Wendy Milsap of Lakewood Candle Company has created a line of candles inspired by the White Rock Centennial. Each candle — evergreen red currant, sandlewood vanilla, dogwood amber romance and fresh fruit — features a historic photo of the lake from Sally Rodriguez’s book, “White Rock Lake”, along with the photo’s description. Proceeds from the candles benefit White Rock Lake. The candles will be sold throughout the year and are available at T. Hee Greetings & Gifts (6465 E Mockingbird, 972.996.2606, t-heegifts.com) in Hillside Village.
The Lab at Lake Highlands
The Lab at Lake Highlands has officially moved and opened as The Lab at Lakewood (5304 Junius, 214.901.4280, thelabdallas.com) in the historical Junius Heights neighborhood. The new location has more outdoor space, ideal for experiments involving a greenhouse, yard, garden or compost. Plus, there is now outside play equipment, too. The new digs have doubled the capacity of The Lab, but owner Melissa Wright still wants to keep the programs small. This summer, The Lab is featuring what Melissa calls all sorts of “nerdy chemistry stuff.” Every week has a new theme, every day a new program, such as fingerprinting detective work, aromatherapy/taste exploration and an art-meets-science program. The Lab at Lakewood is an alternative for birthday parties and school trips, where the focus is on a multi-sensory approach that makes learning about science fun.
Bistro Watel's
In food news, Central 214’s (5680 N. Central, 214.443.9339, central214.com) Chef Blythe Beck has debuted a new Texas-inspired summer menu that includes spicy crab and roasted corn fondue, BBQ short rib sliders and fried green tomatoes. For dessert, dive into the Peach Upside Down Rum Cake, made with Texas peaches, brown sugar ice cream and coconut rum sauce, or the Dr Pepper Float featuring Amaretto ice cream and a Dublin Dr Pepper reduction. Bistro Watel’s (6047 Lewis, 214.720.0323, watels.com) is hosting a Texas peach festival throughout July, featuring Texas peaches in each course on the menu. It will also be holding a peach recipe contest, and the first-place winner will receive dinner for two. Email entries to mail@watels.com with the heading “Peach Recipe Contest”. Mextopia (2104 Greenville, 214.824.9400, mextopia.com) is now offering a “Beer and Bacon Happy Hour” from 4-8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, serving up free spicy and sweet bacon alongside $2 Tecates and Fireman’s #4.
Help Times Ten Cellars (6324 Prospect, 214.824.9463, timestencellars.com) support the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas by participating in the Dallas Wine Trail (dallaswinetrail.com) 11 a.m.-5 p.m. July 23. Times Ten has teamed up with Inwood Estates, Calais Winery and Fuqua Winery to present the afternoon of wine and food. The cost is $55 per person and includes a commemorative Riedel glass, three tastings at each winery, hors d’ oeuvres and a bottle of wine from one of the participating wineries. All tickets must be purchased by July 21 at galtx.org or by calling 214.315.4068.
Highland Park Cafeteria (1200 N. Buckner, 214.324.5000, highlandparkcafeteria.com) now offers online pre-order options for guests of the Dallas Arboretum’s Concerts in the Garden series (8525 Garland, 214.515.6500, dallasarboretum.org). Concert-goers can choose from freshly made offerings including cookies, sandwiches, chips/guacamole, gourmet cheese trays, salads, hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, beverages and more when ordering at highlandparkcafeteria.com. All orders must be received by 2 p.m. prior to the concert. At the event, meals are ready for pick-up at the Highland Park Cafeteria van, always located next to the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn as early as 6 p.m. when gates open. Additionally, the van is always stocked with menu items available for purchase on-site, such as made-to-order smoothies for $4.
Matt Tobin, neighborhood resident and owner of Vickery Park, hopes to open his latest concept, Goodfriend, later this month. Located next door to Good 2 Go Taco on Peavy, Goodfriend will bridge the gap between family-friendly restaurant and bar — it will even have high chairs. “My wife and I live in the area, and we kept saying that we wished there was a kid-friendly neighborhood place where we could have some food and drinks and not have to go to a Chili’s or Applebees,” Tobin says. So he’s opening one. Goodfriend’s menu will have 10 signature burgers, each paired with a draft beer, plus a reuben and other artisan sandwiches. The atmosphere will take a tip from Tobin’s good friends — pun intended — at The Old Monk and feature wood paneling, old church pews made into banquettes and other pieces made from reclaimed wood. Tobin hopes that Goodfriend and Chef Marc Cassel’s recently announced beach food restaurant next door, called Peavy Road, will start a chain reaction in the area. “I can’t name names, but I know of at least six to seven restaurateurs looking at the Casa Linda area right now,” Tobin says. Our fingers are crossed.
White Rock Yoga Center has opened in the Buckner-Northcliff shopping center, the same complex that houses Gold’s Gym, the Krav Maga studio, Green Spot and the White Rock Local Market. Its grand opening was in June, and the center offers power yoga, prenatal and “Mommy and Me” classes.
After a yearlong labor of love to restore the original façade to the fire-ravaged 2800 block of Greenville, three restaurants — one original, two new — hope to be open for business this month. Amanda Ahern of Terilli’s (2815 Greenville, 214.827.3993, terillis.com) says the new restaurant boasts the same menu with just a few additions. The most remarkable thing is that almost the entire kitchen staff is back. The low lighting ambiance has stayed the same, though the ceilings are higher. And the new Terilli’s has a mezzanine that can accommodate up to 60 for private parties, a private bar upstairs with a fireplace, a rooftop patio and even gluten-free items on the menu.
Just next door to the right, Rohst (2817 Greenville, rohstdallas.com), a new Pan-Asian restaurant, has decided to keep the Greenville Bar & Grill sign. Co-owner Patrick Kelly says that he and the other five owners will repair and light the sign as a nod to the history of the neighborhood. “We had a long list of potential locations for Rohst, and we chose Lower Greenville because of its community,” Kelly says. “We feel like we’ve been welcomed with open arms.” Kelly describes Rohst as a “casual atmosphere with an upscale dining experience”, and tables are already being reserved for the rooftop lounge with firepits and a Downtown view. The cuisine consists of Korean family recipes from co-owner Michelle Choi, owner of Chosun Korean BBQ in North Dallas.
Finally, in the former Hurricane Grill spot next to Rohst, Chris “Dodie” McGuinness’ is opening Dodie’s Reef (2831 Greenville, dodiesreef.com). The newest location of the locally born Cajun restaurant chain, Dodie’s features a full bar, a rooftop patio with a Downtown view and a 2 a.m. closing time. Along with the standard Cajun menu favorites, Dodie’s Reef serves lobster bisque and coconut shrimp as well as brunch with Bloody Marys and mimosas (something you can’t find at the original location, also on Greenville). The downstairs patio has an open-window counter to the indoor bar (similar to that of Bolsa and Kona Grill). “Eventually we’re going to have live music … a DJ here and there,” McGuinness says of the newest addition to the Dodie’s family. And as far as parking goes, he says it’s not a problem. “We’ve got lots, [both] spots and valet from time to time. Parking won’t be an issue here.”
—Meghan Riney
