Fort Worth?

**houseisland** · September 6th, 2007, 10:07 PM

Hey you Texans! Yes, you know whom I am talking to....

What's the story on Fort Worth? I have go there in October. What can expect in terms of weather? Any advice?

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

**slgrieb** · September 6th, 2007, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by houseisland

Hey you Texans! Yes, you know whom I am talking to....

What's the story on Fort Worth? I have go there in October. What can expect in terms of weather? Any advice?

Well, given this year's weather, plan for high temperatures around the mid-90s, relative humidity about 70 percent, and nightly lows around 75-79. Fort Worth is easy to navigate, but I'm afraid you are going to find the local drivers far more rude and aggressive than you are used to. I've driven in NYC, Baltimore, D.C., L.A. and other cities, and never found any of them scarier than Dallas/Fort Worth, or Austin/San Antonio. Houston deserves an honorable mention. I'd say this a better guide to Ft. Worth than Texas Monthly.

**El_Squid** · September 7th, 2007, 04:01 PM

Actually the hardest darn thing about driving through any city in Texas is the ubiquitous construction delays/detours. I have yet to drive through any city in Texas when the highways weren't torn up somewhere. And, the only state with worse signs is Oklahoma. Better make darn sure you know where you're going and several different ways to get there.

On the other hand, they have some mighty good food!

**geoscomp** · September 7th, 2007, 04:12 PM

On the other hand, they have some mighty good food

and music

**houseisland** · September 7th, 2007, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

I'm afraid you are going to find the local drivers far more rude and aggressive than you are used to. I've driven in NYC, Baltimore, D.C., L.A. and other cities, and never found any of them scarier than Dallas/Fort Worth, or Austin/San Antonio. Houston deserves an honorable mention.

Heh heh! Thanks for the head up.

Vancouver isn't any kiddies' soap box derby, either. It often seems that blind, angry, and agressive rule the roads here. I have also experienced Lima, in Peru. And Italy. But I won't be driving in Fort Worth so no worries.

I quite enjoyed the Tex/Mex food the last time I was in southern Arizona. I would assume that the same type of food is available in Fort Worth.

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

**slgrieb** · September 8th, 2007, 10:45 PM

No, House, you're likely to find totally different varieties. "Mexican" food in the U.S. mostly isn't. Regional cuisine varies throughout the Southwest. "Mexican" food in California is usually very different than what you get in Nevada or Arizona. New Mexico is very distinctive, and Texas has it's own style, too. I haven't been in Ft. Worth much in a long time, but if you want decent TexMex with a choice of some traditional Mexican dishes, I'd suggest El Fenix.

October actually should see things turning much cooler, but my guess about the 90's may still turn out fairly close.

**FatalException0E** · September 9th, 2007, 06:53 PM

Yup, still be hot in October...unless it rains, as it has been doing a lot lately. If you go in the later part of the month it will be a bit cooler. The highways can be a bit confusing and aren't marked too well, as has been said.
...and if you're looking for a kink party, I have some friends in north Dallas...

**houseisland** · September 10th, 2007, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by FatalException0E

...and if you're looking for a kink party, I have some friends in north Dallas...

Errr.... Thanks there, Fatal, but I can easily get into quite enough trouble on my own. And I am old enough now that I am much better at avoiding it.

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

**houseisland** · September 10th, 2007, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

No, House, you're likely to find totally different varieties. "Mexican" food in the U.S. mostly isn't. Regional cuisine varies throughout the Southwest. "Mexican" food in California is usually very different than what you get in Nevada or Arizona. New Mexico is very distinctive, and Texas has it's own style, too. I haven't been in Ft. Worth much in a long time, but if you want decent TexMex with a choice of some traditional Mexican dishes, I'd suggest El Fenix.

I checked out the El Fenix website. The menu looks interesting. The nearest location is a bit of a distance from the hotel where I will be locked up for most of my stay -- a cab will definitely be required. I will keep it in mind. Thanks.

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

***DonJ*** · September 11th, 2007, 12:07 AM

Ft. Worth is not a bad place. But I bet you'll see more train tracks than you've ever seen before. It's kinda the DFW Airport of the train rails.

