Granny Geek

Here in the Dells District, the city has renamed the part of Combs Creek Parkway that’s west of the creek. New signs were installed last week for Jacksondell Drive. The new name will make it easier for Police, Fire and other emergency services to locate houses on that street.

Why, you ask, did they name it Jacksondell? Who knows? You’d think that the city could name it anything they wanted. “Creekdell.” “Combsdell.” “Bubbadell.”

Well, the staff at the city’s Infrastructure Management/Geographic Information System (GIS) at the Division of Public Works gave us the answer. GIS is the City’s source for geographic digital data. GIS information is a combination of digital spatial and database information.

In 1925, the name Jacksondell appeared on the plat for the second installment to the Irwindell addition. The plat appears in Volume 3, Page 470 of the Deed Records and is dated September 26, 1925. There is no indication that there was ever a street named Jacksondell.  The city resurrected a name that appears on that historic document.

We like it!

Cliffies, if you have a Costco card you need to hop in the car and head on out to the Costco in Duncanville. They’ve got a white wine on sale that’s just plain GREAT.

We’re not fans of white wine. As a rule, we prefer reds. But we picked up several bottles of Kirkland Ti Point Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand while walking through Costco yesterday. Years of living in Indonesia, where wines from Australia and New Zealand were plentiful, brought us a deep appreciation of wines from “down under,” so we were willing to give this wine a try.

In addition, the sign on the display said that the “Wine Enthusiast” rates this Sauvignon Blanc at a 90. We can see why. We tried it today with roast chicken. What a treat! It’s a lovely wine.

Best of all, it’s on clearance at $4.97 a bottle: the sales person told us it was marked down by four dollars a bottle.

How do we know it’s on clearance? Easy. Anytime you walk through Costco and see that the price of an item ends in ninety seven cents—as in $4.97—you know that the item is on FINAL clearance. The .97 is the Costco code for “Final Clearance.”

Costco makes a maximum profit of 14 – 15% on every item they sell in the store: everything from aspirin to tires and freezers. That’s their business model.

At Costco, one of the … cardinal rules is that no branded item can be marked up by more than 14 percent, and no private-label item by more than 15 percent. In contrast, supermarkets generally mark up merchandise by 25 percent, and department stores by 50 percent or more

Be sure to check the Costco nearest you for this wine. Or anything else that ends in 97 cents!

This is SO sad. It’s another sign of these troubled times.

The Oak Cliff Tribune, which has been a great source for news about people and events here in Oak Cliff since 1948, has ceased publication. Publisher Mark Housewright abruptly closed the paper last Tuesday, February 10. The February 5 issue was the last for this weekly newspaper.

We’ll miss the Tribune and its focus on news of Oak Cliff. Many thanks to Mark and his fine staff for a job well done over the years.

Why on earth would anyone want THIS in their back yard? Besides being a butt-ugly eyesore, it’s a haven for rats and other vermin. AND it’s a dangerous temptation for curious children.

Junk Motor Vehicle (Section 18-20)

Motor vehicles that are inoperative and/or partially dismantled and have expired license tags or safety stickers are considered “junk motor vehicles”. These vehicles are in violation of the City Code. Owners of the vehicles and all lien holders will be notified of the violation by certified mail. Should the owner fail to remove the junk motor vehicle from the property or prove the vehicle operable, the vehicle will be towed and sold for salvage. Owners may store inoperable vehicles in a garage to avoid towing. Please note: Code Compliance only addresses vehicles on private property. If the vehicle is on the street, the Dallas Police Department has jurisdiction.

Gotta go. Time to call 3-1-1.

Cliffies, you know how it goes.

It’s Saturday. You’ve been running errands all morning. Now, it’s one o’clock and you’re starved.

What’s a body to do? What will ease the hunger pangs?

NACHOS! Preferably fajita beef nachos.

From Cuquita’s.

Cuquita’s just moved to Oak Cliff from one of the famous, yuppie neighborhoods north of the river. Look for them in the strip mall at Kiest and Hampton, just a few doors from Baskin-Robbins.

Y’all know we’re sticklers for cleanliness. And Cuquita’s passes every test. The place is bright and C-L-E-A-N. It’s the perfect spot for a family to meet, relax and enjoy really good Mexican food.

Did I mention that the food is really good? Remember, this is NOT a fast-food place. This is a real restaurant, so you’ll have a short wait. But the service is friendly and efficient.

We ordered nachos to go.

It’s a meal for three. For $8.50.

More and more businesses seem to be getting the message that Oak Cliff is a Happening Place! Rent here in The Cliff for commercial spaces (as well as houses) is relatively inexpensive. In addition we’re a community that appreciates good food.

And we are SO glad to welcome so many newcomers.

IMPORTANT: Cuquita’s is closed on Tuesdays.

The building at 2500 West Davis has stood empty for far too long. Boarded up and covered with graffiti, it’s been a real eyesore.

No more. New windows are being installed. Workmen have gutted the interior and are installing a vent hood for a stove. We should know soon what kind of restaurant will be opening here. In case you’re having trouble placing the building, it’s next door to what may be the dirtiest Burger King in the world. AHA! Now you know EXACTLY where it is…

Another business is opening in about a month in the Dells District, at Schooldell and Irwindell.

It’s a BAKERY! Bread, cakes, cookies, pies: all the usual yummies. Check back for details on the opening date!

Cliffies, if you’re looking for a place where you can buy ALL of your Asian groceries under one roof, you need to head west on Kiest Boulevard all the way to Grand Prairie to the Asia Times Square at Great Southwest Highway. The trip takes about 15 minutes, but you’ll feel as though you’ve crossed an ocean and entered another land when you walk into the shopping center.

The center has the usual collection of beauty shops, tailors, gift shops and restaurants. Our favorite place, though, is the Hong Kong supermarket. It’s huge, and carries everything from live seafood to frozen durian.

Durian, an Asian delicacy, is referred to as “The King of Fruits.” If these durian were fresh instead of frozen, the stench would be intolerable. A durian smells like an open sewer: the fruit is banned from hotels, most commercial buildings, airports, trains, subways and buses throughout Asia. Once, in Singapore, our flight to Los Angeles was delayed for an hour until the ground crew could find the offending durian in the luggage hold and offload it. Gentle Ben and I sampled durian once, while holding our noses. To us, it tasted like a very rich vanilla pudding.

Do you need soy sauce? Fish sauce? Teriyaki sauce? Hoisin sauce? Plum sauce? Curry sauce? You’ll find it at Hong Kong Supermarket. They carry sauces, spices and staples from all over Asia, including a large selection of organic foods.

Time for lunch! Head for Bistro B at the other end of the shopping center.

This casual restaurant features Vietnamese food at its BEST. Portions are large (one dish easily serves two) and prices are very reasonable. Be sure to try the Shrimp Rolls (this is ONE order).

After lunch, as you’re heading for the car, stop at the stall at the front door and pick up a duck. Reheat it, and have your own duck dinner at home. We like to shred some of the meat for duck fried rice. YUM!

The Asia Times Square is crowded on evenings and weekends, but it’s virtually deserted during the middle of the day.