Travel & Leisure Facts and Notes

Growing up in Texas was a world filled with excitement and unique places. It wasn’t until I moved away from the state that I realized how especially unique some of these places are. The most poignant of these landmarks in my childhood is undoubtedly the West End Marketplace.

Many school field trips centered on this historic place that support a variety of shops and places to occupy the attention deficit minds of school children. Shops that stand out in my mind even now are the Purple Shop, the fudge factory, the gallery of 3-D art and holograms. Then of course there was the joke shop where we dared each other to purchase a sucker with the tequila worm inside. The bottom floor of the Marketplace consisted of an arcade that seemed to expanse eternity to my younger self.

The Dallas Alley, just outside the Marketplace was also filled with fun vendors, such as caricature paintings. My visits at night introduced me to specialty artists on the sidewalks. One particular man was bouncing to techno as he spray painted a colorful canvas with great speed and grace, finishing it off with a blast of flames. Watching him paint was just as artful as looking at the finished painting itself.

The alley also consisted of street vendors that would offer me a flower and tell me that I could have the flower for free if the boy next to me would give me a hug. Of course the boy obliged, but then the street vendor turned to the boy and would tell him that now he had to buy the flower. Needless to say, I never got to keep the flower, cheap high school boys.

The local restaurants within a block from the West End Marketplace add spectacular cuisine to the atmosphere of the area. The Spaghetti Warehouse is a gem to the area with a classic dining experience. The unique decor of each table setting is enough of an experience to come eat here.

The food itself is far superior to any Italian restaurant at which I have eaten. I have sampled the lasagna, the spaghetti with homemade sauce, and chicken alfredo, all with mouthwatering pleasure. Ultimately, the experience of eating at the historic Spaghetti Warehouse in Dallas is legendary.

I have been disappointed in my last visit at the state of the Marketplace. I had brought my fiance to see the remarkable place, just as I had many other relatives on holiday here. Many of the shops were boarded up and closed. I hardly resembled the magical place I remembered in my past.

Why would people stop going to the West End Marketplace? It has been rejuvenating news that the magically place that captured many memories of my youth has been undergoing renovations with the hopes of returning to the prize of Dallas activity. My anticipation to return there and re-experience the captivating is hopefully shared by many locals and tourist alike so that we might again see the West End Marketplace flourish.