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Reload this page Dallas, Texas

Notes about my month in Dallas March, 2005.

 

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  • Guidebooks
  • Transportation
  • Downtown
  • North Dallas
  • South-Fair Park
  • Forth Worth West
  • Texas USA
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    Set screen Guidebooks for Dallasites

     


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    Set screen Getting In and Around Dallas

      The big airport is DFW (Dallas Fort Worth International) 20 miles West of downtown Dallas. Supershuttle does a thriving business due to lack of trains to the airport. It's so big it connects two freeways: 635 to the North and 35 on the South.

      Southwest flies in/out of Love Field southeast of DFW, closer to downtown. But laws prevent them from flying to airports in adjoining states (such as Phoenix).

      $4.50 lets ride all day on DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) trains 214.749.3400
      Its red line runs through Richardson's Arapaho Center Station to Plano.
      Its blue line runs to Garland.



      All of Texas is on Central Standard Time (CST).

      Earthlink dialup from DFW:
      214 699 0013 &
      469 844 4001

      214 242 0020
      214 329 4130
      214 329 4492
      214 379 9603
      214 723 0000
      214 889 0005

      Where are the liquor stores?

      State laws concentrate them in enclaves.


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    Set screen Downtown Dallas

      Starting from Union Station on the West side of town

        Those who don't have a fear of heights can ride a glass elevator up 50 stories and have a drink or a lunch in the revolving Lookout platform atop the 50 story Reunion Tower (214)712-7145 at 300 Reunion Blvd, downtown Dallas 75207 This sparkling round jewel of the Dallas skyline was built in 1978,

      Go North to Dealy Plaza and the "grassy knoll" area made famous on November 22, 1963.

        The Texas School Book Depository building at 411 Elm Street — where Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly shot JFK — now houses the "Sixth Floor Museum", where you can listen to an audio guide and Walter Cronkite announce the news. Write your own thoughts about the day in their book. 9-6 daily except Christmas 214.747-6660.

        Across from the JFK Memorial is the $9 Conspiracy museum, which features a video and on the JFK shooting plus other presidential assinations. The inscription on the plain 50 square foot granite box memorializing JFK reads

          "It is not a memorial to the pain and sorrow of death, but stands as a permanent tribute to the joy and excitement of one man's life."

        This is such an apt statement because JFK was murdered for going against what Eisenhower named the "Military Industrial complex" which profits from the wars JFK sought to avoid.

        So before you go, visit JFK.org and see the movie "JFK" by Oliver Stone (staring Kevin Costner as the courageous District Attorney of New Orleans who was the only person to bring charges against anyone related to the many people involed in JFK's murder and subsequent massive cover up.)

      On the walking tour going North on Market is a replica of the log cabin of John Neely Bryan, founder of Dallas who negotiated land from the Caddo Indians for Dallas land on the bluff of the Trinity River. Since Bryan is also the first Postmaster, the cabin served as Dallas' first post office and courthouse.

        "Old Red" is the nickname for the County Courthouse built in 1891, using the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style popular at the time.

        Past the station at Akard for trains (along old train tracks on Pacific Avenue)is the West End Marketplace (originally constructed for the Brown Cracker & Candy Company in 1911). Its parking structure across Lamar street holds cars for the entire historic West End district of brick warehouses built between 1900 and 1930 and brought back to life in 1976. Now filled with restaurants and shops, it is one of the city's most tourist-friendly spots.

      Several blocks East on Main Street is the elegantly modern Magnolia hotel, which features soaking tubs. But beware that their wireless (which works in the Starbucks within the building) doesn't reach beyond the 17th floor.
      A pegasus is associated with the hotel because that's the mascot of Mobil Oil, which occupied the building until it became a hotel in 1999.

      But from the high floors you can look down at the next door neighbor, the historically ornate Aldolphus hotel serves traditional (as in no BBQ sauce) English tea in their Lobby Living Room, featuring scones topped with Devonshire cream and raspberry marmalade, finger sandwiches, fruit tarts, hand-dipped chocolate truffles, etc. All this you eat while a pianist entertains. There are a lot of snobs who enjoy this, so book weeks in advance with 214.742-8200.

      Origami in the Crow Collection On the NorthEast corner of town is Dallas' Arts District (its 60 acres makes it the largest downtown arts district in the country).

        Dallas Museum of Art (dm-art.org) at 1717 N. Harwood Street (214/922-1200) is housed in a series of white limestone galleries built off a central barrel vault. It has a special "Forbidden City" exhibit until May 29, 2005. The museum is open until midnight on some Fridays (March 18).

        Originally established in 1903, its permanent collection covers a lot of territory, from the arts of Africa, Asia, and ancient Greece to painting by artists as diverse as John Singleton Copley and Gerhard Richter along with modern greats like Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.

