Christkindl Market kicks off Friday with expanded vendors, entertainment, walk

What began as an observation of a German tradition – the Christkindle Market – seems to have caught on in Arlington and the Metroplex. Arlington councilmembers occasionally visit Arlington’s sister city in Germany, Bad Konigchofen. It was there that they first observed the traditional Christkindl Market (kris-kin-dill). “It’s an enchanting family market in the tradition of markets held throughout Germany during the Holiday season,” Arlington Councilwoman Sheri Capehart said. “The Market features authentic German food and beverages, entertainment, arts and crafts, and holiday gifts.” But would that idea work out in Arlington? The city, chamber of commerce and a host of volunteers decided to give it a try last year. It proved to be a major success that exceeded even optimistic hopes. This year’s Christkindle includes a special appearance by the Christkindl Angel. Also new to this year’s festivities will be a Children’s Lantern Parade as part of the opening ceremonies. Another new addition preceding the market will be a “volksmarch,” or walking event (in Germany these are called “volkssports”). The market, which is held on the grounds of the Ballpark in Arlington, is the perfect complement to Six Flags Holiday in the Park, the Arlington Holiday Lights Parade and other Spirit of Arlington holiday events. The Christkindl Market this year will last twice as long as the 2011 version, starting November 29 and running through December 15. The Christkindl Market also added another popular German activity, the Volksmarch (“the people’s walk). The 5K/10K non-competitive walk is Saturday, Dec. 1, and will wind past Cowboys Stadium, the Caelum Moor environmental sculpture, onto the Johnson Creek Trail, through Richard Greene and Robert Cluck linear parks, and several other nearby Arlington sites of interest. The Volksmarch is sanctioned by the American Volkswalk Association and hosted by the Tarrant County Walkers organization. It starts at the Arlington Visitors’ Center, 1905 E. Randol Mill Rd., southeast of the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, at 9:30 a.m., but walkers may start the route any time between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The walk concludes at 3:30 p.m. at the Christkindl Market. “It’s truly a walk in the park because it’s for sheer enjoyment,” said Arlington City Councilwoman Sheri Capehart, who is a member of the Volksmarch planning committee. “The route takes walkers through several beautiful areas they may not have seen before.” The Runner of Arlington is the Volksmarch sponsor and will give a special commemorative gift to the first 100 walkers. Advance registration is not required, and participation is free except for those wishing to obtain a custom-designed, commemorative medal who will pay $6. The event is eligible for credit toward IVV Achievement Awards and those wishing this credit pay a $3 fee. More information is available on the Tarrant County Walkers website, on the Volksmarch Facebook page or can be downloaded here. Parking for the Volksmarch is free as is admission to the market which is on the north side of the Ballpark. The original Christkindl market dates back to the mid-16th century in Nuremberg, Germany. Christkindl market is now a joint effort by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Experience Arlington (the Convention and Visitors Bureau), and the City of Arlington. For market hours and a complete schedule of events, please visit their website at www.arlingtonchristkindl.com.

Firefighter, abandoned boy reunited after 10 long years

  The last time Arlington Firefighter Wesley Keck saw Koregan Quintanilla he was a teeny tiny little fellow just a few days old, snoozing away in a baby carrier, wrapped snugly in blankets. He was also outside on a chilly November morning, at the back door of Fire Station No. 12 on Collins Street in South Arlington, abandoned.

Once Child Protective Services were brought in to find a foster home for the little boy, Keck figured that was that – and it was, until Thursday evening when guess who came calling, eager to celebrate his tenth birthday at the place he affectionately refers to as “my fire station?”

“On the drive here he was rattling on and on,” said Rebecca Quintanilla, the foster mother who took Koregan in and eventually adopted him. “I can’t tell you specifically what he said but I can tell you he never stopped talking. He was so nervous and excited at the same time.”

That makes two of them. Fire veteran Keck has been around long enough to have found himself in a few heated scrapes, but few things made his palms as sweaty as this. He admitted to being anxious about meeting the boy he found. As Koregan and his mother walked into the fire station, they instinctually flew their arms open for bear hugs. First Keck and Quintanilla, then Keck, Quintanilla and Koregan.

Keck took Koregan for a spin in the fire truck, gave him a tour of the station and surprised him with birthday gifts, as if hanging out in the fire station wasn’t enough.

“Amazing,” said Keck. “Just amazing.”

