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Experience the Gilchrist Automotive Difference.
Aledo resident Whitney Perry says she looks to Platinum Chevrolet in Terrell when she needs a new automobile because of its “top-notch customer service.” Perry describes her new 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe from Platinum Chevrolet as “a luxury vehicle that can also service my family and business well.”
The mother of four, who owns an interior design business, leads a jam-packed life. So, Justin Rudd and his Platinum Chevrolet team brought the testers to Perry to accommodate her busy schedule. “They totally catered to all of my needs,” Perry says.
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Step into the new home for innovative food, beverages, artisans and merchants. Mule Alley now features Proper Supply Co., Kimes Ranch, H Bar C Ranchwear, King Ranch, Sidesaddle Saloon, Wrangler, The Biscuit Bar, MB Mercantile & Supply, Lucchese Bootmaker, Cowtown Winery, Provender Hall, Shake Shack, and PH Barn Door. Come celebrate and explore all that Mule Alley has to offer.
VOLUME 24 ISSUE 03
50
Victory in the Face of the Pandemic
Laid-off workers find themselves pursuing their passions, turning to entrepreneurship to make ends meet — and their dreams come true.
BY KERRI SMITH
58
How We Weathered the Storm
Faced with massive blackouts, contaminated water, a lack of heat and other basic necessities, Fort Worthians stepped in to help their fellow neighbors weather one of the most unprecedented snowstorms the city has ever seen.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW AND SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
the fort
: know
12 The Lead Food banks fight to save a grant that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need.
14 Buzz
Visit Fort Worth recaps the state of tourism in the city.
18 Calendar
Celebrate Black music, Billy Bob’s 40th birthday, St. Patrick’s Day, and more around the Fort.
20 Fort Worthian
The books that shaped Leaves Book and Tea Shop owner Tina Howard.
22 Fort Worth’s Forgotten Palace
One of downtown’s most elaborate structures and the tragic accident that brought it to dust.
: live
24 Rustic Elegance
A sneak peek into the design — and cuisine — of the Stockyards’ newest accommodation.
30 Dream Street 2021
Get to know the builders behind our 2021 Dream Street in Montrachet.
36 A Hometown Homage
A local interior designer transforms GrowCo Capital’s new digs into a love letter to Fort Worth.
38 Bright Young Thing
Behind the new skin care line launched by a Country Day alum.
: eat
42 Restaurant News
An innocuous strip mall in Bedford happens to house one of the city’s best new restaurants.
66 The 2021 Fort Worth HOME Design Awards
From the grandiose to the minimalist, these exceptionally crafted and curated spaces showcase Fort Worth’s top talents in interior design.
The moon rises over Fort Worth.
Service to Exemplify
Fort Worth resident J.R. Clark has an affinity for building relationships and service. “I’ve committed my life to having a servant’s heart and helping out my customers no matter what they needed or desired,” says Clark, the wine director for Winslow’s Wine Café and Cellar off the bricks of Camp Bowie Boulevard. It’s no surprise then that he appreciates receiving this same level of service from others. So, when it comes to his vehicle, Clark turned to SouthWest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to purchase his 2020 Dodge Ram 1500. “The way the truck handles on the highway as well as in the city is unmatched … and the technology available in the truck puts everything at your fingertips,” he says. “The transaction and getting to know the vehicle, the facility, as well as the employees of the family-run dealership could not have been easier,” Clark says. “My salesperson, Blake Black, and the General Manager, Mike Brown, both showed passion and excitement not just about the product they represented but making everyone around them feel at home and comfortable.” The Gilchrist Automotive family has earned Clark’s loyal kinship. “I know for a fact that I will never purchase a truck or car from anyone but the Gilchrist family of dealerships.”
PICTURED: J.R. Clark, customer; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive; Mike Brown, General Manager, SouthWest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
A Perfect Storm
We went to press with this magazine a week and half before my writing of this editor’s letter. Yeah, that’s right; the Friday before the Monday that Fort Worth would get blanketed by a dark cloud of snow and obscenities aimed at Oncor, we gave our March issue the green light. You see, monthly publications work weeks in advance of their newsstand date — sometimes making our content a little less than timely. Yet, in mid-February, a perfect storm (if you pardon the pun) of unforeseen circumstances forced us to change course. I won’t bore you with the details, but the day after we started printing, we received some news that made us reevaluate our cover story.
Two days later, the power went out. The office, the printer, and all but one member of our creative staff were in the dark. I didn’t have it as bad as others. I still lost power Monday morning — which remained out through Thursday night — but a friend of a friend, someone I had met only two times before, opened their warm downtown apartment to me and my housemate. They didn’t even think twice about it and seemed embarrassed by the copious thank-you’s and bottles of wine I sent their way. All the while, I was getting updates and reading countless stories about local businesses and residents going above and beyond to help others who were without power, water, and food. I read about people delivering drinking water and firewood, restaurants offering free warm meals, and Fort Worthians opening their homes to complete strangers — all of this with ice and 5 inches of snow on the ground. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the goodwill of others saved lives.
So, the week the printer went down and the office was closed, we witnessed the story that would become our March cover taking shape. If you’ll forgive the schmaltz, when our city went dark, we were at our best.
P.S. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank writer Malcolm Mayhew, managing editor Samantha Calimbahin, and photographer Crystal Wise for operating at breakneck speed to complete a feature for the history books. This postscript is the least I can do.
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
ON THE COVER:
Seeing that the roads were finally somewhat safe for travel, photographer Darah Hubbard ventured to downtown Fort Worth and snapped this photo of the Tarrant County Courthouse. Hubbard took the image on the Thursday after the city received nearly 5 inches of snow.
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@ fwtexas.com.
NEXT ISSUE
Doctors
The Burleson Restaurant Boom
owner/publisher hal a. brown
president mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
managing editor samantha calimbahin
contributing editor scott nishimura
contributing writers amber bell, jenny b. davis, michael govea, malcolm mayhew, kerri smith
copy editor sharon casseday
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 development representative billy stevens x140
MARKETING
digital marketing & development
director robby kyser
marketing strategist sarah benkendorfer
digital marketing specialist brenntyn rhea
marketing interns sydney fleet, jessica weigel-pena
events intern kristian hart
CORPORATE
chief financial officer charles newton founding publisher mark hulme
CONTACT US main line 817.560.6111 subscriptions 800.856.2032
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 3, March 2021. Basic Subscription price: $23.95 per year. Single copy price: $4.99
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Spring Fashion
MAKE A STATEMENT.
As the world-class leader in Tile, Natural Stone & Countertops , Daltile offers the largest assortment of high-style solutions to elevate any space or design.
@josephhaubert I used to sneak in and snap photos of the inside when I was a kid. Loved the light that came in from the tall, arched glass windows.
@pam_mckim My grandmother had a huge pecan tree, and we would take all the extras there to sell. I loved picking them up, bagging them, and going to the dime store for toys and candy afterward with our loot.
We sure miss hosting the Fort Worth HOME Design Awards ceremony in person this year, but be sure to watch the virtual presentation, now live on fwtx. com.
Best Companies to Work For
Love where you work? Nominate your company for Fort Worth Inc.’s Best Companies to Work For in Fort Worth on fortworthinc. com. Applications are open until March 19.
TRENDING ONLINE
[It’s like a] fancy and actually delicious Cicis. Except they serve you at your table.
-Bruna Meneses Jerman
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.
@barefootgypsy7 Love that the majority of candidates are women!
Visit fwtx.com for the full story.
» Fort Worth Bike Sharing to Introduce New Stations Twenty-eight new bike stations should pop up across the city by the end of the year, according to Fort Worth Bike Sharing.
» TCU Student’s Book Series Highlights Children With Disabilities Author Olivia Shin talks about her book series, in which children with special needs like autism and blindness are the stars.
» Opal’s Quotables: 94-YearOld Activist Weighs in on Mayoral Race, New Police Chief, and More Visit Fort Worth offered Opal Lee an open mic at its annual meeting in February. Lee accepted.
follow us for more @fwtxmag
MEMBERSHIP IS HER WINDOW to the WORLD
Encounter the wonders of the world with a membership to the Fort Worth Zoo.
A Zoo membership offers exclusive savings and benefits that will expand your family’s view of nature. Learn about the world’s most awe-inspiring animals, be transported to extraordinary places and witness moments in nature that are as beautiful as they are unforgettable. Immersive experiences. Unbeatable value. Open a window to the world with a Zoo membership.
…was a rough year for everyone, especially small business.
However, with the help and support of our clients; builders, designers, homeowners, and friends, Vintage Floors not only survived but is celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2021! From the bottom of our hearts, Vintage Floors and Vintage Floors Granbury Thank You!
The Food Fight
Tarrant Area Food Bank, Texas Department of Agriculture fight against state budget cuts that could result in the loss of millions of meals for the hungry
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
The Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) and Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) are fighting against state budget cuts that could result in reduced funding for local food banks, including a grant that aids in providing fresh produce to people in need.
It started with Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for state agencies to cut budgets by 5% while Texas grapples with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some agencies, such as the Department of Public Safety and Texas Department of State Health Services, received an exemption from the budget cuts.
The Texas Department of Agriculture, however, did not; and since much of the agency’s funding comes from fees, the only areas left to make budget cuts were in feeding programs, rural hospitals (which are overseen by the TDA), and grants for food banks — this includes a 41% cut to the Surplus Agricultural Products Grant, which provides charitable organizations with excess produce from Texas farmers who would otherwise be discarding the unsellable fruits and vegetables into a landfill.
Cutting this grant will be particularly detrimental for the people served by the Tarrant Area Food Bank, says TAFB president and CEO Julie Butner. Food distribution in Texas will reduce by nearly 20 million pounds — which translates to 17 million meals lost across the state.
Pretty bad timing, Butner says, when TAFB is seeing an approximately 50% – 55% increase in the number of people in need as a result of the pandemic.
“[The Surplus Agricultural Products Grant] is a win for the farmers, it’s a win for the environment, and it’s a win for people who are hungry right now,” she says. “It’s just not a good time for the state to be cutting a program that food banks are dependent on.”
The TDA is currently fighting for its own exemption from the budget cuts; but should the cuts be made, the agency is also asking the Legislature to restore the money that will be lost. Additionally, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says he had sent a letter to Gov. Abbott regarding $2 billion of unspent CARES Act funding, asking if some of the money could be set aside for rural hospitals and food banks before the funds expired Dec. 30.
“We never heard back from him … I know the food banks didn’t get the money,” Miller says.
Still, while the TDA recommends individuals reach out to legislative officials and urge them not to follow through with cuts, the agency expects the Legislature to make a favorable decision.
“I doubt very seriously that any legislator wants to go back home and campaign saying they cut food bank money or cut rural hospitals or home-delivered meals,” Miller says. “I just don’t expect them to do that.”
Both parties should know the Legislature’s decision when its 87th regular session finishes at the end of May.
Tourism Talk
Five takeaways from the 2021 Visit Fort Worth Annual Meeting
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
Visit Fort Worth’s Annual Meeting & Breakfast is typically a lively fete, when the who’s who of the city gather downtown at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel to celebrate the past year in tourism — complete with video montages and elaborate photo ops — often leaving with a reignited sense of pride about the place they call home.
Of course, the event (if we may use the oft-repeated phrase) “looks a little different this year,” with venue occupancy cut to less than 50% and 300 attendees streaming the meeting via Zoom. This year’s meeting, which took place Feb. 5, was also less about tourism growth and more about post-COVID recovery, moving forward from a year when hotel occupancy reached its lowest point at 20% between March and May.
Still, president and CEO Bob Jameson said Visit Fort Worth is looking at 2021 with a sense of optimism, and the annual meeting was not short on things to celebrate.
A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EVENT:
OPAL LEE RECEIVES THE 2021 HOSPITALITY AWARD.
Every year, Visit Fort Worth honors an organization or community member that puts a significant spotlight on the city (past honorees have included Leon Bridges, Mayor Betsy Price, and DFW Airport). This year’s honoree was activist Opal Lee, who last year garnered approximately 1.5 million signatures on a petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday — thanks to the help of big-name celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Foxx, and Diddy. Upon receiving the award, Lee delivered quite the acceptance speech, offering candid remarks on everything from the new police chief to the mayoral race.
CHEF KEVIN MARTINEZ RECEIVES THE 2021 BEYOND AWARD.
Also honored at the annual meeting was Tokyo Cafe chef Kevin Martinez, who received the Beyond Award for outstanding service in the city’s hospitality industry. Last year, Martinez wrangled several of the city’s top chefs together to create care packages for service industry workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic, as well as anyone else in need. According to Visit Fort Worth, Martinez and his partners helped facilitate about 48,000 free meals.
FORT WORTH DOUBLES DOWN ON EFFORTS TO PROMOTE MUSIC.
Visit Fort Worth for the first time took part in an economic
impact study led by London-based consulting group Sound Diplomacy, analyzing the economic impact of local music in the city. The report delves into the city’s available resources and outlines 26 action items to further the local music industry, from creating a permanent Music Office to outlining post-pandemic recovery goals. According to an executive summary of the report, Fort Worth’s music industry generated more than $500 million in direct economic output and 5,584 jobs in 2016.
THE CITY LOOKS TOWARD GROWTH IN SPORTS.
The Fort Worth Sports Commission is also working with the city and other partners to create an approximately 100-acre youth sports complex for soccer, lacrosse, and other outdoor sports. During the annual meeting, Jameson said the complex would realize an immediate impact of $16 million in direct spending each year upon opening.
VISIT FORT WORTH, DFW AIRPORT OUTLINE PANDEMIC RECOVERY EFFORTS.
Additionally, Visit Fort Worth and DFW Airport outlined their respective priorities for COVID-19 recovery. Jameson said Visit Fort Worth is focusing on rebuilding the hospitality industry through community-based tourism, meetings, and sports events (like the upcoming Bassmaster Classic and NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway); investing in creativity, particularly in music; and entering a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce to share marketing and research resources, collaborate to grow sports tourism, and help build business through meetings.
Meanwhile, DFW Airport will focus on creating jobs, mainly through construction projects like the renovation of runways and the extension of Terminal D, which will add four new gates. At the annual meeting, CEO Sean Donohue said the airport created 4,000 construction jobs during the pandemic. Another priority is helping business partners, particularly in concessions; and one way the airport did so was by eliminating concession partners’ rent payments to help keep them afloat during the pandemic.
“While we all know how difficult and challenging these last almost 12 months have been, we are equally fervent in our knowledge that things are going to come back,” Donohue said. “There is going to be a recovery, and there is a tremendous pent-up demand when it comes to hospitality.”
Opal Lee
PHOTO BY LEO WESSSON
Fast. Friendly. Fair.
Here's the deal.
AUTO GROUP
10 Things to Know
This
Month
1
It’s official — the former Pier 1 headquarters near downtown now belongs to the City of Fort Worth and will become the new City Hall. The city closed on the $69.5 million purchase of the 672,327-square-foot tower in late January. Move in will begin in 2022.
2
Neil Noakes is the new chief of the Fort Worth Police Department, assuming the position following the retirement of previous chief Ed Kraus. A 20-year veteran of the city’s police force, Noakes during a press conference in January pledged transparency, accountability, and “community inclusion” in the work of the police.
