Prison Break at Fair Park

 

Prison Break was a hit show in the 00s that involved a group of guys breaking out of and into various prisons and then being on the run from, and sometimes working for, various government agencies.  It's better than it sounds.  

In season 2, the production moved to north Texas.  With other shows like Chase, The Good Guys, TNT's Dallas, it was a golden age for DFW television production.  In the 18th episode of the second season (2007), they took advantage of the great looking locations in Dallas' Fair Park, starting with "Jumbo," the Mammoth statue:

 The episode's story line involves the Prison Breakers needing to talk to some government dude but also feeling the need to make him jump through lots of hoops in order to make sure he's not bugged, being followed, or any other nonsense.  During the process, we get a pretty decent look at some of the Fair Park facilities.

 

Featured front and center were the weirdo sculptures in the lagoon and the swan paddle boats.  Our beleaguered fed was forced to wade in up to his neck to take care of any pesky electronics he might have one him.  From there he drip dries right into...

 

 

 ...the Women's Museum.  It closed down in 2011 but the building still hosts events and whatnot.  I have no idea if that multi-screen thing is still there or not but it's preserved in posterity in this episode.

After this the cat & mouse game came to a close, we get more brief glimpses of Fair Park, Deep Ellum, and other Dallas locations.  Check out the show if you want to see more of Big D on the small screen.

 

Top 5 at the Dr Pepper Museum

 Previously:

Top 5 at the National Videogame Museum

There's no official state beverage of Texas but if there were, it would probably be Dr Pepper.  It's constantly consumed across the state and across the world but it got its start in Waco.  Everybody has heard the origin story of its humble beginnings as a mixture of 23 flavors at the Old Corner Drug Store and the many urban legends that surround the legendary elixir.   

But the record is set straight at Waco's Dr Pepper Museum where history and memorabilia are on display for thirsty enthusiasts to peruse.  It had been years since my last visit so on a recent trip to Waco, I decided  to stop by and pick my top 5 favorites of the collection.

5.  Football Shaped Cooler

There are a lot of coolers from over the years that are displayed at the museum but this one caught my eye.    I've always been a fan of the "things shaped as other things" genre and this one just seems to set the stage for a fun time.  I imagine events elevated from "picnic" to "party" status when one of these bad boys was packed with ice cold Dr Pepper and Big Red.

4.  Hot Dr Pepper Pot

Years ago, there was a big push to serve warm Dr Pepper as a seasonal treat.  I even whipped up a batch last Christmas.  Part of the promotion involved releasing this Hot Dr Pepper Pot as a way to make it even easier to prepare and serve mug after mug at a winter get-together.  I think Hot Dr Pepper is a treat whose time hasn't yet come.  I predict that someday hot DP will take its place among the coffees and hot cocoas of the world.

3.  Iron Man Vending Machine

Dr Pepper has had a ton of superhero movie related promotions including the Iron Man movies.  In one commercial a janitor at Tony Stark's compound attempts to try on an Iron Man suit and ends up inside an Iron Man Dr Pepper Vending Machine.  The prop from that commercial is on display at the museum with plenty of signs warning visitors to NOT touch and that it's not an actual vending machine. 

2.  Dr Pepper Land Cruiser

It's hard to tell the scale in this picture but this thing is pretty big.  The museum describes it as a "space-age go-kart" and was released in 1985 to celebrate the soda's 100th anniversary.  I assume this is just the body because I don't see any wheels and hover technology wasn't too advanced in the 80s (despite what you might have heard).  I can imagine being the coolest kid at the race track when pulling up in this beauty.

1.  Dr Pepper Nautilus Cooler

Another cooler?  That's right, but this gets our top spot because most of the world seems to have forgotten that Dr Pepper Nautilus ever existed.  It was an early 90s sports drink that was meant to compete with Gatorade but there's hardly any information about it on the internet.  In order to get a good look at any Nautilus memorabilia you'll have to take a road trip to Waco...which is fitting since that's where it all began...

Top 5 at the National Videogame Museum

I don't like video games.  It's not that I dislike them, I just lost interest in them at some point as a teenager.  Outside of of a couple of apps on my phone (do those count as video games?) I haven't given them much thought.  But a recent trip to Frisco led to a stop at the National Videogame Museum and memories of joy sticking and button pushing came flooding back.  So here's my Top 5 Picks of Things on Display at the National Videogame Museum:

5.  Oregon Trail

There are plenty of older systems set up and ready to be played by museum visitors.  The one that caught my eye was perennial Middle School time killer, "Oregon Trail."  It took my right back to the days of tapping Y or N, buying dry goods and tack, and dying of dysentery.  Good Times.

