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Designed extremely well, although it is in the midst of the runways, I've never heard airplane noises while in the hotel. Soon to be joined by the Grand Hyatt now under construction, this older hotel is having the redo to compete with its new sibling. No doubt about that. With nearly 900 rooms under one roof, it can be a very busy place. The elevators can be painfully slow, but I know my way up and down the stairs.

Gone are the days when you could stay one night at this hotel and leave your car in the garage for a month long trip at no charge. Sorry about that, but try that now and you will find parking charges of at least $13 per day.

A major reason to stay at this hotel is location. No more than 20 minutes from the check in counter of any airline at DFW airport. I've attended many meetings held at this hotel due to the convenience of not having to leave the airport if you fly in. There is an outdoor pool and very limited work out facilities. Jogging around the airport is discouraged. You will have problems if you want to take a morning run. Food (see Jacob's Spring Grille write up) is way above average at this Hyatt. Even in banquet situations with 1200 people dining, the food is remarkably good.

If there is a weak detail at this hotel, it is the ’70s era bathrooms with very poor lighting. Some of this disappointment is being addressed in the remodeling, but major walls can't be moved and we will continue to have the basic design. Most of the rooms have tiny (I really mean tiny) balconies. On the odd chance that you want to breathe J-4, you can open your door for ventilation. Who would?

Room rates vary widely so shop around the various booking methods. During my recently completely stay the hotel ran out of $99 rooms for our group, but when pressed admitted it had some $79 ones available. The walk up rate is upwards of $150.

The hotel does have special rates for passengers in distress and is always full during weather emergencies. For the special rate, have your airline telephone the hotel for your booking.

There table service here, with a full bar and tavern environment. You order sitting down in comfort and service is fast. Smoking is allowed at all tables.

This is very close to what you would find in a family run neighborhood tavern in the big cities of the northeast. There’s friendly service in a low light atmosphere with no questions asked if you want a double whiskey at 11am. There are three TVs going on three separate cable news channels (sound off) with the stock tickers running on a business day. You can watch sports on weekends and at night.

Also, on weekend nights you’ve got the bonus of Saloui's piano bar with live music. As this location is 10 minutes from downtown, it is a very busy stop off for a lot of folks on their way home.

On nice days, you can have your sandwich on the mini patio. There’s some parking. On busy nights, you will need to find a spot down the side street. Close by is Sardine's Italian Restaurant, so look for that sign as Saloui's is set back from University Drive. A real gem of a place!!!!

My favorite drink is the cherry limeade in winter and the frozen lemonade in summer. My husband enjoys the freshly made milkshakes.

As for directions: if you've been around Fort Worth for a long time, you will know the street as Old Highway 80--the Weatherford Highway. If you are new to town, the West Camp Bowie address will mean more to you. I'm an 'Old Highway 80' person myself. This street goes east to west crossing state highway 183, just south of I-30. Or about 20 minutes west of downtown Fort Worth.

There is a tiny dining room for eating in, but in fine weather we prefer to get our food via the drive-thru (their spelling) and park to enjoy our meal. The food is served very hot. I can make a 10-minute drive back to my office and have a hot burger and fries. I also have been known to use the chili as a base for pasta sauce. Enjoy!

This restaurant isn't as busy as it used to be due to a downturn in the local economy, but it is a good idea to make reservations for Friday and Saturday nights and holidays. Yes, they will be open on Easter Sunday. The bar area has been expanded and handles a large trade after office hours.

Although they call the restaurant a 'stateside bistro' you won’t find anything French about the menu. Most of the European-inspired dishes are pastas and pizza. Avoid the Greek salad. You can get a much better one elsewhere. However, I really enjoyed a salad with freshly grilled salmon (about $10). Most dishes can be prepared for takeout. Check my photos for a look at my secretary's Southwestern taco salad. Huge! It looks like a small building.

This is a reliable restaurant that will neither thrill you or disappoint. A good value for money for most dishes (Greek salad excepted!)

