Have an Oak Cliff Holiday

Santa couldn't get this one through the window!

I snapped this one last year but it's still a favorite! Here's my list of what makes the holidays "special" in the Cliff:

1. Santa makes his appearance by driving through in a fire truck.

2. You can choose from an African American, White or Hispanic Santa to take pictures with at Southwest Center Mall ('usta be Red Bird Mall).

3. When the "north of the Trinity" guests at your holiday party hear the gunshots they ask "fireworks?"

4. The many houses who leave their Christmas lights up all year long--now that's the spirit!

5. It's a Salvation Army Bell Ringer free zone.

6. You can completely avoid the mall with all sorts of little shops where there's no line and great things to buy for Christmas. My favorites: Ends of the Earth, 500 Roses, Artisans Collective, Shambala Soaps.

7. Winnetka Heights Christmas Open House showcasing all those beautiful craftsman style homes in their Christmas glory.

8. Oak Cliff Artisans Holiday Show and Sale, http://www.oakcliffartisans.com/ (shameless plug).

9. Tamales from the Dallas Tortilla and Tamale Factory--they have a sign up all year urging you to "order your Tamales now for Christmas" (talk about long range planning....).

10. Jingle Bells on Bishop...they shut down the street and all the shops stay open late and have drinks and snacks. We've played there (http://parrandavenezuela.blogspot.com/) every year for the past 5 years.

Commerce Avenue Bridge

Commerce Avenue Bridge
Originally uploaded by carlamarieweir

This wasn't taken today....but the weather was the same, cold and dreary....

I must say, I am enjoying the cold, just not the dreary.

El Mariachi

El Mariachi, waiting outside of El Ranchito Restaurant

For a typically (Tex-)Mexican meal you can't beat El Ranchito. It's not just the food that counts here, it's the margaritas, the chips, the dark interior, and of course the mariachis. I really love the architecture of this building, they say it's "a Dilbeck", it's definitely charming. And the cherry on top, the half manequins in all their latin-girl, skin tight jeans glory....

Oak Cliff Transit Authority

Davis Avenue is the "old Route 80"

A few years ago I took a graduate course in "Urban Geography". It was one of the most facinating classes I ever took especially since I had the chance to do my research on Oak Cliff! For my final paper I wrote "A History of Cockrell Hill" in which I interviewed several 'old timers' in that square mile pocket within the city of Dallas. One of the facinating facts I learned is that during the war there was a trolley that ran the length of Jefferson Street picking up laborers who worked in war-effort industries on the other side of Cockrell Hill, where Grand Prairie begins. That's why Jefferson street has such a wide grassy area in the middle, that's where the trolley ran. Less than a year ago I heard about efforts to re-install the trolley system here in Oak Cliff, and it seems they are moving ahead on these activities! This would add so much to our already wonderful neighborhood! What's so exciting to me is that the proposed route would bring the trolley very close to our house, since we live between Davis and Jefferson. The organization leading this is the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, and they've developed a computer generated simulation of what it would look like, check it out on their website:

http://www.oakcliffta.org/

Gone but not forgotten....I had taken a picture of this mural a few months ago, on a chicken restaurant on FW Avenue near the Belmont Hotel. I noticed the other day that it's changed hands and is now ANOTHER Mexican restaurant...ok, we didn't really need another fried chicken place in our neighborhood either...I just liked the mural. Oh well, maybe I should have eaten more Krispy Krunchy Chicken Breakfast and Burgers....

I'll have to try the Mexican Restaurant and see if it offers anything different, they usually have a regional speciality or something that sets them apart...

Meanwhile, thanks so much to fellow Oak Cliff blogger "Granny Geek" (http://grannygeek.us/?cat=30&paged=4) who turned us on to a new restaurant in the 'hood, Don Panza. Yes it serves Mexican food too...but, it's owned by an Argentine man and serves Argentine Empanadas, Argentine-style pizza and other delicacies! We tried the empanadas yesterday and they were absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I can't wait to take my mom and dad when they visit this weekend!

"Get well soon" quoth the Raven...

Nothing says "get well soon" like a rotating raven...poised to pick you off if you stagger and fall. I have to assume that this pharmacy must be named after the owners, unless someone has a wickedly dark sense of humor. It's been around since forever, and has survived Eckerd's (which were on every corner until CVS took over our world) and all the instore grocery pharmacies. They have a niche market I guess, and carry a bunch of home medical stuff like walkers, etc. I've never actually been in here, but it's a cool building and a great sign.

If you've never been to Aunt Stelle's...get in your car and go now...they're open until 9pm. It's on Clarendon, near Hampton (take a left on Clarendon if you're going south on Hampton) and has been serving hot Oak Cliffers for 45 years. Aunt Stelle's daughter now runs the place with her husband. They are open only in the summers and will be there one more weekend before shutting down for the season. My favorite flavor is spearmint, and I mix it with coconut or raspberry. The most popular flavor is strawberry and licorice has a small but very faithful following. It's a great neighborhood spot that won't be open forever so take advantage!