Get back to an active life with help from experienced back and spine specialists on the medical staff at Texas Health. Whether you have minor aches and pains or complex spine issues, our care plans range from pain management to advanced surgical procedures. And, as always, we have protocols in place designed around your safety. Ready to change your back game?
Texas Health is right there with you.
Find a back and spine specialist at YourBackHealth.com.
The Charred Life
Fire up your grilling game with a few recipes from the grill master himself: Chef Jon Bonnell.
BY JON BONNELL
Different Animals
Sure, the animals get all the attention, but it’s the humans behind the scenes who make our zoo one of the top institutions in the country. Let’s get to know them — up close and personal.
BY JESSICA STRANGE
The Game of Life
Tips and tricks for navigating the stage of life that is retirement and aging.
BY MARY MURPHY
12 The Lead Fort Worth’s youngest and most diverse city council takes its place at the dais.
14 Buzz
A mixed-use development brings a new kind of architecture to the Near Southside.
16 Calendar
Concerts, comedy, car shows — oh yeah, and the World’s Largest Rubber Duck.
20 Fort Worthian
Meet a local piercer whose personality is as electric as her bright yellow hair.
22 Dream Street 2021: Vendor Spotlight
A brief Q&A with longtime vendor Vintage Floors.
24 Good Reads
Themes for this summer’s reading list include religious humor, mystery, and making things right.
26 Noisemakers
A nontraditional production company looks to turn Fort Worth into Texas’ music mecca.
30 Stay Gold
Leon Bridges’ third studio album might just be his most ambitious work yet.
32 Restaurant News
Downtown’s new, high-end Italian joint isn’t the typical spaghetti-and-meatballs affair you’d expect.
Assembly Mother Daughter Meeting
Snaps:
88 Close: ¡Baila baila!
Fast. Friendly. Fair.
Here's the deal.
AUTO GROUP
A New Perspective
Before I arrived in Fort Worth, there were three things I knew to be absolute truths about the city: The Stockyards are fun, the museums are a treasure, and the zoo is phenomenal. I was still wretchedly unaware of the Near Southside, Sundance Square, and the Water Gardens. You see, even a Cowtown novice knows Fort Worth Zoo is one of the nation’s best.
I’ll admit I haven’t always been a fan of zoos — and I have my reservations still. If a zoo isn’t up to code and is akin to something out of “Tiger King,” I might find myself going on a rant about the wrongs associated with keeping wild animals in captivity. However, the Fort Worth Zoo is obviously a different animal (pun slightly intended). The zoo, which is a nonprofit organization run by the Fort Worth Zoological Association, is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top zoos by the likes of USA Today, Family Life, and the Los Angeles Times. It wasn’t until I paid a visit to this particular zoo that I started to become a slight convert.
While it might be difficult to see such magnificent creatures displaced from their natural habitat, I began to understand the important role zoos and zoologists play in conservation (we feature many of these amazing zoologists in our feature on page 58). Animals red listed as threatened with extinction are routinely managed by members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, of which Fort Worth Zoo is a participating member. Yes, they protect endangered species. AZA members also work in field conservation, work on population biology and monitoring, and reintroduction of animals back into the wild.
More importantly, the awe and wonder you see from people who feed giraffes, view hippos underwater through clear glass, or interact with goats at the petting zoo will result in respect, love, and admiration for the animals they’re seeing. This hopefully leads to a generation of young’uns who will become excellent stewards of our natural world.
Yes, my cynicism has subsided. I don’t love all zoos, but I sure as hell love the Fort Worth Zoo.
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
ON THE COVER:
Crystal Wise spent two days shooting zoologists and animals at the Fort Worth Zoo for this month’s main feature. Here, she captures one of the zoo’s hippos — the same one that picked the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at this year’s Super Bowl.
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas. com.
NEXT MONTH
Best New Burgers
Inside the TCU Rifle Team Top Teachers
owner/publisher hal a. brown
president mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
managing editor samantha calimbahin
contributing editor scott nishimura
contributing writers jon bonnell, tina howard, malcolm mayhew, mary murphy, jessica strange
copy editor sharon casseday
editorial interns adriana barker, rhema joy bell, jillian verzwyvelt
ART
creative director craig sylva
senior art director spray gleaves
advertising art director ed woolf
contributing photographers olaf growald, crystal wise
ADVERTISING
advertising account supervisors
gina burns-wigginton x150, marion c. knight x135
account executive tammy denapoli x141
territory manager, fort worth inc. rita hale x133 sales support coordinator josh anderson x140
Fort Worth Magazine (ISSN 1536-8939) is published monthly by Panther City Media Group, LP, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, TX 76116. Periodicals Postage Paid at Fort Worth, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to Fort Worth Magazine, P.O. Box 433329, Palm Coast, FL 32143-3329. Volume 24, Number 7, July 2021. Basic Subscription price: $23.95 per year. Single copy price: $4.99
Ultimate Car-Buying Satisfaction
With demand for the C8 Chevrolet Corvette through the roof, Willie Houston III jumped on the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from Pegasus Chevrolet in Ennis. “I’ve always wanted a sports car, so I figured why not,” he says. “I’d just turned 40, so why not go into full midlifecrisis mode and buy a Vette!” Houston says his Chevy Corvette is nothing short of amazing, with the iconic sports car moving from its traditional front-engine design to a mid-engine configuration. “The 2020 Corvette really took the car to the next level … now competing with exotic supercars for the fraction of the price,” the partner and chief operating officer for Satori Capital says. “It’s the best car I’ve owned.” By that same token, working with the Pegasus Chevrolet staff, Houston quickly points out, is the ultimate car-buying experience. “Gary, the GM, was awesome … he kept me up to date as my car was finished from the factory and delivered. I handled everything over the phone, and when I showed up to pick up my car, I signed my name three times and was out the door for them to show me the car’s features,” he says. “It was truly the best car-buying experience I’ve had.”
PICTURED: Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator; Willie Houston III, customer
Let’s Chat
A few words from our readers
More people? Welcome more cars, more neighborhoods in undeveloped areas, more air pollution, more crime, more traffic congestion, more homeless, more gas well emissions, more runoff flooding, more business tax exemptions that rarely benefit the revenue stream. Hundreds of cities have learned the hard way that unregulated growth is bad for almost everyone. It looks like Fort Worth is on the list of cities learning the hard way. Signed, lifelong resident. —Jim Duncan
Imagine people wishing their own city to stagnate and fail to grow. —Jason King
We need to get public transit, mixed use and zoning, and environmental protections and systems in place now so when these systems are strained even more, they won’t make the standard of living for us all go down. We already have disparity here. Let’s raise up those who are already here before we start building all of the condos, sprawled housing developments, and parking lots for the people coming. Learning from the cities who have figured it out and taking lessons from those who haven’t. —James Zametz
I think Harambe would disagree with Cincinnati’s ranking.
—David Dorris
Get Featured in Print
Hey, local photographers — we see you out there snapping some of the coolest scenes around town, so we reserved the back page of the magazine just for you. Post your photos to Instagram using the hashtag #fwtxmag for a chance to be featured in our next issue.
TRENDING ONLINE
Visit fwtx.com for the full story.
» Fort Worth Animal Shelter Is Overcrowded. Here’s How You Can Help With approximately 2,800 animals entering the facility in April and May, the Fort Worth Animal Shelter fears it won’t be able to accommodate them for long.
» Guapo Taco Takes on Character of Its Own at Former Mariachi’s Space New name, same chef. We took a taste test of Chef Angel Fuentes’ new concept at the gas station that once was home to Mariachi’s Dine-In.
» North Fort Worth Apartment to be Named After Opal Lee An apartment community off Westport Parkway will be getting its name from one of Fort Worth’s most prominent community leaders.
DIGITAL EDITION: The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.
follow us for more @fwtxmag
Facing the Future
Fort Worth welcomes one of the youngest, most diverse city councils the city has ever seen.
BY JILLIAN VERZWYVELT
For the first time in 10 years, a new mayor was sworn in for the city of Fort Worth.
On June 16, Mayor Mattie Parker along with four new council members — Dr. Jared Williams (District 6), Leonard Firestone (District 7), Chris Nettles (District 8), and Elizabeth Beck (District 9) — took the oath of office at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
In addition to marking the end of Betsy Price’s long tenure as mayor, the night also introduced the youngest and most diverse city council Fort Worth has ever seen — which could mean the city may see shifts in policy that
reflect the youthful nature of its leaders, TCU political science professor Jim Riddlesperger says.
“With generational change, you see different priorities,” he says. “And I think we’ll see the initiatives begin to reflect that.”
As the 12th largest city in the nation, Fort Worth’s new city council is distinctly diverse — of the eight council members, three are Black, one is Latino, and four are white.
“Together, we represent parents, spouses, community leaders; we all have a fierce love and desire to leave Fort Worth better than we found
it,” Parker said in her address. “A responsibility to take the torch we’ve been handed and lead Fort Worth into the future.”
Endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Parker is closely associated with the Republican party, yet she will likely need to mold her politics after her predecessor’s nonpartisanship to accomplish her agenda as a unified council.
The challenges traditionally facing local government are largely nonpartisan, such as improvements to infrastructure and city services. Still, the nation has seen political ideologies seeping into local issues over the last several years. The council is now challenged with grappling life after COVID-19, improving race relations and police, and attracting more jobs and businesses.
Besides setting aside a polarized lens, the new city council must also cope with the challenges accompanying growth, such as affordable housing and public transportation.
The new local leaders have never held public office before, and many are hopeful that they will offer a fresh perspective on many of the city’s major issues.
“In addition to bringing that excitement associated with being a first-time public officer, they could perhaps come up with innovative ways to confront the issues facing Fort Worth,” Riddlesperger says. “I’m looking forward to a new set of voices representing the city of Fort Worth. With generational change comes the exciting opportunity to redefine issues and frame them for everyone.”
Mattie Parker
Jared Williams
Set … Hut
Quonset hut project in the Near Southside to bring park, restaurants, retail, and more.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
There’s not anything quite like it in the Near Southside: eight Quonset huts (you know, those steel, semi-cylindrical structures similar to those used by the military during World War II) standing in a row, surrounded by restaurants, shops, offices, and a public park.
That’s PS1200, a project currently under construction at 1200 Sixth Ave. and expected to open in October. The development spans a total of 22,500 square feet, anchored by eight residential units (the Quonset huts), with 5,500 square feet of office space and three retail locations. The folks behind Spiral Diner across the street are already on board, expected to bring in two vegan concepts — a restaurant called Maiden and a dessert shop, Dreamboat Donuts.
Spearheading the project are Detroit-based real estate development company Prince Concepts, architecture firm Marlon Blackwell Architects, and landscape architect Julie Bargmann of D.I.R.T. studio, as well as Studio Outside. Prince Concepts already has two existing Quonset hut developments similar to PS1200 — Caterpillar and the award-winning True North, both in Core City, Detroit. According to Prince Concepts, Quonset huts can “reduce cost and offer significant investment into landscape and
high-quality indoor and outdoor spaces.”
So, how’d a Detroit developer land on Fort Worth as the site of its next development? Turns out it was all in the family — Prince Concepts’ president Philip Kafka grew up in Dallas. His father, Terry, had spent time exploring the Near Southside and talked about it with his son, who subsequently fell in love with the area’s “alternative” character, particularly its walkability and urban feel.
“It’s so funny because the big complaint in the Near Southside that everybody has is that there’s no parking, right? Well, the irony is, that’s what makes the neighborhood so great,” he says. “The space is used for buildings and for people, as opposed to for cars, whereas in most other neighborhoods, you don’t get any walkability because buildings are separated by oceans of parking lots.”
Adding to the neighborhood’s walkability will be PS1200’s park that’ll be open to the public. In fact, Philip says, that’s what the “PS” stands for (“public space”), and those who choose
Eight Quonset huts will be turned into living spaces with modern design elements.
to live at PS1200 will have 20-foot glass facades overlooking the park, lined with a grove of ginkgo and cypress trees, with the sunrise just up ahead.
According to Marlon Blackwell, founder and principal of Marlon Blackwell Architects, the design of PS1200 draws inspiration from the Kimbell Art Museum, meant to “elevate something prosaic and humble into something noble.”
Philip says he hopes PS1200 will add to the storied legacy of Fort Worth architecture.
“Fort Worth has a great architectural history, a great cultural history, and we’re hoping that this project is going to fit right into that,” he says.
10Things to Know This Month
1
Fort Worth stepped up from No. 13 to No. 12 as one of the largest cities in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest population estimates. The city’s current population is 927,720, gaining 19,229 residents between 2019 and 2020 — up 24% from 748,419 residents in 2010.
2
Juneteenth is officially a national holiday, and America has Fort Worth’s Opal Lee to thank for that. The 94-year-old activist who spent years petitioning for a federal observance commemorating the ending of slavery saw her dream come true on June 17, two days before Juneteenth itself.
3
Betsy Price may no longer be mayor of Fort Worth, but she won’t be out of politics for long. With current Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley announcing he would not run for reelection, Price plans to run for the seat in 2022. According to the Texas Tribune, Price plans to “make a more formal and official announcement in the coming months.”
4
After former TCU baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle announced he was leaving for Texas A&M, the university did not search far for his successor. TCU promoted assistant coach Kirk Saarloos to the head coaching position, assuming the role after having spent nine seasons with the program.
5
More events are coming soon to Cowtown Coliseum, thanks to a new partnership between Stockyards Heritage Development Co., PBR (Professional Bull Riders), and ASM Global — a Los Angeles-based venue and event management company. All three entities will now be managing the venue, with plans to “expand the entertainment programming and marketing partnerships within the National Historic District.”
6
One of the Stockyards’ most anticipated entertainment venues, Downtown Cowtown at the Isis, is now open. The over-100-year-old theater got a much-needed facelift and opened in late May. It’s since hosted events like The Roots of Music Concert Series and the red-carpet premiere of “12 Mighty Orphans.”
7
With the 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge wrapped up, Colonial Country Club now has its sights set on a massive, $20 million renovation project that will begin “immediately following the final putt of the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge next May.” According to Colonial, the project will “address every aspect of the golf course infrastructure,” from installing a new irrigation system to improving bunkers, tees, and turf.
8
Texas Ballet Theater is bringing “The Nutcracker” back to Bass Performance Hall for in-person performances from Dec. 10 – 26. The show will kick off the 2021 – 2022 season. Tickets and more information are available at texasballettheater.org.
9
The Texas State Legislature has named its 2021 Texas State Musician: Fort Worth’s own Leon Bridges. The title means Bridges will serve a oneyear term representing Texas’ artistic legacy, with the opportunity to be included in the touring roster of the Texas Commission on the Arts.
10
The Near Southside is working to raise $600,000 for the expansion of Fire Station Park at Hemphill Street and West Maddox Avenue. The first phase of improvements will cover roughly 1.5 acres — that includes a dog park, pump track for bikers, and plaza for skateboarders and rollerbladers. Near Southside, Inc., is currently seeking donations; more information is available at nearsouthsidefw.org.
JULY 1, 15, 29
Let’s Have a Tiki … Texas Style Thursdays
Hula dance to a ukulele trio while dining on poke and barbecue at this traditional Polynesian luau, taking place on the Clover Club Lawn of the Live! by Loews hotel in Arlington.
Live! by Loews – Arlington 1600 E. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, 682.277.4950 cutandbourbon.com
JULY 23 – 25
JULY 3, 10
Soul Saturdays
In the spirit of the Kimbell Art Museum’s special exhibition, “Buddha, Shiva, Lotus, Dragon,” enjoy free tai chi and qi gong classes catered to all fitness levels.
Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.332.8451 kimbellart.org
JULY 8
Happy Hearts
Pianist Evan Mitchell accompanies soprano Corrie Donovan as they bring a taste of Broadway to the community, performing favorites from shows like “Wicked,” “The Sound of Music,” and “Carousel.”
