Overcast And Warm...A Good Day To Visit The Dallas Museum Of Art

Our Happy Granddaughter

Ramiro and I were up by 6:30 and had our coffee while watching Morning Joe.  We both wondered why so many people dislike Hilary so we read David Brooks editorial in the NYTimes which attempts to explain this.  He suggests that she's seen as a 'work alcoholic,' someone who does not know how to have fun.  That's a good reason to vote for someone he describes as 'obnoxious, insulting, and offensive.'

Monday was an open day, with no real plans other than taking Marisa to school around 7:30, picking her up again it 3:30.  So we really started our day with a 15 minute drive to school and back, then just sitting around the house, drinking coffee, trying to decide if this was a busy or relaxing day.  We chose relaxing.  So, Beth and I took a quick trip to Trader Joe's to pick up some salad and fennel because we were having the leftover chicken paillards.  Trader Joe's is just a 10 minute drive.  How I would love to have one so close.  It's not going to happen in Chautauqua, NY.

 With Granny

We then decided to go to a store, World Provision Company, Beth thought we might really like.  She was right, as it's a combination of an outdoor store like REI with a clothing store, a shoe store, a yoga store and a quirky gift shop with all kinds of interesting items.  We spent a good hour browsing, something I usually hate doing but this store was different.  We did not get much although I picked up a shirt off the '50% off rack.'  It's got to be a deal for me to buy it.  We were home by 1:30, time for lunch, Marisa's leftover chicken parm from Al Biernat's. Yum. After a short nap, I took Cody for a walk and Beth went to pick up Marisa.  Marisa, as always, came home in a good mood, with all her notebooks which she immediately sat down and went through them, keeping only the stuff she might need for next year.  What a great kid. Beth made up some guacamole and we had it with chips around 5:30 since we were holding off dinner until 8:30, after Marisa's gymnastics class.

Back Drop

Back Handspring

Pike

We drove about 25 minutes away to a strip mall where the Gymnastic's Club was situated.  It's a vast open space, with mats, other gymnastic stuff and a cool stretch of six trampolines set at floor level. Marisa seems to love this combination of exercise as well as working on various gymnastic skills. Class was an hour long and there were four or five groups of various ages and skills, which moved from one station to another every ten or fifteen minutes.  It was fun to watch and she loved it, the best part.  We stopped at Sonic on the way home to get Marisa a vanilla milk shake.  Rami was back from his short business trip to Austin, so we sat down with him, had dinner of chicken with a fennel salad and watched, what else, the heavily favored NBA team lose again.  This time it was the Cavs.  Go figure.

Celebrating Mitchell's Birthday And Graduation

Mitch, Mom, And Dad

With Granny

Happy It's Over

It's 7:00 and Marisa and Beth are up making chocolate chip pancakes.  Rami is flying off to Austin for the day and he left around 6:30, just as I got up.  It will be another warm day for us in Dallas, a mild one I suppose for the locals as it will only get up to 87º.  It's overcast, humid, and we are having thunderstorms as I publish this blog.

Mitch And Friends

Yesterday, a Sunday, began early as Baccalaureate was at 9:30 at the Opera House in Dallas.  So everyone but Marisa and me were out of the house by 8:15, as Mitch had to get there early. The ceremony was an hour long, some choral music and a religious talk by a graduate from ten years ago. I guess Baccalaureates both here and in KC cannot be organized by the school because of its religious nature so volunteer parents set it up, a result of the separation of church and state.  The opera house was stunning, with chandeliers that changed colors.  Marisa and I just hung out and I took Cody for a short walk until the group got home around 11:00.

 Buddies

A Handsome And Smart Grandson

We had a big breakfast, so Evie and Marisa made beignets, Rami scrambled eggs, Beth cooked the bacon and Mitch and I ate the results. We hung out the rest of the day until 3:00 when Marisa, Rami and I went off to REI which was having its once a year sale; everything was 30% off.  Rami showed me Highland Park's hip shopping area, Dallas's equivalent to Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive, with all the big name shops. We did not stop! REI was packed and while we were there browsing, the line at the cashiers always seemed to be at least 25 people long.  Rami and I picked out the same cool shirt and we laughed that if we both wore it to tonight's dinner, Mitchell would refuse to go with us, his weird father and grandfather.  We stopped at Starbucks so Marisa could get a mango black tea lemonade, a favorite.

