Return to the Index for 1986

On this page, I'll put the pictures from 1986 that weren't associated with a major event or trip. The pictures will be arranged in date order.

October 18: A Walk in Downtown Dallas

On Saturday afternoon, Grant and I decided to go downtown and walk around for a while, as it was a very nice day. The only pictures I took were at Fountain Place, a 60-story late-modernist skyscraper on the edge of downtown Dallas. The building is 720 ft. high- the third-tallest (now the fifth-tallest) building in Dallas.

Original plans for the project called for twin towers, with the second tower rotated 90 degrees from the original, to be built on an adjacent block, but with the collapse of the Texas oil, banking and real estate industry and the savings and loan scandal of in the 1980s, the project was never completed. The building was designed by the award-winning architects Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, with Henry N. Cobb as design partner, and was completed just this year. The landscape and namesake fountains were designed by Dan Kiley.

The building is known for its unique architecture—it was designed as a large, multi-faceted prism. Its various slanted sides cause the building to have a completely different profile from all directions. The building gets its name from the array of 172 dancing fountains in the plaza at its base- you can see them around the left and back sides of the tower in the aerial view at left.

It appears that Allied Bank is going to be the major tenant, and folks are already referring to the building as Allied Bank Plaza, but I understand that Fountain Place is its official name. The fountains are operational, and that's what we've come to see.

Here is Grant amid the fountains at Fountain Place. He is standing at the edge of one of the three or four pools that are on one side of the building. On nice days in the warm weather, this area is thronged with people on a normal business day, most of them eating their lunches in the sunshine by the fountains.

This particular fountain is a main attraction. Run by computer, it displays an alternating series of timed patterns by sending water through various combinations of the lattice of some 150 holes in the concrete. The computer program varies the holes that are used and the pressure of the water through each, producing an almost endless variety of patterns to watch.

It looks as if Fountain Place is going to be one of those attractions to which we will probably bring visitors when they come to town. It is a destination in itself, in a city pretty much known only for Southfork Ranch (from the TV show Dallas) and for the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

In addition to the fountains, there are a couple of sculpture installations arrayed around the building, including this one of an old lady sitting on a bench, with her purse on the ground beside her. The sculptures are of ordinary people, standing or sitting on the benches. If you just glance at them, they look quite lifelike, except for the lack of color. I asked Grant to pose as if he were consoling her.

The water gardens are really very nicely done. In addition to the fountains, there is a series of stairstepped waterfalls with walkways up the middle of them. They have recently planted some cypress trees, and so in a few years the area will be nicely shaded for hot days.

The timed fountain is a hit with the kids, who will run out amid the holes in the concrete, sometimes only to be drenched by the unpredictable, random nature of the 100 separate jets of water. The water all runs right back into the reservoir under the holes through the holes themselves or through the trough that runs around them.

This was the first time Grant and I had come downtown with the express purpose of just wandering around for a time. We understand that more projects like this plaza are on the drawing boards, and of course we have still to visit the Art Museum or other downtown attractions. All in good time.

October 31: Halloween

On our second Halloween here, we'd made some friends to go out with, and we planned to join some of them this evening.

I had returned from a business trip earlier this afternoon, and when I arrived at DFW Grant was there to meet me, already in his policeman's outfit that you see here. Grant is into uniforms, and had this outfit anyway, and decided to wear it for the evening. When I walked off the plane, he was standing there pretty much as you see him in this picture. Well, I don't think he was expecting it, but when I saw him amid the crowded terminal, I walked over to him, set my bags down, and kissed him. I guess I was in the mood to be exhibitionistic because it felt wonderful. Grant told me later he was just a bit embarrassed, but went along with me.

Before we actually went out this evening, I set up the tripod so I could take a picture of the two of us. Grant is still in his police uniform, and I am wearing a military shirt with rank and other insignia.

Cedar Springs is pretty crowded on Halloween, with gays and straights showing off their costuming prowess, and we had a good time.

November 27: Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving, we had Greg and Craig, a friend of ours, over for Thanksgiving dinner. As I do regularly, I have prepared a large turkey and all the trimmings. Grant, for his part, has been getting the house ready for guests for a couple of days already, and he has taken care of getting the table set, cleaning and setting out flowers (exactly the things I am not so good at).

(Picture at left) Here I am slicing the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Greg is taking this shot, and you can barely see Grant also in the mirror. I have always enjoyed cooking turkeys at Thanksgiving- it is my trademark. Until I met Grant, though, I sometimes cooked them for myself only. Believe me, it is much nicer being part of a couple that can always do things together. As usual, Grant had decorated the table and the house to perfection.       (Picture at right) Here is the chef at work. The apron was a birthday gift from Roxanne McFarland, who is currently living with Grant's dad in Chicago. Grant also took his own picture of me carving the turkey.

December 6: At Lake Ray Hubbard

Today, Grant and I and and old friend of Grant's, Jeff Luttrell, have gone out to Lake Ray Hubbard; Grant wanted to show Jeff his sailboat. Jeff is a good friend of Grant's from Chicago; Jeff and his partner have moved to New Orleans, where they live near the French Quarter. Since New Orleans is not very far away, Grant had always prevailed upon Jeff to come visit, and he has come to spend a couple of days with us.

Here are Grant and Jeff Luttrell at Lake Ray Hubbard. In the background, you can see the yacht club at the lake.

This is the Chandler's Landing Yacht Club taken from the stern of the sailboat; you can see pretty much the entire club area. I did not take any pictures of the boat itself, since Grant was doing a good job of that with his own camera.

We enjoy the yacht club; it is a great place for a meal before or after sailing. My friend, Richard Lowe, who is also my accountant, is also a member here.

December 12: The Scene of the Crime

I may have mentioned some of the bears that we've collected; most of them are in the family room bedroom over the garage. Grant and I were gone most of this evening, but when we got back, we found that the bears had been busy.

You can use the link below to return to the Index for 1986.

Return to the Index for 1986