Category: Dallas

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #3 “D-Day”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

Well today was the day I’d been waiting for since August 21, 2017.  As I posted 2 days ago that day in 2017 our family had traveled to Nashville to see a solar eclipse only to be disappointed as clouds blocked our view just seconds before totality.  This time had to be different, didn’t it?  Maybe not, below is what I saw on my phone this morning.  

Clouds predicted to arrive between 10 AM to 2 PM. The eclipse totality was to be at 1:40 PM. No! No! No!

In addition, the morning had an ominous start when our daughter called to tell us that her baby and her husband both had a night filled with major gastrointestinal misery.  Next I saw Patrice headed to the bathroom with her own GI trauma.  Being the good husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather that I am I said “damn with the eclipse I’m staying with my family.”  Well that’s not exactly correct.  I did say the part about staying with my family but I didn’t mean my sick travel partners but rather my son, David’s family.  So I gave the car key to Patrice put myself in David and Robyn’s hands (actually their car) and headed west in search of clear skies.  

We stopped in a parking lot in Arlington nearby where the Dallas Cowboys (NFL) and Texas Rangers (MLB) play. We were unable to get into their parking lots but did find a place close by that was essentially empty. We did see some other eclipse chasers and we all waited for the big moment. Unfortunately about 15 minutes into our wait a security guard ambled by and said you cannot park here for the eclipse. We saw a few of the other travelers leave but Robyn headed to the guard to have a chat. I should have warned that guy that he was overmatched but instead I decided to just watch her do her handiwork. Sure enough about 10 minutes later I saw the thumbs up sign that we were good to stay put.

The security guard might not have been a match for Robyn but mother nature proved to be too much for us. As the moon began to encroach on our view of the sun, clouds started to gather nearby. The masterminds (David and Robyn) huddled and it was decided to move further west (or was it east? I don’t really know, I was just glad to have a ride). We next found ourselves in this unlikely location.

Interesting combination, Jewels and Firearms.

We started to view again and were even joined by a couple of employees from the store. They had no problem with us taking a parking space and I finally felt like I could relax. The eclipse was progressing nicely with about 95% of the process completed. But David and Robyn had concerns about the clouds and again we off to seek clear skies. At this point I was starting to get a bit concerned. We were very close to the moment of totality and we were in the car. Robyn was doing her best to get us to a good spot and David was doing his best navigating. We made a stop which I though would be our last but seconds later we were back in the car. Time was precious so I said all clear even though I had not had time to put on my seat belt. Robyn was flying down the highway and I tried to grab the seatbelt while holding on as tight as I could to the seat. This proved to be a hopeless effort but I am happy to report I didn’t not soil myself but I did come close.

We finally stopped in a parking lot and had a small area of clear skies and we saw it! Yes we saw the total solar eclipse. It was spectacular. It exceded my imagination and made all the efforts worthwhile. I have to thank David and Robyn because without their efforts I would not have been able to see it.

David was especially helpful in explaining different phenomena associated with the eclipse. I was so proud listening to him explain all the things thinking what a smart son I have. I also was very proud of me becuase I actually understood what he was saying. Well, to be honest, not all the time. But my 15 year old grandson, Owen, did. David pointed out that we would be able to see a sunset in all directions during the eclipse. Here is a video I took of that moment,

I have done it. A life goal has been achieved. And at my age who knows how many more oppoturnities I would have had. I can check this one off my list and move on. Of course what about doing it again August 12, 2026 in Spain? Why not!

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #2. “Eclipse Eve”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

Today was a wonderful day. First I have to tell you that this hotel has been very unimpressive. We are staying at the Dallas Marriott Suites Medical/Market Center. We started our day with a mediocre breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffet that makes a Residence Inn breakfast seem like a feast. Prior to that I worked out in the gym which was more like a sauna. When we got back from our day in the city, the rooms had not been serviced. Unlikely this place will get any reservations from followers of my blog.

Then it was off to tour the city. Our daughter-in-law Robyn always does a great job arranging tours when we travel. She set up today’s tour. Much of it included the area around where John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Having been an early teen on November 22, 1963, it is still hard for me to be taken back to that fateful day. I could feel myself getting tearful talking about it.

