A 3,000-MILE ADVENTURE AROUND THE LONE STAR STATE TEEPEES IN MARFA, TREEHOUSES IN KIRBYVILLE, AND BARBECUE ON THE BEACH — OUR STATE IS FULL OF SURPRISES.
14 PAGES / 9 DAYS / 1 STATE
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MILES AND
OF TEXAS
From
FEATURES
50 Ridin’ High
From
By Stephen Montoya
By Brian Kendall
57 Top Dentist List
When it comes to the dentist, you have nothing to fear but fear itself. These professionals are smile artists. By FW Mag Staff
a remote part of North Texas, south of town, TCU’s horsing Horned Frogs are hoofin’ it to the top of college’s equestrian world.
MILES
the Panhandle to the South Plains, down into Big Bend, to the Hill Country, Gulf Coast, and Piney Woods, a Texas road trip so grand that not even Stephen F. Austin could dream this big.
DEPARTMENTS
THE FORT
14 City Dweller
Fort Worth Zoo’s baby gorilla makes a historic, and early, entrance.
20 Calendar
March: In like a lion, out like Simon & Garfunkel.
22 Fort Worthian
Well-rounded Brandi Waller-Pace lives to expand world views.
24 History
Mack McCormick’s tormented journey in the down-home Texas blues.
28 State Lines
On the road to Dublin, where someone should really bottle Ben Hogan’s golf secrets.
32 The Reverie Musings, commentary, and insights.
CHOWTOWN
68 Dining
Can’t decide between French and Japanese for date night? Megu has you covered.
HOME
79 Container Home A man’s home in his containers.
Pictured: David Elattrache, GM, Platinum Honda; Roosevelt May, GM, SouthWest Honda;
Kerouacing with Kevin
Because I’ve moved around a lot, I’ve never been particularly great at keeping friends. Busyness, new friends, life in general, and my admitted forgetfulness cause obvious communication barriers. And, eventually, things just tail off. But there have been a few who have stuck around. Put up with these antics.
My friend Kevin is one of them.
Kevin was my roommate in college — one of those “potluck” situations, where you accept a random roommate assignment. At a small state school in West Texas, we’d connect over chess, a mutual disdain for society in our early 20s, and music. Kevin would graduate a year before me, but we’d end up living together again in Austin, where I was hopping from startup to startup, and Kevin was miserable and stuck in an entry-level job. But we still played chess — one of the few consistencies throughout that decade.
I’d eventually move to Dallas, and Kevin would move back to Miles, his hometown, so he could take care of his elderly mother. But, before we parted, we had made some plans.
Kevin had recently bought a cream-colored 1983 Mercedes sedan that ran on a diesel engine — this a replacement for his Hyundai rattletrap from the early ’90s that had no driver-side window. And we had this brilliant idea of driving his “new” car aimlessly around the western U.S. — no itinerary, no direction, just drive — for two weeks. When I later explained this to a friend who currently lives in Chicago, he called it kerouacing. We loved it. The name stuck.
On our first foray, which was also my first experience driving a stick shift, we’d drive through New Mexico (where we spent far too long looking for aliens in Roswell), Arizona (where a foggy day made the Grand Canyon indecipherable), Utah (where we drove his
Mercedes on the Bonneville Salt Flats), Nevada (where we nearly ran out of gas in the middle of the Great Basin), and California (where Kevin learned the dangers of the cholla cactus).
We’d embark on similar adventures three more times — one east and two west — but it’s been a few years since our last kerouacing excursion. And, honestly, it’s been a few years since we last spoke. He’d texted me a while ago, and I’d forgotten to respond. “Life” is not an acceptable excuse.
In late December, soon after Christmas, I give Kevin a call. He answers. I need someone to take a week off work and travel with me through the entire state of Texas, 3,000 miles. I need someone who’s capable with a camera (Kevin is) and whom I can also be in close quarters with for over a week (Kevin is). “Hey, Kevin, can you do this?” “Of course.” No hesitation. No, “where you been?” or “well, let me think,” or “let me see.” Just a solid, “I’m in.” I can say with 100% certainty, few deserve as good a friend as Kevin, and I ain’t one of them.
And now? Well, he’s got the damn cover shot.
ON THE COVER:
The entire trip, both Kevin and the editor, Brian Kendall, were trying to get “the shot.”
The cover shot. Of course, you never know when the stars align, and such an opportunity appears. Between Alpine and Marathon, Kevin got the shot on U.S. 90 as the sun was setting behind him and his road companion.
CORRECTIONS? COMMENTS? CONCERNS?
Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@fwtexas.com.
NEXT
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
What is a road trip memory you’d like to share?
Trip down the California coast, beginning with a flight into Sacramento. Wine country, PCH, Steinbeck, Hearst Castle, Hollywood, oh, my.
May 1985, driving 1,400 miles from Fort Worth to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. We kept the wheels rolling, stopping only for fuel and a Grand Canyon detour. Most of our meals were picnics at roadside parks.
A trip during college from San Marcos to Denver with two of my fraternity brothers — 17 hours straight. Hit many sights along the way, including Red Rocks and Mt. Evans. Then we had to drive back. Not as fun.
My truck broke down in Hobbs, New Mexico, on a weekend. Had to spend the night in the town’s only hotel, and the room looked like a set from the “King and I.”
owner/publisher hal a. brown
coo mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
contributing editor john henry
digital editor stephen montoya
contributing writers malcolm mayhew, michael h. price, charlotte settle, shilo urban copy editor sharon casseday
ART
creative director craig sylva senior art director spray gleaves advertising art director jonathon won director of photography crystal wise additional graphics: lauren deitzer
director of digital robby kyser director of marketing and audience development sarah benkendorfer marketing manager grace behr events and promotions director victoria albrecht
CORPORATE
chief financial officer charles newton founding publisher mark hulme
When my fam and I stopped at every Buc-ee’s on our way to Crystal Beach near Galveston last summer. We ate junk food like it was going out of style.
Before a road trip, our cat died. We held a funeral and buried it. When we returned home, our cat was sitting on our porch. My brother yelled out, “He rose from the dead!” We had buried our neighbor’s cat. Oops.
I found the “road to nowhere” driving back from a Taos, New Mexico, ski vacation: NM 120! It started as a paved road, then turned to gravel, then a dirt two-track, then a ranch footpath. Don’t trust your GPS maps on this one!
My not-so-fond road trip memory was moving from Michigan to Texas and one of my corgis getting diarrhea very early on. Had to stop to clean up and got to smell it for another 1,000 miles!
I used to make a trip to Nashville every summer to go see my buddy. Tenhour drive. A beautiful drive from Texarkana on. A lot of national forests across the Mississippi and beautiful pine-covered hill country. I miss it.
DIGITAL EDITION:
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June 2020
Ask any native Fort Worthian about tornadoes prior to the year 2000, and they’d have likely told you about an old American Indian legend that twisters never strike where river forks converge.
It was a naïve way to explain Fort Worth’s good fortune with tornadoes.
Sure, we’ve had our share of funnels and a couple of touchdowns, but never one that brought significant damage and death.
That is, until March 28, 2000. A Tuesday.
History details three significant weather events in Fort Worth over the past 72 years.
The first is the 1949 flood.
Next, is the Hailstorm From Hell in 1995.
In June 2020, we detailed the third: The tornado that barreled down West Seventh Street like the Tasmanian Devil in his most agitated state.
A few of the city’s better-known structures were little resistance to this SOB, which formed northwest of
the city center. It was initially spotted just southwest of Meacham Field at about 6:18 p.m. and followed to the Sansom Park and River Oaks area.
And then it turned eastward and headed toward downtown, packing winds between 113 mph and 152 mph.
It ripped through the Linwood neighborhood, damaging and destroying homes, including the former home of Lee Harvey Oswald. Trailers at the Montgomery Ward building were overturned.
As it climbed the bluff of the Trinity River, the twister’s intensity peaked.
The Cash America building confronted its progress to little avail. The building was ultimately torn to shreds.
