uptown dallas today

Katy Trail 5k 2011

2011-02-17T11:20:00.000-06:00

The Katy Trail 5k will begin on-line registration March 1st. The 5k will be held on May 12th in Reverchon Park . As always there will be live entertainment and plenty of food. There will be a limit of 5000 participants this year. You will need to be quick to register this year. Have fun and support the Katy Trail.
West Village will be having a Winter Sidewalk Sale this weekend . Spring will be making an appearance at no extra charge. The sale begins Friday the 18th through the 20th.
Once again this weekend stay away from Woodall Rodgers Freeway . More concrete beams will be put in place this Saturday and Sunday for the new park. The Museum Tower ,next to the park,is coming out of the ground only 41 more floors to go. Units with great views are still available.

Woodall Rodgers (ThePark)

2011-02-12T09:59:00.000-06:00

Now that the Super Bowl 45 and Ice Storm 2011 are over back to work. The Woodall Rodgers Park will be putting up more overhead beams this weekend. Expect eastbound road closures. This will occur again over the next few weekends and very soon Woodall Rodgers will have a tunnel. For more information your can check out www.theparkdallas.org. They also have a great webcam so you can watch the construction progess.
For you baseball fans it is time for spring training . The Best in the American League start February 16th in Surprise Arizona.I guess the Robins I saw last week in Fair Park new what they were doing. Looks like spring starts this week. Get out and enjoy the day and stay off Woodall Rodgers .

Katy Trail 5k May 13th

2010-03-03T12:20:00.000-06:00

   That time of year again . Time for the Katy Trail 5k on Thursday May 13th . Registration began on March 1st so get signed up already. You might want to begin walking the trail too. Red Mango yogurt , 2811 Mc Kinney Ave, will be donating to the Katy Trail on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. That will be March 10th this month. 20% of the proceeds will go to the Katy Trail. If you are a bird watcher you might want to check out the trail as this is a great time of the year on the trail.
   Savor Dallas, savordallas.com, is this weekend and you can still get tickets to the events. Friday March 5th and Saturday the 6th you can enjoy the Arts,Wine and Food. This is also Target Saturday at the Nasher Sculpture Center . There is free admission starting at 10am. Check out the web page at nashersculpturecenter.org .
   For those of you that like construction web-cams check out these two sites. Woodallrodgerspark.org and trinityrivercorridor.org . The Trinity river site will give you a great view of the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and Downtown Dallas. This site is not always live ,but, it has been updating recently. The other web-cam is the construction of the Woodall Rodgers Park and it has a birds eye view of the construction.

March winds bring April showers that bring May flowers .

Hank Haney Leaves Uptown

2010-03-02T09:49:00.001-06:00

   Hank Haney golf complex is leaving the Uptown neighborhood and moving to Market Center off 35. Should be a good location for them and has great access to 35. They are moving so that the City of Dallas
can extend two streets and maybe finish the trolley turn at Cityplace.
   Oak Grove and Noble streets are to be extended to Blackburn sometime latter this year. The City of Dallas has another huge shortfall in revenue for 2010-11 budget year . The money to extend the streets will come from the Cityplace TIF which expires at the end of 2012. Since there are no planned buildings in the near future, Mary Shiels Hospital is the exception, for Cityplace or West Village the money collected will be used to expand the streets.
   The MATA is hoping that 2010 is the year that the trolley turn around is completed. The large iron structure, in the field next to trolley stop, is the trolley turnaround and it has been sitting there for many years. There is also money earmarked for a new Dart West side entrance. At this time a little money is being used to build a public stairway from Blackburn to the Katy Trail.
   So long Hank Haney you will be missed by many. Good Luck in your new location.

I think spring may actually start this week just a little early . Enjoy !

Stoneleigh Condos II

2010-02-03T09:34:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The Stoneleigh Condo tower has a new owner and maybe a new life. The unfinished 12 story skeleton looms over the Uptown neighborhood. The tower was purchased out of foreclosure for apx. 4.55 million dollars. Much less than the amount already spent on the shell. With a little luck and a bank that will release it`s grip on some money this project may start again around September of 2010. Let`s hope so since this is a great location next door to the fabulous Stoneleigh Hotel.
   Another crime drama will be filmed in Dallas. The creators of CSI have another crime story to tell. No its not CSI Dallas. The story is to be about the U.S. Marshall`s office and there search and apprehension of the bad guys. The name of the new project is "Chase" and lead roles are now being selected so it may be awhile before they begin filming. A Fox series , Code 58 , is being filmed in Dallas at this time.
   Today is Norman Rockwell's birthday February 3rd 1894. The National Scouting Museum in Irving has the 2nd largest collection of his paintings. The Museum has 17 paintings in its permanent collection.

  Spring arrives soon !

Dallas Art Fair This Week

2010-02-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The Dallas Art Fair at Booker T Washington High School and the Fashion Industry Gallery ,FIG, will this week. Starting on the Thursday the 4th of February through the Sunday the 7th of February. A Gala event will be held at FIG on Ross Ave in downtown Dallas. You will need tickets to this event as well as some of the art events .
   You can check out the events at Dallasartfair.org or Fashionindustrygallery.org . Tickets can be purchased on line for one event or all 3 days . The MATA trolley stops at the FIG so you can take a free ride down Mc Kinney Ave . There will be parking available for the events at Booker T Washington.
   Pinkberry opens on February 12th at 3:00 p.m. at the corner of Blackburn and Mc Kinney Ave. Should be very busy and very good,too. This weekend West Village will be having a Buy Buy Winter sidewalk sale. Saturday and Sunday stores will be marking down winter items. Spring is just around the corner.
   Today is National Freedom Day . A celebration of the signing of the 13th Amendment by Abraham Lincoln. This Amendment outlawed slavery on February 2nd 1865 . Uptown was once called North Dallas Freedman`s Town and was settled by former freed slaves.

Uptown One Mc Kinney Plaza

2010-01-27T09:19:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The One Mc Kinney Plaza remodel will begin o February 1st. There are several architechual renderings on the bokapowell.com web page. Go to projects and then to adaptive uses section.The project is scheduled to take 8 months. Not sure how this will work with the MATA Trolley stop that is also at this location. This a busy stop for MATA for tourists and locals alike.
   The renderings that are posted show that most of the 25yr trees in the front of One Mc Kinney Plaza will be cut down. This will add several thousand square feet to the front of the building with most of that footage to retail,restaurants and bars. A valet turn in will also be added to the Mc Kinney Ave side of the building. Again not sure how that will change the MATA Trolley stop at this location.
   Hope this works for them and the Uptown neighborhood. In the 25yrs this building has been there restaurants have opened and failed many times. Not sure why as this should be a great location. No additional parking will be added with the new space. Parking is becoming very difficult within this area, several new restaurants and bars have opened, and traffic in the afternoon is a gridlock at times.

Cities are built for people not for machines .

Town Hall Meeting Thursday

2010-01-26T08:56:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. , the 28th of January ,in the Universities Center in Downtown Dallas there will be a town hall meeting . Angela Hunt and State Senator Royce West will be there as will District Attorney Craig Watkins.
There will also be a presentation on the all the progress that has taken place in Downtown Dallas in the past year. This is a great time to meet your elected officials and stay educated on what is happening in your city.
   The Universities Center is across the street from Main Street Gardens and now has a large UNT logo on the upper floors. The address is 1901 Main St and can get there from Uptown by taking the MATA trolley to St Paul at Ross. Then walk a few blocks down St Paul till you get to Main St . The Universities Center is the building to your left. Of course there is plenty of parking downtown and DART can get you there too.
   Code 58 begins filming today in Fair Park and they will be filming in the Dallas area till July . The series will be on FOX this year and could have a new name before airing. Code 58 is DPD talk for a routine non-emergency call. Great to have them filming in Dallas.

Spring Training begins February 18th !

Greenwood Tour in Uptown

2010-01-23T13:26:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The Greenwood Cemetery began in 1874 along Mc Kinney Ave in Uptown. Back then it was called the Trinity Cemetery and would keep that name till 1896 when the property was sold to Greenwood Cemetery. When the Trinity began the property sat next to John H Cole`s property that covered much of the Uptown neighborhood. The Cole`s owned much of the Uptown Neighborhood and had property north all the way to what is now Highland Park. During the early 1900`s a 4 1/2 acre had been planned for the area along Oak Grove Mc Kinney and Hall St. Many plans were made ,but,ultimately nothing came of the park.
   There are self guided tours of the Greenwood Cemetery and Calvary Cemetery and Temple Emanuel- El Cemetery and the Freedman`s Memorial. The tours are available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. any day of the week. Along the way there are historical markers and way-finding markers throughout the Cemetery. For more information about the tours you can call the Uptown Tourist Center at 469-341-1199. They are located a few blocks south of the Cemetery on Mc Kinney Ave.
   The Greenwood Cemetery has and Iron and stone fence that surrounds the property and much of that fence was constructed in 1907 . Recently due to construction of a few condominiums at the edge of the Cemetery some of the fence has been replaced and made to look like the original. A new fence at the eastern edge of the Cemetery is complete . This is were you cross Hall St to access Calvary,Temple Emanuel-El cemeteries and The Freedman`s Memorial.
   You will find 8 former Mayors and many of the Founders of Dallas are in the Greenwood Cemetery. Along with many Confederate and Union Soldiers that are buried there. You will see all kinds of birds and squirrels and sometimes even a fox or two. During the spring the trees and flowers are blooming and everything turns green and it becomes true green-space in the middle of the big city . A great place to take a respectful walk and reflect on the world.

   Enjoy the Greenwood Cemetery Tour

Stone and Webster

2010-01-21T09:53:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The Stone and Webster is an American engineering services company. They are located in Stoughton, Massachusetts. They operated the Dallas Streetcar system in the early 20th century. During the peak of the Dallas Streetcar system there were 226 miles of Interurban and Streetcars operating in the North Texas region.
   Today Stone and Webster are operating in the MATA trolley barn. Which is located at 3153 Oak Grove Ave. Stone and Webster are volunteers at the trolley barn and have been since their 4th of July birth. They are identical twins and the only way you can tell them apart is by the color of the collar they wear. Stone wears a blue collar and Webster wears a purple collar. Why the collars ? Well Stone and Webster are the trolley barn cats. Check out the photos on MATA.org web-page. They are great cats and welcome visitors to the trolley barn on a daily basis . Unless of course it is nap time. Next time you are riding the MATA rails stop by and visit.
   They are always looking for a few good human volunteers,too. The cat positions are full at this time.

MATA Groundbreaking in April

2010-01-20T09:15:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley will have a groundbreaking for the Olive St expansion in April. An exact date has not been chosen as of yet. Should be in the middle of April though. The extension will go south bound on Olive St pass the Nasher Sculpture Center and up the hill to Bryan St . The new route could be completed before the Woodall Rodgers Park .
   For those of you interested talking about a hugh economic generator today is your day.The International Inland Port will have a meeting today. A meeting with political leaders and government officals will be held today at Reverchon Park Recreation Center , 3505 Maple Ave, to discuss the Inland Port project. From 11:30 am till apx 1:00 pm today. This project has the potential to create more jobs for North Texas than the DFW Airport has .
   The Quadrangle will start have a concert on Friday January 22nd . The concert begins at 8:13 pm and is easy to locate and there is plenty of free parking at the Quadrangle .

   Enjoy the Spring In January event going on now !

Urban Taco Goes Uptown

2010-01-13T10:05:00.000-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today
   Urban Taco is moving into the Uptown Neighborhood. They are going in next to Hook Line and Sinker at 3409 Mc Kinney Ave. That should be a good location and some good competition for Primos. They already have a location at Mockingbird Station and have plans to expand more in the DFW market.
   Gardens in West Village has closed. They were an Austin based company that tried expanding into a tuff retail market. With Smith and Hawkins also closed now you will have to go to Home Depot or Loews for plants and garden supplies. Although the Farmers Market is the best place,near uptown, to find good plants.
   The Beasley entrance to the Katy Trail is now completed although some landscaping continues . The staircase is located on Hall St. on the Turtle Creek side of the Katy Trail. Another entrance to the Trail is under construction at Blackburn. They have just begun and hopefully should be completed in time for spring.