Mother And Daughter

Proud Parents

We were back by 4:00. Evie and I decided to get some exercise, a mistake because of the heat and humidity, but we stayed out for 35 minutes, easily working up a sweat and ogling all the cool houses, the great trees that surround the neighborhood.

Baba And Granny, Marisa and Mitch

We left for Al Biernat's at 5:45 for our reservations at 6:00.  We were one of the first ones to be seated in the ornate but cosy dining area but by the time we left it was packed.  The first thing I saw as we entered was a great old bar, mirror, bottles and patrons.  Off to the left were two huge picture frames with the jerseys of Nolan Ryan and Troy Aikman, local sports heroes.  We sat down at a round table and from then on, we had a number of waiters at our beck and call, filling water glasses, bringing plates or dinner, taking away used plates.  We had two appetizers, a calamari and a chopped sushi with crispy lavash. And for dinner we all had Nieman Ranch steaks, of course, and most had the Filet Mignon, but Evie and I split a 24 ounce porterhouse, served nicely sliced so we could easily share.  We had sides of a mushroom risotto, sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach, and a great macaroni and cheese, with a mixture of swiss, pepper jack, cheddar, and a dollop of ranch dressing.  For dessert, we had pecan pie with ice cream, coconut cream pie, and a peanut butter, chocolate and you name it pie.
They we all so rich that we shared them.  It was a great meal.  Yes, I would go back!

Dining At Al Biernat's

Al Biernat's Ceiling

When we got home, we were so full we could hardly make it to the couches to watch TV.  We watched Oklahoma City demolish Golden State, a big upset and just before bed, I took Cody out for a night walk which he loved.  It was a good way to end a great day for Mitchell.

Happy Birthday Mitchell

It's 8:15 and Beth and I just  got home from driving Marisa to school, as there are no school buses in Highland Park which means hundreds of cars converge on the school at the same time, so it's slow going and coming.  It took us 20 minutes to get to school and back.

Drones, A Mall Haul, Getting Ready For Baccalaureate

With My Buddy, Cody

Marisa, The Gymnast

It's just 6:30, a bit overcast here in University Park, a suburb 10 miles north of Dallas downtown. Beth and I have been up since 6:00 and I just woke Evie as this morning is Mitchell's Highland Park High School Baccalaureate at the Windspear Opera House, about 20 minutes away.  It's at 9:30, so everyone is starting to rise and get ready because Mitch has to be there by 8:30.  It's 71º, already humid and will get to a high later of 85º, mild for this time of year.

Marisa, Beth, And Mitch

Yesterday morning we just hung out, not sure what to do with our day.  It felt good to not have to get up and drive somewhere, to not have to sit in a car for four or five hours.  I unfortunately mentioned I might want to get a pair of jeans, as if Texas might have a corner on the jeans market.  Well, Rami mentioned an outlet with mega Jean choices and Mitchell needed new pants and a shirt for graduation, so off we went on the crazy highways of Dallas, twenty miles north to an outlet mall, one of my least favorite things to do.  Well, I started at the Levi outlet and everyone else went their way.  Within five minutes, I realized they did not have a single pair with a 36 inch length, thus the trip was for naught as far as I was concerned.  Everyone else, however, was able to find things they liked.  Mitch got his shirt, pants, and a pair of new shoes, Marisa a couple of cool shirts, Beth a necklace, and Evie found three or four neat things at the Lucky Jean outlet.  So it was a good morning for everyone but moi. By the time we finished, we were hungry so we stopped at Liberty Burger, another of the numerous burger joints that have sprung up featuring different and deluxe burgers.  This was a good place, lots of choices and thick, juicy burgers.  Mine was done pink not red.

Lunch At Liberty Burger

We were back by 2:30, exhausted from shopping, at least I was.  A couple of us took naps, some watched TV, began the prepping for dinner, and Marisa worked on weaving a cover for her iPhone.  I took the hobbled Cody out for a short walk which he loves, but I am not sure if it's good for him. When we got home, there was a big package for Mitch, a drone, a graduation present from his parents.  So he spent the rest of the afternoon setting it up, learning how to use the controls, so we could fly it after dinner, around dusk.

