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EDITOR’S NOTE OURBLOK FALL 2012 G R E AT E R H E I G H T S

Mark & Becky

Blok Masters Mark Standridge mark@ourblokheights.com Becky Standridge becky@ourblokheights.com

Art Director Maarten-Jan Waasdorp Us4 Interactive info@us4.biz

Staff Photographer Mark Standridge

Contributing Writers Dennis Abrams Haley Hughes Kim Morgan Irene Nava Chris Powers Kay Vincent

Contributing Photographers: Deborah Smail Lia Lam Wayne Sandlin

For Advertising Rates mark@ourblokheights.com 832-368-0104

OurBlok Heights has made all reasonable efforts to verify the accuracy of articles and information within. Responsibilities for accuracy of claims and information of our advertisers lie solely with them. Editorial content does not necessarily express the opinions of the publisher. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice, but is considered information Copyright 2012 by OurBlok Heights. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the written permission from OurBlok Heights. OurBlok Greater Heights magazine is published quarterly by OurBlok Heights.

Fall 2012

For the past 15 months we have enjoyed bringing stories and information about various aspects of the Heights to you including dining, health, music and the arts. This issue we are focusing on all things “fresh”. While one might expect to see articles about gardening and produce in the spring, we intentionally saved this issue for the fall because we learned from our friends at The Farmers Stand at Petrol Station that fall can be a slow time even though some of the best fresh produce of the year can be found in fall. Vegetables aren’t the only fresh produce to be found in the neighborhood. You may be unaware, but your neighbors may be harboring chickens in their backyard. In fact, raising hens for eggs has become trendy. Worldwatch Institute has dubbed it “an underground ‘urban chicken’ movement that has swept across the United States in recent years”. So why did I use the phrase “harboring chickens” and why are some folks in Houston getting their feathers ruffled? Find out in the article “Don’t Count Your Chickens.” The feature article this issue seeks to answer the age old question “to bee or not to bee”. Well, perhaps not THE age old question but a good one because another tasty trend in our neighborhood is beekeeping. In “Beekeeping: It’s All The Buzz” discover why bees are a good idea and whether you might want to have a hive in your backyard. White Linen Night created its usual buzz in August with thousands of people crowding the streets along 19th and White Oak (less crowded but no less interesting were 11th, Heights and Studewood). Check out our photo spread and see if we snapped pictures of anyone you know. We didn’t have space to publish all the pictures we took so go out to facebook.com/ourblokheightshouston to see more event photos and tag your friends! Finally, our thanks to Urban Harvest and Memorial Park Conservancy for contributing articles to this issue; we are reminded that there are many, many organizations working to make the Greater Heights a better place to live, work and play. Happy reading,

Becky Standridge

On the cover: Produce photographed at Zelko Bistro by Debora Smail of Reality Photography. Thanks to Dalia Zelko and the Heights Honey Bee Project for providing freshly harvested honeycomb and to Bill Baldwin for fresh eggs from his backyard hens.

Straight From The Hive...

To Your Plate.

elko aphy. ney d ggs

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On the c Conti enjoy a glass of wine at G Gallery, 301 E. World in Dog Yearsâ&#x20AC;? by Sharon Kopriva. Lily, the poodle belongs to Wayne Gilbert, owner of G Gallery.

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Fall 2012

this issue FEATURES

Farmer’s Markets

Fresh, fabulous and local

10 16 21 32 38 45 49 50 58

Beekeeping in the Heights It’s all the buzz

Farmer’s Markets

Just one stop from the farm to your table

Don’t Count Your Chickens

Backyard chickens come to roost

Beekeeping: It’s All the Buzz

An introduction to a honey of a hobby

The Search For Organic

Is it organic, really?

Heights Gardens Abound

Educating children, feeding the hungry

Anyone Can Be a Hydroponic Gardener

If you don’t want to get your hands dirty

Friday Night Lights

2012 local varsity football schedules

Helping Mother Nature

The Memorial Park Conservancy Project

Breath Easier

Improve indoor air quality with plants

White Linen Nights 2012

Event night photos

DEPARTMENTS 8

Your Blok Cool Hunting

Eating My Way Through The Heights

Never a Boring Day

The Heights Life

It’s a party

Event Photos

16 Don’t Count Your Chickens Before you measure your lot

Fall 2012

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Fall 2012

Mickey Morales is sitting on the porch, tucking into a warm stack of pancakes made with figs plucked from a tree, dairy milked from a goat and eggs straight from a hen. He’s at Cathy Sullivan’s Happy Heart Family Farm in Damon, but this Houston boy does what he can to promote sustainable and organic food back in the Heights. Morales and Sullivan launched The Farm Stand in January, a weekly neighborhood farmers market in the parking lot at Petrol Station, a beer bar on Wakefield. “One of the reasons we named it the ‘Farm Stand’ is I kind of thought the use of the words ‘farmers market’ has been abused,” Morales said. “It got to the point where farmers markets aren’t farmers markets anymore. They’ve become more like food courts.” Farmers markets are typically defined as a place where farmers sell their products directly to consumers. The size can range from a few stalls to entire city blocks. While farmers markets

Fall 2012

sell conventional or organic items, the Farm Stand prides itself on bringing in vendors dedicated to sustainable or organic farming. Morales will personally visit the farms of any producers who apply to participate in the Farm Stand. He has turned farmers down, he said, because sometimes things just don’t add up – like spotting a box of Bok Choy with Chinese writing, or a stash of way more eggs than naturally possible in the world of hens. The Farm Stand has a list of approximately a dozen approved vendors, including Bread and Batter, Texas Hill Country Olive Co., Bryan Farms, Queen Bee Marshmallows, Kristi’s Kitchen and Harrison Hog Farm. “We are picky,” Morales said, “but that’s because we believe in integrity. It’s what keeps people coming back.” Customers also seem to enjoy chatting one-on-one with the farmers or producers, and often ask questions about their growing methods. Sullivan said she’s proud to be able to tell people that, barring the occasional helping hand, she is the only one who has touched that food, from planting the seeds to washing it to bringing it to market. The hardest part, Sullivan said, is making sure

