Bishop Arts District, Oak Cliff.
[...]edited by: Ted McLaughlin,
Texas Editor
Director Frank Capra is probably best known for some of the best “feel good” movies ever to come out of Hollywood.
This season’s favorite, “A Wonderful Life,” is an example of Capra’s belief in the basic goodness of humankind. We’re also fans of several of his other films, including “It [...]
What a rare treat! It’s snowing this morning in Dallas. Northern neighbors will laugh, but it’s fun to live in a city where all the morning TV programs have been preempted for traffic reports and live action shots from around the metro area of a TRACE of snow.
Y’all have a [...]
In its previous life, perhaps it was a gas station. Or a General Store. Or an antique shop. Who knows?
The owner wants you to know s/he is long gone.
“CLOSED
I do not live next door”
Right neighborly, don’t you think?
[...]We’re glad that Code Compliance has not been subject to major budget cuts here in Dallas during the current money crunch. Lord knows, we need every one of the inspectors we now have…and more.
Here’s the latest violation in our neighborhood. The house of the right—the yellow, brick one—has been vacant [...]
Hooray! Those grotty, seedy buildings on the south side of Fort Worth Avenue just west of Hampton are about to be demolished.
The Colorado Place Apartments will be demolished by bulldozer this Saturday morning, and you’re invited to watch! Bring the kids and the camera.
Colorado Place Apartments demolition
9 am, [...]
Well, isn’t this just too sweet for words?
In a true spirit of community, folks in the neighborhood have erected their very own NO PARKING signs in front of their house. Talk about taking the law into your own hands!
[...]
The fierce bird has kept a watchful eye on Jefferson Avenue here in Oak Cliff for more than 60 years.
According to one of our favorite sites about Oak Cliff:
Raven Pharmacy was founded by George A. Raven, a native of Bridgeport, Wise County, Texas. After completing pharmacy [...]
This year, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has made it easy for us to get to the Texas State Fair from Geezer Manor. The new Green Line train lets passengers off at the Front Gate of Fair Park here in Dallas. No traffic jams, no expensive parking, [...]
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has to be one of the most bizarre public policies in American history. Basically, it prohibits homosexuals from serving openly in the military. Currently, the military can discharge members who engage in “homosexual conduct,” which is defined as a homosexual act, a statement that the [...]
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that northwest Oak Cliff is becoming a mecca for new businesses? In recent months, we’ve seen several new restaurants, a dry cleaner and a supermarket. Now, we’re getting ANOTHER supermarket. Save A Lot is opening on Jefferson Avenue, west of Hampton, [...]
Perhaps this is an early sign of economic recovery.
The parking lot at a local fuel stop, located at Interstate 30 and Cockrell Hill Road, has traditionally been a resting place for drivers. Sometimes, we’d see 30 or 35 trucks parked there. Until about a year ago. Suddenly, the lot [...]
I wish that somebody would please, PLEASE pull the plug on these two.
I think I need a priest.
[...]
who can’t spell.
More Signs and Wonders from the Teabaggers at NineTwelvePhotos.
[...]The Greeks have a saying: In hospitality, the chief thing is the good will.
Well, there’s plenty of hospitality as well as good will at the Greek Cafe and Bakery here in the Cliff. They’ve been open for about two weeks. We stopped in last evening while strolling around the Bishop [...]
Supermercado Monterrey will be opening soon on Westmoreland, near Clarendon.
It’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Currently, many shoppers in this area—mostly women—have to walk to buy basics such as milk and bread. The nearest place is Walgreen’s, where the selection of groceries is extremely limited. Of [...]
Oysters. Mmmmmmmm. We love oysters. Oysters on the half shell. Oyster stew. Oysters Rockefeller. Oysters Casino. Fried oysters. Especially fried oysters.
Until now, we’ve had to drive across the river to the Top Cat Seafood Restaurant on Lemmon Avenue (at Versailles) for fried oysters. No more. Top Cat has opened another [...]
Granny is highly amused at watching the idiocy that’s popping up at health care “forums” around the country these days. Seems to us that many of those who are protesting “national health care” are already receiving it, via Medicare. Like these folks.
Protestors who can’t spell should be [...]
It’s a sad sign of the times.
