The Wild Detectives: One of My Top Favorite Places in Dallas

The Wild Detectives is probably the coolest coffee shop in Dallas. And anyone who knows me knows that I’ve evaluated about all of them.

Located in the Bishop Arts District, the Wild Detectives is not only a coffee shop, but also a bar, a music venue, and an excellent bookstore.

I wrote an article about this place for the Dallas Observer last year, interviewing my professor and friend Lauren Smart about the events they hold to empower women.

I went back this year to cover the Wild Detectives, this time for its 5th year anniversary for my video class. The owners and staff were wonderful and even gave me a Topo Chico. I mean, what’s not to love about this place?

My news package for SMU TV is linked below. It covers the trend of bookstore closings and how the Wild Detectives is doing a stellar job at keeping the interest of their customers.

Interviews with Kevin from Pentatonix and Kristian from Sugarland

So, quick life update for context:

I’m working an internship at a summer camp is Philadelphia. Basically I’m helping to lead a leadership training program.

But while living at a camp and working full time, for some reason I thought, sure. I can keep working Observer articles. So that’s what I’ve been doing.

I recently submitted an article on my experience being backstage during a Lion King production (which will either get published soon or I will put it up on here), and then I landed two interviews.

One Tuesday morning at camp, I took a break from my internship duties to go back to my cabin and have a phone call with both Kristian from Sugarland (the duo that just did that song “Babe” with Taylor Swift), and Kevin from Pentatonix (aka my favorite member).

Kristian was very professional and pleasant to talk to. He gave me the scoop on his partnership with Taylor Swift and everything.

Link here for the Sugarland article!!

Kevin was calling from Cali so he had just woken up it seemed, so it was a very chill conversation. He was super nice, even trying to work with a couple technical hiccups I had. I gushed about how much I loved their show last year, and he was so excited about coming back to Dallas for Whataburger.

Link for the Pentatonix article!!

I Got Paid to Obsess Over My Favorite Band? HAIM ARTICLE

Have you ever heard of Haim?

If you follow my art Instagram, @artsyrosebud, you most likely have.

*shameless plug* *click below to check it out, cough cough*

I made 3 posters for a contest they had, but no, I didn’t win…

Anyway.

When my editor asked for pitches for stories, I told her I was going to see my favorite band, Haim (click here to read my last post with a couple of videos of theirs I recommend). She then asked me if I needed a ticket.

I already had a ticket, but I told her I’d take another one if I could. So the Southside Ballroom (the uber-cool venue Haim was performing at in Dallas) gave me TWO tickets BESIDES the one I had already bought for myself (yes, to go watch them alone. I bought it before going to concerts was something I got paid for.) They also gave me a photo pass!

I knew about one of my extra tickets early, so I was able to surprise my friend with it.

Also, while lining up two hours before the show, I found out I got two free tickets and was able to call my sister to come join. It was so spontaneous and super fun.

I am not kidding when I saw I FREAKED OUT THE WHOLE FREAKIN TIME. It was by far the best concert I had ever been to. These girls are so incredibly talented. I don’t think I breathed the whole time.

Anyway.

I basically just freaked out about how much I loved the concert, and that’s what resulted in this article.

>>>>HAIM ARTICLE<<<<<<

(Photos by my friend Hannah Hansen!)

My only thing? My editor wrote the headline, which I didn’t like very much. I felt like using “Sex” in the title was click-bait-y and distracted from the whole point I was going for.

But hey, they paid me to go to a concert!

Getting Paid to Go to a 5 SOS Concert (an update on my latest writing adventures)

My Dallas Observer editor gave me two free tickets to go see 5 Seconds of Summer at the House of Blues Thursday. Isn’t that crazy? And I’m getting paid for this, too!

After a lot of going back and forth with publicists and managers, my editor was able to score tickets and let me know about 4 hours before the show that I could go. So I texted my sister. She was excited.

