Fort Worth Magazine - December 2019 by fwtx

Life on Fire

Hours on call, minutes on edge — punching in with first responders: fire, EMS, police

A NEW BREEDING GROUND FOR ENDANGERED HORSES

35 REASONS TO SHOP LOCAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Life on Fire Up before dawn and on-scene for the most harrowing moments, there’s hardly an average day in the life of a first responder. Three full days with local EMS, fire, and police departments gave us not just a glimpse into station life — from brotherly antics to routine calls — but also insight into a first responder’s unique perspective on humanity. by Fort Worth Magazine staff

48.

54 Tried and True Fourteen long-standing and much-loved local establishments that have defined our city’s dining scene. by

Courtney Dabney

64 The Original Horse Kit Moncrief’s mission to save one of the world’s rarest horses. by Abigail

74 Looking for a Killer The answers to one 36-year-old cold case may be in the hands of a local group of amateur sleuths. by Sean Chaffin

82 Hands That Heal Inside the Camp Bowie studio that claims to heal with nothing but the power of touch. by Rachael Lindley

88 2019 Top Attorneys The city’s best legal professionals, as voted by their peers.

Get to know the man in charge of over 30 Medstar ambulances on page

PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD

Boatwright

City Forms Commission to Further Invest in Sports Women’s gymnastics, table tennis, and men’s basketball are all coming to Dickies.

Fort Worthian

There’s a new voice leading the Fort Worth Chorale.

The Real Raphael One Fort Worthian channels his inner turtle power in a new memoir.

The Melody Maker After finding her voice in New York, Lorena Leigh comes home.

A Spot of Chic Winter fashion gone wild.

Season’s Self-Care

Taking care of your mind, body, and connections during the most stressful, er, wonderful time of the year.

Shop-Local Holiday Gift Guide Thirty-five gift ideas from our favorite shops in Funkytown.

Hot Ticket on South Main

The brick-and-mortar iteration of this popular biscuit pop-up is just as good as we remember.

CDMX Excess Eating our way through Mexico City.

Filling Up on Vietnamese

Cuisine Vietnamese fare served in a Shell gas station. Pho real.

The Feed Soon-to-open steakhouse, Toro Toro, specializes in Latin American barbecue.

Snaps BRIT, JL Sustainers, Top Chef 2019, 2019 Steeplechase Debutantes, The Art Station, Girls Inc.

Things to Do in December

Where to countdown to 2020, meet Santa, and catch Tony Green’s last show of the season.

208. Making my way downtown, walking fast... Toro Toro

Red Tape

Corrections? Comments? Concerns?

Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas.com.

COMING NEXT MONTH » Indulgent Foods: Treats to kill your resolution, Guide to the 2020 Rodeo

» We’ve had the idea of doing a story on the city’s first responders since the beginning of the year. Our staff photographer, Olaf Growald (whose skills with the camera grace the cover and main feature of this issue), once a firefighter himself, pitched the idea as “A Day in the Life of a First Responder.” Stories typically morph between conception to execution, often changing so drastically that the initial idea becomes unrecognizable. This story, however, did not. Despite the red tape, bad weather, and other unforeseen circumstances, our writers, editors, and photographer remained steadfast in delivering on the pitch’s initial concept: to be in lockstep with a first responder for a day and to write about their experiences.

Then, right before we were set to schedule our ridealongs, a 28-year-old woman named Atatiana Jefferson was shot and killed by a Fort Worth police officer who is now facing murder charges. This was a tragic and needless incident that made the subsequent public outcry and protests entirely justified. And it also raised my editorial eyebrow and made me scrutinize the story we were about to devote so much time and effort to tell. How would the city respond to such a cover story so soon after Atatiana’s untimely death?

Should we allow time for the city to heal? I’d be lying if I said it didn’t cross my mind to pull the plug on the story, but, ultimately, we decided it was in the best interest of all to tell this story — and to tell it now.

Despite the events of Oct. 12, those who wear badges, administer life-saving procedures, run to fires and not away from them, and occasionally flash lights that can result in an increased heart rate, demand scrutiny but also deserve a round of applause.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Best, ON THE COVER: Lt. Tommy Rush of the Euless Fire Department, who’s been with the department for 38 years. According to our photographer, Olaf Growald, this photo almost didn’t happen. “Our ride out with the Euless Fire Department for the day was over. As we were chatting and saying our goodbyes to the battalion chief that we had been riding with all day, a call bumped out for a structure fire. We all jumped into the truck, then went lights and sirens to the possible structure fire. It turns out the ‘fire’ was a pot of beans burning on the stove.”

Brian Kendall Executive Editor

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 12, DECEMBER 2019

owner/publisher hal a. brown

president mike waldum

editorial

executive editor brian kendall

managing editor samantha calimbahin online editor matt payne

contributing writers abigail boatwright, sean chaffin, courtney dabney, jenny b. davis, malcolm mayhew, linda blackwell simmons, lauren wessinger

copy editor sharon casseday

editorial interns sadie brown, madelaine woodhouse

art

creative director craig sylva senior art director spray gleaves art director ayla whittington

advertising art director ed woolf

photographer olaf growald

contributing photographers rodger mallison, richard rodriguez, truitt rogers

advertising

advertising account supervisors gina burns-wigginton x150, marion c. knight x135

account executive tammy denapoli x141 brand

scott mobley x140

marketing

director of marketing & events natasha freimark x158

marketing & events coordinator mclaren martin

digital marketing & development director robby kyser corporate

Eat It Up

Boy, y’all sure love talking about food on our social pages.

I ate there this past Saturday. My husband wanted to know what I did to run them out. The food is always fresh and delicious. Don’t stay away for too long.

-Karen Lackey Cromwell

Not a lot of people have enough time to go to Crockett Row and park for lunch typically. The people with a $15 lunch budget are probably busy working. Lunch there during the week is slow at almost every restaurant there every weekday I’ve been. If they’re looking for that lunch customer, they might have to set up near an HQ like BNSF on Western Center but then forget about all the other traffic you’d get from nights and weekends. Perhaps a spot on Vickery, Camp Bowie, or Hulen would give them more accessibility and a lower rent, or somehow finagle something on Montgomery, but parking will be an issue there as well. I hope they find a spot that serves them well because their food is good.

-Terrence Lee Bilodeau

DIGITAL EDITION: The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.

They haven’t missed a beat. Huge space, and John’s barbecue is tremendous. Blessed to have so much good barbecue in Fort Worth!

-Blake Jordan

Ooohhhh yeah, don’t forget to try the banana pudding!

-Casey Loudermilk

Share Your Shot

A cool pic of Fort Worth could win you $150 at Arlington Camera — and a spot in our next issue. Post your photos to Instagram with both hashtags #FWTXMag and #ArlingtonCamera for a chance to be featured. And turn to page 208 to see this month’s winning image.

HOME Design Awards

All will be revealed Dec. 3 when we announce the winners of the Fort Worth HOME Design Awards at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Don’t miss out on tickets. fwtx.com/home-design/home-designawards

Home for the Holidays

Get your winter inspo from the experts. Pick up the latest edition of Fort Worth HOME to delve deeper into the details of our HOME Design Awards finalists.

Hanging Out with Punky Brewster

Two young Fort Worthians scored a big gig starring in the reboot of 1980s sitcom “Punky Brewster.” Check out their interview on fwtx.com.

What’s Online

Visit fwtx.com for the full story.

» M2G Ventures Renovating Former TX Whiskey Building for Future Tenants

A major renovation is in the works for the former TX Whiskey building on West Vickery Boulevard, recently purchased by Fort Worth real estate company M2G Ventures.

» Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Reveals Expanded Collection Catalogue

A massive compilation of 220 works of art from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth will be available at your fingertips this December.

know

continued on page 20 »

» Cowabunga, dude. The man behind the iconic red mask is reminiscing life as a former Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

» Visit Fort Worth Forms Commission to Further Invest in Sports

A branch of Visit Fort Worth, the city’s marketing entity, aims to propel growth in new sporting events and future facilities.

The Fort Worth Sports Commission, announced by Visit Fort Worth Nov. 4, is taking steps to attract youth, collegiate, Olympic, and professional events in order to deliver economic impact and boost Fort Worth’s image. “The commission supports the development of and access to facilities that enhance the quality of life for all Fort Worth,” says Jessica Christopherson, assistant vice president of marketing and film, in a written statement.

Key priorities of the Fort Worth Sports Commission include a new youth sports facility study as well as overseeing a sevenyear expansion of the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Sporting events including the USA Table Tennis US Open, USA Wrestling Senior Nationals, and the AAC Men’s Basketball Championships are on the horizon. And in April, one national event is anticipated to have a massive economic impact on Fort Worth.

The NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships will be back in Fort Worth from April 17 to 18, returning a second time to host the championships at the brand-new Dickies Arena.

The 2019 NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships attracted more than 22,000 spectators at the Fort Worth Convention Center last year, and the city estimates a more than $2.5 million economic impact in direct spending was a result of the event.

In 2020, 25,000 more in attendance are expected.

“Last year the Fort Worth community pulled together to create a memorable experience for the NCAA athletes, coaches, and fans,” said Jason Sands, director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission, in a news release. “We look forward to elevating that experience in our new state-of-the-art venue, Dickies Arena.”

UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS:

USA Table Tennis US Open: Dec. 17 – 21 Fort Worth Convention Center USA Wrestling Senior Nationals: Dec. 20 – 22 Fort Worth Convention Center

American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championships: March 12 – 15 Dickies Arena

NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships: April 17 – 18 Dickies Arena

Gran Fondo Hincapie Cycling Series Returns to Fort Worth

Fort Worth cyclists will once again be pedaling in the Gran Fondo Hincapie bicycling series, but at a new location: Sundance Square Plaza.

Gran Fondo Hincapie – Fort Worth on March 28 will start and finish at Sundance Square and will include standard routes of 15, 50, and 80 miles, preceded by a “celebrity chef dinner” the night before the ride.

The 2019 ride attracted more than a thousand cyclists to Fort Worth for a weekend, in which they rode bikes, ate gourmet dinners, and took part in a live recording of Lance Armstrong’s “THEMOVE” podcast.

“The 2020 ride promises to be even bigger,” Hincapie Sports said in a news release. Proceeds will go toward nonprofit FitWorth, a family-oriented group that aims to promote active lifestyles by way of education and events.

Hincapie Events organizes races and rides for all kinds of cyclists, of any age and skill level, geared to unite cyclists and celebrate their sport. Alongside Fort Worth, the four-city event also rides through Chattanooga, Tennessee; Boise, Idaho; and Greenville, South Carolina.

The original Gran Fondo Hincapie was located in Greenville, South Carolina, and now is in its seventh year.

Learn more about the series at hincapie.com/granfondo.

Unprecedented Tech Elevates The Sinclair as Eco-Friendly Icon

BY MATT PAYNE

Ayears-long overhaul inside The Sinclair building in downtown Fort Worth did more than just establish the rustic space into one of the city’s most impressive feats of design — the boutique resort is being touted as the city’s first-ever “smart hotel.” An array of modern lighting and automated amenities including window shades, mirrors, and more get juiced by way of what’s called “power over Ethernet” (POE). Ethernet, in most cases, connects devices to the internet but is being used in The Sinclair hotel to maximize energy efficiency.

Moreover, amenities within The Sinclair allow the facility to selfproduce electricity. The “hotel of the future,” as called by Marriott Hotels, even incorporates stationary exercise bikes to generate power.

“Fort Worth is home to the world’s first truly connected hotel,” Farukh Aslam, building owner, has said.

Coexisting with the 21st century tech are The Sinclair’s roots from the 1930s. Sinclair Oil Company first inhabited the space way back when, and the revitalized space maintains traditional decor, spotlighting the building’s trademark zigzag moderne styling. “The interiors, guest rooms and corridors were restored to represent the property’s original art deco style with deep blue and rich brown hues,” The Sinclair describes. “The finished hotel eloquently couples the art deco style of the Gilded Age with contemporary, cutting-edge technology in a refined yet rugged style.”

The Sinclair, being just a brief stroll from Sundance Square, serves as a focal point for downtown Fort Worth, centrally situated around the nearby Bass Performance Hall, Sid Richardson Museum, and Fort Worth Convention Center.

THE SINCLAIR BREAKOUT STATS:

164 DECO POP, LOFT-STYLE ROOMS AND SUITES

THREE FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCEPTS: The Wicked Butcher, Lobby Bar, and 512 Rooftop, slated to debut in January 2020

ONE LUXURIOUS TWO-STORY PENTHOUSE RATES AT THE SINCLAIR BEGIN AT $341 PER NIGHT

Careity Foundation Goes Quarter-Century Strong in 25th Anniversary

ANorth Texas nonprofit has now been a stronghold in the battle against cancer for 25 years. The Careity Foundation, based in the Fort Worth and Weatherford locale, offers more than 7,250 services to North Texas patients, including cancer navigation, dietician services, surgeries, social work and more. The nonprofit was also the first in the nation to offer oncology massage in the chemotherapy room to relieve the side effects of drug therapy in patients.

Careity was created as a direct care medium for cancer patients and families to better focus on healing, and recognition that each individual patient presents a need for a unique treatment strategy has led to many awards and a guiding mantra: “It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman; Careity Foundation is there for you, to help you, and to get you through these tough times,” says the Careity Foundation website.

$3 million of direct patient services provided in 2018

On Friday, Dec. 6, anybody will be able to help benefit the organization by buying tickets to attend the Careity Foundation’s Celebrity Cutting and Concert.

In the cutting competition, the celebrity riding the cutting horse must quietly enter the herd of cattle separating one calf at a time away from the herd. The total time for each rider is 2 1/2 minutes.

The fundraiser goes from 7 to 11:30 p.m. that day and includes a celebration and concert after the cutting.

Since 1995, Careity Celebrity Cutting and Concert has drawn international celebrities together for fun through philanthropy. There’ve been sports figures, physicians, performing artists and more who’ve tried their hand at the fast-growing sport of cutting at the Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum. Learn more and purchase tickets starting at $20 at careity.org/portfolio-items/celebrity-cutting.

$4 million in chemotherapy grants provided in 2018

Fort Worth is Teaming Up to Help Bring More Grocery Options to Low-Income Areas

Low- to moderate-income communities within Fort Worth may soon see more choices for grocery shopping, all thanks to a new city partnership.

The Fort Worth Healthy Food Financing Initiative is between the city and PeopleFund, an institution offering reduced interest rate loans and business education for those in underserved markets. The initiative aims to offer lowcost loans to open, renovate, or expand mid-size and small food retail outlets within areas with few grocery options.

The program, modeled off of similar programs in other cities, is designed to improve

Fort Worth public health and facilitate economic growth.

The program begins with $50,000 of public seed money to serve as an interest rate buydown for $500,000 in loans financed by PeopleFund.

Money will be given for a wide array of pre-development activities, like architectural and engineering work, construction, staff training, security, and inventory. Available loans range from $5,000 up to $250,000.

“Evidence is mounting that access to healthy food reduces the risk of diet-related diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes,” said Matt Dufrene, vice president

of Blue Zones Project, Fort Worth, in a release. “Through this program, we’re making it easier to bring healthy options to underserved communities and allowing all Fort Worth residents to improve their well-being.”

Eligible projects include regional grocery chain locations or individual grocery retail outlets; convenience stores; farmers markets; mobile markets; caterers; restaurants; and food trucks. “Proposals must demonstrate that the

7,600 patient visits in 2018

project is economically viable and will increase availability of fresh produce in areas that lack sufficient access to affordable, healthy food,” according to the release.

Entrepreneurs are invited to learn more at an open house, set for 8:30 to 10 a.m., Wednesday, at the Business Assistance Center, 1150 South Freeway.

BREAKOUT STATS:

Karen Kenaston-French

Artistic director/conductor of the Fort Worth Chorale

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

The holidays will be a little different for the Fort Worth Chorale this season, what with a new conductor at the podium. Karen Kenaston-French — who joined the chorale in May, a part-time gig she balances alongside her day job as associate professor and director of choral activities at the University of Texas at Arlington — is currently knee-deep in the holidays, prepping for three Christmas concerts in three days at three different venues, between Dec. 6 – 8.

But beyond the choir’s upcoming performances, Kenaston-French has her mind set on an even bigger challenge: finding ways to keep choral music relevant for today’s generation of listeners.

Just don’t expect to hear Handel’s “Messiah” any time soon.

Q. What led you on the road to becoming a choral conductor?

A. I grew up in West Virginia, singing in choir, singing in my school choirs, in church choirs. When I got to college, I made the top choir … Toward the end of my time in church music, I was not loving the direction toward contemporary Christian music because I’m very traditional, classically trained. I decided I would love to go back and get my doctorate, and that’s where it really turned. I went to North Texas and got my doctor of musical arts. I knew I wanted to go into collegiate conducting and teaching. I love that age of singer because they’re

starting their career

— they’re really passionate and like sponges for what you can teach them.

Q. What goes through your mind when you’re conducting? Do you have any interesting quirks — like, are you able to hear individual voices?

A. Well, yes. I am a perfectionist, and probably most conductors are. I pretty much hear everything. It’s constant analysis of what you just heard and thinking forward to creating the sound that’s coming up. It takes a lot of experience. For me, I have had to constantly isolate sections, just work on the basses in a section, so that I can really hear who’s doing what and then shape their sound and put it all back together. The more you do that, the more you really hear what’s going on at the micro level.

Q. What’s your vision for the Fort Worth Chorale? What sorts of boundaries would you like to be pushing?

A. I want to stretch the possibilities of what kinds of pieces we do. Everybody has had the chance to hear, you know, Handel’s “Messiah” — the standards. I’m looking for major works that maybe aren’t done as much but have real audience appeal. So, one of the ones we’re doing, for example, this April is “Te Deum” by Karl Jenkins. Karl

Jenkins is a British composer who’s done an equal amount of film scores and classical composing. And this piece, it just sparkles and feels a bit like movie music, but it also has enough classical seriousness to it that I don’t feel like it’s commercial.

Q. How do you keep today’s audience engaged with choral music while still staying true to tradition?

A. I feel like choral music — that is sung with really phenomenal, unified tone and blend in itself — just transports the listener. They don’t even realize it, but it becomes a timeless, almost spiritual experience if it’s done well. I definitely trust my instinct when I find music that I feel really touched by and gives me chills.

Q. There’s conversation in the music world about women conductors — how there are so few of them. In your experience, how often do you see a woman conducting a choir or orchestra? Is there a ceiling that needs to be broken?

A. It is unusual at the university and professional level. Still, it’s changing a little bit. For me, I mean, all of my mentors have been men, so that tells you something. I appreciate that they saw something in me. At every level, those mentors personally went out of their way to get me a job. They didn’t just write a letter; they called people. They personally helped me.

Q. What do you think needs to be done to get more women at the podium?

A. I think, gradually, people like me, being at the university level, mentoring women in my program and helping them find good positions and encouraging them to go on and do graduate work. I don’t single out my women over my men though; I’m trying to mentor them all. But I think the more people see people like me doing it, then they can envision themselves doing it as well.

Q. When you’re not conducting, what music do you like to listen to? Anything that might surprise us?

A. Well, funny enough, I don’t really listen to much music on my own because it’s distracting to me. I can’t have music on in the background. In my car, I listen to “The Ticket,” sports talk radio. But if I’m just at home cooking or whatever, I’ll listen to singer-songwriter types, like Diana Krall, Norah Jones.

Q. “The Ticket,” huh? So that explains why you brought a golf bag to your photo shoot today.

A. Yes. In a way, [golf is] an extension of my creativity as a musician. It’s problem-solving. Every shot that you have to hit on a golf course has a couple of different options for how you could do it. I love it from the standpoint of complete stress relief — you’re always in beautiful scenery, and you’re out getting fresh air for hours.

Karen’s Essentials

of her time at UTA, working her day job as a conductor and music professor.

any

4. Sheet music. This piece is “The Bird of Dawning” by Bob Chilcott.

5. Kukui beads. From her favorite resort in Hawaii, the

1. Golf clubs. Karen is a passionate golfer and plays at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Arlington.

2. “Beagle Mom” mug. Like

singer, a warm beverage is essential for Karen.

UTA faculty ID. Karen spends most

Ka’anapali Beach Hotel.

6. Color wheel. Karen uses this to help her pick clothing.

7. Wine opener.

8. A photo of Buddy, Karen’s beagle.

The Real Raphael

With a new book on the Amazon shelves and a digital marketing agency on the rise, we chat with Kenn Scott — the dude who played Raphael in the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” movies — about his journey from Tinseltown to Cowtown.

BY BRIAN KENDALL

To compare it to something more universally renowned, it was like picking your Hogwarts House. In the early ’90s, any child who had yet to crack the decade mark was either Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, or Michelangelo; everyone had a favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and whichever you picked was a portrayal of your personality.

For those who grew up when shoulder pads were stylish, the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls, and Arsenio Hall had a late-night talk show, few movies were as downright badass as the first two install-

ments of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Like the Beatles of the ’60s, they were as iconic to a generation as one can get.

So, I was star-struck, to say the least, when I first met Kenn Scott during a lunch with mutual friends. We’d been chatting for half an hour over some pho before someone leaned over and told me that he was Raphael in the first two “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” movies — I would later discover, thanks to his new memoir, Teenage Ninja to Mutant Turtle: Becoming the Reel Raphael, that each turtle is technically played by four performers: an actor, a puppeteer, a stunt double, and a voice actor. The scene

where Raphael saves Ariel after being attacked by foot soldiers in the subway? That was Kenn.

Charismatic is an easy adjective to apply to Kenn; he comfortably strings complex thoughts together in easy-tounderstand language, has a Hollywood smile but a down-to-earth inclination, and can shoot the breeze on almost any topic without seeming like a know-it-all. Growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina — where “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” was filmed, which played a big part in his getting the role of Raph — Kenn then spent 22 years in Los Angeles, where he had bit

parts in, what Kenn calls “shitty movies” — “I was office No. 2,” he says. He also headlined an action flick, wrote and directed some B-movies, served as a fitness trainer, and found some time to work in marketing.

“You’re talking about the ’90s, man,” Kenn says about his time in Los Angeles. “Just such a huge martial arts world back then.”

He’s been in Fort Worth for the last six years, setting up shop near The Foundry District with Avadel Agency, a creative marketing firm he founded with David Valentine.

In November, Kenn released a memoir about his life up to the end of the second “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” film, the aforementioned Teenage Ninja to Mutant Turtle: Becoming the Reel Raphael.

FW: Your book ends at your time as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. What happened right after that?

Kenn: I was a bit-part player in a couple of different films, here and there, and then I took my fate in my own hands. It was really hard to get an agent and do all that stuff, so I invented my own management company. I made some letterhead, I got some business cards made, and I made my roommate, Tony, my manager. I said, “You don’t have to do anything, but I just want to use your name.”

So, I put together this whole management package, created a management company, and put in an extra phone line. I also put together a Kenn Scott promotional kit with some video tape from Ninja Turtles, interviews that I had done, and I filmed myself doing karate. And I sent it to 10 or 15 companies that were making martial arts films, and then I sat on the couch and played “Super Nintendo.” Then, lo and behold, one day the phone rings, and a production company wants to cast me in a movie. They ended up writing a movie for me called “Showdown.”

They signed me to a two-picture deal and everything, man. And “Showdown” was hugely success-

The self-published book, of which the proceeds are donated to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, is a quick and enjoyable read about happenstance and determination.

“I went as far back as I could and started writing down a list of everything I could remember,” Kenn says. “What came out of that was basically a bullet-point list of everything I could remember from the time I was born up through Ninja Turtles. And I was, like, ‘Well, shit, that’s my autobiography right here. Let me figure out how to turn that into 50,000 words.”

We caught up with Kenn at Avadel Agency and chatted about his post-turtle life — we purposely avoided talking about things one can read in his book to avoid redundancy.

ful. But then they made “Double Dragon” after that, and I was not in “Double Dragon,” and that bankrupt the company. That was the end of my two-picture deal.

FW: So how did you end up going from playing Raphael and living in Los Angeles for 22 years to living in Fort Worth? Tinseltown to Cowtown is an interesting dichotomy.

Kenn: Did you ever see the movie “Bull Durham”?

FW: Of course.

Kenn: Okay. I was Bull Durham. I had played in the major leagues for a very brief period of time, but then I was mostly a minor league player. I was doing a lot of independent martial arts movies and low budget stuff and stunt coordinating and second unit directing for the History Channel. I wasn’t breaking into the A game. After a while, I was like, “All right, I’m ready to do something else with my life.”

My family doesn’t have roots here or anything, but my brother got a great offer to work in Southlake as a hand surgeon. He’s been here about 18 years, and I kept visiting him. I wanted to be closer to somebody in my family, and I was like, “Well, my

brother and I play music together, so I’ll just go move near my brother, and then we’ll cultivate that relationship and find something to do there.”

So, I moved here with no idea what I was going to do. Just wanted to come, but then I found Fort Worth. I was like, “Oh, okay. There’s texture and culture here.” I really like it.

FW: Tell me about what you’re currently up to.

Kenn: I became a marketing consultant in Fort Worth, and then I managed to win the Business Plan Competition in 2015. And, because of that, my network expanded, and I managed to meet David [Valentine], who was having great results in digital marketing. So, two years ago, we teamed up to form Rethink Creative, which we eventually rebranded to Avadel.

As soon as we started working together, we increased the agency 300% in terms of revenue and everything. And we’re now one of the three finalists in the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards. That’s what happened there. I just teamed up with Dave, and now we’re just kicking ass.

Barbara Walters and the Ninja Turtles.

Kenn Scott, Leif Tilden, Ernie Reyes Jr., Judith Hoag, Michelan Sisti, and Nick Palma at comic-con.

Kenn Scott and drinking buddy Jurt Bryant (Tokka) having some backlot fun.

Johnny Holbrook, Billy Lui, Tom DeWier (doubling Casey Jones), and Kenn Scott.

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Twigs American Kitchen Unveils New Menu and Stylish Transformation

The Fort Worth restaurant refreshes menu offerings and decor

Constant improvement sums up what Twigs American Kitchen at The Shops at Clearfork strives for. Formerly Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar, the new American Kitchen focuses on fresh… local… chefcrafted food and drink in a comfortable upscale but casual setting.

R estaurateur Trevor Blackwell along with Executive Chef David Lee looked for ways to create a quality dining experience for the Fort Worth community no matter what the occasion might be. Thoughtful and flavorful dishes are the result of utilizing only the freshest locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, and hand-crafting each dish with care. You’ll find a great selection on the menu with everything from salads and pizzas, to delicious steaks, pasta and seafood selections. Their fresh sheets also allow their chefs to craft farmers market

driven dishes, meaning you’ll always find something new and different along with your favorite mainstays. Never one to settle, Chef Lee constantly strives to create dishes that are familiar yet unique. The new additions to the menu speak to the success of this effort.

Taking it a step further with the bar offerings made this transition even more rewarding. Local whiskey and beer selections are expanding and the specialty cocktails have proven to be award winning. Infusions like the Orange Clove Old Fashioned are a big hit, and the applewood smoked Texas Smoke always causes a stir at the bar.

With attention to detail and a focus on guest satisfaction, Twigs American Kitchen is sure to become a Fort Worth dining destination.

Local Whiskey cocktails are a specialty.

CAST IRON CRAB MAC ISLAND STYLE GULF REDFISH PEAR & ROASTED BEET SALAD

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» In Rhythm. After five years in the Big Apple, Lorena Leigh comes back home to Fort Worth just in time to release her debut album, “Water Theory.” »

PHOTO

The Melody Maker

Wielding a ukulele while wearing a one-piece swimsuit on a cow pasture? Yeah, Lorena Leigh’s “cowgirl mermaid” tunes are one of a kind.

BY BRIAN KENDALL

On the southwestern corner of Long Island lies a stretch of coastline that’s a haven for urban surfers called Rockaway Beach. The waves and sandy dunes juxtapose the glass and concrete towers of New York City, displaying two distinct worlds in one. This is where, musically, Lorena Leigh grew up. And, with one listen of her debut album, “Water Theory,” it’s easy to hear the dichotomous locale’s influence.