The unemployment rate in the Dallas area is lower than the national average, at about 7.2 per cent. Statistics don’t mean a thing, though, if you don’t have a job and you’re struggling to pay the rent and feed your [...]
Cliffies, this is good news. A year ago, we didn’t have much of a selection of hotels here in west Oak Cliff. Now, a Holiday Inn Express is scheduled to open in the next 90 days or so at Chalk Hill. It’s located south of the [...]
Cliffies, this web site is a treat for those of us who want to know more about the history of Oak Cliff.
Expatriated Cliff Dweller, hopes to add to the collective story of Oak Cliff. Many of the businesses I remember from growing up are gone now, as are the [...]
We were pretty harsh on Luckie’s recently. Fair is fair. It’s time to update.
Luckie’s is now open at I-30 and Cockrell Hill Road in Chalk Hill, around the corner from Staples.
The interior is cool, classy and comfy: you can sit at tables or slide into a' [...]
According to the sign, Luckie’s Famous BBQ is about to open at Chalk Hill, around the corner from Staples here in Oak Cliff. We can’t find a web site, though, and the phone number on the sign has been disconnected. How “famous” can Luckie’s be?
' [...]In our neighborhood, as in most of Dallas, trash is picked up twice a week and the recycle cart is picked up twice a month. Earlier this year, though, some neighborhoods in the city were switched to one-per-week trash and recycling pickup.
For our household, this once-a-week pickup would work. [...]
Fajita Tacos, at $1.35 each.
Order them with everything: tomatoes, onion and jalapenos.
Corn tortillas are best. Choose flour, if you must.
Where?
At the walk-up window at Jerry’s supermarket on Jefferson Avenue at Llewelyn.
The menu couldn’t be simpler.
Go for it!
[...]
Cliffies, Jack’s Backyard is the perfect spot for good food and adult beverages on a Sunday afternoon in Dallas.
Head towards downtown on Fort Worth, and turn right just before you get to the bridge. Jack’s is located at 2303 Pittman.
Casual fun is the order of the day. [...]
We’ve told you before how much we love the chicken at Pollo Campero. Now, they’re located in the neighborhood. Look for them at the Sierra Vista Shopping Center at Illinois and Westmoreland.
Another business will be opening near Pollo Campero on June 1: Artistic Cleaners. We don’t [...]
Cliffies, this splendid collection of pictures of people and places of the past in Oak Cliff is a MUST for your bookshelf. It’s “Images of America: Oak Cliff” from Arcadia Publishing, and it’s just been released within the past few weeks.
The authors, Alan C. Elliott, Patricia K [...]
Twenty nine years ago this month, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dedicated a new addition to the manufacturing plant where Gentle Ben was working in England. She and her entourage arrived in a cavalcade of large, black vehicles. A mob of aides, local dignitaries and the media [...]
Well, the idiots are back in charge of the asylum again.
The Dallas City Council is considering a bizarre ordinance that will establish a daytime curfew for children. The ordinance will punish BUSINESS OWNERS and operators by subjecting them to a CRIMINAL PENALTY—and a fine of up to $500—if they allow [...]
We’ve spent entirely too much time lately in doctors’ offices, clinics and hospitals. We’re glad to be rejoining the land of the living, slowly but surely.
Cliffies, all of us are fortunate to have Methodist Hospital in our midst. The facility is efficient and the staff is wonderful. We were [...]
How I admire the talent and patience of quilters. My sewing abilities are limited to the occasional hem repair or button replacement. When I see the elegance of quilts, I’m in awe of the craftsmanship.
I’d always thought that quilts originated here in America, in colonial times. Wrong!
It appears [...]
Cliffies, it’s time to meet the candidates for the District One Council Seat. The Elmwood Neighborhood Association is holding a forum TONIGHT.
DATE: TODAY Wednesday March 18th, 2009
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Elmwood United Methodist Church 1315 Berkley 75224
MORE: Six individuals are vying for Dr. Elba Garcia’s seat. The [...]
Most of these are truly awful but this is the perfect time waster for today.
When you get to the site, click on each example to proceed to the next one.
[...]
Well, THIS is good news. The grotty strip mall on Davis just west of Hampton is toast. Good riddance. If we’re lucky, the land will sit vacant for awhile. I’m sure students at the school will appreciate the green space.