The devil next headed to Calvary Cathedral, tearing a gaping hole in the dome of the church sanctuary and ripping off the bricks of the east wall tower.
That none of the worshippers in the prayer tower weren’t killed was a miracle.
In downtown, it bounced between Third and Fourth streets, building for a final showdown with the Bank One Building. Patrons on the 35th floor at Reata took cover in stairwells and bathrooms. The twister blew out windows and sent debris all across downtown.
Window blinds hung from streetlamp posts. Cushions from chairs and couches rested on parked cars, some of which were destroyed and others untouched. Paper littered the streets. Glass, of course, was everywhere.
The tornado dissipated above downtown. It never reached Interstate 35.
We remember three people who lost their lives, including two in the tornado. A third man died after being struck by a hail stone on the North Side.
photography by NBC 5 // John Dunn
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THE FORT
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO
HISTORY
A writer’s examination
of Mack McCormick’s genius, and his demons, rooted in his documentation of the Texas blues.
by John Henry
Historic Arrival
Fort Worth Zoo trumpets unique arrival of baby gorilla.
Fort Worth Zoo officials spent a portion of a Wednesday morning in February sharing details of their most recent tale of the miracle of life, this one occurring with the most unique set of circumstances and new challenges.
It’s quite a fascinating story that we were told. For the first time in the zoo’s history, a primate was delivered by cesarean by a volunteer team of human reproductive and neonatal specialists.
On Jan. 5, Dr. Jamie Erwin, a boardcertified physician in obstetrics and gynecology who practices at VIVI Women’s Health, assisted in the
premature delivery of a baby girl carried by 33-year-old Sekani, a western lowland gorilla who was suffering from preeclampsia, a serious condition involving high blood pressure during pregnancy that can occur in both humans and primates.
The baby was born at just 3 pounds, zoo officials say. Her father is Elmo, a silverback.
She has been given the name Jameela, the Swahili word for “beautiful.” That the name is also very close to “Jamie” was intentional, a special recognition for the role Erwin played in the event, zoo officials say.
“This means a tremendous amount to all of us,” says John Griffioen, a veterinarian and Fort Worth Zoo assistant director of animal programs and conservation. “Any gorilla birth is tremendous. It’s really important for the species.”
For our team, it’s even more meaningful to see all of this come together so quickly, to know that we have this community support that’s ready to jump in and help us. And then to know that our own teams came together for this really complicated, really intensive [event]. We’re only five weeks in now, and it’s been around-the-clock care. We’ve really all come together. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we will never forget this experience, and we are so pleased at how well she is doing. I think that is a testament to the care here.”
Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to hunting and disease. Gorillas also have an alarmingly low reproductive rate — at an observed rate of 3% population increase. So, even if there were a drastic decline in hunting and disease, it could take at least 75 years for population recovery to occur in optimistic scenarios, zoo officials say.
Dr. Robert Ursprung, board-certified in neonatal-perinatal medicine, was also brought in to consult with the zoo staff, including Sarah Cannizzo, boardcertified in zoological medicine. Erwin
has been a “long-standing” consultant to the zoo.
In the past, the zoo’s veterinary staff has consulted with specialists in human medicine on specific cases involving apes, our closest living relatives in the wild who share many biological similarities to humans.
The surgery was “amazingly, exactly the same” as a human cesarean, Erwin says.
“It was absolutely incredible,” Erwin says. “This is definitely a highlight of my career to assist with the zoo team and the veterinarians. Truly, after that first incision, it was business as usual. The anatomy is exactly the same. Sekani’s pelvis is slightly more narrow than a human female, but the procedure was to the T exactly like what we do in the human population. Just fascinating and wonderful.”
Zookeepers became concerned when they noticed a pregnant Sekani holding her head.
“You don’t know if it’s a headache; you don’t know if it’s allergies, but then we saw some lip shaking,” says Linda Roberts, supervisor of primates.
A video taken by Angie Holmes, the lead gorilla keeper, was shown around for opinions.
“Everyone was able to draw the conclusion between the headaches and this lip shaking that she probably had high blood pressure,” Roberts says. Testing confirmed that.
Left untreated preeclampsia can progress to eclampsia, which includes seizure activity, stroke, and stillbirth.
“So, Sekani’s life and the baby girl’s life were both in danger,” Erwin says.
Jameela has required around-theclock care — literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Part of that is because of the circumstances of her birth.
But there is a more complicated reason: Sekani, mother to three others, has shown no maternal nurturing instinct toward the baby. Zoo officials believe her reaction is a result of her not experiencing the normal hormonal fluctuations that occur during a natural and full-term birth.
photo provided by Fort Worth Zoo
As a result, zookeepers are hand raising Jameela for now. She is bottle fed every two to three hours. Staff also must ensure appropriate temperature regulation and monitor her weight, all while ensuring that she is near other gorillas to learn their smells, sights, and sounds.
She is held by a human — wearing a furry-type vest to simulate the feel of a gorilla — just about 24 hours a day because that’s what would happen in a normal setting.
Jameela has a nest that faces the apes’ bedrooms, so they can come by and take a look and interact without human zookeepers nearby. All have done so, says Holmes, the lead gorilla zookeeper.
“Thankfully, so far, everything has been very positive; everyone has shown interest,” Holmes says.
Including Sekani, who apparently still, though, doesn’t recognize the baby as hers.
Zoo officials have made a decision to go forward in training a surrogate mother for Jameela. She is 24-year-old Gracie, mother of two, including 1-year-old Bruno. The zoo has another option if Gracie doesn’t take.
“We’re very hopeful that Gracie will be an ideal surrogate mother and exhibit the maternal behaviors necessary for the baby to thrive,” says Griffioen. Those behaviors include holding and carrying the infant, presenting the infant to keepers for supplemental bottle feedings, and protection.
“And most importantly, teaching the little one the social skills she needs to be a gorilla.”
Says Roberts: “Because she’s going to live 40, 50 years, and we don’t want her to be a person in a monkey suit.”
Total Eclipse of the Fort
It’s your turn to witness the cosmic phenomenon of the total solar eclipse.
One of the most awe-inspiring spectacles in nature will darken the skies of Fort Worth on the afternoon of April 8: a total solar eclipse.
For a few minutes, the moon will move in front of the sun and block out the glowing disk entirely. As we’re enveloped by the moon’s shadow, the temperature will plummet, and stars will emerge in the middle of the day. Flowers will close, birds will return to their roosts, and cows may lie down in the fields.
The partial eclipse begins in Fort Worth at 12:22 p.m. You must wear certified solar filter glasses — NOT sunglasses — to view the sun directly during the partial phases of the eclipse.
The total eclipse will begin at 1:40 p.m. and last until 1:43 p.m.
Fort Worth experiences a total solar eclipse on average every 375 years, making this a once-in-four-lifetimes event. The 100-mile-wide path of totality will cross the U.S. from Texas to Maine, passing over 30 million Americans, including the cities of Fort Worth, Dallas, Waco, Austin, and half of San Antonio.
A total solar eclipse is a different altogether from a partial solar eclipse and the annular eclipse we experienced in October.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely covers the sun. The sun is
by Shilo Urban
400 times larger than the moon, yet also 400 times farther away, so the two very different orbs appear the same size to us earthlings.
One million visitors are expected to travel to Texas for the heavenly performance. Weather permitting, it will be the biggest outdoor spectator event in American history.
“People will gather at museums, gardens, town squares, schoolyards, and more to witness the sun’s magnificent power dimmed by the moon, creating a brief, breathtaking darkness,” says Abigail Hofbauer, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History marketing manager.
You can order solar glasses on the web or find them at local shops and museums like the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, which is hosting a big eclipse party with planetarium shows and handson activities starting at 10 a.m.
You can take off your eclipse glasses during totality. You will be standing in the shadow of the moon.
The partial eclipse will end at 3:02 p.m. in Fort Worth. The moon will have completed its trip across the face of the sun.