FARMER’S MARKETS TASTE THE DELICIOUS DIFFERENCE IN FOOD GROWN LOCALLY WITH LOVING CARE BY LOCAL FARMERS by Kim Morgan

customers understand that sustainable farming means supplies come and go as seasons change. “Eating local means eating the way Mother Nature intends us to eat,” Sullivan said. Thus, melons and cucumbers are prevalent in the summer; squash and broccoli in the fall. The smaller size of the Farm Stand and its purely seasonal offerings has some people describing it as a “boutique-style” market. It’s quite different from Canino Produce Co. on Airline, described by co-owner Lawrence Pilkinton as the “Las Vegas of farmers markets.” Open year round and every day of the week, Canino relies not only on approximately 20 Harris County-area farmers for produce, but producers across the nation, even the world. “If we didn’t have stuff coming in from Florida, California, Washington…we’d be out of business,” Pilkinton said. But don’t call them a supermarket. The difference, Pilkinton said, is that everything is brought directly to Canino; nothing is distributed from a warehouse first. This keeps costs down, he said, and gets produce to the shelves in the freshest form possible. “The clock starts ticking the second something is picked off a tree or out of the ground,” Pilkinton said. With its extended hours, it’s not always possible for

customers to chat with local farmers, but it does happen. “A guy brought in some okra from Rosenberg today, and the customer was tickled pink the farmer was actually there for her to talk to,” Pilkinton said. “If everybody worked as a farmer for just one week, they would be so thankful for the work farmers do.” Shoppers seem to appreciate those efforts at Canino Produce, dubbed “Houston’s farmers market since June 1958.” After opening in a 3,800-square foot facility, business grew and now they fill a 20,000-square foot facility. Indeed, according to the Texas Farmers Markets Association, the number of farmers markets has more than doubled since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began collecting data in 1994. Urban Harvest, an organization that promotes community gardens and environmental education, rotates farmers markets in five locations five days a week. Onion Creek, a coffee house, bar and lounge on White Oak

Fall 2012

Boulevard, hosts “Houston’s original organic farmers market” on Saturdays. Wabash Antiques & Feed Store, a Houston institution for decades, got on board a couple of years ago, launching a weekly farmers market called Urban Pickins. “Being an organic store, it just fit our market,” said manager/partner Devin Jones. “We’re riding the wave of people interested in sustainability and local produce.” Jones said they have regular vendors, most recently Bare Bowls Kitchen, but you never know what you might find at Urban Pickins. “It’s kind of like a new store every week,” Jones said. That includes non-food goodies. Many farmers markets bring in live entertainment, plants, art, crafts and all manner of household goods, but fresh produce is the main draw – and in fact recently drew the attention of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Earlier this year, DSHS moved to label farmers markets as food establishments, putting them in the same category as restaurants and grocery stores. The

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Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA), an organization that advocates for independent farmers and ranchers, called on its members to take action by writing letters to the government, explaining the move would “burden many farmers’ markets with a new layer of permitting, regulation, and fees.” The rule was ultimately withdrawn, much to the relief of folks like Morales and Sullivan. “Farmers markets are more than just a place to buy vegetables and eggs,” Morales said. “It’s really about community,” Sullivan added.

CHECK OUT THE FARMER’S MARKET NEAREST YOU! Urban Pickins at Wabash Antiques & Feed Store 5701 Washington 11a.m. – 3 p.m. Sundays www.wabashfeed.com The Farm Stand at Petrol Station 985 Wakefield Drive 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturdays For more information email mickey7737@gmail.com Canino Produce Co. 2520 Airline 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily www.caninoproduce.com

901 Bagby 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays Urban Harvest Highland Village 2720 Suffolk Drive 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sundays Urban Harvest Eastside 3000 Richmond 8 a.m. – Noon Saturdays www.urbanharvest.org Onion Creek 3106 White Oak 8 a.m. – Noon Saturdays www.onioncreekcafe.com

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Fall 2012

Don’t Count Your Chickens Before You’ve Measured Your Lot

By Dennis Abrams Bart has been raising chickens since 1976. As he says, “That’s a lot of chickens, that’s a lot of eggs.” He normally keeps four to five hens at a time, which provides him, on average, around three eggs a day. The hens (no roosters means no noise, no crowing, just the pleasant sound of quietly-clucking chickens) are kept in a coop at night, and let out into his fenced backyard during the day to scratch around. The best part of raising chickens? “You get all these fresh eggs, your neighbors get fresh eggs…” Marian and her family have raised chickens for five years, inspired by a neighborhood feral street chicken named Flocka, until her flock’s untimely exit earlier this year to that

Fall 2012

“big free range in the sky”. “We miss them, they had such distinctive personalities,” said Marian, who, along with Bart emphasized just how simple it is to keep chickens. “You just need to put a little time in the cleaning and maintaining of their coop…and then you have eggs!” Bart and Marian aren’t alone. It seems that no matter where one goes in the Heights, someone is raising chickens in their backyard, and reaping the benefits of said hens by having fresh eggs at their fingertips. But…is it legal? Chances are not. The bottom line, according to Claire Krebs, Founder of Hens for Houston, is this: Houstonians can have chickens and a chicken coop anywhere on

their property as long as they are at least 100 feet from any neighboring residence, church, school, or hospital. If you can meet this distance setback, it’s legal to have up to 30 of any combination of roosters or chicken hens. You can’t compost the waste, and it must be thrown away every week. The problem, though, is this. In the Heights, virtually nobody can meet those requirements. Check out this map http://hensforhouston.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/greaterheightssouth100.pdf for details. Under the 100-foot rule, even if you have two standard lots, each fifty feet wide, you’re still not going to have enough feet. “Pretty much any chicken in the city of Houston is illegal unless you’re in Bellaire.” And because of the city’s stringent requirements, there are movements afoot to lower the requirement to 20 feet, or even fifteen feet. But for Hens for Houston, that still isn’t enough. “Twenty feet is not a rule that will work for a lot of people in the Heights, and it’s important that people in the Heights realize that,” argues Krebs.“100 feet is a lot, but then you think of the difference between twenty feet and fifteen feet and 20% of the people in the Heights would not be able to have chickens if the rule was dropped to 20 feet. There’s a big difference between the two, and that’s why we’re pushing for no distance. “In our conversations with animal control, all of their complaints are under the general animal nuisance code that applies to a dog, cat, and chicken –issues that have nothing to do with distance, it’s all in respect to complaints from neighbors. We already have precedent from San Antonio and Bellaire that an ordinance that has no distance requirements works. So that’s what we’re pushing for.” Want to raise chickens yourself? Stop by Wabash Antiques and Feed Store, 5701 Washington Ave., for advice. Want to get involved in changing the Houston rules governing raising chickens? Visit Hens for Houston at http:// hensforhouston.com/

Why Chickens? For every person who has already taken the plunge, there is probably an equal or greater number, who, for one reason or another (the need to convince one’s wife/husband/partner perhaps), haven’t done it…at least just yet. Laura McAdams, partner in Houston’s A La Carte Catering, makes the case for chicken husbandry: “I love chickens. Chickens are the only farm animal you can realistically keep in the city. They eat bugs, fertilize your yard AND provide eggs that are vastly superior to what you can get at the grocery. Hens have sweet dispositions and are easy to keep, and that cute little clucking sound doesn’t hurt either.

