To View Article - Francesca Cruz

travel
First stop, a landmark that has become embedded in the
collective psyche of the United States. On Friday, November
22, 1963 at 12:30pm, as President Kennedy’s motorcade
turned onto Elm Street, shots rang out. The President was
fatally wounded, a nation went into mourning, and the
Sixth Floor of the Texas School Book Depository became a
place of infamy. Today it is known as the Sixth Floor
Museum at Dealey Plaza and it houses a
permanent exhibit that examines the life, death and legacy of
President Kennedy, as it does the many conspiracy theories
that followed suit. You can stand in the same corner window
(it has been recreated to look as it did on that fatal day in
1963) where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shot that was heard
around the world. This is a ‘must-see’ for historians or history
buffs visiting Dallas.
Southern hospitality
texas style
Things to Do and See While in Dallas
By Francesca Cruz
With my trusty map of the United States pinned to the wall and my dart in hand, I decide
to throw caution to the wind and select the next city to explore using a game of chance.
And where did the dart land?
T
he ninth largest city in the US,
Dallas, Texas is an exuberant and
sophisticated metropolitan area with
a genteel demeanor. The locals are
friendly, welcoming and warm,as Southern
folks in the United States tend to be, (hence
the notion of Southern hospitality), and the
city itself is vibrant and alive. With all my
research done prior to arriving in Dallas, I
was ready, with cowboy boots and twang
in place, to visit the very best attractions
this town had to offer.
After taking in some history we move on to art, and what
better place to visit than the Nasher Sculpture
Center, located in the epicenter of the Dallas Arts
District. The museum, designed by renowned architect
Renzo Piano in collaboration with landscape architect
Peter Walker, houses more than 300 masterpieces by
Calder, Giacometti, Matisse, Picasso, Rodin and more. It
is considered one of the greatest sculpture gardens in the
United States where art enhances nature. The museum
consists of light-filled roofless indoor and outdoor gallery
spaces like no other in the world. The dream of Raymond
and Patsy Nasher, the facility brings the very best of
interactive and engaging art programs to the city of Dallas.
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travel
Next on our list is the Dallas
Arboretum & Botanical
Gardens, 66-acres of the most beautiful
and serene gardens you can imagine.
Walking through the gates is like coming upon
Alice’s Wonderland. The gardens showcase
seasonal flowers, trees and ornamental
shrubs. It presently houses an installation by
celebrated artist Dale Chihuly—known for
incorporating blown glass art to nature. Why
not enjoy a scenic picnic with the family, or
there are also several restaurants and cafes
to choose from. The Arboretum is home to
art shows, festivals and outdoor concerts. It
is a lovely place for a day spent immersed in a
good read or taking a leisurely stroll.
One of the loveliest sights to take
in while in Dallas is the Dallas
World Aquarium, built in
One of the best views of Dallas you’ll find is at a historic boutique hotel that
sits perched on a North Oak Cliff hilltop called the Belmont. Just minutes
from downtown, the hotel has been renovated to maintain its original charm
with a shimmy of vintage with a lot of kitsch. The outside patio is the setting
for live music and outdoor movies, with downtown Dallas as your backdrop.
But if award winning Southern cuisine is what you are in the mood for, two
steps and a skip away in the adjacent building is SMOKE restaurant where
you can indulge in dishes like veal sweetbreads & oxtail with sherry vinegar,
turnips & kale, or roasted cabrito & fresh masa with goat’s milk cajeta & green
apple salsa verde. Oh my, I’m hungry already.
1924 and converted in 1992 from a
warehouse into the now aquarium.
Imagine walking into a South
American rainforest filled with rare
indigenous plants, marine life and
animals—minus, thankfully, the
scorching heat and unpredictable
torrential rain. Pathways lined with
bamboo-planks surrounded by
tropical foliage lead you to fairy
penguins splashing about, giant
anteaters, rare birds, multiple
species of monkeys, sloths, giant
river otters, and Orinoco crocodiles
that are endangered and native
to Venezuela. The aquarium
keeps growing and more adjacent
properties have been purchased
with new exhibits added. In 2004
Mundo Maya was completed,
consisting of a 400,000-gallon
Cenote filled with a variety of sharks
and rays. There are so many exotic
animals to view and learn about,
making this a wonderful place for
the whole family to see and enjoy.
With so much history, charm, economic
activity, art and beauty in this dynamic city,
it is certainly a destination to jot down on
your list of go-to places. There is plenty to
see and enjoy whether traveling on your
own, with friends or family. It is no wonder
that Forbes Magazine listed Dallas, Texas
as one of the top 10 fastest growing cities
in the United States.
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