3
There’s a new maestro at the helm of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor Robert Spano has been named new music director, taking the baton from previous director Miguel Harth-Bedoya, who retired after a 20-year career. Spano will become music director designate starting April 1 before assuming the title of music director on Aug. 1, 2022.
4
The Cliburn has solidified dates for its International Amateur Piano Competition, which will now take place Oct. 12 – 18, 2022. Competitors who were unable to compete in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to participate.
5
Sundance Square is welcoming a couple of new tenants to the plaza. Estelle Colored Glass has taken over the former Tervis space, selling hand-blown, high-end glassware, while Dallas restaurateur Regino Rojas plans to bring Revolver Taco Lounge to the former Taco Diner. Read more about Revolver on page 46.
6
Panther City Lacrosse Club has its first head coach, Tracey Kelusky. He’ll be joining the team after serving as offensive coach for the Philadelphia Wings. Panther City Lacrosse Club is expected to play its first season at Dickies Arena in November.
7
By March, nationally acclaimed artist Patrick Dougherty’s stickwork sculpture should be complete at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden | Botanical Research Institute of Texas. According to the garden, the finished piece will remain “for as long as it survives the wind and weather … usually lasting a year or two.”
8
The latest acquisition of the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., comes from right here in North Texas. The museum recently acquired “This Present Moment,” a neon light sculpture by Alicia Eggert, an associate professor and coordinator for the sculpture program at the UNT College of Visual Arts and Design. The piece will debut at the Renwick Gallery as part of the museum’s 50th anniversary exhibition in 2022.
9
The parking lots at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium are now serving as a COVID-19 vaccination site in partnership with Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center –Fort Worth and Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH). Those who wish to receive a vaccine must register through TCPH or the my.bswhealth.com website or app.
10
Fortress Festival was canceled for both 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, but its organizers have found another way to keep the music playing. Fortress Presents has partnered with Wild Acre to create Wild Acre Live, a multistage, live venue complex located at the original brewery at 1734 E. El Paso St. The venue will host both local artists and national touring acts and can also be rented out to the general public for events like weddings, conferences, and corporate gatherings.
*Please visit each event’s website for information on COVID-19 protocols.
MARCH 5 – 14
“Minari”
Part of the Magnolia at the Modern film series, “Minari” tells the story of a Korean-American family seeking the American Dream on a small farm in Arkansas.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell St., 817.738.9215 themodern.org
MARCH 7, 13, 20, 27
Wandering Roots
This pop-up market will be setting up shop at Fort Brewery, Tulips, T&P Tavern, and Los Vaqueros Stockyards to feature gifts and goodies made by local artisans.
Various locations facebook.com/ wanderingrootsmarkets
MARCH 11
Dead Vinyl
The Fort Worth-based rock band takes on the Near Southside’s newest music venue.
Tulips 112 St. Louis Ave., 817.367.9798 tulipsftw.com
MARCH 13
St. Paddy’s Day Dash 5K Run
Get your green on for a mad dash through Forest Park Boulevard and the Trinity Trails, complete with a DJ, beer, and doughnut-eating contest. Panther Island Pavilion 395 Purcey St. Runproject.org
MARCH 13
Spoken Word Poetry Showcase
Head to The Warehouse for a celebration of rhythm and rhyme, paired with food and drinks by WhoDaq? Daiquiris.
The Warehouse 1125 E. Berry St., 817.923.9305 jimaustinonline.com
MARCH 16 – 18
Beethoven and Mozart
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra joins new music director Robert Spano and pianist Jeremy Denk to perform works by two of classical music’s most revered composers. Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., 817.665.6000 fwsymphony.org
Fort Worth African Roots Music Festival
Virtual event fwaamusicfest.com
MARCH 20
Ortiz Jr. vs. Hooker
Welterweight boxers Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Maurice
“Mighty Mo” Hooker face off in a highly anticipated showdown at Dickies Arena.
Dickies Arena
1911 Montgomery St. dickiesarena.com
MARCH 20
Barbie Truck Totally Throwback Tour
The famous blonde is celebrating over 60 years of fashion, bringing a truckload of limited edition, retro-inspired Barbie merch to The Shop at Clearfork.
The Shops at Clearfork 5188 Monahans Ave. barbie.mattel.com
THROUGH MARCH 20
The Rodeo Show
Artspace111 spotlights the work of women artists inspired by Western culture, particularly stock show and rodeo events.
One of Bass Hall’s first events since the COVID-19 shutdown, the venue will stream a virtual production of “Dixie’s Happy Hour,” with title character Dixie mixing drinks and making quips for the online audience.
Bass Performance Hall Virtual event, 817.212.4325 basshall.com
THROUGH MARCH 21
“In Search of the Sublime”
Following a quirky storyline performed by live actors, Stage West presents an interactive, virtual play that lets the online audience call the shots.
Stage West Virtual event, 817.784.9378 stagewest.org
MARCH 28
Cliburn Masterpiece
Part of The Cliburn’s ongoing series that features both a piano performance and deep dive into the history and inspiration behind each piece, this session will showcase Prokofiev’s “Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, op. 84,” performed by Georgy Tchaidze.
The Cliburn Virtual event, 817.738.6536 cliburn.org
THROUGH APRIL
Billy Bob’s 40th Anniversary Celebration
The World’s Largest Honky Tonk is going big with its over-the-hill celebration, kicking off with The Gatlin Brothers, followed by other country stars like Midland and Miranda Lambert.
Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza, 817.624.7117 billybobstexas.com
MARCH 13 – 14
13th Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling
Shop for art, crafts, fashion, gourmet foods, and more at this market showcasing the work of more than 140 local makers. Bring your pup, too — leashed pets are welcome.
Tina Howard
Owner of Leaves Book and Tea Shop
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
The first book Tina Howard remembers learning to read by herself was Paddington Bear — at least, that’s what she fooled her mother into thinking.
“She figured out that I wasn’t actually reading; I had memorized the entire book and knew when to turn the pages,” Howard says with a laugh.
Still, that first book sparked a love of reading that eventually carried into Howard’s adult life, ultimately leading her to open a bookstore in the Near Southside, Leaves Book and Tea Shop.
In fact, she cites three specific books as being “influential” in shaping her personhood. The first is a novel she read in high school for a scholarship essay — The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, which tells the story of an architect caught between making a living and staying true to his art. Howard says The Fountainhead taught
her “to stand by your values and let them influence you; you don’t always have to compromise.”
The second book on her list — psychologist Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, an analysis on how the brain functions in decision-making; and the third — food blogger Molly Wizenberg’s A Homemade Life, which intertwines life stories with recipes. Howard recommends making the banana bread.
But as much as she loves to read, Howard also loves to write. And while running Leaves is taking priority right now, a book “by Tina Howard” may exist in the near future.
“I have actually started a novel a long time ago at a time when I was trying to process some things in life. Then I opened a bookstore, and that got set aside,” she says. “So, we’ll see what happens with that.”
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Pair with: Sparkling Tea
“[The Fountainhead] was from my youth, and it was influential to me. I do find that a lot of our younger tea drinkers really enjoy our sparkling tea. It’s also bubbly and vivacious — that beginning part of life when everything is exciting and new.”
Thinking,
Fast and Slow
“Matcha is a very meditative drink. Monks drink it to help them stay awake but also because the caffeine in the matcha helps you to be alert, think clearly, and there are so many health benefits. That matches really well with a book about how you think.”
A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg Pair with: Earl Grey
Earl Grey, to me, is just a classic, heartwarming, traditional tea. A Homemade Life is very much about coming to grips with who you are, your identity, a love of food, and tradition.”
TINA’S BOOK AND TEA PAIRINGS
1. One of Tina’s favorite places, her parents’ cabin in Maine. 2. Hosting events at the shop.
3. Tina is a board member at Amphibian Stage.
4. Leaves’ first pop-up ever at Stir Crazy. 5. Tina’s family. 6. Tina’s also got a green thumb.
7. No family trip is complete without a visit to a bookstore.
by Daniel Kahneman Pair with: Matcha
Fort Worth’s Forgotten Palace
The Texas Spring Palace was once one of the most elaborate structures Fort Worth had ever seen — until a tragic accident brought it to the dust.
BY MICHAEL GOVEA, FORT WORTH HISTORICAL
Imagine driving past this on Lancaster Avenue.
In 1889, Fort Worth was no longer just another small outpost clinging to the edges of the frontier.
The city’s population had quickly grown to 23,000 and gained “boomtown” status, thanks to eight railroads that brought tradesmen in from different states to do business at Fort Worth’s many mills, tanneries, ironworks, and Fort Worth’s original stockyards, the Union Stockyards.
With a strengthening economy, streetcar lines also quickly expanded service across Fort Worth to support the rising number of new settlers. Residents would hitch rides crosstown to the courthouse, Fort Worth University, a freshly built opera house, countless neighborhood churches, seven schools, and newly opened saloons. The rickety streetcars would rattle their way up and down 26 miles of newly developed streets, and like other up-and-coming cit-
ies were a clear indicator of a promising new (Cow)town.
Fort Worth had a lot to be proud of and was no longer seen as the rough-around-the-edges city at the end of the Chisholm Trail. It was a city that demanded to be seen.
Fort Worth turned 40 that year and wanted to use the milestone birthday as an opportunity to promote itself and show the world the sophisticated city it had become. To historic Fort Worth, this coming-of-age celebration would be a success and put the bustling hub on the front pages of newspapers in other cities for the first time ever — tragically, for the wrong reason.
Two years prior, Robert A. Cameron, an immigration director for the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad, came up with an idea to keep Cowtown’s boom going.
Inspired by Toronto’s and Saint Paul’s Ice Palaces and Sioux City’s Corn Palace, Cameron suggested the construction of a magnificent exhibition of Fort Worth’s own. The primary purpose was to showcase Texas agricultural products and allow visitors, potential investors, and immigrants to see all that Texas had to offer under one roof. Cowtown’s trailblazers thought it was a brilliant idea. A company was organized shortly thereafter and managed to raise $50,000 toward the construction of the project. Captain B.B. Paddock, editor of the Fort Worth Gazette, led the initiative to publicize the event and spearhead the venture.
The Gazette reported a sneak peek about the fair in January 1889: “A magnificent exhibition of what Texas has and is.” The world’s fair-type expo was to be held in the spring, christening the name — the Texas Spring Palace.
Many areas of Fort Worth competed to host the exhibition, but ultimately Paddock and his directors chose for the Spring Palace to be adjacent to the tracks of the Texas & Pacific Railway as the official location. The structure would go between Main and Jennings streets, near the present-day Texas and Pacific Station.
With spring fast approaching, promoters wasted no time or expense to advertise the palace in all parts of the country. Committees traveled in “special vehicles” to Washington and Mexico City to hand deliver VIP silver-bound invitations to Presidents Harrison and Diaz to attend the grand opening of the Spring Palace.
Back in Fort Worth, plans called for a cross-shaped building of 60,000 square feet built entirely of timber culled from groves of Texas. Numerous towers, spires, and domes would surround the main two-story facility — and with a workforce of 100 men, the palace was built in just 30 days.
Every inch of the exterior and interior was completely constructed of products from Texas “field, forest, orchard, and garden.” Festoons and mosaics were created from these dried-out minerals and adorned the walls of the structure. Fort Worth women did the decorating — weaving colorful patterns and messages with wheat, corn, rye, grass, moss, cotton, and even cactus. Shelled corn and oats covered the roofs of 12 towers. One tower was dedicated to Diaz, another to Harrison.
When completed, the Spring Palace looked like a mix between the state and national capitols and something
out of a fantasy world. The art nouveau-style exterior was surrounded by arched doorways; Pagoda-like towers had balconies that stood tall with flags atop its spires. The center of the main building crowned a 155-foot Taj Mahal-style grand dome that featured a 42-star American flag.
“It was easily the most beautiful structure erected on earth,” said Paddock.
Both presidents did not show, but the exposition went on without them, and on May 29, 1889, The Texas Spring Palace opened its gates.
Many Texas counties participated by sponsoring sections of the structure, including a tower dedicated to Dallas County and another tower to Hardeman County. Those with the most extravagant decorations were awarded prizes.
Guests were entertained by the Elgin Watch Factory Band; political and religious speeches were scheduled along with sporting events. Exhibits included a prairie dog village, cotton field simulation, a fishpond, and Sam Houston’s walking cane.
The first season of the Spring Palace exhibition ended on June 10, 1889. It was considered a success despite closing at a loss of $23,000 (close to $600,000 today). As the Fort Worth business community had hoped, the Spring Palace helped put Cowtown on the map.
The second season opened on May 10, 1890, and would end with a three-week exhibition, closed by a grand ball on May 30, 1890. A sense of Fort Worth pride surrounded the expo, and it would exceed expectations of the year prior. Seven-thousand people, many from out of town (including nearby Dallas), filled the palace on the evening of May 30. That night, at the conclusion of the regular evening concert, the lower floor of the palace was being cleared for the ball. According to one witness, a boy stepped on a match near the Gold Room on the second floor of the sprawling wooden building. The match head ignited, and the flames caught onto nearby pampas grass covering a pillar.
It took 11 minutes for the structure to burn to the ground.
Only one life was lost that night — 41-year-old Alfred S. Hayne, an English-born civil engineer. Hayne attended the gala that night and could have escaped but opted to stay on the second floor, helping women and children out of the growing inferno by lowering them to the ground with a rope. It is said that Hayne tossed a woman out the window before leaping out himself. Spectators caught the falling woman, but not Hayne, who fell straight to the ground. The grateful people of Fort Worth erected a monument to Hayne that to this day stands on Lancaster Avenue between Main and Houston streets. Sadly, the Spring Palace has largely been forgotten.
Fort Worth Historical was created by Michael Govea as tribute to the city and with a mission to preserve the history of Fort Worth, Texas. Follow Fort Worth Historical on Instagram at @fortworthhistorical.
Rustic Elegance
The luxurious new Hotel Drover and its accompanying 97 West restaurant bring a mix of class and cowboy to the Fort Worth Stockyards’ Mule Alley development.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
I’m in the kitchen of 97 West Kitchen & Bar, watching executive chef Grant Morgan plate what may just be the
biggest Tomahawk steak I’ve ever seen. He presents it beautifully and artfully, finishing it off with a ladle of housemade chimichurri sauce and
a mist of sea salt. Garnished with a scoop of tricolored cauliflower, it’s the perfect plate of class and cowboy.
The same could be said of the restaurant itself and of the hotel to which it is tied: Hotel Drover, the longawaited boutique luxury hotel that anchors the burgeoning Mule Alley development, a collection of retail shops and restaurants carved out of antique mule and horse barns dotted along the cobbled roads of the Fort Worth Stockyards. The Stockyards Heritage Development Co. — a partnership between Majestic Realty and The Hickman Company — is leading the charge of the $175 million Mule Alley development.
The ongoing pandemic has made it hard for the Drover to keep its promises about opening. Each date has been pushed; originally, it was going to open spring of 2020. The long wait has, without question, made the Drover the most anticipated hotel opening in Fort Worth in recent memory.
The hotel, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is now slated to open March 22.
“There’s finally an end in sight,” Morgan says, as he leads me and our photographer on a tour of his kitchen. “We’ve been dying to get this place open.”
