With additional reporting by Guillaume de Vaudrey
Photos by Guillaume de Vaudrey
In an ongoing quest for the ultimate luxury driving experience the 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class takes center stage. I had the 2015 Mercedes Benz E400 Cabriolet to play with for a week in Dallas and this one definitely exemplifies what an elegant piece of metal should look and feel like. It's of the midsize luxury distinction and there is so much to choose from in the E series it's hard to know where to begin.
Let's start with determining your perfect body style, the type of engine you crave and if you want to be eco-friendly or not, from there add on the sophistication and a great ride, which comes in all the E series selections.
The only addition in 2015 in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the new E400 styling that adds a turbocharged V6 engine, other minor adjustments are just improved tweaking to an already stellar product.
Already, Mercedes lovers, whether you own one or just have it on your bucket list, know the technology is right and always above par, the look is extraordinaire and the driving... well just about the best on the road. The Mercedes E-Series E400 meshed in all the right ways during my drive time and together we took the road as one. Indeed, I dare say if you own one of the E-Series options it might feel more at home inside than your home does, you will definitely want to spend as much time as possible taking it out and about for show.
We took it out and about in Dallas where we hit some of the best places to eat, drink and explore. That's where my colleague from Paris comes in to explain his take on Dallas in the Mercedes.
-Rita Cook
Living in Paris, on the bank on the Seine river, I always imagined Dallas to be an untamed city whose inhabitants had strong tempers and rough manners.
The John F. Kennedy assassination on November 23, 1963 brought the Texas city to the spotlight indeed and it took years for Dallas to wrestle itself from that tragedy.
In the 1980s, Dallas became the symbol of a long-running American prime time television soap opera that chronicled the life and exploits of wealthy Texas oil millionaires, but nowadays the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington urban area has reinvented itself yet again and is the perfect example of a giant conurbation with six million people, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the fastest growing since 2011.
North Texas benefits from having a relatively broad-based economy and the area is home to a range of major companies, from financial services to energy and telecom. Philanthropy is widely spread in Texas, maybe because the Lone Star State might be the most fiscally conservative of the whole country. Numerous projects flourish to develop and embellish the Downtown area with a sincere intention to federate the different communities and offer new lifestyles with a stronger environmental and cultural concern.
The Klyde Warren Park, named after the young son of billionaire Kelcy Warren and opened in 2012, is a perfect example of enhancement of an area that was until recently the below-grade Woodall Rodgers Freeway. It has been transformed into a beautiful urban green space providing connectivity to Dallas' flourishing Arts District from other neighborhoods and bringing together cultural events and experiences while serving as a central public gathering space for Dallas residents and visitors to enjoy. The Dallas Art District is part of a 30-year plan in the making and strives to be one of the best art scenes in the country. Four buildings have been composed by Priztker-Prize winning architects like the Winspear Opera House, designed by Norma Foster and the Wyly theater designed by Rem Koolhaas. Those two buildings composed together the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The Nasher Sculpture Center, designed by Renzo Piano, combines a unique collection of 20th century sculptures with an outdoor garden. The Meyerson Symphony Center designed by I. M. Pei hosts the world-renowned Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The Dallas Museum of Art is where an entire section is dedicated to Coco Chanel the famous French fashion designer whose French Riviera house La Pausa in Roquebrune has been bought with her entire private Art collection by an American couple and offered to the city of Dallas.
Then there is the intimate Crow Collection of Asian Art offering a precious selection of Asian Art gems together with high ranking temporary exhibitions. If you wish more cultural assets, Dallas will fully satisfy you with the revolutionary Perot Museum of Nature and Science, where you will receive a living science lesson combining provocative illustrations of engineering, technologies and conservation. The George W. Bush Presidential Center explores important issues and events of the 43th US President as framed under four themes: freedom, opportunity, compassion and responsibility. Do not miss the Café 43 where you can taste some favorites dishes of First Lady Laura Bush too.
