Hey y’all,

A song about Texas has officially dethroned the queen of Christmas on music charts. 

Country singer Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has now spent a record-breaking 23 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the longest run at the top of the chart. And while Langley herself is from Alabama, North Texas gets to claim a little piece of the song’s history: The music video was filmed at Fort Worth’s Stagecoach Ballroom.

Apparently, all it takes to beat a song that’s been stuck in our collective heads for decades is a cowboy, a broken heart, and a little Texas.

Texas libraries generate roughly $5 in community and economic value for every $1 invested. (University of Texas at Arlington Photograph Collection/CC BY 4.0)

A new Texas Library Association report released last week found that the state’s public libraries generate about $3.8 billion in economic and community value—that’s nearly $5 for every $1 invested. They also support roughly 11,200 jobs. 

The findings come as Texas libraries face budget cuts, including the closure of Mesquite’s North Branch Library and cuts to programs such as English classes at Dallas Public Library.

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A new No Kid Hungry Texas poll found that half of families surveyed said someone in their household has skipped meals or eaten less because of cost concerns. More than 80% said food costs are rising faster than their income, while about 40% reported taking on debt just to put food on the table.

“In a state like ours, it’s not necessarily an issue of capacity,” Stacie Sanchez, director at No Kid Hungry Texas, told KERA. “There’s enough food for everyone. Scarcity isn’t the issue here. It’s political will. We want to make sure our elected officials know this is a top priority to Texans.”

Many items on Kichi’s menu are small bites, so diners can try a variety of dishes. (Joi Louviere/Courier Texas)

Sushi lovers, gather ’round: Kichi Bar in Carrollton is your next visit. 

In an intimate, dimly lit dining room, Kichi is a relaxing dinner option that gives you the opportunity to try a variety of contemporary Japanese dishes.

I started my evening with a sake mojito that was delicious and smoother than a typical mojito. 

Then my friend and I started ordering a bunch of different bites to try. Chili scallop hand rolls, spicy tuna, yuzu salmon maki, and wagyu skewers. One of my favorites of the night was the gyu-ssam, short rib marinated in a miso sauce. Each bite had us eyeing each other across the table as we navigated all the layers of flavors—a ping of lemon here, a ting of spice there.

And then I ordered my old faithful: the hamachi crudo, a raw Japanese yellowtail served cold with a mandarin orange dressing. The Kichi hamachi passed my litmus test for quality sushi simply because I wanted to slurp the dressing right out of the plate (don’t worry, I didn’t). It was so good.

Kichi also has a variety of house-made ice creams that are delicious. I ordered a scoop of the ube, which was surprisingly very coconut-y, with pieces of coconut throughout. 

This restaurant is not an everyday dining experience, but great for a special occasion. What have you been meaning to celebrate?

Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Reply to this email.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere, with reporting from Sam Cohen. It was edited by Kimberly Lawson.

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