Mornin’ DFW 🥣

Watching the World Cup fandom has made it really clear that the US is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t worship soccer (aka, football).

Some theories on the internet attribute the divergence to a difference in appetite—Americans prefer high-scoring sports with frequent breaks. There’s not a bunch of scoring in soccer, which increases the likelihood of ties, and matches are played in 45-minute halves instead of quarters, with no mandatory breaks outside of halftime (horrible for planning commercial breaks).

That makes sense, right? This explains why American football and basketball are king here—we crave excitement through fast-moving entertainment that can keep our short attention spans.

But just because soccer fandom is prevalent across the globe doesn’t mean it’s a country’s number one sport. Take a guess at which country below actually considers soccer its favorite sport. The answer will be revealed in the Did You Know? section further in this email.

Kids will love learning about science at the Moody Family Children’s Museum. (Kelly Alexander Photography/Perot Museum of Nature and Science)

By Sydni Ellis

Living in this economy means you’re probably already familiar with searching for as many deals as you can get, like restaurants that offer kids eat free options and programs for free and discounted summer movies for kids. But there are many more ways to save a buck and enjoy your summer in Dallas-Fort Worth, which helps those who are trying to pinch pennies right now (which is basically everyone!). 

Bring your baby, kid, or teen to a local library to take advantage of their interesting classes and programming, sign up for free meals and snacks through the Summer Meals Program, or find ways to save dollars when shopping for essentials or going on fun family outings. With these summer deals, you can soak up the summer fun and keep your family fed, clothed, and entertained.

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If an Italian summer isn’t in the cards for you this year, Two Gentlemen of Verona can get you there for less. (Joi Louviere/Courier DFW)

“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is one of Shakespeare’s earlier works, a comedy about two best friends who fall in love with the same woman. If you meet your best friend at this Denton gelato shop, you both will, in fact, fall in love with the same woman, and her name is Verona.

Verona is the quaint town sweet shop that can make someone start envisioning a life there. While we know Denton cannot be categorized as small, Verona’s location in the downtown square is one piece of the area’s small-town feel.

On arrival, you’ll walk right into a case of gelato flavors. I tried a few, all good, and decided on Tropical. It’s a mix of pineapple, mango, papaya, and coconut and was so delicious and refreshing. While flavors like that are on the sweeter side, I’d suggest honeydew or cucumber-lime for a subtler touch.

As you leave the gelato case and head around the corner, there’s an ice cream case with about 15 different flavors, including cheesecake, Stracciatella, and amaretto.

After that is a case of truffles and then another case with macarons, tarts, and their popular tiramisu. That’s also where you can order a cannoli and watch the staff fill it on the spot.

Since the shop is meant to mimic an authentic gelato shop, people come here for the coffee alone. Ordering an affogato lets you enjoy their espresso and gelato all in one go. With plenty of seating, Verona is open every day until 10 p.m., so ya gotta make sure to try it out with your family, day or night.

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 by Sydni Ellis. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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