“[My time in Rockaway Beach] was a pivotal time for me,” Lorena says. “I was in that weird place of not really knowing what I was doing, and then, it was suddenly, like, [music and surfing] is what I’m doing.

“I moved two blocks from the beach in the third floor of a bungalow with one of my friends. With that move from Manhattan, and now spending so much time in the water, it just cracked me open; I feel like it always does. That’s where the idea for ‘Water Theory’ came from.”

Lorena uses the term “cowgirl mermaid” to describe her music, which also lends its name to her independent record label that produced “Water Theory.” While it sounds outlandish, this description does make sense; a single song flows effervescently through multiple clever hooks and her voice, the slightest tinge of a twang.

One could say that it was a perfect string of tragic incidences and circumstances that brought Lorena to producing music. Though raised in Keller, Lorena went to the

University of Alabama during her first year of college to pursue dancing.

“It didn’t take me long to realize, there’s no way you can be in Tuscaloosa for four years,” Lorena says.

She then attended the prestigious Alvin Ailey’s dance school off 55th Street in New York City. Until, suddenly, her foot wasn’t working.

“I finally went to the doctor,” Lorena says. “They told me I had two floater bones in the ball of my foot and the tendon that

connects my big toe to my Achilles. One of them was cracked, and there’s only a 90% chance that they heal.”

More injuries and surgeries persisted, including a freak accident that caused a broken hand.

“It was after [breaking my hand] that something just cracked open in my brain, and I started writing hundreds of songs a day,” Lorena says.

While not consistently that prolific, Lorena was always a musician at heart. Similar to countless great songwriters like Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and Marshall Crenshaw, Lorena was hearing and inventing melodies in her head long before she learned the science of music — keys, song structures, etc. Such an ability, which is not shared by many, is what separates great songwriters from good ones.

She grew up playing the piano — as many children as a demand from parents — but today, she wields a ukulele like she’s been strumming the four-string instrument since she had the dexterity and strength to play any stringed instrument. She only picked it up a few years ago when her sister’s now ex-boyfriend bought one for her as a gift.

Other talents include an eye for DIY video direction and charismatic performances on stage.

Recently returning to Fort Worth, Lorena plans on staying here for the time being, but her stir-crazy nature is bound to take her to much bigger, and likely coastal, places. lorenaleigh.com

A Spot of Chic

Not ready for a full-leopard look?

Here’s how to wear the season’s most important print without feeling overwhelmed.

BY JENNY B. DAVIS

Fur Walking

Now that sneakers are appropriate day or night, this comfy pair from Vanessa Wu will keep you in step with style 24/7. Incorporating clever touches of printed faux fur, it’s especially adorable across the Velcro front strips and on the heel.

$99. Shop Birdie. 4933 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. 817.353.2072. birdiefortworth.com

Collar Chic

The Mighty Company’s Inverness Jacket adds the right amount of big cat style with a faux-fur collar that accents a dark emerald-green patent leather jacket. This LA-based independent brand was an insider darling until Gigi Hadid made it Insta-famous. Now its vintage-inspired styles are cool girl must-haves, especially when they’re customized with a name or monogram. $895 (add $150 for personalization). themightycompany.com

PHOTOS

Soft Touch

New York City-based Apparis is renowned for its ultra-soft faux furs and vegan leather coats and accessories, and founders Amelie Brick and Lauren Nouchi bring their on-trend design sense to every item, from full-length, vividly colored coats to accent pieces like this leopard-print scarf. Add it to a coat or sweater — it’ll be the perfect piece all winter long.

$85. You Are Here, 5109 Pershing Ave., Fort Worth. 817.862.7466. youarehere.com

Eye Love Leopard

It’s no wonder that when Berlin-based eyewear brand Mykita collaborated with French designer Martine Rose, its version of leopard-print sunglasses would take a cat-eye style. But the design is hardly a cliché: It actually can be worn “right side up” or flipped upside down for a decidedly offbeat look. Either way, whoever wears it will be one cool cat.

$550. mykita.com

$159. Shop Birdie.

Meow Mix

Because leopard print is considered a neutral, it’s easy to add it to other patterns, prints, and colors. Try it out with this leopard-printed belt from Laurence Bras, the French fashion house founded in 2015 by Laurence Doligé and her sister, Anne. Made from pony hair and accented with gold-tone panels and a generously sized buckle, it’s a meow-worthy mix of trend, texture, and shine.

$257. You Are Here, 5109 Pershing Ave., Fort Worth. 817.862.7466. youarehere.com

Season’s Self-Care

Tips for holiday health.

BY LAUREN WESSINGER

Achange in routine, no matter how fabulous and fun the reason, can disrupt the best of intentions to stay happy and healthy. The holiday season is a great opportunity to increase awareness around mind and body health to help balance out indulgence. This balance can help foster enjoyment and relaxation throughout the holidays and, quite possibly, a feeling of rejuvenation at the start of the new year.

Mind

Expectations have a funny way of undermining happiness. With the increased amount of family time during the holidays, the expected fun, laughter, and love can quickly turn sour when things don’t go as planned. Instead of holding tight to a vision of the perfect gathering, consider remaining flexible to all the curveballs and changes that will inevitably take place. For many families, the holidays are a rare time of togetherness that sounds wonderful in theory, yet the reality is often different. Take a deep breath and go with the flow. Notice the difference in how it all feels when choosing to let go of the idea of how things should be and instead opening to how they actually are. The results just might be surprising. As author Jonathan Lockwood Huie says, “A wonderful gift may not be wrapped as one expects.”

Body

Indulging in more sugar, caffeine, and alcohol can affect the quality of skin, sleep, mood, and energy levels. Couple that with less time spent exercising, and the results intensify. Double up on water intake during the holidays. Before the first cup of morning coffee and before going to bed, enjoy a mug of warm water with lemon to help boost digestion and hydration. Three days a week, break a sweat to move out the stagnation and lethargy that come from overindulgence. If that seems impossible, perhaps let go of the idea that a workout needs to be an hour long and at a gym or studio. Even 20 minutes of a brisk walk outside does wonders for boosting energy.

Connection

During the year, the intense focus on work, family, and personal health can take precedence over meaningful friendships. A 2006 study by the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah showed that strong social connections have a positive impact on the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine systems — as well as on the immune system and the body’s inflammatory response. In short, good friends bring good health. Take advantage of the extra days off of work. Invite a friend on a lunch date or finally take a yoga class together at the new studio in town. Meet outside for a walk or take in the latest exhibit at one of Fort Worth’s finest museums. Remember, the social connections good for health are the ones that are live and in person. One good friend is much more rewarding and life-affirming than 500 social media friends.

Lauren Wessinger is a yoga and meditation instructor, and the owner of The MIndful Project. You can follow her on Instagram @laurenwessinger

Print creates an emotional connection. Print builds relationships.

Physical material is more “real” to the brain, involves more emotional processing, is better connected to memory, with greater internalization of ads—all important for brand associations.

35 LOCAL GIFTS

Seems Fort Worth has plenty of its own local elves churning out amazing holiday gifts for loved ones. Whether looking to gift a necklace to your better half, clothes for your kids, or food for your belly − city-dwelling artisans, bakers, makers, and designers of all kinds make Cowtown the ideal spot for your season’s shopping.

Cowtown Made Fort Worth Skyline Necklace, $48 cowtown-made.myshopify.com

Fort Worth Locals

Fort Worth Badge – Hoodie, $52 fwlocals.com

Morgan Mercantile Panther Patch Snapback, $28 morganmercantile.com

Mrs. Renfro’s Craft Beer Salsa, $3.95 renfrofoods.com

Virgin Olive Oiler Australian Ultra Barnea – Medium Intensity, One bottle, $13.95 *custom engraving available thevirginoliveoiler.com

Mrs. Jacks Body Food Timber Wood Aftershave Spray, $12.99 mrsjacksbodyfoods.com

Parfumelle

Parfumelle will convert your favorite scent to a custom lotion, gel, powder, or after-shave balm. $39 parfumelle.com

Olive Tree Body Care Tooth Powder, 1 oz , $7 Essential Oil Roll-On Blend (Calm), $10 olivetreebodycare.com

Ferocious Beard 2-ounce Dragon Blood Beard Balm, $18.99 ferociousbeard.com

Shady Dog Soap Soap bars, 3 pack, $20 shadydogsoap.com

M.A.D Candle Co. Top Chico Candle, Texas Rose scent, $18 madcandleco.com

Fort Worth Map Print by Evelyn Henson, 8x10, $34 cowtown-made.myshopify.com

Sagebrush and

$40 alueur-candles.com Stayin Alive Succulents Prices start at $25 and vary based on inventory. Average price is $45. *Custom orders accepted Find them on social media @stayinalivesucculents

Davis Clay Soup/Cereal Bowl, $30 each kendalldavisclay.com

Alueur Candles

Piñon,

Life on Fire

Days in the lives of first responders

PHOTOS BY OLAF GROWALD

Fort Worth Magazine spent three days on the scene with several first responders, becoming acquainted with the intricate details of their everyday jobs: the tedious tasks, the constant readiness, and the moments of terror.

BILL

VER STEEG BATTALION CHIEF

YEARS

Fire

BY MATT PAYNE

WHENEVER YOU COME HERE, YOU GET A LOT MORE FAMILY THAN YOU ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.”

David Johnson

The soft glow of a retiring sun frames Bill Ver Steeg’s easy roll back into the Euless City Hall parking lot. On Halloween, the fire department’s battalion chief muses all that happened throughout his sojourns at the three fire stations for the day — writing through reams of paperwork, supervising training with CPAP equipment, exercising to be physically ready for any spontaneous task — as Christian rock from his radio lifts the air. Amber twilight crowns his leisure after a steady day’s work. The shriek of a structure-fire call kills that peace. Ver Steeg’s shift storms back

of a smog-filled household. It was the usual: the can-o-beans call. Food had been left simmering over a stovetop for too long. The call was nothing to cause a roof to spout flames.

But as Ver Steeg and company wrap up the routine call, he can’t help but reflect how that smell also wasn’t anything like the stench of decaying human flesh from a rotting corpse.

Somebody has to open doors of those who haven’t been heard from for too long; somebody has to discover a morbid truth. For Ver Steeg, the usual can-o-beans call is much more stomachable than stumbling upon the odor of a person’s life long-ended. “I never want to smell that again,” he says. Nobody knows what will happen again. The Euless Fire Department doesn’t know but is ready for anything.

to life as he speeds out the lot and into afterwork traffic, deftly avoiding any collision, and pushing through stoplights to reach the other end of the city. Any quiet to be found through the cacophony of dispatch radio and ear-splitting emergency sirens over his truck lies within Ver Steeg’s eerily calm demeanor as he shreds through Euless roads.

He and a crew of nearly a halfdozen firefighters suddenly have a suburban home surrounded.

“You can tell instantly what caused smoke to go up from the smell,” Ver Steeg says, confidently stepping through the front door

Elderly, crippled men collapsing from too many rum and Cokes. Residents totally nude inside bathtubs requiring help out. Uneducated folks wondering why in the world their smoke detector won’t stop chirping. These are all circumstances Euless firefighters have handled any given day, and most of them agree on a general call-type ratio: 75% medical emergencies, 20% miscellaneous, and 5% fires.

Lieutenant Tommy Rush, Euless Fire Department’s longest-tenured firefighter, who has served his community for nearly four decades, has frequently encountered friends and acquaintances when serving those calls, many of whom have attended the popular Euless Citizen Fire Academy.

“I grew up with friends who’ve now grown up, married … and have been friends with their kids,” Rush says. “It’s gotten to the point where we go on calls and frequently recognize people.”

The “old man” of EFD has

been a Mid-Cities man all his life, having grown up in Hurst and graduating as an L.D. Bell Blue Raider in 1978. He serves young firefighters well in offering his wealth of knowledge — and humor. “I like to drink beer, so this keeps me off the streets and out of the bars,” Rush jokes. “I enjoy it. I keep trying to retire, and these guys won’t let me.”

Rush’s storied gaze walking through smoke plumes is enough to make it clear that plenty’s changed in the sleepy HurstEuless-Bedford trifecta over the years. Technological advances have forced first responders to adapt to how they fight flames that rise more rapidly than traditional wood — synthetic building materials make fires in a matter of seconds nowadays versus a matter of minutes.

“The materials that furniture is made out of is more synthetic. It puts out more poisonous smoke and a lot more smoke,” Rush says. “It’s very evident that it goes faster.”

Smoke chock-full with exponentially more carcinogens than past times too has become evident, spurring an emerging focus on firefighter health and cancer prevention.

The Euless Fire Department has recently implemented “purification chambers” for firefighters to enter after encountering smoke. Upon return, crew members must shower “as hot as they can stand it,” then work out before entering the saunalike space for around 20 minutes. They then must shower again.

Anything to help safeguard a word heard multiple times throughout the day inside Euless Fire Department stations: family. Familial values keep the Euless Fire Department afloat from the top down, including firefighter David Johnson.

It’s near impossible to tell whenever Johnson will suddenly

slap you with a perfectly timed punchline, but it’s easy to tell whenever the veteran first responder is stone-cold serious.

That’s seen whenever tears glaze Johnson’s eyes as he recalls the day a fellow Euless firefighter lost both a wife and child at the hands of a fatal accident, right before he was going to meet them in West Texas for the holidays.

Johnson hasn’t forgotten his crew’s instantaneous response to a brother in need of help, standing by him through trials and tragedy.

“When you come here, you get a whole lot more family than you originally thought,” Johnson says.

A focus on family is something of a rule, too, as plainly seen as firefighters slice and dice ingredients for lunch together. Everybody on shift pitches in both effort and money to make meals happen, carefully stretching and frugally consuming groceries. In these moments, the Euless Fire Department laughs at and trolls one another, not unlike brothers biting at each other’s necks.

“Every night, we try to have family time,” Ver Steeg says. “And nobody gets up from family time.”

Until, at least, the next call to action.

ROLAND

HERNANDEZ

PARAMEDIC SUPERVISOR

35 YEARS

MEDSTAR EMS

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

WHETHER RICH OR VERY POOR, THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS … DISEASE, TRAGIC EVENTS DO NOT HAVE BOUNDARIES. EVERYONE’S AFFECTED.”

Roland Hernandez

Starbucks isn’t open when Roland Hernandez starts his day. The paramedic/supervisor is up before the sun comes out — around 3:45 a.m. — and makes his coffee at home before heading to Medstar’s Alta Mere facility to begin his 12hour shift, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Like all paramedics, his first order of business is clocking in and picking up his basket, packed with essentials like a radio and an intraosseous kit (or IO kit, used in place of an IV). He’s ready to go.

Hernandez’s job as a supervisor has an element of fluidity — while he answers calls like any other paramedic, supervisors also act as an extra set of hands,

has been on the scene longer than normal and needs to be checked on. Tap one, and a short profile of the case would appear, describing the injury or illness, along with the location of the incident.

But, for whatever reason, on this day, most ambulances were marked green and labeled “Standby Position.”

“No active calls,” Hernandez says, so he calls dispatch. “What’s going on with the system? What’s wrong with it?”

The dispatcher on the other line has a simple explanation: The rain, coupled with the cold, might be keeping people at home and off the roads. But “we’ll get you dropped on any good calls,” the dispatcher says.

Despite this, Hernandez refuses to say the “S word” (that is, “slow”). Turns out the “S word” is taboo among paramedics — because anything can happen to change that.

Hernandez, who’s been a paramedic for over 30 years, is all too familiar with the intensity of the job. He’s seen his share of gunshot wounds, murders, and fires, with stories of blood and gore that rival anything fictionalized in “The Walking Dead.” There’s hardly an average day.

able to drive to any emergency in any part of town to help crews needing assistance. Another part of his job is scheduling and making sure ambulances are available, on time, and back on the streets in a timely manner.

This day is a rainy one, assumed to produce some sort of highway wreck during the morning rush. To Hernandez’s surprise, however, his phone is quiet, giving him time to chill in his office for a moment.

By around 7 a.m., Hernandez was in his truck, No. 801, scrolling through a Samsung tablet listing about 30 ambulances. Normally, he’d be looking for units marked in red, indicating that an ambulance

“It’s steadily busy every day,” Hernandez says. “You don’t know what to expect.”

And while paramedics often see people on their worst days, Hernandez says those who work in this business seem to share a similar personality — calm and compassionate, with a quirky, offbeat sense of humor.

Back at “The Star,” the nickname for Medstar’s Alta Mere headquarters, Hernandez grabs a coffee in the break room and meets up with a notably popular paramedic, George Church — popular, particularly for his staccato way of speaking and his way of saying hello: “Hey, foo!”

The camaraderie is apparent among Hernandez, Church, and the other paramedics in the office. They’re constantly cracking jokes, unafraid to throw in a little juvenile potty humor.

Being a paramedic is truly a hurryup-and-wait business, Hernandez says. Even during chill moments, there’s an element of anticipation.

Finally, by around 9:45 a.m. — in what already feels like half a day — Hernandez gets a call about a patient who may have a head injury. And just like that, he’s back in his car heading toward the emergency.

Hernandez’s demeanor is calm during the drive, like a guy who’s been around the block once or twice. And while the wailing of the car’s siren as it passes through red lights naturally has a sense of urgency, Hernandez says paramedics often find themselves discussing anything but the call they’re driving to. Perhaps a crazy incident that happened in the past. Or what they’re going to have for lunch.

When Hernandez arrives, a firetruck and ambulance are already at the scene — a rundown residence, darkly lit and covered in trash, while reeking of a musty odor. Hernandez and crew members help the patient (who’s conscious and alert) out of the home and into the ambulance, hooking the patient up to a Zoll cardiac monitor.

In a matter of minutes, the ambulance is off; Hernandez is back in his truck; and from the radio, one can hear the paramedic’s voice giving a report to the hospital.

Hernandez is notably unphased by the sight of the patient’s living conditions — 30-plus years being a paramedic has shown him all sorts of neighborhoods. And sickness does not discriminate.

Just like one call from a slightly higher-end neighborhood in another part of town. A patient was rendered unconscious, with dispatch giving CPR instructions to a frantic loved one over the phone.

By the time Hernandez made it to the scene, it was too late. The patient had passed.

Hernandez says over the years, he’s come to realize not every life can be saved. “You have no control over who lives or dies,” he says. On some days, he’s able to move on from death; other days hit harder. For Hernandez, it’s the loss of a child, and one of the worst sounds he can ever hear is the “screech of a mother whose child just died.”

“It’s horrible,” he says. “They look to us for help. We know that in many situations, there’s nothing we can do, but we do our best to at least give them hope.”

On a stop to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, Hernandez asks a paramedic how many of them have PTSD. “Everyone,” the paramedic says. Even the scratch of a radio can give Hernandez a jolt (it’s happened once while he was on vacation). And drives down certain streets remind him of shootings and bodies he’s had to pick up. Thankfully, Hernandez says, mental health is discussed on a regular basis at Medstar; and there’s a Hope Squad dedicated to helping crews deal with everyday stress.

Being a paramedic is a calling, Hernandez says, recalling his childhood fascination with ambulances and how he’d doodle them as a child. Life story in a nutshell: He got his first job as a paramedic in Lubbock in 1984 before moving to Fort Worth in 1987. And he’s stayed in the Fort ever since. He knows the ins and outs of the city, every inside road and shortcut to get to the next call, answering each one with his signature greeting: “801, it’s Roland.”

“I’ve learned to appreciate life more than you’ll ever know, even through hard times,” he says.

“You always know that, regardless of what your circumstances or situations are, you have it a lot better than most people do.”

COX

FORT WORTH

Police

BY LINDA BLACKWELL SIMMONS

THERE IS NO SUCH DAY AS TYPICAL. HOW WE DEAL WITH A SITUATION ALLOWS NO PAUSE BUTTON, NO DOOVER, NO WHAT IF. PATROL IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. I STILL ENJOY WEARING THE UNIFORM, INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC, AND RESPONDING TO THE UNKNOWN.”

Johnny Cox

It's 6 a.m. on a cool Tuesday morning in the Near Southside police substation. About a dozen police officers, having completed roll call, begin an exit to the parking lot, a few bantering with their colleagues, others more serious, all in uniform with weapons holstered. Among these officers is Johnny Cox, a Fort Worth native who has served as a police patrolman and sometimes instructor for 24 years. Cox began his day half an hour earlier, checking the computer, determining what had transpired overnight, and deciding where to start his shift. Still dark outside, Cox switches

the overhead white light of his patrol car off and the red light on. The white light is called a sniper light — meaning whoever is inside makes an easy target. He is ready to depart to his beat — a district bordered by Interstate 35, Vickery Boulevard, East Berry Street, and U.S. Route 287. The first call comes through. Cox is asked to assist a stalled pickup in the 700 block of West Freeway, providing traffic control while another officer pushes the car to safety. The officer who is pushing the car radios Cox to tell him the driver does not speak English, and he is having a hard time making him understand he

must take his foot off the brake. Cox then heads to a Texaco station at Riverside Drive and East Berry Street, where he performs a “business check” for this store, one that has harbored criminal activity in the past. While he chats with the manager, a few earlymorning, game-playing patrons take a quick glance over to see what is happening. Evidently, all went smoothly the prior night.

Moving the patrol car to the edge of the Texaco’s parking lot, Cox begins his first documenting of the day. A computer is mounted to the right of the driver’s seat, where he must account for all interactions.

While sitting in the parking lot, he also checks a few license plates, ensuring none are stolen or have warrants against the owner.

Then, another call comes from the dispatcher. The manager of a doughnut shop in the 900 block of East Berry complained that a homeless man is bothering his customers. Cox heads to the strip mall shopping center and spots the man rolling his grocery buggy down the sidewalk, his head and body covered by a gray blanket. Cox speaks with him for about 10 minutes and finally convinces him to stay away from the doughnut store entrance. The man then enters another store down the way, one that historically has had no issue with him coming inside. Problem solved — at least until the next cold spell.

Near a bus stop in the same area, Cox rolls down his window as he recognizes a man he has encountered before.

“Hey man, I thought that was you, the same officer who talked to me last week,” Demond says. “You know I just gotta out of prison 15 months ago, and I have to go to class as part of my parole. I’m from Los Angeles — and you know — we don’t talk to cops out

there. But here in Fort Worth, I like to talk to you. I even talked about you in my class last week. You do a good job out here.”

Then — more downtime, more documenting, more licenses’ checking — all while staying alert to activity near the car.

It is now late morning. Still patrolling East Berry Street, Cox happens upon a driver who has blown a tire when he hit a curb. While waiting on a tow truck, Cox checks the man’s record on his computer. He pops up as a registered sex offender, but because he is properly input into the system, there is no need for action.

Upon entering McDonald’s for lunch — oatmeal — customers and staff greet him with welcoming conversation. Many of the patrons know him from previous encounters. Over “lunch,” Cox opened up about his career as well as his personal life. He and his wife of 22 years are avid cyclists and runners and spend their free time with family — two German shepherds — Cagney and Lacey.

He described the best day and the worst day in his career.

“Each day is the best day when I and my colleagues and all those citizens we serve get home safe at night, wherever that might be.”

The worst day was bittersweet.

“It was Christmas Day 1995. I was still in training. A DWI westbound traveler on State Highway 121 crossed the median and hit a minivan, killing both a man and his wife instantly. A child seat was ripped from the van and sent tumbling across the freeway, landing facedown. Both citizens and officers were hesitant to approach that car seat. Then my trainer told me, ‘Rookie, it’s your time.’ I was so afraid of what I would find. But when I turned it over, it was a baby — alive — with only a small abrasion on his forehead. He looked at me, not even crying.”

Now early afternoon, Cox drives to La Primavera Apartments on East Berry, a complex known for theft, drug trafficking, and even murder. As he meanders through the maze of pathways, Cox interacts with a number of apartment dwellers. He speaks with a woman whose brother had recently attempted suicide, asking her how he is doing.

“So glad to see your presence here; we need it,” another resident says to Cox. The complex is quiet, perhaps due to the cold day.

The dispatcher sends Cox to 1000 East Cantey Street. A woman spotted two men roaming around the neighborhood, one with a rifle and another with a handgun. The siren goes on for the first time. Based on information from neighbors, Cox searches for the pair at nearby Spanish Hacienda Apartments at 1212 East Lowden Street, but they had either fled by car or were hiding in one of the many apartments.

“We can’t possibly do our job without help and input from the public,” Cox says.

Next stop is Hillside Community Center on East Maddox Avenue, a site that provides a panoramic view of downtown. Cox grabs police stickers from his car and heads inside to the day care where he gives one to each child — all about kindergarten age. They surround him.

“Do you like doughnuts?” one little girl asked.

Cox then begins to head back to the substation, but not before a call is received to aid the driver of an 18-wheeler headed westbound on Lancaster Avenue. The driver has turned left onto Henderson Street, realizing too late that the overpass over Henderson would not accommodate the height of his truck. Cox, working with another officer, stops traffic to allow the driver to back up his rig, head west, and be on his way.

Denise Shavandy, executive chef at Café Modern

TRIED AND TRUE

A fresh look at some of Fort Worth’s most enduring (and endearing) restaurants.

BY COURTNEY DABNEY | PHOTOS BY OLAF GROWALD

WWith our local culinary options constantly expanding, it’s easy to get caught in the whirlwind of trying a new restaurant every week. But as far as local dining goes, it’s always necessary — in the event of house guests, the desire to return to a local staple, or to quench your weekly thirst for Kincaid’s — to keep those old favorites in your back pocket. Here are some of Fort Worth’s most crave-worthy and cathartic culinary delights.

TOKYO CAFE

PARIS COFFEE SHOP

CAFÉ MODERN

Few chefs have to worry about competing with world-class architecture for attention, but Denise Shavandy, head chef at Café Modern, takes it all in stride. Denise turns out temptingly artistic plates that can hold their own against anything hanging on the museum’s walls. Her dining room has a view like no other, overlooking the mesmerizing reflecting pond, and her everchanging and seasonal menus rise to the occasion.

With global influences, often brought back from her recent trips, you never know what to expect. From Middle Eastern-inspired za’atar seared rack of lamb to French classics like coq au vin riesling, it’s a global tour featuring flavors from every corner of the world. Also one of the top cocktail destinations in town, Café Modern provides a serene backdrop to wind down and catch up with friends.

The Near Southside has been home to the Paris Coffee shop since 1926. The business set up shop on Magnolia Avenue in 1974, but its original location was on nearby Hemphill Street. While the old Coca Cola sign is now mostly hidden behind the overgrowth of an oak tree, there is still the classic neon sign and a huge mural that runs along the entire Hemphill side of the building to point the way.

With soda fountain swivel stools and a prominent pie case, constantly reminding patrons to save room for dessert, nostalgia is at the top of the menu at Paris Coffee Shop. As one would expect, the diner is consistently brimming with locals for breakfast — sipping their coffee out of brown mugs and polishing off every possible variation of breakfast plate — eggs cooked your way with a choice of a biscuit, pancake or toast, and meat options ranging from steak and pork chops to sausage and bacon. The brisk lunch crowd enjoys comfort foods like chili smothered enchiladas and chicken-fried steaks.

BIRD CAFÉ

Overlooking the action on Sundance Square, Bird Café picked a prime perch to roost. It opened in 2014 and has hosted a few capable head chefs over the years. Most recently, Brian Olenjack, previously of Reata Restaurant and Worthington Renaissance, has decided to feather his nest at Bird, and he brought his famous shrimp and grits along for good measure. English pub staples like fish and chips take a Texas spin, featuring catfish instead of cod, while Belgian mussels arrive steamed and doused in lemon, sauvignon blanc, thyme, and butter.

The bar area is attractive in shades of avocado green, opening to the covered patio and Sundance Square beyond. Sporting exposed red brick walls, vintage stained-glass accents, and mesmerizing prints from Fort Worth artists, the space is as inviting as the menu.

