The same as everywhere else. Read the Posting Rules and look at the Site FAQ.

They will generally answer most questions on posting and site features you may have.
Political/religion topics are best suited for other forums, period.

Also see: How to Get Noticed

This is your city chat forum....please post responsibly.

This forum is for discussing everything about the Dallas - Fort Worth and the surrounding metroplex. Anything from transportation, sports, weather, special events, and everything in between, can be discussed in here. It doesn't matter if you live in DFW or the surrounding area. Anyone is welcome to join in on the discussions! Well, politics and religion are off-limits, but almost anything else goes!

Depending on what type of offense you are charged with there are likely many different options for you. We have decided that discussions regarding, "I got a speeding/parking ticket" or "I just got a traffic summons", "My license has expired", "I received a violation", "how much are these violations?" - would be much better suited for a licensed professional rather than in our forum.

We find that forum discussions on these issues in general - are generally of no benefit to you and usually end up causing more harm than good. We would much rather see you get the professional help you need instead of potentially poor or misleading advice.

If you are just curious to see what options may be available we suggest that you try Googling using key words that describe your offense such as "beat speeding/parking ticket" or "beat reckless driving ticket", "got called to court", "how much is this ticket", What do I do with a summons I received?, or "driving with expired license". You may also use the forum search feature to reference older threads on speeding, summonses, costs and other related discussions.

Good Luck and Thank You!

What a pleasant surprise it is when others remember your birthday, celebrating a new year of life with you. To do this, we need to know your birthday!

Instant Message JMartin with your Birthday. The year is not necessary.

The gallery is Here: /pics/txpeople and there is a link to it in the forum header also. Remember that these pictures are available to anyone visiting BBR at anytime. And we're sure that there's no real need to remind you to keep the pics tasteful with the thought in mind that this is a family website! :)

Forum news submissions are welcomed & greatly appreciated!

To submit news, simply follow this link.


•News submissions should be of material relevant to Dallas/Ft Worth.
•They must include the article title, the first few lines of the article with author, and a link to the article "source".
• Do not copy and paste the full entire article into the submission box, because of copyright restrictions, a small clip of the article is fine.

All news submissions are subject to final editing by the forum host before they will be displayed.

Remember, news articles are open for discussion in the Forum News section.
Just click on the title of the article and hit "Post!" underneath the article you wish to comment on.

To add one of your own FAQ entries, please follow this link. All FAQ submissions must be approved by an FAQ editor before it will be made public.

If you want to suggest an addition or report an error in a FAQ, please contact an editor to make appropriate changes or additions.

Drivers license: You can visit any branch of the the Texas Department of Public Safety to have your out-of-state license transferred to Texas. The State issues Class C licenses for most everyone as this license encompasses simple passenger vehicles and trucks. Class B and A refer to commercial drivers licenses. You will also be required to submit a thumbprint when you are at the DPS office. In order to drive a motorcycle, you must pass a State approved motorcycle instruction course and upon passing it, you will receive a new license with an "M" in your class code. More information can be found here.

Texas ID: If you don't want or need a drivers license, the State can still issue an ID card that looks very similar to a drivers license, but is worded slightly different in the titling. Might be a good idea to get this in the event you aren't getting a drivers license.

Vehicle Registration: The first step is obtaining insurance coverage. Once you've selected an insurance carrier they can often give you a temporary card to certify that you have insurance in the state. Next you will need to get your vehicle inspected. Counties in the larger cities, such as the DFW area, will include an emissions inspection so make sure your vehicle has no excessive smoke coming from the exhaust and such. You must obtain a vehicle inspection in order to obtain proper titling and registration. Once all of that is completed, you'll be issued an inspection sticker to place on your windshield. Information on the inspection process can be found here.

Once your vehicle passes inspection, you're now ready to get the titling and registration out of the way. You'll have to purchase new plates at the local Department of Transportation office, and you'll receive another window sticker. Information can be found here.

