Editor-In-Chief
McALLEN, Texas - Some other town in the Valley dreams of one day finding itself wearing that Mardi Gras flavoring. You know, party, party, party. A Fun District where the booze and the music would never end. Well, if you find yourself in this western Rio Grande Valley of Texas city on a Friday or Saturday night...you may just get the feeling you're in the heart of the fabled Louisiana bayou.
Brownsville downriver has pined for a French Quarter district ever since Jesus Christ decided against a walkabout into town all those eons ago. It hasn't happened in Brownsville, and it likely never will happen. Such are the dreams of the God-abandoned.
But here - here in the City of Palms - a burgeoning Las Vegas-like strip of bars and restaurants sprouts as if to not do it is to die. Initially, the city's plan for an Entertainment District was to span a four-block stretch on 17th Street south of Business Highway 83. It has moved-on from that 4-block dream. Drive down the drag on a Friday or Saturday and be treated to that mood-changing red and blue and yellow and green and everything else neon that draws people like, yeah, flies.
Bars fill quickly. Music cascades from the rooftop bars, from the innards of expensive joints where the drinks begin at $15 a glass and the strolling vendor rakes in his $12-per rose. Somewhere up Highway 281 moves the tour bus bringing Fats Domino, maybe even Harry Connick, Jr. It'll happen.
We were at Alhambra's on Saturday night, the latest entry into high-dollar restauranting along the strip. It is a neat joint with outdoor and indoor seating, with an expansive layout that includes an air-conditioned bar lit by dark-blue neon. Life moves in to scarf on a full menu of grub and a respectable list of alcohol, wines included. The warm, humid night no doubt accounted for enough party action to satisfy those out for a good time.
I was blown-away by a more-pedestrian joint that just opened across the street from Alhambra - a lovely, diner-like eatery with the very-local name of Durango's Taqueria. I just wanted to stop at the corner, point toward the taqueria and say, "It don't get no better'n that." But I didn't.
We were and weren't in the flow of the geography. And it would have been so easy to sashay up the street toward any of some 30-odd bars to join the yelling, the dancing, the search for the missing biological link. We decided, instead, to go find some evening fare. There would be other forays into the city's Den of Sin. The Strip will grow. It's almost down to Houston Street and the only thing that'll stop it that far south may be old Roosevelt Elementary School.
But, then, if you look at it a certain way, and if you understand the language of the dollar, well, the old school would be one Helluva "Compound Club" - you know, a French Quarter all its own. I'd put together a band and play the ancient hallways of the old school, perhaps the musty auditorium...
- 30 -
[EDITOR'S NOTE: ...The photo above this story shows McAllen's Main Street back when it was the center of social life, back when the Palace Theater still offered Hollywood's best. The Palace is no longer there, btw...]
5 comments:
Joe Rubio, like Tony, Like Benton, don't accept criticism well. I doubt, he will answer your questions. See police officers are good at asking quetions, but they aren't good at answering questionaires.
They are afraid, they can be held to ordinary peoples standards.
One thing I have noticed, you and Jerry Deal. you two are the only web-masters that accept criticism, from John Q.
Kenny Benton is educated, as is Rubio. I don't know about Tony.
I know You and Jerry have degrees and see things a little different, than locals.
Well, I mean the uneducated ones, and there are plenty of those here in the Valley, about 95%.
Okay good luck, your articles are good, and your perspective on the articles are just as good.
How is Jr. Bonner doing? Take him to el Ranchito and feed him some Enchiladas, or carne guisada, and fatten him up some, before he dies.
For a moment Eliot, I felt like I was there with you, sharing the good times, bright lights and music. Good times indeed. M
ANON (1.)...We at The Tribune accept criticism and praise in the same manner that we accept the harsh, hot & humid weather we have here - one day at a time. Plus, it's part of the commentary we seek from our readers. We do like our conversations to be intelligent, however. And as long as it is anywhere near that, well, we'll post it. Little by little we are posting less and less comments. But those we do post mean something, to us and to our readers. ANONYMOUS M:...It was a nice evening, wasn't it? Beginning to end, yes... - Editor
Well, if your numbers are accurate, I think Myharlingennews is going to loose.
Something happen, Jerry's blog wasn't doing well, than suddenly, people just started supporting his blog.
I haven't been able to ascertain, why more people are blogging at myleadernews.
Personally, I agree with Anon, 1, maybe if Tony, didn't take things personal, his blog would do better.
I will admit this much, both blogs, provide a service to the locals, "in city of confussion."
{By the way, I will pay for the skinny cowboy's food at Don Betos if he ever decides to get some real food.} No offense of course.
Anonymous:...Well, wilder things have happened in American elections, so who knows? The count will be tabulated at the end of the voting period and then certified by the McAllen accounting firm of Deloitte, Haskins & Touche. It could go right down the end if MyHarlingenNews backers awake from their Summer slumber. Our poll allows only one vote per IP address, so only someone with access to more than one computer can vote more than once. But to that we say: If you have to use more than one IP address to support your favorite Blog, well, you need to get a Life... - Editor
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