A Day in Dallas

Dancing on the ceiling at the Dallas Museum of Illusions!

Like many Americans, my personal travel during 2020 was limited, and my business travel was non-existent. Things are s-l-o-w-l-y moving in the right direction, and I've cranked some of my personal travel back up. And though my business travel will still be *very* limited this year, I did have the chance to spend a couple of days in the Dallas area recently. 

I flew in early the day before, primarily because I wanted to take a direct flight, and there aren't many options for those out of my home airport. Thus, I arrived in Dallas in the morning. I caught a quick cab to my home base for the next few days, the Omni Las Colinas Hotel in Irving. It's a lovely property in a planned development that unfolds along a man-made canal. They have a nice pool/bar/grill area, a perfectly adequate fitness center, and a nice on-property restaurant. In addition, being right on the canal puts guests on the extensive walking/trail system, which is nice for evening strolls. 

This looks like a deep tunnel,
but it's really a trick of light and mirrors.

After dropping my bags at the hotel, I walked over to Le Peep for a quick breakfast. What a great little place! Though it was a Tuesday morning, there were plenty of customers coming in and out. Some were dining on property, and others were picking up takeaway. They had a friendly, efficient staff, a menu full of variety (The Greek goddess mini omelette is yummmm.), and - most importantly - really good coffee! (I tried the Texas Pecan!) I had a great breakfast here, enjoying both the food and the people-watching. 

After I'd filled up the tank, I caught a quick Uber to the Museum of Illusions. It looked like a fun stop, and quick, too, as they only allow visitors an hour at the attraction. The facility is fairly small, but it's chock full of various optical illusions. The infinity room is full of mirrors, and you see more "yous" everywhere you look! They also had forced perspective rooms where you looked like a giant or an elf, depending on where you were standing. In one "exhibit," it looked as though you were walking on the ceiling, and in another, your head was being served on a dinner plate! It was just a fun, quick attraction to check out. Something different!

After my visit here, it was a quick walk to the Dallas Museum of Art. Honestly, I've been trying to get to this museum for YEARS, but I was either in Dallas with other travelers who weren't interested, or my free time in town was on a day the attraction was closed. It was wonderful to finally be able to check it out! 

Though admission to the museum is free, you do need to go online beforehand and "reserve" a timed ticket. Then, you just show your free ticket to the docent at the door, and you're in! The museum is quite large, and it will take you a few hours to cover it all. I started on the ground floor, where I admired William Wetmore Story's gorgeous Semiramis and a special installation called Curbed Vanity by Chris Schanck. The Hoffman Galleries featured an arresting series of pieces by Julian Charriere. I really loved his sculptures and the videos exploring fire, water, and glacial environments. I also took a turn through the sculpture garden.

Beautiful Semiramis.

On the upper floors, I particularly enjoyed a window into the conservation room, where they restore and care for old and/or damaged art. And I loved the immersive Wendy and Emery Reves Collection, staged to mimic the French villa where the couple lived and housed their extensive art and furniture collection. (William Churchill was a frequent visitor, and they have some of his paintings and a box of his paints on display as part of the exhibit.) The African and Asian collections are both impressive, and I rounded out the visit with some Impressionists (though it's hard to top the Musee de l'Orangerie, where I sat in an oval room surrounded by giant canvasses of Monet's Water Lilies).

During my visit, my rumbling stomach also led me to the museum's ground-floor cafe, where a cup of tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a chocolate chip cookie fortified me for further exploring. 

Tacos! 

Once I'd seen the whole place, it was back into an Uber and back to my hotel, where I officially checked into my room, changed into my swimsuit, and hit the pool. It was a sunny, perfect day, and there was plenty of space to spread out! Their pool area has tons of lounge chairs and umbrellas, and it fronts the canal. There's a poolside bar/grill if you need a snack or a drink, but I mostly just enjoyed the weather and the water. After a few hours, I popped back up to my room for a shower and change, then grabbed a light dinner of street tacos and a mojito in the on-property restaurant. (Delish.) 

After dinner, I decided to stroll the trail system that runs along the canal, and it's a lovely area. A fresh breeze was continually running along the water, and I saw tons of people out for evening runs or walks with their cute dogs. (I also noticed that the Irving canal boasts honest-to-goodness gondolas that you can rent, complete with gondolier. Maybe Texas really *does* have everything, y'all.) 

Then, it was a well-deserved rest! Over the next two days, I had a great time meeting people and learning a ton. Then, it was a quick hop back home. Thanks, Texas, for another lovely visit!

Saw this rainbow in mid-air on my flight home! Happy Thursday!