Mothers & Daughters WORKING TOGETHER
Kathleen Hands,MD At the Forefront of Thyroid Health SAWOMAN.COM
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IN HOUSTON
2015
SA Woman MEDICAL DIRECTORY
DREAM KITCHENS
San Antonio WOMAN
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MAY/JUNE 2015
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Contributors
14
What’s New
45
Beauty
48
Health Matters
52
Guys to Know
54
Business Woman Spotlight
56
According to Linda
58
Women in Business
71
Mommy Matters
74
Society Calendar
75
Sustainable Gardening
78
Role Model
81
Senior Care-Giving
104
Hill Country Guide
111
CityScene
112
Artbeat
114
Entertainment Calendar
116
Wine
118
Dining
125
Dream Home Guide
128
Women on the Move
129
Weddings
SPECIAL SECTIONS
16 UP FRONT 24 PROFILE Mothers and daughters working together - We visit with San Antonio mothers and daughters who enjoy pairing up in enterprise. Their close bonds and creative collaboration inspire us as we read their stories.
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Dr. Kathleen Hands is one of San Antonio’s leading advocates for health by helping people understand the importance of their thyroid care. We find out how she navigates this arena while enjoying the support of her family.
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Medical Directory
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Dream Home Guide
36 HOME TRENDS 108 TRAVEL Thinking about the kitchen of your dreams? Check out our Home Trends Report: Dream Kitchens. We visit with San Antonio’s most seasoned home design experts to tell us about the latest in options to make it the kitchen you’ve always wanted.
If you’re planning a girls’ weekend, check out our story on letting your hair down in Houston. From where to stay, places to shop and what to see, San Antonio women will get the leg up on a great girls’ time for a great price.
Photgraphy by Marie Langmore
San Antonio WOMAN FROM THE EDITOR
PUBLISHER J. Michael Gaffney
Nicole Greenberg, Editor San Antonio Woman
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jasmina Wellinghoff
Hello! As we began creating this issue, we wanted something special that would honor mothers as well as reflect on how parents inspire and influence kids. Memories of my own childhood in Tennessee reminded me of my parents always telling me and my siblings to “go outside!” and “finish your plate.” So indeed, in honor of them and moms and dads everywhere, SAN ANTONIO WOMAN heads outside and sets the table for health in this May-June issue highlighting San Antonio from a woman’s perspective. We couldn’t imagine a better place to start than with our cover profile, Dr. Kathleen Hands, an advocate for health as an endocrine specialist making thyroid health her main focus. She shares how she always dreamed of being a doctor and how her inspirational journey means now having support from her own grown children, all working at the office with her. Her patients took the time to learn about her and made the important choice to select a physician that met their health needs. Check out our 2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory if you are looking for a new doctor. We couple parent and child for our Up Front Feature story, where mothers and daughters tell us how they inspire each other every day as they collaborate in business. And we share fun secrets for parents to introduce the basics of sustainable gardening to kids and include an easy to-make-together recipe for gazpacho soup. We also head outside to San Antonio’s parks and River Walk for a variety of exercise choices that parents and kids can do together. Of course, going outside means a little adventure! Our earliest experiences of reasonable risk taking are often from examples our parents set for us. Summer is a great time when families go on vacation, kids may go to camp, and everyone discovers something new about themselves and the world around them. Check out our CityScene column that highlights the exhibits that will make the new iteration of our city’s children’s museum, The DoSeum, one of the top in the country, where kids can interact and discover, play and learn. Our Mommy Matters column provides insight into the benefits of overnight camp for kids. We get tips from experts on how to navigate that not-so-easy experience. Our Role Model is San Antonio woman Rachelle Simpson, who tells us how having a parent as a coach seeded a journey that eventually led to her becoming the current cliff-diving world champion. And we keep you in the water for a few more pages to explore the delight of water sports in our Hill Country Guide. If that’s not enough, our Travel story heads to Houston for an unforgettable girls’ weekend getaway. After all that time outside we go indoors for a little time at home. Our Home Trends Report spotlights dream kitchens. We talk with local experts about what trends they see in color, cabinetry, hardware, lighting, plumbing and storage. Our Women in Business story gives an intriguing view into four women entrepreneurs and how they created their own success in the home interiors design arena. And we visit the contemporary Garden Ridge home of a family with international roots. Enjoy!
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MAY/JUNE 2015
EDITOR Nicole Greenberg
COPY EDITOR Kathryn Cocke CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Wendy Atwell, Robyn Barnes, Nicole Crawford, Ron Bechtol, Jeff Degner, Linda Elliott, Cheryl Van Tuyl Jividen, Josie Seeligson, Janis Turk PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica Giesey, Marie Langmore, Al Rendon, Janet Rogers, Elizabeth Warburton GRAPHIC DESIGN Tamara Hooks, Maria Jenicek, Luis Portillo BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Steven Cox, Cindy Jennings, Madeleine Justice ADMINISTRATION & CUSTOMER SERVICE Nancy A. Gaffney INTERN Annabelle Spezia-Lindner PRINTING Shweiki Media, San Antonio, Texas EDITOR EMERITUS Beverly Purcell-Guerra FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION call (210) 826-5375 email: info@sawoman.com PUBLISHED BY
8603 Botts Lane, San Antonio, TX 78217 210-826-5375 www.pixelworkscorporation.com San Antonio Woman is published bimonthly by PixelWorks Corporation (Publisher). Reproduction in any manner in whole or part is prohibited without the express written consent of the Publisher. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher or its staff. San Antonio Woman reserves the right to edit all materials for clarity and space and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. San Antonio Woman does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Articles and photographs are welcome and may be submitted to our offices to be used subject to the discretion and review of the Publisher. All real estate advertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Printed in the U.S.A.
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CONTRIBUTORS
JOSIE SEELIGSON
Josie Seeligson, who wrote about getting children involved in gardening for this issue of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN, earned a BS from Vanderbilt University and an MA in journalism from UT Austin. She has written freelance articles and copy through the years for various publications and businesses. She has worked on both staff and the board of Gemini Inc. Literary Arts Center. For the last decade she also has run a wholesale oak tree nursery at Pajarito Ranch, where she is regularly covered in ant bites, cactus thorns and compost from gardening and other outdoor projects. Josie was born and raised in San Antonio, where she currently lives with her husband and children.
JESSICA GIESEY
“Photography is my passion, and I am lucky enough to have made it a career,” says Jessica, whose work appears in this issue of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN. “My No. 1 goal with clients is to show them how beautiful they are!” Having been trained professionally and artistically in photography for 14 years, she is skilled in areas from corporate photography to more dynamic family and editorial photography. She has lived and studied all over the globe and has had solo and group shows in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, New York City, San Antonio and Austin. “My edge is to create fun, high-quality photo shoots and images for all of my clients,” she says. “When I am not shooting for a specific job, I am shooting on my own time in order to learn and grow as an artist.”
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W WHATS NEW
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY BRINGS DYNAMIC SPEAKER TO SAINT MARY’S HALL
Saint Mary’s Hall welcomed best-selling author Wes Moore to campus as part of its annual Kelso Speaker Series. Moore, a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, Rhodes Scholar, social entrepreneur and host of Beyond Belief on the Oprah Winfrey Network, inspired and challenged students and faculty alike. He also spoke with attendees about themes from his book, The Other Wes Moore. The Kelso Speaker Series is an example of the Saint Mary’s Hall pledge to provide opportunities to students that they can’t get elsewhere.
NAWBO HOSTS 16TH ANNUAL ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARDS (ESA) AND BESTOWS SCHOLARSHIPS
The National Association of Women Business Owners, San Antonio Chapter (NAWBO-SA), honored the winners of its 16th annual Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards (ESA) on March 28 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. These annual awards are bestowed on outstanding women entrepreneurs in the Greater San Antonio area. 14 | sawoman.com
Winners included Kimberly C. Ford, Hill & Ford, PC, and Sondra L. Grohman, Shining Star ENERGY (Benefactor); Magaly Chocano, Sweb Development (Innovator); Julissa Carielo, Tejas Premier Building Contractor, Inc. (Visionary); Linda de la Garza, Better Homes and Daughters (Inspirational); Janet King, King & Sommer, LLP (Mentor); and Sara Helmy, Tribu, LLC (Rising Star).
SHELFGENIE
ShelfGenie has introduced a line of Designer Glide-Out shelving. Designer Glide-Outs are custom-built hardwood drawers made to match most custom cabinetry in kitchens, bathrooms and other storage areas. The four finishes include light birch, medium maple, espresso, and white. The Designer line can be customized by height and the addition of dividers to store every item from cookie sheets and cutting boards to pots, pans and serving dishes. All ShelfGenie products are professionally installed and have a limited lifetime warranty. ShelfGenie has the solution to bring everything within reach.
SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
We introduce a new feature this month: Home Trends Report. We interviewed five experts for their insight on what’s popular now and what’s coming in kitchen design. Highlights include new innovations and trends in color, cabinetry, appliances, lighting and faucets.
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Daughters & Echoing Each Other Mothers
By WENDY ATWELL Photography by MARIE LANGMORE
From generation to generation The myth that we become our mothers can be infuriating, but in some ways it’s true. Daughters shape their own lives while mothers watch their daughters grow into beautiful young women. Wrinkles begin to map the mothers’ faces, the power lines of age and wisdom. Then one day the daughter grows into a woman. When she reaches her mother’s age, she realizes what her mother saw and felt, and while she is certainly not her mother, she is looking at life from the same vantage point. A mother’s life, thoughts, experiences, what she makes of the world, are something for the young daughter to discover when she, too, reaches that age. The mothers and daughters we interviewed share their thoughts on working together. Not only have they maintained close relationships, but they have imparted wisdom to one another.
Marynell and Michelle Maloney/ Marynell Maloney Law Firm, PLLC
While Marynell Maloney was in Dallas on a seven-week medical malpractice trial, her grandson learned how to walk. That may be one reason why “it all started out with me telling my kids, ‘Don’t become lawyers. Be an artist, a philosopher, a thinker.’” Even as Marynell sat with her 34-year-old daughter, Michelle, in the rarefied quiet of their office on a Saturday afternoon, both of their phones silently buzzed. “So of course we all became lawyers, all three of us,” said Michelle. “I graduated from law school six years ago and moved to San Antonio and have pretty much been working nonstop ever since.” “Day and night,” adds Marynell, who has been practicing law for 34 years. The Maloneys practice personal injury law. “They’re very sad cases that involve horrific loss, and so if you don’t have some kind of family support system in place, then it gets very emotionally draining, besides just time and effort,” says Michelle. Marynell found San Antonio by accident. She was raised in Costa Rica by her mother, a teacher, and her father, a farmer who experimented with organic agricultural products. She wanted to be a writer or an “endless student,” but then she met Michelle’s father in a philosophy class at UT. He came from a family of lawyers, and Marynell “fell into” the field of law. “It’s fascinating, it’s intellectually stimulating, it’s challenging,” she says. “You feel like you can really make a difference sometimes and do some good, but it’s a very hard, intense way to live a life.” Becoming a lawyer turns out to be a form of being an endless student, after all, and an exercise in existential philosophy. “You have to learn as much medicine — not like you could do it — but all of the literature, all of the terminology, how it’s all supposed to work, or they’ll walk all over you. You can’t be effective if you don’t study it deeply,” explains Marynell. “We do talk about philosophy together,” says Michelle. “Dealing with horrific, senseless tragedies all the time really prompts one to philosophize.” “And to look for humor, because the rest of the time can be pretty dark,” adds Marynell, who has learned, through their cases, to “appreciate the brevity of life and the ability to be together.” While growing up, Michelle watched her mother in trials and worked in the office during the summers. She used her natural writing talent to write
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“Look for humor, because the rest of the time can be pretty dark,” adds Marynell, who has learned, through their cases, to “appreciate the brevity of life and the ability to be together.”
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“That’s the other thing that was passed down to us — basically the three generations — was my mother always took time for herself. It was almost her ritual, her prayer time, in the mornings with her makeup; nobody would rush her.” — Andrea Rodriguez
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the biographies and factual scenarios used in mediation or settlement brochures. “You have to make everyone involved in litigation understand that these are real people with real lives, real tragedies,” she says. “You can’t just say ‘I’m sad,’” says Marynell. “You have to say, ‘how did this dramatically change my life?’” which, Michelle explains, can be hard to articulate. When dealing with their clients, both women share the skill of walking the line between assertiveness and compassion. Both have the instincts to read human nature. “It was very inspiring for me to see someone who so defied a specific gender role, someone who was very assertive but could also be very sweet,” says Michelle. “The idea that women were weak didn’t ever come into our worldview, and when those concepts did, it was such a shock because it was the opposite of how we had been raised. “I just had a trial that ended a week and half ago, and it involved the death of a mother,” continues Michelle. “Her daughter was on the stand. She was talking about how her life has changed as a result of what had happened to her mother (which was just atrocious), and she said, ‘Everywhere I go, I see people with their mothers, and I want to walk up to them and say, “Hug them, tell them that you love them today, don’t get into that little fight about something that doesn’t matter because you could lose them.’” “It’s a compromise, and it’s always challenging,” said Marynell, about raising kids with a demanding job. “I think in the end the kids ended up having a lot of drive that resulted from how hard I worked. I’m torn when I see Michelle working this hard. Did I set a bad example?” “But you also created an environment in which my son can come to work,” said Michelle, referring to the nursery the Maloneys have at their office for their employees to use. “It’s always going to be a choice, but I’m glad it’s a choice that we have to be able to make.”
Cindy and Andrea Rodriguez/ Chalet
Chalet’s signature pink and white stripes evoke shopping fantasies of buying new makeup and enjoying even the packaging, applying a new lipstick for the first time or putting your freshly pedicured feet into a chic pair of sandals. Floral bathing suits, colorful sheer shirts and playful iridescent glasses radiate Beverly Hills glam-
our. This is a store about accessorizing, adding the details to complete your look at poolside and parties.
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The owners, Cindy Rodriguez and her 24-yearold daughter, Andrea, know exactly what they are doing. They developed this skin care and clothing store concept after learning from a legend. Cindy’s mother, Sue Holland, owned Merle Norman stores in the Rio Grande Valley for over 50 years. “Hers was always one of the top stores in the nation. I basically grew up in the store, literally. In kindergarten I would come and take my naps and beg to wait on customers.” Today, Cindy’s 87-year-old mother remains an elegant woman who loves to dance. Cindy and Andrea run two Chalet stores with an affiliated online ecommerce site, as well as two Merle Norman stores. They are in the process of launching their new skin care line, with the goal of introducing the products into other boutiques and teaching others how to make profit centers out of cosmetics. “We almost feel like everything in our life has led us up to this point. This is what we’re supposed to be doing,” said Cindy. After college Cindy became a CPA. While raising her son and two daughters, she took classes until she earned her master’s in counseling. She volunteered for two years at the Rape Crisis Center, dealing with major trauma. Then, when Andrea was in junior school, Cindy decided to open a Merle Norman store in North Star Mall, and she added clothing to the inventory. Andrea majored in product development at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and recently returned to help her mother run the business. She designs the skin care line’s look books, boxes and labels and has done all of the marketing. “I think the edge we have with our line is that really great sweet spot between quality and reasonable price,” says Andrea, who works with trend forecasting for their product’s placement and timing. Their lotions, makeup, washes, serums and other products feature the latest in technology, but they are crueltyfree and paraben-free. Cindy explains what she learned from her mother’s stores: “It was important to make sure everyone was really well trained. The goal is to sit clients down and find the right products for them, and with all those years of hands-on, you know what products work well for what skin types, what are the ingredients. may/june 2015 | 19
W UP FRONT
“We’re in the self-esteem business,” she goes on to say. “What I learned is that you can make somebody so incredibly happy and boost their day so much faster with a makeover. That’s the other thing that was passed down to us — basically the three generations — was my mother always took time for herself. It was almost her ritual, her prayer time, in the mornings with her makeup; nobody would rush her.”
Tiffany Searls remembers Kaye Sheppard Taylor/ Bygones
At Bygones furniture consignment store on NW Military, I perch on the edge of a plush couch with Tiffany Searls. We are in a massive showroom with countless vignettes of furniture arrangements. A grandfather clock chimes the hour in its nostalgic, graceful tones, and I feel like I am in a collage of houses from both past and present. Searls opened this location of Bygones with her mother, Kaye Sheppard Taylor, eight years ago. Taylor passed away unexpectedly in May 2014, at age 73. “I’d give anything to hear her call my name across the store,” said Searls. “We’d always bounce things off each other...It’d be uncanny how often we’d hit the same price on the dime, just because we’d worked together.” Taylor opened her first Bygones location on Broadway in 1991. That location is still open and is being run by Searls’ brother. With her strong work ethic and dedication to the business, Taylor set a powerful example for Searls and her siblings. She was a single mother who raised three children while balancing the constant demands of an entrepreneur.
Inset photo at right: Kaye Sheppard Taylor photo by Janet Rogers
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Searls started working for her mother in 1993, while she was still in college. She received a degree in public relations, but returned to work at Bygones when she graduated and has been there ever since. “I knew very quickly that that was what I wanted to do. I fell right into it,” she says. Now Searls continues the legacy, and her 6- and 10-year-old sons often come to the store after school. Searls laughs when she remembers them as toddlers behind the counter in their playpen, learning from their mother and grandmother. “She’s
taught me so many things. I want to pass that on,” says Searls, describing how her son will say, “I pulled a Kaye Taylor today, meaning, he said one of the little things that mom used to say. Tons of people have her sayings.” Taylor was raised in a strict family with a father who was a Baptist deacon and the owner of Sheppard and Sons Ironworks. She inherited his business acumen and people skills. Searls remembers her mother telling her about a conversation she had with her father about opening her business: He said, “Well, Kaye, are you going to think fast nickels or slow dimes?’ My mom thought about it and said, ‘I think I’ll think fast nickels,’ and he said, ‘It’s always worked for me.’ So my mom used that all the time.” Taylor forged a partnership with her daughter that allowed them to play on each other’s strengths. Searls did the furniture previews, while Taylor used her interior design skills to arrange the inventory. “Mother was an amazing woman. She was a teacher without a classroom. Everything she knew she wanted to pass on,” says Searls. Taylor had been a real estate broker in Fort Worth, but when interest rates rose during the Carter presidency, she switched to furniture consignment. Searls recalls, “She took the two things she knew most, her design background and love of furniture, and put them together and started merchandising furniture instead of houses.” Searls was diagnosed in 2013 with Stage 2 breast cancer. Taylor bought her wigs and hats to keep up her spirits. Searls remembers, “I never once let her see me bawl. That sounds so shallow, but she said, ‘You can’t understand what it’s like to see your child sick.’ As long as I put on my wig and got dressed and put on makeup, it’s like it was OK. I would go to chemo like I was going to work. “We’ve always been best friends, always… .that’s a special relationship,” says Searls. “Not many people could work with their mom and be that close. Even though I lost her at 43, some people don’t have that in a lifetime. So I cherish that I had that, and I hope I instill that in my kids.”
“Mother was an amazing woman. She was a teacher without a classroom. Everything she knew she wanted to pass on,� says Searls.
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Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) is a private, faith-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing medical, dental and health-related human services to low-income families and the uninsured in South Texas. These services include primary care medical and dental clinics, support services like counseling, case management and social services, family wellness and parenting programs and church-based community nursing programs. The mission also includes MHM’s one-half ownership of the Methodist Healthcare System – the largest healthcare system in South Texas. Since inception, MHM has provided more than $600 million in healthcare services through its clinics and programs, as well as through our community grants, and has the unique distinction of being the largest private funding source of community healthcare services to low-income families and the uninsured in South Texas.
Thank you to our women in leadership and practice for helping us achieve 20 years of "Serving Humanity to Honor God," and bringing care to our community.
www.mhm.org
Join our email list: Text MHMSTX to 22828 to get started.
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AT THE FOREFRONT OF THYROID CARE
Dr. Kathleen Hands’ Practice Focuses on Thyroid Disorders
By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF
Photography by MARIE LANGMORE
One of the first things you notice upon entering Dr. Kathleen
Hands’ office is a long hand-written chart posted on an inside
door. It contains the record of her patients’ weight loss
progress over a period of a year, with the collective sum of pounds lost, 2517, prominently underlined.
“A lot of people come in here complaining of fatigue, daytime
drowsiness and weight gain, and they blame their thyroid,”
says the doctor, who is an endocrinologist specializing in thy-
roid disorders. “Many are on thyroid medication, and they
shouldn’t be. Eighty percent of the time their thyroid function is perfectly normal. So I explain to them that their thyroid has nothing to do with the weight.”
The real culprit in these cases is insulin. The more insulin you
have in the body, the more fat you retain, she tells them, while
drawing little diagrams on the white board of the examining
room to illustrate the lesson. Then she proceeds to teach
them how to eat to lower their weight through insulin control.
The gist of it is few carbs, lean protein, vegetables, adequate
water intake and no processed foods. Internists and family physicians are often too busy to do more than suggest weight
loss to overweight patients, but as a consultant whom the pa-
tient is likely to see only a few times, she takes the time necessary to guide them through the process.
Some patients are disappointed because she won’t prescribe
a pill remedy, but once the facts are clearly spelled out for
them and a reasonable time frame established for the new
diet to work, most are willing to change, and she is there to support them.
Though Dr. Hands has become passionate about helping peo-
Dr. Kathleen Hands, an endocrinologist, established the Thyroid & Endocrine Center of South Texas, the only thyroid-focused clinic in the area. Above, she stands next to her chart of patients’ weight loss progress. In most cases, the culprit for weight gain is insulin.
Graves Disease (excessive production of the same hormones)
to thyroid nodules, pregnancy-related disorders and cancer.
Ninety percent of the patients are women. Most of these condi-
tions are treatable, however. Though cancer incidence “is going
ple reduce insulin resistance, she also deals with real thyroid
up exponentially,” largely thanks to new scanning methods, the
roidism (insufficient production of thyroid hormones) and
after 20 years.
disorders, which range from the quite common hypothy-
mortality rate is flat, with 98 percent of those affected surviving
may/june 2015 | 25
W PROFILE
Knowing how to examine suspicious nodules to avoid unnecessary
surgery or to map out lymph nodes for the surgeon, should an op-
left her. Finally, at 40, she enrolled in medical school, and this
time, she wasn’t going to let anything divert her from her intended
eration become necessary, is what she specializes in. She was the
life path.
fication in Neck Ultrasound (ECNU), a training that prepared her
The Hands family moved to San Antonio 11 years ago when her
biopsies on thyroid nodules, which may or may not be cancerous.
an internal medicine physician, Kathleen decided to pursue a fel-
first endocrinologist in the country to obtain the Endocrine Certi-
to use the technology to accurately perform ultrasound-guided
Many surgeons won’t even operate without getting these data.
“I wanted to be a surgeon,” says the doctor, explaining how she got interested in ultrasound. “I like doing procedures. The biopsies are the closest I get to surgical procedures.” While many physicians use post-operative radioactive iodine – I
131 - to destroy whatever cancerous tissue may be left behind, Dr. Hands believes that such treatment should be avoided in most
cases of low-risk thyroid cancer patients.
Determined to be a doctor
Born and reared in New Jersey, Dr. Hands has always known that
she wanted to be a doctor. But life interfered in different ways, including illness in the family. For 18 years she worked as a physi-
cian assistant in diabetes care, but that desire to be a doctor never
26 | sawoman.com
husband, Michael, was transferred here by his company. Already
lowship in endocrinology at the UT Health Science Center at San
Antonio, where she developed the University Hospitals’ “insulin protocol” and a thyroid nodule clinic. After several years at
UTHSC, the mother of three took a risk by opening her own prac-
tice in 2010, with Michael serving as her first office manager.
