From The Weeknd to the Texas Rangers, residents have plenty of events to attend in Dallas-Fort Worth this week. Sports Witness the Dallas Wings take on the Seattle Storm at 6:30 p.m. Friday at College Park Center. Tickets start at around $24. Catch the Texas Rangers bat it out with the Cleveland Guardians at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at Globe Life Field. The first 20,000 fans can get an Adrián Beltré replica statue. Tickets start at $27.85. Entertainment Watch “I’m Proud of You,” a play adapted from the book “I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers” by Tim Madigan, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Theatre Arlington. The play showcases male friendship at its finest and most powerful. Tickets start at $38 for adults. Students can purchase tickets for $5 15 minutes before curtain with their current student ID. Experience the Quinceañera Expo from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Esports Stadium Arlington. Meet vendors, explore products and services, and enjoy a live fashion show featuring the latest quinceañera trends and styles. Tickets are $12. Quinceañeras and kids under five enter free. Enjoy the Bookish Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Inclusion Coffee. Explore an array of vendors offering everything from rare finds to cozy reads while sipping a beverage. Music See The Weeknd: After Hours Til Dawn tour at 7 p.m. Wednesday at AT&T Stadium. The concert features Playboi Carti and special guest Mike Dean. Tickets start at about $57 and can be purchased online. @ATClements03 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

By the time Laura Molinar arrives at PanPan Bakery and Cafe, she has been up almost all night researching how to adapt to the business’s skyrocketing attention. Molinar’s bakery on Roosevelt Drive in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas, about four miles from UTA, sees hundreds of customers line up around the building waiting for Mexican-Japanese fusion desserts such as milk bread conchas, salted butter rolls and horchata matcha — on a weekday. The success didn’t come overnight. PanPan Bakery and Cafe opened a year ago Sunday, but Molinar’s videos on social media documenting daily work and promoting products have propelled the business to new heights. A TikTok explaining PanPan’s decoration and products — also explaining that pan means bread in both Japanese and Spanish — has been viewed more than 17 million times since it was posted in early August. “I was already kind of settling into the flow of things, but now this explosion of new people has kind of resparked something in me for sure,” Molinar said. “A lot of inspiration.” To handle the newly found fame, bakers arrive at 3:30 a.m. to prepare about 800 loaves of bread for the morning sales. They don’t leave until around 11 a.m. “Our day is making bread, making bread and making bread,” said Andrew Wolgast, a barista and baker at the store. Molinar works at the bar or in the kitchen throughout the day depending on needs. She arrives early in the morning to check the prep work and whether the bakery will be set for the next day. “If people are coming from far away, people coming from Georgia, they're coming from Tennessee, they're coming from California, they're coming from Korea, and they deserve the utmost service,” Molinar said. PanPan provides customers waiting in line with water and umbrellas to combat the Texas summer heat. Molinar also greets customers throughout the day, she said. “They do take that valuable time out of their day, spend their hard-earned money to support my business directly. It only feels right that I go up to them directly and thank them for it,” she said. While the store typically closes at 3 p.m., Molinar serves customers who are in line by closing time. That means two extra hours of work. By the time UTA alumna Jaqueline Reca sits down and tastes the Mexican chorizo stuffed in Japanese milk bread, she has waited in line for more than an hour. She visited PanPan after seeing the place on social media. Reca takes a bite, nods and wiggles in enjoyment. “It’s worth the wait,” she said. Molinar credits the inspiration for Mexican-Japanese fusion to anime being a huge part of Mexican culture and to her background growing up in Los Angeles, where she learned to enjoy different cuisines. At PanPan, the matcha is sourced straight from Japan, Molinar said, and the coffee beans come from Mexico. As their beverages arrived, Fort Worth residents Sarahy Meza and Ashley Perez didn’t forget to snap photos before taking a sip. “Wait, that’s really good!” Perez said as she enjoyed