My Life – Page 4 – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

W – Klyde Warren Park

Published on April 26, 2013April 25, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

I had never heard of the Warren family until I did some research on this park. Apparently, he is one of our wealthiest residents and he named this really cool park in downtown Dallas after his 9 year old son. What a stud that kids must be in elementary school? “Hey girl, let me show you my park.”

Klyde Warren Park is a 5.2 acre park in downtown Dallas. Again, part of the revitalization of the area. 10 years ago, downtown Dallas was a ghost town on weekends, this is what it look liked last Saturday.

And, I had my first food truck experience. The food was amazing.

I can’t wait to spend more time in the park. I picture myself sitting at these tables and writing the next great American novel. The whole park has free wifi.

Or maybe work on my music. They have a outdoor library, too.

So, if your looking for me this summer, you can probably find me at Klyde Warren Park?

V – Victory Park

Published on April 25, 2013April 24, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Victory is a fairly new area in downtown Dallas. It was a project to revitalize the downtown area. It began with the American Airlines Arena and off of that they build the W Hotel and several high rise condo’s. In the center of it all is Victory Plaza.

My top 10 things to do list in Victory Park:

Catch a game – Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks play in the Double AC (that’s what the locals call it).
See a concert at the House of Blues.
Experience New Years Eve, I’ve heard it’s like Time Square, but with fewer people.
Go to the Bliss Spa in the W Hotel
Have drinks at Dick’s Last Resort
Have a buffalo chicken sandwich and curly fries at Hooter’s
Hike the Katy Trail
Have a margarita at Luna De Noche
Check out the music memorabilia at the Hard Rock Cafe
Watch a 1310 The Ticket Broadcast – 1310 The Ticket was the first all sport radio station in the US. They have been on the air since 1994 and have a line up of guys, most who have been with the station since it’s inception. If you listen to them for the first time, you wonder why it’s a sports station, but keep listening and you will get it.

The Show and it’s characters:

The Musers – George Dunham aka Jub Jub, Craig Miller, aka Junior, Gordon Keith aka The Great Gordo

Can’t Miss Segment: Muse in the News, the Fake Jerry Jones and the Fake Tiger Woods

The Norm Hitzges Show – Norm Hitzges is a local legend

Bad Radio – Bob Sturm, Dan McDowell and Donovan Lewis

Can’t Miss Segment: Gay Not Gay and any story Dan tells about he and his wife’s sex life.

The Hardline – Mike Rhyner aka The Old Grey Wolf & Corby Davidson aka the snake

Can’t Miss Segment – Entertainment News for You, What’s on Mike’s Mind and Community Quick Hits

I laugh out loud all day listening to them.

Only 3 more days of A to Z Challenge, hang in there and visit more blogs.

S – Dallas Stars

Published on April 22, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

Like I said, I am such a homer when it comes to sport. I became aware of the game of hockey on my birthday in December of 1992 when I met Mike Modano at a grocery store appearance. He was fresh off the plane from Minnesota in town for the press conference that announced the Minnesota North Stars would be moving to Dallas, Texas for the 93-94 season. It was quite the scandal because at that time there were no southern states with a hockey franchise. The hockey purest said there was no way hockey would be successful in Texas. It was to damn hot. They were so wrong.

In 1999, in the 3rd sudden death overtime the Stars won the Stanley Cup Finals. The game ended at 2:00 am and I watched every second of it. I, along with the rest of the metroplex was hooked and a Stars fan for life.

My favorite hockey player is still Brett Hull. Are you a hockey fan?

Photos courtesy of the DallasStars.com

R – Rail System – DART

Published on April 20, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle14 Comments

If you spend any kind of time in Dallas/Ft. Worth, you would agree, it doesn’t seem like a public transportation kind of town. It’s to spread out and people seem to like their cars, but the city government and DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) had a different vision. In 1996, after much scandal and turmoil, the largest light rail track system in the United States (85 miles long) began carrying passengers around the Metroplex. I rode it for the first time last week, but this isn’t a story about me.

