JanuaryNashville, Tennessee MarchPortland, Oregon AprilGruene, Texas JuneBurlington, Vermont New York City, New York JulyBurlington, The Long Trail, & Woodstock, Vermont AugustQuebec City, Quebec Cincinnati, Ohio SeptemberAtlanta, Georgia DecemberDallas, Texas Up Next in 2016As we enter this new year, I'm looking forward to travels to Mexico, (possibly) San Diego, London, Belgium, Croatia, Slovenia, Budapest, Nepal, and (potentially) Asheville. I will also be moving back to Nashville, Tennessee, so it will be a action packed, exciting year. Stay tuned!
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I have to admit - I don't love Dallas. Every time I visit, I am overwhelmed by the sprawling size and the amount of concrete interstates criss-crossing around the city.Yet, my in-laws live just outside the city, so I decided to capitalize on the opportunity to explore a bit. Recently, Brett and I spent a very pleasant day exploring various parts of Dallas. Our exploration took us from one side of the city to the other, starting with the revitalized arts district in Oak Cliff. Bishop Arts District, Oak CliffI had always heard about the dangers of Oak Cliff, but I was unaware that north Oak Cliff is undergoing a revitalization, thanks to the Bishop Arts District. The Bishop Arts District is a neighborhood with trendy boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, and shops. Brett and I sought out this area because, of course, we researched third-wave coffee shops in Dallas. This search led us to Davis Street Espresso, a trendy coffee shop with Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters onsite. Brett and I each got a pour over, and it was a high quality cup of coffee. The interior of Davis Street Espresso was in-your-face cool, with old brick walls, wood furnishings, and a large commercial roaster visible. Oh, and, the mason jar pictured above? That's one of their "to-go" cups. Davis Street Espresso doesn't use paper cups, so, if you want your coffee to-go, either bring your own mug or pay a $2 deposit for a mason jar to-go mug. Bring back the mug, get your $2 back. Somehow, the baristas messed up our order, so they actually gave us the to-go jars for free with a casual "try to reuse them" directed at us on the way out. Hipster to-go jars in hand, we meandered down the block, stopping when a shop grabbed our interest. Boy, did Joy Macarons grab our interest! French macarons are delicious AND gluten-free, meaning they are a dessert that this gluten-challenged, dairy-challenged couple can enjoy together. Joy Macarons had this adorable macaron tree decorating their shop. We sampled some seasonal flavors, including Mexican Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Creme, as well as some mainstays, like Violet and Black Currant. When we stopped in Joy Macarons, the owner, Liz, was serving customers, so we chatted with her for a bit. She truly embodied the name of the store, exuding joy as she discussed her business. Speaking of joy, these macarons were unbelievably good! I mean it. When I think back on this day of exploring Dallas, I smile longingly at the thought of our macaron snack. On the same block as Joy Macarons was Spinster Records, a record shop with shelves of new and used vinyls. Judging by the posters, the shop also hosts music events and in-store performances. We wandered in and around the shelves, stopping to ask the clerk how long the store had been there. She sighed and began with, "Oh..." in the way that makes you think that the shop has been around so long that she could barely recall its age. She continued with, "About a year and a half." Ok, not exactly a long-standing institution, but a fun stop for music lovers nonetheless. Our final stop on the block that contained Davis Street Espresso and Joy Macarons was Glass Optical. We basically went in the shop because there was a eucalyptus garland adorning the windows and it smelled SO good. Oh, and I need some new glasses. When we stepped inside, I was blown away by the interior, with it's metal ceiling, industrial walls, minimalistic furnishings, and vintage feel. Then, I noticed this neon quote on the wall - from The Great Gatsby! If you ever need to win me over, plaster a classic literary quote on the wall. I know that not everyone would want to stop in an eyewear shop, but I think this store is the perfect example of the mix of vintage and revitalization in the neighborhood. State & AllenWe had agreed to meet up with some friends for lunch and ended up choosing State & Allen Kitchen + Bar at the recommendation of another friend. It was a 70 degree December day, so the restaurant was open to the outside. I ordered The Lounge Salad, a dish with greens, tomatoes, egg, avocado, and asparagus, adding chicken to the top. Perot Museum of Nature and ScienceWhen I told my mom that we were going to the Perot Museum, she said, "That sounds....interesting..." because it sounds like a museum about Ross Perot. In fact, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is full of hands-on science exhibits about our world past, present, and future.I always love museums like this because there is so much to learn about the world! We started at the top floor and worked our way down, beginning with Expanding Universe hall, focused on outer space. We continued through exhibits with fossils, dinosaur skeletons, gigantic gems and minerals, an earthquake simulator, engineering innovations, and cross-sections from the human body. You could spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a whole day at the Perot Museum, if you choose to take your time or expand your admission to include traveling exhibitions and/or a film. *Hint: if you are an educator from Texas or a neighboring state, you can gain free admission to the museum. SMU CampusFinally, we walked about the campus of SMU, Southern Methodist University, which I had associated with the ESPN 30 for 30 film Pony Excess. SMU has a beautiful campus. The grounds are immaculate and all of the buildings are red brick with ornate columns. None of the students were there since it was only a couple days before Christmas, but it was such a beautiful day that we wandered through the grounds and into a few buildings. After winding our way through the city, I admit that I enjoyed myself in Dallas! There were even a few things that I wanted to experience that we did not have time to do, including riding the free trolley between uptown and downtown. I love exploring cities on public transportation, I love trolleys, and I love free things! I also want to visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, where the JFK assassination took place. It was such a big moment in American history and something that is completely unique to the city of Dallas. Luckily, I will have more opportunities to explore Dallas when we visit Brett's family, so I can add these to my "Places to Visit" list for next time!
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AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
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