Fort Worth Public Library –Meadowbrook 2800 Stark St. cliburn.org
JULY 9 – 10
Robert Dubac’s “The Book of Moron”
The critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit comes to Fort Worth, with funnyman Robert Dubac bringing two nights of edgy, satirical humor to the Stockyards’ hottest new theater.
Downtown Cowtown at the Isis 2401 N. Main St., 817.808.6390 downtowncowtown.com
Big #KindnessDuck Party
A six-story inflatable duck and her 10-foot baby duck mark the location at Trinity Park, where tents showcasing nonprofits — along with food trucks, vendors, and other family-friendly activities — are set up in a celebration of kindness and philanthropy.
Trinity Park 2278 River Drive, kindnessduck.com
JULY 10
Urban Drift
Live your fast and furious fantasies when Novice Garage comes to Texas Motor Speedway with a skid pad for drifting, along with kid-friendly activities, a car show, and ride-along opportunities.
Texas Motor Speedway 3545 Lone Star Circle, 817.215.8500 novicegarage.com
JULY 10
Ice Cream Social
Magnolia Avenue glass studio SiNaCa Studios is emptying its furnace of molten glass to create sand-casted keepsakes, inviting the community to come take one home while enjoying ice cream from Melt.
SiNaCa Studios 1013 W. Magnolia Ave., 817.899.0024 sinacastudios.org
JULY 10 – AUG. 28
8th Annual Texas Juried Exhibition
Featuring artists like Rambo Elliot and Treslyn Shipley, Artspace111 will debut works selected by juror Caleb Bell, the curator at the Tyler Museum of Art. The opening reception is scheduled for July 17. Artspace111 111 Hampton St., 817.6923228 artspace111.com
JULY 16 – AUG. 8
“Pixie Posy”
This Hip Pocket Theatre performance transports audiences to a world of fairies and fantasy. Purchase a dinner ticket to enjoy HipCafe in the Backyard before the show.
Hip Pocket Theatre 1950 Silver Creek Road, 817.246.9775 hippocket.org
JULY 17
Homemade Kombucha Workshop
Join fermentation expert (and one-half of popular dumpling company Hao & Dixya) Dixya Bhattarai as she teaches you how to make your own kombucha tea at home.
JULY 22
Christmas in July
Hosted by Children’s Charities of Fort Worth, help 13 local organizations get an early start on Christmas gifts at this toy drive taking place at the little church venue next to Joe T’s.
Joe T. Garcia’s La Puertita 2201 N. Commerce St. childrenscharitiesfw.com
Wael Shawky
Fort Worth Botanic Garden (virtual event) brit.org/events
THROUGH JULY 25
FOCUS: Wael Shawky
This film-based exhibition featuring artist Wael Shawky explores the ambiguities between reality and myth in Arab history.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell St., 817.738.9215 themodern.org
JULY 3 – AUG. 7
Rockin’ the River
Panther Island Pavilion’s signature summer event is back with six weeks of live music coupled with tubing on the Trinity River, beer, and a fireworks show to cap off the night.
Panther Island Pavilion 325 Purcey St., rockintheriverfw.com
AUG. 6
GXAX 2021
The charity bike ride, hosted by The Yawpers’ frontman Nate Cook, makes a stop in Fort Worth for a live show to help raise money for musicians still struggling due to COVID-19.
The Post at River East 2925 Race St. thepostatrivereast.com
AUG. 6 – 8
“Bonnie & Clyde”
The infamous bankrobbing couple breaks into Casa Mañana for a musicfilled adventure across America.
Casa Mañana 3101 W. Lancaster Ave., 817.332.2272 casamanana.org
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Are Engel & Völkers
Sam
BY
Montgomery
Piercer BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
PHOTO
OLAF GROWALD
Way out in Aledo, in what some may consider “the middle of nowhere” along East Bankhead Highway, the most unlikely of businesses sits between a collection of warehouses and a Mr. Jim’s Pizza — the Elevated Tattoo and Piercing studio, where piercer Sam Montgomery makes her livelihood.
Montgomery is a piercer, and while her clientele can range from 20-somethings to grandmothers, she’s perhaps best known for her way with young children, particularly those getting their ears pierced for the first time.
Which comes as no surprise for someone with a personality as electric as her neon yellow hair. Montgomery was born in San Diego but says she’s always felt like a Texan, moving around with her military parents until they settled in Fort Worth and retired out of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base. She got her start in makeup and pursued piercing later in life; her fiancé, Sean Riley, is a tattoo artist at Elevated, which they opened alongside their business partners in May 2020.
A fan of striking colors and offbeat fashion, Montgomery has a young-atheart energy about her, decorating her piercing space with Funko Pop! figures and other trinkets from shows and sports teams she’s a fan of. There’s a spunky rasp in her voice as she speaks, and she’s never met a stranger.
That said, she also has an intuitiveness about people — and dealing with kids — down to a science. When they walk in, she gets a sense for how they’re feeling, whether it’s excited or anxious or both. To help ease their nervousness, she builds rapport by getting them to talk about themselves — their brothers or sisters, their likes and dislikes — and finds ways to connect on their level.
When it’s time for the big moment, Montgomery talks them through the entire process, and then, it’s over.
“If they need to squeeze out a couple tears, I’ll act silly, and I’ll cry with them,” she says. “Next thing you know, they’re laughing, and they’re
like, ‘Ms. Sam, you’re so silly.’ It’s just about getting them through this thing, letting them know that I get it. If you want to cry, if you’re so nervous, I get it. But you can do this.”
For Montgomery, getting one’s ears pierced goes beyond style and aesthetics.
“It can be incredibly empowering for someone young,” she says. “This is one of the first times that someone is full of fear, doubt, and all this anxiety; knows something is probably going to be slightly uncomfortable for them; but they really want to do it and have to conquer their fears … if they come in here, and I give them what they need, they can get there, and they can leave feeling so proud.
Ariana started as one of Sam’s clients, who ended up becoming a protégé, who ended up becoming a full-time piercer at the shop. “As much as I’ve taught her,” Sam says, “she’s taught me.”
1. Working with a little client. 2. Sam has kids of her own: Char, 10; Harrison, 7; and Elizabeth, 5. 3. A recent ear project, pierced in full gold. 4. Sam’s logo — herself as a Funko Pop!. 5. The family cat, Pearl. 6. Some of Sam’s many plants. 7. Sam’s treasure box with goodies for her young clients.
SAM’S MOST FAVORITE PAIR OF EARRINGS
Sam says colleague Ariana Young is “a big part of my story.”
Photo by Olaf Growald
Dream Street 2021:
Vendor Spotlight
Vintage Floors has been one of the premier vendors that’s partnered with Fort Worth Magazine on its annual Dream Home and Dream Street projects since its inception. Here’s its story.
BY FWTX STAFF
The 2021 Fort Worth Magazine Dream Street is well underway in the new Montrachet development in West Fort Worth. Scheduled to begin touring in January 2021, the project includes three luxury homes built by a trio of excellent local builders, including Heritage Homes, Windmiller Custom Homes, and HGC Development. Proceeds from the tour will go to a Wish with Wings, which grants wishes to children with lifethreatening conditions.
Each home has an all-star lineup of local vendors who contribute everything from cabinetry to outdoor furniture and lighting. One vendor that has participated in the concept since its inception in 2000 is Bryan Page of Vintage Floors. Page has been in the flooring business since 1989, and while he started out participating in Dream Homes with a different company, Page founded Vintage Floors in 2011.
We had a brief chat with Page about his passion for flooring, modern trends, and why he keeps coming back.
FW: Do you have some sort of passion for flooring?
Brian Page: Yeah, I was working at Sagamore Hill Baptist Church when I got my first job in the floor business, and it just kind of made sense. I was wandering around trying to figure out what to do with my life, and I started in wood flooring — I’m an old wood-floor guy. We’re members of the National Wood Flooring Association and have been since day one. I just enjoyed it. It made sense. It is the only career choice for me.
FW: You’ve been involved in Dream Home and Dream Street since its conception in 2000. How did you initially get involved in Dream Home, and what keeps you coming back?
BP: I was actually with another company at the time, and we were asked to do the wood floors. One of my builders was building the first Dream Home Aledo. Can’t remember the little cul-de-sac neighborhood, but I can drive right to the house. Anyway, that was the first one we did over 20 years ago, and we’ve been doing them ever since.
And we do enjoy the job. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s basically advertising for us every year.
FW: What are some modern flooring trends that you see going on right now?
BP: It’s always color. Nowadays, the lighter colors and more natural colors, and the grays and blondes are in. And trends will come and go. Darker floors never go out of style; antique browns, things like that. But, the Trinity colors, grays and whites and naturals, they come and go. And, right now we’re in one of those phases.
FW: What kind of recommendations would you give somebody who’s looking for flooring as far as the product is concerned, and what should people look for as far as installation and subcontractors such as yourselves are concerned?
BP: See if they pay their bills and take care of their people. Pick products that you like that aren’t trendy. Pick something that will ensure you’re going to like it for the long haul. Ask other people’s opinions. Hire a designer — there are a lot of really good ones. That kind of stuff. There’s nothing magic about it; you just have to like what you’re about to spend a lot of money on. We are a luxury item most of the time. I know that. I like for people to take time making their selection.
FW: What is it that you think kind of makes your business stand out compared to the other flooring companies?
BP: Service, absolute service. Our customers become our friends. We firmly believe that if we take care of our clientele, they will take care of us. And so far, my business model has worked. I have a very loyal clientele. I make mistakes. I get chewed out occasionally. I’m human. But I put on blue jeans and a polo shirt with a Vintage Floors logo on it, and I go hang out with my friends all day. We’re all pretty much Fort Worth people, so we love our city and try to do a good job and take care of our customers.
Builder: HGC Residential Development
Realtor: Christie’s International Real Estate | Ulterre
Interior Designer: Tori Rubinson Interiors
Appliances: Expressions Home Gallery
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Doors Exterior: Omniview Window and Door
Electrician: Mackey Electric
Flooring (tile, wood and carpet labor, wood and carpet material): Vintage Floors
Flooring Tile (material all spaces): Interceramic USA
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Home Plans: Karl Hahnfeld Design Group
Plumbing Fixtures: Expressions Home Gallery
Pool: J Caldwell Custom Pools
Roofing/Flashing: WeatherShield Roofing
Stone and Brick Supplies: Metro Brick and Stone
Builder: Heritage Homes
Realtor: Martha Williams, Williams Trew
Interior Designer: Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Appliances: The Jarrell Company
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Countertop Materials (all): Levantina
Drywall and Texture: Alliance Drywall
Electrician: C&B Electric
Fireplace Tile: Cosentino
Flooring (tile, wood and carpet labor): Galvan Floors
Garage Doors/Openers:
Overhead Door Company of Fort Worth
Glass (showers-mirrors-other): Galactic Glass
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Hardware/Cabinet Hardware: Rick’s Hardware
Home Plans: Heritage Design Studio
Low Voltage/AV/Security: Multimedia Solutions Inc
Patio Screens: Victory Awning
Plumbing Fixtures: Facets
Plumbing Labor and Supplies: Pro Serve Plumbing
Stone and Brick Supplies: Metro Brick
Builder: Windmiller Custom Homes
Realtor: John Zimmerman, Compass
Interior Designer: Amira Windmiller Interiors
Appliances: Factory Builder Stores
Artificial Grass: WinterGreen Synthetic Grass
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Concrete: GHC Concrete Services
Countertop Fabrication: American Marble & Granite
Countertop Materials (all): Levantina
Doors Front and Study: Aaron Iron Works
Fireplaces Interior linear plus inserts: Overhead Door Company of Fort Worth
Flooring (wood and carpet material): Skyline Floorscapes
Garage Doors/Openers: Open Up Garage Doors
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Home Plans: Montebello Architecture & Design
Interior and Exterior Trim and Door Labor & Materials
Three stellar books to add to your summer reading list.
BY TINA HOWARD
Vermont Escape by Marsha West
Two years after the murder of her husband, someone guns down Jill Barlow’s father, a Texas State Representative. Authorities suspect a connection between the murders but can’t find proof. Jill seeks refuge and a new life in a small Vermont town, but she can’t escape the mysteries of the past.
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin Gilda, a young atheist, animal-loving lesbian who can’t stop ruminating about death, responds to a flyer for free therapy from the local Catholic church but is mistaken as an applicant for the church secretary position. Too embarrassed to correct the priest, she’s hired on the spot. With both poignant moments and deadpan humor, Austin gives us a thought-provoking and delightful novel.
A Good Apology: Four Steps to Make Things Right by Molly Howes, Ph.D.
In a world as fractured as ours, effective apologies are an important process in healing and moving forward. Dr. Howes combines research, stories from her practice, and new stories to illustrate the power of an apology and provide readers with the tools to truly make amends and rebuild relationships both in small breaches and large.
Howard,
5 QUESTIONS: MARTHA WEST
1 Tell us a little bit about yourself. Give us a snapshot of who you are. I’m a retired elementary school principal, former FWISD board member, and theatre arts teacher. I write second-chance romantic suspense, also called seasoned romance. I’ve lived in Fort Worth since my husband finished law school in Austin. Our two daughters are grown and live near, giving us plenty of quality time with our three grands. We share our home with a deaf rescue Chihuahua/ Jack Russell terrier, Charley, who made his way into my most recent book, Tainted. The theme of my books is second chances, with my four-part series titled, “The Second Chances Series.” I believe in “happily ever afters.” My husband picked up a plaque for me on a trip to Maine stating my philosophy exactly: Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it’s not the end. The heroines and heroes in my books are in their 40s and 50s with their parents and children playing supporting roles 2 What compels you to write and why romance and suspense? Every writer begins as a reader. Nancy Drew and Dana Girl mysteries were high on my list, and then during high school, I started reading my mother’s romance books. Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca hooked me on the wonderful
combination of romance and suspense.
After many years of only reading education-related books, when my mother became ill, I needed the comfort of books with a “happily ever after.” I said to a friend, “I’ve read so many, I could probably write one.” The friend said, “Go for it!” So, I did. 3 What do you hope readers experience through your writing? I hope my books uplift readers, providing encouragement, hope, and the strength to keep on keeping on toward their own “happily ever after,” whatever shape that takes. 4 Has a story or character ever taken an unexpected turn? Vermont Escape is my first published book but the fourth book I’d written. I was more than halfway through when one of the supporting characters just took off. It looked like he’d end up winning the heroine, but that wasn’t my plan. I promised him if he’d back off, I’d give him his own book. Three books later, he became the hero of Second Act, Book 1 of “The Second Chances Series”. 5 What’s next for you? My eighth book, Compromise, set in New Hampshire, will release in October of this year. This book was supposed to be a Hallmark-type Christmas book, but on the second page I discovered a murder, and the story became too complex to fit the two-week Christmas format. I’ll try again, but this isn’t it (though we do have a snowman-building contest and snickerdoodles). I’m eager to finish Compromise because another story is rumbling in my head, struggling to get out.
You can find Marsha online at authormarsharwest.wordpress.com and on social media. She loves to connect with readers
Tina
along with her husband, Todd, is the owner of Leaves Book and Tea Shop on St. Louis Avenue in the Near Southside.
Lighting the World...with Passion
Noisemakers
Meet the guys who want to make Fort Worth the music capital of Texas.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
In the West Seventh area, off Morton Street, is a spot called Pop’s Safari Cigars and Fine Wines. As expected, the sweet aroma of pipe tobacco fills the air, and brown leather couches fill the floor. The spot has a lived-in feel; the couches and chairs have natural wrinkles from repeated lounging, and it’s doubtful the furniture’s feng shui has been messed with in decades. This is the spot where Blake LaBella, Mitch Jones, and Zane Loose meet almost daily to discuss how they’re going to turn Fort Worth into a music mecca.
But don’t let the pipes and cigars fool you into thinking they’re pushing into their later decades; they don’t crack 80 years between the three of them.
