Need some DT DALLAS help please!

[bryanlindsey]

Howdy Dallas folks,

I'll be part of a small group heading from H-town to Big D for some kind of marathon this weekend (my wife is really into it...me, not so much). We'll be staying at the Adolphus (Commerce St, between Field and Akard), and we want to get out and walk around one night, see some cool stuff, maybe take some pictures if there's some cool environmental stuff nearby.

I really appreciate any suggestions from those in the know. Thanks!

Bryan

[CaptainTom]

Stay in a well lighted area and you'll be OK.

[L Stegall]

The Adophus is a really beautiful building and offers a lot of opportunities in and of itself. There are several different things that are close by - the original NM store always has beautiful windows - especially at Christmas time. There are restaurants and bars along Main Street (Charlie Palmer in particular has a great wine bar and wine shop). You aren't far from the Arts District, with the Nasher Sculpture Garden and the new Winspear Opera House and several other ultra cool buildings. Of course, the Old Red Courthouse down at Main and Houston is interesting. There are longhorn cattle sculptures over by City Hall and the farmer's market is on the southern edge of downtown as well. You are also very close to the DART line, so you could escape downtown as well quite easily. If you need any other ideas, just let us know.

[bryanlindsey]

Coolness. That should keep us busy for a weekend :-)

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

BTW the race is the White Rock Marathon and if you are in chase mode the part of the race after it leaves White Rock Lake up through Lakewood and then down Swiss Avenue (miles 21 through 24 1/2) has some really nice homes from the 1920's and 1930's time periods. (estate size homes on smaller lots without a lot of fences or hedges in the way so you can see them. (looks like the weather will be sloppy but not hot like last year).

As to walking distance from your hotel I would say Neimans and then City Hall and the Traildrive Sculptures while I really wouldn't go walking down Main street at night too much unless you are in a group. To get over to the museum district I would hop a cab (under $3 one way and there is no bus/rail way to get there) over to the Dallas Museum of art and then walk east through the rest of the district. It isn't that long of a walk from the hotel but you will probably be approached by dozens of panhandlers and I wouldn't do it with a camera at night.

The farmers market is just about dead this time of year and really no local sellers are there just the people who get their produce from wholesellers and resell it. (also a lot of homeless are in this area since one of the big shelters/service sites is just blocks away (The Bridge).

Now there is Deep Ellum to the east but it is nowhere near the nightscene that it was just 3 years ago but if you are looking for some ink that is the place to go. If you decide to go the Curtain Club on Main or Trees on Elm are two of the better venues for live music. (not sure if Club Dada is open right now or not-across the street and down the block from Trees).

The area where the starting line and finish for the Marathon Sunday is the American Airlines Arena and you have some interesting architecture there along with a Hooters closer to the West End and a Dicks Last Resort and House of Blues right there also by Hooters.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Here are some of the Swiss Ave homes
Swiss Avenue Historic District Homes on Swiss Avenue in Dallas Texas Photo Gallery by pgkps at pbase.com
If you poke around my pbase albums you will also see pics of downtown and some of the other things mentioned above.

[L Stegall]

Yes, Swiss Avenue is beautiful no matter when you go - to me, one of the most lovely streets in Dallas. As DEM says, I wouldn't wonder far down Main at night, but that area where Charlie Palmer and the Joule Hotel and other restaurants are (and directly behind the Adolphus and the Magnolia) has plenty of people in it during dinner hours. From the museum district, there is always the trolley up McKinney Avenue as well. Almost forgot - the Thanksgiving Chapel in Thanksgiving Square (the 1600 block of Pacific - several streets north of you) has a lovely stained glass spiral inside. Daytime only, but it's a little suprise to see it.

[L Stegall]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

Here are some of the Swiss Ave homes
Swiss Avenue Historic District Homes on Swiss Avenue in Dallas Texas Photo Gallery by pgkps at pbase.com
If you poke around my pbase albums you will also see pics of downtown and some of the other things mentioned above.

You have our friend Bob's house in here (my husband's office mate). Nice documentation of Swiss. We live in Munger, the historic district just a few blocks south, smaller homes than these, but also built in the 1910's - 1930's. It's the largest collection of Prairie style homes in the US.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Lisa I live about 1/2 mile east of you off of Abrams. I plan to shoot all of Munger place also, maybe this winter since the houses stand out better without all the leaves.

[L Stegall]

Let me know when you are headed down my way. Munger and Suburban Peak Addition both have some great houses - not as stately as Swiss, but very cool.

[bryanlindsey]

If anyone will be out for the White Rock Marathon, I'll be the tall guy with a camera in one hand and a two year old in the other. Yee-haw!

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

In the past shooting the finish area has been pretty easy to do (both for the full and half marathon) and even shooting the start is pretty easy. Shooting at the Lake is easier on the west side (parking logistics on the east make it almost impossible without a very long walk to the course) where you can park in the Lakewood neighborhood and walk over to the course. Access along Swiss is usually real easy (more so as you get closer to Baylor Hospital) and then same in downtown.

Won't be able to shoot it this year, some family thing came up that will have me busy.

Have fun-Sunday is supposed to get up to 70 by late afternoon!