Northern Exposure: Three Reasons to Go North of HWY 635

So I was getting my hair done yesterday and, like most stylist/client relationships, we spent the entirety of the session gossiping. While there was talk about love lives and the economic climate, there was one highlight that stuck in my memory. Another client called my guy while I was baking under the heat lamps, and he later mentioned she was his least favorite to work with. “She’s been coming in for 12 years, and every time she says, ‘We just didn’t get it right last time,’” he said. “But she won’t go to anyone else. She never goes north of 635.” Wait what?

I understand that it’s easy to stay Uptown. Highland Parkers, I’m talking to you. Uptown has a lot of great things: Northpark mall, the West Village, the Crescent, Mockingbird Station. That
Gold’s gym that’s always full of the best looking people. But this is no reason to shun the rest of what our glorious city has to offer, and this includes what lies north of the 635 dividing line. When did this mass of a highway become the proverbial railroad tracks?

To defeat this mode of thinking, I’ve compiled a quick list of three things that lie just beyond the wrong side of LBJ that are sure to inspire that jump across the tollway.

The Galleria

Ok, so Northpark has a lot of great designer shops. But the Galleria is a Dallas staple. Lying literally just on the other side of 635, the mall has a little bit of everything, from great boutiques and restaurants (who doesn’t love Orange Cup?) and of course, the giant ice skating rink in the center. Summer bonus: Marble Slab creamery is opening there soon. What better way to fight the Texas heat?

The Galleria is located at 13350 Dallas Parkway, Suite 3080

Jasper’s

Kent Rathburn’s Plano location of this modern “backyard” bistro is total gourmet gorgeous. The dark wood tables and understated, grassy artwork coupled with simple yet delicious plates like Prosciutto-wrapped Shrimp ‘n Grits and Pecan Crusted Rainbow Trout make the 20 minute drive totally worth it. And who could forget last year when Rathburn and his brother kicked Bobby Flay’s rump roast on the season premiere of Iron Chef America? Boo ya.

Jasper’s is located at 7161 Bishop Road in Plano

The Rainforest Oxygen Spa

If you’re not yet into holistic health, this is a perfect place to start, especially if you’re dealing with spring allergies like me. It’s almost like a steam room, except the air in the cabinet is infused with pure oxygen, cleaning out all the toxins in your skin and body. It’s the best and most luxurious way to heal yourself from the inside out.

The Rainforest Oxygen Spa is located at 717 Lingco Dr Suite 203 in Richardson