If you miss the total solar eclipse on April 8, you’ll have to wait 28 years for a chance to glimpse another one in Texas. And you’ll need to drive to the very southern tip of the state to see it.
by John Henry
No, Gary, No
Gary Patterson to Baylor? Say it ain’t so.
We’ll all remember where we were when we heard the news.
Gary Patterson is going to work for TCU’s archrival, Baylor, as a “senior level strategic consultant” to head coach Dave Aranda.
Sic em? More like feeling sick. More evidence that things change, and time — and circumstance — heal all wounds.
Comedians have made careers out of jokes about consultants.
The burning question on the topic of consultants in any industry is what they do exactly. They have a reputation for finding problems and then charging princely sums to fix the problems they have so astutely identified.
That’s not the way it works in college football.
Patterson, according to reports, will assist Baylor’s staff with breaking down tactics and strategies, and players of opponents while also evaluating Baylor’s offense and defense.
Any critical essay would appraise Patterson as sublime in the art of football. He proved that in molding TCU into a player on the college football landscape over his 22 years at the school. Twice, he had the Horned Frogs infringing on territory occupied by college football bluebloods.
Patterson won’t have any role on the
sidelines on Saturdays and, I don’t think, will actually be much involved in coaching and directing athletes.
There is, of course, one element to all this that piques interests.
That Patterson could provide a valuable service in Waco is not in question. This is a football team with warts.
No one in the top echelon of college football is on a hotter seat than Aranda, who somehow kept his job following a 6-7 season in 2022 with an even more woeful 3-9 in 2023.
There was a time that three wins at Baylor would get a coach a contract extension. That was another time and place. There is no substitute anywhere for winning football games, particularly in Texas.
So, Aranda enters the season as uncomfortable as a sinner at a revival.
If Athletic Director Mack Rhoades ultimately needs to make a change in the leadership of his football program, whom might he turn to, even in an interim, while seeking another coach?
A good candidate with loads of good experience at a school of similar size would be only down the hallway away.
Patterson is on record as saying that at age 64 he has “a lot of ballgames” still left in him.
Surely, world peace can be a thing.
Around Cowtown in 8 Seconds
A
smattering of things you might’ve missed
1. It’s Called Arlington FIFA announced nine World Cup matches including a semi-final will be played at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium during the 2026 World Cup, but many Arlingtonians were irked to see FIFA rechristen the stadium “Dallas Stadium” to avoid sponsorship tie-ins.
2. Buzzkill Following a Super Bowl ad worth a reported $7 million, Teamsters at the Fort Worth Molson Coors brewery approved a strike, claiming their demands during contract disputes were half the cost of the 30-second advertising spot.
3. Artificial Interference An investigation into AI-generated robocalls that impersonated President Joe Biden urging voters to stay home during the New Hampshire primaries has led authorities to area pollster Walter Monk, who was identified as one of the calls’ sources.
4. Property Values The proposed 2025 opening of the Juneteenth Museum hit a snag after it was revealed the current plan partially sits on land owned by two brothers unwilling to sell. Grandmother of Juneteenth, Opal Lee, says the museum “is going to open 2025 come hell or high water.”
5. One Small Step for Mandrill The Fort Worth Zoo, on Jan. 11, welcomed a baby mandrill whom keepers have dubbed Ruby, marking the first mandrill birth at the zoo since 1995 and only third such birth in the zoo’s history.
6. With Honors A 102-year-old WWII veteran, Vernon Mitchell, received France’s Legion of Honor, the European nation’s highest order of merit, nearly 80 years after storming the Beaches of Normandy and helping to liberate France.
7. Steer Crazy Leadfoot, the 2024 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo grand champion steer, sells for $340,000 to Fort Worth-based insurance broker Higginbotham, who also purchased last year’s champion, Snoop Dogg.
8. Third Place Is the Charm Analyzing Google reviews from grocery stores across the nation, solitaire-playing website Solitaired announced via a blog that the Central Market at I-30 and Hulen Street is the third best spot to shop for food in the entire U.S.
Beyond the nearly 4 decades of serving North Texas, as well as the hundreds of awards Claffey Pools number one mission is to build the absolute finest projects with the best technology, methodologies, and principles. We do not cut corners and we deliver projects excellence in everything we do.
help you
March
7
Fall Out Boy
One of the most successful rock bands from the 2000s, Fall Out Boy, is touring behind its 2023 album, So Much (For) Stardust, which became the group’s seventh consecutive Top 10 album.
Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com
8–10
John Williams Celebration
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will pay tribute to one of the most influential film score composers of all time with performances of his memorable work from “Superman,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” and likely much more.
Bass Performance Hall basshall.com
9 Loving
Hot on the heels of releasing their third fulllength album, these indie groovers from Victoria, British Columbia, perform a hypnotic brand of balladry that’s not easily forgotten.
Tulips tulipsftw.com
9–10
homeTOWNESfest
The city where Townes Van Zandt was born and spent the first eight years of his life is as good as any to call his hometown, and that city’s also as good as any to host a festival in the late singer/songwriter’s honor.
Southside Preservation Hall hometownesfest.org
10–July 28
Surrealism and Us
A new exhibition that highlights Caribbean surrealist artists, this showcase will feature over 50 works of varying media — painting, sculpture, drawing, and video — from the 1940s to the present day.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth themodern.org
16
African
American Roots Music Festival
Displaying the wide breadth and rich history of African American music, this one-day festival aims to change the misguided perception many may have of Black music and celebrate its past and innovation.
Southside Preservation Hall fwaamfest.com
16–17
Southside Spillover
Fort Worth gets a taste of Austin’s SXSW when a bevy of artists who wrapped up performances at the annual festival and conference make their way up I-35 to play this two-day festival.
Tulips tulipsftw.com
21
‘The Simon & Garfunkel Story’
A celebration of one of music’s most popular duos, “The Simon & Garfunkel Story” merges projected photos and original film footage with a live band performing all of the hits.
Bass Performance Hall basshall.com
21–April 13
‘Water by the Spoonful’
The Circle Theatre takes on this 2012 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which tells the story of multiple members of a Philadelphia family and their struggles with trauma and recovery.
Circle Theatre circletheatre.com
March 16
Festival of Colors
We’d leave our Sunday best at home for this Hindu-inspired festival, where attendees celebrate the arrival of spring by throwing handfuls of colored powders known as gulal at one another.
Panther Island Pavilion dallasfestivalofcolors.com
John Williams Celebration
Surrealism and Us
Fall Out Boy
‘The Simon & Garfunkel Story’
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Brandi Waller-Pace
Musician, educator, community organizer
By Charlotte Settle Photo by Crystal Wise
For Brandi Waller-Pace, music is more than an art form — it’s a portal into a forgotten past and a conduit for cultural change.
Originally from Atlanta, Waller-Pace earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in jazz studies from Howard University in Washington, D.C. After moving to Fort Worth, she dove into the music scene, performing whenever and wherever she could but would eventually pursue a more stable career as an elementary school music teacher. While working at a school of almost exclusively Black and brown students, she saw firsthand the lack of access to resources compared with other schools in the district.
For several years, Waller-Pace served on the Fort Worth ISD Racial Equity Committee and helped schools revise their standardized lower elementary music curriculum. “I would ensure we were looking at the background of the songs we were including, avoiding selections that perpetuate negative stereotypes, and not just choosing songs in English or from this part of the world,” she explains.
About five years ago, Waller-Pace picked up the banjo for the first time, which launched her into a journey of exploring her lineage. “I learned that enslaved Africans in the Americas created banjos,” she says. “There are all these wonderful musicians in this continuum of reclaiming the music and rewriting those narratives that write Black folks out of it.”
While many associate the banjo with bluegrass, Waller-Pace plays a style referred to as clawhammer. “It’s more closely associated with the techniques that were transferred over from African folks brought to the Americas. I didn’t even know the history when I first heard that sound, but I was like, this is it.”