Concealed handgun license: The State refers to this as a Concealed Handgun License (CHL). Other states may often call them concealed weapons permit, meaning you can use a firearm or a knife. Texas makes the distinction that it applies only to a handgun. You will need to already have either a drivers license or ID card. You must first request an application from the DPS as they have each application numbered to keep track of them. Once you have the application, hang on to it for a bit and schedule your training class. This class is required by the State for all applicants - exceptions to this requirement are very few. The class consists mostly of lecturing by the instructor, but also includes the handgun proficiency qualification in which you must demonstrate proper accuracy with a weapon of at least .32 caliber. You will be graded on your target, however percentages are not assigned, just a simple pass/fail judgment. More detailed information can be found here.

While certainly not a complete list of stations, I think this is a good place to start. After all, we are ranked as #5 in the nation by rronline.com.

A great link (found by robbob340 )

..tells all about Ft Worth & Tarrant County of yesteryear

You can find it here

Another cool site, (found by KPSlider )

..is Fort Worth...the way we were

You can find that one here

Ever wonder what the big wide open lanes are for on the Tollway? Well it's for drivers with a TollTag. The TollTag allows you to pass through the tollgate without having to stop and pay.

The TollTag is a transponder attached to your vehicle which communicates with a computer in the toll plazas. Every time you go through a plaza, the appropriate toll charge is deducted from an account you set up when applying for a TollTag.

All active TollTags can be used on the Dallas North Tollway, President George Bush Turnpike, DFW Airport, Addison Airport Tunnel and Mountain Creek Lake Bridge. Future NTTA projects will also accommodate the use of TollTags.

You must maintain a prepaid account to cover tolls for the use of your TollTag. You will pay $40 when you submit your TollTag application for up to three tags. Each time your Tag passes through an operating toll lane, we will deduct the applicable toll from your account. TollTag users save 20 - 25% in toll fees by using the automated system.

Visit the NTTA for more information.

Call Customer Service:
972-818-NTTA or 1-877-991-0033

TollTag Store *
12300 Inwood Road,
Suite 110
Dallas, TX 75244
972-818-NTTA (6882)

Store Hours:
Monday through Friday -
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 260928
Plano, TX 75026-0928

TollTag Customer Center *
5900 West Plano Parkway
Suite 200
972-818-NTTA (6882)

Store Hours:
Monday through Friday -
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Saturday -
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM


TollTags for New Accounts Only - while you wait
Hours: Monday through Friday - 8:30am - 4:30pm

CITY OF ALLEN
305 Century Parkway
Allen, TX 75013 214-509-4560

CITY OF CARROLLTON
1945 E. Jackson Road
Carrollton, TX 75006 972-466-3120

CITY OF COPPELL
255 Parkway Blvd
Coppell, TX 75019 972-462-0022

CITY OF DUNCANVILLE
203 E. Wheatland Road
Duncanville, TX 75138 972-780-5017

CITY OF FARMERS BRANCH
13000 Wm. Dodson Parkway
Farmers Branch, TX 75381 972-919-2526

CITY OF FRISCO
6101 Frisco Square Blvd.
Frisco, TX 75034
972-292-5000

CITY OF IRVING
825 W. Irving Blvd
Irving, TX 75060 972-721-2411

CITY OF LANCASTER
211 N. Henry Street
Lancaster, TX 75146 972-218-1302

CITY OF LEWISVILLE
151 W. Church Street
Lewisville, TX 75074 972-219-3400

CITY OF LITTLE ELM
100 W. Eldorado Parkway
Little Elm, TX 75068 214-975-0400

CITY OF PLANO
1520 Avenue K
Plano, TX 775074 972-941-7105

CITY OF RICHARDSON
411 W. Arapaho Rd.
Suite 101
Richardson, TX 75080 972-744-4120

CITY OF ROCKWALL
385 S. Goliad St.
Rockwall, TX 75087 972-771-7700

CITY OF SACHSE
5560 Hwy 78
Sachse, TX 75048 469-429-4760

CITY OF UNIVERSITY PARK
3800 University Blvd
University Park, TX 75205 214-363-1644

Dallas and Ft. Worth linked by I-20, which is the southern route, and I-30, generally the more useful road for visitors because many tourist destinations are in the northern part of town.

