State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas is famous, famous at least for North Texans.  We pride ourselves in this annual event because it provides scary rides, beastly livestock and an awesome car show.

Most North Texans Do no think think it is convenient to go to the fair.  I was one of them.  I have many friends who are excited every fall and make plans to visit.  I always rolled my eyes at them because there was no way I was parking miles away, walking and paying to do so.

I didn't realize that in 2010 the Dallas Area Rapid Transit opened its Fair Park location that drops passengers off right at the gate.  I didn't realize that almost every single day there is a special on admission, whether it be a Dr. Pepper can or wearing Dickie's.  I didn't realize that most natives feel the same way as I do, so if you actually decide to go, there isn't really anyone there!

I entered on the western edge of the Fair, almost directly to the Midway.  Smells of fried meats and sugar filled the air and blue and white coupon stands greet entering fairgoers.  It is magical to hear kids running around and experiencing the fair with their parents, transitioning from farm animals to nauseating rides.


I will never again recommend that people avoid this attraction because it exemplifies Texas.  Everything is bigger, everything is overdone and everything feels like Texas

White Rock Dog Park

White Rock Dog Park

The dog park is an unusual place to meet people, but it is one of the best.  People that own animals are more open to conversation and camaraderie.  I spoke with Caitlyn, who just moved to Dallas from Ohio and loves it.  She is an oncologist who works with children and has many difficult days at work. She loved the area and was excited to explore the city.

 

When I spoke to Phil, he was excited about the nightlife.  He was interested in concerts and poker and just getting out and meeting people.

 

Kristina said that her reason for going to the dog park was to get away.  That was the only reason she went.  That is relatable.  Many of the people I spoke with were just getting off work and needed their dogs to decompress and wanted to decompress themselves.  

 

People have strong bonds with their pet friends.  It is something that the city has tried to capitalize on.  The new dog park, Mutt’s Canine Cantina is a dog park with a bar.  Pet friendly is an upcoming trend that caters to people over many industries. 

 

When I spoke to people at the dog park, they spent a lot of time working with their animals on behavior and manners and took pride in tricks.  It seems that these people need a break from corporate America to bond with creatures that are more simple and easier to please.

 

White Rock Dog Park is located east on Northwest Highway and Highway 75.  It is next to the Arboretum and the L Streets, a nice subdivision that is in high demand.  People from all walks of life congregate here to release their dogs energy and release their own.

 

I choose to go as much as possible because my dogs act better the more socialization they get.  I spend at least an hour here every time I go and I feel better when they get their time with their friends.  I always thought people who catered to their dogs were weird, but now I get it.  It is almost necessary to have this type of release living in a high population area.  Dogs are a nice escape from corporate America and other stresses of being in a top ten media market.

 follow my experience at the dog park on Twitter @JQueppet and #whiterockdogpark1016

 

Destination Dallas: Walking Tour of the City

Walking Through Downtown

Being from Dallas-Fort Worth, the tourist attractions are not places that I immediately think to visit.  I have taken for granted that they exist and that people from all over the world take the time to visit them.  When I began my walking tour, I realized that these were places I drove by and never stopped to explore.  I had never set foot on the sidewalk that Abraham Zapruder shot the famous film that captured the assassination of JFK.  I had never walked inside the JFK Memorial.  I had never walked the streets to the Aquarium or the House of Blues.



We first drove up Interstate 35 to Commerce Street, passing Dealey Plaza.  We parked in The Old Red Museum's parking garage and walked over to the plaza.  When we crossed the street toward "The Grassy Knoll," tour guides with fake, vintage newspapers approached us and began telling the facts of November 22, 1963 in great detail.  We walked down the sidewalk and up to the fence that is shrouded with conspiracy theories and saw many special notes to JFK written on the fence pickets. 


We walked over Commerce street to Reunion Tower.  Reunion Tower is next to Union Station.  Union Station was built in 1914 for commerce and is still used for business and leisure travelers as a convenient option to arrive in downtown. 

The City of Dallas launched a publicity campaign that embraced the "everything is bigger in Texas" concept.  They created large, three-dimensional letters B and G, hid them in the city and asked people to pose as the letter I and tweet their photos to a designated outlet.  We found these letters at  local bar and made our own "B-I-G" photograph.

We found our way to the Dallas World Aquarium, the Perot Museum
and the legendary House of Blues, then began walking back to the parking garage.  We passed the JFK Memorial again, but this time it was lit with classic white lights that made it stand out in the middle of the hustle and bustle.  Behind the memorial, the skyline also illuminated with Reunion Tower's iconic white globe.  Would the Dallas skyline be the same without it?

House of Blues: Alt-J

Alt-J at the House of Blues Dallas

       

The House of Blues Dallas location was built in 2007 in the historic White Swan Building on the borders of the West End District and the Victory Plaza Development.  The building is rich in history that dates back to the 1920s.  It is a legend that there is a metal box of Mississippi Delta mud under the stage of every House of Blues location.  Who knew there was such rich history surrounding this venue?

This venue is close to many attractions in the city like The Perot Museum, Dallas World Aquarium and American Airlines Center.  It is also very close to the West End stop for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).  We chose to ride DART in from North Dallas for the concert.  The stop is about 10 minutes from the House of Blues entrance, making it an alternative option to expensive parking and traffic after the show.  We arrived early, but since the venue is standing room only, we were unable to get close to the stage.  When we arrived, I ran into a familiar face, Milton.  He was a bartender that worked every event since the venue opened.  He has since been promoted to management and runs around checking on people like they are his customers.  They are in a sense, but he went around to the concert goers asking them, "How are you doing?"  "How is everything?"  I have never seen a venue manager personally check on people.  Milton noticed that I was taking pictures and escorted me to the sound crew's equipment and let me get the shot below.








This venue has three different rooms, the Cambridge Room, the Voodoo Room, and the Main Stage that hold concerts all week.  They host everything from local cover bands to intimate options for international superstars.  There is also a full service restaurant that operates nightly.  When many bands are just starting out, they begin their relationship with Dallas at the House of Blues.  Imagine Dragons performed here and gave fans an up close and personal experience, they have since hit it big and will most likely play at a larger venue when they return.