Further up the street, St. Cecilia’s church is [...]
Cliffies, do you miss the Oak Cliff Tribune as much as we do? It was a great newspaper: full of neighborhood news. We loved reading about the activities of community groups here in the Cliff. And the photos helped us learn who was who.
The newspaper stopped publishing last month [...]
One of Oak Cliff’s finest grocery shoppers got lost looking for the Hong Kong Supermarket in Grand Prairie today.
Let’s try again.
Head West on Kiest from Oak Cliff. When you reach the toll booth at Mountain Creek Lake, check your odometer. The supermarket is FOUR miles from the toll booth, [...]
Here at Geezer Manor, we’re frantically juggling bizarre schedules. What is it about the month of March that brings out the craziness in life?
When we finished the day yesterday, it was dark and we were tired. All we wanted to do was sit down, relax and have someone serve us [...]
Just a few months ago, Starbuck’s closed its location next to the Bank of America in the Sierra Vista Shopping Center at Westmoreland and Illinois here in Oak Cliff.
Workmen have gutted the interior of the old Starbuck’s and are preparing the space for a new restaurant. An application has been [...]
Here in the Dells District, the city has renamed the part of Combs Creek Parkway that’s west of the creek. New signs were installed last week for Jacksondell Drive. The new name will make it easier for Police, Fire and other emergency services to locate houses on that street.
[...]
Cliffies, if you have a Costco card you need to hop in the car and head on out to the Costco in Duncanville. They’ve got a white wine on sale that’s just plain GREAT.
We’re not fans of white wine. As a rule, we prefer reds. But we picked up [...]
This is SO sad. It’s another sign of these troubled times.
The Oak Cliff Tribune, which has been a great source for news about people and events here in Oak Cliff since 1948, has ceased publication. Publisher Mark Housewright abruptly closed the paper last Tuesday, February 10. The February 5 issue [...]
Why on earth would anyone want THIS in their back yard? Besides being a butt-ugly eyesore, it’s a haven for rats and other vermin. AND it’s a dangerous temptation for curious children.
Junk Motor Vehicle (Section 18-20)
Motor vehicles that are inoperative and/or partially dismantled and have expired [...]
Cliffies, you know how it goes.
It’s Saturday. You’ve been running errands all morning. Now, it’s one o’clock and you’re starved.
What’s a body to do? What will ease the hunger pangs?
NACHOS! Preferably fajita beef nachos.
From Cuquita’s.
Cuquita’s just moved to Oak Cliff from one of the famous, yuppie neighborhoods north of the [...]
The building at 2500 West Davis has stood empty for far too long. Boarded up and covered with graffiti, it’s been a real eyesore.
No more. New windows are being installed. Workmen have gutted the interior and are installing a vent hood for a stove. We should know soon what kind [...]
Cliffies, if you’re looking for a place where you can buy ALL of your Asian groceries under one roof, you need to head west on Kiest Boulevard all the way to Grand Prairie to the Asia Times Square at Great Southwest Highway. The trip takes about 15 minutes, but you’ll [...]
Sorry. Couldn’t resist this. Y’all know that I’m a Mac user, and have ranted for years about all the buggy software that Microsoft has introduced.
Well, Bill Gates has just released even MORE bugs. He opened a jar and released live mosquitos into the audience at TED2009 (Technology, Entertainment and Design) [...]
Last month, U.S. Mayors met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the proposed Federal stimulus plan. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert expressed hope that the plan might help Dallas buy buses that use alternative energy for DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). Leppert is concerned, though, that federal funds will be [...]
“YES PECAN!” An Inspirational Blend! Amber Waves of Buttery Ice Cream With Roasted Non-Partisan Pecans.
[...]
The Texas Department of Transportation (Tx-DOT) reports that highway signs in Ausin have been hacked. Pranksters left this message on one sign:
Chris Lippincott, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Transportation, confirmed that a portable traffic sign at Lamar Boulevard and West 15th Street, near [...]
This bottle of vanilla was started 16 years ago.
.
Starting your own vanilla is fun, and the results are spectacular. AND..it’s fun to pour some of your “starter” into a small bottle as a gift for any friend who likes to bake. Be generous: include a few [...]
Happy New Year.