There are three tollways in the Dallas area: the Dallas North Tollway, running from I-35E north of downtown into Collin County to the north; George Bush Turnpike (State Highway 190), an east-west route in the area's northern suburbs; and Mountain Creek Bridge, in southwestern Dallas County.

Three major expressways, I-30, I-35, and I-635, have High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes for vehicles with two or more occupants. Though the highway number designations are easy to find on a map, many of these thoroughfares are also known and referred to locally by name, which can make getting directions somewhat confusing. For example, Route 183, which leads to the south entrance of DFW Airport, is often referred to as Airport Freeway, and U.S. 75 is known to locals as Central Expressway. Dallas is circled by the I-635 ring road, known as LBJ Freeway; Fort Worth is looped by I-820.

Common Names for Freeways

Dallas North Tollway = Dallas Parkway
N I-35 = Stemmons Freeway
S I-35 = R.L. Thornton Fwy (south of Downtown)
I-45 = Julius Schepps Fwy
TX 183 = Airport Freeway
West I-30 = Tom Landry Hwy, The Old Turnpike,
East I-30 = R.L. Thornton Fwy (as you pass Downtown Dallas)
I-635 = LBJ Freeway
SH 190 = George Bush
US 75 = Central Expressway
SH 289 = Preston Road
TX 114 = John Carpenter Freeway
TX 121 = Airport Freeway
US 67 = Marvin D. Love Freeway
West segment of Loop 12 = Walton Walker
TX 360 = Angus G. Wynne Freeway
US 175 = S.M. Wright Freeway
I-820 = Jim Wright Freeway
Texas Spur 366 = Woodall Rogers Freeway
Texas Spur 408 = Patriot Parkway
Texas Spur 482 = Storey Lane

The speed limit in Texas is 70 mph.

By Texas law, drivers and front-seat passengers must wear seat belts. Children under 17 must wear a seat belt at all times, whether seated in the front or back. Children under age four or less than 36 inches tall must ride in a federally approved child safety seat.

Motorcyclists under age 21 must wear a helmet at all times; motorcyclists age 21 and over are not required to wear helmets if they have proof of insurance valued over $10,000 or proof of completion of a motorcycle operations course.

The mass transit system in the DFW area is reasonably new and won't get you everywhere you want to go, but there's a lot of information on the DART website including a "how to get from here to there" lookup.

Visit DART for more info.

WFAA has a nice map (zoomable) of DFW that is kept updated. They also have links to many other traffic related websites.

Additional maps that do not require registration, courtesy of flarn :
Dallas Area and Ft. Worth Area traffic reports.

There are a number of cameras that can be viewed to see what traffic is like on the roads (mainly freeways). You can also see what the big signs over the freeways and major roads have on them. The cameras cover Dallas, Fort Worth and the HighFive in Dallas is streaming video.

Since the High Five is under construction, this will enable you to click on dates for maps showing the area affected.

Check out these websites for hotel listings & reviews:

Fodor's

Expedia DFW Hotels

Joe T. Garcia's

PH: (817) 626-4356

2201 N. Commerce St.
Fort Worth, TX

Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant was established on July 4, 1935 by Mr. and Mrs. Joe T. Garcia. With a seating capacity of only sixteen, Joe, his wife, and their five children ran their tiny business with love and determination. Their business grew because of Joe and his personality, and the mouth watering recipes of Jessie (affectionately known as Mamasuez). Customers would wait for hours just to try Mamasuez's famous enchiladas and her handmade tortillas. Joe was friends with all of his customers, and their affections for the family was shown through their patronage. Joe did not believe in advertising, he believed that the best advertising was by word of mouth. The restaurant reputation began to grow and so did the lines of hungry customers. At the untimely death of Joe in 1953, his wife and youngest daughter Hope took over the reins.

By the 1970's Joe T. Garcia's was one of the most popular restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. With their loyal customers, the restaurant began to grow not only in popularity but in size. First a small patio with a pool and cabana was added, then every year until present a new patio, party room, or dining area was developed. The seating capacity grew from the original sixteen to well over 1000 today. Even though the restaurant grew, the same style of cooking and original recipes were used, and the same determination and love for the business that was instilled by parents and grandparents was evident in the younger generation.