“Being a Jersey girl, I don’t play well in the sandbox with others,”
she offers as the reason for striking out on her own. “I am too much of a perfectionist. It’s difficult for me to work in a laissezfaire practice that doesn’t optimize patient care. I have to have the freedom to do it right, and I love what I do.”
Today, the doctor relies on her three grown children to help run
her Thyroid & Endocrine Center of South Texas, the only thy-
roid-focused clinic in the area. While the practice is now estab-
lished, she remembers how nervous her husband was about the
solo venture in the beginning. Other naysayers were also trying
to dissuade her. She forged ahead anyway. “If you are passion-
ate about something, you can’t fail,” she asserts. “Believe in
yourself, do the right thing, and trust in
God to help guide you, and you’ll be OK. As long as you are doing something to
help others, it’s very gratifying.”
Dr. Hands attributes her present success
to her old-fashioned doctoring, meaning listening to and carefully examining the
patient, and to her children, who make
sure that patients have a good experience
while in her office. In fact, the latter often
convey their appreciation for the staff’s dedication without being aware of the familial connection.
After seeing patients Monday through
Wednesday, she spends every Thursday
and Friday on the road, traveling all
over the country to teach other endocri-
nologists and health care providers about thyroid cancer, neck ultrasound and diabetes treatment. In fact, she had
just returned from such a trip to
Chicago the day before our interview. Other commitments involve traveling as
a national speaker to professional or-
ganizations and conferences, including
the American Association of Clinical En-
docrinologists’ upcoming meeting in Nashville, where Dr. Hands intends to
present her research results about postoperative treatment of cancer patients.
Asked about her interests outside of the
office, she says her hobbies include sailing and playing flute but admits she has
found little time for either since moving to Texas. Her greatest inspiration came
from her father, who taught her to always
do the right thing, no matter how difficult or unpopular.
On our way out after our conversation, we
pass again through the clinic’s cozy wait-
ing room, where paintings by San Antonio
artists are displayed and available for sale
– a rather unique setup. I notice a couple
of artists’ names I recognize, like Marcus
Cerda and Jared DuCote. Do they sell?
“Oh, yes,” says the doctor. “We do it as a favor to the artists.”
Opposite, Dr. Hands is pictured with her children, who make sure patients have a good experience in her office. They are, from left, Sean, Katelyn and Michael Hands. Many patients are unaware of the familial connection in her office.
may/june 2015 | 27
Sunlight streaming through industrial-grade store-front windows illuminates the living room in Tanya and Joe Espinoza’s contemporary Garden Ridge home. Opposite, one of two art niches backed in cut travertine.
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AT HOME W
CONTEMPORARY HOME FOR INTERNATIONAL FAMILY Made for family entertaining By ROBYN BARNES Photography by AL RENDON
Tanya and Joe Espinoza’s handsome home in Garden Ridge stands out as the only contemporary house in the gated community. Perched atop the end of a cul-de-sac, it affords a beautiful view from both the front and the back of the structure. The Espinoza family is new to the neighborhood; they moved in at the beginning of the year. Before that, they lived in New Braunfels. “We wanted to live closer to San Antonio, and we passed this neighborhood every day,” Tanya says. “It was very appealing. We found the right lot and decided to build.” They chose Francisco Mañon as their architect and Jorge Aburto as their builder. Liz Light of LizLight Interiors coordinated the home’s interior design. Tanya knows that the home’s contemporary design is unusual in this area, but it’s quite familiar to her. “We are from Monterrey, so this kind of home design has been used there for more than 10 years,” she says. “Joe and I like it. Living in Monterrey, we had access to many cultural channels from around the world, so we picked up trends quickly. Everything gets to Monterrey before it comes to the States,” she chuckles. The focal point for the home was family entertaining. “We have three very young children and lots of family that comes to visit,” Tanya says. “We wanted the design to be beautiful but flexible enough to meet everyone’s needs.” So many choices When it comes to building a home, there are so many choices to be made. “Liz helped us choose the materials for the house,” Tanya says. “We had some ideas from looking through the Internet, but Liz was able to lay out samples for us to see and feel. We had a clear idea of what we wanted; after looking at samples, she took us to her supplier to pick everything.” They chose stucco and stone for the exterior elevation. The imposing front door is of wood with thin horizontal slats of frosted glass. Crossing the threshold into the soaring rotunda, visitors are struck by the magnificent chandelier sparkling from the ceiling. “All the lighting came from Lighting Inc.,” says Liz. “This particular chandelier is a teardrop design with 13 layers of crystals. The circular design echoes the shape of the rotunda.” Two art niches backed in cut travertine provide foils for the art they display. “I think the travertine adds texture and reflects the color palette we used in the house,” Liz says. The curved staircase winds upstairs, bringing visitors to eye level with the chandelier. It’s as impressive up there as it is down below. may/june 2015 | 29
W AT HOME Family media room To the right of the foyer are Joe’s home office and a guest room. The star of this wing, though, is the family’s media room with theater seating and a 60-inch flat screen television. The back of the room features a refrigerator, microwave, sink and popcorn machine. “For us, this takes the place of a traditional family room,” Tanya says. “We love to hang out here in the evenings.” When the grownups want to entertain their friends in the media room, the kids can go next door to the game room. This large space offers room for rough and tumble play, art projects and video games. One wall features a triptych of a Mexican train. Three large velvet rectangles spaced on the adjoining wall serve as display boards for art and crafts. When it’s time for cleanup and snacks, there’s a kitchen and sink in the corner of the room. Elegant living and dining The elegant living room is an open plan with a soaring two-story ceiling. The north wall consists of several industrial-grade store-front windows that flood the room with light. The room is floored with dark Brazilian chestnut planks that wrap up the eastern wall. Across the room, the wall is constructed of mosaic stone tile. At the center of the wall is a gas fireplace with a family portrait above. A baby grand piano corners the room, backing up to glass sliders that open onto the rear patio. Above the piano hangs an impressive trio of ball-shaped chandeliers in three sizes. Black leather seating divides the room into leisure and
dining spaces. The long dining table is custom made of plank walnut and seats eight. Six upholstered chairs in neutral tones flank the table, and two wing chairs in patterned upholstery sit at either end. A horizontal Sshaped crystal fixture lights the area. The kitchen is the heart of this home, and it is where Tanya and her children spend much of the day. A pocket door opens from the hall into this spacious, airy room. Knotty alder cabinetry provides lots of storage. For the busy mom, the Viking appliances make meal preparation a snap. The double-wide freezer and refrigerator, microwave, steam oven and warming drawer see lots of activity during family gatherings. The Thermador coffee bar is popular, too. The large six-burner stainless Viking stove is centered on an adjacent wall. The backsplash is a combination of honed and polished mosaic tile. Opposite the oven and cooktop is a large island containing two dishwashers and a deep sink. The counter is made of double thicknesses of white Thassos marble with a waterfall edge. Three cylindrical pendants hang over the island. The kitchen has an upholstered banquette nook with storage beneath the seat. “The kids love this,” Tanya says. “They have their own tables and pillows for meals. Right now they use it as a stage, though.” The wooden kitchen table seats six and overlooks large wood-framed sliding glass doors that open onto the outdoor kitchen and pool. “We have a large lot, so there’s plenty of room back here for the kids to run,” Tanya says. She crosses the room and opens what appears to be a cabinet door. “Here is my lifesaver,” she says. “This dumbwaiter saves so many steps up and down stairs.” Off the kitchen are the butler’s pantry, utility room and Tanya’s office. The children’s corner The back stairs lead up from the kitchen to the children’s creative corner. This Lshaped space features a comfy couch beneath a portrait of Barbie, Tanya’s daughter. Across the room is a computer station made of a long counter with outlets for multiple machines. There are lots of drawers and a huge storage closet full of toys, Christmas decorations and whatnot. “I like to hide everything,” Tanya says with a smile. “I like things to be neat.” Down the hall from the kids’ creative corner is the master suite, a long rectangular room decorated in shades of beige and gray. French doors open onto a large private deck that runs the length of the house. “This is the
30 | sawoman.com
Above, a view of the spacious entry, with another travertinebacked art niche. At left, the dining room features a custom-made plank walnut dining table and an S-shaped crystal light fixture. Opposite, the media room, which functions as a traditional family room.
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W AT HOME
The kitchen, with knotty alder cabinetry and stainless Viking appliances, is where Tanya and her children spend much of the day. At right, the upholstered banquette nook with storage beneath. The children enjoy using it as a stage.
mommy/daddy hangout,” Liz says. “No kids allowed!” The room is simply furnished, with a king-sized bed, chair and bedside commodes. A marble counter to the left of the bathroom door sits atop a small refrigerator and cabinet. The backsplash is mosaic stone and glass. The master bath is dominated by a large square whirlpool tub with lighting beneath its ledge. The adjacent wall is of cut travertine mosaic tile. A large television hangs above. “My kids love to come in here to bathe,” Tanya says. “This is one of their favorite spots in the house.” 32 | sawoman.com
Adjacent to the tub is a walk-in shower floored in ceramic tile. A rain showerhead and hand-held fixtures provide bathing options. Liz used the cut travertine tile for the walls to continue the look and feel of the bath. His-and-her lavatories are located to the right of the bath and opposite each other. Knotty alder cabinetry holds daily necessities. At the far end of the bath are his-and-her closets, one within the other. The closets are marvels of organization, with dressers and closet components constructed of knotty alder. Every piece of clothing, every pair of shoes, is in perfect order.
W AT HOME
From top: the master bedroom, master bathroom, a child’s bedroom.
The children’s rooms are down the hall from the master suite. Each bedroom has its own bath and walk-in closet. They are simply decorated, each with its own bit of whimsy. “Joe and I love this house,” Tanya says. “It’s been a lot of work to build and decorate it, but we’ve had great people working with us. I couldn’t have done it without Liz — she’s been here every step of the way with us. What we’ve made is a home that really suits our family.” 34 | sawoman.com
W HOME TREND REPORT
Dream Kitchens FROM A SAN ANTONIO PERSPECTIVE
“The kitchen is no longer utilitarian, it is now your second family room.” Roland Franco, showroom coordinator, Allen & Allen Co.
Kitchen remodeling is one of the most complex projects
anyone can ever take on, especially if you are not a design
expert. Projects like this, for one of the most used rooms in
the home, require not only having a grasp on your budget,
but also grappling with the size and scale of your kitchen
and the look you have been dreaming to create. Your dream
becomes a reality when you begin selecting cabinets and
their hardware, countertops, lighting and plumbing fixtures.
Having someone help you make those decisions is wonder-
ful, and knowing where to start can be overwhelming.
To help you take those first important steps in creating
your dream kitchen, SAN ANTONIO WOMAN spoke with local experts in kitchen design to identify top trends mak-
ing their way into some of San Antonio’s most extraordi-
nary culinary retreats. Those experts include Roland
Franco, showroom coordinator for Allen & Allen Co.; Gene
Philipps, owner of Cabinetry Designs; Shari Keyes, show-
room consultant for National Wholesale Supply; Lynley
Serratt, director of sales and marketing for Palmer Todd;
Kelly Parrish Walker, vice president of marketing for Par-
rish on Main and Laura Nicosia, franchise owner, ShelfGe-
nie of San Antonio.
The Look: Sleek and Airy
“A huge trend we see happening in the kitchen is the mar-
riage between classic and modern elements. Transitional
is a word use often,” explains Lynley Serratt, director of
sales and marketing for Palmer Todd, who is also a certi-
fied kitchen and bath designer.
“One of our projects showcases this marriage. We did a
kitchen with a classic perimeter and modern blue island —
this shows the blending of styles using a high-gloss focal
Photo courtesy Palmer Todd
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piece in the center,” explains Serratt. “Another good exam-
“A huge trend we see happening in the kitchen is the marriage between classic and modern elements. Transitional is a word use often.” — Lynley Serratt, Palmer Todd Photo courtesy Palmer Todd
ple of a modern statement piece was used in another kitchen
we recently completed. We chose to incorporate a custom
glass tile backsplash in a chevron pattern. You can have a
simple cabinet door style, yet using interesting design fea-
tures such as lighting and tile for texture and color helps to
add the ‘jewelry’ that completes the look of the space.”
“Many homeowners today are drawn to professional-type
appliances enhanced by transitional-style cabinetry,” ex-
plains Kelly Parrish Walker, vice president of marketing for
Parrish On Main. “We are also designing spaces with open
clean lines, such as floating shelves and cut glass doors.”
With more than 40 years of experience in helping people re-
alize their dream kitchens, Gene Philipps, owner of Cabi-
netry Designs, describes the new surface choices he is seeing
his customers make: “Countertop trends are going to the
quartz surfaces (not natural stone but rather manufactured
products) and composite materials. People are also gravitating toward honed finishes rather than a shiny appearance.”
Cabinetry: Form and Function
Roland Franco, showroom coordinator for Allen & Allen Co., talked with us about the scale of today’s kitchen. “Today’s
kitchen has increased in size and the cabinetry along with it.
Now cabinets are 42 inches tall and sometimes another cabi-
net is stacked on top, making cabinets appear taller. With
this change in size and scale, the industry is now producing
larger scale hardware,” he says.
Photo courtesy Cabinetry Designs
“One feature that is now common is the drawer that opens at a touch. There is a mechanism inside that makes that work, and it is not expensive.” — Gene Philipps, Cabinetry Designs
Parrish on Main’s Kelly Parrish Walker tells us, “A lot of what we are seeing
are painted cabinets, the whites or grays. Customers want soft-close doors and
drawers and are expecting to have pullout shelving for full functionality. Many
designs also incorporate cabinetry to the ceiling and stacked crown molding to
really personalize the space.”
“We are beginning to do more automated kitchen features simply because
our product line can achieve this,” explains Cabinetry Design’s Philipps
“One feature that is now common is the drawer that opens at a touch.
There is a mechanism inside that makes that work, and it is not expensive.” may/june 2015 | 37
W HOME TREND REPORT Hardware with Personality “Our clients are coming to us wanting more large-scale hardware because kitchens have gotten so much larger over the past decade.” — Roland Franco, Allen & Allen Co.
“What we inform our clients is to consider your cabinetry as you would your fur-
niture in your home. That cabinetry should stand alone as its own furniture piece.
Pick hardware that is appropriate for the scale, style and finish appropriate to the
cabinetry,” recommends Allen & Allen Co.’s Franco.
“Some people are doing a standard overlay cabinet and not using hardware at all
to maintain a clean look and save costs. Others go all out to match fixtures or ap-
Photo courtesy Allen & Allen Co.
pliances with tubular handles,” Parrish Walker goes on to say.
“Hardware style runs the gamut,” says Franco. “We see sleek and modern in
stainless steel or elaborate carved metal or frosted crystals embedded within. As far as finishes, previously polished chrome was popular, then oil-rubbed bronze
became the trend. Now, we are seeing polished nickel and even ‘unlacquered’
brass so that it tarnishes and patinas over time. The latest finish of choice is cur-
rently satin brass. Manufacturers are brushing it for a matte lighter appearance.” Franco continues, “There are even options to wrap leather around your cabinet
hardware pulls. One might think this option won’t wear well or last, but one
‘Made in the USA’ option uses a high-grade furniture-grade leather, which they
guarantee will not wear.”
“We are also designing spaces with open clean lines, such as floating shelves and cut glass doors.” — Kelly Parrish Walker, Parrish On Main Photo courtesy Parrish on Main
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may/june 2015 | 39
W HOME TREND REPORT Lighting: Bold and Artistic
“We are seeing the use of bold lighting fixtures and accents,”
explains Serratt. Lighting fixtures in kitchens are often pen-
dant lights. The glass globes can either be large or clustered,
often arranged as an art piece.”
Kitchen Appliances: Professional Feel
“GE Monogram has come out with a French door oven — a
new concept for our offerings at Parrish on Main. This has a
European commercial look that really complements transi-
tional cabinetry. Instead of doing double ovens, a lot of peo-
ple are substituting one of the ovens with a microwave and
convection dual-purpose oven, such as GE’s Advantium. This gives you the same look as double ovens, but saves space
since it’s a microwave combo,” says Parrish on Main’s Kelly
Parrish-Walker.
Photo courtesy Palmer Todd
Faucets and Sinks Make a Splash
“When people are remodeling or doing new home construc-
tion, they want plumbing to be more functional,” says Shari
Keyes, showroom consultant for National Wholesale Supply. “People are also trending toward stainless steel farm-style
sinks that are more modern and contemporary. We have sold
a lot of farm-style stainless steel sinks. It gives a different
look from the regular undermount sink,” says Keyes. “When
making that choice, people need to keep in mind that stain-
less steel will require a little more maintenance. However,
when we sell stainless steel or cast iron sinks, we sell bottom grids/racks to protect the surface of the sink that saves on
the finish over the years.”
Photo courtesy Parrish on Main
Keyes goes on to explain, “If people like to entertain, they will have their pot fillers
by their cooktop. It is still traditional but with a modern feel to it. And they may also
have an extra bar or veggie prep sink, where they can put wine or beverages with ice when entertaining.
“For faucets, more companies are coming out with smart or intelligent faucets that feature motion sense or touch sense functionality.” — Shari Keyes, National Wholesale Supply
“As an example, Moen’s MotionSense faucet allows you to run your hand across the
top to turn on or off. Delta Touch faucets offer on-and-off functionality activated by touch,” explains Keyes.
Delta Touch Faucet, photo courtesy National Wholesale Supply
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may/june 2015 | 41
W HOME TREND REPORT
Photo courtesy ShelfGenie
Out-Of-Sight Storage
“Customization of storage spaces has become more important,”
says Cabinetry Designs’ Philipps. “Traditionally, you would
have a pantry with shelves. A client may want to customize
that space for the products they use. Instead of a shelf, they
may have something like a shelf that moves out or a spice rack
on the door.”
“More people want to improve access to the items stored in their kitchen and bathroom cabinets. They are planning ahead to stay in their homes as long as possible,” — Laura Nicosia, ShelfGenie of San Antonio
“Many have already upgraded to granite or quartz countertops
and don’t want to replace their cabinets. Custom-built sliding
shelves can be installed in existing cabinets and pantries to
maximize storage space and give total access to heavy appliances, pots and pans and other kitchen items.”
ShelfGenie’s Nicosia goes on to recommend, “Dividers can be
installed in upper and lower cabinets to keep flat items like cookie sheets and cutting boards upright and easy to
reach. Pull-out trash/recycling centers are also popular and
keep trips to the garage at a minimum. Even plastic storage
containers tend to multiply, and matching the lids to the bases
becomes difficult without smart storage. Also, a deep pull-out
shelf can be installed with a movable divider that allows the
lids to be stored upright on one side and the nested bases on
the other.”
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may/june 2015 | 43
W BEAUTY
Shape Shifting in San Antonio By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN
Cooler, lighter options for shapewear. Women are often thought to be full of mystery, but lucky for us, determining what we can wear under our clothing to look smashing doesn’t have to be such a secret. And now that the heat is on and the season is full of more bodyconscious clothing, most women welcome the benefits of a little magic-fix shaping. Julian Gold lingerie buyer Danielle Cuellar says in the 10 years she’s been buying, shapewear has had lots of improvements across all brands. “The new shapewear is about comfort and lighter fabric control versus the suck-you-in-you-can’t-breathe control,” she says. Colleague and foundation fit expert Linda Klein concurs: “Technology gets fabric thinner every year.” While you can still get the longline, thick-fabric, full-compression products from the past, Cuellar says they are more suitable for special occasions under evening wear, but for everyday there are many alternative options with new technology. New whisper-thin fabrics are especially comfortable for the San Antonio climate. Spanx is one of Julian Gold’s best-sellers and offers many style options. Younger women really like the shaping and smoothing mid-thigh Skinny Britches with crisscross strips that target the tummy and laser-cut edges that prevent them from showing through clothing. The Trust your Thinstincts, another mid-thigh short style by Spanx, is less about shaping and more about smoothing, something that is ideal to wear under skirts or pants. Wacoal makes a lighter-control mid-thigh style, Smooth Complexion, which is popular, says Cuellar and ideal to wear under spring and summer fashions. Ultra-thin microfiber gives a firm appearance, and Klein says the alterations department can cut the length and adjust to your preference.
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We Love
Spanx Swim Tied & True Bandeau Push up One-Piece in Fruit Punch $148 @ Spanx.com
may/june 2015 | 45
Slips, says Cuellar, are necessary to wear with many spring fashions: “Maxi dresses are really in fashion, and so we sell long slips as well as full and half-slips.” Bodysuits in thinner, silky microfiber are available in many brands and styles — strapless convertible, built-in underwire bras, thong bottoms and even full compression. A customer favorite, says Cuellar, is Spanx’s Boostie Yay.
Suggestions from Julian Gold
FashionStock.com / Shutterstock.com
W BEAUTY
She also says some women prefer alternative styles that are smaller, with less fabric and thus cooler. Spanx’s new Undetectable in thong or brief styles affords a lower midriff control panel and a comfortable cotton gusset. There are shaping briefs like the ones made by Chantelle that have a ruched rear that gives a nice shape and, says Klein, prevents “pancake bottom.” On the rise again, thanks to Kate Middleton’s example, are pantyhose. Great for a more finished look, Hanes Silk Reflections are best-sellers, as are toeless Donna Karan hosiery, which women like to wear with sandals or open-toed shoes. “You get a perfect leg and can let your pedicure show,” says Klein. There’s no denying a good bra can make a real difference. “It affects the way your clothes fit and how you feel,” says Cuellar. Klein agrees, adding, “it can even improve your posture.” A professional fitting is key because, says Cuellar, “no bra fits the same on every person.” Citing the differences between breasts with fullness at the bottom versus more fullness at the top, Cuellar says each requires different structure and construction, adding, “For instance, a two-part cup gives more coverage and accommodates a breast with fullness underneath.” Klein says the three-part cups of Chantelle’s Cashmire accommodate women with wider-set breasts. Both agree the best-selling bra is the Wacoal Awareness bra that supports breast cancer causes. “It can’t be beat, it’s so comfortable,” says Cuellar. The demi-cup style by Natori is well loved by Alamo City women. “It’s fabulous for the heat because it has less fabric,” says Klein. The importance of fit is important regardless of bust size, small or large. Klein emphasizes the preventive nature of wearing bras, explaining, “The importance of supporting the breast with good-fitting bras at every age will help ensure you won’t have problems later.” Cuellar says their lingerie customers start at “the age of prom.” One aspect of Klein’s work is the joy of seeing multi-generational lingerie shopping: “It’s like the grandmothers and moms are passing down knowledge to the girls on being a woman and taking care of yourself.” 46 | sawoman.com
Basic Go-To Foundation Wardrobe
• One strapless bra
• One contour cup T-shirt bra for smooth coverage
• One non-wire bra for large-breasted women for sleeping or at-home casual comfort
• Seven pairs of panties (a few thongs if you don’t want panty lines or to wear with white pants)
• Three shapewear pieces of varying degrees to wear with pants, skirts and eveningwear
The Care and Keeping of your Lingerie
• Almost everything is machine-washable on a gentle cycle.
• Use a lingerie bag to keep straps and hooks from tangling in the wash.
• A good lingerie wash product such as Forever Now powder or liquid Ovacion will effectively remove body oils and help maintain elasticity and softness.
• Wash bras after about three wearings.
We Love
Bra Wash Bag by Woolite $6.99
Wear and Tear Recommendations Ideally purchase three of your everyday bras:
1 TO WEAR
1 TO WASH
1 TO REST
If you wear a bra frequently, you should replace it every six months to one year.
