Experiencing…

Dallas Bucket List: Rooftop Nights

- Melody

LG

 

I’m really not sure where my obsession with rooftops began. Really with all outdoor spaces. One of my requirements for an apartment here was that it have a porch or patio or balcony. (Thank you, Jesus, for giving me one!) I follow a photographer on Snapchat that lives in Deep Ellum, a mile and a half or so from me, and has the most gorgeous rooftop in her loft building and she CAN SEE THE SKYLINE SO CLEARLY and it kills me. #loftgoals

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Since I got my haircut Friday (YAY!) I was feeling sassy and needed to go out. Kalie and I found a poppin’ rooftop in Lower Greenville and drank Pimm’s while watching the tipsy people balance on the sidewalk.

Remedy

Skyline!

You see those lights in the distance? Yeah. That’s the skyline. I swear it’s so much closer than it actually appears! It’s no Deep Ellum loft rooftop, but it’ll do. For now.

 

xx

Experiencing Hot Springs

- Melody

Farmhouse

My mom’s side of the family has started a two year long tradition of renting a house in Arkansas for Thanksgiving. A bulk of our family lives in Springdale, AR and staying up there for a time allows our actual entire family to be together. This Thanksgiving we rented an enormous farmhouse on gobs of land. It was so refreshing to spend time (with wi-fi, hallelujah) with family just walking around the grounds, breaking into buildings we probably shouldn’t have and eating our weight in food for four days.

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If you’re like me and have never been to Hot Springs, the downtown there is full of non-working old bathhouses, old bathhouses that still operate, hot water fountains outside of every building, and dozens of spigots flowing hot spring water where residents come and fill up crates of old milk jugs with the stuff. The spring water is supposed to have healing powers. All I know is that soaking in that hot water would’ve really warmed me up after walking around downtown in the cold all night.

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Thanksgiving day was glorious. A storm started rolling in so we gathered on the front porch for a family portrait. Our stomachs were growling, but the wait was so worth it. Smoked turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bread. All the good things.

FoodMom and Aunt StephShelLauraPawPawAunt StephUncle Brad

(Now, look. I don’t want to hear any complaining about there being a terrible picture of you on here. You saw me with the camera, thus mentally signing a waiver releasing you of looking ridiculous.)

Moral of the story is rent yourself a house in the woods, the mountains, anywhere. Bring your family along. Force yourselves to spend time together. You’ll thank yourself 15 years from now when things look a lot different. I know we will.

 

 

xx

Experiencing Austin

- Melody

Remember when we went to an adult prom? Good times.

The next morning, four of us trekked out into Austin for some pizza. All the while gandering at the rocks and hills and creeks. Okay, Austin, you’re gorgeous. Pizza

Most of us were feeling great. Can you guess who wasn’t? After tons of pizza, we drove to the City-Wide Garage Sale. It was as great as you can imagine. Booths as far as the eye can see with real vintage and antique and $14 chenille blankets and $3 women’s vintage scarves. I could’ve spent the entire day there. Everything I saw was absolutely gorgeous. Those rugs in the intro image? Yeah. All there.

I actually didn’t take any photos inside the sale. But trust me. If you get a chance, go! They have them all throughout the year and I plan on going back.

After the sale, we drove around Austin. The sun was shining, the sun was setting, it was a beautiful 75 degrees. 

As we drove around, we drank our delicious juices from a very Austiny type juice bar. We parked above the place basically on a cliff, which was insanity.

 

This was the perfect end to a great weekend. I enjoy those trips to Austin, mostly because I spend it with these people. I love this adult life. It’s pretty great. I get to drive wherever I want and spend time with whoever I want in different cities! How cool is that?! Okay, mush over.

 

Happy weekend!

 

xx

Dallas Bucket List: Texas State Fair

- Melody 1 Comment

corndog

 

Early last fall I made a Dallas Bucket List! I mentioned on that list that I had a trip planned for the Texas State Fair, a place I had never visited. I’ve never really been a fair or amusement park person, but our work team was taking October 1 off and riding the train down so I was a fair person that day. I know, my life is so hard.

My favorite part of all fairs and amusement parks is, duh, the food. Also all of those CRAZY AMAZING neon lights make for some pretty great photos. Alas, neon doesn’t show up in the bald face sun so I settled for taking selfies with Big Tex and cotton candy the size of my torso.

Big Tex!Big Tex butt

Would you believe me if I told you I took this and sent it to everyone with the caption “Big Tex butt”? Because I did.

By the way, Big Tex, like, MOVES and TALKS. And thank god the people I was with warned me. But I still got scared.

