Season 10 Starts Here

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Welcome to the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson. And before we get into everything happening around town this week, I have a little Bubble Lounge news of my own. October marks eight years of the Bubble Lounge. Eight years. Shauna and I started this podcast back in October of 2018, and I don't think either one of us had any idea where it would take us. We've interviewed hundreds of people. We've covered our schools, local businesses, charities, elections, sports, restaurant openings, closings, controversies, and just about everything else happening around the park cities. And now we're kicking off season 10. If you've been listening the past few weeks, you've probably noticed that the show sounds a little different on the weeks when I don't have a guest. We have new music, a new format, and I'm using these episodes to really catch up on what's happening around the bubble. Who to know where to go and what's happening. And here's the important part. We built this podcast for you. So I really want to hear from you. What do you want to hear more of each week? Local news, schools, sports, new restaurants and businesses, charity events, city issues, things people are talking about. What am I missing? Send me a message on Instagram or through my website and tell me because I really do want your input as we head into season 10. All right. Now let's get into this week because there's a lot happening. First, did you hear Starbucks has left Snyder Plaza? Australia is sending us frozen yogurt. Highland Park football got exactly the homecoming reset it needed. I went behind the scenes of something happening at SMU that I think is incredibly exciting. And apparently, life right now consists of touring college campuses. More on that later. Let's get into it.

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Welcome to the Bubble Gow.

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Starting out with the buzz in the bubble, I want to start with something that University Park residents really need to have on their radar. On

Proposition A Voting Basics

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November 3rd, University Park voters will vote on Proposition A, which is a property tax rate election. And I'm going to continue talking about this over the next several weeks because I think it's really important that everyone understands what they're voting on before they get to the polls. Here's the basic version. University Park has adopted its budget for the next fiscal year. Proposition A asks voters whether to approve a higher property tax rate that would provide additional funding for several specific items. Those include four additional police officers, two additional firefighters, additional public safety pension benefits, and new technology for residential parking districts. According to the city, for a home with a medium taxable value of about $1.84 million, the difference would be approximately $193 a year. If Proposition A does not pass, those supplemental items would not be funded through this budget. I'm not here to tell you how to vote. I'm here to make sure that you know what you're voting on. And right now there is one date I really want you to remember. Monday, October 5th. That is the deadline to register to vote in this election. So please check your registration now. Don't wait until November discover there's a problem. Early voting begins October 19th and runs through October 30th, and election day is November 3rd. I'll put a link to the official University Park information in the show notes, and we'll keep talking about this as election day gets closer.

Starbucks Leaves Snyder Plaza

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All right, now to something considerably less serious. Starbucks has closed in Snyder Plaza. The location on Hillcrest is one of the several Dallas Fort Worth stores closing as part of a larger Starbucks restructuring. And I have to admit, when I first saw this, my first thought wasn't really about Starbucks. It was what is going to go in there next? Because Snyder Plaza is changing so much right now. We've seen new restaurants and businesses come in, longtime businesses leave, and a whole mix of the plaza continues to evolve. So I want to hear from you. If you could put anything in that Starbucks space, what would it be? And please be realistic. Although, actually, forget that. This could be much more entertaining if you're not realistic. Send me your dream tenant. I have a feeling we're going to get some very strong opinions on this one.

Yochi Arrives And Fall Fun

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And speaking of new businesses, Yochi is opening this Saturday on Lovers Lane near Inwood Village. If you haven't heard of Yochi, it's a huge Australian self-serve frozen yogurt brand with more than 75 locations there. And Dallas is getting its very first location in the U.S. They're opening this Saturday, October 3rd. There's going to be a DJ, giveaways, and apparently chocolate cowboy hats as toppings because nothing says welcome to Texas, quite like putting a chocolate cowboy hat on your frozen yogurt. And a second Dallas location is already planned for North Park. Now I have to tell you something. I have reached out to Yochi more than once on Instagram with no response. So I tried again through their website because I'm thinking, hello, you're opening your first U.S. store location right down the street from the park cities. I might know a few people who eat frozen yogurt. My audience is pretty much exactly the audience you're trying to reach. So, Yochi, if you're happening to be listening to me, call me. I'm very easy to find. And regardless, I'll keep you posted because I have a feeling a lot of our kids are about to know exactly what Yochi is. One more quick aroundtown note. The North Park Pumpkin Patch opens this week in Center Park and runs through November 1st. And this is not just a bunch of pumpkins sitting in the middle of North Park. There are movie nights, story times, italy pop-ups, live music, and family photo ops throughout October. It's free and donations collected through the Wishing Well Benefit Community Partners of Dallas. So if you're looking for an easy fall outing, especially with younger kids, put that one on your list. Getting your business in front of Park City's families is one thing. Getting them to pay attention is another. That takes time, consistency, and trust. I've spent more than eight years building that relationship through the Bubble Lounge, and today thousands of local listeners and followers turn to us for recommendations about what's happening in our community. Want to put your business in front of them? Visit BubbleLounge.net and click Work With Us.

