-made gelatin, just pork skin simmered and clarified for hours on end. The wontons that go into his fish wonton soup are made in a classic Shanghainese style with square wrappers folded into the shape of ancient Chinese currency. Tradition is stamped throughout ShangHai Taste.

Li said he will continue to live and work in Las Vegas, but plans to come to the Plano restaurant, which is run by customer-turned-franchisee Jay Bao, every few months.

It was Bao, a Plano local, who brought Muscaglione and Li the idea of opening a ShangHai Taste franchise location in his city. The customer base is there, he told them, and he was confident it would quickly find its place in North Texas’ landscape of Chinese cuisine.

Like the two other ShangHai Taste locations in Las Vegas, the Plano location is small, with just 36 seats. They wanted to maintain the same intimacy the restaurant has become known for, Muscaglione said.

Also like the Vegas restaurants, diners and passers-by on the street can watch through the glass as a dizzying number of dumplings are stuffed and folded with mesmerizing choreography.

Will 3,000 pieces of xiao long bao fly out of the Plano kitchen a day as they do in Vegas? They have no idea what to expect, Muscaglione said. They hope so.

ShangHai Taste opened Oct. 8, 2024, at 109 Legacy Drive, Suite 120, Plano. It is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Three homebuilders have launched sales at Collin Creek, the first phase of a $1 billion mixed-use mall redevelopment in Plano, Texas, a sign of how the region is responding to the fastest population growth in the United States.

Ashton Woods, Brightland Homes and Mattamy Homes are building a mix of two- and three-story townhouses, with prices ranging from about $480,000 to more than $600,000. The development is on Alma Drive between Plano Parkway and 15^th Street.

Centurion American Development Group is redeveloping the former Collin Creek Mall. The Plano project, expected to serve as a gateway to the eastern part of the city, is located along the U.S. 75 corridor in fast-growing Collin County, about 20 miles north of downtown Dallas.

‘Valuable Redevelopment’ to Transform Dallas-Area Mall Into Corporate Magnet

The Dallas-Fort Worth region, with a population of more than 8.1 million, added nearly 152,600 residents between mid-2022 and mid-2023, more than any other U.S. metropolitan area, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures. Homebuilders are searching the region for lots to satisfy the growing demand that's resulted from the rapid population growth.

Upon completion, the Collin Creek project is expected to have 500 single-family homes, 2,300 multifamily units and 300 senior independent-living residences. In addition, plans call for it to contain 300,000 square feet of retail space, more than 60,000 square feet of which is for restaurants.

Centurian acquired the site in December 2018 for $25 million, according to CoStar data, and the mall closed operations in 2019 after 38 years. National anchors J.C. Penney and Macy's departed, although the center's main corridor will be incorporated into the retail portion of the development.

The project is similar to what's happening across the country, as online shopping and other changing retail habits have hurt traditional shopping centers. Developers are tearing down many of those outdated properties and replacing them with outdoor "lifestyle centers," homes and apartments and other mixed uses.

“Collin Creek will be one of the most unique communities in North Texas,” Centurion CEO Mehrdad Moayedi said in a statement. “Partnering with the city of Plano has allowed us to reimagine a significant Collin County landmark in a way which retains the history of the original mall while creating a forward-looking community designed to bring Plano into its next century.”

As the summer heat begins to fade and cooler weather sweeps across North Texas, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the many outdoor dining options in Plano, Texas.

The city boasts an array of patios that cater to all tastes; whether you're in the mood for a relaxed beer garden, a waterfront meal or an upscale patio experience, Plano has it all.

Here are some of the best:

Bellagreen 2408 Preston Rd Ste 704A

Bellagreen is a top choice for patio dining in Plano, especially for parents with small kids. The enclosed, turf-covered patio provides a safe space for little ones to wander. The menu features a variety of healthy dishes, including delicious vegan and gluten-free options.

BoomerJack’s 5430 State Hwy 121

BoomerJack’s offers a laid-back sports bar experience with wall-to-wall TVs and a spacious patio equipped with its own bar. With wallet-friendly prices and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s perfect for catching the big game.

CraftWay Kitchen 5809 Preston Rd Suite 578

CraftWay Kitchen at Lakeside Market in Plano is known for its consistently great food and spacious front patio, making it a popular choice for alfresco dining. For a healthy yet hearty option, try the superfood salad with ahi tuna or the southwest shrimp salad. The pastrami Reuben is also a solid pick, with some claiming it’s the best in Plano.

Ebb and Flow Legacy 7300 Lone Star Drive C125

Ebb and Flow’s patio is arguably the prettiest in Plano. Adorned with cascading pink and white flowers, it provides a picturesque setting for enjoying brunch, lunch or cocktails in style.

