Patrizio's (almost), La Familia and a Stroll along 7th Street.

I have been wanting to go to Patrizio's. My son had spoken highly of their Dallas location and had brought home some pasta from a visit to their restaurant on 7th. It was very tasty and had the texture of fresh, not dried pasta. I was intrigued. But he warned me, "they just opened, and the service was bad, worse than bad." I heard the same from one other person. Good food, bad service. I still wanted to try it.

Saturday night we did, or almost did. We knew it would be crowded and it was. 30 - 60 minute wait. We signed up, walked around a bit, and at thirty minutes checked in to see how much longer, "at least another 30 minutes," said the hostess. I had been watching the outdoor diners and there were way too many tables without food, so I bailed. We walked up to La Familia. Good food, great service, very friendly people.

I'll return to Patrizio's. I'm not bashing them for what I have heard about the service, or the wait, it's new and it was Saturday night. Your opinion and comments would be appreciated here.

7th Street is hopping, though. W7th has got it going on. Fred's was doing well. As was Baileys, Pachuigo, Sweet Sammies, and everybody but Brownstone. They looked kind of slow. But it's hard to tell with them because all the seating is inside.

What is most interesting to me is all the development behind the W7th buildings. Fred's has got to be loving all the new attention. But also a place called the Backyard at Capital Bar, Poag Mahone's, and a few other bars were doing well.

7th Street is growing in all directions, with more to come. We did walk up to La Familia from Patrizio's, and I hope the city can somehow make 7th more pedestrian and bicycle friendly from the river to University. As Kevin Buchanan at FortWorthology suggests, take out a car lane each way, add a bike lane and a wide sidewalk. Make crossing the street easy, which it is not, right now.

How much development can the Fort Worth take?  No one knows, of course, but I love the kind of funky, warehouse conversions behind 7th, and I especially hope they do well.

July 4, 1776

The American colonies had been under the rule of Great Britain for one-hundred fifty years. Virginia, Massachusetts, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Connecticut, Georgia, New Hampshire, North and South Carolina, and New Jersey.

What right did these colonies have to break the bonds that joined them to England?

That was the debate in the 1770's. And it was discussed by everyone, from farm laborer to governor; it was discussed everywhere, in public houses and churches, in the newspapers, political tracts, and in sermon. The discussion was heated yes, but it was thoughtful, and as much as is possible, for people as disgruntled as they, tempered by the prudence of their leaders.

But the grievances with King George's rule were mounting. Entreaties to the King by the Continental Congress had been ignored. Taxes were growing more burdensome. At the same time colonial identities were emerging. There were now two and one-half million people living in the colonies. They may have been a backwater territory in the eyes of the Europeans, but the American pioneer was making a name for himself.

Do we, the governed, have a lawful right to separate from them, the Governors?

The Second Continental Congress, the representatives from these thirteen colonies, agreed that we did, indeed, that we must sever those bonds. The political document stating the justification of that opinion was ratified on July 4. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, or the Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary War had begun between the colonials and mother England about one year prior. This document was, in effect, crossing a river with no way of return.

Fifty-six men would sign that Declaration that day, thoughtfully and soberly. The signers knew the financial and personal risk. Lives would be lost, lands would be forfeited, and the outcome was uncertain. Opposition to an organized, disciplined and experienced English military was almost foolhardy. The new states had not one ship to call a navy, few uniformed soldiers, no national treasury, not even a nation in the proper sense. But they had a few good men, a good cause, maybe even Providence -- and certainly one exceptional military leader in George Washington, without whose leadership, moral as well as tactical, we would have certainly been defeated.

The political union of these states was some eight years away. But the American Experiment officially started on this day, July 4, 1776. And the first American contribution to the discourse on freedom begins here:

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

Read and compare drafts:
http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/

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For a very helpful and complete list of fireworks in the entire Dallas - Fort Worth area go to the Frugal in Forth Worth weblog. 