We nearly always choose the Chinese chicken salad, petite size order for me and the heavy duty turkey dinner with French onion soup for husband. With one glass of wine but no dessert the tab comes to about $27 for the 2 of us. The salad comes with a choice of muffin (usually blueberry, carrot and honey bran) and the dinner comes with a basket of hard rolls and sliced date nut bread. So much bread that we always take some home.

The soups are excellent, but for me it is always a matter of making a choice as the potions are very large. Soup and 1/2 salad is an alternative for me. I can't get around one of the dinners. Really man-sized portions.

Rumor is that the dessert are very good, but we will have to have dessert first in order to try them. Too much food!

Very good family choice of a restaurant.

Without doubt, the most popular items for sale at Ronnie's come out of the bakery. See my photo for a sample of the breads available on a Friday. Twisted challa ($4.75), cinnamon raisin ($5.00), French baguette ($2.75) and ciabatta ($3.75). Breads on offer vary by the day, and when they sell out, well that's it. Arrive too late and walk away disappointed, but they will reserve your breads by telephone. Watch for the tiny 'fresh bread' sign out by the street.

The numbering system on Hulen isn't logical. Ronnie's is just south of the big bridge between I-30 and I-20. Very limited seating available at lunchtime in the open-air patio. At least you are out of the sun!

So why seek out this old place that was founded in the '60s and climb down the steep stairs to its basement location? Well, if the truth be known, it's a great deal of fun. You can sit either at a private booth with doors that close for privacy or at a table in the open. Reservations necessary for those booths on date nights. The walls are covered with the graffiti love messages of several generations of Fort Worth couples. All the waiters sing and many play the piano. We've heard some very talented people in this place. Sometimes diners stand up and join the singing, but only if they are good enough!

We ordered a 14" pizza which included two trips to the antipasto/salad/soup bar (all items very fresh) for $16.95. You could also order the usual run of Italian restaurant entrees from chicken, fish to pasta and shrimp. We wanted the pizza.

Not handicapped accessible due to the stairs. Climbing back up after plenty wine is no easy job. Families welcome, but ideal for couples.

Could this be in part due to the competition of the Grand Hyatt Hotel -DFW Airport that is due to open in the next year or so? Yes! So enjoy the results. The atmosphere is lovely and very up to date. The ceilings have been lowered, which cuts out most of the noise from the nearby bar and lobby area. Also the very smokey bar, once nearby, has completely vanished.

Upon being seated we were offered the option of a $14.95 buffet, but after a long hard work day, I want my food served to me. We ordered off the menu. Not a huge menu, but very nice (with a very nice wine list). Having seen the menu for the very upscale Mr. G's premium steakhouse in the same area of the hotel (steaks $52 and way up), I was very relieved to see a Texas sirloin on the menu for slightly less than $20. We each ordered steaks--I ordered a salad and he ordered a grilled shrimp something or other that was very pretty (but very short on shrimp). The steaks were very good, and were served with lightly cooked vegetables and a Mexican-style pasta dish alongside hot rolls and a fine glass of red wine. This all resulted in a very fine dinner situation. The dessert presented as the prettiest and tastiest flan I've had in a long time.

This hotel features Starbuck's coffee in all restaurants. Very strong stuff! Unless you like that brand and method of brewing coffee, stick to something else with dinner. As it was coming up on 9pm, I settled for ice water. I would drive out to the BIG airport to enjoy this fine restaurant just for the pleasure of it. The restaurant will validate your DFW airport parking ticket. Don't forget that or you will have a stunning surprise.

The husband ordered a Habanero sandwich ($6.50), which was turkey on focaccia bread with cheddar cheese, roast red Habanero peppers, red onions and mango-habanero dressing. It was a bit on the hot side of spicy, but very tasty as it was served with fresh blue corn chips.

I ordered an apple walnut tuna salad ($5.50). I wanted something fresh and tasty and wasn't disappointed. This salad has a very small serving of tuna. If you want more than a couple ounces of fish, see if you can order an extra scoop.