Koregan, who lives in Watauga with five sisters, all adopted, was left at the station under Texas’ Baby Moses law, which allows a parent to leave an unharmed infant up to 60 days old at a fire station or hospital, no questions asked. (The name comes from the Biblical story of baby Moses who was placed in a wicker basket by his mother to be saved from death and who then grew up to become an important person in history.)

Quintanilla describes Koregan as a smart kid with a gentle nature and maturity beyond his years. When asked by a teacher where he’d like to go more than any other place in the world, he responded “my fire station.”

That’s when Quintanilla began her search for Keck, watching the television news video of the day Koregan showed up at the back door to get his name. She connected with the fire department, and the reunion was on.

Quintanilla called Keck her hero but he said the real hero is actually the Baby Moses Law put on the books in 2001.

“You look at the person who made the decision to bring him to a place where he could be found and taken care of instead of in a dumpster somewhere,” Keck said. “That law saved his life. And the family that adopted him. They saved his life. I just brought him in from the cold.”

Volksmarch (people’s walk) added to popular Arlington Christkindl Market

The Second Annual Arlington Christkindl Market that celebrates the festive holiday tradition held throughout Germany has added another popular German activity, the Volksmarch (“the people’s walk).

The 5K/10K non-competitive walk is Saturday, Dec. 1, and will wind past Cowboys Stadium, the Caelum Moor environmental sculpture, onto the Johnson Creek Trail, through Richard Greene and Robert Cluck linear parks, and several other nearby Arlington sites of interest.

The Volksmarch is sanctioned by the American Volkswalk Association and hosted by the Tarrant County Walkers organization.

It starts at the Arlington Visitors’ Center, 1905 E. Randol Mill Rd., southeast of the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, at 9:30 a.m., but walkers may start the route any time between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 

The walk concludes at 3:30 p.m. at the Christkindl Market.  “It’s truly a walk in the park because it’s for sheer enjoyment,” said Arlington City Councilwoman Sheri Capehart, who is a member of the Volksmarch planning committee. “The route takes walkers through several beautiful areas they may not have seen before.” 

The Runner of Arlington is the Volksmarch sponsor and will give a special commemorative gift to the first 100 walkers.

Advance registration is not required, and participation is free except for those wishing to obtain a custom-designed, commemorative medal who will pay $6.  The event is eligible for credit toward IVV Achievement Awards and those wishing this credit pay a $3 fee.

More information is available on the Tarrant County Walkers website, on the Volksmarch Facebook page or can be downloaded here.

Parking for the Volksmarch is free as is admission to the market which is on the north side of the Ballpark.

    
Commemorative Volksmarch medals are available for $6.
(Article contributed by Donna Darovich)

Christkindle Market only in second year but already ranked as major success

What began as an observation of a German tradition by Arlington by Arlington Councilwoman Sheri Capehart – the Christkindle Market – seems to have caught on in Arlington and the Metroplex.

Capehart and other councilmembers occasionally visit Arlington’s sister city in Germany, Bad Konigchofen.

It was there that Capehart first observed the traditional Christkindl Market (kris-kin-dill).

“It’s an enchanting family market in the tradition of markets held throughout Germany during the Holiday season,” she said. “The Market features authentic German food and beverages, entertainment, arts and crafts, and holiday gifts.”

But would that idea work out in Arlington? The city, chamber of commerce and a host of volunteers decided to give it a try last year. It proved to be a major success that exceeded even optimistic hopes.

This year’s Christkindle includes a special appearance by the Christkindl Angel. Also new to this year’s festivities will be a Children’s Lantern Parade as part of the opening ceremonies. Another new addition preceding the market will be a “volksmarch,” or walking event (in Germany these are called “volkssports”).

The market, which is held on the grounds of the Ballpark in Arlington, is the perfect complement to Six Flags Holiday in the Park, the Arlington Holiday Lights Parade and other Spirit of Arlington holiday events.

The Christkindl Market this year will last twice as long as the 2011 version, starting November 29 and running through December 15.

The original Christkindlmarkt dates back to the mid-16th century in Nuremberg, Germany.

Christkindl market is now a joint effort by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Experience Arlington (the Convention and Visitors Bureau), and the City of Arlington. For market hours and a complete schedule of events, please visit their website at www.arlingtonchristkindl.com.

