The Most Loved Chef in Fort Worth It’s dedication that has made Chef Jon Bonnell so successful. He has remained grounded throughout, which, in a society where chefs are becoming as swaggering as A-list celebrities, is why Fort Worth seems to love him so much. by Celestina Blok
46
Cultural Restitution The unsung heroes assigned to saving the cultural history and buidings in war areas during combat during WW II were called the Monuments Men. Today, 70-plus years later, this story has several intriguing local connections to Fort Worth and its own cultural history, including two valuable works of art currently on view at the Kimbell Art Museum. by Gail Bennison
53Bridal Guide A comprehensive listing of everything bridal throughout the Metroplex
60 Great Debate In 1935 TCU became the first white college in the South to host a black college for a forensic contest. by E.R. Bills
Chef Jon Bonnell enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time, so we asked him to bring some of his gear on the day of his photo shoot.
New ER now open!
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth has opened the brand-new Marion Emergency Care Center. This advanced 75,000-square-foot facility offers a high level of experience and expertise as a Level II Trauma Center, Primary Stroke Center, Cycle III Chest Pain Center, Heart Failure Center and an Emergency Center of Excellence. With its innovative technologies and more efficient process to allow more patients to be seen, emergency health care in Fort Worth may never be the same.
Patient’s
Culture The latest book and music reviews as well as a look at the Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection exhibit happening at the Kimbell Art Museum
72
Up Close The Long Road Home: A native of Kingston, Jamaica, many know Donald Clarke as a favorite valet at River Crest Country Club. by Courtney Dabney
80 Snapshots Behind the ropes and on the red carpet, the photos of the personalities and parties that have everyone talking
101
fwevents From the mustsee live concert to the highly esteemed art exhibit, a month of events worth checking out 111
fwdish Culinary ventures in and around town
120 Dish Listings The most sought-after restaurant guide to navigate the area’s diverse dining options
128 Where Is This? How well do you know Fort Worth? Can you guess where this photo was taken based on the clues?
Hometown Heroes
Presented by Shale exploration
Kathryn Arnold
Executive Director, Family Pathfinders of Tarrant County
Kathryn Arnold believes in second chances. And she also believes that everyone — no matter how “hopeless” the situation — is capable of turning his or her life around. So when it comes to helping emancipate people from the bonds of poverty, homelessness and re-entry after incarceration, this Hometown Hero doesn’t just break the cycle — she crushes it.
As executive director of Family Pathfinders of Tarrant County, Arnold pulls out all the stops to ensure her organization meets its mission of strengthening the community by empowering individuals and families to attain independence. “I am passionate about transforming lives,” says Arnold, who has served as executive director for 10 years. “The ripple effect of that change is incredibly exciting to me.”
Whether she’s shepherding the Mentoring program, which pairs volunteers with folks trying to regain their footing after imprisonment, or spearheading the Financial Capability program that teaches clients how to manage their money, Arnold always adds plenty of extra oomph. But the hours logged are well worth the effort, she says, because the results are so fulfilling.
“There is nothing better than seeing the sense of accomplishment on a client’s face when she has achieved a personal goal,” Arnold says. “I feel privileged and honored to serve our clients every day, and I truly believe our programs make Tarrant County a better place.”
Shale Exploration, LLC, chases oil throughout North America but we proudly call Fort Worth our home. So to us, Fort Worth is not just where we work; it’s a place we love. Shale’s pledge to be a good corporate neighbor is one we take seriously and look forward to growing through initiatives like sponsoring Family Pathfinders of Tarrant County and also by supporting other community events. Shale’s philanthropic endeavors make a significant difference to numerous organizations, through community development, social services, health and medical causes and education. To learn more, visit our website at www.ShaleExploration.com
a family tradition
I remember exItIng bryant IrvIn road off Interstate 20 not long after Jon bonnell opened bonnell’s fIne texas CuIsIne restaurant and sayIng to myself, “thIs guy needs a louder sIgn.” His understated pale beige-yellow and muted burgundy sign certainly didn’t scream: “I am a new restaurant; come in and try me.” Knowing the success rate of launching a stand-alone restaurant, I thought, if this sign is any indication of his marketing, this restaurant is not going to make it.
Jon has told me that I wasn’t the only one who had doubts about his restaurant’s success back in 2001. He said his financial advisors and fellow chefs advised him against it. The concept of a farm-to-table, stand-alone, fine dining restaurant was just too risky. Twelve years later, Jon has bucked the odds. Not only has Bonnell’s made it, it is now considered one of the restaurant jewels of our city and consistently receives the highest food rating in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex by the Zagat Survey of Texas Restaurants.
Bonnell’s love of wild game, which is prominent on his menu in the form of venison, quail, duck, elk and buffalo, stems from his lifetime love of hunting with his brother, a local physician, and his father, a retired dentist, on his family’s Walsh Ranches.
If you are new to Fort Worth and don’t know the Walsh name, you may have heard of the 7,200-acre, high-end landmark residential and retail Walsh Ranch development in west Fort Worth and Aledo that will soon be home to up to 50,000 residents. This was the headquarters for Jon’s family’s Walsh ranch, where Jon grew up hunting quail, dove and ducks. His greatgrandparents, F. Howard and Mary D.
Walsh, purchased this acreage in the 1940s to serve as the headquarters to the Walsh family ranches and made their mark in the Fort Worth area by giving generously of themselves and their resources. Their love for Fort Worth and sense of responsibility to giving back is something that is in Jon’s blood. It’s a family tradition.
While there are a large number of great chefs in Fort Worth who give of their time and resources for local non-profit charities, Jon is the most active I know. From helping them market to donors, to cooking for benefits, to giving away sampling of food at events, Jon lives by a philosophy of paying it forward. In 2013, he was involved in 35 charity events and currently sits on six charity boards.
Last night I attended a fundraising event in Jon’s new Water’s restaurant in the West 7th development. The reception and the private viewing of the movie Lone Survivor that followed was to raise awareness of a 501c3 charity called The Boot Campaign, whose mission is to show appreciation for our troops, cultivate awareness of the challenges they face upon return and raise funds for military programs meeting the physical and emotional needs of our heroes. Jon shut down the entire restaurant for this event, no small sacrifice.
In typical Jon Bonnell fashion, like the understated pale beige-yellow and muted burgundy sign that adorns his flagship Bonnell’s restaurant, at the reception he thanked the guests for attending and turned the microphone over to others to take the spotlight. This is why I love Jon Bonnell and why I think the rest of Fort Worth loves him too.
epps x155 account executive courtney kennebeck x126 account executive kolby simonson x141 circulation accounting manager evelyn shook office manager felicia brantley founding publisher mark hulme editor emeritus paul k. harral to subscribe to Fort Worth, Texas magazine, or to ask
stayconnected
Working Ranches
What a great story on the ranches (See Life on the Ranch, January issue, page 54), and it isn’t hard to say the photo cover certainly made me want to read more. Thomas is my son, so naturally I’m very proud of him.
Thanks to Gail [Bennison] for doing such a good job of making him look so good and Tom B. too.
I would think these type stories would be fantastic marketing pieces with all the horseman events that are held throughout the year! This selection of people is certainly well grounded in the horse and cattle industry— something Fort Worth has always been known for. They’ve all been here from the start.
Thanks again for spotlighting the Saunders family.—Ann Saunders
I’m reading the new issue of Fort Worth, Texas magazine on this beautiful Christmas Day and wanted to compliment you on scoring 100 on this issue! Of course, I’m a little biased about all things Western but loved the profile on Kay Gay, fashions from Maverick and a look at the great ranches and ranching families in the area. Well done.—Pam Minick
I’d just like to say how much I and all my ranching friends enjoyed Gail Bennison’s story! I knew all the ranches involved. Some are neighbors and really good folks. I hope to see more ranch type stuff in your fine magazine. After all...Fort Worth is...“Where the West begins.” Keep up the superior work! —Karla Stailey
Life on the Ranch
Interesting article and great photos! Love to hear about families like these on working ranches. Makes me proud to live in Texas! —Cheryl Libbert
Most Beautiful
Shame on Fort Worth, Texas magazine! Sure, everyone is special in their own way, but placing these “special” women in this article and making fun of them by saying that they’re “the most beautiful women in Fort Worth” is just cruel.—Samson
Bouncing Back
Great article! My wife was diligent about working out while she was pregnant and as soon as she got cleared from her doc post baby. I think it really helped her—both physically and (more importantly) mentally.—Santino
New
Look
Awesome job, FWTX staff! The photos, articles and layout are all fantastic. Proud to be among this beautiful group of ladies! —Claire Bloxom
Up Close
I so very much want to thank you for the article written about me by Alison Rich in the Up Close section of your December publication (see page 104). I, literally, cannot go
anywhere, and I do mean a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e, without someone saying, “Ronnie, I read the article about you in Fort Worth, Texas magazine, and it was GREAT” (with major emphasis on the way they say Great)!!
Randy Galloway, the extremely respected Metroplex “sports guru” journalist for many decades (and a long-time friend), emailed me: “That was a great, great piece on you ...” !! I feel that I just cannot say enough about the writing talent of Alison. I felt very humbled and honored by the way she wrote about my life in such a flattering way—it really meant a lot and very much touched me.
Additionally, I want you to know that every person I met on behalf of Fort Worth, Texas magazine was a true professional in every way.
Sincerely,
Ronnie Mills
someone
outsidevoice
1
One of our favorite food writers, Celestina Blok, got the opportunity to sit down with Fort Worth’s most beloved chef. In our cover story, Celestina shares how Chef Jon Bonnell manages to balance two small children, two fine dining restaurants, two published cookbooks, countless culinary accolades and national TV appearances, hunting and fishing hobbies and a recent Ironman competition. To read more, turn to page 38.
2
Gail Bennison did her research for her feature story this month about the Monuments Men
(Cultural Restitution, page 46). These unsung heroes were assigned the task of saving the cultural history and buildings in war areas from combat damage during World War II, including two valuable works of art on view at the Kimbell. In the final year of the war, the focus shifted, as they tracked, located and, in the years that followed, returned more than 5 million artistic and cultural items stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. One determined North Texan, Robert M. Edsel, spent the last 10 years of his life researching and writing about these heroes. The highly anticipated
new film The Monuments Men, directed by George Clooney from a screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, is based on the best-selling book of the same title by Robert Edsel with Bret Witter and will be officially released in theaters nationwide on Feb. 7.
3
Writer E.R. Bills is a master at finding interesting bits of history that not many people are aware of, and he doesn’t disappoint this month. In 1935, TCU became the first white college in the South to host a black college for a forensic contest. At the time
We are always looking for fresh talent. If you are a writer, illustrator or photographer, please send your work samples and resume to Jennifer Casseday-Blair, executive editor, at jcasseday@fwtexas.com. If you want to get a comment or suggestion to one of our current contributors, please send to that same email address. We want to hear from you. 1 3 2 7 8 5 4 6
Wiley College faced TCU, Wiley was such an intellectual force that few black or white colleges dared challenge them, especially in the South, because they dominated every debate. But the Forensic Frogs were undeterred. Find out more in Bill’s story, Great Debate, on page 60.
4
Courtney Dabney dabbles in a bit of everything this month. She reviewed two restaurants (pages 114 and 118) and filled us in on what some of the area’s romantic spots are doing for Valentine’s Day (page 116). Courtney also caught up with an extraordinary personality, Donald Clarke, who is a native of Kingston, Jamaica, and is now a favorite valet at River Crest Country Club and founder/head coach of the Jamerican Flyers Track Club. Read more about his incredible story on page 72.
5Former Fort Worth magazine intern and now associate editor for The Community News, Jennifer Retter delves into animal assisted therapy and its benefits when used in mental health counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech therapy and more. Read Patient’s Best Friend on page 24 to learn more.
6Regular contributor Jocelyn Tatum caught up with the Arlington-based
group Pentatonix that is taking over the music scene with their innovative twist on pop and electronic music. Jocelyn also reviewed the book Texas Obscurities: Stories of the Peculiar, Exceptional and Nefarious by one of our regular writers, E.R. Bills. To read Jocelyn’s contributions this month, turn to page 28.
7
In her feature this month, Artisans of Warfare, Jessica Llanes wrote about the first special exhibition in the Kimbell Art Museum’s Renzo Piano Pavilion. Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection is one of the finest private collections of Samurai armor and returns to Texas after an international tour. For more information about the exhibit, go to page 26.
8
Julie Eastman founded Extraordinary Events and Design to offer upscale event design to Fort Worth and the surrounding area. She is a Certified Wedding Specialist (CWS) and has a degree in interior design, which helps her create breathtaking spaces for events. She has been designing beautiful spaces for more than 20 years. Julie serves as event chairman for the first-ever Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival and is co-founder and CEO of InsideOut Incorporated, a Christian-based nonprofit that inspires young women to make positive and life-impacting decisions. On theme with our bridal guide in this issue, Julie wrote a guest column about the adventures in wedding planning on page 70. Let your voice be heard
Baylor
Orthopedic and Spine Hospital at Arlington Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Orthopedic Care.
Life doesn’t stop for aches and pains and neither should you. Luckily, Baylor Arlington’s continual focus on excellence has allowed us to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for our spine care, hip replacement and knee replacement programs. And, our specialized teams have earned a 99% patient satisfaction rate. This means, you can expect excellent treatment and recovery, delivered by a staff that cares about you and your family – helping you to get back to enjoying life and doing the things you love.
To find out more about these awards and what they mean to you, visit our website at BaylorArlington.com or call 855.41.ORTHO for an appointment.
at the cover shoot
who: Chef Jon Bonnell. where: Waters Bonnell’s Coastal Cuisine. what went down : Chef Jon Bonnell set aside an entire day out of his busy schedule for our cover shoot. We had a great time with him in his recently opened restaurant, Waters. Bonnell gave us the grand tour, even a behind-thescenes look at the kitchen, and let us know about the Waters Cookbook coming out in March. For a closer look into Bonnell's backstory, check out his video at fwtx.com.
Fort worth Food + wine Festival commemorative cookbook
For the First time, the area’s Finest and most beloved cheFs (and the Foodies who love them) will unite in Fort worth For a long weekend oF truly extraordinary cuisine. To celebrate the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival’s inaugural event, Fort Worth, Texas magazine is publishing a commemorative cookbook highlighting favorite recipes submitted by the chefs as well as wine pairings, chef profiles and other foodie features.
The cookbook is available starting in March. To get a copy, call 817.560.6111 or go to fwtx.com/cookbookFW.
ReadeRs' Poll
This month we asked readers if they think it makes more sense to spend the money on a lavish wedding or save it for an extravagant honeymoon.
57% Honeymoon
41% Wedding
2% Said Neither and Didn’t Believe in Marriage
BesT oF FoRT WoRTh
It’s that time of year again. Make your voices heard by visiting fwtx.com and voting for your favorite local establishments, individuals and service providers. It’s a great way to support what you love about Fort Worth and surrounding counties.
ToP CheF
Nominate your favorite chefs in town by visiting fwtx.com/topchef. The Top Chef competition will be in July. To make sure your chef makes it to the competition, get the word out and make nominations now.
2013 Chefs’ Recipes
Presented by
Fort worth Food + wine Festival
Staying connected with the latest local happenings
thescoop
working up a thirst
A farmer from Muleshoe breathed new spirit into an underutilized crop of black-eyed peas — becoming a premium vodka distiller, now operating out of an abandoned firehouse on Fort Worth’s Southside.
| by courtney dabney |
It takes a visionary to look at a bunch of withering black-eyed peas and wonder what they would taste like if you could bottle them up. Trey Nickels did just that as he surveyed his drought-stricken crop four years ago.
After researching the plausibility of such an enterprise, validating the formula and distilling process, Nickels along with his mother, Deborah, owner of Unhinged Productions, found out that black-eyed peas can, indeed, be distilled into vodka. “Nobody else is doing it,” Deborah said.
The next step was to decide where to set up shop. Austin, San Antonio and Dallas were all contenders, but Paul Paine and Megan Henderson of Fort Worth South, Inc., welcomed TreyMark Vodka with open arms.
Fire Station No. 5, which had been sold
to a developer some 15 years ago, was slated to become office space. “Fran McCarthy, construction supervisor, had restored the building — retaining all of its historic elements, and we just loved it instantly,” said Deborah.
Founder Trey had served for some 14 years as a volunteer fireman in Parmer County and had a deep respect for both the profession and the building. It had the perfect interior and volume needed to install the copper still. Finding the building cemented the Nickels’ desire to plant TreyMark on Fort Worth’s Southside.
TreyMark Black-Eyed Vodka will be the company’s flagship offering and should be in the bottle by sometime this spring. It boasts a clean, nutty flavor, minus the burn of other brands. A premium vodka named Nickel Plated Number Five will pay homage to its birth in the historic fire station and will be part of Phase II of the opera-
tion. “TreyMark was born out of drought and circumstance, and we can’t wait to introduce our product to the community.”
Deborah said
If the launch of Fort Worth’s first hometown whiskey — TX Blended Whiskey by Firestone & Robertson — is any indication, TreyMark Black-Eyed Vodka will be a hot commodity around town very soon.
kari crowe seher is an editorial photographer-turned-ice cream maven. When strolling the streets of the Southside with her husband, Seher noticed something was missing — a neighborhood ice cream shop. So she did her homework, traveling far and wide to make her passion a reality.
Melt Ice Creams is a craft ice cream shop, meaning freshly churned recipes full of natural ingredients, not powdered mixes. It is ice cream made the old-fashioned way, a “farm-to-cone” concept. Flavors like lavender and lemon-basil will be showcased. Seher hopes you will taste the difference when Melt Ice Creams opens this spring at 954 Rosedale St. — Courtney Dabney
independents day
Area movie-producing pair grabs industry award for their Texas-themed indie flick.
| by alison rich |
These days, it seems like a movie has to have a multi-zilliondollar budget backed by a big-name studio, a star-encrusted cast of “A-list” actors, props that explode and guns that reload to wrangle any buzz. (And, lest we forget: those not-so flattering 3D glasses you’ve got to sport from the moment the opening credits roll.) Thankfully, though, that’s not always the case especially when there’s a pair of award-winning Lone Star producers on the job.
Enter Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston, a Dallas-area producing duo who recently nabbed the Piaget Producers Award from Los Angeles-based Film Independent for their work on the indie drama Ain’t Them Bodies Saints. (The film itself, which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was released in theaters last August, also has garnered its fair share of kudos, including the Cinematography Award in the U.S. Dramatic Category at Sundance. It was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.)
In its 19th year, the Piaget Award honors emerg-
on the upbeat
it’s no surprise that the Fort Worth symphony orchestra’s music director, miguel harth-bedoya, was recently honored as “Texan with Character” by CBS DFW. “I am happy to call myself a Texan by adoption! All my children were born in Fort Worth, and we consider
No More Excuses
the burgeoning southside now has a convenient new place to work out.
ing producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce top-quality independent films. And, much to the winners’ delight, it also comes with a $25,000 grant.
“We just got in from Texas and now we’ve got all this money,” said a giddy Johnston as part of his acceptance speech at the West Hollywood ceremony. He and Halbrooks, however, didn’t have long to step away from the action and eye their prize. In fact, their next film, Listen Up, Phillip, premiered in Park City, Utah, just a few short weeks later.
Besides its compelling storyline — a prison escapee hoofs it across the Texas Hill Country in search of his estranged wife and the daughter he’s never met — we love that the movie (and other indies like it) doesn’t rely on the standard knock-em, sock-em storyline. Instead, it banks on the power of emotion and (novel concept here) a richly compelling storytelling to grip moviegoers from beginning to end.
Oh, and maybe the best part of the whole indie deal: no off-putting glasses required.
it home. It is a great honor to be considered a ‘Texan of Character,’” Harth-Bedoya says.
The interview aired on Jan. 17, but you can see the full feature online at dfw.cbslocal.com/category/watchlisten/texans-with-character.
“We are thrilled that his dedication to bringing great music and artists to the city of Fort Worth has been recognized with this title,” says Amy Adkins, president of the FWSO.
The honor came at an exciting time for Harth-Bedoya, whose brainchild, Caminos del Inka, was performed for the first time at Bass Performance Hall in January. Peruvian-born Harth-Bedoya takes listeners on a highly acclaimed multimedia journey down the Incan Trail in Caminos del Inka while celebrating Latin American composers.
But that’s not all. In May, Harth-Bedoya will also receive an honorary doctorate from TCU. —FWTX Staff
Anytime Fitness opens this month at 1714 8th Ave., offering 24-hour access and affordable memberships.
Anytime Fitness is the world’s largest and fastest growing 24-hour co-ed fitness franchise. Members have the luxury of fitting time for exercise into their schedules rather than being bound by normal hours of operation at other clubs.
Using a security-access key, members can gain entrance to the club even when it is not staffed. Hear that sound? It is sound of all your excuses flying right out the window.