Vintage advertisement published in numerous magazines circa 1918.

I’m not talking roosters. Although there is something thrilling about hearing a boisterous cock-a-doodle-doo, my neighbors don’t want to hear it. With hens, the neighbors don’t mind as long as you occasionally show up with some fresh eggs. Chickens love fresh vegetables. Last year after the fall parties we had 40 large pumpkins left over. Nobody wants them once December rolls around - except the chickens!”

Fall 2012

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SHARE YOUR STORY DEADLINE OCTOBER 15, 2012

Our winter issue is themed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home in the Heightsâ&#x20AC;?. When you think of home in the Heights (Greater Heights, that is) what comes to mind? Share your thoughts and/or pictures with us and we will select the best responses for publication in our winter issue. Submissions should be 50 to 200 words max. Pictures must be at least 300dpi. All submissions become the property of OurBlok Heights and will not be returned. You must include your name, email address and phone number. Submit to info@ourblokheights.com or mail to OurBlok Heights, 1519 Oxford St, Houston, Tx 77008.

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Beekeeping: It’s All The Buzz By Dennis Abrams

That sound you hear in the air throughout the Heights might just not be the latest gossip about the hottest new restaurants, bars, and schools. It might just be the sound of bees, as Heights residents move beyond gardening into the realm of apiary, of beekeeping, of helping gardens and pollination and declining bee populations, all while providing themselves with all the honey anyone could possibly want over the course of a year. Is it difficult? Not at all, according to attorney Donald Ray Burger, Heights resident, attorney, and instructor at the Learning Annex whose

class, “Beekeeping in Your Backyard,” has been instructing prospective beekeepers since 2008 on everything they need to know to start and maintain beehives in their own backyards. “A lot of people think that keeping bees is something you do on the farm,” says Burger, “But a lot are in town, what we call hobbyists.” Burger himself started beekeeping in town in 1999, starting from scratch by buying the equipment and reading books. “I was sort of self-taught. My knowledge was book knowledge. Of course, I gained experience on how the real world was dif

Fall 2012

ferent from the printed word, and that’s what I try to get across in my classes.” The first steps to beekeeping at home are surprisingly easy. You buy the equipment and build it, so that you’ve built the bees’ home, their hive. “Start preparing in November-December,” says Burger, “January at the latest, because the beekeeping world starts in spring, and all your equipment has to be built and ready to be occupied by April.” And that’s when you’ll receive the bees that you so wisely pre-purchased the previous December. “There are two outfits, Bee Weavers and R Weavers – they sell what is called packages. A package is a wooden box that has three pounds of bees and a Queen.” So how many bees equal three pounds of bees? Around 10,000: They put them on a scale and use a funnel, and that’s your starter colony. The bees come to you in a box, and then all you have to do is get that box into your backyard and into your hive. That process, while it seems obvious, can be a little difficult to figure out just from reading books. And that’s where Burger’s class can come in handy. “When I give my class, I have a package that’s

Fall 2012

empty of bees just like you get from the Weaver people and an empty, full-scale hive. I show you that it’s a complicated process – you’re pouring 10,000 bees from the box into the hive at dusk.” (Dusk is the time when bees return from their busy day collecting pollen.) But once you’ve got that down, Burger says, beekeeping is a hassle-free hobby. “The first year when you’re rising up a new tribe there are a lot of things you have to do – the hive is young and needs some assistance, but after the first month or so it’s just around ten minutes of work a month. Once you have it established, it basically takes care of itself – you’re just providing a home. All you have to do is check on them occasionally (I look at my bees and with a glance I can tell everything is OK – if a normal amount of bees are flying in and out I know it’s all good.) and there’s nothing left to do except extract the honey in the fall.” How much honey can a novice beekeeper expect? “With two hives, in a normal year without effort, you can expect 15 gallons out of honey out of those two hives – enough for yourself and for Xmas presents for friends and family. It’s city flower honey, which is a little darker than the clover honey

– and it has lots of flavor because of the variety of flowers the bees have access to here in Houston.” Two more items of note to the aspiring beekeeper: One, there are currently no regulations regarding beekeeping within Houston city limits. And two, the costs are surprisingly reasonable. “It will cost you between $250 and $350 for all the equipment you’ll need, and then, while the price of bees varies, it’s usually around $120 for a three pound box. And there’s really not a lot of continuing cost – it’s all up front. My hives have been there since 1999, and all you generally have to do is maintain and paint them.” Relatively new to beekeeping is Paul Opperman, a Heights resident who for the past two years has been keeping hives on his family farm in Leon County. “I think the reason I got started,” he said, “as corny as it sounds, was to help make a difference. I was watching the news about the importance of bees and the disappearance of bees, and

I thought, ‘We have some family land outside of Houston, why not pick up a book, put some bees out there, make our own honey, and potentially have an impact on it.’” Opperman began, as recommended, with two hives. “If you start with one, and they leave or die, you’re left with nothing. But if you start with two, the chances of having one successful one is good, and then once you figure out what you’re doing you can then expand it.” (This turned out to be completely accurate. Last year’s heat and drought wreaked havoc on his new hives – this year has been a different story.) As Burger warns in his class (“I never took the class,” Opperman said. “I read “Beekeeping for dummies,” watched some videos on YouTube and researched some on the internet”), getting the bees from their box to their hives for the first time is an interesting experience. “It’s the first time you’re around

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10,000 buzzing bees. It’s an eye-opening experience; the sound is like no other. You’re seeing all of these insects that sting, that you grew up thinking would sting so if you saw one you jerked, and now