Code 58 on FOX

2010-01-12T09:27:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

A summer television series for the FOX network will begin filming in Dallas very soon. Much of the filming will take place in Fair park. As always you will see the the two stars in Uptown neighborhood during down time.

Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks are the two stars of this cop action comedy. Code 58 comes from the creator of Burn Notice, great show, Matt Nix. If this show is anything like Burn Notice then it too will be very good. There are a few other television and movie projects planned for Dallas and the surrounding area this year. Expect to see a few more celebrity sightings in and around the Uptown neighborhood very soon.

Perry's Steakhouse and Grill is now under construction with a planned opening in the spring of 2010. Perry's Steakhouse will be located at 2000 Mc Kinney Ave just across from the Ritz Carlton. And only a high rise away from Ocean Prime which has been popular with the celebrity's of late . This small section of Uptown is becoming the high end restaurant ground zero for Dallas. These restaurants are keeping Uptown Swanky !

Spring is just around the corner .

3000 Convention Managers in Dallas

2010-01-11T10:38:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Professional Convention Management Association is in Dallas through Wednesday the 13th. When you get a chance we hope you try Uptown Dallas. A free trolley ride from the St Paul at Ross will take you through the heart of Uptown along Mc Kinney Ave. Altough all 3000 of you will not be able to get on the trolley at the same time.

You guys can also take the Dart , red or blue, train to City Place station . Exit to the east side and there is a shopping center . Exit to the west side and you will again find a trolley stop. West Village is just 2 block walk from the Dart station. Lots of food and shopping and a movie theatre can be found in West Village. There is even a driving range for those of you that brought your clubs. Bet you will next time.

Looks like three good days for walking the Uptown neighborhood,too. There are lots of gallerys and antique shops just off Mc kinney Ave . There is also a great hiking trail that you can use to go from the West End , in downtown, to the Uptown neighborhood. The Katy Trail runs 3.5 miles from downtown Dallas to the SMU neighborhood of Highland Park. Very nice and relaxing and a quiet escape from the big city.

Hope you Convention Managers have fun and come back soon.

Enjoy the Day !

New Uptown Hospital

2010-01-08T08:57:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Mary Sheils Hospital on Lemmon Ave has posted on their web page that they are expanding. All the demolition on Lemmon Ave near Cityplace will make room for construction in the future. The demolition is almost complete and has opened up fantastic views of the Downtown Dallas skyline at night. Construction on the hospital expansion is expected to be complete sometime in 2011.

Texas Stadium is looking for a 9-12 yr old kid that has the ability to destroy a building. Kraft Foods , Macaroni and Cheese , has paid 75,000 $ to the city of Irving to promote the implosion of Texas Stadium. A lucky 9-12 yr child who writes a winning 300 word essay can win the chance to implode the Cowboys old stadium. Check out the Kraft Foods web page if you know of a 9-12 yr old child that can destroy a building.

The Dallas Museum of Art is no longer free on Thursday nights. I am not sure who came up this idea , probably the same one that did such a poor job of promoting the Tut exhibit, but, it is a terrible idea. The Arts District is 90 % complete and now we begin shutting it off from the family that can not afford the 10 $ fee(each) to get into the DMA. This is another great idea like taking the City Arts Festival and moving it to Fair Park and out of the Arts District. It seems someone is trying to make the Arts District exclusive and trying to keep regular everyday people out. That worked so well for Victory Park . If this is to save money then it worked because I will save my money and not spend it at the DMA.

IMO .

Pinkberry Yogurt goes Uptown

2010-01-07T13:50:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Pinkberry Yogurt chain from California is planning a second store , in Dallas, in West Village. This will be Uptowns 2nd new yogurt store. Red Mango open just last month on Mc Kinney Ave. Sure will help during those hot dry summer months . Since summer begins in May and ends in September they should do well.

The Gables Carlisle on the Creek has been sold to a California investment group. That explains the survey markers that are on each corner of the property. The Gables REIT wanted to build high rises on this land we will see what the new neighbors want. With the new construction next door , Carlisle and Lemmon, there should be plenty of competition.

It is Thursday and that means (not)FREE entrance(10$ fee) to the Dallas Museum of Art from 5 pm - 9 pm. And the Nasher Sculpture Center is also FREE tonight from 5 pm - 9 pm . Both are good warm places to hang out on a very cold night in Dallas. No ice on the roadways and the MATA Trolley will be running tonight also and it is FREE , too.

Enjoy the ARTS and stay warm .

Uptown 2010

2010-01-05T11:57:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

For those looking for a good place to eat this evening. Try Breadwinners at the corner of Hall and Mc Kinney. They have half off appetizers on Tuesday nights. One of my favorite restaurants is The Dream Cafe in the Quadrangle. They have great food and on Tuesday nights the entrees are half off , from 5-9 pm, with the purchase of a drink. Two good food places for a cold winter night in Uptown Dallas.

Thursday night is Jazz in the Atrium at the DMA in downtown Dallas. From 5-9 pm the DMA is free to all. If you want you can cross the street and go to the Nasher Sculpter Center which is also free on the first Thursday , January 7th, from 5-9 pm. The Nasher will also have a free event on the first Saturday ,January 9th, of the month.

The best workout deal is going on at the downtown YMCA . You can join the Y and pay the day. That means it will 5 $ to join the Y today and of course 6 $ tomorrow. The downtown Y has been totally renovated and can help you keep some of those New Years Resolutions.

Stay Warm .

ERROR: the dma has discontinued free thursdays . what a very bad idea !

Cityplace West Development

2009-12-17T08:55:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The old Mary Shiels buildings on Lemmon and Howell are slowly being disassembled. Looks like asbestos abatement at this time. The Mary Shiels Hospital is still in operation only these old buildings,along west bound Lemmon, that are no longer in use are being torn down.

These buildings were purchased a few years back by the Cityplace development company . At this time I know of no planned buildings on these lots. I am sure a Bank or CVS will be looking at these prime locations. East bound and West bound Lemmon are very busy almost 24 hours a day. This property sits between both streets and should be a good location for both types of business.

Money has been allocated for Unity Plaza at the DART Cityplace Station. Three million dollars has been put aside from the Cityplace TIF to help build this plaza. DART is supposed to come up with the next two million dollars to complete the funding. A new entry way and street,Cityplace West, realignment and of course the plaza are all planned.

Currently there are no new developments in the West Village area . On the East Side of Cityplace a new Kroger was just approved for the old Loews Theatre vacant lot. This will take at least 18 months to build so do not expect a new store any time soon. The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley expansion begins in early 2010 and should be completed before the Woodall Rodgers Park is completed.

Today is Freeshippingday.com on the internet for those still shopping

Artisan Style on Mahon

2009-12-14T11:06:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The marathon was great on Sunday hope everyone got a chance to encourage the runners. A great Dallas event with more than 20,000 runners . Looking forward to next years event.

Artisan Style is a relatively new ,opened about 2 months ago, art house in the Uptown neighborhood. They are located at 2417 Mahon near the Crescent. Between Maple and Fairmount just down the street from Uncommon Market. They have a great selection of work produced by local artists. A great little store to find a unique gift for that certain someone. Give them a try and soon just 11 days left till Christmas. Support your local Uptown stores and small business.

BigDNye will be December 31st at ACC starting at apx. 6pm . Live music and the NHL Stars vs Ducks. Then an exciting countdown and fireworks at midnight. You will need wristbands to enter the event ,but, they are free. Chek out the web page for more information.

Hello 2010

Tailwaters Meets Red Mango Saturday

2009-12-10T19:29:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Saturday December 12th Tailwaters Fly fishing will have their annual Christmas Party. If you have never gone it is a lot of fun and Tailwaters is a great unique outdoor store. The party will include a chili cook off , hot dogs ,keg beer and maybe a fried turkey or two. Tailwaters is open 10:00 am till 5:00 pm on Saturday. A great store with lots of last minute gift ideas for the outdoors person in your life. Located at 2416 Mc Kinney Ave just across the street from Golds Gym.

Red Mango Yogurt will have a grand opening on Saturday December 12th from 11:00 am till 6:00 pm . Stop by the new store and get a Free small size yogurt . They are located at 2811 Mc Kinney Ave across the street from Greenz. Look from the bright red store front.

In between the the events you can stop at Crooked Tree Coffeehouse at 2414 Routh and recharge for the rest of the day. Beer, Chili, Coffee and Yogurt , although maybe not in that order, and even some Christmas shopping.

See you on Mc Kinney Ave

Uptown Ice Rinks

2009-12-10T08:40:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

New ice rinks have opened in Uptown in the past couple of mornings. If you have a sprinkler system please turn it off. You will get a ticket or worse a car through your building. At 24 degrees water freezes very fast. The sidewalks are not the best and ice does not make them better. Although I know a few lawyers that could help make the right decision in the future.

On a more fun note the Run the Rock comes to Uptown this Sunday morning. The beginning of the race will come up Mc kinney Ave and make a left turn at Hall St as it heads down to turtle Creek. Thousands of runners and even more fans will be on Mc Kinney Ave. Expect traffic delays on Sunday Morning. The Half Marathon will also have a portion of the run on the Katy Trail. The return route will be the Katy Trail on the way to ACC.

If you want to watch the fastest runners they will be on Mc kinney Ave shortly after 8 am . It will only take a few minutes for them to get to Hall St. The rest of the thousands of runners will be there soon after. This is a world class event and should be a lot of fun .

Happy Holidays !

Tex Mex in Uptown

2009-12-03T10:56:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

We have several Tex Mex restaurants in Uptown and they are very different from each. My two favorites ,which was very difficult decision, are Mannys Uptown and El Fenix Downtown. One is the old reliable restaurant that has been in Dallas for many years and served millions of enchiladas. The other , Mannys Uptown , is one the newest restaurants in Uptown.

I will start with Mannys which is located in an old house at 3521 Oak Grove. That is the corner of Oak Grove and W. Lemmon Ave. One block east from the trolley stop in front of Albertsons.Mannys has great spicy salsa and as do most food food places it has a reasonable happy hour. They are known for the brisket tacos which are very good and possibly the best in Dallas. The best times to go to Mannys are just before the lunch and just before 6 pm in the evening . The weekends are always very busy.

El Fenix has been in Dallas forever it seems and always has good inexpensive Tex Mex . The Uptown location is at 1601 Mc Kinney Ave at the point where Uptown meets Downtown and Victory . This location has been called the downtown location for years although now it really is in the Uptown neighborhood. The specialty of the house for El Fenix is the cheese enchiladas although any of the enchilada plates are very good. Every Wednesday is $4.99 cheese enchiladas, they also have a great salsa, and it is usually very busy all day. El Fenix is also very busy just before Stars and Mavericks games at ACC although it is a big location and they do know how move the crowds in and out. Expect a remodel of this location sometime next year .

The rumor is that Glorias El Salvadorian restaurant will be moving into the new Cityville at Katy Trail apartments next year. Sounds like even more good Tex Mex in Uptown coming soon.

Uptown District 9 School Board

2009-12-02T08:44:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The run-off election for DISD School Board of Trustees District 9 is Tuesday December 8th. Early voting will continue through Friday December 4th and the dalcoelections.org has locations for early voting. The candidates for this election are Sally Cain and Bernadette Nutall both candidates would be new to the School Board.

There were 2383 people that voted in the November election for this position. 140 voted in precinct 1202 , William B Travis School, which is in the middle of Uptown. District wide Bernadette Nutall received 1074 votes and Sally Cain received 790 votes . Less than 10% of registered voters showed up at the polls. Needless to say your vote will count in this election.