For dinner,we were having Milanese chicken, so it took quite a bit of prepping to slice the chicken, pound it thin,  dip it in egg and bread it.  Both Beth and Evie worked at this for quite awhile.  They then fried up the cutlets, put them in the oven and made a salad with arugula, fennel, lettuce, and a great lemon flavored dressing.  Before the frying, however, we all relaxed in the living room with a glass of wine, talking about what we would be doing the rest of the week.  Dinner was great, the cutlets were served with the salad on top, and everyone devoured their meal. It's one of the families favorites and ironically Evie also made it this winter because it's from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

Flying The Drone

A View Of Us From The Drone

Around 8:00, Mitch, Rami, Cody and I went off to a soccer field about ten minutes away, and Mitch expertly sent his drone soaring into the sky.  He has a joy stick pad which allows him to direct the drone. The drone has a camera and sends pictures to Mitch's iPhone.  He is able to see what the drone is viewing as well as make a video if he likes.  The drone can fly for 25 minutes and it can go as high as 300 feet, as far away as five miles but he kept it within the confines of the soccer field because he has yet to register it with the FAA.  He was even able to view the moon rising off to the south through the drone's camera. When we got home, all of us gathered around his iPhone and watched the video from the drone, as it soared over the field, with views of downtown Dallas and nearby Condos and Office Buildings.  It was neat.  We ended the night sitting around talking and watching the Cavs lose to Toronto. By the end of the game, we were all tired and went to bed.

Ready For Take Off

Hovering

Today, Sunday, we have the Baccalaureate ceremony at 9:30, then a special graduation dinner for Mitch at 6:00 at a famous Texas Steakhouse called Al Biernat's, supposedly the equal if not better than any of the famous steak houses in NYC.  I cannot wait.

Tacos In Texas

Dinner At Dallas's #1 Taco Joint

Authentic Mexican Tacos

Rami and I are the only ones up, probably because it's Saturday and why should anyone get up without work or school.  Rami is going biking with friends and wants to beat the traffic which can be horrendous around here, even on a Saturday.  It's 66º at the moment, but should get up to 88º later in the day.  Welcome to Texas spring heat.  It actually feels good to be warm.

Bottling Spring Water

We left our hotel in Hot Springs around 8:30 and stopped briefly at a spring just down the street and filled our water bottles with the miraculous, curative waters of Hot Springs (it was cold at this particular spring).  We then took a three mile loop, up through Hot Springs Park, a climb up to 1 1/2 miles, then down the same. There are all kinds of trails up and down, starting from different destinations.  We saw a number of people walking it and wished we could have stayed an extra day, walked up to the top, to the pavilion, had a picnic lunch, then walked down.  Next time and we hit the spa, too.

Pavilion At Top Of Hot Springs Park

We then started for Dallas and fortunately, our first hour was on back roads, through hills and forests before we hit Highway 30, which took us to Texarkana and on to Dallas.  Traffic was not bad until we hit the Dallas metropolitan area.  And we seemed to be doing well, on the #635 ring when we were supposed to get off at Exit 22 D.  Well, of course, there was an A,B, C but no D.  So our GPS took us around in circles twice before we turned it off and Evie turned on Waze on her iPhone.  It told us to take C and we were golden, arrived at Beth's around 2:30, as expected.  Of course, the local school was just getting out so we could not find a parking space in front of her house, so we drove in their back alley and parked until the cars cleared off.  It' going to take some getting used to Texas traffic after Chautauqua's quiet life.

The Lone Star State, Finally

Beth and Evie picked Marisa up from school (no school buses in University Park), so they were gone for 15 minutes.  Marisa was excited to see us and seemed so grown up since we saw her last in December at my niece's wedding in Washington, D.C.  Mitch, our other senior, came home just after Marisa, and he's pretty excited about finishing up a great senior year in Dallas, then matriculating to the University of Texas in Austin.  He showed us his dorm room in Austin (most of the dorms are private) on his computer and it looked like the Ritz, an apartment with separate bedrooms, bathrooms, a TV room and lounge, kitchen for four, and a huge viewing room, with a TV, swimming pool and work out center, all in a nine story building.  It makes my bunk bed and two desk dorm room look prehistoric.  As a graduation present, Beth and Rami were treating him and six friends to dinner, so we was off by 5:30.  Rami came home around 5:30, and we sat around talking, having a beer and eating chips and salsa, while the good girl, Marisa, did some of the reviewing for the big tests she will be having next week.  She is so organized, has 240 notecards that she made to help study for her tests.  A serious girl.  I am not sure who she gets this from, certainly not from my genetic pool.  We talked mostly about TV series which we liked because Beth and Rami are always up on some of the good series like us.  Even though we often have different tastes (they like Survivor, The Amazing Race; we don't), there are many we agree on like The Americans, Rita, and Happy Valley.

