With all the rain we've had recently, you might not have considered that summer is coming, and with it the loving embrace of triple-digit heat. It's hard to get motivated for outdoor dining or a drink on the patio when the sun is blazing on your back like a blistering salamander. So it seems this upcoming Memorial Day weekend would be a good one for checking a few outdoor cravings off your list.
Of course, it could rain the entire weekend, so you might want to stock the fridge with frozen pizzas and local beer. Just keep an eye on the radar and be ready to dash out the door if there's a break in the clouds.
Local hot dog cookout (pictured above)
There is no easier path to outdoor entertaining Nirvana than a simple backyard hot dog cookout. Take yours to the next level by embracing local butchers and bakers for the best franks and buns available in DFW.
Camp out at Keller's
You know the drill. Pull up your car, turn on your blinker and wait for grease and beer delivered directly to your car. If you've got a pickup truck, drop the tailgate and have a seat. With gear heads and their classic rides, motorcyclists and minivans full of families, the people watching is as good as any. And if you wait too long into summer, you'll only be comfortable here at nighttime.
Stand in an absurdly long line for a Steel City pop
The line in the evening here flows out the door and turns north on Greenville Avenue before it turns again on Prospect Avenue. It's a line that will rival those found outside barbecue restaurants, which is a testament to the amount of deliciousness each one of these frozen treats can deliver. When that mercury climbs up over 100, though, long waits can be defeating. Get a couple of Steel City sessions in before the season gets away from you.
Enjoy Pecan Lodge out on the patio
Here's another line that can get you down. And the patio at Pecan Lodge is where you want to spend your time when you're chewing on a rib the size of a 1980s cellular phone. Come July, most will retreat to the air-conditioned dining room, but barbecue is a meal that's meant to be eaten with your fingers while you're sitting outdoors.
Pack a picnic for the Botanical Gardens
The Dallas Arboretum is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in all of Dallas. That you can take a picnic only makes the place more attractive. But we all know you'll never unfurl a blanket during summer's swelter, so this weekend is the weekend to get your picnic on. Get yourself to Scardello's or your favorite grocery store, and don't forget the booze. Next month, when you're sitting on your couch with a bag of frozen peas on your brow, you'll look back on these times with fondness.