Morgan picked up the reins at 97 West after the sudden departure of
Tomahawk steak
Texan Jenna Kinard, the restaurant’s original executive chef. Kinard, who won Fort Worth Magazine’s 2019 Top Chef competition and who was also executive chef at Max’s Wine Dive, hasn’t commented on the split but posted on Instagram last summer that it was due to the pandemic.
Once open, the hotel should live up to its hype if our sneak preview walkthrough is any indication. Named after the cowboys who once drove cattle across the Texas plains, the property consists of 200 guest rooms and spa suites, and no two are the same. Each room has its own theme and is individually designed and decorated with modern, Texana, and/or Americana accents and artwork.
“You can stay here over and over and not have the same experience twice,” says Tiffany DiPasquale, the hotel’s executive director of sales and marketing.
Twenty-six suites are equipped with bronze, oversized soaking tubs, fireplaces, and terraces; the Presidential Suite has an indoor/ outdoor fireplace. All the rooms share common threads: locally curated minibars, custom boot jacks, King Ranch leather goods, and Los Pablonas artisan lavender products.
Throughout the rooms and hotel, which exude a modern hacienda vibe, you’ll find artwork from local, national, and international artists. The hotel’s signature neon cowboy installation comes courtesy of Austin artist Evan Voyles, and the striking bronze and steel sculpture of a drover was done by the famed John Lopez Studio. Hanging high above are chandeliers made of antlers and blackened steel, and below are comfy lounge chairs, their seats made from cowhide.
Other hotel bells and whistles include a quintet of bars; a twostory library filled with Texas/cattle/ Stockyards-themed books; kid and pet activities; courtyard areas; and a large “backyard,” nestled alongside Marine Creek, with a bar, lounge area, and stage for live music.
Inside the lobby of the hotel will be two retail shops: The Lucchese Custom Collection, a boot and Western wear shop, and Little White Lies, a jewelry and accessory store.
With five special event spaces, spread out over 40,000 indoor and outdoor square feet, the hotel is obviously hoping to attract conventions, weddings, meetings, and other special events. Among the event spaces is The Barn, a large open space with 30-foot
200 guest rooms, 84 connect
26 suites with bronze soaking tubs, terraces, and fireplaces
6 different guest room themes
King Ranch: Rooms are bathed in neutral tones, with artwork hand-selected by reps from King Ranch, the historic, Houston-based cattle breeding and wildlife management company whose roots date to the mid19th century.
Lucchese: Custom designed and curated in partnership with Lucchese Custom Collection, these rooms feature handmade Western accoutrements and a contemporary design.
Bunkhouse Room: Ideal for families, the Bunkhouse features a king-size bed plus a double-overhead bunk that sleeps up to four.
Republic: Luxurious rooms with a Western flare.
Frontier: Colorful, bright rooms decorated with vivid and vibrant artwork, reflecting the wide-open beauty of Texas.
Texana: These rooms pay tribute to the history of Texas with authentic Western charm with a luxurious twist.
5 bars, located both inside and outside
315 square feet – starting room size
1,265 square feet – largest suite size
$7 to self-park, $32 for valet parking
$189 starting room rate, according to Marriott
HOTEL DROVER, BY THE NUMBERS
vaulted ceilings dotted with Italian crystal chandeliers. Its bones are made from 150-year-old reclaimed timber.
As eagerly anticipated as the hotel is its on-site restaurant, 97 West Kitchen & Bar, which will serve what executive chef Grant Morgan calls “elevated Texas cuisine.”
That means chicken-fried steak made with New York strip, fried green tomatoes marinated in sweet tea, antelope with goat cheese grits, and a half-dozen steaks. Like a new proud papa, Morgan showed us his stillsparkling Ole Hickory Pit smoker, in which he’ll prepare several barbecue and smoked items, including full racks of pork ribs served with three-cheese mac and cheese.
Ingredients, Morgan says, will be sourced locally and regionally as much as possible. This will include the beef, which will come from HeartBrand Beef in Flatonia and Rosewood Ranches in Ennis.
97 West’s dining room will feature custom hand-crafted furniture, as well as décor elements made from 100-yearold wood pulled from the mule and horse barns.
In addition to the main dining room, which will also include a trio of private dining areas, there will be two chef’s tables — one inside, one outside.
Seating up to 12 guests, the inside
chef’s table will be located within close proximity of the open-air kitchen. The outside chef’s table will be located alongside Marine Creek, under a pergola, with a crystal chandelier hanging above. It’ll seat up to 14 guests.
Both chef’s tables will offer unique dining experiences and the opportunity to rub elbows with the chef.
“They’ll be intimate, one-of-a-kind dinners,” Morgan says. “It’ll be an opportunity for me to interact with our guests, and they’ll have the opportunity to learn a little bit about me and the type of food I do.”
A native of Arizona, Morgan has spent nearly 15 years in North Texas, first as the executive sous-chef at Luqa in Dallas, then as executive chef of Dallas’ Hotel ZaZa and its accompanying restaurant, Dragonfly. During his time at Dragonfly, he was invited by the James Beard Foundation to prepare dinner as a guest chef at the renowned James Beard House in New York.
Most recently, he was a corporate and concept chef for Dallas-based Front Burner Restaurants, overseeing The Ranch at Las Colinas, Whisky Cake, Sixty Vines, and Velvet Taco. He spent his last few years with Front Burner as the director of food and beverage for Velvet Taco; he was instrumental in helping double the number of VT locations.
Before his time in Texas, Morgan worked in Vail, Colorado, at the high-
profile Sweet Basil restaurant and at Bivans, a highly rated restaurant at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa. He also spent three years in Vegas as a sous-chef at the Le Cirque restaurant at the Bellagio.
The years he spent as a working chef inspired him to join the culinary team at the Drover and 97 West.
“Front Burner was a great experience, and helping develop the menu at Velvet Taco, and helping develop and expand that brand, was a lot of fun,” he says. “But I felt like it was time for me to get back to cooking, to working in a kitchen every day. That’s where I do my best work.”
97 West’s beverage program — a mashup of seasonal, rotating cocktails, a wine list spotlighting American vineyards, and local and regional beers — will be overseen by Brian Richards, the Drover’s executive director of food and beverage.
Richards cut his teeth at The Broadmoor, a five-star resort in Colorado. Boutique luxury hotels are, seemingly, his bread and butter: He’s worked for boutique properties owned by Kimpton, Morgans Hotel Group and, among others, IGH.
Our tour ends in what will be known as the “Backyard,” an outdoor area soon to be decked out with a bar, heated pools and hot tubs, firepits, a stage for live music, and private cabanas outfitted with chandeliers and daybeds. All will rub up against Marine Creek, which zigzags along the spine of the property.
DiPasquale notes that COVID measures will be put in place.
“Masks, cleaning, social distancing — we’ll enforce all COVID guidelines,” she says. “We want everyone to be able to enjoy this beautiful property safely.”
200 Mule Alley Drive, hoteldrover.com
1021 OAK HILL LANE | Possum Kingdom Lake 2924 HARLANWOOD DRIVE | Tanglewood
1104 HIGH COURT | Southlake
2518 STADIUM DRIVE | TCU
HARLEY AVENUE | Rivercrest 5109 CANTERA WAY | La Cantera
2021 Dream Street: Introducing the Builders
Three luxury homes located in the new Montrachet development in West Fort Worth are slated to open their doors for touring in November.
BY FWTX STAFF
The 2021 Dream Street — three high-end, luxury homes built in the new Montrachet development in West Fort Worth — is well underway. A larger, more ambitious iteration of the Dream Home, which served as Fort Worth Magazine’s flagship event for 20 years, this marks the second time that the magazine will be tripling its output
and erecting three homes instead of one.
Each home, which will have different builders, architects, interior designers, and various other subcontractors, will offer a distinct take on today’s homebuilding trends. The homes will be completed and touring will begin in November. Proceeds from touring help benefit a Wish with Wings, a Fort Worth
charity that grants wishes to children with life-threatening conditions. The same month that touring is slated to begin, Fort Worth Magazine will release a special Dream Street issue that covers the ins and outs of each home — from the technology to the interior design.
Of course, the most important aspect of building a home is, in fact, the builder. Overseeing every aspect of the home from conception to completion, the builder is akin to the director of a film. They delegate tasks but are keenly aware of even the most minute of details. Ultimately, while they might have received plans from an architect and furnishings from an interior designer, the home is their vision.
This year’s trio of builders includes John Webb of Heritage Homes, Tim Windmiller of Windmiller Custom Homes, and Rick Wegman of HGC Residential Development.
This will mark Webb’s third straight year as a Dream Street builder; Webb built the 2019 Showcase Home and was one of the three builders for last year’s inaugural Dream Street.
Webb has over 30 years in the building business, and he formed Heritage Homes in 2014. He’s mostly concentrated on the Southlake and Colleyville areas, but he’s recently gotten into the Southwest Fort Worth market.
So why does he keep returning?
“It’s a huge amount of exposure, and I enjoy doing it” Webb says. “I’m able to show off what we can do and what we’re capable of doing as far as the creativity. It’s nice to show off what all the talented team members are able to accomplish.”
A second-time Dream builder — he previously did the 2014 Dream Home — Wegman grew up in the building
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and real estate business and has been with HGC for 16 years.
“Rob Cocanower, John Giordano, and Karl Hahnfeld started the company 20 years ago with a garage remodel and have now constructed hundreds of Fort Worth’s finest homes,” Wegman says.
Rick Wegman is a bit of a renaissance man in the building and real estate business — wearing many different hats and having a foot in seemingly every area. In addition to his partnership with Cocanower, Giordano, and Hahnfeld, Wegman is also a successful real estate agent with ULTERRE.
The new builder on the block is Tim Windmiller of Windmiller Custom Homes. Unlike Webb and Wegman, Windmiller wasn’t always invested in becoming a homebuilder. Initially going to school at the University of Missouri to become a medical doctor, his cousin, Andrew Hall, convinced him to move to Texas and get into home sales. After working as his cousin’s assistant for Legacy Homes, the pair sell 123 homes in one year, and Windmiller never looked back.
Windmiller had a stint at Clarity Homes, where he learned how to build, and he started his own company in 2008 — just as the market took a turn for the worse.
“And the unique thing about that is I had so many bankers tell me like, ‘What are you trying to do? Why are you trying to go into business when all these builders are going out of business?’” Windmiller says. “And my comment to them was, ‘This is the only time for any small guy to enter the market.’
“I finally found a bank to work with me. They saw the value, listened to my story, and allowed me to grow through the downturn. And then, with the market uptick, we went from doing 10 to 12 homes to 30-plus homes.”
VENDOR LIST:
LOT 22
Builder: Windmiller Custom Homes
Architect: Montebello Design
Interior Designer: Amira Windmiller Interiors
LOT 23
Builder: Heritage Homes
Architect: Heritage Design Studios
Interior Designer: Susan Semmelmann Interiors
LOT 24
Builder: HGC Residential Development
Architect: Karl Hahnfeld Design Group
Interior Designer: Celeste Wegman Interiors
Despite a healthy dose of competitiveness among the three, they also want the entire project to succeed.
“The three construction companies have been working together since we started discussing Dream Street,” Wegman says. “We want the three houses to complement each other in terms of price, quality, and amenities. It’s been very collaborative.”
We caught up with the builders who gave us a sneak peek into what we can expect from each home.
John Webb: I heard someone say, “There’s only so many ways that you can design a four-bedroom house.”
But I think what’s going to make this house very unique is working with [interior designer] Susan Semmelmann. She brings another level of creativity to the interior design and features of the home. The home will be a single story, modern Hill Country design.
You walk in the front door, and you’re looking straight through a large window out toward the outdoor pool area kind of thing. This is kind of a COVID-driven way of designing homes now, but you know how you used to put the study or the office
up close to the front door where everybody could see it? It was a real central location in the home. And I’m kind of noticing that as we’re designing homes now, more people are working from home, and they’re wanting to put their office in a more remote area of the home so that dad or mom can go off to work and have some privacy from the day-to-day family activities.
So, the office of this home is actually out in the back of the property and in the cabana part of the home.
Rick Wegman: We wanted to complement the amazing topography of Montrachet and take advantage of the incredible location. We are the only builder to actually have our offices in the development and are absolutely thrilled to be building custom homes in this amazing development.
The home will be approximately 6,000 square feet and priced around $2 million. It’s going to be magnificent.
Tim Windmiller: If you go to the Dallas market, you see a lot of the modern-esque stuff. And then when you come to Fort Worth, people have a lot of traditional flairs that they mix in with it. And a lot of builders will mix architecture styles, which I don’t like to do. I like a home to last and, as it ages, become better looking with the landscape.
And so, what has been popular in the past is a modern farmhouse. Well, there is a style out of South Africa, which is their version of a farmhouse. It’s called Cape Dutch architecture. It has a lot of contemporary flairs, but it also has a lot of traditional flairs and a very specific architecture style.
Our goal was to do something that brought us contemporary flair but also stayed along the lines with a lot of traditional aspects that people like in Fort Worth.
Can’t wait for Dream Street 2021? Follow along online!
Fort Worth Magazine’s 2021 Dream Street will arrive this fall — join us on the journey to its completion on our Dream Street website, dream.fwtx.com. There, you’ll find exclusive, project-specific content posted throughout the year, including progress updates, interviews with our partners, photos, and videos. We’ve got a long way to go until we can step through the doors of each beautiful home. Until then, we’ll see you online!
A Hometown Homage
Designer Emily Gilbert looked no further than the city she calls home to draw inspiration for the interior design of GrowCo.
BY BRIAN KENDALL
With paintings of local icons, horseshoes and vintage cowboy hats strewn about, and black-and-white photos of Fort Worth’s most celebrated spots
adorning the walls, it’s clear the occupants and designer of GrowCo Capital’s new office space — located at 133 Nursery Lane — have a love affair with the city they call home. “[GrowCo Capital] just really
wanted something that reflected Fort Worth,” Emily Gilbert, who served as interior designer of the space, says.
“They wanted to have the Fort Worth vibe and feel.”
Yet, it’s also clear that the design isn’t all Cowtown, cowpoke, and horse opera. After all, such a narrow focus wouldn’t be representative of the city.
“I did want to have an homage to the Fort and represent the city and company well,” Gilbert says. “But we aren’t country folk. Fort Worth is a metropolitan city with movers and
shakers and a deep Cowtown history. Nods to both attributes of its personality felt appropriate.”
Gilbert graduated from TCU in 1999, thought she’d get a fancy design firm job in Dallas, and according to Gilbert, “wear high heels to work every day.” She eventually decided this wasn’t for her and elected to stay in Fort Worth, which is the city she’s called home for 22 years.
While she primarily focuses on residential with her work as an interior designer, this project is the second commercial space she’s worked on in the past few months.
As soon as you walk into the new space at GrowCo Capital, a full-service investment firm owned by father/son team George and Josh Robertson who purchased the space in June 2020, one is greeted with a large bronze statue of an eagle and a painting of Fort Worth’s cityscape, which Gilbert commissioned to Idaho-based artist Aaron Hazel.
Gilbert also commissioned Hazel to paint three different Fort Worth icons
that appear in different areas of the office space: Amon Carter, Will Rodgers, and Quanah Parker.
“His work is just stunning,” Gilbert says. “I just love it. I love the thickness of the paint. I love his sense of color. I love the highlights and how he does this troweling.”
