Life in Dallas

An Insiders Look of Dallas

Top row from left: PRC Dinner 2023, Richard Drummond Davis, Cliff Welch, FAIA. Second row from left: Michael Lee, Design Genius, Jack Knox Creates Cafe Pacific Magic, Mother’s Day Home Tour.

Life in Dallas is intended to provide casual snapshots and vignettes of people and places one might see in the course of living in Dallas. These spontaneous and sporadic posts are not intended to give an exhaustive or even a full view of Dallas. Here you will find hints of Dallas.

Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership Showcased LAUNCH Accelerator Program

Mitchell Brown moderates at the 1911 Group SMU Founders Luncheon cohosted by the Spears Institute and held at the Dallas Country Club in Highland Park. — The Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the 1911 Group cohosted the SMU Founders Luncheon featuring entrepreneurs Theresa Shigemura, founder of Gudpet, and Adrian Torrebiarte, founder of FitCheck Polls. At the lectern is Mitchell Brown introducing participants.

SMU Founders Luncheon was cohosted by Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership featuring two recent graduates of the Spears LAUNCH accelerator program.

Joshua Taylor, the Managing Director of William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, introduced Theresa Shigemura, Featured Founder of Gudpet, who discussed this entrepreneurial venture and Adrian Torrebiarte, Featured Founder of FitCheck Polls, who discussed this entrepreneurial venture. The audience was able to ask each of the founders specific questions about their exciting ventures or make suggestions of what they would like to see their business venture explore. Co-founding Directors Megha and Nirav Tolia would certainly have been proud of these presentations and business ideas taking hold.

Nirav Tolia has a Conversation with Venture Capitalist and Author Bill Gurley

SMU Cox School of Business and Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership holds a book launch for "Runnin' Down a Dream" by author Bill Gurley. Seen here from left is SMU President Jay Hartzell, interviewer Nirav Tolia the CEO of Nextdoor, and author Bill Gurley, venture capitalist. — Nirav Tolia had a fascinating conversation with Bill Gurley, a venture capitalist, who has backed many of his ventures including Nextdoor. SMU President Jay Hartzell, pictured on left, is friends with both of them.

Bill Gurley, author of the book “Runnin’ Down a Dream” and venture capitalist, fresh off a wildly successful TED Talk presented a few days earlier in Vancouver, had a delightful conversation with Nirav Tolia at the Spears Institute in the Cox School of Business. This conversation is a perfect example of the programming that is available for both SMU students and the Dallas community. The Spears Institute that educates and nurtures SMU students’ entrepreneurial business initiatives is a dynamic program. A conversation with Nirav Tolia and Bill Gurley who backed several of his ventures over 30 years including Nextdoor, is a TED quality program in itself. Dallas and SMU are lucky to have Nirav Tolia and his wife Megha Tolia, co-founders of the Spears Institute, so involved in this program. Bill Gurley also said hello individually to audience members as he signed his book. By the way, the book is really interesting and is one of the few business books that is not filled with stories of the author but is filled with stories of people the author knows that express the best path forward for entrepreneurs and people in business.

People, Art, Galleries Draw Patrons to Dallas Art Fair

The Dallas Art Fair for 2026 was held in the Dallas Arts District at the Fashion Industry Gallery. — The preview opening of the Art Fair for patrons is always a highlight for spring. Galleries have just the right amount of visitors and the people are spectacular. Some are dressed, some are casual, and everyone attending loves art.

The Dallas Art Fair attracts many of the best galleries from Dallas, across the country, and from around the world. This Dallas Art Fair has developed into a meaningful opportunity for those in Dallas to see art in an efficient, curated way. The Dallas Art Fair also attracts people from some distance because of the quality of offerings. John and Marlene Sughrue have done a wonderful job cultivating and presenting the Dallas Art Fair each year.

Co-Founder Marlene Sughrue Always Animates the Dallas Art Fair

Marlene Sughrue again co-hosts the Dallas Art Fair held this year, 2026, in the Dallas Arts District in downtown Dallas. — Co-Founder of Dallas Art Fair, Marlene Sughrue with her husband John Sughrue, always animates the Dallas Art Fair with her presence.

The Dallas Art Fair is my favorite place in Dallas to spontaneously see people as they step outside or in the corridors of the Dallas Art Fair or in the galleries where one can exchange a quick smile or say hello or engage in a meaningful conversation.

Immediately upon entering the Dallas Art Fair, one sees art inside and outside the local, regional, national, and international art galleries at Dallas Art Fair. — Immediately upon entering the Dallas Art Fair, one is enticed by the view of art inside and outside of the local, regional, national, and international galleries.