The location is perfect for all the hospital employees working nearby who have had trouble getting to a gym in the past, due to their busy non-traditional work hours. Owners Jeff and Ann Mannon are so committed to this gym and this location, they held their wedding there on Dec. 17, 2013. Jeff Mannon says, “Choosing this club makes it easy for members to stay committed to their fitness goals.”
Anytime Fitness is also great for the world-traveler, offering membership reciprocity among its 2,300+ clubs worldwide, so you can stay fit wherever you are. Expect state-of-the-art strength training and cardio equipment as well as group fitness training and Fitness on Request — a kiosk-based video group fitness that is available whenever you are. Members can also add tanning to their membership.
Courtney Dabney
haute Boeuf
Burgundy Pasture Beef has Been Producing a full selection of 100 Percent, grassfed and Pasture-raised Beef in grandview since 1999. Jon and Wendy Taggart promise to never use growth hormones, and they strive toward a sustainable environment for their cattle, in keeping with the French tradition.
By the end of the month, Burgundy’s Local will be opening a storefront at 3326 W. 7th St. The heart of this market will be the Boucherie (meat market) — cutting and packaging exclusively pastured meats that are both USDA inspected and approved.
Their meat market was the first and only one of its kind in the D/FW area. “People probably thought we were crazy when we started this 15 years ago, but we have a loyal customer base who will find our newest location very convenient,” Jon Taggart said.
They also purvey free-range chicken, grass-fed lamb and pastured pork.
When you stop into this local meat market with more than 45 different cuts to choose from, as well as other seasonal fare, you can also sample one of their fresh burgers hot off the grill. To sample these burgers, stop in any Friday-Sunday.
Burgundy’s Local will also be offering cooking and food education classes from their new demonstration kitchen. Education is a big part of the design. They have hired a professional chef to plan and implement the classes. —Courtney Dabney
well ‘woof’ the wait
Part of its comprehensive plan to save more animals, the City of Fort Worth breaks ground on innovative medical treatment ward at the Chuck Silcox Animal Shelter.
For a homeless animal, life sans a family is tough enough. Then factor illness into the mix, and you’ve got the makings of a very sad scenario, as most shelters struggle to care for their healthy charges — let alone the sick ones.
Thankfully the City of Fort Worth — in partnership with the Community Foundation of North Texas and a menagerie of generous donors — broke ground Jan. 15 on a 4,600-square-foot medical treatment ward that will up the capacity to house and treat ailing animals at the Chuck Silcox Animal Shelter. It’s slated to open in September.
“With the new addition, shelter staff will now be able to add a sound medical treatment program as they strive to reach their goal of saving the life of every healthy and treatable dog and cat that comes through their doors,” according to a released statement from the City of Fort Worth. The addition will enable a minimum of 60 dogs and cats to be isolated and treated, the release notes.
Some 20,000 strays land at the shelter annually, many of which are brought in sick. Now with the multiplied square footage and expanded access to medical treatment, our local four-leggeds will finally get the care they deserve.
Taco Fever
founder scott wooley says, "SoCal Tacos is so stoked to introduce their laid-back style and great food to Grapevine. After surviving cancer in 2010, my wife and I were ready to start something new, something that would give us the chance to share our testimony with people."
A food truck named Woody first introduced the area to true Southern California street tacos and has been growing a local following in Keller, Southlake and Grapevine ever since.
The surfer theme continues inside the new brick-and-mortar taco shop. They also serve Gnarly Nachos and Burritos, named after favorite surfing beaches like the Del Mar, featuring chicken or the Laguna with shrimp. Delicious margaritas and "Killer" salsa will make waves as well.
—Courtney Dabney
| by alison rich |
BURT LADNER REAL ESTATE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BEST OF THE WEST
“IF
YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT’S JUST THIS SIMPLE. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. AND BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING.” - WILL ROGERS
Feb. 16 - Aug. 17.
Your definitive guide to living well
fwliving
The Kimbell Art Museum hosts a major exhibition of ancient Japanese Armor in an exhibit running from
Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection will feature the highly decorated armor that fearsome warriors wore from head-to-toe. To find out more, turn to page 26.
Fort Worth, Texas: The City’s
fwliving escapes
pura vida in costa rica
Costa Rica is a country of coastal plains and rugged mountains where a temperate tropical climate and historically peaceful culture merge to calm the souls of weary travelers young and old.
| by kyle whitecotton |
This is where the amateur photographer sets his sites on that NatioNal GeoGraphic cover shot as he walks among jaguars and ocelots, capuchin monkeys and toucans, and colorful amphibians and extraordinary reptiles. But more importantly, this is the place where young kids are encouraged to dream big when they consider Mother Nature’s paintbrush and where old kids rejuvenate their imaginations and rekindle their forgotten sense of awe.
Whether you’re swimming in the lagoons below El Chorro Waterfall near Montezuma, taking surfing lessons in the waves off Mal Pais, exploring the caves of Barra Honda National Park near Tamarindo, hiking and canyoneering the Caribbean rainforests around Puerto Viejo, or simply kicking back and relaxing in the hot springs of Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica is one of the top family vacation locations in Central America.
As one of the world’s most biologically
diverse areas, Costa Rica boasts 20 national parks and numerous nature reserves and protected areas. Two of the country’s best parks stretch out along the Caribbean coastline. At 64,000 acres, Tortuguero National Park is a world of beaches, canals, lagoons and wetlands where a canoe or kayak is the best means for encountering local residents like the spectacled caiman, river otters, spider monkeys, the endangered West Indian manatee, or the area’s most popular local: the protected green sea turtle that comes ashore at night to lay her eggs beneath the Caribbean sand.
At more than three times the size of Tortuguero, Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge offers a vast ecosystem where jaguars roam a forest populated by howler monkeys, three-toed sloths and an endless list of beautiful birdlife. Costa Rican wildlife abounds below the surface of the water too; in fact, Barra del Colorado is best known for its sport fishing with world-class tarpon and snook as well as rainbow bass, bluegill and machaca.
For the country’s best rainforest adventure, head over to the Pacific side and visit Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula. This eco-rich land offers a marbled landscape of lowland rainforests and highland cloud forests alongside mangrove swamps, palm forests and plenty of beaches and marine habitats for endless exploration. Costa Rica’s volcanoes offer another wildlife experience like that of the green, bubbling, sulfuric lake at the bottom of the
mile-deep crater of Poás Volcano National Park and the Yellowstone-like geothermal sites of Volcan Rincon de la Vieja National Park where boiling hot mud springs, sulfur springs and steam vents abound.
Arenal Volcano National Park, near Monteverde in the central highlands, is an active volcano where visitors can witness nature’s fiery light show in action. The area around Arenal is also home to the Cafe Monteverde Coffee Tour showcasing authentic Costa Rican coffee production and the lifestyle that sustains it. Kids will love the Monteverde Bat Jungle exhibit; the network of suspension bridges, trams and zip lines that weave their way through the cloud forests of Monteverde; and a nocturnal rainforest tour amid the twinkling lights of fireflies,
Hundreds of waterfalls are scattered throughout Costa Rica and provide the perfect backdrop for your family vacation.
Costa Rica is one of the world's most biologically diverse areas and has numerous nature reserves and wildlife.
the calming sounds of frogs and owls, the spine-tingling mystery of late-night spiders and reptiles and the mystery of the unseen late-night forest dwellers.
On the Pacific side, near the capital city of San Jose, Playa Jaco is one of the country’s most popular beaches. Besides great surfing and beach fun, Jaco offers a comfortable base for a half-day kayaking and snorkeling tour or even a catamaran cruise to nearby Tortuga Island. South of Jaco is Manuel Antonio National Park, where jaws will drop along a Pacific Rainforest family tour of zip line rides, guided hiking trips, horseback rides and open-air gondolas through exotic jungle ecosystems. A few miles outside of Manuel Antonio is Damas Island where freshwater and saltwater meet to create
Pure Life
Pura Vida retreat and SPa rankS at the toP of Central ameriCa’S wellneSS SPaS. Whether you sleep the night away in a luxury tent, a spacious mountainside kiva or a luxury suite, you can count on comfort, beauty and rest to be your resident companions for the length of your stay. At Pura Vida, the emphasis is on pampering the body, mind and spirit through an extensive menu of healthy foods, exotic juices, daily yoga classes and healthy-living seminars. The menu also includes a variety of spa therapies like bio energetic healing to increase synchronicity within the body, clinical bodywork like deep tissue and Swedish massage, the deep calm and internal healing of aquatic bodywork sessions and ancient Ayurvedic treatments to rebalance and release.
Whether it is a romantic couple’s retreat or an adventurous family vacation, Costa Rica’s exotic ecosystems pair perfectly with Pura Vida’s therapeutic atmosphere to create the most inclusive getaway for anyone looking to escape the typical vacation, while rejuvenating and exhilarating his or her work-weary mind. To book your stay, visit rrresorts.com/f.html#/pura_vida_spa/.
dense mangrove forests wherein smoothwater kayakers tour a remarkable variety of flora and fauna.
Extreme topography and loads of precipitation merge in Costa Rica to create powerful rivers like the pristine waters and easygoing rapids of the Savegre and Pejibaye, the heart-dropping rapids of the Naranjo and Sarapiqui and the multi-day excursion-worthy panoramas of the Pacaure.
And where there’s a river, eventually, there is a waterfall, and Costa Rica just so happens to have hundreds of them scattered around. Sulfur and calcium combine to make the baby blue waters of Celeste Waterfall in Tenorio Volcano National Park, while the waters of La Fortuna, near Arenal, tumble down 230 feet of mossy boulders into a popular swimming hole. Some of the best falls, however, are the hidden treasures of the country. Hike through cloud forests and over suspension bridges to access the 100foot Savegre Waterfall or take a horseback tour through the canyon walls that shelter the two-tiered Nauyaca Waterfall.
Costa Rica is a world-class scuba diving
paradise for divers (and snorkelers) of all skill levels offering picturesque deep and shallow waters alongside an enticing array of sea life. Take to the Gulf of Papagayo on the Pacific side and dive with massive manta rays and white tip reef sharks in the waters around the Catalina Islands or dip your flippers around the Bat Island where you’re likely to see bull sharks and zebra eels. On the Caribbean side, dive the tropical waters off the coast of Puerto Viejo and tour the country’s best barrier reef. And, if you trust Jacques Cousteau’s opinion that Cocos Island is one of the world’s top dive sites, you won’t mind the long, offshore trip to waters that virtually explode with sea life like hammerhead and whale sharks, friendly dolphins, soaring rays, sea turtles and the occasional octopus.
Clearly, Costa Rica is not your typical family vacation, nor is it your standard kickback-and-relax retreat. While Costa Rica knows how to get your blood pumping and your mind wondering, it comes full circle by offering luxurious retreats from the hustle and bustle of your work life.
Visitors get a rare look at the rainforest as they hike across suspension bridges in Costa Rica.
fwliving be well
For other features about wellness, go to fwtx.com and click on health.
patient’s best friend
| by Jennifer retter |
On an icy winter morning, SmU StUdentS filed into the campUS library for help with finalS. But students weren’t there for books or computers. They came for cute canine camaraderie, courtesy of animal assisted therapy group Paws Across Texas.
The Paws team, familiar with the therapeutic benefits of animal interaction, set out to bring dogs into the hands of college students to ease stress. Judging by CEO/ Founder Virginia Hyatt’s reports of more than 350 students cuddling up with the pups, the event was a stress-relief success.
animal Science
Dr. Cynthia Chandler, the director of the Consortium for Animal Assisted Therapy at the University of North Texas, said therapy animals help with much
more than collegiate stress.
Animal assisted therapy, used in mental health counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech therapy and more, helps by normalizing heart rate and blood pressure, lowering anxiety, enhancing mood and facilitating healing.
Such therapy works wonders with children and adults, timid or unsure of talking to a therapist in a medical setting.
“Many withdrawn children and troubled teens find it difficult to talk to an adult therapist, but when offered the opportunity to pet a dog while speaking to a counselor, or to hold and speak directly to a therapy dog with a counselor listening, they open up tremendously and share their emotional concerns more freely,” Chandler said.
Chandler said the most common therapy animal is the dog, followed by the horse. Even llamas and alpacas aren’t ruled out if they can pass evaluation.
equine therapy A prominent Fort Worth-area animal assisted therapy group, Victory Therapy Center (formerly Rocky Top Therapy Center), uses one of the planet’s most understanding animals
as a therapeutic tool.
“People tend to trust horses,” Executive Director Mike Hogg said. “Horses are safe and highly intuitive.”
Like Chandler’s academic approach to the subject, Victory Therapy Center puts patients outside of the normal medical environment, straight onto a ranch. The center has helped everyone from young children with physical disabilities to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through its state-funded Horses for Heroes program.
“I’ve seen former Navy SEALs have breakthrough moments in the pasture because they felt safe and vulnerable,” said Hogg, a Navy vet who suffered from PTSD himself. “Bonding with a horse brought out that trust.”
getting involved
To attend animal assisted therapy training workshops in April 2014 at UNT with Dr. Chandler, see coe.unt.edu/animal-assisted-therapy.
To volunteer as a human/dog pair with Paws Across Texas, email info@pawsacrosstexas.org.
To volunteer with Victory Therapy Center, call 682.831.1323.
Paws Across Texas brought dogs to SMU to help relieve collegiate stress. photos courtesy of SMU / Hillsman S. Jackson
Animals can assist in all different kinds of therapy. The most common therapy animal is the dog, followed closely by the horse.
For more information on exhibits and performances, go to fwtx.com and click on culture.
artisans of Warfare
| by Jessica llanes |
One of the finest private collections of samurai armor returns to texas after an international tour. Beginning this month, the Kimbell Art Museum hosts Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection as its first special exhibition in the new Renzo Piano Pavilion.
Organized by the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum in Dallas, the exhibition includes more than 140 pieces spanning eight centuries, highlighting the craftsmanship and ceremony of Japanese warfare from early warlords to the era of shogun elite.
“We’re able to present a much larger selection from the collection than what they normally can show in Dallas,” says Jennifer Casler Price, curator for Asian and non-Western art at the Kimbell. Visitors will be able to see how the function of Japanese armor has changed over time as weapons and social climates evolved. In fact, the majority of pieces date to the peaceful Edo period (1615-1868).
“By the time you get to the Edo period, you have hit the height of technical craftsmanship and creativity,” she explains. “The function of armor became less about warfare and more about status, prestige and display.”
Twenty full suits of armor are on display, including three warriors on armored horses. Close to 30 helmets are also included in the exhibition. They illustrate the diverse creativity and unique design of different Samurai families.
“There’s a whole set of armor and other accouterments that belongs to a well-known
family, the Mōri clan. Their origins go back to the 12th century, and the armor has been passed down generation to generation,” says Price.
The exhibit also tells the story of the artisans who made each intricately designed piece. “A whole variety of craftsman created one piece of armor,” Price explains. “All working together to create one of the most highly specialized art forms, certainly in Japanese art, and maybe in the world.”
The exhibit opens Feb. 16 and runs through Aug. 17.
inaugural lectures and symposia Saturday, Feb. 15, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pavilion Auditorium
the Warrior in Japanese history
John Stevenson, author and editor, Kyushu, Japan
Japanese armor from the inside Thom Richardson, Keeper of European Armour and Oriental Collections, Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, UK
Behind the mask: the samurai and their castles
Stephen Turnbull, visiting professor of Japanese Studies, Akita International University, Akita, Japan
The Kimbell Art Museum Hosts Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection.
ABOVE: Horse armor (bagai), horse mask (bamen), and horse tack (bagu) Early to mid-Edo period.
RIGHT: Armor of the nimaitachido type (nimaitachido tosei gusoku)
Armor of the okegawado type (okegawado tosei gusoku) Late Momoyama to early Edo period
fwliving culture
It’s Electric
We sat down with Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying and got the lowdown on the band and the album.
| by Jocelyn Tatum |
ArlINgToN-bASED group pENTAToNIx TAkES ovEr ThE muSIC SCENE WITh
ThEIr INNovATIvE TWIST oN pop AND ElECTroNIC muSIC. Not able to hide by synthesizers (the nature of a capella), this group relied on their raw voices to carry them to the top of the Billboard charts. Creating their own arrangements and covering popular songs, they are truly rare and something to be celebrated in the music world.
Your unique style of infusing a capella with popular music blows me away. Why a capella? It started out as a hobby. We started as an a capella trio when we were young. Then we put our stuff on YouTube. What we have is very special and not many people can do this a capella thing. We’ve figured out something cool and unique and said let’s run with this.
Some pop musicians are criticized for lacking vocal talent and being over-synthesized, but you knock that pop music stereotype on its butt. Would you say that attributes to your success? What we do is very real. We can’t
hide behind anything because we are a capella. All we’ve got is our voices. They see what we do and see that it is not easy. [Our fans] appreciate that. When people see it, they are like ‘that’s really cool.’
You have a big tour kicking off in 2014. Can you tell us a little bit about it? I am looking forward to a million things. I am excited about all the new songs we are going to do. There will be more production with this one — more lights, more choreography. It’s going to be an amazing live show and experience for the fans.
Some of your covers sound so different from the original songs. Does someone help you determine the direction you’re going to take a song, or does the group create the new sound among the five of you? Ninety-five percent of the time we get together and say, “We are going to make this creative and different, but we do not want to lose the essence of the song.” Most of the time, it’s the most organic way to create an arrangement — we start beat
Texas obscurities
| by Jocelyn Tatum |
boxing and singing together. It comes pretty easy after we get the first few lines down.
Who picks what you cover? We always pick them. We ask for requests on our website so fans have actually picked a few.
What do you love and/or miss about your hometown in North Texas? We all miss Texas so much. L.A. is awesome, but it will never feel like home. I will always feel Texas is home. The hospitality is amazing, [and] I love seeing my old teachers.
Is there a voice coach or teacher back in Arlington that you would like to give a shout out to? I would love to! Kay Owens. She was our choir director at Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. She let [our original trio] sing at a concert. Someone filmed it and put it on YouTube. That’s when we started getting noticed.
You are kind of the ringleader of this group. Did you know you would have this chemistry when you pulled
D ID You kNoW ThE JApANESE bombED TEx AS IN 1945? I DIDN’T EIThEr.
Texas Obscurities by E.R. Bills is exactly what it sounds like—a concatenation of obscure, well-researched but short nonfiction newspaper stories he wrote dating back to 780 AD when the sophisticated
everyone together? Honestly, we didn’t. I knew the original trio [Kirstin “Kirstie” Maldonado, Mitch Grassi, and Scott Hoying] would work because we sang in high school together…When we were looking for a bass, I knew a guy I had been jamming with in California would fit our group perfectly. We changed beat boxes three or four times. When we found Kevin [Olusola], we knew he was a genius because he could play cello and violin at the same time.
pTx vol. II
The a capella group’s latest album PTX Vol. II scaled the Billboard Top 200 Album charts to the top, which is a good sign that fans are loving the changes with this album. Pentatonix, known for creative twists on cover music, introduced four original songs on this latest album. Group member Scott Hoying said it was nervewracking to make that transition to original music, but he’s thrilled fans are eating it up.
“Our fans love it!” Hoying said.
Hasinai Caddo Indian culture thrived in East Texas until the Spanish arrived in the 1600s.
“When I had kids…I started taking them camping [and] backpacking here in Texas. Every place we went, I stumbled onto neat, interesting stories, events and history,” Bills said.
FWliving culture
Bills writes in a straightforward, linear fashion presented mostly in chronological order, but the tales he presents are fascinating and perfect for campfire storytelling.
Have you ever wondered about those abandoned small homes on the side of the highway hollowed out and overgrown with wild vines? How about those once prosperous places turned ghost towns where the wind whistles through the broken windows and windmills hauntingly creak in the silence? Bills’ book brings those places to life.
“This volume is devoted to a number of interesting, compelling and provocative occurrences that transpired on roads now largely forgotten or frequently missed,” Bills notes in the book’s introduction.
Gripping stories fill these pages. An unusual weather phenomenon later named “Satan’s Storm” with wind gusts of 100 mph struck out of the blue, blowing roofs into the air. Temperatures shot up to 140 degrees, destroying crops within hours. People thought their homes were on fire. One utopian, self-sustaining town named Kristenstad survives the Great Depression but dissipated many years later. Why? How about a German Catholic priest tortured by the Ku Klux Klan because of his loyalty to his native Germany during WWI?
This is Bills’ first book, but you can find more of his work in Fort Worth Weekly, the Austin American-Statesman, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and our very own Fort Worth magazine. A second book dedicated entirely to the Slocum massacres is in the works.
