Oak Lawn Archives - Page 2 of 6

The Oak Lawn Slingshot

September 23, 2020

My neighbors have pretty fancy tastes in cars, and this bedazzled Slingshot-style car is no exception.

I probably wouldn’t want to get stuck in traffic during a 100 degree day in one of these things, but fall seems like the perfect time to take a three-wheeler vehicle out around the metro.

The Oak Lawn Polaris Slingshot.

It’s interesting that the front of the vehicle reads “Little Rock, AR.” Hopefully my neighbors didn’t actually drive this contraption all the way from Arkansas — I would need air condition and doors for that type of road trip. 🏎️

Redfield’s Tavern in the Medical District

September 21, 2020

The nurse mural in front of Redfield's in the Medical District.

Redfield’s Tavern is one of my few favorite spots, conveniently located right by the gayborhood in Dallas’ Medical District.

With most of the bars on The Strip still closed, the queens have coopted this supposedly-straight venue.

LGBT / Oak Lawn

The Other Oak Lawn Gateway Sign

September 20, 2020

The Oak Lawn rainbow sign near Kroger on Douglas Avenue.

The massive Oak Lawn rainbow gateway sign that I mentioned a few weeks ago is actually the second such sign in the neighborhood. The other gateway sign is at the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Cedar Springs Road, right in front of the Kroger.

The interesting thing about this sign is that it has lights with a holographic effect. Sort of trippy for pedestrians, but pretty cool.

The Oak Lawn rainbow sign near Kroger on Douglas Avenue.

Hopefully some shrubbery will be added in the coming months to hide the random utility boxes by the sign. But we’ll see — landscaping is not often a priority in this area. 🌱

dogs / Oak Lawn

Ingrid and the Ball

September 18, 2020

Ingrid the labradoodle terrified by a ball.

Out of all of the potentially scary things in the gayborhood, I did not expect that my labradoodle would be terrified by a faded Disney princess beach ball.

Ingrid has not growled and snarled at something so fiercely since that awful camouflage car in Washington DC.

It look her almost five minutes to muster enough courage to inspect the ball. I was thoroughly amused.

However, a truly terrifying thing happened about two minutes later as we started walking toward Cedar Springs Road — we startled a flock of pigeons feasting on one of the many piles of cat food in the neighborhood. The pigeons all flew toward us and almost clipped my head!

Ingrid was far less pressed by the birds than the ball, so maybe this was just karma for me laughing at her. 🔮

Oak Lawn

Whoops

September 17, 2020

A bus and car accident on Cedar Springs Road in the Dallas gayborhood.

We came across an interesting scene on the evening dog walk today — apparently a bus and a white sedan had a crash in front of the S4 nightclub on Cedar Springs Road. The car got the worst part of the deal.

It appeared that there were no injuries because a woman (who looked like the car driver) was speaking with the cops. The very bored bus driver stood nearby.

A bus and car accident on Cedar Springs Road in the Dallas gayborhood.

Hopefully soon there will be something more interesting happening on the Strip than a minor car accident. Ideally, it will be less exciting that the murder that happened a few blocks down.

What happened to the low-level alcohol-related crime? 🥂

Oak Lawn

The Rolls

September 16, 2020

Vintage Rolls Royce in Oak Lawn, Dallas.

One of my neighbors is riding in style! This older-model (but well maintained) Rolls Royce was parked near the hazardous neighborhood traffic jam spot.

Some of my neighbors clearly have very fancy tastes, and I’m here for it. ✨

Oak Lawn

The Oak Lawn Traffic Jam

September 15, 2020

A traffic jam on Oak Lawn Avenue caused by the new Starbucks Store.

I am thrilled by the new coffee shop on Oak Lawn Avenue & Congress Ave. They are quick, friendly, and it is really easy to hitch up the dogs while running in to get a mobile order.

However, walking up to the coffee shop during the mornings is cringe-worthy because I see near-miss traffic accidents several times a week in front of the store.

dogs / Home Decor / Oak Lawn

The Dallas Gallery Wall

September 15, 2020

Gunter the Chiweenie and our new living room gallery wall.

We’ve had a gallery wall in almost every apartment since our last stint in Dallas, and this time around it is no different.

The latest iteration of the gallery wall has a hodgepodge of new wall art, vintage album covers, diplomas, and even a family photo or two.

The dogs don’t seem to mind it, so I guess it’s a success?

dogs / Oak Lawn

The Sidewalk Garden

September 14, 2020

Dallas sidewalks are notoriously bad — either filled with junk, deteriorating, or, filled with plants apparently.

Sidewalks in Oak Lawn in Dallas.

It’s by the far the most pleasant nuisance in the neighborhood. And, not many people walk in this area so it probably doesn’t bother many people.

Oak Lawn

That escalated quickly

September 13, 2020

I am not sure if this bulk trash day, a hoarders situation, or a particularly rude eviction — but there was recently a huge mess in the neighborhood in front of one of the many vintage apartment buildings.

Surely it’s not an eviction, which have been banned during the outbreak, but who knows? Also, why would a landlord trash their own property like this? Seems odd.

Trashed yard in Oak Lawn, Dallas.

It’s not the strangest or even most unsightly thing in Oak Lawn right now, but pretty strange nevertheless. 🤷

Oak Lawn

“Are you mask queens?”