So within a couple hours we were lining up at the House of the Blues to see one of her favorite bands. (This conveniently doubled up as an early birthday present for her.)

Some things I learned: When your editor tells you your tickets are at “will call,” that just means you’re supposed to ask the ticket booth for your tickets.

Words I actually got to say multiple times that night: “Hi, I’m with the Dallas Observer…” and “Hi, I’m here covering the concert for the Dallas Observer…” does that sound official or what? Granted, I feel like I look like this random 16 year old pretending to be a reporter, so I felt like I had to say things like that to seem more valid. I got a wrist band for “press” and everything!

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The concert was a pretty cool thing to do for “work” on a Thursday night.

I was probably the only one taking notes at a concert, so that was interesting.

My editor wanted me to get the review to her by 10am the next morning, so I stayed up until 1am to finish it so I could just sleep in until my class the next day. Got her done!

LINKS TO THE STORIES:

Click here for the 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER STORY

(Unfortunately… maybe it’s because I was tired or I’ve never written a concert review before, it looks like my editor made more changes than normal. So if it doesn’t sound like me at some points, that’s why!)

I also have two other new articles out, one about a local neon artist and one about a contestant on Lifetime’s new reality dating show! I watched one of the episodes and it’s actually really interesting, go check it out!

Covering a Rooftop Yoga Party with My Bestie

Thanks to that blogger friend I mentioned, Mai Lyn, I got in to a Sunset Silent Yoga event for free! The event was hosted by the Fitness Ambassadors, a group of like-minded fitness bloggers around Dallas. I also got to bring my BFF, who just so happens to be a yoga instructor!

We felt very cool. The workout was just hard enough to be challenging, but super peaceful and amazing! They gave us light-up headphones to block out the noise of the city and the DJ timed all the songs perfectly with every movement we made.

Oh, and there was free food. And giveaways, like EOS lip balms, towels, and water bottles. Pretty sick stuff!!!

Here’s the article!

My Friend May Lyn: Professional Blogger

I got the chance to interview @deepfriedfit for a school project, but it ended up as an article for the Dallas Observer.

Mai Lyn Ngo, with over 12.3K followers on Instagram, blogs for a living. Here is my article about her!

The Woman Behind Deep Fried Fit

Also, click here for her food and fitness blog!

Fiction Coffee – Dallas, TX

Previously known as Method Coffee, Fiction Coffee is located at 1623 N Hall St, Dallas, TX 75204, a street corner in Deep Ellum. It’s small but chill location, not easily missed due to the big mural on its side.

D Magazine wrote an article on the shop’s transition from Method to Fiction, saying:

According to the press release, the rebrand also means that, “in a world of white and minimalistic coffee shops, Fiction Coffee embraces darker aesthetics and uses uncommon plants and jewel tones to create a fictional but homey feel,” and that it gets first dibs on Tacodeli’s morning taco delivery.

I tried its almond milk coconut chai, and it’s a keeper!

*PUBLIC APOLOGY* The man above did not give consent for me to take pictures of his feet. He had no idea I was taking pictures of his feet. But if you’re going to be barefoot and put your feet on a nice ottoman in a cool coffee shop, please know that I will take pictures of your feet.

Learning Journalism: Getting Paid for my Blog Post

There was going to be a story about an antique bookstore posted here the other week, but instead it ended up on the Dallas Observer website.

I’m a Fashion Media student at SMU, and while it sounds like something else, it really is a Journalism major. this is why I sometimes just tell people I’m a Journalism major. I take fashion and media classes, but it’s all centered around journalism and writing, which is why I like it.

Anyway, my favorite class this semester is News Reporting. Not only do I love the hands-on, project-based pace of the class and think my professor is the literal coolest person ever (she’s straight-up Rory Gilmore in my head), but it’s been the coolest thing to actually act like a journalist.

I got to attend an event as a journalist for the first time- the SMU Career Fair. This involved lots of sweaty awkward interviews I didn’t know how to do and then camping out at the dining hall next door to eat nachos and type out the article.

