Dallas, Texas...What to do??

[seaker]

What are folks proud of there?
Gonna be there until Sunday for a very long meeting but should have some free time...
Is there any wonderful thing I should make an effort to visit or taste? On the flip side, anything I should try to avoid at all costs?

:hi:

[Inchworm]

1. Dallas has some cool bars

:D

:hi:

[Haole Girl]

2. The Sixth Floor Museum

http://www.jfk.org

:hi:

[MicaelS]

8. Absolutely visit Dealey Plaza and The Sixth Floor Museum

You will be SHOCKED at the actual size of Dealey Plaza. It is small. The old adage of everything looks bigger on TV really applies here. You will say to yourself "Our President was murdered HERE?"

Visit the museum, you can't stand in the same window that Oswald supposedly fired from because that one is closed off by plexiglass in a recreation of the "sniper's perch". But right next to it, and you will see the extreme down angle he was supposedly firing from.

BTW, there will probably be hucksters hawking this or that on the street. Avoid them.

EDIT: Eat at Campisi's Egyptian Restaurant

http://www.campisis.us/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campisi%27s_Egyptian_Restaurant

Campisi's Restaurant is an Italian restaurant located in Dallas, TX, offering a self-described Roman cuisine.

The facility was founded as Campisi's Egyptian Lounge in the mid-1940s by Joseph Campisi. Renamed Campisi's Restaurant, it began serving restaurant customers in 1946.

The Campisi family continues to own and manage the restaurant and have opened six additional branches throughout the Dallas area.

Campisi's is well known locally for its founder's connections to organized crime, a fact the restaurant capitalizes on for publicity. Jack Ruby was a regular at the restaurant and ate there the night before he shot Lee Harvey Oswald.

[seaker]

14. Excellent!

Thank you very much.
:hi:
I will post on my return and let you know what I was able to do.

[jobycom]

38. Yeah, it's much smaller than people realize. That's what flipped me on the whole thing.

I was a big conspiracy nut when I moved to Dallas, but actually wandering around the Plaza trying to find arguments to support my theories blew them all to hell. No one could have set up for a shot on the ground there without twenty people watching them and asking what they were doing long before the motorcade got there.

Even if you draw a different conclusion, being there gives you a different perspective than you would have otherwise. Worth the visit if you have any theories on the subject.

[MicaelS]

39. The very first reaction I had

Standing in the window on the Sixth Floor was as a shooter....

"Holy shit! Oswald could have done this all by himself! The distance was so short he didn't even need that POS scope, he used the fucking iron sights. He learned that in the Corps. He would have to compensate for the down angle, but hell, he learned how to do that in the Corp, too. Well, fuck.......he could have used a long barrel .44 mag or .45 Colt and made the shots. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck...... "

[jobycom]

42. Yeah.

I thought that standing in the road looking up at the window. You keep hearing how far it was and how much of an angle it was, but when you look at it it's a really straight shot and not very far. I grew up around guns, and was never a good shot, and I could imagine making it.

I have a theory about the scope, actually. His first shot supposedly missed horribly, his second shot hit Kennedy in the back, and his third the head (assuming the story is right for a moment). I think he took his time and aimed through the scope, fired the shot, and realized the scope was out of line, so he sited down the barrel instead and fired off a quick shot, probably too quickly because of adrenaline, then and took his time and aimed on the third. I think maybe the first shot missed because he tried to use the scope. Then again, it's such a close shot that the instinct might have been not to use the scope at all from the first.

[MicaelS]

44. I don't think he used the scope at all

I think used the iron sights totally, here's what I think happened:

Oswald had trained as a rifleman in the Corps, so he knew ballistics. He knew about bullet drop at a particular distance and sight compensation. He knew that when shooting downhill, a shooter will soot high, and when shooting up hill will shoot too low. So you have to hold the rifle a bit differently for those circumstances as opposed to shooting at a target on level ground.

Oswald did not compensate enough for his first shot, and missed. The shot went high, and hit the street downrange, or hit the windshield of the limousine, and then hit the street. Remember the man down the street who was hit in the chin by bullet fragments, and was able to point to the curb where a bullet struck.

Oswald then compensated too much, shot too low and hit Kennedy in the back.

So for the first shot he used too little sight compensation, then, the second shot too much sight compensation, and the third shot was just right and was the fatal shot.

[Demoiselle]

43. When I visited the Plaza I was really upset.

I have no practical experience with guns, but it looked like a terribly short distance from the sixth floor window to the street. The book depository sort of looms over the corner that the motorcade had to slow down and turn in, and I was disturbed to think that the Secret Service et al hadn't gone over the building with a fine tooth comb and emptied it before the motorcade arrived.
Hindsight is 20/20, I know. Still.....

[seaker]

9. Good idea

Thank you for the link too. Have you been there?

