Uptown Swanky

Uptown Dallas Today

 Uptown has been called swanky for sometime now. I guess because of all rich and famous people that like visting our neighborhood. Almost everyday you will find a celebrity or other famous person staying in one of Uptowns swanky hotels.

 We have everything from Rosewood Crescent Hotel to the Boutique Hotel ZAZA to the #1 Hotel  in the country The Ritz Carlton and my favorite a Bed and Breakfast Baileys Uptown Inn. The trolley drivers have a great story about the The Ritz when it first opened . Seems the Vice President was in town and wanted to stay at the Ritz. Around midday all the traffic on Mc kinney Ave comes to a stop and secret service agents begin securing the front of the building. A long black stretch limo pulls up to the front driveway. Just as it begins to turn in it stops . Seems the this ultra long limo will not fit in the driveway of The Ritz. After a few minutes of confusion from the driver, secret service and I am  sure the Vice President the decision is made. He gets out on the sidewalk and walks in to the Hotel like everyone else. The trolley drivers laughed very hard that day. 

 So when you are out and about in Uptown you may just run into a few famous people and even a former Vice President that knows to use the short limo from now on.  

                 

Museum of Art Jazz

Uptown Dallas Today

 Tonight there will Jazz under the stars at the Dallas Museum of Art . The DMA is free tonight from 5-9pm and the Jazz concert is outdoors and is also free. What a deal !  Tom Braxton will perform tonight . The incredible Nasher Sculpture center is also free tonight.   

 The Mc kinney  Ave Trolley will take you there for free also and return you to Uptown . The last Trolley out of downtown is apx. 10pm . The Trolley is now running till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays . 

 The Arts District will have a new connection in about 18 months. the Woodall Rodgers Park should be nearing completion by then. In October of this year the Winspear Opera House and Wyly Theatre will be open for business . Very exciting times for the Arts District and Uptown is just across the street or park . 

 Cool Jazz and a cool , inside too , museum  makes a great summer evening .      

Katy Trail

Uptown Dallas Today

 The Katy Trail is a walking, running and biking trail that runs from the American Airlines Center  to Airline Dr . It divides Uptown from the Oaklawn area. Before it was a trail it was a working railway for MKT railroad. You can still see some of the railroad ties and of course the bridges were made for trains.

 A very scenic walk ,uphill, from downtown will take you past the Victory Overlook and Goat Hill. That is where the water fall billboard is on I 35 . The trail flattens out here ,but, you will still be going uphill for the next 3 miles. Lots of trees and a few water fountains help keep you cool along the way. There are off ramps along the way , with more coming, so if you want to stop to shop ,eat or just rest it is very easy to do so.

 The Katy Trail will soon be expanded in the south to the Trinity River. The north extension will cross Central Expressway and a pedestrian bridge will be built over Mockingbird street. This will connect the trail to Mockingbird Station . 

 Remember to stay cool . There are lots of people and dogs and wildlife along the trail so have fun and take a hike. 

            

How Old ?

Uptown Dallas Today

 You are only as old as you feel. In Uptown we feel a little over 33.3 years old . That is the median age for an Uptown resident. The median age  for a Dallas Resident is 30.1 years . So we are a little older than the rest of the city. Because Uptown has very few children living within our boundaries our average age is just a little over 37 . This means botox is just around the corner for a few of us. 

 Well now that you know how old your neighbor is it is time for some coffee. The best lttle coffee house in Uptown is The Crooked Tree coffee house at 2414 Routh . Just one block off Mckinney Ave and located in a bungalow . Easy to find and great fair trade coffee and music on the weekends,too.            

When Carlisle becomes Cole

Uptown Dallas Today

 This area has grown dramatically in the last 10 years. So much so that very few open lots are available. Like the corner of Lemmon and Carlisle or  just across the street from Texas Land and Cattle. Good stuff and has a Trolley stop at the front door.    

 The Hole on Cole as this lot used to be known is now being developed into  a 5 story apartment complex. In the 80s during the last real estate bust this site was going to be a tall office building. They completed the hole for parking ,more than 50 feet deep, then went bust. The City of Dallas finally years later had to fill  the hole with whatever was left after the bust. Now almost 30 years later it looks like we might actually have a building.

