History Lesson 
Indulge Yourself This Summer
A grabbag of things to do that can take the heat off your summer.
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Try a late breakfast (10 a.m.) of hot-from-the-oven gingerbread from The Cakery in the Quadrangle and an exotic sample of coffee from the Coffee Company. If you haven't been to the Quadrangle since Christmas there are pleasant additions to browse. (Of current interest is a fabric shop, Materialistic, which features the real thing—no polyester dynel synthetics—in frameable patterns and prints.)
Strike out in any direction from the Quadrangle (Routh, Howell, Fairmont) and you'll see tree-lined streets experiencing a gradual renaissance. Several of the grand old multi-porched Victorian houses have been respectably selling antiques for years; their more colorful, recently-restored sisters, ("The Creative Urge," "Temptations," or "Plant Plant") are peddling less likely wares such as wine-brewing kits, African beads and crafts, and contemporary sculpture.
Outstanding galleries and intimidating interior design studios dominate Fairmont Street, but also notice "The Quill and Pen" which sells only "autographs and documents of distinction," the "Hodge Podge", a particularly gingerbready edifice which boasts "Clothes from better Dallas Homes," (supposedly worn-once haute couture is available here), and the "Uncommon Market" which must have stripped the London pubs and transport systems of barrels, bars and signs.
Bicycling
White Rock Lake area has the most scenic bicycle trails, but weekend traffic makes it less than ideal. Bicycles may be rented near the lake at Hundley Boat Concession (3241 W. Lawther Drive) or at Little John's Rent a Bicycle (5511 Greenville). If you're considering a bike purchase and missed Richard West's "How to Buy a Bike" (Texas Monthly, March '73), bike-buying advice is free at Preston Royal Library, June 9 at 1 p.m.
Sail Boating
Eastfield College (746-3100) offers a 12-hour beginning course ($20) at White Rock Lake Boat Club. All equipment is furnished. Advanced course is $25.
Check with the White Rock Lake Club or the Corinthian Club for Regatta information.
Canoeing, Backpacking, Camping
If you're a newcomer or a novice, your best source of information is the North Texas Group of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. For $2 a year, the newsletter will keep you apprised of one day canoe trips down the Elm Fork of the Trinity and Brazos Rivers, backpack trips to Big Bend and the Guadalupe and family outings to the Big Thicket, Padre Island, Gus Engeling, Daingerfield and Mother Ness State Parks. (Write Nancy Weber, Editor, North Texas News, 3431 McFarlin, Dallas, Texas 75205).
Check the weather section of the Saturday Dallas Morning News for Texas River and Flow Rate.
Scuba Diving
Richland College (746-4400) offers a 30-hour course for $50 including tank and regulator. Starts June 6.
Your Friends Back East Think Texans Do This Every Night
Mesquite Championship Rodeo (Hickory Tree Rd. 285-8777, Mesquite, just off LBJ and Military Parkway) has Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Calf Roping and clowns every Friday and Saturday night through the summer.
Eight Miles High
A recorded message (270-0714) will tell you who is jumping where with the Dallas Parachute Association. Instruction is available. Even if you don't have a death wish, call the number to hear the monologue. The rainy weekend we dialed, it recommended "Hop and pops in the elevator shaft of the Republic National Bank."
The Greening of North Dallas
The Greenhouse of Neiman Marcus (P.O. Box 1144, Arlington, Texas.)
Enter this serene sanctuary and leave ringing telephones, spilled milk and the meat boycott behind. This is Shangri-La with all the conveniences you don't have at home. Eighty-five staff members are at the beck and call of 35 guests who retreat to be reshaped, refined and refreshed. Breakfast in bed begins a day of individualized land and water exercise, beauty treatment and gourmet dieting.
Lest your mind become mushroom with all of this paradisiacal pampering, "mental stimulation" is provided by an astrologer, experts on wine, jewels, or travel, or a private shopping tour of Neiman's. Ordinarily a refuge for women, the Greenhouse offers its creature comforts to husbands and wives June 17-24. ($948.75 per week for a single room, but if you had to ask...)
Ich Bin Ein Amerikaner
All of the community colleges offer at least two levels of conversational Spanish and French. Beginning classes in German are available at Eastfield only. 24 hours for $15. Classes begin in early June.
The Y's also have Spanish classes running through out the year.
For Home Bodies
Before your lawn succumbs to the Dallas heat, try an evening course in gardening at El Centro. (25 hours for $15)
To see live alternatives to cementing the front yard, take a covetous stroll through Lamberts Landscape and Nursery, 7300 Valley View.