When Tokyo Cafe was lost to a fire in June 2014, locals and regulars were devastated. Even though the new and improved version would not emerge from the ashes for two long years, that fire couldn’t destroy our passion for this beloved westside Japanese restaurant. With chef Kevin Martinez running the show, Tokyo Café has cemented its credentials, providing some of the truest Japanese in town. The chef hops over to Tokyo on a regular basis and brings back new inspiration, so his specials are really special. Martinez is, in his own words, “obsessed” with Japanese culture and the cuisine, and we’re all the better for it.

The sushi is fresh and creative, the ramen impeccable, and the hard-to-find okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) are some of my personal favorites. A common street food in Japan, their Tokyokonomiyaki version adds noodles to the batter (Hiroshima style), and it is served with tangy teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, and sprinkled with dried bonita flakes that appear to dance over the top.

Hans Peter Muller’s father opened the famous bakery in 1972 and introduced Cowtown to its first taste of European pastries (at a time when the bakery case at the local Piggly Wiggly offered only a handful of choices). His Swiss version of Black Forest Cake with its layers of almond meringue and lightly sweetened whipped cream was revolutionary. Nearly 50 years later and

many locals cannot imagine a celebration or birthday without it. And, although Muller himself is a trained baker with plenty more up his sleeve than churning out endless Black Forest Cakes, he embraces the cake that put his bakery on the map.

More than a bakery, Swiss Pastry serves breakfast and lunch, as well. Regulars in the know show up early on Saturday to score a

couple of Grandma Bunion’s dense wholewheat pancakes, filled with oats, flax, millet, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and raisins with a hint of molasses and cinnamon. When Muller added burgers to the lunch menu a few years back, they were instantly among some of the best in town. But, don’t forget, the bakery case is calling your name.

SWISS PASTRY SHOP

Hans Peter Muller, owner of Swiss Pastry Shop

The Tried and True

This unique restaurant began in 1927 as Steve’s Restaurant on the bricked section of Camp Bowie Boulevard. Its green-tiled roof and awnings and its perpetual “lobster fest” sign are hard to miss. The space reopened as Lucile’s Stateside Bistro in 1993, and it has become a local legend, serving fresh seafood, steaks, and delicious brunch offerings on the weekends. The green-checkered tablecloths and breezy café curtains give the space a charming New England feel. The Lucile’s Classic Salad, a scrumptious combo of mixed greens, shaved carrot, red onion, cucumber rings, and tomato wedges topped with blue cheese crumbles, has been on the menu from the very beginning. Another specialty of the house is Lucile’s Crab Cakes, which are straight up Chesapeake Bay lump crabmeat, formed without unnecessary binders and pan-fried until golden brown.

Taverna

JOE T. GARCIA’S

What began in 1935 as a family-run Tex-Mex spot in a tiny converted home on the city’s Northside has morphed into one of the city’s most popular destinations. Beginning in the 1970s, a massive expansion got underway, which resulted in the addition of a small patio with a pool and cabana. Additions to the lush and sprawling gardens occur almost annually, and the outdoor space — which now spans a full city block — now includes many unique patios, party rooms, and al fresco dining areas.

While the restaurant’s original seating capacity of 16 has now expanded to well over 1,000, most things remain exactly the same. The potent margaritas are still batchmade from simple ingredients, and Joe T’s still accepts cash only — no credit cards. The idyllic patio serves up a killer brunch, too. The traditional chilaquiles combine sautéed strips of corn tortilla with eggs and tomato sauce; the dish is then baked with yellow cheese and served with refried beans and Mexican-style potatoes.

RODEO GOAT

Shannon Wynne’s sense of humor is on full display at his original Rodeo Goat location in the West Seventh district, a burger joint that indulges in excesses. You might want to check your expectations if you’re imagining a burger with the traditional lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion toppings, and condiments limited to mustard and ketchup. Rodeo Goat takes the you-can-literallyput-anything-between-twoslices-of-bread approach, and its creative concoctions have made it a local gem. My personal go-to is the Sugar Burger with candied bacon, grilled peaches, caramelized onion, arugula, and jalapeño jam. Other options appear contained only by the creativity and imaginations of the chefs — there seem to be few synergistic combos they have yet to try.

PACIFIC TABLE

One of Felipe Armenta’s creative restaurants (the others being Cork & Pig, Press Café, and The Tavern), Pacific Table never disappoints. This one is a nod to the Pacific Northwest with plenty of modern flourishes. A snug sushi bar toward the back serves up seasonal oysters and colorful fresh sushi creations. Pro tip: If there is a wait for a table on weekends, you can always head back to the sushi bar.

The central cocktail bar is also a comfortable spot to take in the crowd, and the covered patio is an ideal al fresco option. The menu, as you might expect, is modern and seafood-forward, ranging from arctic char and branzino to Scottish salmon and filet of sole. Their classic trout almondine is grilled with fresh herbs and almonds and topped with brown butter sauce.

TAVERNA

Serving true Northern Italian fare like thin, wood-stone oven pizzas and fresh pasta dishes, Taverna sets itself apart from other generic Italian restaurants. Try the Carciofini Gratinati for starters. Topped with garlic, parsley, cream, fontina cheese, and golden brown bread crumbs, these baked artichoke hearts capture all the quintessential Italian flavors.

But, Taverna’s true claim to fame is being a risotteria, whose reputation is earned from cooking with the right rice — they use imported Carnaroli rice and nothing else. It maintains its characteristic toothsome texture and never becomes mushy. If you’re not a fan of risotto, you probably haven’t experienced an authentic version like this.

Rodeo Goat

SAINT-EMILION

Bernard Tronche opened Saint-Emilion in 1985, five years after moving to Texas from his native France. Housed in a vine-covered A-frame house on West Seventh Street — at the point where it begins to slowly dissolve into a residential neighborhood, Saint-Emilion has been transporting diners to a relaxed yet refined French dining experience for decades. Where else can you find escargot à la provençale, pate de campagne, and steak tartare in town?

Saint-Emilion, which takes its name from the centuriesold village of Saint-Emilion in southwestern France — where Tronche grew up — has long been famous for its chalkboard specials and traditional touches like tableside preparations. In 2018, he moved the fine dining component to the nearby Paris 7th restaurant and recrafted the original restaurant into more of a French country bistro. Delightful new menu items await long-time patrons, but, don’t worry, many of the old favorites remain.

CLAY PIGEON

Opened by chef Marcus Paslay in 2013, Clay Pigeon has proven to be one of the city’s most inventive restaurants. Executive chef Bria Downey, who helped launch its crosstown, sister restaurant, Piattello Italian Kitchen, now runs the seasonal kitchen with a menu that ranges from steaks and lamb chops to fresh fish and pasta. Fall and winter comfort food includes grilled duck spooned with a red wine reduction sauce and served with roasted beets and an arugula salad with candied walnuts.

The main dining room is broken into two sections. One side has a patio view, weathered red-brick walls, and a glass-enclosed wine cellar, and the other side has a view of the cocktail bar with its massive mirror reflecting all the activity. The patio is a great spot to enjoy one of their stellar cocktails or shared plates under string lights.

KINCAID’S

Charles Kincaid’s Grocery and Market opened as a grocery store in 1946 on Camp Bowie. The first grocery store in the area to have specialty departments, Kincaid’s included a full-service meat market, and O.R. Gentry was its head butcher. He began cooking burgers on a small grill in the back for the neighborhood locals in 1964, and word spread quickly. Soon, the lunchtime line began to form — so much so that the grocery store shelves were cut down to countertop height just to accommodate the carnivorous crowd, who began beating a path to Kincaid’s for one of those butcher-paperwrapped beauties.

Eventually, Kincaid’s had to accept the fact that they were no longer a grocery store — it had become a local hamburger institution. Today, there are five Tarrant County locations turning out the same, never-frozen Angus chuck patties, which are ground fresh in-house daily and cooked to perfection on flat-top griddles.

Saint-Emilion

ANGELO’S BBQ

Some readers may recall shuffling through inches of sawdust that once covered the floor on their way to order at the old wooden counter. Those were the days. Luckily, the wide assortment of taxidermy and the ever-present, 7-foot-tall black bear are still in place at Angelo’s.

In 1958, Angelo George opened what was then a tiny window-service joint. Over 60 years on, and Angelo’s (North Texas-style) hickory-wood-smoked meats and frosty schooners of beer have never gone out of style. Famous for their brisket with perfectly charred bark, this is where we learned from our grandparents how to order the burnt ends.

Jason George, owner of Angelo's BBQ

Dallas Austin (512) 821-1994

Sales@PeerlessAustin.com 4201 Supply Ct Ste. 200 Austin, TX 78744

(972) 602-3303

Sales@PeerlessDFW.com 3301 E Randol Mill Rd. Arlington, TX 76011

Houston (713) 231-7375

Sales@PeerlessHouston.com 3800 W 11th St. Houston, TX 77055

San Antonio (210) 298-8888

Sales@PeerlessSA.com 10717 I-35 San Antonio, TX 78233

The ORIGINAL Horse

Inside the Moncrief Ranch, the careful breeding of five wild, endangered horses is helping to save an entire species.

WORDS BY ABIGAIL BOATWRIGHT PHOTOS BY RICHARD RODRIGUEZ

FFive

diminutive wild horses

are settled near elite quarter horses at the Moncrief Ranch near Aledo.

Three of them run together, often staying along fence lines to remain as far from two-legged sapiens as possible.

They trot back and forth with short, stubby legs in a gait-like fashion, and this constant movement has created small trenches near the barriers of their enclosure on this rainy morning. They have a frightened and timid disposition; they are, no doubt, wild.

These pony-size undomesticated equines are Przewalski’s Horses, also called Mongolian Wild Horses or “P Horses,” and they are the last remaining wild subspecies of horses on earth. They are also endangered, which is why philanthropist and Fort Worth native, Kit Moncrief, is so dedicated to breeding them. She feels a responsibility to protect this unique animal.

... 1,900 P Horses [are] alive today — all of which have descended from the 14 horses caught in the wild between 1910 and 1960.”

The last wild horse

Far from home on a ranch just a few miles from an urban sprawl, P Horses once populated the steppes of Mongolia and China for thousands of years. That is until the 20th century when human interference, loss of habitat, and other factors dwindled their numbers in the wild to near extinction. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute says P Horses were last seen in the wild in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in the 1960s. Breeding programs at zoos have helped prevent extinction, the Smithsonian says of the approximately 1,900 P Horses alive today — all of which have descended from the 14 horses caught in the wild between 1910 and 1960. Because of such a small gene pool, fertility can be affected, and P

Horses are notoriously difficult to breed successfully.

With a quick glance, P Horses can resemble a stripeless zebra. They’re short, sturdy beasts with a large head, thick neck, fur-like coat and a brushy mane. They’re dun-colored with a dark stripe running down their backs, and their muzzles are white. These horses actually possess two more chromosomes than domestic horses.

Currently, several hundred P Horses have been reintroduced to the wild in three remote sites in Mongolia, and breeding programs continue to grow the population at select ranches and zoo locations around the world. Though the wild horses continue to struggle with disease, fertility, poaching, and other challenges, in 2008, they were moved out of the “critically endangered” category and into the “endangered” category, thanks to the hard work of conservationists on a global scale.

Two Przewalski

horses, known colloquially as P horses, on the Moncrief Ranch in Aledo.

Kit’s mission

Kit Moncrief is a philanthropist, a preservationist of Western history, a patron of the arts, a health advocate, and a lover of animals — both wild and domesticated. She sits on half a dozen boards of key organizations in our city, including as co-chair of the Fort Worth Zoo board of directors.

Charlie Moncrief, Kit’s husband, is also interested in animal conservation, as were the couple’s parents — Charlie’s father, Tex Moncrief, is still involved at age 99, and Kit’s dad, Harry Tennison, was chairman of the board at the Fort Worth Zoo for many years. The pair are also recent inductees into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and Kit serves as the president of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

Kit breeds and owns world champion cutting and reined cow horses that have tallied more than $2.24 million in winnings. While their equine credentials are certainly worthy of all the recognition they receive, Charlie and Kit have also raised “super exotic” and often endangered animals. These include Grévy’s zebras, Kudu antelope, Pére David’s deer, and what Kit says is the largest number of Nubian wild asses in one location in the world.

When she heard of a group of P horses that needed a new home from noted Texas A&M executive professor Dr. Jim Heird and Dr. Glenn Blodgett, veterinarian at the legendary 6666 Ranch, she jumped at the chance to help.

“They both know that I love animals and am very interested in endangered species,” Kit says.

The four horses originated at the San Diego Zoo and were raised at two other facilities before finding their way to the Moncrief Ranch in early 2018. Moncrief ranch manager Mike Luttrell says, originally, they’d thought to crossbreed with quarter horses to try to breed a horse that could be domesticated.

“When Kit found out how rare these horses are, she wasn’t interested in crossbreeding them when they’re so hard to reproduce,” Mike says.

The young stallion, pictured left and above, was born in the spring of this year — the first successful breeding of a P horse on the Moncrief Ranch. Recent DNA testing shows the colt to be 100% P horse.

photo provided by The Moncrief Ranch

Care and conservation

While under Kit, Mike, and his wife Barbie’s care, the stallion bred with one of the three mares. She delivered her foal — a colt — in the spring of 2019, and Kit is delighted to have already increased the worldwide population of these extraordinary animals by one.

It’s been challenging caring for these undomesticated horses, Kit said, because they don’t trust humans. Mike, Barbie, and Kit have worked closely with expert conservationists to create the best environment for their charges.

“They’re wild, of course,” Kit says. “The ones at the Smithsonian are tame, but it’s taken years to get them there.”

The older horses are most likely going to stay as wild as the day they arrived, but Kit and Mike hope that working with the youngster, who has been recently weaned, will help him more readily accept care and medical attention.

The small herd lives in a pasture at Moncrief Ranch, where Kit and Mike can observe them, but they still have freedom to graze and roam around near other horses. They’re gently herded into a cattle chute for medical care and receive parasite control through an oral supplement.

“You can’t just throw a halter on one to move it from pasture to pasture,” Mike says.

Future plans

With two male P horses and three females, Kit hopes to continue careful breeding of the animals, although the two stallions will be housed in separate pastures to encourage healthy dynamics. Recent DNA testing of the young colt has shown him to be 100% P horse with no domesticated blood, which confirms that at least mother and father are pure wild horses. This is ideal for promoting further breeding of the endangered horses. Kit also plans to collaborate with other P horse breeders to reduce inbreeding.

“Our goal is to keep breeding them and work with other people who are breeding them to try to bring their numbers up,” Kit says. “I hope to do the best I can to help the breed.”

Kit feels a special responsibility for the tough animals and considers it an honor to be able to raise more of these horses. She also wants to encourage education and awareness about endangered species like the P horse and the importance of conservation.

“They are the original horse,” Kit says. “They were here before we [humans] were. They’re part of our history. I am thrilled they have survived, and I hope to make a difference by trying to save this breed.”

The older horses are most likely going to stay as wild as the day they arrived, but Kit and Mike hope that working with the youngster, who has been recently weaned, will help him more readily accept care and medical attention.”

My Holiday Traditions

The holidays are a time to celebrate. For me, it’s always been Christmas Eve dinner with family and friends. Always a good laugh. Simple, but the togetherness is what matters most. Family prayer is where my heart swells and tears fill my eyes. Grace isn’t ever spoken without tears, remembering the loved ones who aren’t there to celebrate with us, but who celebrate in heaven. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

- Jacob Villagran

The Holidays boil down to a couple of things for me - family and friends. I enjoy seeing the pure joy on all of the children’s faces when opening gifts warms my heart. Sitting around catching up with family and friends means everything to me during these times.

As a kid the holidays meant food, fun, and family. I spent all of my holidays visiting different family members. As an adult with a family of my own we no longer celebrate in the same way. Our tradition is not to follow tradition, no decorations, no big meals. We just hang out and enjoy time together, travel and get back in touch with what matters most: family.

The holidays have always been a magical time to me, full of family love, food and reflection upon our many blessings. This is when we celebrate family and spirituality, and gladly sacrifice hours in the kitchen to help produce the holiday feast for the smiles it brings. And it’s the time we plan personal and professional goals for the coming year and consider how we can be better as family, citizens, leaders and service providers.

- Alise Torres

- Cassandra Martin

For me the holidays are a time for family and friends, and spreading season greetings. As the busiest time of the year with parties, events, and gatherings, I always try to take the time to pause to celebrate and appreciate the season with friends old and new, and family near and far. The holiday season is about spreading love, and taking the time to appreciate what the passing year has brought.

- Michael Thomas

- John Laudenslager

Holidays mean FAMILY. It’s a time to spend with family and friends who feel like family. I’m fortunate to have most of my family living close by, so we meet at my grandparent’s house and enjoy time together. I’ve lived in Fort Worth my whole life and have made some really special friendships that feel like family. Every year we have a Friendsgiving, and we also do some type of fun gift exchange during Christmas.

- Cindy Salinas

My Holiday Traditions

Christmas for me is rejoicing in the birth of our lord Jesus Christ, and celebrating the ultimate gift we have received of his life. It’s the decorations, the lights, the smells, and the love that put my spirits and others in the most joyful places. Christmas is being with family and friends and giving as many gifts that create smiles and warm hearts as possible.

- Julie Sherman

The holidays especially Christmas have been a special time in our family’s life. My husband owns Tailoring by Rios and for 40 years I’ve collected tailor-themed ornaments. I have a complete Tailor Village and two small Christmas trees with ornaments that have been given to us by his clients. Also, a long-time tradition is that I take time to cook or bake for my family and friends.

- Yolanda Rios

Jingling around as gracefully as possible, right? The holiday season is all about old traditions, creating new memories, and enjoying waaaay too much food. I love seeing the sparkle in my Nana’s eyes and the pep my Grandpa picks up as they welcome us home. I live for the reflective moments by the fire with a great glass of wine looking back at the previous year and planning for greatness in the year to come.

- Stephanie Bunn

What better time to look around admiring the festive red colored decorations symbolizing the love and passion you share with your family and loved ones. This is the perfect time to reflect and appreciate those significant moments in life. It’s the time of year to find something spiritual and wonderful within ourselves, life, and the people who fill it.

- Juan Manuel Acosta

Holidays bring me back home, my grandmother’s home. . . I can still smell fruit punch broiling and tamales cooking. . . People were always coming in and out of her house while music was playing in the background, our nights were endless. . . My heart is full of memories and the holidays mean love to me. My family and I hope your holidays are filled with love and countless memories.

- Coco Fontao

Gives Back

When a house becomes a home and a path of success for families.

Carmen Williams came to the United States with her family when she was three. After her parents migrated here, they worked tirelessly to become permanent residents jumping through the bureaucratic hoops while working minimum wage jobs and long hours. Throughout her childhood her family of seven moved around from apartment to apartment, often due to financial shortcomings and evictions.

“Sometimes my family lived in a two-bedroom apartment – all seven of us,” Williams said. “Often it was all of us kids crammed into one bedroom, literally on top of each other.”

Williams added that her dad worked around the clock, working two or three jobs at a time. Every day was a struggle to put food on the table and keep them all clothed and engaged in school. She said he would often drift off to sleep from shear exhaustion when spending time between shifts with the family.

As the years went on, Williams’ mom joined the workforce selling home interior products to assist with the family’s income. Her father’s hard work began to pay off as he worked his way up as a cook in a hotel, to a bakery manager for La Madeleine. Finally, the family began to see some financial stability.

“One day, a friend of the family suggested that we apply for a Habitat home, but my parents were leery of such a generous program and it almost seemed too good to be true,” Williams said. “My mom looked into the process and applied, but still my dad was so hesitant. But, somewhere in their minds they believed that there was a way to fulfill the American dream – Habitat for Humanity turned out to be the way to accomplish that.”

Through the program, the family worked on the home themselves during the build. Habitat’s goal is for families to use sweat equity (physical labor) to build their own home and earn a down payment. A sense of pride was had by the family members as they worked on their future home, knowing one day soon it would become their permanent residence.

“These people gave me so much and I always told myself, ‘I am going to give back.” Williams added, “Hard working families deserve a chance. Habitat for Humanity gives families the opportunity to break poverty cycles and allow families to put their children on a path of success.”

Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity nationally has partnered with people in the community to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

“That’s my why. It changed my life. Habitat made me a better woman,” Williams emphasizes. “I have enjoyed success today because I didn’t have to worry about the stress of where we lived, it absolutely changed the course of my family.”

Today, Williams leads the effort for WNC as they give back to Habitat. WNC gives back in two ways; the organization gives financially and in countless volunteer hours. They involve as many agents and family members as possible in this effort. They have become ambassadors for the brand; the team works on a number of homes each year.

“Til the day I die, I will be an advocate for Habitat,” Williams said. “We personally do not know our fates as infants, but as an adult, we can help change the course of someone else’s future. Today, my parents can look at our family and know that a house and home ownership changed our course in life and raised a successful family.”

One Stop Real Estate Group

Home Ownership Made Easy for Your Family

Putting Experience to Work for You

Megan Leija, of the One Stop Real Estate Group is ready to help your family fulfill their home ownership dream. For more than 10 years, Megan has built her career by working with area homebuilders pairing them with families wanting to start the next chapters of their lives in newly constructed homes. She focuses her efforts on new developments, assisting families with custom homes. Some of Megan’s clients include those that serve our communities daily; teachers, emergency responders and veterans.

Megan and her team also specialize and focus on firsttime buyers, using their experience to put families in their dream home. Her passion for real estate in an inherited passion as she comes from a family of brokers and investors. Each client relationship is a special one for Megan; she uses her passion, extensive knowledge and experience to work for her clients. Each transaction is unique, and Megan treats them as if it was her first home to buy, handling it with finesse and a personal touch.

One Stop + Southern Star Builders

One Stop Group was just named an exclusive agent of Southern Star Builders, where they are focused on a new development of 23 homes in Ferris, Texas. Additionally, the community will feature two commercial buildings.

Contact

Megan Leija, One Stop Real Estate Group Megan.Leija@OneStop-REN.com 682.232.2323

817.920.0000 | info@wnc-re.com

LOOKING FOR A KILLER

Amateur sleuths breathe new life into a 36-year-old unsolved murder case.

BY SEAN CHAFFIN

THERE’S A BUZZ THIS EVENING

IN THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE.

Amateur sleuths and researchers — members of the Fort Worth Cold Case Club — have convened at the Cowtown eatery for a monthly meeting to chitchat and debate their latest cases over medium-roasted coffee and bacon and eggs. The serious dispositions of those in attendance and weighty conversations suggest these members aren’t just doing this for fun — truecrime enthusiasts simply fawning over evidence — no, no, they have every intention to solve the cases they’re working on.

In attendance is Weatherford’s Lori Cates, who, since joining the group a year ago, has been consumed by the gruesome 1983 murder case of Fred and Karen Cremean. She’s spent countless hours poring over documents, discussing the crimes with family members of the victims, and visiting libraries to track down more information.

Cates may not be a formally trained investigator, but she believes her efforts might make a difference.

THE CRIME The Mayfair Street neighborhood in west Fort Worth was a blue-collar area in the 1980s. It was a nice place to live for a young couple looking for a starter home or a retiree looking to downsize. Fred, 29, and Karen, 27, rented a small white home on Mayfair and lived there for three years. Fred worked for his brother’s textile and roofing business, as well as in the concrete and construction industry, and Karen worked as an assistant manager in the automotive section at a Kmart in nearby White Settlement.

On Sept. 20, 1983, their home became the location of a crime scene. A brutal murder left Fred and Karen dead and friends and family wondering who would commit such a vicious act. It had been a warm, rainy Sunday night, and Monday morning, employees at Kmart were concerned that Karen hadn’t shown up for work without contacting the store. After phone calls yielded only busy signals, a coworker visited the house to check up on her.

She noticed the front door slightly ajar but blocked, with blood visible inside the home. After contacting her manager, he and another employee were able to enter through the back door and discovered the Cremeans dead in the living room. Karen had been shot twice, and Fred, three

times — all bullets had been fired into their heads. It was a gruesome scene and shocked those in the neighborhood. Police believed the couple had been killed sometime late the night before or in the early morning hours, the same day the victims were discovered.

Law enforcement described the murders as an execution. About $2,000 in cash was found lying around the house, and police concluded robbery wasn’t a motive. There were no signs of forced entry.

“There were other things at the scene — guns — that would have been taken [during a robbery],” Det. Ben Dumas told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

An added element to the case was the suspicion drugs may have been part of the motive. Police found cocaine in the home, as well as scales and other paraphernalia believed to be used for drug sales. Detectives told the media they had a couple suspects, but no one was ever arrested and the case has remained cold.

THE INVESTIGATION Copies of case notes, interviews, and police reports cover Lori Cates’ desk. She discusses various conversations with family members and witnesses. Karen’s father, Jesse Covin, has given her numerous documents and interviews he’s conducted through the years. The case has led to years of conjecture and innuendo. Rumors swirled among friends and family about who might have been responsible. There have been several persons of interest, but investigators have yet to nail anyone down as the killer.

Picking through the mounds of speculations and rumor to form a coherent hypothesis isn’t easy, but Cates believes the case can still be solved. She believes the added scrutiny from the club’s investigation and additional media coverage might bring about some tips or information that

might eventually lead to an arrest. A case like this leads to numerous questions and “what ifs.” Family members say Karen had planned to attend a family reunion the weekend of the murder but stayed home instead. That weekend, a white Camaro had been seen in the area that hadn’t been seen there before.

“There are some things in this case that just make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up,” Cates says. “We just need some new information.”

Fred and Karen first met at Brewer High School. In 1975, they showed up at her parents’ home one day when she was 19 and told Jesse and his wife Peggy that they were going to get married. In the coming years, Jesse believed Fred may have been involved with drugs and offered to move his daughter to another state.

Neighbors described the Cremeans as a nice couple who never caused problems in the neighborhood. A combination of money and drugs may have been what led to the couple’s demise, but neighbors didn’t report seeing much traffic at the home or anything out of the ordinary while the Cremeans lived there. Police interviewed more than 100 people in an effort to find the killer. At the time of the murders, the Cremeans had been married eight years. Family members say Karen dreamed of becoming a mother but had undergone a stillbirth a year before her death after the umbilical cord wrapped

around her baby’s neck.

For Cates, the investigation has become personal.

“I have a son, and I guess I connect on that level with Karen,” Cates says. “All she wanted to do was be a mom.”

THE VICTIMS The Cremean murders had a massive impact on two families. Karen left behind two sisters, Cathy Powell and Lindy Dean, and a brother, Michael Paul Covin. Lindy was only 12 years old at the time her sister was murdered. In seventh grade at the time, her sister-in-law picked her up from school while she was in PE class.

“THEIR MURDER DIDN’T JUST AFFECT TWO PEOPLE; IT AFFECTED THE WHOLE FAMILY. IT BASICALLY RUINED OUR FAMILY. MY DAD WAS SO EATEN UP WITH … TALKING ABOUT IT TO EVERYBODY THAT HE RAN AWAY ALL MY MOM’S FRIENDS. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT KAREN EVERY TIME THEY CAME OVER.” – LINDY DEAN, SISTER TO KAREN CREMEAN

“That was weird,” Lindy says. “In the car, she didn’t tell me anything, and I kept thinking about my mom and dad. Maybe something happened to them? Maybe something happened to my brother? I thought of everybody but Karen. And that’s the sad part. So when I walked in, everybody was crying. By then, I think cousins were coming over, and everybody was pretty much in shock.

“I do know that some of the people that we thought were suspects were at the funeral. And that’s kind of creepy because a lot of times, the killers go to the funeral.”

Lindy and her family remember Karen as a sweet, young woman who was responsible and close to her family. She was quiet and loved doing crochet, embroidery, and other crafts at home. Her young sister believes she and Karen are a lot more alike than others in her family. They both enjoyed flowers and working in their yards to keep them manicured. They also both kept a diary describing each day’s events, and Karen also enjoyed writing poetry.

After the marriage, Lindy says Karen didn’t come around as much and remembers Fred had a quick temper. However, the Cremean family remembers him as “Friendly Freddy,” who was always smiling.

“He was the most friendly, helpful, lovable, funny person you’d ever want to meet,” his brother, Larry Cremean, says. “He wasn’t someone you wanted to have mad at you, but he was known as Friendly Freddy. You never saw him without a smile. Karen was a very lovely, sweet girl.”