Who’s Big Tex? Big Tex is the Texas State Fair mascot that wears giant Dickey’s clothes and boots with the Texas state flag on them. And a giant with the derpiest voice that tells you the time. He caught on fire a while ago and I wish I’d have lived here then. To look out my balcony and see a giant cowboy on fire would’ve had me checking for the rapture.

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THE FOOD OMG. This is the best corn dog I’ve ever had.

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We didn’t ride any rides, because that’s not what the fair is about. We strolled around checking out the car shows, seeing a cheesy dog trick show, and eating our weight in sugar and carbs.

 

Long live state fairs and cotton candy the size of your torso.

 

 

xx

Dallas Bucket List: Cowboys Game

- Melody 3 Comments

Cowboys!

If you’re a Texan, you’re a Cowboys fan. You just are. Don’t try to fight it, accept it. I’ve never been to any college or professional football game. I never had the opportunity and didn’t really seek it out. Almost a month ago, my friend Kalie asked if I wanted to go with her family. (!!!) Um, yes. Thus crossing off an item off my Dallas Bucket List! Woo!

Kalie and me

It was an absolute blast. Hanging in the nosebleeds, with one $5 water bottle and a $6 souvenir cup was totally worth it. The energy, man. The sparks shooting out of the ground when the team ran out! The absolutely monstrous stadium!  The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders! My mom is completely obsessed with their show (DCC: Making The Team) so I sent a video of their kick line to her. Absolutely insane. How they keep a smile on their face after dancing and kicking for ten minutes I will never know. I’d be lying on the ground screaming for chocolate and oxygen.

I don’t remember much about the actual game. I like sporting events for the food and people. It was plenty loud in there and we got this close to appearing on the jumbo-tron. The camera was literally on the row in front of us. Ugh! Just once I’d like to get caught on the kiss-cam.

Bonus! We got a free Cowboys tee as we left!

Kalie's Family!

Thank you Beasley’s for inviting me along!

 

xx

Dallas Bucket List

- Melody 2 Comments

Dallas Bucket List

I love the idea of making a list of places to visit. And now with Pinterest it becomes so visual! I had a short list on my phone of hot spots to hit up in Dallas, but I wanted it to become a reality. I’m an obsessed document-er. I take a photo to represent practically every place I go. For the more monumental things, I’ve added them to my Dallas Bucket List! For every bucket list item I complete, there will be an accompanying blog post or Instagram. I’ve already linked up the ones I’ve done! (Before I even added them to the list!) I love this city. I can’t wait to get out and explore it!

My bucket list will evolve and change and I hope will never be fully completed. I want to find new things to experience and do to share with you here. Consider this your unofficial guide to Dallas. (Psst! I’ve added this post permanently to the top nav bar. Check back to see if I’ve completed something!)

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Visit the Farmer’s Market when The Shed is finished

See a Cowboy’s Game Done! 8.29.15

Girls night in Uptown Done! 8.28.15

Feed the giraffes at the Dallas Zoo

Spend an afternoon at the Dallas Arboretum, or see a concert in their concert series. (BONUS! Visit in Fall!) Done, and done!

Have a fancy dinner at Reunion Tower Done! 4.9.16

Order a sandwich at Jimmy’s Food Store Done!

Have coffee or a drink at Ascension

Take skyline pictures to my heart’s content on the Trinity Skyline Trail Done! 6.5.16

Take advantage of the cool, fall weather on one of Dallas’ trails Done! 11.21.16

Build my own chocolate box at Kate Weiser Chocolate

Chow on some doughnuts at Hypnotic

Chow on even more doughnuts at Top Pot Doughnuts

Have my first macaron at Joy Macarons Done! 7.20.16

Have a drink and enjoy a rooftop in Lower Greenville Done! 2.26.16

Take Pepper and visit the food trucks at Klyde Warren Park Done! But without Pepper.

See Big Tex at the State Fair! (Planned October 1!) Done! 10.1.15

Check out the skyline from Chase Tower Sky Lobby

Buy some records at Good Records for my new record player Done! 4.16.16

Visit Thanksgiving Square and chill out

Be provoked at the Nasher Sculpture Center

Be inspired at the Dallas Museum of Art Done!

Add to my enormous collection of Dallas skyline photos at Trinity Overlook Park Done! 6.14.16

Educate myself on the cool art of letterpress at We Are 1976 Done!

Try to choke down a whole juice at Local Press + Brew

Visit the literal giant eyeball in downtown Done! 3.19.17

Take Pepper swimming at White Rock Lake

Eat my way through Dallas’ top 60 best breakfasts list

Give myself permanent anxiety by slurping down cups of coffee at Method Done! 3.23.16, Murray Street and Mudsmith Done!

Experience Thai food for the first (ish) time Done!

See a game at The Ballpark in Arlington, this time as a Dallasite

Go canoeing or kayaking at White Rock Lake

Audition for a play!