Big D


Earlier this month we flew to Dallas, TX, a town I only knew previously from my many layovers at DFW. I wasn't really sure what to expect, other than big hair and ubiquitous faded W bumper stickers. Of course that is just simplistic, and we did find an interesting city filled with all the usual big city things. My culinary goal was to find primo BBQ and Mexican food, and we did (RJ's in the West End, just great for Mexican).

We, or at least I was there for the annual American Academy of Audiology convention, where audiologists, students, ENTs, engineers, and drag-alongs attend learning seminars and a big expo floor. The latter consists of hearing aid manufacturers and a whole host of hearing and balance related product hawkers erecting (sometimes alarmingly huge) booths to tell you of the latest technology, how they've cracked the code or some such. Years past, they thought nothing of passing out free iPods and noise cancellation headphones. AAA has cracked down, limiting the 2009 show to $25 maximum swag; next year, $0. The Ethics Board has spoken!

AudiologyNOW 2009 was a success for me. I learned quite a bit more about electrophysiology, one of my favorite fields within the field. I also co-presented a poster on the auditory characteristics of Asperger Syndrome patients. Many good, pointed questions from session attendees. We attended a few of the infamous hearing aid parties, though not the one at the gargantuan Gilley's, home of the mechanical bull you might've seen John Travolta ride 30 years or so ago. One of the larger companies held their big gala there, with 3000 + (!) in attendance. Imagine the background noise! Oh, the irony. The country act, Sugarland, was scheduled to play this event but backed out the day of. We instead went to a much quieter dinner party at a lovely restaurant called Sambuca. Just a low key evening of moderate level conversation and tasty snackies. Oh, and a grand hot toddy that assuaged my doggone sore throat. Never has whiskey and honey gone down so divinely.

We also took some time to vist the 6th Floor Museum downtown, located in what was once known as the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza. This was a fascinating and surpisingly moving tour through the early 60s-from JFK's debate with Nixon to the spate of conspiracy theories surrounding the former's assassination. The museum employees hand you a headset, through which an ominous narrator guides you around the sixth floor to large photographs and miniatures as you wind through this most complex of historical events. Eventually, you are led close to the window, the one where Lee Harvey Oswald fired that magic bullet the Warren Commission said solely offed our 35th President.

We also made our way down to the well known grassy knoll and wandered up to a broken wooden picket fence. A mysterious local informed Sonia that the alleged other shooters fired from behind it, though the fence itself is not the exact one that stood in '63. Also, orange spray paint marks the spots where the gunmen stood. The scene was eerie, but entrancing. We spent quite a while just imagining what sort of evil happened where we stood.

Though we mainly stuck to downtown, we also saw some outer reaches, parts of town that even ressembled S. FL, with its new prototypical outdoor plazas. We laughed at a tanning palace called "Palm Beach Tan." Another worthy mention, Buzzbrews, a diner right across from our hotel. Great food and coffee. Those egg and chorizo wraps were splendid. We'll be back should we ever find ourselves back in a BIG state's biggest town.

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