Goat & Vine Winery 1941 Preston Rd, Suite 1040

Goat & Vine offers a chic patio dining experience perfect for wine enthusiasts and food lovers alike. This spot combines the charm of a boutique winery with a menu of crafted dishes, making it an ideal destination for a relaxed, yet refined outdoor meal.

Granite Park Boardwalk 5880 State Hwy 121

For those seeking a waterfront view in a traditionally land-locked city, the Boardwalk is the place to be. This unique setting connects office buildings with a variety of dining options, including The Biscuit Bar, Blue Mesa Grill and Union Bear Brewing Co. With something for everyone, the Boardwalk’s patios provide an ideal spot for dining this fall.

Katy Trail Ice House Outpost 4700 W. Park Blvd.

Katy Trail Ice House Outpost brings the charm of an Austin-style beer garden to Plano. Tucked away behind tall shrubs, this dog-friendly patio is ideal for a relaxed Saturday spent under the shade, sipping seasonal beers and enjoying live music. The laid-back atmosphere and vibrant setting make it a favorite among locals.

Legacy West 5908 Headquarters Dr.

Legacy West is a prime destination for patio dining in Plano. All its restaurants, including favorites Tommy Bahama, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House and North Italia, feature outdoor seating. A stunning $4 million dancing fountain and a diverse array of dining options enhance the vibrant atmosphere.

Legacy Hall 7800 Windrose Ave. Suite K100

A standout within Legacy West, Legacy Hall is so expansive, it deserves special mention. With over 25 food and drink options and Collin County’s largest patio space, The Box Garden, Legacy Hall offers a dynamic setting for food, drinks and live entertainment.

Love & War in Texas 601 E Plano Pkwy

Love and War in Texas is part ranch house dining, part iconic music venue and part Hill Country hangout. Known for its live music and hearty dishes like smoked brisket and chicken fried steak, this spot is perfect for a true Texan dining experience. Whether you're a local or just passing through, the rustic setting and flavorful menu make it a must-visit for patio dining.

Mexican Sugar 7501 Lone Star Dr.

Mexican Sugar’s patio offers a festive atmosphere where guests can sip on hibiscus margaritas while enjoying live Latin music. The patio’s proximity to a beautiful fountain at The Shops adds to its allure.

Mignon 4005 Preston Rd #518

Mignon’s French-inspired patio is perfect for an elegant dining experience. Located in the Lakeside Market, this charming bistro serves classic French cuisine with a Texas twist, making it an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy a sophisticated meal in a serene outdoor setting.

Mi Dia From Scratch 3310 Dallas Pkwy #105

Mi Dia From Scratch, located in West Plano Village, is a must-visit upscale Latin fusion restaurant offering modern Santa Fe and Tex-Mex flavors. Guests can enjoy a spacious patio with views of a charming water fountain, making it a perfect spot for alfresco dining.

Rodeo Goat 641 Powell Ln.

Rodeo Goat is a go-to destination for burger enthusiasts. Known for its creatively named and expertly crafted burgers, like the popular Terlingua burger, Rodeo Goat offers a casual dining experience paired with a diverse selection of local beers on tap, making its patio one of the best in Plano.

Rusty Taco 8000 Coit Rd.

For those craving street tacos and cold beer, Rusty Taco delivers a no-frills experience on its laid-back patio. With 13 different handmade tacos, plus breakfast tacos served all day, it’s a top choice for a quick and satisfying meal.

Señor Locos Tex-Mex 701 W Parker Rd

Señor Locos is a lively Tex-Mex spot with a colorful, festive patio perfect for casual outdoor dining. Enjoy classic Tex-Mex favorites like tacos, fajitas and margaritas in a vibrant atmosphere that’s great for gathering with friends and family.

Sixty Vines 3701 Dallas Pkwy.

Sixty Vines offers a taste of California with its stunning patio and greenhouse. This wine bar features a state-of-the-art tap system that serves wine at its best, providing an elegant yet relaxed environment perfect for wine lovers.

The Fillmore Pub 1004 E. 15th St.

One of Plano’s longest-running neighborhood bars, The Fillmore Pub is known for its craft beer selection and lively atmosphere. With a British-style pub vibe, this patio is a favorite for casual gatherings.

Urban Crust/32 Degrees 1006 E. 15th St.

Urban Crust offers a rooftop patio bar, 32 Degrees, where guests can enjoy draft beers chilled to a perfect 32 degrees. With stunning sunset views and great pizza, it’s an ideal spot for an evening out in downtown Plano.

Whiskey Cake Plano 3601 Dallas Pkwy.

Whiskey Cake’s shaded patio offers a cozy retreat. Known for its inventive cocktails, such as the guava and rum-infused drinks, Whiskey Cake is celebrated as one of Plano’s top dining destinations. The combination of great food and a relaxed patio setting makes it a must-visit.

Hungry for more? Check out our dining guide.

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