The trio are partners in TRND Music, which labels itself as a full-service production company for artists — an oversimplification of what they do.
“I think what we do is constantly changing,” Jones says. “But, 1,000-foot view, we do artist development, and we’re a record label.”
The trio’s ultimate goal is to transform local artists into pop stars, and they have all the tools necessary to
do so. From marketing to styling to mentoring to recording to mastering to shooting a musician’s first music video, they do it all. They’re brand pushers, artist makers, and people who have a vested interest in the future of music in this town.
Each of the three brings a specific skillset to the table. Jones is a digital creator and marketing guru. Loose is a music producer and audio engineer. And LaBella also has experience behind the controls as an engineer and works as an artist manager.
“Ours is a subscription model; the artists pay to be a part of our development program,” LaBella says. “And we let artists maintain a lot of ownership of their own music and kind of let them invest themselves as we invest in them. And the more they put in, the more we put in.”
So, who’s subscribed? TRND currently has 11 solo artists and one band. TRND threw its launch party in 2019 at Ampersand, a coffee shop that dou-
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL
Blake LaBella and Mitch Jones
The bigger picture of health includes us all.
TREATBOLDLY. UNTHSC .EDU
Where does health care begin and end? In our community. And that's exactly where you'll fi nd us. The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is more than a graduate medical school. We believe in the bigger picture of health. And we're working to create better access to the care, vaccines and awareness people need. So that every North Texan has the opportunity to pursue health and well-being.
When we're all connected, we're in it together. HSC. ASK BRAVELY. TREAT BOLDLY.
bles as a nightclub during the evening hours. Like Pop’s Safari, Ampersand has also become a second home to the group. This more public setting is where you can regularly see the trio enjoying espresso while ruminating on their next big idea — you can’t miss the three who regularly wear the sweetest kicks in town and are the epitome of hip. TRND also held highly curated open mics in the spot before the pandemic hit. And by highly curated, we mean it had no qualms about turning people away. One couldn’t simply sign up on a wide-ruled piece of paper as they entered the door; TRND required artists to share songs and performances well in advance to ensure the musicians, poets, and speakers were up to its standards.
Following the launch party, TRND was still feeling out its place in the industry and was continuing to toy with what it should pursue.
“I remember our ceiling at one point was just throwing events in Fort Worth,” Jones says. “We just wanted to throw events in Fort Worth; we thought that was going to be it.”
It didn’t take long for their imaginations to run wild and their ambitions to skyrocket.
On June 5, TRND held what became
Fort Worth’s first music festival since the pandemic hit. The aptly titled TRND Fest was initially conceived as a showcase for artists who had signed with the company. But, once it partnered with the festival pros at Fortress — who put on Funky Town’s iconic annual Fortress Festival — the concept was scrapped in favor of inviting bigger-name acts that attracted over 600 music fans at the new Wild Acre Live venue in East Fort Worth.
People have long equated Fort Worth music with country music, assuming Cowtown and twang go hand-inhand and often ignore the city’s vast and growing hip-hop, indie, and pop scenes. TRND sees itself as a piece of the puzzle to get such artists noticed, diversify Fort Worth’s reputation, and enhance its scene.
“I think we all are trying to bring in as quality artists as we can,” Loose says. “And we’re trying to create events where we can create publicity for art and good music in Fort Worth. The more we can have events where good art is being created, the more we can create a scene in Fort Worth and make people aware that our city has a music scene. And that’s the reason we started TRND; we wanted
to create a music culture in Fort Worth that is respected.”
Yet, they also fully understand that the city has needs that must be met if their dreams of making Fort Worth a desirable location for musicians are to become a reality.
“What does Fort Worth need to do to propel itself to becoming known as a music city?” Loose asks. “We need better marketing, and we need more venues — good venues,” Jones says. “Tulips is a breath of fresh air. We needed Tulips so bad.”
Despite understanding Fort Worth’s needs, the group still feels the city is on the precipice of something great.
“We see some glimpses of the future, and we feel like something’s about to pop,” Jones says. “Something big is about to happen. I can’t put my finger on what it is, but we all individually feel that. We believe in the city.”
TRND Music’s studio in West Fort Worth
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Hospice Care
Care Choices
With personalized whole-home control and automation, effortless living is a simple button press away. And whether you run an office, restaurant, or retail store, commercial automation and office networking will elevate the efficiency of your business. •
Stay Gold
Ahead of the upcoming release of his new record, Gold-Diggers Sound, Leon Bridges sat down with Fort Worth Magazine for a chat about his recent collaborations, songwriting process, and why he keeps coming home.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
The name of Leon Bridges’ new album comes from the place where its 11 songs were conceived, tinkered with, exhausted over and, ultimately, recorded. Gold Diggers is a bar, hotel, and recording studio off the famed Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. With its outside façade painted a moss green and its interior full of wood paneling, ’70s décor, and modern recording equipment, the space manages to pull off a nostalgic and contemporary vibe all at once.
As the keyboard lick on opening track “Born Again” kicks things off — followed by Bridges’ unmistakable voice and the howls of a trumpet — it doesn’t take a great imagination to envision some of the world’s best contemporary jazz musicians wearing pointed-collar shirts collaborating in a smoke-filled room. Whether it was purposeful or not, the album, Bridges’ third full-length solo effort, successfully sketches the space where it was created through music.
Gold-Diggers Sound is a slight departure from his previous efforts. Fortunately for Bridges, he’s already fielded questions about his unwillingness to stick to tried-and-true practices, and his devoted fans are well aware that any new album, single, EP, or collaboration will deviate from expectations. Critics be damned.
Without giving too much away, one thing is for sure, Bridges is no longer the shy and modest musician who made Coming Home at local studio Niles City Sound. Gold-Diggers Sound is the work of a man who’s confident in his craft and comfortable with who he is.
We caught up with Bridges in midJune to chat about his new album, recent collaborations, and a few other things we assume Fort Worth music fans might like to know.
What follows has been edited for length and clarity.
FW: What made Gold Diggers such a productive and inspiring space for you?
Leon Bridges: I discovered Gold Diggers in 2018. We threw a pre-party there with my friend, DJ Sober. It was a Grammy
BY
PHOTO
RAMBO ELLIOTT
pre-party, and I was totally oblivious to the fact that they had the hotel and studio aspect. We had been working on this album over the course of two years, and we wanted to immerse ourselves into one space where we could live and invite some of our favorite musicians and collaborators to cultivate something special. So, it was just that momentum of literally being in one spot, as opposed to having to commute 30 minutes to a studio on the other side of town.
And the aesthetic of Gold Diggers is pretty dialed in, from the room’s beautiful ’70s decor and then the studio. I think that was one of the high points — was just getting back to the energy of creating music in a room of supertalented musicians, which is more of a homecoming for me; it’s how I made music for my album, Coming Home.
FW: You’ve done a lot of collaborations in the past few years — Khruangbin, John Mayer, The Avalanches, just to name a few. How have these collaborations influenced your own music?
Bridges: I think when you look at the Khruangbin collaboration, that style is ingrained in me, so I try to apply that energy to whatever I’m doing. In all of these collaborations I’ve done, I’ve definitely taken a little piece from each one, and I definitely think that all those influences shine on this album a little bit.
FW: Since you started working on Gold-Diggers Sound in 2019, how did the events of the past year change the trajectory of the album?
Bridges: Well, pretty much all of these songs were born inside the Gold Diggers space, and everything was pretty much done prior to the pandemic. But we still felt there were some missing pieces. So, just organically, there were certain songs that transpired out of the pandemic, like “Born Again” and “Why Don’t You Touch Me?” Those songs ended up being on the album, and I figured they completed the whole thing.
FW: Speaking of “Born Again,” that’s a very introspective song that tackles change in a very spiritual way. How
have you personally changed from your last album to this one?
Bridges: I can equate it to just being the new kid in school and still carrying this modest, shy mindset. I have a better sense of myself and who I am. I think what sparked Gold-Diggers Sound is how people tend to put barriers around Black expression. If I’m deviating from a soul thing, it’s deemed as disingenuous. So, this was almost a response to that; I can put on any outfit, and I’m still Black. I’m still me.
FW: A lot has been made of your changing style. Both musically and fashion-wise. Was this all preconceived and part of some mapped-out artistic journey, a la David Bowie? Or are you just going with the flow?
Bridges: Man, pretty much the latter. I think change and evolution is inevitable, and we all change, ultimately. And, honestly, I started with [the ’50s] fashion, and that was what inspired me at that time. And then the more I progressed, I shaped my fashion into the music, and it became more of a ’70s thing. I just find ways to be myself.
FW: How personal are your songs? I only ask because if the songs are narrations of your life, damn, you go through some tough shit.
Bridges: (laughs) Yeah, there were moments during the process where I felt like, damn, am I giving the listener too much insight into some of my struggles and my insecurities? But I felt some of these stories were just important. You look at songs like “Blue Masons,” which is about how success and notoriety can lead to solitude. And how I personally still felt lonely and isolated in the midst of people that love me. So, there’re moments like that, but also lighthearted, fun
moments on the album, as well.
FW: You still post a lot of Instagram stories of yourself playing acoustic guitar and singing very stripped-down, beautiful songs. It’s different from the songs on this album, which are layered with so much instrumentation. Are you hearing the layers in your head as you write the song? What is that process like?
Bridges: There’re multiple ways of how I approach songwriting. I’m constantly fiddling on guitar, and a lot of the times, those songs never see the light of day. And then there are moments, specifically during the Gold-Diggers process, where a lot of these songs are collaborative. There are musicians in the room who start improvisational jams. For me, the melody or rhythm that’s going on initially, that’s what dictates the concept for me. So, normally when I write, I mumble-sing incoherently over whatever’s going on, and maybe I land on a certain phrase and then I subsequently shape the song around that.
FW: How many songs would you say you’ve written that have never seen the light of day? And do you have them stashed away in a vault somewhere?
Bridges: Man, I can say probably damn near 30 songs. An example of that is my Khruangbin collaboration. All those songs are pretty much shit I had accumulated over time and just put on the back burner. I’m grateful that they resonated with the Khruangbin crew and were able to see the light of day.
FW: You’ve maintained a really close relationship with Fort Worth and remained very involved in the community. Why does that matter so much to you?
Bridges: Man, for me, Fort Worth is a very grounding city. I really respect everyone’s mentality here, as opposed to other places. And it’s almost that portal to nostalgia for me. Just moving around and moving and grooving around the world. It really gives me a peace of mind. My family’s here, my community’s here, and I just need that for sustainability.
Leon Bridges’ new album Gold-Diggers Sound will be available for purchase and on your streaming service of choice July 23
Get Your Modo Running
An exciting new Italian restaurant, il Modo, goes against the grain of typical Italian fare — and that’s a good thing.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
The first thing you’ll notice about new Italian restaurant il Modo is how much it doesn’t resemble an Italian restaurant. There’s no Sinatra music wafting through the air, no checkerboard tablecloths. Scan the menu, and instead of spaghetti and meatballs, you’ll find spaghetti made with ricotta cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and basil, with not a drop of tomato sauce or a crumb of a meatball to be found.
Contemporary Italian cuisine served in an environment that defies the usual Italian restaurant trappings is nothing new for Fort Worth — Piattello comes to mind; Piola, too. But our city’s beloved red sauce Italian spots often overshadow edgy newcomers.
On the other hand, the mere fact that forward-thinking restaurants like il Modo continue to open in Fort Worth is further evidence of the city’s expanding palate.
Il Modo is located on the ground floor of the sparkling new Kimpton Harper Hotel, a 226-room boutique hotel that opened in June in downtown Fort Worth, in what used to be the XTO Energy building. While il Modo occupies the ground floor, up top, on the 24th floor, is Refinery 714, a bar that offers small bites, craft cocktails, and a smart selection of whiskeys, all served against a backdrop of picturesque views of downtown and beyond.
Originally built in 1921 as the headquarters for Farmers and Mechanics Bank, the historic building has been given a classy, inviting makeover by Memphis-based Development Services Group, Inc.
Such descriptions could also be used to describe il Modo, whose simple food
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL WISE
The simple yet delicious spaghetti at il Modo, made with housemade noodles, ricotta cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and a touch of basil.
and elegant presentations give way to bold flavors, some of which you may not even identify as Italian.
Octopus, for example, comes grilled, scarred with a perfect sear — evidence of a chef with a deft hand. But its cape of peperonata is less Italian and more Spanish — a deliciously welcome touch.
The pastas, made in-house — a rarity in Fort Worth — are must-tries: linguine with white wine and Manila clams; garganelli draped in lamb ragu, capers, and Castelvetrano olives; that incredible spaghetti. Snag a seat near the pasta-making room, enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and you can watch chefs and cooks make what you’re about to eat.
“I’ve definitely utilized a less-is-more approach,” says il Modo’s executive chef Matthew Williams, a Chicago native who moved from his hometown to lead the restaurant’s kitchen. “I can’t tell you how many restaurants I’ve been to, Italian restaurants, where they emphasize the number of ingredients they use. You don’t have to do that to have a good dish. You just need great components — just a few great com-
ponents — and you can have an incredible dish.”
Even the restaurant’s showstopper, a 22-ounce, bone-in rib-eye made for two, is barely dressed, accented only with bits of roasted garlic, light seasoning, and bone marrow butter. It’s one of the best things on the menu. “So much of what we do here has to do with the actual cooking — the techniques we use,” Williams says. “That’s how you bring out the flavor in what you’re cooking, not by burying it under a mountain of other ingredients. Who wants to eat a rib-eye that you can’t actually taste?”
Following his time at Hogsalt, Williams was hired to help open Barcocina Chicago, a chefdriven modern Mexican restaurant; there, he held the executive chef position for four years.
Williams’ professional foray into Italian food came when he accepted a job as executive chef of Bar Siena, a rustic Italian restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop Neighborhood. In 2018, he joined Mino’s Italian as a chef consultant, developing the restaurant’s menu and supervising its culinary operations. Il Modo makes his third Italian restaurant.
Entertainingly outspoken and deadpan honest, Williams has spent most of his life in the restaurant industry. After graduating from Chicago’s Kendall College with a Culinary Arts degree, he landed a job at Brendan Sodikoff’s Hogsalt Hospitality group in Chicago, where he quickly rose from line cook to sous-chef to executive sous-chef at several concepts in the group, including Gilt Bar and Cocello.
“I love cooking all types of food. As a working chef, I have to love what I do, or I won’t be any good at it,” he says. “I particularly love the simplicity of Italian food — how it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. I also love how flexible of a cuisine it can be. With Italian cooking, you don’t have to follow the rules. If it’s good, people will follow.”
il Modo at Kimpton Harper Hotel, 714 Main St., theharperfortworth.com
Grilled octopus, served in a pool of peperonata, is one of il Modo’s signature dishes.
The restaurant’s dining room is as attractive as it is snug.
Class, Food, and Lodging
Sophisticated hotel restaurants have become a thing in Fort Worth again, thanks to the arrival of il Modo, 97 West, and other swanky places to eat, sleep, and play.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
The new il Modo restaurant, tucked inside the justopened Kimpton Harper Hotel, isn’t the only new hotel restaurant in town.
Over the past few years, there’s been a revival of hotels brandishing their own signature restaurants — a throwback to a time, more than half a century ago, when many of the city’s brightest hotels featured their own on-site restaurants. And, looking ahead, more are on the way. Here’s a look at a few of them:
WICKED BUTCHER AT THE SINCLAIR
Occupying the ground floor and basement levels of the magnificent Sinclair Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection property that opened in 2019 in the historic Sinclair building downtown, Wicked Butcher is a highend steakhouse that can certainly hold its own against neighboring steakhouse stalwarts such as Ruth’s Chris, Capital Grille, and Bob’s Steak & Chop House at the nearby Omni. The restaurant’s decor echoes the building’s art deco design, with glossy white brick and tile and brass fixtures.