Larry believes more than one person was involved in the murders and believes he knows who committed the crime, but that it can’t be proven. Fred was involved in a cocaine deal financed by a third party, Larry says, which led to the unfortunate events that night in their home. The cocaine turned out to be a kind of sulfate, and the bad deal cost his backers money.

“He’d never done anything like this,” Larry says. “He knew a little bit about speed, a little bit about pot, but he didn’t know anything about cocaine in big numbers like that. He was just small time. He worked every day, seven days a week, sometimes 12 hours a day. He just got in

“WE WANT TO HELP THE FAMILIES, AND WE’D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT. MY END GOAL IS TO HAVE SOME OF US VOLUNTEER OUR TIME TO HELP BECAUSE I KNOW [LAW ENFORCEMENT] HAVE MONETARY ISSUES AND TIME ISSUES. WE’D JUST LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM.” – DIANE KUYKENDALL, FOUNDER, FORT WORTH COLD CASE CLUB

over his head.

“I know my brother was in the drug business, but he wasn’t really in the drug business. In the ’80s, there were a lot of people doing things they shouldn’t be doing.”

Kerry Cremean hadn’t spoken with his brother Fred in over a year at the time of his death. He’s a religious man who’d tried to get his younger brother to go to church with him. Fred told him to “stop preaching to him,” Kerry says, and the two lost touch after that. He echoes his older brother Larry’s view of Fred as a hard worker and friendly person.

The case could be solved, Kerry says, but his family doesn’t get together too much anymore and has little discussion about it. He vividly remembers helping his mother clean up the bloody scene at the home. Hopes of arresting those responsible have faded through the years.

“When it happens, you’re looking for any shred of information in your mind to try to piece something together,” he says. “The murders affected the whole family. We were looking over our shoulders for years. It took its toll on me.”

Like Jesse Covin, Larry says he’s spent years working to uncover what happened that night. His family was devastated by the murders, and he wasted years single-mindedly focusing on the murders. It would mean a lot for the Cremeans if someone came forward to help make an arrest, but he doesn’t hold out much hope.

“It’ll take a deathbed confession,” he says.

THE FAMILIES Looking through photo albums is difficult for the Cremean family. Lindy sees her father changed through the years after Karen’s death with each turn of the page. A man who had been fun-loving and goofy at times went through a drastic change.

“It just floored me when it happened, and I’ve carried it almost 30 years,” he told the Star-Telegram in 2013. “I haven’t got much longer to go. Neither does my wife. I don’t know what it’s going to take to get somebody arrested and to confess to what they did.”

Now in their late-80s, the Covins recently divorced after more than 60 years of marriage. Lindy says her mother accepted Karen’s death and turned to her belief in God for solace. However, her father’s inability to move past his daughter’s death was a major cause of their split so late in life. Lindy says his sense of humor vanished after Karen’s death.

There were fewer family outings and camping trips, and Jesse became more withdrawn. The case consumed him for decades as he chased every lead in his pursuit of the person who took his daughter away. Not only does Lindy feel she missed out on a relationship with her sister, but the relationship with her father also suffered.

“Their murder didn’t just affect two people,” she says. “It affected the whole family. It basically ruined our family. My dad was so eaten up with looking into this and talking about it to everybody that he ran away all my mom’s friends. They didn’t want to hear about Karen every time they came over. He would cry, and then he would go down to church and talk in front of everybody and cry.”

Retired Fort Worth detective Manny Reyes was one of the officers on the cold case unit assigned to the Cremean case. He was assigned to the unit from 2005 to 2011, and the brutality of the murders still sticks out in his mind. He re-interviewed old witnesses as part of his review of the case but was still never able to make an arrest. Police face some challenges in determining a culprit.

“The age of the case for one,” he says. “Plus, when this occurred, we were not aware of DNA. Thus, our crime scene officers were not looking for or aware what DNA was. People came and went from this location. Fingerprints were found, but they belonged to people who had been there and were accounted for.”

The precision of the murder left many at the time to believe they were on the right track suspecting a drug connection. The Covin family says that an autopsy report showed that Fred had cocaine and some other drugs in his system. Karen did not have any drugs in her system, and family members say she didn’t use drugs. They’re happy the Cold Case Club is keeping the case alive, and further research gives them at least a semblance of hope.

Whatever led to the murders, Lindy Dean just hopes the Cremeans’ killer knows the great pain and sadness her family still experiences more than three decades later.

“I would love to find out who did it because I think they got away with it too long,” she says. “And I’m hoping that their conscience is eating at them. I know they’re never going to confess, but I would like them to know the damage that they’ve caused to so many people, whether it was over drugs or over money.”

THE CLUB The Fort Worth Cold Case Club has more than 800 members, but a core group of about 50 members research the cases. Like Cates, many have had a long interest in true crime. Along with monthly meetings, club members even attend crime investigation conventions with appearances and presentations by television crime investigator Nancy Grace and “Dateline” reporter Keith Morrison. In recent years, as true crime stories have become more popular, amateur detec-

tives have played a role in aiding police in solving cases.

One of the most recent examples comes from California, where comedian and actor Patton Oswald’s wife, Michelle McNamara, spent years researching the Golden State Killer, who is believed to be responsible for at least a dozen murders and 45 rapes throughout California in the ’70s and ’80s, before her unexpected death in 2016. After the posthumous publication of her book, I’ll be Gone in the Dark, police arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo in Sacramento for the murders.

In September, the student-run Oklahoma City University Law School Fight Club helped free a man convicted of murder 17 years ago after working on the case since 2011. In 2017, Georgia law enforcement credited the “Up and Vanished” podcast with helping solve a 12-year cold case. Police were able to make an arrest in the murder of Tara Grinstead, who disappeared in the small town of Ocilla.

With the internet and the power of crowdsourcing, the public has played an ever-increasing role in criminal investigations. Some police departments have even embraced this crime club technique by starting Facebook groups to help gather evidence. Cold case clubs like Fort Worth’s have also had an impact in fleshing out new leads.

“Clubs like these do help,” former detective Manny Reyes says. “They keep the case alive. There is no telling when someone might remember something or someone just decides to come forward. We just need someone to come forward with any type of information.”

Fort Worth Cold Case Club founder Dianne Kuykendall, a retired postal employee, hopes her group can help solve even a few of the hundreds of cold cases in the area. Families have even brought their cases of murdered loved ones to the club.

Group members are regulars at the Fort Worth Library, where they scour archives for information.

“We want to help the families, and we’d like to be able to help law enforcement,” Kuykendall says. “This is what we enjoy doing. My end goal is to have some of us volunteer our time to help because I know they have monetary issues and time issues. I know they have issues like that. We’d just like to be able to help them.”

Cold case officers didn’t comment on this story, but they do request any new information from the public on any of the unsolved murders listed on the police department’s website.

For Cates, it would be great to see someone eventually charged in the murders of Fred and Karen Cremean. The families could receive some closure and at least know why the couple was gunned down. After three decades of questions and rumors, Cates hopes her club’s research will at least lead to Fort Worth police meeting with her and other members to take a fresh look at the case.

That hasn’t happened yet, but Cates remains optimistic it could happen. She notes simply, “At this point, what have you got to lose?”

HANDS THAT HEAL

In a small space off Camp Bowie Boulevard, Rebecca Emery is using an alternative medicine called reiki to heal with touch.

BY RACHAEL LINDLEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLAF GROWALD

When I met Rebecca Emery at her small studio behind Ridglea Theater for our scheduled session, I was not in a good headspace. But, such is likely to be expected when one visits Rebecca, who is a master at an alternative, energy-healing medicine called reiki. If reiki turns out to be a legitimate form of treatment, then Rebecca’s hands are said to heal.

Rebecca’s calm disposition is contagious; she has a soothing voice and a general glow that beams with the quiet confidence of a guru. Her space is minimalist and understated with blank walls, wood floors, and two yoga mats lying under light from the westward-facing window — it’s far from the stereotypical Far-East clad digs one might expect.

I lay down unsure of what to expect. She customarily asked if there was anything she needed to know, and I explained that I was in the midst of a very stressful day and that I am currently undergoing physical therapy on my shoulder. At that point, we began. As she put her hands on various chakras — crown, third eye, and throat — I admittedly had a difficult time leaning into the process. Then, all at once, Rebecca placed her hands on my heart chakra and immediately something shifted. This palpable shift made me feel simultaneously grounded and suspended. My breathing deepened, and my mind cleared.

Reiki, pronounced “RAY-kee,” is a Japanese method of energy healing — using the power of touch — that dates back to the late 19th century. In Japanese, “Rei” translates to “God’s wisdom” and “Ki” translates to “life force energy.” The practice of reiki is based on the belief that when spiritual energy is channeled through a reiki practitioner, the recipient is healed and, thus, the body healed, as well. There

are three levels of reiki attunements or the opening of chakras. Chakras, pronounced “shah-kras,” are thought of as the energy centers of the body. There are a total of seven primary chakras, each representing different areas of the body that correspond to physical, emotional, and spiritual states of being. Reiki opens the chakras, specifically the crown, heart, and hands. Because of this, one must have all three atunements in order to be a reiki master.

Rebecca became a reiki master in 2012 after studying the original form of reiki, called Usui reiki, under Libby Barnett in New Hampshire. On top of being a reiki master and teacher, Rebecca is also a nutrition therapist, yoga instructor, and holistic life coach. And, like Barnett, Rebecca not only practices reiki, but trains others to become practitioners.

While this ancient form of touch therapy has exploded in other parts of the country — primarily East and West Coasts — it has been a little slower to catch on in North Texas. No Fort Worth hospitals or physicians would comment on the story when contacted. “Usui reiki is the purest form of reiki. It can be such a powerful complementary therapy. I’ve seen it blend seamlessly with massage therapy, sound therapy, essential oil therapy, and even crystals. In other areas, hospitals are using reiki in conjunction with surgeries, cancer treatments, pain treatments, and even endof-life care,” Rebecca says.

A 2015 and 2016 study conducted at Harvard University performed over 1,400 reiki sessions, which resulted in the largest study of reiki to date. The results documented significant improvements in psychological and physical health, including improvements in pain, drowsiness, tiredness, nausea, appetite, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, mood, and overall wellness. Ultimately, this research surmised that even one reiki session can improve mental and physical health.

New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Campus was one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to offer reiki as part of their Integrative Medicine Program. Nowfamous New York Presbyterian Hospital cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz, even brought reiki practitioners in to treat his patients during open heart surgeries and heart transplant operations.

UCLA conducted another study that supports reiki’s validity using the Touchstone Process, an evidence-based research method developed by William Lee Rand, founder of the International Center of Reiki Training. The case study conducted reiki sessions in two control groups. The groups that received a legitimate reiki treatment saw significantly reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, while the placebo groups that received fake reiki treatments showed no reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression. The Touchstone Process hypothesizes that reiki can significantly help ailments and disorders such as post-operative pain after tooth extraction, cognition in elderly related to dementia/ Alzheimer’s, pre-operative relaxation and post-operative pain, pain in chronically ill patients, depression and stress, and wellbeing in reiki practitioners.

At the end of the day, Rebecca uses reiki to help others alleviate stress, anxiety, and pain from their bodies. “More often than not, my students aren’t learning reiki to become practitioners. Some want to use it on themselves as a self-soothing technique. Some use it to let go of trauma. One of my students is in graduate school and began using reiki on herself and saw her grades go up and her test anxiety

lessen significantly,” Rebecca says. “Others choose to apply it to their current roles or careers, such as special needs teachers, social workers, new parents, and even people who work with animals.”

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety affects 40 million adults in the U.S. alone — 18.1% of the population. And, according to a 2016 study by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, depression steadily increased among those 12 years or older between 2005 and 2015. With what appears to be a near epidemic when it comes to mental health, reiki is touted as a powerful coping mechanism.

“In our society, our sympathetic nervous system is consistently kicked into overdrive. This means that your brain constantly feels you’re under threat, and cortisol, the stress hormone, floods your system, resulting in fight-or-flight response. We need more practices that activate our parasympathetic nervous system that allow us to rest and digest,” Rebecca says.

Rebecca has no shortage of stories where reiki has helped people. She told me of a friend struggling with fertility. After multiple trips to specialists and fertility treatments, her friend scheduled a reiki session as a last-ditch effort. About six weeks later, Rebecca’s friend couldn’t contain her excitement and explained to Rebecca that she was finally pregnant. “Was it the reiki? I don’t know,” Rebecca says. “It could have been. Sometimes it’s just about being open. It is the ultimate gift of allowing things to happen as they need to.”

As evident by her minimalist space, Rebecca isn’t in the business of wowing

people. In her one-on-one sessions, her main focus is to help people get out of their own way in order to heal. “Healing doesn’t always mean you’re fixing the problem. Sometimes healing is the mere acknowledgement that there is a problem. Some people have trauma that comes from really old wounds, and people need to release that trauma. Like an energetic flush out,” Rebecca says. She is fully aware that reiki isn’t exactly a logical practice, as it’s difficult to quantify its results.

After an hour, our session was over. “How was it?” smiled Rebecca. I felt more relaxed but also more receptive to whatever else was going to come my way. She explained there were some things that she saw during our session. She noticed my throat chakra was humming with energy — this means that I am feeling seen and not heard. Accurate. She also told me she saw a specific male in my life that was the ultimate cause of this. Also true. Usually, issues in the throat chakra manifest because of not speaking your truth. This is something with which I habitually struggle. I could not get over how incredibly accurate this was. Rebecca also explained my other chakras and ways to improve overall. While this evidence is purely anecdotal, I did leave her studio walking a little taller and feeling as if a weight had been taken off my shoulders.

Left to Right (Page 1, Standing Up): C. Reed Loftis, Michael J. Moore, Matt Thompson, Alyssa A. Jacobs, Randal L. Dean, Andrew Wambsganss Left to Right (Page 1, Sitting Down): Christopher T. Nezworski, Christopher Morris, Daniel J. Paret, Misty M. Pratt Left to Right (Page 2, Standing Up): Christopher J. Pruitt, Kyle Voss, John Davis, Michael L. Forman, R. Mark Oliver, Maggie

Ahern Left to Right (Page 2, Sitting Down): Shelli A. Harveson, Zachary S. Cate, Lacy McKinney, Eric C. Freeby

2019 Top Attorneys

While it’s true that legal advice is best left to the pros, you also want to make sure the pro you have in your corner is up to the task. To ensure you have the best representation, we recommend starting here with Fort Worth Magazine’s 2019 Top Attorneys, our annual listing of the best lawyers in town, as voted for by their peers.

This year, 714 lawyers made the list, categorized by specialty and whether they’ve been in practice for more or less than five years.

How we did it: Earlier this year, we asked local attorneys to submit nominations via our website, fwtx.com. The magazine applied a minimum number of votes it took to make the list, giving bonus weight to lawyers who made the list any of the prior three years. We then asked a panel of highly regarded lawyers in the area to review the list prior to publication and make recommendations on other lawyers who should be on the list, and even ones who should come off for any reason. With this input, we finalized the 2019 Top Attorneys list. By including a lawyer on these lists, the magazine does not recommend or endorse his or her service. Lawyers whose names are in bold type and highlighted received 20 or more votes. Lawyers whose names are in bold type received 10-19 votes. Lawyers licensed as of December 2014 are considered to have more than five years in practice for this list.

More Than Five Years In Practice

ADMINISTRATIVE

Dee J. Kelly, Jr.

Pat Murphy

ADOPTION

Gerald Bates

Heidi Cox

Eric Freeby

Kellye Hughes

Alyssa Jacobs

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Kaye Lynne Boll

John Brookman

John Allen Chalk

Christian S. Dennie

Randy Hall

Kight Higgins

Joseph Horn

John Hughes

Beth Krugler

Wade McMullen

David Seidler

Len Allen Wade

APPELLATE

Marianne Auld

Russell Barton

Whitney Beckworth

Jerry Bullard

John Cayce

Kyle Fonville

Joe Greenhill

Thomas F. Harkins, Jr.

Steven K. Hayes

Jessica Janicek

David F. Johnson

David Keltner

Shelly Messerli

Thomas M. Michel

Karen Precella

Brittani Rollen

Jody Sanders

John Shaw

William Brent Shellhorse

Matthew Stayton

Shelby White

AVIATION

Geffrey Anderson

Jon Harrison

Cailin Ringelman

BANKING

H. Brandon Jones

Bruce W. McGee

Nicholas S. Pappas

Sierra Quinonez

Justin Rader

BANKRUPTCY

John Bonds

J. Robert Forshey

Mark French

Katherine Hopkins

Matthias Kleinsasser

Matthew Maben

Michael McConnell

Mark A. Petrocchi

Steve Pezanosky

Scot Pierce

David Pritchard

Jeff Prostok

Laurie Rea

Suki Rosen

Robert Simon

Lindsay Steele

Behrooz Vida

49,980

BUSINESS/ COMMERCIAL

Charles Curry

Russell Devenport

Mark Dugan

Gavin Fearey

Charlie Florsheim

Elliott S. Garsek

Constance Hall

George Haratsis

Jennifer Henry

Bryan Hill

Justin Hoover

Cal Jackson

Marshall Jacobini

Robert Keffler

Michael Lagatta

Olyn Poole

W. Judd Pritchard

Andrew Rosell

Howard Rosenthal

Morris Sheats

Andrew Wambsganss

Jarratt Watkins

John Wright

CHILD SEX ABUSE

Greg Love

CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION

OFFICE

Robert Aldrich

Lars Berg

Gina Bruner

Chad Cacciotti

William Campbell

Vincent Circelli

Sharon Cooper

DaNae Couch

Anneke Cronje

Kelly Curnutt

Tommy Boswell

Jarrod Azopardi Justin

Sierra Quinonez

Jarrod Cone David

Anneke Cronje

Brandon

Gavin Fearey Matthias

Charlie Florsheim Kelly

Toby

Randal Dean

Lydia Dews

Brad Dowell

Laura Elkind

Paul Elkins

Jacob Fain

Michael Forman

Alyson Halpern

Mike Henry

Timothy Howell

Brandon Hurley

Kathy Kassabian Reid

Koy Killen

James Kiser

William Butch Korb

Scott Lindsey

John Lively, Jr.

Chris Lyster

Preston Mundt

Christopher Neal

Chrisopher Nezworski

Shane O’Dell

Daniel Paret

Donna Peavler

Lu Pham

Misty Pratt Schneider

Kelly Puls

Guy Riddle

Jerrod Rinehart

Jim Ross

Andrew Sims

Dwayne Smith

Brian Stagner

Dan Steppick

Stephen Taylor

Philip Vickers

Paul J. Vitanza

Kyle Voss

Kelli Walter

Matthew K. Walton

Tom Williams

Jim Zadeh

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Daniel Aguilar

Michael Anderson

Chris Arisco

Chad Arnette

Mary Barkley

Jake Boyd

Kirk Bryant

Caleb Bulls

Chris Collins

Hugh Connor

Mike Cooke

Roger Diseker

David Jacob Drez III

Ralph Duggins

Rebecca Eaton

Joey Fabela

Charles W. Fillmore

H. Dustin Fillmore

Walker Friedman

Matthew Fronda

Brenda Hasenzahl

Albon Head

Leslie Hunt

Bruce L. James

Jerry Jarzombek

Roland Johnson

JC Johnson

Bill Kirkman

Brant Martin

Hunter T. McLean

Daniel Luke McMahan

George Muckleroy

Andrew Norman

Alan Padfield

David Palmer

Schyler Parker

Jeff Parks

Aggravated Robbery

The most commonly filed

juvenile offense

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

MICHAEL ANDERSON

CHAD ARNETTE

MARIANNE AULD

WHITNEY BECKWORTH

LARS BERG

MARK BISHOP

SEAN BRYAN CALEB BULLS

JONATHAN CRANZ

ROGER DISEKER

ROBERT GRABLE

JEFF GRABLE

JOE

JONATHAN HEATHMAN

KATHERINE HOPKINS

Michael Peck

Adam Plumbley

Jackie Robinson

Roland Philip ‘Rollie’ Schafer

Marshall Searcy

Michael Sheehan

Mark Stout

Jon Suder

Steve Tatum

Joe Tolbert

William Nolan Warren

Jay Wieser

Eamonn Wiles

Shauna Wright

CONSTRUCTION

Ed Cox

Richard DeBerry

Stephanie Harrison

Stephen D. Harrison

Andrew Piel

Brad Rice

Patrick Sheridan

CONSUMER

John Thomas Brender

Andrea Cottrell

CORPORATE COUNSEL

Eric Alexander

Hurshell Brown

Patrick Canon

Ross Carmichael

Joe Gallagher

Noelle Leclair Garsek

Christopher Greer

Carolyn Hyman

Michelle Jones

Punam Kaji

Andrew Lombardi

12% Tarrant County’s increase in total filings between 2017 and 2018

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY

CRIMINAL DISTRICT

ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Evan Malloy

Andrea Palmer

Chad Parsons

Trey Penny

Brian Restivo

Allison Schluckebier

CORPORATE

FINANCE/MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Chris Baker

Brian Barnard

Paul Bradford

Doug Clayton

David Cook

Adam Fulkerson

Robert Ginsburg

William Greenhill

Justin Hoover

Charles Milliken

Glenn Orman

Vernon Rew, Jr.

Sam Vinson

Chelsea Wood

CRIMINAL

Sherry Armstrong

Adam Arrington

Bruce Ashworth

Brandon Barnett

Bruce Beasley

Lanny Begley

William Biggs

Allen Blake

Miles Brissette

Nelda Cacciotti

Kara Carreras

Virginia Carter

Cody Cofer

Mimi Coffey

Dan Collins

Elizabeth Cortright

Craig Dameron

Mark Daniel

Clemente De La Cruz

Tanya Dohoney

Jack Duffy

Brian Eppes

Lance Taylor Evans

Tim Evans

Taylor Ferguson

Brandon Fulgham

Steve Gebhardt

Robert Gill

Ashley Gilmore

Steve Gordon

Brian Goza

Joshua Graham

Jeff Hampton

Stephen Handy

Ryan Hardy

Andrew Hawkins

Daniel Hernandez

Bryan Hoeller

Jeff Hoover

Jason Howard

Fred Howey

Robert Huseman

Elizabeth “Christy” Jack

Jeff Kearney

Tracie Kenan

Kimberly Knapp

Emily LaChance

Christopher Lankford

Bria Larson

Melinda Lehmann

Trent Loftin

Trey Loftin

James Luster

Trent Marshall

Letty Martinez

Chelsi McLarty

Blakely Mohr

WHITAKER CHALK MEANS BUSINESS

Let one of our top transactional attorneys help put your next transaction puzzle together.

Prichard Bevis

Jake Boyd

Thomas Brandon

J. Kirk Bryant

Decker Cammack

John Allen Chalk

Clark Cowley

Tave Doty

Rebecca Eaton

John Fahy

Donald Ferrill

H. David Flowers

Charles Gunter

Thomas Harkins

Timothy Harvard

Michael Hutchens

Bruce James

Michael Kaitcer

Jessica Lavely

Bruce McGee

Hunter McLean

Stephen Mosher

B. Scot Pierce

Vernon Rew Jr.

Enrique “Rick” Sanchez

Richard “Rocky” Schwartz

W. Brent Shellhorse

Robert Simon

David Skeels

Brian Smith

Melinda Smith

Mack Ed Swindle

Robert “Bob” West

Wayne Whitaker

Thomas Murphree

Graham Norris

Brian Poe

John Robinson

Santiago Salinas

Bradley Scalise

P. Micheal Schneider

Justin Sparks

Ty Stimpson

Anna Summersett

Andrea Townsend

Benson Varghese

Brian Walker

Greg Westfall

Luke Williams

Bryan Wilson

Bonnie Wolf

EDUCATION/ SCHOOL LAW

Tom Myers

Lynn Rossi Scott

ELDER LAW

Monica Benson

FAMILY

Katherine Allen

Andrew Anderson

Barbara Armstrong

Genevieve Barr

Leslie Barrows

Stephanie Beamer

Francesca Blackard

Robert Blankenship

Deborah Boone

Catherine Borum

Kimberly Butler

Mark Childress

John Andrew Clark

Mark Cochran

David L. Cook

Shelley Cooper

Theresa Copeland

Katie Copeland

Anita Cutrer

Lori Dally

Rachel Dalton

Paul Daly

Ami Decker

Kelly Decker

Kristina Denapolis West

Tylene Di Sciullo

Lauren Duffer

Robert Epstein

Stephen Farrar

Rashelle Fetty

Stephanie Foster

Jonathan Fox

Louis “Bodie” Freeman

Lisa Gavia

Nancy Gordon

Vicki Hafer

Tom E. Hill

Mary Holland

Robert Hoover

Lisa Hoppes

Jeffrey Johnson

Jill Johnston

Tracey Justice

David E. Kelley II

Heather King

J. Steven King

David Kulesz

Mark Lane

Stephen D. Lawrence

Jerry Loftin

Cade Lovelace

James Loveless

Brenna Loyd

Sean Lynch

Dana Manry

19,170

Kenneth McAlister

Kelly McClure

Robert McEwan

Brent McMullen

Jerold Mitchell

Charlie Mitchell

Tyler Monahan

Cassie Mullen

Michael Munoz

Stephen Naylor

Kimberly Naylor

Lyndsay Newell

Brian Newman

Chris Nickelson

Gary Nickelson

Spencer Nilsson

Barbara Nunneley

Jessica Phillips

Alison Porterfield

Richard Price

Shannon Pritchard

Mia Rainey

Sarah Robbins

Laurie Robinson

Stephanie Sabelhaus

Kevin Schmid

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Sarah Seltzer

Jill Setzer

Justin Sisemore

Curran Skinner

Donna Smiedt

Susan Smith

Kate Smith

Joseph Soto

Lori Spearman

Keith Spencer

Kimberly Stoner-Brock

Melissa Korene Swan

Jamie Taylor

Chrissy Tefera

Anna Teller

Anderson & Riddle, LLP

Anderson & Riddle, LLP consistently sets and achieves courtroom goals for clients of any size, from major corporations to individuals. The firm’s unconventional approach to litigation provides a framework for success. The nationwide respect for the collegiality and professionalism demonstrated by the firm’s lawyers allows for quick resolution of most cases. If an agreement cannot be reached, the courage to perform under fire allows each of the attorneys to thoroughly present the dispute to the jury. This combination of common sense and talent sets the firm apart from all competitors.

Geffrey W. Anderson - Texas Rising Star (2005, 2008); Texas Super Lawyer (2010 - 2019); Top Attorney in Fort Worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2003, 2010 - 2019); Super Lawyer Business Edition (2011 - 2019); 360 West Magazine Top Attorney (2018, 2019) ; Guy H. Riddle - Texas Rising Star (2009, 2010); Texas Super Lawyer (2011 - 2019); Top Attorney in Fort Worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2012 - 2019); 360 West Magazine Top Attorney (2017-2019); Jonathan W. Harrison - Texas Rising Star (2012 - 2018); Top Attorney in Fort Worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2013, 2019); 360 West Magazine Top Attorney (2017, 2018); James S. Kiser – Texas Rising Star (2018; Top Attorney in Fort worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2019)); Trey Gordon – Top Attorney in Fort Worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2018); Kristin Newman – Top Attorney in Fort Worth, Fort Worth Magazine (2018).

Partners: Geffrey W. Anderson, Guy H. Riddle, Jon Harrison, James Kiser, and Trey Gordon Associates: Kristin Newman, Maris Harris, Mahan Wright and Shannon Dugan

(Pictured left to right: front row, Geffrey Anderson and Guy Riddle; back row, Jon Harrison, Trey Gordon, Kristin Newman, Mahan Wright, James Kiser, Maris Harris and Shannon Dugan)

In 2018, the top misdemeanor offenses in Tarrant County were possession of a controlled substance, theft of property, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Donald Teller Jr.