At the encouragement of a friend, Waller-Pace began compiling her research about the history of the banjo and African American music onto a website, Decolonizing the Music
Room. What began as a resource hub quickly grew into an official nonprofit organization, with representatives leading educational presentations all over the metroplex. “Our mission is centering Black, brown, indigenous and Asian voices in all music disciplines,” she says.
In 2021, she hosted the organization’s first annual Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival (FWAAMFest), which takes place at Southside Preservation Hall and continues to attract Black artists from around the country. Past performers have ranged from banjo-playing folk rapper Demeanor, to Grammy Award-winning old-time musician Justin Robinson.
Waller-Pace and the Decolonizing the Music Room team put their heart and soul into these initiatives to enrich and diversify Fort Worth’s cultural landscape — but as a nonprofit, the organization relies heavily on community support.
“We want to continue to push for equity — not just along racial ethnic lines, but also in pay and practices,” Waller-Pace says. “We can’t do what we do without community support.”
BY THE WAY....
What other local nonprofits should Fort Worthians get involved in?
Community Frontline: Mobilizing men to alleviate suffering in their communities.
Southside Community Garden: Building garden boxes at homes in neighborhoods impacted by systemic racism. The Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society: Preserving African American historical contributions to educate and empower through art, history, and culture in Tarrant County.
Pura Vida Youth: Providing local youth of all ages with culturally relevant learning that inspires a passion for education, discovery, self, and community.
Swan Strings: Providing free music education, community concerts, and sound therapy to North Texas children without access. Arts Fifth Avenue: Developing and preserving interest in tap dance and jazz music. (And was instrumental in launching Waller-Pace’s performing career in Fort Worth!)
1. Presenting to music educators at the International Kodály Society Symposium in August 2023. 2. Teaching students during a residency at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2019. 3. Performing with Mandy Hand at Fort Worth’s Main at Southside in 2019. 4. Visiting the Dallas Museum of Art in 2023. 5. Performing with Marcelo Berestovoy and Cory Hamilton at Near Southside’s Friday on the Green in 2022. 6. Performing at the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival in 2022.
7. Presenting research at a poster session during the Texas Music Educators Association annual conference in 2022.
by Michael H. Price
The Blue Monster
Mack McCormick’s tormented life in the down-home Texas blues
The sprawling arena of research poses a persistent temptation for any enthusiast in any field of knowledge — a perpetual mystery, never to be solved to the dedicated researcher’s satisfaction. The deeper one digs, the deeper one must dig, as the information one unearths leads only to further mysteries.
I have known many such cultural explorers in all obsessive phases of the interest: It takes one to know one.
Starting out as a constant moviegoer, nephew of a picture-show operator, I determined to learn all that could be
learned about the horror-film genre that helped to keep my hometown’s movie theaters in business.
And that boyhood fact-finding mission led at length to a career in newspaper and magazine journalism, specializing in film criticism, and to a collaborative series of books called Forgotten Horrors. And here, nearly 50 years after fellow film columnist George E. Turner and I launched Forgotten Horrors as a single volume, I’m still working on that series — 13 sequels and spinoffs in print, and more in
preparation. Like I say, the deeper one digs...
If movie-history research is a deep well, then another area of interest — Texas’ indigenous music-making scene — is a bottomless abyss. My movie-exhibitor uncle, Grady L. Wilson, also was a blues enthusiast who collected all the right phonograph records and aligned himself with the Black community of Amarillo, the better to experience the Black nightclub scene of the 1950s and ’60s.
Same dog that bit my uncle must have snapped at me, and by the time I had reached grammar-school age, I had become as familiar with the guitar artistry of T-Bone Walker, the declamatory blue-note voice of Big Joe Turner, as my classmates were with the emerging hit-record idiom of rock ’n’ roll. Think Bill Haley or Elvis Presley could tackle “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” and make it stick? Turner got there first and better as the originator of “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” and Big Joe taught that raunchy lyric to me in person — thanks to my uncle’s friendship with the singer known as “the Boss of the Blues.” Blues scholarship became a passion to rival that of movie lore, for the personalities I met were as fascinating as the music they made.
Role models were fewer and farther between in those days. I read Leonard Feather in Metronome magazine, Whitney Balliett in The New Yorker, and Harvey Pekar in DownBeat magazine — often wishing that those authoritative voices would devote greater attention to the rawboned blues in addition to their concentration on jazz in general. But I found a kindred interest in a fellow Texan named Mack McCormick, who had written for DownBeat but found his truer voice as an author of liner notes for various blues albums from the Arhoolie Records label. McCormick’s essays displayed a deep knowledge of such regional bluesmen as Lightnin’ Sam Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, and Clifton Chenier. Came to find out that McCormick had encouraged Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz to record such
primary-source players, and that McCormick had insinuated himself, as thoroughly as any white-guy Houstonian could do so, into the essentially Black blues milieu.
The influential Houston Folklore & Music Society, with McCormick as a co-founder and scout, ranged the state in search of obscure and emerging songsters. His work as such helped to advance the careers of such pivotal artists as Townes Van Zandt (from Fort Worth), Lightnin’ Hopkins (from Centerville), Nanci Griffith (from Seguin), and Guy Clark (from Monahans).
Over the long term, while McCormick’s lasting affinities lay with the undiluted blues, he proved to have more in common with Van Zandt than with any pure-blues discoveries.
Van Zandt’s native talents lay in the singer-songwriter arena, with a lyrical imagination to rival a more famous contemporary, Bob Dylan. McCormick was no musician, as such, but his appreciative qualities amounted to an art-form per se. More to the point, Van Zandt and McCormick shared a self-destructive streak that provoked their brilliance even as it prevented them from achieving any greater potential or stability.
Van Zandt died young (at 52, in 1997). McCormick lived to 85 in 2015, having spent his later years in paranoid obscurity and depression, as a surviving daughter has attested. He had become fearful to attempt completing his life’s work in monumental blues scholarship, lest his accomplishments be stolen by envious rivals. As Guy de Maupassant has written, “Solitude is a perilous condition for the vigorous mind.”
Robert “Mack” McCormick, a native Pennsylvanian-gone-Texan, earned his musicologist bones without academic pedigree or apprenticeship — an amateur, in other words, who occasionally feigned scholarly credentials. His enthusiasm was a persuasive substitute for formal scholarship, however compromised by bipolar alienation. McCormick preserved his research so obsessively that his immense
private archive (which he called “the Monster”) has proved an irresistible acquisition for the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History, obtained in 2022 for preservation and curatorial indexing. An occasional freelance fact-finder for the Smithsonian, McCormick also claimed Smithsonian officialdom even when not on official business.
An unknown quantity of the archive can only be considered suspect, however, for McCormick also salted his findings with deliberate errors and falsifications. With this rank-amateur method, he presumed to identify and expose imaginary plagiarists, in case some colleague or acquaintance might crib from his research. His voluminous files of tape recordings, photographs, and documents also included a designated “Enemies List,” containing the names of antagonists, rivals, and banished colleagues.
One benevolent side effect of the Smithsonian’s control of McCormick’s files is the 2023 completion of a sidelined historical novel that he called Biography of a Phantom. McCormick had begun a seemingly endless search during the late 1960s for the elusive particulars of the life of Robert Johnson.
Now, Johnson, a Mississippi blues guitarist of rare intensity, had died of a poisoning at age 27 in 1938, not long after he had made 29 uniquely styled commercial recordings as a visitor to Dallas and San Antonio. Mississippi was a geographical stretch for McCormick, who nonetheless considered the entire Southland as what he called “Greater Texas.”
Obscure in his day despite a selection of 78-rpm phonograph records, Johnson had inspired a mythology that centered upon the superstitious legend of his having “sold his soul” in exchange for music-making ability. When reissued for a 1961 album called King of the Delta Blues Singers, such Johnson pieces as “Love in Vain” and “Cross Road Blues” proved inspirational to such blues-rock luminaries as the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, the Yardbirds’
Eric Clapton, and Jim Colegrove, a founder of Fort Worth’s perennial Juke Jumpers ensemble.
