Pie Five - Are You Pie-Curious?

Apart from fixing my food is zero gravity, there's probably nothing new in meal preparation.  Pie Five is the Subway of pizza joints, and in that regard, it doesn't break any new ground.  You walk in, tell them what you want, and they build your pizza right in front of you.

I went to the Pie Five in Los Colinas.  My pizza was pretty straightforward.  I got pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms on a thin crust.  They made it and put it through the oven, and it was ready to eat in under five minutes.  For a nine inch pizza and drink, it came to a little under nine bucks.  Not a bad deal.

Pepperoni, Sausage, and Mushroom on Thin Crust

I would highly recommend Pie Five.  It's pizza done your way, real fast.

Pie Five

Fort Worth Stockyards - Yeehaw!

A trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards is a trip back in time.  When I visited back in April of this year, it was the Stockyards that finally sold me on Texas and cemented my desire to move here.  To me, though touristy, it best represents what authentic Texas is.  Walking along Exchange Ave, with its historical charm, statues of longhorns, saloons, and steakhouses, it almost makes you want to put on a cowboy hat and wear a belt buckle the size of a serving tray.


This past Monday, I saddled up and ventured back to the Stockyards after my visit to the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens.  There was a whole block of Exchange Ave (which is where the Stockyards are located) that I didn't get to see the last time I was there.


I was hungry(naturally), so I decided to get some lunch.  I chose a place called Riscky's Steakhouse.  Since it was just me, I didn't need a table so I moseyed up to the bar.  They were having a lunch special, so I got a six ounce steak, potatoes, and toast for only eight bucks.

I'm a meat and potatoes kinda guy

After lunch, I walked around and took in all the shops along Exchange Ave and in a place called Stockyard Station, which is bunch of shops tucked away in a historic building that made up a very vibrant marketing center of livestock back in the day.

I came across another shop called Cowtown Winery, that caught my interest.  I don't really care for wine.  I've haven't really sampled anything that appealed to me, but this time I thought I would give it another go. 

The lady who owned the store was very friendly and we chatted it up for about a half an hour.  She let me sample four different wines.  My favorite was a white wine called Ambush, which was a sweet blend of citrusy fruits .  Very nice.

Cowtown Winery

Finally I ended my time with a visit to the White Elephant Saloon.  Sadly there wasn't a pair of swinging doors to walk through, so I couldn't make my entrance like the mysterious, lone stranger.

I don't know where it got the name White Elephant, but this ol' watering hole has a lot of history.  Back in 1887, the White Elephant was the scene of a famous gunfight between Long Hair Jim Courtright and Luke Short, who owed the saloon.  Luke Short had a faster hand with a deck of cards than he did with a six shooter, but he managed to put Jim Courtright in the ground.  Every February 8th, the day of this famous duel, the White Elephant reenacts its.

The inside of the saloon is just like you would expect a bar to be: dim, with only the light spilling from the front windows and the neon glow from all the beer signs that hung on the wall.  The bar was a dark wood, with old wobbly stools that sat in the front of it.  Cowboy hats, each associated with a name, hung from the ceiling and walls, and in the back, where the pool table was, were cabinets filled with different kinds of porcelain, white elephants. The place had a dusty quality to it.  It's like they didn't want to wipe it up for fear of erasing all the history this place had come to know.

I decided to wet my whistle so I walked up to the bar and chatted it up with a Cowtown local, and a couple of friends visiting from Minnesota.  We had a very pleasant exchange.  We talked about the usual.  What brings you here?  What do you do for a living?  Life in Texas.  Life in Kentucky.  That sort of thing.

After about an hour, I decided to end my touristy excursion.  I had been out all day, and it was getting dark and I wanted to get off my feet.  I strolled around a little bit more before I got to my car.  There was a bronze statue of a cowboy corralling a bunch of longhorns along Main St. that I wanted to get  a picture of.

It's places like this that make me really appreciate Fort Worth.  It's a big town, but not quite so much when compared to Dallas.  It may not be sleek and modern with buildings reaching the stratosphere, but it does have character.  From Sundance Square downtown to the Stockyards along Exchange Ave, Fort Worth embodies a cowboy spirit and hearkens back to the glory days of America's expansion out west.