The great thing is that even if you did not vote the first time around you can still vote this time. Tuesday December 8th from 7 am - 7 pm you can vote for your favorite candidate. Just show up at 3001 Mc Kinney Ave with your voter registration card or your Texas ID . With less than 10 persons per hour I do not expect long lines.

JUST VOTE !

Yes that is Snow in Uptown !

The Rock Runs Through Uptown

2009-11-30T10:03:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The White Rock Marathon is coming on Sunday December 13th. The half marathon and the full marathon will both travel up Mc Kinney Ave from Victory Park. The marathons make a left turn at Hall St. and a right at Turtle Creek. The race begins at 8:00 am and the very fast runners will be at Hall St within less than 10 minutes . Traffic will be blocked along the route all the way to White Rock Lake and back to Downtown and back to Victory Park. The half marathon returns along the Katy Trail and it too will be block for the runners .

A 5k fun run is scheduled for Saturday the 12th of December in conjunction with the White Rock Marathon. Called the Mayors Race it will begin at City Hall and cross the Trinity River in to Oak Cliff. This race begins at 9:00 am on Saturday. Again expect traffic delays in Downtown Dallas.

The Adolphus Children's Parade will be this Saturday December 5th in Downtown Dallas. The Fair Park Holiday Lights will be Sunday December 6th from 2pm-7pm. Free admission and the Museums will have free afternoon admission. The Dallas Wind Symphony Quintet will also perform. An Antique show , a Holiday Market and Children's Market will also be going on during the event. Of course there will be the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and light show on the Esplanade and introduction of two , replicas of 1936 sculptures,new sculptures over looking the Esplanade.

Happy Holidays

Light Up Lee Park

2009-11-28T08:36:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

On Sunday night there will be a Christmas celebration at Lee Park. There will be 500,000 led lights illuminating the sky along Turtle Creek. Home Alone the movie will be shown from 6pm - 8pm for those of you that like a good Christmas about abandoning children in a high crime neighborhood . Just kidding of course as it could be worse like shooting your eye out with a Red Ryder BB gun.

After the movie , at 8pm, the Lee Park Christmas tree will be illuminated and then at 8:30pm the fireworks begin. This is when my ear sensitive cat will go into hiding. Should be a great time had by all. The weather will be winter like and hopefully the rain will hold off.

The YMCA in Downtown Dallas is having a food drive for the North Texas Food Bank . Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and drop off non-perishable food. Since you are there check out the new T Boone Pickens YMCA looks great. If you can not drop off food there then try another location around town as many groups are participating during the holidays.

See you at the movie in the park

Adolphus Children's Parade Dec 5th

2009-11-24T09:09:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Adolphus Children's Parade will be in Downtown Dallas on December 5th at 10:00 am. The Children's Parade will proceed down Commerce St. and of course will be seen on television ,too. Selena Gomez will be the featured entertainer for the Children's Parade. Always fun to watch a parade and I am sure there will be many thousands watching this one.

On Little Debbie Share-a-Thon will be arriving on December 8th at Mockingbird Station. The little cupcake cars ,as seen on tv, will be there. Free Little Debbie Cupcakes will be given out and you can enter a drawing to win one of the Little Debbie Smart Cars. The cupcakes arrive at 2:00pm in front of Urban outfitters on December 8th.

Have a good Thanksgiving and I will see some of you, 33,000 + expected , at the YMCA Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.

gobble gobble

Katy Trail Snyders Union

2009-11-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Katy Trail will open Snyders Union officially on Saturday November 28th. The Plaza looks great and has a wonderful view of Turtle Creek and Lee Park. The entrance from Carlisle will be closed for the time being. The new apartment complex is in moving on up mode. They are beginning the 5th, and last, floor. The crane and construction equipment will keep the Carlisle entrance closed .

The new entrance from Hall St. is also nearing completion as most of the frame work is completed. The Hall St. entrance will enter from the Turtle Creek side of the Katy Trail. Another stair way and entrance is planned for Blackburn. It may be the next new entrance to the Katy Trail.

Lots of stimulus funds were awarded last week for Dallas Trails. The extension of the Katy Trail , connecting to White Rock Trail , may not be to far away. Although several bridges will need to be built and of course that takes time. The good news is that construction should begin early next year.

The 60 foot tree in Main Street Gardens is fantastic. Supposed to be the tallest tree of its kind in the U. S. If you were not there last night , in the light mist , you missed a good show. A trip to Neiman Marcus should be high on your list. If you have kids in he 4-10 year old range they will really enjoy the science tubes in the Nieman Marcus windows. Today is Music in the Park , Main Street Gardens ,from 3pm-7pm .

The Turkey just missed becoming the National Bird.

Lee Park Brightens the Sky

2009-11-19T08:14:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

On November 29th from 6:00 pm till 9:00 pm the sky will glow and for a few minutes fireworks will explode over Turtle Creek. Light Up Lee Park will be having their annual Christmas Tree lighting and music and fireworks. The tree lighting should be around 7:00 pm followed by fireworks. I know where my cat will be during the fireworks , sensitive ears, as she not amused by the loud bangs in the sky. This should get you in the mood for the holiday season.

Tonight the Gardens , in West Village , will team up with Cork Wines to help the North Texas Food Bank and Goodwill. Bring in non-perishable food or a new or slightly used warm winter coat and receive a discount on a purchase. A very good thing to do all year ,but, even more important this time of year.

Jazz tonight at the Dallas Museum of Art and Friday night it is Late Nights at the DMA. A busy Friday night downtown and fun will be had by all. Main Street Gardens will have its first Christmas celebration on Friday night,too. Neimans will be open late for your shopping pleasure. Neimans downtown always looks fantastic for the holidays inside and outside the store. If you have never been then now is the time to do so.

Perot Museum Breaks Ground

2009-11-18T09:09:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will break ground today. Across from the El Fenix you can see the giant tent set up for the ground breaking. The Museum construction should begin sometime next year and be completed in early 2013. This will be a wonderful museum for all North Texans to enjoy.

City Lights is Friday night in Main Street Gardens and this year there will be a 60 foot tree in the center of the park. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm and continue till 10:00 pm. On Saturday there will be a free music event from 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm. Thrift Store Cowboys and Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights will be performing.

The DMA Jazz in the Atrium is Thursday night from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm and as always it is a free event. On Friday night ,the 20th, it is the DMA Late Nights event. From 6:00 pm till midnight. The Trolley runs late on Friday and Saturday nights , till midnight, and is free .

Enjoy the Day !

Uncommon Market in Uptown

2009-11-16T13:49:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Uncommon Market located at 2701 Fairmount is having a sale . Over 15,000 square foot of antiques and other neat things. Just in time for the holiday season,too. There are several little shops and gallery's up and down Fairmount and on a nice cool day like today there is nothing better than walking about Uptown.

When you do need to warm up a bit try the Crooked Tree Coffeehouse at 2414 Routh. A great little place to rest and get a caffeine fix. They have live music on the weekends so check out the schedule when you visit.

The Uptown PID is in the process of greening a spot in front of William Travis School. The Uptown PID provided $20,000 for the new iron fence around the school. The Uptown PID will also pay for the new green space. Should look good for spring.

Remember to lock your car and hide your valuables do not make your car an easy target. You will notice DPD officers on horseback and on bike patrol in the Uptown Neighborhood. They are there for your protection ,but, you have to do your part too. Try the Trolleylinecrimewatch.blogspot.com for information on the crime information in the neighborhood.

We Need Real Sidewalks

2009-11-12T11:54:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Ok it is time for the Uptown PID to build some real sidewalks in Uptown. How about a project that goes from El Fenix to West Village on both sides of Mc Kinney Ave. A minimum 4 foot wide sidewalk with a 6 foot wide being even better. On both sides of the street and no barriers. That means no trees,bushes,poles,signs,cables,trash cans and anything else that gets in the way of a real pedestrian sidewalk. Four to six feet wide with no barriers.

The time is now while the economy is a little slow. The tax money is available ,your public improvement tax money, to spend. This would create that "Best Walking Neighborhood in Dallas" for real not just in words. A mid rise public parking garage might be a good idea too. That would take care of the suburban tourist and their car. We already have the Mc Kinney Ave Trolley to move people up and down the avenue. Now we need a real sidewalk on both sides of Mc Kinney Ave. If you agree then let the Uptown PID and your local leaders know your opinion.

Ocean Prime located at the corner of Cedar Springs and Pearl opens today. Good luck to a new Uptown Restaurant . Outtakesdallas.org celebrates there 11th season at Magnolia Theater , in West Village , tonight. The City Lights Christmas Tree Lighting is next Friday at Main Street Gardens.

FRIDAY The 13TH !

Main Street Gardens Friday the 13th

2009-11-11T08:29:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

This Friday the 13th Main Street Gardens will have the official dedication and ribbon cutting.

It will be a private event for all those people that will not use the park . Starts at 5:30pm - 8:00pm and will have a light show after the ribbon cutting . That should be a little after 6:00 pm.

On November the 20th from 6:30pm - 10:00 pm City Lights will ring in the Holiday Season. A 60ft Christmas Tree will be tower over Main Street Gardens . On the 21st Main Street Gardens will have the first free concert in the park. From 3:00pm - 7:00pm on Saturday the 21st you can enjoy a free concert.

November 16th should be the last day for whats left of Reunion Arena. That day should be the implosion day to bring down the roof . Expect delays on the nearby freeways as traffic will be stopped .

If you want to watch the light show at Main Street Gardens you will be able to see everything from the sidewalk in front of the University of North Texas soon to be Law School.

Vote Today !

2009-11-03T11:53:00.002-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

3% of the registered voters will vote today. That is the prediction from election officials. Good thing we fought for the right to vote . Otherwise we would have to set at home and complain about government doing a poor job, being corrupt and inept . Oh Wait ! That's what 97% of you are doing right now. Go Vote.

Kroger wants to sell beer and wine in the front yard of Alex W Spence School and the Dallas Light House for the Blind. Good thing Kroger is a good corporate neighbor and is a good source of political contributions. Kroger wants the Dallas City Council, that means Angela Hunt, to give them a variance to sell beer and wine at the old Lowes Movie Theatre site. The state law is that you can not do that if you are within 300 feet of a school. The City Council can give a variance much like they have for William B Travis School on Mc Kinney Ave. Which was and is a bad idea. A taco joint will be doing that very soon and they are less than 100 feet from William B Travis.

My opinion is no. There are more than enough places on Mc Kinney Ave to buy beer and wine . Kroger will not add to the selection or price of either. If they to build a store there then they should have to abide by the rules . With 2 Kroger stores nearby my thought would be that one of them would be closed. My bet would be the Cedar Springs store. Why not build this store where they planned . On Live Oak and Good Latimer where it would do Old East Dallas and Downtown Dallas a lot of good.

just my opinion

Downtown YMCA

2009-11-02T08:22:00.003-06:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Downtown YMCA will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday November 5th at 11:00 am . T Boone Pickens will be there for the ribbon cutting . Mr Pickens donated 5 million dollars to the Downtown YMCA for the renovation. For the most part the remodel is complete and they did a great job. The 3rd and 4th floors have been completely redone and made much more open. New machines and new rooms for Yoga and Pilate's . Check out the YMCA on Saturday the 7th for an open house from 11:00 am till 2:00 pm . Make sure you check out the outdoor rooftop track. Great views of Downtown Dallas.

Get out and Vote Tomorrow from 7:00 am till 7:00 pm. The William B Travis school at 3001 Mc kinney is one of the places to vote. Check your voting status and where you vote with Dallas County Elections on line at www.dalcoelections.org . To check out the 11 Amendments go to League of Women Voters at www.lwvdallas.org . Democracy in Action it's a wonderful thing !