W HEALTH MATTERS
GET OUT AND GET FIT Walk, Run, Ride, Paddle, Push and Stretch, San Antonio! By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN
ew would question how lucky we are to live in a city rich with such natural beauty. Truth is, we are very fortunate to have year-round opportunities to get outside, and we can even get fit while doing it.
igor.stevanovic / Shutterstock.com
F
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SUNSET STRETCH
Mobile Om yoga classes held on various nights at sunset provide remarkable views of the San Antonio cityscape. Yoga instructor and founder Cassandra Fauss conducts sessions at the pedestrian Hayes Street Bridge above the San Antonio River and also from a rooftop-covered parking lot at 1221 Broadway at the Broadway Urban Lofts. “The view of the skyline as night falls is spectacular,” says Fauss. Fauss cites the fresh air and sunshine as benefits of the outdoors, saying, “We don’t get outside enough.” But what she likes most about yoga movement in outdoor spaces is, “the realness. The real-life distraction. Hearing the traffic, the train on the railroad, birds chirping are all mediations you don’t get from the indoors.” Mobile Om classes attract yoga students of all ages from novice to advanced practitioners looking for a new perspective. Students often bring children ages 10-12 to join in.
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W HEALTH MATTERS FREE PARK FITNESS
Capitalizing on the many local parks, the city’s Fitness in the Park offers get-fit programs available at no cost across the city. The program is a collaboration of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department and the Mayor’s Fitness Council. Class offerings include fitness boot camps, yoga, hiking and walking on park trails. There’s plenty of ways to get on your feet and get around town on numerous run and walk paths from gentle strolls to ambitious cardio-pumping opportunities. It’s a great way to see favorite haunts and historic and contemporary treasures while you’re on the move. The newest addition to the River Walk, the Museum Reach allows a route that showcases the urban river park starting at the Lexington Avenue Bridge with native landscaping, stellar public art installations, Pearl Brewery and the San Antonio Museum of Art.
MOMS UNITED FITNESS
Local moms looking to enjoy area park settings with their young children while getting a workout can do so through Stroller Strides. Classes led by trained instructors combine power walking, intervals and body toning using the park environment, exercise tubing and the stroller. More than a workout, it’s a chance to network with other moms.
WHEELING IT
Two-wheeling enthusiasts can take advantage of the Downtown Bike Ride Routes available on the sanantonio.gov website. There are rides from quick and easy to vigorous. The Alamo Hemisfair Out & Back route affords a well-rounded 1.7 miles past best-known landmarks including the Alamo, the Majestic and Empire Theatres, Main Plaza and San Fernando Cathedral, the Bexar County Courthouse and the contemporary Torch of Friendship sculpture. The Mission Trail Out & Back is a stout 20mile round trip. You can make biking in a new area easy by catching a VIA bus with a bike rack. If you don’t have your own bike, B-Cycle makes it easy to rent and pedal. Station locations are scattered around downtown, Brackenridge Park and the San Antonio Missions. 50 | sawoman.com
Adam Stocker / Shutterstock.com
THE WATER WAY
One of our greatest natural resources, the San Antonio River is a beacon of pride for us and the joy of tourists. Not long ago, it became available for water recreation use. There are four authorized paddling vendors that can provide equipment and guided kayak and canoe tours on the river. Texas Pack and Paddle proprietor and guide Stacey Banta takes locals and tourists on kayak tours around King William and extending through Mission Reach. “They like to hear the history of the area,� Banta says. The river offers different experiences depending on where you put in and where you go. Outside the city limits, the river is in a more natural state full of wildlife and vegetation, while the Mission Reach includes some chutes and riffles. The King William stretch is full of architecture and beautiful backyards along the banks and is a different experience with locks and cement structures. If you want to do your own thing as opposed to a tour, San Antonio River Authority has guidelines for the various San Antonio River paddle trails, designated access points and paddling safety.
RESOURCES
Fitcitysa.com for downtown Bike and Ride Routes, fitness in the park classes, walk and run routes, activity logs, stretches and other resources.
mobileom.com for outdoor yoga information.
sanantonio.bcycle.com for pass costs and station locations.
www.sara-tx.org for paddling safety tips, routes and authorized paddle tour operators.
www.sanantonio.gov for parks & recreation information, parks and trails locations, fitness in the park, and water recreation boundaries, restrictions and guidelines. northsanantonio.fit4mom.com for information on Stroller Stride fitness and locations.
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Dr. Delio Ortegon Plastic Surgeon W GUYS TO KNOW
Listed among Texas Top Docs By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF Photography by JANET ROGERS
Dr. Delio Ortegon is a board-certified plastic surgeon and the founder of the San Antonio Cosmetic Surgery clinic in the new Christus Santa Rosa hospital complex near Sea World. After getting a degree in microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin, he attended medical school in San Antonio, and then completed both his general surgery and plastic-and-reconstructive surgery residencies at the University Hospital. A native of Eden, TX, Dr. Ortegon is also the chief of the Plastic Surgery Division at the Christus Santa Rosa Westover Hills Hospital and a clinical faculty member in the department of plastic surgery at the Health Science Center. His clinical research work has been published in a number of professional journals, such as Microsurgery; the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology; the Journal of Trauma, Infection and Critical Care, and the Journal of Surgical Research. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Surgeries performed by Dr. Ortegon and his associate, Dr. Michael Baumholtz, range from rhinoplasty (nose jobs) and face-lifts to a number of body-beautifying operations in which Dr. Ortegon personally specializes. Originally you wanted to be a family practice doctor. What made you change your mind? I grew up in a really small town with only two doctors. And since they knew I had an interest in medicine from a pretty young age, they let me go on rounds with them and let me visit their offices, so family medicine was all I really knew. It wasn’t until I got to do my (medical school) third year rotations in various specialties that I found that I wasn’t as interested in primary care as I thought. When I did my first surgical rotation, which happened to be plastic surgery, on my first day I saw a pediatric cleft lip surgery, a breast reconstruction operation and even some cosmetic surgery. So I was exposed to a lot in just the first few days. I decided that something that can offer so much variety is exactly what I wanted to do. I ended up doing seven years of general surgery training and three more years of plastic surgery. I was 36 when I finally finished my training.
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That’s a long training period. Was it worth it? Oh, yes. Every day I do something that I enjoy. Now your practice offers a number of both surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic options. Which ones are most requested? The most common surgical procedures that I perform are breast augmentations, tummy tucks, liposuction, breast-lifts and breast reductions, and of those, breast augmentation is the most common. There are many A and B cups wanting to be a C cup. Everyone has that preconceived notion that people who want breast augmentation go rather large, and there are certainly some who do, but most women just want to fill out their bathing suit a little better. Is the tummy tuck part of body contouring? Yes, it’s a portion of it, but body contouring can involve arm-lifts, thigh-lifts or butt-lifts. For tummy tucks we see a lot of patients who are mothers; in fact we refer to these operations as Mommy Makeovers. The other subset of patients seeking body contouring comprises people who have lost a massive amount of weight. They typically have a great deal of excess skin that we need to deal with. Probably 15 percent of our patients are in this group. I think the best body-contouring involves tightening up stomach muscles that have been stretched due to pregnancy or weight gain, doing liposuction to the abdomen and removing the excess skin, so I often perform lipo and a tummy tuck at the same time. How about nonsurgical procedures? Nonsurgical procedures for the body would be things like Coolsculpting, for instance. It uses a device that freezes the fat cells which then die off and are slowly reabsorbed and removed by the liver. The device fits over fat spots like love handles or wherever there may be a little extra fat. Does it work on cellulite? It does not work well on cellulite. There are better treatments for cellulite, and I am really excited about one called ThermiSmooth. We are part of an FDA study investigating how effective the Thermi Smooth250 machine is on skin laxity and cellulite.
So far we have enrolled just six patients (for the study), and we have been very happy with the early results. We hope the study will end in a few months, and we should have data by the end of the summer. This procedure uses a small heated appliance like a pad that is applied to the cellulite-afflicted area. It feels like a hot-stone massage. It’s actually quite comfortable. Patients often fall asleep during the treatment. If this works, it will really explode. So many women have cellulite. You can be really fit and still have cellulite. If we can get that and stretch marks to go away, I’ll retire! (chuckles) Is ThermiTight similar to ThermiSmooth? Yes, but it’s a minimally invasive procedure, used for skin tightening. We make a tiny incision and introduce a small probe that uses radio frequency waves to gently heat the under surface of the skin and the deep fatty layers. This induces the production of collagen and elastin that ultimately results in skin tightening. It’s mostly used on the face, but I have used it on arms, tummies and inner thighs. We can do it in the office without sedation. Tell us what’s new in nonsurgical facial skin rejuvenation. Fillers are quite popular because the versatility of fillers has expanded, and our knowledge of how to use them has improved. We are no longer just filling the wrinkles; we are volumizing the entire face. For instance, the filler Juviderm Voluma is specifically designed for mid-face filling, to restore that youthful roundness. Botox remains very popular. We also have an aesthetician on staff who does a lot of microdermabrasion, peels and laser skin rejuvenation. You have received a number of awards during your career. Could you mention a couple that you are especially proud of? Last year I was designated as one of Texas Top Docs (through peer voting; published in Texas Monthly). The other one that I am really proud of happened while I was a resident. I won the Service Star Award from the VA, which is one of the highest awards the VA gives to its civilian employees. It was given to me for the simplest gesture of helping a veteran in the hallway who looked like he needed help. I made sure he got into the triage area and into the ER and made sure he was taken care of. And he wrote a letter to the VA about it. It was a nice validation of the day-to-day things that we do that usually go unrecognized.
What advice would you give to a person considering plastic surgery?
The most common question that I get is “Is this worth doing?” My answer is always the same: If this truly bothers you – you personally, not your spouse, your cousin or your sister — then, of course, it’s worth doing. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a big operation like a tummy tuck or some simple skin care thing…. It’s also important to seek a physician who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. There are other similar-sounding board names, so one should be careful.
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Cathy Bureau
W BUSINESS WOMAN SPOTLIGHT
President, Green Home Realty, LLC —
d/b/a Green Home Realty and Green Commercial Realty What do you do? I’m a Certified Real Estate EcoBroker, commercial practitioner and negotiator, which means I help people buy, sell, build and lease residential and commercial real estate with an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability. Length of time at this job: Six years.
Education/Major: MBA in marketing strategy from UTSA, class of 2005.
What career path led you to where you are today? I worked in the travel industry after earning my marketing degree until I realized I needed to be home with my new daughter. I worked as an independent marketing consultant while primarily being a stay-at-home mom. Thinking I was ready to enter the corporate world, I pursued my master’s degree. During grad school I worked for the Staubach Company, a tenant representation company, when I walked away from a couple of corporate opportunities to pursue a career in real estate. I obtained my real estate license and worked my way through a couple of firms until I was ready to take action on my entrepreneurial spirit. I launched Green Home Realty and Green Commercial Realty in 2010.
When did you know that you were in the right place in your career? I’ve always been a helper. In fact my spiritual gift is hospitality. I’ve also always had creative ideas, so not being THE owner, my great ideas and creativity were stifled. Eventually I braved it up to launch my own real estate company and enjoyed creating something from nothing. But when I started helping people buy, sell and lease, with an eco-friendly business model, I knew I wasn’t just helping others achieve the American dream, I was helping them build a better life.
Who were your mentors? I respect and admire Brenda Barnes, former CEO of PepsiCo for choosing to walk away from a CEO position to raise her teenage boys.
What brought you to San Antonio? I was living in Flower Mound, Texas, when Scott and I had our beautiful baby girl, Alexandria, and baby boy, Cory. We wanted them to know their extended family since Scott and I moved often with our families; military, etc. When they were still preschoolers, we packed up and moved to San Antonio to join my parents and brother. What community groups or notfor-profit groups are you involved with as a volunteer? I’ve been part of the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas; in fact I was on the committee that renamed the organization after San Antonio merged with two other council areas. I also served on the Alamo Forest Partnership Board, and I am currently serving on the Alamo Heights Chamber of Commerce board, the Holistic Chamber of Commerce board, and at my church. What do you like to do in your spare time or day off? Jazz festivals. Cultural festivals. Kayaking. Taking my dogs to the park. Watching Shakespeare in the Park at the Botanical Garden with my love. Having lunch with my kids. Not in any particular order.
How do you find balance in your life – career, community and home life? I work from home as often as I can. I find that clients prefer to meet in their home or place of business, so I gave up my brick and mortar, which is not so uncommon these days. I focus on tasks for a more efficient work process. I am selfdisciplined enough to do that well.
What are your goals? I’d like to be a better person tomorrow than I am today. Professionally, I’d like to be the best certified green real estate company in San Antonio. In that, I will be able to help more people live more sustainable, valuebased lives and have a healthier family. For more on our interview with Cathy Bureau, go to sawoman.com.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Failure is a stepping stone to success. As Sir Winston Churchill once said, “Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.’’ (The Unrelenting Struggle, 1941)
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Photography by JANET ROGERS
may/june 2015 | 55
W ACCORDING TO LINDA
*Women Overcoming What’s Relevant in San Antonio by LINDA ELLIOTT
This column is inspired by a NAWBO luncheon I attended where women business owners bared their souls and shared obstacles they had to overcome to get where they are today. We often keep that “dark” side private so that we aren’t judged in any way by our vulnerability. But let’s turn the tide and acknowledge the ebbs in our lives and how they shaped us to be the women we are today.
I choose to make this column a celebration of women who have overcome life challenges.
They most likely can attribute their success to the obstacles they had to endure. I know so many women who have had tremendous adversities in their lives. How do they overcome them? Let me tell three stories of women I admire, and then I will share my own story. Anyone who knew Beth Coyle and her husband, Mike, would describe them as the perfect couple. They owned a very successful engineering business in Boerne. Life was good. Then one day as the family headed home from a Christmas celebration, a freak accident occurred. Mike died on the side of the road, surrounded by his family. Beth and Mike had an exciting life planned together. Their dreams were washed away in a few short minutes. Beth eventually knew what God wanted her to do in this next chapter of her life – to work with people to be the best they could be, and to be a full-time professional photographer. She is also a certified coach/facilitator for The Alternative Board, using her business experience to help entrepreneurs align their business and personal goals. Kristi Arlitt is a successful independent attorney and financial advisor. One fateful night she fell in her closet, breaking her femur. It was really bad. She had shattered her thighbone – and her cell phone was sitting on the kitchen counter. It took her 20 hours to crawl to her front door to call for help. The severity of her injury required extensive surgery, acute care and physical therapy over the course of several months. Being totally incapacitated, Kristi was unable to work and had to rely on care from others. How does a sole proprietor deal with this? Through perseverance far beyond normal expectations. Kristi is back on track in building her business and her life. Harriet Marmon Helmle, whom I’ve known since 1984, never ceases to amaze me in her ability to overcome adversity. She has a hereditary disease that affects her joints and has had almost 56 | sawoman.com
every one of them replaced at least once. The number of surgeries she’s been through is mind-boggling! Did this deter Harriet from living life? Not in the slightest. She has done more for our
community than most people I know by dedicating herself to numerous causes. She even founded San Antonio Youth Literacy and has continued to build it, and she has been very involved with Haven for Hope since it opened. The number of recognitions, honors and awards she’s received for her contributions to society is countless. Harriet, CPA and CFP, has also maintained a successful career path throughout it all, now serving as director of client relations for Covenant. There are countless other women I know who have had to overcome hardships and adversity. Those who succeed are those who look forward rather than dwelling on the past. The “woe is me” mentality is one that will prove crippling to a state of mind. I’ve seen that happen.
I’ll end this column with my personal story.
On Aug. 8, 1982, in El Paso, my life changed. I was hit by a drunk driver and very nearly died. It resulted in a long hospital stay, followed by a lengthy recovery. Then on June 11, 1983, because of serious complications, I was rushed to Methodist Hospital in Houston and stayed for almost a month, followed by another long recovery period. During all this time I was single and a principal in a very small company. Therefore, my concerns were not only for medical survival, but also for life survival. I managed to get back on track, but my horrific experience continued to haunt me. So many loving friends, family and even strangers were genuinely worried for me, which made it difficult to move out of the past and into the future. Then I received a call from a company in San Antonio to interview for a position to start a new company for them. And the rest, as they say, is history. I started a new life in San Antonio in May of 1984, and it was several years later before I would tell my story. I began a new chapter in my life and wanted to be relevant in the here and now rather than for what I’d been through. I will say that for me and for the other women I’ve featured, we all have one thing in common: Our adversities made us stronger. They are God’s way of saying we still have a purpose to fulfill and we must continue to live to make a difference in this world!
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Four Entrepreneurs SHAPING SAN ANTONIO’S HOME INTERIORS BUSINESS By STAFF WRITERS
Christi Palmer
Sandra Yedor
Becky Compton
Casey Roy
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Photography by JESSICA GIESEY
Striking out on your own in business is scary and exciting. What does it take to make it a success? We asked four of the leading entrepreneurs in San Antonio’s home interiors arena how they got their start. These women are not only established names in shaping unique aspects of home environments but also share common themes about how they made their enterprising dreams come true.
Learning the business, getting help from mentors, leaning on family and friends to shape their team, and embracing trends came up time and again. Key to their success were their passion and creativity for good design, a strong work ethic, maintaining relationships and knowing it is never too late to begin anew. Featured in this story are Christi Palmer of Palmer Todd, Sandra Yedor of Lili Alessandra, Becky Compton of Compton Lamps & Shades and Casey Roy of Casey Roy Design and waghaus.
Christi Palmer, PALMER TODD
Christi Palmer is celebrating a 20th birthday of sorts this year. This one is for her business, Palmer Todd. Established Feb. 16, 1995, her namesake business was launched when Christi Palmer embarked on a new phase of her career, this time as entrepreneur/new business owner for the company she owns today. Palmer had always planned to be a designer and embarked on her career immediately after attending the University of North Texas. The university was considered to be one of the best schools in the country at that time for their interior design program. In the early ‘80s, she met and married her husband and returned to San Antonio, where they were both born and raised. Palmer decided, after giving birth to her son, to take some time off to raise him. When she was ready to return to work, commercial space planning positions were still difficult to come by. That is when Palmer struck the bond that would ultimately
Successful businesses are about the team. It’s about the people.
pave the way for her success today. She began her career as a lighting designer for Focus Lighting and Control Systems. One project, in particular, would ultimately change the direction of her career. She was charged with designing the lighting studio for Wagner & Co., a hardware and plumbing business that also offered a mix of cabinetry, tile and lighting. Impressed by her work, the owner of Wagner & Co. decided to hire Palmer to lead his kitchen design team. Initially hesitant to take the position, Palmer recalls the owner, Mr. Wagner, stating, “Don’t you see? You know everything about kitchens because it all comes down to space planning.” She worked there for five years, during which time she became an NKBA certified kitchen designer as well as a registered interior designer. On Christmas Eve 1994, Palmer recalls getting the call that would change her life and take her career to a new level. Wagner called her with a business proposition to purchase his business. She had never considered being a business owner or entrepreneur before, but she seized this opportunity and spent the next two years learning about what it takes to appropriately manage a company. Palmer marveled, “I had to go from being a designer to learning everything there was to know about owning and operating a successful business.” Her business has shifted and grown over the years to become the team of 12 expert associates that it is today. Much of this growth is attributed to the collaborative efforts of trusted family members as well as employees she considers to be her family. “I love my team. They are an amazing group of dedicated people that work here.
Palmer Todd was built on the foundation of great teamwork and collaboration,” says Palmer. “Successful businesses are about the team. It’s about the people. “Now, 20 years later, we are the Palmer Todd you see today. We started out very small, one project here and there, but grew into the firm we are today because of our attention to detail and dedication to the clients we serve. As my clients have acquired additional homes in multiple locations, I now find myself traveling domestically and internationally to continue working with them,” says Palmer. Palmer plays tennis competitively and participates in tournament fishing with her husband and son. They are engaged in these activities almost every weekend. “I’ll never retire. I may work less and play harder, but I will never completely let go of it all. I wake up running at full speed and am frequently ribbed by my employees as to what level of hurricane I will show up as for the day,” she says. To stay on top of her successful professional career, she relies heavily on partnerships with other businesses here in her hometown. Much of her business is reputation- and referral-based, and clients see her as a leading professional expert in her field. “It’s so important to know where to send my clients and feel secure in knowing that they will receive the same caliber of treatment that I give to them,” she says. “We are an idea center, and we want to provide a unique experience. Everything here centers on quality products and design and superior customer service for me. That’s why our clients continue to return to us year after year.” may/june 2015 | 59
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. This is actually a third career for me. I had no idea where I was going to end up. I just knew I was going to make it work and love what I did.
Sandra Yedor, LILI ALESSANDRA
Sandra Hernandez Yedor is the founder and owner of the awardwinning home textile brand of linens that bears the name Lili Alessandra — Lili for her mother and Alessandra, the Italian version of Sandra. Lili Alessandra makes fine linens for the home with an artistic flair, including handcrafted work like appliqués, embroidery and beading that embellish her finely handcrafted linens. Recently, Lili Alessandra was honored with a coveted national award by the Home Furnishings Industry, Home Textile Manufacturer of the Year. Four home textile companies were nominated nationally, and her business won. Hernandez Yedor was born and raised in San Antonio. She took a position in Houston with Foley’s Department Stores after graduating from St. Mary’s University. She worked with Foley’s for nearly 15 years, ultimately becoming store manager. Her next significant position in retail took place when she moved to Dallas to become assistant general manager with Saks Fifth Avenue, eventually becoming the general manager at Saks Fifth Avenue in San Antonio. After 17 years away, she was finally back home. Hernandez Yedor was persuaded to leave retail to become vice president and later president of Duty Free Americas where she was responsible for developing, enhancing and managing the company’s many stores along the border with Mexico, adding yet another skill set to her already feathered professional cap. She stayed until the company was sold. That is when Hernandez Yedor found herself at a point in life where she didn’t know in which direction her career would go. While 60 | sawoman.com
she did not have a specific objective in mind, she was eager to do something new and challenging. Yearning for a fresh perspective, Hernandez Yedor traveled to Europe to explore new opportunities. She knew she wanted to do her own thing. She attended a few home accessory trade shows in Paris and saw a luxury fine linen European line she loved. On a handshake with the company’s owner, she became the company’s distributor for the U.S. market. She invested a lot of time and money in this new venture. That experience became the training ground for her to learn the home textile business. After nearly five years of collaboration with the European company, she decided it was time to move on ─ this time on her own in pursuit of her dream to own her own company. Hernandez Yedor began her own enterprise by doing her own designing, selling, setting up, invoicing and packaging. Today, she has a staff of 11 to help with all that. The most important and challenging aspect of her business is product design. “In the early days when I did not have actual design training, I did what I wanted,” she says. “Now that we sell to retailers across the country and internationally, we design according to who we are, but also we make the products marketable in different parts of the world.” Hernandez Yedor feels fortunate to have worked for dynamic women whom she refers to as “wonderful role models. I admired and learned from those women who were strong and determined,” she says. “I realized that their success didn’t just happen, it came with hard work and dedication. Being successful in my field requires strong business skills as well as strong creative abilities. Marry those sets of skills and you have a creative entrepreneur,” she explains. “You have to be gutsy to make it happen when you are traveling
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
The staff is primarily family who have been with us for decades. It’s just the type of business we are.
and doing business internationally, especially if you are a woman,” she says. She still works with the same two overseas factories she has worked with from the beginning ─ on a handshake basis. They are a big reason why she is still in business. “Relationships and support of those who work alongside you are key.”