With a litany of locals to choose from for the portraits, Gilbert was very judicious in her reasoning for selecting Carter, Rodgers, and Parker.
“There was obviously a lot of name recognition with each of them,” Gilbert says. “But I really wanted to share both Fort Worth’s history and its diversity.”
Concerning Parker’s inclusion, Gilbert says, “I just loved that he really became an intermediary between our government and the Indian territories, and he really ended up having a seat at the table. I just loved how this piece shows his heritage but also that he’s dressed in white man’s clothes and just shows that juxtaposition. I think it’s a good reflection of our culture.”
Staying true to its museum-like feel — minus the stuffiness, of course — the paintings also include a placard with a brief bio of each historical figure.
Other highlights in the two-story space include dozens of black-andwhite photographs taken by Heather Essian that line the hallways. The photos, each of recognizable Fort Worth spots (Bass Hall, Will Rogers Memorial Center, and the Fort Worth Modern Art Museum all make an appearance), have a grainy, film-like quality that adds to modern yet rustic feel of the space.
Gilbert also had couches custom made and upholstered, and she had vintage Oushak rugs strategically placed throughout. Elsewhere, in Josh Robertson’s office, is a vintage apothecary cabinet from the early 1900s.
“I like to make places feel like home,” Gilbert says. “And, so, I tried to do a lot of residential elements in this office. That’s really the type of commercial interior design I’ll do.”
Bright Young Thing
This 20-something skin care entrepreneur is going for the glow.
BY JENNY B. DAVIS
Sarah Ransom has beautiful skin. At just 24 years old, she has the kind of youthful complexion that looks radiant au natural or with just a sweep of mascara and a dot of gloss.
Unlike many 24-year-olds, however, Ransom doesn’t take her skin for granted. In fact, she’s always been interested in skin care. She has long embraced the importance of sunscreen, something she learned early on as an outdoors-loving,
near-native Texan — she moved to Fort Worth from Michigan in the fourth grade, graduated from Fort Worth Country Day in 2015 and from University of Texas in 2019. She also appreciates how critical quality skin care products can be.
Which explains her clear complexion — and how she came to create her own skin care company. That company, called Goldieglow, launches this month with the debut of two signature products, a cream mask that
hydrates and brightens and a clay mask to detoxify and exfoliate.
“My approach with Goldieglow is to make results-driven, natural products that are fragrance-free and formulated for all skin types,” Ransom says. “I also want to empower consumers with information from experts about our ingredients — about what they do and why they’re in there.”
Like many entrepreneurial origin stories, Ransom founded Goldieglow
after she failed to find the skin care products she wanted to buy.
“It seems like the skin care market is saturated, but for the type of skin care that I was looking for, I didn’t see anything on the market,” she says.
She didn’t want a moisturizer that made her smell like fruits or flowers, and she didn’t want to wonder whether certain ingredients were going to result in a flare-up. So, she decided to harness her passion for skin health and make something herself.
For Ransom, that meant starting with the science. She headed to the University of Virginia to participate in a year-long, post-graduate science intensive that included organic chemistry, biology, and more.
“It was extremely challenging, but it really prepared me for what I am doing now,” she says. “I was able to learn about things like amino acids and free radicals and understand how they relate to skin care.”
Ransom hired a cosmetic chemist in New York to create her first products and then began building her brand, starting with the name.
She says she arrived at “Goldieglow” by combining words that represented the concept of a “gold standard of ingredients” with the natural glow that comes from healthy skin.
For the packaging, she turned to her friend from Country Day, Dyala Ashfour, who had graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2019 with degrees in creative advertising and graphic design. It was important to Ransom that the packaging was eco-friendly and recyclable, so Ashfour designed a glass jar topped with a lid made from aluminum and another important embellishment — a shiny, reflective touch of gold.
“The gold leaf was such an important addition and really brought the product to life by incorporating that glow we all crave for our skin,” Ashfour says.
Another Country Day grad, Carlyle Rascoe, took many of the photos to help launch the brand, and Ransom says she tapped many people in her Fort Worth friend group to serve as product testers.
From there, it became a family affair. Ransom and her dad, Scott, a physician and a health care consul-
tant, met weekly to work through business essentials. Her mom, Elizabeth, who is also a physician, provided valuable insight on each iteration of the masks, and older sister Kelly, who tested them all, too, insists there’s a fine line on her forehead that has all but disappeared, thanks to the hydrating mask.
Ransom says her brother, Chris, was especially helpful when it came to perfecting the detoxifying mask.
“He’s a wildland firefighter who’s been fighting fires in New Mexico and Idaho, and my mask was able to clean his pores,” she says.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ransom has had to deal with multiple delays, especially when it came to ingredient sourcing and shipping, but everything is now back on track. She hosted a soft launch last month, and she’ll be taking and fulfilling orders by mid-month via the website, handling everything from her apartment in New York City, where she currently lives.
Ransom has big dreams for the future of Goldieglow. She’d love to add additional products, including a collection specifically for men, and she’d like to see the brand on the shelves of select retailers. But for now, her first priority is to focus on the launch and to get the message out. “I really want to make this something people will want to use,” she says. “I want to help create healthy skin.”
Goldieglow masks retail for $55 – $65 plus shipping. For more information, visit goldieglow.com or @goldieglowskin on Instagram.
Out of This World
A tiny new café in a Bedford strip mall is making a name for itself for its superb, globe-trotting cuisine.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
When chef Chetra Chau decided to open his own restaurant, he had a tough time making a vital decision: What kind of food would he serve?
Over the course of his 25-year culinary career, Chau had, after all, fine-tuned his skills in American, Asian, Italian, Mexican, French, and Mediterranean cuisines. Zeroing in on one wasn’t going to be easy.
In the end, the 48-year-old chef took advantage of his wide-ranging culinary knowledge, creating a menu in which he would serve a little bit
of everything. The result is Chetra’s Kitchen, one of Tarrant County’s best new restaurants.
“I like to say, this is food that takes you around the world,” Chau says.
Although cozy and classy inside, Chetra’s doesn’t look like much from the outside; it’s located in an innocuous strip mall in Bedford.
It might be, in other words, the last place you’d expect to find Chilean sea bass, coated in a roasted garlic rub and a citrus Sichuan sauce, or a beef tenderloin linguine with demi port wine cream sauce, or a yellow fin tuna salad with a sesame vinaigrette.
We loved the blackened mahi mahi, topped with a plop of crab meat and a mini-shrimp tower, and served with orange ginger beurre blanc. A pan-roasted pork chop was
impressive, too, as were the beef Wellington tacos, spiked with pickled veggies.
Some dishes combine elements of different cuisines. Others are just thoughtfully done, like fried catfish, which comes with sides of housemade tartar and cocktail sauces.
Chau grew up in Arlington and Dallas. He gravitated toward food at a young age, helping his mom in the kitchen. When he married, he married his in-laws’ family restaurant, too, and he found himself falling in love with the restaurant industry.
His marriage didn’t last, but his love for cooking did. Chau soon
Kitchen 2817 Central Drive, Bedford, chetraskitchen. com
embarked on a career in the food industry as a private chef, corporate chef, and professional caterer. He traveled, too, from New York to L.A., soaking up as much culinary knowhow as he could.
“That’s how I came up with [the] concept for Chetra’s,” he says. “I combined everything I’d done into one restaurant. If you want to come in at night and order a filet mignon, you can. If you want to come in at lunch and have a quick burger, you can. I want to be the Amazon of the local restaurant scene. I want to be for everyone.”
Chetra’s
Chef Chetra Chau
Go, Fish!
A
new Latin-themed restaurant on the city’s east side specializes in seafood, caviar, and craft cocktails.
The east side will soon be home to one of the city’s most ambitious new restaurants.
La Onda, which opened in February in the burgeoning Riverside Arts district, at 2905 Race St., will specialize in raw and cooked seafood dishes and craft cocktails. The restaurant takes over a historic bungalow last occupied by the Gypsy Scoops ice-cream parlor.
The concept is the first joint venture for local couple Victor and Misty Villarreal. “I’m handling the food; she’s handling the drinks,” says Victor, a Fort Worth-based chef who has worked in some of the city’s most high-profile restaurants, including Grace and Clay Pigeon. “It’s 50-50 all the way.”
Victor’s Latin-inspired food menu will focus on raw and cooked seafood. Dishes will include seasonal oysters and mussels on the half shell;
a smoked clam and scallop ceviche; seafood charcuterie boards (amusingly called “sharkuterie”); and raw seafood towers with oysters, shrimp, and mussels.
He’s planning on serving dry-aged fish, too, along with an item you don’t see on a lot of Fort Worth menus: caviar. “When you say ‘caviar,’ people automatically think crazy-expensive,” Victor says. “But we’ll have at least four or five different kinds in different price ranges.”
Misty’s cocktail menu will focus on drinks made with artisanal mezcals and pisco, the latter of which Misty describes as an underrated Peruvian brandy. There will be a house sangria made with Verdejo wine, a coconutginger margarita, and rotating agua frescas, in both boozy and booze-free varieties.
The interior walls of the historic bungalow will be covered in
Latin-inspired artwork from local artists. Outside on the front porch, there will be a small seating area for those who like to sip and linger.
Victor and Misty met two years ago when they both worked at the Fort Worth Food Hall. Misty was general manager and bar manager while Victor ran a food stall called Abe Froman’s. When business at the Food Hall began to wane, Villarreal’s mind began to wander, his thoughts turning toward, as they had for years, opening his own restaurant under his own roof.
Misty encouraged Victor to pursue his passion, helping him map out the restaurant’s concept. The two began dating, then eventually became partners in life and business.
“The Food Hall was a great experience — it taught me how to run my own kitchen, manage my own staff, all the things a restaurant-owner needs to learn,” Victor says. “But it also brought Misty and I together. And without her, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
Restaurant news written and compiled by Malcolm Mayhew. You can reach Malcolm at malcolm. mayhew@hotmail.com or on Twitter @foodfortworth.
Victor and Misty Villarreal
Recipe: Springtime Crostini
To ring in spring, Fort Worth chef Dena Shaskan shares her recipe for a light and tasty strawberry crostini.
Spring’s almost here, and with it comes the turning of the culinary tide. Gone are the gluttonous, heavy dishes of winter, nixed in favor of more lightweight fare, perfect for springtime nibbling.
It’s local chef Dena Shaskan’s favorite time of year. “After two full seasons of cooking and eating hearty stews, braised meats, and winter squashes, I’m so ready for spring,” she says. “I look forward every year to my herb garden coming back to life, new produce items at the farmers market and,” most important, she says, “strawberries.”
To ring in the new season, Shaskan — co-owner of The Table Market & Culinary Studio and owner of Mockingbird Food Company — shares with us her recipe for a light and tasty, and simple to prepare, strawberry crostini. A great way to wash it down, Shaskan says, is with a glass of rosewater limeade.
Spring Crostini
Ingredients:
One loaf of crusty bread, sliced 1/2inch thick (Icon Bread Sourdough recommended)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
4 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons water
1 cup strawberries, stemmed and diced
2-4 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
Handful baby arugula
Handful mint leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F (375 for convection). Place the bread on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Place feta in a mixer or food processor and process until smooth, scraping down sides if necessary. To assemble the crostini, spread each toasted piece of bread with a good amount of the whipped feta. Arrange the pieces on a platter and scatter the arugula, mint, and strawberries on top. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and serve.
Rose Water Limeade
Ingredients:
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 5 large limes)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon rose water
4 cups water
Fresh organic rose petals for garnish (optional)
Ice
Directions: In a pitcher, combine the first four ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh rose petals, if desired.
Bits and Bites
The ongoing pandemic means no Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival this year, but organizers have put together the next best thing: a pop-up dinner series featuring 40 local chefs. The series, called Forty at the ‘Fork, will take place Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings Feb. 28 – April 13 in the former Twigs American Bistro space at the Shops at Clearfork. Organizers say the nearly 9,000-square-foot space will offer ample room for social distancing, and each dinner will be capped at 50 guests.
Chefs will pair up for each of the 20 dinners, but their identities won’t be revealed until the night of each event. The multi-course menus, however, will be unveiled a week before to allow attendees ample time to pick out optional wine pairings. Participating chefs include Tim Love, Kevin Martinez, Jen Williams, Jon Bonnell, Marcus Paslay, Blaine Staniford, Tuan Pham, and Molly McCook. Tickets are $70 per person per dinner. For more information, visit fortworthfoodandwinefestival.com.
This may be a first for Fort Worth: A locally owned restaurant that serves seafood boils and Nashville hot chicken. Said restaurant, called Red Claws Hot Chicken, opened recently at 5278 S. Hulen St. The menu features tenders, whole wings, and quarter legs, with a choice of four spice levels and two types of crust. There’s also a hot chicken sandwich, plus a load of sides. Cajun-inspired seafood boils come with your choice of shrimp, king crab, clams, mussels, and crawfish. The restaurant is the latest concept from Lanny Mai, who owns the similar Red Claws Crab Shack restaurants in Arlington and Dallas. facebook.com/redclawshotchicken
COVID-19 claimed the life of Taco Diner’s Sundance Square location, but the space will soon be filled by a Fort Worth favorite, Revolver Taco Lounge. Owner-chef Regino Rojas’ gourmet taqueria, originally located in the West Seventh area, specialized in Michoacán-style food, made from scratch. Rojas moved Revolver to Forest Park, then closed that location to focus on a store in Deep Ellum. He always promised to return to Fort Worth — a promise he has obviously kept. Look for the Sundance Square location this summer. revolvertacolounge.com
VNA Hospice Care
• Focus is on quality of life and comfort
• Symptom management experts
• Patient and family-centered care approach
• A comprehensive clinical team dedicated to meeting the goals of the patient and family
VNA Care Choices
• Comprehensive palliative care program dedicated to patient-centered goals
• Symptom management expertise with compassionate in-home nursing visits
• Patients can continue to consult with physicians and seek treatment
• Assistance navigating the medical system
Victory in the Face of a Pandemic
An IT specialist twice laid off. An underappreciated supervisor forced out of the “boys club.” A family man trying to make ends meet. When members of our community thought they had nothing left to lose, they found the freedom to do what they love.
BY KERRI SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRYSTAL WISE
David Belloc
Things seemed at their most dire in May of 2020. You don’t need a history lesson — we all lived through the quarantine, and the effects of the pandemic continue to reverberate through our daily lives. We all remember the spikes in depression, the overrun hospitals, and the massive unemployment. We all remember that feeling of worry and helplessness. • Millions lost their jobs — losing them in a time when the world had seemingly screeched to a halt. A layoff or furlough became what felt like a penal sentence of sorts; there was little chance of getting back to work anytime soon. Wondering how one was going to make rent, pay their mortgage, or even put food on the table became endemic.
Yet, when things were at their bleakest, their darkest, and most dire, inevitably, some extraordinary people shined through. When challenged by the unexpected, some found the courage few have in the best of circumstances. For some, in a year when a feeling of disappointment ran rampant, they triumphed. Rick Pittser, Jaime Wiley, and David Belloc didn’t just experience a pandemic; they experienced a year when their dreams became a reality.