The 411 on 311

2009-10-29T09:13:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Recent studies show that a neighborhood that is active and concerned about what is happening in there neighborhood can reduce crime and increase property values. A recent graffiti study showed that those areas that removed the graffiti quickly had less crime. Basically the study states that a neighborhood that is concerned with what is happening in the area will have a better neighborhood. Now is your chance to be active.

Reporting problems that you see to city government can sometimes seem like a big hassle. Getting a street light turned back on, filling a pothole or reporting loud noise from a bar. These problems and others are no longer difficult tasks. Yes we can fix these problems.

The first thing to do is know where to look on the Internet. Angela Hunt ,you city council person,has contact information on her web site. It is a very easy to use web page and she is always keeping it up to date . She is also a good person to contact when things are not as quickly as they should.

Oncor , the people that keep the lights on, now has a great way to report street light outages. On the web page it has a map with all the street lights that they are responsible for. They are supposed to have them working within 5 business days. They are very good at doing this ,but, they are not perfect. The map gives them the location and pole number which makes it much easier to find. It is incredible how many street lights we have in the City of Dallas.

When reporting problems to the City of Dallas you can call 311 or go to the web page . With budgets cuts in the city do not expect them to be proactive or quick. If you look on line you will find the many things that you can report. High weeds , damaged sidewalks , pot holes and traffic lights not working. One problem we have in Uptown is construction without a permit . happens in the neighborhood all the time and cost the city money. Usually means higher taxes for you and me . Permits are required at all stages of construction and there are rules for noise and how early and how late they can work. Again code enforcement is not proactive you must do your part.

A new fast growing problem is the amount of bars opening on Mc Kinney Ave. I am not totally opposed to them ,but, there needs to be some limits. Parking , late night noise and the trash left behind is starting to look like Lower Greenville. These problems are also a 311 issue and can be done on the web , but, may be faster reporting by phone.

Here are the web pages / www.311.dallascityhall.com / www.oncor.com / www.angelahunt.com / . Here is Angela Hunts email address at city hall. angelahunt@dallascityhall.com / hope this helps a little.

To make things better someone needs to hear your Voice !

Uptown Security Cameras

2009-10-28T09:13:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you are interested in the security cameras that are placed up and down Mc kinney Ave then today is your day. The Post Apartments at 2808 Mc Kinney Ave will have a meet and greet from 3 pm - 4 pm today. The Dallas Police Department will have representatives there to explain how the new cameras work. If you have not seen them in action they are very cool and have great clarity and sharpness. More of these security cameras are planned in the near future for the Uptown area.

Woodall Rodgers will be closed again this weekend. You have been warned . This weekend is the demolition of the St Paul exit ramp . This includes the exit ramp bridge over Woodall Rodgers ,but, not the St Paul bridge. TXDOT was very quick last weekend and finished early.

The DMA is free on Thursday nights with live jazz music. Next week the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band will perform at the DMA. Again that is FREE ! Enjoy the Arts District and ride the Mc Kinney Ave Trolley to the events. It too is FREE .

Halloween,Full Moon,Election . Oh My !

2009-10-27T08:37:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you missed the big Halloween Party on Cedar Springs you will have to wait till next year. As a consolation you still have Halloween Saturday night. Another thing you might consider before heading out for the night. Change the clock ! Fall back one hour. Either that or you will be a early bird all day Sunday and will be grumpy that you missed the one time each year to stay in bed an extra hour. Without any guilt that you did not seize the day.

November 1st Standard Times Begins again. The clocks go back one hour just in case you missed the last paragraph. Sunday is also All Saints Day and the official first day of the Christmas shopping season. Hopefully this being the Day of the Dead does not mean something to the retailers out there.

A full moon rising on an election eve. Good thing no one will be voting as I am sure we are still celebrating the extra hour of sleep we got over the weekend. If you do get out and vote , our civic duty , there will be 11 Texas Constitutional Amendments and one DISD School Board member to vote for or against. See you line .

Warning the Sky is Falling

2009-10-23T15:16:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you are on Woodall Rodgers freeway tonight after 11:00 watch out. The Harwood bridge over the freeway will be knocked down. The Woodall Rodgers freeway will be closed ,in both directions, until 5 am Monday morning. They will be doing this again next weekend if every thing goes to plan. Expect many delays over the next 2 years as The Park, the new name, is completed. The freeway circle will be broken at least for a couple of days. Should be fun to watch the demolition.

The Quadrangle will have an Oktoberfest concert tonight at 8 pm. Roccos has moved to the quadrangle and is now open. The old Roccos on Mc kinney is being turned into a taco joint.

It is Friday Enjoy !

Music and Troy Aikman

2009-10-21T09:31:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Harwood is now closed and will be forevermore. Weather permitting Woodall Rodgers will be closed this weekend for the demolition of the Harwood Bridge across the freeway. The first step in construction that will last at least 2 years. Parts of the service road are now also closed.

Thursday October 22nd at David's Way on the Katy Trail between 6pm and 7pm former star quarterback and current sportscaster Troy Aikman will be working the Trail . If you would like to join the Katy Trail Thursday will be a great time to do so. There will be live music and lots of people of course. You will see volunteers working tables all weekend long on the Katy Trail. They are there to sign you up and give you a t-shirt for becoming a member.

Texas leads the nation in wind power. Almost 25% of all the wind power created in the United States is produced here in Texas. 8797 megawatts of power . Now if they can figure out how to harness the hot air from Austin and Washington DC we will be energy independent.

Oprah to Arkin

2009-10-20T08:21:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Well the Great State Fair is over for another year. Hope you got your fill of deep fried foods at least till turkey day. The Green Line worked 23 out 24 days this year and with two big games scheduled for next year I would guess it will work 22-24 days next year. I went to the State Fair at least 13 times this year and used the green everyday but one. On that day I used the 409 from Cityplace along with a few smart UT fans . 10 minute trip took 35 minutes,but,was not unexpected .

Saw Oprah along with her crowd , not as busy as expected, of screaming fans. A good show on a cool and wet day. Maybe we can get Ellen next year. Got on the Trolley last night from downtown and at the Ritz Carlton stop Adam Arkin boarded . The Trolley driver mention that Oprah stayed at the Ritz on her stay in Dallas. I do not think he recognized Adam Arkin who is also staying at the Ritz. He and a couple of friends were headed to Primos for dinner. Adam Arkin is currently playing a divorce lawyer in the Coen Brothers film " A Serious Man" . The Angelika Film Center is showing the film if you are interested.

The Quadrangle will have a Octoberfest concert this Friday October 23rd at 8:00pm. As of 7:00 pm last night Harwood was still not closed. Should be very soon .

Harwood Closed Today

2009-10-19T08:14:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

For those of you that use Harwood as your entrance to Downtown Dallas nevermore. Harwood will be closed today 10-19-2009 and should remain closed forever. The section that crosses the Woodall Rodgers Freeway is being closed so that work can begin in earnest on the Woodall Rodgers Park. Some of the frontage road on both sides of the freeway will also be closed at times for the next 2 or more years. There will also be times when the entire Woodall Rodgers Freeway will be closed so that support beams can be set in place across the freeway. Sounds exciting and will be fun to watch the engineering feat.

The Woodall Rodgers Park now has an updated web site . A blog is in the works and maybe a webcam of the construction site. There are a few more diagrams of the new park. Just a reminder Main Street Gardens opens in November.

The Dallas City Arts Festival usually held in June will be in May 7th-9th in 2010. The big surprise, as predicted here, is that the City Arts has been moved to Fair Park. Maybe a name change is in order . The Arts District just reopened , an amazing opening too, and now we move the City Arts to Fair Park. As I recall this is the home of ArtFest and now Fair Park Art Fest. Makes perfect sense in this City move the Arts District Art Festival from the just completed Arts District to Fair Park so that it can compete with ArtFest.

I think it must be Monday.

Dog Trot And Treat

2009-10-16T14:46:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Halloween is around the corner for all you goblins or in this case Dogs. The Katy Trail will be having a Dog Trot and Treat on October 31st from 11 am - 1 pm. That is a Saturday too. Halloween should be very interesting as it is on a weekend and 2 days from a full moon.

Next week is your turn to become a member of the Katy Trail and if you are very lucky you can have Troy Aikman sign you up. Troy will be on the Trail next weekend and will be at a booth at Davids Way near Knox street. I hear he is a regular on the Katy Trail .

The Main Street Gardens in Downtown Dallas is nearing completion.Grand opening will be in early November and a new 60 foot Christmas Tree will be installed in the Gardens near Thanksgiving.University of North Texas is beginning to have a presence around the Main Street Garden. The UNT Law School will occupy the North and East sides of the Gardens.

The W Hotel in Victory Park is changing colors from Red to Burnt Orange and back again. Check it out tonight. The big square at One Arts Plaza is also having a color change this week .Look for Hunt Oil ,on Woodall Rodgers service road,building to change colors ,too.

Almost Super Target

2009-10-15T19:29:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Target store at Cityplace is now a grocery store too. It is a Hybrid Target store instead of a super store. The Grocery section is open for business and the pricing comparison is similar to the Neighborhood Market. For those of you that dislike that store I will not use the W****** name. The competition will be great and should benefit the Uptown area. I am not sure how Albert will survive in between two retail giants.

3232 Mc Kinney is planning a remodel for the plaza in front of the building on Mc Kinney Ave. The look of the new building is located on the corner of Hall and Mc Kinney. Most , if not all, of the trees along Mc Kinney Ave will be removed for the building expansion. The vacant lot across the street,3207 Mc Kinney, now has a plan for a 15 story glass high rise. I will get the link and artist drawing posted soon.

The sun has returned good thing too . Almost thought we were in Seattle. Although that is not a bad thing. Last weekend for the Great State Fair and they have a football game this Saturday too. Sunday is the big day for the Performing Arts Center and fireworks at 7:45pm. A fun weekend ahead.

Glorias and Red Mango

2009-10-14T09:43:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The rumor is that Gloria's El Salvadorian Restaurant will be moving into Uptown. The under construction apartments at Lemmon and Carlisle will be their new home. No word as to the Lemmon Ave location closing ,but, that would be my guess. If you have never tried them you should the food is fantastic.

Red Mango yogurt should be open by Thanksgiving. The location is at 2811 Mc Kinney Ave across the street from Greenz. I have never tried there yogurt ,but, they get great reviews on the net. Another restaurant opening in November will be Ocean Prime. They are located in the new high rise Rosewood Court. They plan a 10,000 sq foot of restaurant space bucking the national trend for smaller restaurant's .

David Sanborn will be at the ATTPAC , performing arts center, on Friday. The big grand opening is this Sunday. The Great State Fair of Texas ends this weekend with a bang depending on which team wins.

The Weather Guys Promise Sunshine Soon !

Dallas Arts Opening Act

2009-10-11T20:24:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The ATT Performing Arts Center has a dedication ceremony Monday morning from 8-9 am .

The location will be on the stage in the 10 acre Sammons Park next to the Winspear Opera House . This event will kick off the Grand Opening Week for the Performing Arts Center.

The Grand Finale will be on October 18th ,next Sunday, from 11am - 8pm . There will be tours of the Winspear and Wyly performance centers. The Museums in the Arts District will be free from 11am - 6pm this includes the Nasher Sculpture Garden, The Crow Asian Art Museum and Dallas Museum of Art. A free fireworks show will conclude the activities at 7:45 pm . Many different groups will be performing throughout the day.

David Sanborn will be preforming on Friday October 16th beginning at 4:00 pm in Sammons Park . There will be an Architecture Forum on Thursday the 15th in the Wyly Theatre At 4 pm . On Friday the 16th an Architecture Forum will be presented in the Winspear Opera House at 10:30 am and again at 2 pm.

Parking will be mostly underground and , for a price , plentiful. For those willing to walk , I will be one of the willing, the Dart train stops at Pearl. This is just a few blocks south of the Arts District. The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley stops at St Paul and Ross , next to the DMA and Stephen Pyles, and is also just a few blocks. Of course those of you that live in Uptown and Downtown now is the time to make Dallas a Walking Neighborhood.