a banana cream matcha. Meza dubbed Perez the “matcha queen” and said her friend convinced her to try matcha at different places. They waited at PanPan for over an hour but are happy that they live nearby. “We drive far, far for matcha, so knowing that this is close, we’re going to be here every day for real,” she said. Molinar enjoys seeing people wrapped around the block for her desserts, she said. Her plans for PanPan include extending its hours and growing beyond one location. But dreaming can wait. It’s time to open, and her second group of bakers has arrived. Her baristas arrived about an hour ago. She opens the door at 9 a.m. The line of patrons stretches around the block, and they’re ready for pan. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

You’re reading From Scratch, a series deconstructing the food we eat (and the drinks we drink) to explore their history, their variety and the ways we consume them. Aguas frescas, or fresh waters, are more than just refreshing drinks in Mexican culture — they’re a taste of home. Each cup holds flavors as deep and layered as the traditions behind them, blending fruit, flowers, grains and more to make a drink full of culture. At Fresca Palapa, a kiosk nestled on the first and second floors of The Parks Mall at Arlington, founder and owner Máximo Cruz is on a mission to bottle nostalgia. For him, it’s about more than making a profit; it’s about sharing the feeling of culture, he said. “I am so proud about Mexico, and I want to bring little bit of the taste of Mexico,” Cruz said. “That's why I bring the aguas frescas into a different, nontraditional market.” In Mexico, aguas frescas can be found everywhere: lined up in big, clear plastic barrels and sold on the bustling sidewalks; poured at local mom-and-pop restaurants; and served in mercados, or markets, and taquerias. History These drinks are thought to have originated during the pre-Columbian 15th century, when the Aztec Empire ruled over much of what we now know as Mexico. The Aztecs would collect fruit and flowers, mash them and mix them with water to make hydrating drinks as they traveled along the waterways of Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City. With the help of the Spanish trade network established in the colonial era, various popular flavors found nowadays were brought to life. As aguas frescas evolved regionally, ingredient variation began to grow, with fruit used more frequently compared to grains and flowers. The clay pots that originally housed the drinks, keeping them a couple degrees cooler than room temperature, have been mostly replaced by the clear, plastic barrels we see today. Over time, aguas frescas have become common among Mexican households and have been a part of families’ everyday meals since. Variety The drink has evolved, with inventive new flavors such as pistachio and dragon fruit. Horchata and jamaica (hibiscus) have become cultural staples. The process of making aguas frescas depends on the flavor. Some start with steeped flowers, others with blended fruit or soaked grains. Cruz said he tries to give customers as much variety as possible. While it’s common to only see a couple of flavors in shops, Fresca Palapa always offers an array of 12 flavors, with seasonal additions such as horchata pumpkin spice in the fall. And for those who can’t settle on just one flavor, the shop also lets customers mix and match to their liking. It also offers reusable barrel-shaped cups as a nod to the containers used at mercados and taquerias. Agua de horchata in particular has made a name for itself outside of those vendors. Its sweet, slightly spiced flavor has even charmed big chains such as Starbucks and Dutch Bros, which have included the flavor in their menus’ horchata-inspired drinks. At Fresca Palapa, the story is the same. Horchata is one of the most popular flavors sold at the juice bar, Cruz said. What keeps customers coming back to Fresca Palapa isn’t just the wide variety – it’s the recipe behind each drink. Despite having to manufacture the drinks to keep up with customer demand, the shop uses original Mexican recipes for all of the flavors offered. Impact Almost half of Texas’ population is Hispanic or Latino, totalling approximately 11.4 million individuals according to 2020 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, making the culture prominent in the state. Part of that culture comes from food and drinks, or in this case, aguas frescas. The popularity of aguas frescas has allowed Fresca Palapa to grow from a small juice and smoothie bar at the mall to an establishment with at least 18 locations across Texas and