The highway is marked at the two locations where Kennedy was shot. Maybe I am just too sensitive but it irked me to see people taking selfies or posing at the two spots. One genius even had his picture taken while lying down in the middle of the highway. Just to be clear this is an active and busy highway. It reminded me of when we were at the 9/11 Memorial in New York and the Atomic bomb memorial in Hiroshima. How people can treat these locations like tourist sights is beyond me. These areas are meant to honor the dead not be an amusement park like Disneyland. Sorry if I am ranting a bit.

After the tour we were off to lunch. Robyn knew what great BBQ fans Patrice and I are so she suggested we eat at Terry Black’s BBQ (3025 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226). This place has the reputation of being the best BBQ in Dallas. When we arrived there was a line beyond belief. See below.

This is only part of the line,.

Our daughter, Lindsay, made it clear that this was not a place that she could wait with her 2 year old. I was so glad to hear her say that because my back started to ache just looking at the line. But thanks to our ever resourceful daughter-in-law, Robyn, we were saved. She found out the the line outside was for the BAR! So glad to learn they love their guns AND their liquor in Dallas. Robyn got us a table, so we entered the restaurant and had a meal beyond my ability to describe. We were joined by Patrice’s cousin Paula and her husband Tim. See the picture below.

The Reiss Clan in Dallas at Terry Black’s BBQ

After lunch we went back to the hotel to relax by the pool. Catch a glimpse of Patrice and me relaxing at the pool. I asked someone to take our picture but clearly they aren’t very proficient at using a phone camera. See below.

Tomorrow is the big day. If the skies look anything like today I will be saying, “Looking forward to Spain August 12, 2026”.

Here Comes the Sun, There Goes the Sun, Day #1. “Why Me?”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

I’ve been waiting for this day since August 2017.  Back then we traveled to Nashville to see the total eclipse of the sun. Followers of this blog might recall that the weather has not always cooperated with my travel plans.  Fog prevented us seeing a crater in Costa Rica.  That wasn’t nearly as upsetting as going to Brazil to see the Christ the Redeemer statue only to be limited to viewing from the waist down again due to fog.  But probably the most frustrating was Nashville in August 2017 when we went to see the total eclipse of the sun.  We were having a great time as the sun/moon moved toward totality.  With the sun approximately 98%, covered clouds crept in front and blocked our view of the big event.  This was especially upsetting because one of my friends decided in the last minute to make the trip.  He couldn’t get a room in Nashville because of his last minute decision.  Instead he was outside of town and saw the eclipse perfectly. 

We decided to give it another try this time. Our son, David, is also going to attend with his family.  Our daughter Lindsay is traveling with her family as well.  The big moment is Monday April 8th.  So to play it safe we reserved tickets to Dallas on a Saturday 9 AM flight.  We didn’t want to take a chance that anything might happen on Sunday preventing us from getting to Dallas in time.  The night before our Saturday departure we were notified that our flight was going to be delayed and we would be leaving at 1:00 pm instead.  This was particularly upsetting since we would be traveling with our 2 year old grandson who has a very regimented schedule.  We did some whining about the change but finally became adjusted to the new departure time when we were notified that the plane would leave at 2:00.  Hmmm, then a few minutes later it was changed to 2:30.  What horrible thing did I do to deserve this?

Luckily we did take off at 2:30 and had a smooth flight to Dallas.  Arrival and getting to the hotel was relatively painless (if traveling with a 2 year old can ever be painless, no matter how cute he is).  So we are settled in our abode and trying to decompress after a very stressful day.  Sorry, no pictures of food or anything else today.  But I will leave you with a description  of a billboard  we saw off the freeway.  It was an advertisement and read “14 Acres of Guns and Gear.  You are in NRA Texas”.   Needless to say, we will be leaving shortly after the eclipse. 

Travels With Charlie Day #3. “The Joy of Traveling With a 10-Year-Old”

by reissmd, posted in Chicago, Dallas

Today was a travel day. We left Dallas en route to Chicago for our next baseball game. We had to get up very early and in spite of that, I did not hear one complaint from Charlie. I expected him to fall asleep in the car but much to my surprise he was very vocal and inquisitive.