Anyway, you should love the Mexican food. I personally try to stay away from the chains or the big, huge places...it usually turns out to be "white boy's" Mexican food. Look for the smaller family-run cafes where actual Mexicans go to eat.

Also, the Dallas Cowboys play at Texas Stadium; just a hop and a skip down the road. If you've got bucks, you should be able to find tickets.

I wouldn't worry about getting around in a car. I much prefer driving in Texas as opposed to any of the East or West coast metro areas...with a big exception to Houston, of course. It always ranks at the top of the worst cities to drive in as there are always major construction delays and if you're not doing at least 80 mph in the fast lane, you'll likely get shot at. Not a nice place to be. I've turned down a couple of job offers that would have taken me to Houston. Believe me, when I have to go there nowadays, I get in and out ASAP.

But if you've driven in Italy, then it'll be a piece of cake. Now THOSE people are abosolute maniacs behind the wheel! They all think they're Mario Andretti.

**slgrieb** · September 11th, 2007, 08:24 PM

El Fenix is the oldest Hispanic-owned chain in the U.S. and it's pretty true to its roots. Local places may be better, but it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Maybe Fatal's buddies would do taxi duty, or have some better suggestions.

If you were doing something in Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels or San Antonio, there would be far more concrete info for you. Unfortunately, DFW techs don't post much because their pens scratch up the monitors.

**houseisland** · September 11th, 2007, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by slgrieb

Unfortunately, DFW techs don't post much because their pens scratch up the monitors.

Them's fightin' words in yer neck o'the woods, ain't they?

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

**houseisland** · September 11th, 2007, 10:28 PM

Just discovered that my sister-in-law's ex is a Texan, a partial Apache.

Neither he nor she have particularly high regard for DFW, although he is strongly partial to other locations in Texas.

I shall keep an open mind, though.

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!

**Pinnacle** · September 28th, 2007, 01:37 PM

I'm going to the same part of Texas for a wedding on October 20. I'm hoping for some good food too. I don't know what is planned for the reception but hopefully it will be something regional instead of the usual ham and chicken.

**houseisland** · October 15th, 2007, 11:11 PM

Well... it was interesting.

You don't go anywhere without a car. I didn't see any sign of public transit. So I didn't get to see much more than the downtown core of the old city -- but I will offer my observations anyway.

I didn't see any cowboys. Everyone looked like tourists or yuppies, for the most part. Could have been SanFrancisco.

Other than the quality of the light, the temperature and humidity, the indoor houseplants growing outside, etc., it was much like the gentrified older parts of any north american city -- renovated 19th/early 20th century buildings, non-descript office towers, beamers and benzes, Starbucks, etc.

The TexMex food was disappointing. I walked about and choose the the middle ground between TexMex presented as obscenely expensive Nouveau French cuisine and TexMex presented as fastfood. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

Lots of (stage) theatres and art galleries: I think you guys have been watching way too much PBS and listening to too much NPR; next thing you know you'll be voting Democrat.

One weird thing was that headline in the local newspaper on the night I arrived was about hockey. The weirdness continued -- I walked out of the hotel and down a few blocks and discovered a pub/bar named after Billy Miner, a turn of the century British Columbia/Washington State train robber.

Most of my contacts with southerners, at least a certain social class of southerners, has been extremely pleasant. There is a politeness and gentility about them that is sadly lacking elsewhere. It is all a facade, yes, like all manners, but an extremely pleasant facade nonetheless -- one that you would be sadly mistaken to take as a sign of weakness or lack of resolve. Fort Worth proved no exception here. Charming people in the hotel, the restaurants, bars, shops, etc.

I got playfully (as opposed to seriously) flirted with by a local woman who was greatly amused by the fact that I didn't jaywalk -- marked as an outsider right away.

I got visually raped by a group of very intoxicated, middle-aged business women in the hotel elevator one evening.

And that was about as exciting as it got.

____________________________________________

It is my pure and virtuous heart that
gives me the strength of ten!