Dallas and JFK Historic Sites

My annual fall conference was in the middle of October. This was the funnest, most enjoyable conference I've worked. My sister flew out in the middle of the week and joined me for a few days. The conference ended on Thursday and we flew back late Saturday afternoon. We got to eat lots of delicious foods and went to check out the Historic District where the JFK Memorial, 6th Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza are. Since it rained on Friday evening we didn't make it out to the Dallas Arts District like we had originally planned to but that's ok. To be honest, I was exhausted and seeing all the JFK sites that morning was worth it alone! We ended up enjoying leftover BBQ and having a scary movie night in the hotel while it rained all night. 

A view of downtown Dallas from the Convention Center/Omni Hotel where my conference took place. This was on Sunday evening before the storm rolled in. Such a great view!

On Thursday evening after my conference ended (and after a very long nap) we explored the Historic District and ate at Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse. I was in Dallas a few years ago and remember going there and enjoying the area and the distinct smell of BBQ. What I forgot was how amazing the food is! After dinner we went to Wild Bill's Western Store right across the street. They have so many cool western and leather goods. I bought some souvenirs. I finally bought one of those ceramic cattle skulls with horns that I've been wanting for years!

A sample of some of the foods I indulged in throughout the week. Because the conference gets very busy, I ate mostly sandwiches for lunch. I got to eat some delicious turkey clubs at the Sheraton hotel restaurant 2 of the days. For breakfast most of the week I ate that amazing omelet with peppers, mushrooms and cheddar and a side of sausage or ham. I ordered room service a couple nights - those wings were spicy but very tasty. That chocolate cake with raspberry sauce was superb! And that BBQ at Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse  was amazing! We ate there two days in a row (and even took leftovers for a 3rd meal) and tried different meats - brisket, jalapeño sausage, pulled chicken, pulled pork, ribs, turkey. They were all amazing! I can't recommend the ribs enough! Mmmm!

The Sonny Bryans BBQ was so amazing! I devoured every last drop!

On Friday morning we went to the 6th Floor Museum at the Dealey Plaza, which is formerly the Book Depository where Oswald fired the shots that assassinated JKF. The exhibit showcases the timeline of events leading up to the assassination, all the evidence and even conspiracy theories. We spent 2 hours going through the exhibit, following the audio tour and reading all information on display. I highly recommend it if you are ever in Dallas area. Afterwards we made it outside to the Grassy Knoll just in time to beat the rain. We ended up going to the Old Red Museum as well which captures a lot of Dallas regional history. The building was originally a courthouse and the architecture and details are beautiful.

I picked up a bunch of JFK memorabilia for Tommy since he loves history. The newspapers are reprints of the original papers published in 1963. I picked up a catalogue of the exhibit as well. Its filled with lots of the same information found in the exhibit. 

The 6th Floor Museum is literally the sixth floor of the former Book Depository, the building where Oswald fired the fatal shots. The first floor is the lobby and current museum gift store. The 6th floor houses the exhibition and the 7th floor is used as gallery space and film screenings.

This is the window where Oswald fired the shots. The boxes are a recreation of how police found the scene in 1963.

Panoramic view of the street where the JFK assassination happened. Don't mind the cars that drove through my picture 😉

We ended the trip to Dallas by having brunch with an old friend of mine I haven't seen in about 14 years! Since Downtown Dallas is a lot business and corporate offices, most restaurants are closed on the weekend. We ended up eating at the Joule Hotel restaurant, which is gorgeous! And has a big art collection and some beautiful mosaics.

Brunch at CBD Provisions, the restaurant at the Joule Hotel. It's beautiful and the atmosphere is very artsy and feels like a boutique.

The hotel lobby at the Joule Hotel. I was told later by the sales manager at work that this is a high end hotel where lots of celebrities stay and dine in Dallas. I had no idea! I picked this restaurant because it was one of the few open on the weekend in Downtown. A lot of the art in the lobby was salvaged by the architect when the original Mercantile Bank Tower they were in was demolished. These mosaics were made by local California artist Millard Sheets in the 1950s, who had a studio in Claremont, just a few miles away from where I live. What a small, small world!

The hotel is located across the street from the Giant Eyeball. Too bad the garden was closed for a private event. Tommy said this photo makes it look like a cult. 

This giant sculpture is about 3 stories tall. Its so cool to see in person - what a fun piece of public art!