Learning of the problem of declining bee populations, several Heights residents took matters into her own hands and began the Heights Honey Bee Project. you’re around 10,000 of them. You have to move and not move at the same time, and no matter what you’ve read and think you’ve learned, you won’t know what you don’t know when you start. The learning curve is steep, but if you can calm

Build

Your

yourself and just do it, it’s quite refreshing once you’re done. You’ll get over it, but the first time you open up that hive and you dump the bees in, and now you’ve got 7000 bees in the boxes and another 3000 flying around you…if you can stay calm and stay in the moment, it’s really quite exhilarating.” Indeed, the one thing that Opperman wishes he’d known before he got started is how to move and work the bees. “Because that really is the key. If your moves are methodical and you pay attention to what you’re doing, then you’re not going to damage or crush anything. If I had just known to slowly and methodically and predictably move around when I’m working with them, I probably wouldn’t have been stung twice my first time out. You don’t want to swing your arms around when you’re working with them – go at three-quarter speed – ‘my arm is now going this way,’ you’re telling the bees. ‘No cause for alarm.’” And as both Burger and Opperman explain,

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if you’re careful and pay attention to the bees, your chances of getting stung are slim. Since bees come in races or breeds like dogs, keepers are, naturally, encouraged to get gentle bees, and they won’t bother you unless you’re around their hive and appear threatening. Opperman elaborated on this saying that “A bee in someone’s garden is only going to sting if you accidentally grab it. I think neighbors might be apprehensive if they knew you were keeping bees, but chances are if you didn’t tell them that, they wouldn’t know.” Until, of course, you show up at their doorstep over the holidays, bearing gifts of honey from your hives. And it’s not just individuals getting into beekeeping. Jamie Zelko of Zelko Bistro, after learning of the problem of declining bee populations, took matters into her own hands by launching the Heights Honey Bee Project – a network of beekeeping and landscaping specialists, with the intent to educate and raise awareness, as well as to promote beekeeping throughout the Houston Heights by

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helping with start-up costs for want-to-be beekeepers. Naturally, the honey harvested is available at the restaurant, and all proceeds are put right back into the project. “While the restaurant is spearheading it,” Zelko says,” it’s a neighborhood project.” But it’s a neighborhood project, run by Jamie’s business partner, Dalia Diaz-Zelko, that’s more than just a neighborhood project. “It’s a project that involved more than just local communities. Although we’re starting small, by helping to save the bee population, you can help impact the whole world.” And everyone can do their part. Would you like to keep a hive of bees but don’t want do the work? The Heights Honey Bee Project will set up a hive in your backyard and do all the maintenance for you. Have a problem with bees in your home or apartment complex? Contact Jennifer Jo Scott “The Bee Wrangler” www.thebeewrangler. com, and she’ll remove the bees and turn them over to Dalia and the Heights Honeybee Project. So the bottom line then is this. If you’re look-

ing for a hobby that’s interesting, has a low start-up cost, is good for the environment, and can you provide you with more healthful delicious honey than you could possibly use in a year…beekeeping in the Heights might be just what you’re looking for. And if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can still do your part to help. Either way, your community, both local and global, will thank you. For more information, contact: Donald Borger: www.burger.com/beeindex.htm Heights HoneyBee Project: www.zelkobistro.com/ Wabash Antiques & Feed Store: www.wabashfeed.com Bee Weaver Apiaries: www.beeweaver.com/ R Weaver Apiaries: www.rweaver.com/

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Eating My Way Through the Heights... By Dennis Abrams

is it worth it?

Debating (or rather, tasting) the virtues of organic foods over mass produced fare. that Revival Market, opened by partners Ryan Pera and Morgan Weber with the goal of providing locally sourced meat and produce along with housemade charcuterie and other products to residents of the Heights, has been a roaring success, and a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.

I also must admit though, that shopping at Revival can bring about an occasional case of sticker shock. Can a dozen eggs, a pint of milk, a bottle of soy sauce

ity between what you can get at Revival versus what you

worth the price? I picked up a few items at Revival on a recent visit to do a little tasting and comparing: Revival Market Barrel-Aged Soy Sauce vs. Kikkoman: It’s like comparing Four Roses with Woodford Reserve

Fall 2012

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Fall 2012

The Search For Organic The labels are everywhere, from oranges to eggs, steaks to potatoes, bathrobes to bedding, shoes to bags and lotions to soaps. “Organic,” the label screams. What does it even mean…and should you buy it? The USDA National Organic Program defines organic food as produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water. Meat, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. Unless you’ve got time to trace the roots of whatever product it is you’re looking at, you pretty much just have to trust the label. Here’s what to look for at the grocery store, said Tiffany Tyler, chair of the board of directors at Central City Co-op, an organic produce co-op out of Grace Lutheran Church at 2515Waugh. “A USDA certified organic sticker has a five digit code that begins with a 9,” she said. “If the sticker has a four digit code, it’s conventional, meaning grown with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and such. So if you’re ever in doubt, look at the tag.” A common observation from shoppers is that buying organic is more expensive, usually because it’s more labor-intensive to produce. But not everything - for example, Tyler said, celery is usually within 10 cents. If budget forces you to choose where to go organic – be it dairy, meat or produce – Tyler suggests going with the item your family eats the most. If you prefer to shop for produce, dairy and eggs at a farmers market, you won’t find labels, even if the item is organic. That’s because the national standards stamp of ap-

Fall 2012

proval requires fees and paperwork, which can be a daunting task for small-scale farmers. Tyler said you pretty much have to know and/or trust the farmers you’re getting produce from when/if they say they’re organic and producing food in a sustainable manner. “We won’t buy from a farmer whose land we haven’t walked,” Tyler said. “That’s very important to us. Our produce is organic, sustainable and as local as we can get.” When it comes to clothing or other items, if the product is wool or leather, it’s considered organic if the animal it came from has been raised humanely and not exposed to chemicals through its diet. For materials such as cotton, organic means the fibers came from plants grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides – ditto for things like cocoa butter from the cocoa beans that grew on the cocoa trees. Cammie Cain, a regular vendor at First Saturday Arts Market, 548 W. 19th Street, offers pure-product soaps. “It means that no herbicides can be passed along in the products,” Cain said. “Skin is the biggest organ in the body, so smearing stuff on that has chemicals absolutely affects us, just like the food we eat.” Overall, going organic is a personal choice, but one that seems to be easier as more products become available. “Now, every food category has an organic alternative,” says an article on the Organic Trade Association’s Web site titled 10 Good Reasons to Go Organic. “And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically – even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.”