David Belloc, Youth and Associate Pastor at Fellowship of the Parks Grapevine
Former coach, financial advisor, car rental manager, COVID patient, servant, leader — David Belloc’s life has been full of tribulations, but they have all been leading him to where he was meant to be.
This devoted family man has encountered obstacles from every direction over the last year, but in the end, he’s thankful. “I feel like I’m confidently walking for the first time,” Belloc says.
In 2019, Belloc was working as a financial advisor and making more money than he ever had. Then he learned a secret that most shy away from. “The more money I made, the less fulfilled I felt,” Belloc says.
He walked away from that career, searching for an opportunity to be more intentional with people and to bring his faith into conversations. He moved up quickly at a car rental office and finally felt like he was doing something with purpose. But then, a global pandemic
arrived. As tourism and travel declined, Belloc soon found himself out of work and out of ideas.
In late May, he contracted COVID-19 and was forced to quarantine — cut off from his family and support system. “I laughed, I cried, and I cried some more,” he confesses. Crippled from the isolation, cut low by fear, Belloc found himself lost in prayer. Brought to tears once more, it would be the simple words of his 9-yearold son that would prompt his spirit into action. From the edge of the room, Ryland frankly stated, “Dad, He didn’t give you a spirit of fear. Just do what He’s asking you to.”
Without understanding what that would be or how to get there, Belloc knew one thing: He needed to be plugged into his long-time church, Fellowship of the Parks in Grapevine. He started mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, conferring with members, and reading as many books as he could get his hands on — anything to feel more connected.
The church didn’t have money to pay him or a staff position to offer, but David showed up every day anyway. Reading How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority, by Clay Scroggins, David realized he was exactly where he needed to be. “God needed me to become a servant again,” Belloc says.
It wasn’t long before his calling would make itself known and would reveal an opportunity to serve. In July, Belloc joined Fellowship’s staff full time as associate and youth pastor. “It was the first time I
could look back at all the moments in my lifetime, at every scar and every wound, and see this is why He put me here.”
Belloc says without the pandemic, he doesn’t see himself taking that chance. “If it weren’t for COVID, I’ve still got all my old excuses. COVID stripped me of my pride,” he explains, “but I learned I’m not alone. Ninety-nine percent of the people in your corner are rooting for you to go after your passions.” For him, that’s his wife, his kids, and people he meets along the way. “I call them silent voices. You can’t see it at the time, but when you look back, you know they were pointing you toward your purpose.”
Passion and purpose are evolving concepts, and Belloc is ambitious about his. “Two hundred thousand marriages. I’m here to impact 200,000 marriages. I’m not sure how I’ll do it, but I’ve got my whole life,” Belloc says. And maybe the biggest secret to success is just that. Even when you don’t know how to do it, just start.
As Belloc says, echoing wisdom from his coaching days, “It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.”
fotp.church/grapevine
Rick Pittser, Copper Sky Craft Beverages
Rick Pittser dedicated 34 years of his life to the IT industry. Yet, in the face of widespread lockdowns, a field somewhat impervious to decline still suffered the same obstacles as any other industry. Ultimately, Pittser was laid off. Not once, but twice. The only vocation he had ever known, it seemed, now had no need for him. “I was jaded by the experience; I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Pittser admits.
Pittser turned to his family for support. He and his son, Jacob, spent time practicing one of their favorite pastimes: brewing. Cider and mead are typical mainstays — and on near-constant tap at their homes — but the father and son craved the thrill of trying something new.
The first time Pittser tried kombucha was at a brewery. He had never been much of a beer guy, so he was intrigued when he saw the fermented tea on tap. After that first taste, his curiosity piqued, and he knew he wanted to experiment
Rick Pittser
Jaime Wiley
with making it at home. A quick Google search confirmed the process was simple enough and gave Rick the confidence to go for it.
His daughter had already been involved with the local farmers market, selling art and custom crafts. It would be a fortuitous conversation about her father’s new hobby with the market’s organizer that would reveal an opportunity. In an instant, Rick was propelled onto a path he had never considered. “[Kombucha] kind of found me. And the cool thing is, I really like doing it.”
His first day at the market was in September 2020. Without any experience, Rick and Jacob constructed their tent with low expectations. “We brought a couple of kegs, thinking everyone would want to just buy a cup, but everyone wanted the bottles,” Rick laughs. They quickly sold out, and a spark ignited.
In the coming weeks, he and his son would continue to increase their supply, and each week, they would sell out. After that first month, Rick knew they were onto something. In just four months, Copper Sky Craft Beverages has built a steady following, participating in five area markets and partnering with their first two distributors: Neighbor’s House Grocery in downtown and The Local Farmer in Mansfield.
“It’s really cool when you see people come back,” Rick says. He knows he’s making a product that doesn’t have mass appeal, but that only adds to the joy he experiences when new shoppers become devotees. “We made it the way we like it — not too sour, more citrusy,” Rick says. And it seems others agree with his take.
Rick’s journey has shown him what he’s made of. An introvert at heart, he says, “I’ve got to step out of my comfort zone. It’s hard for me, but when we get those successes, it gets a little easier. Now I really enjoy coming to the markets and talking to people.”
He knows it won’t all be easy, and he’s preparing for the moment he has to decide how much he’s willing to commit. “One of my biggest fears is success,” Rick says. “But failing is less scary than not trying at all.”
When pushed on how far he’s willing to go, Rick admits he often wonders if
he can make enough money to support himself and his wife. “But I look at some of our competitors, at the paths they’ve taken, and I have confidence in my ability to do that.”
Rick acknowledges it could take years to scale the business, but he’s enjoying the journey. “It’s the opposite of working for someone else,” Rick says. “I wake up, and I’m excited about all the things I have to do that day.” And he’s bolstered by each challenge and every accomplishment. “I always thought I could do it; now I know I can.”
copperskycraftbeverages.com
Jaime Wiley, Bougie Boozy Bears
Jaime Wiley is many things, but timid is certainly not one of them. When she was laid off from her job as a supervisor in the male-dominated automotive industry, she may have faltered, but not for long. She confesses it was a hard blow to take. “First, I was devastated, then I was hysterical, and then I was depressed,” Wiley says. “I wouldn’t get out of bed.” It was her mom that finally got through to her, saying, “God’s got you. He closed this door for a reason.” Wiley knew the next move was hers.
“I’ve always been good at crafts,” Wiley says. “I realized I missed my calling, but it’s never too late.” Lovingly referred to as “The Jell-O Shot Girl” among friends and family, the idea came to her unexpectedly. In the middle of the night mid-May, standing in her dark kitchen, she knew what she would do. Bougie Boozy Bears, alcohol-infused gummies, was born that night, and Wiley’s new life began.
As any good entrepreneur would, she did her research and found that Texas no longer requires a TABC permit when alcohol is used in the making of confections. There is limited competition in the market, and after sampling the field, Wiley was unimpressed. “I knew we could do better,” she states without arrogance, just good taste and decades of experience supplying loved ones with party favors.
Recruiting her mom and eldest daughter, the close-knit threesome took to the kitchen and got to work. “Our first batch melted the minute we took them
outside,” Wiley laughs. But they stuck with it, tuning her recipe until Bougie Boozy Bears were the perfect consistency, and most importantly, she says, “You can actually taste what’s in them.”
With her family by her side, Wiley debuted at her first farmers market in June 2020. “It was hot,” she exclaims. “I didn’t know how to decorate, I didn’t know how to promote.” But the proof is in the gummy. “I love seeing the expressions when they taste it,” Wiley says.
Bougie Boozy Bears has built a loyal following, servicing return customers each week locally, but thanks to the online presence she set up, Wiley is receiving orders from all around the U.S. Already turning a profit in the first month, she shows no signs of slowing down.
“I’m now an official affiliate of The Knot Worldwide,” Wiley says, recounting her latest undertaking as of January 2021. “It’s so scary, but it’s exciting.” She plans to begin as a local-only vendor to make sure she can keep up with demand and scale responsibly, but she has big goals for the business.
Like other brave start-ups before her, Wiley’s got her eye on “Shark Tank.” “I’ve already applied,” she says, admitting that while she would love to work with local “Shark” Mark Cuban, “the one that would probably help me the most is Mr. Wonderful [Kevin O’Leary].”
Wiley says it’s her daughters who have given her the drive to keep going, to keep building. “It hit me that my girls worry too much; that’s not their job,” Wiley says. “What am I going to pass down? Debt or a legacy?” She’s busy making sure it will be the latter. Already working on her next venture, Wiley wants a business she can build with her 13-year-old this time. “I want them to see me doing something brave.”
Wiley knows more challenges are coming, but she’s ready for them. “I know I can do it,” she says. “It’s OK to be scared, but I’ve got to do it anyway. This experience is showing me and my girls, take a step out on faith.”
bougieboozybears.com
Gozova handed out firewood to those without heat during the winter storm.
How We Weathered the Storm
Amid mass power outages, loss of heat, and lack of food and water, Fort Worthians did what they do best — help.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW AND SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN PHOTOS BY CRYSTAL WISE
Many of us, at first, welcomed the snow. We built snowmen. We made snow angels. We sledded down snowy hills and had snowball fights. Snow is such a rare occurrence in this part of Texas; we gleefully celebrated its seemingly harmless arrival.
But the snowstorm that engulfed much of the state in mid-February soon turned dangerous and even deadly. Frigid temperatures triggered the bursting of pipes, causing widespread water disruptions. Millions lost power. Instagram videos of people sledding along snowy, icy streets were replaced by apocalyptic images of empty grocery store shelves, parents using their children’s toys for firewood, snow being boiled so people would have drinking water.
It was more than Jason Suder could take. To help those affected by the bitter cold, the co-owner of Tulips sandwich shop and live music venue turned his business into a warming center, opening his 5,000-square-foot space to anyone who wanted to come in and warm up. Thanks to donations from local businesses, Tulips was also able to offer free coffee, food, and firewood.
“It wasn’t a matter of ‘should we help out?’ It was a matter of ‘what can we do?’” Suder says. “That’s the way Fort Worth is. We saw it during the pandemic. If there’s a crisis of any sort, this community comes together and, immediately, begins to help those affected by it.”
Tulips was among the many businesses in Fort Worth that offered helping hands. Here are some images and stories captured by Fort Worth Magazine during that unforgettable week.
Moving and logistics company Gozova jumped at the opportunity to offer free firewood as Fort Worthians struggled without power and heat. At first, the company had those in need fill out an online form in order to get wood delivered to their homes. The company was able to make some deliveries, but after receiving more than 2,000 requests in less than 36 hours, Gozova (in partnership with landscape company C&C Services) decided to park itself at the Near Southside music venue Tulips to hand out wood on Feb. 19. Within three hours, the wood was gone.
For Gozova founder Goran Krndija, the situation was reminiscent of his childhood growing up in war-torn Bosnia.
“I was in a situation like this where we didn’t have electricity, we used candles, and the U.S. used to drop food to us during the war. I’ve seen my parents go through this,” he says. “It was family, friends, and neighbors who helped us get through stuff like that. So, for me, it was just a rewarding experience to be in a position now where I can say, ‘Hey, let’s spend money and give back.’”
The Rail Club Live owner Chris Polone hardly slept the week the snowstorm hit. His West Side music venue and bar — which he describes as “broke as a joke,” having struggled to reopen due to COVID-19 — was one of the first establishments to open as a 24/7 shelter for the homeless and anyone else who needed a place to stay.
After sharing their new status as a shelter on their Facebook page, the people came — and not just to spend the night but also to donate water, blankets, hot meals, and other needs for the makeshift shelter.
Polone counts over 250 blankets, over 100 sleeping bags, and over 50 individuals who just wanted to help. Volunteers drove to East Lancaster Avenue to pick up those sleeping on the street and take them to The Rail, and during a benefit concert dubbed “Disaster Fest” held at the end of the week, donors raised about $1,190 for people affected by the snowstorm. Through it all, Polone says he not once felt overwhelmed: “I have been more motivated than ever before in my entire life.”
Polone has long been frustrated with the state’s mandates for bars to close in the wake of COVID-19 and fears it won’t be long before his business closes for good. Still, if this is The Rail’s last hurrah, Polone says he’ll be proud of it.
“We’re holding on to the inevitable; we’re going to end up losing our business,” he says. “But if we can help people before that happens, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Acouple of days into the storm, Juan Rodriguez, owner of Magdalena’s catering service and pop-up restaurant, got antsy. “I took a drive around town, and that’s when I realized just how bad it was,” he says. “The stores were out of food, out of water, people didn’t have any power.”
Luckily, Magdalena’s kitchen had been spared. “I went over there to assess any damage, and there wasn’t any,” he says. “We were so blessed. I took that as a sign that I needed to help those who were less fortunate.”
Rodriguez went to work, cooking, then distributing hundreds of tacos to the public and first responders. The chef has family members and close friends associated with local police departments. “The storm happened right after that horrible ac-
cident on 35,” he says, recalling the Feb. 11 pileup on icy Interstate 35W that involved 133 cars and claimed six lives. “These first responders hadn’t rested, hadn’t had anything to eat. The firefighters have been going and going. They haven’t stopped.”
Rodriguez and his crew also distributed boxes of food donated by the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
“You know what they did? They took those boxes of food, and instead of using them themselves, which I’m sure they needed, they dropped them off at the homes of people who needed them more,” he says. “I remember one of the officers saying to me, ‘Can I have two boxes? There’s a family that’s lost everything.’ That really warmed my heart.”
When water customers in west and north Fort Worth were directed to boil water after a main break and freezes at treatment plants and pump stations, Martin House Brewing Company offered free cans of its housemade, orange-flavored mineral water. “We knew some people didn’t have electricity to boil water,” says Martin House’s Pete Villarreal. “It was the least we could do. Fort Worth has been so super-rad to us. We wanted to pitch in any way we could.”
Other local breweries not located in the boil zones chipped in with relief efforts, too. Cowtown Brewing Co., Panther Island Brewing, HopFusion Ale Works, and Wild Acre Brewing Company filled up water containers for hundreds of people who didn’t have water or were under the boil mandate.
Qana Café, a family-run Lebanese restaurant on the far west side, was among the many restaurants to offer discounted or free meals. They offered the latter, posting on Facebook that complimentary soup and sandwiches would be offered “absolutely free.” “Our responsibility as neighbors is to help in what we can,” the café’s Facebook message read. The restaurant also offered to deliver free food to those who lived within a mile-and-a-half radius.
After the storm struck, the Tarrant Area Food Bank acted quickly, organizing a food distribution event at its headquarters in The Foundry District. But the food bank had its own issues to resolve first. On Tuesday and Wednesday of the storm, there was no power and therefore no staff. But by Thursday, Feb.18, power had been restored. Now, it was just a matter of staffing a distribution event. “The roads were still icy, so I didn’t want to endanger the lives of my employees by making them come in,” says Julie Butner, TAFB’s president and CEO. “So, I sent out a note asking people to come in but only if they felt it was safe to travel. Fifty-five of my
staff of 93 said, ‘heck, yeah, I’m down,’ and we were able to organize an event for that Thursday.”
Additional TAFB food distribution events were scheduled for that weekend, including three at Herman Memorial Stadium near the South Campus of Tarrant County College. With the weather clearing up, those events attracted lines of cars as far as the eye could see. “We wound up providing food for more than 10,000 families,” Butner says. “Over a million pounds of food. Seeing how many people came and hearing their stories and grateful responses — this is why we do this.”