I got back in my car and I rode it like I stole it, all the way back home.  Home was east, towards Grand Prairie, so there was no sunset to ride off too.  I guess that was the only wrench in this whole western themed blog entry.  Oh well.

Fort Worth Stockyards
Stockyards Station
White Elephant Saloon
Cowtown Winery

Help When You Need It Part 2

With the help of someone here in the Dallas area, I believe I have a more presentable resume.  I gave her all the information, and she did a good job crafting a resume I can feel confident about.  There are no guarantees but this is a step in a better direction.  Let's pray that it helps open doors.

Buzzbrews - Always Open

A few years back I worked second shift at Guess for a couple of months.  When I got off work, especially during the week, there wasn't a whole lot to do after midnight.  Thankfully, there were a few restaurants that were open 24 hours, and me and a couple of friends would meet some where on Bardstown Rd and spend some time over a late night meal.  I have a sense of nostalgia for those days.  Not because I loved working second shift, but for those late night meet ups, which were always fun.

Buzzbrews is just one of those places.  I believe there are three location in Dallas.  The one I visited was in Dallas' trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood.  I went there in the afternoon, after my visit to the Dallas Museum of Art.

The inside was pretty straightforward.  Nice, but nothing too fancy, with elements of kitsch sprinkled here and there. 

There menu is pretty extensive.  Designed to appeal to just about any taste at any hour of the day you walk in, or stumble in, depending on what you were doing before you got the munchies.

I ordered the Chicken and The Egg, which was a six ounce grilled chicken breast, served with scrambled egg whites, potatoes, garlic marbles, griddled tomatoes, and a poblano sauce. 

Chicken and the Egg

My meal was pretty amazing.  The chicken was tender and juicy, the scrambled egg whites made me wonder why I never ate my eggs like this before, the potatoes were good, and I don't know what poblano sauce is, but it wasn't overpowering and complimented my meal very well.

I'm still looking forward to eating at one of Dallas' high end eateries, where your entree comes to about the monthly payment for a new Mercedes.  Buzzbrews is not one of those places.  My meal, along with my drink and tip, came to only 16 bucks.

Not a bad place to find yourself with a couple of friends unwinding after a late night.  Or not a bad place to be in the morning for some breakfast and coffee.  Actually Buzzbrews is a great place, no matter what the hour.  You have 24 to choose from.

Mi Cocina

The Mi Cocina restaurant at Watters Creek in Allen. 
I did not take this picture.

I do not care for Mexican food.  Maybe it's because I get filled up on chips and salsa before my meal comes.  Maybe it's because the "authentic" Mexican I've eaten in the past has been dumbed down.  Maybe it's because beans and rice seem like the only side items found on Mexican plates.  Or maybe it's because I think flan is disgusting and shouldn't be allowed on any dessert menu. 

I am in Texas however, and Mexican restaurants abound. I decided that since I am here, I am willing to sample what the area has to offer.  I really wanted to try a restaurant called Chuy's but the closest one to where we were had a 45 minute wait time. We didn't want to wait that long so we settled on Mi Cocina.

The one we went to was located in a beautiful mixed-use development called Watters Creek in Allen.  One of those lovely, manicured communities where you can live, work, shop, and eat in just a short walk. Just as a side note, if I ever made enough money to afford it, this is the kind of place I would want to live.

Mi Cocina is a moderately priced restaurant with a modern, high end atmosphere.  It was very nice on the inside with a minimalist design that was sharp and clean and well lit. A welcome change from the normal tacky explosion of pinatas and sombreros hanging every where.

I ordered the Crispy Chicken "Enchiladas Verdes", which was three enchiladas topped with salsa verde, crema, arroz y refritos, and served with rice, beans, and lettuce.  It was delicious!  The chicken enchiladas topped with those sauces was a sublime marriage of flavors.  The rice was tender and not dried out which is my normal experience at Mexican restaurants.  And the lettuce, once I threw out the avocado and tomatoes, came with a hint of dressing, and was quit tasty.  I did not touch my beans.  Yuck.

Crispy Chicken "Enchiladas Verdes"

All together, it was a very satisfying meal.  Not exceptional, mind you.  I didn't feel like I was experiencing Mexican cuisine like I never had it before.  No new ground was being covered here.  But it was good and worthy of another visit.  And I wasn't going to break the bank either.  My meal, along with my drinks, came to a little over twenty bucks.  Not bad for a Friday night out.