What to Eat: Wicked Butcher’s menu features domestic and international
premium cuts of beef, including wetand dry-aged steaks. There’s also a small but impressive lineup of seafood. Sides include crawfish maque choux, Yorkshire creamed spinach, and corn crème brûlée.
What to drink: An impressive wine program features bottles from around the globe. You can also enjoy specialty cocktails 17 flights up, on the hotel’s gorgeous rooftop bar.
Info: 512 Main St., wickedbutcher.com
TORO TORO AT THE RENAISSANCE WORTHINGTON FORT WORTH HOTEL
Simply known as the Worthington, this five-star property — owned by Marriott — opened in the early 1980s as one of the first businesses in the Sundance Square footprint. Its restaurants have changed over the years, with Toro Toro opening in 2019. A pan-Latin concept developed by Mexico City native Richard Sandoval, the meat-centric restaurant, whose striking décor combines elements of sculpture, metal mill work, fabrics, natural stone, and tooled leather, offers dinner (and lunch) with a show: All the meats are cooked over a wood-burning grill in an open kitchen, and
diners are treated to Instagram-worthy moments of the smoke and fire that goes into many dishes.
What to eat: Although technically a steakhouse, double T is different than other steakhouses in that most of its dishes have a Latin flair — a refreshing change of pace. A good way to start is with the smoked swordfish dip. Entrees include rib-eyes, including a monster 52-ounce for two (or three or four!), lamb chops, filet mignon, and barbecue chicken, all prepared over open flames and served with Latin-style sauces and accoutrements. There are lots of vegetable options, too, including roasted Brussels sprouts and grilled broccolini with bok choy. What to drink: Bloody marys and margaritas, for sure. For those who just want to sit and sip, the restaurant features a separate bar that seamlessly blends into the hotel’s comfortable and spacious lobby.
Info: 200 Main St., torotorofortworth.com
97 WEST AT HOTEL DROVER
One of the most anticipated — and, because of the pandemic, delayed — hotels to open in Fort Worth this year, the stylish Hotel Drover is the anchor of the multimillion-dollar Mule Alley development in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Its signature restaurant, 97 West, pays tribute to Southern cuisine, cowboy chow, and other forms of American food, in a heavily cowhided, Texana-forward atmosphere.
What to eat: The lunch and dinner menus are dominated by Southern staples, given a chef’s touch by executive chef Grant Morgan: chicken-fried oysters, fried green tomatoes marinated in sweet tea, antelope with goat cheese grits. The restaurant is also
open daily for breakfast and weekend buffet brunch.
What to drink: There’s a long list of signature cocktails, plus beers and wines from around the state and globe. When the weather’s nice, roam, sip, or doze in the hotel’s scenic backyard area.
Info: 200 Mule Alley Drive, hoteldrover.com
ATICO AT SPRINGHILL SUITES
Love him or not, Tim Love knows Fort Worth’s restaurant scene about as well as anybody here, and his concepts are often both intriguing and inviting.
Atico, a rooftop tapas bar and cocktail lounge, fits into his wheelhouse nicely. The food goes against his own comfort food grain. Taking inspiration from his travels to Barcelona, he focuses on small plates — or tapas, for those who like to think they’re foodies — and Spanishinspired wine and cocktail menu. The food’s good, but the best reason to go may be the killer views of the Stockyards and downtown.
What to eat: Order several of the small plates, and you’ll have a nice dinner. Our favorites include the scallops with serrano-infused curry, a shaved tenderloin Spanish flatbread, and clams decorated with chorizo. What to drink: One of the restaurant’s signature drinks is housemade horchata spiked with rye whiskey. Info: 2315 N. Main St., aticofortworth.com
PAX & BENEFICIA COFFEE AT AC HOTEL
Pax & Beneficia takes up a cozy corner space at the newly opened AC Hotel, another Marriott property downtown, this one featuring clean lines in a stylish, sparse, sort of space-age environment. Although primarily a coffeehouse, Pax & Beneficia offers
a small menu of toasts, sandwiches, and brunchy light bites.
What to eat: P&B serves pastries, breakfasty items, and toasts with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flairs, such as the Labneh & Za’atar Toast and Za’atar & Feta Toast. The hotel also has a separate bar and cocktail lounge on-site, called the AC Lounge, that serves salads, wings, a burger, and a handful of pastas daily from 5 to 9 p.m. Continental breakfast is served daily from 6 to 10 a.m. What to drink: P&B’s coffee is superb: Baristas use beans from San Antonio-based Merit Coffee Company and syrups crafted by hand, in-house. Served on a cool metal platter, the Turkish coffee is a showstopper.
COMING SOON
TBA AT HOTEL REVEL
Fort Worth-based chef Stefon Rischel was planning on opening a new seafood concept at Hotel Revel, a newly opened, cutting-edge hotel in the Near Southside. But the deal fell through. Hotel Revel management says it’s moving forward with another to-be-named restaurant, which may or may not be open by the end of the year.
CULTURAL DISTRICT HOTEL AND CHEF-DRIVEN RESTAURANT
An as-of-yet-unnamed hotel and accompanying chef-driven restaurant is in the planning stages for the Cultural District. The project, which will also include office and residential space, is being spearheaded by Fort Worth-based Crescent Real Estate LLC, which owns the Ritz-Carlton Dallas. Well-liked chef Dean Fearing will oversee the restaurant’s menu. Construction is set to begin this year.
Bits and Bites
Revolver Taco Lounge is the first new restaurant to open in Sundance Square since the pandemic wiped out many of the area’s eateries. The restaurant, located in the Sundance Square Plaza space originally occupied by Taco Diner, marks a return to Fort Worth for owner and chef — and James Beard Award semifinalist — Regino Rojas, who opened the original location of Revolver in 2011 on West Seventh. He later relocated to the Forest Park area, then closed to focus on a new location in Deep Ellum, which remains open. His Michoacánstyle food goes beyond Tex-Mex norms. Made with fresh corn tortillas, tacos come filled with ingredients such as octopus, lobster, duck, and beef tongue. A carnitas taco stuffed with fried leeks and jalapeño aioli is a must. Other dishes include blue fin tuna tartar topped with caviar and rabbit meatball soup, all made from scratch, often by Rojas’ mother, Juanita. Part of the restaurant will be devoted to an upscale tasting menu concept called the Purépecha Room. Look for it late June/ early July. 156 W. Fourth St., revolvertacolounge.com.
We declared our love for American Revelry earlier this year, spotlighting the Burleson-based, American-food restaurant in a story about that city’s booming restaurant scene. Now we have another reason to love it: Denise Shavandy was recently named executive chef. Shavandy made a name for herself in Fort Worth food circles as exec chef of Café Modern, where she dazzled diners for five years. She also gained a bit of national recognition last year when she competed on — and won — an episode of the Food Network TV show “Chopped.” American Revelry is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. 279 W. Hidden Creek Parkway, Burleson, americanrevelry.com.
Melt Ice Creams is expanding once again, this time to the Stockyards’ Mule Alley development. Slated to open this fall at 128 E. Exchange Ave., the Mule Alley store will be the fourth location of owner Kari Crowe-Seher’s popular ice cream shop, whose flavors fluctuate with the seasons.
The long-delayed seafood restaurant and lounge La Onda is now open at 2905 Race St., in a 1918 bungalow last occupied by Gypsy Scoops ice cream parlor. Owner/ chef Victor Villarreal’s menu includes a shrimp torta with red bell pepper chimichurri, dry-aged sashimi, and a weekly ceviche. facebook.com/laondaftw
A Second Course
Acclaimed barbecue joint, The Lady and the Pit, reopens in East Fort Worth.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
It’s a few days before the reopening of The Lady and the Pit, and co-owner Kenneth Barton is busy testing out “the pit.” A nearby stack of mesquite wood will soon be diminished as Barton, log by log, feeds his custom-made smoker, a beauty he built himself years ago. Soon, plumes of smoke begin to spread the unmistakable fragrance of barbecue, causing the hungry and the curious to stop in their tracks. “Next week,” he tells an inquiring passerby. “Next week and we’ll finally be open again.”
Talk about a long time coming: For the past two years, Kenneth Barton and co-owner Natasha Smith, the “Lady” in the restaurant’s name, have been trying to find a new home for their acclaimed barbecue and soul food restaurant. Named by Fort Worth Magazine as one of the best new restaurants in 2017 — sentiments echoed by Texas Monthly and the Star-
Telegram — The Lady and the Pit thrived for three years in the Handley area of the city’s east side before it was beset by maintenance issues; it closed in 2019.
Second chances in the restaurant industry are tough to come by. Throw in a pandemic, and no one would blame you if you just moved on. But business partners Barton and Smith were determined to find a new home for their beloved restaurant, and in January, they did just that, landing at 5301 E. Lancaster Ave., in a building that still sports the signature architecture of a certain Mexican fast-food chain.
Since January, they’ve been making it their own, adding a nice dining room area, a bigger kitchen, and, of course, a pit room for Barton’s smoker.
“Different building but the same feel,” Smith says. “It’s a home-cooking restaurant, so it’ll have a home-type feel, like you’re eating with your family.”
The Fort Worth natives opened their first restaurant in 2012 in the Port Isabel area of South Padre Island. But after Smith’s father grew ill in 2015, they moved back home, relocating the restaurant to an old Pizza Inn in the Handley area of the east side.
There, the two made names for themselves for excellent barbecue and Southern and soul food classics, such as fried pork chops, catfish, and chicken-fried steak. Housemade desserts included pineapple cream pie and strawberry lemonade cake.
Most of menu from the Handley location will make the jump, either as daily specials or permanent menu items. A handful of healthier dishes will be added, such as smoked salmon and smoked mahi mahi.
Smoked chicken salad, a popular item only available on certain days at the Handley location, will be a permanent fixture on the new menu. Smith says she’s also toying with the idea of adding stuffed turkey legs, which are becoming increasingly more popular in Fort Worth. The barbecue menu will include chopped and sliced brisket, pulled pork, hot links, smoked chicken, bologna, and pork ribs, with sides such as collard greens and candied yams.
Smith and Barton have their own distinct roles at the restaurant: She focuses on the home-cooking dishes, while he zeroes in on the barbecue. Both learned their tools of the trade by watching — and learning — from others.
Smith says she honed her cooking skills with her grandmother, who taught her the basics of making pancakes, biscuits, and other staples of Southern cuisine.
Barton’s love of food developed over a decades-long career working in the restaurant industry. When he recites the names of the restaurants he’s cooked in, it’s like taking a trip through Fort Worth’s culinary history: “The Keg, Cattlemen’s, Winfield’s, J. T. McCords, Luminarias, and Calamity Jane’s,” he says. He cooks his barbecue in a similar fashion to how The Keg prepared its steaks, using a direct heat method.
Smith says The Lady and the Pit will be open by the end of June.
The Lady and the Pit 714 Main St., theharperfortworth.com
PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD
Kenneth Barton and Natasha Smith have moved their popular soul food and barbecue restaurant The Lady and the Pit to East Lancaster.
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The CHARRED Life
Summer Grilling with Chef Jon Bonnell
BY JON BONNELL / PHOTOS BY OLAF GROWALD
Grilling in Texas is almost its own religion. It can range in scope from a simple burger night over a few lumps of charcoal to a 26hour, overnight-fire-tended brisket journey. In some areas of the country, there is a distinct “grilling season,” but around these parts, we cook outdoors pretty much year-round — though it may intensify during the dog days of summer. Whether you enjoy picking your favorite type of hardwood to build your fire or prefer the simplicity of firing up the gas grill, I have all the tips and tricks you need to become a master griller.
Starters
Ingredients
• 8 ounces jumbo lump fresh blue crabmeat
• 8 ounces baby shrimp (cooked)
• 3 large ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning blend
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 3 tablespoons diced cucumber
• 1 pinch dry mustard powder
FRESH HERB AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED PORTOBELLOS
GULF SHRIMP AND CRAB STUFFED AVOCADO
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the crabmeat and avocado and mix well. Taste for seasonings and spice level. Adjust with extra hot sauce or a pinch more salt if your taste buds prefer at this point. Pick through the crabmeat carefully to remove any excess shell pieces, but be sure not to break up the large lump pieces. Fold the crabmeat into the mixture at the last minute. Cut the avocados in half and remove the seed. Scoop the avocados out of their skins with a large kitchen spoon, then slice them into thin strips. Place a ring mold (or simply a piece of PVC pipe) in the center of a plate. Line the inside of the ring with overlapping slices of avocado. Spoon a large portion of the shrimp and crab salad into the middle, then carefully remove the ring by sliding it straight up. Garnish the plate with a little sprinkle of Creole seasoning blend and chopped chives and serve.
Ingredients
• 8 ounces fresh goat cheese
• 5 large portobello mushrooms
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh dill
• 3 – 4 large fresh basil leaves
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
Tips
Picking the menu: There are plenty of nights when dinner over the grill can be as simple as picking out a protein, like steaks, chops, or chicken breasts and putting the heat to the meat. But when it’s time to really throw down — when you want to throw the best grillin’ and chillin’ party you can muster — these are a few of my favorite tips for choosing the ultimate menu.
1. Be sure to get a variety of items for your guests. Remember that some people are off of the red meat right now or have taken the vegetarian plunge completely. Be sure that your grilling menu has enough variety to keep any of your specific guests from feeling left out or overlooked.
2. Don’t be afraid to get a little outside your comfort zone. Seafood, vegetables, and even dessert items can often be a huge hit at your grilling party.
3. Prep as many items as you can before guests show up. Save some time to hang with friends around the fire so you can also enjoy the party.
Directions
Clean the dark black gills from the mushrooms, then drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place over medium heat on an open barbecue grill, face down. After a few minutes, turn them over and continue to cook. In a mixing bowl combine the goat cheese with minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and the mixture of fresh herbs torn by hand. Mix the cheese until all of the ingredients have been incorporated and a nice creamy texture is achieved. When the mushrooms begin to get soft and give off a little of their juice, add a nice spoonful of the goat cheese mixture right into the center of each portobello. Close the lid of the barbecue and let cook until the cheese gets bubbly and the mushrooms are nice and soft.
Tips for grilling pretty much everything:
1. From steaks to chicken to vegetables, always season your food well, and use a light coating of oil between the food and the grill bars. Season with at least salt and pepper or go as crazy with as much spice and complexity as you like — nobody needs to grill bland food. You can either apply a light coat of oil to the food or bars right before your dish hits the fire. Either way, make sure your foods don’t hit the bars dry, or the two will be difficult to separate. On the other hand, overusing oil can also cause big-time flare-ups, so remember to keep it to one thin layer.
2. When cooking something that’s temperature-specific like a steak, bring the meat up to room temperature before tossing it on the grill. This will give the steaks a more uniform cooking temperature overall, rather than a drastic variance between the outer and inner layers of the steaks. Season the meat right when it comes out of the fridge, allowing the seasonings to really soak deeper into the steak before cooking.
3. Rest a steak for at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into it after cooking. If you cut a steak right when it comes off the heat — or worse yet, while it’s still cooking — lots of the natural juices will be lost, causing the steak to be less juicy in the end.
Beef
GOAT CHEESE AND PINE NUT-CRUSTED BEEF TENDERLOIN
Ingredients
• 7 ounces beef tenderloin filet
• 2 ounces fresh Texas goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry nonstick pan to a light golden brown. Combine the herbs, garlic, and goat cheese and mix with a pinch of salt. Season the filet with salt and pepper, then sear in canola oil. Be sure to brown each side of the filet before turning over to caramelize the outside. If the beef is thick, it may be necessary to finish cooking in the oven. Cook to desired temperature. When the beef is almost finished, smother the top with the herb goat cheese mixture and place in the oven for one minute to warm the cheese. Top with the toasted pine nuts and serve.