Fit to be tried
Exercise one – or all – of these innovative workout-wear options, engineered to be still your fitness-focused heart.
| by alison rich |
Ah, February — the swoon-inducing month oF bouquets and bonbons, sappy cards and sweet-nothings. Sure, we heart Valentine’s Day just as much as the other guy — or gal — but we also think there’s nothing wrong with showering yourself with a little love too. Whether you’re a diehard ironwoman who rarely misses a day at the gym or someone who takes a more, shall we say, casual approach to exercise, we’re talking about adding some modern flair to your workout wear.
1. Posed for Success Perfect for yogis and gym rats alike, the Cool Racerback features flat seams that defy chafing while boosting comfort. The specially made Light Luon fabric draws away sweat from the body while you stretch your way to fitness nirvana. $42, lululemon athletica, lululemon.com
Deftly designed to fit like a second skin — and look darn good while doing it — the Wunder Under Pant’s moisture-wicking, four-waystretch Luon fabric provides support and coverage with a blissfully soft feel. $82, lululemon athletica, lululemon.com
2. Get a Grip Composed of cushiony polyurethane and natural rubber, The Mat wicks and absorbs moisture away from the body, keeping your skin dry and the surface non-slick. $68, lululemon athletica, lululemon.com
3. Don’t Sweat It Stay pleasantly warm — but never hot and sticky — during your wintertime runs with Nike’s Dri-Fit long-sleeve shirt. $70, Fort Worth Running Company, fwrunco.com
4. Shine On Lighten your load with Saucony’s Sonic
ViZi Jacket. Wind and water resistant, the innovative insulator has 3M reflective fabric inserts on the front, back and sleeves, as well as USB-rechargeable/ removable built-in flashing LED lights on the left front and across the back for heightened visibility in low-light conditions. $110, Luke’s Locker, lukeslocker.com
5. Sock Market Add some extra game to your gams with the 2XU Compression Performance Run Sock, which helps lessen leg fatigue and minimize muscle soreness. $49.95, Fort Worth Running Company, fwrunco.com
6. Fancy Pants You’ll tip the style scales with the Jodi Moto Legging, seen here in moisturewicking, abrasion-resistant turquoise houndstooth fabric with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 40+. $107, Luke’s Locker, lukeslocker.com
7. Glowing Places Torch up your tootsies with the Asics Lite-Show, a special edition of the top-selling GEL-Nimbus 15 line. $155, Fort Worth Running Company, fwrunco.com
“I read Fort Worth, Texas magazine to stay in the know about where to go for food and fun in Fort Worth. It’s also a great resource for discovering the new places opening up around town. I love the quality articles that give me a sneak peek into some of the prettiest homes in our city. And perhaps most important to me is the celebration of community and those giving back that comes when I read the Goodwill features.” Why do you read it?
fwliving cooking
For an uncomplicated mac and cheese recipe, go to fwtx.com and click on Recipes.
cooking up classics
Creating classic dishes at home doesn’t have to demand a stint at chef school or hours of prep in the kitchen. Here are three staples that stand the test of time – and the recipes are kept simple and doable for today’s busy cook.
Chicken Piccata will add a delicious, simple meal to any cook’s repertoire. You might find this easy dish becoming your go-to recipe when in a pinch for time (note my sidebar tip for keeping prepped chicken breasts on hand). Salade Nicoise can be quickly assembled using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator. And while Daube de Boeuf, the French classic, takes low, slow simmering in the oven, actual hands-on effort is very easy.
For dessert? Nothing could be more classic or well-loved than Strawberries Romanoff. Get the recipe at fwtx.com.
chicken piccata
Yield: 4 servings
Flattened chicken breasts cook quickly
– as soon as they are browned, they are done.
• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided use
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup white wine or chicken stock
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Flatten chicken breasts (see sidebar). In a flat bowl or pie pan, stir together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add two dredged chicken breasts and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a warm platter and repeat with remaining oil and dredged chicken breasts.
Judie Byrd is founder of The Culinary School of Fort Worth. For more information, go to judiebyrd.com.
Add garlic and sliced lemon to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds. Add wine and lemon juice; cook and stir to remove brown bits from bottom of pan. Let mixture boil until reduced by half. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in parsley.
Serve chicken with sauce poured over.
Flattening Chicken Breasts
Place chicken breast between layers of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to gently and evenly pound the meat until it flattens. Be careful to pound lightly to prevent holes and tears.
Tip: Central Market stocks thinsliced chicken breasts that work perfectly, straight out of the package – no pounding.
salade nicoise
Yield: 6 servings
This classic from Nice traditionally uses canned tuna, making it an easy dish to throw together. Serve with a crusty French baguette.
herb dressing:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (easy tip: buy freshly squeezed from Central Market’s produce juice counter)
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed French or Italian herbs
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salad:
• 1 ½ pounds new potatoes, boiled until tender
• 1 pound Roma tomatoes, quartered
• ½ pound fresh green beans, blanched
• 4 – 6 scallions, sliced
• 1 can whole beets, drained
• 1 cucumber, lightly peeled and thinly sliced
| by Judie Byrd | photography by Jason kindig |
fwliving cooking
For Judie's Tangy Lemon Fruit Salad, go to fwtx.com and click on Recipes.
• 1 bell pepper, chopped or sliced
• ½ cup pitted Nicoise olives (or other black olives)
• 4 – 6 hard-cooked eggs, halved
• 3 – 4, 4-ounce cans oilpacked tuna, drained In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, herbs, salt, pepper and mustard. Continue to whisk while slowly pouring in the olive oil. Store in refrigerator until time to serve salad or up to 3 weeks.
Arrange all salad ingredients on a large platter. Just before serving, drizzle
on Dressing. Serve extra Herb Dressing on the side.
Daube De boeuf
Yield: 6 servings
Because this beef stew simmers until tender, a less-expensive beef chuck roast is used. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or by itself in a bowl.
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
• 3 pounds boneless beef cubes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
Start With Bacon?
It’s the layering of flavors that takes Daube de Boeuf to a higher level than a regular beef stew. Frying the bacon renders that unmistakably rich component in which to sear the beef cubes. Adding the cooked bacon back to the pot imparts an ever-so-slight smoky edge to the cooking liquid.
Next, brown each beef cube, which coaxes out its sugars, turning them brown and crusty. Time consuming maybe (this may be the time to get out that splatter guard you hardly ever use), but the resulting crusty layer adds depth.
The next layer is browned onions and carrots. As they cook, they pick up intense flavor from the bottom of the pan, becoming brown and beautiful. A note on chopping the onions: In this long-cooking dish, I like to cut some of the onion into small pieces and some into larger, giving even more complexity as the small pieces all but disappear and the larger ones keep their shape. Next is adding and then cooking away the cognac. Even though the liquid is evaporated, the flavor of the liquor remains. All of this pre-cooking and browning gives our French beef stew its deep, rich flavor and personality. After this, it’s just a matter of stirring in remaining ingredients and popping it into the oven.
into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons cognac, brandy or sherry, optional
• 1, 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 cup beef stock or coffee
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons herbes de provence
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 325º. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy; remove bacon to a plate, keeping bacon grease in pan. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper. With heat on medium-high, add beef to pan in batches, cooking until browned on all sides adding olive oil as needed. As each batch is browned, remove to the bacon plate.
Add onions and carrots to the pan and cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring. Add garlic and cook a few seconds. Add cognac to onions; cook and stir until pan is almost dry. (If not using cognac, omit this step.)
Stir in tomatoes, wine, beef stock, tomato paste, herbes, bay leaves and beef. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, stirring to melt the tomato paste. Cover pot and place in oven.
Bake 2 ½ hours. Just before serving, stir in parsley.
Bonnell’s life is a balancing act. With two small children, two fine dining restaurants, two published cookbooks, countless culinary accolades and national TV appearances, and a recent Ironman competition finish under his belt, the Fort Worth chef has achieved what many only dream of.
The Most Loved Chef in Fort Worth
| by Celestina Blok |
Fort Worth, Texas: The City’s
AAt 24 years old, Jon Bonnell was single, living alone with his dog in Dallas where he chose to embark on a teaching career, having just graduated from the prestigious Vanderbilt University. He was restless and depressed. The fourth-generation Fort Worth native had been diagnosed with attention deficit syndrome. Teaching high school and middle school math and science wasn’t high stimulus enough for him, he says, and the three-month summer vacations with nothing to do were killing him.
“When we started studying attention deficit disorder in college, I thought, ‘This is the story of my life.’ Always jumping from hobby to hobby to hobby,” says Bonnell, now 43, while seated on a leather loveseat in the waiting area of his namesake restaurant, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine. “And just the way I’m talking now. I know what’s going on behind me; we just got a reservation for 10. I can hear it all going on at once. My brain works that way and it really works well for the restaurant industry.”
He quips with a smile, “But man, to have that three months off now.”
Today Bonnell’s life is far from stimulus-free. With two small children, two fine dining restaurants, two published cookbooks, countless culinary accolades and national TV appearances, and a recent Ironman competition finish under his belt, the Fort Worth chef has used what could have been a hindrance as a means to achieve the unattainable, he says.
Discovering His Destiny
“When I was a teacher, I actually specialized in teaching kids who
Bonnell believes that a chef should utilize local farmers and ranchers for the freshest products possible.
This is evident in his restaurants with menu items that change seasonally.
had ADD,” Bonnell says. “My whole goal was to figure out how to show these kids that it’s not a detriment, and it can really be a positive in some areas.”
Bonnell realized he was destined for the fast-paced restaurant world after becoming infatuated with cooking shows on PBS as well as a brand new show called The Essence of Emeril, which had just launched on the new Food Network. The young teacher, whose long-term plan included obtaining a masters degree to become a principal, had an epiphany.
“I thought, ‘Wait a minute. All I ever do is watch cooking shows and cook for other people. I cook like crazy,’” he says. “It never had occurred to me in my life that there was a school for chefs. In my family, you go to high school and you go to college. Culinary school wasn’t on the table. I had never thought about it.”
Phone calls to culinary schools to obtain brochures resulted in advice for Bonnell to get experience first in an actual restaurant during his next dreaded summer off. Having visited the executive chef in person, he was given a job on the spot at a new Dallas restaurant called Mediterraneo.
“I had no idea what I was doing. I walked in and didn’t have the right clothes, the right shoes…I didn’t have anything,” he says.
Plating desserts and learning how to torch crème brulees were Bonnell’s duties for his first Saturday night.
“I was in as deep of weeds as I could be, just trying to plate desserts, but I loved it. I wasn’t doing much cooking, but I was in the mix,” he recalls. “You got to work at 2:30 in the afternoon, and you were off at midnight. You were working a full dinner shift, seeing what it’s like to put out 250 covers on a busy Saturday night as fast and as hard as you can go, watching the one guy on the grill and the one guy on sauté. I just thought, this is for me.”
Realizing how challenging it was to run an entire kitchen after his short experience of simply plating desserts, Bonnell was inspired, motivated like never before to pursue a career path that would keep him fulfilled.
“It was like an Ironman,” he says. “It seemed almost unattainable.”
Fort Worth Farm-to-Table
Bonnell attended the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont, a small town that’s long been sprinkled with local farmers markets.
“I really fell in love with the fine dining approach where you utilize your local farmers and ranchers and celebrate the products they have, rather than the bar and grill style where you order the least expensive products,” Bonnell says. “I thought, ‘This is how you do it right. You celebrate what’s in season.’”
Gravitating toward the smaller, chef-driven restaurant concept, Bonnell set a goal of opening his own eatery one day, despite warn-
ings that his fine dining farm-to-table idea would never work. Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine opened in 2001 and can be considered Fort Worth’s first farm-to-table restaurant, because Bonnell has been sourcing produce, cheeses and wild game from local farmers and ranchers since day one, years before it was trendy to do so.
Bonnell’s love of wild game, which is prominent on his menu in the form of venison, quail, elk and buffalo, stems from his lifetime of hunting with his brother, a local physician, and his father, a retired dentist.
“The outdoors is just something that has been a part of me my whole life,” Bonnell says, “The first food I learned how to cook was wild game. My mom had a deal where first Monday of every month was ‘kids cook night.’ I remember cooking with mom from start to finish at an age before I could really read.”
Diving Into New Waters
After more than a decade of serving the fine Texas cuisine he’s become nationally known for, Bonnell was ready to go coastal. His love of fishing drove his desire to open a seafood destination, a seaside version of Bonnell’s. He opened Waters: Bonnell’s Fine Coastal Cuisine one year ago to the delight of his loyal customers who longed for more of his presence in Fort Worth. Essentially fishing from his cell phone by talking to fishermen around the country, Bonnell is having a blast.
“I can always buy ribeyes or Kobe beef or elk or buffalo, but the
fish game changes every hour,” he says. “It’s fun to make relationships with guys who run a small, family-owned boat. They’ll call on the way back to the dock and say, ‘Here’s what I have.’ So I buy inventory that is from the shore to my door in less than 24 hours. That, to me, is the most fun thing about seafood.”
So far, Fort Worth diners have responded well to Waters, even to some of the more exotic fish Bonnell showcases as daily specials. (He keeps safe bets like rainbow trout and redfish on the menu for the less adventurous.)
But not everyone was pleased with his highly anticipated new venue. After a scathing, one-star review from the Dallas Morning News last summer that generated big talk on social media, Bonnell was shocked, confused and dejected.
“I read it and…your heart just sinks,” he says. “I immediately wondered if I offended somebody or personally did something wrong. I sent it to my guys in the kitchen and said, ‘Let’s talk tomorrow. Keep your chins up. We make a lot of people happy. We can’t satisfy everybody.’ ”
He had a conversation with the critic, who used words like “clobbered,” “assaulted” and “hijacked” to describe cooking and plating techniques in the review. Bonnell says he was told hammering chefs was the writer’s style but, despite the disdainful review, the writer had a great time and would return. Playing to the critic game is not something Bonnell is interested in.
“I don’t constantly try to figure out, OK, which food critics are coming in? Who’s where and what do they look like?” Bonnell says. “Life’s too short. We try to do the best we can every day and not play games with it. Yes, it hurts me and my family and the people that work for me that feel like family, and it bothers me. But you know what? There are still people who want to come in and eat, and our job is to give them the best experience possible.”
Egomaniacs
Bonnell admits that executive chefs, who hold the highest rank in the kitchen, have a deservedly bad reputation for being arrogant egomaniacs. It’s an image that repulses him and one he strives not to reflect.
“I specifically try to be the opposite of the Gordon Ramsey approach,” he says. “The screaming; the yelling. I worked under a lot of that in a ton of kitchens. I was always so nervous, and I didn’t want to run a kitchen or a business that way. I can’t imagine running a kitchen where you belittle people just for the sport of it.”
Bonnell’s refreshing method of avoiding all of the culinary chest-thumping that many chefs thrive on is part of what makes him so likeable. He says he rarely tunes into the Food Network anymore because of the pompous, judgmental image many shows portray of chefs. He even gave up on his Twitter account
Bonnell works hard to balance work life, family life and his hobbies of fishing, hunting and running in races.
last year, calling it too egocentric for him and saying, “Life is too short for that much social media.”
“Trying to keep up with Facebook and Twitter was taking up a large portion of my day, more than I was willing to give,” he says. “I bet Instagram is really fun. I’m not doing it.”
Even the word “followers,” which refers to the number of folks signed up to see what a Twitter account holder has to say, is unsettling to the spotlight-shy Bonnell.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s really fun to do shows like Good Morning America and the Today Show, but, to me, it’s just like, I can’t believe they care what I’m cooking. It’s such a hoot,” he says. “So many chefs have just taken themselves too seriously. Do we deserve that status? It’s hard to say. It is a very high-pressure environment. You’re always under the gun. Everybody wants more work out of you in less time, and it’s got to be perfect and it’s got to be now. It’s tough. It draws strong personalities. But, we’re not curing cancer. We’re not saving kids’ lives.”
Next for Bonnell
Bonnell is far from restless these days as he still makes time to teach cooking and wine classes and can still be booked as a personal chef while he balances working lunch at one restaurant and dinner at the other. He also periodically checks in on Buffalo Bros Pizza, Wings & Subs, a casual eatery he co-owns near Texas Christian University.
Bonnell took up running five years ago in an attempt to lose weight, as a new wardrobe in a larger size was not on his agenda. Thin all of his life, Bonnell says being in the eating and drinking business caught up with him. He is now addicted to hitting the trails, he says. He runs his two-year-old to school in a jogging stroller and has run as many as 30 races a year. In September, he completed a brutal Ironman triathlon in Lake Tahoe amid sub-freezing temperatures and high altitudes. Bonnell says he’ll keep running (an Olympic distance race is next on his list) but neither another Ironman nor another fine dining restaurant is left in him, for now.
“I feel like if I can spend equal time at both restaurants, I can be effective and still take time to go by the customer’s table, still teach culinary school, still teach wine classes and still manage everything,” he says. “I don’t want six restaurants across the Metroplex. I want restaurants to have my name on them and my face behind them. I like to go up to people on their anniversary and say, ‘Man, it’s great to see you, and I am honored you chose us,’ and mean it. If we ever get to the point where people start saying, ‘Well, he’s just never even there,’ then we’re not doing it right. This is as far as we want to go.”
It’s that dedication that has made Bonnell successful. He has remained grounded throughout, which, in a society where chefs are becoming as swaggering as A-list celebrities, is why Fort Worth seems to love him so much.
Based on Physics
| by Paul K. Harral |
Wail Majeed, the owner and building designer, along with architect Ken Schaumburg both conceptualized Villa Quantum, a Fort Worth, Texas magazine Modern in Mira Vista home tour back in 2011 and are now excited to see their schematics are becoming a reality.
The 8,000-square-foot house is under construction at 6805 St. Andrews Court on a lot overlooking the golf course.
“Great design starts with a sense of purpose,” Majeed says, and that began when his wife desired every room in the house to have views of the course.
“Since the site was relatively pie-shaped, a radial design concept to capture panoramic views made perfect sense,” Majeed said. But angled walls and irregular room shapes did raise a concern for furniture arrangement.
“We went through multiple design studies and case scenarios and were pleasantly surprised.After comprehensive design due diligence, we were still able to keep rooms functional and intensify the modern living experience,” Majeed says.
But that design also presents challenges for the builder, Joe Ragon of Bezcon General Contractor.
“The entire house design is based from a single point that had to be transferred to all levels and is the basis for the layout of all interior spaces,” Ragon said. “It’s not at all a typical residence.”
Visitors to the home will get to see cutting-edge modern design throughout.
“The trend in Fort Worth has not been for modern design elements,” says Jon Wallace, Fort Worth Showroom manager for Morrison Supply Co. “We are beginning to see movement in that direction, and many of the leading designers believe we’ll see even more of it in the future. … This will be on the front edge of modern design.”
Villa Quantum incorporates mathematical geometry in its concept, design and construction. 2014
Morrison handles a wide variety of plumbing fixtures, as well as door and cabinet hardware and other items, all visible in the company’s showrooms.
“We love to have them in Dream Homes where people can see them work and touch them,” Wallace said. “When you are dealing with very special items as these are, you
Bezcon
Overhead
can’t look at a picture in a catalog or on the Internet. They are very unique, highly designed items with beautiful finishes, and to really see them and touch them is critical in really seeing the beauty in their design.” Working on the home is a blast, he said.
That holds true for other trades as well. Bret Westbrook of Overhead Garage Door says the work on the garage door is a departure from the more traditional cedar doors his company usually builds. It’s a treat.
“The design draw is a lot more difficult to put together, and the engineering process on the doors is just a little more complex,” he said. “The traditional homes are cedar doors. The modern-style home, the contemporary stuff, we work on aluminum and material like that. We definitely enjoy it.”
One of the challenges in working with the site was protecting adjacent structures during excavation. “More time was spent in engineering and design contemplation for the retaining walls than I can remember for any structural element,” Ragon said. “It’s constructed using a series of soldier piers bearing about 16 feet below grade and about 3 feet apart.”
Majeed says that to him and his wife, modern living is simply a refreshing and healthy environment. “The open-plan concept allows good flow throughout the house, and spaces within become an experience as opposed to being there strictly to just serve purpose,” he said. “Architecturally speaking, modern is timeless because it is based on mathematical geometry.”
And that brings us back to the radial design in the house. “These radials converge to and from a single point on the site, hence this single point became chief origin and the birth of our concept,” he said. “Metaphorically, I identify this point with quantum physics (hence the name Villa Quantum), defined as ‘minuscule quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents.’ ”
However you describe it, this house makes a strong statement from all angles.
“I consider it a privilege to be involved with this project and am excited to see the finished product,” Ragon said. “I think this house is singularly unique, and what’s more, it will be the home of some outstanding people.”
Cultural Restitution
| by Gail Bennison |
At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art in Europe. A special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.