Eastfield and Richland Colleges offer Interior Design and Furniture Refinishing, but if you're really ambitious, try Eastfield's "So You Want to Build a House" (Plumbing, electricity, the works.)
Richland completes your remedial home-ec with courses called "Grill and Gourmet" and "At Home With Wine." (10 hours for $12)
Get Ready for Aspen
If the heat, the mosquitoes, and the kids make you long for the shorter days of winter, turn up the air conditioning, build a fire in the fireplace and call the Ski-Skeller in the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh, to arrange for summer ski lessons on their artificial slope.
AUSTIN
Learn to Be a Street Vendor
Laguna Gloria Art Museum, 3809 W. 34th (452-9447). Beginning June 18 a wide variety of five week classes are available for adults and teenagers at $35, children at $30. A partial list of course offerings includes beginning painting, life drawing, color theory, pottery for children, and others. Brochure available.
Municipal Art Guild, (476-8311). Offers weekly painting sessions at Municipal Golf Course Club House.
Natural Science Center, 401 Deep Eddy (472-4523). Offers four two-week summer sessions at nominal charge, teaching science-for-fun, handcraft skills, lapidary, silver casting, photography, etc. The center is open daily from 2 to 5, admission 25 cents, children admitted free with adult.
Weavers' Cooperative, 504 E. 5th (477-8864). Presents classes and work-shops in weaving and spinning for young adults and older. Call Mon. thru Sat. 10 to 2 for additional information.
U.T. Classes for All
The University of Texas Union Programs Committee, (471-3616), offers a diverse range of enjoyable and enriching programs like wine-tasting, gourmet cooking, knitting and other handicrafts, bicycle repair, etc. for a nominal fee (usually in range of $2). Registration held June 4 thru 13. Complete listing of offerings available on request.
Exercise Your Second Amendment Rights
Safariland Guide Service, 1913 Junction Hwy., Kerrville (1-257-7567). Hunting of exotic game animals for entire family. Prices depend on bagged animal, ranging from javelina at $100 to Axis deer at $500. Not for the squeamish. No lodging provided. Reservations at least two to three days in advance.
Environmental Action
Sierra Club, 905 W. 34th (454-5256). Continuing action in monitoring alterations in Austin's environment requires those committed enough to spend two hours or more weekly doing essential paper work, lobbying, or whatever.
Texas Environmental Coalition, 904 W. 34th (454-5256). Help create environmental improvement with application of clerical skills. Basic office skills will help implement necessary checks on deteriorating ecosystems.
Hillside Theater
Hillside Theater is an Austin summer tradition offering free evening entertainment weekly, June through August. Patrons bring blankets or lawn chairs to hillsides at show time.
Pan-American Hillside Theater, 2100 E. Third (476-8311), provides Latin music and novelty entertainment every Tuesday night.
Zilker Hillside Theater, (476-8311), offers variety entertainment on Mon. & Thur. evenings, beginning at dark. Zilker's Summer Musical production will be "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Performances July 26 thru 28, August 2 thru 4, 9 thru 11 & 16 thru 18. Free.
Gardens to Explore
Austin Area Garden Center, Zilker Park (477-8672). Surrounding the center are a number of botanical highlights: the fragrant Garden of the Blind; Water Garden featuring recirculating streams and aquatic plants; Cactus Garden; Horticultural Theatre; tropical paradise of the Botanical Greenhouse; Topiary Animals, plants trained to climb around animal shaped frames; Swedish Pioneer Cabin; Hamilton Azalea Garden; and the new Rose Garden.
Isamu Taniguchi Oriental Garden, Austin Area Garden Center, Zilker Park (477-8672). Of unparalleled beauty, this artistic composition is one of the most poetic retreats of Austin. Mon. thru Fri. 10 thru 4:30 & weekends. Free.
Visit the Ranch
The LBJ Ranch, accessible from US 290 outside Johnson City on Ranch Road 1, is located adjacent to well-developed LBJ State Park which includes a visitor center, museum, theater with presentations every half hour, swimming pool, picnic sites, nature trails, and display of famous longhorn steers. Bus tours of ranch including ranch house start at State Park visitors' center. Free.
Adventure in the Outdoors
Sierra Club, 905 W. 34th (454-5256). Summer activities offered include bicycling trips, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, day-long trips, weekend or extended trips. Prices are usually quite reasonable.
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