Las Muchachas At El Come Taco

We left University Park and drove through the more posh neighborhood of Highland Park, where some of the homes go for 30 million or more, like Shaker Heights in Ohio used to be.  We ended up in a down trodden part of town which is quickly being revitalized, with lots of construction.  And we had dinner at Dallas # 1 Taco Restaurant, El Come Taco, in a strip mall, across from a check cashing place.  Classy. We ordered at a counter, from a menu of tacos that  take up the entire wall.  It's the kind of taco we might get in Mexico, just meat, but there are all kinds of topping if you want. You can even get brain or tripe tacos.  I discovered the flavor of notales (cactus) on my three tacos.  We sat down after ordering, waited ten minutes in a practically empty place, as the meats are grilled to order so it takes time.  They place two small tacos together, place all the goodies on top, and then bring it to your table.  They also have great margaritas, the kind where you can actually taste the tequila. This is the kind of place we could go back and back and back.

La  Marisa Loca

For dessert, Beth bought 12 small cupcakes from a popular bakery called Nothing Bundt Cakes, each of the four flavors the most popular at this particular shop.  We cut them in half even though they were small and they were scrumptious, a mega sugar way to top our meal. We then plopped down in the front of the TV, very full, and watched the final episodes of Survivor.  I took Cody for a walk at dusk but his legs, either arthritis or a pulled muscle, is bothering him so he limps quite a bit yet he jumps up and seems to want to go.

We went to bed at 11:00 even though Mitch was still out with friends.  Beth and Rami are used to this, like most parents of teenagers, going to bed even though their sons are not yet home.

Not sure what today will bring other than we will be eating at home, enjoying the day.

Hot Springs, Arkansas To Dallas Texas, Finally

University Of Arkansas's  Painted Razorback

Book Store Razorback

Up early enough, at 7:00, and went downstairs to get three cups of coffee for Evie.  Then, since the wifi is weak in the hotel, I walked downtown to the Kollective, a neat little coffee shop about ten minutes away.  It's partly cloudy out, fairly mild, as Hot Springs is just beginning to wake.  We have about a five hour drive ahead of us today to Beth and family in Dallas, Texas.

We checked out of our Inn in Fayetteville just after 9:00, drove around and looked at the campus, getting a feel for it, mostly stone, older school buildings, lots of fraternity or sorority houses tucked in among the neighborhoods, and a plethora of trees, lining all the walks, elaborate gates at the four entrances to campus.  We stopped at the bookstore and picked up some Razorback stuff before jumping on the highway, towards Little Rock and the Clinton Library.

The first hour of the ride was beautiful, hilly and green vistas off on either side of the road but once we got out of the northwest corner of the state, the land settled and flattened, and it was more like driving through northern Ohio.  As we got close to Little Rock, the gas stations, fast food restaurants, car lots, and storage sheds started to appear, the kind of insignificant growth that circles most cities of any size.

Clinton Library

It was, however, an easy on and off to the Clinton Library, a huge, modern looking building, a five story rectangle set up on legs, with a Clinton apartment on the top floor.  We decided to eat as it was 12:30, so we went downstairs to '42,' the formal lunch room, with white table cloths,  pictures of the Clinton's on the walls, and an outdoor dining area.  We ate inside because it was still too cool to eat al fresco.  The menu was varied and interesting and we both had great lunches, Evie a fresh berry and chicken salad, and I had toasted tortillas topped with black beans, salsa, collard greens, and a egg.  Both were great.

t

Painting of Teddy Roosevelt, In Oval Office

Replica of White House Cabinet Meeting Room

We then spent 15 minutes watching a film, narrated by Clinton, and after wards, we went on an hour and a half tour of the library.  There are replicas of the Oval Office and  Cabinet Conference room, to give you a feel for where the decisions were made.

