Dallas, our favorite pit-stop
the kids and I can do a 9 hour drive without much hassle. then, we look forward to our break in Dallas. kat drives up from austin for the reunion. we stayed at aloft, by W hotels. the kids LOVED it.
it has that modern W hotel style, but the beds are not as comfy and there is no restaurant.
we enjoyed dinner at NOVA, a gastropub in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas. the kids found some balloons that were left by a 40th (over the hill) party.
food was good, craft cocktails were hit and miss. fried smoked buffalo mozzarella caprese above, ham and local peach pizza below.
I used to live in this building on the south end of downtown. sort of an industrial artists loft. the upstairs was a flop house frequented by hobos and alcoholics, skid row type of place. I forgot to lock my front door once, a drunk hobo walked right in and stood in my living room. I started yelling for him to get out, he just stood there, dazed and confused. I started to push him back as I yelled "OUT! OUT" his heels caught the door sill and he fell backards onto the sidewalk, he still had that confused look on his face as he lay there on his back.
I recall another fine evening when my GF decided my midcentury modern dining set should be put out (for good reason, I'm sure). a local hobo quickly claimed one end while I grabbed onto the other. we tugged and i did more yelling and he pulled a knife out and some of my friends came out and the hobo ran off. I took my table (and myself) away from dallas and the newland hotel. I was bohemian back then. I have kids now and don't have to try so hard to keep life interesting. now I fight with the kids over the laundry and I admit I have an unfair advantage, with all the experience I have from hobo-wino conflicts at the Newland Hotel.