Many out-of-state organizations heard about the catastrophe on the news and social media and acted accordingly, quickly. Mercy Chefs, a nonprofit group founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, came all the way from Virginia to serve restaurant-quality meals to those in need.
“We were watching the Weather Channel and couldn’t believe what we were seeing,” says Ann LeBlanc, who runs the faith-based group with her husband, Gary. The couple then received a call from Fort Worth’s Gateway Church, with whom the couple had worked with previously on other humanitarian efforts. “They asked us if we could come, and we said absolutely.”
The LeBlancs set up kitchens in Fort Worth at Gateway’s north Fort Worth campus and in Dallas at The Cornerstone Kitchen and 3015 at Trinity Groves. Over the course of four days, from Feb. 19 – 22, more than 50,000 meals were served by an army of volunteers, who prepared items such as tortilla soup, macaroni and cheese, chicken potpie, beef and sausage pasta — plus bread, fresh veggies, and dessert. A handful of local chefs assisted with the food prep, including Dallas chef Sharon Van Meter and Fort Worth restaurateur Crystal Padilla.
“For a lot of people, this may have been the only meal they would have that day,” Ann says. “We try to prepare meals that will strengthen them, help them get through the day, but that are also wellbalanced and nutritious.”
Mercy Chefs has served more than 10 million meals since the couple founded the company in 2006. Seven million of those meals have been served in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
As
The 2021 FortWorth
DESIGN AWARDS HOME
Well-honed, perfectly curated homes are typically the result of a talented team that works tirelessly to bring their client’s dreams to life. They are fueled by a passion to develop innovative and inventive design and spurred on by the opportunity to create — whether it’s reviving the bones of an old space or building a new, state-of-the-art home. In the following pages, we highlight some truly notable designs on the homefront that are sure to impress and inspire by many of the area’s top talents.
Here are the nominees for the 2021 Fort Worth HOME Design Awards.
by Amber Bell
THE JUDGES
Amy Roehl
Associate Professor & Interior Design Program Coordinator at TCU
Rebecca Palluth Project Architect at Modular Management Group and President Elect at AIA Fort Worth
Laura McDonald Stewart IT Chair of ASID Texas Chapter, Founder of PLINTH & CHINTZ, and owner of Laura McDonald Enterprises
best Entry Space
A BEAUTIFUL COMPOSITION
Trish Sheats Interior Design
“This space gives a whole new meaning to ‘grand entry,’” says Trish Sheats, interior designer and owner of Trish Sheats Interior Design. Natural light floods the sprawling entry, which touts soaring 20-foot ceilings and a stately curving staircase. Trish worked closely with Fort Worth-based homebuilder V Fine Homes — she also provides full-scale interior design services for their clients — to create an entrance for the Rivercrest home that was at once both stately and intimate. Clean white walls and herringbone-patterned, white oak wood flooring lend a classic vibe, punctuated by a grand piano that seems to just be awaiting the perfect set of notes. Plush seating from Country French Interiors, a light cream-and-blue toned rug from Arsin Rug Gallery, and a few well-appointed, contemporary decorative details “create a sophisticated and inviting space,” says Sheats, “that makes for an elegant transition into the rest of the home.”
WINNER
MAKING AN ENTRANCE Elements of Design
First impressions always
count, and Elements of Design owner and lead designer Traci Darden delivered big for this entry to a Texas Hill Country-meetsmodern home. “Proportion and scale are key when designing two-story areas like this,” she says. Glass-paneled floating stairs draw the eye upward toward a customdesigned, dimensional stone wall. Two aged brass chandeliers with arching rods by Tech Lighting provide a contemporary touch of subtle overhead illumination. The space beneath the stairs doubles as a seating area, which resides in front of a large glass cutout in the stone wall — providing a clear view into the nearby wine room. “You can’t only be concerned with the floor space,” adds Darden. “You have to design the space to be visually interesting from all angles and make sure the elements you are choosing fit floor to ceiling and wall to wall.”
RANCH-STYLE PIZZAZZ
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
This ranch-style home, located in Argyle, deserved an impressive entry and that’s just what Susan Semmelmann created for her clients. “A grand entrance is one to embrace when you walk through the threshold of
A BEAUTIFUL COMPOSITION
Trish
Sheats Interior Design
the door into any home,” she says. It was previously more of a dark and Old World-style interior, so Semmelmann had the floors stripped and repainted to lighten up the space and the walls lightly textured and painted Sherman-Williams Worldly Gray. Authentic hardwood planks on the ceiling and two stately chande-
liers — which Semmelmann sourced from her own lighting line — add overhead visual interest. “We wanted to give it a more modern ranch look and have a grand presence when you walked in,” she adds. “We believe this sets the tone of the home, and that first impressions are lasting impressions.”
RANCH-STYLE PIZZAZZ
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
best Living Space
MODERN PENTHOUSE LIVING
MTK Design Group
“This entrepreneur client has lived in various places around the world and is currently enjoying a city-lifestyle-empty-nest retreat,” says MTK Design Group owner and lead designer Megan Kranz. Her goal was to create a design aesthetic that matched up with the breathtaking “artwork” of the cityscape views from the homeowner’s top floor lookout at the Glass House in downtown Dallas. Exposed concrete walls give an industrial modern vibe to the room, which Kranz warmed with bold tones and comforting textures for a cozy touch while still maintaining a modernistic setting. Both bright and soft blues, blush reds, and gold accents became the color palette, and “low profiles and sleek lines gave us the contemporary high-style, end result we desired,” says Kranz. “My client now loves her stylish living while soaking in the views.”
SHOW-STOPPING DESIGN
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
In a stunning display of original, thought-provoking design, Susan Semmelmann Interiors created a living space full of texture,
warmth, and bespoke details for this new build in Southlake. Most notable are the two enormous light fixtures dangling from the 18-foot ceiling above their respective seating areas. “They are actually individual pendant lights, and we used eight pendants to create a single, massive light fixture,” explains Semmelmann. “Then we did it on the other side as well, making it a total of 16 pendants to create two chandeliers.” Equally as impressive is the customdesigned fireplace, made with slabs of Dekton Radium — a sustainably produced material that gives the look of dark, aged steel — and inset with glossy stainless steel. “The mixture of metals, woods, and tile add organic elements to the space,” says Semmelmann. “We wanted to give it a contemporary look and that wow factor that people remember as a one-of-a-kind design.”
WINNER FROM THE OUTSIDE IN Paxton Place Design
“This client wanted to create a living room space where family could indulge in their love of reading and nature,” says Paxton Place Design owner Stacie McCans. A small set of French doors were replaced with
oversized versions of custom metal-framed glass, which ushered in natural light. “We also included a patio addition to bring the outdoors in,” adds the designer. To correct the single built-in bookshelf that made the room feel lopsided, the team created a second identical built-in for symmetry. It was also the ideal display for the client’s original pottery and
treasures curated from their travels in Europe. “The ceiling was painted a slate blue to visually lower it for a cozier feel,” says McCans, who mirrored the hue in details throughout, like the rug, furnishings and ceruse oak cocktail table.
“The room is cozy enough for two but spacious enough for company.”
MODERN PENTHOUSE LIVING MTK Design Group
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
best DINING ROOM
WINNER TRADITIONAL ELEGANCE
Tori Rubinson Interiors
A classic, sophisticated space was on the menu for this dining room makeover that designer Tori Rubinson created for her parents in their Mistletoe Heights residence. “With a beautiful mural wallcovering, silk drapes, and new paint scheme, this room was totally transformed,” says Rubinson. A few of her mother’s original pieces were kept, like the heirloom table and rug. Rubinson added custom Lee Industries end chairs from Simple Things, side chairs from Ballard Designs, and a statement chandelier from Visual Comfort. The built-in cabinetry was painted a deep navy blue, and the walls clad in a gorgeous mural-like wallpaper. All the rich tones inspired by the rug helped create a cohesive, polished look. “I love the scale of the chandelier and the depth of the paint colors,” says Rubinson. “I also love how the space made a room full of antiques feel fresh.”
A FRESH START
High Street Homes
Husband-wife design duo Brett and Kara Phillips — owners of homebuilding
and interior design firm High Street Homes — brought together a brandnew look for this Arlington Heights bungalow dining room. “Our client has owned the home for a long time, but the space did not feel like it represented her style,” explains Brett. The walls were covered in leopard-print wallpaper by Schumacher for a playful, elevated detail. They warmed the space with a bit of midcentury flair from McGee & Co., like the Quinn sideboard in washed walnut and Silas dining chairs. A vintage Turkish rug from Phillips House Co — Brett and Kara’s online home décor shop — and an antique brass chandelier from Circa Lighting complete the final look. “The home is filled with personal treasures, beautiful vintage items, and high-quality market finds,” says Brett. “Our favorite part was seeing the space become new again.”
BOLD ELEGANCE
Donna Moss Designs
“This is a stunning remodel of a 20-year-old home, and it was definitely a departure of style,” says Donna Moss, interior designer and owner of her Dallas-based Donna Moss Designs. “It went from a glamorous Old World design with deep golds and
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Shauna
Glenn Design WINNER TRADITIONAL ELEGANCE
Tori Rubinson Interiors
burgundies to a beautiful, bold, and bright modern look.”
The crisp, white-walled space is punctuated with statement furnishings like a gorgeous 10-foot-long live edge, wood table with a twisted gold base, two striking leopard-print armchairs, and plush black seating with gold hardware. Glossy, marble-like white
porcelain tile flooring and a blue and cream silk rug from Arsin Rug Gallery lend a sense of understated glamour. Moss finished the space with gold facet cluster lamps from Global Views and a dazzling crystal chandelier from Elegant Lighting for the perfect dose of glitz and glam.
BOLD ELEGANCE
Donna Moss Designs
best KITCHEN
UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE
Paxton Place Design
“This kitchen was part of a custom project we designed with a local homebuilder,” says Stacie McCans, owner and designer at Paxton Place Design. “The couple was in the process of moving from Nashville to Fort Worth and wanted a home that reflected a traditional setting with eclectic surprises.” The walls were painted a light greige, the perimeter cabinets painted Sherwin-Williams Skyline Steel, and the island given a coat of dark charcoal gray with brushed-gold hardware for a dose of drama. Textured subway tile backsplash and contrasting dark grout maintained a light, clean vibe. “The vent hood was the star of the show with a custom gray finish and brushed-gold accents,” says McCans. “We carried those same elements in the unique pendants that adorned the island. The cohesive unit to this fabulous kitchen was the beautiful leathered quartzite that brought in all of the rich colors in the space.”
WINNER MODERN BY THE LAKESIDE
The Kitchen Source
For her client’s new build near Possum Kingdom Lake, The Kitchen Source’s Elizabeth Tranberg thoughtfully created a sleek-lined kitchen that also serves as an important gathering area. “The family loves to cook and spends many hours in the kitchen together,” she says. “They wanted to make sure they had more than ample space at their home away from home on the lake.” White walls and engineered-wood flooring provide a clean, neutral palette accentuated with contemporary touches like bar stools from Modern Living and hand-painted, terracotta tile backsplash above the stovetop. Tranberg also incorporated unique details — like integrated knife blocks in the counters by the stovetop; under-cabinet, toekick lighting; and spacious storage-savvy drawers — for a kitchen that’s both glamorous and grounded.
THE TREEHOUSE KITCHEN
MTK Design Group
Interior designer Megan Kranz drew inspiration from the trees surrounding her hilltop home in North Arlington for her complete kitchen revamp. “We call our home ‘the
treehouse,’ and the kitchen’s new design had to feel as though it was an extension of the outside,” says Kranz, who owns and runs MTK Design Group with her husband, John. Most striking is the gorgeous earthy quartzite from Burlington Design Gallery that was love at first sight for Kranz. She chose
inset cabinets in a beautiful smoky blue hue and added hand-hammered hardware and live-edge shelves above the coffee bar for an organic vibe. Leather barstools from At Home nod to the home’s midcentury roots, and a striking handcrafted molten glass chandelier provides a modern touch.
THE TREEHOUSE KITCHEN MTK Design Group
Paxton Place Design
best HOME OFFICE
WINNER
COLOR RULES
Shauna Glenn Design
Known for her gorgeous, color-infused designs, Shauna Glenn transformed this particular room from bland to grand. “This family wanted to turn a stuffy, generic home office into a colorful, eclectic space,” she says of the Southlake-area home. “It was a landing spot for boxes and other items the client didn’t know what to do with.” A multicolor rug from Rugs USA and vibrant chairs from Wayfair create a cheerful setting with natural light streaming in through the oversized windows. Glenn kept the contemporary vibe with a gold West Elm light fixture and credenza from All Modern, topped with a pair of textured, deep blue lamps from Wayfair. On the wall above them, the client’s commissioned self-portrait makes for the perfect statement piece. When it comes to vivid spaces like this one, Glenn’s creative talents thrive. “I don’t adhere to any rules. If it feels good, I go with it,” she says. “To me, all the details together make the difference.”
THE OFFICE LOUNGE
MTK Design Group
Previously a formal dining room in her own home, MTK Design Group owner
Megan Kranz reformulated it into a new just-right space. “For this moody, organic home office lounge, we wanted each element in the design to feel natural and comfortable,” explains Kranz. “It all started by removing archways that didn’t fit the home’s modern era for a cozier and more effective layout.” A large sliding window provides ample natural light, the wood desk and flooring warm the space, and a deeply hued wallpaper with touches of metallic gray and gold brings the drama. “I’m an advocate for patterns since I find it adds so much character to a space,” says Kranz. “Then by incorporating the solid textured drapes and pillows in a bolder color, the eye can rest and allow the patterns to soothe into the background.”
THE BUSINESS OF STYLE
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Interior designer Susan Semmelmann prefers to shake things up when it comes to the perceived traditional office design — especially after a global pandemic that took working from home to a whole new level. So, Semmelmann revamped her client’s home workspace into a personalized
WINNER COLOR RULES
Shauna Glenn Design
high-end haven where they can conquer their nine-to-five. “This modern, masculine office is texturized with mixed metals and woods, giving it a natural organic look, from the tusk chairs to a hair-hide rug,” says the designer, who also implemented concrete tile flooring by Dekton. Standard bookshelving was removed
in favor of large floating shelves and a striking piece of equestrian art. Behind it, black leather Dekton material and high-gloss Dekton insets with black crocodile wallpaper create an impressive threedimensional display — the perfect accoutrement for a space that really gets down to business.
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
best BEDROOM
WINNER
MASTER OF SERENITY
MTK Design Group
“The inspiration for this master bedroom design started from a unique mix of colors the homeowner wanted to use, including various tones of blues, grays, and soft pinks,” says MTK Design Group owner and designer Megan Kranz. Working with an existing sofa, Kranz drew on similar hues for the window treatments to both extend the space vertically and tie in the furniture piece. She also outfitted the ceiling niche with a whimsically patterned wallpaper by Fabricut Wallcoverings. “Over time, the industry has renewed wallpaper to incorporate fresh textures, finishes, and designs that keep up with modern trends and make it more appealing and versatile now,” says Kranz. “It’s always a fun way to make a statement, enhance architectural details, and add personality.” A bit of texture — like woven ottomans, blue glass lamps, and landscape artwork — was the perfect finishing touch for “the soft and dreamy oasis.”