Click here to check out my first published article ever! It’s on the school paper, SMU Daily Campus.

My next event story was basically to stalk my cool fashion-designing aunt.

It was cool to actually interview my aunt and hear about her company from her words instead of just seeing her work. I know I talk about her company a lot so I won’t re-explain the awesomeness that is Filip+Inna, but you can read my article for more information if you need it!

Click here to read my article about my aunt’s trunk show! Also on SMU Daily Campus!

And then. The big leagues.

This is where that article went.

I mentioned to my News Writing professor about an article I was writing for my blog. I had discovered my favorite local antique bookshop closing in Downtown Mckinney and was writing a story about it. My professor convinced me to send it to her so she could pitch it to the Dallas Observer. Long story short, I’m published!

The DO editor is still accepting some of my stories so this isn’t over!

I can officially say I am now a freelance writer for the Dallas Observer website! It’s honestly so cool and I love it!

Things I’ve learned so far:

Side hustles are not in vain. The only reason why I now get paid for stories is because I had some already ready. My professor saw my initiative, writing for my blog, and that’s how I was able to jump to getting published so easily. Sometimes I doubt whether this is a waste of my time or not, but I love it when I’m proved wrong.
Connections are everything. Make friends with the professors you want to be!
Freelance writing for news publishers isn’t as scary as I thought. I started literally submitting things I was turning in for homework anyway since my professor was friends with the editor and encouraged me to do so.
Come up with a good headline so they don’t have to. I forgot to write up a good headline for the Mckinney bookstore one, so they wrote me one. Problem is, I prefer to use words like “dang.” Oh well.

Click here for my Dallas Observer post!

Coffee Shop Awards of 2017

I did it! I compiled a list of my favorite coffee shops I discovered in 2017.

Here I have 14 places to get your cup of joe.

Please keep in mind that I am not a coffee expert. At all. A coffee shop expert? Possibly. But mainly I’m a coffee addict.

Ever thought about how coffee is kinda just weird bean soup? Think about it.

SNUG ON THE SQUARE | Go-to Brunch Coffee

Mckinney, Texas

Best Breakfast Award
- Amazing breakfast choices for decent prices. My favorite is their oatmeal combo!
Best Location Award
- Set at the heart of Mckinney Square, it’s the perfect place to meet up with people and walk around the cute antique shops right after!

Hustle Rating: ♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Snug on the Square is a two-parter. Next door to the coffee shop is the restaurant, though the two flow into each other easily. It gets pretty busy on the weekends, so try to go during a weird time. They do offer milk substitutes. On Sunday nights they host a worship service!

http://snugonthesquare.com/

HOUNDSTOOTH COFFEE| Downtown Modern Coffee Shop

Dallas, Texas

Best Productive Workspace Downtown Award
- Great place to get things done at the center of Dallas. (Though this picture doesn’t showcase much hustling, my grandma was really enjoying her donut.)

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥

The baristas here really know their stuff. It’s a great place to try different roasts with different tasting notes. It’s a camp-out-with-your-laptop-because-you’re-cool environment.

https://www.houndstoothcoffee.com

FROGG COFFEE BAR & CREPERIE | The European Street Corner

Allen, Texas

Best Café for Sitting Outside
- This Watters Creek shopping center in Allen, Texas has this big grassy area with beautiful trees and a little creek with cute little statues. It’s a super pretty area that never gets too loud and is perfect for a day with nice weather.
European Haven Award
- Look how cute! It’s very europe-esque, and they have BOMB crépes
Best Place to Bring Kids and Dogs
- Guess what? There’s an outdoor playground right outside the patio! Just the right distance for you to keep an eye out for the kiddos while you’re sipping an espresso.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥

Great for both working and socializing. Sad for people (like me) who can’t eat crepes, but hey! Coffee is gluten free! (Also, they have omelets!)