4.  1981 Journey at Reunion Arena Ticket Stub

This one might be a little bit of a cheat.  There's a room in the museum that's made up like a kids bedroom in the 80s.  There's lots of attention to detail including this ticket stub for a Journey concert on Nov 8, 1981 at Reunion Stadium.  There's a lot of nostalgia in this tiny paper square.  There's also some Rangers and Cowboys stuff on the wall.

3.  Video Game Cereal

I remember a couple of these from childhood but some are more recent.  Pac-Man Cereal and Nintendo Cereal are the ones that ended up in my bowl on Saturday mornings.  I'm surprised that there's only been about half a dozen video game-based cereals so far, but sometimes it's the obvious tie-ins that are never quite so obvious.  

2.  Super Mario Movie Props

Nothing adds gravitas to a museum exhibit like a Certificate of Authenticity.  And it turns these seemingly mundane plumber's tools into a museum-worthy exhibit.  The 1993 movie was a critical and commercial failure and it's a little surprising to some of its props under glass but I guess this is definitely the right place to display them.

1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre Atari Game

If you think that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie might not be the most appropriate concept to base a kids' video game on, you're not alone.  This was released in 1983 and since the player plays the part of Leatherface (with the goal of murdering as many tourists as possible), it was very controversial and sales reflected that.  It has a cult following online but it's since it sold so poorly, it's an incredibly rare find.  Loved seeing it on display.

There's a lot more to see at the museum, including an arcade stuffed with games (including the original Star Wars game that I used to play every year at the Fort Worth Livestock Show) so when you get the itch to pump some tokens into some retro consoles, head to Frisco.

Top 5 Things for Sale at the Best Maid Pickle Emporium

 Previously:

80s Corpus Christie  - -  Sam Houston Gift Shop

Texas Treasures Store  - -  Alamo Gift Shop

 Sandwiched firmly in the Great Hall of famous Texas foodstuffs, you'll find jars and jars of Best Maid Pickled products.  With their trademark "Little Girl Sticking Her Tongue Out" (that's her name, right?) emblazoned on each jar, they've made their way into backyard cookouts, concession stands and bbq pits across the Lone Star State and beyond.

 

Now Best Maid buffs can get their pickle fix in Fort Worth at the Best Maid Pickle Emporium.  It's part museum, part store and the perfect way to add some crunch to the sandwich of life.  I visited recently and, as I do, thought I'd pick the top five things for sale there.

 5. Pickle Mints

 

Depending on your pants, you probably can't carry a jar of pickles in your pocket.  But that doesn't stop some pickle enthusiasts from keeping pickle flavor close to the vest.  If you want that fresh, pickley breath smell all day long, your solution is here.

4.  Pickle Dog Chew Toys

 In my experience, pickles are low on most dogs' list of favorite things but chewing stuff tends to rank high.  Sure, your best friend might not be aware of the significance of his or her new toy but it squeaks and it's shaped like Texas so we call that a "win/win."

3. Pickle Air Freshener

New car smell?  Nah, man, pickle smell!  Freshen up your road trip with the crisp scent of dill and enjoy the ride.  I'm sure there are several advantages to having your car smell like pickles, I just can't think of any right now.  But if and when the need arises, you can be ready.

2.  Pickle Flask

Keep this one close to your heart.  When you need a pickle-based cocktail, you never want it to be too far.  These come with a recipe for "Pickle Back" which is essentially a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle brine.  I don't drink either one of those so I couldn't tell you if the combination is any good.  But if it's printed on a flask, it's gotta be pretty nice, right?

1.  Best Maid Pickle Tie

 So here we have what the well dressed pickle enthusiast is wearing.  If I ever have another job interview, I plan to wear this.  There are power ties and there are power ties and this is the ultimate power move.  Show them what you're about with this Best Maid logo-covered accent.  

So there you have it.  If you can't find something for the pickle lover on your holiday shopping list, then I don't know what to tell you.

Good to Go Part 2

Previously:  Good to Go Part 1

Let's have another look at some Dallas shooting locations of the unjustly canceled Fox series "The Good Guys." This time our stop is Fair Park!

In episode #4 "The Dim Knight", an out of town chemical supplier meets with his translator right outside Centennial Hall. As they talk you can see the Hall of State in the background. (Later they go get hamburgers in a part of town that is not too far from there.)

In episode #8 "Silvio's Way" a duo of incompetent thieves target pharmacies. For some reason the producers thought that the Coliseum in Fair Park would make a great pharmacy in the episode...and it seems to work. (Later in the episode the thieves try to rob Raven's Pharmacy in south Dallas.)

In episode #12 Little Things" the guys take part in training kids for the police sponsored "Juniors Officers" program. They conduct the exercises at the Leonhardt Lagoon which is behind the Museum of Nature & Science and in front of the Cotton Bowl.