[Haole Girl]

11. Thanks, yes, several times. nt

[Lance_Boyle]

3. Goff's, near SMU - try 'the Deal'

Or you could just hang out near the grassy knoll and watch for public nudity.

[snooper2]

4. Dallas World Aquarium is really cool...

http://www.dwazoo.com/d/

[Ishoutandscream2]

5. Find you some good Tex Mex

A local chain that you can find just about anywhere is El Fenix. But there are a wide range of really good Tex Mex spots around. Of course, go local - none of that On the Border crap.

[struggle4progress]

17. Bingo! Just ask the locals where to go

[MilesColtrane]

21. Ojeda's on Maple Avenue

Mia's on Lemmon Avenue
Herrera's on Maple Avenue (no liquor license, BYOB)

More upscale:

Primo's on McKinney
Monica's aca y alla on Main St.
Lune de Noche Victory Park Lane

[rcrush]

6. Cocaine.

[seaker]

10. That would be on the to avoid, right?

[MrsBrady]

7. off the top of my head...

http://www.thedallasartsdistrict.org/venues-organizations/venues/index.htm

Downtown...the West End is kind of touristy...but the "arts" stuff is more on the east side of down town.
You might also check to see if anything is going on at Fair Park (on the national historic registry), concerts, festivals, museums there also.

and if you 'HAVE to' there is Dealy Plaza down at Elm and Houston streets. The Kennedy Museum is there.

If you want to go to a a bar down town, I recommend the West End Pub.

For dinner I would recommend Daddy Jacks or Kirby's on Greenville, they can be pricey, but worth it.
My favorite hate/love bar is the Winedale Tavern on Greenville. Balcony Club is in the Lakewood area, also east dallas, above the historic Lakewood Theatre (art deco)
Lots of good mom and pop, one off's, and non commercial restaurants in Dallas.

What part of town are you staying? Public transportations sucks unless you are right on the rail line. I would rent a car, if you can. It's too hard to get around on a Sunday without a car, anyway.
Public transportation too and from DFW or Love is not convenient.
I would call ahead to make sure any place you go is open on Sunday, cuz sometimes things are closed Sunday nights.

PM me if you want more info.

[seaker]

13. You are a doll!

Thank you.

[MrsBrady]

28. why thank you...

and while I'm thinking about it...

Addison, Plano, Mesquite, Irving, etc....are suburbs...NOT DALLAS.
I don't know where you are staying, but the suburbs are pretty much cookie cutter stuff...
there are a few exceptions, but if you are just here one day you wouldn't have time for that anyway.


my favorite parts of town are..."Lakewood" "Lower Greenville" (all just one mile north east of down town, the first suburban area outside of actual downtown proper)
"Down Town, "Up town" "deep Ellum"
"Oak Cliff" area on the south side has some good stuff going on too...I would do some internet searches, and see what you come up with.

Ohhhh.....THE GOLDRUSH CAFE...if you are there for breakfast/lunch times.....it's in the Lakewood area on Skillman...again call ahead...its a mom and pop...sometimes they close for family stuff.
MY fave!

[seaker]

29. Goodness Mrs. B.

You are an expert! I will be there from Wednesday until Sunday and staying near the Dallas Fort Worth airport....Thank you sooooo, very much! I hope I get to try it all. And you are a living Dallas doll!:hi: :hi: :hi:

[MrsBrady]

31. If u are staying near the airport then

I would rent a car or take a cab to get around.
Ask your hotel about a shuttle...but people just don't realize
how shitty public trans is here. The first time I was in NYC I was
surprised how I could get around. DFW airport is larger than
the island of Manhattan. With things so spread out, u need a car.

If u get here and have questions pm me and
I'll help. Grew up here.

[yellowdogintexas]

50. the Trinity Rail stop is in the airport circulator, so you can get to either

city that way. Dallas has DART rail to most of the main stuff from downtown and Fort Worth has an intown circulator that runs through downtown and out to the musuems. Free. Of course if you came to FW and hit the arts Fest you might just stay there.

Oh by the way, Leon Russel is Friday night @7:00

http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org

When I go to Dallas I take the train whenever I can.

[MicaelS]

12. If you like art and can get to Ft Worth.....

There's

the Kimball https://www.kimbellart.org/Index.aspx

the Modern Art Museum Fort Worth http://www.themodern.org/

the Amon Carter Museum http://www.cartermuseum.org/

the Sid Richardson Museum http://www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org/nu_site/sid_richardson_museum.php/museum/highlights/

and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame http://www.cowgirl.net/

[yellowdogintexas]

47. I second that. The Modern is open until Midnight this Saturday night

with food, tours, the big Andy Warhol show .

