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.

---

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.

Hiatus has begun offering its own products during treatments.

Photo courtesy of Hiatus

Hiatus has begun offering its own products during treatments.

shopping dinner lunch luxury cocktails promoted brunch

Movie Review

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney go off in trashy film The Housemaid

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid.

Both Amanda Seyfried (the upcoming The Testament of Ann Lee) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) are starring in movies with Oscar ambitions this year. By sheer coincidence, the two actors are also co-starring in The Housemaid, a thriller coming out within weeks of their more ambitious works, one that is likely to be seen by many more people than those prestige plays.

Sweeney is given top billing as Millie, a down-on-her-luck ex-convict looking to land any type of job so as not to break her parole. She finds a too-good-to-be-true lifeboat with Nina (Seyfried), who hires her to be a housemaid for her large house on Long Island, where she lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle).

After a warm interview, Nina almost immediately becomes highly erratic, whipping back-and-forth between happy-go-lucky and rageful. It seems clear that Nina is suffering from mental health issues, as she’ll often accuse Millie of misplacing or stealing items that she didn’t take. Andrew, apparently used to Nina’s tirades, tries to protect Millie from the worst, something that grows increasingly difficult as Nina ups the ante.

Directed by Paul Feig (A Simple Favor) and adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from the bestselling book by Freida McFadden, the film is likely the trashiest mainstream movie to come out in 2025. The first half of the movie relies not on story but on moments as Nina embodies the word “hysterical” to an unbelievable extent. The resigned acceptance of the abuse by Millie, as well as the saintly patience of Andrew, make almost every scene laughable, as nobody seems to be acting anywhere close to how a person would normally react to such extreme situations.

The scenes and the performance of Seyfried are so over-the-top, in fact, that it’s clear that the filmmakers are in on the joke. It’s next to impossible not to have a little bit of fun while watching the actors react to outrageous incidents as if nothing is out of the ordinary. The worse Nina acts, the more Millie and Andrew retreat into their chosen roles, and the funnier the film becomes.

Fans of the book will know that the story changes course, eventually turning into a more stereotypical thriller that also has some relatively gnarly visuals to offer. But the trashiness continues, with Sweeney’s, um, assets repeatedly on display in both clothed and unclothed ways. The sex appeal of the R-rated movie makes it an outlier, as recent studio films have shied away from asking their big stars to disrobe completely.

Both Seyfried and Sweeney are far from their Oscar hopeful roles here. Seyfried is given free rein to act as brazenly as she pleases, and she takes full advantage of that ability. Sweeney seems to have been told to be much more reserved, and unfortunately that results in too many wooden line readings. Sklenar continues his breakout streak (It Ends with Us, Drop) with a role that allows him to show more range than either Seyfried or Sweeney.

The Housemaid is an unusual type of movie to be released at a time of year when most films are either those aiming for awards or more family-friendly fare. Despite its many flaws, it’s still an enjoyable watch that features a variety of crazy scenarios not typically seen in movies nowadays.

---

The Housemaid is now playing in theaters.

movies film