Texas Archives - Page 9 of 11

Dallas

Khrushchyovka, Texas

March 26, 2016

So about those new buildings…

DFW is only second to Houston as the fastest growing city in the United States.

The hoard of people moving to Dallas spurred a huge construction boom, and cranes are all over the city.

A new apartment project near the American Airlines Arena.

A new apartment building project in the Dallas design district built in the “One Plus Five” style.

Construction in the Victory Park / Harwood neighborhood of Dallas

All Things New

Apartment buildings are growing like weeds around the gayborhood and many of my neighbors think anything past 3-years is an “old building.”

But there is something strange about the style of the new apartment buildings in Dallas – they look like something straight out of soviet Russia. (We were beginning to see these in Minnesota as well.)

Oak Lawn

Gay Bingo!

March 23, 2016

I made it to my second gay bingo event at S4 this weekend.

Gay bingo at Station 4 is a fabulous event. It is basically a Texas-sized version of Minneapolis bar bingo.

Gay bingo events in Minneapolis and Dallas both support local HIV/AIDS resource centers, but the experience is dramatically different. In Minneapolis, bingo is informal, occasionally violent, and very frequent – you can play up to 4 times per week.

However in Dallas, bingo is a once-per-month extravaganza.

Dallas

The Dallas St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 21, 2016

I survived my first St. Patrick’s Day in Dallas, and it was a hot mess interesting.

The Dallas St. Patrick’s Day parade is by Southern Methodist University, which is about 3 miles away from the gayborhood. We were going to Uber there, but that idea was quashed once we saw that Uber surge pricing was five times the normal rate.

Dallas / Thomson Reuters

Networking at the Dallas Stars Game

March 17, 2016

We recently experienced the Dallas Stars in Style.

Michael started at the Thomson Reuters Carrollton office last week and already managed to score us free tickets to a Dallas Stars hockey game.

We also saw a Dallas Stars hockey game last fall because Michael won free tickets from his gig at 7-Eleven Corporate. The 7-Eleven seats were nice, but Thomson Reuters has a suite!

Oak Lawn

The Great Stink of Oak Lawn

March 14, 2016

Something is rotten in Oak Lawn.

One of the things that I love about my apartment building is being right across the street from a Kroger.

Sure, I also love being right next to all of the gay bars, but Kroger is there for me when I need rotisserie chicken and Franzia on a Saturday morning. And unlike Whole Paycheck Whole Foods, I won’t go broke shopping at Kroger.

But something is amiss at my beloved grocery store and the nearby homeless shelter public library: a very foul smell.

The smell is an assault to the senses – it mugs us when we trot home from the bars. The stink also bops us on the head during the morning dog walks, and side-slaps us when we guy groceries.

It is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad stench, but what is it?

LGBT / Oak Lawn

Willam at Station 4

March 13, 2016

Thousands of guys from across the country descended upon Oak Lawn this weekend for Texas Bear Roundup.

On Friday, Station 4 hosted a massive Mardi Gras themed party, and we got to see Willam from Rupaul’s Drag Race!

We were hesitant to drop $35/each on cover, but it was totally worth it – Willam sang live and performed on a hover board in heels.

Now that’s talent.

WIllam of RuPaul’s drag race performing live while on a hover board.

Willam performing on a hover board while singing live at Station 4.

Willam performing on a hover board.

Dallas

Spring in Dallas

March 9, 2016

Every tree in the neighborhood decided to bloom this weekend, so I guess spring is finally here.

We are spending as much time as possible outside because there are only a few months left before Texas becomes hot as hell.

Blooming trees in Dallas, Texas.

Cocktails / Oak Lawn

Smirnoff Coconut Cocktails

March 8, 2016

It is pool season in Dallas again, and that means it is time for tropical cocktails.

This Sunday we had a large grill-out at the iLume Park pool (before the National Showman Pageant) and we got tropical.

Although the go-to tropical drinks are typically rum-based, I decided that it was time to give Smirnoff Coconut a try.

Getting ready to make Smirnoff Coconut Cocktails.

How to Make a Smirnoff Coconut Cocktail

Oak Lawn

National Showman 2016

March 7, 2016

I saw my first ever male pageant this Sunday at the Round-up Saloon.

The National Showman Pageant is a competitive stage performance competition for men and drag kings.

There was a lot of live singing and some pretty epic dance numbers.

The level of preparation was impressive. Although not all of the performances were equally as entertaining, this pageant was far more polished than many of the female drag pageants I’ve seen in the past.

I look forward to the next one!

Cocktails / LGBT / Oak Lawn

Lessons learned on the Cedar Springs Wine Walk

March 3, 2016

Drinking at the UPS Store wasn’t on my bucket list, but it sure was fun.

Some of my neighbors and I finally made it to the Cedar Springs Wine Walk. This monthly event has been going on for a while, but this is the first time we got organized enough to actually attend.

And gurl…

The Wine Walk is outright dangerous.

For $10, you get a wine glass which the local businesses fill up for free. We made it to about 5 places before we had to start carrying people home.

Oak Lawn

My Interview with Dallas-Fort Worth Relocation Magazine

March 2, 2016

Last fall I had the exciting opportunity to be interviewed for Dallas-Fort Worth Relocation Magazine.

Well my article is finally out! Although I look haggard a little tired in my picture, I am glad that the interview has finally been published!