Oklahoma City. The shop has given Cruz an opportunity to share Mexican culture with his customers. Cruz said he gets satisfaction from the success of his shop and that it makes him want to achieve more. “I want to be like the new Starbucks of aguas frescas,” Cruz said. @_.lexlie_ news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Fort Worth resident Marie Beas drinks a daily Red Bull during the work week. Beas doesn’t crack open the silver and blue can. Instead, around midday, she and her co-workers opt for a literal bucket of the energy drink. The plastic vessels, typically used for plants or toys at the beach, are becoming to-go cups for iced coffees and beverages for those who have decided that a 16-ounce drink no longer suffices. The trend is drawing a crowd and racking up TikTok attention. Beas remembered the first time she heard about it. “A bucket of what? Where did you guys get this? I was like, ‘Oh, I want one,’” she said. Stores in Texas and nationwide are leaning into the oddity, serving iced coffees and beverages in buckets with handles and plastic straws. EspressoSelf Cafe, a coffee trailer at Tanger Outlets in Fort Worth, started offering its beverage in the 34-ounce bucket in June after seeing the trend go viral on TikTok. “Everyone kept saying, ‘We just love your coffee, and we want a bigger size for it,’” the shop’s barista Macie Crawford said. “And so as a joke, we did a bucket, and people just loved it.” EspressoSelf Cafe offers all of its beverages in the bucket. An iced latte, in particular, features six shots of espresso and costs $13. On weekends, they sell about 20 buckets a day. Fort Worth resident Ana Ramirez said her watermelon mint Red Bull bucket helps her stay energized during her retail job’s busy back-to-school season. Ramirez said she hasn’t tried a full vessel of coffee, but she may give it a chance in the fall if someone offers a pumpkin spice latte bucket. “That is the only coffee that I can foresee myself drinking to the end of the bucket because a bucket is a lot,” she said. “And so just normal coffee, or normal latte, I don't foresee myself finishing the bucket.” Crawford recalled a woman from Oklahoma who often comes to the trailer for the coffee buckets. “She drives that far just to come see us, so that makes us happy,” she said. Saginaw resident Michael Johnson, who described himself as a coffee enthusiast, said he goes through a bucket of salted caramel frappe or cold brew each day, a downsizing of his usual intake of two or three 24-oz cups. Johnson works in sales, so he relies on the beverage to help him be quick on his feet and alert, and “stay [as] upbeat as possible,” he said. A bucket lasts him anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. Oftentimes, he made an exception for a second bucket. “Sometimes I stay up late playing games,” he said. “So one of them days where I'm coming off of three or four hours of sleep, a second bucket might be charged.” Stacie Ellis, registered dietitian and nutritionist at UTA’s Campus Recreation, said people can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which is equal to four eight-ounce cups of black coffee. But the amount of caffeine varies, depending on the type of coffee, how the beans were roasted or the type of energy drink. Ellis has been concerned about people’s gradual increase in coffee consumption over the years, she said. “There's a reason why they market fast food because if they didn't, people wouldn't come and eat it,” she said. “Because deep down they know they shouldn't eat it, but then they see all these pictures on the television and magazines and all of that. It really is powerful.” “And unless you decide that you're going to think for yourself, it's very easy to get swayed to do that.” For Beas, it’s not the marketing that draws her to the bucket, as she didn’t know about the TikTok trend. It’s also not because she really needs it to do her job. “It’s just a drink, to be honest,” Beas said. “I enjoy the flavor of a Red Bull, so I can drink it five days a week, even if I didn’t work.” Within three hours of purchasing, she had already drunk the whole Red Bull tub. @DangHLe news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Whether Mavericks are filling time between classes, planning weekend outings or looking to explore beyond the classroom, Dallas-Fort Worth offers plenty of options. The areas around UTA provide a variety of student-friendly activities, from parks and theaters to indoor adventures and hidden local gems. Here are some affordable things to do nearby: Alley Cats, 2008 W. Pleasant Ridge Road From bowling to rock climbing, Alley Cats has many