GRILLED RIB-EYE BITES WITH CHIMICHURRI
For the steak:
Ingredients
• 2 pounds rib-eye steak (at least 3/4-inch thick)
• Season to taste with Texas Red Dirt Rub, Creole Blend
• Thick bamboo skewers
Directions
Cut the rib-eyes into bite-sized cubes, removing any excess fat. Place the cubes in a Ziploc bag and spoon in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the chimichurri sauce. Season lightly to taste with Texas Red Dirt Creole spice blend and close the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally to evenly distribute the seasonings and marinade. Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water to keep them from catching fire on the grill. Stab each piece of steak with a bamboo skewer and grill over high heat for just a few minutes until a medium rare center is achieved. If the skewers burn too easily, grill the cubes alone, then stab with
the skewers just before serving. Serve the meat on a platter with plenty of the chimichurri sauce for dipping.
For the chimichurri:
Ingredients
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped (stems removed)
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 lemons, juice only
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together well. Let stand at room temperature for at least one hour before serving.
HOW TO MAKE THE PROTEIN CENTERPIECE
This is still Cowtown, and a huge showpiece steak is always a perfect centerpiece of any backyard grilling party. My two favorites for this are either a tomahawk rib-eye with the long bone or a thick porterhouse. Here are a few tips for cooking the “showstopper.”
1. Allow the steak to come up to room temperature before grilling. I call this “knocking the chill off,” and it helps get an even cook once you get started.
2. Season the steak well just as it comes out of the fridge, giving plenty of time for the seasonings to soak in while the steak is coming up to room temperature. The thicker the steak, the more seasonings you need to rub into the meat.
3. A light coating of oil needs to be applied either to the meat or the grill bars just before the two come in contact with each other.
4. Begin the cook on the hot side of the grill and get some nice grill marks. After one set of marks is charred in, rotate the steak 45
degrees (don’t flip it yet) and place it back on the hot grill side. This is how you get those nice diamond pattern marks.
5. Once the grill marks are complete, flip the steak over and move to the cooler side of the grill and pull the lid down. Cooking the steak too fast will get excessive char on the outside. For a really thick steak, you can even turn the burner under the steak completely off and use the grill like an oven to slowly bring the entire steak up to your desired temperature. Medium rare is my preferred temp, so I pull it off when it hits 120 degrees.
6. Use a digital thermometer to ensure that you get that perfect doneness.
7. When you pull the steak off of the grill, allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes or more before slicing into it. This will give you a much juicier steak overall.
8. Carve the steak into nice portions but leave that bone on the buffet for show as well.
Tips
Tips for grilling pretty much everything:
1. Utilize the hot-side, cold-side grill for extra control. I like to keep one side of my gas grill on high to get perfect grilling marks, but I leave the other side on low for control when cooking things longer. Often, for a thick steak like the tomahawk, I’ll start the meat on the hot side, make the perfect marks, then flip it over and slide it over to the cool side, then pull down the lid to finish slowly and get the temperature just right without burning the outside.
2. Use live fire or charcoal for extra flavor. I love cooking seafood like scallops or shrimp over live hardwood coals like hickory, as these proteins cook very quickly and absorb smoke flavors well. Be sure to get your fire cooked down to coals before adding your product to the grill. When wood first begins to burn, the initial smoke flavors can be overpowering, but after the fire gets up to the temperature of orange and white coals, the smoke flavor becomes sweet and desirable. If you only have a gas grill, adding a few wood chips and pulling down the lid can be a great way to add a little natural smoke flavor as well.
Seafood
CEDAR PLANK WILD SALMON
Ingredients
• 8 ounces jumbo lump fresh blue crabmeat
• 8 ounces baby shrimp (cooked)
• 3 large ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning blend
• 1 dash hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 3 tablespoons diced cucumber
• 1 pinch dry mustard powder
Directions
Soak the cedar planks for at least 1 hour before beginning this recipe, or they will burn too quickly on the grill. Once soaked, begin by placing a light layer of salt down on each plank, roughly the size of the salmon filet that will go on top. Spread out several sprigs of fresh dill over the salt, then lay the salmon fillets on top, skin-side down. Sprinkle more coarse sea salt over the fish evenly, then lay down more sprigs of fresh dill, finishing the layering with a few slices of lemon on top of each piece of fish. This can be done with larger pieces of salmon, but keep the fish at a size that will stay on the plank without hanging over the edges. Heat a grill to high, then place the planks directly over high heat and close the lid of the grill. The fish will cook completely on one side without flipping over, so do not open the lid too many times, or the top will have a hard time cooking. Most salmon will take roughly 6 - 8 minutes to cook, but grills and fish thickness will vary, so use a thermometer to check for doneness. For medium rare salmon, remove from the grill at 125 degrees internal temperature. For medium, cook to 135. While the salmon is cooking, be sure to occasionally check to see that the planks have not completely caught on fire. Light singeing and black smoking edges is perfect, but if a large flame ignites, have a little water handy to douse out the flames. Either pour a little water on the flaming board or have a squirt bottle handy to shoot down excessive fires. Ideally, the salmon should grill, roast, and smoke at the same time.
Ingredients
• 12 large diver scallops
• 3 to 4 very large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 2 sprigs fresh dill
• 4 to 6 leaves fresh basil
• 4 ounces butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Begin by removing a few of the rosemary leaves from the stems, then soaking the stems in cold water. They need to soak for at least 30 minutes. Clean the scallops well by removing any small side muscle that may be attached, then pat them dry with a paper towel. Skewer the scallops onto the rosemary stems, leaving a little space between each one. Season
GRILLED SHRIMP WITH HONEY BOURBON GLAZE
GRILLED SCALLOP KEBABS ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS WITH HERB BUTTER
lightly with salt, then brush a light coating of olive oil on the scallops to keep them from sticking to the grill. Grill over high heat, being careful that the scallops cook without burning the rosemary too much. Chop the rosemary that was removed from the stems as well as all other fresh herbs. Combine the chopped herbs, softened butter, salt and pepper and warm gently. Once the scallops have cooked, pull them from the grill and brush heavily with the herbed butter while still hot.
Ingredients
• 10 - 12 large wild Gulf shrimp
For the glaze:
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons TX Bourbon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients for the glaze together and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, just until slightly thick. Reserve some of the glaze in a dish to use as a dip for later. Clean the shrimp well and remove the shells, leaving just the tail portion. Line the shrimp up on a cutting board and run two skewers through them, leaving just a touch of space between each shrimp to allow even cooking throughout. Season well with salt and pepper and lightly coat with oil before grilling. Lay the shrimp on a hot grill and cook for roughly 2 minutes before turning over, then brush liberally with the glaze repeatedly until cooked through. Serve hot with some of the glaze as a dipping sauce.
Place the watermelon slices on a very hot grill and cook for 15 to 20 seconds, then turn 45 degrees and place back down (without turning over). This will make the crisscross grill mark pattern. After another 15 to 20 seconds, turn the watermelon over and repeat. Give each slice a very light pinch of kosher salt after turning over. Do not try to cook the watermelon, just get nice dark grill marks on the outside and stop. They should still have great crunch in the middle. Arrange the slices on a platter, then pour plenty of tequila lime vinaigrette over them.
For the vinaigrette:
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 limes, juice only
• 1 1/2 ounces white tequila
• 5 - 6 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 2 - 3 sprigs fresh mint
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (substitute honey if not available)
• 6 ounces canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Tear the cilantro and mint by hand into rough leaves, then add to a mixing bowl. Add in all remaining ingredients and whisk together well. Allow to sit for 15 - 20 minutes before serving.
Tips
Tools of the trade: Your grill is your domain, so pick it wisely. It’s the most essential and central focus of the entire event. Once you have the hardware, it’s time to pick the perfect essentials. Here’s a list of my absolute musthaves to get grillin’:
1. A good quality digital probe thermometer. Get one that reads the temperature quickly and accurately. I have several brands that I love and even sell one at Bonnell’s Restaurant if you need one last-minute. If you want to go high-tech, there are even cordless models that work with apps on your phone.
2. A long-handled, sturdy flat spatula is a must.
3. Well-constructed and reasonably long grilling tongs should last for many years. I like the OXO brand myself, but be sure they have the metal ends, not plastic or rubber.
4. Oil for the grill. Oil keeps food from sticking to your grill bars. I prefer a refillable spray bottle to gently mist the bars or food right before cooking, but there are many different ways to get your grill bars oiled up from mops to high-temp brushes, or even something as simple as an onion cut in half to spread the oil around. I like to use leftover fresh herbs and tie together a little brush to either oil the grill or add infused oil flavors to foods as they cook.
5. Spray bottle filled with water. To help control flare ups, I love keeping a flame-dousing squirt bottle handy. If you don’t have one handy, don’t be afraid to drizzle a little of your favorite beverage (like beer) to help keep the flames down when the situation requires it.
6. Towels. Always have at least one or two kitchen towels handy for wiping off your hands or handling hot trays or utensils.
7. Cold beverages. Never be caught alone at the grill without a good cold supply of refreshments.
Sauces and Salsas
FIREROASTED SALSA
Ingredients
• 6 Roma tomatoes
• 1 red onion peeled and sliced
• 2 - 3 fresh jalapeños
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 – 3 garlic cloves
• 2 – 3 chili mora
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Char the tomatoes, onions, mora, and jalapenos on the grill to cook through and char the skins. Transfer to a large container and add in the cilantro, garlic, and lime juice and blend with an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tips
Indulge in a brewski: I love to grab an ice-cold local beer while working the grill. Typically, I keep it on the lighter side when working around the hot fire, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Our local area has some amazingly talented brew masters with a variety to choose from. Here are some of my faves:
• Local Buzz by Four Corners
• Adios Pantelones by Rahr
• Martin House Pils
• Panther Island Tailgater
• Wild Acre Tarantula Hawk
GRILLING VEGGIES
POBLANOTZATZIKI SAUCE
Ingredients
• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced)
• 1 cup poblano (roasted, peeled, seeded, diced)
• 2 cucumbers (seeded, shredded, strained)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Split cucumber lengthwise, exposing seeds. Remove seeds. Shred cucumber with skin on. Add remaining ingredients, mix until thoroughly blended. Cover. Label. Refrigerate. Shelf life 5 days.
When grilling vegetables, I always start with thick cuts of sturdy vegetables like zucchini, squash, and larger asparagus. They each get a healthy dust of our Creole or Southwestern seasoning, then a light coating of oil before going directly over hot coals. My goal is to get some nice char marks on both sides, let that natural smoke flavor penetrate, then pull them from the grill before they get too soft. I like my grilled vegetables to have a little texture left, along with plenty of flavor.
Discover Excellence.
Animals Different
BY JESSICA STRANGE / PHOTOS BY CRYSTAL WISE
A trip to the Fort Worth Zoo is no doubt fun and entertaining. From the majestic African tiger to the impressive Asian elephants, the animals at the zoo tend to steal the spotlight, and rightfully so. But it’s the people behind the scenes, who tend to get a little less recognition than the wildlife, that help make the Fort Worth Zoo among the best in the nation. Depending on the season, it takes anywhere from 200 to 500 employees to operate the zoo. Here’s a look at just nine of those people and the vital work they do in the park and beyond.
Peter Briggs Elephant Supervisor
For Peter Briggs, working with animals is in his blood. Growing up, he worked with cattle and horses along with the rest of his family. And although his current job as elephant supervisor is much different, his background helped prepare him for the role.
“My great-grandmother was the founder of the American Quarter Horse Association,” he says. “So as far as our family goes, my brother’s a horse trainer, and all of my sisters have shown [horses]. We’ve always been involved with animals.”
Briggs joined the Fort Worth Zoo in 2003. He attended a job fair that helped him get his foot in the door with the merchandise department. Peter worked his way up the ladder, moving from Texas Wild! to the children’s petting zoo area until he was eventually approached to join the elephant department.
“I had zero experience with them — I knew they were big,” he jokes.
But he quickly learned the ropes, citing his background with horses and cattle as helpful, and after about five years of working in the department, Peter was promoted to elephant supervisor. During his time there, he’s seen all the work that went into creating the new habitat, Elephant Springs.
“In an industry, when you’re working with animals, you have to evolve,” he says of the new facility. “You have to adapt to the changing environments and needs of the animals. For keepers, that’s what comes first — making the lives of the animals we care for the best that it can be.”
As elephant supervisor, Briggs and his team oversee the care of the zoo’s seven Asian elephants (ages 7 to 49) and the greater one-horned rhino. Though he doesn’t
see his job as particularly dangerous, cleaning, feeding, and training the up to 10,000-pound animals can be challenging.
“As you work with animals for longer and longer periods of time, you understand behaviors, you understand what to look for, how to progress around them,” he says. “That’s safe not only for the animal but for yourself and anybody else working around them.”
The new Elephant Springs facility is not only an upgrade to the elephants’ habitat, but Briggs says it allows guests an up-close look at the popular animals.
“The really cool part about Elephant Springs is we added a demonstration area,” he says. “It’s a covered seating area for the public to sit in and includes a smaller yard that we can bring the elephants into. We can give them a bath or just do a training session. We’re experimenting
with it every day. That gives us a chance to show the public some of the stuff behind the scenes.”
Allowing the public to see and learn about the elephants and rhino close-up is key in bringing awareness to conservation issues for these animals.
“These elephants aren’t just in zoos and sanctuaries,”
Briggs says. “They’re in the wild. That’s where they’re most threatened. So that part of our day is really cool because we can use the opportunity to educate people. They may never come across that information unless they heard it from someone like this.”
Understanding the impact Fort Worth Zoo has on global conservation starts by understanding the work of its conservation biologists like Dr. Stesha Pasachnik, who focuses on protecting and conserving critically endangered iguanas in the Caribbean and Central America.
“People don’t often realize
offices at the Fort Worth Zoo, she typically spends half of her time doing research and conservation abroad.
Pasachnik and the Fort Worth Zoo work closely with the Hope Zoo in Kingston, Jamaica, and its head start program for the island’s native Jamaican iguana, thought to be extinct in the 1940s. The Hope Zoo takes in young iguanas and allows them to grow until they’re large enough to defend themselves in the wild. They currently have more than 350 iguanas in captivity.
Her fieldwork in the Caribbean is in a much more primitive environment than the zoo. Jamaican iguanas naturally live in a remote area of the island called the Hillshire Hills. To reach their native habitat, she has to travel by van, then by boat, and then hike into the tropical forest to reach base camp.
“There’s no electricity, no running water,” she says. “You live in a tent, on a concrete pad, and no bathroom, of course. We just have a very rustic kitchen. We hike in gas canisters so we can cook.”
During her month-long stay at camp, Pasachnik does various things like releasing iguanas, researching predators like mongooses and cats, observing nesting sites, and selecting hatchlings to go back into the program to start the whole process over again.
Pasachnik also works on the island of Roatán, Honduras, focusing on the Roatán spinytailed iguana.
what goes on behind the scenes at the zoo,” Pasachnik says. “Zoos in the U.S. have contributed hugely to the conservation of many, many threatened and endangered species. They’ve really been integral in iguana conservation.”
Though Pasachnik, who has a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee where she studied conservation genetics,
teach basic research and data collection methods.”
The importance of Pasachnik’s conservation work goes beyond just preserving species of endangered iguanas. As the largest native herbivores on these islands, the tropical dry forest ecosystems depend on these animals to survive.
“They’re really the maintainers,” she says of the iguanas’ role in their habitat. “We often call them the farmers or the guardians of the forest.”
Back home, Pasachnik stays busy publishing research, working with graduate students, developing research plans, working with different conservation foundations, and writing grants. In her free time, she enjoys gardening — filling her yard with native plants and milkweed for monarch butterflies to enjoy. She says it’s an excellent way for anyone to contribute to conservation in their backyard.
“Every little thing that you can do does matter,” she says. “Even on your own property, even just making a small flower bed that has some native plants instead of just exotic plants in it. Every person’s actions can matter, and you can have an impact just by doing little things.”