Charlie seemed to be a non-stop source of questions. Patrice and I were struggling to figure out how to get to DFW airport but these jewels emanated from the back seat.

“If you were going two miles an hour on the highway, would you get pulled over?”

“If you are in the middle of nowhere and there aren’t any signs, can you park there?”

“Would you rather it be daylight all the time or nighttime?”

The questions continued throughout the day:

“If you were under UV light would you get sunburned?”

“How hard do you think it is to be a publisher?”

“Is there any other way to get oxygen except for trees and plants?”

“Do you think sitting behind the world’s tallest person at a play would be annoying?”

“Grandma, what is it like being married to an incredibly handsome, smart, and funny man like Grandpa?” Okay, okay, I made up that one.

But my all-time favorite occurred just before he got ready for bed, “Do you think there are more wheels or doors in the world?” I am still trying to figure out how he came up with that thought.

By the way, Charlie informed us that he plans to be a Major League Baseball player someday. We asked what Plan B was and he said there isn’t a Plan B.

Our flight today from Dallas was uneventful (I consider that a good thing). On arrival at O’Hare Airport, I saw a sign that made me certain that the head of airport security had a 10-year-old in their family. See below.

Logic that has to have a 10-year-old lurking somewhere.

There was this sighting of a future MLB Hall of Famer:

“At shortstop, number 17, Charlie Reiss !”

Back to baseball tomorrow.

Travels With Charlie Day #2 “A Perfect Day”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

This morning we were greeted at our hotel by the celebrity I spoke about yesterday. No, it wasn’t Dusty Baker like yesterday but rather someone much more special. It was Uncle Marc who is Charlie’s mom’s younger brother. Marc has relocated to Texas after living in LA for a while. I really miss him because he has a great laugh and he kindly laughs at all my jokes. [Patrice here, Marc is a dear person but does he really have to encourage Robert by laughing at all his dumb jokes?].

Today was a baseball day and Marc volunteered to be our chauffeur. We went to see the Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. The count is now 20 stadiums down with just 10 more to go.

Patrice, Uncle Marc, Charlie and me, waiting for the game to start.

The stadium is beautiful and the fans were great. Charlie did have a question. See below.

Charlie wanted to know why Santa Claus was singing the National Anthem.

It was a great game with the Astros winning 5-3. We had 4 Astros fans sitting in front of us. One was a gentleman who said he flew up from Houston the others were his 3 female friends who drove up for the game. They were wild. They got excited any time the Astros did anything good but the special moment was every time second baseman, Jose Altuve came to bat. They would go crazy and sing the refrain from the Ricky Martin song “La Copa de la Vida” which you might know is “Ole, Ole, Ole” but instead of Ole, they would sing “Jose, Jose, Jose”.

La Copa De La Vida (The Cup of the Life) by Ricky Martin. OLE, OLE, OLE

In the 9th inning, Altuve hit a solo home run and I thought they were going to tear the stadium down. They were jumping up and down and screaming. I finally thought I should video but by then they had calmed down a bit. I did manage to get a picture of one of their shirts. See below.,

So clever, don’t you think? But wouldn’t that be better placed lower down on the body?

After the game, Marc drove us back to the hotel and we arrived at the same time as the Astro bus. Lucky for me the team has a private entrance and enter the hotel at a different location thus avoiding my having to deal with Super-Grandma again.

Tomorrow is travel day. We head to Chicago where will see the White Sox play the Toronto Blue Jays.

Until then………. Jose! Jose! Jose!

Travels With Charlie Day #1 “Super-Grandma”

by reissmd, posted in Dallas

Those of you who are familiar with John Steinbeck might have read his book “Travels With Charley”.   In it, the author describes a road trip he took in a van with his faithful dog, Charley.  Steinbeck was ill with heart disease at the time (he shouldn’t have been a life-long smoker!) but completed the trip and wrote a very famous book about his trip around the USA.  Well, this will not be a trip around the USA and we won’t be with our dog.  No, our travel buddy for this trip will be our grandson, Charlie.  Followers of this blog might recall we took our oldest grandson on trips to Canada and Panama.  Now it’s grandson #2’s turn.  Charlie was put on this Earth for his grandpa. Unlike any other Reiss, Charlie is a baseball fan just like his grandpa.  With that in mind what better trip than to visit some more baseball parks. My current count is 19 down with 11 more to go in order to complete my quest to see a baseball game in every MLB park.  

