I love me some Omaha! If you know me well, you know that I am really glad I “ended up staying” here for college and then never ever leaving. If you know me even better, you know that I LOVE ME some Dundee!
I grew up in the heart of the Dundee neighborhood and I still find myself eating, exploring and staying in touch with the friends I’ve made in this little slice of heaven. There are way too many things to list about why I love Dundee, but why not start?! So here you go – 10 things I love about the neighborhood and why you should check it out.
Food
Wherever I am, food is usually number one on my list of importance. Lucky for me, Dundee delivers. There are so many great ones, where do I even start? Amsterdam, Pitch, Marks, Avoli and Darios… now I want fries from Darios. From pizza to falafel, there is something for everyone. I love me some dining at Dario’s – the bar area is a great way to be close to the action and also puts you in close reach of the beverages! Amsterdam has a little of everything, including my loyal friend Brad (pictured bottom left), the smell of curry fries and great patio seating. Also, an all-time favorite, Avoli, oh how I love thee (pictured bottom right). If you’re looking for patio seating, Marks is the place – their patio (pictured top) is one of the best little haunts in Dundee.
Bars
A close second behind food is the importance of a good beverage. My friends and I always seem to end up at the Cork and Bottle in the midst of crazy weather, so we rarely get to sit on the patio. But, if the sun is shining, the patio is the place to be. Don’t tell anyone about our spot, but when Jazz on the Green gets rained out we like to make this our alternate. I also love all things about Pageturners Lounge. The great mural, the funky parking lot, the fact that it’s next to my dentist (Hey Dr. Nick!), and the fact that they saved the terrazzo floors and original wood paneling. Not to mention they have great drinks and the coolest entrance.
Dundee Cork and Bottle and Pageturners Lounge.
Dundee Elementary
I attended Dundee Elementary School from first through sixth grade. I have so many great memories from this school and friendships that still endure. I mean, come on, what a great old building! When I went to school here, Mr. Carter taught my sixth-grade class (in the upper left corner of the building).
The Houses
The houses speak for themselves. I could slowly drive by almost every street in Dundee in awe of the pretty houses. Here are a few of my favorites:
These houses just say, “Welcome!” (except for when you live here and are taking out the trash and find some creepy guy (me) taking a picture of your house).
The Old Apartment Buildings
I wonder if the many apartment buildings spread throughout the neighborhood influenced my interest in commercial real estate? I know the cool old houses probably influenced my interest in residential real estate. Good thing I get to sell both. Ok, shameless plug, but really, I can help and would love to help you find your own Dundee charmer.
P.J. Morgan Real Estate manages the Stanley Apartments and it makes me oh so happy to work on this building with Ann Kinder in our office! For many, many years the building was owned by a man named Stanley. When Stanley passed away, his daughter, who is extremely proud of the building and her father’s work, enlisted the help of our office. After deciding the building needed a name and much debate about what the building should be called (it was previously referred to by its address), we decided it should be named in honor of her father – hence The Stanley. We are slowly, but surely improving the property, and someday we hope to have a nice sign out front with a top hat, because Stanley really liked to wear top hats.
I’ve always had a thing for Spanish Colonial architecture.
Parks, Walking Paths and Trails – Oh My!
Memorial Park is one of me and my mutt, Maddy’s, favorite places to walk around. Maddy also loves her time at Elmwood Park, particularly if the fountain is clean and she can take a dip. Also, if you happen to be driving to Memorial Park, the main entrance is lined with flags and it’s a pretty cool way to take in this historical memorial and the landscaping that surrounds the park.
The flower gardens at Memorial make for great photo opportunities for both humans and dogs!
Cool Boutique Shops
I love that you can walk from shop to shop (and get ice cream and cupcakes along the way). Shout out to Chris Janicek at Cupcake Omaha, who seems to sneak in to our office from time to time with fresh cupcakes.
I can always count on the Denim Saloon for good denim. Unfortunately, Maddy was not as cooperative at this point because she was getting “hangry.”
The Dundee Theater
[Insert cliché statement here.] I have so many fond memories of this theater. But for real, I remember seeing Pulp Fiction here and have a funny story about another movie we saw that had way more NC-17 scenes than anyone in the audience expected. But, you have to get a drink in me to hear the story (refer to #2 on the list). I’m really excited to be part of the building committee for the Dundee Theater. It will be incredible to see it come to life again with the redevelopment being done in coordination with the folks at Film Streams! I went to high school with Rachel Jacobson, who is the visionary behind Film Streams and the Dundee Theater. Rachel grew up in the Dundee area and I am immensely proud of the impact she has and is making on the community.
Pictured left: Photo circa 1941, quite some time yet before I would see Pulp Fiction here; right: Can’t wait to see it shine again!
Variety
One thing I love about Dundee is the variety of architectural styles you will find throughout the neighborhood. Everything has its own character and style, and there is still room for new ideas to grow. In particular, I love the fun mid-century buildings that are sneakily tucked into the neighborhood. I think this is what makes Dundee so… Dundee.
My Dundee crew meant to take a picture of a great mid-century building on California Street (behind us), but ended up only taking a selfie. Go figure. We may or may not have been to one of the bars noted in #2 above.
My Childhood Home
I have so many stories about this old place. Clearly, I have a serious love for this home, as I have referred to it in another blog post. So I’ll try to share new stories! You can barely see the little garage in the back, where I would practice hitting tennis balls for hours and every so often (a.k.a. all the time) they would roll down the drive, onto the street, and down the hill, never to be found again. I also learned to drive here. And I’m amazed to this day, that I never hit that carport with my parent’s car. Also, the neighbors had three girls – one of who was my age (Hi, Jen!) and we could really raise some hell on the block. Growing up here was like a dream.
Dundee has and continues to give me so much joy. From the character to exciting new developments, it is hard to match the vibe of this unique Omaha neighborhood. If you haven’t checked it out in its entirety, take a day off and use this blog as your tour guide to all things Dundee. Also, share your favorite Dundee place, memory, etc. in the comments below!
No matter what stage of life you’re in, P.J. Morgan Real Estate is here for you. We offer commercial sales, leasing, and property management; residential sales, leasing and property management; business brokerage and real estate auction services. We’re with you for life.
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I went to school there in 6th grade and also had Mr. Carter as a teacher and met one of my life long best friends there. What year were you in his class? My friends and I loved Mr. Carter.