“We do conservation workshops where we bring students and managers from developing areas together to teach them about iguanas and the importance of iguanas in the ecosystem,” she says. “And we
Stesha Pasachnik Conservation Biologist
Jessi Gorman Outreach Specialist
As an outreach specialist, Jessi Gorman is part animal trainer, part entertainer, and part educator. On any given day, you can find Gorman doing a variety of work at the Fort Worth Zoo — from morning husbandry (feeding, watering, and cleaning animals) to teaching a classroom full of eager learners about penguins, then maybe rounding off her afternoon training a baby goose to fly.
Gorman joined the outreach team a little over five years ago. Growing up, Gorman always knew she wanted to work with animals in some capacity.
“I was the kid that was catching lizards or frogs in my front yard and making little habitats for them in buckets,” she says as she reminisces about her childhood interests.
So, Gorman earned a degree in zoo animal technology from Santa Fe College and started working as a veterinary technician. She also enjoyed taking communication classes and noticed she was a natural public speaker and entertainer who loved theater. It was a job with the Ringling Bros. Circus that introduced Gorman to outreach work that combined her passions.
“When I realized that was a thing you could do, I was like,
‘Oh, that is for me,’” she says.
The outreach team at Fort Worth Zoo is a large department with many different facets. They offer preschool and summer school classes to young, budding animal lovers, walk around the park giving keeper chats in front of exhibits, go off-site to visit schools and other organizations around town, and put on stage shows where guests of the zoo can see animals up close.
Gorman says her favorite part of her job is changing people’s perceptions about certain
animals with bad reputations.
“Things like snakes, bugs, armadillos, opossums, skunks — people have really negative feelings about,” she says. “But once they meet them in person and see how cool they are up close and learn about how important they are in our environment, we change a lot of minds. That reaction is why I do what I do. I love to see people open up their hearts to animals.”
Training makes up a large portion of Gorman’s work, too. Since wild animals aren’t naturally used to things like audiences, music, lights, or children, the outreach team spends a lot of time identifying animals that would do well in the program and getting them accustomed to performing.
We have a hyacinth macaw named Alta, and Alta is a wonderful outreach bird,” Gorman says. “She travels great. She loves to see people. She’s very calm on my hand. But that doesn’t mean that all hyacinth macaws are going to be right for that job. It takes a certain animal to enjoy this job. And if they don’t enjoy it, it’s not going to work out.”
When she’s not working,
Gorman enjoys volunteering at the Humane Society of North Texas’ equine and livestock ranch and spending time with her husband, Tripp, a Fort Worth Zoo elephant keeper, and their 4-year-old son. Her love of animals and dedication to education are relevant to her professional and personal life.
She hopes to inspire that same spirit in guests.
“If people don’t see animals or have a one-on-one experience with them, it’s really hard for them to care about animals in the wild,” she says on the importance of her work.
John Griffieon Associate Veterinarian
It’s probably not surprising that the zoo’s 7,000 animal collection requires a few veterinarians on staff to help keep them all healthy. Dr. John Griffieon is a new addition to the team, who joined last October. What may be less than obvious is that the zoo’s veterinarians don’t work with a specialized group of species. From elephants to
starfish, they’re all Griffieon’s patients. He says learning new ways to treat a variety of different species is why he loves his work.
“People that pursue zoological medicine find enjoyment in the challenges of not knowing everything about every species,” Griffieon says. “A lot of it is comparative. What do we know about a similar species? What has been done?
Providing medical care to a very large animal like the greater one-horned rhino can prove just as challenging as tiny ones like a Pecos pupfish. Sometimes, special instruments and processes have to be created.
“That’s the fun part,” he says. “We get to be creative and work on designing things that work specifically for them.”
The staff also works to involve animals in their medical care through behavior training. Teaching an animal to cooperate in things like vaccines and testing makes the work easier for everyone.
What can we compare it to? It’s challenging but fun.”
As a North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine student, Griffieon found himself passionate about turtles and tortoises. (Side note: Did you know all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises?) But since entering the zoo world, his areas of interest have evolved.
“We get into this career because we have a hard time choosing,” he says of zoological medicine.
Griffieon can be found doing preventative exams, running imaging and diagnostics tests, visiting larger animals in their habitat (it’s hard to fit the elephants through the zoo’s hospital doors), documenting medical records, studying and contributing to research, or training interns. No one day is the same as the next.
The team is continually working to find new advancements to treat the 540 different species at the zoo.
“It’s less stressful for them during the procedure,” he says. “It’s less stressful for us. The drugs work better. Anesthesia is typically smoother. There are a lot of benefits.”
Griffieon says a lesser-known but large aspect of his work is public health. Keeping the animals healthy prevents illness in them and illness in people like staff and guests. While this has always been an essential part of his work, he says COVID-19 shined a new light on the issue.
“The public is learning that diseases go back and forth between animals and people,” he says. “Seventy-five percent of new diseases in people come from animals. So, the more that we learn about animal disease, the more information that we’re going to have to take on future pandemics.”
Though life as a zoo veterinarian means long, hard hours, Griffieon tries to spend his time away from work relaxing. New to Texas, he enjoys exploring nature with his fiancé and fellow exotic animal vet, Scott. Together, they have a little zoo of their own at home with a dog, two ferrets, two tortoises, and a lizard.
Robyn Doege
Supervisor
of Aquatic Ectotherms and Dive Safety Officer
Robyn Doege started her journey as a professional aquarist first as a hobbyist. She started her first fish tank at 7 years old and was keeping coral by the time she was 11. So in college, when approached with a job offer as a coral propagator, she jumped at the chance to turn what she enjoyed doing in her free time into a lifelong career.
As the zoo’s supervisor
of aquatic ectotherms (commonly known as “coldblooded” animals) and dive safety officer, Doege heads a team that manages the zoo’s aquatic animals and maintains their habitats — a job that requires a special scuba diving certification. Keeping the park’s six aquatic areas clean and their inhabitants healthy requires a very specialized skill set.
“You’re part biologist, part electrician, part plumber, part statistician,” she says.
When she’s not testing water samples, taking care of quarantined animals, coordinating maintenance dives, or training fish, Doege spends much of her time at the zoo working on conservation efforts for threatened aquatic species like Texas mussels, Pecos pupfish, seahorses, tiger stingray, and horned lizards (not technically an aquatic animal but still an area of interest for her). She says freshwater fish are the underdogs of the conservation world.
“A lot of people like marine fish because they’re pretty or
colorful,” she says. “And people love sharks because sharks are cool and dangerous, but of all the native freshwater species, they could use a lot more funding and help.”
Doege also partners with the zoo on the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project to save one of the largest barrier reefs in the continental U.S. Since 2014, an unknown disease has nearly destroyed the Florida Reef Tract’s coral species. (Coral are commonly mistaken for plants but are actually living animals.)
To help, Fort Worth Zoo took in over 30 species of corals to
keep healthy until it’s safe for them to return to Florida. Robyn is working on a husbandry guide to teach other zoos how to care for these corals.
“The corals affected — for even someone that has never been to Florida and went snorkeling would be like, ‘Something’s wrong,’” she says. “It’s just that big of a shock.”
At home, Doege has what her staff lovingly refers to as “Robyn’s Petting Zoo.” She has pet chickens, rabbits, a couple of parrots, and a 100-pound tortoise named Tortie.
John Drummond Supervisor of Life Support Systems
When John Drummond first applied to work at the Fort Worth Zoo five years ago, he hoped to be a gorilla keeper. He studied biology in school and always wanted to work at a zoo, but he was also a licensed master plumber. His unique background made the zoo’s head engineer reach out to John about a life support systems role.
“They thought I would be a good fit,” he says. “I told them, ‘I don’t know; I promised myself
I wouldn’t take a plumbing job. I don’t want to be a plumber. I want to be a zookeeper.’ But he said it could be a foot in the door for me.”
It turns out Drummond loved being a life support systems engineer. The work is nothing like the residential plumbing he was accustomed to. He takes care of a wide variety of life
support systems many aquatic animals at the zoo need to survive. If you’ve ever admired the hippos through crystalclear water, you can thank Drummond’s hard work.
“I don’t even want to be a keeper anymore because I like the challenge of my job,” he says. “I like solving problems. I like fixing things. I like having to troubleshoot things and figure out what’s wrong. And it’s always something different every day.”
He now supervises a team of two other LSS engineers. Together they make morning rounds throughout the park starting at 7 a.m. before guests arrive. The team checks all the water feature’s filtration systems, temperature control equipment, ozone levels, along with a variety of other maintenance requests. Drummond enjoys seeing all the different animals that live in the habitats he visits.
“This morning, I was unclogging a drain full of black bear hair, and the black bear was sitting there on the other side of the door, watching me work,” he says. “That was pretty cute.”
Lots of emergencies tend
to pop up in John’s line of work, and he has to respond quickly to them or the animals’ lives could be at risk. During February’s historic winter storm, when people were stuck at home without power, Drummond was at the zoo daily doing emergency maintenance like defrosting boilers in the hippo pool to keep the habitat safe.
“There’re thousands of fish in that pool, and fish are really temperature-sensitive,” he says. “So, if the boiler didn’t come on, they probably would have died.”
Drummond is a selfproclaimed “giant nerd” who likes video games and craft beer. So much so that he reached out to Martin House Brewing Company to collaborate on special zoo-themed beers benefiting conservation organizations, combining his love of animals and beer.
“One was called Elephant Springs in conjunction with our new exhibit,” he says. “Twentyfive percent of that is going to a conservation fund. And they also made a special beer called Turtle Power, and 25% of those sales go to the Turtle Survival Alliance.
Amy Coslik
Animal Program Coordinator
Aside from actually handling animals, there’s not much at the zoo that Amy Coslik doesn’t do. Her job title of animal projects coordinator is purposely broad to encompass all the areas of her work.
Coslik first came to the zoo in 1999 to work as a technician in the nutrition quality control laboratory after completing her master’s in animal science at the University of Maryland College Park. Coslik had experience working in the nutrition lab at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., so when the Fort Worth Zoo wanted to start its own lab, she was perfect for running it.
The nutrition lab, one of only three in the country, is responsible for testing all of the bulk food items (grains, seeds, pellets) that the animals
eat, ensuring their nutrients — namely vitamin A and vitamin E — are at proper levels. Think of a nutrition label on a cereal box; Coslik determines that information for all of the zoo animals’ food. When the zoo’s animals get the exact nutrients necessary in their feed, it prevents health issues later.
“If there’s anything we can do that’s preventative, that’s great,” she says. “So, if there is a feed that’s high in magnesium that happened accidentally at the plant, we can figure that out before the animal actually takes in that feed, before it gets too much of it.”
She took some time off to raise her family and then came back as animal program coordinator. She still spends half her time in the lab, but she also supports the zoo’s animal
programs and conservation director. So, when she’s not working in a dark room extracting nutrients from animal feed (many vitamins are lightsensitive), she’s working on pollinator conservation, helping set up outdoor learning areas at local schools, planting native
plant gardens in and around the zoo, coordinating activities for the zoo’s summer camp students, and helping out in many other areas of the park.
“My job kind of became this very diverse job,” she says. “I really like that because I like being introduced to new projects, and I really love working in the lab as well.”
As part of her role in pollinator conservation, Coslik works with organizations like the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors for Monarchs program to support native pollinator habitats and monarch migration, whose population has declined by nearly 90% over the last two decades, she says. By planting native host plants, establishing “no-mow” areas, and removing invasive plants in and around the zoo, Coslik and her colleagues aid the monarchs in their migration and provide a healthy habitat for other pollinator species.
She says people can get involved in pollinator conservation in their own backyards. Although perfectly manicured lawns are the social norm, starting a garden with native plants and letting weeds like milkweed (the only plant where monarchs lay eggs) will help these threatened species.
“I’m grateful to work in conservation and feel like I’m doing something for the greater good,” she says.
Adam Reppert Staff Nutritionist
While many zoos leave the nutritional care of their animal collection up to keepers or curators, Fort Worth Zoo has a dedicated team of zoological dieticians, like staff nutritionist Adam Reppert, ensuring the nutritional wellness of all the animals at the park.
After earning his graduate degree in nutritional science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Reppert worked as a registered dietician (for humans) in a hospital, but he said something in his career was missing. Reppert always played around with the idea of working with exotic animals but knew he didn’t want to be a keeper. He completed an internship at Fossil Rim, working with black rhinoceros
during school, and through a connection he made there, he joined the Fort Worth Zoo’s nutrition team.
“She directed me to some internships so I could get more experience, and lo and behold, the Fort Worth Zoo was hosting a residency program in zoo nutrition,” he says. “So, I applied for that and got that position. I didn’t always know I wanted to do zoo nutrition, but I was able to merge my career path with my childhood love of animals.”
A large part of Reppert’s work is responding to diet change requests for all of the zoo’s animals (birds, fish, amphibians, mammals, everything). Sometimes an animal needs to gain or lose weight, or they’re avoiding certain foods, or they’re getting aggressive with other animals during feeding times. It’s Reppert’s job to address the problem and see what can be
done to the animal’s diet to correct it.
But knowing the best diet to feed over 540 species at the zoo is entirely different from adjusting a human’s diet or even knowing what to feed a cat or dog.
“We’ll say, ‘This exotic animal is closest to a chicken.’ But if it’s a carnivorous bird, it’s also a little bit like a cat. So, we’ll look at those two cases and decide what seems appropriate,” he says about determining the animals’ nutritional needs.
Feeding 7,000 animals is not inexpensive. The annual nutrition budget is over $1 million. But, surprisingly, the largest animals, like elephants or rhinos, are not the most costly to feed.
“We have so many flamingos, and their food is one of the most expensive feeds because of the color that’s added to it, canthaxanthin, which helps to keep their pigments pink,” he says.
But even though the zoo’s animals receive high-quality, nutrient-rich food, they won’t always eat it. Much like a picky toddler avoiding peas on their plate, some animals just won’t eat the meals they’re given. Reppert says it’s not so much an issue with specific species but rather individual animals that may be picky eaters.
“In the past, we’ve had some very picky opossums, an animal that rummages through garbage cans,” he says. “What’s funny to me is some of these animals in the wild are associated with eating anything. Then, when you put them in captivity, it’s almost like they’re getting back at you by refusing to eat.”
Although many of the zoo’s guests like to see big, fluffy tigers or large, hefty elephants, that may not be the healthiest for that animal, Reppert says. The nutritionists regularly finetune a target weight range for each animal and monitor them with visual, monthly checkups. Some animals are even trained to stand on a scale.
“We definitely deal with some public misperceptions about how animals should look,” he says. “That is an area where we would like to do more education with the public.”
Jennifer Elston Curator of Conservation and Behavior
Keeping wild animals happy, healthy, and stimulated in a zoo setting is no small feat. Add managing the park’s recycling and a grant program to support wildlife conservation, and you have curator of conservation and behavior
Jennifer Elston’s role at Fort Worth Zoo.
Elston, who has a Ph.D. in wildlife science from Texas A&M, oversees the zoo’s behavior programs, including enrichment, training, and behavioral research. Whether it’s a silverback gorilla or a sea urchin, every animal at the zoo receives daily enrichment. But enrichment looks different for every species. Where primates and big cats enjoy more novelty items like toys and food puzzles, smaller aquatic animals’ enrichment may involve making sure the temperature of their habitat is well cared for and a varied diet.
“We’re trying to bring out natural behaviors in our animals because when our animals are
in a zoo, we can provide them all the healthy nutrition and vet care that they need, but an animal in the wild would spend a large portion of its day looking for food and shelter,” she says. “So that’s how we can satisfy those behavioral needs.”
A lot of creative thinking goes into planning each animal’s enrichment. Sometimes the zoo’s accounting department asks Elston about unconventional items she’s purchased, like a bubble machine for the elephants or bottles of perfume for the big cats (if you see a tiger rolling around in a pile of leaves, its keeper may have sprayed the foliage with the cat’s favorite perfume to stimulate its sense of smell). Elston also collaborated with a TCU zoo animal enrichment class for the last three years helping students invent new enrichment tools for the animals.
