Had a hell of a time just now trying to make the 0.8-mile drive from Oishii to Unfair Park HQ. Outta nowhere, Dallas police officers brusquely blocked off Wycliff Avenue from the Dallas North Tollway to Maple Avenue; officers also closed off Maple, back to God knows where as it took traffic forever to unwind about 10 minutes ago. Turns out, some 40 DPD officers have been assigned to guard visiting Mexican President Felipe Calderón, who was in the mammoth motorcade pouring off the Wycliff exit of the tollway on its way to the Renaissance. It took a good four minutes for all the motorcycle officers, limos and white vans to finish their parade route through the Oak Lawn area. And to think, I was this close to ducking into the Gas Pipe. --Robert Wilonsky
Update: At 4:42 p.m., Calderón's entourage bolted past Unfair Park HQ on its way to the Crescent Hotel. Among the things noticed by Observer staffers: "The DPD really likes to break out the Camaros on special occasions."
