Fourth Largest Metropolitan Area In US

New York, LA, Chicago, Dallas. That's the official numbers released over the weekend. From 2017 to 2018, Dallas added 131,000 new residents;since 2010 the area added more than one million new residents.

Today, since it was Easter, the lake would be a nightmare just getting around so I decided to point the car toward Deep Ellum and take the south Dallas route over to Lamar and come in the back door to  Reunion Tower, downtown and made it over to Trinity Groves to Sylvan. The flood gate off the bridge was closed so made it down to Irving Blvd. and the Design District circuit and outbound again  to Mockingbird; made the southern loop around Love Field, out Marsh to Forest and back roaded it into the drive way. For the first time in a long time, every spoke of the wagon wheel circuit had something going on in major changes. Every single spoke. I've been doing this for 10 years and have never seen all the spokes having something major happening in all the spokes. So, today was a good day pretty much for building the storytelling of this blog.

While making the tour, there are some things that deserve mention but for one reason or another, an image can not be published. Almost twenty years ago, now, I worked the  Deep Ellum area and called on the sales department for the Dallas Mavericks. The project came through channels from the CEO of a Fortune One Hundred. As a result, a grant was secured from the Fortune One Hundred for the Deep Ellum Foundation.

While I go to Deep Ellum on a regular basis with one of the spokes, I don't usually go by the Mavs building there as it is a bit off the Elm Main Commerce Streets that flow from Deep Ellum into Downtown and through the tunnels at Dealey Plaza. But, today, I discovered that Dirk has officially made a wall in Deep Ellum. It was is considered street art officially, but the mural was signed and while people do use the image, my editors will not take murals like that any longer, even as editorial and by rights, it is an editorial image with Dirk.It's kind of like a catch-22 situation.

I-30 "the canyon" on the south side of downtown before it hits the I-35E horseshoe

The renaming was done in good taste (pardon the punk WP)Wolfgang operates the restaurant in Reunion Tower, just across the tracks, but you can use the tunnel here to get there..

This was built as the Belo Corportation HQ, the operators of WFAA-TV and Dallas Morning News. The Belo Mansion is cross town on Ross Avenue. It was also a funeral home and Clyde Barrows of famed Bonnie and Clyde lay in state there. It's now home to the Bar Association as in Lawyers.

A big crane is out side First Baptist, multi-block campus downtown. They just finished about $130 Million expansion and the crane is  a sure sign that another project is at hand for the mega church.
One of the near by 10-story open-.parking garage is getting new louvers in an architectural cover to reduce the 'eye sore' of an open 10-story garage with all the construction going on. Dallas Museum of Art had a massive tent on the Ross Avenue side. The Belo Building had the second architectural  awning not only on the ground floor around the building but also on the roof as well. There is a new mid rise building north of Fountain Plaza ( that's the building that has a pointed design), Union Station's been renamed for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.

For the first time, I got to see the new "small" houses that the city built to some of the homeless. Actually, I wouldn't mind having one of them, myself!! There is a company in Garland that builds them on trailers. I've been looking at them and actully think that I would even like one of those. 

Willie's Playing Deep Ellum's Bomb Factory Tonight.

Willie Nelson is at the Bomb Factory Tonight. There is not a ticket to be had. Sold Out Performance and the Buses just hit the parking lot. It's cold today and the streets in Deep Ellum were packed. The lines at Pecans was out the door, down the street and around the corner.Tower Cranes are taking the Ellum to new heights! Twenty Years ago when I was doing marketing studies for a Fortune 100, things were quiet the difference than today, but it was apparent  even then, that  Deep Ellum was coming to what is happening now, then. It's nice to know that I was on target then and have been able to watch the development  rise to the top.

Willie Nelson Plays The Bomb Factory Tonight

This Sky Crane is getting engine work done. It's been flying over my house for a couple of months, now. Out of sight is two massive HVAC systems that seem to be heading to the rooftop. That is---when the three workers are done. There were some 20 workers in neon yellow vest and hard hats in the parking lot huddled in  a tight group---waiting for some kind of signal  that the work was complete.

This is the Canton Street Side of the Bomb Factory. The busses are on the other side of this view.

A Hundred and A Half Shots and Not One Bird

I'm actually pretty proud of myself. This morning, I got my breakfast made, eaten and dishes loaded in the D-washer, poured my travel cup full of hot coffee and out the door I went. It was just after 8am. I made a quick pass at the lake and remembered and were reminded again, that I had promised myself that I would not go to the lake on Saturdays and Sundays. As I was en route from home, there were two rows of bicycle riders decked out in their little Lance pants going north 2-by-2. There were 15 rows 2-by-2s or close enough counting while in traffic. That was my first clue that I needed to stay away from the lake.

