I have been a Fort Worth resident since 1965 and much as I love this city and brag about it, I think we all sometimes get complacent , even about our city's beauties. Today I had the wonderful privilege of showing my city to two people from Jackson, Mississippi, my friend Barbara and her daughter, Amy. They made me see Fort Worth through new eyes. To them, the culture, the landscape, everything is so different.
This morning we went to the Amon Carter Museum to view the JFK Texas Hotel exhibit and some of the Remington and Russell works. On the drive there, through the park, by the zoo and the Botanical Garden (we detoured through it), they were impressed by the scenic beauty of our city. At the Carter, they were spellbound by the work of those two artists and fascinated to see the differences in the work of the two. Also pretty interested that the Carter is a privately endowed museum. It's a showplace for our city, and I was proud to show it to them.
We had lunch at Carshon's, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Barbara, who grew up in Chicago like me, wanted chopped liver, said she hadn't had it since high school days. She and her daughter both nibbled at it but weren't as enthusiastic as I was I don't think.
This afternoon I sent them off with clear directions for a trip to the Justin Boot Outlet and a tour of Fairmount, which Barbara says I've shown her before. They both came back with boots but I haven't seen them yet.
Tonight it was the Stockyards, for dinner at the Star Café. On the way I pointed out the hospital district which interested Amy, a critical care nurse. She remarked on the number of medical facilities both here and in Dallas. They loved The Star--the atmosphere, the food, and owner Betty Boles' company. Afterwards we drove around the Stockyards so they could see Billy Bob's, the coliseum, the Livestock Exchange Building, horse and mule barns, and the old Swift building--which looks like it's been renovated and occupied--all lit up. Then Jacob who went with us wanted to tour downtown, which we did sort of--so many streets blocked off that it's hard but they saw Bass Hall and the lights on the Main Street trees and the magnificent courthouse. Then we wound our way home the back way so I could show them our restaurant row on Magnolia.
A thoroughly satisfying day, and we ended it sitting on the deck with wine reminiscing and trading family news. A bit on the chilly side but pleasant. When I thanked them for helping me to see my city with new eyes, Amy said she was amazed because she's driven by the edge of Fort Worth many times going from Mississippi to New Mexico and always thought it was just a small, dull western city on the edge of Dallas. Now she knows better.. And now of course I can think of lots of other places to take them--that we won't have time for.
This morning we went to the Amon Carter Museum to view the JFK Texas Hotel exhibit and some of the Remington and Russell works. On the drive there, through the park, by the zoo and the Botanical Garden (we detoured through it), they were impressed by the scenic beauty of our city. At the Carter, they were spellbound by the work of those two artists and fascinated to see the differences in the work of the two. Also pretty interested that the Carter is a privately endowed museum. It's a showplace for our city, and I was proud to show it to them.
We had lunch at Carshon's, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Barbara, who grew up in Chicago like me, wanted chopped liver, said she hadn't had it since high school days. She and her daughter both nibbled at it but weren't as enthusiastic as I was I don't think.
This afternoon I sent them off with clear directions for a trip to the Justin Boot Outlet and a tour of Fairmount, which Barbara says I've shown her before. They both came back with boots but I haven't seen them yet.
Tonight it was the Stockyards, for dinner at the Star Café. On the way I pointed out the hospital district which interested Amy, a critical care nurse. She remarked on the number of medical facilities both here and in Dallas. They loved The Star--the atmosphere, the food, and owner Betty Boles' company. Afterwards we drove around the Stockyards so they could see Billy Bob's, the coliseum, the Livestock Exchange Building, horse and mule barns, and the old Swift building--which looks like it's been renovated and occupied--all lit up. Then Jacob who went with us wanted to tour downtown, which we did sort of--so many streets blocked off that it's hard but they saw Bass Hall and the lights on the Main Street trees and the magnificent courthouse. Then we wound our way home the back way so I could show them our restaurant row on Magnolia.
A thoroughly satisfying day, and we ended it sitting on the deck with wine reminiscing and trading family news. A bit on the chilly side but pleasant. When I thanked them for helping me to see my city with new eyes, Amy said she was amazed because she's driven by the edge of Fort Worth many times going from Mississippi to New Mexico and always thought it was just a small, dull western city on the edge of Dallas. Now she knows better.. And now of course I can think of lots of other places to take them--that we won't have time for.
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