Civilized Sustainability & Structured Balance: The Artistry Prevalence Of Fort Worth - Feature

The sustainability of a civilization is based in a generalization of what is most important across the board; what sustains the human race. Key within the structure is the balance of art and food, one essential to life, the other an essential to evolution. Revolving through Fort Worth, Texas, in essence of the Lone Star Film Festival, the intentions are finding that creative outlay while still enjoying the hearty intensity mixed with a possibility of fusion.Moving around the possibilities of Sundance Square where the festival is held, provides an essence of lunch and dinner, in two specificities, one of lightness and one of much heavier mettle.Riscky's BBQ, like the nostalgic Uncle Tom's in Miami, provides its elements with the barest of ingredients but with the most tender aspects. The sliced brisket sandwich basket doesn't overwhelm with food but entices just enough with its tangy BBQ sauce to motivate the intensity of walking with fervor.Right around the corner, Raeta intensifies with a little more history in its scope. The massive dining room balances with private rooms and mounted animal heads staring with infinite knowing. What is interesting in texture to the menu is the abundance of Tex Mex cuisine combined with the essential steak overtones of the area.Lightness of touch leads to heavy flavors. The beginnings of cocktail with a Clear Fork Cherry Vodka Limeade begins the transition as if a Sherry Temple met Humphrey Bogart in the back room. Mirror that with cheddar and jalapeno grits with molasses sauce draped underneath smoked quail and the tastes seem to meld in interesting composition.Leading into the main course, the signature wedge salad lets the lettuce do the talking without over-inundating with too much dressing or blue cheese which can both be a blessing and a curse. The combination of three of the signature dishes at Raeta reflected its pertinence against construct. The carne asada steak jumped with its understood flavor but combining it with a cheese enchilada as a stack gave it extra oomph while the stacked chicken enchilada resounded though its flavor needed a slight kick from the guacamole. The pecan-tinged tamale however set the precedent simply affected by its gift-wrapped packaging which allowed for an exploration of taste.Getting around the center of Fort Worth is made distinctly easier by the interestingly named Molly The Trolley. The reality is that it makes the trip at times to city center from a hotel like the highly-rated Omni near the Ft. Worth Convention Center much easier to traverse though sometimes a brisk walk is wonderfully experienced as well.Halfway between these two points in Downtown lies Grace, which blends fine cuisine with a sense of cool. Sidling up to the bar for dinner encourages discussions among travelers. A signature cocktail again begins the proceedings with the Seven combining cucumber, mint, salt, simple syrup, lime and a cayenne pepper rimmed glass for a lingering tendency while observing the room.The influx of the starters revolved with the Berkshire Baby Back Ribs which slid off the bone with nary a twitch of the knife marinated in cilantro and sesame while the bacon-wrapped chorizo stuffed dates started the crowded stomach session. However it was the oddly named Shaved Asparagus Salad with its perched, hot and beautiful breaded egg over greens with bacon and truffle vinaigrette that moved the palette to ecstasy.The main course, highlighted earlier in the day at a video shoot, was an interesting parlay in Maine Diver Scallops served over a shallot potato cake and topped with a rich tangy caviar butter. Added in perpetuity to the sides was bacon-mixed sliced brussel sprouts as well as bacon-wrapped onions that almost overcame the meal.Sometimes dessert can be too much (as Raeta's observed0 but mingling in the digestive of a cappuccino, the bridged variance of a butter cream ensconced carrot cake intermixed with rum soaked raisins and carrot shaving simply had to be experienced.Sidling away from Downtown, festival-goers of the artistic mentality always like to permeate with the balance of modern and classical art for a sense of beauty and knowing.Situated across the street from each other, the Ft. Worth Museum Of Modern Art and the Kimbell Art Museum formulate different perspectives of the same coin.Beginning with the Kimbell, the resolution of old school masters from Monet ["La Point De La Have At Low Tide"] and Titian ["The Madonna & Child With Female Saint"] definitely portray a staggered variance while a painting like "Selim & Zulieka" by Delacroix affects towards a more modern viciousness. Pablo Picasso intrigues his vision with "Man With A Pipe" and "Nude Combing Her Hair", both of which are polar opposites stylistically but not in terms of thematics. However, the standouts of classical resound in the modern intentions of Georges De La Tour with "The Cheat With The Ace Of Clubs" in paradox with one of Michelangelo's earlier paintings ["The Torment Of Saint Anthony"]. Interestingly of note, the inclusion of a Mexican limestone tablet ["Presentation Of Captives To A Mayan Ruler" (Dated 750 AD)] and a pre-Iraq gypsum carving ["Pair Of Winged Dieties"] gives the collection a tendency of breathe much more than would initially be perceived.Within the Ft. Worth Museum Of Modern Art across the street, the collection is a bit smaller but with a balance of luminary names and interesting counterbalances. While the looming aspect of Jackson Pollock ["Number 5 - 1952"] and Andy Warhol ["Twenty-Five Colored Marilyns"] reign high, it is "Aschenblume" by Anselm Kiefer that contains the most hurt and soul balancing the burnt out entrenchment of a Nazi stronghold with the notion of rebirth mixing a decrepit sunflower emanating from the center. Two other modern intentions reflect in forced and diluted perspectives with Robert Irwin's "Untitled" mixing light and plastic transparent spheres to create an essence of approaching and retreating at the same time and Martin Puryear's "Ladder For Booker T Washington" which ascends into nothingness above with a sense of unfulfillment.Cafe Modern balanced between the two museums offering light and balanced smart food definitely necessary as the lobster and shrimp mac and cheese related with equal relish.Artistry also recollected in brief at the nearby Fort Worth Stockyards where the famous Leddy's boots gave meaning to heavy footed grandiosity while balancing the old school traditions of the cattle drive as longhorn meandered through the streets gently missing the modern smart cars that watched silently.Watching the pondering wonder of Fort Worth, Texas, the eccentricities and beauty of normal life purvey through with a sense of contentment. From the hearty food of Raeta and Grace to the artistic rumblings of the Kimbell, the balance of the mind and the gut continues on.