1. The real genius of Victory Park’s master planning? Its blend of native retailers and global brands. Sharing the boulevard with such international trendsetters as Henry Beguelin and G-Star Raw is Klad, the unisex sister to San Antonio’s Cork. This trove of jeans, tees, belts, and more is also near one-off women’s boutiques Munia and Jolie. Coming soon: V.O.D., the pet project of a Dallas Morning News fashion reporter and other local tastemakers. 2308 Victory Park Ln., 214-979-0099
2. Cafes lend themselves to either gossiping in groups or going solo with a crisp magazine; coffee lounge and wine bar Gachet has the newsstand and seating for both. Start your day with a DIY French press, or come sunset, order a cup of the Belle Note tea, a blend of chamomile, peppermint, and lemongrass. Even better: Meet up here for vino before a House of Blues concert around the corner. 2336 Victory Park Ln., 214-953-1234
3. If Dallas is a mini-L.A., then LFT owner Ort Varona is the city’s Fred Segal. The retail entrepreneur opened this third concept store (short for Lifestyle Fashion Terminal) as an alternative to Stanley Korshak and a competitor to Barneys New York. His POV on cool includes ten shop-in-shop collections, from J. Lindeberg and John Varvatos to Cynthia Vincent and Chip & Pepper—plus an Avalon salon and a Dune Living furniture showroom. 2350 Victory Park Ln., 214-635-2150
4. Furniture and accessory emporium Haven was unveiled by two New York émigrés last November. Here buttery leather sofas and chairs share floor space with coffee tables and credenzas made from recycled Brazilian hardwoods. Elsewhere are DayNa Decker’s full hothouse of home fragrances, selected tomes by Assouline, and local art—prints by Greg Piazza, multimedia pieces by Joshua Stone, and abstract paintings by Debbie Simms. 2416 Victory Park Ln., 214-954-1515
5. Noka Chocolate’s Katrina Merrem, a Dallasite by way of Canada, peddles her confections only through Neiman Marcus and now two company-run candy shops, one in Tokyo and this one. After crafting them in a local factory, she exhibits the treats like jewelry—in stainless-steel boxes and in a gallery space that recalls the inside of a cacao pod (a subtlety that just nabbed an award from the American Institute of Architects). 2422 Victory Park Ln., 214-740-9995
6. W Dallas-Victory merges the charms of a boutique hotel with the reliability of a national chain. The first Lone Star locale of its kind, it’s part traditional overnighter and part full-time residency. So if you get used to watching sunsets from the infinity pool on the sixteenth floor or using the chandelier-studded lobby as an extended living room, ring the concierge and see if she can arrange a more permanent stay. 2440 Victory Park Ln., 214-397-4100
7. You won’t find any froufrou decor or snooty aestheticians at Bliss Spa. The New York–based beauty biz has given its only Texas outlet, located within the W, a sleek, casual interior and a definitively relaxed vibe. And the gratis mini-brownies and witty skin-care names (Thinny Thin Chin for jowls, Fatgirlslim for thighs) help temper the nerves before a long-overdue pore extraction, an inaugural pedicure, or God help us, a Brazilian. 2440 Victory Park Ln., 16th floor; 214-953-6200
8. Like its neighbors N9NE Steakhouse, Nove Italiano, and Kenichi, Craft is an import and one in a larger restaurant family: The original hails from Manhattan and the mind of celebrity chef Tom Colicchio. The interior is luxe and masculine, with stout walnut tables and a two-story steel- and-glass wine rack, while the seasonal dishes—ranging from four types of oysters to seven varieties of salads—are served family style. 2440 Victory Park Ln., inside the W; 214-397-4111
