Douglas Newby Insights - Page 17
Chef-Owned Restaurant
Mr. Melios, who you will see when you slide through, cooks with love, pride, and professionalism to create joy for his diners. Char Bar spans my entire memory of Greenville Ave. since SMU. In my early years with still a posh suburban sensibility, dragged there by friends in the wee hours of the morning, surrounded by a crowd that might be awake at 3:00 a.m., I was not particularly impressed. What a difference decades later makes, visiting with greater insights, at 3:00 p.m. rather than 3:00 a.m. Now, the even greater layers of patina feel like Dallas history has been richly varnished in place. Char Bar exudes a straightforward honesty that is so rare today. Really inspiring was how good the food was! The grilled cheese with tomatoes and pickles was even better than those at the old Highland Park pharmacy. I asked that the bacon be burned on my BLT— don’t be bashful, the chef smiled, “I will turn up the heat on the griddle.” The chef visited my table and had a satisfied smile when I said I loved it. Here is a chef/owner, after almost 50 years still cares. Never mentioned was the Sept. 22 closing. Expressing my pleasure, he said he always strove for quality and joy that comes from good food. Did I mention a meal at Char Bar costs less than my espresso in the morning? He mentioned his son, a chef, is the general manager of an upscale Dallas restaurant. My father once told me one could not learn to be a farmer in ag school but needed to grow up on a farm. I mentioned in the same way, a restaurant manager needs to grow up in a kitchen. Mr. Melios smiled and said I was exactly right. Greenville Ave. since college was my walking or biking route to SMU. The sparsely attended but raw nightlife made the journey interesting—an open daytime strip club was across the street from The Grape. Greenville Ave evolved, gyrating from bad, better, worse, improved—Char Bar was a buoyant landmark in every era. *Chef-Owned Restaurant
@MeliosBrosCharBar #GreenvilleAve #CharBar #CharBarDallas #Dallas #LowerGreenville #DallasNeighborhood #ChefOwned #DallasHistory
Entrance Bench
A cast stone park bench under a tree canopy was positioned in the front yard of the home I purchased the year I graduated from SMU. In a neighborhood of similar-looking early 20th century homes, the park bench was distinct and inviting. I purchased the home with all of its contents except for the personal effects of the elderly owner. This included all the furniture, pots, pans, and even the icepick hanging on the bedroom door for protection. The contents were much appreciated as I was moving from a college apartment on Rosedale. But the seller insisted on taking the park bench. Maybe that is the reason I have such a soft spot for entry benches like this one by the front door of a White Rock Lake home. Benches are a welcoming symbol of the home and neighborhood. *Entrance Bench
#ParkBench #EntryBench #Dallas #Welcome #Landscape #Architecture #DallasNeighborhood
Motion Passes – Pegasus Sells
From my suggesting the name Pegasus for the bank as it was being formed, to making the motion to accept the results of the shareholder vote to sell the bank, this investment has had a sentimental appeal to me. The sale also represents an evolution of Dallas and the closing of a circle of longstanding banking relationships with Joe Goyne. I first met Joe at a Christmas party of architect Michael Brown on Swiss Avenue when I had just started graduate school at SMU. Joe suggested I look under my mattress, empty the pillowcases, and look in all my pockets to pull together some money to open an account at Grand Bank. I did just that. At the bank when I emptied all my pockets holding various denominations and types of currency, checks, and remittances, it made a mound on his desk. He immediately called in the other bank officers to take a look. Since then, Joe Goyne, who started as a teller at Lakewood Bank, became President of Grand Bank, Vice Chairman of Comerica Bank, started Lone Star Bank, and then founded his last venture, Pegasus Bank. Along the way has been the creation of a historic district, building the first two new houses in Munger Place after it became a historic district, a Restoration House of the Year Award and many other shared civic ventures that we worked on together. Congratulations to Joe, the officers and staff, and other shareholders for a successful sale. Wishing Joe continued success as a banker working for the new out-of-state bank. *Motion Passes – Pegasus Sells
#PegasusBank #Pegasus #JoeGoyne #Bank #DallasBank #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #DallasHistory #PegasusSale #Banker
Topo Chico Again On My Mind
Whenever the temperature goes over 100 degrees, my mind always goes to Topo Chico. A tall Topo Chico, a short Topo Chico, coffee backed by Topo Chico, or Topo Chico on ice. A 100-degree day is a Topo Chico day. *Topo Chico Again On My Mind
#TopoChico @TopoChicoUSA #HotSummerDay #Mantle #Design #Dallas #HistoricHome @nataliehasty #DallasNeighborhood
Neighborhood Modern
This neighborhood modern home is in contrast to the proliferation of builder modern spec homes that are more about modern ornamentation than good design. This modern home in a neighborhood of renovated cottages is respectful of the setbacks, the scale is pleasing, and the front façade also has a hint of an Old East Dallas Airplane Bungalow. Even at a glance, it is easy to identify this as an architect-designed home. *Neighborhood Modern
#Dallas #Architect #Architecture #LakewoodHills #Dallas Neighborhood #EastDallas #SantaFeTrail #UrbanHome #NeighborhoodModern #Design #PathToTrinityGroves
Will Murchison Makes Impact