DONNA DAROVICH: Toys “R” revealing much more about us than is comfortable

By: Donna Darovich, columnist

As surely as Barbie dolls prompted a pre-occupation with vanity and fashion among little girls and Mr. Potato Head inspired future courtroom sketch artists, today’s toys reflect a direction that is as frightening as the Magic 8 Ball that we all know spurred an interest in the occult.

For starters, there’s the “Monster High” line of dolls (see the center photo) that evidently attend a creepy high school somewhere and are related to famous monsters (which sounds like the premise for “90210” but the monsters are Dracula, Frankenstein, the creature from the Black Lagoon, and zombies in general).

The coeds are ghoulishly glitzy, but have fangs, stitches, wolf ears, fins or bandages which  begs the question, ”Since  bullying  is already a big problem in our schools, isn’t showing up for class with fangs, fins,  and wolf ears awfully risky?”

Then there are the dolls whose hair makes them do things. 

 Donna Darovich

The Harmony B.  Sharp doll, talks, sings, dances and her hair spins – unless her best friend is holding it behind her head while she leans over the commode.  I made up that last part.  

The Harmonies Dolls sing when you brush the back of their hair and emit the sound of a musical instrument when you brush the sides of their hair. 

If you don’t brush their hair, they win a Grammy in the punk rock category.

Press the chest of Silly Hair Star and she sings and calls security. Brush her hair and she sings and tells jokes (for the record, tequila has the same effect.)

When I saw the “Little Stumbles Bumps ‘n’ Bruises”  doll, I almost called Child Protective Services, but seems that it’s a doll’s first, middle, next-to-last and last name (and I thought hyphenated names were awkward). She and her pet are frequent victims of minor, treatable ailments.

Give her a cup of milk and it appears to disappear as she drinks it. The next time she picks it up, it’s full again.

This can’t be a good lesson for a kid who will one day order a martini.

The Barbie Sisters Cruise Ship is probably the closest to reality of all the toys because the dolls on board only sunbathe and eat which is, if you’ve been on a cruise, the only things you really do.

The “Barbie Potty Time” ad repelled me until I read the next two words, “Training Pup.”  

It sounds like a good way to teach responsible pet ownership because the unhousebroken pup comes with a collar, a food dish, a water bowl, bone, newspaper training pad and “pretend poo.”

But the puppy potty training   also “features sounds,” and that can’t be good.  However, I don’t see any rabies vaccination tags, a city license or evidence of an imbedded chip so Friends of Arlington Animal Services may want to check out this one.

The “Loving Family Dream Dollhouse” has nine rooms, a solarium, winding staircase and chandelier which may send the message that a family living in a two-bedroom duplex with window unit air conditioning isn’t so loving.  

Not true, of course, and it gets worse. When I Googled the dollhouse, it’s called “Loving Family Dream Dollhouse with Caucasian Family.” Didn’t see one for a Latino or African-American family. Have they not seen the last election vote totals and demographics?

 The Dr. Mommy Doll can be probed by your little Doogie Howser with a selection of medical instruments that prompt recorded responses ranging from “That’s cold,” to “Ahh” to “I’ll kill you if you stick me again!”

Sorry, I’m making up things again.

Speaking of responses, the Little Champs 3-in-One Sports Center includes baseball, football and basketball activities “with sound effects” which I hope aren’t realistic like “Get outta my face, *#%&+@6!”  or ”Drop the ball again, Dez and be afraid to open your locker post-game.”

But the toy that truly impressed me is the B. Symphony in B that lets kids select up to six musical instrument replicas and put them together to make different melodies (it’s the toy pictured on the left). It also teaches them about the different sections of an orchestra because as each plays it lights up.  And if you comb the musicians’ hair, you might be surprised as to what they are lighting up.

Too much reality: Baby Alive “eats, drinks and makes messy diapers.”  She also comes with a birth certificate but won’t release it until birthers back off.

But perhaps toys don’t influence our culture. Perhaps our culture that loves “CSI” and “Law and Order” “influences toys.

Exhibit One: The “Dr. Dreadful Alien Autopsy Set”  (the toy pictured on the right) with a fake (I think) alien on a slab whose body can be dissected to reveal its active internal organs or, as the toymaker boasts, “Bubbling alien guts move on motorized alien stomach.”  It boasts,”Looks gross, tastes great” (it comes with recipes for making alien eyeballs and lung bugs.)

Which reminds me, I need to brush my hair.