The drinks are the usual sort with both China black iced tea and a very fruity ice tea blend that may not have been herbal. The desserts are fresh and lean heavily on cookies and cakes.

The decor is extremely cheerful and attractive. There are a few sidewalk tables, but perhaps that is more to go along with the pseudo-French decor. There are very few days of the year in Texas that are mellow enough for outside dining. Also, I don't care to dine inches from a hot SUV! Eat inside and enjoy, or order carry out and take the food back to your home or office.

Extremely popular bar with buffet goodies during happy hour and big sporting events.

The fellow with me ordered a serving of quesadillas called 'Shrimp, Mango and Roasted Pepper'. One of three quesadilla selections on offer. The presentation was attractive, the flavors fresh and distinct and the price great at $8.50 for an appetizer that he had for his entire meal. It is very easy to fill up here as every meal includes a basket of fresh fried variety corn and yam chips with two freshly made fire-roasted salsas.. Neither sauce is extremely hot. This is not 'kill you' hot salsa territory. The flavors are good, not destructive.

After a long and hard workday, I ordered a fabulous bowl of soups. Yes, two soups in one bowl: the Painted Desert Soups, which are black bean and corn chili chowder. At $3.95 for this large portion, it is a real bargain in these days of rising prices.

This restaurant (and others by the same name all over north Texas) is a real find. It is near the Fort Worth Zoo and the Museum District.

Of all things, I ordered a cheese sandwich. Well a very fancy cheese melt sandwich made with fresh mozzarella, grilled portobello mushroom, artichoke hearts, tomato and basil pesto.($8 lunch only) My friend ordered a small grilled salmon fillet with champagne dijon sauce, potato cake, and sauteed spinach (lunch portion $10). She also had a glass of house red wine ($8). We both enjoyed our food, but although the restaurant was far from full, the service was slow and spotty. The explanation was only one cook on duty at lunch. That shouldn't be our problem! We skipped dessert due to a lack of time.

This restaurant asks patrons not to use cellphones and other electronic devices in the dining room.

Not far from Texas Christian University with free parking at the door.

Dinners are much, much more expensive. Fair warning!

Guarded by Our Lady of Guadaloupe, the dining room is a festival of pleasure. Now with some outdoor dining space, Lanny selects his own menu, plans the shopping, ordering and even grows of some of the vegetables. Reservations are completely required and far in advance at that. His mother Jody keeps a firm hand on the reservation book.

Far ahead my husband and I with a group of 13 very good friends booked Lanny's kitchen for the first Sunday evening in May. We arrived at Joe T's to find the usual line snaking out the front door and down the street. Our reservation with Lanny gave us a cut of the line (don't think the other folks stared at us rather unhappily!)

Each of the seven courses was served in turn with appropriate dishes and a complete change of silverware. The elements of the food service were very Japanese in quality and art form. Our menu included the following served tapas-style (little bites): Ahi tuna ceviche with guacamole and jimama salsa, pepita crusted sea bass with key lime beurre blac, home raised lettuces, garlic crostini with goat cheese. . . take a breath to enjoy!

Continuing with quail napal cactus and morel risotto, seared lamb chops with cilantro mint chumichurri and asparagus, and three desserts. Yes, three desserts: chocolate cake served with a kahlua and cappuccino milk shake, Mexican wedding cookies, churros, and dulce de leche and then coffee. Perhaps that's five desserts. We also had coffee. Several people ordered a selection of wines to go with each course.

The result: an amazing meal of unrivaled quality, atmosphere, service and hospitality. An experience of a lifetime that we will be fortunate to be able to enjoy more than once. Lucky us! Lucky Fort Worth that Lanny has come home.

With wines and coffee, cost per couple of about $220 tip included and worth every penny. This is the top of the market for Fort Worth, but worth every penny. It is more than dinner. It is a long evening of education in foods, pleasure in the company of good friends with good wine and a fine gentleman host/chef.