In the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza you will pay tribute to John F. Kennedy, whose short life ended in Dallas and the iconic Reunion Tower is a centerpiece of the ever changing Dallas skyline and its Geo-Deck will offer you an amazing view of this vibrant city, which you should explore both day and night time.
If you feel like escaping from the urban jungle and take a breath of fresh air in a protected location you might chose to visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden with seasonal festivals celebrating the joy and color of the seasons.
Dallas is not only an Art mecca, but is now well-known as a world-class culinary scene too. A good way to feel the creativity of the city is to join the Food Tour of America in West Village, a three-hour food tasting and cultural walking tour in Dallas' Uptown where you can experience the free antique streetcars on a four-mile line in the McKinney Avenue area too. Each of those antique streecars, gathered from various countries, is a real gem for slow pace lovers. For the gourmets, I can recommend Pakpao Thai with authentic flavors of the old Siam; for the meat lover, Knife at The Highland Dallas is the place to be under the high guidance of Chef Tesar; Mercat Bistro is a charming European bistro located within Harwood International Office Tower Saint Ann Court, where you can have a selection of tasty dishes anytime in the day; Stampede 66 offers one of the best Texas dining experiences in a gracious Southern hospitality and Bolsa in the Bishop Arts District will offer you a very creative culinary experience in an eclectic bohemian neighborhood. Just open your senses and yourself to the vibes of the new Dallas, a vibrant city, which will make you feel fully the energy of the 21st century.
Go West My Friend
If Dallas can be considered as the last western city go westward and Fort Worth will offer you a completely different kind of charm. Dallas and Fort Worth are only 35 miles away one from one another, but the experience they offer are totally different letting you feel the two sides of the Metroplex's true nature.
The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District will allow you to feel Fort Worth's wild West heyday with daily cattle drives and the possibility to taste cowboy cuisine. You can hop on a stage coach, visit the former Stockyards exchange building, explore the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, attend a Friday or Saturday night Championship Rodeo or even test your dancing skills at Billy's Bob Texas.
If you are an aArt lover, do not miss the Fort Worth Cultural District with its Old World and New World art masterpieces where the Amon Carter Museum of American Art with its unique collection of paintings of the American West by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell are exceptional.
The best way to reach Dallas/Fort Worth is via American Airlines since the airline is headquartered in the area with extensive international and domestic flights throughout North America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia. From DFW Airport you can easily reach either Dallas or Fort Worth as well since the airport is located right in the middle of the two cities.
If you explore Dallas check into the Omni Hotel in Downtown Dallas with a central location that will allow you to explore the city and in Fort Worth, the historical Hilton Hotel with the nostalgia of former President JFK. - Guillaume de Vaudrey
Sidebar:
Go all out and consider the Chef Tesar Texas grown restaurant Knife. Using his relationships with Texas ranchers and farmers including Heartbrand Beef and 44 Farms you can be sure Tesar's food is as good as he is and sourced from only the best. With a combination of classic and modern, this is one steakhouse where you can order anything from a dry-aged prime cut prepared in cast iron to a steakhouse broiler or lamb and be sure it's all-natural born and raised. Also on the menu the more exotic cuisine choices like beef tongue, oxtail and even Akaushi beef. Wine pairings are a must here and pair that with our recommendations that include the bacon crusted bone marrow and caviar, the French onion soup and perhaps for the little something comforting a dry-aged option. It's a night you won't forget - RC
www.Knifedallas.com
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Should You Need to Know: Making its appearance first in 2010, the 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Series offers a variety of 0 to 60 acceleration choices if that is what you are looking for - from the E250's 7.6-second to the E350 sedan's 6.0 seconds to the E400 with the turbo V6 engine coming in at a good 5.5 seconds to hit the mark.
Miles Per Gallon: On the 2015 Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet I drove gas mileage came in at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway.
Cost: The 2015 Mercedes-Benz E400 Cabriolet had a price tag of $76,225.
For more auto tips and information follow Rita @RitaCook13.