Sitting In Oval Office

Painting In Clinton's Oval Office

We then walked into the library proper, a long narrow two story, glass rectangle, with what looks like book cases, but they hold just a small portion of the Clinton archives. It's modeled after Old Library at Trinity College.. And surrounding this, in nooks are videos and photos of the Clinton years, highlighting the events year by year, from 1992-2000. And on the walls, were pictures and memorabilia  from both Bill and Hillary's early lives, starting with Clinton's childhood, pictures of his family, then high school, and college.  Then the early years together with Hillary as governor, before running for President.

Clinton Library Stacks And Exhibits

It gave you a good sense of their lives, of the successes, some of the failures, but it was well done. One could spend hours reading all the texts on screens, under pictures, as well as letters, to and from Clinton.  Lots of pictures of world leaders he worked with, as well as letters from them extolling the virtues of Clinton.  After a couple of hours, we had had enough, as my limit on museums and libraries seems to be between two and three hours.  We were mildly disappointed in the Library as it was not as impressive as we had expected.  We did like the fact that it was a green building, much of it built from recycled materials.

President Clinton Bridge

We then went outside and walked across the President Clinton Bridge, an old railroad bridge, now a hiking or biking path, which spans the Arkansas River, next to the Library.  We left around 3:30 and had a traffic filled drive out of Little Rock, but once we got on the road to Hot Springs, traffic settled down and the drive was easy.  We were a little taken back by the looks of of our hotel, the Park, the old lady of Hot Springs, which looked as if it needed lots of work.  But we decided to stick with it, even though we had difficulty with the wifi and they have limited channels on the TV which means no ESPN, so I could not watch the Cavs.  You cannot always believe what you read on TripAdvisor. The Park is definitely not posh, perhaps never was.  Once  we got settled, the wifi semi working, we relaxed as it was raining outside so we put off our walk into town off until dinner time.

A Great Old Bar And Restaurant

We left for the town around 6:30 in rain but fortunately we brought our umbrellas.  Uptown was just a short walk, one side filled with bars, restaurants, shops, antiquated hotels, the other side, a wall of green, the edge of Hot Springs State Park.  We had read about a restaurant that everyone seemed to like, locals and tourists alike, The Ohio Club, so we walked down the street, window gazing and walked in, found a seat at the bar and we knew this was the right place.  The bartender told us all about a new draft beer, a recipe from 100 years ago, and recently brewed by the local micro brewery across the street.  Of course we had to try it and it was fine, not hoppy, so we had a couple.  The waitress recommended the onion rings, so we had them for an appetizer and they were good.  For dinner I had the Ohio burger, Evie the portabello sandwich, on a special bun and both sandwiches and fries were good.

Go Hogs, With Todd

We ended up talking with a guy who lived in Hot Springs for seven years, but was then transferred by the Forest Service to a town outside of Tallahassee.  He was here for his daughter's graduation.  He used to come to this particular bar, told us its history, how Al Capone used to sit at a hotel across the street and keep and eye on it back when it was his cigar shop and brothel.  It's gone through many owners, a fire, but seems to be doing well now.  We ended up talking about politics, in a friendly way, and he told us why he supported Trump and why he, along with the bartender really hate 'lying Hillary,'  We have heard this often from Arkansas natives, that they have little affection for Bill's wife.  The vitriol toward Hillary, especially from the young bartender, was unsettling. I did not even dare bring up Obama.   Anyways, we got along well, no hard feelings and had a fun conversation.

Evie And Razorback Fan, Rick

We left about 8:30 to go to another bar, Fat Jack's, because they would have the Cavs game on TV since our hotel did not have ESPN.  It was empty except for a guy, talking to a couple, the woman a stitch, as she told us all about why she believes in Big Foot, comparing belief in him to belief in Jesus.  Quite hysterical actually.  When she left we struck up a conversation with the other guy, a prosthetics salesman, a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas, an avid Razorback football fan, like most people in Arkansas.  He was fun to talk with, a typical salesman. We talked Razorback stuff until he left and we paid up and walked home to our hotel room in the rain.  Despite the lousy hotel, we had a great night out on the town in Hot Springs.  We will come back, probably to the Arlington Hotel and Spa, just around the corner from our hotel.