The late John McElroy, an artist who became Chair of the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU once told me that many of his best graduate art students had undergraduate engineering degrees. He encouraged those with a less formal art background and then watched them as their work often exceeded the success of those with the traditional art trajectory. It was immensely satisfying to see at the Erin Cluley Gallery the work of Will Murchison, who has more recently dedicated himself to art. His work held up well in the summer show at the Erin Cluley Gallery, and made a definite impact on those who came to see the art exhibited at the coordinated openings of many galleries in the Design District and across Dallas. Will Murchison exhibit pieces exuded passion, point of view, and a deft use of color. Dallas is fortunate to have the number of excellent galleries, accomplished and recognized artists, and emerging artists that make Dallas a vibrant city of artists and collectors. *Will Murchison Makes Impact
#Art #ArtGallery #SummerArtExhibitions #ArtOpenings #GalleryOpening #WillMurchison @WillMurch1 @ErinCluleyGallery #ErinCluleyGallery #DesignDistrict #Dallas #JohnMcElroy
#DallasNeighborhood #Painting #Design
European Interpretation
Often when in Europe, I see homes that offer a delightful surprise. Just as some modern homes have living spaces linked by outside pavilions and European homes might have an auxiliary cottage close by, the central corridor of this home is covered by the second story but is open at both ends. This open corridor allows one from the wrought iron front gated door to see through the house to the garden, park, and White Rock Lake. Proceeding through this open corridor, doors facing each other, one opens to the main living areas and bedrooms, and the opposite door opens to additional living spaces and two guest bedrooms. Wraparound terraces, porches, balcony porches, and second floor terraces link the primary spaces of the home with the guest spaces. These balconies and terraces also provide spectacular views of the park and White Rock Lake. These views are shared by the informal and formal living rooms and bedrooms. This design allows a neighborhood home to become a home removed from the neighborhood with only views of trees, parks, and the lake. It is fun to see a home on .5 acres that has an environment one would associate with several acres and one that would cost several million dollars more. *European Interpretation
#WhiteRockLake #ArboretumPoint #Architecture #DallasNeighborhood #Dallas #EmeraldIsle #Design #PathToSMU #PathToDeepEllum #PathToTrinityGroves #landscape
Discover a Muse
Go over a stone bridge and find a hidden neighborhood, climb a curving hill, and proceed to a bowed street that ends, and along the way you might notice a small hidden spur, engulfed by vegetation and a canopy of trees, that disappears. Right before this fragment of street disappears, you will discover this hidden muse. No wonder I love this neighborhood. *Discover a Muse
#Muse #HiddenNeighborhood #Neighborhood #Dallas #Architecture #LandscapeArchitecture #Architect #DowntownNeighborhood #DallasNeighborhood #Design
Preservation versus New Urbanism
Single-family zoning preserves affordable housing—New Urbanism multifamily zoning destroys affordable housing. Single-family zoning preserves two-story Prairie style homes, one-story Craftsman bungalows and small cottages, duplexes, fourplexes, and small 1960s apartment buildings. Multifamily zoning unleashes the bulldozers as property owners disinvest in their homes and buildings of affordable apartments as they wait for a developer to purchase the property for new development and massive density. The first image shows one of the next blocks on the way to being torn down and the last image is a view from right around the corner to downtown Dallas. Here you can see small houses and small apartments on the way to bulldozer land. Just last week Chris Leinberger at a D CEO Magazine New Urbanism lecture said single-family zoning is good for homeowners because it makes the property appreciate, but it is bad for society. He said that Dallas needs to change single family zoning to multi family zoning. He proposes that an acre of land with normal sized lots (six houses) should be torn down and replaced with 60 apartments. Preservation promotes a diversity of architectural styles and sizes. New Urbanism requires architectural homogeneity and economic diversity through different levels of rent subsidies. Good intentions and sounds good—looks and lives bad! *Preservation versus New Urbanism
#Preservation #NewUrbanism #Bulldozer #SingleFamilyZoning #MultiFamilyZoning #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Architect #Architecture #EconomicDiversity #ArchitecturalDiversity #SovietBlocHousing #DowntownHousing #DowntownNeighborhoods
Summer = Shakespeare
Shakespeare in the Park is a summer tradition and a personal tradition. From Shakespeare in Fair Park where I saw the costumes designed by Giva Taylor and T.A. Taylor carrying spears on stage while commemorative T.A. Taylor Shakespeare T-shirts were being sold , to Shakespeare now at Samuell Grand Park where one finds the brilliant T.A. Taylor in leading roles. This summer my enjoyment of Shakespeare in the Park continues. The performance of As You Like It more effectively transports one to a different place than other forms of entertainment. One experiences highbrow theater and lowbrow comedy, effete aspirations and lawn seating. There is enough mental concentration needed for one to get into a groove of understanding the play, but a plot that is fun to see unfold. I always judge whether a Shakespeare performance is good if I can follow the plot line. I could—it’s good—you’ll enjoy! *Summer = Shakespeare
#ShakespeareInThePark #ShakespeareDallas #TATaylor @T.A._Taylor @ShakespeareDallas #SamuellGrandPark #Dallas #Summer #Shakespeare #DallasPark #DallasNeighborhood #Theater #Art #Costume #SetDesign #Design #AsYouLikeIt