Dallas is truly the sum of the local neighborhoods that make up the city, each with its own distinctive character and history.
Uptown Dallas Rosewood Crescent Hotel sits in the vibrant Uptown district, a truly walking district with a variety of upscale offices (lead by The Crescent), apartments, town homes, restaurants and bars and retail. Uptown is also home to four historic cemeteries with the headstones of such Dallas luminaries as Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus fame. It is also home to the largest collection of Victorian homes in Dallas. Part of the district used to be called Freedman’s Town, named after the freed African American slaves that settled here. Adjacent to that is Griggs Park, named after a freed slave and Baptist minister, it was the only public park that was available to African Americans during segregation.
Uptown’s present day vibe is one of entertainment and shopping with the area connected by the MCKinney Avenue Trolley, joining West Village shopping at one end of the district and The Crescent at the other. It then continues on into Downtown Dallas to connect the hotel to the Arts District.
Downtown Dallas Adjacent to Rosewood Crescent Hotel’s Uptown location, Downtown Dallas is a vibrant neighborhood with a great deal of activity. Downtown Dallas features the largest urban Arts District in the United States featuring four venues designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, including the Myerson Symphony Hall by I.M.Pei and Winspear Opera House Lord Foster both of which have near perfect acoustics and have lead to acappela un-miked performances by such greats as Tony Bennett and the Broadway star Idina Menzel. Additionally there is the ground-breaking Wyly Theatre by Rem Koolhaas where the performance space is totally flexible and the auditorium is on hydraulics to allow a Director complete artistic freedom in planning a production. The Nasher Sculpture Centre and Garden designed by Renzo Piano is a beautiful retreat. Filled with Ray Nasher’s collection gathered over a lifetime and displayed in the light-filled gallery space and throughout the manicured gardens. A particular treat is to watch the city light up at dusk while wandering through the sculpture and listening to the fountains. A small but beautifully curated collection of jade, art and artefacts, plus special exhibitions are displayed at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. Finally the extraordinarily diverse Dallas Museum of Art rounds out the district with their unique collection of art, American furniture, Mexican and Mayan artefacts to name but a few. They also bring in internationally recognized traveling exhibits such as Tutankhamun, Van Gogh and Jean-Paul Gaultier.
The fascinating life and sad assassination of JFK are covered at The Sixth Floor Museum, just 1.6 miles from the hotel. The audio tour is the best way to view the museum and learn all about his life, achievements and the conspiracy theories surrounding his premature death. Across Dealey Plaza sits Old Red, the former county courthouse that houses the fascinating story of Dallas County, its growth as a financial powerhouse, its prominent families and its artistic endeavors. It even documents the lies that have been told by the braggarts who did what they could to make Dallas what it is today.
A walk through Downtown Dallas reveals great modern architecture, some classic masterpieces such as Old Red and The Majestic Theatre and the original Neiman Marcus store, some great parks on Main Street and Pioneer Plaza. Here there is a vast sculpture display depicting a cattle drive of three mounted cowboys and a herd of Texas Longhorns, spilling across the park. It is believed to be the largest collection of bronzes of its kind, a befitting claim for the self-proclaimed Big D. A visit to Downtown Dallas would not be complete without going to the Farmer’s Market. Beautiful displays of plants change with the seasons. In one covered hall are local producers of foods, spices and meats along with crafts. In the open halls are vegetable displays, local produce, herbs, nuts, honey many of the stalls tempting you with samples of their produce.
Victory Park Ajacent to Uptown to the west, Vistory Park is the destination for sports events. American Airlines Center is home to the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars and venue for many of the great concerts with artists such as Lady Gaga, George Michael and Madonna packing out the hall. New to Victory is the Perot Museum of Science and Nature with state of the arts interactive displays and exhibits. House of Blues has performances on a near nightly basis and all of these venues are within walking distance.
Deep Ellum For something a little more edgy about a mile and a half away is Deep Ellum. It is known for its bars and clubs and for the live music that plays all around the district. There are also some great boutiques in the area for unique gifts and home accessories, or you could make it to The Mozzarella Company where you can pick up a vast array of locally produced artisanal cheeses.
Bishop Arts District To the south west four miles from Rosewood Crescent Hotel is Bishop Arts District, a unique area where the development has been local and has drawn the artists into the community. There are local clothing boutiques, art galleries, gift boutiques and an array f local restaurants serving anything from the best Italian in town at Lucia to south west comfort food served by table dancing cowboys at Tillman’s Roadhouse! From great pizza and beer at Eno’s, to the best coffee in town at Oddfellows! It’s a quirky area that is a surprise for any visitor.
That is just a sample and there are many more great areas; entertainment, restaurant and bars in Lower Greenville, outdoor living in Lakewood/White Rock Lake, food at the Farmer’s Market and upscale shopping at Highland Park Village.