Ideal Itinerary

Eat and relax your way through a day in Dallas' Inwood Village

Traditional shopping malls were already waning before the coronavirus pandemic, but now open-air destinations are even more enticing.

One of Dallas' most beloved is Inwood Village, a fixture off Lovers Lane and Inwood Road since 1947. With individually owned stores, unique boutiques, and local restaurants, all connected with pedestrian-friendly walkways, it's easy to spend an entire day shopping, dining, and relaxing.

You'll especially want to pop into your favorite spots and discover new go-tos during Partners Card week, October 30-November 8.

Inwood Village is one of the retailers that supports The Family Place through this annual event, which nets shoppers and diners big discounts while giving back to this important nonprofit as it aids victims of family and domestic violence. One $75 Partners Card provides a victim with one night of safety, while scoring you 20 percent off at retailers and 10 percent off at restaurants.

With this give-back mentality in place, plan out your perfect day at Inwood Village with these tips.

Breakfast and lunch
Grab breakfast on the run or a quick sandwich at the place Dallasites revere as their carb Mecca: Empire Baking Co. It's easy to see why, once you scan the extensive menus of naturally leavened breads, pastries, cookies, and savory sandwiches. The bakery also supplies its delicious bread to several popular restaurants, but you can go right to the source and bring a loaf or two home to enjoy.

Looking for a quick gift or help on entertaining? Empire also offers a curated selection of local and national products on its shelves. Don't forget to swing by during Partners Card and get mouth-watering treats at a discount.

Rest and recharge
The Ozone Bar is the spot for all things for health and wellness, with a focus on releasing toxins from the body and boosting immunity. Soak up the benefits of the infrared sauna, which helps with cell turnover to combat high blood pressure, cholesterol, weight gain, pain, and even the amount of heavy metals in the body. Or go for the namesake treatment with ozone therapy, which promotes healthy living through detoxing, increasing circulation, and stimulating blood cells for optimal energy output and nutrient absorption.

This location even has one of only two HOCATT saunas (reportedly the kind Tom Cruise uses) in Dallas. It's the only sauna that utilizes transdermal ozone, CO2/carbonic acid, far infrared, pure oxygen, red light/color therapy, and microcurrents to give the most collective response for better results. Join The Ozone Bar's email list, and receive $15 off your first treatment.

Pause to shop
Outdoor activities are so in right now — better make sure you're properly outfitted at Saint Bernard. As you pick out sportswear, ski and snowboard equipment, pro-level footwear, and any accessory you might need, keep in mind that from October 30-December 24 the store will be offering $5 gift wrap, all benefitting Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

With children in mind, get a jump on holiday wish lists with a stop at Toys Unique!. The family-owned wonderland has been recommending just the right gifts and games to DFW families for more than 30 years, and always stocks the latest must-have toys. Both of these stores are participating in Partners Card.

An afternoon of indulgence
Hiatus Spa + Retreat's flagship location can be found here, and it recently underwent a major remodel. That means an even more beautiful setting in which to enjoy massages, facials, waxing, and nail services, all with customizable add-ons for a truly luxurious experience.

Treat yourself by signing up for Hiatus' monthly membership program, which entitles you to one essential service a month (or save them up for a spectacular day of pampering). Once you experience the zero-gravity chairs in the nail room or the Hiatus Everyday essential oils during a massage, you'll want to set aside this regular time for yourself.

Happy hour + dinner
Cap off a terrific day by dropping into Mesero just in time for happy hour, which runs Monday through Thursday from 3-5 pm. Enjoy $2 off cocktails and appetizers — go traditional with the La Perfección or spicy with the La Picosa, rounded out with a duo of queso and guacamole — then stick around for a dinner crafted with Mexican flavors and spirit. Some say the enchiladas are the best in Dallas, but that's something you'll have to try and decide for yourself.

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Inwood Village is proud to support Partners Card. Participating retailers include The Bar Method, Empire Baking Co., Jon Hart Shop at TheBiz, KidBiz, Liz and Honey Boutique, Mary Cates & Co, Mecox, Saint Bernard, Sculpthouse, Susan Saffron Jewelry Boutique, TheBiz, Theia Jewelry, and Toys Unique!.

Continue to support local businesses by shopping on Small Business Saturday, coming up on November 28.