Turner Thornton

Tom Vick

Diane Wanger

Kyle Whitaker

Dana White

Pamela Wilder

Janine Wilson

Weir Wilson

Samantha Wommack

David Wynne

Paul Youngblood

HEALTH

Gregory Blaies

Carol Traylor

Wayne Whitaker

IMMIGRATION

Francisco Hernandez

Edwardo Meza

Jason Mills

Melissa Wilks

INSURANCE

James Griffis

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Decker A. Cammack

Joseph Cleveland, Jr.

Jeremy Heath Coffman

Clark Cowley

Leslie Darby

Charles Gunter

Dave Gunter

Dustin Johnson

Cheryl Leb

Geoffrey Mantooth

Stephen Mosher

Ed Nelson III

Warren Norred

Enrique Sanchez, Jr.

Richard Schwartz

David Skeels

Mack Ed Swindle

Brian K. Yost

LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYEE

Zoe Courtney

Jason Smith

Rod Tanner

LABOR & EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYER

Antonio Allen

Thomas S. Brandon, Jr.

Vianei Braun

Russell Cawyer

Karen Denney

Janet Hahn

Laura Hallmon

Caroline Harrison

Cynthia Hill

Michael Hutchens

Claudine Jackson

Lauren McDonald

Andrea Paris

Jay Rutherford

Jennifer Sweeny

MEDICAL MALPRACTICEDEFENSE

Jennifer Andrews

Monika Cooper

Jordan Parker

David Speed

Lacy Malone Steppick Ryder & Menefee, PLLC uses practical experience to address the legal needs of its clients. Our attorneys represent businesses of all sizes, as well as individuals, in a wide range of litigation and transactional matters. Our attorneys draw from their extensive legal experience to advise clients in contract negotiations; business organizations; management and personnel issues; real estate; commercial lending; purchase and sale transactions; and estate planning and probate matters. The firm’s litigation team represents clients in all types of litigation and business disputes, including those involving insurance; oil and gas; employment; products liability; professional liability; home owners’ associations; landlord-tenant disputes; and construction. The firm also maintains an active mediation and arbitration practice.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICEPLAINTIFF

Darrell Keith

MOVING VIOLATIONS

Sommer Walker

MUNICIPAL LAW

Fritz Quast

NONPROFIT LAW

Steven Goodspeed

Dana Stayton

OIL & GAS

Beth Babb

Donald Prichard Bevis

Cole Bredthauer

Bill Bredthauer

Seth Burt

Eric Camp

Nicholas Davis

Michael Dawson

Jeff Gilmore

Jeffrey Robert Grable

Meg Guerra

Doug Hafer

Conrad Hester

Kristi Jones

James Key

Jeffrey King

Michael Malone

Tim Malone

Garrett Martin

Mark Matula

Michael J. Moore

Aaron Moses

Shayne Moses

Mark Oliver

Hunter Parrish

2,344

Juvenile offenses filed (felony and misdemeanor)

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Katey Powell Stimek

Joseph Regan

Shawna Rinehart

Clark Rucker

Bart Rue

Brian Smith

Todd Spake

John Thompson

Ricky Torlincasi

Rob Vartabedian

PERSONAL INJURY - DEFENSE

Daniel Bates

H. David Flowers

Neely Fortinberry

Grant Liser

Sandy Liser

Matt McLain

Bruce Moon

Bradley Poulos

John Proctor

Christopher Pruitt

James Williams

PERSONAL INJURY - PLAINTIFF

Mark Anderson

Seth Anderson

Brandy Austin

Wade Barrow

George Boll

Gene Burkett

Rieker Carsey

John Cummings

Dwain Dent

Scott Frenkel

Mark Frenkel

Mark Haney

Bob Haslam

Robert Henry

Greg Jackson

Kolter Jennings

John Jose

Robert Kisselburgh

Steven Laird

Jesse Lotspeich

Steve Maxwell

Kent McAfee

Rachel Montes

Chuck Noteboom

Bradley Parker

Anna Patterson

Travis Patterson

Anthony Pettitt

Todd Smith

Chris Stoy

Randall Turner

Tennessee Walker

Roger Walton

Rick Ward

Nate Washington

Scott Wert

Ben Westbrook

Coby Wooten

PROBATE, ESTATES, TRUST

Michael Appleman

David Bakutis

Craig Bishop

Marvin Blum

Antoinette Bone

Tommy Boswell

Michael Bourland

Natalie Brackett

Cole Bryan

Kandice Damiano

Lindsay Daniel

Matthew Davidson

James Davidson

Kelly DeBerry

Clinton Dennis

Tena Fox

Stephen Franscini

Robert Gieb

Catherine Goodman

Ross Griffith

James Geary Grimes

Laura Haley

Beth Hampton

Shelli Harveson

Kelcie A. Hibbs

Amanda Holliday

Lisa Jamieson

David Johnson

Karen Johnson

Michael Kaitcer

Steve Katten

Kevin Kuenzli

Terry Leach

John Lively

Bob Loudermilk

Jennifer Lovelace

Phillip McCrury

R. Dyann McCully

Catherine Moon

Kory Nelson

Amy Ott

Henry “Hank” Paup

Orsen Paxton, III

Julie Plemons

Rachel Saltsman

Bronwyn Scharar

Melinda Watts Smith

Jimalee Splawn

Louis Stefanos

Aimee Stone

Leslie Thomas

David Tracy

James Trimble

Rick Weaver

Michael Wiist

Travis Weaver

PROFESSIONAL

MALPRACTICE (NONMEDICAL)DEFENSE

Denise Collins

Donald Ferrill

PUBLIC FINANCE

Jonathan Cranz

REAL ESTATE

Ken Adair

Neal Adams

Mark Bishop

Susan Coleman

Jarrod Cone

Ryan Damiano

Brett Epstein

Elisa Fox

Martin Garcia

Zachary M. Garsek

Bryon Hammer

Tim Harvard

Alan Hegi

Joel Heydenburk

Brandon Hill

Chad Key

Richard Kilgore

Jared King

Kris Landrith

Lisa Leaton

Dan Lowry

Matthew Luensmann

Travis McNellie

Patricia Meadows

Sharon Millians

Gary Moates

Randal Moore

Mitchell Moses

Matt Motes

Joseph Ray Oujesky

Heather Raiden

206.28

SOURCE: TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Founded by Judge Jesse Brown, this premier civil litigation firm specializes in solving its clients’ problems in railroad, aviation, business, commercial, condemnation, construction, and insurance defense/subrogation cases. During its more than 90 years of legal practice, the firm has been rated “AV Preeminent,” the highest rating possible by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory with offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston and Austin. Attorneys from the firm have been represented in the Fort Worth Magazine “Top Attorneys” issues from 2002 to the present, and have been voted by their peers for other national, state and local awards, including the American College of Trial Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, Texas SuperLawyers and Rising Stars, Attorneys of Excellence, and the Blackstone Award from the Tarrant County Bar Association.

Houston Office Sheryl Norman

Austin Office: Afton D. Sands-Puryear & Siena P. Magallanes

Pictured left to right: Nathan Schattman, David J. Pels, Michael Peck, Bruce Moon, Stephen C. Howell, John W. Proctor – Managing Partner, Robert K.Piwetz, and Cailin Ringelman. Not pictured: Larry Wilshire

Jeff Rattikin

Robby Reeb

Jennifer Rosell

Grant Sorenson

Rick Sorenson

Kenneth Stogdill

Dan Sykes

Jody Walker

Hannah Watkins

Robert G. West

Dan White

Travis Youngblood

SECURITIES

John Fahy

Toby Galloway

Russell Norment

Jacob Daniel Smith

TAX

Sean Bryan

James Creel

Thomas Hegi

John Hunter

Brandon Jones

Jessica Lavely

Jessica Morrison

Ryan Scharar

Len Woodard

Less Than Five Years in Practice

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Jennifer Caldwell

BUSINESS/ COMMERCIAL

Lisa Falcone

Adrian Jackson

Austin Siewert

CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION

Zachary S. Cate

John M. Davis

C. Reed Loftis

Lacy D. McKinney

Brian Singleterry

Kyle K. Weldon

CIVIL LAW, TRANSACTIONAL

Ola Campbell

C. Ryan Heath

CORPORATE COUNSEL

RJ Pack

CORPORATE FINANCE/MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Tave Doty

Jonathan Heathman

Drew Neill

CRIMINAL

Phillip Hall

Landon Loker

Michael Schneider

Robert Matthew Thompson

Alex Thornton

Veronica Veyhl

EDUCATION/ SCHOOL LAW

Kathi Hogan

FAMILY

Kristen Carr

Callie Cole Dodson

5,417 Number

of active attorneys in Tarrant County

SOURCE: STATE BAR OF TEXAS

Elisabeth Fairbanks

William Aulstin Gardiner

Kayla Gertsch

Courtney Harbaugh

Walker

Dawn King

Paul Leopold

Kathlynn Pack

Danielle Reagan

Carrie Tapia

Whitney Vaughan

IMMIGRATION

Ali Crocker

OIL & GAS

Valeria Caso

Nirav Patel

PERSONAL INJURY - PLAINTIFF

Jonathan “Jack” Walters

PROBATE, ESTATES, TRUST

Ellen Gastil

Maggie Hill

REAL ESTATE

Amanda H. Anderson

Sara Thornton

Beth Thurman

SECURITIES

Jamie Lacy

Ed is an AV-rated founding partner of Nelson Bumgardner Albritton P.C., a firm dedicated to intellectual property enforcement and technology-based, complex commercial litigation. Ed first litigated intellectual property matters at McKool Smith in Dallas and has since served as lead counsel on numerous patent enforcement matters for an array of clients across the country. He specializes in multi-faceted, portfolio-based litigation campaigns and welcomes the challenge of implementing deployment strategies adapted to each engagement’s inimitable circumstances.

A Fort Worth native and alumnus of Fort Worth Country Day (’89), TCU (’93), and UT Law (’96), Ed has extensive trial court, arbitration, and appellate experience and most recently helped Cellular Communications Equipment LLC win a substantial willful patent infringement verdict against Apple Inc. in Texas federal court.

About Nelson Bumgardner Albritton PC Nelson Bumgardner Albritton P.C. is a Fort Worthbased, AV-rated boutique trial and appellate law firm you can depend on to handle your most important legal issues. We are your team for all types of litigation at trial and on appeal, including patent enforcement or defense, inter partes review, complex commercial and technology-based disputes, employment, bad faith insurance, oil & gas, and personal injury litigation, as well as criminal defense. The firm is comprised highly-skilled lawyers who bring energy, focus and determination to your case from day one. With high academic and “biglaw” credentials, robust technical abilities, judicial law clerk experience at federal and state levels, and, most importantly, real and extensive trial experience, our team provides world-class legal counsel in Dallas-Fort Worth, East Texas, Chicago, and important federal courts across the country, including those in California, Virginia and Delaware. For more information, please visit www.NBAfirm.com.

FOCUS

LAWYERS TO KNOW

They stand by us through some of life’s more memorable moments. They guide us through everything from an adoption to starting a company. They are some of Greater Fort Worth’s brightest, most-sought-after professionals, and they want to tell you how hiring them will benefit you.

The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.

Blaies & Hightower

SPECIALTY: Our firm is primarily a civil litigation boutique. However, within the litigation field, we practice in a diverse mix of areas ranging from medical malpractice, personal injury, and trucking lawsuits to complex business litigation, employment law, and professional liability. We also provide outside general counsel services to advise and counsel clients on ways to avoid becoming our litigation clients. AWARDS/HONORS: Among our attorneys are several attorneys who have repeatedly been named Top Attorneys in Fort Worth and Texas Super Lawyers, numerous attorneys who served

on the law reviews of their respective law schools and graduated from law school with high honors, and every single partner in the firm has an AV peer review rating from Martindale Hubble. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas Bar Foundation; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; and Eldon B. Mahon Inns of Court, as well as many other professional associations. FIRM’S GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Our greatest professional achievement has been maintaining a strong relationship with many clients for the entirety of the two

decades we’ve been in business. We have a very loyal and longstanding group of clients whom we have served well, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Keeping those clients happy for over 20 years is our greatest professional achievement. APPROACH TO LAW: We strive to provide high-quality legal services with a personalized approach to our clients’ legal needs. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our ability to successfully and efficiently assist our clients due to our experience, intellect, and personal dedication to doing what is best for the client. FREE ADVICE: Hire a lawyer

you can trust to do what’s in your best interest. PICTURED: Greg Blaies, Wes Hightower, Grant Blaies, Wes Myers, Andrew Etter, Chase Price, Greg Gober, Jennifer Litke, Jim Hryekewicz, Kyler Cruz, and Nicole Hogan.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 420 Throckmorton St., Ste. 1200 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102

817.334.0800 • 817.334.0574 bhilaw.com • info@bhilaw.com

Frenkel & Frenkel

FOCUS: The firm focuses on injury cases. We handle all facets of motor vehicle collisions: car wrecks, motorcycle wrecks and catastrophic 18-wheeler crashes. In addition, we work on cases involving dangerous/defective drugs and/or products, such as automotive defects and medical devices. AWARDS/HONORS: Scott Frenkel – Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2002 and 2007-2019; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2011-2018; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2019; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Member Texas Bar College. Mark Frenkel – President of Dallas Trial Lawyers Association; Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2009-2018; Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters publication, 20142018; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Gene Burkett – Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2015-2019; Best Lawyers in Fort Worth, 2017-2019; Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Member Texas Bar College. Readers of Addison Magazine have voted Frenkel & Frenkel their favorite law firm, 2013-2018. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas; State Bar of Missouri (Mark and Scott Frenkel); Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Board of Directors Dallas Trial Lawyers Association (Mark Frenkel, vice president, 2018); Fort Worth Trial Lawyers Association; Dallas Bar Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Creating this firm; this has helped tens of thousands of individuals in their time of need. In terms of what we do daily, the deck is stacked so much

against the individual that it is a blessing to be able to give our clients the ability to take on any adversary. We will not be outworked or outspent. WHAT SETS THEM APART: We can handle and fund any size case; we employ advanced techniques learned over 25 years; we continue to hone our craft; we perform a multitude of focus groups and mock trials; and our experience on the defense side of the docket gives us insight into knowing how the opposition works. APPROACH TO LAW: Clients first; results-oriented. We hold careless and negligent companies and individuals accountable for their actions, which makes the community safer for everyone. MOTTO: Integrity. Safety. Results. FREE ADVICE: If you’ve been in a wreck, call us immediately. The other side is not there to help you. They are there to get your claim settled as inexpensively and quickly as possible. PICTURED: Scott B. Frenkel (Partner), H. Gene Burkett (Partner), and Mark D. Frenkel (Partner). NOT PICTURED: Jason L. Boorstein (Associate), David I. Adest (Associate), Aaron C. Spahr (Associate), Joshua A. Cohen (Associate), Carlos A. Fernandez (Associate), Andrew M. Gross, MD, JD (Of Counsel).

CONTACT INFORMATION:

12700 Park Central Drive, Ste. 1900 • Dallas, Texas 75251

817.222.2222 • 214.333.3333 Fax 214.265.9360

TruckWreck.com

Greg Jackson Law

SPECIALTY: Personal injury (automobile/trucking accidents; medical malpractice; workplace injuries; boating accidents; slips, trips and falls; dog bites; brain injuries; defective products; cycling/pedestrian injuries; etc.).

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Baylor University, BBA, 1994; Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 1995; Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2001-present.

AWARDS/HONORS: Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County, 2006; Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year, 2005; AV Peer Review Rating, 2005-present; Texas Super Lawyer, 2009-2012, 2014-present.

MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation, Tarrant County Bar Foundation. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Board certification after only six years of practice.

WHY HE CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: I wanted to fight for those unable to fight for themselves. APPROACH TO LAW: Take care of clients like they are family, fight for their rights to the limit of the law, conduct myself in a professional manner so as to bring honor to the legal profession. FREE ADVICE: Go to the hospital or see your doctor as soon as possible after an injury, even if you think the injury is minor. The injury may turn out to be more serious than you thought. Not seeing a health care provider early can be used against you later in the claims process.

PICTURED: Greg Jackson.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 201 Main St., Ste. 600 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.926.1003 • Fax 817.886.3653 gjackson@gregjacksonlaw.com • gregjacksonlaw.com

KoonsFuller, P.C. Family Law

SPECIALTY: Family law is not only what we do. It’s all we do. With our five full-service offices across Texas, we offer a level of clout and a range of resources unmatched by any other family law firm in Texas or the Southwest. MISSION: To provide high-quality legal services and superior results for clients who demand the best family law representation possible. Everything we do is founded on unassailable integrity and an unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. AWARDS/HONORS: Heather King ‒ Texas Trailblazer by Texas Lawyer (2019); Honoree, Texas Super Lawyers (2003-19); Sam Emison Recipient by Texas Acad-

emy of Family Law Specialists (2018); Dan Price Award (2017 recipient); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2002 to present); The Best Lawyers in America© in family law and family law mediation as recognized by Best Lawyers, LLC (2007-20); Recognized, Elite Lawyer by Elite Lawyer (2018); Top 10 Family Law Attorney in Texas, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys (2017); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys” (2019); D Magazine’s “Best Women Lawyers in Dallas” (2010). Jessica Janicek ‒ Honoree, Texas Rising Star (2014-2019); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2012 to present); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys”

(2019); The Best Lawyers in America© in family law as recognized by Best Lawyers, LLC (2015-2020). Dana Manry ‒ Honoree, Texas Super Lawyers (2014-19); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2017 to present); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys” (2019). Rob McEwan ‒ Honoree, Texas Rising Star (2016-18); Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2019); 360 West Magazine “Top Attorneys” (2019). Paul Leopold ‒ Fort Worth Magazine’s “Top Attorney,” Family Law (2019). MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Texas Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Texas Association of Family

Law Specialists. PICTURED: (left to right) Drew Williamson, Dana Manry*, Heather King*, Rob McEwan*, Jessica Janicek*, Paul Leopold. *BoardCertified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

550 Reserve St., Ste. 450 • Southlake, Texas 76092

817.481.2710 • Fax 817.481.2637

koonsfuller.com Principal office in Dallas.

McClure Law Group

SPECIALTY: Our firm is 100 percent dedicated to family law – it is all we do. Our level of expertise is essential to protect your family and fortune. We work meticulously to achieve the best possible results for our clients’ divorces, modifications, pre- and post-marital agreements, custody disputes, surrogacy issues, grandparents’ rights cases, and all other family law matters. We represent clients in Tarrant County, Dallas County, Collin County, Denton County, Rockwall County, Grayson County, Fort Bend County, Williamson County, Harris County, and all other counties in Texas. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Kelly McClure and Robert Epstein are Family Law Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. AWARDS/HONORS: Kelly McClure – “Top Attorney,” Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Family Lawyers in Dallas,” D Magazine, 2003-2019; DALLAS 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders, DCEO Magazine; “Texas Super Lawyer,” Thomson Reuters, 2003-2019; “Power Players,” Modern Luxury Magazine; “The Most Dynamic Women in Dallas,” Modern Luxury Magazine; “Top 50 Female Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters; Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, the DBA; Distinguished Service Award, the DBA and Legal Services of North Texas; Merrill Hartman Award for Key Leadership Advocacy and Support for Legal Services for Victims of Domestic Violence. Robert Epstein – “Top Attorney,” Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Family Lawyers in Dallas,” 2016-2019, and “Best Lawyers Under 40,” D Magazine; “Texas Rising Star,” Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters; “Best Lawyers in America 2020,” Best Lawyers®; “Texas Super Lawyer,” Thomson Reuters, 2019. Francesca Blackard – “Top Attorney,” Fort Worth Magazine; “Best Family Lawyer,” 2017-2018 and “Best Lawyers Under 40,” D Magazine, 2018-2019; Texas Rising Star,” Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2016-2019; “2019 Dallas Top Women in Law Award,” the National Diversity Council. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: American, Texas and Dallas Bar Associations. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our financial acumen, tax law background, state-of-the-art forensic accounting, extensive trial and litigation experience, and seasoned collaborative law knowledge equip our attorneys to mount a powerful game plan of our clients’ positions.

PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: We pride ourselves on being over prepared and ready for any curveball that might be thrown our way. We are available to our clients outside of regular business hours because we know that most family law issues do not occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Executives, professional athletes, celebrities, and stay-at-home parents alike find our team’s experience, talent, and compassion invaluable.

PICTURED: (left to right) Robert Epstein, Partner; Francesca Blackard, Partner; Kelly McClure, CEO and Managing Partner.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

8115 Preston Road, Ste. 270 • Dallas, Texas 75225 214.692.8200 • Fax 214.692.8255 mcclure-lawgroup.com

Law Office of Gary L. Nickelson

Gary L. Nickelson

Chris Nickelson

CONCENTRATION: The firm is uniquely qualified to handle the most complicated matrimonial cases in trial or appellate courts throughout Texas. CERTIFICATION: Gary is board certified in Family Law through the State Bar of Texas. Chris is board certified in Civil Appellate Law through the State Bar of Texas. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Gary has been the Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar, President of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers — both the Texas Chapter and national organization — and has been a Director of the State Bar of Texas. He is also a diplomate in The American College of Family Trial Lawyers, which is by invitation only and limited to 100 Family Law attorneys nationwide. Chris is past President of the Tarrant County Bar Association, Appellate Section and currently Chairman of the Family Law Council of the State Bar’s Family Law Section. Father and son are frequent authors and lecturers for the State Bar and other organizations.

HONORS: Gary holds many prestigious awards and has been named

a “Texas Super Lawyer,” a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Monthly magazine since 2003. Chris has been named as “Texas Super Lawyer,” a Thomson Reuters business, in the Super Lawyer issue published in Texas Monthly since 2014. Gary and Chris have won the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas’ highest and most prestigious award, The Dan Price Award, in 2003 and 2013, respectively. EXPERIENCE: Gary has handled family law cases exclusively over 30 years. His experience allows him to handle all types of family law cases throughout Texas. Chris, a 20-year attorney, clerked in El Paso Court of Appeals, appeared as an attorney in many of the appellate courts in Texas and is an accomplished family law attorney.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

5201 W. Freeway, Ste. 100 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.735.4000 • Fax 817.735.1480 garynickelson.com

P. Micheal Schneider Law Firm, P.C.

FIRM FOCUS: Family Law and Criminal Defense. PREFERRED CASES: High-Conflict Divorce Litigation; Custody Fights, including Jury Trials; Family Violence Defense; Sex Crimes Defense. WHAT SETS US APART: “We have a team of attorneys with a mastery of procedure, evidence and trial dynamics. We bring experience, knowledge, resources and determination to your case from the initial client meeting through final disposition. We use these skills to even the playing field and ensure that our clients have the best opportunity to achieve a favorable result.” FIRM’S MISSION: Win every case. MOTTO: No matter what, go into court and be a tiger! Schneider Law Firm’s team is dedicated to practicing “client-driven” law. Schneider Law Firm believes that educating clients about their options and guiding clients through difficult decisions and litigation, help our team work toward the best outcomes for each client’s unique situation. Our attorneys are both fierce in the courtroom and compassionate toward clients. PICTURED: (left to right) Kayla Harrington, Melissa Swan, Callie Dodson, Emily LaChance, Alison Porterfield, P. Micheal Schneider, and Jessica Phillips.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Fort Worth Office • 400 E. Weatherford St., Ste. 106 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 • 817.850.9955 Arlington Office • 5001 S. Cooper St., Ste 221 • Arlington, Texas 76017 • 817.276.6050 Alliance/Keller Office • 5332 N. Tarrant Pkwy. • Fort Worth, Texas 76244 • 817.849.2404 TeamSLF.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Law

SPECIALTY: Criminal Law, Tarrant County. EDUCATION: B.S. Business Administration, M.A. Human Relations and Supervision, Louisiana Tech University; Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, Law Review, Texas A&M School of Law Fort Worth. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Attorney 2017-2019; Director 2019-2021, Tarrant County Bar Association Board of Directors; Judge, HEB Teen Court. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Life Fellow, Tarrant County Bar Foundation; Tarrant County Bar Association; Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Texas Bar College. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Our greatest passion is advocating on behalf of our clients and resolving our clients’ legal matters. Our greatest accomplishments are our proven results.

APPROACH TO LAW: Sherry R. Armstrong proudly represents Tarrant County citizens accused of felony, misdemeanor, or juvenile crimes. As a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, her sole focus has been

criminal litigation for almost two decades. Her experience and skills have earned her a reputation for professionalism, confidence, and class in handling criminal cases. When a citizen is accused of a crime and their freedom, future, and reputation are on the line, Sherry will work to identify potential vulnerabilities in the government’s evidence while providing personalized representation, honest case evaluation and advice, and aggressive advocacy to achieve the best outcome possible. FREE ADVICE: You have a constitutional right to remain silent; use it! MOTTO: Fierce Representation. Fierce Defense. PICTURED: Sherry R. Armstrong.

CONTACT INFORMATION: By appointment only. 682.215.7404 • Fax 817.541.4480 armstrongattorneyatlaw.com

Office of Sherry R. Armstrong

Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC

PRACTICE AREAS: Our attorneys focus on litigation in the practice areas of business law, personal injury, family law, trusts and estates, probate, elder law, criminal law, and bankruptcy. EDUCATION: Brandy Austin – Baylor Law School; Jennefer Lowe – Baylor Law School; Jay Gueck – Colorado Law School; Magdalena Avila – Thurgood Marshall School of Law. AWARDS/HONORS: Brandy Austin – Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2015-2019); Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine (20152019); AVVO 10.0 Rating; Top Attorney, 360 West Magazine (2017). WHAT SETS US APART: Our clients get the full support of every firm team member. We approach each client individually with respect to his or her situation. Legal issues are rarely only about the law — it’s about the people. FREE ADVICE: Always follow up and get an agreement in writing and take pictures. PICTURED: Brandy Austin, Jay Gueck, Magdalena Avila, Jennefer Lowe.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

2404 Roosevelt Drive • Arlington, Texas 76016

817.841.9906

8500 N. Stemmons Freeway, Ste. 2008 • Dallas, Texas 75247

214.432.6616 brandyaustinlaw.com attorney@brandyaustinlaw.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

SPECIALTY: Criminal Defense; DWI Defense; Personal Injury. AWARDS/ HONORS: Top Attorneys, Fort Worth Magazine (2013-2019); Super Lawyers (2019); Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2014-2019); Top Attorneys, 360 West Magazine (2017-2019). MEMBERSHIPS: Million Dollar Advocates Forum, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, National College of DUI Defense, Texas Trial Lawyers Association. WHAT SETS YOU APART: We take a very personal approach to all of our cases, whether criminal defense or personal injury. Our attorneys take the time to form impactful relationships with the clients we represent.

FREE ADVICE: Express your concerns to your attorney at the earliest possible stage. A successful trial strategy is based on open and regular communication. PICTURED: Attorneys: Luke Williams, Jesse Lotspeich, Jason Howard, Brandon Barnett; (not pictured) Ashley Gilmore, Cami Gildner.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 209 West 8th St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 101 Quest Court • Keller, Texas 76248 817.993.9249 • Fax 817.697.8179 bhwlawfirm.com • info@bhwlawfirm.com

Barnett Howard & Williams PLLC

Barrow Law

SPECIALTY: Representing victims of personal injury and wrongful death. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Baylor University; J.D., University of Texas; LLM in Trial Advocacy, Temple University; Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, TBLS, Civil Trial Advocacy, NBTA; Truck Accident Law, NBTA. AWARDS/HONORS: Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum; National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2012; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney, 2010-2018; Super Lawyers, 2013-2019; Rising Stars 2008-2013; PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Vice-President; Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Past President; American Board of Trial Advocates. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Trying 42 civil cases before my 42nd birthday. WHY HE CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: When I was a

kid, I saw unfairness in the world and wanted to do something about it. APPROACH TO LAW: Treat every client like a unique person and case. FREE ADVICE: Always meet with the attorney who will actually be handling your case in person and have all of your questions answered before you sign a contract with the attorney. Make sure the attorney you hire specializes in the legal matter for which you are seeking help and is board certified in that area of the law. PICTURED: Wade Barrow.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1214 Fairmount Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817.617.7797 • Fax 817.900.3408 barrow-law.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Kaye Lynne Boll Mediator – Family Law

PRACTICE AREA: After 28 years of litigating family law cases, Ms. Boll now offers her services as a family law mediator. Ms. Boll provides an innovative, personalized approach to mediation, helping to minimize conflict and achieve creative and customized solutions. WHAT

SETS HER APART: Ms. Boll is an experienced mediator who has litigated family law exclusively for more than 27 years in Tarrant County. Ms. Boll has served as president, officer and director of the Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association. She has significant experience in Texas family law and knowledge of the Tarrant County family courts, judges and their policies. FREE ADVICE: Going to court is expensive, time-consuming and often leads to permanently damaged relationships. Once you walk into the courtroom, you relinquish your privacy and your control about decisions affecting your children and finances.