When you enter the store, the first items on offer are a world of fresh vegetables and fruits. You follow a mostly one-way aisle system through all the grocery and wine departments and end up in the Cafe. Choose what you like, pay and then eat either inside or outside on the patio. This place can be very, very busy. Don't let that put you off having a wonderful meal in the Cafe. It's crowded because it is so high in quality and fair in price. Are you a foodie? Well, this is your new home. Foodies are those folk very devoted to Central Market. www.centralmarket.com.

I buy wine with thousands of bottles to choose from. You can sign up for cooking classes and learn from the experts. You can order your food entirely as you like it in the market and the cafe. Our favorites include (after the wines) olives, breads, cheeses, fresh fish of all sorts, tea from all over the world, exotic coffee and the best apples for sale in Fort Worth. Everything is clearly labeled. You bag, weigh and price your own produce.

Central Market is set back from the highway a fair bit. Follow Hulen Street about 500 feet to the south for the turn in. The parking lot is always full any time the store is open. Don't let that put you off, as there is room for all. A nice meal with wine and dessert can be had for $25 to $30 for two. That's hard to beat. This is a major stop for tour buses. Tour buses! It's that popular a place. Look for daily specials on takeaway meals that include a meat/pasta, veg and dessert. Have a question? The staff is very well trained to help you out. Don't hesitate to ask. Amazed by it all? So am I!

Much of the art from the old location was preserved and is now in the new one. As much of it is valuable and even historic, we are so glad.

You have two choices for dining and drinks locations: the main floor of the building and up on the roof. Arrive very early for the rooftop locations during fine weather. The furniture is ranch house style, heavy on quality leather and old wood. Plenty of western saddles and boots on display. Would I call this a restaurant for the family? Sure, if the children are old enough to enjoy the decor.

Let's talk about the food.

The portions are huge. We split entrées, as we couldn't face a chicken-fried steak that could easily feed the whole family for Sunday dinner. The salads are wonderful. Possibly the best salad dressings I've ever had. Couldn't waste a drop of the Reata Wedge Salad with pico vinaigrette ($6.95). Dipped up the last of the dressing with fresh bread from the iron basket on our table.

For four adults, we ordered two entrées (had the desserts in mind). Be prepared for a 20% extra charge for splitting. The manager waived that charge for us, as we ordered so many other things, including a large plate of calf fries in cream gravy ($8.95). If I have to explain what they are, you really don't want to know.

Our second entrée was a chicken dish. Well, it was supposed to be chicken, but turned out to be another beef dish. On a busy night, this can happen. We didn't complain, but perhaps should have.

Desserts and coffee finished off the meal, with the bread pudding and apple crisp with ice cream being the clear winners.

A generally wonderful evening enjoyed by all four of us. Don't miss those salads!

I counted at least 5 restaurants so that you can rest a bit while shopping. There are also apartments above many of the shops and much housing walking distance away, a concept alien to most Texas cities and towns. A relatively easy commute to both Fort Worth and Dallas, Southlake is a very nice place to shop and live.

A center of activity for holiday events and concerts, the Southlake Square is really a very nice idea. My favorite store after Chico's (famous for travel clothing) has to be the Container Store, the place to find all sorts of clever storage ideas and gift-wrapping supplies. They have 19 different kinds of hangers!

Parking at the shop door is an idea whose time has returned. This convenience (and security) is one reason The Square is so successful.

Toma Lama and Justin leather belts with heavy silver trimmings and silver belts for ladies. Excellent service in this shop!

A new feature is fabric by the yard. The fabric that is used to make the superior-quality Western vests is now for sale in the shop. While it lasts; so don't be poky about getting over to buy some.

Another limited-availability item is suede and leather jackets for both men and women. They are there now, but perhaps not for long.

A real Fort Worth shopping secret! Telephone 817/924-4299 Call for hours, as they vary with the seasons. gus@niverww.com