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National Night Out October 2, 2012 Spend the evening with friends in the “hood”.

National Election Day November 6, 2012 Find your polling place at Harrisvotes.com and Heights Women's Club V-O-T-E 1846 Harvard Street houstonheightswoman sclub.com Café Brussels Congratulate them on 1718 Houston Ave their Centennial year (formerly Dharma's) and Find a new friend cafebrusselshouston.com Tues. be there by 9pm for best seats Jazz Jam w/Houston greats

Garden Oaks Civic Association New neighborhood cookbook. Order at gardenoakscooks.com Sales support the local constable program Get Cooking

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Heights Public Library 1302 Heights Blvd houstonlibrary.org (check schedule) Laughter Yoga with Lanie Diamond Free laughs

Holiday Home Tour sponsored by the Houston Heights Assn Dec 2 & 3 Plan ahead to Deck the Heights

SUNDAY Roundtable Goods 238 W 19th St, Suite A-2 77008 roundtablegoods.com Field trip to Heights newest boutique

Heights Association Bike Rally Small Business October 7, 8am-4pm Saturday Marmion Park November 24, 2012 houstonheights.org Go Local & shop till you Scavenger hunt while drop you ride a 20 or 5 mile course Young and Restless Ice Cream Bike Ride Boutique sponsored by 3468 Ella 77008 A 2nd Cup youngandrestlessresale Blue Line Bikes1035 East 11th 77008 Sat's at 9:30 am meet .com Tues 4-10pm; at Happy Fatz (713) 861-7647 Sun 8-2pm Everything babies, kids 3510 White Oak facebook.com/a2ndcup 77007 & maternity Enjoy a cup of coffee 27 miles & an ice Shop and Learn and support the fight cream cone against human trafficking Heights Gala October 13, 2012 heightschamber.com/ chamber-gala Put on your dancing shoes & Everybody Cut Footloose

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by Irene Nava, Urban Harvest with Kim Morgan

Heights Gardens Abound Mary Mary Quite Contrary knew how to make her garden grow. After all, she had a lot of help from pretty maids all in a row.

Mary was on to something. Today, community gardens bring together people from all walks of life, school gardens teach children the joys of growing their own food, therapy gardens hasten healing, and donation gardens stock food pantries with fresh produce.

In the Heights, community gardening is blooming. Irene Nava from Urban Harvest said school gardens are a huge hit. School gardens are used as outdoor classrooms where students can have “hands on” lessons in science, math, social studies, language arts, health & nutrition, and even arts & music. Long before Michelle Obama’s White House gardens, local non-profit organizations such as Interfaith Ministries and Urban Harvest were involved in helping schools and neighborhoods

Fall 2012

build and grow their own gardens in Houston and the greater Heights. Summertime tends to slow things down a bit at school gardens since students aren’t on hand to work the soil. Nava said parents or neighbors sometimes “adopt” school gardens, agreeing to take on the responsibility of keeping things watered and growing in oneweek increments. If that’s not possible, Nava said, Urban Harvest simply puts the beds to bed, temporarily tucking them in for the summer by placing cardboard or hay on top of the soil. When it’s time to wake up in the fall, all it takes is a little organic fertilizer to jumpstart the new growing season. When it’s time to reap the harvest, teachers find all manner of creative ways to use produce in the classroom – counting, sorting, tasting - and students sometimes take bounty home to share with family and neighbors. Any abundance, summertime or not, is donated to the Heights Interfaith Ministry Food Bank, Nava said. If you are interested in donating time or resources, you can contact the schools directly or email: Irene@ urbanharvest.org to get more information. The following list includes gardens known to date. Contact Urban Harvest to be included in future lists.

Robert Browning Elementary

607 Northwood St./gardens & habitat History of gardens: Browning had a long history of gardening prior to teacher Thelma Graves & Urban Harvest’s Bob Randall working together in 1995 to revitalize & add an outdoor classroom, habitat and pond. A volunteer group from St. Mark’s UMC is currently working with Principal Elizondo to revive the school gardening program.

Casa Juan Diego

1218 N. Shepherd @ Washington St./NE corner History of gardens: Community gardens on the “edge” of the Height that are planted and maintained by facility residents to supplement their food intake. Initially established in 1994 & re-energized & expanded in 2003 to current garden size of eight beds.

Eugene Field Elementary

703 East 17th/SW corner of school property on 17th St History of garden: Six raised beds were initiated by a PreK teacher and the PTA over two years ago. Beds are used and maintained by various classrooms throughout the school year to teach science concepts.

Alexander Hamilton Middle

139 East 20th/located in courtyard on east side of school (visible from gated area) History of gardens: Gardens were initiated in 2002 by a science teacher, then redesigned & rebuilt with the help of students a few years later. Students grow and sample vegetables & fruits during an elective “Habitat Class” that has doubled in size due to increased student interest.

Harvard Elementary

810 Harvard/SW corner of school yard facing Harvard History of gardens: Raised beds were installed in 1998 by Harvard teachers, then relocated over the next few years by Harvard PTA. Beds are used by classroom teachers, volunteer garden instructors and the science specialist to teach students about horticulture and science.

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Fall 2012

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John Helms Elementary

503 West 21st Street/garden & wetlands visible at corner of Nicholson & 22nd History of gardens: Established 13+ years by science teacher, Linda Meador, Helms has an extensive wetlands/pond area, native habitat & school community garden. With Meadorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retirement this year, garden efforts will be headed by the Helms Wetland and Outdoor Classroom (HWOC) committee.

William G. Love Elementary

1120 West 13th Street/garden beds in center of campus History of gardens: Students and classroom teachers have built six raised beds over the years where a variety of vegetables are grown by 2nd-5th grade classes.

Fall 2012

413 East 13th/SE corner of 14th & Arlington History of gardens: Six raised beds were funded by the school & PTO in 2011; an HISD Aramark grant funded a fruit orchard in March 2012; five new beds added by Deloitte Touche during June 2012 Impact Day. Pre-AP biology students, lifeskills classes and a student EcoClub grow fruits and vegetables for market, pantry donation and nutrition education.

