Texas, My Texas

Leaving Texas is always a little bittersweet, and my grand farewells always seems to conjure up random facts from childhood. After all:

• Texas is the only state that was its own country (and is allowed to raise its flag inline height-wise with the stars and stripes as a result).
  
• Texas IS the biggest state in the Union, isn't it? Alaska doesn't really count.
  
• Texas must be a great place if its founders (Davy Crockett, Sam Houston) were actually defects from the now home of the other UT (Tennessee, that is).
• And who couldn't love a state whose name appropriately means "friends"?

It also stirs up feelings of confusion as I once again claim my place as a Texan out of Texas:

• No, not everyone in Texas has a twang.
• No, I was not a GW supporter (though he was a great Governor!).
• No, we do not ride horses to work.
• No, I do not know Bobby or J.R.
• No, not everyone carries a gun with them.
  
• Yes, Texas is the best place on earth. Just ask any Texan and they'll tell you.

And without saying, leaving family and friends is always the hardest part. But with bags packed and good-byes said I've moved on to "greener pastures"...literally. We'll see what California has in store...

Home Cookin'

Who says Texans only eat beef. Chicken, veggies, cheese, fish. You name it, we eat it all. But one thing is for certain...if you want to eat like a Texan, you gotta cook like a Texan.

Though any type of food is fair game, there are certain standards by which every Texan must abide:

• Raw isn't for fish...it's for your steak, bloody and rare.
• Spicy isn't for curry...it's for the "Kick Your Ass" Cholula, tangy BBQ, and ground chilis.
• Beans aren't green...they're brown, come in a can, and packaged for throwing straight on the grill.
• Chili doesn't mean cold...it's the common cuisine for cookoffs, and the hotter the better.
• Deer, dove, and duck aren't delicacies...they're what a friend shot last weekend and suitable for cooking over coals.

There's no room for steaming, poaching, and rendering in true Texas cuisine. Any method involving involving wood, coals, fire, or the associated by-products is standard. So move over ovens and ranges...smokers and coffin-size pits are the chosen vehicles for cooking cuisine in the Lone Star State. For Texans, it isn't what you cook that distinguishes you...it's how you cook it.

Lubbock, But Don't Leave It

In response to one of my blog followers (I know who you are=), Lubbock, Texas truly deserves a closer look. Not a city you'd choose as a destination necessarily (unless you are a university student or cotton farmer), this mid-size West Texas city has much to tout.

Known as the hub city (just look at a map and you'll see what I mean), Lubbock is circumferenced by farm towns and lies 6 hours from Dallas, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, El Paso, and Austin. Bigger population-wise than Amarillo, Lubbock is the destination for thousands of smaller town residents in the vicinity. In fact, South Plains Mall sees hundreds of thousands of visitors every year...more than half of which are not from Lubbock.

But for those not depending on Lubbock for its close-by "big city" amenities, Lubbock is still worth the trek. Home to the Texas Tech University campus, the intellectual community (and college party mentality) is well honed. For those wanting a bit more sophistication than the local bar, we have Lubbock to thank for Texas' budding wine industry. Being ideal grape growing conditions that are duplicated in few other Texas cities, Lubbock's wineries are some of the best in Texas and provide the fruits of their labor to other wineries throughout the Lone Star State.

Recognize the names Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, or Dixie Chick Natalie Maines? All are from Lubbock. Harry Connick, Jr. even shows up from time to time: his wife is a Lubbockite, and his mother-in-law is famed sculptor Glenna Goodacre.

A word of warning, though...if you're running from the law do not go to Lubbock. Lubbock is the biggest small town you'll ever visit. Boasting over 200,000 residents, those who call Lubbock home know a little bit about almost everyone who lives there. Case in point: my husband just bought a duplex in southwest Lubbock. One of his tenants was his aunt's first-grade teacher and also worked with his stepfather for a time. The other tenant knows his best friend's dad, both being in the dermatological industry.

