Dallas Days

Pegasus has been a fixture of Dallas since the mid-1930s. 

I had the occasion to spend another afternoon in Dallas, Texas, recently, and I had so much fun! I got there around lunch time, so I stopped for a delicious bite at Sloane's Corner. I started with a cup of the charred tomato bisque and moved on to the excellent chicken paillard. I loved this place. The service was speedy, smooth and incredibly knowledgable about the menu, and the food was great.

Zooming on my Segway!

As it was a sunny, beautiful day, I'd decided to try a new outdoor activity after lunch - a Segway tour. I'd never done one of these before, but there's a convenient location in downtown Dallas, you can book pretty late, and they do offer a few different options for tours. 

I met my guide, Jared, at the tour office, and he gave me a quick tutorial on operating the Segway. They are very sensitive machines, really only needing the pressure of your feet (either on the balls or heels) to move. You use the handlebars to balance and steer. After a few rounds in the building on a flat, even surface, we did a little maneuvering on the walkway outside. Then, we were on our way! 

We started at Pioneer Plaza, then saw the Pegasus, "Big Red," Dealey Plaza, the giant eyeball, and tons of cool public parks. There's so much to see, and you can cover a ton of ground on the Segway. We had great weather for this activity, my guide was very well-informed about the city and its history, and I loved trying something new! I'd highly recommend a Segway tour.

Afterwards, I walked a few blocks over to Deep Ellum to check out some of their gorgeous murals. There are tons of them in a very tight area, and they are something to see. I checked out Blues Alley, with its collection of musical greats, and I even caught an artist painting a new mural! On my next trip to Dallas, I may try to visit this area at night, as its saturation of restaurants, bars, and breweries looked pretty intense.

It feels like artists and creatives have the run of Deep Ellum.

 

Next, I caught a quick Uber to Northpark Center, a huge art, shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. I don't think I've ever been to a mall that demonstrated such an affinity for art. There were large sculptural pieces scattered throughout the development, as well as arresting murals punctuating the walls. Locals appear to take all of this completely for granted, but for a new visitor, it was noticeable. 

Ready for my VR adventure!

I browsed for about an hour, looking at art and trying on glitter pants at Zara, before noticing Dreamscape, a virtual reality theatre, tucked into the second floor. Well, virtual reality was another thing I'd never done before, so I thought I'd give it a shot! I walked right in and happened to be the only customer for that time slot showing of Curse of the Lost Pearl, which the nice folks at the front desk told me was the resident fan favorite. In I went.

First you attach sensors to your hands and feet. You also put on a backpack/vest and a headset. You are led into a black-box sort of room, with lit footprints on the floor that direct you where to stand. They provide some instructions, the experience starts up, and off you go. 

This was so. Much. FUN!! There are virtual elements, real elements (objects that you actually manipulate and pick up, fresh breezes, etc.), and a ton of cool things to see and hear. I was in the theatre for this one alone, but I can see how coming with a small group would be a HOOT. If Alien Zoo (another one of their experiences) had started right afterwards, I would have immediately done that one next. As it was, though, there was about a 30-minute wait, so I moved on.

Also in Northpark Center is a beautiful AMC movie theatre. I took a gander at the "now showing" sign, and noticed with a start that they were playing The Tragedy of Macbeth (starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand) on the big screen! I'd been excited to watch this at home via Apple+, but here was a chance to watch the Scottish tragedy writ large. I couldn't pass it up. 

Girl's gotta eat! Pesto at Eataly hit the spot.

I grabbed a ticket, a kid's snack pack (a small popcorn, drink, and fruit snack - a deal at $7), and settled in. Oh. Em. Geeee. This is a fresh, interesting, and electric take on an old story. Denzel Washington is absolutely at the top of his game. I loved how he delivered his lines in a contemporary way (less theatrical and more suitable for the screen), almost throwing some of them away, really. But even so, the beauty of the language still asserts itself. He trusted the strength of the text enough to do this, and I thought it really paid off. 

Corey Hawkins, who plays Macduff, has less screen time, but he plays his role so well that he's incredibly memorable in this film. I loved how Coen handled the three witches (an inspired turn by Kathryn Hunter), and I loved the arresting black-and-white, often symmetrical aesthetic of the film. I also really enjoyed how there were moments in which it felt more like a horror/suspense/slasher flick than Shakespeare. (And really, aren't there similarities? Witches, ghosts, tons of murder, madness, etc.) 

All in all, I would highly recommend seeing this movie. I really enjoyed it. 

By the time the movie was finished, my stomach was grumbling. Luckily, Eataly was just around the corner. I walked over and sat down at Il Pastaio di Eataly for dinner. I had a divine trennette pesto, washed down with a cold glass of prosecco. My server, Stephanie, was amazing, the food came quick, and it hit the spot! 

After dinner, I grabbed a car back to my hotel and slept like the dead. As always, I really enjoyed my afternoon in Dallas. There's so much to do there! Until next time!

Until next time, Dallas!