Living

START SPREADING THE NEWS: BIG APPLE EXPERIENCE ALTERED

Spring in New York City offers familiar sites such as cherry trees in Manhattan but with smaller crowds and an emphasis on hygiene.

Check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art and flowers in Bryant Park. (PHOTOS: MARY MEIER-EVANS)

New York City, one of the world’s most popular cities to visit, has unfortunately been difficult, if not impossible, to travel to for more than a year. Now that we are entering the second quarter of 2021, what is the Big Apple REALLY like for those ready to visit?

MARY MEIER-EVANS Once my husband and I were fully vaccinated, we knew it was time to get ourselves back to New York. Over the past decade, we have traveled there frequently. Our last trip was in January 2020.

Fast forward to April 2021, when we spent a week seeing dear friends and getting a feel for how things have changed.

Most New Yorkers are wearing masks both inside and outside at all times. Some restaurants ask that you put your mask on when any wait staff workers are at your table.

Like most things post-2020, nothing feels the same yet. But different does not have to be bad. It’s simply different.

Almost every venue takes your temperature when entering, and some ask you to fill out your name, address, and phone number for contact tracing purposes.

Subways are MUCH less crowded – no packed rush-hour train rides to endure.

Cab availability seems to be about 50% of what it once was. Daytime, it’s not hard to find one, but evenings are more difficult.

So what about restaurants? Predictably, there were restaurants we love that did not survive, but for the most part, all our favorites were still open, if only for dinner.

Many have increased capacity by adding outside seating, often elaborate curbside structures with decor, carpeting, and heat lamps.

Of course, we spent a lot of time visiting museums. Almost all are open now, and each was very careful about keeping gallery spaces uncrowded and patrons spaced apart. Timed entrances are very common.

Empty storefronts are pervasive. There’s certainly plenty of shopping available, but even areas like SoHo and Madison Avenue have many vacancies.

Now a little real talk: I have always been careful in NYC. Situational awareness is critical. I never carry big purses, and I never wear valuable jewelry.

In the evenings, there are significantly fewer people out on the streets. More come out on weekend evenings but nothing compared to the hustle and bustle of the past.

Because so many corporations are now working remotely, many areas of town, like Midtown, are deserted. Fewer restaurants are open, fewer people on the streets.

Empty streets are not necessarily safer streets.

There is a noticeable lack of police presence throughout the city.

While I loved (to my core) being back, you need to watch yourself and pay attention to your surroundings.

Would I recommend visiting New York? I think that depends on how much you want your visit to “feel the same” as in the past.

Like most things post-2020, nothing feels the same yet. But different does not have to be bad. It’s simply different.

Mary Meier-Evans, of University Park, has a Texas-sized curiosity that extends to New York City and beyond. Check out her blog and podcast at thecuriouscowgirl.com.

Houston, We Have No Problem

Your next getaway should be to Houston. I know, Houston – the thing Dallas folks love to hate, like JR and the Philadelphia Eagles. But H-Town is a fabulous food and cultural city and the perfect destination for a two-to fourday escape for couples, families, or friends. What’s so KERSTEN RETTIG great about it? For starters, The Houstonian Hotel and Club, a 27acre retreat in the middle of the city, an urban resort unlike anything in Texas. Situated alongside Buffalo Bayou and less than a mile from the Houston Arboretum and Memorial Park, The Houstonian is sheltered from city noise and traffic. Behind the iconic Gate House that welcomes each guest, it truly feels like an escape.

RECHARGE

There is nothing like The Trellis Spa in Texas. Literally. It’s the largest at 26,000 square feet, including 6,500 square feet of outdoor space with two swimming pool-sized hot soaking tubs, a cold shower, private cabanas, a meditation space, fire pits, and lounge areas. The inside float pool reminds me of an aquamarine solitaire in a beautifully detailed statement ring. It’s the centerpiece of the downstairs relaxation area, adjacent to the women’s locker room and along the main corridor of the spa. Ok, I’ll say it: it’s very Instagrammable. Treatments are indulgent and state-of-the-art.

PLAY

Guests of The Houstonian are welcome to enjoy the otherwise private club, which includes a massive fitness center outfitted with more than 300 pieces of equipment, 160 fitness classes, three pools, and indoor and outdoor tennis and pickleball courts. The resident pickleball pro is Bobbie Phoumy, who played in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championship days after giving me a complimentary hour-long lesson.

If you’d rather run or walk outdoors, The Houstonian grounds include a tree-canopied paved trail that provides access to the Memorial Park trail.

The Houstonian Hotel and Club, a 27-acre retreat alongside Buffalo Bayou, offers a wide array of luxury services,

activities, and dining options. Visit www.houstonian.com. (PHOTO: COURTESY THE HOUSTONIAN)

EAT

The Houstonian’s “Tex-Lex” cuisine checks all the boxes for foodies and novices alike. Named for the terroir of the three chefs in charge, Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico, Tex-Lex cuisine is represented throughout the property, from upscale dining at The Tribute to elevated spa cuisine at Trellis.