Enjoy The Arts !

West Village Votes

2009-10-08T09:24:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

West Village will have a voting event this weekend just for you. Visit any store and you can vote on the new Mc Kinney Ave. Trolley stop shelter. The voting contest starts Friday and runs till the end of the day on Sunday. There are 23 trolley stop designs and they are very cool. The Mc Kinney Ave, Trolley is always free and runs till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.The Starbucks at West village will be having a photo exhibit tonight starting at 7pm .

The State Fair has been great. If you have not been this is the weekend to go. Cool weather and no football games. Take the Green Line from Pearl it works great , but, expect it to be busy. Lots of free and low cost things to do.You do not have to spend a fortune to have fun although the vendors would like you to spend a fortune. The Discovery Gardens Butterfly exhibit is $3 per person,but,look inside the daily guide book and there is a $2 off coupon .

The ATT Performing Arts Center opens on Monday the 12th. There will be fun and free events all week long. Sunday the 18th will be the busy day as many events are scheduled for this day. This is a becoming a world class arts district and will bring tourists from all over the world. Enjoy !

Monarch Tagging

2009-10-01T08:14:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The State Fair of Texas will be tagging 500 Monarch butterflies this year. At 11:00 am and 3:00 pm you can watch and maybe help tag a butterfly. This cool front today should bring a few more butterflies this weekend. If you have not checked out the new indoor butterfly garden you need to. There is a $3 fee per person,but, if you look in the State Fair guide book there is a $2 off coupon.

The Uptown Stoneleigh Residences,not the Hotel, will be up for bid on October 9th. This is the 12 story shell that is to the west of the Stoneleigh Hotel. Opening bids start at $4 million and so far there are 30 interested bidders. Hopefully this building will not be unfinished for long.

On October 7th you can join members of City Hall and bike to work with them . The event will start at 8:30 am at Union Station . For more information try the web site www.dallasbikestocityhall.com .

Watch for thunder storms today and enjoy the Great State Fair of Texas !

State Fair and Uptown Fest

2009-09-24T13:49:00.006-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The State Fair of Texas begins Friday.The parade is in downtown Dallas from about noon time till 1:30pm . Expect delays and road closures during this time. More road delays will be on Mc Kinney Ave on Saturday morning till about 11:30am. The Mc kinney Ave Trolley will have there 20 year celebration parade on Saturday morning. This will be followed by The All About Uptown Festival . Should be a very exciting weekend all over Dallas .

The Dallas Amateur Radio Club will be broadcasting all day Saturday to ham operators all over the world. They will be broadcasting live from the MATA trolley car barn located at 3153 Oak Grove. Follow the tracks down Bowen,from Mc Kinney Ave, you can not miss the car barn.

Deals at the State Fair / bring an empty Dr Pepper can on Tuesdays get in for $3 / 3 cans of food on Wednesdays and get in for $1 / free on Thursdays if you are 60 or older/bring a 20 oz Coca Cola product on Thursday and get in for $4 this also works tomorrow September 25th opening day / Mc Donald's has $4 off coupons and they can be used anytime of the week. Soft drinks and water for $1 at the DAR Colonial House next door to the Women's Museum.

See you at the Great State Fair of Texas !

All About Uptown

2009-09-22T09:14:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The All About Uptown Festival will be this weekend Saturday September 26th. Looks like fun and there will lots of things to do on a great fall weekend. The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley will have a parade on Saturday morning celebrating the trolley and Rosies birthday. The Crescent Rose "Rosie" is 100 years old this year.

Most of the Trolleys have a new paint job and the name of the trolleys are painted on the front ,or back, depending on where you are standing. Rosie looks good for one hundred years old .She is a little slow and noisey , but, looks great. The parade of course will delay operations on Saturday so expect a few morning delays.

The State Street Spirits store has closed. They expect to reopen as a neighborhood wine bar very soon. We wish them luck. They have been at this location in Uptown for many years. Roccos Pizza has now moved to the Quadrangle in case you were wondering. Arcodoro Pomodoro has moved to 100 Crescent Court Ste 100.

See you at the Great State Fair of Texas !

The Corner of Uptown and Victory

2009-09-17T09:12:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will be built on 4.7 acre plot at the corner of Field and Woodall Rodgers.This is the corner where Uptown meets Victory Park . If you have seen the renderings this will be a very impressive building. World class with out any doubt.

The Perot Museum will cost about 185 million dollars of which the Perot family have given 50 million dollars. The building will be 150 feet tall and have 180,000 square feet of space.Groundbreaking should be near the end of 2009 with completion in 2013. A large scale model will be available for viewing at the office on Field and Woodall Rodgers in the near future.

Woodall Rodgers has become the place to be in Dallas. The Calatrava bridge , the Arts District ,several new high rises , the Woodall Rodgers Deck Park and now this wonderful museum. With the Perot Museum and the Convention Center Hotel , the Woodall Rodgers Park and Mc Kinney Ave Trolley expansion downtown Dallas will be very busy for the next several years. Just a reminder that Harwood,at Woodall Rodgers, will be closed for ever sometime in October.

Thank You to the Perot Family and the other contributors for this amazing building.

Target Goes Hybrid

2009-09-16T09:07:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

I am sure most of you have noticed the major changes occurring at Cityplace Target. If not then this will be exciting news. Target is going Hybrid. The store is being change so that it will include a grocery store. The store will not be as big as a Super Target,but, will carry frozen foods,meats and produce. That will be in addition to all the other foods they already carry. Competition is always a good thing and I am sure they will compete with Walmart Neighborhood Store. Albertsons will come in a distant third in this grocery competition. The remodel will be completed soon and I for one can not wait.

The Green Line is open for business. I noticed Monday morning lots of Baylor medical workers using the train. I am sure this Friday and Saturday night the Deep Ellum And Baylor station will be very busy.If you do not want to pay for a cab ride home the witching hour is midnight. The route to take is Cityplace to Pearl ,on Red or Blue, and Pearl to Baylor on the Green Line . Go in reverse on the way home or look for the pumpkin.

To Fair Park from Uptown

2009-09-11T20:38:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Monday September 14th DART will begin Green Line operations. You will be able to go from Cityplace,the Uptown station, to Pearl station and transfer to the Green line. Each station along this route is about 2 minutes apart.

For those of you that work at Baylor Hospital there will be a stop just for you. For those of you that like Deep Ellum there will be a stop for you. For me there is a stop at Fair Park in fact it is at the front door. Thanks DART. The MLK stop is the last stop on the Green Line for now. It too is just a hop, skip and a jump to a front gate at Fair Park.

Tickets can be had for as little as $4 per day and can be used almost anywhere DART ,excluding express bus routes, goes. DART express all day passes are $5. A regional all day pass is $7.50 for those of you that are coming from Ft Worth. Parking at the State Fair this year will be at least $10. I will let you do the math.

As you leave the tunnel , from Cityplace, remember to get off at Pearl station. Although if you live near AAC you can catch the Green line at Victory station. That is on the west side of ACC the TRE also stops at this station.When you get to Deep Ellum station check out the 38 foot Traveling Man sculpture,flickr now has many photos, a soon to be instant hit for anyone with a camera. If you need caffeine you can stop at Baylor station and partake in Its a Grind Coffeehouse. A very good place I would recommend.

We get to enjoy the new short Green line for about a year. In December 2010 Dart will complete the Green line and you will be able to connect with the A Train in Carrollton and continue to Downtown Denton. This should be a hit with the UNT students.

Soon you may not need a car in Dallas !

Fall Gallery Walk

2009-09-10T09:36:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The DADA Fall Gallery Walk will be this Saturday September 12th from 2-8pm. Check out the web page for more information (www.dallasartdealers.org). Uptown will have at least 6 galleries and museums participating and the events are mostly free.

In Uptown the Madi Art Museum will have an artist reception from 2-8pm. At 3120 Mc Kinney the MAC will also be participating from 2-8pm. In the Quadrangle Afterimage Gallery will be open 2-8pm and of course the Quadrangle has plenty of free parking and restaurants . On Fairmount David Dike Fine Art and Galerie Kornye will be open from 2-8pm and on Cedar Springs Goss-Michael Foundation will be open. All of these galleries are a few blocks from each other and walking to each one would be very easy.

The Mc Kinney Ave. Trolley will be running late , till midnight on Saturday, and gets near each one of these galleries. The trolley is always free. September 26th is the All About Uptown Dallas Festival and the trolley parade will also be on this Saturday.

Harwood Grove Cafe

2009-09-09T11:47:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Harwood Grove Cafe coming soon on the Katy Trail . The Cafe will be a the south end of the trail nestled amongst a grove of trees. Thus the name of course. The cafe will between the plaza and Goat Hill and should offer a good place to stop and take a break or just watch people go past. Work should begin soon and may be completed for the great fall weather that is coming soon. I hope.

The Great State Fair of Texas starts on September 25th just two weeks away. You will be able to enjoy many great new fried foods this year. The new winning selection this year is Fried Peaches and Cream . Sounds good and worth a try. The most creative comes from the person that brought us Fried Coke . His newest invention gives us a buttery surprise or I should say Fried Butter surprise ! A paramedic will be available at this booth each day of the fair. I hear rumors that next years invention will be ..... Fried Lard .

During the fair I will be blogging about my day at the fair. Each year I try to make each day. There is something different each day of course. You can get a $29.95 season pass at Kroger that is good for each day of the fair. The pass also comes with a free general admission ticket and a Cinemark movie pass. You will not fine me in the Fried Butter line.

Frozen Yogurt Uptown

2009-09-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Hope everyone enjoyed the Uptown PID meeting last night . Very informative and they are doing a good job with your tax money. Lots of new projects scheduled for 2010. A Block Captain for each block in Uptown is one of the new projects. I volunteered for this and will let you know

how it works in the near future.

Well we have another new store opening in Uptown. Red Mango will be opening at 2811 Mc Kinney Ave across the street from Greenz. They are a very popular yogurt and tea franchise. Looks like several new stores in the Dallas area are coming soon. Founded in 2002 in South Korea and they have spread to many countries around the world.

I noticed the north part of Uptown got tagged Tuesday night. The graffiti needs to be removed within 24 hours or you could get a visit from code enforcement. This is first time I can remember that we have had a wide spread outbreak in Uptown. If you are at Cityplace DART station check out the iron bridge in the field. The east side is now highly decorated and I would say this was the starting point for the taggers.

All About Uptown Festival coming September 26th

Elusive PID Meeting

2009-09-01T09:17:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The card sent to each property indicates Tuesday ,September 2nd , 5:30pm. The website indicates Wednesday,September 2nd at 5:30pm,see below, . I live nearby so I will be going both days just in case. My best guess is the 2nd of September since that seems to be consistent in both messages. Of course neither message indicates the year so maybe this is where the confusion comes in. This meeting is for you and they of course need your input like a new calendar. See you there ........

Annual Community Meeting

William B Travis School

3001 McKinney Ave.

Wednesday, September 2, 5:30PM
The Uptown Public Improvement District invites you to our Annual Community Meeting. Come out to meet your neighbors, learn about the Uptown Public Improvement District projects and give us your input.

Monarchs using the Katy Trail

2009-08-31T12:58:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Out on my walk this morning and what a great morning to do so. I observed more than a couple dozen Monarch butterflies using the Katy Trail. They seem to enjoy the flowers near the southern end of the trail.

This is the beginning of a very long migration for the Monarch butterfly.Starting in the northern parts of the United States and some of Canada they will migrate to Central America to spend the winter. This Monarch is not the same butterfly that passed through Dallas in the spring although they are probably related. They generally live about two months. That means this is a 3rd or 4th generation Monarch flying through today.