A SOPHISTICATED SPACE
Tori Rubinson Interiors
“This fun master bedroom
update was redesigned for the sweetest parents of two young girls,” says interior designer Tori Rubinson, owner of her locally based, namesake design business. “I wanted the room to feel classic, fresh, and comfortable.” The chic space touts style from top to bottom, literally, as Tori commissioned her trim carpenter to install paneling on the ceiling. “They had these nice high ceilings, but there was no architectural detail,” she explains. “It was an easy way to add interest to the room.”
Custom fabric window treatments layered over natural shades coordinate with the bedframe, rug, and other neutral elements. And red lamps, a custom pink velvet sofa from Lee Industries, and watercolor artwork above it add pretty pops of color.
NEW BEGINNINGS
Kristi Hopper Designs
“When our clients moved to a new home, it was the perfect opportunity to create a luxurious primary bedroom,” says Kristi Hopper, owner of her Dallasbased design firm. “They purchased a much larger home, so we started fresh with most of their furniture.” Kristi chose a gorgeous bed from Fine Furniture for the
NEW BEGINNINGS
new master space, which featured stylish acrylic and gold detailing along the top. Beautiful gold mirrors by John Richards, lamps from Uttermost, and nightstands from Vanguard — all sourced from the Dallas Market Center — created a symmetrically modern setting. Hopper also added custom drapes,
an upholstered Fine Furniture bench, and a chic brass-andbeaded chandelier from Ro Sham Beaux. “This space is cozy and inviting,” says Hopper. “It’s the perfect place to retreat from the world after a long day or to hide out during quarantine.”
Kristi Hopper Designs
Tori Rubinson Interiors
LOFT-Y
ARRANGEMENTS
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
best CHILDREN’S BEDROOM
WINNER
THE INDOOR
TREEHOUSE
B Smart Builders
This uniquely furnished children’s room is a paradise for eager, fun-loving young visitors. It was a sleepover-oriented destination for the homeowner’s grandkids that creatively fit four beds, a staircase, and storage. “We expanded a small bedroom and borrowed attic space to create an industrial treehouse playscape,” says B Smart Builders owner Cheryl Bean. “The bunkroom is tall and narrow, defined by the modern farmhouse’s steep pitched roof.” Floor-to-ceiling, built-in shelving extends up a wall, filled with books and toys for endless entertainment. A single window shines onto the top of the triple bunk beds — each outfitted with its own overhead light for nighttime stories — accessible by a floating stairway made of cable, wood, and steel. There’s also a loft-style space with an extra bed at the top for maximum guest occupancy. And not a single inch was wasted, illustrated by the cozy reading corner tucked beneath the stairs. “This room is truly catered for the kids’ enjoyment and leisure,” says Bean. Adventure awaits!
LOFT-Y ARRANGEMENTS
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
For this creative endeavor, Fort Worth-based interior designer Susan Semmelmann turned a little-used area into a dreamy children’s space. Semmelmann started the attic makeover, which took about a full year to complete, with engineered hardwood flooring and a calming color on the walls. The three original dormers were originally just meant for letting in a little light, but Semmelmann chose to arrange a twin bed in each of them. “The placement of the beds in the area is well-thought-out to ensure that aesthetic and design are not sacrificed for functionality,” she explains. A queen bed, clad in the same adorable matching linens, completed the sleeping accommodations. At the opposite end of the room, a modern, comfortable seating area and plush rug up the cozy factor and provide the perfect spot to entertain guests in this cool, attic hideaway.
SWEET RETREAT
Heritage Design Studio
With a chic dose of pink and a pinch of boho style, interior designer Angela Hough created a darling retreat for a tween girl’s
bedroom, complete with a unique alcove space. “This dream hideaway nook incorporates a boho-style custom hammock where the client’s daughter can find creativity for her art projects,” says Hough, who oversees Heritage Design Studio alongside her husband, Chris. The walls were painted Sherwin-Williams Cabbage Rose, and a textured rug,
ottomans, a stylish table and a filigree pendant light from Uttermost made for finishing touches. The main room features a plush upholstered bed and cinder gray-toned dresser, both from Restoration Hardware, and trendy artwork from Renwil — which draws on the same tones in the patterned wallpaper and ties the whole space neatly together.
best BATHROOM
WINNER
COFFEE AND COPACABANA
Elements of Design
This Southlake-area master bath delivers bold, impactful design merged with thoughtful details, like a bespoke station for a cup of morning joe. “We took what was planned to be a linen cabinet space and redesigned it for coffee service and even built refrigerator drawers into the base cabinet,” says Elements of Design’s Traci Darden. She also incorporated accent lighting beneath two custom floating vanities as well as the dropped ceiling in the shower. The latter is anchored by the room’s most notable element, book-matched Copacabana quartzite slabs that also create a gorgeous focal point. “The strong colors of this stone set the tone for the rest of the bath’s finishes,” says Darden. Black and gold mosaic tiles accent the shower niches and vanities, while custom gold metal grilles take the place of traditional glass fronts on the cabinetry. Crisp white walls and spacious windows maintain an airy, bright finish to the entire bathroom, the perfect balance to its striking features.
A SPA RETREAT
The Kitchen Source
For this tranquil bath-
room space, associate kitchen and bath designer
Elizabeth Tranberg of The Kitchen Source oversaw every detail from start to finish. “I loved being a part of this project as I was involved from the initial designing with the architect through the final implementation,” she explains. The end result was a cleanlined design in soothingly soft, warm tones. “I really love the bathroom vanities, from the texture and color of the wood that we used to the detailing of the mitered countertops and hardware.” Tranberg also chose natural marble flooring and sophisticated light fixtures from Restoration Hardware for the space. The pièce de résistance, however, was the spa-like bathtub and gorgeous marble wall tiles surrounding it that created “a true haven for relaxation.”
A VIBRANT TRANSFORMATION
Shauna Glenn Design
This once-drab bathroom with a cramped floor plan and green walls underwent a complete makeover to become a bright, colorful sanctuary for its proud homeowner. “She hired me because she loves color and knows I use lots of color in my designs,” says Shauna Glenn, owner of her name-
sake design firm. The space was gutted and reworked to include a wet room, a popular new trend. Glenn brightened things dramatically with large windows for natural light, crisp white tiles, and playful penny tiles from The Tile Shop. They coordinate perfectly with bright-blue Milano cement floor tiles from Zia Tile. Fun
finishing touches pull the entire space together, like a floral wallpaper from Anthropologie, colorful vanity lights from Dutton Brown, and beautiful mirrors from Serena & Lily. “It’s one of the best transformations we’ve ever done,” says Glenn proudly. “It’s the perfect space.”
WINNER COFFEE AND COPACABANA Elements of Design
Shauna Glenn Design
best RESTORATION
WINNER
NEW AND MEMORABLE
Trinity Design & Build
Creating custom homes and innovative interior solutions is par for the course for Trinity Design & Build owners Corey and Meg Waldrop. This particular restorative challenge involved a 1913 home near Southside Fort Worth that required a total down-to-the-studs situation just for starters. The client purchased the home as a duplex and asked the Waldrops to convert both spaces into a single-family home as well as finish out the attic for additional living space. The design duo delivered on that and more, retaining treasured details while adding modernday updates like LED lighting, wall and ceiling insulation, and completely new wiring. “They wanted to keep the historical charm, including the many salvaged and recreated millwork pieces,” says Meg, adding that they also revived the home’s original heart pine wood floors and refinished the cast-iron bathtub. In the end, the home was made new again and ready for a fresh batch of memories in the making.
FROM PAST TO PRESENT
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Bringing an outdated home
into a new modern-day style can often be tricky, but interior designer Susan Semmelmann sought to update this client’s 1919 abode with its original character intact. “We did not want to lose the integrity and authenticity of the home,” she explains. “We painted the walls and wainscot, then added lighting and furnishings. We wanted to give this office a fresh, lovely, and delightful feel, complementing the natural beauty of the home.” The original hardwood floors were still in prime condition and easily updated with contemporary layered rugs, including a hairhide overlay. Semmelmann maintained the airy, neutral theme with custom drapery, textured white armchairs, and a gold-leafed console. The client also requested a large desk, which Semmelmann creatively sourced: “It’s actually a dining table from a line we carry at Susan Semmelmann Interiors and fit perfectly.”
A LABOR OF LOVE
High Street Homes
Designers Brett and Kara Phillips poured their heart and soul into completely revamping and restoring this 1929 family home in Fort Worth’s Berkeley neighborhood. “It was a full gut renovation and addition. We
A LABOR OF LOVE
High Street Homes
moved the kitchen to the back of the house from the front and changed the living room to become the dining room,” says Brett. “But we kept the exterior brick facade and original wood windows.” The project took a solid year and didn’t come without challenges. “When we took the roof off, it rained for 40 days straight,” Brett recalls.
“It was not the best of timing.” They soldiered on, replacing sheetrock, plumbing, electrical, and more. The husband-wife design team chose red oak flooring that mimicked the home’s original floors and creamy off-white hues throughout, from the kitchen cabinets to the cozy brick fireplace in the dining room, for a timeless
FROM PAST TO PRESENT Susan Semmelmann Interiors
best NEW BUILD
THE NEW TRADITION
Clarity Homes
“Sourced antique furniture and rugs combined with pops of color and modern art in this new home give it a livable, yet luxurious feel,” says Clarity Homes’ Kelsey Fett. Creative concepts for the four-bedroom Aledo home start right from the entry, with airy 20-foot ceilings anchored by hand-scraped white oak wood floors. “We knew the stairwell would be the perfect place to feature the coffered accent wall,” adds Fett. In fact, each room has its own unique element, like smoky-colored Lueders stone around the main fireplace and faux reclaimed beams that span the kitchen and living room ceiling. The office’s built-in shelves were painted in Sherwin-Williams Stardew for a subtle burst of color, and the master bathroom features a sleek Brazilian black slate flooring for a luxe contrast to the light wood cabinetry. The results were a perfect study in contemporary-infused traditional design with all the comforts of home.
WINNER A COLLECTIVE HOME
Trinity Design & Build
For husband-and-wife design team Corey and Meg Waldrop — owners of their local company, Trinity
Design & Build — creating a thoughtfully curated home for their clients is an everyday passion. “This family wanted the functionality of a modern-day, open-concept home,” says Meg, “but they wanted the look and coziness of a collected country estate.” Details in every room relay that exact style, like darkgreen custom cabinetry in the kitchen, a reclaimed wood bar, and unlacquered brass fixtures. There’s “just the right amount of nickel-gap siding, aka shiplap” in the master bathroom and even custom, hand-painted Talavera tiles in the guest bath. These were purchased directly from the artisan where three generations of women handmake the tiles in their home. The attentive collection of art, fixtures, and antiques came together to create storied rooms to love, and the overall result “was a meticulously designed home and happy family,” says Meg.
MODERN FRENCH CHATEAU
Haus of Blaylock
Vast hallways, towering ceilings, and luxury furnishings make this gorgeous six-bedroom, Southlake home a vision in French elegance. “I live, love, and breathe French design,” says Haus of Blaylock
owner Brenda Blaylock. “It offers European charm with classical elements, bringing together luxury, elegance, sophistication, symmetry, and balance — all wrapped in a soft color palette.” A mixture of Carrera marble and wood flooring extend throughout the 8,400-square-foot new build, which features soft white and cream hues mixed with taupetoned grays. “Many of the
home pieces were conceptualized and designed by me, and all of the beddings and drapery were designed and manufactured in my in-house facility,” says Blaylock of the bespoke blend of French and modern elements. “I selected pieces with Baroque detailing and modern fabrics to guarantee a level of refinement you often see in the French world of design.”
MODERN FRENCH CHATEAU Haus of Blaylock
best WHOLE HOME DESIGN
A HOME OF TRADITION
Tori Rubinson Interiors
“My parents moved to Fort Worth to be close to family ... they found a great home in Mistletoe Heights, but it needed some loving,” says interior designer Tori Rubinson. “We updated every inch of the house, reworked the layout of the kitchen, extended the laundry room, and added on a new covered porch and patio.” A formal, curved entry staircase features generations of family photos, some of just many heirlooms peppered throughout the home, built in the 1990s. Many treasured pieces were passed down from Rubinson’s grandmother, like furniture in the living room that Rubinson recovered in custom fabrics and the breakfast room’s table and chairs, which she reupholstered and paired with a custom built-in bench seat. “I feel the biggest story of this home,” says Rubinson, “is about family, history, and traditions.”
HILL COUNTRY LUXURY Elements of Design
Home is where inspiration lies, at least when it comes to Elements of Design owner Traci Darden’s creative influence for this sprawling Southlake abode. “I designed this home in a modern Hill Country aesthetic,
taking inspiration from my roots in Boerne, Texas,” she says. The 7,300-square-foot new build has natural, warm finishes throughout, from light wood flooring and live-edge wood furniture designs to custom elements like a stone wall in the entry and a floorto-ceiling wood design for the living room fireplace. Glass is also incorporated to add visual interest in several areas, including the study’s two “disappearing” glass walls that can be fully retracted. Plus, pint-sized guests will be thrilled with a fun-loving bunkroom — in addition to the home’s five bedrooms — that’s painted a lively lime green with two sets of bunks clad in adorable black and white bedding. Each of the thoughtfully appointed spaces all come together for a modern manse infused with just the right amount of Lone Star style.
WINNER
COLOR CONVERGENCE
Shauna Glenn Design
“This treasure of a midcentury home in the Northcrest neighborhood of Fort Worth was in its original condition,” says interior designer Shauna Glenn, who purchased the home, built in 1951, as her personal residence. “The project included bringing back period home design elements,
such as the terrazzo floors and midcentury-style wallpapers, and infusing my own aesthetic of color and pattern.” A selfproclaimed color enthusiast, Glenn began as she typically does — with a neutral palette and white walls — and introduced vibrantly hued decor throughout. Her well-honed collection of art and vintage rugs were key components,
like a multicolored rug from Chairish and a bright-blue chair by Rove Concepts in the living room. She even had a custom bathroom wall mural painted by Dallas-based graffiti artist Captain Casual, and her cool kitchen touts vivid orange appliances frowm Big Chill, proving that, for this designer, home is where the color-loving heart is.
HILL COUNTRY LUXURY Elements of Design
Tori Rubinson Interiors
Discover Excellence.
Project Profile
Elements of Design, LLC
An Urban Standout
Freshly built. This custom home boasts a clean-lined transitional design with a hint of Spanish charm. While the facade leans modern, the tile roof, encaustic tile veranda fireplace, and black iron accents are a nod to the Mediterranean architecture. Inside, the home’s vibe is serene and simple. You’ll notice a creamy white paint palette with pops of interest throughout the home that borders artistic and timeless. There are a few attention-grabbing details in place already: The living room fireplace, for example, is adorned with eye-catching handmade tile and finished with a decorative custom finish by local artist Cara Conkle. This home is open and inviting and serves as the perfect backdrop to make a home. “What makes this
project extraordinary is that Santa Barbara airy and fresh vibe with hints of unique and modern beauty,” says Stephanie McPherson, designer at EOD. The home boasts a beautiful palette that can easily suit many clients and showcase a variety of furnish styles. The wow factor in this project is the powder bath with the custom-designed tile feature wall and floating underlit vanity.