McCormick made Biography of a Phantom a seemingly endless work-inprogress, roaming the South in search of locals who might remember Robert Johnson. McCormick connected at last with family members, but he gradually botched the breakthrough by alienating the surviving Johnsons in disputes over contractual agreements and the possession of photographs.
The book’s retroactive editor, John W. Troutman, a curator with the Smithsonian, found daunting complications: McCormick had written, rewritten, modified, and undermined Biography of a Phantom before setting it aside unpublished, fearful that other chroniclers might take advantage. Though groundbreaking in intent, McCormick’s research became less so with the passage of time as more direct accounts surfaced, some speculative and others truthful. These include a 2020 memoir, Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson, by the artist’s stepsister, Annye Anderson.
To compound the picture, a thwarted research project between McCormick and the English scholar Paul Oliver — one of those alienated colleagues — was finally published in 2019 by Texas A&M University Press as The Blues Come to Texas. Then in 2023, Smithsonian Folkways records issued a compact-disk collection, Playing for the Man at the Door, containing McCormick’s spontaneous recordings of blues-and-folk artists of the last century.
No such newer developments can diminish the fascinating worth of McCormick’s diligent and controversial methods of preserving and manipulating essential components of American music. If Biography of a Phantom, as finally issued, reveals less about Robert Johnson than the author had intended, then the book becomes all the more compelling for its unintentional portrait of the study in contradictions and obsessions that was Mack McCormick.
Photo: the Primo II fireplace from Heat & Glo, with Architectural Fiber and Driftwood Log Set.
by Shilo Urban
Dublin, Texas
Population: 3,433
Dublin erupts into a frenzy of green shamrocks, little leprechauns, and Celtic jigs every March at its St. Patrick’s Day celebration — but it’s up for debate whether the town was named after the Irish capital city or not. Founded by a Scotsman in 1854, Dublin is 90 minutes southwest of Fort Worth on the grassy, rolling plains just past Stephenville. Many historians think its name came from the exclamation “Double in!” — a warning cry heard in frontier settlements during Native American raids. Translation: Hotfoot
it to whoever’s home is the easiest to defend from attack. Others argue that the moniker evolved from the double log cabins (also called dogtrot cabins) that proliferated in the area. Whatever the case, this diminutive burg has long been known not for Irish whiskey but for Texan eau de vie: Dr. Pepper. Dublin Bottling Works produced the distinctive soda from 1891 to 2012 with pure cane sugar from Texas’ Imperial Sugar company. Alas, after a lawsuit by their corporate overlords, Dr. Pepper is no longer
bottled in Dublin — but the bottling company still churns out 17 tasty flavors of soda, including Strawberry Bliss, Red Cola, and Orange Dream.
One block away is the Ben Hogan Museum, which tells an inspiring story even if you know nothing about Hogan, a legendary golfer. He lived in Fort Worth most of his life but had humble beginnings as the son of a blacksmith in Dublin. After a near-fatal car accident in 1949, Hogan was told he would never walk again. But he came back to become one of the most successful golfers in the history of the sport, winning three major championships in one year (a feat only equaled by Tiger Woods). Hogan also invented a new style of clubs by drawing on his blacksmith background, and his unique stroke is still taught on countless golf courses today.
Dublin’s history swings from the greatest-ever golfer to a straight-shooting hero: Gene Autry. Back in the early mid-century, the nearby Lightning C Ranch provided livestock for top rodeos all over the country, including the Madison Square Garden Rodeo in New York City. Many a bucking bronco rode the 24-car “rodeo train” from Dublin to NYC, along with Texan cowboys and cowgirls on their way to compete.
Dublin’s own World’s Championship Rodeo caught the attention of Western film star Gene Autry, who partnered with its owner to create
photos courtesy of Dublin CVB // HY Peskin Collection
The beginnings of Ben Hogan’s greatness begin in Dublin.
one of the biggest rodeo companies on the planet. Dive into the area’s rich rodeo history at the Dublin Rodeo Heritage Museum and snap a selfie on a saddle while you’re there.
From cowboys to Celts — Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day festival (March 16 in 2024) brings a hearty dose of Irish cheer to Central Texas. Catch a classic small-town parade and kick up your heels with live Celtic bands and bagpipers. Wear green for the gleeful celebration and channel your inner leprechaun in the official Irish Capital of Texas.
Explore Dublin
Savor: Wake up with a pour-over coffee, organic chai, or churro iced espresso at Blackjack’s. In addition to fresh pastries, the cozy coffee shop serves breakfast burritos, creative pizzas, and fun sandwiches like the Orchard Deluxe, a ham sammy with Swiss cheese and apple jelly on a braided bun. For more substantial fare, Backwoods brings it on with killer chicken-fried steak and “dirty” waffle fries smothered in house-made queso and brisket. Locals swear by Granny Clark’s, a downhome eatery with blue checkered tablecloths and country comfort food like fried pork chops, cornbread, and cobbler.
Shop: Looking for a custom-made kilt? Choose from over 500 tartan patterns at Things Celtic, a boutique with a fantastic collection of high-quality treasures from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Browse beautiful Celtic knot jewelry, intriguing foods from abroad, and interesting books on history and culture. You can look up your family’s coat of arms and try on fine wool scarves and hats. Ready-made kilts are also available with all the accessories: clan badges, blades, kilt pins, and sporran pouches. And before you leave town, be sure to stop by Dublin Bottling Works to pick up some cane sugar sodas for the road.
Enjoy: Discover how cave-aged cheese is crafted on a behindthe-scenes tour of Veldhuizen Cheese, a family-owned farmstead that produces 20 varieties of raw milk artisan cheese. Try plenty of samples while you’re there, from redneck cheddar (with curds soaked in Texas stout beer) to best-sellers like Dublin Karst and Bosque Blue. Tours take place on Thursdays at noon and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Grab some Gouda to go and pop over to Lucky Vines Vineyard & Winery for the perfect pairing. You’ll find flights of mimosas on the weekends along with a smattering of reds and an interesting carbonated muscat for dessert. Prefer beer? They also brew a Lucky beer on-site, which goes green in March for St. Patrick’s Day.
Snooze: Skip the hotels. You’ll find the best sleep in short-term rentals on Airbnb and Vrbo, like The White Pine Cottage at Clay House — an adorable one-bedroom, one-bathroom retreat with a cool black-white-and-wood color scheme. Located just inside the city limits, it’s set on 20 acres with a dry creek and wooded area to explore. For something more central, there are several renovated 1930s houses with throwback touches like hardwood floors, window seats, and rocking chairs on the front porch.
How to Get There: The country route to Dublin is basically a straight shot on US-377 heading south from Fort Worth through Granbury and Stephenville, about 82 miles. The interstate route is slightly faster; drive west on I-20 until you reach US-281 (about 20 miles past Weatherford). Go south on US-281, and when you reach Stephenville, turn right onto US-377 and follow it to Dublin.
The town’s rodeo has ties to Western royalty: Gene Autry.
Dublin’s former Dr Pepper Bottling Plant is still in operation but now putting caps on other brands.
Looking for a kilt? Things Celtic is a boutique with a fantastic collection of high-quality treasures from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
by John Henry
Air Power in DFW Hatched Over an Air War
Out-of-towners, North Texas citizens, and those qualifying as dignitaries are all marking the jubilee 50th anniversary of the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in 2024.
The occasion merits a season of celebration.
DFW has been the most consequential economic development project in Fort Worth’s history, and, really, the entire region.
The airport supports an annual payroll of $38 billion across more than 630,000 jobs, according to the data the airport collects. Visitors to Fort Worth and Dallas and the surrounding region generate $24 billion in economic activity each year. That results in $3 billion in state taxes and $2 billion that goes into the local collection basket.
Seventy-three million passengers pass through DFW each year, secondmost in the world.
Following in the wake of that landmark birthday was the annual report Hillwood delivers on the economic impact of AllianceTexas. That number is $120 billion over 35 years, including $10 billion just last year.