Becky Compton,
COMPTON’S LAMPS & SHADES
Treasuring tradition and illuminating trends shapes Becky Compton’s leadership style as Compton’s Lamps & Shades lead executive. She lights up when we visit with her about how she came to head such an established San Antonio retail business and family legacy. Today, Compton’s Lamps & Shades is a third-generation business. Compton shares the story of how the business was born. Her husband’s grandmother, Clara Ranney, purchased an existing lighting store in 1957. In 1967, Clara’s daughter, Beryl Compton, purchased it from her. From mother to daughter, the business went. Completing the circle, in 1992 Becky and her husband purchased it and continue to run it today. The company spent 40 years on the corner of McCullough Avenue and Ashby Street, and 17 years at Huebner and NW Military Highway, and is excited to be in its new location at 2211 NW Military Highway. In talking about the importance of light in a home Compton says, “People love light. From the tiny shelf lamp and prominent table and floor lamps, to natural light coming through the windows, it is all an accent to a room and a necessity for a complete look and feel. I hope that people think that lamps and shades should last for 20 years or longer. They are an investment to be treasured.” Married for 36 years, Compton welcomes her attorney husband, Matt, who comes to help her at the shop with repairs in the evening. He 62 | sawoman.com
ran the store for the first few years. When he went to law school, she took over operations of the store. Considered a small mom-and-pop shop, Compton’s Lamps & Shades has eight people on staff with three on site at any given time. “We love that a customer can find a lot of history in our shop, unique lamps and wonderful customer service. We encourage people to frequent smaller boutique stores,” says Compton. Prior to hiring their store manager, Compton spent most of her hours working within the store and on related business issues. “With the new manager, we are now able to enjoy more time with family and grandbabies, keeping active in our LDS church community, doing family history research, and gardening a bit more. I am actively involved in the store operations and day-to-day store activities. My heart is here, but I have no issue keeping life in perspective,” explains Compton. Compton especially enjoys seeing the transition in lamp trends. “We have a wide variety of traditional and transitional lamps in stock, but also look for pieces that we can make into one-of-a-kind lamps,” she says. She is enthusiastic about a trend she finds especially exciting — the new LED light evolution. “Because LEDs emit almost no heat or ultra-violet rays, our stylish lamp shades will last for years. Shades often need to be updated even when they are still in good shape, like a dress out of style,” she explains. Drums are back in style and very popular. Other textures, including linen, leather, cottons and unconventional ones like textured cork, are making their way onto Compton’s floor. Compton emphasizes customer service. She encourages clients to bring their lamps in so staff can assist in selecting the right size and style of shade. The extensive inventory of shades provides the customers, and even designers, the opportunity to update and refurbish existing lamps. All of her six children have worked in the shop, assisting with everything from repairs to sales. “They usually started around age 14. They have lots of memories from here.” When asked about retire-
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
The goal is to go very personal with the experience. We feel people are craving instant style, so we are trying to cater to that. ment, Compton says, “It’s still a few years away so we are not giving it too much thought, but I’m sure our children will be able to make it a fourth-generation store. The staff is like family who have been with us for decades. It’s just the type of business we are.”
Casey Roy,
CASEY ROY DESIGN, waghaus, Citrine Home, FRAMED
Casey Roy is the owner of not one but four different businesses — Casey Roy Design (CRD), waghaus and the newly launched Citrine Home and FRAMED. Every design detail excites her. She thrives on the vibe of what they are doing: “I’m a sucker for creation. It fuels me.” Roy started her career in Dallas, where she was born and raised, after graduating from Texas A&M University. After working in Charlotte, N.C., for a brief time, Roy landed in San Antonio with Baxter Design Group in the fall of 2004. Roy has always loved fabrics and interior design. She loves good classic design principles. It was with this passion that she made the entrepreneurial leap and started her namesake interior design company, Casey Roy Design, in September 2011. Like many women who go out on their own, her storefront was her two-bedroom bungalow home, and her mom and loyal staff supported her. Outgrowing that space, Roy established Casey Roy Design and waghaus on McCullough in March of 2012 after renovating the space. “I wanted it to be a canvas for style. It’s a backdrop for what clients can do,” she says. Roy asked her mother to come manage resources and vendors. She has worked with her mom for the last several years and says, “My mom is a very strong woman, and that is probably where I get my drive. She has always worked and supported my sister and me through college, so I respect and admire her drive and ambition. She gave me the foundation from which to work.” The company is staffed by a talented group of women, all of whom 64 | sawoman.com
Roy calls her heroes. She wants it to stay small and connected to clients. “There is not one person in the office who isn’t involved with day- today client work. That’s the best collaborative way to get results,” she says, proud of her team’s talent, dedication and enthusiasm.. As proprietor of waghaus, Roy gives us insight as to how she named her business. She explains that San Antonio has a huge stray animal problem. When she stumbled on SNIPSA (Spay, Neuter, Inject, Protect of San Antonio) five years ago, she signed up to be a foster parent for dogs, and the next day she received a call to serve as a foster. She was hooked. She could see the difference it was making in the animal’s life and the families’ lives that received the dogs. Naturally, as a foster parent, she had numerous crates and kennels in her home, and she wanted to substitute something beautiful. The business concept for waghaus is stylish living for the privileged pet. A custom-designed doghouse that is created for the individual’s interior space, a waghaus takes the place of a crate or kennel. Each one is appointed and styled to complement the patron’s home. A percentage of each waghaus sale goes to an animal rescue group of the client’s choice. Roy’s next goal is growing waghaus. One day she wants to personally deliver waghauses to clients across the country. This past December Roy and a partner decided to add a complementary business concept, Citrine Home, to the studio. Citrine Home is an accessories retail boutique, offering decorative pillows, unique gift items and even a custom candle line. “The goal is to go very personal with the experience. We feel people are craving instant style, so we are trying to cater to that,” she says. Amazingly, as if not busy enough, Roy also recently launched her fourth business, FRAMED, a custom art and picture-framing studio located in the same building. When talking about work-life balance, Roy sets goals and accomplishes them and then gets back to basics to recalibrate: “No matter what it is — design, volunteering, starting a new venture — I think I’m just born to move forward. Ruts bother me. I’ll find myself with a piece of paper and start scribbling. We don’t all move forward in a straight line because life happens, but I’m not afraid to take a risk to make something happen.”
AROUND TOWN W Commercial Real Estate Women of San Antonio (CREW-SA)
held its signature event, the 22nd Annual CREW Forum, on April 7 at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. This year it was attended by more than 300 people and featured speakers Collete English Dixon with Prudential Real Estate Investors and Spencer Levy, America’s head of research with CBRE.
1. Alyssa Hartlage, Caroline Pavlinik and Michael Wibracht.
2. Cherie Short and Carrie Caesar, chapter president.
3. Jennifer Bailey and Helena Hauk.
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AROUND TOWN W NAWBO The National Association of Women Business Owners, San Antonio Chapter (NAWBO-SA), announced winners of its Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards (ESA) on March 28 at the Grand Hyatt. These awards honored outstanding women entrepreneurs in the greater San Antonio area in six categories including: Benefactor, Innovator, Visionary, Inspirational, Mentor, and Rising Star. 1. Darlene Kirk, Kim Ford, Rick Cavender. 2. Sondra Grohman, Nancy Victor, Rick Cavender 3. Jan Tilley, Linda De La Garza, Cristina M. Heaney. 4. Dr. Vernon Williams, Magaly Chocano, Carroll Dorsey Walker. 5. Susan Saporito, Jan King, Lynn Wierich. 6. Jacqueline Scalf, Shirley Crandall, Sara Helmy, Nancy Victor.
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W FASHION CALENDAR May 5 Neiman Marcus Ivanka Trump Trunk Show Precious Jewels Salon May 5-6 Julian Gold Buchanan and Kang Fall 2015 Designer Trunk Show May 5-6 Julian Gold Carlos Falchi Designer Handbag and Exotic Leather Trunk Show May 5-10 Saks Fifth Avenue Bulgari Trunk Show May 7-9 Julian Gold Lafayette 148 Fall 2015 Sportswear Trunk Show May 7-8 Julian Gold Peppina Spring/Summer 2015 Jewelry Trunk Show Personal Appearance by designer Jen Hansen May 7-9 Saks Fifth Avenue Nini Trunk Show May 8 Neiman Marcus Roberto Coin Trunk Show Precious Jewels Salon May 8 Neiman Marcus Armenta Designer Jewelry Trunk Show May 12-13 Julian Gold M.a.c.s. Munich Designer Sportswear Trunk Show May 12-13 Julian Gold Auden Jewelry Trunk Show May 14-15 Julian Gold Lourdes Chavez LA-Based Designer Collection Fall 2015 Trunk Show May 19-20 Julian Gold Basler Fall 2015 Sportswear Trunk Show 68 | sawoman.com
May 20 Neiman Marcus Ken Downing Personal Appearance and Fashion Show The Couture Salon May 21-23 Saks Fifth Avenue Piranesi Trunk Show May 26 Saks Fifth Avenue Michael Kors Pre-Fall Sell Day and Clinic May 27-28 Julian Gold Catherine Page Spring/Summer 2015 Jewelry Trunk Show May 28-29 Julian Gold Lian Carlo Eveningwear Trunk Show May 30 Neiman Marcus Lagos Designer Jewelry Trunk Show June 2 Neiman Marcus Akris Punto Fall Preview June 3 Saks Fifth Avenue Akris Punto Pre-Fall Clinic and Sell Day June 4-5 Julian Gold Tom and Linda Platt Fall 2015 Designer Trunk Show June 5-6 Neiman Marcus Assael Couture Show Presentation The Precious Jewels Salon June 6 Neiman Marcus John Hardy Trunk Show June 9-10 Julian Gold Escada German Designer Sportswear Trunk Show June 10-11 Julian Gold Betty James Jewelry Trunk Show June 13 Neiman Marcus David Yurman Styling Event June 16-17 Saks Fifth Avenue Akris Fall Trunk Show
FAB FINDS W
PEÑALOZA & SONS
From the classic diamond “cigar band” ring (also see back cover) to the latest EKG “heartbeat” diamond necklace — the finest jewelry and repairs are available at Peñaloza & Sons.
2001 NW Military Hwy, 78213
210.340.3536
penalozaandsons.com
THE BEAUTY LOUNGE AT BLANCO
The Beauty Lounge at Blanco provides the highest caliber of professional services for all your beauty needs from head to toe. The beauty retailer is excited to announce it is raising the bar to bring you the next level of modern beauty advancements with the launch of its new PCA skincare line featuring a new skincare technology that will be in its services and skincare treatments. This new skincare line will be introduced at The Beauty Lounge's open house celebrating its one year anniversary on June 13th from 2-5pm.
8400 Blanco Rd., Suite 300
210.491.4404
beautyloungeatblanco.com
SAN ANTONIO SHOEMAKERS
Glam up your sandal game with Sandal Bling from SAS. Simply switch out the removable center strap with one of these adorable accessories for glitzy style to match any outfit. Stop by to see our new bling available for select SAS sandals.
Visit one of our 5 San Antonio area locations or call us.
877.782.7463 SASshoes.com
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MOMMY MATTERS W
The
Benefits of Overnight Camp (And how to beat separation anxiety)
By the time my daughter was 11 months old, it was obvious she could walk on her own if she wanted to. But try as we might, my husband and I couldn’t get her to step away from the coffee table. One day we had a woman come to the apartment to buy our couch. She was a complete stranger, but my daughter warmed up to her quickly. As the woman left the apartment, she waved at my daughter, who was standing in her usual spot at the coffee table. To our amazement, our little one waved back and then took her first steps — to a complete stranger. The moral of the story is that sometimes a child’s personal growth requires some distance from mom and dad. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy, though. Knowing when and how to let go is one of the biggest challenges parents face.
By NICOLE CRAWFORD
The overnight camp dilemma
With summer approaching, many parents are considering this question as they think about camp options for their kids. If your children are older, you might be thinking about sending them to overnight camp. In his book, psychologist and parenting expert
Michael Thompson, Ph.D., makes a solid case for time away from parents. According to Thompson, “[parents] cannot accomplish what are essentially our children’s developmental tasks.” He advocates overnight camps as a healthy way to help kids grow in confidence and take steps toward independence and personal growth. T Bar M Camp founder Dave Thiel shared a few of the many benefits kids receive from overnight camp:
PLAY AND EXPLORATION: “Camp gives kids the freedom to shed expectations, play and explore. Kids who play more and worry less are happier,” notes Thiel. After being in school all year, having some outdoor time for free play will give them a chance to explore beyond the classroom environment. TIME TO UNPLUG: In our technology-driven culture, it’s easy for parents to lose track of how much time their kids spend on screens. “Camp is an oppormay/june 2015 | 71
W MOMMY MATTERS Benefits of overnight camping (cont)
tunity for kids to look up from their gadgets and over-stimulating toys and pay attention to the world around them.”
OVERCOMING HOMESICKNESS: As a parent, my biggest worry about sending my kids to camp is that they’ll miss me too much and be upset the whole time. According to Thiel, “Homesickness is more than just longing for home; it is the fear of the unknown and uncertainty. While these feelings may be uncomfortable, they are part of life.” At camp, kids learn how to work through discomfort while surrounded by a friendly community.
RESILIENCE: Camp presents kids with many opportunities to face adversity and overcome it. They learn to work with others outside of their immediate family circle and overcome physical and mental challenges with the support of trained counselors.
SanAntonioBoutiques.com
Of course, every kid is different, and overnight camp might not be right for your child just yet. Use these final months of spring to gauge his or her readiness and find a camp that suits your child’s personality and needs. My daughter is almost 7 now and just as strong-willed as ever. I think a summer adventure might be in her near future. A camp counselor might even be able to convince her it’s fun to make her bed every day! www.TexasSummerCamps.com
72 | sawoman.com
TIPS FOR PARENTS Here are some simple steps you can take in the coming months to set your child up for success this summer. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
If your child hasn’t spent much time away from home, try to provide a few opportunities for him or her to get some practice being separated from you and playing with other children they don’t normally play with. Host a playgroup with some new friends, or see if a trusted family member or friend might be willing to have your child for a sleepover or weekend getaway.
STAY POSITIVE
Your focus as a parent will influence your child’s focus while he or she prepares for camp. Stay positive and share your own stories of camp or similar experiences you might have had as a child. Go on a camping shopping trip and show your child photos of the camp you choose to build positive anticipation.
BE OPEN
At the same time, encourage your child to share any fears or concerns he or she might have about going to camp. If you felt the same way as a child, share that with them. Open and honest communication will help your children feel confident that they can overcome any fears and anxieties they might have.
EMPOWER YOUR CHILD
If you’re planning to send your child to camp, consider how you might be able to prepare in advance by teaching new skills. Teach your child basic personal care skills and try to let them do some of the tasks you might normally do for them, like cleaning their room or folding their laundry. Eliminating any insecurity your child might feel about these basic tasks will make the adjustment much easier.
may/june 2015 | 73
W SOCIETY
Supporting the Community May 7 Good Samaritan Community Services Good Samaritan Award (Max Navallo) The Plaza Club (210) 424-2065
May 15 McNay Art Museum 7th Annual Spring Party: My Big Fat Greek McNay Party McNay Art Museum (210) 805-1761
May 7 The Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation Bingo de Mayo San Antonio Country Club (210) 699-1640
May 15 Central Library 20th Anniversary Gala Benefiting the San Antonio Public Library Foundation Central Public Library (210) 225-4728
May 8 Avance Mother of the Year Luncheon Honoring Barbara Gentry Valero Energy Corporation (210) 220-1788 May 8 14th Annual Honoring Mothers Luncheon Benefiting The Battered Women and Children’s Shelter Guest Speaker: Ashley Judd Marriott Rivercenter (210) 733-8810 May 8 San Antonio Gardenia and Musical Club Coronation Ball St. Anthony Hotel (210) 445-7238 May 9 American Diabetes Association Valero Tour de Cure Tour starts at Texas A&M San Antonio Campus (210) 829-1765 x6126 May 12 Friends of Hospice Spring Party Private Home (210) 785-5850 May 13 San Antonio Botanical Garden Splendor In the Garden Gala San Antonio Botanical Garden (210) 829-5360 May 14 The Ecumenical Center Ethics in Business Luncheon San Antonio Country Club (210) 616-0885 May 14 20th Annual Taste of the Dominion Benefiting San Antonio Food Bank The Dominion Country Club (210) 431-8309
74 | sawoman.com
May 20 Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum Blue Star Red Dot: Viva Red Dot Honored Artist: Cruz Ortiz Honored Patron: Ann Griffith Ash Blue Star Museum (210) 227-6960 May 21 Motherhood: The Lifetime Achievement Award Luncheon Honoring Peggy Lewis Benefiting San Antonio Can High School San Antonio Country Club (210) 607-9720 June 5 Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation 4th Annual Golf Fore Friends Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club (210) 704-2800 June 12 United Way Volunteer of the Year Awards Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (210) 352-7099 June 20 Mexican American Unity Council Spirit of Education Awards Luncheon Omni Colonnade (210) 978-0510 June 20 Association for Women in Communications Annual Headliner Awards Club at Sonterra (210) 573-3922 July 9 North SA Chamber of Commerce 2015 Small Business Leaders Awards Hyatt Hill Country (210) 344-4848
SUSTAINABLE GARDENING W
By JOSIE SEELIGSON
Tending a garden in early summer evokes more than just the harvested vegetables. Gardening is a full sensory experience. Moist soil rolls in your fingertips as birds chirp from branches, and the aroma of tomato leaves warmed by sunshine wafts about. Children in particular are drawn to nature’s sensory lessons, but
life sorts people in various directions through experiences, external
pressures, simple access or, for kids today, a multitude of screens.
Childhood summers should unfold mostly outside, while there’s still
time to ponder cloud shapes in the sky and bugs on the grass and make
forts from fallen sticks. A vegetable garden can be not only fruitful for eating, but
a reason to go outside, a bridge connecting us to the natural world.
As any gardener knows, planted garden plots, particularly those growing
vegetables, require regular tending: watering, weeding, fertilizing and – hopefully — harvesting. If you want kids involved in gardening, the first step is to
give them ownership, allow them their own plot, however small, even just a pot, but front and center and in a sunny spot that will bring success, not just stuck
in a shady corner. Make a sign and put their name on it, list what’s growing, have fun with it.
Let them do the morning or evening watering, even if they get in a water fight.
In fact, one boy, when asked what would make sustainable gardening fun, sug-
gested watering via water balloon wars using biodegradable water balloons.
may/june 2015 | 75
W SUSTAINABLE GARDENING
Summer Garden Gazpacho 3 medium tomatoes 1 peeled cucumber
1 clove garlic
1 green bell pepper
¼ large onion
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar (to taste)
½ loaf French bread Salt (to taste)
Puree all together in a food processor, then run the mixture through a food mill. Add water if too thick. Chill and serve cold. Recipe courtesy Amparo España A quick online search revealed that, yes, biodegradable water bal-
loons can in fact be found on Amazon, though they might be better for “watering” lawns than fragile vegetable plants. Kids can help weed,
sprinkle fertilizer feedings from watering cans, and even spray vegetable
Add childhood delight to any garden:
plant leaves with organic foliar sprays such as liquid seaweed and mo-
Purchase a carton of ladybugs
taste, nutritional value and pest resistance.
explore their garden kingdom;
lasses, which “paints” the leaves with brown beading liquid to improve
at a nursery, set them free to
But insects will appear. The good news is: Bugs fascinate
many kids. San Antonio’s Walden Pond Inter Arts Center for children
keeps a small vegetable garden in its backyard, and owner/teacher Roxana
Newsom says the kids’ favorite garden task is “bug-sucking.” She gives
them a Dust Buster and sets them loose. Not only do they love to search
for and “hoover” up pests, but later they get thrills opening the Dust
Buster and identifying the insects. Kids also love beneficial ladybugs and
later, kids can encounter ladybugs on the underside of a leaf,
silently munching aphids’ eggs
that would otherwise eventually
hatch and consume plant leaves.
earthworms. One 8-year-old states her favorite thing to do in a garden is
to put worms in the soil, saying expertly, “Their poo is fertilizer, and the tunnels they make help roots grow.”
HOME MADE PEST CONTROL Make your own
bug spray: 3 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing soap to 1 gallon water.
Kindergarten teacher Sharon Moa plants butterfly-attracting flowers
alongside edibles, so kids can watch the creatures flutter alongside the pro-
gression of planted seeds where the kids also paint and play along the step-
ping stones and digging spots. She says students often choose to spend time
in the garden instead of going to recess and even return in later years to visit
the sensory-filled, creative space.
Some insects are beneficial, some are pests. Pests include aphids, potato
or Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, earwigs, leafhoppers, slugs and snails. Good guys are dragonflies, ladybugs, spiders, stinkbugs, praying mantis,
centipedes, assassin bugs or ground beetles, all of whom feed on the pests.
To properly identify them, get a book or simple pocket folding guide. When
needed, use organic pest control to keep food safe to eat. Organic sprays can
be purchased at most garden centers, or make your own: 3 tablespoons of
liquid dishwashing soap to 1 gallon water. 76 | sawoman.com
Collect dropped vegetables, leaves and other garden
debris daily to eliminate habitats for flies and slugs.
Place copper stripping around edges to give snails and
slugs a zap, and set containers buried to ground level,
filled halfway with beer or molasses water to lure them.
Loosely roll up a moistened newspaper held together
with a rubber band overnight to trap earwigs; in the
morning put into a sealed container and discard.
Harvesting is an end goal. But despite best ef-
forts, vegetable gardens don’t always yield predictably.
One season you wallow in yellow squash and expect
Hang bird and bat houses, or bug zappers near the garden, and the residents will feast on bugs and help with pesky summer mosquitoes and flies as well.
resurgence, only to be blindsided the next, when
squash rots on the vine with powdery mildew — one of
many garden blights. One summer a bumper crop of
cucumbers turns your kitchen into a pickle factory; the
next planting time, aggressive birds eat the seeds be-
fore they germinate. The list of challenges is endless
and often mysterious.
It’s OK if the summer vegetable garden yields a mealtime succotash of sorts, maybe a medley of butter beans, cow peas, a few okra pods
and one tomato, simmered in broth, seasoned with herbs. Kids and adults still savor vegetables they’ve produced themselves. After all, they get
to enjoy that final sensation: Tasting their efforts.
Where to Find Organic Products and Expert Gardening Advice:
Shades of Green, 334 West Sunset Road, 210-824-3772. Open Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fanick Garden Center and Nursery, 1025 Holmgreen Road, 210-648-1303. Open 7 days/week, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
may/june 2015 | 77
W ROLE MODEL
Rachelle Simpson CLIFF DIVING WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION
Titleholder shares her journey to become a world-class athlete By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN Photography by JESSICA GIESEY As a young home-schooled child, Rachelle Simpson aspired to be an Olympic gymnast. She gave up that dream at age 10, she says, adding, “I was a fair gymnast; not great. But I had the mentality.” Now her dream to be an Olympian may be possible in a way she could never have imagined — as a high diver and one of four American women on the USA National High Diving team for Federation Internationale De Natation (FINA). High dive is now an official discipline, and FINA is making strides toward a future Olympic exhibition and then possibly the opportunity of a competition. As a rookie, new competitor Simpson won the 2014 FINA Female High Diver of the Year title and the FINA World Cup in Russia. The road to the high platform and status as a world-class athlete and Red Bull Cliff Diving Women’s World Series Champion titleholder has included 10 years as an aquatic diving performer at entertainment venues including Sea World and a career-boosting stint in Macau in Franco Dragone’s The House of Dancing Water. It was in Macau that it was suggested she might have what it took to be a high diver. It was an extraordinarily stressful time for Simpson. Her husband, Josh, was in San Antonio transitioning out of the Army and busy rehabbing their home; she was alone in a foreign country, adjusting to a different culture, Cantonese and Portuguese languages, and needing to find housing. There were also the demands of a new, physically challenging job 78 | sawoman.com
Rachelle Simpson Age: 27
Dean Treml/Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Kragero, Norway, July 11, 2014.