The second clue was when I actually came down the ramp into the park and while I had to stop for the stop sign, here came bikers, runners and then more little Lance pants. And, while "we" are to treat them the sames as if they were cars, they hardly ever stop for the stop signs (which are are required to do. It's even posted on the parks information boards around the park). That was it. I turned around and headed toward Deep Ellum. I love to see people using the parks. Especially, in an urban environment of a few million people, it's "the great escape". I have long supported parks and the work that the parks and recreation division do. Just imagine what it would be like without those parks in that same urban environment. But, with use comes regulations and the bikers have taken over. Forty-two million bucks in  bike and hike trails  and they still insist on riding on the road. In fact, the info board and on line addressed that point: if they get to a point in their sport that they feel compressed, they should seek other avenues for their riding and training. Ha! They will never feel compressed--they have egos so inflated that compression isn't in the cards. And when City Councilmen are approached, they write it off as if nothing happens. It takes---sorry to say---another few to be killed before council does anything. There has been deaths already.

While, en route to Deep Ellum, it hit me that I had not walked the Lower Greenville area on foot since the new improvements were made. So, coming up on the area, I made a trip down upper Greenville, Middle Greenville in the "M" streets section and then on down to Lower Greenville. While Middle of the "M" streets section  does have sidewalk cafes, it's the Lower Greenville section that  has both the cafes, character and a more mixed crowd of the millennium's (22-35) and my generation of baby boomers (53-71).

I parked (which is totally awesome to be able to park in Lower Greenville on any day or hour). Walking up each side, then crossing over and walking back down the other side, it was comfortable and I got to see a lot of the old architecture, the old haunts that have been remade and what I think of as Character--that if it was removed, it just would never be  the same.

From Lower Greenville, I drove all the way down Ross Avenue into downtown and over the Houston street bridge where the new Dallas Streetcar line runs from outside Union Station into Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District. There was parking along the park side of Houston at Zang and I parked and walked back across the old Houston bridge to see the view of downtown Dallas and the twin arches of the Margaret McDermott bridge over the Trinity and the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge up stream

This is the way it should be done. Come out of the apartment or house, get on your Vespa/Moped and meander on down to the cafe where you can eat breakfast on the sidewalk  and watch the people, check your e-mail and text your friends or girl or mate  that, "all is well"

a mile plus from the McDermott. The view was really good in the morning sun. I came back down Commerce Street into the three tunnels taking Main street back toward Lower Greenville through Deep Ellum. Much to my surprise, I saw not one of the horse drawn  carriages, but two! As far as I know, it must be an expansion from the carriage company that runs the downtown livery because Deep Ellum has not been on may radar that I'm aware, until now.  So that was a new addition that should pan out well for the visiting public that want to tour Dallas.

As I got back into the car, the heat and humidity had hit. The sunroof stayed shut and the windows went back up as the AC got activated. Betsy is kind of like an old horse in that regard. She knows when I get tired and kind of just heads in the direction of home like an autopilot.

Since there are really more than I can post today, and some interesting ones, this will probably be a multi post this week as the heat starts toward the 96 degree mark by Friday. Although, our normal for this time of year is about 92. It's just to early to be that close to 96-degrees---come on September!!

Another Fine Job by Ponchaveli

Yesterday, while the temperature was still under 100 degrees F., venturing out was done in a abbreviated version. There were several projects that I wanted to check to see how they have changed. It never fails. There is always a discovery that turns up as a serendipitous event. For years, I have well discovered the old biblical saying that where the Lord closes one window, He opens another. In this case, it was shoe stores. One popular shoe store near Love Field closed and yesterday, I discovered on a walk-about a very nice shoe store that I have missed somehow. And, who happened to be celebrating their two year anniversary in business. They liked the printed canvas.  I even found one print pattern on one of their shoes that I have on the canvas low cuts.

Then, as I have done for 16-years, I either walk or drive down one Deep Ellum street and this street really is a named alley. My first trip down that street (alley) was when I was doing the research for the Fortune 100 for a Deep Ellum Foundation grant. This garage door was open and the sound of voices was coming at me. As it turned out, I'm standing in the owners living room by accident. Since then, I have discovered it is a loft and a photo studio. Yesterday, as I turned onto the alley, I saw the man sitting in the alley in a chair with camera on his lap. A photo shoot was going on and the assist personnel were changing models. Work is work and while it might have been observed for a while longer on foot, I was in the car and did not want to distract. It's kind of like shooting and some wiseguy goes by on the street and blows his horn to distract or break your concentration. I didn't want to be that guy with the horn if you understand the thought here.