They are protected in Texas as they are in most states. The Monarch is the State Insect for Texas as it is for several other states. At one time there was a move to make the Monarch the National Insect. They love flowers of course ,but, their favorite is milkweed. Besides being the favorite flower it also protects them from predators. Monarchs are foul tasting and poisonous so no eating the Monarchs.

Look for more Butterflies at Discovery Gardens in Fair Park.The Butterfly Garden will be open for the State Fair. You can also report sightings of Monarchs on the internet at www.learner.org/jnorth/ -

Also noticed that Harwood has a sign up now for coming soon Katy Trail Cafe.

The Uptown PID Meeting

2009-08-28T14:07:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Uptown Public Improvement District annual community meeting will be Tuesday,September 2nd. The meeting is for all homeowners and property owners in the Uptown PID . You should receive a postcard in the mail this week.

The meeting will be at William B Travis School , 3001 Mc Kinney Ave, at 5:30 pm. A great chance to meet a few neighbors and learn about the Uptown PID and most importantly give them your input. There is not a lot of parking at this school so it might be a good idea to walk over or better yet use the Mc Kinney Ave Trolley.

This is your chance to give them input. Speaking of input the City of Dallas needs your help. When you see problems in the neighborhood , potholes,high weeds, loud music after 10 pm , construction with out permits , missing signs or new signs needed and bunch of other things .

The City wants you to call 311 or use the Internet , http://311.dallascityhall.com/web_intake/Controller, to report code violations or problems in the neighborhood. I called 311 today on a growing pothole at the corner of Mc Kinney and N Hall . It is in the right lane at the stop light avoid if you are a big vehicle,making the hole bigger, or small car , you will scape the rail, low to the ground. With the City cutting back on services the only way for them to know of a problem is for you to report the problem.

You can also contact www.angelahunt.com your city council person.Angela Hunt and her office do a great job helping her constituents. Do not forget the City Budget Meeting is Thursday night,September 3rd, at Lee Park.

Nasher and DMA Free

2009-08-27T11:47:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Free , what a deal. The Nasher Sculpture Garden will be free again tonight ,Thursday 5pm till closing, for the last time this summer. Take advantage of this great opportunity. Truly one of the great sculpture museums of the world .

The Dallas Museum of Art will also be Free tonight from 5pm till closing. This is a regular event that the DMA does each Thursday night. The DMA will also be Free this weekend ,too. Saturday and Sunday the 29th and 30th the DMA will be Free during regular hours.

What a deal two museums for the price of Free!

Only 17 more days till they break ground on the Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Monday September 14th . Dart Green line opens the same day. The Mc Kinney Ave trolley may take another route to Dart rail downtown. Looks like it will extend from St Paul to a left turn on Ross before making a right on Olive St. It will continue up Olive to the Dart rail line. This will be great for Uptown and make getting Downtown even easier. The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley is nearing 300,000 riders per year and I am sure this expansion will have them exceed that amount easily.

Enjoy the FREE Museums tonight !

State Fair 2009

2009-08-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The State Fair starts in 30 days and a few hours. If you need tickets then starting September 1st you can get season passes at your local Kroger store. The season pass is $29.95 for admission to each and everyday of the State Fair. You also get a few one day pass you use to bring a friend and a free Cinemark Movie pass. What a Deal!

This year take DART to the State Fair on the Green line. Buy $4 day pass and take Red or Blue lines to Pearl station and switch to the Green line to Fair Park or MLK station. You can also catch the Green line at Victory Station or take the 409 bus from City Place to Fair Park . No car or parking required this year. Expect the Green line to look like the New York Subway system at rush hour all during the State Fair. Only takes 10 minutes to get to the State Fair from Pearl station.

There will be two football games ,for those that like college games, one on October 3rd and another on October 17th. You have been warned those are big days at the State Fair. You find me at the Celebrity Kitchen almost everyday and depending on the chef it too will be busy. I suggest stopping by the Continental DAR House for inexpensive bottles of water and soft drinks. They have begun a fundraiser to restore the home , built in 1936, and add some new features.

This Thursday August the 27th at Borders , 3600 Mc Kinney ave, bookstore it will be Teachers Open House . Starting at 7 pm they will be having a special event just for educators .

Check out the web page, www.borders.com for more information.

The Budget and Things

2009-08-24T13:51:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The budget meetings are coming , the budget meetings are coming. If you did not already know the City of Dallas has a 190 million budget shortfall due mostly to a sharp drop in retail sales tax. The other big item cost is servicing bonds issued in the past to upgrade the city . There will be several District 14 meetings for you to attend. This is your money so it might be a good idea to go to at least one meeting.

Angela Hunt will be holding the 1st meeting tomorrow night at St. Thomas Aquinas School on Abrams , 3741 Abrams to be exact, at 6:30pm. All the meetings will begin at 6:30pm. Check out Angela`s web page for more info( www.angelahunt.com ). She has a great photo tour of the Wyly Theatre and tweets when she can.

The Uptown meeting will be held September 3rd, a Thursday, at 6:30 pm of course. The location will be Arlington Hall at Lee Park, 3333 Turtle Creek Blvd., and I am sure it will be busy. I am not sure many changes can be made to the budget , but, at least you will know what is coming.

Here are some cool webcams out and about in Dallas.

www.earthcam.com/usa/texas/dallas/ you can watch the State Fair Live !

www.earthcam.com/jfk Dealy Plaza and Downtown Dallas.

www.earthcam.clients/baylor/ construction of New Baylor Hospital and DART Green line in Deep Ellum

www.dallasperformingarts.org Dallas Arts District live construction webcam

both new performance centers are on this web page.

School Starts Today and so do tickets for speeding and using your Cell Phone in a School Zone

Cafe in the Park or 2

2009-08-21T15:00:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Looks like the City Of Dallas has decided on a 6,000 sq ft cafe in Woodall Rodgers Park. Ground breaking is on September 14th and will construction will take almost 2 years to complete. The Katy Trail is too.Harwood International is working on developing a cafe just south of the Thomsen Overlook. Very good idea as long as tables and chairs stay off the Trail and they have a place for bikes and dogs.

Great things to do this weekend: A free summer concert at the Quadrangle tonight at apx. 8pm and a great weather weekend for the driving range at Hank Haneys Cityplace Golf Center.

Of course it is also tax free weekend for school supplies a great time to buy school supplies. Even better idea knowing school starts Monday.

Watch the School Zones , No Cell Phones !

Uptown PID

2009-08-19T10:25:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you own a home,land or a building in Uptown then you are a tax paying member of the Uptown Public Improvement District. You get a tax statement each year showing your contribution to Uptown. This taxing entity was created to help an under served neighborhood climb out of the economic doldrums. I think it worked.

The Uptown PID is set to expire on 12-31-2012 after having been renewed in 2005. This PID is one of 7 in the City of Dallas. Lake Highlands ,lots of construction going on now, South Side, Deep Ellum . Downtown has a PID and Prestonwood and another booming area Vickery Meadow. Each Pid can tax up to 0.15 per $100 valuation .Currenty the Uptown PID is at 0.045 per $100 valuation . We are the lowest taxed of the Dallas PIDs. Most of the PIDs are at 0.10 or better ours was higher in 2000 and 2001 at 0.06 and 0.07 respectively.

A PID can use the tax money in several ways. Sidewalks,fountains,landscaping and signs. Along with public art , libraries , mass transit and parks. Big projects to like a pedestrian mall, off street parking and water/drainage projects . The money can also be used for promotion of the area and up to 15% can be used for expenses and operation of the PID.

The PID is required to have quarterly reports, annual audit and a annual meeting that is open to all property owners. They have a board that you as a property owner can serve on.

Look for a letter from the PID announcing the annual meeting.

From the 2008 PID district overview ,provided by the City of Dallas, the Uptown PID had a total assessment of $1,316,955.00 . That was the most of all the PIDs except Downtown Dallas which had $5,743,714.00 in assessments. The Uptown pid has the largest percentage being spent on administration cost 12% of the assessment , apx. $158,000.00, The Uptown PID also has the largest promotion budget spending %40 of the assessment , apx . $526,000.00, value.

The property values increased 11.2% from 2007 to 2008 next to last when compared to the other PID districts .

If you live in the Uptown PID district,and own property, then you should be involved in how the money is spent. You can contact Telemachus Evans and the City of Dallas redevelopment office. Phone number is 214-671-8042 or email telemachus.evans@dallascityhall.com. You can also contact Angela Hunt your District 14 council person. Maybe you have some ideas on improving our neighborhood .

Uptown Fed

2009-08-17T08:21:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

First of all if you want a tour you need to call 214-922-5250 or check out the web page at www.dallasfed.org . They only conduct tours by appointment and only on Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-2pm. An contrary to all the rumors they do not have samples to hand out. Also there is no gold stored here.

This is the Dallas Federal Reserve District 11 and they are located at 2200 N Pearl and Woodall Rodgers service road. The Fed has been located in Uptown since 1992 and I am sure they will be here for many years to come. The Fed began here in Dallas in November 1914 and the 11th district covers all of Texas and parts of all the surrounding states. They are the Central

Bank of the United States. You should know about what they do mostly because they have been in the news a lot lately.

Part of the tour I went on years ago allowed us to get into the money handing area.Behind thick glass and with video cameras everywhere.We could not actually get to the money just look at it on the carts. Each cart holds 300,000 bills and there are carts for all denominations. 300,000 20 dollar bills a truly amazing sight to see . There may not be any gold ,but,there sure is a lot of green. Anyway if you get a chance to tour the building you will enjoy yourself.

For those of you that use Harwood street to get downtown. You have been warned. The Harwood bridge across Woodall Rodgers will soon be closed and will be a become part of a park.Never to be a street again. School Zones Started Today ! Watch out for the kids .

Whats Up Doc

2009-08-16T09:27:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

"Whats Up Doc" this popular catch phrase was used often in the hallways of North Dallas High School. We often associate this phrase with the popular animated character Bugs Bunny. So it should come as no surprise that Tex Avery was a student in those hallways.

North Dallas High School is considered the oldest , built in 1922,still in use in DISD . Avery is one of many famous alumni. Earle Cabell the Mayor of Dallas and later U S House of Representative member. The federal court building in downtown Dallas is named for him. Harold Barefoot Sanders a well known U S District Judge is another alum. He is the Judge that presided over the desegregation of Dallas schools. There has been some discussion of renaming the High School after him. If you are a fan of Walker Texas Ranger the school was used in several episodes.

So the next time you go past this High School , school starts August 24th, you will now know where Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny originated. Go Bulldogs !

Arts in Uptown

2009-08-14T13:21:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Visual Arts Coalition of Dallas will be having a reception tonight from 6-9 pm. They are located at 2902 Maple Ave just one block north of Cedar Springs. The Uptown area has many gallery's and antique shops for your artistic shopping needs. A walk on Fairmount and Maple Ave will keep you busy all day long.

On Saturday September 12th Dallas will have the Fall Gallery Walk . Get out and enjoy the cool fall weather that I am sure will be here by then. Well at least I am hoping so. On Saturday September 26th The All About Uptown Festival will take place on Fairmount. There will be music,food and chefs and again some of that cool fall air. The festival goes from 11 am till 10 pm. The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley , MATA.org, will be having a Birthday celebration and parade on Mc Kinney Ave at 10 am . The parade will go from Maple Ave to Oak Grove.You can purchase rides on the Trolley or sponsor and entire Trolley. Hope you saw the FOX4 piece about Trolley safety. If not it is still on the Fox 4 web site.

The Dallas Amateur Radio Club will be broadcasting live from the Trolley Barn on Bowen Street. This too will be on the 26th of September. A busy fall lineup and cool fall air ,too.

Enjoy The Day its Friday !

Uptown Schools

2009-08-12T08:42:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Driving in Uptown can always be exciting . Watching people and traffic and the Trolley all going by at the same time. Plus doing all this while you are talking and texting on your phone.