Homecoming Night Scots Report

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Moving on to this week's Scots Report. Homecoming was exactly what the Scots needed last Friday night. Highland Park opened district play with a 38-7 win over Naaman Forrest at Highlander Stadium. After a very tough non-district schedule, this felt like a reset. The Scots started out fast, the defense was strong, and Highland Park is now 1-0 in district play. And honestly, there's so much happening Friday night that football was only part of the story. We also had Kaniac Supper, the bells, cheer, the band, the spirited Scots, the student section, football moms, alumni were everywhere. I even spotted Clayton Kershaw himself in the concession line. And of course, the homecoming court. I had the best time on the sidelines getting to know this year's six homecoming queen nominees in their families, including Caroline Chantillus, Remy Nowak, Natalie Denton, Amelie Hart, Ellington Heist, and Greer Crow. I did a reel on Instagram where each girl introduced herself and her family. And I loved it because you really get to see the families behind these remarkable ladies. Congratulations to all six of them on a very special honor. And a very special congratulations to Ellington Heist, your 2026 Highland Park Homecoming Queen. If you haven't seen the video, go find it on Bubble Lounge Podcast Instagram page. It was one of those Highland Park traditions that reminds you, homecoming is about a whole lot more than one football game. Now the Scots head back on the road Friday night to face Richland. And this is going to be a test. Richland comes in undefeated at 5 and 0. So we're going to find out pretty quickly how Highland Park carries that momentum from homecoming into week two of district play. Kickoff is at 7 o'clock p.m. Friday night at Birdville ISD Fine Arts and Athletics Complex in North Richland Hills. I plan to be there, so make sure you're following along on Instagram Friday night for quarterly score updates. Moving

Inside SMU’s Impact Lab

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on to good people doing good things. I want to take you over to SMU because I had the opportunity this week to attend the Future of Impact, an evening highlighting the SMU Impact Lab. And I walked away really impressed. I interviewed Trey Bowles, who is the fund manager for the Impact Lab, and Elizabeth Phillips with the Phillips Foundation. Elizabeth is an SMU alum, also Highland Park, and the Phillips Foundation provided a $1.7 million multi-year grant that helped establish the Impact Lab. Here's what I found so interesting. This isn't students sitting in a classroom pretending to invest. They are actually getting involved in the process. Students work on due diligence teams alongside advisors and investors. They evaluate companies, they help prepare investment memoranda, they present prospective investments to an investment committee. This is a real-world experience. And one of those things Trey talked about when I interviewed him is how difficult it would be for a student to replicate this kind of experience in a typical internship. That really stuck with me because these students aren't just watching someone else do the work. They're learning how investment decisions are actually made. And the Impact Lab is looking at businesses that can generate financial returns while also creating measurable social impact. That combination is a big part of what the Phillips Foundation wanted to encourage when it helped establish the program. I think what impressed me most was seeing how SMU is connecting students with people who are actually doing this work, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and founders. And then letting students get into the room with them and participate. There are so many exciting things happening at SMU right now, and I feel like every time I turn around, I learn about another program or initiative that I didn't know about. And I'm excited to share more of those stories with you. If you want to learn more about the SMU Impact Lab, I'll put a link in the show notes. So many things that could go wrong, and God forbid they get into an accident. Sure, we have car insurance, but for some young drivers, the monthly insurance can be higher than the car payment. That's why we're excited to announce that State Farm is lowering their car insurance rates, and you should call our good friend Kathy L. Wall with State Farm on Lovers Lane in Dallas. You see, Kathy and her team don't just sell car insurance. They sell peace of mind. So if an accident happens, they are actively working on your claim so you can put that accident behind you. And best of all, Kathy will personally talk with your teen driver with some straight talk that will help them appreciate the driving privilege you have provided them. So if you're tired of high rates for auto insurance, please call our good friend Kathy Lwall State Farm at 214-350-2692 or visit her website at Kathy Lwall.com and let her know Martha from the Bubble Lounge sent you.

