The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Konnichiwa Songfighters,

It's Tuesday, June 3rd and in less then a week, I'll be taking my first trip to Dallas. So my QotD is:

When you travel to a new town, what are some of the first things that you do? Do you check out the music venues? the restaurants? the historical sites?

And if you know anything about Dallas, any place I really need to check out?

Well, I travel to lots of new towns but rarely have time to "do" anything. Other than eat. I like good food, and I try my best to drink the local beer.

Boston: Historic Graveyards. That was the first thing I did after taking a train in from the airport. Carrying bags and all.

Santa Cruz: Drove strait to a theater to visit my internet friends. That drive was one of the most scenic I've ever encountered.

All my other trips don't have such memorable beginnings...most were being picked up from airport to go back to hosts' place for the rest of the day/night.

But, just getting back from the west myself, I have to say one of my best experiences was driving down to Tombstone, AZ after spending a day or two in Phoenix. If you're into history... thats something I highly recommend. (If you can get your head past some of the tourist cheese there)

One of my favorite things to do, vacation-wise, is arriving in a town where I've never been and just figuring out on the fly what to do.

One of the first things I do is to figure out where the used CD stores are in town, because usually there are also good restaurants, bookstores, etc. in the same neighborhood. I also scope out what's right around the place I'm staying (walking distance) in terms of restaurants and stores and stuff.

In Dallas, my understanding is that there is a big park somewhere in town which is just teeming with museums of various types - art, science, etc. Like, 60 acres of museums or something. I've thought in the past of figuring out where that is, getting a moderately priced hotel within walking distance, and just do museums for three or four days.

I would probably go see Dealy Plaza, just because the Kennedy assassination is something I remember that had a major effect on my life. I think they've turned the book depository building into a museum or something.

Charles (KA)

Roll Call: FedEx is generally a reliable carrier in this area. Unfortunately, my order from Musician's Friend was shipped UPS. Always terrible. And apparently they're 'training a new driver' out here, which somehow resulted in about a third of the day's packages being 'unaccounted for'. I just hope nothing's broken when they finally get it to me.

QotD: When I travel it's usually to play a show, and I hardly ever have time to do anything but load in and get to work. I like finding CD stores when I get the chance though, since there isn't one near where I live anymore. Except Wal-Mart, that is. But you know what I mean.

I've never been to Texas, so I can't help you there.

Hoblit wrote:Historic Graveyards.

This works in most any town. I love old graveyards. Paris is rich. Tarrytown, NY is awesome.

Restaurants.

QOTD: Figure out what traffic laws I'm breaking, usually. I don't have any touchstones in most places (in the SF Bay Area, I'll try to get out to Point Reyes, and also the Cafe Milano in Berkeley before wandering over to that stream that runs through campus to sit in the grass and watch the squirrels' acrobatics). Boston has the Aquarium, which is an imperative. Dallas, well, I'd pro'lly try to get to the roof of one of the skyscrapers, have a cigarette, and drink in the panorama of Texas.

in my best Märk Impression: liquor stores and strip clubs.

Hoblit wrote: Santa Cruz: Drove strait to a theater to visit my internet friends. That drive was one of the most scenic I've ever encountered.

ha. one mans scenic is another man's nightmare commute (highway 17).

but it was great to see you hanging outside the cayuga vault that night chris.

roymond wrote:

Hoblit wrote:Historic Graveyards.

This works in most any town. I love old graveyards. Paris is rich. Tarrytown, NY is awesome.

Boot Hill in Tombstone was pretty cool too. ( Saw the graves of the guys who were gunned down @ The O.K. Corral )

jack wrote:

Hoblit wrote: Santa Cruz: Drove strait to a theater to visit my internet friends. That drive was one of the most scenic I've ever encountered.

ha. one mans scenic is another man's nightmare commute (highway 17).

but it was great to see you hanging outside the cayuga vault that night chris.

Thank you, and it was great to just be there.

The first thing is generally restaurants. We all need to eat!
If I'm there for a while I do try to find local CD stores, especially ones with good used/bargain sections.
As for Dallas, the only time I have ever been there was to transfer planes, so I might be able to tell you something about the terminal...
-bill

QotD: I hate to travel.

My first trip to Dallas was for a senior leadership meeting (whatever) but our hotel looked out at the plaza and warehouse where Kennedy was shot. Weird sleep.

Hoblit wrote: Santa Cruz: Drove strait to a theater to visit my internet friends. That drive was one of the most scenic I've ever encountered.

All my other trips don't have such memorable beginnings...

Santa Cruz: After JB dropped me at my motel, I went to the pub up the road and became best friends with one of the local drunks. Then I went to an Indian restaurant, had a vindaloo and a bottle of wine, and spent the rest of the night singing karaoke.

All my other trips have pretty much the same memorable beginnings. Beer -> vindaloo -> wine -> karaoke. It is a very well worn path I tread.

It's the sort of trajectory you don't need a computer to predict.

don't travel much... but when i do, i usually like to try local beer...