Fort Worth, Texas: The City’s
What if I told you there was a major story about World War II that hasn’t been told, a significant story at the heart of the entire war effort, involving the most unlikely group of heroes you’ve never heard of? What if I told you there was a group of men on the front lines who quite literally saved the world as we know it; a group that didn’t carry machine guns or drive tanks, who weren’t official statesmen; men who not only had the vision to understand the grave threat to the greatest cultural and artistic achievements of civilization, but then joined the front lines to do something about it? – Robert M. Edsel, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History.
In the horrific destruction of Europe during World War II, Allied forces chief General Dwight D. Eisenhower issued two unprecedented orders—first in December 1943 and again in May 1944—to save the cultural history and buildings in war areas from combat damage.
The unsung heroes assigned to that monumental task were called the Monuments Men. Today, 70-plus years later, this story has several intriguing local connections to Fort Worth and its own cultural history, including two valuable works of art currently on view at the Kimbell Art Museum.
The Monuments Men were a group of approximately 350 men and women from 13 nations, who served in the Western Allied military effort from 1943 until 1951. Most were volunteers in the newly created Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) section, and many were experienced as museum directors, curators, art historians, artists, architects and educators. The group was proposed by a commission established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943.
greatest cultural and educational institutions in the United States. They became directors, curators, trustees and advisers of worldrenowned museums, including the Met, the MOMA, the National Gallery of Art and two Fort Worth museums, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the Kimbell Art Museum.
Upon the death of art patron Kay Kimbell in 1964, Monuments Man James Rorimer was asked to advise the Kimbell Art Foundation on proceeding with Kay Kimbell’s directive to build an art museum “of the first class” in Fort Worth.
Originally, their job was to protect monuments and other cultural treasures from damage. In the final year of the war, the focus shifted, as they tracked, located and, in the years that followed, returned more than 5 million artistic and cultural items stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. Many of these priceless paintings and sculptures were destined for the Führermuseum, an unrealized museum complex planned by Hitler for the Austrian city of Linz, to display his collection of plundered or stolen art.
The Monuments Men remained in Europe following the war to oversee the complicated restitution of the stolen works of art. Upon returning home, several had important roles in building some of the
Monuments Men Charles Parkhurst and Harry Grier (past director of the Frick Museum) both served as trustees for the Amon Carter.
The Monuments Men are no longer unsung heroes, due to the efforts of Robert M. Edsel, a passionate and determined North Texan, former nationally ranked tennis player and oil and gas businessman, who has spent the last 10 years of his life on a journey, researching and writing about these heroes and continuing their work.
After selling his oil and gas business in 1996, Edsel moved his wife and two-year-old son to Europe, settling in Florence, Italy. He was 39 years old and had no plans, he says.
“I had success, was a little bit ahead in 16 years of taking enormous risks, and I had reached a moment where I wanted something more meaningful. I didn’t have anything in mind but felt if I didn’t find my way off the merrygo-round and declare a time-out, I’d never have a chance to find anything.”
Edsel began to study art and architecture in Florence. One day, he was crossing the city’s famous medieval covered bridge, the Ponte Vecchio—the only bridge in the city that was not destroyed by the Nazis in August 1944.
“I wondered how, during the most destructive conflict in history,
(top, left to right) Author Robert M. Edsel; U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison; U.S. Rep. Kay Granger; Kimbell Art Museum Director Dr. Eric Lee with Joseph Mallord William Turner's Glaucus and Scylla (bottom, left to right) Dr. Eric Lee; Dr. Nancy Edwards, curator of European art at the Kimbell; Robert M. Edsel with the Isabella d'Este Renaissance bust.
so many cultural objects and works of art survived, and who were the people that saved them,” Edsel says. “I was embarrassed that I didn’t know the answer but was hugely embarrassed that I hadn’t asked the question.”
Eventually, he found the answer and his life’s mission: to honor and continue the work of the Monuments Men.
Edsel founded the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art in 2007. General Eisenhower’s granddaughter, Susan Eisenhower, serves on the Foundation’s advisory board.
Edsel has authored three books: Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis ; Rescuing Da Vinci: Hitler and the Nazis Stole Europe’s Great Art—America and Her Allies Recovered It ; and The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. Edsel is also the co-producer of the documentary film, The Rape of Europa, based on the awardwinning book of the same name by scholar Lynn Nicholas.
The Monuments Men Foundation plays an active role encouraging institutions and individuals, in the United States and abroad, to know about the wartime whereabouts of objects in their collection in accord with the American Association of Museum’s guidelines concerning Nazi-era provenance (history of ownership).
Research into provenance of works of art in its collection has always been part of the Kimbell’s mission. In recent years, as interest in this aspect of art history has grown, the museum has doubled its efforts in this area. The museum pays particular attention to changes in ownership during the Nazi era from 1933 to 1945.
In 2006, in light of the evidence linking Joseph Mallord William Turner’s painting Glaucus and Scylla (1841) to an unlawful seizure by the Nazi Vichy Regime in France in 1943, the Kimbell Art Museum returned the painting to the heirs of John and Anna Jaffe. The painting had been in the Kimbell’s collection since 1966. The museum repurchased the Turner art at Christy’s New York the following year for $5.7 million.
“It’s important for any museum to be as transparent as possible,” said Dr. Eric Lee, director of the Kimbell. “There’s been greater awareness with issues involving provenance since the mid-to-late 1990s, and there’s been a lot of attention focused on works of art during World War II when much had been looted,” “This has continued to be a critical issue, and Robert Edsel has brought much attention to it. It’s important that all museums maintain strict ethical standards and that the public has trust in the institutions.”
In 2011, the Kimbell announced the discovery of a photograph
Heilbronn, Germany, 1946: This Self Portrait by Rembrandt, inspected here by Monuments Men Dale V. Ford (left) and Harry Ettlinger (right), was stored for safekeeping by museum officials from Karlsruhe in the Heilbronn mine.
Bernterode, Germany, 1945: Monuments Men George Stout (left), Walker Hancock (center right) and Steven Kovalyak (right) during the excavation of Bernterode. Sgt. Traverse stands between Stout and Hancock.
confirming that a Renaissance portrait bust in its collection was in the Altaussee Salt Mine in Austria. This mine was one of many repositories for artwork stolen by the Nazis.
Edsel discovered the photograph and showed it to Lee. Acquired by the Kimbell in 2004, the bust is traditionally identified as a portrait of Isabella d’Este (1474-1539), one of the most celebrated women in Renaissance Italy. The work is attributed to the sculptor Gian Cristoforo Romano, but that has not been proven, Lee said.
After two years of provenance by Dr. Nancy Edwards, curator of European art at the Kimbell, documentation was found to prove that the work had been properly purchased.
“Whenever anything is in private ownership, there may be little written about it,” Edwards said. “We were able to trace that the bust was part of a collection that went to Hitler. We were able to trace it through all the documents that the Germans kept and that the
Kimbell Art Museum Hosts
Advanced Screening
On Jan. 19, the Kimbell Art Museum hosted a special advanced screening of the highly anticipated new film
The Monuments Men, directed by George Clooney from a screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. The movie is based on the best-selling book of the same title by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter and will be officially released in theaters nationwide on Feb. 7. This was the first film shown in the Kimbell's new concrete and glass Renzo Piano Pavilion auditorium.
Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action drama focusing on seven overthe-hill, out-of-shape museum directors, artists, architects, curators and art historians who went to the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic
masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners.
“The looting and destruction that occurred during World War II could have had an even more devastating impact on the art and architecture of Europe, some of which now resides in the Kimbell Art Museum,” said Eric M. Lee, the museum’s director. “It is due to the foresight and heroism of the Monuments Men that so many treasures survive today. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be selected to screen the film and to support my friend and colleague Robert Edsel and the Monuments Men Foundation.”
Said Edsel: “We are very excited that our film about these heroes of civilization was screened in such a prestigious and beautiful setting as the Kimbell Art Museum. The Kimbell has an im-
Monuments Men kept, so we know where it went, which salt mine it was in, how it was restituted and how it was sent back to the Netherlands.”
The museum has not jumped to the conclusion that the bust was destined for Hitler’s museum, Lee said. “It may have been, but we stop short of saying that. We don’t have proof because not everything in the salt mine was destined for his museum,” Lee said. “It’s been attributed to Romano. He may or may not have done it. There’s a strong possibility that it’s a bust of Isabella d’este. What we know for sure is that it’s a masterpiece. Testing in the 1970s proved that without question that it was made during the Renaissance.”
“We were proud to work with Dr. Lee, Dr. Edwards and the Kimbell,” Edsel said. “The Kimbell Art Museum once again handled a Nazi-era provenance case in the most exemplary manner.”
Edsel said that the Monuments Men Foundation has “three angels that have helped us along the way in getting some visibility, and they’ve all been named Kay—Kay Fortson, who introduced me to U.S. Congresswoman Kay Granger and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, at one of the dinners at the Kimbell in 2006,” Edsel said. His first book, Rescuing Da Vinci, had just been published.
“Kay Granger asked, ‘How can I help?’ Those were hugely impor-
portant connection to this story: Several works of art stolen by the Nazis and later recovered by the Monuments Men are now a part of its permanent collection. In addition, several former Monuments Officers, including James Rorimer, advised the Kimbell Art Foundation in the early days of planning for the museum.”
Proceeds from the screening benefit the Monuments Men Foundation.
The Monuments Men (110 minutes), presented by Columbia Pictures and Fox 2000 Pictures, is directed by and stars George Clooney. It also stars Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean DuJardin, Bob Balaban Hugh Bonneville and Cate Blanchett. The screenplay is by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney.
tant words because that led to us getting a Congressional Resolution, which is important, but far easier to accomplish than the Congressional Gold Medal. Kay Bailey Hutchison supported efforts in the Senate. So, these three women, each accomplished in their own way, were very early supporters in the foundation’s purpose. These are leaders that lead. Kay Granger has been our champion in the halls of Congress in seeing that these men got the recognition they deserved,” he said. “It’s taken a lot of shoe leather, but she’s been there.”
On Dec. 5, 2013, Rep. Granger introduced H.R. 3658, The Monuments Men Recognition Act of 2013. The bipartisan legislation would honor the Monuments Men of World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal.
“What a change in direction for a country to say, ‘to the victor go the spoils,’” Granger said. “I knew nothing about the Monuments Men until that dinner in 2006, and I was absolutely fascinated when Robert told me about these heroes. It’s an honor to be able to work on this, especially in trying to get the Congressional Medal, but it really has been fascinating to me because I’ve loved art my entire life. I paint and I live right across the street from the Kimbell Art Museum. This is an international story, and it’s fun to have the Fort Worth connection. Sometimes, when stolen art from the Nazis is discovered in museums, there are court battles that go on for years with the families. That was not the situation with the Kimbell. They’ve set the standard for how these works of art should be handled. Of that, Fort Worth should be very proud.”
Sen. Hutchison says that the Monuments Men deserve to be honored because their efforts show another facet of the greatness of America. “Robert Edsel deserves all the credit for not giving up,” she said. “His work was a huge undertaking. As their story is being told, people will see a magnanimous side of the American military that they won’t see anywhere else.”
There have been many feature films about the events and heroes of World War II, but never a feature film about the Monuments Men—until now.
Monuments Men Foundation
The Monuments Men Foundation honors the legacy of the men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section, known as the “Monuments Men,” and their unprecedented and heroic work protecting and safeguarding civilization’s most important artistic and cultural treasures from armed conflict during World War II. Raising public awareness is essential to the Foundation’s mission. Monumentsmenfoundation.org
The Monuments Men, directed by and starring George Clooney, premieres around the world beginning in the United States on Feb. 7. The movie includes a stellar cast of the world’s most accomplished actors including Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin and Hugh Bonneville.
The Kimbell Art Museum hosted two special screenings on Jan. 19.
“This film will show people around the world something that our country had a leadership role in, and it saved so much of the beauty and history of the world as we know it,” Edsel said. “It’s a great credit to our leaders, Gen. Eisenhower, President Roosevelt and the Monuments Men and Women. It’s also a great testament to the Kays and others who have understood what kind of world we might be living in without the work of these heroes.”
On June 6, 2007, the United States government officially recognized the contributions of the Monuments Men during World War II in the protection of artistic and cultural treasures by passing resolutions in both the House and Senate in their honor. At that time, four of the 12 living Monuments Men were able to attend: Bernard Taper, James Reeds, Harry Ettlinger and Horace Apgar. Numerous family members of other Monuments Men attended. Of particular note were the 10 Ambassadors or Chargés d’Affaires in attendance from the 12 other nations from which Monuments Men hailed. It was truly an international event.
Only five — four men and one woman — are still alive today.
Merkers, Germany, 1945: Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley, Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower inspect the German museum treasures stored in the Merkers mine. Pictured in the center is Maj. Irving Leonard Moskowitz.
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In 1935, TCU became the first white college in the South to host a black college for a forensic contest.
| by E.R. Bills |
When the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs look back to 1935, they think of TCU’s first national championship in football. They conjure images of gridiron legend Slingin’ Sammy Baugh. They remember Hall of Fame Horned Frog helmsman,Dutch Meyer.
Baugh and Meyer were towering figures of lore and legend, and the 1935 TCU football squad was legendary—and they still enjoy the recognition and accolades befitted to their accomplishments today. But not every extraordinary coach or team achieves legend. And not every extraordinary event is celebrated or granted recognition.
One such coach, team and event occurred at TCU before the 1935 national championship.
In the early spring of that year, a TCU assistant history professor named Dr. C. Allen True sponsored the new Frogs Forensic Fraternity to foster and encourage competition in the fields of public speaking and the art of debate. The fledgling group had 12 members: John Bailey, Edith Blakeway, Byron Buckeridge, Leonard Kirkegaard, Dorothy Lewis, Hastings Pannill, Harry Roberts, Mamie Snodgrass, J. B. Trimble, Charles Weaver, Sergeant-at-arms Julius Lile and President W. A. Welsh.
The 1935 Frogs Forensic Fraternity wasted no time, hitting the proverbial ground hopping.
They participated in the West Texas Speech Tournament in Abilene and the Baylor Annual Speech Tournament in Waco. They sponsored an oratorical contest at TCU, and they participated in the Pi Kappa Delta Provincial Tournament in Waxahachie. Pi Kappa Delta was the national forensic organization that governed collegiate debate competition.
The Forensic Frogs were young and eager and ready to match wits and words with any and all takers, so Dr. True invited perennial polemics powerhouse Wiley College of Marshall, Texas, to debate at TCU.
Wiley’s Forensic Society had been around since 1924, and from 19301940 lost only one contest. Later that spring, on April 2, they would go on to best the reigning national collegiate debate champions, the University of Southern California. But Wiley would not supplant USC as collegiate debate champions or enjoy the collegiate debate crown. The Wiley College-USC contest would be a non-decision affair because Wiley was not a member of the Pi Kappa Delta charter.
Pi Kappa Delta was a segregated organization, and Wiley College was a black college.
Legendary Wiley College debate coach Melvin Tolson had founded an African-American version of Pi Kappa Delta, called Alpha Phi Omega, so historically black universities could have their own govern-
Wiley's Forensic team lost only one contest from 1930-1940. Hobart Jarrett and Cleveland Gay, Wiley College forensic veterans, said that they experienced no racism before, during or after the debate at TCU in 1935.
to oversee forensics competitions. But, within a few years, Wiley’s fellow African-American debate squads, including Bishop, Fisk, Howard, Knoxville, Morehouse, Tuskegee, Virginia Union and Wilberforce, dreaded the small school from Marshall. It was a forensics juggernaut that soon had Wiley College being referred to as “Harvard West of the Mississippi.”
TCU was not the first white college that Wiley competed against. In early 1930, Wiley became one of first black colleges to debate a white college in America, matching intellects with law students from the University of Michigan. The event was held at Chicago’s large, African-American-owned 7th Street Theater because Caucasian-run venues prohibited racially mixed audiences. Then, on March 3, 1930, Wiley became the first black college to debate a white university in the South, contesting the University of Oklahoma City at Avery Chapel, an off-campus venue in Oklahoma City.
By the time Wiley College faced TCU in 1935, Wiley was such an intellectual force that few black or white colleges dared challenge them, especially in the South, because they dominated every debate. But the Forensic Frogs were undeterred.
Whether Wiley was the only team available at the time or the Frogs simply wanted to improve their skills by facing the best, TCU did the heretofore unthinkable: They became the first white college in the South to host a black college for a forensic contest.
For years, the Wiley College Forensic Society had traveled the back roads of Texas in borrowed cars, letting the lightest-skinned participants drive so the darker ones could duck down in scary areas, avoiding trouble and dodging lynching parties. The Wiley team operated on a shoestring budget and circumnavigated “Whites Only” hotels and restaurants, traveling the Jim Crow South with due caution and concern. So, when Wiley College forensic veterans Hobart Jarrett and Cleveland Gay stepped onto a Horned Frog stage to debate the Forensic Frogs in 1935, TCU made history.
In 1936, Jesse Owens would star in the Olympics in front of Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Berlin. In 1937, the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, would begin his 12-year reign as the world heavyweight boxing champion. And in 1947, Jackie Robinson would send shockwaves through baseball by breaking into the Big Leagues and winning MLB Rookie of the Year. Before them all, the Wiley College forensics squad of 1935 would create their own shockwaves, perform as champions and star in efforts to break color barriers—but very few people of the era would ever know unless they wit-
nessed one of the contests.
The African-American forensics squad that TCU contested in 1935 would go on to become known as “The Great Debaters,” which as recently as 2007 enjoyed a movie treatment of the same name, directed and starred in by Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey. The movie captures the spirit of The Great Debaters’ achievements but leaves out some important characters and events, including Wiley’s appearance at TCU.
Dr. Allen True and the Forensic Frogs of TCU hosted a team of championship-caliber African American intellectuals at a time when the achievements of Wiley College received little if any press coverage. Its debate team participants couldn’t drink from the same water fountains of their white opponents and whose very presence on campus was frowned upon by much of the Fort Worth community. It wasn’t a touchdown or a national championship, and the home team didn’t even win the contest—but TCU did achieve something worthy of recognition and accolades.
Jarrett later described it as one of his best collegiate experiences, second only to besting USC.
In the August 1935 issue of the NAACP’s monthly magazine, The Crisis, Jarrett wrote that he and Gay encountered no traces of racism at TCU, before, during or after the debate, and noted that Horned Frogs rushed the stage after the contest, grasping his and Gay’s hands and congratulating them.
The current TCU debate coach, Dr. Amorette Hinderaker (an assistant professor in the School of Communications), is proud of the Forensic Frogs’ contest with Wiley in 1935 and interested in building on the legacy by inviting Wiley College for a debate in 2015 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of their first historic meeting.
“Intercollegiate debate has long been, and continues to be, an integral part of advancing TCU’s mission to educate individuals,” Hinderaker says, “to teach them to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens of the global community. We’re honored to be a part of the tradition.”
The 2013-2014 TCU Forensics team will travel to approximately 15 tournaments this year, facing a wide array of colleges and universities across the nation. The debate squad was on hiatus for three decades before it picked back up last year, but Hinderaker, like True, quickly got the program hopping. The team goes into this spring with several of the participants already having qualified for national tournaments.
The Forensic Frogs Fraternity had 12 members. Seen here are four members: (top, left to right) Byron Buckeridge, Edith Blakeway; (bottom, left to right) J.B. Trimble, Mamie Snodgrass.
To see more people in the community doing good deeds, visit fwtx.com and click on Goodwill.
Community Service
The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth extends services to areas that otherwise would not have access to them.
| by Paul K. Harral |
THe miSSion of tHe YmCA of metroPolitAn fort WortH iS unCHAnged SinCe tHe fort WortH orgAnizAtion WAS founded in 1890, but the ways of executing that mission have changed radically and continue to change.
Many of the services offered by the Y are also available elsewhere — fitness, for example, and child care programs. But one thing sets the Y apart, says President and CEO Tony Shuman.
“The pillar of the Y truly is our social responsibility,” he says. “We go out and raise a lot of dollars to make sure that nobody gets turned away from the Y on their ability to pay. We serve communities in the health and wellness market that no for-profit fitness center is going to serve. It’s our responsibility that we serve everybody.”
The Young Men’s Christian Association was launched in London in 1844 in response to the influx of rural workers for the Industrial Revolution to provide young men a Christian-influenced temporary living place. Some Ys in large urban areas still provide resi-
dential services, Shuman says, but the Fort Worth organization discontinued that in 1985.
The Fort Worth YMCA currently serves more than 100,000 people annually in a variety of programs that include child care, sports, fitness memberships, youth and teen programs in Tarrant and Hood counties and outlying areas. That includes 42,000 youth and teens and 10,921 seniors. The Y has 13 branches.
The president of the board and manager for the Downtown Y, Pat Fulps, is especially proud of the Y’s effort in cooperation with Campfire and the Fort Worth school district to prepare children to enter kindergarten.