The catalyst for the Alliance development is Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the only nonpassenger airport ranked in the Top 20 U.S cargo airports.
Aviation has been a good friend to Fort Worth as far back as World War I, when three flying fields were established here as training sites for army aviators. The first airmail service in Texas originated here in 1925. In 1928, the first airline passenger to ever fly out of Texas on a scheduled airline flight departed from Meacham Field.
Carswell Air Force Base, the bombers
and fighters, including the F-16, of Convair, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin, and the machines of Bell Flight have all been consequential.
Many of these events, programs, and institutions were prompted by the agitation of Amon Carter, who was said to have felt about aviation the way Willie Nelson feels about the hot stick.
Perhaps no one recognized better the economic value that aviation would bring to Fort Worth.
The history of the construction of DFW airport is a fascinating one.
Discussions between Dallas and Fort Worth to build a shared airport go all the way back to the 1920s. For the better part of 10 years, Amon tried to interest Dallas in a shared airport.
In the 1940s, it almost happened. An agreement and plan were set in place for an airport halfway between the cities. However, an engineering firm suggested that the rear of the terminal would face Dallas, sending, it was said, Dallas Mayor Woodall Rogers into a rage.
Amon chastised Rogers, noting in an opinion piece in the Fort Worth StarTelegram, that the “rear-door feature may not be as important as you think.”
As Jerry Flemmons noted in his biography of Amon, the actual reason Dallas dissolved any agreement for a shared airport was Amon Carter.
Flemmons wrote: “Dallas leaders feared he would do with the shared airport as he did with Fort Worth, as he damned well pleased.”
With the evolution of larger and faster airplanes, Meacham Field’s apparent limitations grew more obvious. Meanwhile in Dallas, Love Field was busier and larger. Moreover, Fort
Worthians had to go there, for the most part, for air travel.
So, Amon, the largest stockholder of American Airlines, and the city of Fort Worth set out to build an airport.
Dallas didn’t want that either, certainly not where it was planned, on 1,800 acres near Arlington that the city of Fort Worth annexed. Dallas hired out a hitman in U.S. Rep. Joseph Wilson, who managed to take a scalpel to an appropriations bill, cutting out federal money for Fort Worth’s airport.
Editorialists at the Star-Telegram, likely Amon himself, wrote:
“The folks [in Dallas] should know by now that Fort Worth is not easily thwarted. The Greater Fort Worth International Airport is going to be built. Make no mistake about that.”
It was around this time that Amon said he’d never eat lunch over there.
Ultimately, Amon got his way. Fort Worth’s federal airport money was reestablished. The city — and Amon Carter — built an airport as grand and splendid as any anywhere.
The Greater Fort Worth International Airport was open to traffic in 1953. Amon said he hoped the occasion would mark a new era in relations between the two cities, adding that he hoped “the hatchet is buried for good.”
Fort Worth and Dallas were growing together, he declared. “One day you won’t know when you leave one and enter the other.”
For his part in all of it, the city gave it a second name, Amon Carter Field.
The Greater Fort Worth International Airport was a failure. Fort Worth never generated enough passengers for the airlines to make a profit. Slowly but surely, service was diverted from Fort Worth and moved to Love Field.
Finally, in the 1960s, the federal government forced the two cities to build a shared airport facility. Its site: only a few miles north of the Greater Fort Worth International Airport.
And for 50 years, DFW International Airport has been everything those early Fort Worth city visionaries dreamed it would be when they argued for it 100 years ago.
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BY BRIAN KENDALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN GLASS AND BRIAN KENDALL
Texas is likely the only state where one can drive 3,000 miles within the confines of its borders — save for an epic California adventure and a route around Alaska during summer months. And it's a task we gleefully took on.
The idea was to show the amazing breadth of the largest state within the contiguous U.S. to reveal its hidden gems. To experience its diversity — geographically, culturally, and otherwise. And to express astonishment over its massiveness.
Giving myself nine days to accomplish the above, I created an itinerary, prepared my feet for a whole lot of pedal pushing, and set across this great state in my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
I would take off for the Panhandle in mid-January and link up with my friend and longtime road companion, Kevin, in the Concho Valley town of Miles. He and I would then wander the state of Texas, driving 3,011 miles while hitting each of the state’s most sig-
nificant geographic regions. To put that number in perspective, driving from San Francisco to New York City, coast to coast, is 2,906 miles. We beat that mark by over 100 miles while remaining in the same state.
We’d avoid interstates, all-too-common stops, fastfood restaurants, and push ourselves to shed a light on the nooks and crannies of the Lone Star State.
In the end, while proud to have completed such an epic trip, we quickly realized that Texas is far too immense for us to do this beautiful state justice in the period allotted. With the miles we traveled in the time we had, the trip became a feat of endurance rather than a pursuit of discovery.
But that’s not to say we didn’t do our darndest. To the contrary, in the following pages, we think you’ll find a number of revelations about the state we call home. And we certainly hope this story gives you the itch to do a little discovering yourselves. I certainly can’t wait to get back on the road.
DAYS 1–2 FORT WORTH » CANYON » MILES
(THE PANHANDLE)
Underappreciated and often dismissed, the Texas Panhandle requires a little patience and a sense of adventure to reap its rewards. The land’s beauty doesn’t come out and smack you in the face like the Guadalupe Mountains or Hill Country. No, in the Panhandle, you have to look for such beauty. But with a keen eye, you’ll notice it’s all around.
On a map, the Panhandle stands as one of Texas’ most distinct features — a thin monolith shooting out of the western side of the state. But some may argue that, topographically and culturally, it’s sparse
and pretty darn ho-hum. Well, one couldn’t be more mistaken. While the area is technically engulfed by the Great Plains, the Panhandle is also home to picturesque rolling hills and one of the most stunningly beautiful state parks north of Big Bend, Palo Duro Canyon. And Amarillo, a bedrock of cowboy culture and big steaks (you gotta check out The Big Texas Steak Ranch), is more than a serviceable cultural capital.
Our guess as to why such prejudice exists toward this beautiful part of the state: It’s just so dang far away. Unless you’re driving to Colorado, doing business in Amarillo, or itching to see where they filmed the final scene in “Cast Away” (yeah, it was in the Panhandle), there’s not a whole lot that’ll take you to the far northern reaches of the state. Unfortunately, where the Texas Panhandle exists makes it isolated and easy to ignore. It might as well be a dirt-covered Greenland. So, naturally, I made this elusive area the first stop during my expedition of the state.
From Fort Worth, the route you should take to avoid any lanes of more than two goes through Jacksboro, Seymour, and Quanah via a bevy of state highways and U.S. routes. As will be the case throughout the trip, long stretches of nothing — aside from trees, cows, and the occasional horse — exists between these communities of no more than a few thousand. A distinct smell of barbecue is normally the tipoff that you’re approaching a town — and to slow the heck down. Smoked meats in this part of the country equate to the smell of civilization.
You don’t technically reach the Panhandle until you cross Childress, a town that serves as the Panhandle’s eastern gateway. Canyon, my first stop, is two hours west of Childress and a mere 20 miles south of Amarillo. My digs for the
Things to See and Do
1. Fort Richardson State Park The remnants of an old Army installation in Jacksboro
2. Palo Duro Canyon State Park
The second largest canyon in the country
3. Cadillac Ranch Art installation of half-buried Cadillacs in Amarillo
4. Buddy Holly Center Museum dedicated to the music icon in Lubbock
5. American Windmill Museum
Twenty-eight acres of over 160 windmills on display in Lubbock
night are the El Capitan Boxcar Casita, a repurposed boxcar that sits on a horse ranch. According to the owner, Becky Meyring, she purchased the charmingly distressed car on Facebook Marketplace and had it delivered by freight.