Why she’s a role model: Open to learning a new sport, she overcame obstacles and challenges, trained hard, and with no competition experience, she became a world-class athlete and world champion high diver.
Thoughts on food: “I’ve tried every kind of diet and program. We are both vegan now. We both had respiratory issues, and food is healing. We take a holistic approach.”
Her role models: Her parents, who had 20-year careers in gymnastics and their own gymnastics business. Her mother still coaches, and her father works after retirement. “I look up to them. They have such strong work ethics,” she says.
Favorite indulgences: The recently shorn pixie-cut blonde admits to hair fun: “I love playing with my hair, especially at Toni and Guy.” Lulu Lemon purchases are also a much-loved retail experience. Quote to live by: The couple share a Roger Allan Wade song lyric that has special meaning to both of them, so much so that it’s tattooed on Josh’s calf — “If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough.” While it sounds amusing, the seriousness of her sport is not lost. “I know if you do this, you will be hurt. You are going to have injury. (It’s) so dangerous, there’s so much room for error. If I can jump off cliffs the heights of buildings, I need to be smart about it.”
Must-do for every dive: “I pray before every competition. I meditate and just be quiet.”
What’s surprising: “My biggest competitor is me. When I’m told I can’t do something, I know I can, and it’s just about proving it to myself. I’m afraid every time (I dive). I’m addicted to that, to overcoming the fear.”
Often read: A lifetime reader who always has a book on Kindle at the ready for any free moments, Simpson favors biographies or stories about missionaries as well as classic fiction such as Pride and Prejudice and modern series like Harry Potter.
and training in high dive. The stress and intense pressure were manifest in many ways. When Josh finally arrived, he helped her de-stress, adding yoga to her routine, and made changes to improve her overall health and wellness. Simpson also drew largely from her faith. “God’s the reason I do this stuff,” she explains. “He gave me this talent. I found peace through prayer. It’s why I have the confidence that I do in my sport.” Through the six months of training, Simpson felt the pressure fade: “God was telling me I don’t have to be perfect.” At that realization it all fell into place, little by little. “It ended up being such a great thing for us. We realized we can roll with things,” says Simpson, a self-confessed worrier. Before she knew it, her high dive performances led to world high dive competitions in Texas, Norway and Mexico and winning the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series with three gold medals. Her husband, whom she met in the youth program at their church when they were both teens, is and always has been her best friend. The duo also coach children’s gymnastics together. Working and training together is a blessing, “We don’t like being apart. We enjoy each other’s company,” she says.
For more on this issue’s Role Model, visit sawoman.com.
While her acrobatic aquatic and diving performances (sometimes up to five shows a day) help with her fitness, she and Josh include other activities in her two to eight hours of daily training. “We like to mix things up and maintain well-balanced exercise,” she says. Sometimes that includes competing in off-season tough mudder endurance events and ongoing yoga to aid her flexibility and leanness. With speeds of near 85 mph for her high dives, Simpson has begun strength training. “It can feel like concrete when you hit the water. Training helps me be sturdier,” she says. Cardio workouts increase her stamina, something needed for the competitions that require repeated eight-minute climbs up ladders. The one thing her sport preparation can’t include, unfortunately, is high dive practice. There aren’t any places with platforms high enough to replicate the competition heights or pool depth to accommodate her dives. The lack of facilities requires her to use area pools with 10-meter platforms and divide her dives into two halves. The separate parts require her to use visualization and build muscle memory. She explains, “I’m a big believer that if you can convince your brain, your body will follow suit.” may/june 2015 | 79
80 | sawoman.com
SENIOR CARE-GIVING W
FAMILY
MEMORIES
You can do so even as you downsize By ROBYN BARNES
When it’s time to downsize from a 3,500-square-foot
home to a small apartment in a senior care residence, one
of the hardest things to do is clean out the memories. Living
in a big house, it’s easy to hide away all the paper detritus
that comes with saving children’s drawings, diplomas, hun-
dreds of photos, letters and recipes — they get pitched in boxes
and put in the attic. Out of sight, out of mind. But when it’s time
to move, all those boxes of memories come out of hiding and have
to be handled.
First, make a timeline and assemble a team. You know how much you
need to weed out, and you know the day the moving van will arrive. Set a
goal for the amount of “memories” you’ll deal with each day. Build in some
extra time because you’ll get caught up in spells of remembering that will slow you down. Get your family involved, as well — these are their memories, too.
Preserving family memories before a move requires some organization. If you
have the space, use different rooms in your house to sort items while you are packing. Put all the photos you find on one side of a room and put all the family
legal documents on the other side. Family heirlooms in the form of furniture,
china, Grandma’s afghans and collections should go in another room; be sure
to ask family members what they want. As you gather these items, label them with
the recipients’ names and addresses. This will make it much easier to pack and ship
them, if necessary, when the time comes.
may/june 2015 | 81 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
W SENIOR CARE-GIVING
For more info go to seniorsanantonio.com
Sometimes we hold onto things
Have a friend or a family member use a video
because it helps us hold onto people
we love who have left our lives. Now
is the time to share those things with
camera to record you as you walk down memory lane,
through your collections and heirlooms. This may require
a number of sessions to recall and record everything you
the ones you love and pass the mem-
want to say. Give some thought ahead of time to this project;
useful are meant to be shared, not
prone to rambling.
ories on down. The things that are
hoarded. Send the afghan to college
with your granddaughter and give your
husband’s tools to your nephew. Pass the wed-
ding china down with instructions that it be used daily,
rather than hidden away in a cupboard. Donate unwanted items to
charitable organizations now, to clear space.
Decluttering doesn’t mean you have to delete the memory.
Gather the things that meant the most to you and photograph them
before you share them. Take pictures of yourself using the items.
Create a digital memory book that can be passed down. Online services such as Shutterfly and Smilebox exist just for this purpose.
you might write an outline so you’ll be organized and less
Uncomfortable around a video camera? Settle into a com-
fortable chair in front of your computer and use speech recog-
nition software to record your story. Old-fashioned Dictaphones are still available, too. Look for the software at big box stores like Best Buy.
As the baby boomers downsize, technology to help them
archive their family history has exploded, especially with the
Internet. You might sign up for a service like StoryWorth www.story-
worth.com. The service provides you with a list of questions to be an-
swered each week. Your answers go to your family and are stored on a
website, to be read privately. This is one way to collect family history.
A scanner may become your family’s best friend. How many years
have you prepared the holiday dinners with secret recipes? Get those
stacks of loose recipe cards out and scan them. Organize them into a family cookbook and document your family traditions in the process.
If there’s anywhere Americans need to simplify, it’s in our photo col-
lections. If you are like other boomers, you were fascinated with cameras when they made the scene. Boomer parents are noted for taking thou-
sands of pictures — and putting them in boxes, mostly without any iden-
tification. This “store and ignore” philosophy works with paper items,
but it won’t work with digital files. Yet everything you read says to scan
those photos and documents and store them digitally.
The Library of Congress has an excellent Internet chapter on per-
sonal digital archiving at www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving. They say the biggest problem with digital archiving is
obsolescence. Even current computers may not have hard drives
that can read older media, hardware connections that attach to older
After years spent acquiring stuff, it’s hard to think about letting it
go. When you think about it, though, the memories aren’t really in the
media or software that works with it. Photos can get trapped on ob-
solete media.
If your files aren’t well-organized, finding them can be difficult. If
stuff — they are in the stories associated with the stuff. Tell your sto-
your files are scattered among websites, thumb drives, CDs and the
from, why they were important to you. There are a number of ways
could lose them if the service goes belly up. CDs, thumb drives and those
ries about how you collected the things you love, where they came
you can do this. 82 | sawoman.com
cloud, it’s a risky business. If you leave them with an online service, you old floppy disks degrade over time. What should you do?
Organize and back up your files using the four best practices the Library recommends: 1.
Locate everything to be saved. Scan items if necessary. Transfer them from CDs, old floppy disks and other storage media, cameras, your phone and anywhere else they may be. 2. Decide what to keep. Pick the nicest photos and discard the rest. You really only need one photo of Uncle Bob carving the Thanksgiving turkey. Keep the best, discard the rest. 3. Organize the files. “There is no set system for organization,” the Library says. “Just make your system consistent and predictable to make it easy to find materials later. Descriptive folder and file names help. Descriptive names could be file types, with photos in a ‘Photo’ folder and documents in a ‘Document’ folder.” You could have subfolders organized by year. 4. Save copies in different places and manage them. Personal files should be backed up in separate locations on at least two different types of storage devices. Professional photographers who rely on digital storage have a “3 -2-1” rule: 3 Make three copies 2 Save at least two on different types of storage media 1 Save one in a different location from where you live
As your storage device becomes obso-
lete, purchase a new one and back your files
up. Keep a record of your backup schedule
and your file system and share it with at
least one family member.
Are your photos damaged? Photos that
are torn, stained or creased may be brought
back to life through the magic of digital restoration. They can be printed on archival
paper or stored on digital media. Locally,
River City Silver is recognized for their work in this art form.
As you sort through what to take and
what to leave behind, enjoy each memory
as it surfaces. If you’ve taken the time to fol-
low your plan and preserve your sentimental journey, you’ll leave a legacy of family
history that no one else can provide.
may/june 2015 | 83
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Nestled in 28 wooded acres in the heart of the San Antonio Medical Center, Brookdale Patriot Heights strives to provide solutions for seniors and their loved ones. Whether it's a residential solution in Independent Living, or a short-term Heather Lovelace rehabilitation stay in our Healthcare Center. 210.696.6005
Specializing in: • Traditional burials • Cremations • Insurance • Body disposition “All necessary paperwork required by the State of Texas” “Providing peace of mind”
Sylvia C. Garza 210.326.9122
HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
EVENT PLANNING
Let us plan your wedding, anniversary, birthday, or corporate event. Our professionalism and experience create memorable and stress free events for our customers. 210.859.8720 We offer a host of ideas and services specifically tailored to the needs of each unique event. www.oaksandaspens.com
DILMAK SERVICES HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING • Serving San Antonio and the surounding areas • 24/7 Emergency Services • Best Brands - YORK RUUD, TRANE LENNOX, CARRIER • Background Checks on all technicians • Financing Available
Dilmak Services 210.776.3557
MORTGAGE
WELLNESS HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR MILITARY Your donation can help us restore the health of our veterans.
wellness4warriorsii.org Fitness Instructor I have spent a lifetime in the field of physical fitness and my focus is on wellness, nutrition, flexibility and strength. My goal is to help people live, function, and feel better everyday through simple deep breathing, meditation and movement. Seniors, Corporate and Military.
Shaunnesy Rodriguez 210.300.1112 www.yogabyshaunnesy.com
REAL ESTATE
NORTHSIDE
Rita Brogdon, Sr. Loan Officer
210.834.5652
Preferred Mortgage is a locally owned, full service mortgage company originating conventional loans for purchases and refinances. As a nationally licensed loan officer Rita has the experience to make your home loan experience a positive one. Rita specializes in VA and Texas Vet loans and strives to assist active duty, discharged veterans and disabled veterans in obtaining the best loan for them at the best price!
SENIORS DIRECTORY ONLINE
Holly Weems Senior Real Estate Specialist Cell: 936.240.0250 Office: 210.979.6700
For additional information on resources for seniors visit:
www.SeniorSanAntonio.com
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2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
THE DOCTOR IS IN A recent study commissioned by the Texas Medical Center uncovered an interesting finding: Patients of all ages — from 18 to 65 and older — rated doctors as a more important source of health information than online or Internet sources. Surprisingly, this was true even for those aged 18 to 34; 65 percent of them voted in favor of physicians over online sources. So having positive, long-term relationships with our physicians is important for the information they can share with us as well as the care they administer and the medications they prescribe. We need someone who knows our medical histories and recognizes when we’re not looking or feeling like our old selves. We all want doctors we can trust and hospitals or clinics we can turn to in case of an emergency. Health and wellness are important to all of us. With more than a dozen hospitals and medical centers in San Antonio, we are fortunate to have solutions to our health care concerns close at hand. But it’s important to find physicians to whom you can trust your family’s health and wellness. Here is a good place to start. may/june 2015 | 87
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Allergy, Asthma, Immunology
Patricia Gomez Dinger, DO • Pediatric and Adult • Allergy • Asthma • Immunology
Dr. Patricia Gomez Dinger is board certified in allergy, asthma, and immunology. She leads her field in the areas of mountain cedar desensitization with sublingual immunotherapy. To become a specialist in her field, Dr. Gomez Dinger first completed a 3year internal medicine residency before going on to complete an additional 2-year subspecialty fellowship in allergy.
Education: University of Texas, Austin, TX New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Long Island, NY Residency: University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX Fellowship: Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Gomez Dinger is known in San Antonio for treating her patients as she would treat her own children and is passionate about informing the community about the latest advancements in the changing field of allergy, asthma and immunology. She speaks locally and regionally and is the recipient of several awards, including the Super Doctors Rising Stars since 2012, and is a past President of the San Antonio Allergy Society
Years in Practice in Texas: 15
“There is no greater reward than having a patient return for a follow up visit to tell me they are feeling the best they have ever felt in their life!”
Contact: Advanced Allergy Asthma and Immunology 540 Madison Oak, Suite 210 San Antonio, TX 78258 5000 Schertz Parkway, Suite 400 Schertz, TX 78154 www.mysaallergist.com (210) 499-ITCH email: info@mysaallergist.com
Audiology Phallon Doss, Au.D., graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas Woman’s University, and received her Doctorate in Audiology from the University of North Texas in Denton. Dr. Doss has extensive experience with all clinical populations, including specialized training in neurophysiology in the surgical setting. Dr. Doss is a guest lecturer for the University of North Texas Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and is also the educational audiologist for Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD.
Phallon Doss, AuD, Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Doss maintains her Clinical Certification in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology.
• Diagnostic Hearing Evaluations • Hearing Aids • Tinnitus Assessment and Treatment • Custom Hearing Protection
Education:
Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX Bachelor of Science Summa Cum Laude University of North Texas, Denton, TX Doctorate in Audiology The only Doctor of Audiology in Schertz Contact: Doss Audiology & Hearing Center 5000 Schertz Parkway, Suite 300 Schertz, TX 78154 Office: (210) 819-5002 Fax: (210) 819-5003 www.dossaudiology.com
Certified Nurse Midwife Ms. Olivia Green is a caring and dedicated Midwife serving the community of San Antonio, TX. She received her dual Master’s of Science degree in Women’s Health Nursing and Midwifery from Georgetown University. She graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University with a baccalaureate degree and holds a diploma in nursing from the Baptist School of Health Professions, San Antonio, TX. Ms. Green is an integral member of Acacia OB/GYN and is affiliated with Northeast Baptist Hospital, San Antonio, TX.
Olivia Green, RN, MSN, CNM Certifications: • ACLS, NRP, STABLE and BLS
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She is committed to honoring choices, wishes, and desires to empower women to take control of their childbirth experience. Ms. Green provides insightful and compassionate clinical care for women throughout their pregnancies, along with dependable healthcare throughout their lives.
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Education: Master of Science, Women’s Health Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife: Georgetown University, Washington D.C. Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX Diploma in Nursing: Baptist School of Health Professionals Awards and Publications: • Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Texas Tech University • Dean’s List, Baptist School of Health Professions • Dean’s List, Alamo Community College Contact: ACACIA OB/GYN 8715 Village Drive, Suite 305 San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 226-7827 www.acaciaobgyn.net
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Dermatology Dr. Osswald is a board-certified Dermatologist and fellowship-trained Dermatopathologist. She is presently an Associate Professor and Chief in the Division of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at UT School of Medicine, San Antonio. She treats patients of all ages with a wide variety of skin diseases including treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, cutaneous lymphoma, hair disorders, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, and blistering disorders.
Sandra S. Osswald, MD • Dermatology • Dermatopathology
She enjoys teaching residents and students in dermatology and dermatopathology, speaking at local and national events, and numerous publications in derhas matopathology journals and textbooks.
Education: Medical School: Boston University Medical School, Boston, MA Residency: Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX Fellowship: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC Years in San Antonio: 21 Contact: UT Medicine Dermatology Cancer Therapy & Research Center 7979 Wurzbach Road, Grossman Bldg., 3rd floor San Antonio, TX 78229-4427 (210) 450-9840 www.UTmedicine.org
Dr. Osswald is committed to providing quality care to her patients and supporting our community.
Dermatology Dr. Vogel is a Board Certified Dermatologist, fellowship trained Mohs surgeon, and retired Army Colonel. Before becoming a dermatologist she was an RN and then a board certified internist. Her background gives her unique qualities and insights and a desire to treat each person in a holistic manner. She spent ten years as an Army dermatologist and trained Army and Air Force dermatology residents to perform dermatologic surgery and laser procedures.
Dr. Paula Vogel • Mohs Surgery • Excisional surgery on high-risk skin cancer patients
Dr. Vogel has been in private practice since 2006 and has been performing Mohs surgery and excisional surgery on high-risk skin cancer patients for over 15 years.
Dr. Vogel and her staff will be happy to help you meet your needs and enhance your natural beauty. Please call our friendly staff to schedule an easy and affordable consult.
Contact: Skin Specialists of San Antonio 2632 Broadway St. Suites 201N and 401N San Antonio, TX 78215 (210) 226-0040 www.dermatologistsinsanantonio.com
Dr. Vogel is dedicated to helping optimize her patient’s appearance through the use of Dermal Fillers, Botox, and Laser Therapy.
Endocrinology Kathleen Hands, M.D., is board-certified in both internal medicine and Endocrinology with subspecialty training in thyroid disorders. Dr. Hands is the first Ultrasound Certified endocrinologist from AIUM and trains other endocrinologists in thyroid ultrasound guided biopsy techniques.
Kathleen Hands, MD, FACE, ECNU • Thyroid nodules & Thyroid cancer • Parathyroid disease • Pregnancy-related thyroid disease • Autoimmune thyroid diseases • Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism
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Recognized nationally for her expertise in lymph node assessment in patients with thyroid nodules to determine risks for cancer, she is one of few physicians who perform molecular studies on thyroid nodule biopsies, increasing accuracy in assessing cancer risks and avoiding unnecessary surgery. Dr. Hands has received “Compassionate Doctor Award” from independent patient review groups.
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Education: Fellowship: UTHSC, San Antonio • Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine • Diplomat of the American Board of Endocrinology and Metabolism • Asst. Professor, Univ. of Texas Health Science Center SA, Dept. of Medicine Years in San Antonio: 11 Contact: Thyroid & Endocrine Center of South Texas 540 Madison Oak Dr., Suite 270 San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 491-9494 www.thyroid-center.com DrHands@thyroid-center.com
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Family Medicine Dr. Linda Ivy became attracted to Family Medicine while in medical school. Since then, Obesity Medicine—the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of obesity—has become her passion. For 10 years prior to joining Alamo Heights Medical Group, Dr. Ivy served as assistant clinical professor of medicine at UTHSCSA’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and practiced in the clinic there.
Linda M. Ivy, MD • Family Medicine • Obesity Medicine • Prevention & wellness care • Infants, children, adolescents and adults
Dr. Ivy is board certified in Family Medicine and is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. With deep roots in the Alamo Heights community, she is excited to open a new clinic at the Quarry this summer.
Education: Bachelor of Arts (Biology) cum laude: Trinity University, San Antonio, TX Medical Degree: University of Texas Medical School, San Antonio, TX Residency: Memorial Medical Center, Corpus Christi, TX Years of practice: 27 Contact: Alamo Heights Medical Group Coming this summer to the Quarry! 250 E. Basse Rd., Suite 107 San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 223-9617 www.methodistphysicianpractices.com
Family Medicine Dr. Margaret Mann-Zeballos wanted to be a doctor for as long as she can remember. Family Medicine—which focuses on the whole person, provides integrated care to both genders and all ages and emphasizes prevention—was the only specialty she ever considered practicing.
Margaret M. Mann-Zeballos, MD
After her residency, Dr. Mann-Zeballos joined the Department of Family & Community Medicine as an associate clinical professor at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where she also worked in the busy, academic clinic there.
• Family Medicine • Prevention & wellness care • Infants, children, adolescents and adults
Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Mann-Zeballos has strong ties to Alamo Heights as the mother of three Howard and Cambridge Elementary children.
Education: Bachelor of Science (Biology) summa cum laude: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS Medical Degree: Texas Tech University School of Medicine, Lubbock and El Paso, TX Residency: State University of New York at Buffalo, NY Years of practice: 12 Contact: Alamo Heights Medical Group Coming this summer to the Quarry! 250 E. Basse Rd., Suite 107 San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 223-9617 www.methodistphysicianpractices.com
Gastroenterology
Donna McMyler, MD • Board certified gastroenterologist • Colon cancer screening • Inflammatory bowel disease • Celiac disease • Acid reflux/heartburn
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Dr. Donna McMyler uses her background in nutrition to treat patients with gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux, celiac disease, IBS and gastroparesis. Her father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer at an early age, and she has made it her mission to ensure both men and women are screened for this highly preventable disease. Dr. McMyler attended the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston for medical school and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for residency and fellowship. Dr. McMyler grew up in a small town in Texas and when not helping her patients, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. A lot of women will take care of their family first — their kids, their husband — women need to take care of themselves.
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Education: B.S. Degree: Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX M.D. Degree: University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX Internal Medicine Residency: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Gastroenterology Fellowship: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Years of practice: 13 Contact: Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio 855 Proton Road San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 614-1234 www.gastroconsa.com
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Gastroenterology
Zarema Singson, MD • Board certified gastroenterologist • Colon cancer screening • Inflammatory bowel disease • Women’s GI Health • Liver disease
Dr. Singson earned her medical degree from the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio and went on to complete her residency and fellowship training at the University of California Irvine where she served as Chief Resident and received an award for her research on innovative methods in polyp detection and analysis. She is skilled in all areas of gastroenterology with a special interest in inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer prevention, women’s GI health, hepatology, and obesity as it relates to GI disorders. When she is not practicing medicine, she enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time with her family. I believe in the patient/physician relationship and enjoy building a relationship with my patients and working together on their health goals.
Education: B.A. Degree - Biology: Rice University, Houston, TX M.D. Degree - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Internal Medicine Residency: University of California Irvine, Orange, CA Gastroenterology Fellowship: University of California Irvine, Orange, CA Years of practice: 9 Contact: Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio 8214 Wurzbach San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 614-1234 www.gastroconsa.com
Gynecologic Oncologist Cancer Care Centers of South Texas in San Antonio, in the South Texas Medical Center and Stone Oak, is proud to announce the affiliation of Dr. Corinne Jeppson, Gynecologic Oncologist, to their physician team. Dr. Jeppson is accepting new gynecologic oncology referrals. To refer a patient to Dr. Jeppson, please call (210) 595-5300.
Corinne N. Jeppson, DO • Board Eligible Gyn Oncology • Robotic Surgery Trained • Languages English and Spanish
Education: Fellowship: Gynecologic Oncology, Florida Hospital, FL Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI Internship: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI
Medical School: A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, MO College: Truman State University, Kirksville, MO
Contact: Cancer Care Centers of South Texas 4411 Medical Drive, Suite 100 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 595-5300 www.CancerCareSouthTexas.com
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Tracy Lyon, MD, FACOG • Board Certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology • Member of the American Medical Association • Affiliated with Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, TX
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Dr. Tracy Lyon is a considerate and compassionate OB-GYN based in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Lyon received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico, CA.