Our museums are easy to find and well marked on Interstate 30. Unlike Dallas's

[madinmaryland]

15. Visit the Jerry Jones Memorial Stadium, AKA where the Dallas Cowboys play!

[plcdude]

16. Dragon Fly

restaurant at the Hotel ZaZa is also great. Just because my son runs it has nothing to do with my opinion. http://www.hotelzaza.com/dallas-hotel-facts.php

[seaker]

30. Thank you

It looks very snazzy...I will try to drop by for a little drop of something wet :hi:

[Bucky]

18. Hang around Dealy Plaza looking for naked Erykahs.

[LoveMyCali]

19. The Dallas Arbortum and Botanical Gardens

is a really nice place to visit too.

www.dallasarboretum.org

[eppur_se_muova]

27. Tho't Texans was agin' arbortums. nt

[orleans]

20. go to jack in the box and get yourself a super taco (and one for me too!) n/t

[MilesColtrane]

22. I'll second the suggestion to drive over to Ft. Worth (about an hour west)

The annual Main St. Arts Festival is going on Thursday through Sunday.

It's free, and there's all kinds of bands (headliners this year are Kirk Whalum, Jonny Lang, Leon Russell, and Los Lonely Boys), food, and artists there, plus the usual stuff you can do downtown. (bars, restaurants,shopping, Bass Hall)

http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org/Home.aspx

Don't miss the museums just west of downtown on the other side of the Trinity River.

[MajorChode]

36. Just don't go swiming in the Water Garden

[yellowdogintexas]

48. and the ubiquitous North Side for Cowboy and Mexican culture

some good Mexican food up there, Not Joe T Garcia's

[elehhhhna]

23. Drive to Austin. lol

[Arugula Latte]

24. Leave

:hide:

[Drunken Irishman]

34. Damn you. You stole my answer!

Go to hell.

:D

[MilesColtrane]

25. Catch a Frisco Rough Riders game.

Minor league baseball in Frisco (far north Dallas)

Very nice ballpark.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/team1/page.jsp?ymd=20081222&content_id=489605&vkey=team1_t540&fext=.jsp&sid=t540

Ft Worth and Grand Prairie also have minor league teams, but there seasons don't start til May.

[MilesColtrane]

26. Go to the fence just outside Bush's street (10141 Daria Place) and throw a pair of shoes over it.

[bamacrat]

32. Walk around the tunnels under downtown.

One entrance is at Thanksgiving Square another is in the Lincoln Center building I believe. Its neat a few eateries and shops mot alot but a neat place to walk around. Not a lot of people even realize they are there.

[seaker]

46. News to me...

Hope I get the chance. Thank you.

[Drunken Irishman]

33. Leave.

:P

[blogslut]

35. Visit the fountains @ Fountain Place

http://www.fountainplace.com/

They're quite beautiful, especially the water steps.

Also, Cedar Springs Blvd is still a pretty fun street:

http://www.shopcedarsprings.com/

Ask the concierge where you're staying where you can get a copy of the Dallas Observer:

http://www.dallasobserver.com/

That should hip you to all the cool stuff going on in Big D.

[jobycom]

37. Snuffer's Cheddar Fries!

I have driven from Austin to Dallas just for those fries, on more than one occassion, although I will admit there may be a bit of sentimentality on my part for them. They don't seem as good (meaning greasy) as they used to be. Still, it's my favorite little thing to do in Dallas. If you try them, visit the restaurant on Greenville if you can, though they seem to have a few locations now. And stay for the evening on Greenville, for that matter--lots of good restaurants and clubs.

It's been a while since I've been there, but Deep Ellum used to be the best place for music.

If you are around the airport, drive by the Cowboy's Stadium. Whatever you think of it from TV, you will think even more of that seeing it in person. It's the largest, tackiest, most glorious monstrosity you will ever visit, if you're lucky. And the Walmart across the street is ratty as hell. :) The Ballpark at Arlington is there, too, but it's actually pretty cool and not all that controversial. Catch a Rangers game. Just cheer for the other team. :(

Just some ideas. :)

[justabob]

40. I second this one :)

And I agree the fries aren't what they were a few years back, but they are still good and I love the burgers too.

[BlueCollar]

41. Go west...to Fort Worth

Dallas sucks...

Come on over to our neck of the woods...

[yellowdogintexas]

49. If you have time (not on Sunday) you can ride the TRE from downtown D

to Downtown FW and do the whole Arts Fest thing, then ride Molley the Trolly over to the museums and do that.

[Taverner]

45. Leave

:evilgrin:

Just kidding - I'm sure there's something to do there, other than Praise Jesus, fill your gas tank and salute the flag

[yellowdogintexas]

51. OH one more thing : A big traveling art exhibit from Spain at SMU

in the Meadows Museum. This thing sounds really big. I haven't been yet but plan to go.

http://smu.edu/meadowsmuseum/