The following morning, despite temperatures barely eking above freezing, Palo Duro Canyon, which is conveniently next door to the town of Canyon, was an obvious stop. Dubbed the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” Palo Duro’s multicolored layers, distinct rock formations, and steep mesas aren’t duplicated anywhere else in the state — or even the country, for that matter. The road that leads to the state park, State Highway 217, which eventually works its way into the canyon and loops around, is one of the state’s must-do drives.
Following this loop, I was off to Miles.
Where to Eat
1. Dairy Land Drive Inn Barbecue, tacos, burgers in Jacksboro
2. The Medicine Mound Depot Restaurant Good ol’-fashioned American fare in Quanah
3. The Big Texan Steak Ranch
Home of the 72-ounce steak in Amarillo
4. Dirk’s Chicken Deep fried with plenty of sauces in downtown Lubbock
5. Holly’s Drive-In Old-fashioned burgers and chicken drive-in in Post
Where we stayed
Canyon: El Capitan Boxcar Casita, a repurposed boxcar on a horse ranch
How to Ensure Your Car Is Ready to Take On 3,000 Miles
You don’t wanna break down in the middle of Nowheresville, Texas.
1. Tires: Don’t just kick ’em. Walk around them, look at them, inspect them. Look for nails or any other potential damage and check your tire pressure. Most cars require between 30 to 25 psi.
2. Lights: Test all of your lights to ensure they’re functioning (headlights, brake lights, high beams, turn signals, and fog lights).
3. Fluid levels: Check and top off your six essential fluids (oil, radiator, brake, power steering, transmission, and windshield washer).
4. Wiper blades: Turn on your windshield wiper fluid to make sure your blades aren’t worn. This also serves as an easy way to check your wiper fluid.
5. Air filter: You’ll want this spick-and-span and free of dust.
6. Brakes: They’re gonna get a workout on this trip, so make sure they’re still functioning at a high level. Go for a test drive and listen for grinding sounds and feel for vibrations when you apply the brakes.
DAY 3 MILES » MARFA (WEST TEXAS)
In Texas, there are two types of towns. The first type is the county seat — or, at least, typically the county seat. This town is larger but still small enough to keep it from graduating to city status. Its downtown — what is a row of mostly vacated businesses in two- or three-story brick buildings constructed decades upon decades ago — forms a square, a town square, centered around the county courthouse. And the courthouse itself is a marvelous work of architecture. It’s a plaza, of sorts, where commerce seems to butt up to where justice is doled out. Somewhere in the town is also a tall water tower with a bulb that bears both the name of the town and the mascot of its high school football team.
Where to Eat
1. PV Deli by Chef Jason Sandwiches in San Angelo
2. Sugar Creek Classic American fare in Big Lake (try the Oilfield Trash)
3. Mingo’s Burritos Mexican food with excellent burritos in Fort Stockton
4. Reata The original Reata serving Southwestern cuisine in Alpine
The other type of town is smaller with only a brief stretch of street, if that, to call its downtown. If driving through at night, no light pollution exists, and one can pass by having hardly seen evidence of life. It’s as though its entire population has a bedtime of 7:30 and, beyond a single post office, little exists in the way of customer service positions. It subsists almost purely on the farming and ranching community that surrounds it.
Of the two towns, Miles is the latter.
A town of less than 1,000 people, Miles does manage to have a coffee shop that serves excellent kolaches and is home to Chaos Ranch, a donkey sanctuary with almost 90 rescued jacks and jennies. A couple of years ago, the ranch’s owners, Chandra and Jared, plopped a shipping container in the middle of the property, which is now a cozy Airbnb. If you decide to be their guest, Jared, one of the most affable people I’ve ever met, will introduce you to the drove of donkeys. And, yes, some of them bite.
Things to See and Do
1. International Waterlily Collection Seven ponds full of waterlilies in San Angelo
2. The Chicken Farm Art Center Shop and check out Concho Valley art in San Angelo
3. Monahans Sandhills State Park Nearly 4,000 acres of sandhills in Monahans
4. Rattlers and Reptiles A rattlesnake museum in Fort Davis
Country, and West Texas all converge. But Miles, for its part, is all plains. And that’s quite all right by Kevin.
“The sky rules the plains,” Kevin told me on the trip when speaking about the enormous breadth one sees around his hometown. In the plains, there’s nothing in the sky’s way. After going to nearby San Angelo to make a stop at PV Deli by Chef Jason, which serves some of the state’s tastiest sandwiches, we head west on Highway 67 to Marfa and very abruptly enter oil country. Pump jacks, pump jack supply companies, and even pump jack graveyards dominate the scenery in towns like Barnhart, Rankin, and Big Lake (where no lake exists). While it’s clear that these towns struggle — like many in today’s America — the nearby oil fields are giving them a lifeline.
Miles is also where my companion for the remainder of the trip, Kevin, lives. It’s where he was born and raised and — aside from a brief stint in Austin — the place he’s always called home. Kevin has a love of this area of the country — Miles rests in the Concho Valley, an area that sits at the southern border of the Great Plains and northwestern border of the Edwards Plateau. It’s where the Panhandle, the Hill
Continuing westward, the plains turned to mesas (with windmills sitting atop), and the mesas turned into mountains. Within a couple of hours, the oil flatlands have given way to Big Bend country.
Where we stayed
Miles: Chaos Ranch, a repurposed shipping container next to a donkey sanctuary
Texas Tunes Playlist
A little something for everyone – so long as everyone is in Texas
“On the Road Again” – Willie Nelson
“Texas Sun” – Leon Bridges and Khruangbin
“El Paso” – Marty Robbins
“That’ll Be the Day” – Buddy Holly
“Texas Hold ‘Em” – Beyoncé
“Circles” – Post Malone
“Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” – Selena
“Amarillo By Morning” – George Strait
“Pancho and Lefty” – Townes Van Zandt
“San Antonio Rose” – Bob Wills
“Bright Lights” – Gary Clark Jr.
“Me and Bobby McGee” – Janis Joplin
“Texas Flood” – Stevie Ray Vaughn
“Miles and Miles of Texas” – Red Steagall
DAY 4 MARFA » UVALDE (STILL IN WEST TEXAS)
There was something about the stark, empty desert landscape that intrigued popular minimalist artist Donald Judd. It was like a clean, clear canvas — a perfect atmosphere to unload one’s creative energy. And, in Marfa, Judd would do just that. In 1971, Judd moved from New York to the tiny West Texas town and began purchasing real estate in the area — two large hangars and a number of smaller buildings — where he would put his art on permanent display. This would eventually attract fellow contemporary artists to the area and transform the town into an epicenter of
bohemian culture, which continues today. The city of Marfa, in some ways, was Judd’s greatest art installation.
Per capita, Marfa has more art galleries, art installations, and artists than likely any other city in the country. And such art in the secluded town, which resides 90 minutes northwest of Big Bend National Park in the Chihuahuan Desert, has given way to an oversaturation of Instagrammable scenes. Whether it’s the tiny Prada store, equally tiny Target and Buc-ee’s, or giant concrete blocks, you’ve no doubt witnessed a great deal of Marfa’s art scene when scrolling through social media. People travel thousands upon thousands of miles just for the photo op.
Outside of being an oasis for modern art, Marfa has plenty of other quirks, too.
Things to See and Do
1. The Chinati Foundation Contemporary art museum in Marfa
2. Prada Marfa An art installation that requires a pic in Valentine
3. Marfa Lights Viewing area of the phenomenon between Marfa and Alpine
4. FM 2810 (Pinto Canyon Road)
The most scenic drive in Texas
they’ll even bring it back once they’re done using it.”
Since I’m new to the area, Russell tells me about a road few people know about that offers some of the best views in Texas. Pinto Canyon Road, he calls it. “It goes all the way to the Rio Grande, but it turns into a dirt road halfway there.”
Where we stayed
Marfa: El Cosmico, a hotel and campground with teepees, yurts and RVs (Note: Due to change locations in 2025)
The famed Marfa lights, a twinkling light phenomenon that lets the imagination run wild with potential explanations, and El Cosmico, a hotel and campground chock-full of teepees, yurts, and RVs with psychedelic paint schemes, add to the city’s charm.