Mi Cocina

Help When You Need It

I'm beginning to think that a real hindrance to me landing a job interview could be my resume.  I feel that my resume is poorly done and comes off amateurish.  I'm sure perspective employers looked at it and wondered why I just didn't submit it in crayon.

Resume writing is one of the things that you learn at Spencerian College, which is where I graduated.  But like most things at those fast track to a new career institutions of higher learning, they didn't teach me much, and I think they just gave me an A for trying.

I do not know the first thing about writing a resume.  I need something that looks and reads professional and clearly communicates my objectives and skill sets.  I need employers to see that I am qualified for the job I am applying for.  Praise God, I was able to find someone who was willing to help me with my resume. I sent her a copy of my current resume, a description of my experience, and a link to job posting that best fits what I am looking for.

I guess what this boils down to is that I need help.  I picked up everything and moved here to North Texas in the hopes of a career and new life.  I am thankful for the opportunity but I can't do this alone.  I am thankful that I have friends here giving me a place to stay.  I am thankful for the contacts that I have made and the networking I have done.  I am thankful for every lead that someone has past on to me.  It helps, and has made my adjusting here very easy.

Traders Village

I don’t normally care for flea markets or peddler malls.  I guess it depends on your interests or how closely you peruse, but most of the stuff I find there is just someone’s junk.  Being new to the area, however, my friends told me that I must visit this place called Traders Village.

Traders Village is a Texas sized flea market with a little bit of carnival thrown in for good measure.  It’s also the closest you can get to Mexico without a passport or tourist visa.  Walking through the gate was like walking into another world and the further back you went, the deeper the rabbit hole.

I really enjoyed this place.  Like any flea market, anything and everything can be bought here: from auto parts to appliances, and everything in between.  There was some scary stuff as well.  There was one booth selling some herbal remedies that looked like they’ve been sitting on the shelf since the 80’s.  And I don’t know what you use a tube of gorilla snot for, but I’m sure it’s someone’s take on styling gel.  I’ll pass. 

My friend Kristin told me that I needed to try this drink called an aqua fresca.  I’ve never had one, but I heard that they are pretty popular in Mexico and Latin America.  They come in different flavors like pineapple, watermelon, rice, hibiscus, cantaloupe, or tamarind.  I decided to go with the hibiscus.

I knew that hibiscus was a flower of some sort and my drink was sweet and nectary, if that’s a word.  I felt like a hummingbird drinking this thing.  Starting out it was good, but as it progressed I began to like it less and less.  Not my best choice, but live and learn.

I really enjoyed Traders Village.  With all its Hispanic sights, sounds, and smells, it was a world unto itself.  A little slice of Latin America in the heart of the DFW.

Every flea market needs a bar

Making my Hibiscus aqua fresca

http://tradersvillage.com/

Oddfellows

I first notice Oddfellows on my last visit to the Bishop Arts District.  Of all the places I've eaten, with the exception of Twisted Root, this restaurant had the most Bardstown Road vibe.  Like a lot of places on Bardstown, Oddfellows was open and airy, with big windows that would open up to the side walk allowing passerbyers to take in the potpourri of fragrant aromas coming from within.

One feature that really stuck out to me was that you can sit at the bar at Oddfellows, but from the outside.  Really nice way to enjoy the morning and people watch.  You can sit up at the window and stare at the people eating and no one gets creeped out.  How cool is that?

On this visit I decided to try their Duck Hash.  I asked my server if she had ever had it.  She said yes, and said it was amazing.  Their Duck Hash was a plate of duck breast served on a bed of breakfast potatoes, fresh jalapenos, hollandaise, ranchero sauce, and topped with two eggs.  Very delicious! 

I've had duck before and thought it was very good.  It is a darker meat but not gamey, if it is prepared right.  The duck, along with everything else worked very well together, and made for a very enjoyable breakfast.  All together, with coffee and tip, it only set me back about 13 bucks.  Not to shabby.

The Duck Hash

I really liked Oddfellows.  A little bit of Bardstown Rd in the heart of Dallas' Bishop Arts District.  A little taste of home.

http://oddfellowsdallas.com/