The Y is one of the largest — perhaps the largest — child care providers in the area with five pre-school and more than
Fitness memberships are available at 12 YMCAs in Tarrant County, Hood County, and soon in Johnson County, and are designed for a variety of age ranges. Photo courtesy YMCA
goodwill
all heart
The
and tackle football, cheerleading and swim teams.
50 after-school programs. Two of the pre-school programs are based in schools to serve mothers who are also students.
sions is healthy living, stressing not so much fitness as health and getting people active and in nutrition. One new area is diabetes prevention.
“It’s a wonderful program, because it does allow those teen mothers to continue their education so they have a much brighter future,” Fulps said. “We provide that child care while they’re in school at the school. They actually come down and have lunch and feed their babies and are involved with those kids during the school day.”
Shuman says one of three core mis-
Fulps describes himself as a Y kid. His father was a board chair at the Southwest YMCA, and he’s been involved one way or another for most of his life. “No other organization can do that breadth of service for a community like the YMCA does,” Fulps said. “That’s what attracted me to it — the number of people we can impact.”
American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women program raises money for research and to spread the word about the dangers of cardiovascular disease among females.
| by Paul K. harral |
There was a time — a long time — when women’s concern about heart disease was whether it would leave them a widow. But times have changed.
“Every year, coronary heart disease, the single biggest cause of death in the United States, claims women and men in nearly equal numbers, totaling about 500,000 lives,” says a report from the Harvard Medical School. “More than 6.5 million women have some form of it.”
Shirley Turner, co-chair of this year’s Go Red for Women Luncheon with her husband, Wes, former publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, says just spreading the news about the dangers of heart disease for women itself has been exciting. What women don’t know can kill them.
“They have no idea what their numbers are,” she said. “Women wouldn’t consider not getting a mammogram, but they have no idea if their cholesterol is high. They have no idea what their blood pressure is.” They’ll be able to find out both at this year’s Go Red for Women Luncheon, Feb. 28, at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, and they’ll also be able to learn hands-only CPR — cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
“Wes’ and my big focus this year is on teaching as many people CPR as possible,” Turner said. They trained about 75 people at a party at their house earlier in the year, and there have been several other parties where similar numbers of people were trained. “At the luncheon, we’ll be teaching everyone CPR,” she says.
The Turner’s daughter, Sara Camp, is a nurse practitioner and is the Heart Associa-
tion’s national director of health care quality marketing and research. That is one reason for their involvement. But for Wes Turner, another part of it was the sudden death of Star-Telegram Vice President David Ivory in 2007. Ivory died of a heart attack while playing golf at Glen Garden Country Club.
“I couldn’t help but wonder if somebody there had known CPR, could it have made a
This year’s Go Red for Women event is expected to draw more than 700 participants. Attendees turned the dining room red in 2013. Photo courtesy American Heart Association
Youth sports at YMCA branches may vary and include basketball, soccer, baseball, T-ball, volleyball, flag
goodwill
To
difference?” Turner said. “The loss of David … certainly played a role in my willingness to try to educate as many people as we can about heart disease and the critical importance of CPR.”
Early recognition of heart attack and initiation of chest compression is critical in surviving a heart attack, says Dr. Jeff Beeson, medical director of MedStar. “Evidence shows every minute the heart is not pumping blood, we decrease the chance of survival by 10 percent,” he said. Dispatchers are trained to instruct 911 callers in how to administer CPR while waiting for help to arrive. “Across the country, cities with the best survival statistics from cardiac arrest also have the highest incidence of bystander chest compressions,” Beeson said. “This is where we can make a difference. So if we as a community want to improve survivability from cardiac arrest, everyone needs to know how to do chest compressions.”
Go Red for Women has led the effort to educate and involve women in the effort to end heart disease for more than a decade. The AHA says the program raised more than $33 million in 2013.
Motivating Medalist
Union
Gospel Mission brings renowned gymnast Mary Lou Retton to its Be Inspired Luncheon.
| by paul K. harral |
Since 1984, Mary Lou retton has been an inspiration to aspiring gyMnasts and the aMerican pubLic in generaL. That’s the year she won the All Around Gold Medal in women’s gymnastics at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics. She did it by scoring a perfect 10 on the vault. Debby Brown, chair of the mission’s Be Inspired Luncheon, thinks she has scored a perfect 10 herself by bringing Retton to Fort Worth to speak at the Feb. 25 event in the Will Rogers Round Up Inn. This is third of the luncheons. Previous ones featured Leigh Anne Tuohy, the central figure in the best-selling book The Blind Side and the subsequent movie, and Pam Tebow, mother of NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.
Brown has been a board member at the 125-year-old mission for 16 years and stresses that it is entirely supported by donations and local churches and accepts no government money.
“That is how we have kept the doors open for 125 years,” Brown said. “It’s on faith and it’s on people who love the Lord and want to give to help those less fortunate.”
Brown got the idea three years ago after hearing Tuohy speak at a YMCA fund-raiser in El Paso at the invitation of her sister. On the plane home, she decided she wanted to bring Tuohy to Fort Worth and “ask
120 strong Christians to buy a table for $1,000, or to share a table or to ask nine friends each to pay $100. And we did it,” she said. They raised $85,000 that first year.
“The mission is all Christ-centered,” she said. People who come inside to eat must first attend a chapel service. “You can sleep during chapel. You can be totally drugged out. You can be drunk. But you’re going to be there,” she said. “It’s just part of our thing. They can get sandwiches outside on the street because we give away free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But if you are going to come in, you are going to follow the rules.”
She’s recruited Mary Alice Brumley and Cheryl Van Zandt to assist as co-chairs. They are hoping again for 120 tables of 10 and another $85,000.
Retton should fit in well. Her official website lists her favorite book as the Bible.
Shirley Turner hosted a party in her home where about 75 guests were taught hands-only CPR. Photo courtesy American Heart Association
Olympic Gold Medalist and motivational speaker Mary Lou Retton headlines the 2014 Be Inspired Luncheon.
according toheywood
Birth of the Stock Show
| by heywood | illustration by charles marsh |
ThiS monTh markS The 118Th anniverSary of The SouThweSTern expoSiTion and LiveSTock Show, or more commonLy known aS The forT worTh STock Show and rodeo. However, for years it was just known as the Fat Stock Show. Unfortunately, some of the livestock took offense at that name and decided to air their grievance with the ACLU because they felt the word “fat” was degrading. They demanded to be referred to as “curvy” or “horizontally tall.” A compromise was eventually reached with the governing committee, and the current name was adopted in 1978.
The first stock show would never have happened if not for the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway some 20 years earlier. Up until then, Fort Worth was kind of a 7-Eleven for cowboys who were driving herds from south Texas to the Chisholm Trail. But once the railroad came through town, townspeople began developing the stockyards, which became a main hub for the cattle industry. Over the following years, local breeders who wished to exhibit their cattle would bring them to the stockyards. It was a great way of marketing, and this eventually led to the inaugural stock show in 1896.
Tents were set up for the animals, and because it was their only form of entertainment, locals would pay a hefty 25-cent fee just to view the livestock. After about two hours, some of the women would rush out of the tent, fall to their knees and pray for someone to please invent television.
A few years later, organizers decided to incorporate a competition with cowboys and cowgirls. In Mexico, this type of competition was called a rodeo. The name stuck. The first event included steer riding, ladies bronc riding and wild horse racing. Brahma bull riding was spontaneously added later that evening following a three-hour open bar. Organizers said it just seemed like a good idea at the time. A first-place prize of $75 was awarded to the winner, right after he came out of the coma.
In 1944, the event moved from the north side to Will Rogers Coliseum. It was becoming more popular than ever. It also became the first rodeo to include celebrity appearances and performances, which these days is a major part of successful rodeos across the country. Gene Autry showed up during World War II, but a number of us still remember when Roy Rogers and Dale Evans made an appearance in 1958. It was actually broadcast nationwide with more than 8 million viewers tuning in to watch. But my favorite was Gail Davis, who played Annie Oakley in the television series back in the 50s. I had this huge crush on her. Turns out my aunt knew her from school, so I got to meet her later. I then sent her a fan letter confessing my undying love. Still haven’t heard back.
I don’t know if this still goes on, but schoolchildren in Fort Worth used to get a holiday to attend the stock show. It was always on a Friday. My friends and I would head straight for the midway and ride all the rides, then try to win
a prize playing all those games of chance. The guys who ran the games would get in your face and just taunt you to play. Back then, most of them looked like they crawled out of a bog. But sure enough, we’d get sucked in and spend all our money. Didn’t matter. We enjoyed every minute.
These days the stock show is a huge event, thanks in part to building expansions that include livestock barns, horse arenas and huge exhibit areas. Will Rogers Coliseum has pretty much remained the same. Reata has now taken over the old Backstage Club, which overlooks the main arena. It was certainly the place to be back in my day. We had some of the best times ever. And when it came to beer, you couldn’t beat their price. Nobody was higher. There’s been talk over the years about completely renovating the coliseum. I hope not. I think it’s the perfect venue for a rodeo. I can’t explain it, but it’s just got this certain feel.
Anyway, I’m heading down to the midway. I’m determined to finally win one of those stupid games of chance.
Some people think I’m still a sucker, but I have a name for those types of people. They’re called “correct.”
Proceeds provide mobile health outreach to underserved women in Fort Worth and surrounding communities.
Hosted by the Kupferle Health Board of the Texas Health Resources Foundation
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Sewell Infiniti of Fort Worth and Sewell Lexus of Fort Worth
FASHION SPONSOR
Neiman Marcus
EVENT CO-CHAIRS
Diane Ayres and Amy Yudiski
2013-2014 KUPFERLE HEALTH BOARD AND PUTTIN’ ON THE PINK COMMITTEE
Jennifer Anderson
Esta Austin
Cindy Barnard
Janet Bishop
Nikki Blahitka
Duffy Bloemendal
Tulisha Buchanan
Tiffany Cason
Leah Collette
Gina Collins
Nancy Conway
Sharon Crockett
Kathleen Crowley, MD
Ashley Dagley
Shelda Dean
Linda Morris Elsey
Jackie Gibbons
Sharon Goodin
Lisa Grady
Lisa R. Grubbs
Kelly Hernandez
Debbie Hyde
Arden Jenkins
Leesa Kaufmann
Margaret Kelly
Doris Klabzuba
Suzy Lockwood, PhD
Amy Luskey
Erika McCarthy
Rosie Moncrief
Pamela Corbett Murrin
Whitney Neve
Cameron Newberry
Alann Nolan
Paige Pate
Mary M. Patton
Anita Paulus, DDS
Paige Randel
Suzanne Sanders
Chris Sheppard
Christy Strock
Jenny Swords
Roanna Timmins
Ginger Walker
Ashley Warrick
Leann White
Alice Whitten
Brook Whitworth
Susan Young
Adventures in Wedding Planning
| by Julie eastman, CWs |
I knoW It’s not brAIn surgery, but I love what I do. I get to make people happy. (I also get to help people spend money for a living.) There truly is nothing more rewarding than seeing couples’ faces when I take them into their reception area for a private look before the guests arrive. And it’s also the moment when I finally can breathe a sigh of relief, as the events leading up to that day are usually nothing short of, well, adventurous.
One of the first (and most important) things to do after picking the date is selecting the venue. Lucky for us, Fort Worth has so much to offer, from hotels, to museums, to private clubs, quaint barns and even an amazing zoo. A planner can guide you through this process and help you find the perfect place for both ceremony and reception, including the ideal spots for fire dancers and aerialists to perform and a dog to bear the rings. (Yes, I’m speaking from experience here.)
A planner can also shepherd her clients through the budgetary process — the one thing that can really throw folks for a loop. One particularly eloquent father-ofthe-bride recently described paying for a wedding in these terms: “It’s like buying a brand-new Mercedes and then pushing it off a cliff.” (Nicely put and also, in many cases, not far from the truth.)
Although I’ve worked with budgets of varying sizes, the bulk of them surpass what most of us make in a year. But no matter if the sky’s the limit or if the funds lean more toward the conservative side, a wedding planner can save money by getting discounts from vendors, as well as a huge savings when it comes to time — the one commodity that no one seems to have enough of.
What even the most experienced wedding planner cannot do, however, is guarantee that the “big day” is all sunshine and
pixie dust. In fact, one not so great aspect of the job is having to be the bad guy. I have to take the heat when a guest (who didn’t RSVP) shows up and demands an A-list seat. Or when a groomsman brings his date-of-the-week even though the invite didn’t include a plus-one.
I’ve even been asked to keep things secret from family members. One time I had to break the news to the fatherof-the-bride that he could only walk his daughter halfway down the aisle — and then hand her off to her stepfather, who would actually be “giving her away.” Talk about awkward.
Then there are the things that the bride
and her family never need to know about. I have had cakes that wouldn’t fit through doorways, cakes that were damaged in transport, things that got broken, names that were misspelled on paper goods … not to mention the constant struggle of keeping dreams within budget. I should probably include “Professional Problem Solver” on my business cards, as there are so many things that just need to be mended and not mentioned.
My biggest piece of professional advice? Every wedding will inevitably have some sort of hiccup somewhere along the way; that’s just the nature of the game. But if you have a solid plan from day one, you’ll be much more likely to stay on track. (And much more likely to find a venue that welcomes fire dancers and fourlegged friends.)
upclose
Extraordinary personalities shaping Fort Worth
The Long Road Home
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, many know Donald Clarke as a favorite valet at River Crest Country Club.
| by Courtney Dabney | photography by Jason kindig |
DonalD Clarke is well-known for wearing the Colors of the JamaiCan flag arounD town. His wardrobe is filled with black, gold and green, as is his SUV, which sports the same color scheme. Clarke is also the founder and head coach of the successful Jamerican Flyers Track Club, which has more than 100 current members.
The road to his adopted hometown of Fort Worth and gaining American citizenship was a bumpy one. Before becoming a nationally famous running star in Jamaica and a legend in his area of the island, Clarke found himself living on the streets from ages 11-13 with no real talents or prospects.
Clarke left Kingston after his father died. He was sent to live with his uncle in the country at 11 years old. He soon found that his aunt was in charge while his politician/uncle was away (which was most of the time). Without the support of his aunt, who chose to not even enroll him in the neighborhood school and refused to open her home to the boy, Clarke was left to sleep under her porch for two years and try to fend for himself.
A man who farmed yams on his uncle’s property and took them into the city for sale each week knew of his grandmother and took Clarke to her, where he then lived for one year before being uprooted again and sent to live with his mother in Spanish Town (just outside of Kingston).
Around age 14, two of his schoolmates noticed Clarke’s speed on the soccer field and insisted on introducing him to Coach Buckner with the Spanish Town Police Youth Club. Buckner was the first adult to really take an interest in him and encourage his running talent. After only three weeks of formal practice, Clarke was beating runners who had been training for years.
“Danny” Clarke was quickly becoming notorious in his neighborhood. Close to his 15th birthday, he was one of the top four Jamaican runners who qualified to attend the Junior CAC Games held in Vera Cruz, Mexico, alongside teammates who were elite runners from top schools and colleges in Jamaica. That is where he met the head coach of Calabar High School, Herb McKenley. As fate would have it, Coach McKenley was the first man to break
45 seconds in the 400-meter event, setting back-to-back world records in 1948 which also happened to be Clarke’s best event.
Clarke returned home a superstar with five different scholarship offers. Calabar High School was his obvious choice, but he was unable to come up with the bus fare necessary to attend school that fall. That is when the mother of a friend literally stepped in to help.
Mrs. Yuter found Clarke on the streets and stepped into a crowd of 15 young men to take him by the hand and lead him to her house, offering him a roof over his head as well as the bus fare he needed to claim his scholarship. Clarke declined her offer, finding it difficult to trust people and took to the streets again. But Yuter persisted and came to find the young man, taking him by the hand two more times before Clarke believed she was serious in her intentions. She made an appointment with the head coach and the principal of Calabar in order to finally get him enrolled. Years later the two found out they were actually distant cousins, and Clarke considers her like his own mother.
Clarke graduated from Calabar and attended the Barrientos Games in Cuba, went twice to the Carifta Games in the Bahamas and represented his school at the Pan American Relays in the Philippines. His success in track led to nine scholarship offers in the U.S. Clarke had planned to accept a scholarship to Abilene Christian University, but due to VISA issues he went to New Mexico Junior College.
He founded the Jamerican Flyers Track Club 14 years ago (which exists on donations as well as the tenacity of Clarke himself). He has seen 80 of his runners receive college scholarships, including phenom Ashley Collier, who was one of the top freshmen in the nation and graduated from Texas A&M with plans to go pro.
Clarke says, “I tell my story to motivate my runners. They have every opportunity to succeed here — they only need to take hold of it.”
Planning your future and finding the perfect balance between protection and price can seem to be an overwhelming task, unless you employ the expertise of trained professionals. To help in your search for the right insurance expert, whether you are an individual seeking protection or an employer looking to minimize cost while maintaining employee satisfaction, some area agents want to tell you more about themselves and how working with them will contribute to peace of mind for your future and financial well being.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth, Texas magazine.
port folio Insurance ProfessIonals Worth KnoWing
portfolio Insurance Professionals Worth Knowing
Gus Bates Insurance & Investments – Corporate Group
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SETS US APART: We help employers minimize costs while increasing employee satisfaction with customized education and communication tools. Our investment team provides a broad range of secure, comprehensive retirement options that help give you and your employees a sense of confidence about their future. Our property & casualty team provides customized insurance brokerage, loss control, claim and risk management services. Our business is about protecting your business.
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portfolio Insurance Professionals Worth Knowing
Mass Mutual Financial Group-North Texas
FOCUS: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (Mass Mutual) is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders. The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance and has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders since the 1860s. Over the years, we have found that in uncertain times there is always a “flight to quality.” We stand strong with our clients in the fundamental belief that every secure future begins with good decisions and that strength and stability matter. OPPORTUNITIES: While many insurance companies have chosen to hire only experienced professionals, MassMutual is one of the few carriers committed to investing significant resources recruiting recent college graduates as well as professionals exploring a potential career change. WHAT SETS THEM APART: For 160 years, MassMutual has capitalized on its
financial strength and delivered on its commitment to customer service. Whether you are looking for help to secure your family’s future or to secure a new opportunity, Mass Mutual Financial Group-North Texas is the place to start. LOCATIONS: Mass Mutual Financial GroupNorth Texas consists of three offices in the DFW Metroplex – Fort Worth, Southlake and Plano. These offices represent approximately 65 full-time agents. PICTURED: Darrell Amsden, Darrell Petter, Ryan Coiner, Julie Bird, Carrie Sayre, Julia Braun, Cale Braun.
To see all the photos from the hottest events in town, visit fwtx.com/photos
The Scene
Jewel Ball
The Jewel Charity Ball’s Diamond Jubilee was held at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The beautiful evening offered chance tickets, silent auction, a delicious dinner buffet, decadent deserts, a dazzling jewelry display by Bachendorfs, live bands and dancing. Leslie Johnson was president of the Ball’s 60th anniversary gala.
Photos by Sharon Corcoran
Who WaS Seen
(1) Paul & Sally Prater, Anne & Hank Paup (2) Christina & Mark Johnson (3) Kim Carey, Maryanne Mitchell (4) Lawrence & Katy Bock (5) Judy & Scott Mitchell (6) Bill Robertson, Leslie & Dan Johnson
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The Scene Greatest Gift The Greatest Gift Catalog Launch Party was held at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. Community partners enjoyed cocktails, music and food from some of the area’s most celebrated chefs. Photos by Glenn Elman
Who WaS Seen (1) Elliot Goldman, Mike Jiongo (2) Molly Snider, Jennifer Baggs (3) Jim Douglass, Gigi Westerman (4) Barbara Jiongo, Mary Schlegel
The Scene Party for a Purpose Party for a Purpose High Heels and Harley’s was held at the Howell Ranch. Guests enjoyed a Harley bike raffle, silent and live auctions, casino night, gourmet food by some of the area’s best chefs and entertainment by Incognito Band.