Education: Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR Doctor of Medicine Degree: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas Bachelor of Science: Microbiology at California State University Chico, Chico, CA
Dr. Lyon is affiliated with Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, TX. She is a part of ACACIA OB/GYN.
Robotic da Vinci Surgery Special interest in teenage health care
Dr. Lyon sees patients for a variety of reasons including pregnancy care, birth control, annual gynecological exams and gynecological problems such as irregular bleeding. She is certified in da Vinci robotic surgery. She has a particular interest in teen health and is the perfect doctor for teenage girls to see as they start menstruating and transition out of pediatric care.
Contact: ACACIA OB/GYN 8715 Village Drive, Suite 305 San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 226-7827 www.acaciaobgyn.net
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2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Georgia A. McCann, MD • Gynecologic Oncology • Radical Pelvic and Reconstructive Surgery • OB/GYN
Dr. McCann joined the faculty of the UT School of Medicine at San Antonio in September 2013 as an assistant clinical professor in the division of gynecologic oncology. Her expertise includes the diagnosis, treatment, and research of cervical, endometrial, ovarian, and vulvar cancers. Dr. McCann also has advanced training in robotic surgery, radical pelvic, and reconstructive surgery for the diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers and complex benign gynecologic conditions. She completed her gynecologic oncology fellowship at The Ohio State University Medical Center after a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. McCann is dedicated to the comprehensive care of women with gynecologic malignancies.
Education: Medical School: Jefferson Medical College, Pennsylvania Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Fellowship: Ohio State University Medical Center Dr. McCann has authored or co-authored over 35 papers and abstracts published in peer-reviewed journals and looks forward to continuing her research while caring for the unique patient population of Central and South Texas. Contact: UT Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Medical Arts & Research Center - MARC 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, 5th Floor - 5A San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 450-9500 www.UTMedicine.org
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Sarah M. Page-Ramsey, MD, FACOG • Prenatal care and delivery • Gynecologic surgery • Abnormal menstrual bleeding • Vulvar dermatosis • Contraception, including hysterscopic sterilization (Essure)
Dr. Page-Ramsey is a board certified obstetrician/gynecologist specializing in abnormal bleeding, vulvar dermatosis, abnormal pap smears, contraception/sterilization (including Essure™ ), prenatal care/delivery, “Centering Pregnancy” ™, and gynecologic surgery. She is also actively involved in medical education. She founded and directs a national medical student workshop for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). She has received numerous national awards for her contributions to women’s health. Dr. PageRamsey serves on several national committees for the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and ACOG. She is also a board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Education: B.S.: Biochemistry, Magna Cum Laude – Clemson University, Clemson, SC 1995 M.D.: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 1999 Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, TX 1999-2003 12 years of independent practice Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Contact: UT Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Medical Arts & Research Center - MARC 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, 5th Floor - 5A San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 450-9500 www.UTMedicine.org
Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr. Rivera received her medical degree from Drexel University. She then completed her residency at New York Medical College. Her approach to her patients is one of diligence, solutions, and relief. Dr. Rivera conducts her appointments with the personalized care and attention that she would expect for her own family.
Susan Yvette Rivera, MD, FACOG • American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology • Robotic da Vinci Surgeon da Vinci Surgery
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Dr. Rivera speaks English and Spanish fluently, which makes her widely accessible to patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Dr. Susan Rivera is an experienced and accomplished physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Rivera is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Education: Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College, New York, NY Medical Degree: Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA Bachelor of Arts: Biology from Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA
Contact: ACACIA OB/GYN 8715 Village Drive, Suite 305 San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 226-7827 www.acaciaobgyn.net
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Obstetrics, Gynecology, Infertility & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery I am a San Antonio native and proudly graduated from Central Catholic HS and Incarnate Word College (UIW.) I am also an active alumnus of both UIW and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. I have always been committed to high quality and compassionate care of all women thru each stage of her life. I have been fortunate to practice in several areas of our state including El Paso, the Houston area and of course San Antonio.
Henry Garza, III, MD, FACOG • High risk pregnancy management • Vaginal & robotic pelvic surgery • Bioidentical hormone & menopause management • In-office sterilization & treatment of heavy periods
I have been well trained in the latest technology our specialty has to offer including innovative vaginal, laparoscopic and vaginal techniques for pelvic surgery and reconstruction. Dr. Garza speaks English and Spanish fluently, which makes him widely accessible to patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Education: Internship & Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, TX Doctor of Medicine Degree: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX Bachelor of Science Degree: Biology & Chemistry at Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, TX Professional or Medical Organizations: AMA, TMA, ACOG, TAOG, AAGL, BCMS Board Certified Obstetrics and Gynecology Contact: Acacia OB/GYN - Schertz 16977 IH 35 North, Suite 210 Schertz, TX 78154 (210) 226-7827 www.acaciaobgyn.net
Oncology/Hematology Cancer Care Centers of South Texas in San Antonio, in the South Texas Medical Center, is proud to announce the affiliation of Dr. Emmalind Aponte, a board-certified Medical Oncologist and Hematologist to their physician team. Dr. Aponte is accepting new medical oncology and hematology referrals. To refer a patient to Dr. Aponte, please call (210) 595-5300
Emmalind Aponte, MD • Board certified Medical Oncologist and Hematologist • Languages: English and Spanish
Education: Fellowship: Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR Residency: Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico - School of Medicine, San Juan, PR Internship: Internal Medicine, University of Puerto Rico - School of Medicine, San Juan, PR
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR College: BS in General Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY Board Certification: Medical Oncology, Hematology and Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine Clinical Interests include, but not limited to: Treatment of Breast and Lung Cancers
Contact: Cancer Care Centers of South Texas 4411 Medical Drive, Suite 100 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 595-5300 www.CancerCareSouthTexas.com
Oncology/Hematology
Linda Couch, MD, PhD • Member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Texas Oncology Society • Board Certification: Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology - American Board of Internal Medicine
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Dr. Couch earned a Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry from the University of Massachusetts and served as the director of research and quality control at Degesch America for twelve years. She went on to receive her medical degree and then completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Medical Oncology. Dr. Couch has co-authored research articles published in peer-reviewed journals related to both inorganic chemistry and medical oncology. She has participated in numerous clinical trials involving cancer medications, care and support. She comes to CCCST from Texas Oncology-Longview Cancer Center in Longview, Texas, where she provided medical oncology and hematology services to patients for ten years.
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Education: Fellowship: Medical Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Residency: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA Internship: Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC Medical School: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA Contact: Cancer Care Centers of South Texas 4411 Medical Drive, Suite 100 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 595-5300 www.CancerCareSouthTexas.com
2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Orthodontics Orthodontics is not Dr. Wilson’s job, it’s what he loves. As a patient, you will learn that he is an extremely caring individual focused on achieving each patient’s unique treatment goal while getting to know each patient personally. As a Board Certified Orthodontist, he couples the most technologically advanced treatment modalities with the most current orthodontic research to achieve predictable, stable and esthetic outcomes.
Bartholomew T. Wilson, DMD
Outside the office, Dr. Wilson is supported by an incredibly loving family, his wife, Nicole, stepson, Bodie, their Golden-doodle, Birdie, and soon-to-be baby girl, Wilson.
Education: Georgia Regents University Dental/Orthodontic Residency Augusta, GA
Contact: Mission Orthodontics 156 West Sunset Road Suite 100 San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 822-7797 Satellite Offices in Floresville & Karnes City www.missionorthodontics.com
• Invisalign: Teen & Adult • Braces: Teen & Adult • Interceptive Child Braces • Clear & Metal Braces • Custom Sports Mouthguards
Favorite Sport: Golf Our Mission: Your Smile.
Plastic Surgery
Regina M. Fearmonti, MD, PA • Breast Reconstruction • Botox and injectable fillers • Abdominoplasty • Breast augmentation, reductions, lifts
Dr. Fearmonti is a microvascular fellowshiptrained plastic surgeon with a background as a breast surgical oncologist. She is board certified through both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She practices through Fearmonti Plastic Surgery with privileges in hospitals throughout New Braunfels and San Antonio. She has trained with the nation’s leading oncologic and reconstructive surgeons, developing and improving upon techniques to help minimize the sequelae of breast cancer and to restore a woman’s “femininity”. Her other interests include breast and body contouring following weight loss, breast augmentation, and liposuction. Education: BA, Northwestern University MD, Loyola University Chicago Residency General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine
Residency Plastic Surgery, Duke University Fellowship Breast Surgical Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Fellowship Reconstructive Microsurgery, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Serving the South Texas Medical Center Since 2012 Contact: Fearmonti Plastic Surgery 598 N. Union Ave, Suite 200 New Braunfels, TX 78130 1139 E. Sonterra Blvd, Suite 565A San Antonio, TX 78258 11503 NW Military Highway, Suite 117 San Antonio, TX 78231 (coming Fall 2015) (210) 343-1089 www.DrReginaFearmonti.com
Radiation Oncology Dr. Jui-Lien “Lillian” Chou is a board-certified radiation oncologist who is also a breast cancer survivor. Her passion is in providing comprehensive, compassionate and excellent healthcare. She is a breast care specialist and has dedicated herself to the development of state-ofthe-art breast care centers for the benefit of her patients. She founded Aurora Breast Center San Antonio in September of 2009.
Jui-Lien Chou, MD • Breast Care Specialist • Radiation Oncologist • Breast Cancer Survivor
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Aurora Breast Center is the only comprehensive breast care center in San Antonio featuring a breast care clinic with cutting-edge breast imaging, biopsy and cancer treatment technology and a compassionate team.
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Education: • Medical College: National Taiwan University, in 1980 with honors • Residency: Radiation Oncology, Cancer Therapy and Research Center/University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Years in San Antonio: 10 Contact: Aurora Breast Center Aurora Cancer Center 9102 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78240 (210) 247-0888 www.aurorabreastcenter.com
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2015 SAN ANTONIO WOMAN Medical Directory
Urogynecology Dr. Casiano is originally from San Antonio and returned home to join the faculty here at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio after her residency and fellowship. Dr. Casiano is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her research interests include epidemiology and patient-centered outcomes following treatments.
Elizabeth Casiano, MD
Physician Philosophy: Dr. Casiano is committed to caring for women with uterine and vaginal prolapse and urinary incontinence.
Education: • Brown University, MD • Residency: UT Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX • Fellowship: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNFemale Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Contact: UT Medicine - Urogynecology 8300 Floyd Curl Drive San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 450-9500 www.utmedicine.org
• Urogynecology
Vascular Surgery
Lori L. Pounds, MD • Treatment of varicose veins • Treatment of acute and chronic deep venous thrombosis • Therapies for venous ulcerations • Dialysis access creation
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Dr. Pounds grew up in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. She went to the University of Pittsburgh for undergraduate school and attended Temple University School of Medicine. She did her general surgical residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and then went back to Temple for a Vascular Surgery Fellowship. Dr. Pounds returned to UTMB in Galveston and was an assistant professor for 6 years. She relocated to San Antonio in 2007 and had a successful private practice, leaving for the opportunity to teach and work with the veterans in a dual appointment in the School of Medicine Division of Vascular/Endovascular Surgery at the UT School of Medicine in San Antonio. Dr. Pounds is committed to providing excellent care for vascular disorders and has a particular interest in acute and chronic venous disease.
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Education: Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine Residency: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston Fellowship: Temple University School of Medicine Years of practice: 14 Contact: UT Medicine Vascular Surgery Medical Arts & Research Center - MARC 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, 3rd Floor - 3B San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 450-9888 www.UTMedicine.org
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W HILL COUNTRY GUIDE
WHERE THERE’S WATER
There’s sure to be Fun!
Where to beat the San Antonio spring and summer heat in South Texas and the Hill Country
By JANIS TURK The hottest temperature ever recorded in San Antonio is 111 degrees, so locals know what a blazing inferno spring, summer and even fall can feel like in South Texas. Only four months of the year, October through January, have never had a 100-degree day in San Antonio, so even late spring can scorch and sting with a high-temperature zing. But there’s no need to dread the coming sizzling hot summer as long as you’ve got a game plan and know where go to cool off and find water. Here is a sure way to beat the heat: Follow our guide to wet, wonderful water fun in South Texas and the Hill Country. 104 | sawoman.com
SAN ANTONIO
Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Ready to get wet and wild? The park’s popular White Water Bay opens for the 2015 season on Saturday, May 2, with lots of wonderful ways to cool down and have fun in the park’s newly expanded water park area. From large pools and lazy rivers to multi-passenger rafting adventures and speed slides, you'll find water rides and exciting experiences for everyone in your crew right here. Experience the thrilling Bahama Blaster — an all-new extreme attraction featuring four side-by-side-water slides. Enjoy the Bamboo Chutes, which are twin kids’ slides located near White Water Bay's wave pool. Fiesta Texas also boasts the Big Bender, an enclosed raft slide that is a winding, pulse-racing thrill ride. Then why not make a big splash in your home state? In the Lone Star Lagoon, ride the waves in a half-million-gallon wave pool shaped like the state of Texas. Six Flag’s Fiesta Texas’ recent expansion also features a small pool area called Paradise Cove for children to enjoy after sliding down Bamboo Chutes. There’s also a new Cabana Village at White Water Bay where guests can rent six cabanas with ceiling fans, tables and chairs, recliners and a stocked mini-refrigerator.
WATER-FUN STAY-CATION SPOTS
So there’s no pool at home, and you don’t want to spend lots of money for wristbands for all the kids at local water parks? Why not enjoy a “staycation” at one of San Antonio’s hotel resorts where you can relax by a pool with a cold drink while the kids play all day at a hotel water park? At the JW Marriott SA Hill Country Resort and Spa, guests enjoy exclusive access to … The 6-Acre River Bluff Water Experience
— With as many as four entry wristbands allowed per hotel room, this 6-acre attraction is a great deal for families. There, you can ascend the Water Tower adjacent to the children’s pool to access the Acequia Tube Slides. At the 35-foot-high start platform, guests will not only experience an expansive view of the surrounding landscape and Water Experience, but also the excitement of the twists and turns awaiting them in the two 275-foot-long Acequia Tube Slides. There is also an activity pool, adult pool, kids’ pool, waterslides and even a 1,100-foot lazy river. This is a perfect opportunity to take a leisurely float around the grand cabana and leisure pool deck areas. Want more water fun? The Pedernales River ride is a 650-foot innovative custom water ride experience. Utilizing lower gradients and higher volumes of water, the slide is very similar to a natural river. The swift current produces a fast-moving, powerful ride experience that literally carries rider and tubes from one curve into the next. Also, the Rapids River Ride is 350 feet of water "interaction." Guests on the deck can aim the Water Blasters along the Rapid River’s edge to spray unsuspecting patrons. At the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa guests can splash, swim and float away in the 5-acre water park featuring …Pools and Hot Tubs — Cool off in one of the resort’s many swimming pools. Join a game of water volleyball or basketball in the activity pool, unwind at the adults-only Texas pool and hot tub, or relax in the hotel’s Windflower Spa private pool. There is also a zero-entry wading pool for beginning swimmers. Sunshine Cabanas, available for day rental, are located between the family activity and adults-only Texas pools when you need to find some shade. Ramblin' River® — Modeled after the his-
toric Guadalupe River just north of San Antonio, the 950-foot Ramblin' River® offers hours of floating fun for both kids and adults. After picking up a tube, floaters ease past the sandy beach into the waterway and relax while taking in the views of the resort. Edge Falls — If you’re more of a thrillseeker, try a ride on the FlowRider®, an exciting attraction that simulates a “barrel-less” wave for body, knee and stand-up boarders. Water Slide — If you’re still seeking an adrenaline rush, take a quick, wet ride down the resort’s 22-foot water slide! SeaWorld — Connect with the natural world at SeaWorld San Antonio by meeting animals up close, soaring through the sky on a thrilling roller coaster and experiencing the sea’s majesty in one of SeaWorld’s amazing shows. Be the first to see Clyde and Seamore’s Sea Lion High show at the park’s new Pacific Point Preserve, a coastal-themed home to sea lions, walruses, otters and seals. Aquatica — At SeaWorld’s water park, enjoy water rides and meet stingrays, tropical birds and other amazing animals. Soar up a three-story high wall on Walhalla Wave or soak up the sun on white sand beaches. Texas teachers may receive free admission to both SeaWorld and Aquatica San Antonio now through May 31, and there’s also free admission for preschoolers and qualifying K-12 teachers. Don’t miss SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival, May 8-31.
signature Schlitterbahn Castle, this section of the park uses spring-fed water from the Comal River. There are eight tube chutes, seven kids’ play areas, a wave pool and the swim-up bars in heated pools, all nestled beneath a beautiful canopy of trees. On the wild side: the Down Hill Racer, the Soda Straws. On the mild side: the Raging River, the Congo. Surfenburg: Named for the world’s first surfing wave, the Boogie Bahn, Surfenburg is also home to the first uphill water coaster, the Dragon’s Revenge. Also in Surfenburg: Enjoy the Kristal River, which circles Squirt’n Sliden, a kids’ giant play area. Blastenhoff: The most awarded and most popular attraction in Schlitterbahn history, the Master Blaster starts at the top of a sixstory tower in Blastenhoff. (Two other rides also take off from the same tower.) Surrounding the “Blast Tower” is the Torrent Wave River, which combines an endless river with a wave pool for unlimited fun. Tubenbach: Tubenbach features the world’s longest tubing adventure, The Falls, as
well as several new no-wait attractions along with beaches allowing park guests to enjoy the new rides without standing in a line. Several of the Tubenbach attractions are interconnected through an innovative Transportainment™ river, allowing tubers to stay in the water and float throughout the Schlitterbahn East area. Overall, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels has four times the rides and attractions of any water park within 200 miles, and twice the number of attractions of any water park within 500 miles. The naturally landscaped park is shaded by 100-year-old cedar and cypress trees. Schlitterbahn also has locations at South Padre Island and Galveston Island, and this summer they will open another park in Corpus Christi. And did you know there’s even a Schlitterbahn in Kansas City? Luxury Cabanas: Schlitterbahn has just expanded the number of its cabanas, which include everything from barbecue palapas to super-sized cabanas 10 people can share. Luxury cabanas with mini-fridges and TV screens are planned to open midsummer, too.
NEW BRAUNFELS
Schlitterbahn Water Park and Resort in New Braunfels has been ranked as the No. 1 Water Park in the World for 17 consecutive years. Located on the banks of the springfed Comal River in New Braunfels, Schlitterbahn’s flagship water park has 40 attractions on over 70 acres. Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn provides a staggering variety of rides, slides and water adventures from mild to wild. Four adventures are available in one giant water park at Schlitterbahn New Braunfels: The Original Schlitterbahn: Home to the may/june 2015 | 105
W HILL COUNTRY GUIDE Tubing in the Comal and the Guadalupe Rivers You don’t have to go to a big water park to find water fun in and around New Braunfels; just rent a tube from any outfitter along Highway 46 and River Road, and hop in the nearest river. Both the Comal River and the Guadalupe River run through the area. A good place to start? Why not jump in just below the Gruene Historic District and ride the waves and mini-falls to fun?
CANYON LAKE
Canyon Lake is a true hidden treasure in the Central Texas Hill Country. With sparkling waterfront and lake views, Canyon Lake offers opportunities for boating/sailing, water skiing, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, parasailing and more. Located just 40 miles north of San Antonio and 25 miles west of New Braunfels and San Marcos, Canyon Lake has eight public parks, 23 boat ramps, two marinas, campgrounds, a golf course, a country club and a yacht club. The lake has a surface area of 8,230 acres plus 80 miles of shoreline, and Canyon Lake releases water downstream into the Guadalupe River.
HILL COUNTRY RIVER FUN
KERRVILLE CANOEING – Kerrville has gorgeous shaded parks along the Guadalupe River, where folks like to come to enjoy the best of Hill Country water recreation fun. Rafts, tubes, paddleboats, kayaks and canoes are available to rent, as well as fly-fishing gear and more. Camping along the river is pleasant here, too. INGRAM DAM SLIDING – Not far from Kerrville along Highway 3, check out the Ingram Dam, where kids of all ages like to slide down the slippery tall dam into the watering hole below. It’s a fun place for families to enjoy free water fun, but be careful — it can be slippery and even dangerous unless you’re careful and take it slow when you slide.
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WATER SKI SPORTS AND MORE
LAKE LBJ — Lake Lyndon B. Johnson is located on the Colorado River just one hour northwest of Austin. As one of the few constantlevel lakes in Texas, Lake LBJ is a popular weekend destination for boating, wakeboarding, water skiing, sailing, fishing and much more. The jewel of the Highland Lakes chain of six lakes formed along the Colorado River, from Kingsland stretching all the way to Horseshoe Bay, LBJ is a place where visitors can enjoy the serene splendors of area resorts, rustic cabins, RV spaces and lake-front vacation houses and also find boats for rent and hire fishing guides. Lake LBJ is also a prime spot for birdwatchers and those who love Texas’ colorful spring wildflowers. LAKE MCQUEENEY — Lake McQueeney, created by dams along the Guadalupe River downstream from New Braunfels, is well known among water ski enthusiasts as the “Water Ski Capital of Texas.” Why? The Ski Bees, a water ski club that often takes part in (and wins) statewide and national competitions, has been skiing Lake McQueeney for more than 60 years! Rent a house or vacation spot along McQueeney, or join the Lake Breeze Ski lodge club so you can dock your boat and watch the Ski Bees summer Thursday night water-ski shows. TEXAS SKI RANCH — The Texas Ski Ranch is a 70-acre action sports paradise located just north of New Braunfels on I-35. When it comes to wakeboarding and cable parks, TSR is consistently ranked as one of the top facilities in the world. With three cable systems and a boat lake, there is truly something for all levels of water sports enthusiasts. First-time riders can take advantage of TSR’s incredible coaching and beginner cables, and more advanced riders can charge the park and hit structures. Riders can indulge in just about every board sport, including snowboarding, skateboarding and stand-up paddleboards. Visitors can lounge on TSR’s private beach, dine at Wahoo’s Fish Taco or burn energy at TSR’s Spring Loaded Trampoline Park.
Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau (photographer: Julie Soefer)
W TRAVEL – HOUSTON A slew of new restaurant and bar openings surrounding Market Square and the Historic District has made Downtown Houston the place to be once more.
ouston is a bright lights, big-city, drive-to destination so full of fabulous options for culture, cuisine and shopping that it’s hard to believe someplace so near and so obvious could be so often overlooked by San Antonians.
H
Perhaps it’s because Houston is such a close backyard neighbor — only three hours by car east on Interstate 10 — or that those in the Alamo City may feel they already know it well enough.
But do we? How much of Houston have you explored? Have you been to its museums, visited the theater district or dined at its hottest restaurants? Maybe it’s time you revisited this exciting, quintessentially Texan city.
With 6.18 million residents in the Houston/The Woodlands/Sugar Land metropolis, this is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in America and a hub for music, museums, art galleries, shopping, fine dining, coffee shops, cafes, gardens and more. And since it’s only 198 miles away from San Antonio, it’s the perfect place for a quick weekend trip or a nice long summer stay.
Here is our insider itinerary for a SAN ANTONIO WOMAN weekend in Houston with friends.
FRIDAY
Cut out of work a few hours early, throw a bag in the backseat, and follow I-10 E to the exit sign that says “Downtown Destinations,” and soon you’ll arrive downtown at The Four Seasons near the George R. Brown Convention Center. You’ll want a hotel like this set in a central location that’s easy to find if you don’t yet know your way around town.