Starting August 17th it all gets easier because you can now stop talking and texting on your phone while driving in Uptown. School zones start on Monday the 17th and you can get a 200$ fine for driving in a school zone while on your phone. This does not include the loan you will need to pay the speeding ticket in a school zone.

North Dallas High School is located at 3120 N Haskell and is home to the Bulldogs. This school serves 9th - 12th grade students. Cole and Mc Kinney are the two streets that have the school zones marked. Coming off Blackburn and going north on Mc Kinney will get you a ticket almost every time.

William B Travis , an exemplary school , is located at 3001 Mc Kinney and is home to the Timber wolfs and serves grades 4 - 8. This school has 4 streets that have school zones. Cole Ave , Sneed ,Allen and Mc Kinney Ave. There is a Constable waiting on Mc Kinney Ave almost everyday and he is usually very busy.

There is also Booker T Washington in the Arts District ,but, there is so much construction at this time you can not go past 20 mph . Should be finished by the middle of October when the Arts District has its grand opening. So watch out in October.

There are also several new cameras that are used by the Dallas Police Department. Not sure if they will use to give tickets at this time. The cameras will let them know where to put police officers. The City of Dallas gave out 3000 tickets last year for cell phone use in a school zone. Countless others for speeding. Please make sure you have current auto insurance . Otherwise they will also be towing your car when you get your sell phone ticket. The Trolley is free if that happens and Dart goes just about everywhere. Slow down and go cell free while driving.

Dallas Branch

2009-08-11T10:06:00.005-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The old Uptown area near Routh and Boll street was the beginning of the Dallas branch creek. This creek is all underground now although it has it moments when it wants to return. The Dallas Branch creek runs from Boll Street to Flora Street in the Arts District. From there it turns to the lowest part of Mc Kinney Ave. and then on to the Victory Park area. This creek emptied into the Trinity River until it was covered.Now it is part of the many miles of underground pipes that drain to the Trinity River.

During a great storm on the 5th of May 1995 , known as the Cinco De Mayo storm to many, 10 inches of rain fell in the Downtown and Uptown neighborhoods. This storm allowed the Dallas Branch to return for one night. The Dallas Branch runs through the Dallas Museum of Art and on this night they were very busy with Cinco De Mayo celebrations. I know because I was there listening to a guest speaker.

All during the presentation we could here the thunder booming outdoors and indoors too. Upon leaving the presentation it became apparent that a Mother Nature was very busy. The upper floors of the Museum were flooding because of the water collecting on the roof so quickly. As we exited the building Harwood Street was flowing like a creek. The Dallas Branch had returned. We were unable to traverse any of the streets out of downtown and had to stay in the Reunion Hyatt. They were nice enough to give us the drowned rat special.

Many of our old creeks in Dallas are underground and at times they return . They are covered , but, not forgotten . During this same storm a parking lot at Baylor Hospital returned to roaring creek form. Picking cars up and stacking them against buildings that were in the way. This of course is another old creek that runs through Old East Dallas.

Todays forecast : Late Afternoon storms

Theatre in Uptown

2009-08-10T08:55:00.006-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you moved to the Uptown neighborhood for the arts then you have come to the right place. We still have several art gallery's and antique shops in Uptown. We have live performances at several Theatres in Uptown. In October the the Arts in Dallas goes Super size.

There are 3 performance Theatres in Uptown. The Kitchen Dog Theatre and The-Mac both located at 3120 Mc Kinney Ave. The Trolley stops almost at the front door. The Theatre Three located in the Quadrangle at 2800 Routh St . Bakers and The Dream Cafe along with several other eateries are just next door.

There is also the Dallas Theater Center located between Lemmon and Blackburn on Turtle Creek. You can get there by walking down the Katy Trail. I do not recommend this at this time unless you are the outdoor type. At this time there is not a good connection to the Theater from the Trail. Several dirt paths lead to the Theater at this time.

In October the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will have the grand opening for the new performance centers. The Winspear Opera House will open as well as the Wyly Theatre Center .From October 12-18th there will a grand opening celebration with outdoor concerts and tours of the new performance centers. The new building are really taking shape and trees are being planted and streets and sidewalks are being completed at this time.

At this time David Sanborn and Nestor Torres are scheduled to perform. The Dallas Symphony orchestra and the amazing kids at Booker T Washington High School will also perform. On October 18th there will be free tours of both performance centers. The Dallas Arts District and Uptown is the place to be for the Arts.

www.the-mac.org

www.theatre3dallas.com

www.kitchendogtheater.org

www.dallastheatercenter.org

www.dallasperformingarts.org check out the live webcams here too!

Uptown Friday

2009-08-07T09:00:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

A new restaurant coming to Uptown. Perry's Steakhouse will open early next year in the 2000 Mc Kinney office building. They will be taking aim at the Ritz Carlton and the #1 rated restaurant in Dallas. Speaking of the Ritz Carlton they have begun building the town homes o Olive Street. A new short crane has been erected across the street.

Lola the restaurant on Fairmount and Cedar Springs will be closing in October. Another on the list of restaurants that have closed in Uptown in the past year. New ones are opening almost as fast as the old ones close. If you have a favorite place you like to eat they need your help today.

For those of you that like to stretch you dollar and muscles you might try yoga. The Uptown Yoga at 2636 Thomas has a new student price of 10$ for 10 days . You might also try the new YMCA downtown. They are remodeling the building and are improving the Pilate's and Yoga classes. Much of the construction is complete and should be finished by late October.

Free modern art can be found at the corner of Bowen and Carlisle. The Madi Museum is located at 3109 Carlisle and has a great collection of geometric art. Just look for the old Arcadia sign that hangs over the entrance.

Enjoy the day it is Friday !

Trolley By the Ton

2009-08-06T07:52:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Mc Kinney Ave Trolley,Mata, has been serving the Uptown area for 20 years and will have a celebration in early September. That will also be the 100th year birthday for the smallest trolley ,Rosie, the Crescent Rose. September will be a busy month for the politicians . The Mata celebration, DART green line opens and construction on Woodall Rodgers Park begins for real.

Within the last couple of days I have seen some amazing attempts at thinning out the herd. Cars pulling in front of the Trolley, a train on tracks, and of course expecting a 80-90 year trolley to stop on a dime. Thank goodness the volunteer drivers are paying attention as this seems to happen often. Even saw one guy step in front of the trolley like he had the right of way. With only a few exceptions the Trolley always has the right of way.

Getting hit by a Trolley. Take your choice.Here are the weigh in facts. Petunia, 636 , weighs in at 10 tons of solid iron. Matilda , 369 , tops out at 17.5 tons of Australian steel. The Green Dragon , 186 , leads the weigh in at 21 tons, that's 42,000 pounds, the heaviest of the Trolleys. These are trains not cars and only a semi-truck is going to put a dent in one of them.Even at 5 mph this Trolley will total your car and it will be your fault for not yielding.

The Mc Kinney Ave Trolleys have the right of way . You are by law supposed to stop when the trolley stops. Let passengers get on and off the Trolley and even walk across the street.On Mc Kinney where the trolley runs down the middle of the street you are legally supposed to stop ,on both sides , for boarding or deboarding. A bright red sign will be displayed when you are supposed to stop .

Give the Trolley the right of way,like the turn lane at Blackburn, and yield to passengers. There are more Trolleys and Streetcars coming to Dallas in the near future. Downtown and Oak Cliff are both going to have Trolleys in the very soon. I guess you could say we are going back to the future.

St John's Regatta Time

2009-08-04T10:04:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The George Street Festival ended this morning just in time for the Royal St John's Regatta . This event has been going on since 1816. The Regatta is always scheduled for the first Wednesday in August. Unless the weather is to poor for a Regatta . In that case it occurs the next good weather day.

The Regatta is always held at Quidi Vidi lake.This is small fresh water lake in St John's. St John's is a medium size city in Newfoundland, a province of Canada, on the eastern coast of North America.One of the oldest cities in North America with a great port and view of the Atlantic . The Titanic sank just off the coast and the first radio signal was sent from here.

The weather is a big deal in St John's . Especially for this event. For you see it is also a city holiday . So if the weather is poor then you have to go work. This could be a problem seeing as how the George Street Festival did not end until the sun came up. This festival occurs the week before the Regatta.

George Street is considered to have the most pubs and bars per square foot , even more than Uptown, than any street in North America. It is one giant party street and the pubs do not usually close until daybreak. Now you see why the George Street Festival could be a problem for getting to work on that first Wednesday in August. Everyone hopes for , or drinks to, good weather today.

If you would like to watch some of the festivities try these web pages. www.stjohnsregatta.org and www.ozfm.com . The last web page is a radio station . Click on George St webcams and you will have webcams for the entire area of St John's.

Fire Station #1

2009-08-04T09:33:00.004-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

2400 Mc Kinney Ave on the corner of Leonard and Mc kinney. The gray painted two story building is now home to Accent Gallery and Framing . Just behind this building is Hotel Zaza.

In 1894 this was home to Dallas Fire Station #1 covering the North Dallas and Downtown area.

This station stayed in operation until 1928 when a new station was built on Ross Ave.These were horse drawn fire engines in the beginning . When you go to the State Fair of Texas this year check out the Dallas Fire Department Museum.It is just across the the street from new Dart green line station at Fair park.They have some of the old photos showing the fire engines of the time.

While you are checking out the Old Uptown fire station head down to the other end of this building. Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. is located at 2416 Mc kinney Ave. If you enjoy fishing or know someone who does then this is the place to go in Uptown. A truly unique store to the Uptown experience. Get on the mailing list they have some great Saturday events.

Two Buildings in Uptown

2009-08-03T10:59:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

In 1913 a building was completed on Mc Kinney Ave. The building is no longer there of course and now is just another vacant lot. Soon to be a parking lot . A 15 story apartment building was planned to rise from the dust of the old church. The economy has deflated those high expectations. The building was the Mc Kinney Ave. Baptist church for many years. At the end though it was the Hard Rock Cafe.

Just a few blocks from here another building was completed in 1905 . Now located at 2907 Woodall Rodgers it was in the middle of a residential neighborhood at the time. A school was completed in 1908 in an addition to the other building.

Today this building is the St Peter Apostle Catholic Church as it was in 1905. When opened this was the first Catholic Church for African-Americans in Dallas. In 1905 this was Freedmans Town or North Dallas. A thriving neighborhood with shops and other businesses and now a African-American Catholic Church.

In 1908 the school was added for African- American children and was also the first in Dallas.

Today the Church is still in use and has a strong Polish-American congregation. Just across the street from this Church , across the feeder road, is an urban forest. Built under the Woodall Rodgers Freeway . A connector park is planned for this park in the future.

Christmas Downtown

2009-07-30T08:27:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

103 degrees outside and Christmas is just around the corner. The City of Dallas will be opening the new Main Street Gardens in November . The Downtown tree lighting will be at the new park on November 20th and 21st . The cafe that will be at Main Street Gardens may be open at this time also. The Christmas tree has stood at Pegasus Plaza the past few years surrounded by tall buildings.

The new location will be in the shadow of the Mercantile Building. That is the building with the clock, it works too, on top. This park may just be a great location for New Years Eve celebration,just a thought.The old Hotel next to the park will be covered in some way to make it look a little better. The old City Hall building will be converted to the University of North Texas Law School. Even with all the hot weather Christmas is just around the corner.

The Rosewood Court high rise on Cedar Springs and pearl will have a new restaurant coming this fall. The Ocean Prime will open soon. Cupcakery as some of you alrady know is now open.Split Peas restaurant, from El Paso, is also now open. They are both Located on Mc kinney Ave. Free tonight at the Nasher Sculpture Garden and Dallas Museum of Art.

See you there .

Nasher Free Thursday Night

2009-07-25T10:32:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Spent a wonderful Friday in Ft Worth yesterday . We took the Trinity Railway Express to downtown Ft Worth for 5 $ per adult. What a deal ! Spent the day in Sundance Square and enjoyed the shops and restaurants and even went to the Stockyards for an evening Rodeo.

