The Tried, True, & New Must-Sees
By E.A. Shumate
The Dallas area never ceases to offer twists on tradition and creative endeavors to explore, regardless of whether you’re a regular around the North Texas scene or a visitor looking for area don’t-miss spots.
The Perot Museum of Nature & Science, the wildly popular linchpin of downtown Dallas, features “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed” through September 4. The Texas-sized exhibit—presented in both English and Spanish—allows museum guests to study the accomplishments of one of the planet’s most powerful civilizations.
As with all exhibits at The Perot, the museum offers a family-friendly experience that is appropriate for all ages.
Learn about methods used by the Mayans to build imposing temples and create an intricate calendar system. Explore hands-on activity stations deciphering hieroglyphs, learn about Mayan architecture, investigate an ancient burial site, and more.
2201 N. FIELD | DALLAS perotmuseum.org
New to the West Village in the heart of Dallas’ Uptown, Pōk the Raw Bar opened earlier this year providing an introduction to a form of cuisine gaining popularity across the U.S., but new to the city. Poke is traditionally made with cheaper parts of the fish, but not at Pōk the Raw Bar, where Executive Chef Jimmy Park prepares only the highest quality fish available.
The menu includes seven signature bowls of fish, herbs, noodles, fruit and vegetables with many vegan options. The entire menu is 100% gluten-free.
3699 MCKINNEY #306A| DALLAS poktherawbar.com
A trip to Dallas wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the Southern Methodist University campus. The center’s every-day exhibits provide insight into our 43rd President as a world leader, as well as his success as a business and family man. A special exhibit on display through October 1 is drawing an extraordinary amount of attention. “Portraits of Courage” combines 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural of paintings created by President Bush to honor U.S. military personnel he has come to know personally. (The George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative that is presenting the exhibit offers assistance to post-9/11 veterans and their families.)
2943 SMU BLVD | DALLAS georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu
We call this a mouthwatering must-eat. New to the Lower Greenville area, Slater’s 50/50 is the Southern California burger joint’s first foray into Texas. Hamburgers are half beef, half bacon. In fact, nearly everything on their menu features bacon. Yes, we know. We had you at bacon.
2817 GREENVILLE AVE | DALLAS slaters5050.com
Bishop Arts District
The Bishop Arts District never disappoints when it comes to unusual experiences in art, dining and more. Earlier this year, Dallas’ icon of the community’s cultural scene, Cameron Smith, opened the Bishop Arts Modern, a mixed-media studio and gallery featuring both Smith’s own work and other creations in music, art and fashion by talented local guest artists.
518 W. DAVIS ST | DALLAS bamodern.com
The Wild Detectives, a combination coffee house, bookstore and bar, harkens back to the beatnik hangouts of the 50s and 60s. There’s live music, readings by writers, movie screenings, wine tastings, music sets with DJs alongside a thoughtful selection of fiction, poetry and untranslated Spanish literature, as well as a small selection of records. D Magazine and the Dallas Observer have both showered the shop with honors each year since 2014 and American Way, in-flight magazine of American Airlines, recognized it as one of a handful of shops at the forefront of a recent revival of American indie bookstores.
314 W. EIGHTH | DALLAS thewilddetectives.com
Aficionados visiting Cigar Art can indulge in hand-rolled cigars in the shop’s public lounge and browse through the vast selection of artisan, boutique and small batch (“micro- blended”) cigars. Even more engaging is the opportunity to watch Cigar Art’s master cigar makers roll them on the premises. Want to share the experience? The store’s master rollers are available to hire for private parties or corporate events.
504 N. BISHOP AVE.| DALLAS bishopartscigars.com