At that point, all decisions will be made by a judge often with limited information regarding you and your children. Mediation provides parties the opportunity to privately work out a creative solution for their family in a dignified manner. No family should have to settle for a standard, one-size-fits-all court order. Mediation is less stressful than trial, less expensive than trial, and results in a much faster conclusion.

GOAL: To make mediation more accessible, family-friendly, and affordable for families of all income levels.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

15301 Spectrum Blvd., Ste. 300 • Addison, Texas 75001 817.354.5454

bollfamilylaw.com

BrantleyPelley, PLLC

FOCUS: Our firm’s focus is in general civil litigation emphasizing on catastrophic injuries and wrongful death, business and insurance disputes, investment fraud, probate litigation, and other civil trial matters. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Rickey Brantley graduated from Baylor Law School and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law. Alex Pelley graduated from Texas Wesleyan/A&M School of Law and has been practicing with Rickey since 2011. APPROACH: BrantleyPelley, PLLC was formed in 2019. Brantley and Pelley have worked together for over a decade and are continuously evolving our practice to ensure that our clients’ needs will be met. AWARDS/HONORS: The firm and its attorneys have been awarded Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers, Texas Super Lawyers, Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Texas

Super Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates, American College of Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, and Best Law Firms in America. PICTURED: Cathie Smith, Alex Pelley, and Rickey Brantley.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 855 Texas St., Ste. 100 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102

817.882.8220 • Fax 817.882.8209 brantleypelley.com alex@rickeybrantley.com rickey@rickeybrantley.com cathie@rickeybrantley.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

James K. Luster & Cody L. Cofer Cofer Luster Law Firm, PC

SPECIALTY: Criminal Defense. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Although our attorneys are often seen on local and national news outlets, most of our greatest achievements never receive any press coverage and are not blasted on social media. Many of our greatest victories are those cases quietly resolved without fanfare. When surveying the trophies and trinkets memorializing our success, we are most energized by the holiday cards from the many families able to return to a normal and full life after we took their cases. MISSION: Too often lawyers pressure clients into settling a dispute for less than optimal results. This is not because lawyers do not want the best for their clients. Usually, attorneys leave too much on the table in regards to investigation, brainstorming, and polish on presentation. We do work many cases out by agreement,

but our mission is to push every case to absolute best possible outcome. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Discretion and expedience are the hallmarks of our firm. Effective persuasion takes many shapes. Our clients’ successes depend on selection and execution of the correct persuasive strategies and tactics. Whether the approach requires a wrecking ball or delicate touch, our firm is intentional and skilled at bringing the perfect tools to bear.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

300 Burnett St., Ste. 130 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102

682.777.3336 coferluster.com ccofer@coferluster.com

Coffey The Coffey Firm

CONCENTRATION: DWI, Criminal Defense. EDUCATION/CERTIFICA-

TIONS: Baylor University; Texas Tech School of Law; Board Certified in DWI by the NCDD; SFST Practitioner and Instructor training, Borkenstein Technical Supervisor School for both drugs and alcohol, gas chromatography - Axion Analytical Labs, DRE classification course. AWARDS/ HONORS: Regent to the National College of DUI Defense; national speaker on DWI; four national articles published in The Champion; six statewide articles in The Voice; author of “Texas DWI Defense,” now in its 2nd edition; Texas Lawyer: 2015 Extraordinary Minorities in Texas Law. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: NCDD,

TCDLA, TCCDLA, DCDLA, Texas Tech School of Law Foundation Board. SPECIAL INTERESTS: “I love people. I love to help people. Everyone makes mistakes.” VOLUNTEER WORK: “I spend a lot of time going across the country to educate lawyers because I believe in justice and giving back.” EXPERIENCE: 24 years of experience, over 300 trials.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

4700 Airport Freeway • Fort Worth, Texas 76117 817.831.3100 • Fax 817.831.3340 mimicoffey.com

Mimi

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

SPECIALTY: Civil Litigation, Family Law, Probate & Real Estate. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Kelly Decker – Board Certified in Family Law; J.D., Texas Tech University; B.A., University of Texas at Austin. Olyn Poole – J.D., South Texas College of Law; B.A., McMurry University. Dawn King – J.D., Texas A&M School of Law; B.S., Texas A&M - Commerce. AWARDS/HONORS: Top Attorney, 2005-2019; Rising Star, 2013-2017; Great Woman of Texas; 40 Under 40. MOTTO: Trusted Reputation. Driven for Excellence. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family

Law Bar Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Texas Bar College Member, Texas Bar Foundation PICTURED: Dawn King, Kelly Decker, and Olyn Poole.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 6300 Ridglea Place Drive, Ste. 101 • Fort Worth, Texas 76116 817.348.9060 • Fax 817.348.9070 deckerpoole.com andi@deckerpoole.com

Decker Poole, PLLC

CONCENTRATION: Criminal Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: TCU, M. J. Neely School of Business; TWU, School of Law. AWARDS/ HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney 2018; National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers 2018; Law Review Editor, Texas Wesleyan School of Law, Academic Honors. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: TCU Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, 2018-2020; Saint Andrews Catholic Church; Leadership Fort Worth. MISSION: Thirty-six-year retired FWFD Fire Captain — Clemente De La Cruz is accustomed to fighting for others through the most difficult situations. Born and raised in Fort Worth, Clemente, his wife and children reside in Fort Worth. PICTURED: Clemente De La Cruz.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 601 University Drive, Ste. 109 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.335.5050 Office • 817.335.5804 Fax delacruzlawoffice.com • csdtxlaw@gmail.com

Law Office of Clemente De La Cruz

The

Dent Law Firm Dwain Dent

CONCENTRATION: Wrongful death, pharmaceutical, insurance and injury. EDUCATION: Dwain Dent – St. Mary’s School of Law and TCU undergraduate. REASON FOR BEING A LAWYER: He has a passion for fighting the giants, i.e., David versus Goliath. The law gives him an opportunity to help others. HISTORY: The Dent Law Firm, founded in 1990, has successfully represented thousands of clients in serious injury and death claims, claims against insurance companies, car wrecks, aviation and other personal injury cases. HONORS: Recognized Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation, Washington, D.C., 2011; Pre-eminent Lawyers in America; Who’s Who in American Law; Million-Dollar Advocate Forum Member; voted “Top Attorney” in Fort Worth Magazine, 2003 - present; voted “Texas Super

Lawyer” by Texas Monthly magazine every year since 2003; St. Mary’s Law School Distinguished Graduate, 2012; St. Mary’s Law School Hall of Fame, 2013; Recognized Best Lawyers in America. MOTTO: Represent clients with commitment, integrity and professionalism. ADVICE: “Never assume an insurance company will do the right thing.” SERVICE: The Dent Law Firm is dedicated to service and committed to supporting the Texas community, both professionally and personally.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1120 Penn St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.332.2889 • thedentlawfirm@cs.com thedentlawfirm.com

SPECIALTY: Real Estate; Corporate & Commercial; Liability Defense Litigation. AWARDS/HONORS: Lawyers of Distinction 2019 - Real Estate; Legal Elite Awards, 2019; Best Multi-Disciplinary Law FirmTexas; Real Estate Attorney of the Year - Fort Worth; Super Lawyers (Rising Star) 2020 Real Estate. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS:

Claims & Litigation Management Alliance; Grocery Manufacturers Association; National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association; Texas Land Title Association; Greater Forth Worth Real Estate Council; State Bar of Texas. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT:

The combination of making a positive impact on the wealth of our clients and enhancing the careers of our team members serves as our firm’s greatest professional achievement. FIRM’S PROFESSIONAL MISSION: We “play to win” on behalf of our clients, as opposed to

going through the motions. If the representation calls for guidance on a business transaction or complex litigation, our firm focuses on the goals of clients to obtain positive outcomes. WHAT SETS OUR FIRM APART: We focus on our clients. We communicate with our clients. We take care of our clients. FREE ADVICE: Prior to having an immediate legal need, create a relationship with outside legal counsel as part of your business strategy.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 407 Throckmorton St., Ste. 500 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.900.8202 • Fax 817.882.8526 DorsettJohnson.com jcjohnson@dorsettjohnson.com

The

Law Offices of Jack G. Duffy, Jr. P.C.

SPECIALTY: DWI Defense, Criminal Defense, Family Law and Personal Injury, Federal Criminal Defense and Probate. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Political Science, Texas Tech University; MBA, Baylor University; J.D., South Texas College of Law. AWARDS/HONORS: BV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell for Very High Legal Ability and Ethical Standards; AVVO Rating of Superb Legal Ability; Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine; 10 Best DWI Attorneys - Texas by American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys; Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers; America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys; Eagle Scout –Boy Scouts of America; author of “The Man From 2063” and “B.L.A.C.K.

M.A.M.B.A.” PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, National College for DUI Defense, Inc., National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, American Association of Premier

DUI Attorneys, DUI Defense Lawyers Association, Texas DWI Lawyers, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Family Law Association and Texas Trial Lawyers Association. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Being honored by my peers as an outstanding trial lawyer. I am committed to providing excellent legal representation for all my clients. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: I dedicate myself to every client to get the best possible outcome. Se habla Espanol. FREE ADVICE: Do not try to represent yourself. Hire an experienced trial lawyer. PICTURED: Jack Duffy.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 6220 Midway Road • Haltom City, Texas 76117 817.332.2022 • Fax 817.900.0715 jackduffyattorney.com jack-redraiders@hotmail.com

Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC

SPECIALTY: Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC specializes in criminal defense, DWI defense, and white-collar crimes. EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: All of our attorneys are former Tarrant County prosecutors with over 200 combined jury trials, from DWI to capital murder trials. AWARDS/HONORS: Managing Partner Bryan Hoeller was named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine for 2018 and 2019, as well as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2018, 2019, and 2020. Partner Colin McLaughlin is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been recognized as a National Top 100 Lawyer in criminal defense. He previously clerked for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the State’s highest criminal court. Lindsay Truly was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2020, and Dustin Trammel proudly served eight years for the

U.S. Army, which included two tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. MISSION: Our mission is to protect the future of our clients. We are also proud supporters of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. PICTURED: Dustin Trammel, Bryan Hoeller, Lindsay Truly, Suzette Nabors, and Colin McLaughlin.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

600 Eighth Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104 6513 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 300 • Colleyville, Texas 76034

817.334.7900 • Fax 817.329.7732 bryanhoellerlaw.com bryan@hoellermclaughlin.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Hoppes Law Firm, PLLC

Lisa Hoppes

Whitney Vaughan

FOCUS: Family Law: divorce, property division, child custody disputes. WHAT SETS US APART: Lisa and Whitney bring the most important criteria to the table when seeking an attorney: expertise, experience, and ethics. They know what to expect and will be prepared. Lisa is board certified in family law and ranks in the top 5% of family law attorneys in the state by Texas Monthly magazine numerous years. Whitney has been named a Rising Star by Texas Monthly magazine multiple years, an honor awarded to just 3.5% of lawyers practicing less than ten years. Clients can choose litigation, settlement, mediation, or collaboration and know they are getting the best legal counsel. A hallmark of the firm is putting the client first, listening, and keeping them informed. Clients know their options, rights, and consequences of any course of action.

EDUCATION/BACKGROUND: Lisa graduated from Louisiana State

University School of Law in 1993. She is a frequent lecturer for Texas State Bar Continuing Legal Education courses, including serving as a co-course director at the Advanced Family Law course in 2019, the biggest Continuing Legal Education seminar in the country. Whitney graduated from Texas A&M School of Law in 2015, serves as a Director of the Tarrant County Family Bar Association, and has been invited to speak at multiple Continuing Legal Education courses around the state.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 959 W. Glade Road • Hurst, Texas 76054 817.283.3999 info@hoppeslawfirm.com hoppeslawfirm.com

Justice Law Firm, P.C.

SPECIALTY: All phases of family law are practiced at Justice Law Firm, including divorce, collaborative law, child custody and support issues, grandparent rights, enforcements, and modifications. In addition, Justice Law Firm provides Wills and Probate and Business Law, including entity selection and formation, contracts, leases, asset protection, employment contracts, and buy-sell agreements. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Baylor University; J.D., Texas A&M School of Law; Certified Mediator; trained and experienced in Collaborative Law; licensed to practice law in Texas and the Federal Court. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Member of Northeast Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Tarrant Collaborative Divorce

Council, Collaborative Institute of Texas; founding board member for Stepping Stones Foundation; served on the board of OhLook Performing Arts Center; and board member of Spiritual Outreach Worldwide. HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney in Family Law for 10 consecutive years; Super Lawyers. PICTURED: Kristina Denapolis West, Brent McMullen, Tracey Justice, and Nicole Carroll.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1100 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 400 • Southlake, Texas 76092 817.421.0300 • Fax 817.488.2277 justicelawdfw.com

Richard M. Kilgore

Jacob R. Shelton

David Small

SPECIALTY: Commercial and Residential Real Property. CONCENTRATION: Real Estate Transactions and Litigation; Construction Defects; Wills-Trusts; Estates; Probate; Business Formations; Commercial and Residential Contracts and Leases; Construction Contracts; Homebuilder Disputes; Contractor Dispute; Mechanic’s Liens; Residential and Commercial Owners’ Associations; Land Use and Development. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/HONORS: Richard M. Kilgore – Juris Doctor Texas Wesleyan School of Law-now Texas A&M, Magna Cum Laude; Law Review; Phi Delta Phi; B.S. in Legal Studies, Texas Wesleyan University; Board Certified in Commercial and Residential Real Estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; Navy Seabee Veteran, Vietnam service; Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2019. Jacob R. Shelton – Juris Doctor, Texas A&M School of Law; B.A. Business Administration Management, University of Texas at Arlington; published article, Cornell Real Estate Review, “Using Eminent Domain to Write Down Underwater Mortgages.” David Small – Juris

Doctor, University of Connecticut; BBA and MBA, National University, San Diego; retired Navy SEAL; Decorated Combat Veteran, Middle Eastern Service. FOCUS: Our focus is on what is best for our client. Because we had real life experience prior to becoming attorneys, we remember what it was like when we needed legal help. We approach our work from the human side and then analyze each situation independently in order to provide custom service; one size does not fit all.

PICTURED: Richard M. Kilgore, Jacob R. Shelton, and David Small.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1201 N. Carroll Ave. • Southlake, Texas 76092 817.310.0987 • 682.593.1120 • Fax 817.310.0999 kilgorelawyer.com • davidsmalllaw.com kilgorelaw@charter.net jake_kilgorelaw@charter.net david@davidsmalllaw.com

Mark C. Lane

Mark Lane Law Office

SPECIALTY: My firm specializes in Elder Law & Estate Planning, Family Law, including complex Divorce and Custody litigation, property settlements, custody modification, family law trial cases through an aggressive maverick-style of lawyering. EDUCATION: B.S. in Psychology, Lamar University; J.D., Texas Wesleyan University; retired Judge of Roanoke after 14 years. EXPERIENCE: Established over 21 years ago with approximately 8100 cases to date. AWARDS/HONORS: Past board member of Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas Family Law Bar Section, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Lawyers with Purpose, Tarrant County Family Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, North District, U.S. District Court. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Winning custody and property division cases that help that person continue in life with a fresh start and

helping families plan for their future through Estate Planning. APPROACH TO LAW: Establishing an effective game plan to help my clients by using wisdom, experience, and litigation by providing a personal and direct contact through very difficult events. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Fellowship of the Sword, New River Fellowship Church, Vision Life Ministries and Dressing Souls. FREE ADVICE: “Hire me before your spouse does!”

CONTACT INFORMATION: 6100 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 22 • Fort Worth, Texas 76116

817.377.1077 • Fax 817.377.1806 marklanelaw.com hiremebeforeyourspousedoes.com mark@marklanelaw.com

Lively & Associates, PLLC

SPECIALTIES: Business, Business Litigation, Civil Appellate, Construction, Real Estate, and Probate. HISTORY: John R. Lively, practicing law for 51 years, has been the primary partner in his own firms since 1980. David Farris joined him in 1995 after sitting on the Second Court of Appeals for 10 years. John Lively, Jr. partnered with his father to create the current firm in 2008. Daniel Aguilar joined the firm in 2012 and Joshua Wahl 2018. EDUCATION: John Lively ‒ L.L.B., UT Austin. David Farris ‒ J.D., Baylor; Board Certified Civil Appellate Law. John Lively, Jr. ‒ J.D., Baylor; licensed to practice U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Daniel Aguilar ‒ J.D., UT Austin. Joshua Wahl ‒ J.D., Texas A&M. MEMBERSHIPS/HONORS: John Lively – AV Rated; Top Attorney 2008-2019; Chair, Tarrant County Fee Arbitration Panel; Tarrant County Bar Foundation. John Lively, Jr. – Texas Monthly Ris-

ing Star 2009-2016; Top Attorney 2011-2019; Chair, Tarrant County Bench Bar. Daniel Aguilar – Associate Member, Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court; Top Attorney 2019. David Farris – Emeritus Master, Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court; Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Persistent, aggressive, and efficient representation with personalized service from attorneys to obtain the best possible results. PICTURED: John Lively, Jr., John Lively, David Farris, Daniel Aguilar, and Joshua Wahl.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

301 Commerce St., Ste. 2900 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.338.1030 • Fax 817.338.1050 LivelyLLP.com

J. Kent McAfee Attorney at Law

SPECIALTY: McAfee has been a Texas attorney for over 35 years serving injured victims in Fort Worth and throughout Texas. CONCENTRATION: Personal injury (plaintiff), civil litigation. EDUCATION: B.S., University of Tennessee; Graduate Studies (M.P.A.), Memphis State University; J.D., Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. HONORS: The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys, 2017-2019. EXPERIENCE: McAfee began practicing law in 1984. His decision to pursue the legal field was prompted by a desire to serve the public and a chance to make a difference. “Focusing on personal injury allows me the opportunity to give a voice to individuals and to ‘level the playing field’ against powerful corporations and insurance companies.”

WHAT SETS HIM APART: “Communication is paramount ... the client must understand what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and participate in that process.” MOTTO: “Never accept ‘no’ for an answer.” SPECIAL INTERESTS: The WARM Place, Ronald McDonald House, Lighthouse for the Blind, Safe Haven of Tarrant County, American Cancer Society, and Leukemia of Texas. ADVICE: “Do not hire an attorney who won’t talk with you in the initial meeting. It won’t improve in the future.”

CONTACT INFORMATION:

One Legal Place

PROFESSIONAL

MEMBERSHIPS: Licensed by the Texas Supreme Court; member of the State Bar of Texas and American Bar Association; served on the State Bar of Texas District 7 Grievance Committee for six years.

925 8th Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76104

817.332.7678

onelegalplace.com kent@onelegalplace.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Law Offices of Jason Mills, PLLC Immigration Law Firm

SPECIALTY: The Law Offices of Jason Mills was established in 2001 as a full-service immigration and naturalization law firm specializing in Immigration Law. Established by Jason Mills, the first-ever board-certified specialist in immigration and nationality law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Fort Worth in 2006, it is a successful multidisciplinary practice focusing on all aspects of U.S. immigration law, including consular processing, waivers, removal defense, family-based visas, business visas, and investor-related cases. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Mills – Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M, 1995; Juris doctorate from Texas A&M School of Law, 2000; international studies, Cambridge Law School, England; admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the Northern District of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Creating an honest environ-

ment for people to come in and get advice. APPROACH TO LAW: It is essential to be honest and efficient with clients. The firm’s approach in maintaining clients begins with keeping the client informed. The firm emphasizes a progressive and hands-on approach to problem-solving and effectively and efficiently handling legal matters. FREE ADVICE: Check references in the form of former clients before hiring an attorney.

PICTURED: Jason Mills, Paul Kanczuzewski, and Lauren Wallis.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

1403 Ellis Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76164 817.335.0220 • Fax 817.335.0240 immigrationnation.net info@immigrationnation.net

Montes Law Group, P.C.

SPECIALTY: Board-certified in Personal Injury/Wrongful Death Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, helping those who have been harmed by the negligence of others, including trucking cases, sexual assault/molestation cases, unsafe premises cases, unsafe workplace cases, fire cases, unsafe daycare/daycare neglect, among others. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: University of Texas at Dallas, Texas A&M School of Law, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. AWARDS/HONORS: Multiple accolades, including Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas, Best Lawyer in Dallas in PI/Wrongful Death, Best Lawyer in Dallas in Personal Injury Litigation, “10 Best Attorneys” for Texas in PI, Texas Super Lawyer 2003-present, “10 Best Attorneys” for Texas by the American Institute of PI Attorneys, Texas Super Lawyer 2003-present. MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: Board Member of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association,

Attorneys Serving the Community. APPROACH TO LAW: Leave no stone unturned. Montes Law Group aggressively pursues justice in all forms, builds solutions, and works all cases to achieve the best, maximum result in the least amount of time, oftentimes with safety upgrades that benefit the community. FREE ADVICE: We believe it’s your family, your case, but our solution. We put our clients first. Hire an experienced trial lawyer to advance you and your cause, because the other side has done just that. PICTURED: Rachel Montes.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

1121 Kinwest Parkway, Ste. 100 • Irving, Texas 75063 214.522.9401 • Fax 214.522.9428 monteslawgroup.com rachel@monteslawgroup.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

SPECIALTY: Civil Trial and Appellate work; Property Taxation; Legal Malpractice. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Robert Myers ‒ Texas Tech University, St. Mary’s School of Law. John Shaw ‒ University of Oklahoma; Texas A&M School of Law. Lisa Falcone ‒ TCU; Texas A&M School of Law. HISTORY OF THE FIRM: Robert Myers started the firm in San Antonio in 1984. It has been headquartered in Fort Worth since 2004. AWARDS/HONORS: Myers ‒ Lewis F. Powell Award; Order of Barristers; Wayne Peveto Award (property taxation); Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; Lawyers of Distinction. Shaw ‒ National Order of Scribes. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: State Bar of Texas; San Antonio and Tarrant County Bar Associations; Fifth Circuit Bar Association; Texas Bar Foundation. GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Creating and maintaining a successful client-focused law firm. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Specialized attention we give

to our clients. MISSION: To provide the finest high-quality service at reasonable prices. SPECIAL INTERESTS: The Van Cliburn Foundation; Texas Bar Foundation; Tarrant County Bar Foundation. FREE ADVICE: Choose carefully when seeking legal services; communicate your needs and expectations clearly and demand that the lawyers do everything possible to achieve your goals. PICTURED: Attorneys: Robert Myers (right), John Shaw (left), Lisa Falcone; Jana Fletcher, Legal Assistant (not pictured).

CONTACT INFORMATION: 2525 Ridgmar Blvd., Ste. 150 • Fort Worth, Texas 76116 817.731.2500 • Fax 817.731.2501 MyersShaw.com rmyers@MyersShaw.com

Myers Shaw

SPECIALTY: Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Support, Child Welfare, Adoption, Termination, Litigation, and Mediation. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Texas Wesleyan School of Law, J.D., 2012; Texas Tech University, BBA, 2006; Certified Mediator, 2012. AWARDS/ HONORS: DBA Civil Trial Academy, 2014; Mensa; 2015 Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney, 2016 Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; National Advocates Top 40 Under 40; 2017 360 West Top Attorney; Lead Counsel Verified, 10 Best by American Institute of Family Law Attorneys; 2018 Super Lawyers, Rising Star. MEMBERSHIPS: State Bar of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Phi Delta Phi, Animal Legal Defense Fund. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL

ACHIEVEMENT: Helping our clients get through what is probably

the hardest time of their lives. WHY HE CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: “I am lucky to have mentors that fostered an interest in family law and encouraged me to pursue it.” APPROACH TO LAW: “As one person, I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” – Paul Shane Spear. FREE ADVICE: Don’t confuse my law degree with your Google search. PICTURED: J. Spencer Nilsson and Kimberly Buck.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

930 West First St., Ste. 200 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.953.6688 • Fax 682.224.0483 ftwlegal.com spencer@ftwlegal.com

J. Spencer Nilsson Nilsson Legal Group, PLLC

Nunneley Family Law

MOTTO: We’ll help you take the bite out of divorce. FIRST STEP: When marital problems become insurmountable, it’s time to take action. Call expertly trained, family law attorneys to advocate on your behalf. FOCUS: We are exclusively divorce, property division and custody focused. With that concentration comes a depth of expertise in complex family law matters. NFL attorneys deal with these life-changing circumstances frequently and strive to prepare clients to be ready and informed before, during, and after the court proceedings. CERTIFICATION/EXPERIENCE: Barbara Nunneley is Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Stephen Farrar has been practicing for more than 28 years in Probate, Personal Injury, and Family Law and has been recognized as a Top Attorney, 20132019. Patrick Clabby is Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization with more than 11 years’ experience in trial and

appellate work. HONORS: With 40 years of experience in North Texas, Barbara has been recognized as an elite “Super Lawyer” (2003-2019) as featured in Texas Monthly, as a “Top Attorney” again in 2019 by Fort Worth Magazine and is listed in “Best Lawyers in America,” U.S. News and World Report (2019-2020). Stephen and Patrick are dedicated to helping clients protect their financial future and their children.

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS: Business owners, C-level executives, spouses, and baby boomers. PICTURED: Barbara Nunneley, Stephen Farrar, and Patrick Clabby.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1845 Precinct Line Road, Ste.100 • Hurst, Texas 76054 817.485.6431 nunneleyfamilylaw.com

Puls Haney Lyster, P.L.L.C.