September 13, 2020

Martinis at Liquid Zoo in Oak Lawn, Dallas

One of the most jarring things about moving from Washington D.C. to Dallas during a pandemic is how differently the cities approach the virus.

The social norms surrounding physical distancing and mask wearing are very different in Dallas. We’ve actually had neighbors say, “Oh, so you’re mask queens?” In the same condescending tone that you’d use with an anti-vaxxer.

City Gardening / Oak Lawn

Dallas killed my balcony plants

September 8, 2020

Ingrid inspecting my Haworthia succulent plants that did not survive the Texas heat.

The Texas heat was not kind to the beautiful, supposedly-resilient Haworthia succulent plants that I brought from D.C.

The plants died, and they died quickly on my new balcony. After a string of 100-degree days, the plants shriveled despite daily watering.

Apparently Dallas also has crickets, who are totally unbothered by the heat. I found my already-suffering plants devoured one morning after they became a midnight buffet for those little terrors.

It was time to toss the plants and start over.

Home Decor / Oak Lawn

Constructing the Faux Green Wall

September 6, 2020

The finished green wall and biking desk.

I’ve had my biking desk and faux green wall for a few weeks now and I love my new WFH setup.

The inspiration for the green wall was this post from “A Beautiful Mess,” but I did some modifications.

Specifically, my green wall has lighting, which means that I needed to modify the installation process so the apartment doesn’t burn down. If you want to build your own green wall, I highly recommend consulting an electrician or omitting the lighting element.

Here’s what I used to make the wall.

Dallas / LGBT / Oak Lawn

Oak Lawn’s Rainbow Gateway Sign

September 5, 2020

The new rainbow gateway sign in Oak Lawn, Dallas.

A new rainbow gateway sign was installed this week in the gayborhood, near the intersection of Oak Lawn Avenue and Cedar Springs Road.

The sign is immediately in front of the Centrum office tower and right by the Legacy of Love monument that was erected about 15 years ago.

The new Oak Lawn sign is… interesting.

art / LGBT / Oak Lawn

The Martha P. Johnson Mural

August 31, 2020

One new addition to Dallas’ Oak Lawn neighborhood is this beautiful mural featuring LGBT rights activists Martha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera on the side of Cedar Springs Tattoo.

The quote on the Martha P. Johnson side of the mural says, “Pay it no mind,” which is what the “P.” in her name stood for (and also the name of her documentary).

fitness / Oak Lawn / Work

The New Desk

August 24, 2020

My new faux-green wall and bike desk combo.

My work from home desk looks a little different in Dallas — I figured since I stare at a screen for 10+ hours a day, I might as well get some exercise while doing it.

I rigged a DYI bike desk and decided to decorate the wall a little bit…

Ivy City / memories / Oak Lawn

Moving Back to Dallas

August 23, 2020

Dennis Jansen posing at a mural in Dallas, Texas.

Almost exactly three years after leaving Dallas to earn my Georgetown Tax LL.M. degree in Washington, D.C., I was headed back to Texas.

The pandemic triggered an exodus from the District among my social network. Despite the ubiquitous “diversity and inclusion” marketing among D.C. employers, LGBT and brown people are still the first ones to get fired when there’s economic uncertainty. Many of my friends working in politics, nonprofits, and the service industry got the chop pretty early. They abandoned their apartments and moved back to their hometowns at the beginning of the summer.

Then a larger group of people started trickling out of the District as months ticked by and leases came up for renewal. With fully-virtual office environments and most amenities shuttered, why pay a premium to live in the District?

Oak Lawn / Uptown Dallas / Work

Returning to Dallas

December 10, 2018

The lobby of the Ritz Carlton in Uptown, Dallas.

I recently had the opportunity to return to Dallas to speak at a tax conference. It was a great way to meet existing and potential clients. This was also my first time giving a formal presentation on State and Local Taxation, which is not something every law firm allows first year associates to do.

Oak Lawn

The busker

June 11, 2017

The street performers in Oak Lawn vary — from real musicians and performers to people in the middle of drug-induced episodes.

We recently came across a fabulous Michael Jackson-like performer who reminded me of Disco Stu from South Beach.

Disco Stu was this fabulous greasy-haired busker who was well-known on Lincoln Road. He had bedazzled platform shoes and an old boombox that blasted oldies. I saw him almost every weekend in college.

memories / Oak Lawn

Moving out of the gayborhood

June 10, 2017

Lightning above the Trinity River in Dallas

I finally moved out of the gayborhood.

This move was yet another tedious experience in which I was confronted by dog hair balls, poor purchasing choices, and clothes that no longer fit.

One unexpected aspect of this move was the rain — I was leaving Ilume Park with a carload of stuff when the sky just collapsed all around me.

Here’s what it looked like in a video posted by a local weatherman:

A video of a “rain foot” over downtown Dallas.

The technical term is a “rain foot” or downburst, but it really felt like the hurricanes that I left in Miami.

I then made the great life choice of getting on the Tollway during the downpour. Several of the low points in the highway were flooded and traffic was reduced to a single lane. One guy driving a beamer attempted to blast through the flood waters and got stuck. I made it to the new apartment however.