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UMC

600 Pecore Street/garden next to westparking lot History of gardens: A community donation garden maintained by church & community volunteers that serves the Heights Interfaith Ministry food pantry. Constructed with the help of Troop 920 scouts in 2009, the garden beds have been expanded over the years and now include 10 beds and many fruit trees, butterfly garden & shade arbor. A labyrinth mediation garden is now in the works.

The Volunteers of America Garden

4808 Yale St. History of gardens: This Urban Harvest garden recently established roots in Independence Heights. A true community garden in every sense of the word, a lengthy list of local businesses donated building materials and dozens of volunteers continue to oversee its maintenance. The garden now boasts 27 plots and a fruit tree orchard.

William B. Travis Elementary

3311 Beauchamp/behind school History of gardens: Originally established in 1988 by teacher Margaret Blackstone using a $600 National Gardening Grant. Thirty-plus beds were rebuilt in 2006 after the school underwent a massive renovation. Travis has the oldest documented school garden in the state of Texas.

Fall 2012

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Anyone Can Be A Hydroponic Gardener By Chris Powers

You love gardening. Admit it. So what’s stopping you from creating a fabulous year-round garden with delicious herbs, flowers, and vegetables? Perhaps it’s just too hot and humid to get motivated. Perhaps the idea of weeding has you down. Maybe it’s simply a matter of not having access to an outdoor space to call your own. No matter the excuse for not having a productive garden, you can conquer your concerns if you learn to grow hydroponically. Having a successful hydroponic garden is actually simple and surprisingly inexpensive. You’ll just love tending your garden in your mosquito-free, air-conditioned environment. Imagine the climate-controlled fun! So what is hydroponics and how does one get started? Hydroponics is, simply, growing plants without soil. That’s it. The primary job of soil is to deliver and carry nutrients. Soil

also gives the plants’ roots something to hold. In a hydroponic system, your plant’s nutrients are provided by special nutrientrich water. You prepare and adjust this water with different nutrient levels as the plants mature. Young plants require a less dense nutrient solution than mature flowering plants. The roots are allowed either to flow freely in the water or hold onto an inert, soilless medium. You can break down hydroponic garden systems into two categories: water-based or media-based. A water-based system suspends plant roots in a gentle flow of nutrient water. In a media-based system, the plant roots cling to an inert media such as coco, clay balls, or rock wool. Both systems are excellent methods to deliver water soluble nutrients to plant roots. Your hydroponic garden does not have to be inside. You

Fall 2012

can build a nice system outdoors and take advantage of all that wonderful free sunlight. However, for maximum performance year-round, growing indoors gives your plants consistency, controlled conditions, and longer growing periods. Cloudy wet days are no longer a problem as your plants will get all the light they need indoors from a simple florescent light. A good fluorescent with the right color spectrum will provide all the intensity needed for good vegetative growth. This is an excellent choice when you want to grow lettuce greens or herbs. If you need your plants to produce flowers and fruit, you may wish to invest in LED, metal halide, and high pressure sodium lights. Temperature extremes are a thing of the past. Ever plant too early in the season and lose your little green babies to frost? Ever plant too late and lose them to extreme heat? Ever forget to water? Those days are a thing of the past with a hydro system. Also, you won’t lose your prize tomatoes to a hungry, four-legged critter unless your dog or cat likes tomatoes. One of the simplest hydroponic media-based setups is a bucket media system. The bucket system is a complete hydroponic drip system contained in a 5-gallon bucket. Add

some inexpensive hose, a drip hose ring, and a small external air pump to provide water aeration and pumping action, and you have a complete, inexpensive hydroponic system. The water-based systems require a bit more design skill. It’s probably better to tackle the water system after you’ve worked with the media system. Happily many of the components in your media system can be converted into your water system. The main difference lies in how the plants are

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placed and the frequency of feeding. The increased feeding frequency requires a more expensive electronic digital timer. The plant placement varies but is usually in a PVC tube. Plants are spaced out accordingly and dropped into baskets suspended in the PVC. Nutrient water is usually delivered from a variety of sprayers inside the tube or through a slow moving stream inside the tube. In order to be successful in this type of system, water levels must be precise or the plants could dry out quickly. If building a hydroponic system seems like an impossible task, do not fear. There are many turn-key systems available for purchase. You can select something small and cheap that fits nicely on a desktop or kitchen counter. Or you can choose an elaborate system with automatic controls to fill a room. In a hydroponic garden you must still attend to your plants daily, adjust water levels and nutrients, provide plant support as they grow, and change your water solution every week or two. Hydroponic gardening, while not effortless, can be very rewarding, fun, and surprisingly simple. Guest writer Chris Powers has been growing plants hydroponically for years and is an owner of HydroShack.

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Fall 2012

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Helping Mother Nature

Memorial Park Conservancy’s Mission to Build a New, Healthy Forest Last fall, Mother Nature’s record-high temperatures combined with record-low rainfall took a dramatic toll on the beautiful forest in Memorial Park. By early October, it was evident most of the pine canopy and many older oaks were dying. During the winter months, Memorial Park Conservancy (MPC) and Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) worked with forestry experts to reassess the conditions and revise the forestry management plan, which was announced about this time last year, to accommodate the

Fall 2012

new reality. Many trees died prematurely due to the drought, so the implementation of the forestry plan had to be greatly accelerated – from a gradual program designed to take place over 10 years, the project is now slated for completion in two to three years. The goal remains the same – to prepare the forest for the planting of new native trees and vegetation to ensure a healthy, sustainable forest for future generations of Houstonians. “Just as a wise gardener spends time preparing the beds

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We’re even open on Sundays! before planting the flowers, so a wise forester prepares the site before planting a new forest,” said Claire Caudill, Chair of MPC’s Conservation Committee. “When we announced the forestry plan last year, it was the result of years of research and planning between MPC and HPARD and our team of professional foresters. We are working hard to ensure the future health of Memorial Park and the literal ‘rebirth’ of this green oasis that Houstonians have enjoyed for generations.” Once conditions had been reassessed, the first phase of the largest reforestation project in an urban park in the United States got underway this spring under the guidance of the Conservancy. Heavy equipment and crews rolled into Memorial Park to begin removing non-native plants as well as many large, dead trees. Long before the official start of summer, Memorial Park Conservancy was working hard to ensure the much-loved oasis was getting fit – just like many of the more than 10,000 Houstonians who use Memorial Park daily. Work had already begun along the very popular and visible Lieberman Trail, removing dead trees and mulching invasive underbrush so the forest floor would be prepared for planting thousands of seedlings and trees by late fall and winter. The reforestation project is central to Memorial Park Conservancy’s long-term forestry management plan. The forestry plan is designed to create and maintain a healthy, functioning ecosystem at the Park, while also meeting the needs of those who use the park daily. “Last year’s drought forced us to ‘literally push the