http://www.froggcoffee.com

SUCRÉ CAFE | Absolute Asian Heaven

Most Visited by Isabel Award
- During the schoolyear of 2016-2017 when I attended Collin College and took classes mostly at the Spring Creek Campus, I was at Sucré at least once a week. Most of the baristas still know me by name. At one point they even gave me discounts just because.
The First Open Mic Night I Ever Participated In
- (Pictured below for proof.) If nothing has changed, they have open mic nights every last Tuesday night of the month! (But don’t take my word on that.)
Best Food!
- Since opening, the place has expanded their food menu SO MUCH. Literally everything I’ve had there is amazing. They have rice bowls, different types of fries, chicken bites (of which I have probably consumed gallons by now), and many other AMAZING asian treats to keep you satisfied.
Isabel is Addicted Award
- They have BOBA. Repeat. THEY HAVE BOBA. Not only is their coffee menu crazily extensive, but they offer slushes, smoothies, and THE best boba tea I have ever had. They make the pearls from scratch every day.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sucre-cafe-plano

FILTERED | The Hidden Musical Gem of Mckinney

My Best Friend’s Favorite Coffee Shop Award
- My best friend loves it there, and the baristas all know her.
Cutest Artwork Award
- I love the local art they post on the walls!
Most Musical
- There are a bunch of instruments (and a piano) set out for people to jam on at their leisure. I’ve busted out a tune there myself and everyone there
- is so supportive of random music-making!

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥

Great place to get work done (except the occasional possibly distracting jam sessions, though those are random and not usually too disruptive), but also offers board games. Located at Mckinney square, so again, great places to explore in the area.

https://getmefiltered.com

SUMMER MOON | My Go-To Coffee Shop

Frisco, Texas

My Family’s Favorite
- It’s our go-to, being only a few minutes from my parents’ house. And yeah, we have t-shirts.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Amazing coffee. Sometimes crowded (which makes sense because it’s great), but it’s super cute and has a great atmosphere.

http://woodfiredcoffee.com/frisco

SALUBRIOUS JUICE+MORE | My First Coffee Shop Job

Healthiest Options Award
- Organic and vegan! Not only is the coffee good, but they offer smoothies, cold-pressed juices and immune shots!

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

I applied for a job before it even opened, and was hired as the very first employee. When it started out, it was just me, the manager and the owner. The owner had me not only make drinks, but run the social media, paint artwork for the walls and make a full mural, as well as take photos for advertisements. It’s a great place for a quiet place to work, and the manager is super nice! I don’t work there anymore but I’ve stopped by to grab coffee a couple times.

http://www.salubriousjuiceandmore.com

THE NEST | Super Cool Hidden Gem of Frisco

Frisco, Texas

Best Gluten-Free Food Around!
- THE. BEST. Gluten free bread I’ve had!!! Amazing brunch. CRAZZZZYY GOOD sandwiches!
Quietest and Coolest Spot Award
- I don’t mind spending hours there.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

It’s a favorite for sure. Great for getting stuff done, or getting brunch with friends and family. Super friendly staff as well!

https://www.nestcafe.net

DAVIS STREET ESPRESSO | Take a Bus to Serious Coffee

Dallas, Texas

Most Serious Coffee Experience Award
- No milk substitutes which makes me real sad. Buuuut they’re serious about their beans!

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥

https://www.nestcafe.net

XO COFFEE | Pretty Girl Boss Cave

Plano, Texas

Prettiest Place to Get Work Done
- Super cute coffee shop! Great place to work!
Amazing Coffee Shop Tacos

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥

I was very pleased to find that they serve incredible tacos. But it’s a super cute spot in adorable downtown Plano. Bring a sweater, I feel like I’m always so cold there. But it’s nice and bright with cute decor!

http://xocoffeeco.com

MUDSMITH | The Hipster Go-To

Dallas, Texas

The “They Have Kombucha!” Award
- Yup. They have kombucha.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥

It was a little dark for my liking when it came to studying, but I suppose if you were there for either meeting with friends or working on your laptop, it’s great! Super hipster. Great coffee, kombucha, and juice!

http://www.mudsmithcoffee.com

ROYAL BLUE GROCERY | Coolest Spot for Coffee and Food in Dallas

Dallas, Texas

Nicest People Award 😉
- 😉
Celebrity Spotting?
- Located at Highland Park, it is frequented by many different people. The likes of Anne Hathaway, Owen Wilson, and Matthew Mcconaughey have been some.
Coolest Grocery Store That Exists Probably in the Whole World
- Wanna get coffee, lunch, and wine, all while getting your grocery shopping done? It’s the perfect place!