The best-selling dish at The Tribute, Snapper Ponchartrain, is served on dirty rice and served with sauteed crawfish. My faves are the Post Oak charred oysters with chorizo butter (which were insane) and the stuffed Bandera quail. This is much more than a “hotel restaurant;” it’s an upscale neighborhood restaurant with all the best regional flavors under one roof.

GO

The Houstonian Hotel is a living monument to Houston, surrounded by oaks and magnolias with vibrant flower beds and a verdant lawn that’s inviting, homey, and elegant all at once. Maybe Houston isn’t the first place you think of when considering a getaway, but it’s a fabulous destination. Getting there is easy: a 3.5-hour drive from Dallas on I-45 (so much better than I-35) or take Vonlane or Southwest into Bush Intercontinental.

Venues, vendors, and couples adjust to social-distancing challenges

By Maria Adolphs

Special Contributor

The pandemic has tested not only couples wanting to wed but those whose business is making celebrations memorable.

“Weddings are happy and emotional in normal times,” said Valerie Bergstrom, the wedding coordinator at Park Cities Baptist Church. Add canceled wedding showers and parties, rescheduled vendors, and figuring out the safest as well as the best way to get married, and it becomes, as Bergstrom put it, “overwhelming.”

Some couples pushed ceremonies back to the fall of 2020, hoping restrictions would lift, only to have to change dates three more times, Bergstrom said.

After canceling days before his wedding when both his parents became ill with COVID-19, one groom opted to marry at home and have a chapel ceremony later, she said.

Cain Sargent, owner of John Cain Photography, said although Texas allowed events to resume in 2020, he still had more than 40 weddings postponed.

After the lockdown lifted, weddings resumed in June.

Park Cities Baptist usually hosts 20 weddings or so a year, but in 2020 had only 14 with those after the lockdown held at limited capacity: only 120 guests in a chapel that seats 300. The church allows 200 in the chapel now and even more in the sanctuary.

Bergstrom said it’s heartbreaking when all family and friends cannot attend, but live-streaming ceremonies has been a plus.

Iva and JD Cochran considered postponing their wedding last year but went ahead and married at Park Cities Baptist in June 2020, even though the ceremony wasn’t as planned.

“Obviously, our guest list was different ... just family and our wedding party,” the couple said in an email. “We never envisioned masks at our ceremony or not having a dance floor at our reception.”

Sargent works closely with brides and their mothers to visualize their big day and captures and preserves the once-in-a-lifetime moments in cherished photographs. Having to change that vision wasn’t always easy.

Some clients, however, embraced what a scaled-down wedding offered.

“A silver lining of … an intimate wedding was a heightened appreciation between the couple and their families,” Sargent said.

With a larger wedding, those little moments can become “all too overshadowed by 28 bridesmaids and 400 guests,” he added.

The Cochrans saw the benefits of their smaller ceremony, noting it “allowed us to focus on what was most important at the heart of it all.”

“One big challenge was how frequently the rules evolved,” Sargent said. The pandemic reined in large, station-style and seated dinner receptions, which required pivoting plans—like a new guest list and floor plans.

“Thankfully, we’re past this point now,” he said, adding, more couples are having sit-down dinners and inviting more guests.

After more than a year of living, working, and existing at

TOP: Preston Hollow residents Iva and JD Cochran say having the smaller wedding mandated by the pandemic came with some blessings.

(PHOTO: RANDALL STEWART) BOTTOM: Photographer Cain Sargent helps couples such as Katherine (Jezek) and Colin Moore, of the Devonshire neighborhood, navigate pandemic era weddings and preserve memories.

(PHOTO: JOHN CAIN PHOTOGRAPHY)

home in “athleisurewear,” Sargent sees many clients going all out in formal attire for their wedding. However, those used to prolonged comfort will pair a gorgeous cocktail dress with fancy sneakers for dancing at their reception.

Either way, he said, “special occasions feel more special again.”

Spring Savings are in the Air

Flowers aren’t the only thing blossoming this season at The Forum at Park Lane – our spring savings are in full bloom. With a full schedule of Lifestyle360 activities and our Five Star Dining Experience, our exceptional lifestyle is best shared. Now when you move in before April 30th, 2021, you’ll not only get to experience life in full bloom, you’ll get 2 months rent-free.* Call 214-369-9902 today to learn more and enjoy our move-in special.

*Savings available for select apartment styles only with a move-in by 4/30/2021. See Sales Director for complete program details.

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THE FORUM AT PARK LANE 7831 Park Lane • Dallas, TX 75225 214-369-9902 • www.TheForumAtParkLane.com INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • REHABILITATION SKILLED NURSING • RESPITE STAYS