On the crossover from Deep Ellum to downtown, I wanted to see Jackson street as it comes out on Harwood. The news that DART might be running the new rail line underground rather than down the middle of Jackson Street had me curious. First Presbyterian Church is a beautiful architectural domed feat and it is also a very active church with Dallas' homeless. So, it makes sense to run the train subway-style rather than on-grade right through the First Presbyterian campus. The two Masonic Temples on the opposite corner agree.

I drove Jackson (which to me is more of an alley than a street) down to Lamar and then took Commerce Street across the Trinity to a place that is a source of colorful art. Some would call tags or graffiti. It's also a noted place for photographers. It is somewhat common property for shooting but there is a respectfulness between artist and photographers. That's the part I like best. It's old school respect that my grandfathers knew as a deal with a handshake. While there, a guy told me about an artist (who he did not know by name) that was just about to finish a mural of Mohammad Ali nearby. In a flash, I was on my way to check it out. I had been waiting for the so-called "break out" when someone would do a large scale mural of Ali. This was the photo call so to speak. I was stunned. Not only was the mural a living tribute, the artist, Ponchaveli, was still there. I was able to get some shots and with a signed release, submitted the image to a world-wide live feed. The image is up an running as I write this.

There is so much going on in Dallas. Things are happening all over the Metroplex. Every one is chomping at the bit to get the first shots of the "THE STAR" the new home of the Cowboys in Frisco. Friday was the last day at Valley Ranch, the home for the past 31-years. For those of you that don't know..... that's the office or where the players go to work every day. The AT&T Stadium is where the games are played. Two seperate venues. I'm more interested with what is going to happen to the old place in Valley Ranch.

Now that hot weather has set in..... it's up early in the cool of the day now and I'll be shooting with morning sun rather than mid afternoon over my shoulders. The change will show up in the images. However, I am still having focus issues with the camera at the present time. I need to call support and talk to them again about the issues, but, until then I work around it the best that I can.

The old Pythian Temple in Deep Ellum--if ever there was a building that needed to be restored to its days of grandeur, this is it! The ball room is on the 5th floor.

The barrier between downtown and Deep Ellum appears to be coming down. The real question is when? The view looks west into downtown on Elm street.

If you want to see the full image, go to my home page, click on the far right tab, scroll down to the button "alamy", click it on and either click on the dallaspaparazzo above the search box or type in Ali mural in Dallas, but for the next 24-30 hours check the live news feed first.

Another Parallel Universe Everyday

A few months back, while talking to a couple of bike riders, each of us discovered the importance of changing up the daily routine from time to time. It is more easy than not, to get locked into a regular routine and end up doing yourself  more strain than help. Each of us, had reversed our routines of travel and discovered how much the world around us had changed. Each of us were astonished how easily this had happened.

This past week, my travel route was flipped and not only going the reverse route, using a parallel street that was never used on the old route was used in the new. What a discovery that revealed. Whole new landmarks had appeared. Overnight, it seemed to have happened. Yet, it was going on all the time in that parallel universe only a street over from my regular travel route.

Another interesting thing  that can be a benefit is not to always be in a rush. This past week, I started keeping track of the times that someone blows a horn just as soon as the green light changes. From this experiment, my take-away is this: People have grown more and more impatient and show more frustration in travel. Generally, they are also on their cell phone  to wit: their stress seems to be coming from that added piece of electronics that  drivers rest their head upon while driving. On my return trip home, while sitting in traffic and watching an extra long left-turn lane  turn in front of me, out of fourteen cars, eleven were on their cell phones. Eleven! It was like watching a bee hive swarm.

When arriving home, immediately, the folding chair went into my trunk. This summer, instead of my normal house routine of leisure coffee  on the porch, the trusty walking stick and camera case was moved closer to the door. My pledge to myself is to get out early in the morning for my cardio walks, find a cool shady spot at the lake to eat a light lunch, and stay away from those horn-blowing, yoga fakes that want you to believe they are in control of everything. Sure sounds like it at a red light.

Having said that, finally, Fifteen years ago, A CEO from a Fortune 100 hired and then commissioned me to do research on the downtown area for potential growth and development. For six months every day during that time talking to business owners, and generally observing patterns ended with the company presenting a grant to the Deep Ellum Foundation. Now, fifteen years hence, everything that I saw, found,discovered and foretold that got Deep Ellum that grant, has come to pass and is still coming to pass with the pounding of pneumatic nail guns, cement truck and bobcat maneuver.

