Fort Worth

[Admiral Yi]

If the whole world was an airport would you be able to fly to other cities?  Or would you have to take a shuttle bus or one of those moving walkways?

If the whole world was an airport you'd have the option to fly, because there you are, at an airport.

[Savonarola]

Damn I am going to be there just a few days after you leave. 

Sorry I'm going to miss you.

[Savonarola]

I'm not all that familiar with the Ft. Worth side of the Metroplex.  What's is a decent choice, but Hard Eight just north of the airport is better.  There are some interesting places near the Will Rogers Auditorium and the museums.  I will have more input when I get home.  Put me down for the meetup, though.

I'm guessing you will be staying near downtown, since BNSF is right next to it.  Besides the places MIM recommended, Mi Cocina on Sundance Square is a good mid-scale Mexican place; it's a local chain.  Also, there are two Del Frisco's there: Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse and Del Frisco's Grille.  The former is what made Del Frisco's famous while the latter is a newer casual place.

If you don't mind going a couple miles out of downtown the Stockyards and Cultural District both have good options.  Near the Stockyards is Joe T. Garcia's Mexican restaurant.  Probably one of the most famous places in Ft. Worth.  Dinner menu has literally three choices: beef fajitas, chicken fajitas, or family-style dinner with cheese enchiladas and beef tacos.  Also, cash-only.  Right next to the Stockyards are a pair of Tim Love restaurants.  Lonesome Dove Western Bistro is a somewhat pricey high-end concept restaurant that would be a good alternative to Del Frisco's Double Eagle, particularly if you are interested in trying some exotic game meats like elk or rattlesnake.  Love Shack  is a gourmet burger place.

Over in the Cultural District Fred's Texas Cafe is a good choice for a variety of Texas staples.  On the way to the Cultural District but a bit east are a couple other Mexican options.  Chuy's is an Austin import famous for it's kitschy decor, Elvis worship, and oddly-named menu items.  Gloria's is another local chain that focuses on southern Mexican and Guatemalan fare, which can be a welcome distraction from the onslaught of Tex-Mex.

That's the extent of my limited knowledge of Ft. Worth dining options.  If you were over on this side of the Metroplex I could be much more helpful.

Thanks vM and MiM.  Let me know what days would work for you to meetup.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Bumping since we are closing in.

I'm pretty free in the evenings.  After 7 would be best, considering the flow of traffic around here.  What time are you coming in on Sunday?

[Savonarola]

I'll be in at about noon on Sunday.  We should be done with class around 4:30 every day, if a weeknight works better for you.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I'm voting for Sunday evening.

[Savonarola]

Okay, sounds good, let me know when and where you want to meet.  I'll PM you my phone number.

[Savonarola]

I saw the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth yesterday.  It's mostly minor works by major artists or major works by minor artists.  The one standout piece, I thought was Glaucus and Scylla by William Turner:



It does cover most of European art from antiquity to post impressionism.  (There are some pieces from later movements but not as comprehensive.)  There are good sized collections of pre-Colombian, Asian and African art as well.

I met vM for dinner at Mi Cocina in downtown Fort Worth.  I got a chuckle from the menu when I saw that "Carne Asada" was about $25; that would have bought you a week's worth of carne asada in Colombia (although in Fort Worth it was actual steak, in Colombia it was beef with more strings than the New York Philharmonic.)  Then we went to Del Friscos where I learned Texas beers pack a wallop.

"The List" was restricted to people we had met.  Scip got a solid shout out, since I believe he was the only person we have both met.

[Savonarola]

I made it to BNSF HQ; they're not as opulent as UP but still nice.  They have conference rooms set up in old passenger train cars, complete with wood paneling and trim.  It's a little like being in a Spaghetti Western .  The air conditioning is loud (and, this being Texas in August, nearly constant) it sounds like the locomotive is starting up whenever it kicks on.

