What should my parents do in Dallas, Texas?
October 29, 2012 2:12 PM Subscribe
What can I put together for a Christmas present to help my parents make their farewells to the Dallas/Fort Worth area?
This spring, my parents are quitting their jobs (not retiring!) and spending a year sailing. I'll be asking you about going away presents another day, but today I'm looking for Christmas gift ideas.
They live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (Denton county), and they have for about fifteen years. They've really got a solid community there. When they come back from their trip, though, they're planning to move to Portland to be closer to their children and grandchild. For Christmas, I'd love to put together a booklet or something of interesting DFW things to do before they leave forever. I'd love to include a gift certificate or two.
Financial restrictions: On the gift certificate(s), I generally spend about $25/head on Christmas gifts, so I was thinking $50, but I'd be willing to go up to about $100.
Problem: I haven't lived in Dallas since I was a borderline reclusive high school student. I have no idea where they should go or what they should see. This is where you come in.
Things they enjoy: sailing (duh), camping and hiking, poking around in bookstores. Mom really likes things like window shopping at the Galleria or a fancy dinner. Mom quilts, knits and gardens. They both enjoy nice grocery stores and good food. Mom likes Texan food better than Dad; they both like Tex-Mex. Wine. History. They like exploring new neighborhoods on foot and watching sportsball games. Classical music performances, plays, things like Straight No Chaser. Mom is religious; Dad less so. They're in their mid-50s and recent empty-nesters.
Things that won't fly: spa treatments, golf. Neither is a Cowboys fan (49ers and Giants all the way). Acquiring Things is right out, unless they're consumables -- they're in the process of selling or storing everything they own, so I'd rather not add to that problem.
I know they've been to the Fort Worth Zoo, the Stockyards, the Sixth Floor Museum. They may have gone to one of the art museums, but I'm not sure. My mom's seen the Chihuly exhibit at the Arboretum several times now. They've been to the rodeo in Mesquite.
What do y'all think? What experience should they not miss?
This spring, my parents are quitting their jobs (not retiring!) and spending a year sailing. I'll be asking you about going away presents another day, but today I'm looking for Christmas gift ideas.
They live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (Denton county), and they have for about fifteen years. They've really got a solid community there. When they come back from their trip, though, they're planning to move to Portland to be closer to their children and grandchild. For Christmas, I'd love to put together a booklet or something of interesting DFW things to do before they leave forever. I'd love to include a gift certificate or two.
Financial restrictions: On the gift certificate(s), I generally spend about $25/head on Christmas gifts, so I was thinking $50, but I'd be willing to go up to about $100.
Problem: I haven't lived in Dallas since I was a borderline reclusive high school student. I have no idea where they should go or what they should see. This is where you come in.
Things they enjoy: sailing (duh), camping and hiking, poking around in bookstores. Mom really likes things like window shopping at the Galleria or a fancy dinner. Mom quilts, knits and gardens. They both enjoy nice grocery stores and good food. Mom likes Texan food better than Dad; they both like Tex-Mex. Wine. History. They like exploring new neighborhoods on foot and watching sportsball games. Classical music performances, plays, things like Straight No Chaser. Mom is religious; Dad less so. They're in their mid-50s and recent empty-nesters.
Things that won't fly: spa treatments, golf. Neither is a Cowboys fan (49ers and Giants all the way). Acquiring Things is right out, unless they're consumables -- they're in the process of selling or storing everything they own, so I'd rather not add to that problem.
I know they've been to the Fort Worth Zoo, the Stockyards, the Sixth Floor Museum. They may have gone to one of the art museums, but I'm not sure. My mom's seen the Chihuly exhibit at the Arboretum several times now. They've been to the rodeo in Mesquite.
What do y'all think? What experience should they not miss?
But, that's more a goodbye gift, than a DFW gift, unless you can find a DFW place that does this.
posted by kellyblah at 2:25 PM on October 29, 2012
posted by kellyblah at 2:25 PM on October 29, 2012
For some reason a Sam Moon gift card came immediately to mind.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:27 PM on October 29, 2012
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:27 PM on October 29, 2012
What about something like a scrap-book scavenger hunt? You give them a gift which requests an afternoon of their time to be arranged later. Then you make up clues that would take them to some local landmarks (or friends' houses?) where they take their photo with the landmark; they email you the photo and then you email them the next clue. Or arrange for some of their friends to be at the landmark to give them the next clue. Maybe the friends would join the hunt at that point? Finish with dinner at one of their favorite restaurants, with the friends to come along. (Yeah, when you invite the friends to participate, stress that you can pay for parents'
meal but anyone else is dutch treat. My friends would not have a problem with that; they would probably host the end party for you at their house.)
When you're done, you can use an online photo company to put the photos into a book (I love the one my daughter made for me from Snapfish). Though it might be tough to get enough time to see enough sites to get enough photos for a book - you might just send them to 3 or 4 sites, then use stock photos for some of their other favorite spots in the scrapbook.
I was also looking around at the Geocaching.com website to see if there were still a bunch of cache's around the metroplex. I know there used to be a set in Irving that touched all the bronze sculptures that the city installed about 10 years ago.
So - something that would get them out and around town looking at the sites to remind them while they are gone.
posted by CathyG at 3:00 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
meal but anyone else is dutch treat. My friends would not have a problem with that; they would probably host the end party for you at their house.)
When you're done, you can use an online photo company to put the photos into a book (I love the one my daughter made for me from Snapfish). Though it might be tough to get enough time to see enough sites to get enough photos for a book - you might just send them to 3 or 4 sites, then use stock photos for some of their other favorite spots in the scrapbook.
I was also looking around at the Geocaching.com website to see if there were still a bunch of cache's around the metroplex. I know there used to be a set in Irving that touched all the bronze sculptures that the city installed about 10 years ago.
So - something that would get them out and around town looking at the sites to remind them while they are gone.
posted by CathyG at 3:00 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh, they are going to miss Tex-Mex and the Pappas restaurants. When I'm back in Dallas, I want Pappa BBQ (Beef Ribs!!!) and Pappasitos.
I'd get them a gift certificate to a favorite local restaurant.
posted by 26.2 at 7:41 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'd get them a gift certificate to a favorite local restaurant.
posted by 26.2 at 7:41 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seconding 26.2
posted by bookman117 at 12:17 AM on October 30, 2012
posted by bookman117 at 12:17 AM on October 30, 2012
How about a gift certificate (if not Tex Mex/Pappa's, like 26.2 suggested) to the Wolfgang Puck restaurant on top of Reunion Tower?
posted by getawaysticks at 8:13 AM on October 30, 2012
posted by getawaysticks at 8:13 AM on October 30, 2012
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posted by kellyblah at 2:24 PM on October 29, 2012