Big Dates For Dallas Events

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Now let's get a few things on your calendar because there is a lot coming up. First, Chefs for Farmers. You are going to hear me talking about this one quite a bit because I'm an ambassador this year and I'm really excited about it. It's one of my most favorite events of the year. Chefs for Farmers brings together chefs, restaurants, farmers, and producers for several days of events around Dallas with the big main event happening November 7th and 8th at Old City Park. It's really one of those events where you walk around, try food from some of the best chefs and restaurants around, discover places you haven't tried yet, and meet some of the people actually producing the ingredients behind what you're eating. And the Bubble Lounge is going to have a VIP ticket giveaway. VIP tickets are already sold out. So these are tickets you can't just go buy online right now. I'll be announcing the giveaway on Instagram soon, so keep a watch out for that. I have a feeling this is gonna have a lot of competition. And here's another save the date. The Kyomaker Christmas Market is November 19th through the 22nd, and this year it has a new home on the 11th floor of the World Trade Center at Dallas Market Center. There will be more than 200 merchants and proceeds support grants and scholarships benefiting Dallas area organizations. Preview night will be on Thursday night. First call is Friday morning, and then general shopping continues through Sunday. It's the first day of October as I'm recording this, so I realize talking about Christmas shopping feels slightly aggressive. But Dallas holiday calendars don't care. They are coming for us, my friends. So consider yourself warned. Grab your girlfriends and get out there and go shopping.

College Tours And Traditions

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And now it's time for Martha's Take. Apparently, this is the phase of my life where I'm going to spend every weekend on a college campus. The previous weekend, I was in Austin with Alexis for Theta Parents Weekend. Last weekend, Sean and I took Blake to Texas Zadium for his first real visit. And this was not just a campus tour. Blake did something called spend the night with the core. So he actually stayed overnight in one of the core dorms, ate with cadets, met current students, and got a firsthand look at what life in the core of cadets is really like. And I have to tell you, watching the core formation was incredible. There are more than 2,300 cadets in the core. And suddenly they start appearing from what feels like every corner of the quad. They're moving into position. Everything is organized. Everything has a purpose. And then all these individual groups come together in this enormous formation. I've never seen anything like it. There are certain traditions you can read about and watch online, but seeing them in person is completely different. And this was definitely one of them. Also, when we were in college station, we made a very quick stop to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. And I say quick because we literally only had an hour before we needed to pick up Blake at the quad. The library was incredible. I think anytime you get the opportunity to visit a presidential library, you need to do it because it just contains so much history that you really don't want to miss. There was a newer pavilion there that houses a retired Marine One helicopter that frequently transported President and Mrs. Bush. And right next to that is Union Pacific 4141. That's the locomotive that led President Bush's funeral train from Houston to his final resting place there on the library grounds. Seeing that train in person was really amazing. And the entire visit made me think we have George W. Bush Presidential Center right here in our own backyard at SMU. And I am way overdue for another visit. It's been a long time since I've stopped in. Sometimes we travel somewhere else and make it a point to see all the incredible places. Why ignoring the ones that are literally 10 minutes from our own home? So maybe I need to take my own advice and put that on my Dallas list. And I have to say, this college visit stage is very different from when your kids are little. When they're young, you're trying to figure out what preschool is right. Then suddenly you're standing at the quad at Texas AM watching 2,300 cadets march into formation while your son is spending the night in the dorm. I'm not really sure how we got here. It just all went too fast, but here we are.

Wrap Up And Your Feedback

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Well, that's it for this week's Bubble Lounge. Remember, if you live in University Park, check your voter registration before Monday's deadline. And I really do want to hear your feedback on this new format. We're eight years in, season 10 is beginning, and I want the Bubble Lounge to continue being the place you come to each week to find out who to know, where to go, and what's happening around our community. So send me a message. Tell me what you like, tell me what you want more of. And yes, you could even tell me what you don't like. I can handle it. I want to make this podcast your headquarters for all things Park Cities. So make sure you're following the Bubble Lounge podcast on Instagram for Friday night football coverage, local updates, and that Chefs for Farmers VIP giveaway coming soon. Thank you so much for listening. I'm Martha Jackson, and I'll see you next time in the Bubble Lounge.