        The most popular draw at the museum is an installation that recreates rooms in the Mediterranean villa belonging to Texas swells Wendy and Emery Reves (friends of Winston Churchill). Here, lavish furniture and other accoutrements of gracious living set off masterpieces by Cezanne and van Gogh.

        Next door to the East, see the Crow Collection of Asian Art from the Trammell Crow Corporation — one of the largest landlords in the US — exhibits its art in the Crow

        Belo Mansion built in 1890

        There is a docent tour of the Nasher Sculpture Garden outdoors North of the Trammell Crow building on Sundays 1-2 from 2010 Floral Street. 214.979-6440.

      Another block East is the Morton H. Meyerson Center (the "Mort") designed in 1989 by I.M.Pei to house the Dallas Symphony. Its 4,535-pipe Fish Organ is the largest mechanical-action organ ever built for a concert hall.

      Going South on Pearl toward the Le Meridien and Adam's Mark is a station for the train running along Bryan Street.

        It runs through the DEEP ELLUM district, which begins with the Hotel ZaZa and Dragonfly restaurant, with Balinese/modern furniture and ultra-luxury amenities catering to rock stars.

        Further East is the Dallas Center for Contemporary Art 214-821-2522 at 2801 Swiss Ave, Dallas 75204 It's a local co-op that provides a great venue to examine artwork true to Texas and Dallas. The Dallas Visual Art Center, a nonprofit organization, serves as a meeting ground for over 300 visual artists. In addition to displaying co-op artwork, the center also features special events, lectures and studio tours, and is home to a diverse group of artists.

      Toward the center of town is the Majestic theater at 1925 Elm Street, opened in 1921 for vaudville acts.


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      A Legend of the Texas Bluebonnet, illustrated by Tomie dePaola is really for older children...

      Once, long ago in the land of the Comanche, there was a great drought and famine and pestilence. The dancers danced to the sound of the drums and prayed for rain. They watched and waited for the healing rains, and danced again. No rains came.

      Among the children of the tribe there was a small girl named She-Who-Is-Alone. She watched the dancers and held her warrior doll. Her doll wore beaded leggings and a headdress of brillant blue feathers from the bird who cries "Jay-Jay". She loved this doll very much. Her doll was the only thing she had left from the happy days before the great famine took her parents and grandparents from her.

      As She-Who-is-Alone sat and held her doll, the Shaman, or Wise Man, came to speak to the people. He told them that the Great Spirits were unhappy. He said that the people had been selfish, taking every thing from the earth giving nothing in return. He said that the people must make a sacrifice and must make a burnt offering of their most prized possession. The Shaman said the ashes of this offering should be scattered to the home of the Four Winds-North, South, East and West. When this sacrifice was made the drought would cease. Life would be restored to the land. Comanche tribe The people talked among themselves. The warriors were sure it was not their bow that the Great Spirits wanted. The women knew that this was not their special blanket. She-Who-Is-Alone looked at her doll, her most valued possession. She knew what the Great Spirits wanted and knew what she must do.

      While everyone slept she took her warrior doll and one stick that burned from the teepee fire and made her way to the hill where the Shaman had spoken -"Oh Great Spirits," she called out, "here is my warrior doll the only thing I have left from happy days with my family. It is my most valued possession. Please accept it."

      Then she made a fire and thrust her precious doll into it. When the flames died down she scooped up a handful of ashes and scattered them to the Four winds-North, South, East and West. Then, her cheeks wet with tears, she lay down and fell asleep.

      The first light of morning woke her and she looked out over the hills. Stretching from all sides where the ashes had fallen, the ground was covered with flowers, beautiful blue flowers, as blue as the feathers in the hair of her beloved doll.

      Now every spring the Great Spirits remember the sacrifice of a very small girl and fill the hills and valleys of the land now called Texas with beautiful blue flowers. And this is so to this very day.


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    Set screen North Dallas

      Going Northbound on the 75 North Central Expressway:

      West of the 75, the European Art Gallery 972-612-2806 at 3012 Fairmount St (at Wolf St) in Churchill Glen 75252has over 400 paintings from more than 240 different artists, making it one of the finest collections of European oil paintings in the US, with prices from $5,000 to over $1,000,000.

      East of the 75 off N. Henderson Avenue are several large antique shops along the 2800 block.

      13 miles NE of downtown on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake (Winslow St North off fwy 30 exit 48B) at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas 75218, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden boasts the largest public collection of azaleas in the US among its 66 acres of gardens and lawns. Also look up a Bluebonnet Lupinus in Spring. It's the official state flower of Texas! Also eat a pecan — the state tree of Texas.

      The Biblical Arts Center 214-691-4661 at 7500 Park Lane (W of Boedecker W off 75) Dallas 75225 is a non-denominational, nonprofit agency that personifies the roots of Dallas' Bible Belt — offering a "Miracle at Pentecost" light and sound show plus mural illustrating the Scriptures and a life-sized replica of Christ's Garden Tomb It also houses contemporary artwork and ancient archeological artifacts in an effort to educate visitors on Biblical events.

      On the other extreme, for some Honky-Tonk, visit Adair's Saloon 2624 Commerce St. 214-939-9900

        or W.W. Fairfields 972-231-3844 on 147 N. Plano Road in Richardson

      West off Campbell is the University of Texas at Dallas, which offers project management degrees in Chinese. Go figure.

      SOUTHFORK RANCH 972/442-7800 at 3700 Hogge Dr. in Parker, TX is one of the city's most enduring landmarks.Built in 1970, the ranch became one of the city's best-known symbols when the TV show "Dallas" premiered in 1978. You can tour the mansion for $7.95, have lunch at Miss Ellie's Deli, and try to remember who shot J. R.


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    Set screen South of Dallas at Fair Park

      FAIR PARK 214/421-9600 at 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd., south Dallas, is a 277-acre National Historic Landmark with the largest collection of 1930s Art Deco architecture in the United States.

      WARNING: It's in a "rought" neighborhood, so avoid being there at night.

      Fair Park also contains seven major exhibit spaces (most of which are closed Monday or Tuesday):

      • The Hall of State mural 214/421-4500 at 3939 Grand Ave. tell the story of Texas in heroic terms.

      • the African American Museum 214/565-9026 at 3536 Grand Ave. is free.

      • The $5 The Age of Steam Railroad Museum 214.428.0101 at 1105 N. Washington Ave.Bob LaPrelle, CEO

      • the $3 Dallas Aquarium 214/670-8443 at 1462 1st Ave.

      • the Texas Discovery Gardens 214/428-7476 at 3601 Martin Luther King Blvd. is FREE

      • the $6.50 Dallas Museum of Natural History 214/421-3466 at 3535 Grand Ave.

      • the Women's Museum 214/915-0860 at 3800 Parry Ave.

      • the $7.50 Science Place 214/428-5555 at 1318 2nd Ave. gets you in to see over 200 hundred hands-on kinetic exhibits and a planetarium. It also houses one of Dallas's IMAX theaters.

      The Music Hall at 909 1st Avenue, Dallas, TX 75210 houses the Opera and Summer Musicals

      Dallas Firefighters Museum 3801 Parry Ave, Dallas 75226 . 214-821-1500 FAIR PARK. From 1882 horse-drawn steam pumps to modern motor-powered equipment, a stroll through the Dallas Firefighters Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into history. The museum houses valuable firefighting equipment and chronicles the history of battling blazes. Located in a 1907 fire station, it makes a nice afternoon stop and also provides a number of souvenirs for purchase.

     

      Famous Texans include:

    • George W. Bush
    • Lyndon Baynes Johnson


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    Set screen Fort Worth

      The sister city of which Will Rogers commented "it's where the West begins".

      AMON CARTER MUSEUM 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, USA Phone: 817/738-1933 The Amon Carter Museum is a short walk from the Kimbell, west of downtown Fort Worth. The museum's collection of American art is centered on Remington and Russell mostly, but in recent decades the curators have incorporated works by many late 20th century artists. The photographic collection, among the largest in the United States, spans the history of the medium, from 19th-century daguerrotypes to 21st-century digital prints. www.cartermuseum.org. COST: Free. Closed Mon.

      The Kimbell Art Museum 817/332-8451 at 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. was designed by architect Louis Kahn to have six long concrete vaults with skylights running the length of each.

      Its 52,000-square feet houses top-notch collections of early 20th-century European art and old masters, including Edward Munch's "Girls on a Bridge" and Goya's "The Matador Pedro Romero", depicting the great bullfighter who allegedly killed more than 6,000 of the animals without sustaining an injury. Also in the collection are works by Tiepolo, Caravaggio, El Greco, and Corot. museum also exhibits Greek and Roman antiquities, African and pre-Columbian art, and has one of the largest collections of Asian art in North America. www.kimbellart.org. COST: Free. Closed Mon.

      MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH 1309 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, TX, USA Phone: 817/738-9215 The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth resides in a gorgeously realized building designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The structure, consisting of five glass pavilions built on a shimmering lagoon, sets the right tone for contemplating one of the country's strongest collections of post World War II painting and sculpture. The 53,000-square-foot exhibition space holds works by icons of modernism and later movements, from Picasso and Jackson Pollack to Carrie Mae Weems and Cindy Sherman. www.mamfw.org. COST: Free. Closed Mon.

      McDonald Observatory.

      For more fun, stay at the 100-year old Limpia Hotel

     


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    Set screen Texas USA

      Capital in Austin, 2 hours south of Dallas.

      http://www.dallascityhall.com/dallas/eng/html/library.html http://www.txlottery.org/ http://www.dallascityhall.com/dallas/eng/html/arts.html

      Office Name Contact
      Governor Rick Perry www.governor.state.tx.us/

      D Dallas City Hall




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