After a such a fun and and busy weekend in Texas I am excited to share a city guide to Dallas. I don’t know about you all, but I love a well edited list to refer to when I am researching a new city. So I am delighted to introduce a new series here on Simply Elegant — Simply Seven.  A curated and condensed list of seven.  I hope to take the typical guess work out of the equation, from my research and experiences I will narrow down a list of the best of the best.  From various cities, to vacations, shopping and more, I hope that Simply Seven can be a resource for authentic, discerning and thoughtful discoveries. 

Before traveling to a new city I love to do research, and this was with out a doubt true for last weekend’s trip to Dallas. My friend Caroline and I searched the internet high and low to learn about the best of the best in Dallas, from hotels to restaurants to boutiques. We were in Dallas for the weekend for the Create & Cultivate Conference on Saturday (a full recap of that will be coming later this week.) We had three delicious dinners, explored all parts of the city on Friday, and found some wonderful boutiques. 

1. Stay at the Joule Hotel.   A beautiful, well decorated, boutique hotel located in the heart of the city. Go for the amenities and service, but prepare to be impressed by the modern art collection and the well curated stores and restaurants connected to the building. Start your day with a coffee from Weekend off of the lobby and make sure to go to Midnight Rambler for a cocktail later that night. Stop at Ten Over Six. Find unique pieces for your closet, beautiful jewelry, modern decor items and natural skincare. You won’t need to walk far because this outpost, the original Ten Over Six is in LA, is inside the Joule Hotel. Be prepared to want to redecorate your entire living room with all the chic and minimal items throughout the store. 
2. Grab lunch at Sissy’s Southern Kitchen.  Eat everything you think you need to try in Dallas, like the biscuits or chicken and waffles in this eclectic and well decorated restaurant. Follow the motto that it is ‘5 o’clock somewhere’ and order a jalapeño margarita, it will not disappoint. 
3. Visit local boutiques. Skip over the chain stores that you have at home and visit the multiple well curated stores throughout the city. Forty Five Ten is a must, even if you just walk through, if for some reason a Celine is not in your budget that day. Then drive over to West Lovers Lane and visit Canary and Cabana. If you still have energy, hop in the car again and head to Highland Park Village. 
4. A trip to Texas wouldn’t be complete without tacos. Have a casual night with delicious food at Velvet Taco. Don’t be turned off by having to order at the counter and seating yourself…the food is what it is all about. Over the chicken taco #3, the pork taco #8 and whatever special taco they are featuring that night. The street corn is a must and throw in the tots if you have an empty stomach. This is one of the few places where I support frozen margaritas (otherwise, I suggest leaving frozen margaritas for a gross college spring break in mexico.) And if you have any room after your meal, everyone raves about the Red Velvet Cake that is probably better than your favorite cake made by your grandmother. 
5. Add a beautiful tunic to your collection.  Schedule an appointment with Cristina at Mi Golondrina at her showroom. Christina celebrates her Mexican heritage with floral hand embroidered blouses from Mexico. While you can order these beautiful tunics and dresses online, it can not compare to shopping the pieces in person. You have the ability to browse the countless varieties and have your dress custom fitted. Talk about being a conscious consumer and supporting local businesses and artisans. 
6. Treat yourself to season and farm to table meal at FT33.  The open kitchen restaurant is located in the design district of Dallas. The quality ingredients lend them self to surprising combinations and tastes that leave you amazed. If you are looking for a fancy and delicious meal, this is your spot. 
7. Continue your eating tour of Dallas with brunch at Mercat Bistro. This french bistro supplies your classic favorites with a twist. Don’t pass up the Roasted Tomato & Brie Tart and be sure to order their signature Shaken Espresso.