Who WaS Seen (1) Josh Adams, Mark Caffey, Carole Williams, Chris Landry, Valerie McDonald (2) Patti Ouart, Tricia Maibach, Erin Pokrifcsak (3) Larry Scala, Ana de Haro (4) Cathy Smith-Foster, Serena Kundysek
The Scene NICUlas Breakfast
Breakfast with St. NICUlas featured Santa and MRS Claus and a live reindeer. The event included live entertainment, a scrumptious breakfast buffet and a host of family friendly activities. Photos by Danielle Webster
Who WaS Seen (1) Jason, Emily, Mckenzie & Mollie Kate McDonald, Wyatt Claire Naegele (2) Sydney, Kim, Tripp & Joey Walker (3) Billy & Sheri LLoyd (4) Lisa, Brennan & Ryan Moore (5) Haley, Asher, Wyatt Claire & Ty Naegele
The Scene
Community Enrichment Hearts and Hopes 25th Anniversary Gala was held at the Hilton Southlake. The keynote speaker was former First Lady Laura Bush. The event also featured a sit-down dinner and live art performance by renowned Dallas artist Rolando Diaz. The event benefited the Community Enrichment Center. Photos by Robin Doyle
Who WaS Seen
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(1) Jack & Janet Bradshaw (2) Gary & Cathey Fickes, Carolyn Sims (3) Michael & Debbie Rasa
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The Scene Goodwill Golf
Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Inc.'s sixth annual Goodwill Classic, a Tournament of Excellence, was held at Ridglea Country Club’s North Course. Money raised through the tournament helps thousands of individuals with disabilities or other barriers to employment achieve their maximum independence through Goodwill’s job training and placement programs. Photos by Joe Nicola
Who WaS Seen
(1) Rocio Schiller, Sean Delph (2) Teresa & Robert House, Travis & Brandy Clegg (3) Ronnie Conger, Jessica & Scott Donaldson (4) Chuck Darling, Vicky & Jeff Bland
The Scene Beyond the Bag
Beyond the Bag Men's Event, hosted by Dick Lowe at Texas Christian University’s Amon G. Carter Stadium's exclusive Founder's Club, was a vibrant evening with wonderful comfort food, cocktails and great conversations. The casual affair benefiting the Joan Katz Breast Center was a great success with selling 450 raffle tickets to win the 2014 Lexus IS 250, donated by Dallas Fort Worth Lexus Dealers. There are a plethora of men in Fort Worth that love and support the women in their lives Photos by Dane Porter of Stokes Photography
Who WaS Seen
(1) Carrie & Kent Adams (2) Mike McMahon, Carrie Adams, Whitney Blake Redwine, Steve Newton (3) Martin Thompson, Steve Reser, Cory Marino (4) Arnold Gachman, Paul Dorman, Dan Lowrance, Joe Lancarte, Jack Rubin, Randy Brillhart
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Saturday, March 1, 2014 • 7:00PM
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Women in Business Worth KnoWing
Just a glance across the business landscape of Fort Worth and the surrounding cities reveals many women who own or run companies or other organizations that greatly influence the life of the community. On the next few pages, these successful women will tell you more about their professional endeavors and give advice for aspiring career women.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth, Texas magazine.
port folio
portfolio Women in Business Worth Knowing
Inga Dow Owner, Keller Williams Realty
Fort Worth,
Northwest
Tarrant County, Johnson County and Cleburne
MISSION & VISION: “Careers worth having, Businesses worth owning, and Lives worth living.” Our company belief of “God, Family, & Business” is especially important to me and our local group of 300+ agents. Our local mission is to provide an exceptional level of service to our clients and agents and to provide the numerous benefits of a large organization while maintaining the connectedness of a small community of agents. WHAT SETS YOU APART: Our four offices have all been consistently No. 1 in transactions closed in their respective markets. In 2013 we were named one of the Top 100 Places to Work by the Dallas Morning News, and we were ranked No. 1 in the training category. Our top agents have become millionaires by learning how to effectively turn a real estate practice into a real estate business.
EDUCATION & ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
B.B.A. in Accounting, B.S.E. in Education, Certified Public Accountant; Texas Real Estate Broker; Owner of four Keller Williams offices, Real Estate Developer, Recognized by Keller Williams Realty International for launching seven successful offices in the DFW region. AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS: Board member for the Fort Worth Opera and on the Board of Directors for the Mira Vista Country Club, Salvation Army Advisory Board, Leukemia Ball Host Committee, past business development board for American National
Bank, Fort Worth Women’s Club, Colonial Country Club, and the Boards of Realtors for Greater Fort Worth, MetroTex and Arlington. ADVICE TO WOMEN IN BUSINESS: First, history has shown that successful business women will face challenges and criticism in the pursuit of success. Perseverance plus the ability to look at adversity head on, to learn from it, and then move beyond it are keys to business longevity. Second, it’s important to be a role model and provide mentorship for new leaders in business in order to give back and to ensure the success of our future leaders. OPPORTUNITIES: Due to rapid growth, we are expanding into areas of west Fort Worth. We also have strong and very rapidly expanding International, Commercial and Luxury presences. NEW VENTURES: Real estate development. Current project is Old Town Station on Renfro at I-35 in Burleson, a 53,000-square-foot retail/office development that will be the future location of our Johnson County office. There is also an upcoming project in Bella Plaza Montserrat on Loop 820 near I-20.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 2813 S. Hulen St., Ste. 150 · Fort Worth, Texas 76109
817.920.7700 inga@kw.com
portfolio Women in Business Worth Knowing
Sunny Drenik-Jaryga
LifeCare Hospitals
BUSINESS RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS: Top 40 Under 40 – Fort Worth Business Press, 2012 Aster Award, 2009 MarComm Award, 2003 MSHPRM Award. MANAGEMENT
PHILOSOPHY: Over the years, I have learned that a leader not only leads by example but must also create a culture that is supportive, healthy, responsible and respectful so our teams feel empowered to have a shared purpose and vision. I also feel that a great leader must have creditability; this is essential because without it, no one will follow you. OUTSIDE THE OFFICE: I maintain my personal life with much love, focus and integrity for those I share my time with, whether I am working out, playing golf, traveling with my husband or seeking continuing education. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL/ PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: I am very proud to have the opportunity to serve as CEO for LifeCare Hospitals of Fort Worth.
I have wonderful memories and I take great pride when looking back upon my career. Over the years, I have been fortunate to develop new skillsets and been entrusted with great responsibilities that have allowed me to advance my career to this level. ADVICE FOR ASPIRING CAREER WOMEN: Work hard, expand your knowledge base and maintain a professional image. Gender does not play a role when you are knowledgeable, hardworking, factual and decisive.
Martha Neibling, Director of Marketing and Public Relations
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s Degree, Public Relations and Advertising, Texas Tech University. AWARDS: With Gaylord I have received the “Manager of the Month” award three times. I was also chosen as a Gaylord Values award winner for displaying the value of “Passion.”
PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT: At Gaylord Texan, we believe strongly in leading with our hearts. When we take care of our STARS (team members) first, we allow them to take the best possible care of our guests. I also believe that you are most successful when you truly love the work that you do.
with 2 million pounds of ice by Chinese artisans. For the special events, our marketing team also produces hundreds of collateral pieces, signs, videos and ads. ADVICE: The key to our success (and mine) here at the Texan is having a general manager and leadership team who lead by example and infuse our culture with creativity, care and respect. Don’t miss any opportunities to learn from great leaders you are fortunate enough to have along the way.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVE-
MENTS: Each year, we host more than 750 media guests at our property. The majority of those come during the holiday season when the resort produces our annual Lone Star Christmas event featuring a giant snow tubing hill and awe-inspiring ICE sculpture attraction created
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS: Ms. Hadley holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University, a Master of Education degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, an Educational Leadership Program Certificate from Harvard University, and an Honorary Doctorate in Education from Paul Quinn College.
RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS: In July 2013, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators named Ms. Hadley a 2013 Lone Star Award honoree. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame by Governor Rick Perry in 2010, the same year she received the Great Woman of Texas Award from the Fort Worth Business Press In 2009, she was presented the Distinguished Leadership Award by the National Community Leadership Association. Other organizations recognizing Ms. Hadley’s contributions include Leadership Fort Worth, the National Conference of Community and Justice, Prairie
View A&M University and the United Negro College Fund. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: My 45 years with Tarrant County College starting as an instructor and culminating four years ago with my appointment to Chancellor. ADVICE FOR ASPIRING CAREER WOMEN: If you want a family, go for it and weigh your options before waiting “too long.” With a lot of hard work, planning and a positive attitude - along with a supportive spouse - you can be a very successful wife, mother and professional career woman. Do not put aside a personal life for your professional life.
CONTACT INFORMATION: 1500 Houston St. • Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.515.5200
tccd.edu
Women in Business Worth Knowing portfolio
Jerry Durant Auto Group Weatherford
Donna Dickinson – General Manager
EDUCATION: Weatherford College; Disney Institute of Management. BUSINESS RECOGNITIONS: GM Mark of Excellence. PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT: When a problem arises, it’s best to roll up your sleeves and just dig in. Listen to your people. Jerry Durant and Don Allen have taught me through the years to treat people like you want to be treated. OUTSIDE THE OFFICE: Weatherford ISD Education Foundation Board Member, President 2013; Friends of CASA; Parker County Animal Shelter; Careity Foundation. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: My 30 years of service to
Jerry’s GM. General Manager, 2012. ADVICE: Whatever work you do, do it with excellence. GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: My children: son, Chance, 28 and daughter, Taylor, 16.
MOTTO: Happiness is a choice. Choose happy! FOCUS: Melissa Nickelson is a Certified Mindset for Success Coach who specializes in helping others recognize that we all have the power to move forward as we face challenges and choices. She helps clients believe in themselves, gain confidence to achieve life goals and figure out what’s next. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Melissa is on the board of the Inside Out Girls Conference in Fort Worth, serves as a regular guest speaker for Guide to Good Divorce, was recently named one of the Top Tarrant County Women Owned Businesses, is a member of the International Coaching Federation and is a member of the Tarrant
County Family Bar Association, The Texas Family Law Foundation, the National Speakers Association (NSA) North Texas Chapter and the NSA Academy. GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Melissa’s greatest personal achievement is having a happy, healthy family. ADVICE: “Live your life. Believe in yourself.”
Women in Business Worth Knowing portfolio
Gloria Starling
The Capital Grille
EDUCATION: Falling in love with the restaurant industry at a very young age, an education beyond high school was not in my future. Pursuing my love for the restaurant business was the way I spent my college years. For the past 23 years, I have been working and mastering every single title in the industry. I believe life has given me a diploma of its own, allowing me to do what I absolutely love doing every day.
RECOGNITIONS: First Latino Woman to serve as Managing Partner of Capital Grille Restaurants, Vice President of The Tarrant County Restaurant Association, Board Member of Downtown Fort Worth Inc., Taste of Fort Worth Committee, Member of Women Steering Business. PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT: To provide a team oriented, nourishing environment that allows people to grow and become the best they can be through positive leadership, encouragement and guidance. The ultimate goal is to always provide an Exceptionally Distinctive Guest Experience. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS: Being offered the title as the Managing Partner of The Capital Grille Fort Worth has been my greatest professional achievement so far. Becoming a mother has been my greatest personal achievement for the past five years and will be for the rest of my life. ADVICE: Listen to your heart and believe what you know to be true. Never be afraid to learn and evolve along the way.
portfolio Women in Business Worth Knowing
That’s Haute!
Donna Moss
EDUCATION: Donna is a self-taught designer who began her successful interior design business in the early 1980’s when her daughters were just babies. Both girls inherited their mom’s eye for design and have joined Donna in her businesses. Ashley Black with a business degree from SMU co-owns their high-end boutique “That’s Haute!” in Bedford Texas. Tiffany Jenkins with a degree in Real Estate divides her time between Donna’s design business “Donna Moss Designs” and her father’s commercial R.E. development company, Moss CRE. PHILOSOPHY OF MANAGEMENT: As the “Queen of Bling,” our goal is to bring beauty and bling, not only to your home but also to your life. Our boutique “That’s Haute!” is filled with beautiful clothes, jewelry, home décor, custom furniture and more. Our interior design business “Donna Moss Designs” is a full-service interior design
business with the same goal. We offer in-home consultation, custom draperies, custom furniture and accessories and a full spectrum of services. PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: In 2006 Donna was selected out of thousands of designers throughout the nation to be one of the 10 contestants on HGTV’s first season of the popular design show, Design Star Several years later, Donna and her daughters Tiffany and Ashley hosted their own TV show again on HGTV called Donna Decorates Dallas.
This month is the last chance to see The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from the Art Institute of Chicago at the Kimbell Art Museum. The painting seen here, The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso, is part of the exhibit. To learn more, turn the page.
fwevents february
For more information on area events, go to fwtx.com and click on events.
to list an event
Send calendar information to Fort Worth, Texas : The City’s Magazine, c/o Jennifer Casseday-Blair, executive editor, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 130, Fort Worth, Texas 76116, or e-mail ideas to jcasseday@fwtexas.com. Special consideration will be given to submissions that include photographs. To meet publishing deadlines, information must be received two months prior to monthly magazine issue.
MuseuMs
The Wizard Of Oz, Feb 23-May 11
This interactive fantasy-adventure takes children and families over the rainbow to continue the celebration of the film’s 70th anniversary milestone. Travel from the humble Gale farm in Kansas to the multihued Land of Oz, where you can explore Munchinkland, the Crossroads, the Witch’s Castle, and Emerald City with Dorothy and her friends. $0–$14. Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. 1600 Gendy St. fwmuseum.org. 817.255.9300.
David Bates, Feb 9–May 11
In a first-ever joint collaboration, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, present the work of artist David Bates. The exhibition is a retrospective of Bates’ work installed in both locations, with an emphasis on painting in Fort Worth and sculpture and works on paper in Dallas. $0–$10. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org. 817.738.9215.
Samurai: Armor From The Ann And Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection, Feb 16–Aug 17
Travel back in time and discover the life, culture and pageantry of the revered and feared Japanese samurai warriors through more than 100 remarkable objects from one of the best and largest collections in the world. $0–$18. Kimbell Art Museum. 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. kimbellart.org. 817.332.8451.
Art And Appetite: American Art, Culture And Cuisine, Feb 22–May 18
This mouthwatering assemblage of 60 paintings explores the art and culture of food, investigating the many meanings and interpretations of dining in America. Free. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org. 817.738.1933.
Underground: Photographs By Kathy Sherman Suder, March 15–Aug 17
Local photographer Kathy Sherman Suder gained international acclaim in 2004 for her color closeups of men boxing. Now she returns with an intimate nod to urban transit. The culmination of more than six years of photographing people riding the subways of London, New York, and Tokyo, the exhibit features 12 oversized works. Free. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org. 817.738.1933.
Selections From The Permanent Collection, Through Feb 8
The Modern maintains one of the foremost collections of modern and contemporary international art in the central United States. On view now on the first floor, important examples of Abstract
Expressionism, Color Field painting, Pop art and Minimalism as well as new acquisitions by Sol LeWitt and Jenny Holzer. $0–$10. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org. 817.738.9215.
Penguins, Through Feb 9
Except for the sounds of the rookeries, the expan-
sion and contraction of the ice and the howl of the wind, Antarctica is very much like the soundless photographs presented in this exhibition. Painter, naturalist and photographer J.J. L’Heureux turns her camera to the emperor penguins and their adaptations to the cold and wind of the continent.
$0–$14. Fort Worth Museum of Science and His-
The Wizard Of Oz, Feb 23-May 11: Interact with the Scarecrow and Dorothy’s other famous buddies at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s Wizard of Oz exhibit.
fwevents february
tory. 1600 Gendy St. fwmuseum.org. 817.255.9300.
The Age Of Picasso And Matisse: Modern Masters From The Art Institute Of Chicago, Through Feb 16
Nearly 100 of the Art Institute’s most outstanding masterpieces will be on view to tell the story of European art in the first half of the 20th century through the collection of one of the world’s best encyclopedic museums. $0–$18. Kimbell Art Museum. 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. kimbellart.org. 817.332.8451.
John Albok’s Neighborhood, Through Feb 23
John Albok (1894–1982) emigrated from Hungary to New York City in 1921 and was a tailor by trade. This exhibit features stunning photographs Albok captured of his neighborhood and surrounding areas. Free. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org. 817.738.1933.
James Mcneil Whistler: Lithographs From The Steven L. Block Collection At The Speed Art Museum, Through April 27
This exhibition showcases James McNeil Whistler’s collection of prints from the Speed Art Museum and represents the full range of the American-born artist’s lithographic career, from his early experiments in 1878 to the last works he produced before abandoning the medium in 1897. It consists of 40-plus examples of the artist’s technique and includes his ethereal images of London’s the River Thames at night, as well as his daringly modern depictions of family and friends. Free. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org. 817.738.1933.
Hombre! Prints By Jose Guadalupe Posada, Through April 6
This exhibition commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of José Guadalupe Posada, one of the key figures in the development of modern Mexican printmaking. Free. Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. cartermuseum.org. 817.738.1933.
Hanskaska: The Shirt Wearers The Plains Indian Art Of Cathy A. Smith, Through April 27
2013 Hall of Fame Honoree and Emmy-winning costume designer and artist Cathy A. Smith was commissioned in January 1996 to re-create the material culture of 12 historically important Plains Indian leaders for a private museum in Santa Fe, N.M. The collection consists of the regalia, clothing and accouterments of each personage as determined from historical photographs, paintings and informants, both living and historically researched. Free. National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. 1720 Gendy St. cowgirl.net. 817.336.4475.
In The Moment At The Modern: A Program For People With Memory Loss, Fourth Wednesdays
Designed for people with memory loss and their caregivers, the monthly program enables participants to experience works of art at the Modern through intimate conversations with docents and thoughtful projects designed by the museum’s
education staff. 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with space for up 20 participants at both times. Free. Includes admission to the galleries and all materials. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org. 817.738.9215.
Leonard’s Department Store Museum
Visitors can view displays featuring hundreds of vintage items from the iconic downtown retail giant. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday. Free. Fort Worth Screen Printing Building. 200 Carroll St. 817.336.9111. fwscreen.com.
Galleries
Gallery Reception For February, Feb 7
Monthly reception for art exhibits opening at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. 6–9 p.m. Free and open to the public. 1300 Gendy St. fwcac. org. 817.298.3021.
Janet Chaffee, Jim Malone, Kate Rivers, Feb 7–March 25
A trifecta of artistic talent. Artspace111. 111 Hampton St. artspace111.com. 817.692.3228.
James Blake, Feb 16–March 16
James Blake captures the richness of the cultivated environment in the exquisite detail of his penand-ink drawings and his paintings. Out of the ordinary and timelessly elegant, Blake is a classic artist who adheres strictly to his own vision rather than to prevailing trends. His art speaks equally to the traditional spirit and the modern mind. Free. William Campbell Contemporary Art. 4935 Byers Ave. williamcampbellcontemporaryart.com. 817.737.9566.
Films
First Sunday Film Club
This series showcases the Fort Worth Library’s large and vibrant media collection. 2 p.m. Free. Fort Worth Central Library, Tandy Hall. 500 W. 3rd St. fortworthlibrary.org. 817.392.7323.
Family Film Series, Second Saturdays
Stop by the Central Library for a family-friendly flick on the second Saturday of every month. Check website for details on titles and descriptions. 1 p.m. Free. Fort Worth Central Library. Youth Center Discovery Theatre. 500 W. 3rd St. fortworthlibrary.org. 817.392.7745.
Films At The Modern
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth offers a variety of events and programs on films. Check the website for details on titles, times, tickets and descriptions. 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org/ films.html. 817.738.9215.
Magnolia At The Modern
Magnolia at the Modern is an ongoing series featuring critically acclaimed films shown weekly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Check the website for titles and times, as well as for info on other film-related happenings. Tickets: $8.50. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. 3200 Darnell St. themodern.org. 817.738.9215.
Omni Theater And Noble Planetarium Check the museum website for times and dates. fwmuseum.org/calendar. Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. 1600 Gendy St. fwmuseum. org. 817.255.9300.
music
Austin Lounge Lizards, Feb 7
The Lizards’ zany repertoire consists of folk, country, rock and rap — often within the same song. 8 p.m. Tickets: $27.50. Performing Arts Fort Worth. McDavid Studio. 301 E. 5th St. basshall. com. 817.212.4280.
Chris Mann, Feb 7–9
Chart-topping pop star and Voice contestant Chris Mann is poised to deliver a concert to remember. Andres Franco conducts. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $27–$79. Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Bass Performance Hall. 4th and Calhoun streets. basshall.com. 817.665.6000.
The Orient Express To Argentina, Feb 8
Melodious tour de force featuring the Diaz Trio and pianist Gabriela Martinez. 2 p.m. $5–$28. Presented by the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth at the Modern Art Museum. 3200 Darnell St. chambermusicfw.org. 817.877.3003.
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Feb 21–23
Estonian composer Arvo Part’s contemplative Psalom, composed for string orchestra, opens a concert featuring music with deeply religious roots. Continue with Felix Mendelssohn’s magnificent Elijah, as soloists — including Fort Worth favorite Ava Pine — and members of the TCU Chorale, Baylor Chorale and Southwestern Singers breathe life into this great choral work. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Tickets: $12–$71. Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. fwsymphony.org. Bass Performance Hall. 4th and Calhoun streets. 817.665.6000.
Cowboy Music And Family Fun, Every Sunday
Round up the herd and join in for a Western-style music concert on the steps of the historic Livestock Exchange Building in the Fort Worth Stockyards. 2 p.m. Free. Historic Livestock Exchange Building. 131 E. Exchange Ave. cowtownopry.org. 817.521.4969.