In the Chinese calender, it’s 4707, the Year of the Ox.
According to legend, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. The Ox was the second animal to arrive.
A friend recently [...]
Cliffies, we’ve raved before about Pollo Campero. It’s THE best chicken. ANYWHERE.
The chain originated in Guatemala, and has branched out across the globe: to El Salvador, Honduras, United States, Nicaragua, México, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, Indonesia and China.
We love their new location at Cockrell Hill Road [...]
Madam Speaker has a sense of humor.
[...]Ordinarily, we adore flea markets. It’s fun to browse and barter for gently worn DVDs. purses, rugs, you name it. We can usually find something we just can’t live without.
Typically, flea markets are located at soccer fields, malls or convention centers, where there’s plenty of space for vendors and their [...]
In Dallas, we’re enjoying a few days of temperatures in the low 70s.
The Jefferson Bazaar here in the Cliff gives us a preview of fashions for summer dresses. Perhaps they’re rushing the season just a bit. Temperatures will drop into the 50s this weekend.
And don’t forget to [...]
Photographer Scout Tufankjian followed the Obama campaign for almost two years.
During that time, she became interested in the job of the ever-present Secret Service agents.
I remember a long night in Pennsylvania when a Fox producer and I tried to figure out exactly what we would [...]
Two days ago the temperature was 80 degrees, and we were grilling veggies on the deck.
Today, it’s 31 degrees and raining. The deck is dripping with ice.
It’s a good day to stay inside and make a pot of REAL chili.
Enjoy the day!
January 6th, 7:00 PM Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff 3839 W. Kiest Blvd (between Westmoreland and Cockrell Hill Road) Dallas, TX 75233 Phone: 214.337.2429At the Death House Door is a personal and intimate look at [...]
Until a few weeks ago, it was “The Pit BBQ.”
Now, it’s the Metro Diner. It’s owned by the same folks who own the Beckly Grill. “Nuff said.
Located on Davis Street at Hampton, it’s another great spot for breakfast here in the Cliff.
The waitress is there as [...]
Cliffies, please, please, PLEASE put La Campina Pupuseria on your list of places to get really good food at reasonable prices. Stop by for a quick lunch, or pick up pupusas “to go.” This place is a gem here in the Cliff, and we want them to stay in business.
They’re [...]
This should brighten your day. Gentle Ben and I laughed until we cried
Here’s the car.
129k miles. Two owners. All in all it’s a great car with a few minor mechanical and cosmetic issues:
The alternator needs to be replaced because it’s not charging the battery. My mechanic [...]
We went to the big, blue home improvement store here in Oak Cliff this afternoon to buy furnace filters. As we expected, the place is well-stocked with Christmas decorations, trees, lights and live poinsettias.
We were shocked, though, to see that everything in the Holiday Decorations section is on final clearance [...]
There are two words to describe this movie.
1. Absolutely
2. Excellent
There are two reasons to see this movie.
1. If you are straight and you are not speaking up for gay rights, the film will twerk your conscience.
2. If you are gay and you are not speaking up for gay rights, the [...]
Cliffies, it’s a good weekend to pig out on cluck. Pollo Campero has opened in Oak Cliff.
It’s located at Chalk Hill at Cockrell Hill Road and I-30.
YUM-O!
[...]You KNOW you’re in Texas when jalapenos are on sale at the counter at McDonald’s.
We like the way McDonald’s varies its menu, depending on locale.
When we were in Japan, we had teriyaki burgers. I have read that McDonald’s in Japan now serves a shrimp burger, and shrimp [...]
Highly overrated. Here’s the story.
A self-absorbed, white American female goes off for a year to search “for everything.” She bounces from Italy to India to Indonesia, living in comfort while fretting about her trivial worries: men, her weight and perfecting her yoga. She gives nothing. It’s all about HER.
What a [...]
What Would Jesus Buy?
Cliffies, December 2 is the date for the F-R-E-E First Tuesday Film at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, 3839 W Kiest, between Westmoreland and Cockrell Hill Road. The film starts at 7:00.
What Would Jesus Buy? follows Reverend Billy and the [...]
Admit it. You’re probably not going to be very productive today. Or tomorrow.
You’ll be pleased to know there’s a web site where you can spend LOTS of time. Two days, if necessary. Easily.