Big in size with a small-town attitude, Lubbock is an anomaly in its own right making both country bumpkins and city slickers feel right at home. And for those unable or unwilling to make the a trip toward the Texas panhandle, here's just a taste of what you'll be missing: http://lizzymcglynn.com/video/video.html

***Special thanks to Lizzy McGlynn for the use of her video!

A Fort Worthy Destination

As much as Dallasites hate to admit it, their neighbor to the west has much to tout. The boot scootin' "Cowtown" of Fort Worth is much more than just cows and, well, town. It's a cultural center, artistic arena, and convenient for sports aficionados.

Anyone with an eye for the aesthetic knows that Fort Worth rules. With the Kimball Art Museum leading the pack, Fort Worth's art scene boasts extensive collections of American, Old West, European, and modern art. El Greco, Cezanne, Rembrandt, along with Georgia O'Keeffe, Frederic Remington, and Charles M. Russell, Fort Worth's permanent collection is one to be envied. And with reputation preceding itself, the stalwarts often make room for visitors like Andy Warhol or Paul Gauguin.

It's not only for art that Fort Worth does it big. Just take a walk into Billy Bob's and you'll see what I mean. Holding the title for world's biggest honky tonk, this bar and concert venue can accommodate more than 6,000 people and has hosted big-name performers like Willie Nelson, Pat Green, and Randy Travis. Complete with indoor bull ring where pro and semi-pro riders vie in competition, "big" is Fort Worth's biggest understatement when it comes to Billy Bob's.

For those who shy away from art and music, the proximity of athletic entertainment makes Fort Worth all the more appealing. Texas Motor Speedway lies on the north side of town hosting NASCAR, IndyCar series, and dirt track events. Just minutes from Forth Worth, the Ball Park in Arlington is home to baseball's Texas Rangers. And if NASCAR and baseball are not enough reason to make the trek west of Dallas, wildcatter Jerry Jones recently unveiled the Dallas Cowboys' new home less than 2 miles away from the ballpark. Endearingly called Jerry World, the state-of-the-art facility houses not only one of the biggest names in football, but the biggest LED display in the world. Yep, the west side of town definitely holds its own to its more cosmopolitan eastern counterpart.

But despite Fort Worth's appeal to music junkies, art enthusiasts, and sports fans, it still maintains a rich cowtown reputation. Mom and pop shops are plentiful, small-town hospitality abounds, and cattle drives through downtown twice daily hint at the heart and soul that earned it the name Cowtown.

Though I by no means submit to the mantra "Life's Too Short To Live in Dallas" (and yes, my former Fort Worthian roommate proudly wore this on his back from time to time), Fort Worth is a worthwhile destination for visitors and a must for metroplex locals.

Train Transit in Texas?

Who says you need a car to get around Dallas. This truck-driving, SUV-obsessed metroplex has finally gone metropolitan. From Plano to Pearl Street and Fort Worth to Victory Park, DFW residents can now commute cross-town by train.

In 2002, the beginnings of the DART Rail System made their debut traversing from northeast Dallas to downtown. And with the new TRE line (opened last year) and the forthcoming Green Line from Carrollton, you can get anywhere from downtown to the airports to Cowboys games, all for less than $4 a ride.

Taking the plunge myself, I opted for TRE transit on a recent jaunt to visit my sister in Fort Worth. Now I don't claim to be a public transit expert by any means but I am fit to compare, having lived in and visited countless cities all with very different interpretations of what constitutes "public transit."

Logistically, DFW's train system can be a bit confusing, especially for a city not honed in the art of train travel. There are different fares for local and regional travel, and travel direction is not clearly marked. Luckily (in true Texas style) there are plenty of locals and seasoned train travelers who are more than happy to help you along. From buying tickets, to reading maps, to just passing time on the train, DFW commuters are the friendliest and chattiest I've met. The personal touch doesn't stop with the riders either. Train attendants announce each stop, remind you to collect your belongings, and periodically patrol the cars to answer questions and monitor clientele.

Scheduling can be a bit of a setback for the late-comer; at times the next train won't arrive for another 1.5 hours! But for those proficient in punctuality, travel time is fast...so fast that “it’s not even enough time to get into a good conversation on the phone” according to one rider. And the plush seats and free wi-fi make it all the more convenient and comfortable.