All right Junior Officers, I've only got one more episode of this show to watch so we'll see if our heroes managed to visit any other famous Dallas locations.

Bug Bites

The Houston Museum of Natural Science has everything you want in a natural history museum.  Fossils, rocks, interactive displays, rotating exhibits...and all the dinosaurs you stare at.

But it was when I was on my way out that I discovered something truly unique.  Near the gift shop is this unassuming vending machine:

Sure, it looks like the average treat dispenser but if you take a closer look you'll see a menu of science specific snacks and borderline gross grub.  Let's start with some of the more traditional fare.  And what's more at home at a museum than dinosaurs?

Gummi bears are replaced with Gummi Dinosaurs but the real find here is the top row.  Choc-o-saurus is a combination of two museum staples: dinosaurs and freeze dried ice cream!  It's chocolate with chocolate chips and, while eating it, you have the option to pretend like you're an astronaut or a extinct predator who loves dehydrated food.

Larvets!  Wondering if these things are what they look like?  Well, here's the explanation directly from their website: "Real larva, deliciously seasoned. Offered in three flavors: BBQ, Cheddar Cheese, or Mexican Spice."  And that's not enough bugs to satisfy your appetite, then good news...

Here we've got "Crick-ettes." which are, you guessed it, real crickets.  These are Bacon & Cheese flavor but they also come in Salt N' Vinegar and Sour Cream & Onion.  And if you're still hungry for bugs, you can also grab some Ant Wafers!  It's essentially what it sounds like: "Real ants in chocolate flavored round wafers."

Have you ever eaten hard candy and thought to yourself, "I wish this had ants in it."  Then you should have picked #56 or #57 from this vending machine.  You get the option of either Cherry or Apple flavor, both with Black Ants of course.

For our final selections we head to outer space for Alien Ice Cream.  This another freeze dried ice cream and is your standard Neapolitan flavor but it's either made by or eaten by Aliens.  Or maybe there's just one on the package.  Or you can have a Moon Pie!  Get it?  "Moon"

So the next time you head out to the museum, bring some change and an adventurous appetite.

Not the Brightest Bulb (But Almost)

The sights and sounds (and, yes, smells) of the Fort Worth Stockyards are plentiful.  You've got Texas history, honkey tonks, cowboys (both real and rhinestone) and just about anything you could ask for to give the out of town visitors plenty of Texas take-home.

But among the meat packing memorabilia and cowpoke collections, in a dark little corner of the Stockyards Museum, shines a little known claim to fame.  Take a gander at this long lasting little beauty:

This little light of mine (and yours) is the world famous Palace Theater Light Bulb!  It burned bright, nonstop, for over a century.  Even when the Theater was scheduled to be destroyed in the 70's, it was saved and somehow moved (George Costanza/Frogger style?) while still plugged in.

It holds the Guinness Book of World Records title as the Second Longest Burning Light Bulb.  Now I know that Texans aren't accustomed to second place but I'd like to think it has its own charm.  A charm that fits right in with the cast of characters in the Stockyards.  So the nest time you're in the neighborhood, stop by and bask in the light of history.

History in the Making

A recent trip along the back roads of East Texas led us to a quick stop at the Rusk County Depot Museum which had tons of history on display in the form of documents, antique equipment and restored buildings.  There is way too much to cover in one blog entry.

I also didn't have a lot of time for this stop so I spent most of it strolling the grounds to check out the old buildings.  One thing I learned was that I was genuinely interested in knowing how brooms were made.  I honestly didn't know this until I came here.

               

All right, so brooms don't grow in the wild...we've learned that today but there's an even bigger lesson to take away here.  In my opinion the most memorable building on the location is the "Arnold Outhouse":

Sure, it may not be as exciting as the See-Thru Bathroom in downtown Sulphur Springs but it is historically significant.  So much so that it has its own Historical Marker:

The marker reads:

     "Prominent Henderson businessman and civic leader John R. Arnold moved his family to this property in 1908. He added a second story to the home (razed in 1966) that already existed at the site. He also built a number of structures around the property, including this outhouse. It was larger than most standard outhouses of its day, and the milled pattern on the door and window facings matched that of the large Arnold house. The Arnold Outhouse is preserved to illustrate part of the lifestyle of 19th and early 20th-century Texans."

But that information is no substitute for witnessing an outhouse firsthand:

Yes kids, that's how it used to be.  This was the best case scenario for getting your "thinking done."  Ask your grandparents why there are catalogues and corncobs in there.

And when you start thinking about how bad the world is now, I would encourage you to always look on the bright side.  Despite political, economical and environmental turmoil...at the very least...we get to poop inside.  And sometimes that makes all the difference.