CONCENTRATION: Personal Injury/Torts, Insurance Claims/Litigation, Complex Family Law, Guardianships/Trusts, Will Contest, Intellectual Property, Construction Accidents, Oil and Gas litigation, Corporate/ Transactional. EDUCATION: W. Kelly Puls – Texas Christian University; California Western School of Law, J.D. Mark A. Haney – UTA; University of Tulsa College of Law, J.D. Chris Lyster – Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D. CERTIFICATIONS/HONORS: Puls – Board Certified - Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization; Board Certified - Civil Trial Law, National Board of Trial Advocacy; Life Fellow - Texas Bar Foundation; rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell; Super Lawyers; selected Lead Counsel in the XTO Class Action Litigation. Haney – Past President/Board Member, Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association; rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; Texas Law & Politics, Super Lawyer; Texas Monthly, Top 100 Lawyers in Texas in personal injury trial law. Lyster – Board

Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; rated AV Preeminent (5.0) by Martindale-Hubbell; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; admitted to the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. APPROACH TO LAW: Zealous representation of clients by experienced trial lawyers in a variety of litigation matters throughout the State of Texas and Oklahoma. PICTURED: W. Kelly Puls and Chris Lyster.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

301 Commerce St., Ste. 2900 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.338.1717 • Fax 817.332.1333

211 Rusk St. • Weatherford, Texas 76086 817.599.9993 • Fax 817.599.9417

1305 N. Hudson, No. 405 • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103 405.300.HURT (4878) pulshaneylyster.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

SPECIALTY: Commercial and residential real estate law, energy law, business and banking law, estate planning, probate, guardianships, and civil litigation. CERTIFICATIONS: Jeffrey A. Rattikin and Thomas R. Turet are both AV-rated attorneys, Board Certified in Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law, respectively. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Our firm has been a recognized leader and go-to source of professional transactional legal services in Fort Worth for over 75 years, assisting generations of Fort Worth families and their businesses in their legal needs. WHAT SETS THEM APART: RattikinLaw breaks through the traditional barriers of legal representation by offering our services both online and in-person, at a flat fee rather than hourly billing, utilizing the latest in technology and social networking platforms. APPROACH TO LAW: RattikinLaw strives to

deliver efficient, convenient and cost-effective legal services to consumers and small businesses across the state of Texas, both online and in-person. MOTTO: RattikinLaw strives to put deals together, not tear them apart. FREE ADVICE: When choosing a provider of goods or services, work with someone who lives, works and plays in Fort Worth, one who shares a love of and commitment to this blessed place we are lucky enough to call home. PICTURED: Jeff Rattikin, Kamryn Caldwell, Tom Turet.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 4936 Collinwood Ave., Ste. 200 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.737.7701 • rattikinlaw.com rattikin@rattikinlaw.com

SPECIALTY: Real Estate & Title Insurance. EDUCATION: Martin A. Garcia – Texas A&M School of Law (formerly known as Texas Wesleyan School of Law), JD, 2012; Certified Title Insurance Professional designation from The Texas Land Title Association. AWARDS/HONORS: Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney for six consecutive years; Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in Real Estate for four consecutive years; 2018 Texas Wesleyan Young Alumnus Achievement Award. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Bringing over 13 years of title experience, two offices, and 10 valued team members to newly created Simplified Title Company to increase its footprint and exposure and to become its Chief Executive Officer. MISSION: Our goal is to SIMPLIFY the title

process so that you can have confidence and peace of mind every step of the way, while relying on and trusting our diversified team of professionals. PICTURED: (left to right) Susan Hudson, Kathryn Garcia, Martin Garcia, Shari Adrian, Whitney Walls, Courtney Coulter.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 3108 W. Sixth St., Ste. 222 Fort Worth, Texas 76107

817.727.8984

SimplifiedTitleCo.com Martin@SimplifiedTitleCo.com

Family Law Firm of Donna J. Smiedt, PLLC

SPECIALTY: Board Certified Family Law Specialist, Family Law Mediator and Collaborative Attorney. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: B.A., Southern Methodist University; J.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law; Board Certified by State Bar of Texas in Family Law. HONORS/ AWARDS: Texas Super Lawyer; Arlington Family Law Attorney of the Year; Top Attorney, Family Law, Fort Worth Magazine. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists; Arlington Bar Association; Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association; Tarrant County Bar Association. GREATEST PROFESIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Being sworn in by Chief Justice Rehnquist to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2000. APPROACH TO LAW: I strive to provide the highest level of legal expertise tempered with an empathy and

understanding of the great emotional challenges clients are facing in their family law cases. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Experience and expertise. MOTTO: When your family and finances matter, experience counts. SPECIAL INTERESTS: Girls Inc.; Arlington Animal Shelter. FREE ADVICE: Do not marry with the expectation you can change your spouse. The only person you can change is yourself. PICTURED: Attorneys, Desaray R. Muma, Michael A. Muñoz, and Donna J. Smiedt; and Baxter.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 3216 West Arkansas Lane • Arlington, Texas 76016 817.572.9900 • Fax 817.572.7679 smiedtlaw.com • arlingtondivorces.com

Kate Smith

FOCUS OF PRACTICE: Collaborative Law, Family Law, Mediation, Estate Planning. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: Board Certified in Family Law; J.D., Texas Wesleyan; LL.M, Pepperdine University School of Law; B.A., University of Houston. AWARDS/HONORS: Recognized as a Master/Credentialed Collaborative Professional by Collaborative Divorce Texas; nominated by peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2014 and 2015. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Past President of Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association; Chairperson of the Collaborative Law Section of the Tarrant County Bar; graduated second in law school class, magna cum laude. WHY I CHOSE THE LEGAL FIELD: I was a mediator prior to going to law school, and I mediated family law cases. In the process of going to law school to become a better mediator, I discovered collaborative law, a field I am passionate about.

LAWYERS TO KNOW | FOCUS

MISSION: I am proud to have dedicated my practice to solving disputes by utilizing alternative methods such as collaborative law, mediation and arbitration. I strive to help families navigate through tough times and empower clients to make decisions for their families without asking for court intervention, if at all possible. ADVICE: Always consider alternatives prior to litigation. Thoroughly research all your options before deciding on counsel, and make sure that whomever you choose to represent you shares your method of problem-solving and that you have a shared vision of the general direction of your case. PICTURED: Kate Smith.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1205 Hall Johnson Road • Colleyville, Texas 76034 817.479.0562 • Fax 817.479.0538

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Tanner and Associates, P.C.

EXPERTISE: The firm’s practice is focused on labor and employment law, civil trials and appeals in federal and state courts, administrative proceedings and arbitration. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Rod Tanner – B.A., English Literature with Honors, University of Texas at Austin, 1973; J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 1976; Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1990. EXPERIENCE: Tanner, the founding shareholder of Tanner and Associates, PC, has 42 years of legal experience. WHAT SETS THEM APART: The unique practice niche. The firm has a national union-side labor law practice and a statewide employment law practice. Tanner, a Fellow in the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, is widely recognized as one of the country’s preeminent labor lawyers. He was selected to the 2019 Super Lawyers Top 100 Texas Lawyers list. He has won a number of notable labor

and employment cases, including precedent-setting cases involving employment contracts and union bargaining rights. MISSION: Recognizing that the noble purpose of our labor laws is to establish justice in the workplace, the firm’s mission is to provide innovative legal services in labor and employment matters of the highest quality. MOTTO: Always exhibit grace under pressure. FREE ADVICE: Employees and organizations must be strategically proactive in legal matters in order to produce successful outcomes. PICTURED: Rod Tanner.

Thomas-Walters, PLLC

SPECIALTY: Estate Planning. AWARDS/HONORS: Leslie Dillon

Thomas ‒ Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney; Top 10 Best Attorney Estate Planning in Texas, American Institute of Legal Counsel; author of Estate Planning in Texas. KK Pack ‒ Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney. MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Texas State Bar, ElderCounsel, WealthCounsel, Tarrant County Bar Association, American Association of Estate Planning Attorneys, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys. PROFESSIONAL APPROACH: We strive to provide personal, customized estate plans to individuals and families throughout North Texas that provide peace of mind in knowing that the client has done everything possible to protect their assets and make things as simple as possible for their loved ones when they pass away. FREE ADVICE: Whether your estate is big or small, simple or complicated, everyone

needs to have an estate plan in place. That plan must be customized to your unique circumstances, needs, and estate planning objectives. Absent an estate plan, the government will decide who will receive your assets and when. PICTURED: Leslie Dillon Thomas,* KK Pack,* Ashley Marie Judd, and Katie Manchaca. *Top Attorney Award Nominees

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1701 River Run, Ste. 1010 • Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Offices in Southlake, Weatherford, and Granbury by appointment. 817.258.5908

thomas-walters.com info@thomas-walters.com

FOCUS | LAWYERS TO KNOW

Rick Ward Ward Law Firm

SPECIALTY: Personal Injury Trial Law. EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: J.D. (Cum Laude), St. Mary’s School of Law, San Antonio, 1992; Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1999. AWARDS/HONORS: John Harlan Society, AV Preeminent (Martindale Hubbell). PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) (President-Elect). WHY CHOOSE HIM: I have worked with referring attorneys and clients to obtain positive results for more than 27 years. I strive to get to know my clients, their injuries, and all the damages they’ve suffered in order to effectively advocate their claims and maximize their recoveries. I will litigate your claim, take it to trial, and won’t take a fee until we win. WHAT SETS HIM APART: Some of the largest cases my firm has

handled throughout the years were referred by other attorneys in the Texas legal community. I pledge to treat your clients the way you would and love making a difference in their lives. I actually enjoy paying your referral fee and will work with you at whatever level of involvement you like. APPROACH TO LAW: Start with compassion for your clients, do the right thing by them, and everything else will follow. I aggressively advocate for my clients and give them personalized legal representation.

PICTURED: Rickey G. “Rick” Ward.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 3300 Airport Freeway • Fort Worth, Texas 76111 817.335.3396 • Toll Free 800.865.6460 • Fax 817.870.2674 rickwardlawfirm.biz • rick@rickwardlawfirm.com

Law Office of Dana L. White, PLLC

Dana L. White

Kimberly Butler

SPECIALTY: Family Law, Estates, Probate, Business Entities, Immigration, Civil Litigation. EDUCATION: White – J.D., Seattle University (1994); Texas (2002) and Washington (1994) State Bars; Federal Court of the Northern District of Texas. Butler ‒ J.D., Texas Wesleyan University (2003); Texas State Bar (2004). AWARDS/HONORS: White – “The Best Attorney,” NE Tarrant County, Living (2019); “Top Attorney” Fort Worth Magazine (2009-2019), 360 West and 76092 (2019); one of 10 “Inspirational, Accomplished, and Engaging Women of NE Tarrant County” Society Life (2018); “Southlake’s Small Businessperson of Year,” Alignable Network (2018); “Who’s Who in Family Law,” Society Life (2018-2019). Butler ‒ “Top Attorney” by peers, 360 West and 76092 (2019) and Fort Worth Magazine (2019); ATJ “Pro Bono Champion,” Texas Bar Journal (2015). MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: NE Tarrant County Bar Association; NE Tarrant County Family Law Bar

Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Helping clients resolve their differences in a respectful way. MISSION: “Protecting What Matters Most.” It’s essential to pursue an individualized, customized approach, helping each client navigate through the process with dignity and grace. WHAT SETS OUR FIRM APART: Our aim is showing clients they can still believe in happy endings and should keep on smiling. FREE ADVICE: “Walk by faith, even when you cannot see.” (2 Cor. 5:7) PICTURED: Dana L. White and Kimberly Butler.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

540 Silicon Drive, Ste. 100 • Southlake, Texas 76092

817.917.8121

danawhitefamilylaw.com legal@danawhitefamilylaw.com

CONCENTRATION: Personal injury plaintiff litigation concentrating on representing people who have been injured or killed due to the negligence or gross negligence of others. In 2018, Coby and his associate, Mattilyn Smith, obtained the 29th largest jury verdict in the State of Texas involving Wrongful Death. EDUCATION: Texas A&M School of Law, 1996; Texas State University, 1990. HONORS: Top Attorney in Fort Worth Magazine, 2008-2010, 2012-2019; Top Attorney 360 West Magazine, 2017-2019; AVVO Superb 10+ rating and AVVO Client’s Choice award.

MEMBERSHIPS: Texas Trial Lawyers Association (board of directors); Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association (president, 2014, board of directors, present); American Association for Justice; American Board of Trial Advocates; Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum 2014 National Litigator Award; Association of Plaintiff’s Interstate Trucking Lawyer; State Bar of Texas; Tarrant County Criminal

Law Association. MISSION: To be able to provide complete, fair and competent representation while advocating on behalf of my clients. For 23 years, we have represented those who are in need of legal assistance against insurance companies and big businesses. As a boutique law firm, your case gets personal attention. We strive to ensure that those who desire, require and are entitled to the jury trial system have access to it. ADVICE: Be open and honest when retaining an attorney. The first meeting will be the foundation of your relationship.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1301 Ballinger St., Ste. 100 • Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.632.8400 • Fax 817.529.2629

Coby@CobyWootenLaw.com CobyWootenLaw.com

Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C.

» Hello, Dolly. Hot Box Biscuit Club is now open on South Main, and we can’t stop singing its praises.

The Dolly Parton »

Pictured:

Hot Ticket on South Main

What once was a pop-up is now a permanent neighbor on one of Fort Worth’s buzziest streets. And it hasn’t changed a bit.

BY COURTNEY DABNEY

Even before opening on South Main Street, Hot Box Biscuit Club was already attracting throngs of gluten-craving folks who routinely made its pop-up events a sellout. In less than three years, friends and owners Matthew Mobley and Sarah Hooton went from pop-up success to a permanent address, taking up a 2,500-square-foot space in a revamped art deco building — one reminiscent of an Edward Hopper classic diner painting with its curved wall of windows.

The brick-and-mortar version of Hot Box sports a quirky interior, unfolding on two levels with an order counter on its lower level and a small bar on the upper — serving mostly local canned beers and a classy collection of affordable cocktails. It’s counter service, so grab a beeper, then pick up your order at the back kitchen window.

On a previous visit, we polished off a mound of Puff Daddies ($4.50) in no time. I found the house-fried chicharron (pork skins), which are light as air and dusted

with lime and pepper, simply irresistible.

On our most recent visit, we shared the pimento cheese hushpuppies ($6.50) and were equally impressed. Tender and rich with flecks of green onion and red pimento, the crunchy dough balls come served with a side of housemade ranch dipping sauce.

Biscuit dishes come in six varieties of “Bigs” — that is, sandwiches — or simply served with jam and whipped butter. Don’t be deceived by the size of your order. It may appear like just another biscuit sandwich at first, but each stacked creation is a hearty meal. The biscuits are really a knife-and-fork proposition.

The Paris Hilton … That’s Hot ($9) is Hot Box’s most famous creation. Fried chicken fills a dense and doughy biscuit with sea salt flakes on top. The sugar cane-brined fried chicken is

worth a visit all by itself, with a super crusty coating and moist white meat. The rest of the sandwich is completed with what Hot Box calls “tasty dust” and Louisiana Hot Sauce, along with melting whipped honey butter, bringing a little heat and the ideal blend of sweet and savory to the dish. In the sausage biscuit category, you’ll find the Mattie Melt ($9). It’s filling but not gargantuan — a lean, housemade sausage patty comes topped with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, and grape jelly. I questioned that combination too, but it really works.

The Dolly Parton ($10) had more of that wonderful chicken and “tasty dust” topped with cheddar cheese and housemade sausage gravy. The flavors on this sandwich were all there, but this one had temperature issues. The gravy was cold, and likewise, the cheddar was not melted.

Hot Box Biscuit Club

Location: 313 S. Main St.

For Info: 817.887.9019, hotboxbiscuitco.com

What We Liked: The Paris Hilton … That’s Hot is actually not too hot. You can spice it up if you like, but the tangy heat is just right for most people. What We Didn’t: The sausage gravy was still warming up, so our Dolly Parton was not great.

Recommendations: Stop in for an early cocktail and some Puff Daddies or pimento cheese hush puppies on the weekend.

Sarah’s Buttermilk Pie ($5) is one of the dessert options. The crust is outstanding, and the custard is dense, though I was expecting more buttermilk tang. The dish is quite Instagram-friendly, served with a dollop of whipped cream and delicious macerated blackberries. Be careful not to get lost in the art while searching for just the right angle — and fumble your cell phone right into the whipped cream like I did.

Photos: Nancy Farrar

CDMX Excess

From elite to street, my two days of dining decadence in Mexico’s capital city.

BY JENNY B. DAVIS

This summer, Mexico City took over my Instagram. Or it seemed that way at least. My feed suddenly scrolled like a menu, filled with phenomenal food photographs snapped by real people eating out in Mexico City.

One evening, while swiping through a series of street taco snapshots so compelling that I could smell the spray of fresh lime being squeezed over the barbacoa centered just-so on a handmade tortilla, I decided I’d had enough. I had to go to Mexico City, too.

In general, I would never make travel plans based on social media — hello Fyre Festival — but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this ancient Aztec city built in the high plateaus of Mexico’s interior would blow me away. And it wasn’t just my Instagram sending these signals. Ciudad de México — CDMX for short — topped National Geographic’s list of the world’s most exciting destinations for 2019, and this summer, Forbes declared it a must-visit for “diehard food and drink fans” — a directive that seemed aimed directly at me. So, I pulled up the calendar and started planning an epic weekend for me and my husband.

Mexico City is the world’s largest Spanish-speaking city and the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere. Not surprisingly, it’s easy to reach from Fort Worth. Multiple carriers offer direct, inexpensive flights from DFW multiple times a day in just under three hours with no time zone change.

Finding a neighborhood, or colonia, to call home base was also a cinch. It had to be somewhere in the cluster of neighborhoods known as Roma – La Condesa. Located just west of the city’s historic center, the area developed at the turn of the 20th century as the preferred address for the city’s gilded set. Over time, the fancy folks moved on, and the area began a century-long decline. But, as often happens when low rents combine with vacant spaces and romantic decay, artists and musicians began to move in. Soon, the once-neglected neighborhood turned super cool.

Today, frayed rowhouse facades still line the leafy streets, but now they’re home to artisanal coffee shops, bodegas with resident DJs, record stores, and chef-owned restaurants. Not surprisingly, Roma and Condesa have been called the epicenter of the city’s hipster scene. (It’s also the setting

for director Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” which just won three Academy Awards.)

From there, we simply followed our stomachs to Ignacia Guest House. Built in 1913, Ignacia Guest House was a private home until 2017, when its owners transformed the gracious manse into a fivebedroom bed-and-breakfast. (The name honors the property’s former housekeeper, who looked after the property and its families for 70 years.)

Art infuses every inch of Ignacia, from artisan ceramics to modernist paintings to the deco influences infusing the décor. There’s even art in the kitchen, thanks to resident chef Leonardo Arvizu. Every morning, chef Leo creates traditional Mexican breakfasts complete with croissants and other artisan breads he learned to make during his time with a French catering company and marmalade made from the orange trees in Ignacia’s courtyard. I have never eaten better chilaquiles. In the evening, chef Leo turns mixologist, creating daily cocktails for guests along with a selection of savory crunchy munchies.

For our first dinner in CDMX, we kept it local and walked around the corner to Meroma, a neighborhood bistro receiving international acclaim for its inspired spins on local ingredients. Its owners, Rodney Cusic and Mercedes Bernal, met at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and bring to Meroma the skills they honed while cooking at top spots like Del Posto in Manhattan and L’Atelier Joel Robuchon in London.

The next morning, we met up with Rocio Vazquez Landeta of Eat Like a Local Mexico City for a different take on neighborhood dining. Bursting with energy and passion for food, food history, and the craft of cooking, Landeta is evangelical about Mexico City’s street food scene, and she seemed to be having as much fun as we were zig-zagging between street taco stands, traditional bakeries, artisanal ice-cream shops, and bustling city markets.

We walked city streets, rode subway trains, and meandered through narrow market passageways, all in pursuit of the perfect bite of sweet, savory, fruit, vegetable, meat, and bug. That’s right — worms, crickets, and ants were on the menu at one of the stalls we visited at the Mercado

La Merced, a sprawling public market built in the 1860s atop a monastery dating back to the 1500s. We ate taco after taco after taco, each one more delicious than the next. We sipped housemade micheladas (a beerbased specialty drink), sampled pastries and, my favorite, dipped jicama strips into red currant-flavored sugar for a taste that was equal parts sweet, tart, crunchy, and refreshing.

To help navigate her groups through the Merced, Landeta employs a handful of intrepid young people who grew up in the Merced alongside their vendor parents. In addition to employment, Landeta has partnered with a local nonprofit program to provide the kids with English lessons, athletic opportunities, enrichment activities, and more.

Eat Like a Local offers a variety of different types of tours, including vegan adventures. Landeta and her team also can craft a custom experience with ease to accommodate any taste, allergy, or mobility concern. Another popular option is an inhome experience with Traveling Spoon. This community of food lovers connects hungry visitors with vetted hosts who open their homes to share culinary traditions and a meal.

We ate enough that one afternoon to last the rest of the weekend, but we somehow

made room for even more. After all, when one is able to score a reservation at Omekase Taco, one goes to Omekase Taco. Nestled inside Pujol restaurant, an elegant restaurant widely considered to be the best in the city, the whole of Omekase

Taco is a row of stools at the bar. Here, bartenders alternate between preparing drinks for Pujol diners and presenting our line of eager eaters with plate after plate of appetizer-sized delights inspired by the flavor profiles of traditional Mexican street food but elevated to Michelin star-worthy heights.

We did actually do something other than eat. Well, two things, at least. On our last day, we spent a few hours wandering through centuries of Mexican history at the National Museum of Anthropology, and we also visited the acclaimed Casa Gilardi, a private home designed in 1976 by legendary Mexican architect Luis Barragán.

As Barragán’s last private home commission, the multi-story stucco structure is infused with the modern master’s aesthetic signatures, like walls of saturated color, intersecting angles, and an innovative interplay between perspective, light, and nature. There’s even a swimming pool in the dining room.

It took a while to walk back to Ignacia from the museum, but our path took us through beautiful public parks, past amazing murals, and through winding streets buzzing with the energy of everyday life. It was a circuitous route, but one that led straight to our final stop before heading to the airport: the famous El Moro churrería. This local chain has been making two things — hot chocolate and fresh churros — since 1935, and it was the perfect place to pause, reflect and, yes, post a few of my own food photos to Instagram.

Michelada from the Mercado La Merced

Cleaning Nopales

El Moro churrería

Maque Bakery

Ignacia and Platillo

Filling Up on Vietnamese Cuisine

The last place you’d expect to find one of North Texas’ best new restaurants: next to the Mad Dog 20/20.

BY MALCOLM MAYHEW

The newly opened Hoang’s Noodle House, you see, is located inside a Shell gas station in North Richland Hills. The dining room, made up of two community tables that seat six people each, sits among shelves of MD 20/20, four-packs of Sutter Home wine, racks of sunglasses, and a pair of eight-liner digital slot machines. When people get mad because they don’t win and slam their fists down on the machine, your fried rice bounces a bit.

Restaurants planted in gas stations have been a staple of restaurant culture

since, decades ago, some clever entrepreneur put two and two together, combining the worlds of gas and sustenance. Ever since, they’ve been a mainstay of American roads, both paved and not.

The Fort Worth area is ripe with good gas station eateries: Bennett’s Grocery & Deli in Burleson, Chef Point in Watauga, Mariachi’s near downtown.

Hoang’s may mark a first, though. Johnnie and Alma Hoang’s spot could be the first gas station restaurant to offer Vietnamese cuisine, at least in North Richland Hills. It’s quite the sight, watching pho, fried lobster over garlic noodles, and beef

ribs over rice coming out of the kitchen, steam rising, while people shop for White Claw and aspirin.

The couple chatted about their unique new eatery:

Q: You see burger joints and taquerias squeezed into gas stations. But Vietnamese seems like more of a challenge. Alma: It is. What we do is a little more complicated, and just about everything is freshly made, by us, by hand, down to the eggrolls. We roll those ourselves, and if we have a big order, we need room to spread out. You can’t tell from the small dining area, but we have a pretty goodsized kitchen.

Q: I never thought I’d say this about eggrolls, but yours are outstanding.

Johnnie: That’s my grandmother’s recipe, for the most part. I implemented another ingredient for flavor, but I have to give her credit. They’re made from pork, carrots, taro, glass noodles – but no fish sauce. A

Johnnie and Alma Hoang

come fix my computer when it broke. The joke around the office was, “Alma, you broke your computer again just so he’d come fix it.”

Q: Where do the ideas for your dishes come from?

lot of people don’t like eggrolls because they have a slightly fishy flavor, so I took out the sauce.

Alma: We offer samples of the eggrolls. Nine times out of 10, people will then order them. They’re really not like other eggrolls.

Q: Hoang’s started out as a food truck. What made you want to jump to a brickand-mortar?

Johnnie: I was working at XTO downtown when the company announced it was moving to Houston. I felt like that was my opportunity to do something I always wanted to do — open my own restaurant. We loved doing the food truck, but we did it on the weekends only, and it was kind of a challenge.

Alma: It was a very small workspace; we’d often run out of ingredients because we didn’t know how many people would show up or not show up; the weather would affect us. It was more of an unknown.

But it helped us mentally prepare for the restaurant, and so many people who knew us from the truck have followed us.

Q: What’d you think the first time you saw the gas station space?

A: At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It needed a lot of work. But Chef Point started out in a gas station. They were a big inspiration for us. Plus, we knew it was a unique concept — you don’t normally find restaurants that serve authentic Asian cuisine inside a gas station.

Q: What should a first-timer try?

Johnnie : The eggrolls, definitely. The beef ribs over rice is one of our signature items. I use a lemongrass sauce on the meat that gives it a distinct flavor.

Alma: Oh, the fried lobster with garlic noodles. That’s one of our best-sellers.

Johnnie: The chicken karaage, too. I use a lot of ...

Q: … seasoning. I love that you’re unafraid to season your food.

Johnnie: That’s the key to that dish, the seasoning.

Q: How did the two of you meet?

Alma: I was working for the city at the same time he was. I was working for the water department. He was in IT. He’d

Johnnie: My wife and I and my family and I travel a lot. I’ve been to Vietnam several times, the West Coast, Chinatown in New York, wherever there’s a food scene, we’ll visit, just to try different restaurants. We’ll go to several in one day or night and try and share their signature dishes. We’ll food-hop — get one dish here, one there, and share everything, just to get an idea of what makes it good.

When I was in Vietnam, I would have pho every morning. That definitely inspired me to serve pho at our place. In Chinatown, we had a lot of small plates that you could share but also have for yourself. Some of our dishes are like that. Big enough for one, more than enough for two.

Alma: It’s fun traveling and trying new restaurants, but it’s also a way to come up with new ideas. We’ll think about a particular dish, and maybe that’ll inspire Johnnie in a small way, and then we’ll think of another dish we liked and that’ll inspire him in another way. We take small pieces from places we visit and come up with fresh ideas. It keeps us on our toes.

Hoang’s Noodle House

8405 North Harwood Road, North Richland Hills hoangsnoodlehouse.com

Downtown Fort Worth is home to a new steakhouse concept. Toro Toro Pan-Latin Steakhouse is a bit different than your Del Frisco’s and Capital Grilles. A partnership between DiamondRock Hospitality and Mexicanborn chef/restaurateur Richard Sandoval, double-T specializes in Latin American barbecue. Carried out by former Trio owner/chef Jason Harper, the menu will feature charcoal- and wood-grilled steaks and seafood, along with small plates of tiraditos, empanadas, and skewered meats. Look for it late November/ early December at The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, 200 Main St. torotorofortworth.com

There are now not one but two new coffeeshops in the ridiculously bustling South Main area. Roots Coffee is at 400 Bryan Ave. It’s the second Roots location for owner Janice Townsend, who opened the original North

The Feed

A taste of what’s new and notable.

BY MALCOLM MAYHEW

Richland Hills store in 2009 before opening your own coffeeshop around here became a thing. At the new spot, Townsend is serving locally roasted coffee by Novel Coffee Roasters. rootscoffeehouse.com

Very, very nearby, at 326 Bryan Ave., is the new Arcadia Coffee, which comes from Carrie Collins, who ran a coffeeshop and coffee trailer under the same handle. Her space is tiny but groovy. Decorated with funky, vintage furniture, it

reminds me of an Austin coffeehouse, not an industrial warehouse. In addition to coffee drinks of both the hot and cold variety, Collins also offers a small, all-vegan menu of light bites, including housemade waffles, salads, and a handful of sandwiches. Love the fact that Arcadia has a no-plastic straws policy, too. instagram.com/ arcadia.coffee

Dutch’s Hamburgers has opened a new concept, right next door. Dutch’s Burrito Bar is a fast-casual taco and burrito joint in the same vein as Chipotle. Stuffed with a variety of proteins, cheese, beans, and veggies, the burritos are absolutely humongous — they’ll be good for TCU kids trying to sober up. There are also grain bowls, tacos, and dishes made with Beyond Beef. 3009 S. University Drive. facebook.com/ dutchsburritobar

‘Tis the season for ramen, and there’s a new spot in Southlake

to slurp it down. As first revealed by CultureMap, Ozeki Ramen, Sushi & Izakaya is a new mom and pop spot in what was originally a Taco Diner. The menu zeroes in on Japanese bar food, sushi, and ramen, with a particular focus on the latter. There are nearly a dozen varieties, ranging from tonkotsu and miso to more unusual selections such as lobster; there’s also a veggie option. The sushi menu is out of control, with more than 70 rolls. It would take me another column to write about all the rolls. Rounding out the menu is a selection of small plates, such as dumplings, steamed buns, chicken karaage, and Japanese fried oysters. 432 Grand Ave. West, Southlake, ozekitexas.com.

Freelance food writer Malcolm Mayhew can be reached at malcolm.mayhew@hotmail.com or on Twitter at @foodfortworth.