Dallas-Fort Worth Relocation Magazine is a publication of the Dallas Regional Chamber and D Magazine. The goal of this publication is to help introduce Dallas to new residents and show everyone what a fabulous place this is to live.

Cocktails / LGBT / Oak Lawn

The Dallas Stoli Cocktail Classic at the Round-up Saloon

March 2, 2016

There were some Monday-night shenanigans this week.

As if the Erika Jayne concert and being selected for the Hotels.com campaign weren’t exciting enough, Michael and I decided to continue the fun at the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic on Monday night.

Even though we have seen the advertisements for this event for weeks, we did not seriously consider going to it until we bumped into Stoli LGBT ambassadorffat the Erika Jayne show.

Patrik reminded us that the Key West Cocktail Classic was happening and told us to RSVP.

Apparently only Michael got the message – RSVP’s were already closed by the time I got around to the website. However Patrik got me a wristband anyway.

The Key West Cocktail Classic as totally worth it.

I expected the cocktail classic to look more like a career fair (booths with several sample-sized cocktails.) It turned out to be a full show hosted by Patrik and local gay celebrity Steve Kemble.

Real Housewife LeeAnne Locken was also three as a judge.

The celebrity judges at the Stoli cocktail classic including Steve Kemble and LeeAnne Locken.

Most of the major gay bars on the strip were represented at the mix-off.

The owner of Liquid Zoo was also a participant – she was a stand-in for one of her bartenders who is recovering from cancer.

Oak Lawn

Erika Jayne performs at Brick Nightclub in Dallas

March 1, 2016

Dallas got a Real Housewives treat this weekend – Erika Jayne performed at Brick nightclub!

The performance was everything that we imagined: Drag queens opened the show, and we even got a sneak peek at the Real Housewives of Dallas (including gay favorite, LeeAnne Locken!)

Real Housewife Erika Jayne Girardi singing at Brick nightclub in Dallas.

Oak Lawn

Blackouts & Falling Bricks

February 19, 2016

Yesterday was a strange work day.

In addition to an usual amount of WebEx meetings, the power kept shutting off in my building. This made for several unscheduled dog walks, which Ingrid and Gunter appreciated.

After work I made my way down to the iLume Park “Grand Happy Hour” – a weekly lobby happy hour which replaced the daily happy hours from when I first moved in.

Margaritas and beer at the iLume Park Happy Hour

There was a fairly good turnout, but people spent the majority of the time griping about our daily happy hours being taken away.

Happy Hour is also a strange thing in this building because angry former residents sometimes show up uninvited to bitch about how much they hate iLume Park (while drinking the free booze at iLume Park…)

The conversation quickly switched to the scene outside of the building – the front entrance to iLume Park was cordoned off because a portion of the building’s brick façade came crashing down.

Dallas

Excuse my Beauty

February 10, 2016

Apparently I don’t look my age.

I arrived at the Dallas airport pretty early this morning, and went up to check my bag.

And then shade ensued:

Delta check-in lady: “Ticket and I.D. please.”

Me: “Here you go.”

Check-in lady: “Hah!”

Me: “Pardon?”

Check-in lady: “If you saw someone that looked like you, would you think that they are your age?”

Me: “Are you saying that I look old?”

Check-in lady: “Yep. Just like that.”

Well dandy.

Dallas / Minneapolis-St. Paul / Thomson Reuters

Return to the Cold

February 9, 2016

Winter in Dallas is absolutely amazing.

The temperature is perfect – about 60 to 70 degrees every day.

iLume Park’s large dog park in Dallas, Texas.

Gunter at Ilume Park’s small dog park.

Perry Heights neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, in February.

The Harwood District of downtown Dallas, Texas

That is one of the reasons why I am not thrilled to go to Minnesota tomorrow.

Thomson Reuters is flying me back to Minnesota for an awards dinner and training.

It’s going to be cold as hell, but I get to see some of my friends and my company is putting me up in the Mall of America hotel, so things could be worse.

That doesn’t mean that I won’t miss the warmth…

I always thought my mother was dramatic about hating the cold (she still lives in Miami) but now I fully understand.

Brr.

Dallas

Dallas Mardi Gras

February 7, 2016

I made it to Dallas Mardi Gras, and it was hilarious!

Oak Cliff Mardi Gras 2016

movies / Oak Lawn

Tangerines in the Gayborhood

February 5, 2016

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t ignore movie recommendations.

It may take me a while to see a particular movie, but I inevitably do. (With the exception of Frozen, which I am boycotting.)

A few months ago, a friend recommended Tangerine to me, and I finally got around to watching it.

It’s sad and hilarious.

Dallas / Tax

Taxing

February 3, 2016

It’s Friday night and instead of sipping on a cocktail at happy hour, I am sifting through tax regulations.

My volunteer gig for this spring is with the Dallas Community Tax Centers – a non-profit which provides free tax preparation services to low and moderate income individuals.

I worked with a similar VITA program in Minneapolis.

Taking advanced tax law classes at night after work was very draining. It made me rethink my perennial flirtation with getting a second degree.

Oak Lawn

A Different Vibe

February 2, 2016

The conversation about hiring security guards was one of the strangest things about last month’s epic apartment building meeting.
“I can give you a daily happy hour, or I can give you security guards,” the building president said. “But I am warning you, armed security guards are going to change the vibe around here.”
She was right.

Now I routinely run into packs of 2 to 4 security guards when I leave my building. Most of the security guards just glare at residents without saying anything, so it is highly awkward.