HOW WE STACK UP: Travel + Leisure Magazine recently polled its readers about their favorite destinations in a variety of categories, including food, shopping, hotels, etc. But the category we’re interested in is culture, and according to the readers, we don’t have much of it. Dallas ranked 25th out of the 30 cities included in the survey (so take THAT! Honolulu, Phoenix, Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas!). In a couple of sub-categories, Dallas ranks 22nd in classical music, 27th in theater and 24th in museums/galleries. Normally I would say that these rankings don’t mean jack, but in this case, I wonder. One of the big selling points of the Arts District is that people are going to come to Dallas specifically for it. If that’s going to happen, it sounds like the city needs to work on its national image.

A MAGAZINE SPEAKS: Another day, another heavy hitter weighs in on the Arts District. Compared with the LA Times review from earlier this week, Newsweek seems pretty impressed. “Dallas has managed to avoid the grandiose errors of its New York forebear with a pedestrian-friendly layout, generous public spaces, and architecture that begs for your attention,” Cathleen McGuigan says in likening the area to Lincoln Center. And it’s interesting to keep an eye out for the Lincoln Center comparisons. From the beginning, all of the marketing materials coming from the performing arts center have done their best to make that Lincoln Center comparison, and it appears that the message is getting through. Just about every review you read of the Arts District mentions its New York counterpart. Embedding that link in people’s minds will go a long way in improving those rankings above.

OH, AND BY THE WAY: We’re doing our bit for Dallas’ cultural image — and for anyone who wants to keep up with everything going on in the Arts District. Check out our new site dedicated to the Dallas Arts District. You can access it anytime from Art&Seek’s ‘front page.’ Over on the right is the button for it.

MUSIC BITS: Denton’s Bowling for Soup will release its 10th album next week. Hunter Hauk checks in with singer Jaret Reddick for a preview (quickdfw.com) … In the off chance you’ve already made your New Years Eve plans, you might want to change ’em. The Toadies have announced they are playing that night at Trees (dfw.com) … Robert Wilonsky comes across some most interesting news: Police drummer Stewart Copeland is writing a concerto based on the music of Bali for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Interested. (Unfair Park) … The new Smile Smile video will have you smiling (twice) (DC9 at Night).