Despite some minor drawbacks, this first-time rider gives props to DFW for tackling public transit. While Dallas' larger-city counterparts notorious for sardine-like population densities (like D.C. and Chicago) have maintained fairly successful public transit programs, Dallas has gone above and beyond offering similar transit in a low-density metroplex whose borders span 9,286 square miles. And more so, it's done this in a town whose citizens truly take pride in their ride.

D-town Dustings

For the first time since before I can remember, Dallas has celebrated the holiday season in true fashion...with a glistening, gleaming White Christmas. Yep, you heard it folks...3-plus non-consecutive days of snow, including a rare Christmas Day appearance. And after 14 months of perpetual summer in Nigeria and Singapore, the white-dusted December was a real treat.

Snow in Dallas is not a novelty by any means, but it is a rarity. Several years may pass without the precipitous winter wonder making an appearance. As such, it's never expected but overwhelmingly appreciated. Children will yell out in class when snow starts to fall; co-workers will stop work, debating the likelihood of accumulation; and people actually pause to glimpse the wet flakes before they kiss the warm Texas ground.

Dallasites know to watch keenly for its silent procession. It marches softly in, the rain stepping softer on your roof. It approaches with the silent sloth of a bell-less steer and the rain-turned-snow falls long and slow like the twang of a Texas drawl. It retreats just as clandestinely, turning back to rain, and washes away the powdery evidence that it had once touched surface.

Though not a necessity for the holiday season, Christmas snow in Dallas is always welcomed, genuinely appreciated, and never taken for granted.

Dressing for Dallas

Have you ever noticed how pretty people in Dallas look? Like the city in which they reside, Dallasites portray an air of groomed casualness that is all there own. It's not fancy, but manicured. It's not formal, but deliberate casual. You see, Dallas attire (and attitude for that matter) makes casual look formal and formal look casual. And the Christmas season makes this all too apparent.

Everyone who's anyone in Dallas has professional pictures taken for events and milestones: engagements, first babies, and yes, Christmas cards. But a Walmart sitdown session for 12.99 just will not do. No, no. Blurred backgrounds, creative clothing color combos, and looks of candid blissful perfection are musts. It's the glamor shot look without the off the shoulder dresses, caked on make up, and, well....glamor.

Perhaps the Reata (a true Texas restaurant inspired by southern flavors) epitomizes this unique DFW style to a tee. My sister calls it "cowboy fancy." While atmosphere and cuisine indicate upscale dining, there is still room for the casual cowboy. Calf fries (a Texas delicacy made from the more sensitive calf parts) are deep fried chicken style. Gourmet elk sausage sits atop a down home favorite - cheese grits. And those are just the appetizers.

Dining attire also reflects the duality of farm yard formal that epitomizes Dallas. Waiters don Wranglers and formal black Western-wear shirts bedecked with silver accents. The clientele show up in anything from suits to boots (or both). Jean, t-shirts, blazers, ropers, and Stetsons...all wear is welcome.

So when dressing in Dallas, just remember: it's one of the few places you can wear jeans to a wedding (but you better have some boots to scoot).

Dallas Driving

After 14 months of commuting by foot, train, or taxi, I finally returned to the wonderful and reckless world of Dallas driving. Yep, you heard me right…100% non-defensive death-wish driving. And the reality of the hopeless and hapless situation hit me full force last night.

My roommate from college lives close to the Dallas’ trendy Greenville Ave. Convenient to many a Dallasite, but not so much from where I grew up in Carrollton. When I asked my father how to get there, this was what he said: “take the George Bush Tollway to the Dallas North Tollway then 635 to 75 south.” Four highways? You gotta be kidding me!

But here’s the kicker…he said I might consider going straight to 635: “those tollway drivers go way too fast.” Now dads never stop being dads; but, come on. I grew up flying down 35 and zipping along 121 and 635. I knew Dallas highways and knew how to drive on them. But seeing as I am a pre-George Bush Tollway transplant out-of-state, I took my dad’s advice and went the sure way to avoid getting lost. And boy was I glad I did.