Wrap your holiday gifts at Saint Bernard, with the proceeds going to charity.

Photo courtesy of Saint Bernard

Wrap your holiday gifts at Saint Bernard, with the proceeds going to charity.

shopping dinner lunch luxury cocktails promoted brunch

Animal News

Latest animal to die at Dallas Zoo is young male gorilla named Zola

Dallas Zoo

Zola RIP

Another animal at the Dallas Zoo has died an untimely death: Zola, a young Western lowland gorilla, died on Wednesday, November 5, at age 23.

The zoo does not know why Zola died. A necropsy will be performed. According to their post, Zola was euthanized after showing symptoms of lethargy, reduced appetite, and signs of discomfort at the end of October.

"Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to begin breathing on his own afterward, despite the extraordinary efforts of our veterinary and animal care teams," their post says. "With his comfort as our priority, we made the difficult decision to let him go peacefully."

The zoo did not announce the death immediately, instead waiting two days until Friday afternoon at 3 pm. Politicians and government agencies prefer to choose Friday afternoons to post news that is negative or controversial, since fewer people, and definitely fewer journalists, are online on Friday afternoons. It's called the "Friday news dump."

The death is very inconvenient for the Dallas Zoo since they were just about to ship off their male gorillas, which also include Shana, Zola, and B’Wenzi, to the San Antonio Zoo. Animals are very dear to the zoo — until it's time to ship them off to another zoo. Other gorillas will be shipped in to replace them — although we do not know which gorillas and from where. True to form, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums only divulges that kind of intel on a "need to know" basis. Right now, you and I do not need to know.

The relocation of the other three male gorillas is "temporarily on hold" but the zoo says they will be moved "when the time is right."

Zola was born at the Bronx Zoo in 2002 and became internet famous as the "breakdancing gorilla" for splashing in pools and puddles. Some animal experts attributed his actions to frustration at being locked inside a zoo. He was relocated to the Calgary Zoo in 2009, but did not integrate well and was then moved to the Dallas Zoo in 2013. Shana is his "half-brother."

Death count
Zola's death is one more in a long-running series of deaths at the zoo in recent years, the most previous being Jata, a 7-year-old painted dog who died in June 2024. Jata also showed signs of lethargy and decreased appetite, reportedly due to kidney disease.

Zola the Western lowland gorilla joins this death march of animals at the Dallas Zoo:

Jata, one of the zoo's three African painted dogs, died in June 2024, at seven years old.
Ferrell, a 15-year-old giraffe, died in December, 2023, following "an unexpected fall in the barn" that injured the giraffe's jaw so badly, they were forced to euthanize him.
Ajabu, a 6-year-old African elephant who died on May 8, 2023, from the herpes virus.
Pin, a 35-year-old lappet-faced vulture, died on January 22, 2023, cause unknown.
Jesse, a 14-year-old giraffe, died on October 29, 2021, cause unknown.
Auggie, a 19-year-old giraffe, died in late October 2021 of liver failure.
Marekani, a 3-month-old baby giraffe, sustained a mysterious injury and was euthanized on October 3, 2021.
Kirk, a 31-year-old chimpanzee, died in August 2021 due to "surprise" heart disease.
Keeya, a 6-year-old Hartmann's mountain zebra, died in March 2021 due to a mysterious unexplained head injury.
Subira, a 24-year-old silverback gorilla, died suddenly in March 2020, due to a cough, or maybe cardiovascular disease. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hope, a 23-year-old Western lowland gorilla, died suddenly in November 2019 after being at the zoo for only two years.
Ola, an 8-year-old female African painted dog, was killed in July 2019 by two other painted dogs, less than a month after she was transferred to the zoo.
Witten, a 1-year-old giraffe, died in June 2019 during a physical exam under anesthesia when he suddenly stopped breathing.
Adhama, a baby hippopotamus, mysteriously died in 2018.
Kipenzi, a baby giraffe, died in 2015 after running in her enclosure.
Kamau, a young cheetah, died of pneumonia in 2014.
Johari, a female lion, was killed in front of zoo spectators in 2013 by male lions with whom she shared an enclosure.

And in February 2021, they lost a crow called Onyx who was part of their "animal ambassador team," "participating in a training session" for a bird show. He was never found.

animals