Benito's and a stroll along Magnolia Avenue

We hadn't been to Benito's Mexican Restaurant on Magnolia in a while, so last night after doing a little shopping we decided to go there for dinner. Benito's is a family owned restaurant with good food -- it's not  nouveau anything -- it's dependable and consistently good Tex-Mex. The portions are large and it is inexpensive. I always order the same thing, the pork taco plate, because they use whole pieces of pork (not shredded), and I like their green chili sauce. The pork tacos are excellent.

We almost went to Cat City Grill which I need to do, but they were very busy, and the Saturday night attire looked a little nicer than the shorts and flip-flops we were wearing. It was busy, which is good, as was Yucatan (I may not like it, but I am glad they are busy) and Lili's. Ellerbe's parking lot was about half full.

Which brings me close to the point. But one other thought first.

Magnolia Avenue is a good place to dine. It has locally owned restaurants which have on-site, local chefs. But also the city, along with organizations like Near Southside, has worked to make Magnolia more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Last night after dinner we strolled east from Benito's almost to Jennings and back, and even though it had been 100 that day, it was pretty comfortable and a very enjoyable walk.

The point (I try to have one).

Magnolia Avenue is almost at that critical mass point in development that comes when there are enough businesses to provide dining, entertainment and shopping options -- which in turn draws more people and more business. It's not there yet. But it's better than it has ever been. It still needs some Saturday night shopping spots, a dessert/ice cream/coffee shop or two, and more live entertainment.  Unlike the South 7th development which was built to hit critical mass immediately, Magnolia is developing more slowly, more organically, and in my view, in a more aesthetically pleasing way. The building reconstruction alone is worth seeing. Magnolia has always been my favorite street in Fort Worth and with just a little more activity it could be a major Fort Worth destination on its own.

Last night, there weren't people out walking, or bicycling, or sitting on the benches. But before long, maybe in the next few years, I think we will see that change.

FortWorthology: Southside Bicycle Improvments

Fort Worth South

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Post Script -- As a member of St Mary of the Assumption on Magnolia, I am happy to say that our facility is improving and we are not far away from restoring all of the 100 year old stained glass windows.

The Movies I 'll re-Watch almost Anytime.

There are a few movies I can watch again and again. Not all of them are great movies, some of them I like for being not great movies. Here they are in no particular order. I would be interested in any of your favorite "rewatchs."

Henry V / Kenneth Branagh
Branagh made Shakespeare popular, at least movie-popular, and his most popular production was his version of Henry V. I love it and have watched it dozens of times. The musical score is as good as the movie.

The Godfather / Francis F. Coppola
It is still the best of the three Godfather movies in every way. The development of the plot and characters leaves me spellbound. I don't know why more directors don't imitate the method of suspense-building.

The Blues Brothers / John Landis
Jake and Elwood. Belushi and Akroyd, plus, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, and a weapon-toting Carrie Fisher. "We're on a mission from Godt." Great music, too, obviously. 

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou / Coen Brothers
I have talked about this movie before. The music is as good as the movie. 

Goldfinger / Thunderball / Guy Hamilton
Sean Connery in all his double-entendre finest. I rarely watch them from start to finish but when some TV station has a Bond weekend I'll always look for these two.

Lawrence of Arabia / David Lean
I just can't get enough of this movie. Is there a better actor than Peter O'Toole?

Marshall Grain Co.

Even now, when shopping in one, big American city is the same as shopping in another, there are still locally owned retail stores. Not as many as there used to be, but there a few -- fortunately.

Fort Worth's, Marshall Grain Co. is one such store.

About this time each year my wife and I pay a visit to Marshall Grain and pick up a variety of organic fertilizers, and bug and weed killers. This year we bought diatomaceous earth as a bug killer. It works, I think, the bugs are gone, anyway. In the past we have purchased everything from chickens to gardening tools at Marshall.

If you haven't been to a Marshall Grain, it is worth a visit. Stop by and check out their assortment of farm and garden products.The staff is friendly and helpful.  And you might even leave with a couple of chickens.

Marshall Grain is on Lancaster Blvd., just east of downtown, and now in Grapevine.