CHECKING IN
A Girl’s Guide to a Weekend in
HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO WOMAN maps out the perfect weekend getaway in H-town By JANIS TURK Photos provided by the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
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The Four Seasons is a good headquarters for your girlfriend weekend because it not only has large executive suites with living rooms where you and your friends can lounge, it also has a tower of guest apartments you can rent just like any other hotel room on property. These suites come complete with kitchenettes and pull-out sofa beds so everyone will have a place to sleep. Best of all, the rates for these little apartments are affordable and run about the same as one executive suite in the main hotel tower, and they’re all quite reasonable if you’re splitting the bill.
PICK UP REINFORCEMENTS
Across the street from Four Seasons Houston you’ll find Phoenecia Specialty Foods, a large gourmet food market. This is a good place to pick up wine, cheese, bakery items, Mexican CocaColas and whatever else you may want to nosh on in your suite over the course of the weekend. If you’re too tired to go out the first night you arrive,
Photographer Hugh Hargrave
Clockwise from top left: A view of Main Street and METRORail. Statue, The Museum of Fine Arts. Phoenicia Specialty Foods — a 28,000-square-foot food market featuring more than 10,000 products imported from more than 50 countries. All photos courtesy of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
near the Galleria area, tucked in the back of a delightful garden shop, is a delightful little patio café called Tiny Boxwoods, with fresh menu offerings such as a salad with grilled chicken, spiced pecans, blue cheese crumbles, sliced apples and mixed greens, splashed with an apple cider vinaigrette dressing. On some weekend nights they show old movies out on the patio. have dinner in the hotel’s Quattro Restaurant, a warm, inviting retreat with a focus on contemporary Italian cuisine from chef Maurizio Ferrarese.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO MAIN STREET
Within walking distance of the Four Seasons, Main Street is a good place to start exploring Houston. There you’ll find plenty of popular watering holes, like Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge, a hidden gem of a bar with craft cocktails and a balcony overlooking Main Street. Long for a taste of home? Walk next door into The Pastry War cantina, and try one of their house-made margaritas.
SATURDAY
After enjoying coffee and breakfast in the room, or poolside by the big fourth-floor pool and hot tub, or in Quattro, you and the girls may want to splurge on little “Tapas Treatments” offered poolside from The Spa. “Tapas treatments” are mini-spa treatments, including a “Mango Mini Massage,” a “Coconut Scalp Soothie,” a “Tropical Food Smoother,” and more — all priced affordably so you can
each have a quick individual spa experience without taking up your entire morning. Then, when you’re ready to see the city, stop at Common Bond Bakery on Westhemier for a pastry to hold you over while you shop a bit. Yes, they have more than bakery items — it’s a good place for brunch — but for now it’s time to hit Houston’s boutiques. Nearby there are great vintage clothing and furniture shops, including a favorite upscale resale store where well-heeled Houstonites sell their glad rags (complete with Chanel, Louboutin, Dior and other designer labels) at More Than You Can Imagine, a woman’s high-end fashion consignment boutique. Other Houston shops worth visiting? See the fine fashions at Chloe Dao, owned by the second — season Project Runway winner of that name. Then check out Baanoua, a stylish fashion boutique in the upscale River Oaks area. Then there is the flagship store of fashion designer David Peck. If all that shopping has made you hungry,
From there, head to The Galleria shopping mall. With 3 million total square feet of space and more than 375 stores, it is the largest mall in Texas and the eighth-largest in the USA. But first, you may want to get a fresh juice drink or even a fresh juice cocktail at True Food Kitchen. After exploring all the fine stores at The Galleria, you’ll find it’s dinner time. Best to duck into the bright contemporary space of chef Hugo Ortega’s famed Caracol restaurant, featuring Mexican coastal cuisine. Or venture out to Midtown to Weights and Measures Bake Shop and Bar, a 5,000-square-foot casual neighborhood restaurant, bakery and bar located in a 1950s industrial warehouse space. But where else do Houstonites like to dine? Da Marco Italian Restaurant is a jacket-required fine dining spot with accolades from Gourmet magazine, which once rated it one of the “Top 50 Restaurants in the USA.” Another popular fine dining spot is Brasserie 19, the newest Houston dining destination from Clark Cooper Concepts. may/june 2015 | 109
W TRAVEL – HOUSTON Photographer Julie Soefer
Top: Pastry War with its Dia de los Muertos-inspired décor and meticulously selected tequila and mescal selections. Right: Houston’s B-Cycle program allows users to rent bicycles by the hour. All photos courtesty of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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But before you call it a night, check out the Monarch Lounge or even the outdoor poolside bar at the trendy, over-the-top, slightly ostentatious (but truly fun!) Hotel Zaza, formerly the famed Warwick Hotel, located in the Houston Museum District. (Try their signature pink cocktail, “The Big Flirt”).
SUNDAY
Since Sunday is a day of rest, you may want to sleep in a bit and then spend time outdoors. Houston has many delightful parks and hike-andbike trails. The Four Seasons offers guests two B-Cycle bike-sharing station passes, so you can pick up a bicycle downtown and ride it along the well marked bike lanes all the way to places such as The Heights. There you and your friends may want to pop into Lillo and Ella with its new twist on Asian cuisine—also famous for its distinctive cocktail program. Or check out Coltivare, a new Italian/ American spot from Revival Market’s chef Ryan Pera and Morgan Weber. If you like art museums, the Menil Collection has one of the largest Matisse collections in the country, and the Museum of Fine Arts is featuring a Spectacular Rubens exhibit, along with Unfolding Worlds: Japanese Screens and Contemporary Ceramics, both showing through May 10.
HEADING OUT
Now that you’ve had a small taste of Houston, you can understand why locals consider it a city of unexpected delights and pleasant surprises. So wave goodbye to its sparkling skyline as you head west, and then make a promise to your best girlfriends to return next year.
SAARTS.COM W By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF
A Children's Museum for the 21st Century Interactive and Innovative, the new DoSeum opens June 6 For all of you parents and grandparents who are always looking for fun places to take the kids,, there’s great news. The new children’s museum, renamed the DoSeum, is opening June 6 in its new location at 2800 Broadway. The little ones will love it, and so will you. Children learn best by doing, and they can do a lot of stuff here. With both air-conditioned indoor exhibits and recreational outdoor spaces, it’s an ideal summer learn-and-play environment. To begin with, there’s plenty of water fun. The very young can enjoy wading through the 5-foot-wide, 3-inch-deep Children’s River, complete with bridges, stepping stones and sluice gates, while the older set can experiment with the power of water in another part of the “Big Outdoors.” That other part is like a playground with really cool equipment where youngsters can climb, run, crawl, walk on ropes and generally test their muscles and overall agility. As the day gets hotter, take them inside and watch their eyes pop as they discover all sorts of exciting things. In April, I was taken on a tour of the premises by marketing director Cristina Noriega and program educator Tabbetha Greco while workers were still busily installing the indoor exhibits. I was impressed by the evident effort to integrate science into a
number of exhibits, such as the Sensation Studio, which focuses on light and sound; the Spy Academy, where older kids will deal with math-based problems, such as currency exchanges and code breaking; and the Innovation Station, where tinkering and building new contraptions are encouraged, tools and materials provided. I have a feeling that you’ll have a hard time luring your child out of there. That’s also where the programmable robot Baxter keeps an eye on the goings-on. Language skills have not been forgotten either. In the Imagine It! section, children will be taught how to develop their own stories. And there’s more: The popular Little Town setup has been recreated in the new building, only bigger and better. Here’s where the little visitors can indulge in role playing as they pretend to shop, bank, fly in an airplane or ride Molly the Trolley. Greco explained that scenes from San Antonio neighborhoods will roll by as they “ride” the trolley from stop to stop. In addition, summer camps, a great variety of programs and special events dot the calendar. Cleverly, two upcoming events are designed for adults only – on July 31 and Oct. 30. If you happen to be child-free at that moment, take advantage of these. After all, the website describes the place as “where kids play to learn and adults learn to play.”
Summer at The DoSeum Beginning June 8, kids ages 3-10 can attend The DoSeum’s summer camps. Enriching learning opportunities with themes that tie to The DoSeum’s six major exhibit halls will be offered. From STEM to Legos to storytelling, arts and social studies kids will have a blast all summer long. Families are invited to attend an Open House on Saturday, May 9 from 9-11am and get a sneak peek. Program educator Tabbetha Greco and Jasmina Wellinghoff.
I invite your comments, suggestions and news items relating to the arts and cultural life in San Antonio. Feel free to send them to me at jasmina@SAArts.com. may/june 2015 | 111
W ARTBEAT
A Woman of Many Talents
Christie Beckham loves the theater By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF Photography by JANET ROGERS
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Actress/director Christie Beckham believes in the power of the Tsar Bell. That 20-foot-high bronze bell sits on a pedestal inside the Kremlin for tourists to admire and touch if they want to return to Russia. “I touched the bell,” says Beckham, who first visited Russia with fellow theater students from Texas Christian University. The magic worked. Nine months later, she was back in Moscow, this time thanks to an intensive acting program organized by the National Theater Institute. While there, the young actress spent a semester studying at the famed Moscow Art Theater. “ I was able to study with fantastic teachers,” says Beckham. “Our acting classes were actually in Stanislavsky’s house. We saw a beautiful production of The Seagull; I didn’t understand a word, but I loved it. But most importantly, I learned the Michael Chekhov (nephew of the great playwright) technique of acting, which I still employ and also incorporate it in my directing. It focuses on how you can achieve emotions and affect the energy between actor and audience by manipulating your body. It’s a fantastic technique.”
Today, Beckham practices and teaches the Chekhov technique mostly at the Classic Theater of San Antonio, which she joined in 2012 and where she also serves as director of education. This spring, she won critical praise for her portrayal of Portia in the Classic’s production of The Merchant of Venice and later traveled to Dallas to appear in playwright Sheila Rinear’s work Bound by Truth, part of the 365 Women a Year Playwriting Project that showcases plays about extraordinary historical and contemporary women. She is the recipient of two Alamo Theater Arts Council’s Globe Awards for best actress in both comedy and drama. “The Classic has the most professional productions in town,” says the actress, “the best actors and designers. We have fantastic artists here, so it’s a great place to apprentice with more experienced artists. I also like what they do, not only excellent productions of classic works but also modern classics. I think it’s important for the community to have a place like this. It helps make San Antonio a world-class city. Luckily, I got cast in The Firebugs (in 2012), and they liked me.” As an actress, she enjoys developing a character through research and through the “physicalization” process during which she comes up with specific ideas about the character’s hair, clothes and gestures. When she was a student, directors rarely cast her in the ingénue roles, she notes. No Cinderella or Ophelia for her; she got the character parts, which turned out to be a good thing. “It taught me how to use my voice and body language to make my character more dynamic, to get noticed and steal a few scenes along the way. Now I am playing the long game. I want to do really good work in my 40s, 50s and 60s.” She has also developed a new love for Shakespeare. While in Moscow, she got “imbued” with the reverence her Russian teachers had for theater and their own classics. Playing Shakespeare makes her feel connected to history and generates in her that same feeling of reverence. It may take months of preparations, but the result is worth it. Classic’s co-founder and co-artistic director Diane Malone couldn’t agree more: “As an actress, Christie is extraordinary. She can do anything. She can make Shakespeare’s language sound like her native tongue. And she has a wicked sense of humor. She knows how to find humor in her Shakespearean characters.”
Multiple hats
Acting is just one of the things Beckham is responsible for, however. A “self-starter,” she’s in charge of the educational programs and social media publicity and lends a hand with grant writing as well. In fact, for our interview we meet at the theater before a rehearsal of yet another play, Eleemosynary, which Beckham is directing for one of the educational projects. Called Aim High, the initiative gives high school and college students an opportunity to work with a professional company. Another program that she developed from scratch, Shakes Alive, sends Classic’s artists to high schools to help students with their studies of Shakespeare and other classics. The students are then invited to see the company’s shows.
Christie Beckham in her role as Portia in the Classic Theater’s production of The Merchant of Venice. Photo by Siggi Regar There are also free nights at the theater for youths, sponsored by Rackspace Hosting. “I did a survey last year, and 70 percent of the kids had never seen a professional theater production before,” she comments.
“Actually, you’ll be surprised how many adults in San Antonio don’t know that there’s high-quality professional theater here. I sure hope to change that. “We need to bring theater to the people. If they see something awesome, it may induce them to seek more. Social media helps spread the word. But (with our educational programs) we are also building a foundation for young actors who want to stay in town and help the Classic to become really great. I am excited about that.” Beckham left a growing career in Dallas to move to San Antonio in 2007 “for a guy” whom she eventually married, though the union did not last. It took her a while to find her thespian niche here, but she eventually found it with the young and adventurous Overtime Theater, where again she wore many hats, eventually including that of executive director. That gave her the opportunity to build up the company and to work directly with new playwrights in developing scripts. “I am all about building things,” she says. Of course, she acted, too, and in fact, earned both Globes for plays by James Venhaus that she helped develop. Though she likes it here and intends to stay, like many performing artists, Beckham also holds a day job as the office administrator for the HemisFair Park Redevelopment Corporation, where she has been put in charge of planning the opening bash for the new children’s playground area. Should Russia come calling again, though, she’ll be ready. “I touched the bell again before leaving the second time,” she says with a laugh. “I really believe in this bell thing.” may/june 2015 | 113
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Calendar
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE May 8 -10 The Tobin Center
ART // MUSIC // FILM // THEATER // DANCE // OUTDOORS May 1-2
May 5
May 8
BEETHOVEN 7 - THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY
GREGG ALLMAN
LEE ANN WOMACK
The Tobin Center, 7:30pm Recognized as one of rock's most acclaimed stars with his distinctively soulful voice, songwriting ability and Southern rock hits. www.tobincenter.org
Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 8pm Lee Ann Womak is known for I Hope You Dance, Last Call, I’ll Think of a Reason Later and Mendocino County Line. In 2005, Womack’s album There’s More Where That Came From was designated the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year. www.majesticempire.com
The Tobin Center, times vary Evelyn Glennie, percussion virtuosa, plays Corigliano’s 2014 Grammyaward-winning Conjurer, paired with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, whose slow movement provided a magnificent backdrop for King George’s radio delivery in The King’s Speech. www.tobincenter.org
May 1-2
SHREK THE MUSICAL JR. The Tobin Center, times vary With music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek The Musical is based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animation film and the book Shrek by William Steig. Delight in the antics of everyone’s favorite ogre. www.tobincenter.org
May 4
BOZ SCAGGS The Tobin Center, 7:30pm Boz Scaggs will perform popular hits like Lowdown, Lido Shuffle, Hollywood and Look What You’ve Done To Me from his many critically acclaimed albums. www.tobincenter.org.
May 6
CHICAGO The Majestic Theatre, 8pm One of the most important bands in rock ‘n’ roll history. Chicago’s lifetime achievements include a Grammy Award, multiple American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and 21 Top 10 singles. Celebrate to the sounds of their signature horns and iconic songbook. www.majesticempire.com
May 7
BOB DYLAN AND HIS BAND The Majestic Theatre, 8pm Enjoy an evening with one of America’s most revered singersongwriters. Revisit iconic songs like Blowing in the Wind and Like a Rolling Stone. www.majesticempire.com
May 8-10
CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY The Tobin Center, times vary The magic of Cirque returns to the Symphony for an evening filled with high-flying aerialists, daredevil cyclists and jugglers performing incredible acrobatic feats all choreographed to classical music favorites performed by the San Antonio Symphony. www.tobincenter.org
BOZ SCAGGS May 4 The Tobin Center
CHIPOTLE SUSTAINABLE FILMS
Visit the Botanical Garden for this outdoor film series brought to you by Chipotle Mexican Grill. Bring your own seating. Outside food and drinks are permitted. A panel discussion will precede the movie’s start time at sunset. If health and nutrition are important to you, you won’t want to miss this event. www.sabot.org
The San Antonio Botanical Garden, 6:30pm
May 9
May 8
SERENATA PARA LAS MADRES Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 8pm Experience award-winning mariachi musicians and vocalists in a Serenata para las Madres tribute this Mother's Day weekend. Outstanding groups and vocalists from the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza will perform traditional heartfelt songs honoring mothers during this oneof-a-kind celebration. www.majesticempire.com
May 10
CELTIC WOMAN THE GRAND TASTING May 16 The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
The Majestic Theatre, 3pm This enchanting musical experience features traditional Irish standards, classical favorites and contemporary songs, with Celtic Woman’s unforgettable signature style. www.majesticempire.com
( EDITOR’S PICKS ) May 17
CARMINA BURANA YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF SAN ANTONIO The Tobin Center, 7:00pm No other choral work is quite as popular as Carmina Burana, Carl Orff’s raucous setting of 24 medieval poems in praise of springtime, nature, revelry, love, and fortune. YOSA music director Troy Peters will conduct, with a massive chorus, including the San Antonio Choral Society, the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio, and several other local choirs. www.tobincenter.org
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THE FOOD TRUCK EVENT May 14 The HEB Alon Market
May 12
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE - SCOTTISH NATIONAL BALLET The Tobin Center, 7:30pm This vibrant new take on Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, born through collaboration with theater and film director Nancy Meckler and international choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, is a powerful infusion of drama and dance. www.tobincenter.org
May 12 - 17
NEWSIES The Majestic Theatre, times vary Direct from Broadway comes this crowd-pleasing new musical from Disney. Winner of the 2012 Tony Awards® for Best Score and Best Choreography, Newsies has audiences and critics alike calling it “A musical worth singing about." www.majesticempire.com
May 14
THE FOOD TRUCK EVENT H-E-B Alon Market, 6 - 9pm Enjoy an evening under the stars with your family, friends and food trucks. San Antonio’s most popular food trucks gather to cook up local favorites. www.culinariasa.org
Have an Event to share? Contact us at editor@sawoman.com
GO TO May 15
BEST OF MEXICO Shops at La Cantera, 7 - 10pm It’s a little bit spicy, a little bit saucy and a whole lot to love as local and visiting chefs take you on a culinary tour of Mexico. Talented chefs prepare their own spin on their favorite Mexican dishes and pair them with samples of tequila, specialty beers and fine wines. www.culinariasa.org
May 15
THE BECKER LUNCHEON Becker Vineyards Lavender Haus Reception Hall, 11:30am The Beckers host four local chefs and guest winemakers to prepare a flawless meal paired with a delicate wine. Featured chefs: Chef Jayson Cox, High-End Catering – Becker Vineyards Bistro. Chef Ryan Littman, JW Marriott Hill Country Resort. Chef Jesse Perez, Arcade Midtown Kitchen. Chef Dave Rapozo, Magnolia Pancake Haus. www.culinariasa.org
May 16
THE GRAND TASTING The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 7 - 10pm The finest food, wine and spirits brought to you at one spectacular event. Personally engage with top chefs, sampling amazing food and wines or participate in the silent auction. Great entertainment will also be provided at this highly anticipated Culinaria event. www.culinariasa.org
FOR MORE ON ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT IN SA
Halestorm and San Antonio’s Upon A Burning Body Join a lineup of more than 20 bands performing on multiple stages for this Memorial Day weekend outdoor rock festival. www.attcenter.com
May 22-23
STAR WARS AND MORE THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS
June 9 - 14
MAMMA MIA The Majestic Theatre, times vary The ultimate feel-good show that has audiences coming back again and again to relive the thrill. Now it’s your turn to have the time of your life at this smash hit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including Dancing Queen, S.O.S., Super Trouper, Take A Chance on Me and The Winner Takes It All, with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. www.majesticempire.com
May 23
June 13
BREWS AND BLOOMS
AN EVENING WITH TRAVIS TRITT The Tobin Center, 8pm Enjoy a special evening with CMA and Grammy award-winning country artist Travis Tritt. Experience this rare opportunity featuring the multi-platinum artist in an intimate solo-acoustic setting where his powerful voice and his guitar are the subject of the spotlight. w w w. t o b i n center.org
BUD LIGHT RIVER CITY ROCKFEST The AT&T Center, 12pm Linkin Park, Volbeat, Papa Roach,
WHITESNAKE – THE PURPLE TOUR The Majestic Theatre – 8pm From the opening notes of the classic track Burn, to album closer Stormbringer, Whitesnake is back and better than ever. www.majesticempire.org
June 25 The Majestic Theater, 7:30pm Five-time Grammy-winning singer/ songwriter Michael McDonald has been thrilling us with his distinctively soulful style for four decades. From Doobie Brothers classics such as What a Fool Believes to solo
BURGERS, BBQ AND BEER
May 24
June 23
MICHAEL MCDONALD
May 18
The Pearl Brewery, 1- 4pm This casual event provides guests an assortment of local chefs’ twists to old-fashioned burgers paired with craft beers, cocktails, and wine. www.culinariasa.org
June 7
GIPSY KINGS The Majestic Theatre, 7:30pm Melding deep-heated flamenco, rumba, salsa and pop to the tune of 20 million albums sold, the Grammy Award-winning hit-mak-
2015
MOVE - LIVE ON TOUR June 20 The Majestic Theater
ers behind 'Bamboléo' celebrate in their very own, blistering tradition – taking audiences back to the south of France with flamenco guitars and booming Spanish vocals. www.majesticempire.com
The Tobin Center, times vary Guest conductor Stuart Chafetz leads this all-orchestral extravaganza in a program featuring Hollywood’s greatest composer of all time, John Williams. The program will highlight music from Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Harry Potter, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. and much more. www.tobincenter.org
The San Antonio Botanical Garden, 6:30pm A casual evening of craft brew sampling paired with scrumptious food truck fare and music, all set in the gorgeous, blooming Botanical Garden. www.sabot.org
MAY/JUNE
BURGERS, BBQ & BEER May 18 The Pearl Brewery
hits like I Keep Forgettin,’ McDonald’s songs have emotional immediacy and a laid-back groove. At the heart of it, there is that rich, husky voice that carries the ache of unrequited love. www.tobincenter.org
June 28
VANS WARPED TOUR The AT&T Center – 12pm The Vans Warped Tour is the largest travelling music festival in the United States. The tour is a showcase for dozens of alternative, punk, rock, metal, emo, pop and hip-hop bands. It is the longest running touring music festival in North America. www.att.org
MICHAEL MCDONALD June 25 The Majestic Theater
June 16
AN EVENING WITH NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON The Tobin Center, 7:30pm Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist, author , host and director of the Hayden Planetarium. Tyson's professional research interests are broad, but include star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of our Milky Way. www.tobincenter.org
June 20
MOVE – LIVE ON TOUR MAMMA MIA June 9-14 The Majestic Theatre
The Majestic Theatre, 8pm The show will feature Julienne and Derek Hough in a brand-new stage production showcasing fresh, exciting and high-impact choreography. www.majesticempire.com may/june 2015 | 115
W WINE
Dessert Wines Embrace the Sweetness By JEFF DEGNER
I
have a love-hate relationship with sweet wines. Every week a supplier or winery is presenting me their latest offering into this very populated category of wine. But truth be told, it is one of my favorite categories because of the diversity and the wide range of price and style. Some of the world’s most sought-after and expensive wines fall under the sweet or dessert category. These will range from large bottles on your local convenience store shelves to half-bottles from Bordeaux, France, that are produced and released only on the very best years. Each one of these has an audience that enjoys and appreciates the flavors and technique that go into every bottle.