A great time was had by all .

The Nasher Sculpture Garden is free this Thursday night July 30th. If you have never been to this museum it is a one of the best sculpture museums in the world. At night the garden is incredible with all the tall buildings and lights of downtown Dallas. Take advantage of this fantastic deal on Thursday night. I will be the one standing next to the Walk to the Sky sculpture.

The Taste of West Village is this Tuesday night and it will benefit the North Texas Food Bank. A worthy cause and they need your help more now than ever. The All About Uptown Festival is coming again on September 26th from 11 to 10 pm. They are looking for Arts,Restaurants and organizations to be in the festival. If you or someone you know is interested contact Sandra Johnson 214-871-7696.

Enjoy the Summer day .

Uptown Film

2009-07-23T07:56:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Uptown is the home to 8 film production companies . Wow almost like Hollywood. They mostly do post production work ,but, do have some big national clients.

Uptown has been used as a backdrop for several commercials lately. If you watch local stations you will see the Mc Kinney Ave Trolley being used several times. Griggs park has been used for a Texas Lottery commercial. I have seen many photo shoots in the area. Including a vending machine set up on the corner of Hall and Mc Kinney. One time there were several models in wedding dresses walking up Bowen for a photo shoot.

You never know In Uptown when you just might walk up on a film shoot. The Uptown area looks good on film. We have tall modern buildings and many Victorian homes and a vintage Trolley passing by on Mc Kinney. Smile, you could be discovered in Uptown .

Thomas and Worthington

2009-07-22T07:54:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Thomas and Worthington are two streets that intersect in the the middle of Uptown.Condominium and town homes and apartments in every direction. In 1931 this corner was home to the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library. In 1931 this was a residential neighborhood with mostly wood frame homes up and down each street.

The Dunbar Library was built to serve the African American community that lived in " North Dallas" as the Uptown neighborhood was called in 1931.This library would also serve Booker T Washington just a few blocks south of the corner. Booker T Washington was the African American High School at the time.

The Library was named after Paul Laurence Dunbar a distinguished African American poet. The Dunbar Library remained in Uptown until 1959 when it was closed and moved farther out from the Central Library downtown.

If you live on this corner of Uptown and get a need to read now you know why. Remember to support the Libraries. In Dallas they will be cutting 90% of the new books purchased for next year. If you have a good book you have finished donate that book . Pass it on to others.

Time for some coffee and a good book. I am heading to Crooked Tree Coffee House on Routh St ,one block south off Mc Kinney. They have live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Texas State Fair and Exposition

2009-07-21T08:32:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Just north of downtown Dallas, in 1886 near what is now Cole Park ,the first Great State Fair of Texas was being held. The fair was called the Texas State Fair and Exposition. Drawing thousands of visitors this Fair was considered somewhat of a success.

The Dallas State Fair which was being held at the same time , near Fair Park , lost more than 100,000 dollars. The two competing Fairs came from a disagreement with a groups of founding fathers. Sounds like today's political environment in Dallas .When an agreement could not be reached two opposing groups created two Fairs.

Thank goodness in 1887 the two groups came together . They agreed to have the State Fair of Texas at what is now Fair Park. The Cole Park group got to decide the name and of course helped pay some of the debt. Horse racing was the big money maker at the Fair for many years. Today the State Fair is the largest in the country.

Just remember when you are the State Fair that it has roots all the way to Uptown .The Great State Fair of Texas begins on Friday September 25th hope to see Y'all there.

Today is buy one get one ,entrees, at the Dream Cafe . Located in the Quadrangle just one block off Mc Kinney. Look for Roccos Pizza to move to the Quadrangle soon.

Way Down Below Uptown

2009-07-20T08:15:00.003-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Just below the surface of Cole Park is an underground vault. Cole Park,named after Jack Cole, is just north of North Dallas High School and is at the northern edge of Uptown. The park is now under construction with new sidewalk and other amenities being added.

When you go past the park you will notice a non-descript building on the southwestern corner,near the tennis courts. Within that building there is an elevator shaft that will take you to the Cole Park Detention Vault. The vault is totally dark as you would expect it to be. There are 13 vaults here spreading over 842 feet in the direction of Turtle Creek. Each vault is 24 feet wide and 40 feet tall . The 13 vaults have a 71 million gallon capacity. These vaults are used for capturing flood waters before they reach Turtle Creek.

The vaults were built in 1993, at the same time as Central Expressway,and have been used at least 3 times since,during heavy rains. The vaults then hold the excess rain water and slowly release back into the creek . We do not get a lot of rain here ,but, when we do it can bring a flood very quickly.

Now you know a little about what is down below Uptown. Downtown Dallas has many tunnels leading to most of the major high rises. The downtown tunnels are open during the day,Monday-Friday, and have many retail shops and restaurants. A good place to go walking if you do not like the hot summer sun.

Up Over Uptown

2009-07-14T10:23:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

If you want one of the best views of Uptown I suggest a trip downtown to the Chase Tower. That is the building with the hole at the top. At the base of the hole is the Sky lobby with fantastic views of north and south Dallas.

The Sky lobby is open Monday-Friday from 9-5 pm and is accessible from the ground floor lobby.Take the Sky lobby elevator, of course,directly to the 40th floor. No stops required and very quick . A beautiful decorated lobby awaits. With plants and water and watch that step ! Very easy to walk off into the water if you are over whelmed by the incredible view .

From the south view you can see Fair Park and many of the tall downtown high rises and just below is Dart line .

From the north view you can see the Museum District , a view of the Catholic church Bell Tower and the Federal Reserve Building. An incredible view of Uptown and the State Thomas Historical District. Depending on the wind you will see Southwest Airlines landing or taking off from Love Field. Almost close enough to wave to the pilots.

Give this a try unless you are afraid of heights.Easy to get to on the corner of Pearl and Ross or better yet take Dart to pearl station and walk over. You can also take the Trolley , stopping at St Paul, and walk over from there ,about 4 blocks. A fantastic view of Uptown and Dallas and better yet it is FREE !

Construction on the Trail

2009-07-11T12:47:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Construction has begun on the Katy Trail overlooking Lee Park . The plaza will be known as Snyders Union and it will take about 5 months to complete the project. A trail bypass has been completed around the project. This plaza will have a wonderful view of Lee Park and Turtle Creek. This will be a great addition to the trail.

Snyders Union is located between Hall and Lemmon streets. A large apartment complex is currently under construction also.There still is a sidewalk connection from Carlisle street for those coming from the Uptown area.

Coming soon will be the extension of the Katy Trail northward to Mockingbird Station. Funding is in place and construction will hopefully start before the end of the year. This will create a connection to the Lower Greenville Ave area.

For those of you that use the trail,and there were a lot of you this morning, today is a good day to join. You can do so by going to the web site www.katytraildallas.org . Check it out and become a member.

They are watching you

2009-07-10T15:05:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

The Uptown Public Improvement District has paid for the installation of 11 video monitoring cameras . The cameras are located on Mc Kinney Ave at almost every intersection . They look over Golds Gym, Albertsons ,West Village and several of the late night spots . They are being monitored by the Dallas Police Department.

I have taken a tour of the facility and the cameras are remarkably clear and can zoom in very close. They are scattered all over downtown and some in the Fair Park area. They have reduced crime in the areas they have been used. If you have ever been to England they use these type of cameras and have been doing so for a long time. If used wisely they will reduce crime.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit will soon begin using cameras at all of there transit stations. A grant from Homeland Security will help pay for installation and operation. In the Uptown area that will be the City Place station.DART now has a mobile phone system that allows you to know when your bus will arrive and where it is now. Very cool and in real time .

When you are out and about in Uptown and it feels like someone is looking over your shoulder . They are !

Taste of Dallas

2009-07-09T16:41:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Taste of Dallas is the weekend Friday,Saturday and Sunday . They are busy setting everything up today . You can follow Mc Kinney Ave all the way to the West End. Some parking may be available under the freeways,but, most lots around the West End will be used for the event. The best way to get there is to take Dart from Cityplace. Buy a 3$ all day pass and get off at the West End station and you are there. The Trolley will be running also and it is a 5 block walk down Ross Ave to the West End. The Trolley will be running late on Friday and Saturday night.

Studio 2600 will be having a big sale on Saturday from 10-4 pm. The is a great little neighborhood art shop. Almost everything will be on sale 40-70% off regular retail.A great time to stock up on Christmas gifts . Its just around the corner you know. At least it felt like wintertime yesterday when the big hard snow flakes fell from the sky. Sounded like Reindeer on the roof,too.

Could just be delirium from the heat.

Sunday Walk

2009-07-05T15:06:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Just back from my walk around Uptown. A slow day is being had by all. Weather is warm with a few cool raindrops that felt very good. The trolley was mostly full as they usually are on a weekend day.

Looks like the Cupcakery at 2222 Mc Kinney will be opening soon . Also looks like a new,really just a local eatry moving to new location, restaurant will be opening at the Crescent . The West Village will be having live music on Tuesday night near the Magnolia Movie Theatre.

Construction continues on the Granite Properties office high rise although it now looks like they have a tree on top. This signifies that this is the top of the , 19th floor , building. The Gables apartment high rise is also getting near its 19th floor and they are already putting in balconies on the north side of the building. No announced retail at this time.

Well I guess it is time to get a glass of wine and go on the balcony and watch the world go by on a slow Sunday afternoon.

25th of May 1908

2009-07-04T12:29:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

On May 25th 1908 the Trinity River crested at 52.6 ft after 15 inchs of rainfall. This left the Trinity River 2 miles wide in some places and totally cut off newly annex Oak Cliff from the city of Dallas. Most of downtown was under water as was Mc Kinney Ave in downtown. Today that part of town is the West End and Victory Park. Both areas were under 6-10 foot of water. The water went up Mc Kinney Ave to just past where El Fenix is today. If you ride the Trolley when it makes a right turn on to St Paul the flood water was just one block down on Mc Kinney Ave .

Of course most of Turtle Creek , western boundary of Uptown,was under water also as the flood waters backed up the creek. All the bridges crossing the Trinity were washed away. A new bridge , Houston St via duct , was quickly completed connecting Oak Cliff with downtown Dallas again. The reason it was so quickly completed is that for the next 18 months the area had very little rain. Not a day was lost due to rainfall.

That is why we love rain in Texas . With the flood today comes the drought tomorrow.

Happy Birthday America!

The 4th and the 3rd

2009-07-03T12:40:00.002-05:00

Uptown Dallas Today

Time to celebrate Independence Day. Tonight in Addison they will have Kaboom Town starting at 5 pm. The Cavnaugh Flight Museum will have an old Warbird Flyover at 7:30 pm followed by the Kaboom Town fireworks at 9:35 pm. Then an outdoor movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" at 10.00 pm. Sometimes you can see the fireworks from Uptown,but,you will need to be at least 3 floors up.

On the 4th at Fairpark Dallas will have a big celebration starting at 5 pm. With live music and free admission to the museums till 7:30 pm . The fireworks begin in Fair Park at 9:30 pm on Saturday night. You should be able to see most of the fireworks from Uptown and will definitely hear the boom of the fireworks. Of course the higher you viewing point the better the view.

Have fun be safe and enjoy your Independence.

Uptown Swanky

2009-06-26T09:01:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-25T07:56:00.003-05:00

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

2009-06-24T08:59:00.002-05:00

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 ?

2009-06-23T07:51:00.003-05:00

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

2009-06-22T07:16:00.004-05:00

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

2009-06-19T08:32:00.004-05:00

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

2009-06-18T08:03:00.004-05:00

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

2009-06-17T07:26:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-16T07:58:00.002-05:00

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 ?

2009-06-15T11:02:00.002-05:00

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 ???

2009-06-14T14:49:00.002-05:00

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

2009-06-13T11:24:00.002-05:00

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.