Valley House Gallery in Dallas is Always a Hit at the Dallas Art Fair

The Valley House Gallery exhibit at the Dallas Art Fair in 2026 displayed selected works by 60 of the artists they represent, including at least two that I collect, Mary Vernon and Brian Cobble. — Kevin and Cheryl Vogel greet longtime patrons of their Valley House Gallery and introduce themselves to art collectors who have come to Dallas from different parts of the country to see the art offered at the Dallas Art Fair.

Kevin and Cheryl Vogel direct the Valley House Gallery, a much-loved gallery in Dallas founded by Kevin’s father over 70 years ago. They honor the best of Dallas over several decades and Kevin and Cheryl continue to discover new artists who become national sensations. For the 2026 Dallas Art Fair, they selected work by over 60 of the artists they represent. These include two of the artists I collect, Mary Vernon and Brian Cobble. Mary Vernon is a legend as both a professor at SMU and Chair of the Art Department. She might be even better known for her splendid art. I was first introduced to Brian Cobble by David McManaway when I was seeking an artist to create a photorealist painting of an original Dallas mule-drawn streetcar for the logo of my new real estate business. This is the logo I still use today, and I have since acquired additional paintings by him as well.

Mary Vernon is a Star at the Dallas Art Fair 2026

Artist Mary Vernon's paintings are exhibited by the Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Center at the 2026 Dallas Art Fair in the Dallas Arts District. — These two paintings by artist Mary Vernon are the beacon that attracts art patrons inside the Valley House Gallery at the Dallas Art Fair in 2026. The works of Mary Vernon are always in high demand and I consider her paintings a reason itself to visit the Dallas Art Fair.

Gallerist Kevin Vogel of Valley House Gallery discusses Dallas artist Mary Vernon's paintings at the Dallas Art Fair of 2026 held in the Dallas Arts District. — Kevin Vogel discusses the work found in his Valley House Gallery at the Dallas Art Fair, as he stands close to two Mary Vernon paintings.

Celebrating at Closing of New Home

New homeowners celebrate their historic home on Lakeshore Drive in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. — Michael and Libby Guerrero finish signing the closing documents at Texas Legacy Title.

Another family chooses Dallas. When people ask me why Dallas is successful, I immediately think of the people who choose to move to Dallas and make it their home. Some relocations feel like postings where someone is obligated to move to a city for a job and anticipates moving on. Most of the people I help buy a home are moving to Dallas to make Dallas home.

Evening at Cafe Pacific Celebrating New Home

The homeowners celebrating their historic Lakewood home built in 1930 in Dallas, Texas. — Real Estate Broker Douglas Newby hosted a dinner for Dr. Michael and Libby Guerrero on the patio at Cafe Pacific to celebrate the closing of their new, historically significant estate home in a bucolic neighborhood of Dallas. Libby and Michael already feel like they are longtime Dallas residents and they will make a great contribution to the community.

The Excitement of a Lakewood Home

Celebrating her new but historic home at 6908 Lakeshore Drive in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. — When the daughter is excited about her new home, we are all excited. There is nothing that makes Real Estate Broker Douglas Newby happier than seeing his clients love their new home in their new neighborhood and their new city.

Libby and Michael Guerrero and their daughter are the perfect example of a family that immediately boosts the quality of Dallas. Dr. Michael Guerrero is a microbiologist and scientist over the research at Colossal doing de-extinction, bringing back extinct species, a process that will have major benefits for civilization, science and medicine. Libby has a Master’s Degree and is also prominent in the field of medicine. This is a family that is not fleeing California or New York but choosing Dallas over a nice community in Raleigh, North Carolina. Their daughter is equally excited about the DISD grade school she will be attending, particularly its theater program. What I find is that homeowners attracted to Dallas also find the city attractive to them. Michael and Libby already feel part of the city.

Realtor Douglas Newby with new owners Michael and Libby Guerrero at the closing of their home at in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas. — Douglas Newby, Michael Guerrero and Libby Guerrero celebrate closing and funding of their new historic home in a fabulous neighborhood.

Realtor Douglas Newby, Realtor Connie Harkins, Michael and Libby Guerrero celebrating the closing in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas. — Michael and Libby Guerrero framed by Real Estate Brokers Douglas Newby and Connie Harkins of Douglas Newby and Associates, who represented this fabulous family purchasing their new home in Dallas.

Douglas Newby Sees Mutual Friend at Gallery

Douglas Newby sees Jouette Travis at a Design District gallery in Dallas. — Douglas Newby pictured with Jouette Travis as they see each other at a Design District gallery.

