Malvie's Musings: Photos 8/17-18, Dallas

Monday, August 19, 2013

Photos 8/17-18, Dallas

Last photos with the trusty D50: (click for larger)

Riding around with my friend Paul Williams in “Miss Ellie”, his vintage ‘71 Eldorado convertible. The new bridge, part of Dallas’ attempt to make something of the Trinity Trickle.

Something I’ve driven past a million times and never seen: the date inscription on the infamous “Triple Underpass”, taken from the even more infamous “grassy knoll”.

May be “dated” now, but I still love it. Note the reflection of the Republic National Bank “Star” in Thanksgiving Tower on the left, and the Flying Red Horse of the Magnolia Building (symbol of Dallas) on the right.

Never surpassed.

The new Perot Museum of Nature and Science. You know, I first thought, “Oh my God, what were they thinking!”, but it’s actually growing on me.

And that was probably the last picture I’ll ever take with my good old Nikon D50.

>>o<<

“The new” but not improved Mecca. I loved the old one. This looks like an 80’s fern bar (which, if memory serves me, it was). Ah well, the chicken fried steak is still good, but the good old waitresses are gone and the service is horrible.

The Republic National Bank “Star”. It was once the tallest building in Dallas, and the star is lit with neon outside (it hasn’t been on for years). It was red and white, and lit up the sky. I thought this was an interesting juxtaposition of shapes and forms, you have the 1957 Republic building, then the marble building on the right, the rectangles of the 80’s Thanksgiving Tower on the right, then the post-modern Comerica Tower behind, along with the greenery.

Pegasus, the Flying Red Horse of the Magnolia Oil Company, nee Mobil. Symbol of Dallas my entire life. It used to be lit with red neon and rotated, don’t know if they do that any more. The Magnolia Building was also once the tallest building in Dallas; today, it’s a very nice hotel.

City Hall is really looking dated now; it was the ticket in 1979.

Mercantile National Bank; the clock tower lit up, the clock worked, and the whole building had a huge “M-E-R-C-A-N-T-I-L-E” down the side in red neon. Now condos. It was the tallest building till surpassed by Republic. The banks had a “tallest building” war in the 1950’s and 60’s.

The Adolphus Hotel, built by Adolphus Busch of St. Louis. He built two identical hotels, one in St. Louis, one in Dallas. The one in St. Louis fell to the wrecking ball, but the Adolphus still reigns as one of Dallas’ finest. Many a fine meal in the French Room.

Competitors from days gone by.

“Love Is Still Our Field”

This is the original 1957 Love Field sign. It was removed in the hideous renovation of the early 80’s. It was carefully preserved and now stands at the end of runway 31-R, showing the way to the main entrance.