It’s the morning of my 15th birthday. My friends and I have the whole day plan. We finally talked our parents into letting us ride the train downtown and have a picnic in Klyde Warren Park. We are so excited. It must be how kids in New York feel being about to ride the subway where ever they want to go. I know my mom had to wait until she turned 16 for this type of freedom.

We are waiting on the platform. All six of us. My mother dropped us off and I had to beg her not to wait until the train left. We boarded the train and waited for it to leave. Before I sat down, I realized I left my bag on the platform. I jumped off the train to get it and the doors closed behind me. My friends were all screaming and laughing as they realized I standing on the platform, but there is nothing I we could do. The train pulled away without me.

I start to panic, but my best friend called and reminded me I could just catch the next train. Even though I didn’t get a chance to ride with my friend, I was excited to ride the train by myself. How grown up?

As the next train pulled up, I picked up my bag and boarded.

At the next stop, a cute boy boarded the train. This day is getting better. He sat in the seat in front of me. I could study him all the way downtown. I am so loving this train. His wet curly hair fell over his eyes. He kept pushing his hair out of his face. His fingers were long and strong and they weren’t dirty. All the boys my age had dirty finger nails.

He pushed his hair out of eyes and caught me looking. I smiled and put my earphones on and continued to look out the window.

He smiled back and spoke. I had to remove my earphones to hear him.

He asked me where I was going. I told him about my birthday picnic. I asked him where he was going.

He told me he was heading to downtown. Then, he joining a group of teenagers to go to West, TX to help with the clean up. He explained to me how his grandparents lived in West before they died a couple of years ago. He had to spend every summer there working in his dad’s farm and he hated it. Once he heard about the explosion, he felt guilty and wanted to help.

I told him his grandparents would be proud of him. He invited me to come with him and told me the bus would bring everyone back around 7:oo pm. Perfect, I just had to be on the train by 8:00 pm to get home in time.

When we got to the final platform, I told my friend, change of plans. We are going to West, Texas.

It was nice to do something good for someone else and I meet a cute boy, too. It was the best birthday ever.

West, TX is about 80 miles from my home. My thoughts and prays go out to the victims, the survivors, the police and fireman, volunteers and everyone else effected by the bombing in Boston and the explosion in West, TX, which is about everyone in the world.

N – Nightlife in Dallas

Published on April 15, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Growing up in Dallas our night life consisted of house parties and teen dance clubs. In high school, I was on the street team for a series of clubs, first, Level 5, then DV8 (deviate) and than finally, Metropolis.

We were at the pulse of nightlife for teens in the Dallas Metroplex. We thought we were so grown up.

You enter the famous bank vault doors and the cool air and the sweet stench of sweat and cigarettes hits you first. While your eyes adjust to the dim light, you fell the atmosphere in your bones. The bass thumps as if it’s inside your brain and it brings a smile to your face, yet at this point, you still can’t see a thing. All you know is you feel privileged to be in this space.

As you eyes adjust, you see lights and shadow and ghosts moving to the sound. White linen hang from the rafters, swaying to the music. The linen sections the room to offer some privacy to the patrons canoodling on the starch white couches scattered throughout the main floor. If you lucky, you can catch a glimpse of something inappropriate. Those participating aren’t embarrassed, after all people come here to be seen.

You float along the current created by the energy in the room. It’s as if your instantly connected to the collective with everyone so happy and warm and welcoming.

In the center of the main room, you find your way to the top of the stairs which lead down into the pit. It’s what those in the know call the dance floor. You don’t dare enter unless invited. Permission is granted according to some standard only the elite are privy to. You descend the steps with slight trepidation. These are the moments your momma warned you about. Are you going to make the right decision? You know what goes on down there. You’ve heard the stories. Inhibitions are lowered, but individualism is expressed. That’s proposition is more then you can resist. This is a turning point, a milestone. This moment defines the rest of your life because when you ascend you will be different.

The Starck Club was in the 80’s what Studio 54 was in the 70’s, but in the south. The legend of The Starck Club preceded the time I spent there. When it was open to teens on Sunday nights under the name DV8, we were just a bunch of suburban teens trying to recapture what we could of the mystic of the club, but in the most innocent way. If your not aware of the Starck Club check out the related post below.

Have you every heard of The Starck Club?

The Starck Club