Billy Bob’s Texas
Fort Worth Stockyards. 2520 Rodeo Plaza. billybobstexas.com. 817.624.7117. (Ticket prices general admission/reserved.) Friday and Saturday concerts at 10:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise.
FEB 1 / Thomas Rhett. Tickets: $15/$25
FEB 7 / Reckless Kelly. Tickets: $15/$18
FEB 8 / Tracy Lawrence. Tickets: $15/$25
FEB 14 / Delbert McClinton and Glen Clark. Tickets: $15/$25/$30
FEB 15 / Scotty McCreery. Tickets: $15/$25
FEB 21 / Dirty River Boys. plus The Crooks. Tickets: $15/$20
FEB 22 / Colt Ford. Tickets: $15/$25.
FEB 28 / Roger Creager. Tickets: $12/$18
Verizon Theatre
Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place. Grand Prairie. verizontheatre.com. 972.854.5050.
FEB 20–23 / Sesame Street Live: Make a New Friend. Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. Tickets: $20–$65
SportS
TCU gofrogs.cstv.com
Men’s Basketball
FEB 1 / @ Texas Tech, 12:30 p.m.
FEB 4 / Texas, 7 p.m.
FEB 8 / @ Iowa State, 3 p.m.
FEB 12 / Baylor, 6 p.m.
FEB 15 / @ Kansas, 3 p.m.
FEB 19 / @ Kansas State, 8 p.m.
FEB 22 / Iowa State, 3 p.m.
FEB 24 / Oklahoma State, 6 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
FEB 1 / West Virginia, 7 p.m.
FEB 5 / @ Iowa State, 7 p.m.
FEB 8 / Texas Tech, 12 p.m.
FEB 12 / @ Kansas, 7 p.m.
FEB 16 / West Virginia, 12 p.m.
FEB 19 / Kansas State, 7 p.m.
FEB 22 / Baylor, 11 a.m.
FEB 25 / @ Texas, 7:30 p.m. UTA
utamavs.com
Men’s Basketball
FEB 1 / @ Georgia State, 7:30 p.m.
FEB 6 / Louisiana-Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
FEB 13 / @ Louisiana-Monroe, 7 p.m.
FEB 15 / Texas State, 7:30 p.m.
FEB 20 / @ Arkansas State, 7 p.m.
FEB 22 / @ Arkansas-Little Rock, 8 p.m.
FEB 27 / Georgia State, 7:30 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
FEB 1 / @ Georgia State, 11 a.m.
FEB 6 / Louisiana-Lafayette, 12 p.m.
FEB 12 / @ Louisiana-Monroe, 7 p.m.
FEB 15 / @ Texas State, 5 p.m.
FEB 19 / @ Arkansas State, 7:05 p.m.
FEB 22 / @ Arkansas-Little Rock, 4:30 p.m.
FEB 26 / Georgia State, 7:30 p.m. Dallas Stars stars.nhl.com. See website for ticket prices.
FEB 1 / @ Ducks, 9 p.m.
FEB 4 / @ Coyotes, 8 p.m.
FEB 5 / @ Sharks, 9:30 p.m.
FEB 8 / Coyotes, 7 p.m.
FEB 27 / Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m.
Stage and theater
Pinkalicious The Musical, Feb 7–23
Based on the popular children’s book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, this is the tale of Pinkalicious, who can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament. Performances at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets: $15–$33. Casa Mañana. 3101 W. Lancaster Ave. casamanana. org. 817.332.2272.
Girls Night: The Musical, Feb 8–9
Thrilling audiences and earning rave reviews since its sensational off-Broadway debut, this touching and hilarious musical takes audiences on a journey into the lives of five female friends who visit their past, celebrate their present and look to the future on a wild and hilarious night out. Packed with hit songs like “Lady Marmalade,” “It’s Raining Men,” “Man I Feel Like A Woman,” “I Will Survive” and more. Saturday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $38.50. Performing Arts Fort Worth. McDavid Studio. 301 E. 5th St. basshall.com. 817.212.4280.
Ghost! The Musical, Feb 11–16
A visual experience unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before, Ghost! The Musical features the magical moments from the Oscar-winning movie in a brand-new production that takes viewers on a thrilling adventure to the afterlife. (Recommended for ages 12 and up.) Tuesday–Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $38.50 and up. Performing Arts Fort Worth. Bass Performance Hall. 4th and Calhoun streets. basshall. com. 817.212.4280.
Bank Job, Feb 13–March 2
See website for times and production details. Tickets: $15–$30. Amphibian Stage Productions. 120 S. Main St. amphibianproductions.org. 817.923.3012.
Disney’s Mulan Jr., Feb 21–March 9
Travel back to the legendary, storytelling days of ancient China with Disney’s Mulan Jr., the actionpacked stage adaptation of Disney’s popular film. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets: $10–$22. Theatre Arlington. 305 W. Main St. theatrearlington.org. 817.275.7661.
Serenade & Gloria, Feb 28–March 2
Choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan uses Francis Poulenc’s gorgeous choral score to create a haunting tribute to World War I in Gloria. The flowing blue skirts of Serenade exemplify beauty and innocence in what George Balanchine called “a dance in the moonlight” that was inspired by the student dancers of the School of American Ballet. Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. Tickets: $15–$95.90. 817.665.6000. Presented by Texas Ballet Theater. Bass Performance Hall. 4th and Calhoun streets. basshall. com.
God Of Carnage, Through Feb. 23
Michael and Veronica invite Alan and Annette to their home in an attempt to amicably resolve the consequences of their children’s playground altercation. It doesn’t take long before this civilized discussion spirals downhill into a savagely funny comedy of (bad) manners. (Adult language.) See website for times and tickets. Circle Theatre. 230 W. 4th St. circletheatre.com. 817.877.3040.
Comedy
Four Day Weekend, Friday And Saturday, Ongoing
This popular Fort Worth-based improvisational comedy troupe performs skits and songs based on audience suggestions. 18 and up, $20. 312 Houston St. fourdayweekend.com. 817.226.4329.
Hyena’s Comedy Night Club, Ongoing
Various performances each week in downtown Fort Worth, ranging from local to national stars. 425 Commerce St. hyenascomedynightclub.com. 817.877.5233.
Admission includes a souvenir pint glass, guided brewery tour and three complimentary pints. $10. 2–5 p.m. Martin House Brewery. 220 S. Sylvania Ave., Ste. 209. 817.222.0177.
Revolver Brewery Tour, Saturdays
Noon–3 p.m. Great beer, fresh country air, picnic tables, a band, barbecue or fajitas, corn bag toss and an informative tour of the brewery. Admission is $10 and includes a Revolver Brewing pint glass. Food vendors will be on site. Revolver Brewery. 5650 Matlock Road, Granbury. revolverbrewing. com. 817.736.8034.
150 Years Of Fort Worth Satellite Exhibit, Ongoing
Open daily from 9 a.m.–8 p.m. The exhibit traces the city’s development, from its beginning as a frontier outpost, through its rowdy youth as a cattle town, to present day. Created by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, in cooperation with City Center Development Co. Free. Historic Fire Station No. 1. Second and Commerce streets. fwmuseum.org. 817.871.7686.
Brit First Saturday, Ongoing Free family fun and activities on the first Saturday of the month, including a farmers market that features a variety of fresh, seasonal produce sourced from local gardens based around Fort Worth. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 1700 University Drive. brit.org/firstsaturday. 817.332.4441.
Brit Tours, Ongoing
Learn about Botanical Research Institute of Texas’ history, present and future, research programs, herbarium, libraries, educational programs and its sustainable building. Thursdays 1:30 p.m., first Saturday of the month 10:30 a.m. Free. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 1700 University Drive. brit.org. 817.332.4441.
Cattle Baron Mansions, Ongoing
Tour the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House and Thistle Hill mansion and stand where the famous cattle barons stood when livestock was king and ranching ruled the Southwest. Wed.–Fri., hourly, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun., hourly, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. Tickets: $15/adults, $7.50/children 12 and under. Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House, 1110 Penn St. Historic Fort Worth. historicfortworth.org. 817.332.5875.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Ongoing
Open daily from dawn until dusk. A peaceful haven nestled in the heart of Fort Worth’s Cultural District, the Garden is home to more than 2,500 species of native and exotic plants that flourish in its 23 specialty gardens. Free. Admission fees
Sewell is proud to support Texas Health Resources Foundation by underwriting the cost of a vehicle for raffle. Win the raffle and select your choice of 2014 InfinitiQ50 or LexusIS. MSRP of the vehicle not to exceed $42,000.
Winner will be drawn April 3, 2014. Need not be present to win.
TICKETS: 1 for $100; 3 for $250; 6 for $500 No more than 1,500 tickets will be sold.
See official rules for details.
For more information, contact Lesley Icenogle at 682-236-5249 or visit www.texashealth.org/pop.
Infiniti Q50 Lexus IS
Trinity River Run, Thursdays–Sundays : It’s all aboard for fun on the Grapevine Vintage Railway, a Victorian-style coach that chugs along a scenic route between Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards.
apply to Conservatory and Japanese Gardens. 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. fwbg.org. 817.871.7686.
Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drive, Ongoing
The world’s only twice daily cattle drive. Historic Fort Worth Stockyards on East Exchange Avenue in front of the Fort Worth Livestock Exchange Building. 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Fort Worth Nature Center And Refuge, Ongoing
The 3,621-acre refuge is one of the largest cityowned nature centers in the United States with more than 20 miles of hiking trails. The center provides a variety of regular and special programs. Check website for details. Refuge: Open daily from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Hardwicke Interpretive Center: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. daily. Admission: $2–$5. 9601 Fossil Ridge Road. fwnaturecenter.org. 817.392.7410.
Fort Worth Water Gardens, Ongoing
Designed by famed architect Philip Johnson, the 5-acre downtown park features a peaceful oasis of fountains and pools. 10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. 1502 Commerce St. Free. 817.871.5700.
Fort Worth Zoo, Ongoing
Open daily at 10 a.m. The oldest zoo in Texas, the Fort Worth Zoo was founded in 1909 and has grown into a nationally ranked facility, housing nearly 7,000 native and exotic animals. Tickets: adults (13+), $12; children (3–12), $9 (2 and under free); seniors (65+), $9. Wednesdays: halfprice. 1989 Colonial Parkway. fortworthzoo.org. 817.759.7555.
Granbury Ghosts And Legends Tour, Fridays–Saturdays
Hour-long walking excursion around Granbury’s historic downtown square guided by actors dressed in Civil War-era attire. 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. $7–$10. 116 W. Bridge St. granburytours. com. 817.559.0849.
Hiking: Horseshoe Trail At Grapevine Lake, Ongoing
The first portion of the hike (approximately 1.5 miles) consists of an old paved park road now open only to foot and bike traffic. Several dirt
loop path options are available along the paved path that offer short side trips down to the water’s edge. Sunday–Saturday 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Free. West Northwest Highway and South Main Street. Horseshoe Trail is located on the west side of Oak Grove Park at Grapevine Lake. 817.410.3000.
Log Cabin Village, Ongoing
Step back in time to the 1800s at Log Cabin Village, a living history museum devoted to the preservation of Texas’ pioneer heritage. Tue.–Fri. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat. and Sun. 1–5 p.m. Tickets: $4–$5. Log Cabin Village. 2100 Log Cabin Village Lane. logcabinvillage.org. 817.392.5881.
Rahr & Sons Brewery Tour, Ongoing Wednesdays, 5–7:30 p.m., and Saturdays, 1–3 p.m. There is a $10 tour admission fee for anyone over 18, but a tour of the brewery and a Rahr & Sons pint glass that holds up to three free beer samples are yours for no additional charge. Rahr Brewery. 701 Galveston Ave. rahrbrewing.com. 817.810.9266.
River Legacy Living Science Center, Ongoing
The 12,000-square-foot nature center offers interactive exhibits, terrariums, aquariums, nature trails and Saturday events. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Saturday. 703 N.W. Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington. Free. riverlegacy.org. 817.860.6752. Southside Urban Market, Ongoing Saturdays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Their mission is to foster relations among a diverse group of people, promote local artisans, encourage eco-friendly food production and promote healthy living. Southside Fort Worth on the corner of South Main and East Daggett. southsideurbanmarket.com.
Stockyards Championship Rodeo, Ongoing Full-on rodeo action Friday and Saturday night, year-round at the historic Cowtown Coliseum. 121 E. Exchange Ave. 8 p.m. Tickets: $15–$20. Stockyards Walking Tours, Saturdays Wrangler Walking Tour: Historical facts, culture and stories of the Stockyards. 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Tickets: $6–$8. Available in Spanish, French, German, Japanese and English. Stockyards Station, 130 E. Exchange Ave. stockyardsstation.com.
Trinity River Run, Thursdays–Sundays
Hit the rails in an authentic Victorian-style coach between Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards. From the Fort Worth location, visitors can ride on a trip to the Trinity River and back, enjoying beautiful scenery and the 19th-century ambience of a steam locomotive. 3:15–4:15 p.m. $6–$10. Grapevine Vintage Railroad – Fort Worth. 140 E. Exchange Ave. grapevinetexasusa. com. 817.410.3123.
Comfort and Design 2014 Lexus GX / 301 hp / 4.6 liter V-8 engine / 0-60 in 7.8 seconds / 17 mpg combined / 6-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission with intelligence / Four-wheel power-assisted discs with four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock braking system / Full-Time 4WD / Mark Levinson 17-speaker, 330-watt surround audio system / Advanced Voice Command
Meals On Wheels, The Sparkling Jewel of Tarrant County
Meals On Wheels 40th Anniversary Gala
Celebrate with us this year as we toast Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County to 40 years of giving back to the community!
Saturday 5.3.2014 | Hilton Fort Worth
Visit our website for more information at www.mealsonwheels.org or contact Blair Cantrell at 817.258.6414 or blair@mealsonwheels.org
A rt of Giving
Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things
GREATER
Joy
Leslie
Amy Yudiski
Brook Whitworth
Monica
Terri Messing
Tammy
Renova
ARLINGTON/MANSFIELD
Rebecca
Tillie Burgin
Kay Duggan
Lori Lane
Mary Phillips
Culinary ventures in and around town
dish
112 Review: The Fillin' Station / 114 Review: Bombay Grill
The Cadillac at The Fillin' Station is a thick and juicy burger with hickorysmoked bacon crumbles hand-ground right into the patty. We suggest ordering it with a jalapeño bun.
Fort Worth, Texas: The City’s
lunch in the fast lane
Jerri Hitt’s new restaurant, The Fillin’ Station in downtown Granbury, has been growing steadily thanks to loyal customers and rave word-ofmouth reviews.
After years of waiting patiently, Jerry Hitt is finally getting to live life in the fast lane—and he’s starting with lunch.
A self-proclaimed “car nut,” Hitt designed the place with speed racers and stick shifts in mind. It’s an energetic, auto-themed atmosphere that pays homage to the building’s roots as a historic fueling station for Marathon Oil, which ran a 24-hour cafe and gas station there from 1929 through World War II.
And it doesn’t skimp on the nostalgia. Red walls covered with vintage Pennzoil posters, Route 66 signs, tin hot rods and checkered flags make you feel as though you’ve stepped right onto the Daytona Speedway. The menu is equally eccentric, featuring tasty dishes such as Lug Nuts (fried jalapeños), Thunderbird (chicken sandwich), Harley D (bacon cheeseburger) and Studebaker (ice cream sundae).
My favorite is the Cadillac, a thick and juicy burger with hickory-smoked bacon crumbles hand-ground right into the patty. It’s juicy without being overly messy, but you’ll still want to
use two hands. Order it with a jalapeño bun and a side of fries for a meal that will fill you up just enough for a brisk walk around the square afterward. The menu doesn’t feature very many vegetarian-friendly entrees, but a good place to start is the Deuce Coupe. This not-your-mama’s grilled cheese is topped with macaroni and cheese and grilled “till it runs out the sides.” Another two-hander. Here with a group? Share a basket of Coil Springs, or house-made, lightly seasoned potato chips served with a bowl of white queso. It’s plenty for four people to share or two if you’re really hungry.
Thanks to his background in supermarket operations, Hitt serves up dishes with freshness in mind. “I grind my meat daily,” he shares. “That’s the difference between my burgers and others.” He’s also not opposed to experimenting with flavor, which is great news for those of us who aren’t opposed to experimenting with taste. When the whim strikes him, Hitt and his crew will whip up a “Garage Special” and write it on a chalkboard outside the restaurant. A recent special was the Ranchero Burger: ground beef with bacon, green chilies and ranch powder. It’s best not to dilly-dally if you want to try one of these—because
| by Jenni Hanley | photography by Jason Kindig |
The Fillin' Station's auto-themed atmosphere pays homage to the building’s roots as a historic fueling station for Marathon Oil.
location: 100 N. Crockett
St. Granbury for info call: 817.573.1554
price range: $-$$
hours: Thurs.-Mon. 11
a.m.-10 p.m., closed Tues. and Wed.
what we like: The good food, freshly ground meat and super friendly waitstaff. what we don't: There was nothing to complain about on our visit. We don't recommend this our recomendation: Any of the freshly ground burgers with a jalapeño bun.
they’re only served “while they last.”
In the end, the Fillin’ Station is bound to become the type of place where everybody knows your name—if they don’t already. Situated on the southeast corner of historic downtown Granbury, it’s a hit with tourists and locals alike. Even some of the wait staff is on a first-name basis with customers. “I don’t get many days off,” explained our waitress to a neighboring table, “but when I do, people notice.”
So what’s next for this place? Although its first six months have far surpassed Hitt’s expectations, his next goal of business is expanding the patio. In its current state, it has plentiful seating and a great view of the square, so you’re likely to see a horse-drawn carriage or a neighbor pass by between bites of your Dipstick. It features both air conditioners and heaters because, well, that’s how Texas goes. Ultimately, he wants to create a space that blends right into the Granbury community, adding, “It’s all about good food, good friends and good fun.” And maybe a good speedster, too.
flavors of bollywood
Just like the colorful and flamboyant movie industry headquartered in Bombay, the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine will leave your mouth watering for more at Bombay Grill.
| by courtney dabney | photography by Jason Kindig |
Most of the IndIan food In fort Worth has been Introduced to us by Paul sIngh. He founded Maharaja with family recipes from the Northern state of Punjab about 25 years ago. Along with his partner, Nirmal Jassal, Singh opened Bombay Grill, showcasing the same tempting repertoire 10 years ago.
Bombay Grill has a packed menu to peruse, but if you want to take the full tour, stop in for one of the very affordable buffet lunches ($6.95 weekdays or $8.95 weekends when they add more lamb specialties to the mix).
Vegetable Samosa ($2.75) is like an Indian eggroll. Two triangular-shaped pockets are filled with spices, potatoes and green peas and then deep fried until golden. Try Raita, a sauce with yogurt, cucumber or mint, or sweet tamarind sauce for dipping. Other starters like Aloo Tiki will light up your taste buds with jalapeño, and Kadi Pakora are the homemade chickpea patties with yogurt and bold spices.
Classic Tandoori Chicken ($8.95) is marinated overnight in yogurt and broiled to tender perfection, with hints of garlic, ginger and mild spices. Tikka Masala ($10.95) is prepared with cubes of the same Tandoori Chicken and cooked in a tomato and herb sauce. It is one of the milder curries.
For lamb lovers, the Lamb Kofta is a combination of delicate lamb cubes stuffed with cashews and raisins in a sauce of curry and cream. We couldn't get enough. For vegetarian palates, the Vegetable Pakora, onions dipped in chickpea flour and fried, are as addictive as any plate of French fries. Sag Paneer is always a favorite side dish of creamed spinach laced with chunks of homemade cheese.
The location near Central Market is convenient, and the simple interior features walls painted yellow curry and stained concrete floors. It is not a lavish decor, but patrons have been returning for the family-run, friendly service and the consistently fresh and adventurous fare for a decade.
location: 4625 Donnelly Ave., Ste. 109 for info call: 817.377.9395
price range: $ hours: Mon. - Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Sat. - Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Sun. - Thurs. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., Fri.Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. what we like: The very affordable buffet lunch. what we don't: The simple interior is nothing to write home about.
our recomendation: The Lamb Kofta and Aloo Tiki are delicious.
Jerry Hitt is serving up fresh dishes at The Fillin' Station in Granbury.
The flavors of Fort Worth. Get a sneak peek of upcoming food coverage in the magazine as well as an inside view from Russell Kirkpatrick of what it’s like planning the 2014 Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival. Get the latest reviews, food news and recipes, plus advance word on the tastiest deals in town.See more at: fwtx.com/ blogs/ bon-appetit
.com
extrabites
The Way to Anyone's Heart
Here’s what a few of the area's most romantic spots have in store this Valentine's Day.
| by Courtney Dabney |
Each will be offering a prix fixe dinner menu with various seating times available. They all require a reservation well in advance, so pick up the phone now. While none of the Valentine's menus for 2014 were set in stone at the time of this writing, based upon past year's offerings, here is a good idea of what you and your sweetheart can expect.
Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana
3405 West 7th St. 817.850.9996
Lancarte always begins with an amuse bouche, which could be anything from a yellowtail ceviche to a grapefruit frizzante. This little gesture sets the mood for what is to follow. Last year's headliners included your choice of lobster agnolotti and sweet potato puree with pistachios or seared scallops and braised oxtail with a combination of celeriac and peas for a first course.
Main courses ranged from prime rib-eye to Tasmanian steelhead trout in a citrus beurre blanc. And, dessert is always sweet with special creations like Meyer Lemon and Mascarpone panna cotta with lemon segment brulée. Lanny's quiet and snug atmosphere makes for a memorable evening.
2221 East Lamar Blvd., Arlington 817.640.9981
Arlington's notable French destination, Cacharel, will have seatings from 4 to 10:30 p.m. to accommodate all the lovebirds beating a path to their door. The sensational three-course meal, by Chef/ Owner Hans Bergman, typically includes dishes that transport with reverence to French tradition. You can expect delicacies like diver scallops served in the shell and covered in puff pastry, or buttery and flavorful escargot.
The elegant and refined interior is the perfect backdrop for expertly prepared beef tenderloin, salmon or duck. An extensive wine list is available for pairings. For dessert, expect many options like the classic chocolate soufflé or delicate filo layers with raspberry coulee.
Light Catcher Winery & Bistro
6925 Confederate Park Road 817.237.2626
The annual Valentine's dinner is a five-course tour de force in the charming candle-lit barrel room.
Seating begins at 6 p.m., complete with live music for dancing. The same menu will be available throughout the romantic weekend.
You may begin with a rich lobster bisque or a well-designed salad. There will be a choice of fish, foul and beef.
In past years, you might have found filet mignon, duck or halibut on the menu. For dessert, expect many chocolate delicacies like hand-made truffles or cannoli. As an added bonus, some of the courses will be paired with Light Catcher's award-winning blends.
Cacharel
It’s time to VOTE
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Rules
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• You may NOT vote multiple times in the same category. Multiple entries are discarded and your entry is disqualified.
Nominations end April 14
Dreams of Saffron
With an Iraqi owner, Sam Shaban, and a Lebanese chef, Hassan Wayzani, Saffron Sky is serving up the real deal.
| by Courtney Dabney |
After celebrating their first year in business, Saffron Sky is growing in popularity mostly by word of mouth. Tucked into a strip mall near the Ridglea Theatre, some may have hesitated to give it a try, but it has the goods.
The Mezza Sampler ($10.99 for one, and $14.99 for two) gives you a taste of the best and most authentic dips served alongside tender pita bread. The hummus is not overpowering with garlic. You can actually taste the chickpeas. The Lebneh, a tangy and creamy yogurt dip that is eaten with nearly every meal in the Middle East, is made fresh daily.
Baba Ganoush is a blend of roasted eggplant, lemon, tahini (ground sesame seeds) and extra virgin olive oil. This one is seriously smoky and the smoothest consistency. Cubes of fresh feta cheese and kalamata olives add a salty note, and the falafel is the most delicate texture, served mildly spiced and golden brown.
We also sampled the Stuffed Lamb Grape Leaves (Dolmas $5.99 for five). They were perfect, wrapped tightly, made fresh in house, and each flavor was easily detected. There are common Gyro sandwiches and hard-to-find Shwarma made from spit-roasted chicken as well.
Right now they serve the best baklava available ($1.79 in logs, nests or traditional pistachio and walnut varieties) from Shatila Bakery in Detroit, but Shaban hopes to expand Saffron Sky with an authentic bakery of its own in the near future.
2014 Annual
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
12 pm - 1:30 pm
The Salvation Army
2014 Annual Doing the most good® Luncheon
Omni Fort Worth hotel
Keynote Speaker
Beth Holloway
Mother of Natalie Holloway Host of Vanished With Beth Holloway
fwdish restaurant listings
For more information on area restaurants, go to fwtx.com and click on dish.
The Listings section is a readers service compiled by the Fort Worth, Texas magazine editorial staff. The magazine does not accept advertising or other compensation in exchange for the listings. Listings are updated regularly. To correct a listing or request a restaurant be considered for the list, contact Jennifer Casseday-Blair at jcasseday@fwtexas.com.
pricing: $ - Entrees up to $10, $$ - Entrees $10-$20, $$$ - Entrees $20-$25, $$$$ - Entrees $25 and over
american Arlington/Mid-Cities
Babe’s Chicken Dinner House 230 N. Center St., 817.801.0300. Lunch Hours 11am-2pm Mon.-Fri.; Dinner Hours 5pm-9pm Mon.-Fri; All Day 11am-9pm Sat. and Sun. $
Twin Creeks Café 3400 W. Loop 820 S. (inside Frank Kent Honda), 817.696.4360. 7:30am-4pm Mon.-Fri.; 8am-4pm, Sat.; Closed Sun. $ Vidalias Southern Cuisine 200 Main St., 817.210.2222. 6am-10pm Sun.-Thu.; 6am10:30pm Fri. & Sat.; 10am-2pm Sun. $$ Westside Café 7950 W. Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.560.1996. 6am-10pm daily. $
The Zodiac Room At Neiman Marcus 2100 Green Oaks Blvd., 817.738.3581. 10am-7pm Mon.-Sat.; 1pm-6pm Sun. $$ Grapevine
Into The Glass 322 S. Main St. 817.442.1969. 11am-10pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am-midnight Fri.Sat. $$
Tolbert's Restaurant 423 S. Main St. 817.421.4888. 11am-9pm Mon.-Thu. 7 Sun.; 11am-9:30pm Fri.-Sat. $$ Winewood Grill 1265 S. Main St., Grapevine, 76051 817.421.0200. 11am-10pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat.; 11am-4pm Sun. $$-$$$ Keller/ l aKe Country
FnG Eats 201 Town Center Blvd. 817.741.5200 11am-10pm Mon.-Fri.; 10:30am-11pm Sat. & Sun. $$
Harbor One 9315 Boat Club Rd., 817.236.8150. 10am-6pm Wed.-Sun. $ roanoKe
Babe’s Chicken Dinner House 104 N. Oak, 817.491.2900. 11am-9pm daily $ Blue Hangar Cafe 700 Boeing Way, 817.491.8283. 10:30am-2pm Mon.-Thu.; 10am3pm Fri.; 7am-3pm Sun. $ Classic Cafe 504 N. Oak St., 817.430.8185. Lunch Hours 11am-2:30pm Mon.-Fri.; Dinner Hours 5pm-9pm Mon.-Thu.; 5pm-10pm Fri. & Sat. $$-$$$
Dove Creek Café 204 S. Hwy. 377, 817.491.4973. 6am-8pm Mon.-Fri.; 6am-3pm Sat. & Sun. $ Reno Red's Frontier Cooking 304 S. Hwy. 377, 817.491.4855. 11am-9:30pm Sun.-Thu.' 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat. $-$$ SouthlaKe
Café Express 1472 Main St., 817.251.0063. 7am10pm daily $$
The Cheesecake Factory 1440 Plaza Place, 817.310.0050.11am-11pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am12:30am Fri.-Sat.; 10am-11pm Sun. $$ Wildwood Grill 2700 E. Southlake Blvd., 817.748.2100. Gluten free. 11am-10pm Mon.Fri.; 11am-11pm Sat.-Sun. $-$$
My Lan 4015 E. Belknap St., 817.222.1471. 9am9pm Mon.-Sun. Closed Wed. $ Pappa Chang Asian Bistro 8th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., 817.348.9888. Buffet 11am2:30pm Sun.-Fri.; 10:30am-9:30pm Sun.-Thu.; 10:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat. $
Chapps 2045 N. Hwy. 360, 817.649.3000. Other locations: 153 Southwest Plaza (1-20 & Little Road), 817.483.8008. 2596 E. Arkansas, 817.460.2097. 11am-9pm daily. $
Chop House Burgers 1700 W. Park Row Drive, Ste. 116, 817.459.3700. 11am-9pm Mon.-Sat. $ Tom's Burgers & Grill 1530 N. Cooper St., 817.459.9000. 6am-10pm Mon.-Sat.; 6am-9pm Sun. $-$$
fort Worth
Dutch’s 3009 S. University Dr., 817.927.5522. 11am-9pm Sun.-Wed.; 11am-10pm Thu.-Sat. $ The Great Outdoors 3204 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.877.4400. 9am-9pm Mon.-Sat.; 10am-8pm Sun. $
Kincaid’s 4901 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.732.2881. Other location: 4825 Overton Ridge Blvd., 817.370.6400. 11am-8pm Mon.-Sat.; 11am-3pm Sun. $ The Love Shack 110 E. Exchange Ave., 817.740.8812. $
M & O Station Grill 200 Carroll St., 817.882.8020. 11am-5pm Sun.-Wed.; 11am-9pm Mon.-Sat. $
Mckinley’s Fine Bakery & Cafe 1616 S. University Dr., 817.332.3242. 8am-6:30pm Mon.-Sat.; 11am-5pm Sun. $ Panera Bread 1700 S. University Dr., 817.870.1959. Other location: 1804 Precinct Line Rd., 817.605.0766; 1409 N. Collins, Arlington, 817.548.8726; 2140 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. S. 817.416.5566 6:30am-9pm Mon.-Sat.; 7am-8pm Sun. $
Breadhaus 700 W. Dallas Rd., 817.488.5223. 9am-6pm Tues.-Fri.; 9am-4pm Sat. $$ Main Street Bread Baking Company 316 Main St., 817.424.4333. 6:30am-6:30pm daily. $
The Snooty Pig 4010 William D. Tate, 817.283.3800. 7am-2pm Mon.-Sat.; 8am-2pm Sun. $
Hudson oaks
Ultimate Cupcake 3316 Fort Worth Highway, 817.596.9090. 10am-5pm Tue.-Fri.; 10am-1pm Sat.; Closed Sun.-Mon. $ soutH lake
Elegant Cakery 535 Nolen Drive, 817.488.7580. 9am-6pm Tue.-Fri.; 9am-5pm Sat. $-$$ Weinburger’s Deli 3 Village Circle, Westlake, 817.491.9119. Other location: 611 Main St., Grapevine, 817.416.5574. 8:30am-7pm Mon.Sat.; 11am-3pm Sun. $
eclectic arlinGton
The Melting Pot 4000 Five Points Blvd., Ste. 119, 817.469.1444. 5pm-10pm Mon.-Thu.; 5pm11pm Fri.; 3:30pm-11pm Sat.; 3pm-9pm Sun. $$-$$$
Burleson
Wine Down 124 S. Scott Street. 817.447.9122. 11am-9pm Wed-Sat. $$ Fort WortH
Café Modern 3200 Darnell, 817.738.9215. Lunch: 11am-2:30pm Tue.-Fri.; 11am-3pm Sat & Sun. $$
Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.332.8451, ext. 251. For reservations call 817.332.8541 ext. 277. Lunch 11:30am-2pm
Cacharel 2221 E. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 910, 817.640.9981. 11:30am-2pm & 5pm-10pm Mon.Fri.; 5pm-10pm Sat. $$$ Fort WortH
La Madeleine 6140 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.654.0471. 4626 SW Loop 820. Other locations: 2101 N. Collins St., Arlington, 817.461.3634. 4201 S Cooper St., Arlington,
817.417.5100. 900 Hwy. 114 W., Grapevine, 817.251.0255. Camp Bowie 6:30am-10pm Sun.Thu.; 6:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat.; 6:30am-8pm Sun.-Thu.; 6:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat.; Hwy. 114 6:30am-9pm Sun.-Thu.; 6:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat.; Collins and Cooper 6:30am-10pm Sun.-Thu.; 6:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat. $ Saint-Emilion 3617 W. 7th St., 817.737.2781. Full bar. 6pm-9pm Tue.-Thu.; 6pm-10pm Fri.-Sat. $$$
Blue Sushi's trademark blue glow draws big crowds. Its extensive menu includes many fully cooked options for those still squeamish about raw fish. The salad recipes in particular are interesting.
Blue Sushi began with three successful restaurants in Omaha and then branched out to, of all places, Fort Worth with its West 7th location.
The people watching alone was worth the price of admission. Aside from the Sake Bombers Bar area, everything else in the restaurant glows blue. There is a giant saltwater fish tank perched above the doorway leading into the dining room and imagery of falling A-bombs and a WWII American bomber wing spanning the ceiling.
For dessert, we suggest that you order the Chocolate Spring Rolls ($8). It was melting chocolate baked inside a filo dough crust. The dessert was enormous and would easily feed four people. The Spring Rolls were great, but the raspberry flavor from the homemade ice cream and accompanying sauce were just delicious.
Chipotle 3050 S. Hulen St., 817.735.8355. Other locations: 3000 W. 7th St., 817.348.8530. 4484 Bryant Irvin Rd., 817.735.4506. 1312 W. Pipeline Rd., 817.595.3875. 3010 E. Southlake Blvd., 817.748.4745. 11am-10pm daily. $ Dos Gringos 1015 S. University Dr., 817.338.9393. 11am-9pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat. $ El Asadero 1535 N. Main St., 817.626.3399. 11am10pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am-midnight Fri.-Sat. $-$$ El Fenix 6391 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.732.5584. 11am-10pm daily. $
El Rancho Grande 1400 N. Main St., 817.624.9206. 11am-9pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am10pm Fri.-Sat. $-$$
Esperanza’s Mexican Bakery & Cafe 2122 N. Main St., 817.626.5770. Bakery and Cafe: 6 am-7pm daily. Other location: 1601 Park Place Ave., 817.923.1992. 6:30am-9pm Mon.-Thurs.; 6:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat.; 6:30am-5pm Sun. $ Fernandez Cafe 4220 W. Vickery Blvd., 817.377.2652. 6:30am-2pm daily. $ Fiesta 3233 Hemphill St., 817.923.6941. 11am9pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat. $ Fuzzy’s Taco Shop 2917 W. Berry St., 817.924.7943. Other Locations: 2719 Race St., 817.831.TACO. 5710 Rufe Snow, 817.465.3899. 510 East Abram, Arlington, 817.265.8226. 7ammidnight Mon.-Wed.; 7am-1am Thu.; 7am-3am Fri. & Sat.; 7am-10pm Sun. $ Hacienda San Miguel 2948 Crockett St., 817.386.9923. 11am-10pm Sun.-Thu.; 11ammidnight Fri. & Sat. $-$$
Joe T. Garcia’s 2201 N. Commerce, 817.626.4356. Cash only. 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm Mon.Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat.; 11am-10pm Sun. $$ La Familia 841 Foch St., 817.870.2002. 11am10pm Tues.-Fri.; 8am-10pm Sat. Closed Sun.-Mon. $
La Playa Maya 6209 Sunset Dr., 817.738.3329. Other locations: 1540 N. Main St., 817.624.8411. 3200 Hemphill St., 817.924.0698. 11am-10pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.; 10am-11pm Sat.; 10am-10pm Sun. $
Los Molcajetes 4320 Western Center Blvd., 817.306.9000. 11am-9:30pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am10pm Fri.; 8am-10pm Sat.; 8am-9pm Sun. $ Los Vaqueros 2629 N. Main St., 817.624.1511.
Other Location: 3105 Cockrell Ave., 817.769.3070.11am-9pm Mon.-Thu.; 11 am10pm, Fri.-Sat.; 10:30am-9pm Sun. Other location: Crown Valley Golf Club, 29 Crown Road, Weatherford. 817.441.2300 $ Mambo’s 1010 Houston St. in the Park Central Hotel, 817.336.3124. 11am- 2pm Tues.-Fri.; 4pm10pm Wed.-Sat. $
Mi Cocina 509 Main St., 817.877.3600. Other location: 4601 W. Freeway (I-30 and Hulen), 817.569.1444. 11am-10pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am11pm Fri.-Sat. $
The Original 4713 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.738.6226. 11am-9pm Tue.-Thu.; 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat.; 11am-9pm Sun. $
Pacific Table 1600 S. University Drive, 817.887.9995. 11am-10pm Mon.-Sat.; 11am-9pm Sun. $$
Pappadeaux 2708 W. Freeway, 817.877.8843. Other location: 1304 E. Copeland Rd., Arlington, 817.543.0544. 11am-10pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat. $$
Razzoo’s 318 Main St. in Sundance Square, 817.429.7009. Other location: 4700 Bryant Irvin Rd. in Cityview, 817.292.8584. 11am-11pm Sun.Thu.; 11am-2am Fri.-Sat. $$
Fish City Grill 2750 E. Southlake Blvd., Ste. 130, 817.748.0456. 11am-9pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat. $-$$
Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crab House 1420 Plaza Pl., 817.912.0500. 5pm-10pm Sun.Thu.; 5pm-11pm Fri.-Sat. $$$ WilloW Park
Fish Creek 4899 E. I-20., 817.441.1746. 11am-9pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am-10pm Fri.; noon-10pm Sat. $$ southwest Fort Worth
Blue Mesa Bar & Grill 600 S. University Dr., 817.332.6372. Other Location: 1586 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake, 817.416.0055. Fort Worth: 11am-10pm Mon.-Thu.; 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat.; 9am-10pm Sun. $$
Ruth’s Chris 813 Main St., 817.348.0080. 5pm-10 pm Mon.-Thu.; 5pm-11pm Fri.-Sat.; 4pm-9pm Sun. $$$
Silver Fox Steakhouse 1651 S. University Dr., 817.332.9060. Other location: 1235 William D. Tate, Grapevine, 817.329.6995. 4pm-10pm Mon.-Sat. $$$ grAnbury
Buffalo Gap Steakhouse And Cantina 1470 Hwy. 377, 817.573.4471.11am-9pm Sun.-Thu.; 11am11pm Fri.-Sat. $$ grApevine/Southl Ake/ Colleyville
Old Hickory Steakhouse Restaurant Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, 817.778.2215 (after 5pm, 817.778.2280). Nightly, 4:30pm-10pm. $$$$
More blogs, more stories, more fun! There are the most current events, multiple contests, extended features and articles, several exciting blogs that cover everything from food to cattle drives and all the party pics you didn’t get to see in the magazine.
FWTX.com is the go-to site for all the relevant exclusives in the Greater Tarrant County area.
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Each month we will present our readers with an obscure detail shot from somewhere in fort worth, courtesy of photographer brian luenser. We will provide the clues, and you will have the opportunity to guess where the shot was taken at fwtx.com/articles/where-feb-14. The following month we will include the full photo as well as a new obscure detail shot. Here are this month’s clues:
1. This building was built in 1927 atop a bluff overlooking the Trinity River
2. You might be able to hear the sounds of lions, and tigers and bears housed nearby
reveal from last month
Zipper Mural at 1111 Monroe St.
For the first time, the area’s finest and most beloved chefs (and the foodies who love them) will unite in Fort Worth for a long weekend of truly extraordinary cuisine. To celebrate the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival’s inaugural event, Fort Worth, Texas magazine is publishing a commemorative cookbook highlighting favorite recipes submitted by the chefs as well as wine pairings, chef profiles and other foodie features.
Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival March 27 - 30 For a full list of events surrounding the festival, visit fortworthfoodandwinefestival.com.
cookbook will be available starting in March. To get your copy, call 817.560.6111 or go to fwtx.com/cookbookFW. FWFWF Foundation will receive 10% of all cookbook sales.
Putting
Joy in the Ride
An insurance exec since 1973, Mike Davis has tackled many a challenging situation over the years. But the decision to team with Park Place Lexus Grapevine has never been one of them.
“The first experience my wife, Susan, and I had with the dealership was with our salesperson, Mike Smith,” Davis says. “Working with him was the most painless time of my life in purchasing a vehicle. We have used him three times for ourselves and once for my sister.”
Mike and Susan currently drive a Lexus LX 570, which they selected for its quality and its size.
Road warrior Mike particularly enjoys the surplus legroom. “We like the roominess since I drive 88 miles a day to take my son to school,” he says.
The couple also lauds the LX for its legendary amenities — namely its comfort, safety and driveability, which come in especially handy for
those long weekday drives. But the fabulous features aren’t the only reason why Mike and Susan are such satisfied Lexus customers. It’s also the full suite of standout services that have them hooked on Park Place.
“When we bring our car in for service, Abraham is always there for us,” says Mike, who’s equally smitten with Park Place’s post-service performance. “The follow-up they do to make sure the service work was done right is fantastic.”
Fact is, the Davises take delight in every part of the purchase process — from day one and beyond.
“Park Place Lexus Grapevine puts joy into purchasing a vehicle,” Mike says, “because you know they are going to treat you right.”