 The Farmers Market has been re-designed and re-configured, re-constructed, re-arranged and even up-scaled. It has re-focused  from the days of the old open-air sheds to just one now. The other three are now under construction for high density living. What once was an area for potted plants, trees and shrub sales is now a new building with the name Mudhen Meats and Greens. A visitor wearing a Detroit T-shirt and I were quick to note that the name was Mudhen and not MUD HENS. Only someone who lived in the lower  Great Lakes and were Tiger Fans would know that the Mud Hens is the minor league farm team in Toledo, Ohio, for the Detroit Tigers major league baseball team. Then, it hit me. Oh, NO! my baseball hero, Ian Kinsler from the Rangers is now playing in Detroit and if he ever failed to meet his numbers, he could be sent to the minors and that would make him a MUD HEN! And he could be playing in Fifth Third Field some day.  Funny how life continues to be a circle. Enjoy the images. In fact, there are so many I am thinking about putting an additional slide show on the web page. It might take a couple of weeks to get things rearranged and set up, but it's worth watching for under the Writing tab.

Mud Hens and Fifth Third Field

Looking at the far east end of downtown from the Farmer's Market.

Where the main shed once was is now high-density living in the making.

Remade, the only outdoor shed that remains. This is where the water melon cornor was  for years.

 

Deep Ellum: From Painting the Tunnel Walls to This!

The 20th Annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival kicked off on Friday for it's three-day run. With so much going on in Dallas this weekend, it wasn't that hard to decide which event would be more fun. Before arriving at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, I went by the "Party in the Park at Reunion Park". Sure, there was some big name entertainment names (Springsteen will close the event on Sunday).

The Anatole was loaded with tour buses for the final four teams. People were forming long lines to park and go inside just to slap the hands of the four teams players as they came out to board the buses to take them to Jerry's World aka AT & T Stadium in Arlington.  There was just to much basketball for me. I remember my college days and the NCAA hype. I guess that been there, done that, while exciting at the time,  moves a rung up or a  rung down the ladder depending which way you stack the events over time.

I have always liked Deep Ellum. It has undergone change, both good and bad, over the years. The days of the old school bus painting of  "California or Bust" as the film festival grew, are just memories now. So are the annual painting of the tunnels on Good Latimer. The tunnels are filled in  now, covered in Dart tracks for the Green Line and two Deep Ellum stations on it's way toward Fair Park and Mt. Pleasant. Some of the businesses that were there when Bonnie and Clyde hung out in Deep Ellum are still there today.  Rudolph's Meats and Sons of Herman come to mind for an example. Bars have come and gone and made comebacks even. So have some restaurants. But, artist, musicians, and film companies have been the glue that have held the canvas of Deep Ellum together.

So, I guess before I knew it, I already did know it that I would end up at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. And that I did, going directly to my favorite little parking spot where it cost me fifty cents to park for 5-hours. The one thing about parking in Deep Ellum is that you most likely will end up with a parking ticket if you don't park in "controlled" parking  lots. And with the major capital improvements going on with street and water projects not due to be done until fall of 2014, meter parking is all but out on Elm or  Commerce Street or Canton. Main being out by default as the festival was on Main Street from Hall Street west to Good Latimer. One of the things that I like about the Deep Ellum Festival is that largely, it is an adult event except for being totally pet friendly. Sunday was on my agenda to attend but the 90% coverage of rain forecast will cut that out this year. As I was leaving on Saturday, vendors were already putting out their Rain Sale signs. Still, it was enjoyable to be absorbed in eclectic people, talent from the four live stages, street performers, chalk art and the like. Not to mention running into old friends that one sees but once a year at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. Here are some images from Saturday.

My favorite Hat Vendor! I love the color. Some lady needs one of these for the up-coming Kentucky Derby! Really.

My thanks to these wonderful people (both here and below) who were all about what Deep Ellum really is--good people!

This is my favorite. When I ask if I could have a picture of her or the corn dogs, her laugh was like hearing my mom's laugh when she was truly happy.  

Flipping/Turning and Airport

The Dallas airports were flipped today landing south to north because of the strong north wind. Caught this Southwest flight coming in low over Deep Ellum and downtown landing runways 31 R and L rather than 13 R/L. The sunlight was perfect on the reading racks at the Klyde Warren Deck Park.

Outdoor Reading Material at the Klyde Warren Deck Park

Racks are made available by DMN and the Belo Foundation.