In order to get a visitor badge you're required to provide a "Government issued photo ID."  (RACIST!)  I was tempted to give them my Amtrak badge

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I met vM for dinner at Mi Cocina in downtown Fort Worth.  I got a chuckle from the menu when I saw that "Carne Asada" was about $25; that would have bought you a week's worth of carne asada in Colombia (although in Fort Worth it was actual steak, in Colombia it was beef with more strings than the New York Philharmonic.)  Then we went to Del Friscos where I learned Texas beers pack a wallop.

"The List" was restricted to people we had met.  Scip got a solid shout out, since I believe he was the only person we have both met.

Lots of discussion of train signaling and NLP technology.  We are such engineers.

Also, I think I left my sunglasses at MiCo's.

[Savonarola]

Our trainer is named Brian, he's a tall, thin black man from somewhere out in the country in East Texas .  He's something of a character.  One day he decided he needed a gun; though he had never shot one before, so he goes to Cabellas and buys two nine millimeters.  One was a Glock, the other a Beretta.  After he got home he broke down the pistols and put it back together as they had shown him in the shop.  By doing so he had accidentally chambered a round in the Glock.  He then learned that the Glock doesn't require a great deal of force to squeeze the trigger as he shot the dining room cabinet.  His wife was none too happy, but he did win the respect of the Yardies.

So, at the urging of his wife, he gave the Glock to his father and put the Beretta in his car.  He got pulled over for something and told the officers that he had a gun in his glove compartment.  They made him get out of the car, took the gun, ran the license and came back to him:

Officer:  Son, why don't you have one in the chamber?
Brian:  Well, I figure that if I ever have to pull it out I want to make a conscious decision that I'm going to fire it.
Officer:  That's horse shit,  , every time you touch your gun you've got to be ready to use it.  Always keep one in the chamber.
Brian:  Yes sir

I'm looking forward to going back to Florida where (and I never thought I'd be writing the following) people are relatively sane and responsible with firearms.

[Savonarola]

I met vM for dinner at Mi Cocina in downtown Fort Worth.  I got a chuckle from the menu when I saw that "Carne Asada" was about $25; that would have bought you a week's worth of carne asada in Colombia (although in Fort Worth it was actual steak, in Colombia it was beef with more strings than the New York Philharmonic.)  Then we went to Del Friscos where I learned Texas beers pack a wallop.

"The List" was restricted to people we had met.  Scip got a solid shout out, since I believe he was the only person we have both met.

Lots of discussion of train signaling and NLP technology.  We are such engineers.

While I'm sorry I missed MiM, he might be happier having missed that meet-up.

Also, I think I left my sunglasses at MiCo's.

Sorry you lost them.

I made it to Shady Oaks (at MiM's suggestion); they have incredible brisket.  (I might not be much of a judge, though.  The only place to get decent brisket in Detroit is the (((deli))) where the meat isn't smoked.  In Melbourne pork is far and away the more common barbecue.)

I also made it to the Stockyards, which was kitschy, but still fun.  I got a beer at the White Elephant Saloon and listened to some country music.  (The exterior of the White Elephant Saloon was used as "CD's" in Walker, Texas Ranger.  Walker's partner being the only black man in the place, ever, I think was taken from real life as well.)  I got a steak at H3's there as well, which was the best steak I've had outside of Argentina.

[lustindarkness]

Wait what? Is having one in the chamber irresponsible?

[Savonarola]

Wait what? Is having one in the chamber irresponsible?

No, the shooting up furniture part struck me as irresponsible.  Having a police officer tell you to keep one chambered so you can blow people away without a moment's thought struck me as insane.

Although maybe I'm just too much of a white northerner from a big city ( lord knows I've tried to change  ).  One of the students is from Texas.  He wanted to get a Glock so that he'd never accidentally leave the safety on.  That also struck me as a bad idea.

[Valmy]

I am a white Texan who has only ever shot clay pigeons and owns no fire arms

So actually you can maintain perfectly weenie ways here if you want