After Barbie's ubiquitous, militantly monochrome color palette flooded movie theaters, Halloween parties and red carpets for what felt like 46 months in 2023, it's understandable that many of us never want to see the color pink again. But if you're still in the "think pink" mindset, you'll find an absolute pink paradise in XOXO, the uber-Instagrammable, shamelessly girly, every-day-is-Valentine's Dallas restaurant. This place was way ahead of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig, serving highly aesthetic desserts and decor for years. The food is as good as it looks, and the service is just as sweet. XOXO is not all lipstick and influencers, though: Erykah Badu has been spotted there (and showed up 15 minutes before closing, of course) and it sometimes has DJ nights with non-pink-wearing guests.

The Dallas Museum of Art does an outstanding job of keeping us coming through special events and deals, summer camps, classes and exhibitions ranging from the Impressionists to Frida — and this year's excellent showing of contemporary female artists in He Said/She Said. One of the museum's most accomplished efforts is its annual Arts and Letters Live program. For over 30 years, the speakers series has brought in performers and authors such as David Sedaris (who returned again this year for his 11th consecutive appearance), Zadie Smith, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood and John Grisham. This is a great opportunity to impress (or, realistically, to bore) your future grandkids with your old-timey tales of seeing these classic authors in the flesh — assuming writers haven't been entirely replaced then by AI and "content creators." If that sounds grim, keep the arts and letters alive by attending and getting a book signed, if you're lucky.

The legend has long lingered in Dallas, where you can still hear the sound of glitzy partying echoing through the dancefloor dust left from the Starck Club's closing. Dallas' version of Studio 54 became an iconic 1980s hub for the era's decadence, rich with celebrity sightings, ecstasy and carefree, all-night dancing. For the Starck's 40th anniversary on May 12, Oak Cliff venue The Kessler brought the club back to life through a well-curated, one-night-only pop-up event. It featured Starck original DJs (such as Mark Ridlen), posters and art, and best of all, nostalgic clubgoers. In a shining sea of sparkle, gold, bold and big-pattern ensembles, attendees revived the fashion and dance moves of the Starck's heyday (back when individuality was considered a positive trait), well into the wee hours of ... 11 p.m. Well, we've all grown up now, and so are the neighbors who live around the Kessler.

Few things smell like the '90s as much as Herbal Essences shampoo, but J's is a close second, with its aromatic blend of hashbrowns and indoors smoke. After a late night in Addison, America's shitface-drunk capital, head over (via Uber or a sober driver, please) to J's Breakfast & Burgers. This diner is extra dive-y — you'll believe us when you're greeted by a waitress smoking at a table — and is open 24 hours, with a menu befitting your simple, buzzed palate. Its bright, emerald-green seats invite you to lean into the very best of your bad, drunken decisions: carbs and cigarettes. Order a pie, find a payphone to drunk-dial your ex, and your night's complete.

There's just something magical about standing in a butterfly exhibit as hundreds of colorful butterflies flutter around. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden used to do its "Butterflies In The Garden" exhibit every other year, but it became so popular that it's now a yearly addition to the spring calendar. Every March and April, check out the exhibit and marvel at lepidoptera from the Americas, Africa and Asia. Plus, since you're already there, you can wander the sprawling botanic gardens. We especially recommend the Japanese garden.

Why can't every bathroom stall be full coverage? How much money is really being saved in that next 12 inches or so of wall? Deep Ellum Art C.,, the gallery/music venue/event space in ... duh ... Deep Ellum, has a hallway full of individual private stalls that emphasize the rest in restroom. Whatever else might go in there is none of our business.

Arwa Yemeni Coffee is the Benjamin Button of espresso. It opens daily at 10 a.m., forgoing the morning coffee rush to brew authentic coffee and tea from Yemen until long past sundown. The shop stays open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Late nights tend to be the busiest time for Arwa Yemeni, which serves large pots of its signature Adeni tea for groups of four or more. It's a great environment to socialize in or get some red-eye work done.

Alex O'aiza treats a crowd of 40 people like it's 40,000. The Mexican-American pop singer's effort for his live product is second to none. The Dallasite incorporates skits, choreography, vignettes and clever DIY stage design into a setlist that's guaranteed to keep people dancing. O'aiza is going to be a star, and he knows it. But once he becomes one, you won't notice much difference.

The back of Full City Rooster is a mini art museum for the admission price of one latte. Owner Michael Wyatt decorates the walls with artwork from some established regulars in his neighborhood. Recently, prints from award-winning photographer Byrd Williams IV covered the hallway, flanked by paintings from visual multi-hyphenate Mikki Mallow. At a writing desk against the back wall, stacks of poetry books, copies of SMU's Southwest Review and an open sketchbook for patrons to draw in are laid out for browsing.

Created and curated by photographer Destiny King, Tuesdaze Urban is an underground photography zine exclusively featuring Dallas lenses. Only on its second print issue, King builds the zine around exhibitions she hosts. She invites local photographers to showcase their work in person, then takes that work to design 100+ pages online and sends it to print. Physical copies of Tuesdaze Urban are limited and hard to come by, but photos are posted regularly to Instagram @tuesdazeurbanpress_