It's on to Dallas in an hour or so.  Cannot wait.

Crystal Bridges Museum Yesterday, Clinton Library And Hot Springs, Arkansas, Today

Crystal Bridges Museum's Main Buildings

The Hiking Paths of The Museum

It's early in Fayetteville, 6:30, quiet on the University of Arkansas campus because the semester is over. I have just gotten back from a brief morning walk, to the Old Main, around a few buildings and back.  I did not see a soul, as the campus is eerily empty.  It's also difficult to get a good picture of anything because there are so many trees, making the campus like a forest with occasional buildings.

Fulbright Peace Tower On Campus

We left Lee's Summit, reluctantly, but were able to be on the road just before 8:00.  It was sunny when we left, but clouded up on the way, as we had an easy three hour drive to the Crystal Bridges Museum.  There was little traffic on the road until we got to Joplin, then when we entered the area around Bentonville but that was it, easy going on #71//49,  a divided highway most of the way.

Stella, the Pig

We knew there was going to be a tour of spring wildflowers with a horticulturalist at 11:30, so we made it with 15 minutes to spare.  The museum was busy, the parking lots practically full when we got there at 11:00, when the Museum opened.  I was really surprised at how busy it was, mostly with either retirees like us or a busloads of students from the area.  There were about 10 of us on the tour, which took an hour and a half, as we wound our way along various paths.  Most flowers were either past their peak or about to open, so we did not have a lot to see.  But she was good at explaining the plants, trees, bushes, and sculptures which we saw along the way.  The landscaping of the grounds is consciously minimal, as they went out of their way to preserve the natural environment except when it was necessary to create a walk, or a rock area.  After the walk, we ate lunch in the Crystal Bridges lunch room, long and narrow, with floor to ceiling windows on both sides, a spectacular area to lunch. You order at the kiosk, get a number, and a server brings  your meal to the table in 10 minutes or so.  I had chicken and biscuits, Evie a chicken salad, both good.

Dining Room

We then spent the next hour or two touring the art museum, basically American art from the early 1800's to NOW.   Most of the first couple of centuries were paintings by artists we did not recognize.  It was not until the mid 19th century that we began to recognize names like Whistler, Sergeant, and even a Wyeth.  It is a spectacular museum architecturally and viewing the art is easy as there's no sense of crowding or putting too much into one room.  Because the Museums artist's are mostly unknowns until late 19th century, it's not my favorite museum.  Browsing a museum dedicated to American artists, however, is different and interesting to any art lover.

A Sculpture Of Garden Tools

We left around 3:00, tired from our drive and visit and had a half hour ride to Fayetteville, where we checked into the Inn At Carnal Hall, on the University of Arkansas campus.  Once we got in our rooms, we fell onto our bed, exhausted from our trip.  I think not sleeping well because we are not in our own beds finally got to us.  We relaxed for a couple of hours, then,  showered and went out to explore the campus and the town around 6:30.  I felt guilty just laying around in our room but was too tired to get up and walk the campus.  I rationalized it by saying we would do it tomorrow morning before leaving for the Clinton Museum.

Inn At Carnal Hall On U Of Arkansas Campus

Around 6:30, we walked uptown, which is on the edge of the Old Main, the center of the old campus. We walked down Dickson Street, the main street adjacent to campus, filled with one bar or restaurant after another, with a clothing shop occasionally thrown in.  They all looked neat, places you might want to have a beer or a burger, some even had roof top bars, others had their doors and windows open because it was such a mild night.  It was quiet because students were gone, the bars and restaurants slow.  We stopped in Farrell's, recommended by the desk clerk, sat down to a beer and three really tasty sliders.

Hand Cut Fries And A Beer At Hugo's

Since it was fairly quiet, with few customers, we decided to walk down to the old time campus bar and dive called Hugo's, just off the town square.  Dive is a good word to describe it, set down some stairs, dark and campy, looking as if it had not changed in twenty years but also packed with locals we assume.  We did get a seat at the bar, and Evie ordered a huge basket of hand cut fries and I had a fried catfish po'boy.  The fries would have been enough for both of us.  It was a local hangout, good food and vibes but a bit hyper, as the wait staff was constantly on the move.  We walked home in twilight, tired and full, ready, we hope for a good night's sleep so we are up for a busy Thursday.