Common interest draws people together. Jouette Travis, whom I saw at a Design District gallery, discovered that we have had mutual friends over the decades. These include award-winning filmmaker and advertising executive David Haspel and the late Rick Brettell, who has had maybe more influence on art and architecture than anyone in Dallas. Interestingly, David Haspel arranged for a Tracy-Locke art director to design my first real estate sign that included the photorealism painting by Brian Cobble mentioned in another Life in Dallas post. Jouette is a special talent with a wide range of interests and expertise, and it is a delight any time I have an opportunity to see her.

Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin Venture from their Turtle Creek Home to Sister

Dining with Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin at the Sister restaurant found on Lower Greenville in Old East Dallas. — Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin have exceptional culinary taste as they enjoy the restaurants across Dallas, and for that matter the world. The benchmark is always if the food is as good as what Harriet prepares at home. Here, they are at Sister restaurant on Lower Greenville in the Old East Dallas neighborhood.

Dallas Architecture Forum Max Levy Panel

Dallas Architecture Forum panelists at "Common Ground - a Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues" held at Angelika Theater in Mockingbird Station in Dallas. Panelists include Tom Manganiello, D'J Perkison, Jason David Smith and Marc McCollom. — Dallas Architecture Forum – “Common Ground – A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues.” Panelists: Architect Tom Manganiello, D’J Perkison, AIA, of Studio Perk; architect Jason David Smith; Marc McCollom, AIA, all previously worked with Max Levy.

Dallas Architecture Forum: “Common Ground – A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues,” in memory of architect Ron Wommack, FAIA.

Max Levy with panelists at the Dallas Architecture Forum "Common Ground - A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues" held at Angelika Film Center of Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — Architects on the panel celebrating their successful talk. From left, D’J Perkison, Jason David Smith, Max Levy and Marc McCollom.

Architect Max Levy with fellow panelists architect Marc McCollom and Jason David Smith at Dallas Architecture Forum event held at Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — From left, Architects Jason David Smith, Max Levy and Marc McCollom.

Architect Max Levy and colleague D'J Perkison answering questions on the panel of Dallas Architecture Forum held in Dallas at Mockingbird Station. — Architect Max Levy, FAIA, and architect D’J Perkison, who has worked with Max Levy on architecturally significant modern homes he has designed, speaking at the Dallas Architecture Forum Panel.

Architect Joshua Ramus Who Designs with Curiosity, Creativity, and Engineering Spoke at the Dallas Architecture Forum

Architect Joshua Ramus, FAIA, Founding Principle of REX, an architecture and design firm, speaks at the Dallas Architecture Forum presentation at Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — Joshua Ramus of REX and Douglas Newby of Architecturally Significant Homes as each arrive at the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station in Dallas, where Joshua Ramus spoke to the Dallas Architecture Forum. I have known Joshua Ramus for 20 years, since he was a speaker at TED in 2006. Over the years at the annual TED conference, hearing additional talks at the Wyly Theatre in Dallas, at TEDxSMU, and now hearing him at the Dallas Architecture Forum lecture, I remain convinced he is the most interesting English-speaking architect in the world. His projects don’t look the same, but his ideas and innovations become more layered, more elaborate, and yet visually simpler and more refined.

Architect Joshua Ramus spoke to the Dallas Architecture Forum. We saw how he responded and anticipated the evolving needs of clients with creativity, curiosity, and engineering borrowed from other industries to create refined and elegant design. Many architects execute a preconceived design to envelope a rigid program fulfilling a primary need. Joshua Ramus examines, explores, and expands how a building might be used whether it is a performance hall, an office building or an architecturally significant modern residence.

Joshua Ramus Borrows Engineering From Other Industries

His solutions borrowed engineering from other industries. Equipment developed for other uses were adapted to his theaters and other buildings, where they enhanced specific parts of the design and, in doing so, became an inspiration for more elaborate performance halls. The Wyly Theatre in Dallas allowed the many forms of theater productions to thrive. He created a building that adapted to dozens of dramatically different configurations suited for the theater production. We saw in his more current projects performance halls where a ceiling could drop in seconds to acoustically enhance the solo of a maestro and then be raised to capture the complete sound of the entire symphony.

Beyond Form and a Program

While we generally think of architecture as form and program Joshua Ramus thinks of architecture as responding to the immediate, changing and evolving needs of the user — whether it is an office, performance hall or residence. The creative disruption of conventional spaces does not diminish the elegance of the building.

A preconceived form that envelopes a rigid program fulfilling primary needs does not easily adapt and often becomes obsolete and vulnerable to being torn down. Just as nature has seasons and times of day, the needs of buildings also have seasons and respond to the rhythms of the day — constantly changing and evolving. Joshua Ramus begins with creative ideas and then finds aesthetic solutions that enhance their adaptability.