Today we left for Dallas with plans to see the Astros vs. the Rangers on Sunday.  Those of you who follow the news are aware that our planning hasn’t been the best.  Texas is currently suffering a horrendous heat wave.  The expected high in Dallas today is 97 degrees.  That’s down from 102 a few days ago.  

Our flight here was uneventful as was the trip to the hotel. The hotel is amazing and it happens to be the same hotel where the Astros are staying. Grandma Patrice wanted to hang out in the lobby hoping to see one of the Astro players and get an autograph or two for Charlie. The thought of that made me sweat thinking how embarrassed I would be. I couldn’t let them venture out without me so I took a deep breath and headed downstairs. I was much relieved when I didn’t see any players around. Patrice asked various employees about when the Astros would return from the stadium, how can we find one or two, etc. To say I was uncomfortable is a major understatement. Lucky for me the hotel employees were, hmmmm, how do you say it…………. yes, professional. They wouldn’t even admit the Astros stayed at the hotel which convinced Patrice to give up her search.

With our Astro hunt coming to an end we decided to venture out to look at the town. We first took a trolley but then got off and walked around. Patrice was loving the warm night air while I was thinking about calling for paramedics. Upon returning to the hotel I spotted the Astros manager Dusty Baker. I whispered to Patrice, “I see the Astros manager”. Immediately she went into Grandma-Mode, “Where is he, where is he?”. We had passed the group and I told her “The guy in the flowery shirt is Dusty Baker”. She took Charlie and off they went while I looked for a hole to climb into. I was within earshot and could tell that Dusty was being quite nice to the duo. I grabbed a picture and then approached the group. Patrice introduced me (she and Dusty were pals by then) and she then asked Dusty, “What do you do with the team?” WHERE’S THAT HOLE?

Tomorrow we will see the Astros and their manager, (Good old what’s his name). We will have another celebrity joining us for the game and he will be our chauffeur. You will have to wait until tomorrow to see the celebrity but hopefully, a picture of Dusty will hold you for now. See below.

Super-Grandma, Charlie, and Dusty Baker
A boy who loves his grandma.

Hey, do I get some credit for recognizing Dusty?

Baseball, BBQ, and Blog Day #2 “We Just Love BBQ!” June 4, 2022

by reissmd, posted in Dallas, Kansas City

Our plans were to have had KC BBQ Friday night for dinner, Saturday for lunch, and again for dinner.  Instead, we spent Friday night and Saturday lunch in Dallas and the only BBQ we had seen was at the American Airlines lounge at LAX (and it looked disgusting).

Our detour to Dallas was not all bad.  You know what they say: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Well lucky for us one of our daughter-in-law’s brothers, Marc, lives in Dallas and he is a loyal follower of the blog.  Marc reached out to us and offered to meet us at the hotel to spend some quality time.  Marc was a part of our family when he lived in Los Angeles and it is always great to see him [Patrice here: That means he laughs at Robert’s jokes].  We had a nice chat about the family and the pros and cons of the DFW airport. Let me rephrase that, we talked about the cons of the DFW airport.  

Patrice is in the middle. Marc (known as Uncle Marc) is on the right. The really handsome guy is me.

After leaving Marc, we headed to the terminal and my astute wife saw there was a plane leaving for KC an hour earlier than our scheduled flight. Patrice got our flight changed but we had to sit separately, 7 rows apart.   I know this is hard to believe but after 40 years together it’s tough for Patrice and me to be separated for even an hour on our trips. [Patrice here:  Getting some alone time for even just an hour?  There is a God!]

Remember our reasons for this trip were baseball and BBQ.  So far the closest I’ve come to any quality BBQ has been to write about it.  On arrival in KC, we were greeted by rain.  What did I do to deserve this?