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

https://www.royalbluegrocery.com

ODDFELLOWS | Super Cool Restaurant I Treated Like a Coffee Shop

Dallas, Texas

Photogenic Food Spot Award

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥

Only been there once, but I stayed pretty much all day. Got a bunch of stuff done, had good coffee, and met with a good friend!

http://www.oddfellowsdallas.com

BIRD BAKERY | Cupcakes That Make Me Love Life

Gluten-free Desserts That I Sometimes Dream About
- The CUPCAKES
Prettiest Bakery in Dallas
- Pink neon signs? I think yes.

Hustle Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Social Butterfly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Instagram-ability Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Healthy-friendly Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Amazing pastries, super good coffee and kombucha, and great food! Located right by Royal Blue so spending the day in the area is a really good idea.

http://www.birdbakery.com

Good Records: a midnight stop

After a night out in Lower Greenville with my closest girlfriends, we passed by this record shop and had to stop by. I returned from this gloriously cool place with a Barbara Streisand Greatest Hits CD, of course.

How my Artwork Came to Hang at my Congressman’s Office

Hey everyone! Wow, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I don’t think I really posted anything in maybe a year… Whoops! I’ve been mainly focusing on my instagram account, @artsyrosebud, which now has over 1400 awesome followers (link in the menu bar!). I decided to see how my wordpress blog was doing since I haven’t gone on it in a while, and was surprised to discover people have been looking at it. So I figured, why not start posting again? Anyway, back to business. If you can call it that.

This happened a few months ago, but I figured I’d tell ya’ll about it anyway. I entered my drawing- the one with the girl in a sunflower field- in Congressman Sam Johnson’s Congressional Art Competition. The pieces entered were displayed in the McKinney, Texas city hall art gallery. There were 84 pieces in the show by students from all over Collin County.

I didn’t win. I got second place. The first place winner got tickets to Washington, D.C., and her work is being displayed at the US Capitol for a year. I’m trying again next year, but for now second place is great. I got a fancy certificate, a fancy US flag that had been flown over the US Capitol in my honor, and like I said, my work will be hanging at the Congressman’s fancy office for a year. One of my friends joked that I got second because the Congressman liked my work the best and wanted to keep it to himself.

See? Fancy.

I read up on Congressman Sam Johnson, and found out he is one of the few members of Congress who fought in combat. During his 29 years in the US Air Force, he survived 7 years as a Prisoner of War, and 42 months in solitary confinement. He is 84 years old.

All in all, it was pretty successful I’d say. It was a fun night, some of my best friends and my family came to support me. They’re pretty awesome.

Getting a Drawing in an Art Gallery

This was kind of a while ago, but I forgot to post about my artwork getting in an art gallery! I participated in the Young American Talent Competition. “Prepping for Prom” is a colored pencil and watercolor pencil of two of my best friends. About 125 were chosen out of 600 entries from high school students around the Dallas area to be in the exhibition and competition. I didn’t win, but it’s already an achievement to get into the show, and it was so amazing to see my work in a gallery! The exhibit was held in the H. Paxton Moore Art Gallery in downtown Dallas. Who knows, maybe I’ll win something next year? In the meantime, I’m just glad I was chosen!

(P.S. It’s a coincidence that I’m blogging about “Preppin’ for Prom” when I am actually prepping for prom! I’m going this Saturday, and I’m super excited 🙂 )