Google is hosting the LIFE magazine photo archive. The covers of the magazine are there, of course, but [...]
We love the crisp, fresh, slightly tart taste of cranberries and oranges. This recipe takes about six minutes, from start to finish. It’s “slow cooking” on steroids.You’ll want to make this dish on Wednesday evening, so the flavors have a chance to meld.
Ingredients:
1 bag cranberries, preferably frozen
1 large, unpeeled orange, [...]
Meet Barko.
That’s not his real name, of course. It’s the name Gentle Ben and I gave him because he…BARKED. For hours at a time.
A family in our neighborhood brought Barko, a puppy about 3 months old, to their home in May. From the first day the dog [...]
Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday. Perhaps it’s because we’ve lived overseas for many years, where the fourth Thursday in November is just another work day.
Here at Geezer Manor, we’ll be grilling a fresh turkey on the Weber. It’s great entertainment. I don’t know why, but family and friends become [...]
Actually, they’ve already arrived.
Cliffies, make the 10-minute trip across the river to Dragon Street, and Banks Fine Art for an exhibition titled, “Russia: Four Seasons.”
It’s a knockout: 32 original oil paintings that portray everyday life in Mother Russia.
We especially liked this painting of a dacha, [...]
Cliffies, give a warm welcome to Dichho’s Book Store and Cafe.
It’s located at the site of the old Nodding Dog Coffee Shop in Bishop Arts.
Dicho’s carries a sophisticated assortment of books for all ages, fine stationery, and fresh coffee and pastries.
What more could a body ask?
[...]North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-il, recently suffered a stroke.
In an attempt to reassure the world that Kim has recovered and is still in charge of the country, the North Koreans have released a photo of him inspecting troops.
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama steps off his campaign plane carrying the head of
John McCain, November 5, 2008.
Tattoos have become a problem for job seekers in this tough economy. Like it or not, more and more employers are requiring employees to cover up tattoos.
Bountiful, Utah, decided in August that new employees must not show any tattoos.
The Pasco County School Board in Florida has ordered employees to [...]
The “Now Hiring” sign is out at Pollo Campero, located at Cockrell Hill Road and I-20, near Staples, IHOP and the new Comfort Suites.
Cliffies, this is THE BEST fried chicken EVER.
Pollo Campero has restaurants in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, [...]
Daytime temperatures here in Dallas are still in the 80s, with evenings in the 60s. Cooler weather will arrive by the end of the week, though. Our trusty clay chiminea has developed a few cracks, so we went to one of the big box stores for a replacement.
Handsome, isn’t [...]
Thank you, Chicago!
The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth is featuring works on loan from The Art Institute of Chicago. It’s a splendid exhibition of 92 paintings by Cezanne, Degas, Gaugin, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh.
The 26 works by Monet form an exhibition-within-the-exhibition, including 6 of wheatstacks, [...]
There wasn’t a line when we voted yesterday afternoon at our local Recreation Center, but there was a steady stream of voters. Poll workers told us that they had never been so busy on the first day of Early Voting. We’ve heard that some polling places in Dallas had [...]
Cliffies, tonight is the season finale for MOVIES ON THE LAWN at Turner House, located at 401 N Rosemont Avenue.
Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic dinner at 7:00 and join a mellow crowd for one of Mel Brooks’ best: Young [...]
The Dallas Museum of Art is featuring Tutankhamun And The Golden Age Of The Pharaohs. We hope to get tickets and go soon. It sounds fascinating. All of the treasures in the exhibition are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.
The whole city is in love with [...]
BOO!
Here’s the perfect Halloween mask: VERY scary.
Download the PDF file and print the mask on your own printer. Compliments of the Chicago Tribune.
OK. You KNEW this was coming.
Granny and Gentle Ben spent yesterday at the Texas State Fair. It was Thursday, which meant that geezers got in free. We arrived early so that we could burn up enough calories walking around to make room for the decadent lunch: chicken- fried bacon, [...]
Well, it’s about time. The nearest, affordable and clean rooms for visitors to West Oak Cliff have been to the south, in Duncanville. No more.
Comfort Suites is nearing completion at Cockrell Hill Road and I-30 at Chalk Hill.
Beside it, construction has started on a new Hampton Inn.
[...]
