Adventures in and Around Fort Worth

1311 W. Magnolia Ave. Y ou can't miss him. He drives a bright yellow food truck with a happy wiener wearing shades painted on the side. The mobile wiener truck sells ... wait for it ... wieners! But they're different from your usual hot dog stand offerings where you don't know what's in the mysterious meat log. This is all high quality stuff picked by the owner. "We serve gourmet all beef hot dogs on fresh artisan bread and top it creatively with produce from local farmers markets," according to their website. His schtick is hot dogs with quality options like artisan bread, quality meats, fresh toppings and vegetarian alternatives. He said he likes eggs in the bread so it has a little more density and flavor. They also have a gluten-free bread and leaner wiener options for all you lean weenies. (JK ... about being a weenie). Who is this Wiener Man? He's a recent TCU psychology grad named Bryce Tomberlin. He said he's traveled all over Calif...

Lucky Strike Lanes I'm sure you've seen the  Lucky Strike  sign on 7th Street in Fort Worth for months. Boutique bowling? I believe so, and the voguish 10-lane upscale bowling lounge opened the first week of May! Forget all of your previous mental associations with bowling alleys. It even has a dress code. I'm intrigued, aren't you? They always say the invitation sets the mood for the event — mine came for the ally's grand opening in digital format with pictures of attractive young people, pink martinis and club music that they probably haven't heard yet in Gizmo's Disco on West Camp Bowie. I checked out their website for more info. The 5-page menu looks as hot as the people on their website. It's complete with gourmet burgers, pizzas, salads and small plates. Check it out by clicking here.  It doesn't close until 2 a.m. on weekends and will have an outdoor patio. According to the website it has a four-lane private bowling suite for th...

Samurai Saketini Part I: Happy Hour The restaurant couldn't be more trendy. House/techno music booms vibrating the walls. Then again, I am in the Sake Bombers Lounge waiting for my girlfriends to meet me for dinner. I quickly noticed the happy hour menu. All of their specialty martinis are $6. I tried one in the past called the Pink Grapefruit, which has grapefruit-infused vodka, triple sec, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a splash of cranberry juice. I asked for no sugar on the rim. It was good. Tonight I wanted something less sweet, so I went with the Samurai Saketini. It was very refreshing. It reminded of a martini they would serve in a spa, if they served that stuff in spas. It has cucumber-infused vodka, unfiltered sake and fresh-squeezed limeade. This one was my favorite so far, but both were worth $6. They are just under $10 regular price. Infused Vodkas Blue's happy hour menu is pretty extensive. They have a whole selection of sushi rolls for $4.50, spe...

Japanese Koi at the Gardens I haven't felt inclined to write lately but knew I needed to do something before I fell off the writing wagon. Why not head over to the Japanese Gardens and walk around? I was still uninspired as I drove through Fort Worth's Botanical Gardens and parked. The scenery was beautiful, but I was distracted by my lack of enthusiasm. All of that changed the minute I paid my $4 fee and walked through the entrance of the Japanese Gardens . There was silence. I was alone in a new world, and an overwhelming serene feeling took me away from the loud and busy world just moments away. The only sounds I heard were a cool breeze that tickled the never-ending canopy of leaves overhead, and a waterfall off in the distance. I instantly felt calm. "In Japan, a tea garden or stroll garden offers more than a place to cultivate favorite plants. It provides a place for meditation, relaxation, repose and a feeling of tranquility," the garden's offic...

One of my favorite things to do in Fort Worth is grab an affordable drink and a reduced-price snack with my friends. This is also known as happy hour, and below are a few of my favorite happy hour hangouts. Atmosphere is as important to me as price, so these warm places are more than inviting.  Click restaurant names for link to place website. Winslow's Wine Café   This quaint little neighborhood hangout offers a red and white wine selection during their happy hour for $6. The wine changes weekly, which I like because I'm introduced to new wines this way. Cocktails are about $2 off regular price. A Kettle One vodka martini would be $11 during happy hour and $13 during regular hours. The pizza is about $5 dollars off the regular price (which varies depending on which pizza you order). A few other items like their hummus are also discounted. The garlic-truffle hummus on their warm pita bread is my favorite in town. The patio and restaurant are warm and inviting. I thin...

Click the event name to link to website for more information.  April 28:  The Aluminum Show at the Bass Hall Aluminum Show OK, I've never seen this show, but it looks awesome! Does it count if I've been to the venue before? The choreographer uses aluminum tubes and dance to create odd visual effects on stage.   Click here  to watch a video of the eccentric Israeli dance group. It's 7:30 p.m. April 28 at the Bass Hall. May 4:  Fort Worth Mayoral Candidate Forum If you are anything like me and would like to know more about the FW mayoral candidates, then this would be a good  event  for you. It's from 5-7 p.m. at TCU's Brown Lupton Union Auditorium. May 5-8:  Mayfest Maybe it's because I've been going to this event since I was in my mom's belly, but I think this is fun to do at any age. I love walking around, eating all of the snacks, watching the performances and playing some of the games. But there's endless activities for the kiddos. Try to...

It's time to vote! Early voting began May 2. Vision FW is hosting a Fort Worth Mayoral Candidate Forum 5-7 p.m. today (May 4) at the Brown Lupton Union Auditorium.  Click here for more information.  I also found this KERA website for you to peruse; it should be a good starting point. Fort Worth Mayoral Candidates And CBS is asking you to participate in the election by presenting questions to the candidates via social media. Click here to see the progress. Who are you voting for and why?