I was barely on the entrance ramp to 635 when a driver almost hit me from behind. Quickly getting away from the entrance and exit points to avoid a similar (and perhaps less lucky) situation, I clicked my signal and headed left. Not two minutes later I was slamming on my breaks (and my horn) for another driver who obviously didn’t check his blind spot. By this time, I had to make my grand exit-ramp entrance onto Central Expressway. Two cars in front of me, I see a car shoot across the solid white line right in front of the ramp divider, barely missing the safety barrels and causing everyone in front of me to stop short. If 635 is considered “safer,” I can’t imagine the tollway tribulations!

This morning, my prejudice against Dallas driving was reinforced. Shutting down the entrance from 635 to the tollway was a tanker that shook buildings as it collided, exploded, and not doubt killed its driver. And this isn’t the first time a wreck so dramatic has topped the news. On my last visit to the D-town a semi fell from an upper ramp to a lower ramp, crushing cars and stopping traffic for hours.

Now you may say this sort of stuff happens everywhere, and it does. But I’ve driven in lots of cities with lots of traffic (Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco); and nowhere else have I found a consistent disregard for and a general collusion against anything and everything that travels over 55 miles per hour. Maybe we should all take dad’s advice and go the sure way.

You Can Take the Girl BACK to Texas...

So I've officially landed in the Lone Star State (and Brian is soon to follow). Though I haven't lived here since college, I've been a regular visitor for over 8 years coming home for the holidays and to visit family and friends. So imagine my surprise when, upon returning home, familiar morphed to foreign.

Houston is the first place we landed. Flying into Intercontinental on the north side of town required us to do two things: rent a car and drive clear across the city to our finally destination in Nassau Bay. Though not a ground breaking observation to say the least, I had never considered just how difficult it would be for someone (say from China where the general public has been driving for only 8 years) to visit Houston. Few public transit options, the city has to be 4-times the size of Singapore or more, and the size of the highways are a bit intimidating even for a native like me! Let's just say I have a new respect and appreciation for any foreign resident who travels here for business or pleasure.

Though the highways are mammoth to say the least, the "everything is bigger in Texas" mantra stops there. Upon entering the city, there was a complete absence of big-city shock value (despite Houston's standing as America's 4th largest city). No doubt a result of Houston's expanse, everything seemed too short for a city so populated. For someone just returning from the concrete jungle where everyone lived and worked in 30+ story buildings, I found myself wondered where all the people went. Even Lagos' downtown seemed a bit more "city-esque" than this southern Texas oil town.

Along with the big, small things that I hadn't noticed before jumped out...like how much I missed hearing tejano and country music on the radio (There's some sort of familiarity that comes with flipping through stations and getting "whiffs" of Spanish and twang). Or restaurants with names like "House of Pies" or "Sushi King" (Do you really want to eat sushi from a place that sounds like a burger joint?). Or how about a Bud Light truck being pulled over by a cop in a pick up (Sounds like inspiration for a county song).

But one thing that was and still is familiar is Houston's southern charm. Though not as pronounced as the sugar-coating in say Savannah or other self-proclaimed "true" southern towns, people and politeness go hand-in-hand here. A former roommate (and fellow Texan) noted upon her inaugural move from Texas to Chicago that men don't offer seats to the ladies on the "L." I guess politeness is bit like tejano music...you don't miss it 'til it's gone.

Home Sweet Home

Just because I'm back in the U.S. (yes, you heard me right; we have officially moved back) does not mean America the Beautiful is off the hook. For the past year, I've been writing about my impressions of other countries, other people, and other cultures. I've been genuinely interested, often curious, and at times critical of what I've seen, heard, experienced, and felt. But it would seem a bit unfair for me to write about (and judge to some extent) the going-ons of other cultures and not scrutinize my home culture with the same degree of interest, curiosity, and criticism.

So please continue to read...for as curious as you may have found Nigeria and Singapore, I can almost guarantee the U.S. provides just as much entertainment (and maybe more so). For the month of December, I'm hanging at home in the Lone Star State; then it's back to organic eating and the Wine Country of San Francisco's Bay Area. So stay tuned....