Mary Perez’s charming eastside enchilada joint Enchiladas Ole has moved over the spot once occupied by Revolver Taco and Sapristi. Perez takes a craft-inspired approach to her ‘chiladas, filling them with barbecue brisket, zucchini, and other cool ingredients. She hopes to be open by the end of the year. 2418 Forest Park Blvd., enchiladasole.com.

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FOCUS

OPHTHALMOLOGY, LASIK & VISION SPECIALISTS

Our eyes are one of our most precious gifts. That’s why it is important that we maintain good vision and eye health as we age. To help you select a vision care specialist who will meet your needs, the following experts want to tell you more about themselves, their practices, and how their services can help improve your outlook on life. The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.

FOCUS | OPHTHALMOLOGY, LASIK & VISION SPECIALISTS

Key-Whitman Eye Center

SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology – adult eye care including but not limited to treatment for cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes and dry eyes. Also offering laser vision correction and high-tech lens implants for reduced dependence on glasses and contacts, as well as cosmetic eyelid surgery.

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Chian-Huey “Amy” Hong, M.D. – cum laude, Columbia University; B.A., pre-med and economics; medical degree, UT Southwestern Medical School; internship, ophthalmology residency and glaucoma fellowship, Tulane School of Medicine. Ronald Barke, M.D. – undergraduate and medical school, University of Southern California; internship, Los Angeles County University of Southern California Medical Center; fellowship, Jules Stein Eye Institute in lens and cataract biochemistry; training, UT Southwestern Medical School, fellowship in oculoplastics and residency in ophthalmology; currently on staff as a clinical volunteer at UT Southwestern Medical School. WHAT SETS THEM APART: Key-Whitman is one of the few eye centers that offer the full range of options to improve your vision, with customized LASIK and high-tech lenses for cataract procedures. INNOVATIONS: The advances in high-tech lenses like the PanOptix, Symfony, Trulign, Crystalens, ReSTOR, Tecnis

Multifocal and the Toric lens using the latest techniques with Femtosecond laser, which give many patients a wide range of vision for near or far distances with less dependency on glasses or contacts. FREE ADVICE: Everyone needs to have regular eye health exams. Oftentimes, permanent vision loss can be easily prevented with early diagnosis and treatment of conditions before any symptoms are present. PICTURED: C. Amy Hong, M.D.; Alfred Humphrey, M.D.; Martin L. Faber, O.D.; Ronald Barke, M.D.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

910 N. Davis Drive • Arlington, Texas 76012

400 W. Arbrook Blvd. • Arlington, Texas 76014

817.460.2272 • Toll-free 1.800.442.5330 • Fax 817.265.9684 patientservices@keywhitman.com • keywhitman.com

FOCUS | OPHTHALMOLOGY, LASIK & VISION

Texas Eye and Laser Center Texas Eye Surgery Center

Brian D. Ranelle, D.O.; Jerry G. Hu, M.D.

WHAT SETS THEM APART: Texas Eye and Laser Center has been a mainstay in Tarrant County for more than 40 years. They performed the first LASIK and PRK in Tarrant County in 1997 and have remained at the forefront of vision correction surgery technology ever since. They were first in North Texas to offer LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in 2011 and first in Dallas/Fort Worth to introduce the latest in intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataracts, presbyopia and astigmatism – TECNIS Symfony®, Symfony Toric and ReSTOR® Toric IOLs – in 2017. In addition, Texas Eye and Laser Center is one of the first in the nation to use the PanOptix Trifocal Implant. This year they introduced SMILE – the latest in laser vision correction – to Tarrant County.

Advanced technology aside, what makes Drs. Ranelle and Hu truly special is their emphasis on exceptional patient experience. When you walk through the door, you’re part of the family. AREAS OF SPECIALITY: Texas Eye and Laser Center offers a complete range of eye care services including: All-Laser LASIK; SMILE; LenSx® Blade-Free Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery; Advanced Cataract Surgery with the PanOptix Trifocal Implant, TECNIS Symfony®, Symfony Toric, TECNIS® Multifocal, ReSTOR®, ReSTOR® Toric, and ReSTOR® ActiveFocus LifeStyle IOLs; Visian™ Phakic ICL; corneal transplants; glaucoma care; treatment of macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. EDUCATION: Dr. Brian D. Ranelle – University of Texas, Austin; Kansas City University of

Medicine and Biosciences Medical School; Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. Jerry G. Hu, M.D. – Duke University School of Medicine; fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA; Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. INNOVATIONS: Texas Eye and Laser Center is nationally recognized as a principal investigator site for FDA clinical trials of advanced intraocular lens implants including PanOptix Trifocal Implants, TECNIS Symfony® and ReStor® Toric IOLs. Drs. Ranelle and Hu are pioneers of various diagnostic and surgical devices including ORA Intraoperative Wavefront Aberrometry and Verion Image Guided System. Texas Eye and Laser Center offers a range of advanced refractive surgeries that enable patients to see clearly

at all distances with little to no dependency on glasses after cataract surgery. Their state-of-the-art facilities include an on-site Laser Vision Correction Suite and the accredited Texas Eye Surgery Center, offering patients the convenience of comprehensive care under one roof.

PICTURED: Brian D. Ranelle, D.O., and Jerry G. Hu, M.D.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

1872 Norwood Drive • Hurst, Texas 76054 3405 Locke Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76107

817.540.6060 • Fax 817.571.9301

TexasEyeLaser.com

CONCENTRATION: Certified Dispensing Optician. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Boston University, Bachelor of Science; Tyler Junior College, Applied Science in Ophthalmic Technician and Dispensing. MEMBERSHIPS/CERTIFICATION: Optician Association of America - Guild Optician; North Central Texas Regional Certification; SBE Certification - Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.; The Women’s Center (Board Member); Texas Women for the Arts (Member); The Modern Art Museum (Patron); Women’s Business Council Southwest. AWARDS/HONORS: Madame C.J. Walker Award - The Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce; Hats Off to Mothers Benefitting UCP of Tarrant County; Women Influencing Business - Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce; 2014 Eagle Award - Small Business of the Year, Black Chamber of Commerce; Top 50 Tarrant County Women

Owned Business. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Operating an independent and locally owned optical for 40 years. INNOVATIONS: Latest Zeiss and Essilor technologies for specialty lenses and measurements. BEDSIDE MANNER: We value a personalized and detailed approach to understand clients’ specific wants and needs. We want our clients to look and see their best. FREE ADVICE: A current up-to-date Rx is best!

CONTACT INFORMATION: 3550 West 7th St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.377.3500 adaireyewear.com alyceadair@gmail.com

Fort Worth Eye Associates

SPECIALTY: General ophthalmology, cataract surgery, LASIK.

EDUCATION: University of Texas at Austin; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Tarrant County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association, and American Academy of Ophthalmology.

HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Scott & White; All Saints Medical Center ‒ Fort Worth; Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital ‒ Fort Worth; Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital ‒ Southwest Fort Worth; Baylor Surgicare at Fort Worth; Texas Health Surgery Center Parkhill.

INNOVATIONS: CustomVue LASIK; advanced cataract surgery with multifocal and toric IOLs; difficult contact lens fitting; strabismus surgery;

glaucoma care; diabetic eye exams; and dry eye treatment. FREE ADVICE: Do not neglect your eye health. Many conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, affect the eye long-term but do not initially cause vision changes. A dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist can help diagnose these conditions, and treatment needed to maintain the health of your eyes can be implemented. PICTURED: Tyler Moore, M.D.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 5000 Collinwood Ave. • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.732.5593 • Fax 817.732.5499 ranelle.com

FOCUS | OPHTHALMOLOGY, LASIK & VISION SPECIALISTS

SPECIALTY: Ophthalmology: Cataract Surgery, Premium Lens Implants (Crystalens, ReStor, Tecnis, Toric Lens), Laser Refractive Surgery (LASIK with Intralase, VISX, Allegretto), Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous, Diabetic Retinopathy/Lasers, Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma Treatment. EDUCATION: B.A., Magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1986; M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, 1990; Ophthalmology Residency, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, 1995; Vitreoretinal Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1997. CERTIFICATIONS: Board Certified, American Board of Ophthalmology. AWARDS: Physician’s Recognition Award, American Medical Association. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Texas Ophthalmological Association, Texas Medical Association, Tarrant

County Medical Society. AFFILIATIONS: Baylor Surgical Hospital at Las Colinas, Baylor Scott & White-Grapevine, Baylor Scott & White-Irving, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. PATIENT CARE: A commitment to excellence in eye care is enhanced by our outstanding, caring staff. Dr. Reinke is a uniquely talented surgeon who personally provides all preoperative and postoperative care.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. • Southlake, Texas 76092 817.310.6080 • Fax 817.310.6014 1916 Central Drive • Bedford, Texas 76021 817.283.6607 • Fax 817.283.2674

reinke.southlake@gmail.com dfwlasercataract.com

Martin Reinke, M.D.

Ophthalmology Associates was established in 1972 by Dr. Joe Bussey and Dr. Rufus Roberts. The founding of Ophthalmology Associates facilitated their vision to create a multi-specialty eye clinic that, in addition to continuing to offer general ophthalmology care, would be better staffed and equipped to provide coverage of all the different types of specialized eye care than would be reasonable to expect in the traditional general ophthalmology practice setting. Ophthalmology Associates is the only practice In Tarrant county with nearly every type of specialist under one roof.

Our pledge to our patients is as follows. We will continue to engage in research that we believe is likely to benefit our current and future

patients. We will ensure our physicians and staff are continual learners. We will provide a clean and comfortable environment. We will make ourselves available and accessible for urgent and emergent needs at all times.

Our mission is to provide the people of Fort Worth and the surrounding counties with the highest level of eye care available anywhere in the world. Equally important is to be our patient’s advocate, only doing or suggesting things that we feel are in our patient’s best interest. We take our responsibility to our patients, and the physicians or friends that send them, very seriously. In doing so, we seek to consistently meet or exceed their patient care and service expectations.

Sandy Iyer, MD ® Adam Hajovsky, MD ® Judy Myers, OD ® Brian Flowers, MD ® Sean Healey, OD ® Robert Warren, MD ® Ted Margo, MD ® Unni Nair, MD

Dan Bruhl, MD ® Derek Han, MD

David Hendricks, MD

Dwayne Roberts, MD

Sam Abdul-Rahim, MD

Tony Parchue, MD

Tina Chen, MD

see

people | events | snaps

» Even the smallest voice can make a harmony. “The Color Purple” takes on Bass Hall for one night only. continued on page 191 »

Sandie Lee, Mariah Lyttle, Chédra Arielle in “The Color Purple”

PHOTO BY

BRIT

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) hosted its annual Gala on Oct. 2. This year’s event honored Dr. Shirley Sherwood, OBE (Order of the British Empire), recipient of the International Award of Excellence in Conservation, an award given to those who work to exemplify the ideals outlined in BRIT’s plant, research, and conservation mission.

JL Sustainers

The Junior League of Fort Worth Sustainer Fall Social Event was held Sept. 10 at B&B Butchers & Restaurant at Clearfork. The Junior League of Fort Worth is celebrating 90 years.

Greg Bird, Shirley Sherwood, Edward P. Bass

Dee Kelly, Kelly Thompson, Doug Bratton

Ann Ferguson, Anne Paup, Sally Prater

Lauri Lawrence, Paige Pate, Liz Fleischer

Sue Geren, Estelle Johnson, Jenny Michero, Joan Mason

Alexis Brooks, Vicki Dossey, Marsha Dueease, Jackie Daniel

Top Chef 2019

The Fort Worth Magazine Top Chef Challenge was held at River Ranch Stockyards on Sept. 25. Chef Jenna Kinard of 97 West Kitchen and Bar, Hotel Drover won the annual competition.

Micah Kinard, Kaelyn & Antuan Bootle

Ashley & Ken Shutter

Karen Paul, Tommy Owings, Tommy Paul

Jessica & Matt Fisher

Allyson & Kyle Valley, Keeton & Chris Nezworski

Stefon Rishel, Bria Downey, Anthony Felli

2019 Steeplechase Debutantes

On Oct. 19 at River Crest Country Club, the Steeplechase Club presented the 2019 Steeplechase Debutantes at the 103rd Annual Steeplechase Ball.

Steeplechase Debutantes: Miss Katherine Alexander Nolan, Miss Caroline Chaney Parker, Miss Gabrielle Jordan Schlegel, Miss Riley Elizabeth Hamburg, Miss Anna Brett Hyde, Miss Anna Lauren Puff, Miss Meredith Michelle Mallick, Miss Dominique Lucile Melcher, Miss Catherine Chesley Brants, Miss Cordelia Ann Staniford, Miss Lauren Ann Paulus, Miss Juliebeth LeBus

The Art Station

Community leaders gathered on Oct. 15 at the sixth annual Public Figures, Private Artists event to benefit The Art Station, a nonprofit providing art therapy for healing and growth to children, teens, and adults facing difficult life challenges.

Girls Inc.

The Day of the Girl Celebration by Girls Inc. of Tarrant County was held Oct. 11. Change second sentence to: Participants marched through Main Street in downtown Fort Worth, encouraging girls to live out the Girls Inc. motto: “Strong, smart, and bold.”

Dee Kelly, Jr., Marianne Auld

Richard Wilson, Nancy Newton

Mandy Miller, Mike Micallef

Phyllis Ellenburg, Jan Harp, La Vone Scharbauer, Brenda Van Diver, Mica Bergman, Tonya Patterson

Jennifer Limas

Gloria Starling, Regina Williams, Kim Cummings

Sarah Castillo, Emily Spence, Marie Holliday

PREFER TOPICAL TO TYPICAL? GO PUBLIC.™

Think with Krys Boyd on KERA 90.1, features indepth interviews on topics ranging from history, politics, and technology to food and wine, travel and entertainment. Go for the compelling guests. Go for the engaging conversation. Go to listen, learn, engage and think. Go Public.

THINK WITH KRYS BOYD

MONDAY-THURSDAY, 12-2 PM, FRIDAY, 1-2 PM

things to do in DECEMBER

DEC. 7 – 8

The Way North

A former sheriff chooses between kindness and following the law in a winter production that takes on political division and human compassion.

Amphibian Stage Productions

120 S. Main St., 817.923.3012 amphibianstage.com

DEC. 13

Ballet Concerto: A Holiday Special

A sampling of holiday ballets ranging from “A Flamenco Hanukkah” to a reenactment of the Nativity.

Will Rogers Auditorium

3104 W. Lancaster Ave., 817.738.7915, balletconcerto.com

DEC. 14

Seventh Annual Some Like It Cold 5K and 10K

Wake up early on a Saturday morning in December to run five kilometers in the freezing cold — all for a good cause, of course.

Trinity Park Drive and River Drive

817.228.6261 polanskyrunning.com DEC. 14

Holidays in the Garden

Hot chocolate and pictures with Santa make being outside in December #worthit.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., 817.392.5510, fwbg.org

The charismatic talk show host films his final episode of the season at The Modern. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell St., 817.738.9215 Find “Hello, I’m Tony Green” on Facebook

NTBA’s DecemBEARD

Bust out the beard oil and brush out the face-bush, boys. It’s a competition.

Lola’s Trailer Park 2735 W. Fifth St., Find North Texas Beard Alliance on Facebook DEC. 14

EWA Meltdown It may be December, but this insane, live wrestling event is a no-sleeves zone.

Shipping & Receiving Bar 201 S. Calhoun St., 817.887.9313 forget-the-rest.com

DEC. 15

Fort Worth SOUP: A Micro-granting Community Dinner Think crowdfunding — but over the dinner table. Diners will hear pitches from four projects looking to make an impact in Fort Worth. After a vote, the winning idea gets the donations raised at the event.

Shipping & Receiving Bar 201 S. Calhoun St., 817.887.9313 fortworthsoup.wordpress.com

DEC. 15

MADE: An Indoor Festival of Music, Art, Drinks, and Eats

A holiday-themed theatre fundraiser featuring local vendors, art, and eats.

Stage West Theatre 821-823 W. Vickery Blvd., 817.784.9378, stagewest.org

DEC. 15

Pickle & Pints at Martin House Brewing Co.

Drink a Martin House Pickle Beer while playing pickleball. Mind blown.

Martin House Brewing Company

220 S. Sylvania Ave., Ste. 209, 817.222.0177 martinhousebrewing.com

DEC. 21

Acoustic Solstice

An entire block of Race Street will transform into a music festival and holiday market. Enjoy music, art, food trucks, shopping, and more only four days before Christmas.

River East Fort Worth 2900 Race St., acousticsolstice.com

DEC. 19

Christmas with the Annie Moses Band

The Texas family string and vocal ensemble reimagines classic holiday tunes and performs original songs to celebrate the season.

Casa Mañana 3101 W. Lancaster Ave., 817.332.2272, casamanana.org

DEC. 31

New Year’s Eve: A Gershwin Celebration

An iconic selection of music glamorous enough for all the NYE sparkle. Cheers.

Bass Performance Hall 525 Commerce St. 817.212.4200, basshall.com

JAN. 4

Josh Abbott Band

There has never been a more swoon-worthy date night in Cowtown. Just tell her, “She’s like Texas.”

Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza, 817.624.7117 billybobstexas.com

JAN. 4

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Featuring The Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the Tulane Green Wave, the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl returns to TCU’s stadium for a matchup that also pays tribute to our men and women in uniform.

Amon G. Carter Stadium 2850 Stadium Drive, 817.810.0012 armedforcesbowl.com

Give Back Calendar

There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the lives of people in this great community. As the city’s magazine — which has the eyes and ears of some of Fort Worth’s most affluent and philanthropic citizens — we feel a responsibility to give back to the people of the city that is our namesake, which is why Philanthropy is one of our core values.

Every year, Fort Worth Magazine sponsors more than 100 charity events, which range from luncheons to black-tie galas. The following promotional section is devoted to these charities and their fundraisers. We invite you to consciously peruse and consider lending a helping hand by either making a donation or attending these events.

give back

Thank You Thank You

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE GENEROSITY OF OUR OFFICIAL

JEWELER

THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO CELEBRATE

BECOME AN ANGEL AND JOIN US!

THE 66 TH ANNUAL

Ours is Children Ours is Children give

JEWEL CHARITY BALL

LEAP DAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2020

DICKIES ARENA

Jewel Charity Angel donors are the cornerstone of our organization. Your Angel gifts provide access to care for the precious patients at Cook Children’s.

Since 1953 the Jewel Charity Ball has honored our Angel donors at Fort Worth’s longest-standing black tie event.

They have their wings Let’s Help Them Fly

Thank you to our generous supporters!

HONORARY CHAIR: Dr. Mary Martin Patton

EVENT CHAIRS: Diane Ayres, Ashley Peeders and Amy Yudiski

FOUNDING CHAIR: Jean W. Roach

2019 LEAP FROG COMMITTEE:

Karen Anfin

Bill Ayres

Amy Bailey

Brenda Blaylock

Emily Christy

Lori Davis

Angelique De Luca

Katie Farmer

Lee Henry

Sarah Jackson

Thresa Lohmann

Saori Matthews

Harriet McKinney

Joan Rogers

John Sommers

Marilyn Tolbert

Elizabeth Tranberg

Lauren Yamagata

Interim Dean, College of Education: Dr. Jan Lacina

Director and Jean W. Roach Chair of Laboratory Schools: Dr. Kristen Adams

SUPERFROG SPONSOR

$25,000

Linda J. and Patrick Rayes

HORNED FROG SPONSOR

$15,000

Fort Worth Magazine

KINDERFROG SPONSOR

$10,000

The Roach Foundation/Jean and John Roach

LEAP FROG SPONSOR

$5,000

Amegy Bank of Texas

K & L Enterprises Inc./Karen and Larry Anfin

Amon G. Carter Foundation

Angelique De Luca

Once Upon a Time…

Lissa Noël Wagner

Lauren and Mark Yamagata

VALET SPONSOR: Rent a Frog Valet, LLC

COCKTAIL SPONSOR: Blackland Distillery

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Dylan Davis

Sponsors as of October 10

FROG SPONSOR

$3,000

Garvey Texas Foundation/Richard and Tera Garvey

GM Financial

Lee and JJ Henry/Lindsay and Ian Lee

Sarah and Jeremy Jackson

Christina and Mark Johnson

Luther King Capital Management/Teresa and Luther King

Jennifer and David Kostohryz

Dan Lowrance

McDonald Sanders, P.C., Attorneys at Law

Sara and Greg Scheideman

PURPLE SPONSOR

$1,500

Megan and Victor Boschini

Katie and Jeff Farmer DUNAWAY

Charlotte and Kirk French

Sally and Jay Gardner

Ronda and Tom Hill

Junior League of Fort Worth

Betsy and Steve Palko

Audrey and Jeff Rogers

Joan and Tom Rogers

give back

BREAKFAST with St. NICUlas

SANTA’S HELPERS

Once Upon a Time

SANTA’S HELPERS MEDIA SPONSOR

Fort Worth Magazine

GINGERBREAD MEN

Taylor & Rhett Bennett • Curry Printing Inc.

TOY SOLDIERS

Taylor and Rhett Bennett • Laurie and Clark Kemble

Debra and Aaron Koppelberger • Cynthia and Trey Siegel

CANDY CANES

Maggie and David Cleveland • Alison and Chris Edwards • Stephanie Eidson

Bonnie and Aaron Huckaby • JTaylor • Law Office of Paup, Shutt & Associates, P.C.

Chesleigh and Blake Lloyd • Deborah and Gary Martin

Mr. and Mrs. Richard McMillan II • Laura and Rick McWhorter

Libby and Chris Moore and Family • Newborn Nightingales

Mary Catherine and Chad Parsons • Tug Hill* • The Wolman Family

SUGAR PLUMS

Amy and Tom Casey • Sharon Cofer

Sarah and Charlie Florsheim • Clair and Herd Midkiff

Ashley and Andrew Norman • Mike and Linda Wallace

DONATIONS

Sharon Cofer • Sarah and Charlie Florsheim

Amy and Jason Mills

*Denotes more than one sponsorship | Sponsors as of print deadline give back

EXCHANGE AVENUE

Meredith and Stephen Luskey

CATTLEPEN PATRON

Bell

Double Eagle Natural Resources, LP

General Motors Financial

Lockheed Martin

Morrison Supply

Virginia Durham

TWO-STEP PARTNER

Ketchum Charitable Trust

Paige Southern and Ryan Lynch

PREMIUM TABLE SPONSOR

Andrew’s Distributing

Baylor Scott & White Health

Ben E. Keith Beverages

BNSF

Burt Ladner Real Estate

CapTex Bank

Cavender’s

Colonial Commercial Real Estate

Hall’s CARE-MART Pharmacy

Hendrick’s Gin

Higginbotham Community Fund

Justin Williams, Burt Ladner Real Estate

Medical City Fort Worth

Moncrief Cancer Institute

Muckleroy & Falls

Origin Bank

Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth

Texas Health Resources

These are a few of my favorite things…

$180 Allows one middle or high school student to attend summer school.

$500 Supports the Airpower Foundation mission wherever a military family might need help.

$140 Provides meals for a client for one month.

$50 Provides financial training course materials for five Gatehouse women.

$30,606 Contribute to each organization and each project in The Catalog.

$150 Helps grant an “emergency wish” for a child facing an urgent life-threatening situation.

$ 60 Provides five sessions in the social engagement group for one person recently diagnosed.

$500 Provides continuing education for board-certified therapists who deliver Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy.

$ 0 Be a Big. We need incredible people who want to change a child’s life. Please contact our office to find out how. give back

These are 9 of the 83 great ways to help in the community this year through The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever®. Each organization has matching funds available through the catalog to make your contribution go even further. For more information visit tggce.org or call 817-922-8297.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

S ILVER C REEK M ATERIALS steward of the earth

» “I am always on the lookout for shape, angles of shadows, light, and how people interact with it. On this particular day, I was walking up to the corner of Sixth and Main streets. I could see the sun shining through two buildings from the east, casting shadows on the street. From eye level nothing really stood out; then I noticed a parking garage above that gave a clear vantage point of the streets below … For me, the light is what speaks the most. I’m drawn to capture regular, pedestrian moments but framed by high contrasts of light and shadow. It invites the eyes to linger and study a moment in time they would otherwise have forgotten.”

So you’ve snapped a cool pic of the city. We want to see it. Tag your photos on Instagram with #arlingtoncamera and #fwtxmag. Not only will the winning image get published in the Close section of the magazine; the winning photographer gets a $150 gift card to Arlington Camera — so hit us with your best shot.

@f_stoop_ PHOTO BY ANDREW STROHEKER

Knows of a real, live tiki bar on the edge of Eagle Mountain Lake.

Can point you to Fort Worth’s finest mac-n-cheese.

Will show you a hidden gem of a park, with fields for flying kites, flying discs or playing fetch with Fido.

PAT SAFIAN

BERNIE NAUTA

BIP NAUTA

CHRISTINA WARDEN

GWEN HARPER

VIRGINIA DURHAM

CAREN PARTEN MARGARET MOTHERAL

KARI RUTH

MISTY WEAVER

KELLY JORDAN PAIGE

SPORTY

Driving

General manager Charles C. Bancroft’s familyowned and -operated trucking company, Bancroft and Sons Transportation, is committed to giving clients stellar service from coast to coast. And when such excellence drives your career, it also drives your choice in vehicles, which is why both Charles and his wife, Amanda, look to Park Place Porsche Grapevine for the luxury vehicles they love to drive.

When they’re not commuting to their office, a short distance from their Grand Prairie home, Charles and Amanda are frequently on the road to high school athletic events for their two teenagers. The Bancrofts not only ride in comfort, they cruise in sporty style

in their 2019 Porsche Macan S from Park Place Porsche Grapevine. “The Macan S is an awesome vehicle to drive and is loaded with options and features that make it both sporty and safe at the same time,” Charles says. Also boasting Porsche classic design and powerful engines, the Bancroft’s new 2019 Porsche 911 GTS leaves them looking for reasons to drive it. “The 911 just puts a smile on my face each and every time I get behind the wheel,” he says.

Praising the dealership’s unsurpassed, “topnotch customer service,” Charles says, “Park Place is My Place because they always make every effort to make our purchases as easy as possible.”

Fort Worth Magazine - December 2019

Life on Fire

Red Tape

Eat It Up

Share Your Shot

HOME Design Awards

Home for the Holidays

Hanging Out with Punky Brewster

What’s Online

know

» Visit Fort Worth Forms Commission to Further Invest in Sports

Gran Fondo Hincapie Cycling Series Returns to Fort Worth

Unprecedented Tech Elevates The Sinclair as Eco-Friendly Icon

Careity Foundation Goes Quarter-Century Strong in 25th Anniversary

Fort Worth is Teaming Up to Help Bring More Grocery Options to Low-Income Areas

Karen Kenaston-French

Artistic director/conductor of the Fort Worth Chorale

Karen’s Essentials

The Real Raphael

Compass Concierge

Twigs American Kitchen Unveils New Menu and Stylish Transformation

The Fort Worth restaurant refreshes menu offerings and decor

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music | style | health | shopping

The Melody Maker

A Spot of Chic

Fur Walking

Collar Chic

Soft Touch

Eye Love Leopard

Meow Mix

Season’s Self-Care

Tips for holiday health.

Mind

Body

Connection

35 LOCAL GIFTS

Life on Fire

Days in the lives of first responders

BILL

YEARS

Fire

ROLAND

MEDSTAR EMS

FORT WORTH

Police

TRIED AND TRUE

TOKYO CAFE

PARIS COFFEE SHOP

CAFÉ MODERN

BIRD CAFÉ

The Tried and True

Menu

Get Started:

Wet Your Whistle:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Sweet Endings:

RODEO GOAT

PACIFIC TABLE

TAVERNA

SAINT-EMILION

CLAY PIGEON

KINCAID’S

ANGELO’S BBQ

The ORIGINAL Horse

FFive

are settled near elite quarter horses at the Moncrief Ranch near Aledo.

The last wild horse

Kit’s mission

Care and conservation

Future plans

My Holiday Traditions

My Holiday Traditions

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Home Ownership Made Easy for Your Family

Putting Experience to Work for You

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