The flip approach landing runways 31 R/L rather than 13 R/L

A New Look for a New Year

Sung to the tune of Stars and Stripes Forever: Be kind to your web footed friends, 'cause that duck may be some body's mother!

Two American Bald Eagles at White Rock  with the former H.L. Hunt's  Mt. Vernon in the background.The mansion is a duplicate of Thomas Jefferson's, Mr. Vernon.

Deep Ellum, Texas aka East Main Street,Dallas Eclectic art,song and much more. It was also the home for a while of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Another interesting fact: The Belo Mansion on Ross Avenue in the downtown art's district was a funeral home and held the funeral service of Clyde Barrow.

We are pleased to introduce you to our new official look on our website. Work on the blog has yet to begin but it is scheduled to be updated also.

 

Fair Park in Transformation

This is the second weekend that I have made the trip to Fair Park to check on the trains and to see the transformation that occurs in preparation for the State Fair. I'd like to see Big Tex in place  before the fair starts but not holding my breath.
There was some activity at the train location where the Museum was before the shift to Frisco. There was a  fair amount of people who seem to be doing the same thing. I talked with a lady that was there yesterday and was back today taking pictures. It was pointed out yesterday that the Big Boy will probably not move until after the fair is over in October.That does not surprise me one bit. The logistics of such a move was much more than anticipated. The Santa Fe Engine 48 is being used to move pieces around in the cramped yard so it's going to be at the tail end of the move as well, one would guess.

The prize of the day was finding the Chinese Lantern Festival crew taking up one full section of the parking lot at gate 5 assembling the large displays. Another photographer that I run into now and then and at locations were I shoot as well was there shooting the same lanterns.

From Fair Park it was up Exposition to Main Street and a trip through Deep Ellum before entering downtown. I love the eclectic atmosphere of Deep Ellum. There are really two Deep Ellums. One by day----the other by night. The one by day is my favorite because you  find so many interesting things. One discovery  that I made and been wanting to shoot for a while was the new Las Vegas-style neon sign.  There are several meters but only one parking meter outside  the landmark venue for rock groups to perform. It was open and  I parked, put my two dimes in for 24-minutes, walked down to Good Latimer at Main and got my shot. Then, it was a walk back toward the bar to where  you could see downtown Dallas from that part of Main Street to put it all in perspective.

Traveling down Main thru the heart of downtown to Griffin, it gave me a chance to see the new deck park that covers 5-acres of Woodall Rogers Expressway and is scheduled to open in October. It really is the much needed mental bridge between downtown and Uptown Dallas. There were a lot of people in downtown and mass had just let out at the Cathedral in the Arts District.The sidewalk vendors all had lines of hungry and thirsty church-goers. The City's new performing arts center for smaller groups had a lot of traffic going in and out of the building.  It's just amazing what that stretch of Flora Street houses today. The arts district is truely unsurpassed anywhere! New York Theater Companys are stunned by what they see in the Arts District and rave about the technology and planning.

Here are a few more shots from today.

Neon For Deep Ellum. This is at Good Latimer and Main Street.

Chinese Lantern Festival is being assenbled at Fair Park.

 

18th Annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival

All images are copyrighted. Any copy or download is a violation of copyright laws. These images are for editorial use only.

One of Deep Ellum's familiar faces

The 18th Deep Ellum Arts Festival got underway Friday. Pictures are from day two (Saturday) with the closing day Easter Sunday.

Deep Ellum is an awesome area . It is one of the most eclectic entertainment districts from before the days of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrows who lived in Deep Ellem,Texas at one time. It is a historic district that continues to thrive as an entertainment district when music,film and fashion are in their most creative modes.Artist do what they do and Deep Ellum is the place to do it. There are actually two Deep Ellums. One by day and the other one by night. During the day it is a sleepy place with old line businesses caring on their daily business. About 4PM, Deep Ellum comes alive with restaurants,bars,clubs, some of the best tattoo salons anywhere. Rock and eclectic band groups, keep the entertainment going into the wee hours of the morning.

Sheridan of the band,Convoy and the Cattlemen on fiddle.
Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together for them boots!

Convoy (Tyler) in the black hat and rattlesnake boots with Joel on guitar. Not pictured is Alex on lap steel ,Benji,bassist and Chris on drums.

During the festival, it is one of the few times each year when you can actually walk down the center of Dallas' Main Street eating corn dogs and funnel cakes! Or, listen to a band from a stand-up table while drinking  cold brews.Albeit a few hundred blocks from the center of downtown.