116 | sawoman.com
Sauternes are a sweet white wine from the Bordeaux region of France. What makes them unique and expensive is that the winemaker will let the grapes stay on the vines past the normal harvest time. The grapes will then become affected by botrytis cinerea, which is a mold that pulls most of the juice from the grape. The result is an intense and magnificent wine that is a wonderful pairing with savory dishes as well as desserts. Rieslings, unfortunately, have a bad reputation. There is a large amount of a very sweet bulk-style wine that most people associate with rieslings. In reality, German rieslings are some of the most intriguing
and fascinating wines. They have a drier style called Kabinett and a very sweet style called Trockenbeerenauslese (it’s much easier to pronounce after a glass or two). In fact, California, Washington and Australia also are producing great examples of what can be done with the riesling grape. I would love to see more people try quality rieslings and explore the many styles available and how the different regions showcase this wonderful grape. For many years Canadian wineries have been producing world-class ice wines. Many different grape varietals can be used in producing these wines; vidal and riesling are the
most common. While you can allow the grapes to freeze in a large refrigeration unit, most winemakers keep the grapes on the vines until the temperature goes below 32 degrees and freezes the grapes the natural way. Like Sauterne, these can be very expensive and are usually sold in smaller size bottles. Ice wines go great with a big piece of peach cobbler and a scoop of ice cream. Besides a gallon of milk, the other item that I can guarantee that is in my refrigerator is a bottle of moscato. For me it is the most interesting wine in the sweet wine category. Its low alcohol and slight effervescence make it an ideal wine to drink on a hot Texas summer day. Sometimes the demand is so high at my house that I cannot chill the bottles fast enough. An easy fix to that situation is to add an ice cube or two to the glass before pouring in the wine. The moscato grape can easily grow in most regions and is fairly inexpensive to plant and harvest. There are some wineries that will make a small production of a reserve-style moscato that sells for over $25, but generally you can get a great bottle for under $10. Texas wineries have been able to capitalize on the moscato craze. Both Llano and Sister Creek make a very classic flavor profile. The honey and candied peach flavors are sure to be a pleasant experience for the novice to the most experienced moscato lover. Overall, there are a lot of styles and price points with sweet wines. Generally people will pair sweet wines with desserts, but in fact many of these wines are actually better with appetizers or main courses. You can sit outside and enjoy the warm summer breeze with a nice bottle of Texas moscato and some local cheddar cheese; you can balance your favorite spicy Asian dish with a German riesling or sip an aged Sauterne with foie gras. While it is easy to overlook sweet wines, you might be passing up your next favorite bottle without realizing it. If you want to have friends over for a Saturday afternoon, then sangria can be the perfect drink. You can buy a pre-made bottle, but it is always more fun to make it on your own. Below is one of my favorite recipes that will have friends and family always looking for a reason to get together and enjoy each other’s company. It will take about 30 minutes to assemble, but you will need an additional two hours in the refrigerator for the flavors to mingle.
Sangria INGREDIENTS:
1 – 750ml bottle of a fruity red wine. (I recommend a Spanish Grenache) ¼ cup of brandy ¼ cup of Grand Marnier ¼ cup sugar The juice of a freshly squeezed lime, orange and lemon A sliced apple, orange, lemon and lime 1 – 750 ml bottle of sparkling water
DIRECTIONS: Combine everything but the sparkling water in a large plastic container and let it sit covered in the refrigerator for two hours. Add the sparkling water just before serving
may/june 2015 | 117
W DINING
Silo Terrace Oyster Bar
Seafood excels with the star treatment The Silo architectural signature is alive and well at the new
Terrace Oyster Bar: Yes, you do get into an elevator—here as
at other Silos the brief ride serves to remove diners from the
prosaic world of parking lots and shopping centers while it
sets the stage for an elevated dining experience. But there is
a twist at the new operation: Should you be obliged to wait
at ground level before ascending to a table, you can buy a
By RON BECHTOL Photography by JANET ROGERS
card that will get you wines from the classy dispenser that’s
prominently displayed. There’s more than one way to banish
the mundane.
Whether upstairs or downstairs, we suggest that you make
that first glass a snappy white (ours was an unoaked 2012
Labouré Roi Macon Villages), as you’ll want to take immedi-
ate advantage of the excellent oyster options. The selection
changes frequently and tends to favor the East Coast; out of
a sense of equal opportunity, we picked the one West Coast
118 | sawoman.com
example (Fanny Bay British Columbia) to pit against New Brunswick’s
Hurricane Island—and the difference couldn’t have been more pro-
nounced. Where the Fanny Bays were bright, saline and finished with
cucumber, the Hurricane Islands were plumper, sweeter and just
faintly tinged with seaweed. You are allowed to like both with or with-
out the available sauces and/or horseradish, but we bet you’ll prefer to
go naked. A Lucullan seafood platter that adds shrimp and king crab to
the mix is also available, as are Silo’s signature, chicken-fried oysters. It’s got to be hard to follow the crowd-pleasing oyster act with
equally successful starters. Though it seems uncharitable to look
lump crab remoulade in the mouth, our fried green tomatoes came across as somewhat overdressed by the time other accessory items
such as avocado, baby arugula and basil oil were added; the tomatoes
got lost in the shuffle. A snapper ceviche, on the other hand, needed a
little more of the advertised serranos (and a touch more lime) to
make it truly sing.
Big plates emerge from the bustling, open kitchen fully ready for prime
time; assuming a blackened and grilled swordfish to be typical, the
chef seems to have a deft hand for cooking fish to just the perfect
point. We do have to admit that the pulled pork seemed superfluous
in the accompanying dirty rice and that the béarnaise might have used
a touch more tarragon, but the fish was good enough to transcend any
missteps by bit players, real or imagined. The lingering burn that ac-
companied the Shrimp Fra Diavolo was certainly not imagined; this
dish took its name seriously. But the star of this show might well have
been the stunning house-made squid ink pasta spangled with bits of
sundried tomato, tossed with spinach and adorned with nasturtium
leaves, a garnish more chefs might consider. (The colorful blossoms
made an appearance elsewhere.)
The hit of the evening, however, had to be the ultra-lush lobster ravi-
oli, perhaps more accurately described as lobster with ravioli. Beautifully butter-poached claws, helpfully removed from the shell, topped
the ricotta-stuffed pasta bathed in more butter—a case of over-the-top
being exactly right. (At lunch, an only slightly less luxurious lobster
roll is an option.) We could certainly have picked a big, buttery
chardonnay to accompany the lobster, but the spicy shrimp and the
blackened fish suggested that we could also go with a nimble red, and
the 2013 Rollone Monferrato Rosso from Marchesi Incisa della Ro-
chetta both filled that bill handsomely and eased us out into a nippy
night very nicely indeed. We think we’ll wait for next spring, or one of San Antonio’s blissfully balmy winter days, to experience the outdoor terrace, blankets and heaters notwithstanding.
Apart from oysters, Silo Terrace Oyster Bar also serves (from top) fried green tomatoes with lump crab remoulade, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, lobster ravioli and the signature dessert, toasted coconut pie.
may/june 2015 | 119
TIME EAT to
RESTAURANT GUIDE SUSHI ZUSHI
AMERICAN
Silo
1133 Austin Highway (210) 824-8686 434 N. Loop 1604 (210) 493-8989
BIGA ON THE BANKS BIRD BAKERY BLISS BOUDRO’S CAPPY’S CAPPYCCINO’S BISTRO CYPRESS GRILL ANNE MARIES’S BISTRO SAN ANTONIO CAFÉ CHEESECAKE FACTORY FEAST THE GRILL AT LEON SPRINGS GUENTHER HOUSE HOULIHAN'S J. ALEXANDER’S JOSEPHINE STREET KONA GRILL LIBERTY BAR MADRID ROOM MAGIC TIME MACHINE MAMA'S CAFE THE MONTEREY RAINFOREST CAFÉ RESTAURANT GWENDOLYN SCENIC LOOP CAFE SILO ELEVATED CUISINE STONE WERKS VINEYARD ZEDRIC’S
TAIPEI
203 S. St. Mary’s 225-0722 5912 Broadway 804-2473 926 S. Presa 225-2547 314 E. Commerce 224-1313 5011 Broadway 828-9669 5003 Broadway 828-6860 170 S. Main St., #A, Boerne (830) 248-1353 555 Funston Place 826-5800 1150 S. Alamo 271-7791 7400 San Pedro 798-0769 1024 S. Alamo 354-1024 24116 IH-10 W. 698-8797 205 E. Guenther 227-1061 14601 IH-35 N. 651-4744 385 N. Loop 1604 W. 494-3371 555 E. Basse 824-0275 400 E. Josephine 224-6169 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. 877-5355 1111 S. Alamo 227-1187 300 E. Travis 227-4392 902 N.E. Loop 410 828-1470 2442 Nacogdoches 826-8303 7929 Pat Booker Rd. 653-2002 1127 S. St. Mary’s 745-2581 517 N. Presa 223-3297 152 E. Pecan #100 222-1849 25615 Boerne Stage Rd. 687-1818 1133 Austin Highway 824-8686 434 N. Loop 1604 483-8989 Broadway at Basse 823-3508 27315 FM 3009 (830) 980-8033 5231 Broadway 824-6000
ASIAN Hsiu Yu 8338 Broadway St San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 828-2273
BIG KAHUNAS CHINA BISTRO DING HOW FORMOSA GARDENS FUJIYA GOLDEN WOK
ILSONG GARDEN INDIA OVEN INDIA PALACE KOI KAWA MANOLA’S THAI MENCIUS’S GOURMET MON THAI BISTRO P. F. CHANG’S SAWASDEE SUSHIHANA SUSHI ZUSHI
120 | sawoman.com
203 S. St. Mary’s 999 E. Basse 18720 Stone Oak 2211 N.W. Military 18802 Stone Oak 300 W. Bitters 126 W. Rector 9405 San Pedro 1146 Austin Highway
741 W. Ashby Pl. 10103 Huebner Road 4531 N.W. Loop 410 1011 N. E. Loop 410 9030 Wurzbach 8822 Wurzbach 8230 Marbach 6905 Blanco Rd. 1031 Patricia 8440 Fredericksburg 4051 Broadway 7212 Blanco Rd. 7959 Fredericksburg 4901 Broadway 255 E. Basse 15900 La Cantera Pkwy 6407 Blanco Road 1810 N.W. Military IH-10 W. and Wurzbach
733-8473 340-7944 340-7944 828-9988 615-7553 615-8282 674-2577 366-4508 366-1033 692-5262 805-8111 348-9071 615-1288 822-3253 507-1000 507-6500 979-9110 340-7808 691-3332
TASTE OF ASIA THAI LAO RESTAURANT TOKYO STEAK HOUSE TONG’S THAI
472-2900 826-8500 545-6100 366-3012 403-3316 496-6266 524-9908 341-4461 829-7345
BARBECUE BUN ‘N’ BARREL THE BARBEQUE STATION CHIT CHAT BBQ THE COUNTY LINE RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE THE BIG BIB TWO BROTHERS BBQ
1150 Austin Hwy. 610 N.E. Loop 410 218 N. Cherry 111 W. Crockett 10101 I-10 W. 24152 IH-10 W. 15560 I-35 N. 10623 Westover Hills 104 Lanark Dr. 12656 West Ave.
828-2829 691-3332 271-2888 229-1491 641-1998 698-2141 653-7839 520-5552 654-8400 496-0222
CAJUN/CREOLE ACADIANA BIG EASY CAFE BOURBON STREET SEAFOOD THE COOKHOUSE PAT O’BRIEN’S
1289 S.W. Loop 410 4822 Walzem Road 2815 N. Loop 1604 720 E. Mistletoe 121 Alamo Plaza
674-0019 653-5688 545-0666 320-8211 212-8698
EUROPEAN ANAQUA GRILL CITRUS CRUMPETS FIG TREE FOLC FREDERICK’S FREDERICK’S BISTRO THE GAZEBO AT LOS PATIOS HOUSTON STREET BISTRO LAS CANARIAS LA FRITE BELGIAN BISTRO LION & ROSE ENGLISH PUB
555 S. Alamo 150 E. Houston 3920 Harry Wurzbach 515 Villita 226 E. Olmos 7701 Broadway 14439 N.W. Military #100 2015 N.E. Loop 410 204 E. Houston 112 College 728 S. Alamo 5148 Broadway 842 N.W. Loop 410 700 E. Sonterra Blvd. LÜKE 125 E. Houston MESON EUROPEAN DINING 923 N. Loop 1604 E. NOSH 1133 Austin Highway SAVEURS 209 209 Broadway WAXY O’CONNOR’S 234 River Walk
229-1000 227-9700 821-5454 224-1976 822-0100 828-9050 888-1500 655-6171 476-8600 518-1000 224-7555 822-7673 798-4154 798-5466 227-5853 690-5811 824-8686 639-3165 229-9299
HAMBURGERS BIG’Z BURGER JOINT BOBBY J’S BUCKHORN SALOON BURGER BOY CHRIS MADRID’S CHEESY JANE’S CHESTER’S HAMBURGERS
FATTY’S FUDDRUCKERS
2303 N. Loop 1604 W. 13247 Bandera Rd. 318 E. Houston St. 2323 N. St. Mary’s 1900 Blanco 4200 Broadway 1006 N.E. Loop 410 9980 IH-10 W. 16609 San Pedro 621 Pat Booker 1624 E.Commerce 115 Alamo Plaza 8602 Botts Ln.
408-2029 695-4941 247-4000 735-1955 735-3552 826-0800 805-8600 699-1222 494-3333 658-3000 299-8110 223-9944 824-6703
GOURMET BURGER GRILL LONGHORN CAFE MO MAK’S SAM’S BURGER JOINT TEXAS HAMBURGER CO TIMBO’S
18414 Hwy. 281 N. 17625 Blanco Rd. 13838 Jones Maltsberger 330 E. Grayson St. 9010 Huebner Rd. 1639 Broadway
545-3800 492-0301 481-3600 223-2830 699-1189 223-1028
ITALIAN 1203 N. Loop 1604 W. ALDINO AT THE VINEYARD 8539 Fredericksburg ALDO'S RISTORANTE BRAVO CUCINA ITALIANA 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. CAPPARELLI’S ON MAIN 2524 N. Main CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 12507 IH-10 W. CERRONI’S PURPLE GARLIC 1017 Austin Hwy. DOUGH PIZZERIA 6989 Blanco 200 E. Grayson, #100 IL SOGNO OSTERIA LORENZO’S 8032 Fredericksburg Rd. LA FOCACCIA ITALIAN GRILL 800 S. Alamo 824 Afterglow LITTLE ITALY LUCE RISTORANTE E ENOTECA11255 Huebner LUCIANO’S 849 E. Commerce 401 South Alamo 521 River Walk MICHELINO’S MILANO RISTORANTE 11802 Wurzbach PAESANOS 555 E. Basse 111 W. Crockett Loop 1604 at N.W. Military 255 E. Basse PIATTI PIATTI EILAN 1701 La Cantera Pkwy., #7 PICCOLO’S 5703 Evers Rd. 16019 Nacogdoches POMPEII ITALIAN GRILL TRE TRATTORIA 4003 Broadway
340-0000 696-2536 877-9300 735-5757 694-4191 822-2300 979-6363 223-3900 692-9900 223-5353 349-2060 561-9700 223-0500 888-7030 223-2939 493-3611 828-5191 227-2782 493-1604 832-0300 251-3542 647-5524 946-5518 805-0333
MEDITERRANEAN DEMO’S COPA WINE BAR GREEK TO ME JERUSALEM GRILL JOHN THE GREEK MIMI & DIMI’S PAPOULI’S GRILL
7115 Blanco 2501 N. St. Mary’s 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. 5440 Babcock Rd. 3259 Wurzbach Rd. 16602 San Pedro 7159 W US Hiwy 90 8250 Agora Pkwy., #120 255 E. Basse, #384 11224 Huebner, #201
342-2772 732-7777 495-2672 699-6688 680-8400 403-0565 674-3464 659-2244 804-1118 641-1313
MEXICAN/LATIN El Jarro 13421 San Pedro San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 494-5084 ÁCENAR MODERN TEX-MEX 146 E. Houston AJUÚA! CUISINE DE MEXICO 11703 Huebner ALAMO CAFÉ 10060 IH-10 W. 14250 San Pedro ALDACO'S 100 Hoefgen 20079 Stone Oak Pkwy. AZUCA NUEVO LATINO 713 S. Alamo CASA RIO 430 E. Commerce BETO’S 8421 Broadway CIELITO LINDO 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. EL CHAPARRAL 15103 Bandera 2838 N. Loop 1604 EL MIRADOR 722 S. St. Mary’s EL MIRASOL ALTA COCINA 13489 Blanco IRON CACTUS MEXICAN GRILL200 River Walk LA FOGATA 2427 Vance Jackson LA FONDA ALAMO HEIGHTS 1633 Crownhill LA FONDA ON MAIN 2415 N. Main LA FONDA OAK HILLS 350 Northaven LA HACIENDA DE LOS BARRIOS 18747 Redland Rd. LA MARGARITA 120 Produce Row LOS BARRIOS 4223 Blanco MAMACITA’S 8030 IH-10 W. MI TIERRA CAFE AND BAKERY 218 Produce Row
ORIGINAL MEXICAN PALOMA BLANCA PALOMA RIVER WALK PAPPASITO’S CANTINA PERICO’S BAR AND GRILL PICANTE GRILL PICO DE GALLO RIO RIO CANTINA ROSARIO’S ROSARIO’S NORTH SALSALITO’S SAZO’S LATIN GRILL SOLUNA COCINA MEXICANA TACO TACO TOMATILLOS CANTINA URBAN TACO
528 River Walk 5800 Broadway 215 Losoya 10501 IH-10 W. 10820 Bandera 1439 E. Sonterra Blvd. 3810 Broadway 111 S. Leona 421 E. Commerce 910 S. Alamo 7915 San Pedro 14535 Nacogdoches 11523 Bandera 101 Bowie 7959 Broadway 145 E. Hildebrand 3210 Broadway 290 E. Basse, #105
224-9951 822-6151 212-0566 691-8974 684-5376 402-6006 822-3797 225-6060 226-8462 223-1806 481-4100 646-8088 558-6788 223-1000 930-8070 822-9522 824-3005 332-5149
PIZZA 2920 McCullough BARBARO 7959 Broadway BRAZA BRAVA PIZZERIA CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 11745 IH-10 W. 255 E. Basse Rd. 7701 Broadway FLORIO’S PIZZA GRIMALDI’S PIZZA 330 E. Basse, #101 618 McCullough GUILLERMO’S MISS ELLIE’S 903 E. Bitters Rd SORRENTO 5146 Broadway 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. TRILOGY PIZZA BISTRO VOLARE GOURMET PIZZA 5054 Broadway
320-2261 320-2100 699-4275 424-2014 805-8646 832-8288 223-5587 499-1258 824-0055 404-1818 828-3354
SEAFOOD FISH CITY GRILL FUSION SEAFOOD, STEAK LANDRY’S SEAFOOD PAPPADEAUX SEAFOOD OSTRA ON THE RIVER THE SANDBAR SILO TERRACE OYSTER BAR STARFISH WILDFISH SEAFOOD GRILLE
18130 Hwy. 281 N. 11703 Huebner Road 517 N. Presa 76 N.E. Loop 410 212 W. Crockett 200 E. Grayson 22211 IH-10 West 709 S. Alamo 1834 N.W. Loop 1604
495-3474 694-4201 527-1845 340-7143 396-5817 212-2221 698-2002 375-4423 493-1600
SOUTHWESTERN CALIZA GRILL CANYON CAFE FRANCESCA’S AT SUNSET ORO RESTAURANT AND BAR
420 W. Market 225 E. Basse 16641 La Cantera Pkwy. 705 E. Houston
224-6500 225-0722 558-6500 225-5100
STEAKS 222-2362 877-0600 691-8827 495-2233 222-0561 494-0561 225-5550 225-6718 930-9393 545-6965 695-8302 490-8302 225-9444 479-8765 224-9835 340-1337 824-4231 733-0621 342-8981 497-8000 227-7140 732-6017 341-5424 225-1262
Chama Gaucha 18318 Sonterra Place San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 564-9400 ANTLERS LODGE THE BARN DOOR BOLO’S ROTISSERIE GRILLE FLEMING’S GREY MOSS INN KIRBY’S STEAKHOUSE LITTLE RHEIN STEAKHOUSE MORTON’S STEAKHOUSE MYRON’S STEAKHOUSE J. PRIME STEAKHOUSE THE PALM PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE RUTH'S CHRIS
9800 Hyatt Resort Dr. 8400 N. New Braunfels 9821 Colonnade 255 E. Basse Rd. 10901 Scenic Loop 123 N. Loop 1604 E. 231 S. Alamo 849 E. Commerce 10003 N.W. Military 1401 N. Loop 1604 W. 233 E. Houston 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. 7720 Jones Maltsberger 600 E. Market Street
520-4001 824-0116 691-8888 824-9463 695-8301 404-2221 225-1212 228-0700 493-3031 764-1604 226-7256 558-6161 821-5051 227-8847
ENHANCE YOUR LISTING!
Call (210) 826-5375 for more information. may/june 2015 | 121
DREAM HOME Guide Luxury homes available for purchase in San Antonio and the Surrounding Texas Hill Country Area
SanAntonioDreamHomes.com
126 | sawoman.com
W WOMEN ON THE MOVE
DeBrenna LaFa Agbenyiga DeBrenna LaFa Agbenyiga is UTSA’s new vice provost and dean of the graduate school. Her research focuses on economic and community development, organizational culture, women’s and children’s rights, gender-based violence, cross-cultural learning and diversity. She comes to UTSA from Michigan State University.
128 | sawoman.com
Lynn Bobbitt
Lynn Bobbitt has been named executive director of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy. Her decades of nonprofit management include time as director of advancement at St. Luke’s Episcopal School, as vice president and director of development at the Riverwalk Jazz Broadcast Project and as director of development at the San Antonio Symphony.
Mary McNeil
Mary McNeil is now general manager of Ruth’s Chris Steak House at Concord Plaza. She joined the company in 1993 and has worked as a server, hostess, server/trainer and shift leader before becoming a dining room manager in 2011.After serving 15 months as general manager at the Grand Hyatt location, she returned to the Concord Plaza in January 2015.
Katy Pier Moore
Attorneys Katy Pier Moore, Paul Santoyo and Corey F. Wehmeyer have joined to establish a private law practice specializing in the energy sector. Santoyo Moore Wehmeyer P.C. will serve Texas oil and gas clients, including publicly traded and privately owned exploration and production companies. The three founding shareholders were formerly in the oil, gas and energy law section of Cox Smith, the city’s largest law practice.
Carmen Pagan
Broadway Bank announces the promotion of Carmen Pagan to vice president, internal audit manager, to lead the compliance team in its internal audit department. A graduate of UTSA with a degree in accounting, Pagan joined the bank in 2009. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fiduciary and Investment Risk Specialist and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. She is an active member of the Texas Society of CPAs.
Shannon Savary
Shannon Savary has been promoted to legal analyst in the executive management department of Broadway Bank in San Antonio. She joined the bank in 2014 as a personal banker at the Boerne Banking Center and previously worked at another financial institution and as a clerk at a local law firm. A graduate of UT Austin, she earned a law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Weddings W
Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Ball (Sarah Gormican) February 21, 2015
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
Paul Overstreet Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Travis Mack Miller (Daneille Elise Franco) March 20, 2015
David Sixt Photography
Marks Moore Photographer
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Lamar Peeler (Morgan Paige Lucas) April 11, 2015
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Larson (Hannah Brannan) March 28, 2015
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Jarrett Noble Hill (Meredith Leigh Mangum) March 7, 2015
Photographer: Jeanann Wilkinson St. Anthony Hotel
Mr. and Mrs. Travis Allen Edlund (Katherine Ann Trautmann) March 21, 2015
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Britton Swan (Ashton Paige Brown) February 21, 2015
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Zack Bussey (Chelsea Hawkins) February 28, 2015
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Woodson Nash (Elizabeth Marie Friedman) February 7, 2015
may/june 2015 | 129
W LOOKING BACK
Family picnic at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio.
130 | sawoman.com