activities to enjoy. Prices vary by activity, with bowling costing $30 per hour on weekdays and arcade game cards starting at $5. The cards can be used for all activities except bowling. Coyote Drive-In, 223 NE Fourth St., Fort Worth Coyote Drive-In offers a movie night under the stars. Tickets start at $8 for children ages 5 to 12 and $11 for adults; children 4 and under get in free. Arlington Skatium, 5515 S. Cooper St. Residents can lace up and skate at one of the largest roller skating facilities in Texas. Admission is $14 during regular public skating hours, with half-price tickets available Wednesdays. Arlington Skatium hosts theme nights, parties and open skate sessions throughout the week. Bolder Adventure Park, 2324 W. Warrior Trail, Grand Prairie With over 66,000 square feet of indoor adventure, including archery, a jump pad, tubing slides and a free fall experience, Bolder Adventure Park at EpicCentral offers many activities. Full day tickets start at $10 per person. International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, 621 Six Flags Drive The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame provides the history of some of the greatest bowling legends and of the game itself, which dates back 5,000 years. Admission starts at $7.50 for children 4 to 18 and $9.50 for adults. Top O’ Hill Terrace, 3001 W. Division St. Residents can go to Arlington Baptist University and tour Top O’ Hill, a former casino turned Baptist seminary. Once a hidden gambling hot spot disguised as a tea room, it was opposed by a gospel preacher who later helped transform it into a university. Tours are $10 per person by appointment. The Cozy Catfe, 740 SW Green Oaks Blvd. At The Cozy Catfe, residents can spend time with adoptable cats for $13 per person. Two membership levels are available at $40 and $60 a month. Both include complimentary beverages and unlimited visits. Cidercade, 500 E. Division St. Cidercade offers over 275 arcade games, from retro classics to modern hits and dance-offs. Patrons pay a onetime admission of $12, no coins or game cards required. The Parks Mall at Arlington, 3811 S. Cooper St. Residents can ice skate, explore a variety of shops and enjoy an IMAX movie experience at the AMC Theatres at The Parks Mall at Arlington. Crystal Canyon Natural Area, 1000 Brown Blvd. Crystal Canyon Natural Area is free to explore and features a diverse geological landscape, offering evidence of a onetime nearshore marine environment. Residents can enjoy hiking and biking trails surrounded by natural history in North Arlington. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

From a Texas Rangers game to a Paul McCartney tribute, residents have plenty to choose from in Dallas-Fort Worth this week. Music Celebrate the music of Paul McCartney at “Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney,” a tribute concert at 8 p.m. Friday at Arlington Music Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets start at $46.38. Entertainment Experience the rich cultural heritage of Latin America with the opening of Create Texas at Wellspring’s “Beyond Borders: Contemporary Visions of Latin America” from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Wellspring on Main. The contemporary art exhibit will be on display until Aug. 28. The exhibit includes works from 12 local artists and spans topics such as landscapes, iconic figures, current events and soccer’s cultural significance. Residents can take their furry friends to the Canines and Coffee event from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Downtown Arlington Doggie Depot for coffee, community and canine fun. The free event is designed for dog lovers and their pets to socialize and enjoy fresh air at the dog park. Meet Texan writers at the fourth annual Texas Author Con and Book Festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. The free event will feature authors from a variety of genres, including romance, fantasy, thriller and children’s books. Enjoy book signings, readings, panel discussions, Q&A sessions and more. Celebrate National Moth Week at the fourth annual Arlington Citizen Science Program’s Moth Night at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Webb Community Park pavilion. Residents can observe and identify moths in their local habitat at the viewing stations along the trails and learn about their role as pollinators in North Texas. Sports See the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers bat it out at 6:10 p.m. Sunday at Globe Life Field. Tickets start at around $18, and the doors open at 4:10 p.m. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu