Whirlwind Weekend

Wow, I forgot how short weekends become when you work on Saturday and Sunday! Still, Dan and I managed, in our typical fashion, to try four new eating and drinking establishments, tuor seven houses, and take a trip to Irving:

Friday:
Finally made another, long overdue trip to Vino 100, one of the first bars I went to here in Dallas. (Remember my post?) The fireplace was going, the wine was half-off...doesn't get much better, if you can stay awake that is. After an unsuccessful quest to find Thai food within walking distance, we ended up at Gui, which touts itself as a "Korean Japanese Bistro and Bar," that we found to be overpriced and slightly scene-y. Luckily we didn't overorder and had room to duck into one more sushi establishment, Yutaka. 100 times better.

Saturday:
We got up bright and early to tour seven houses up for sale (we're hoping to move out of our apartment and into a house in early April). They ranged from seriously outdated, seriously SCARY (as in insecure foundations and evidence of squatters) to absolutely charming. We've got our eye on one in particular just off Henderson Ave. We celebrated with an extra-large pizza at Rocco's, a BYOB pizza joint just up the street from our apartment. I had to put in a few hours at Molto, so Dan got the afternoon to himself. When I came home he was wearing a Santa hat and our living room window was decorated with Christmas lights, so the least I can say is that we was productive! That night we drove out to visit our friends Kate and Josh in Irving, just outside Dallas, who were hosting a game night. An evening of Apples to Apples, Battle of the Sexes, and Taboo ensued.

Sunday:
Another day at Molto - this time at the Preston Royal location. On my way to work I passed under the marathon runners on a Katy Trail pedestrian overpass (yesterday was the White Rock Marathon). After work we walked around Henderson Ave. and ducked in for a drink at Vickery Park just as the sun was setting. Did I mention it was 61 degrees here yesterday?!

Wine, and a lesson in Texas politics

Say what you will, I have the best of luck meeting people in bars. Exhibit A: Looking for a glass of wine and some conversation, I walked over to Vino 100 last night, a wine bar and store just down the street. The place feels like a living room- there is a fireplace, a big couch, and some hearty wood dining tables. The bar itself only has a few stools, and the walls near it are lined with wine for sale. Over a glass of Viognier (and later, Sauvignon blanc), I got to know the bartender, Ryan, and the only other patron, Johanna, a professor of British literature at UT Arlington. My segue into saying that I just moved here was Ryan's comment on Thursday's New York Times article on the new Performing Arts Center. While the news made the front page of the Arts section, the writer just couldn't help but point out the reality of the arts scene in this city:

"Civic leaders have been trying to give this city a cultural heart for decades now, but the results have always felt more like a loose collection of unrelated buildings than a cohesive urban vision."

Having walked the Arts District just yesterday, I can attest that it does feel somewhat empty, especially compared to the stairs full of people that can be seen every day in front of the Met. And the area surrounding the two new buildings is anything but pedestrian-friendly. To walk there, you have to make a wide arc around the surrounding blocks, crisscrossing streets to avoid road construction and sidewalk closures. We'll see how things shape up in the coming months.

Turns out that my new bartender friend is an actor with a knack for Texas politics. Did you know that LBJ nicknamed his wife Lady Bird so that her initials would match his? Oh yeah, and his children also had the initials LBJ. Convenient (and narcissistic), huh?

During the course of the evening I was also introduced (in conversation, not in person) to Ann Richards, the charismatic former Texas governor known for her speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. My favorite line:

"Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."

I also picked up a quote from Texas politician John Garner, FDR's vice president. In describing the job, Garner once said it's "not worth a bucket of warm spit."

Now that's Texan.