Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas
Something special is happening in Flower Mound, and it's called EVA. The place offers a VR experience you likely couldn't ever get at home unless you've got a spare arena and a bunch of cash to blow. Save the money and pay EVA a visit. It has two arenas that are both 5,400 square feet, allowing for a free-roaming VR experience, as opposed to having to stand in place. EVA's spot in Flower Mound also boasts delicious cocktails at its CyberBar, a craft kitchen, lounge areas and retro arcades. Even if you're not into VR, EVA has something for you.
Nothing is more intimidating than a mean, vicious staredown, and nobody does that better than Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn. One of the things that makes the 15-year veteran (12 of those with a C on his chest) so well-respected around the league is his willingness to rough it up with anyone. Benn fears nobody, and when he gives an opponent his ferocious glare, they know they better keep their head up. That staredown could scare a child through the TV.
Player and coach press conferences have brought some incredible moments like Pete DeBoer angrily telling ' Tim Cowlishaw to "write whatever the fuck you want." That was a great clapback by DeBoer, but no press conference moment beats Luka Doncic getting interrupted by provocative moaning in Oklahoma City during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The moans came as Doncic finished answering a question, and he couldn't do anything but stare blankly and drop his head in bewilderment. Awkward for those in the room, but absolutely hilarious for us.
There have been some legendary celebrations from our Dallas sports stars this past year, such as Corey Seager exploding after tying Game One of the World Series, or CeeDee Lamb's popular first-down celebration, but the best goes to Dallas Star Matt Duchene's heartbreaker move. In Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Colorado Avalanche, Duchene netted a goal in double overtime to end Colorado's season. He then proceeded to slide down the ice on his knees, make a heart outline in the air with his hands and punch right through it, signifying the heartbreak of every Avs fan in that stadium.
Dallas had a wave of young talent hop onto the scene in the past year, such as All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey for the Cowboys or big man Dereck Lively II for the Mavs, but the best newcomer had to be Evan Carter for the Rangers. Carter was called up in early September when the Rangers were in the middle of a postseason push and immediately boosted the lineup. The 21-year-old broke the single postseason doubles record with nine while establishing himself as a mainstay member of the Rangers outfield for years to come.
Threw you for a loop with this one, didn't we? If you're even a casual sports fan, you likely know that cricket has become a major player here in North Texas, thanks in large part to the new presence of Major League Cricket and 2024 cricket World Cup matches held at the new cricket-specific stadium in Grand Prairie. At Sixes Social Cricket, located in the Grandscape development near Nebraska Furniture Mart, even a cricket newbie can take a few no-pressure swings for fun inside a netted cage with a cricket simulator game, all while having a beer.
Along the top of Grapevine Lake sits one of the best, most varied and fun trails anywhere in North Texas. Northshore is arguably the favorite trail of local mountain bikers, but its 20-plus mile length with dirt, rock, pavement and gorgeous lake views are also prime terrain for joggers looking for a break from neighborhood monotony. There are numerous areas to tailor your route to shorter distances if you prefer, but go far enough and you're bound to smell sweet flowers, scared skunks and backyard barbecues, all in an easy, central location.
Ask any mountain biker which local trail is their favorite and there's a good chance the answer will be "the closest one I can ride on today" or something along those lines. And in 2024, especially in the extremely rainy spring, the closest trails that we have been able to ride on have been at the Oak Cliff Nature Preserve. Every other off-road trail in North Texas is closed to bikers when the trails get too wet and muddy (to avoid damaging them), but as an experiment, the trail stewards overseeing OCNP have kept the gates open. We're not saying it's a good idea to slip, slide and get bogged down in the mud, but it's pretty awesome that you can if you want.
It's easy to take excellence for granted when we've become so used to it. Perhaps that's the case when it comes to longtime Dallas Stars broadcaster Daryl "Razor" Reaugh. The former NHL goalie has been the team's color analyst for television and radio since way back in 1996, and he's been nothing short of colorfully eloquent and vividly passionate ever since. His importance to a broadcast has perhaps been felt most during the Stars' recent extended playoff runs, when national broadcasters replace the local lineup, making our hearts grow ever so fonder.
The name alone is enough to win us over. After all, who doesn't have fond memories of the consensus favorite part of the school day? And a recess from work, stress, traffic and the news in the form of ripping some muscle fiber is a very good thing. Opened in 2020 by a duo of fitness training professionals, Recess Fitness is a sleek, full-service spot that encourages your healthy aspirations with an impressive mix of personal training options, group classes and modern equipment. Plus, Recess does not allow those annoying, unwieldy tripods that influencers often use to film their workouts.
