Bolla at the Stoneleigh: A Therapy Session

A couple of nights ago I strolled into the newly redesigned Stoneleigh Hotel for a peek at Bolla, the new fancy pants restaurant that features the cuisine of David Bull. I’m all for progress, but…wait a second, no I’m really not. At least in this case. I have a deep emotional attachment to the Stoneleigh Hotel. My grandfather lived there as did many of my men friends who ended up divorced and homeless. For many years, The Lion’s Den, the dark bar in a nook outside the restaurant, was my home away from home. Long before Joe Miller’s became the media hangout in Dallas, Joe Miller was the bartender at The Den. The drinks and the men were stiff; the women were loose. Even when Joe Miller left to run his own spot (where the Loon is now) many regulars, like Blackie Sherrod, stayed behind and sipped their scotches at the Den. So when I walked in the other night and found the whole space ripped out, it ripped out a part of my heart. It was like going back to the house you grew up in and knocking on the door to ask the current owners to let you go back into your old bedroom. Once you find your former warm and cuddly bedroom has been turned into a shiny master bath, you just can’t help but feel sad. On one hand I’m happy that Dallas has a lovely boutique hotel but the next time I eat at Bolla, I’m taking my blankie. And my mommy. That’s all I need.