 In case you are confused Cole makes a 1 block turn to the left before it starts again. Carlisle begins at this corner so really it was the Hole on Carlisle, just does not have the same ring to it though. Dallas likes to do this to the streets in  this area. One minute you are on the the correct path and then the street changes names without any warning. Then starts again somewhere nearby,but, just out of sight. I am sure the planning commission at the time was a fun place to work . 

 

       

Emancipation Day in Texas

Uptown Dallas Today

 After the end of the American Civil War freed slaves begin settling in communities across the south.

Uptown was one of those communities called Freedmans Town or North Dallas Freedmans Town . As you walk thru the State Thomas area you will find historical markers giving a short history of the area. One that is missing is the Powell Hotel at 3115 State Street. Now it is a modern town home development,but, during its time it was a thriving hotel for visitor's to Dallas.  The Powell Hotel was visited by many important people of there time. Duke Ellington, Joe Louis and Louis Armstong just to name a few . Freedmans Town was a thriving community from the late 1800s thru 1940s.Like most urban areas in America population trends has changed and I am sure will continue to change in the future.

 When you get hungry from all that history walking in Uptown you might try Greenz Salads in the 2800 block of Mc kinney Ave. A great place for a light meal on a hot Texas day.

         

Greenwood walking tour

Uptown Dallas Today

 The Greenwood cemetery has a very interesting walking available to anyone . You can pick a brochure at the Uptown tourist center , 2808 Mc kinney Ave, and begin your hike . Greenwood

cemetery is 2nd oldest,1874,  in the city of Dallas. Many past Mayors and  the Founding Fathers and Sarah Horton Cockrell , the Founding Mother. She at one time owned downtown Dallas and has a historical marker in the cemetery and downtown in Dealy Plaza.

 Keep a eye out for the wildlife in the cemetery not just birds and squirrels. There have been sightings of raccoons and a family of fox. I have come face to face with both . A friendly stare and another newly chosen path is my suggestion. 

 At this time the cemetery is getting a new wall on the far east side so there is not a connection to the other cemeteries on the walk. A detour down Hall street will be required. 

 A great walk and history lesson about the City of Dallas.        

Mckinney Plaza

Uptown Dallas Today

 Mc kinney Plaza will be losing  tenant if the rumor is correct. Ballys fitness will be closing soon from what i have heard from members. They have been in this location for many years and have a great view of Uptown. 

Across the street on Mckinney if you are up early,about 7:00am, you will notice a 10 foot water spout coming from a broken sprinkler. And we wonder why the lakes are not full. 

Mannys Uptown, just behind the Albertsons, has great Tex Mex and i have heard the swirls are not bad either. Today's a good day for Tex Mex .   

Summer around the corner

Uptown Dallas Today

 Summer  starts this weekend and hot weather should not be far behind. Dads day is this Sunday also. 

Tonight is 1/2 price entrees at The Dream Cafe. They are in the Quadrangle and construction is completed and there is lots of free covered parking. The food is great and they have a nice outdoor patio for people watching. The Quadrangle used to be a vineyard in Dallas early days.

 

New Construction ?

3207 Mc kinney Ave . The lot is being cleared ,trees, buildings and anything standing in the way.

The lot is zoned for just about anything from residential to 20 story high rise. The property was just sold a few weeks ago for 1.7 million . The last owner wanted to build a bar. Lets hope this developer, out of Irving, has more of an imagination.

Just across the street from this lot is Cafe Express . A great lunch and dinner place that now also has a very good breakfast menu. Try it out !     

CITYARTS moving ???

Hope you got out to Cityarts this weekend. Very warm,but, this is Texas in June. The rumor from the vendors is that this festival is moving to Fair Park next year. Should you have an opinion on this matter I suggest and email to Angela Hunt and Mayor Tom Leppert. They will be deciding within the next two weeks . 

Look for a new restaurant opening ,Split Peas, on Mc kinney Ave. They  are from El Paso and yes soup is the specialty.    

CITYARTS

Uptown Dallas Today 

 The Cityarts festival continues in the Dallas arts district. Start times are 11 am on both Saturday and Sunday . Enjoy music, food and  the arts in a great location and if it gets too hot the museums have cool air . They are free this weekend  as is the Mckinney Ave. Trolley.