Holy crap! The holiday season is here and that means that Mom and Dad will soon be coming to town to “visit” (check up on you).
So, you frantically put dirty dishes into the dishwasher and kitchen cabinets, you cram questionably “still wearable” underwear into dresser drawers, you shove the bong and rolling tray under the couch, and pull out the industrial-size bottle of Ozium to disperse the aroma produced by your day-today living.
Now, where to take the parental units to make them think that their copious quantities of college cash have not been wasted upon booze, broads, boys, clothes, cars, CD’s, DVD’s, video games, skateboards, makeup, pizza, and weekend trips to Austin which, of course, it has…
Here’s a list of several places around town that the folks will think fondly of and will give the impression that you are well grounded, have “nice” friends, and are happily successful in your wonderful new job which, by the way, has huge earning “potential” (wink, wink)! These places are even better if the folks are picking up the tab!
-The Library Bar at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, Dallas
A nice quiet sophisticated bar with live jazz and/or a piano player and great martinis. Antique furniture and classic books on the shelves make you look well read.
- Vernon’s Bar and Grill, Addison
Vernon’s looks like the kind of bar that your parents took you to as a kid. Low key lighting, dark wood, brass fixtures, and a slate stone wall make it feel vintage and comfy. The food is good, the drinks are strong, the service is great, and you can smoke.
- Old Monk, Dallas
We’ve taken a number of our group’s folks here to meet “the gang” and it’s always been very accommodating. The Monk really feels like a small British pub and serves up some great food with a broad variety of brews.
- Abacus, Dallas
While the restaurant may be a bit out of the price range for treating Mom and Dad, happy hour at the bar is a great deal with inexpensive hors d’oeuvres and well mixed cocktails. The lobster shooters are one of the best appetizers in Dallas!
- Glass Cactus, Grapevine
A signature concert and dance club venue, the Cactus at the Gaylord-Texan resort on Lake Grapevine, is one of the best bars to watch a sunset in all of DFW. Plus the Gaylord always puts on a heck of a Christmas Carved Ice display and serves an amazing brunch.
- The Rosewood Mansion Bar, Dallas
Infamous for the David Bowie ”butt-biting” incident of the 1987 Glass Spider tour, the Mansion is one of the highest rated hotels in Dallas and deservedly so. The bartenders know their stuff and happy hour prices are downright affordable!
- Trinity Hall, Dallas
Just up the road from the S.M.U. campus sits Trinity Hall, a nice well-lit Irish-style pub. They have an ambitious, well presented menu and a great selection of beer and Scotch. It’s right next door to the Angelica theatre if you want to take the parents to a movie, to kill some time.
I offer these places as alternatives to usual hang-outs and dives hoping that it helps you get through the holidays as unscathed as possible. If the folks spring for the bill at any of these spots consider it a merry Christmas and start hinting about the 60” 3-D TV! Happy holidays!
