Celebrities & Stars in Downtown Dallas

My wrap-up in Dallas concludes with a Jessica Simpson sighting, a velvet smooth rum shot at the House of Blues and simply the worst Mexican food I've ever had. I'll start with the worst first.

In an effort to save money, I dined at a restaurant that Carlos and me are calling Casa Bonita. That's not the name of it but it should be and if you've ever watched South Park or been to Denver, you'd know why. It was painstakingly awful, from the watered down Margarita to the bland serving of generic brown baked beans to the day-old chopped meat poured into one skimpy tasteless taco shell. Even the nachos and dip at Taco Bell could have beaten out this place in a blindfolded taste-test. Unless you need a good laugh at a kitchy Hacienda or are inviting an enemy to dinner, avoid this restaurant with the big, glowing neon South-of-Border-like sign near Victory Park at all costs.

On another note, the Simpson sighting wasn't mine but rather my friend who rode an elevator with the diva inside the W Hotel not knowing who she was, due to her wearing dark shades and a baseball cap. But, as soon as the doors opened, the paparazzi were waiting and flashbulbs went off like lighting. Her presence should have come as no surprise, especially this weekend, since she's a native of the area and dates Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Being from L.A. my friend walked out of the elevator unfazed by the experience. Good for him.

The American Airlines Theater rates as one of the top venues in the country and the public plaza was crowded with Maverick fans who couldn't score tickets for a seat inside on Saturday night. Watching on huge Times-Square size monitors in balmy windy conditions, hundreds watched a close seventh straight win against the Los Angeles Clippers. After gargling off the taste of my nasty Mexican with a shot of rum from the House of Blues and walking back to the W Dallas Hotel, I caught a glimpse of what makes this reinvented brownfield site a real winner among sports fans. It sits atop an old city dump, a meat packing plant and an old power plant but all that's gone and in it's place is a complex serving as a fabulous backdrop to a newly invented gathering space for the rich and famous.

Dallas never disappoints especially when development and revitalization of the Main Street District creates a vibrant, sustainable and prosperous environment to play in.