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fast-forward button,’” said Jim Porter, MPC Board Chairman. “The reforestation program consists of three phases. The first phase is the site preparation involving the removal of many of the dead trees and the mulching of exotic and invasive brush. The clearing creates openings in the canopy so that planting can occur and ensures that new trees have a healthy environment in which to grow.” “The second phase is the intensive control of invasive and exotic plants that, if given a chance, would take over much of the forest,” added Porter. This phase will be ongoing for the life of the park due to the fact that invasive plants require constant control. In late fall and early winter, MPC will begin phase three, which is the planting of thousands of seedlings and trees. The process will likely take more than one planting season depending on how the trees grow and what the weather conditions are following the initial planting. The Conservancy has added a full time forester to its staff this year. His job is to work with the Parks and Recreation Department and to proactively manage the forest to continually ensure that new trees are planted when needed and the regeneration of trees is taking place so that the park has a healthy and functioning ecosystem at all times. “While the short term effects of the drought have been devastating to the Park and to all Houstonians with an emotional tie to this beautiful Park,” stated Tony May, MPC Director of Conservation, “it is also exciting because we are going to create a much healthier forest sooner than origi-

nally had been anticipated. Removing all these dead trees is painful, but once we start the planting – and we can all see results – a forest that is full of many varieties of native species at different stages of life – it will be wonderful.” MPC’s mission is to restore, preserve and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow. In partnership with HPARD, MPC’s proactive management will create a beautiful, healthy forest for many generations of Houstonians to enjoy. The Forestry Program is funded completely through contributions to MPC, which primarily come from the generous donations made by individuals, businesses, and foundations in the Houston area.

Memorial Park Reforestation Project: How You Can Help! Learn More: Check out the website at www.memorialparkconservancy.org for updates on the project. Stay informed. Make an effort to educate others about what you know – neighbors, friends and co-workers. Volunteer: Memorial Park Conservancy is always looking for volunteers. To learn more or to apply, visit us www. memorialparkconservancy.org. Contribute: Memorial Park Conservancy is a 501 c3 organization that relies on a variety of funding sources to aid and support Memorial Park. Your contributions will aid the ongoing forestry management plan which is predicted to cost $10 million. You can make a contribution on your website or when you’re enjoying the park, drop a check or cash in the donation stump along the Lieberman Trail directly in front of Tennis Plaza.

Fall 2012

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Fall 2012

Teresa O’Connor Heights Artist

Teresa O’Connor is small in stature, but as an artist, she’s always been big. O’Connor’s art takes shape in grand multimedia installations; fun to look at, not easy to take home. After a career of going big, O’Connor realized she wanted to offer her fans more than just a mental picture of her art. She started making t-shirts screened with individual elements from her art to sell at her installations. The t-shirts were a hit, leading O’Connor to create a shop, Art Star, which sold items made by herself and several other artists during shows around the country. Think museum or art gallery gift shop where one can buy items that are related to larger and/or more expensive work by an artist. Art Star created a win-win scenario for artists and their fans: easily reproduced art at an affordable price, which O’Connor calls “multiples.” Eventually O’Connor wanted to give Art Star a long term home, which, after a short stay at Retropolis on 19th Street, she found in a little house at 1025 Studewood. It was there in December 2007 that Hello, Lucky was born. With Hello, Lucky, O’Connor has been able to fulfill her vision of providing a place where like-minded artists can sell their “multiples”. Since opening, O’Connor has given a retail outlet to more than 25 artists. Today, Hello, Lucky is a delightful hodge-podge of handmade funk with a primary focus on being eco-friendly. O’Connor and many of the artists she works with up-cycle and re-purpose, using American-made materials when possible.

Fall 2012

Artists and crafters regularly approach O’Connor about selling at Hello, Lucky. The small space, however, houses not only the retail area but also her work space, which limits the amount of stock that she can carry. Still, O’Connor finds it essential to foster the artist-as-business-owner mentality. To this end, O’Connor hosts Second Saturday Craftacular monthly, noon - 4 pm, offering unique, handmade items at this little craft fair outside of the shop. Artist-vendors get a crash course in business by having to market themselves, promote the event and bring in customers. Newer artists-as-business-owners learn from the veterans. Experienced vendors actually curate the event one month, gaining an additional skill set. When curating her shop, O’Connor looks for an eclectic mix of items but it isn’t just about the thing. “The individual’s attitude matters,” she said. Designs can be great, but artists also have to be community- minded. In addition to being eco-friendly, Hello, Lucky focuses on giving back to the community. Through promotions and partnerships, the store has given to local organizations such as Lawndale Art Center, Urban Harvest and Glasstire. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the wonderfully popular “It’s OK to Love Houston” t-shirts by Dean Haddock supports Spacetaker, while O’Connor’s “You Are Amazing” t- shirts support Friends 4 Life, the Heights no-kill animal rescue organization. Teresa O’Connor and Hello,Lucky are great examples of the Heights community spirit and we are lucky to have them as part of our block! Heights resident Viula Torgerson blogs as “The Heights Life”. To read more from her go to http://TheHeightsLife.com or like facebook.com/ theheightslife.

Heights

Be sure to download the latest version!

Fall 2012

Breathe Easier

Add some plants to your home decor and improve your indoor air quality. By Kim Morgan Photosynthesis is your friend. Get to know him, and you’ll be breathing easier, whether sitting at home or in your office. Indoor plants are nature’s purifier. An incredibly basic explanation for plant/human harmony goes something like this: In order for plants to survive, they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. In order for people to survive, we absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide. Jamie Mihalcik, a manager at Buchanan’s Native Plants, 611 East 11th Street, said it’s indeed a symbiotic relationship. To allow it to flourish, it’s important to get the right kind of plant. For plants to thrive indoors, they need to be adaptable to lower-light conditions. A good one to try is the Bella Palm, also called a

Fall 2012

Parlor Palm. “It is fantastic for filtering air,” Mihalcik said. Little bitty ones cost approximately $2.99, or grab a more mature one for around $60. Bella Palms have a “medium-watering requirement,” so if you’re prone to hydration lapses when it comes to your plants, Mihalcik said to opt for a lower maintenance Sansevieria. Joshua Kornegay, owner of Joshua’s Plants & Garden Accessories, 502 West 18th Street, said Zamioculcas and Areca plants also make perfect houseguests. Areca palms grow up to 8-feet tall, he said, and have bright green, smooth leaves that don’t shed. Zamioculcas is the lowest-light houseplant there is, so dark corners aren’t a problem. This “ZZ plant” grows to about waist high, with dark, glossy leaves.

