Today I explored downtown Dallas with my dad and got to see the arts district and Deep Ellum. I thought Deep Ellum would be more lively, but it may have just seemed quieter than I expected because we were there so early in the morning. We ate at a little bakery in the West End and went to a tourist trap shop, where we tried on cowboy/cowgirl hats and stared wide-eyed at the rows and rows of cowboy/cowgirl boots. I couldn’t help but try on a hat to mark my first day in Dallas. Cowgirl hats don’t quite measure up to the Red Sox hat that’s hanging over my bed, but they are comfy and cute nonetheless.
My dad left this afternoon to head back to Boston. We had some quality father-daughter bonding time, and now that he came, he can visualize where I’m working, where I’m living and what the city of Dallas is like. He would have enjoyed the place I ate at tonight. The name of the restaurant has slipped my mind, but it was a relatively new eatery near the Hampton Hills part of Dallas. My roommate and I ordered raspberry sangria and pizza topped with grapes and goat cheese. Sounds a little strange, but it was actually really tasty.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is my first day on the features desk at The Dallas Morning News. It’s public knowledge that The Dallas Morning News just announced a round of buyouts, so I’m starting off my internship at an interesting time. But I come to the newsroom with a sense of optimism, knowing that this experience will be what I make it out to be. I’m ready and eager to tell stories in a new city and to explore the heck out of this place. I’ll keep you posted on what I find.
(Note: The dateline for this blog should be July 28, not 29. If I post after 6 p.m., my temperamental blog puts the following day’s date on the post. I won’t post this note every time this happens, but I will occasionally as a reminder.)
Word on the Street 
Congrats on the internship! Best of luck!