Training goes hand in hand with the animal’s enrichment. Elston works closely with the keepers to create training plans
zoo’s animals.
“The more we learn about animals and realize how individual they are and how sentient they are, we learn that it’s OK to talk about animals having feelings,” she says. “I like to make sure that people understand that it is important to do the best we can for animals.”
In addition to being in charge of the zoo’s behavior programs, Elston also manages the park’s recycling program and the Seeligson Conservation Fund, which has, to date, awarded over $68,000 in grants to support wildlife conservation projects in Texas.
for each animal to participate in their own care voluntarily. This could look like training a tortoise to stand on a scale to be weighed, teaching a giraffe to present its hip for a vaccine injection, or getting an elephant to open its mouth so keepers can check its teeth. Enrichment and training are important parts of providing great care to the
She hopes guests of the zoo leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of animals and their environments.
“Everyone can play a role in conservation and making lives better for animals in zoos and in the wild,” she says.
At Trinity Terrace, our residents enjoy a host of convenient services and fine amenities, allowing them to live life to its fullest every day. Our comprehensive wellness program supports a healthy, balanced lifestyle designed to keep you active and engaged physically, mentally, and socially, whether it’s working out in our first-class fitness and aquatic center, enjoying fresh fare at our three onsite restaurants, taking classes, or attending seminars. Come experience what retirement is all about at Fort Worth’s premier continuing care community!
Burleson’s new favorite option in senior living
The Game of Life: A Guide to Your Golden Years
Tips, tricks, and hacks for navigating retirement and aging.
By Mary Murphy
Illustrations by Brandon Hayman
Retirement, aging, and passing on. Maybe you thought about these things when you were younger; maybe you think about them now. Growing older is inevitable and can seem ominous, but it doesn’t have to be as scary as it may seem. Fort Worth has experts who are skilled at guiding people through these stages of life. And they all agree: It’s better to start thinking about these things sooner rather than later. This process looks different person to person, but it all begins with a few simple questions.
What’s my financial plan for retirement?
There’s peace of mind in retirement security.
Throughout Nathan Davis’ career, he’s seen two main benefits come from retirement planning: more security and less stress. He’s been working at Aspen Wealth Management as a certified financial planner since 2016, advising clients on how to prepare their finances and plan for retirement.
“People step away knowing that they’re going to be fine financially in retirement,” Davis says. “The biggest offshoot of [that] is their overall mental well-being and peace of mind.”
Davis often encounters individuals who worry that they won’t have enough money in retirement, they haven’t planned enough, or they haven’t saved up enough.
Don’t let fear get in the way.
Even if someone is later-on in their career, it’s never too late to assess their financial situation and create a plan. Davis says he’s worked with people in the past who were “paralyzed by the fear of being told that they were so far behind [in the planning process] that they didn’t come in.”
Rest assured, it’s never too late to think about a retirement plan — even if retirement is just around the corner. Talking with a financial advisor often provides new insights on ways to become more efficient with managing current assets or setting spending limits in retirement.
“It’s never too late to get a second opinion, get some help, or get some valuable advice,” Davis says. “There’s always something that can be improved with perspective from a professional.”
Financial planners can act as a sounding board.
A financial planner can provide a fresh and professional perspective on current plans and goals for the future. Don’t worry about judgment here; they’ve seen it all. Davis says that many people schedule consultations with Aspen Wealth Management to crosscheck the financial plan they’ve been building throughout their lives.
“A lot of clients that come in are a year away from retirement,” Davis says. “They’re coming in, looking for a second opinion, and seeking confirmation that they can make work optional and [retire].”
Although these clients do often have well-thought-out financial plans that will get them to their retirement goals, certified financial planners like Davis can help them spot mistakes that individuals can easily make when planning their finances for retirement solo.
A few miscalculated assumptions he’s seen people frequently make:
Neglecting to take the impact of inflation into account. Over the past several years, inflation has been generally nonexistent, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will stay that way in the future. Davis says he sees a lot of clients who have created a great plan for retirement, but they don’t factor in how costs could rise in the future.
“Ask yourself honest questions on what your expenses are now,” Davis says. “You may think you’re going to be able to take a large pay cut in retirement, but ask yourself honestly: Is that something you’re actually going to be able to maintain?”
Davis advises to take inflation into consideration when planning what future income versus expenses will look like during
retirement, especially if their pension or social security income will stay fixed during retirement. He also stressed how important it is to be realistic about investment returns and tolerance for risk.
“People overestimate their tolerance for risk,” Davis says. “They’re able to tolerate [risk] when the markets are doubling every four to five years, but very few retirements can actually stomach 80% equities in their portfolio in a time of volatility. It introduces a lot of risk into the financial plan.”
Regarding portfolios, Davis advises to stay low-cost and to be globally diversified in equities, bonds, and cash. For stock market investments, there should be exposure to large, middle-sized, and small companies, as well as exposure to growth.
“Based off their risk tolerance, age, and where they are in their financial plan, those allocations of asset classes and sub-asset classes should change a little bit,” Davis says. “We recommend that people diversify, and we always recommend to hold bonds because they’re more stable and won’t fluctuate from a volatility standpoint, unlike equities.”
People need multiple sources of income and can find a lot of reward in having a mixed portfolio that includes things like real estate and blue-chip stocks and stays away from volatile investments like high-yield bonds.
Not utilizing corporate retirement plans. Many people are unaware of the immense benefits that can come from corporate retirement plans and 401(k) company matches. Even if a company match is only 3%, the employer’s contribution will earn compound interest and reduce the amount of money an employee needs to save for retirement.
Assuming financial products are the same as a financial plan. It’s important to realize that a life insurance policy or an annuity product isn’t the same as having a financial plan in place. Often, these products are pitched as solutions for retirement plans.
“If you’ve been told that whatever product you have is one-sizefits-all, you should probably be concerned,” Davis says.
Thanks to the insurance industry’s lack of regulation, it’s become common for unsuspecting folks to sign up for a financial product that will supposedly pay for their retirement, only to later discover that they’ve been misled.
One red flag to keep an eye out for is how your financial planner is being paid. If they’ve been suggesting you use certain products and are compensated with commission, watch out. There’s less potential for a conflict of interest with a fee-based structure.
“At Aspen, we focus on a comprehensive plan,” Davis says. “There are no products to be sold, no commission to be paid. We’re taking an objective look at our clients’ finances and seeing where they stand today, where they’d like to be, and what they need to do to get there.”
It’s all in the mindset.
Davis often encourages his younger clients to assess their current budget, then determine what they can start saving as soon as possible. This is also a great time to review other key items like life insurance, disability insurance, estate documents, wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives.
“Work with what you have today, even if it’s saving 20% of your income,” Davis says. “Make the best decision today. If you continue to make the best decisions year over year, each time something changes and cash flow frees up, it’s all going to compound itself into the best retirement possible.”
Every time something changes, it’s an opportunity to review and re-assess budget and lifestyle. Davis warns against the “I’ll save more later” attitude that some people can adopt at a young age. This attitude lasts for a lifetime, and unfortunately, Davis has seen it negatively impact retirement plans in the past.
“If someone is later in their career and have nothing to show for savings — there’s a lot of those people — the first thing [to do] is to turn the budget upside down,” Davis says. “Today is the day to make hard decisions about your expenses. Start ranking things, and whatever is at the bottom of the list, cut it to free up money for savings.”
Three Steps to Take This Year
1. Look at income and expenses honestly. What are you making? What are you spending? What are you saving? Are you investing in the right places? Write down lists and see where there’s room to free up money that can be saved or invested.
2. Think about the future. It’s easier to create (or honestly assess) a financial plan when there’s a goal in mind.
Consider where you want to live when you retire, if there’s a possibility of in-home or long-term care due to health issues, and how much these might cost. Everyone’s plan will be different based on their individual decisions and conditions.
3. Meet with a financial planner. Remember that it’s never too late to get outside advice, and it’s best to do so sooner rather than later. There’s always time to make a change and work toward financial security in retirement.
“Everyone views money differently,” Davis says. “If we begin working with someone early on, they tend to be less anxious earlier on and have a better relationship with money throughout their working careers.”
Do I know where I want to live when I get older?
Everyone has different financial plans for retirement, and everyone has different dreams for how their life will look once they round out their career. Whether retirement is right around the corner or far away, one of the best ways to prepare is to weigh options, choose the best fit, and discuss decisions with friends and family.
Transitioning to a Retirement Community
For those who want to stay active (and maybe make some new friends) during retirement, there are a lot of different communities to choose from. The Vantage at Cityview is a community featuring gorgeous views and different levels of living that are tailored to its residents’ needs.
“Retirement communities offer many things that keep you going,” Nyki DeLoach, assistant executive director at The Vantage at Cityview, says. “Not only is there staff there, but you’ll have friends checking in on you and planning things with you.”
DeLoach says there’s much more to experience in communities along with amenities, classes, and staff assistance. Residents thrive on the social activity happening around them.
“You’re only steps away from fun, educational programs or physical exercise,” DeLoach says. “We keep mind, body, and soul engaged.”
Scheduled transportation services available at retirement communities make it easy for residents to go to health care appointments, as well as shopping trips or entertainment outings (to see a movie or a play. It’s like living in a high-scale apartment, with additional help when you need it. There are even a beauty salon and
barbershop within the community that residents can walk to.)
These kinds of communities make it easy to enjoy independent living in retirement and easy to transition into assisted living or memory care (both of which feature 24-hour, seven days per week health care staff) when the time is right.
When touring retirement communities, ask about how resident programs are created and how staff-patient relationships are in the community. At The Vantage at Cityview, the community has eight levels of engaged living available.
“Our community designs these programs based on meeting with the residents and learning what they want to do,” DeLoach says. “The staff joins in the fun.”
The staff at The Vantage at Cityview is committed to creating deep connections with everyone who lives there and spends time connecting with residents, learning about favorite pastimes and preferences. Even independent living residents are sure to find a friend or two among the friendly staff who can assist with tasks like laundry or housekeeping.
“If you’re considering leaving your home and moving into a community, don’t second guess yourself and allow care professionals to assist in the transition,” DeLoach says. “It can be difficult to think about giving up your home, but you’ll gain so much if you do.”
Three Steps to Take This Year
1. Do Some Soul-Searching. Think about what kind of lifestyle you want. Do you want to be steps away from exercise classes or the pool? Make a list of what you’d like and what you need, then take it with you when you visit potential communities.
2. Figure Out Your “Must-Haves.” Assess what you’d like to take with you when you move into a community. Think about which rooms you spend the most time in and why you spend the most time in them. From there, you can determine the items that are most important for you to bring with you to your new home.
3. Research Retirement Communities. Look for a community where you can age in place. Communities like the Vantage have different levels of living, so they’re more able to meet residents’ needs and ease the transition through aging.
“Stay mentally and physically active,” DeLoach recommends. “Be around people and enjoy life. Happiness helps the body both mentally and physically.”
Staying at Home and Aging in Place
Fort Worth has a multitude of great retirement communities, but that’s not the only option for the city’s residents. Those who want to grow old in the comfort of their own home can do so with help from in-home care companies like Home Care Assistance of Fort Worth. Usually, it’s either cognitive difficulties or problems that occur after a fall that prompts people to ask about in-home care, says Will Frederick,
owner of Home Care Assistance of Fort Worth.
“Falls are a really common challenge,” Frederick says. “Someone falls and, suddenly, they’re coming out of the hospital after having anesthesia, and they’re confused about what’s going on. Or they’re depressed because they were walking and now they’re not.”
A few easy ways to avoid the possibility of falls in the home:
• Remove clutter from around the house
• Add a bench seat (or grab bar) to the shower, in case you get lightheaded
• Lower the height of the bed so it’s easier to get in and out
• Get rid of throw rugs that are easy to trip over
• Turn on nightlights at night
• Limit the number of stairs used around the house
• Get a Life Alert, just in case
Loss of independence is a big hurdle that many people face as they grow older. It can come on suddenly after a fall or over time during the natural aging process. Often, families notice changes in their loved ones when they make an in-person visit.
“If you can’t lay your eyes on your parents or senior friends as often as you want to, changes do happen, and that’s usually when we get called,” Frederick says. “There’s something going on cognitively where they’re more forgetful than they used to be.”
Sometimes, the person navigating cognitive difficulties calls to ask for help. This usually happens after encountering a nerve-wracking experience, like getting lost coming home from the grocery store. A friendly caregiver can make these new life changes a little less extreme.
“Anyone can have the skill to change a diaper or wipe up a spill, but it takes a talented caregiver to engage cognitively [with someone],” Frederick says. “Our goal is to engage in activities that are cognitively stimulating each day, like having a great conversation.”
Home Care Assistance focuses on the Balanced Care Method, a holistic method that derives from the elderly in Okinawa, Japan. In Okinawa, it’s common for individuals to live until they’re 100 or older, usually enjoying independence and health into their later years.
compassion or doesn’t care.”
Caregivers are drug tested, background checked, and educated in the Balanced Care Method. They’re able to provide various levels of care, ranging from running grocery errands and washing laundry to assisting with basic needs like showering or going to the restroom.
“If you want to stay at home, we can make sure that’s a reality for you,” Frederick assures. “We can help out with anything that’s required for someone wanting to live at home.”
One of the best things someone can do is to discuss the situation with loved ones and choose levels of care based on what the person being cared for wants. For example, Frederick’s mother recently chose to terminate her in-home care because she’d prefer to be on her own.
“Although I disagree with it, I have to realize that it’s her wish,” Frederick says. “There are consequences, like an increased risk of a fall. We’ve discussed those, and she’s okay with those. I’ve had to come to accept that I’m okay with those, too.”
Although these conversations are difficult — and might not be what we want to hear — it’s important to discuss how family members and friends would like to be cared for as they grow older. It’s ultimately their decision to make.
If someone does decide to stay home without in-home care, it’s extremely important that they continue to socialize, even if their senses are declining due to age. Having experiences outside the home and interacting with other people lead to a healthier and longer life.
It’s normal for people to become more reluctant to go out when they begin experiencing loss of senses. It can keep them from going to the store, going to see friends, or going to see the doctor.
“Even if you can’t hear well or you can’t see well, that shouldn’t stop you from getting out and living your life,” Frederick says. “[These changes] may limit you in some regard, but don’t let it keep you from the social aspect of your life. It’s so important.”
Three Steps to Take This Year
Studies of their lives have shown that only one-third of life’s longevity is based on genetics — The other two-thirds are lifestyle choices that are easy to implement, which are integrated into The Balanced Care Method with six components: cognitive stimulation, nutrition, physical activity, sense of calm, and social engagement. This method has been shown to help people live out more balanced, longer, happier lives.
Cognitive stimulation is a key component to this method, which is why Home Care Assistance of Fort Worth strives to engage in cognitively stimulating activities each day. When a caregiver comes into the home, they’re not taking away any independence — They’re providing a way to keep both mind and body active during a time of change.
“Usually, caregivers have cared for a mom, a grandmother, or a grandfather, and it filled them with joy and passion,” Frederick says. “We’ll never have someone come into your home who doesn’t have
1. Talk About the Future. Figure out where you’re comfortable. If it’s in your home, start considering what you’ll need to do to stay there. If you’re not comfortable at home, begin looking at different retirement communities. Talk with your family and friends during the process or after you’ve made your decision.
2. See Your Doctor. Go to a physician to make sure the medication you’re on is the proper medication for your needs. Have your eyes and ears checked and make sure you’re allaround physically well. Ask them about healthy foods that can help your body and mind age properly, like vitamin D (strengthens immune system and bones) or dark chocolate (boosts heart health).
3. Stay Active. Keep moving cognitively and physically and try to challenge yourself at least once a day. Instead of sitting and watching TV, take a walk or drive to a coffee shop to interact with people. Your brain will thank you later.