As Hope's children began to grow up new ideas and jobs were created for family members. A small bakery and cafe was added one block from Joe T.'s. The cafe was named after Hope, Esperanza's Bakery and Cafe. This small neighborhood cafe was totally different from the original restaurant, with a varied menu serving breakfast and lunch and catering to a predominately Hispanic clientele. Along with its big brother, the little cafe grew in size and popularity. Because of this venture two new divisions were created, Esperanza's Wholesale Mexican Bread Division and Joe T. Garcia's Bottled Hot Sauce Division. However, even with all of the new divisions and new cafes, the family's first love is Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant.

Mia's Tex-Mex
4322 Lemmon Ave
Dallas, TX 75219
214-526-1020

For years Mia's has pleased the palates of Dallas diners with its fine -- yet far from fancy -- Tex-Mex fare. The autographed photos on the wall of the tiny, yet uncluttered, dining room serve as a backdrop to the eatery's excellent food and responsive service. However, there always seems to be a 15-20 minute wait (especially during peak hours and weekends), and when the tables are full, expect to have a very intimate dinner with the couple dining next to you. Nevertheless, patrons clearly consider the wait to be worth it. In fact, the food is quite memorable, with marinated brisket tacos and queso dip marking the house favorites, while beef enchiladas, fajita tacos and nachos are perennial best bets. The waitstaff aims to please and the atmosphere remains very casual, inviting diners from all walks of life to eat at Mia's. And here's a little something to chew on: the son of mama Mia is none other than Mico Rodriquez, the force behind Mi Cocina, The Mercury Grill, Paris Vendome, Taco Diner, Citizen and other notable dining establishments. -- John Vega

2406 N. Main St. (in the Fort Worth Stockyards)
Fort Worth
817-740-8810

This is an upscale steakhouse with a small, intimate atmosphere; reservations, especially on the weekends, are recommended. The menu consists of several courses from the commonplace to the more exotic. Expect to pay at least $30 per person for dinner. Choose from such fare as: Fresh Linguini with Wild Boar Bacon, Shiitake Mushrooms, Arugula and Asparagus in a Tomato Cream Sauce; Game Rubbed Australian Lamb Chops with Avocado Corn Salad, Fried Housemade Gnocchi and Mango-Mint Lamb Demi; or one of my personal favorites, the Buffalo Ribeye.

115 W. 2nd St.
Downtown Fort Worth
817-348-8226

For a taste of some great Mexican cuisine, make this one of your first stops. The atmosphere is casual, the prices very reasonable, and the servings generous! Choose from the any of the usual varieties of Mexican foods like steak or chicken fajitas, plenty of tacos, and enormous portions of ribs. Plenty of alcohol on-hand also. If you leave here hungry, it's your own fault! For convenience, there is also a Marble Slab Creamery right across the street for something sweet.

www.risckys.com for multiple locations

Riscky's has some of the best barbeque around and you definitely don't want to pass up a chance to give them a try. They have multiple locations in the Fort Worth area and smoke all the meat themselves at their Azle Ave. location.

This is not your traditional Tex-Mex restaurant! Mi Cocina offers a variety of Tex Mex food - from traditional favorites to their own invented dishes that will quickly become your new favorites. They use only the freshest and finest ingredients in their food, and the service is impeccable. Each restaurant features a trendy upscale atmosphere with unique art and state-of-the-art sound systems.

For chicken lovers, try Mama's Chicken or Ernie's Chicken. For the meat lovers - you've gotta try the Lucychanga.

Their margaritas are some of the best I've had in the area. Try the Mambo Taxi, which is their version of the sangria swirled margartia. But be warned -- they are strong, and they cut you off after four of them. Check out their website for a location near you. Average entree price: $13.

The orginal one is in Arlington, Texas and is considered to be the best in the area. It has expanded to Richardson, Carrollton and Plano. The new FBBQ is in Parker/Coit. It can get pretty crowded at nights. Prices are good and food is not bad at all.