After a quick drive to the hotel, we set out for Jack Stack BBQ [4747 Wyandotte St, Kansas City, MO 64112].  The place was near the hotel so we decided to walk there since the rain had stopped.  This was chancy because the rain could return and because I sometimes need a gurney after eating BBQ.  

Jack Stack BBQ did not disappoint us at all.  Patrice had pulled pork mac and cheese.  

Patrice’s pulled pork with mac and cheese.

I had a half rack of baby back ribs. 

My Baby Back ribs with fries, and cream corn bake.

Wait I was supposed to get 6 ribs and I just see 5. 

I knew that woman couldn’t be trusted when it comes to BBQ baby back ribs.

Hmmm, I need to keep my eye on that woman. 

That’s enough BBQ for tonight.  Tomorrow we have some baseball. 

Baseball, BBQ, and Blog Day #1 “DFW Airport……UGH!” June 3, 2022

by reissmd, posted in Dallas, Kansas City

After a long absence trying to survive a pandemic, we are finally feeling comfortable enough to step outside of our house. If you believe public health officials (and I do) and we are not careful, we might be in for more trouble very soon. With that in mind, Patrice and I have set out on a trip. What could be more appropriate than a trip devoted to Baseball, BBQ, and Blogging? 

As loyal readers of this blog, you are aware, Patrice and I are certified “Memphis in May” BBQ judges.   My mouth is watering just thinking of the days we have spent judging.  During our time judging, we heard many people talk about the Kansas City BBQ Society as being the only true competitor to Memphis as the king of BBQ (Texas people please settle down, you’ll get your turn).  

In addition to our search for the supreme BBQ experience, we are also attempting to visit every Major League Baseball stadium. On this trip, we will be able to add one more, Kauffman Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Royals.  

Our flight on day 1 already produced some excitement.  Our flight took us through Dallas on our voyage to KC. Upon check-in, we were told our flight from LA was delayed an hour which would leave us only 20 minutes to catch our next flight. Worrier Robert already started to obsess but we soon learned that the second leg of our trip was also delayed so we knew we’d be okay. 

Our flight from LAX started out uneventful except we did have a flight attendant of note.  Do you have a vision of a curvaceous young thing with a beautiful smile?  Well, enjoy yourself but that’s not what I’m about to describe.  Our flight attendant was Dave and he had to be close to 70 years old.  I watched him move the food cart up and down the aisle at a snail’s pace.  He would offer travelers some pretzels and then get their drink orders.  I thought we would be in Dallas by the time he got to us and we were sitting in the 9th row. When he offered Patrice a blue bag of pretzels she asked if he had anything else.  Dave lumbered back to the cart and on his return, he said “I can offer you a red bag of pretzels?”.  I chuckled and then he asked for my order. I asked for club soda.  Dave said he had Canada Dry Club Soda.  Personally, I can’t tell one club soda from another so I gladly agreed to his suggestion.  Dave returned, handed me a glass and the can of soda, and cheerfully said, “I shook the can real good so it should be very fresh”.   I had found my clone.

We received an announcement from the pilot telling us due to weather we were in a holding pattern for 45 minutes (note to self: avoid DFW in the future). So I used this delay as an opportunity to talk some more to my new friend.  It turns out this is a second career for Dave. He previously worked as an attorney and was credentialed to present a case to the US Supreme Court. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to present the case because it was sent back down to the lower court (where the case was decided in his favor).  It was time to get back to my seat and let Dave do his job.  Before I left a woman approached Dave and said “I have a question”.  Dave quickly answered before she could speak another word and he said “Should you kiss on the first date?  Definitely!”   You gotta love this guy.  What else can I say except I was wrong, he isn’t almost 70, he is 80. 

Enough fun on the plane.  We finally arrived at DFW to find out our flight to KC was canceled and we get to spend the night in Dallas.  Our luggage is spending the night somewhere at the airport.  They offered to find it but would only promise that the bags would arrive sometime between 4 and 8 hours.   We will rough it with what we have. 

Please see me and my new pal, Dave.