Am I taking care of my mind and body?
Regular checkups at the doctor are a normal part of growing older, but spending your golden years bouncing from doctor to doctor, managing an illness, shouldn’t be. Jaime Cobb, vice president of dementia and caregiver education at the James L. West Center, often sees chronic, long-term stress contribute to health issues in older age.
“We can’t get rid of [stress] all the time,” Cobb says. “But we can better manage it. We can do that with diet and exercise, meditating, journaling, and doing hobbies that you like on a regular basis to maintain stress levels.”
Stress can be detrimental not only to the body but also the brain — increasing chances of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. To the untrained eye, normal changes that happen in aging could look like the beginning of these diseases.
Cobb says it’s common to have some cognitive changes in older age. It may take longer to process something, to recall someone’s name, or to remember why you walked into a room — “senior moments.” Progressive dementia or neurodegenerative changes, on the other hand, can cause a person to forget why they walked into a room — but they don’t ever realize they forgot.
“Memory loss is an early warning sign of dementia, but [the disease] is much more than that,” Cobb says. “It attacks the entire brain, and our brains do everything. Absolutely everything. Eventually, [dementia] affects all areas of the person.”
According to Cobb, it’s important to get a diagnosis from a doctor if dementia is suspected because there are a variety of things that could cause cognitive issues. There could be a medication interaction, stress or sleep issues, or a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals.
Fortunately, The James L. West Center has over 30 programs that are free to the community, including a class about what normal aging does (and doesn’t) look like.
“At the end of the day, if it’s you or a loved one doing something uncharacteristic, and they’ve been doing it, then it’s something that you should talk to the doctor about,” Cobb says.
If it is dementia, the caregivers and the individual who’s been diagnosed needs to focus on the abilities and skills they still have left. Nurture the things you have and try to sustain them with positive
lifestyle changes like eating well and managing stress.
It also gives the individual time to discuss their wants and needs with their family and friends. This is a very necessary conversation because most people assume that their partner, kids, or parents will know what they want, but realistically, they may not know. It’s important to discuss what they want in the future and how they’d want their family to help if they couldn’t help themselves.
Even if dementia isn’t the diagnosis, it’s important to try new things that are slightly challenging. Doing these activities (which can be as simple as a new Sudoku puzzle) “works out” the brain and builds new neuron reserves that can be drawn from later.
“If you have brain changes or are starting to lose some neurons, [doing this] will give you more reserves there for your brain to pull from,” Cobb says. “It can delay the onset of dementia, depending on how many reserves you have. Build up those reserves as much as you can.”
Watching TV, scrolling through Facebook, or doing the same “easy” crossword puzzle time and time again aren’t challenging for the brain, says Cobb. The brain has already learned how to do those things, so those neurons are already strong. Doing something more challenging or different will create new neurons and build up reserves.
A few ideas:
• Try a new crossword puzzle
• Use your nondominant hand to brush your teeth
• Learn a new hobby or a musical instrument
• Have a conversation with a friend or family member
“One of the best things you can do is volunteer,” Cobb says. “You’re socializing, you’re having to move, you’re talking to people. You get most of those areas of well-being checked off when you go volunteer.”
Three Steps to Take This Year
1. Exercise Your Body. This (and a healthy diet) is your brain’s best friend. Whether you like lifting weights, going on walks, or riding the stationary bike, take time to exercise frequently to keep your body and mind in shape.
2. Exercise Your Brain. Try something new every day to keep creating new neurons. It doesn’t have to be extremely difficult, just a little challenging. Use it as an opportunity to learn something new or see if you can beat a past timed record for a favorite pastime.
3. Learn More About Aging. The James L. West Center is one of many nonprofits in Fort Worth that offers resources for adults who are curious about aging. Start small with a free James L. West class, then look further into local resources like The Area Agency on Aging.
“If you want to make these changes, you can start slow; you don’t have to do it all at once,” Cobb says. “Start slow and add things as you go. It’s about progress, not perfection.”
Am I ready to pass on peacefully?
There’s no one in this world who hasn’t had to consider the big questions that come with passing on. Fortunately, funeral prearrangements can make this question a little bit easier to answer in 2021.
“The gift of prearranging answers all questions and leaves a lasting memory with peace of mind,” Roberts says. “Our goal is that the grieving family only worries about making one phone call, lessening the decisions and burden.”
The cost of funerals can make some stop in their tracks, but thanks to Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Homes, there will never be a family without a funeral option due to cost in Fort Worth.
“We believe that celebrating an individual’s life is not something that should be defined by what a family can afford,” Roberts says. “We want to always find a way to remember someone’s life in a manner that is dignified at a price that’s affordable.”
Families can feel pressured into choosing cremation because of cost, but burials are affordable, especially when prearranged. Educating families about the benefits of prearranging can help prevent future problems or hardships when navigating the funeral-planning process after a loved one has passed away, Roberts says.
Often, Roberts hears families worry that they’re going to be locked into using the funeral home where they’ve prearranged their services. Since the money that families use for funding funerals in Texas are held with a prearrangement insurance company or a trust fund overseen by the Texas Department of Banking, this is not the case.
“These funds can be used for any funeral home at any future date,” Roberts says. “This protects families in case something should happen to their chosen funeral home or if that family should move. It’s the ultimate safety net.”
Prearranging a funeral can lock in today’s funeral prices for a future need. It’s never easy to talk about mortality, but it’s an inevitable part of life. The question is not if the arrangements are made — it’s who will make the arrangements.
“We plan most every special event in our lives, so it makes sense to plan one’s final celebration,” Roberts says. “This gift allows families to focus on grieving and remembering the special memories shared on this special walk we have together.”
There are a lot of different ways to be remembered, from green natural burials to closed casket services. According to Roberts, prearrangements that don’t require embalming offer a more affordable opportunity to say goodbye at the fraction of a cost of a traditional service.
For example, green burials at Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Home include the funeral home and burial space at Azleland Cemetery and Memorial Park for a lower cost of $1,995. With prearranging, families can make interest-free payments for up to five years, lowering this kind of funeral cost from an immediate $1,995 to about $33 per month over 60 months.
During the prearrangement process, families also experience the lasting memory of planning their loved ones’ funeral together. Through active listening, funeral homes like Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Home help create a loving celebration of life.
“We walk them through what’s important and ask them how they want to be remembered,” Roberts says. “Each family is unique, and there’s no right or wrong way with final decisions.”
Three Steps to Take This Year
1. Consider the benefits of prearranging. Families are often comforted by the fact that they prearranged a loved one’s funeral. This elimination of worry and decision-making can make a world of difference for those grieving. Although it’s a difficult question, funeral prearrangement is important to think about.
2. Inform your family of your decisions. There are usually some additional funeral costs that can’t be paid in advance. They’re minimal, but you should include your spouse and children in your decision process and the prearrangement process, so that they can be aware of these smaller costs and, more importantly, what you want in your final celebration of life.
3. Do your research. The first step to prearranging is to find the right funeral home who can assist in the process. Check and compare prices, read websites and reviews, ask if interestfree payment plans are available, and set an appointment to meet with the staff, tour the facility, and make sure the funeral home is compassionate and caring.
Assembly Mother Daughter Meeting
The Assembly held a Mother and Daughter orientation in preparation for the 105th annual Assembly Ball. The meeting was held at River Crest Country Club.
Molly Smith, Georgia Smith
Kristine Kelly, Adelaide Kelly
Anna Caroline Turner, Anna Turner
Pamela Murrin, Kristi Newton, Mary Kathryn Kelly, Kathleen Galloway
Terry Pruitt, Kristen Pruitt
Ashley Moncrief, Julie Moncrief
Rebecca Hillard, Lauris Hillard
Dream Team
A chef-driven restaurant in Burleson, American Revelry, snags one of the most sought-after chefs in Fort Worth, Denise Shavandy
It’s a match made in culinary heaven: One of North Texas’ most exciting and innovative restaurants is now home to one of Fort Worth’s most well-known and respected chefs.
American Revelry, a Burleson-based restaurant that specializes in chef-driven American food served with five-star flair, is now home to Denise Shavandy, who made a name for herself as a chef to be reckoned with during a five-year stint as executive chef at Café Modern, the popular lunch and brunch spot tucked into the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
Shavandy begins her new role as the restaurant’s executive chef on July 1.
Shavandy gained national attention last year when she went knife-to-knife against other chefs on the Food Network’s popular television show, “Chopped.” On the episode, titled “Smokin’ Skills,” Shavandy emerged victorious, beating a trio of competing chefs. Shavandy is also a twotime competitor in Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Chef contest.
Built from the ground up by local developer Timothy Windmiller and his business partner, Les Vernon, American Revelry offers chef-in-
spired, thoughtfully sourced takes on American classics — a style of food that perfectly fits into Shavandy’s culinary wheelhouse.
“It’s a terrific fit,” she says. “Everything American Revelry is about, I’m about, from using locally sourced ingredients to having seasonal menus. They’ve given me a great foundation to work with. I’m looking forward to putting my own spin on it and making it my own.”
Recently relaunched as the pandemic has started to subside, a separate rotating menu spotlights a particular regional fare — be it California cuisine or New York or any and everywhere in between. “I not only want to feature a particular cuisine from that region, but I want to pay homage to the people who developed those cuisines,” Shavandy says. “The immigrants who came to our country, who developed a lot of the foods that we now know and love — I want to spotlight their cultural influence on this big melting pot we call American food.”
For American Revelry owners Windmiller and Vernon, the dining room is just as important as the kitchen. That’s where general manager Christian Tahahn comes in. His background in
fine dining — he’s worked at such restaurants as Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Lonesome Dove, and Reata — is the driving force behind American Revelry’s white glove service, in which attentive servers astutely roam the dining room, brushing away crumbs, filling wine glasses, and waxing poetic about the restaurant’s superb beet-infused deviled eggs and expertly cooked ribeye.
“What I want to do is offer a level of service that will have people coming back over and over,” he says. “You’re guaranteed to have a good meal, but we want the experience to go beyond the food. We want you to feel like you’re a part of the family here.”
Tahahn has spent nearly his entire life in the restaurant business, working his way up from washing dishes and busing tables to managing, serving, or working in the wine department in some of the city’s top restaurants, including Del Frisco’s and HG Sply Co.
An American Revelry staffer since day one, Tahahn says he’s more than thrilled to welcome aboard Shavandy. Her forward-thinking cooking, he says, is just what the restaurant needs to take it to the next level.
“Having her come aboard feels like a huge, huge leap forward for us,” he says. “She’s one of the most talented chefs I’ve ever met. With her food and our stellar front-of-house team, we’re definitely soaring to new heights.”
279 W Hidden Creek Pkwy, Suite 1101 Burleson, Texas 76028
July 17
Survivors in Style - Bubbles & Brunch
Cuisine for Healing
July 24
Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame
Aug. 6
Roundup for Riders
Wings of Hope
Aug. 13
Clay Shoot & Luncheon
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Aug. 27
Women of Distinction Girl Scouts Texas Oklahoma Plains
Sep. 1 - Virtual
Dancing with the Stars Ballet Frontier of Texas
Sep. 16
Champion Breakfast
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County
Sep. 18
Wings for Wishes a Wish with Wings
Sep. 18
A Salute to America’s Armed Forces Meals on Wheels
Sep. 25
Clay Shoot
Pure Adventure (also called Father and Son Connection)
Sep. 29
High Tea
Colleyville Woman’s Club
Oct. 7
Youth of the Year Gala Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County
Oct. 8
Day of the Girl
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County
Oct. 9
A Night at the Stockyards
Bobby Norris Roundup for Autism
Oct. 19
Public Figures, Private Artist s The Art Station
Oct. 22
Monster Mash The Women’s Center
Nov. 10
Bring the Conversation to Light Luncheon
Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation
Nov. 14
Cookin’ for Kids
Kids Who Care
Dec. 3 - Hybrid
Home for the Holidays Gala
Presbyterian Night Shelter
Give Back Calendar
There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the lives of people in this great community. As the city’s magazine — which has the eyes and ears of some of Fort Worth’s most affluent and philanthropic citizens — we feel a responsibility to give back to the people of the city that is our namesake, which is why Philanthropy is one of our core values.
Every year, Fort Worth Magazine sponsors more than 100 charity events, which range from luncheons to black-tie galas. The following promotional section is devoted to these charities and their fundraisers. We invite you to consciously peruse and consider lending a helping hand by either making a donation or attending these events.
Because COVID-19 caused a delay or cancellation of the charity events this season, as a service to all the charities in the Greater Tarrant area, we are listing the new dates or cancellations as they come in.
Presented byBell
RIVER RANCH FORT WORTH 6:00 P.M.
with an opportunityto give
Honoring
Gary & Lisa Nussbaum and Mitch & Molly Snyder
Fort Worth Camera’s annual Foto Fest has been known to give local shooters opportunities to capture some of the most dynamic scenes while also fine-tuning their skills with professional equipment. This shot, however, happened to be taken on the phone of photographer Noël Pensock as she watched the dancers of Ballet Folklorico Azteca de Fort Worth, Inc., twirl through Joe T. Garcia’s iconic courtyard. Pensock says, “The colors, patterns, and choreography served up a resplendent visual feast that inspired, nourished, and delighted all who took part in the event.”
So you’ve snapped a cool pic of the city. We want to see it. Tag your photos on Instagram with #fwtxmag. The winning image will get published on this page — so hit us with your best shot. main line 817.560.6111 | subscriptions 800.856.2032 | website fwtx.com
@noelpensockpix
PHOTO BY NOËL PENSOCK
Experience the Gilchrist Automotive Difference.
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¡ SouthWest Promise which includes:
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- Online or over the phone sales purchase and delivery
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Jamie Atkison’s love for Nissan started with the Xterra she drove throughout college. “The reliability of the Nissan brand is what drew me,” says Atkison, an academic adviser with Achieve Advisers. After seeing the enhancements to the new 2021 Nissan Rogue, it was “a no-brainer purchase decision,” she says. “I love the sophisticated interior design and integrated technology. It just feels good to drive.” The Fort Worth educator praises SouthWest Nissan in Weatherford for a seamless car-buying experience and impeccable service. “The GM, Chad Shelton, and the sales consultant, Katie Wagoner, made this process incredibly easy, enjoyable, and memorable,” she says. “Everyone went well out of their way to ensure I left happy.”
“We will work hard to earn your business for life.”
Stephen Gilchrist, owner Gilchrist Automotive
Family Owned and operated since 1986. We tailor the purchase experience to fit your needs, not ours; because we don’t just want to sell you a vehicle, we want to build a relationship and become your trusted advisor for all purchases and service.
Chad Shelton, General Manager; Jamie Atkison, customer; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator.
DESIGN
Elegance
Design is just a matter of personal preference for most of us. For architect Wail Majeed, of WM & Associates, a consulting firm that provides turnkey design, vision, and solutions to high-end residential and commercial clientele, it’s much more than that. As the owner and building designer, along with architect friend Ken Schaumburg, Majeed created Villa Quantum, a Fort Worth mansion whose modern architecture features a unique radial, open-plan design. So, as a building designer, unsurprisingly Majeed looks to classic Mercedes-Benz sleek design and styling in his automobile. Majeed’s favorite vehicle is a 2019 Mercedes-Benz E450 Cabriolet from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. Simply gorgeous
in design, the Mercedes-Benz E450 Cabriolet has a long list of technology and comfort features, but when asked about its wow feature, Majeed says, “For my vehicle, I would definitely say the light interior with the blue trim accent that matches the Cabriolet rooftop. I continuously receive compliments about it.”
A loyal customer for 21 years, Majeed has purchased at least 10 Mercedes-Benz vehicles from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. “Whether it’s sales or service, I found their friendliness and professionalism are seamless,” he says. “Park Place is My Place because — to borrow a quote from a famous show — it’s where everybody knows my name.”