Addison Square Garden »www.addisonsquaregarden.com/
Galleria Ice Skating Center (972) 392-3363
Dr Pepper StarCenter »www.drpepperstarcenter.com/
The Ice at Stonebriar Centre »www.shopstonebriar.com/html/Attr···p?aid=98

GuideLive.com is the best source for finding out what's going on around town at any given time:

GuideLive

»ae.dfw.com/entertainment/ui/DFW/···ogstar&&

-------Dallas-------

Age of Steam Railroad Museum
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
Dallas Children's Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas Dollhouse Museum
Dallas Firefighters Museum
Frontiers Of Flight Museum
Meadows Art Museum
The Sixth Floor Museum
The Women's Museum
Dallas Museum of Natural History
Conspiracy Museum

-------Fort Worth-------

Cattle Raisers Museum
Amon Carter Museum
The Kimbell Art Museum
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame
Pate Museum of Transportation
Sid Richardson Collection of Western Art
C R Smith Aviation Museum
Vintage Flying Museum
Palace of Wax Museum

Hurricane Harbor (Arlington)
»www.sixflags.com/parks/hurricane···ndex.asp

NRH20! (North Richland Hills)
»www.nrh2o.com/

Surf and Swim Wave Pool (Garland)
»www.ci.garland.tx.us/Home/Depart···Swim.htm

Hawaiian Falls Water Park (Garland)
»www.hawaiianfalls.com/

Map showing all the malls in the Dallas area.

Map showing all the malls in the FW area.

You can click on the malls for a listing of the stores inside the malls.

Official Website of the Deep Ellum Association with links to all of the club's websites.

The Dallas West End has something for everyone.

All the major league teams are here.

MLB: Texas Rangers
NFL: Dallas Cowboys
NBA: Dallas Mavericks
NHL: Dallas Stars
MLS: Dallas Burn
NASCAR: Texas Motor Speedway

See this thread for more of our favorite places.

Studio Movie Grill is all about making it easy. How many times have you asked "should we eat before or after the movie?" SMG has the answer--one stop movie and meal set in a great atmosphere.

Studio Movie Grill has a full food, soft drink, along with beer, wine and liquor menu available before and during the movie. .

Once you are seated in your comfortable individual leather chair that swivels, rolls, and tilts, servers will take your order like any restaurant. Your food will be brought to you inside the theater, usually before the movie starts, so you can enjoy your meal during the show. You will also be given a small coaster light. We don't want to disturb you during the feature, so the coaster light lets our staff know you want service and we are ready to take your order or get you a refill. Your check will be dropped 40 minutes before the movie ends and you can pay out at your convenience.

Studio Movie Grill

Secondary review by KS

quote:

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I didn't find SMG easy...at all. I'm a 44 year old mother of daughters away at college. During their winter break, we went to the movies, as a family, for my niece's 18th birthday. My husband and I arrived 1st and purchased 8 tickets. I went into the theatre to reserve our seats, all 8 of them. After all, 8 tickets allot for 8 seats. Right? I even picked 8 seats on the very front row so we could ALL sit together. My husband stood in the lobby to hand out tickets to each arriving movie goer in our party. 4 of the 6 arrived within 5 minutes of me saving our seats. Within 5 minutes of the movie previews to start, an usher comes in and tells me that I can't save seats. Even though my niece and her boyfriend were on their way in (parking at the Arlington theatre means you are parking down by the Pet Store or Staples down the strip)...I spoke to the manager and he gave me back my money. He forfeited movie tickets and dinner for 8 so that 3 high school students could sit together in the seats I saved that I bought tickets for??? He gave me back my $60.75...my party of 8 drove 3 miles down the street and bought tickets to the same movie for 8 for $48.00 at the Movie Tavern. We saved almost $13. And Movie Tavern was very accommodating and ensured that we would have a great family night. I sent an e-mail to the owner, VP, etc...they called me back and said "their policy is to not let you reserve seats." So, the moral of the story is, if you and your family arrive at the movies at separate times, don't go to Studio Movie Grill. You may not get to sit with your guests. KS

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