Shop Local

Scoop up these bespoke bundles from some of Texas' favorite makers

Shop local this holiday season with bundles put together by Omni Dallas Hotel, featuring tried-and-true Texas brands and small-business goodies. The Collections Gift Shop is open Wednesday-Thursday from 11 am-5 pm and Friday-Sunday from 7 am-5 pm, making it easy to pop in and out with gifts for everyone on your list.

Spa-liday pampering, $75
Luxuriate in Niven Morgan lavender hand cream, FarmHouse Fresh whoopie cream body wash, a Kocostar Nail Therapy mask, United by Form No. 18 candle, Hydra Aromatherapy shower burst, and a lip scrub. Truly up the indulgence by adding an Omni Hotels luxury bath robe for $89.

Especially for entrepreneurs, $80
Cover all the business bases with a Rifle Paper Co. tumbler, notebook, and pen, plus Ruby Slip lip gloss so boss babes can be presentation-ready at all times.

At-home brewery essentials, $223
A sleek, stainless steel beer growler plus two etched city-specific pint glasses and a set of four wood coasters emblazoned with the Texas flag equals an experience that rivals your neighborhood pub or tap room.

The Dapper Dan, $80
Two of those cool etched city-specific glasses — this time of the rocks variety — are paired with a Texas flag bottle opener and set of four Clayton & Crume Texas leather coasters.

Cozy cocktail hour, $175
Who needs to go out when you have a Crosley record player for tunes, The Bar Book to read, The Whisky Game to play, and a set of two freezer-ready Host whiskey glasses.

For the littles, $50
Encourage imagination with Mark Jasper book, fun sidewalk chalk, a small dessert plush toy, and a coloring kit for budding Picassos.

A la carte additions
Fill out the stocking with a Kendra Scott necklace ($55) or pick specific pieces from the above bundles, like the etched pint glasses ($21), Rifle Paper Co. tumbler ($36), and Texas flag wood coasters ($83).

A very merry staycay or daycay
Get up to 15 percent off best available room rates when you book the holiday magic package for a stay between now and January 2, 2021. Enjoy late checkout and a taste of The National Gingerbread House Competition with an exclusive gingerbread welcome gift.

Want to sweeten the deal? Stop by The Owners Box to try a cocktail from the restaurant's Sugar & Spice menu. Sample the vanilla espresso martini, mocha honey old fashioned, spiced gingerbread latte, or the gingerbread sour. See the full recipes here.

Be sure to drop your letters to Santa on the second floor outside the UPS Business Center, and pause to pose with Omni's big red ornaments and Miss Peggy, The Original Flying Red Horse.

The Dapper Dan, $80.

Photo courtesy of Omni Dallas Hotel

The Dapper Dan, $80.

hotels holidays promoted shopping cocktails

Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

politics