The old AMC Theater at Central and Walnut Hill has been vacant since 2006 when the chain relocated to NorthPark Center. Now, empty 35,000 square-foot space will be demolished to make way for a Dave and Buster’s flagship restaurant.

Dave and Buster’s bought the land for an undisclosed price, the Dallas Business Journal reports. Construction on the new complex is scheduled to begin within the next nine months, transforming the barren shopping center. The new restaurant will incorporate more games and an extended menu.

The Dave and Buster’s will close its current location near Presbyterian Hospital when the new restaurant is complete.

Olivella’s at Hillside Village, Mockingbird and Abrams, opens Monday at lunch time.

The new pizzeria brought to us by Charlie Green, owner of Neo’s pizza in Victory Park and another Olivella’s near SMU, had a friends-and-family preview Sunday.

The menu includes sandwiches and salads, but we just sampled the pizzas. Neapolitan-style and cooked in a wood fire oven, they lived up to the Olivella’s reputation—USA Today named it one of the 50 great pizzas in America, Zagat called it “The First Real Pizza in Dallas” and Rachel Ray called it the most delicious pizza you’ll ever eat and put it in the top 64 in the U.S.

Perhaps the best of the bunch I tasted was the mozzarella, mushroom and truffle oil pie. (I had to ask what made it so heavenly. Truffle oil was the answer.)

Mint and prosciutto and big ripe tomatoes are just a few of the ingredients that made for outstanding, complex flavors. Looks like they have a nice wine list as well.

Green has made extensive updates since Pizzaria Venti occupied the space, most ostensibly to the patio. The remodeled outdoor area will hold 40-50 guests, he tells us. As of Sunday, there were not yet tables out there, so diners may have to wait for al fresco seating.

The Dallas White Rock Marathon board earlier this week voted unanimously to change the location of the start and finish of the December race from Fair Park to Downtown Dallas, near the new convention center hotel.

WRM spokesman Greg Miller tells us that the move allows for a redesign of the race course that will keep staples including the lake and the arts district, but also include new features such as the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and Klyde Warren Park.

“While there’s lots of work to still be done finalizing and certifying new courses, the city of Dallas has been very supportive and is excited to help elevate this race into that top tier of major city marathons.”

The marathon, which originated at White Rock Lake has also been held at Victory Park before moving to Fair Park two years ago.

This could be a step in the right direction when it comes to making White Rock a world-class event with economic impact along the lines of New York City Marathon or the Chicago Marathon.

In addition, last week, the marathon board and director announced a $1 million contribution to the race’s beneficiary, The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

This year’s race will be held December 9.

We get a little worked up each December about the White Rock Marathon. Many love the tradition while others resent the day of street closures and cow bells.

Love it or hate it, the $1 million contribution made a few days ago to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is, in my book, indisputable evidence that this thing is worthwhile.

Last year, when the marathon brought in a mere half-mil (I jest), I wrote about my personal connection to the race and hospital. This year, neighborhood kid Garrett Woodbury was a patient champion and his parents ran the marathon in his honor.

Last year’s numbers were exciting, but this is mind blowing.

Phil Baker, DWRM chairman; Marcus Grunewald, DWRM race director; Bob Walker, TSRHC president and CEO

Last week the Dallas White Rock Marathon board of directors presented the $1 million check to the hospital, making the total amount donated by the race to the TSRH since 1997 $2.8 million.

“We are thrilled to fulfill our pledge of donating $1 million to Texas Scottish Rite, a hospital that does so much amazing work empowering young people in this community and beyond,” says Kevin Snyder, chairman of the DWRM board of directors. “As support for our race continues to grow, our goal is to continue supporting Texas Scottish Rite as our primary beneficiary with significant donations each year.”

Race director, Lake Highlands resident Marcus Grunewald credits the runners, sponsors and volunteers.

Phil Baker, DWRM chairman; Chuck Dannis, 2012 Victory Award recipient

“Our participants are truly supportive of this race and our beneficiary, and for that, we thank them,” says Grunewald. “As a runner, having the patients and families come out to support the event provides a huge source of motivation. They are the reason donations of this size are possible.”

“In addition to our runners, the record-breaking success of the 2011 event would not have been possible without the help of our board, sponsors and volunteers.”

Past DWRM chairman Phil Baker presided over the awards ceremony alongside Walker. In addition to awarding the $1 million donation, the marathon board presented the Victory Award for Excellence to East Dallas resident Chuck Dannis. Runner Ed Jackson received the Spirit Award.

Mark Bateman, (TSRHC), Marcus Grunewald, Phil Baker, Jerry Gilmore (TSRHC), Natalie Hudson, (TSRHC patient champion), Bob Walker, (TSRHC president and CEO) and Garret Woodbury

The Victory Award honors a member of the running community for demonstrating the value of physical fitness and having a positive effect on health and fitness through outstanding effort, determination, commitment and courage. Dannis served as DWRM chairman from 2005 through 2008 and is credited with many of the race’s innovations including the High School Relay Challenge. He now serves as chairman emeritus of the race.

If you’d like to get involved — run, sponsor or volunteer — in next year’s marathon, half marathon or relay, look for opportunities this summer. Registration opens June 1 and the race is expected to sell out.

Rain, rain: go away, because the White Rock Local Market is back this weekend and we prefer to do our shopping in the sun.

The WRLM begins its forth season in the parking lot near Green Spot on Buckner near White Rock Lake, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.