The design aesthetic of mixing a sense of harmony and color showcases EOD’s style. “I love to introduce new and fresh ideas while maintaining a balance of tasteful and unique,” says Traci Darden, owner and lead designer of Elements of Design. “I feel this home displays that style while not being too over the top.”
Project Profile
Heritage Interiors Spanish Eclectic Home
Heritage Interiors teamed up with the client beautifully in their desire for a timeless Spanish Eclectic home. The home still reflects an aesthetic that stays in touch with the client’s current lifestyle, even though the home’s architectural roots are reminiscent of the 1915 era. Spanish architecture is known for vibrant colors and traditionally darker interiors, but the oversized windows in the gallery and great room bring a generous amount of light into the spaces. Material specifications blend in just enough bold character to recall the nature of the style. “Authentic, handmade Spanish tiles were our favorite accent that made for great eye-catching material,” says Shavawn Everitt, interior designer who led the project. The rich, dark stained woods are a nice counterpart to the bright, vibrant colors in
accent fabrics which help bring interest and depth. The inspiration point for the family room is the graceful fireplace design, which is clean lined with a Spanish influence. The wow factor in the project is how the great room allows the client’s entire family to interact without compromising on comfort and space. Heritage Interiors licensed team focuses on the client’s individual style to create designs specifically suited to them.
“We believe that interior designers have a responsibility to be experts in various aesthetics, from Beaux Arts to Bauhaus, Ranch House to Rococo,” Angela Hough, Heritage Interiors CEO, says. “We have had the opportunity to provide interior architecture and design for Spanish Eclectic in the past, so this was a familiar medium for our creativity.”
Project Profile
The Kitchen Source Modern Montgomery Plaza
This modern remodel in Montgomery Plaza was a collaboration between the homeowner’s vision and The Kitchen Source’s lead Dallas designer, Corinne Danicki, CKD. The goal was to showcase as many angles as possible but yet keep a clean cohesive design. The homeowner wanted the color tone to be monochromatic but wanted to see lots of different textures throughout. This was achieved by using back painted glass, metal edge banding around the cabinets, integrated hardware, and textured custom cabinetry. The design extends into the pantry with it being just an extension of the kitchen. What makes this project memorable and striking is the floating structure above island that doubles as a vent for the cooktop.
Some of the challenges when working
on this modern design project included the structure of the building, columns that could not be moved, and finding a way to keep cohesive design with all the unique elements. The complexity of the angular 2-inch-thick concave countertop makes this project unique, and the dramatic kitchen island, angled waterfall, custom corner cabinets made to fit this unique shape and design are the wow factors in this project.
The modern remodel project not only showcases The Kitchen Source’s client-focused design style but also what it is about. Every inch is carefully planned out, from the lighting underneath the island to sliding glass doors to hide coffee makers and spices to each cabinet customized for how they are going to be used.
Project Profile
Donna Moss Designs Armoniosa
“Armoniosa” means “harmony,” and that is what her team named this 10,000-square-foot show home designed by Donna Moss Designs in Las Vegas, Nevada. The new construction project took more than two years to complete, but Donna Moss’ commuting from Texas was not a problem. “I love the glitz and glam of this desert community,” says Moss. The home is very modern in the design, and it showcases Moss’ signature HGTV style of “chic, bold, and unexpected drama.” This beautiful bedroom posed her biggest challenge.
Because of the massive size, it was broken into three distinct areas: the bed wall and two sitting areas off to each side as to not obstruct the amazing view of the backyard and pool area. One of the many wow factors of this room is the uniqueness of the art leaning against the slate stone bed wall and the large circle art, made with actual stardust, which Moss sourced from a local artist. This home and many of Moss’ design projects can be seen in her new coffeetable book, Best of Show, coming out this spring.
Project Profile
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Ranch Estate
This gorgeous ranch estate boasts the same sweeping views inside as the sprawling acreage outside its floor-to-ceiling windows. One step into the grand foyer and the luxurious interior opens wide and welcomes the eye with a stunning neutral palette bathed in soft, natural light. The immediate feeling is that of invitation; the spacious, yet intimate, layout of the home beckons its guests to come in and stay awhile. The monochromatic color scheme allows texture, depth, and pattern to play significant roles in orchestrating the scene. With a foundation of lovely creams and grays, the stage is set to show off custom upholstery and décor elements in elegant shades of silver, platinum, and champagne. Darker pieces of furniture and décor provide a striking contrast and anchor the spaces beautifully.
Not to be outdone by the rest of the interior, the light fixtures and ceiling treatments almost steal the show. The fabulous antler chandeliers play against the bold lines of the coffered and beamed ceilings, infusing the design with a lovely sculptural dimension, not to mention loads of personality and panache. At Susan Semmelmann Interiors, we always say, “Our style is your style.” Let us help you design your dream home!
Susan Semmelmann
Project Profile
Trinity Design and Build Building a Legacy
“Every home we build has a story unique to the client, but some projects have an even greater purpose,” says Meg Waldrop, owner and principal designer of Trinity Design and Build. “In this project, we were tasked with transforming the client’s childhood home, belonging to his father. The client’s father had gifted the property to the family so that they, and their young sons, may all live together and care for him as he ages.” After trying to alter the home with another design company, they came to Trinity. It was clear they needed a different solution. “Within a short amount of time, we established a new home design they could be excited about — one that included a private retreat for the elder father,”
Waldrop says.
The aesthetic blended the contemporary lines of a modern farmhouse with midcentury accents as a nod to the original 1950s home. The floor plan centers around a spacious great room with a large eat-in island and an oversized breakfast area. Other spaces give special attention to the organization and function required by a growing family. The “father-inlaw” suite is designed for graceful aging-in-place with oversized doorways, ADA-friendly bathroom with roll-in-shower, a full kitchen, living area, and laundry facilities for privacy and independence, including the sweetest addition of all, a window pointed at his favorite pecan tree.
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When it comes to weight loss, there are so many different philosophies out there. From keto or paleo to intermittent
What’s the best way to stay consistent on a program?
One of the main reasons people deviate or give up on a plan is due to an unsustainable approach. Forcing perfect execution of a diet or fitness program that’s too strict or demanding can decrease motivation. Another main culprit for poor results is lack of accountability which leads to inconsistency and decreased progress. SciFit is unique in the way that we provide weekly accountability meetings to ensure our clients are successful. These consultations also provide clients with the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance. We also take the time to educate our clients on nutrition and exercise so that when they are finished with the program they can continue to apply a healthy lifestyle and maintain the progress they have made.
fasting, the selections can become quite overwhelming. The most efficient way to make progress is to find something that works well for you. It’s important to determine what works best for your body type and preferences.
At SciFit Center, we’re unlike any other place out there, because we focus on helping our clients reach their fitness and wellness goals from every aspect possible. We formulate personalized nutrition and fitness programs that are tailored to our client’s schedules, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
Which methods will work best for my body type?
SciFit provides Food Sensitivity, Metabolism and DNA Testing which reveal food sensitivities, the efficiency of your metabolism, how your body metabolizes certain foods, and which exercise methods are most effective for your particular genetic makeup. This takes out the guesswork and allows you to do exactly what benefits you the most.
Is there any new technology available to help me reach my goals?
At SciFit Center, we utilize the Fit3D Body Scanner which provides you with the most accurate body composition data such as body fat percentage, muscle
mass, and anatomical measurements. This helps us monitor our clients’ progress and ensure that they are getting the results that they need. The comparison overlay feature allows you to see visual changes so you can identify the specific areas of improvement. By viewing these changes, you will be more engaged and motivated throughout your journey.
Do I have to eat clean 100% of the time to reach my goals?
One of the most important aspects of the SciFit philosophy is “having your cake and eating it too.” We believe in having a healthy balance between clean eating and indulging in not-so-healthy treats. The key to any successful weight loss approach is consistency. If you force yourself to restrict yourself too much and completely eliminate tasty treats or cheat meals, you’re only setting yourself up for failure. At SciFit Center we teach our clients how to manage their food intake in a manner which allows them to be flexible with the things they eat and how often they treat themselves. This allows for a real life approach that’s sustainable long term. An overly strict strategy may lead to quick weight loss, but you’ll gain it back twice as fast when your deprivation leads to overwhelming temptation that you can’t resist. Do it right the first time with guidance from the professionals at SciFit Center.
* SCIFIT CENTER NUTRITION AND FITNESS CONSULTING
DR. BRYCE CALVILLO, HEALTH & FITNESS SPECIALIST ANGELA CALVILLO, BS, NUTRITIONIST
2408 Forest Park Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76110
scifitcenter.com
817-975-7583
CAPTEX BANK — READY TO SERVE YOU
CapTex Bank is a Fort Worth-based community bank with over 100 years of Texas history. At CapTex, we strongly believe that the owner-operated “small businesses” in our community fuel the economy, and the entrepreneurs who start them are a different breed. We are that breed. In fact, every member of our executive team has been deeply involved in at least one bank startup. That makes a difference in the way we look at opportunities and solutions. It also influences the way we approach our banking relationships. We know that we must EARN your business by being responsive, respectful, and knowledgeable, and we will KEEP your business by continuously investing in our products, technology and security, AND teaching you, our client, how to use them. We feel strongly that local decisions are the best decisions. This is OUR market, and we believe that our depth of local knowledge gives our clients a great advantage. If you’re interested in working with a like-minded entrepreneurial team, give us a call or stop by. PICTURED: Mike Thomas, Jr.
* CAPTEX BANK
2929 W. Fifth St. Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.569.6226 captex.bank
TIPS FOR SANITY AS YOU SHELTER IN PLACE
As we all “shelter in place,” these are unprecedented times in our history. There are many stressors that come with the constant togetherness that is now present.
Here are a few tips from people who have dealt with family law issues for over 45+ years:
1) Structure the family’s daily routine. Make time for meals together. Assign chores and have a definite bedtime.
2) Assign “duties “ at home — who is to do what and when can bring great relief to tension in the family unit.
3) Be patient. This is a hard thing to do when you are stressed to begin with. Counting to 10 will work in most cases; in extreme cases, go for a walk.
4) Exercise. It’s a great de-stressor.
5) Make yourself a gratitude list and continue to add to it. Be grateful for your health, shelter, spouse, children, and pets.
6) Don’t assume anything. Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings, which can lead to arguments over nothing.
Family Law has been our business for over 45 years. We’ve helped many people through tough times in their relationships, and we are available to help with your family law issues. We hope that if you practice these tips, we will see you in the grocery store instead of our office. Stay Safe!
* GARY L. NICKELSON
THE LAW OFFICE OF GARY L. NICKELSON. 5201 West Freeway, Ste. 100 Fort Worth, TX 76107
817.735.4000
garynickelson.com
CONSIDERING GRADUATE SCHOOL?
If you’re like many people, the past year led to reflection on numerous areas of your life, including your career. How can I position myself for a promotion or make a career move? How can I learn about a topic that’s always interested me?
A graduate degree, especially when combined with realworld experience, just might be your answer. Increasingly, working professionals are choosing graduate school. In response, universities are striving to meet their needs. Having worked in graduate admissions for nearly a decade, I can tell you that grad school takes serious commitment. Before enrolling in a graduate program, do your homework: Make sure the program you choose fits your life and professional goals. Is it fully online, or will you need to be on campus? Research the faculty and their backgrounds. Get detailed cost estimates and discuss with your family how to cover tuition. How will this impact your short-term budget and long-term financial goals?
With career mobility on your mind, graduate school can be a worthy investment of your time and resources. At graduation, you’ll cross the stage not only with a diploma but with the know-how and sense of accomplishment to propel you to your next level.
* ELIZABETH DUNN RAWLINGS, MBA
Communications Director
Tarleton State University
College of Graduate Studies & Tarleton Online rawlings@tarleton.edu
Give Back
Because COVID-19 caused a delay or cancelation 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 cancelations as they come in.
MARCH 27
The Party In Fort Worth Fort Worth Promotion & Development Fund thepartyinfortworth.org
APRIL 29
It’s in the Bag
The Ladder Alliance ladderalliance.org
APRIL 29 & 30
Black Dog Shootout & Auction Party Black Dog Charity blackdogcharity.com
TBD END OF APRIL
Annual Ladies Luncheon Union Gospel Mission ugm-tc.org
MAY 5
23rd Annual Cigar Smoker
The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation fwlibraryfoundation.org
JUNE 12
An Evening in Paris Colleyville Woman’s Club c-w-c.org
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.
AUG. 17
Clay Shoot & Luncheon Big Brothers Big Sisters bbbstx.org/tarrant
Ongoing Donations Make-A-Wish ntx.wish.org
Ongoing Donations Parenting Center theparentingcenter.org
Ongoing Donations Legacy of Women/Legacy of Men SafeHaven safehaventc.org
Ongoing Virtual Event Pivot with a Purpose Wings of Hope wingsofhopeequitherapy.org
Francesca
Preslie Cavett
Lynzie
Toska
Edie
Kirstyn
Ainsley
2020 Miss Cinderella – Mary Nelle Cravens
“This full moon was captured on Jan. 28, 2021, around 6:15 p.m. from Southwest Fort Worth … I was prepared to catch the moon rising in between the towers of downtown Fort Worth, but thick clouds obscured the horizon. I was just about ready to pack up my gear in disappointment when the moon suddenly emerged, and I was able to grab this shot. It’s not the picture I planned to take, but that’s the adventure of photography — capturing the moment, even if it’s not what you expected.”
@lantzscapes_ig
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
PHOTO BY MATT LANTZ
The best course of action starts with charting the right course.
Justin Martin, MD
Advanced Heart & Vascular Care
Your heart is uniquely yours. At Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, formerly known as Consultants in Cardiology, your heart and vascular care begins with a plan that’s customized for you. And with locations across North Texas, our care is close by. Schedule an appointment today, either in-person or via virtual visit, and discover our compassionate, comprehensive approach. From proactive prevention and diagnostics to advanced bypass and valve surgery and more, we’ll get you started with a plan for your heart health. And, as always, we have protocols in place designed around your safety.
Find your specialist today. 866-922-1076 | THPG.org/Heart
FAMILY
Ties
For committed Mercedes-Benz owners DeeAnn and Barry Moore, purchasing a vehicle from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth is a given.
“As a family, we have purchased over 19 vehicles over the years from Park Place,” says Barry. And their love for the luxury manufacturer is a family affair, with their son, Bryce, owner of RocketBoy Solutions, driving a brand-new 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S Coupe from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. “Park Place is My Place because where else can you buy a luxury two-door sedan with over 500 horsepower — a car that can just about drive itself,” Bryce says.
Barry, a vice president with an international software development firm, currently drives
a 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63S, a highhorsepower car he loves for its handling and performance. Meanwhile, DeeAnn, owner of Moore Real Estate, appreciates the wellappointed cabin and array of features of her 2019 Mercedes-Benz S560. “My S-Class Mercedes-Benz is like a comfortable onthe-road office with a luxurious interior for showing homes to clients,” she says.
The Moore family appreciates the Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth dealership for many reasons, including “quality, expertise, inventory, and attention to detail.” “The service they provide us has been second to none,” Barry says. For these reasons and more, they consider themselves “customers for life.”
