Dallasite About Town — Your Weekly Guide to the Latest Fashion Pop-Ups, Local Festivals, Restaurant Openings, and More

Dallasites, we know you’re well-rounded, which is why we curate a little bit of this and a little bit of that to satiate your diversified palate of interests. For this week’s edition of Dallasite About Town, we’re showcasing a fashion installation at Highland Park Village, a new location of a favorite local (but East Coast-inspired) restaurant, a book written by a beloved Dallas philanthropist (with a personal love story attached!), and two festivals celebrating Mardi Gras and Lunar New Year.

Party on!

Gabriela Hearst Opens Installation at The Conservatory

You know that space at Highland Park Village where Oscar de la Renta was temporarily located? And Chanel was there before that? But really it’s the old Anthropologie space? Yes, that one.

Well, it’s now home to an immersive 3,000-square-foot Gabriela Hearst “exclusive installation” hosted by The Conservatory (their neighbor immediately above) that will be open through the end of May 2026. The installation includes pieces from both the men’s and women’s collections, as well as footwear and small leather goods. A curation of Gabriela Hearst’s fine jewelry and an assortment of the handbag collection will also be on display. (A little birdie told me that the Dallas installation will offer one-of-a-kind handbag exclusives, too.)

Immediately adjacent, a gallery space showcases works by female artists curated especially for Gabriela Hearst by Sarah Calodney Advisory and Associates. Artists in the opening exhibition include Louise Bourgeois, Luchita Hurtado, Constance Jaeggi, and Dorothea Tanning. Now we can shop and call it “a day at the art gallery!” 

Let the Good Times Roll in Oak Cliff

The largest celebration of Mardi Gras in North Texas, Go Oak Cliff’s 2026 Mardi Gras Festival, is this Saturday, February 15, at 1 pm. Festival-goers can expect floats, music, and colorful costumes in every shade of purple, green, and gold. The parade route runs down Davis Street from Nova, near Kessler Theater.

Want to *be* in the parade? Register your float online to participate!

Neighborhood Favorite Hudson House Opens in West Village

Hunter Pond’s Vandelay Companies recently opened their tenth Hudson House, taking over the space formerly occupied by Mi Cocina in Dallas’ West Village (3699 McKinney Avenue, Suite 200). The restaurant group has a rapidly growing footprint within West Village, as they also plan to open concepts Ten Ramen and DL Mack’s in the urban village in Uptown.

The new 5,600-square-foot location features a large wraparound bar, a spacious sit-down raw bar, as well as an outdoor patio for guests to enjoy Hudson House favorites like the Avocado Dip and The Cheeseburger. (It’s the Pressed Ahi Tuna Sushi for me, though.)

“West Village felt like the perfect setting — a neighborhood with energy, walkability, and a strong sense of place,” says Hunter Pond, Chairman & CEO of Vandelay Companies.

Dallas Philanthropists With a “Passport to Danger”

You likely know Jody and Sheila Grant for their contributions to the arts as Dallas-based philanthropists. Sheila is the co-founder of Texas Ballet Theater (formerly known as the Fort Worth Ballet). By donating the lead gift, the couple also founded our city’s beloved Klyde Warren Park and raised $117 million to complete the project.

In 1971, Sheila finished the manuscript for a spy novel set during the Cold War, which was shelved in the attic until Jody discovered it there two years ago. To delight his wife of more than 50 years, Jody worked in secret with a literary agent to surprise his wife with the published book. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, “Passport to Danger” is being reissued today with a special new cover.

Jody, the founder of Texas Capital Bank, calls the project his “most satisfying” personal accomplishment.

“Revisiting the novel after all these years was like stepping back into my twenty-something-year-old mind,” Sheila says. “It’s a piece of who I was then. I was full of curiosity with a love of stories that carry you somewhere unexpected. And I am so deeply touched that Jody is the reason my book is now published; it was the GREATEST gift I could have ever received.”

Passport to Danger is now available.

Celebrate Lunar New Year at Galleria Dallas

For Lunar New Year, Galleria Dallas installed 250 large-scale, magnificent lanterns suspended over the ice rink. This art installation represents the energy and momentum of the Year of the Horse. Be sure to stop by between now and February 28 to see the lanterns in all their vibrancy.

In addition, Galleria Dallas is hosting Jiu Long Lion Dance Troupe for a colorful performance (lion dance! drumming!) on Saturday, February 21, at 3 pm on Level 1 around Center Court. Following the performance, guests will have the opportunity to take photos with the lion costume up close.