You can seriously feel good about the food you buy at the White Rock Local Market, especially now that founders, Sarah Perry and Mary Norvell,  have implemented a new growers-only policy by which farmers may only bring what they’ve grown themselves or what they can accurately label from other farmers.

Also, look for new vendors Latte Da Dairy, Three Happy Cows, Citas Salsa, Corked in Texas, Hypnotic Donuts and Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters in the mix.

Saturday, March 10, is the WRLM “everything” market where both food and goods vendors are on hand. The market is held the second and fourth Saturdays of the month during spring and summer. The markets alternate between “everything” and food-only days.

While you’re there, register to enter the 2012 chili cook off, which will be held March 24 and judged by chefs Jeffery Hobbes (Sissy’s, Suze), Graham Dodds (Central 214) and Bryan Luscher (The Grape). We will bring you more details as they are available.

All of our stories about the White Rock Local Market.

Click for larger photo. Submitted by Society Bakery.

Society Bakery, home of the most sinful cupcakes and whoopee pies, now has a full-bakery food truck, designed by San Antonio-based Cruising Kitchens.

Society owners tell us this is Texas’ first mobile bakery food truck, complete with onsite oven.

Society Bakery has two standstill stores, one at 3426 Greenville and the other inside Medical City hospital, 7777 Forest.

Keep up with them on Twitter or Facebook for news about the whens and wheres of the shiny new truck of goodness.

Mark Heger first learned to waterski at five years old, and by the age of ten he was wakeboarding. When he turned twelve, he and sister Lauren (14 at the time) cooked up a plan to earn some spending money “mass-babysitting” around the family’s backyard pool. At 15, Mark suggested hosting the kids at his family’s Cedar Creek Lake house, and Heger Watersports Camp was born. Since that first summer in 2000, more than 500 kids, mostly from Lake Highlands, have enjoyed a week of fun and friendship on the water.

“The best part of camp is watching somebody achieve a skill that they have worked really hard at,” Mark told me. “There really isn’t anything more satisfying than helping a camper accomplish something they never thought they’d be able to do. We get just as excited watching campers learn to waterski for the first time as we do watching campers learn spins and flips on the wakeboard.”

Heger Camp offers multiple sessions each summer for girls and boys of all ability levels aged 8-18. Their beautiful and spacious lake house hosts 18 kids at a time, with two camper bunk rooms and four camper bathrooms, plus a pool table, ping pong and other activities for down time or rainy days. Mark’s mom, Marcia, serves as “Camp Mom,” supervising safety, cooking up tasty meals, and communicating with parents about how the week is going.

“The hardest part of camp is dealing with all the stuff that isn’t ‘camp,’” said Mark. “Administrative work, scheduling sessions, and getting campers signed-up and committed – parents often wait until the last minute to sign up or stay on the fence for weeks” while juggling summer camp, sports and vacation options. “We understand that scheduling is very difficult when you have kids,” added Mark, “but it is definitely our least favorite aspect of camp.”

In 2004, Mark was a finalist for the Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his vision in creating the camp. He now lives in Lakewood with his new bride and runs the camp full-time.

“I feel like I have learned almost all my life lessons from doing camp,” said Mark. Starting a business when I was 12 and watching it grow into something that I could never have imagined has been the most incredible journey ever. Camp has taught me moral lessons like patience, kindness and persistence. It has taught me practical business lessons like entrepreneurship, building and maintaining relationships, and treating your employees well. It revealed to me what my true passions are. I consider myself incredibly blessed to have been able to turn a passion into a career, especially this early in my life.”

If you’d like more info about sending your student to Heger Watersports Camp, you can email Mark here.

In the group photo: that’s 2005, LHHS grads of 2010 and 2011, with counselors Mark (in the cowboy hat), Ryan Christy (in the visor) and Kevin Renkes. Mark can send you better, more updated pics, but I couldn’t resist sharing mine. (That’s my Ben waterskiing.) Many of the kids pictured now spend summers helping Mark as camp counselors.

The new Cici’s Pizza at Timber Creek Crossing hosts a grand opening celebration today at Skillman and Northwest Highway. Expect to enjoy their signature buffet pizza, salad and desserts and hear the familiar “Welcome to Cici’s!” greeting from peppy employees. Doors open at 11am.

Feeling in a party mood? Maybe you’re in a shopping state-of-mind? Hoping for a cupcake?

You can satisfy your urges for all three this Thursday through Saturday when The Store in Lake Highlands celebrates their tenth birthday. They’ll have party favors, door prizes, special sales and an old-fashioned “cake walk.” Best of all, “Bubbles” from Trailercakes will be on hand Thursday from 11am to 2pm serving their delicious cupcakes. (If you’re one of the woefully uninitiated, “Bubbles” is the name of the Airstream trailer (shown) now used as a traveling food truck, delivering yummy happiness all over Dallas.)

The Store carries clothing lines including French Dressing Jeanswear, Nomadic Traders, and Tianello, gifts like Vera Bradley, Tyler Candles and Willow Tree angels, and many other fun things.

The Store is located in Northlake Shopping Center, Ferndale and Northwest Highway, and is open 9:30am to 5:30pm Monday thru Saturday. They’ll stay open til 7 Thursday night, and you’ll almost always find owner Cheryl Calvin there to help you find the perfect gift – except during LH baseball season, which began this month. When the Wildcats walk onto the red dirt of The Cat (as the LHHS baseball fields are known) she can be found in the bleachers cheering for her son Gregg and the rest of our guys. Go Cats!