Rowlett, Texas Photography Club Meetup

IMPORTANT TIME AND LOCATION POINTS
9:00 am - Meet at Rowlett DART Station if carpooling from Rowlett
10:00 am - Meet at Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center at 4717 E. Rosedale, Ft. Worth if going directly to destination
Since August is so danged hot, I'm planning a "mostly" indoor activity for this month. Thanks to Wy R. and Martha T. for sending me suggestions on these places as I was struggling to come up with something new. We're heading west to our lovely friend and neighbor, Fort Worth. We will first stop for a quick photo session at Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, the home base of the monks and faithful canine companion who completed the Peace Walk earlier in the year. The address is 4717 E. Rosedale, Ft. Worth. We will shoot the outside and, if there are no services going on and we are allowed inside, we can shoot the inside. The monks at the Buddhist temples are very welcoming and love to show off their beautiful buildings and share their faith.
After shooting the temple and before we collapse from the heat, we'll head over to the DFW Car and Toy Museum at 2550 McMillan Pkwy. in Fort Worth (https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com/). Looks like a fun and nostalgic place to explore and, best of all, it's FREE.
For lunch, I found a place nearby with great ratings and looks like a really authentic spot - El Compadre Tacos y Mas at 2408 NE 28th St., Fort Worth. After lunch, I'm sure we'll be tired, full and ready to head home!
Logistics: If traveling from Rowlett and want to carpool or caravan, be at the Rowlett DART Station parking lot in the area near Martin and Industrial at 9:00 am. If you want to meet at the temple, please plan to meet there about 10:00 am in the parking area. We will shoot there for about 45 minutes, then head over to the museum. Assuming we leave the temple about 10:45, we should arrive at the museum about 11:15 so let's meet just inside the entry. Let's plan to shoot here for about 2 hours or until everyone arrives back at the entry and head to lunch about 1:15. Keep in mind the time estimates are just that and can slide a bit. Since we'll be eating lunch on the late side, have a good breakfast and/or bring a snack if you need one.
Lens recommendations are a regular walkabout lens and/or a fast lens for indoor lighting.
Now, for some requests and warnings:
1. Weather shouldn't be a factor in August as far as heavy rain or storms, but it does happen so always check for updates!
2. Please don't sign up unless you intend to go, and, if you find you aren't able to go after signing up, please change your RSVP so we aren't waiting for you.
3. Please sign up if you are going so that we know to expect and wait for you.
4. Please comment whether you will meet in Rowlett or at one of the two destinations so we know where to look for you.
5. Please comment as to whether you need a ride or can provide a ride so we can try and accommodate everyone.
6. Please have the Meetup app on your phone as that is where any communications will be posted during the walk to alert everyone of any changes, notifications, or updates, or you can alert everyone if you are running late, ask where to find us, let us know where you are, etc.
Hope this sounds like something fun and a bit different and hope to see you there.

On the fourth Saturday of every month, a gathering at the Dallas Arboretum, followed by an on-site lunch.

The Arboretum, always different, offering photographers everything from landscapes to micro, from scheduled events to ongoing changes with the seasons, to plants, art and Mother nature.

For beginners to old heads, for worker bees to retired folks, a chance to spend time with other RTPC members, maybe a learn a thing or two without long drives, and perhaps a monthly challenge.

And no, at this time of day, amazingly, the Arboretum is not mobbed and there are no issues due to the number of visitors. In fact, there are empty tables at the restaurant at 1100.

The Arboretum is now charging for non-member parking. We'll coordinate parking and entry fees here on Meetup.

Gather at 0845 at Gate 1.

Join me on the 4th Thursday of each month for dinner and drinks with friends. I will pick a different place each month.

For September, we're going to visit the Fort Worth Stockyards as it's been several years since we last visited here. Hopefully, it won't be too terribly hot, but we all know September can be! We will arrive in time to shoot before the cattle drive scheduled for 11:30 am. When the drive is over, we can decide if we want to head to lunch or shoot a bit more before going to lunch.
If you want to carpool or caravan from Rowlett, meet at the Rowlett DART station parking area near Martin and Industrial at 9:00 am. If you want to meet in Ft. Worth, let's meet in front of Old Gringo Boot Store located at 140 E. Exchange at 10:15-10:30 since the one hour drive from Rowlett is entirely traffic-dependent). There are large public parking lots right at that corner on either side of E. Exchange at Packers Ave. According to what I can find, parking is $17.50+tax and service fee at those lots (think it was $10 last time we went!) so you will definitely want to carpool if possible to help split the cost. Like most places, I believe they only use an app to pay for parking so be prepared. I just verified ParkMobile works in those lots, which is what I've used pretty much everywhere I've needed to purchase public parking. If you are driving and don't have this app, I would suggest you get this going before you are standing there fumbling around setting it up. If you get there early and want to start shooting, be sure and check the Meetup app for any updates on lunch times, etc.
We will eat lunch at Riscky's Barbecue (140 E. Exchange in same building as Old Gringo) - it appears they have a lot of other offerings besides barbecue and it seems to be the most reasonably priced place to eat in the vicinity. I looked at several other restaurants that sound great, but not sure people want a $40-50 lunch! I figure lunch will be around 12:15 - 1:00 depending on how people want to lay out the day's shooting so plan accordingly. As I remember, there are a large number of outdoor tables available here to sit at. Alternatively, if we are through shooting in the stockyards area, we could drive to another place to eat lunch and I'm open to that possibility also. I will have some alternatives planned out.
A standard walkabout lens should be fine for this day's shooting.

Now, for some requests and warnings:
1. Weather is always a factor so there is always the possibility of a last minute cancellation!
2. Please don't sign up unless you intend to go, and, if you find you aren't able to go after signing up, please change your RSVP so we aren't waiting for you.
3. Please sign up if you are going so that we know to expect and wait for you.
4. Please comment whether you will meet in Rowlett or at the Stockyards so we know where to look for you.
5. Please comment as to whether you need a ride or can provide a ride so we can try and accommodate everyone.
6. Please have the Meetup app on your phone as that is where any communications will be posted during the walk to alert everyone of any changes, notifications, or updates, or you can alert everyone if you are running late, ask where to find us, let us know where you are, etc.