“You can put a houseplant in any room in the house,” Kornegay said. “For a bathroom, I’ve got small plants that like steam. I’ve got long, trailing plants for tables, miniature plants for kitchen-window sills…” While just one plant can make a difference, the general rule of thumb is one plant for every 100-square feet of house.

The Air Up There

After experimenting in the space station, even NASA – in conjunction with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America - got on board with the idea that plants purify indoor air. To what extent, however, isn’t clear. The study generated chatter that many common houseplants also absorb chemical pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde, but the Environmental Protection Agency isn’t quite on board, stating on its Web site that there isn’t any evidence to support that. The EPA also reminds folks to not over-water houseplants, because overly damp soil promotes the growth of micro-organisms that make it harder to breathe, particularly for people prone to allergies. Over-watering is indeed the number one killer of indoor plants, Kornegay said. Now that you know that, find yourself some foliage, sit back, breathe…and enjoy. “Plants give rooms that are closed off a nice, fresh, clean smell,” Kornegay said. “Plus, they look nice. They make people happier and more alert.”

HAPPY HOUSTON HOUSEPLANTS BELLA PALM Common names: table palm, parlor palm SANSEVIERIA Common names: mother-in-law’s tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant ZAMIOCULCAS Common names: Zanzibar gem, ZZ plant ARECA Common name: Areca palm

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Mark and Becky Standridge were recently recognized by the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce for Outstanding Community Service in the Heights for their Green Ribbon Tree Project. Chairperson Juanita Gonzales presented the award at the recent Heights Community Expo on July 18th. The Green Ribbon Trees project encouraged neighbors to adopt and water trees in common areas such as the right-of-ways in front of homes and businesses during last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drought.

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It’s a

Party by Haley Hughes Everyone loves a party, right? Unfortunately not everybody gets to party. Often the hosts are so wrapped up in the event that they do not enjoy it. Don’t let this happen to you, here are some guidelines so you can feel like a guest at your own event! “Location, location, location” may be tops for real estate – but for your event, the most important element is TIME, TIME, TIME! When you host your party, assuming you want your friends to attend, think about your “friendographic”. For example – are they young parents, do you need to check out the little league schedule, or high school football schedule? This can make or break whether your friends will show up. After you’ve done that check, make sure it is not a national holiday. People usually have very long and strong family traditions and commitments for those days. So you’ve set the date, now you are ready for a location! When selecting a venue there are a lot of options. Many people feel their only option is home, however, there are plenty of great venues with affordable options. Depending on the number of guests, there are several restaurants in Houston with private rooms. Holding 10 to 30 people, these are great intimate rooms where you get the same quality food and service along with privacy.

Fall 2012

Should your party be bigger than that, most hotels have banquet halls and it pays to shop around. You can also take a less traditional route and think of alternative locations such as a brewery, an old fire station (Heights Fire Station on Yale is one) or, this may sound odd, but it has happened, a luxury car showroom floor. All we’re saying is: if you are creative there is a solution. When you have found your venue of choice, make sure to ask questions like: 1) What other events are going on that night? (you may or may not want to be next to a bachelorette party) 2) Is there a noise level to be aware of? Is there a chance you may get too loud and risk getting booted out? 3) How late can you stay? 4) Do you have to clean up anything? 5) When can you get access to the space to set up or decorate? 6) Can you have live music? 7) Can you connect your iPod to the house system? We have a date and a venue: what’s next? Invite your friends! You should have your list ready as you prepared it to determine the size of the venue. You can make it very official and have an invitation designed and sent,

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Fall 2012

however in this day and age a digital invite often is enough. Evite or Eventbrite are highly recommended. Both are free as long as you aren’t charging your friends. They have great images and templates ready to go. They also can be easily tailored and personalized to your event. You do not need a lot of design or computer skills. Now that you are done with the pre-event planning, it’s time to focus on what will be happening at the event. You will want to appeal to all the senses so it must look, feel, smell and taste good. For décor you are in a great neighborhood, the Heights is a hub for event professionals. From floral to rentals to event planners, on almost every corner you can find a great resource. If you want to try out some DIY projects, party supply stores are filled with budget friendly décor items. But if you want to feel like a guest at your own event consider hiring professionals. Let a florist handle the flowers, a DJ handle the music or let a party planner take care of it all. This way you don’t have to do any set up and can be the perfect host, or even better, a guest at your own party. Look and feel: check! Now to probably the most

PHOTOS & EVENTS OURBLOK RELEASE PARTY

important part of your celebration: what to serve? Many events, no matter how good all the other aspects were, have gone down in history for bad taste, literally. Food, or lack of, will make or break a good party. When you are ready to decide what to serve, again, consider your guests. What you like may not be what they like. Yes it is your party, but you are inviting and feasting them so for a lasting impression you need to cater to the likings of the crowd. Will there be a lot of kids? Is it seated or standing? These are important things to pay attention to. Do not go too extreme, unless you have invited a niche crowd. How much food and drink should your order or prepare? A good guideline for alcoholic beverages is 3 drinks per person for the first hour and 2 drinks per person after that. When serving snacks the number depends on the time frame but on average (just appetizers) we recommend 3 – 4 pieces per person per 45 minutes. That’s it. You’re all set and ready to star at your own party. Enjoy and don’t forget to check out the next issue of OurBlok for some more tips for your inner party animal. Guest writer Haley Hughes owns and successfully operates En Vogue Events in The Heights.

Fall 2012

PHOTOS & EVENTS HEIGHTS FUN RUN

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Fall 2012

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Fall 2012

PHOTOS & EVENTS GREAT TASTE OF THE HEIGHTS

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Fall 2012

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