A teepee in El Cosmico is where we elected to rest our heads for the night. The “room” comes with a gas-powered fire that rests near the foot of the bed, so despite the cool weather, it was a comfortable stay. A few blocks from the town square, a bundled-up man named Russell sits cross-legged at the corner of what I suggest to him is a salvage yard. Strewn about the property were three-legged pieces of furniture, a collection of busted vacuum cleaners, lamp shades, and appliances I assume were inoperable. “Salvage yard,” he says. “I like the way you put that.” Russell tells me a great deal of his clientele comes from people filming movies and TV shows in the area needing props. “Sometimes,
The road in question is FM 2810 — appearing as the faintest of faint lines on any map app — which begins just west of downtown Marfa. Feeling adventurous, Kevin and I are game. The road begins in the grasslands with the 7,730-foot Chinati Peak beckoning one in the distance. Once you get near that mountain, you know things are gonna get downright beautiful. Russell wasn’t lying; about 30 miles in (having never seen another car), it does turn into a dirt road — and a rough dirt road, at that. He also wasn’t lying when he spoke of the breathtaking views. With any remnant of civilization gone, the rocky road zigzags up down and through jawdropping vistas and leads us to Ruidosa, a quiet village on the Rio Grande. At the road’s end, marked by an intersection with FM 170, and unsure of where to go next, we turn around and head back to Marfa.
Where to Eat
1. The Sentinel Marfa Coffee shop that serves breakfast in Marfa
2. Bar Saint George Fine American cuisine and good cocktails in Marfa
3. Marfa Burritos Cozy burrito shop with patio seating in Marfa
4. White Buffalo Bar Serves excellent nachos in the Gage Hotel in Marathon
I Spy: Texas Road Trip Edition
To help pass the time, can you spot these 21 things when on the road?
• Longhorn
• White horse
• Donkey
• Old Texaco gas station
• Abandoned barn
• Windmills atop a mesa
• Repurposed Pizza Hut
• Taxidermist
• Beef jerky shop
• “Don’t Mess with Texas” sign
• Peach stand
• Pecan stand
• Tumbleweed
• Armadillo (living)
• Town sign with a pop. <1,000
• Pumpjack
• Flare gas
• Water tower displaying high school mascot
• Old movie theater sign
• Hay bale
• Solar farm
DAYS 5-6 UVALDE » BEEVILLE » KIRBYVILLE (SOUTH TEXAS & GULF COAST)
Uvalde is a town still reeling from the unimaginable tragedy that took place in May 2022 — a school shooting that claimed the lives of 22 people, most of whom were children. Murals dedicated to the victims, crosses that bear the children’s names in the middle of town square, and a persistent presence of police, mean any visit to Uvalde will be met with reminders of what happened. The trauma the community experienced is a trauma that may never fully go away.
But businesses are open, coffee is being served, and taco stands are making great
tacos. Down the road from where we stayed — a modern and minimalist Airbnb behind a realtor’s office in downtown — is Taco Bliss Express, where the Spam and egg breakfast taco piqued my curiosity. Despite a face of disgust from my traveling partner, I ordered it, ate it, and loved it. But be forewarned, their breakfast tacos are quite large and contain enough eggs to make two or three omelets.
Traveling to Beeville, and remaining south of San Antonio, the day was spent entirely in the South Texas Plains; I’ve heard others call it brush country. Covered in tall, sharp grasses; prickly pears; thorny shrubs; and short mesquites that hardly exceed the height of a basketball goal, this is a dry, sparsely populated land. Its thick neon greenery can feel inviting, but even the briefest of trips into the brushland will result in cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds.
Sticking to the roads, we come out unscathed and make our way to Beeville, where my traveling partner and I are staying in a cabin next to a pond — another Airbnb find. Contrary to popular belief, the town is not named for our honey-making friends but for Barnard E. Bee, who shuffled through numerous cabinet positions (secretary of treasury, secretary of state, secretary of war) during the short-lived Republic of Texas.
Beeville is an hour’s drive from the coast, so we make our way to Rockport the following morning. At a gas station along the way, a man selling knives out of a truck strikes up conversation and asks what we’re up to. After disclosing our journey, he tells me “Texas is a never-ending thing you can write about. And I’m not just talking about new stories that haven’t been told. People don’t mind you retelling the same Texas stories over and over.” When I ask how he likes the area — he’s originally from North Texas — he says, “It’s nothing wonderful down here, but at least it’s warmer.”
Things to See and Do
1. Longhorn Museum Massive collection of Texas historical artifacts and taxidermy in Pleasanton
2. Boot Hill Cemetery Burial ground for those whose deaths exemplify the Wild West in Tilden
3. Historic Oakville Jail Well-preserved ghost town in Oakville
4. The Big Tree One of the largest live oaks in the world on display in Rockport
5. La Carafe The oldest bar in Houston
Texas’ Gulf Coast is a little dichotomous by nature. If it were a person, I suspect it’d be a man with a handlebar mustache in a Hawaiian shirt. Though marshy, riddled with petroleum plants, and free of any sense of the tropics, the Gulf Coast’s beaches are serviceable, and its beach towns are, well, beach towns. When it comes to the coast, Texas is just happy to have one.
Onward to East Texas, the immensity of Houston, at least in some form, was unavoidable. So, rather than take one of its many loops to bypass the sight of skyscrapers, we head right into downtown for a bite to eat and a single glass of wine at the city’s oldest bar, La Carafe, which also occupies the city’s oldest commercial building..
Where to Eat
1. Taco Bliss Express Filled-to-the-brim tacos in Uvalde
2. Sammy’s Burgers & Brew Burgers, cheesesteaks, and beer in Beeville
3. CC’s Smoothie Coffee Tea Funky coffee and breakfast spot in Beeville
4. Chew Chew Bar-B-Q Food truck serving barbecue next to brewery in Rockport
5. La Calle Classic tacos and tortas in downtown Houston Where we stayed
Uvalde: Casita Modesta, minimalist Airbnb in downtown
Beeville: Cabin by the Pond, an Airbnb cabin with beautiful patio on stilts sitting in a pond
Essential Items
These just might come in handy
• Good navigation app
• Printed road map or atlas (just in case)
• Car charger for phone
• Ibuprofen
• Kleenex
• Lip balm
• Sunglasses
• Gum
• Water bottle
• Towels
• Duct tape
• Flashlight
• First-Aid kit
• Batteries
• Jumper cables
• Proof of insurance
• Driver’s license
DAY 7 KIRBYVILLE » MASON (EAST TEXAS)
Afriend in Wisconsin once proclaimed that, since I was from Texas, I had no idea what a real tree looked like. What we Texans claimed were trees were actually shrubs in disguise, he professed. Well, thanks to the tall piney woods of East Texas, we Texans have a ready-made response for such slander.
East Texas is the state’s most surprising region because it doesn’t even remotely align with assumptions most make about the Lone Star State. Butting up to Louisiana, the Cajun influence is palpable — amazing crawfish, gumbo, and barbecue crab spots aren’t too difficult to find — and the loblolly pines that dominate the region are indeed taller than any building between Beaumont and
Nacogdoches. Heck, the region’s dialect even seems like a hybrid of Texas twang with a little bayou lingo.
After spending six days driving through lands with relatively little to see in terms of gigantic flora, I did a double take when the pines started popping up outside of Beaumont. Contrary to the plains, the tall conifers completely consume the sky. So dense in number, the pines can provide a canopy thick enough to make it difficult to discern what time of day it is when standing beneath them.
We were fortunate enough to stay in an Airbnb completely emersed within a loblolly pine forest. In fact, the Kirbyville spot is so immersed that one could easily call it a treehouse. While not technically within a tree or using any trunks or branches for support, it is on stilts and has pine trunks shooting through its terrace. The onebedroom wood cabin feels like one with the trees and was a fascinating enough experience for me to deem it a treehouse.
Things to See and Do
1. Geraldine Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve One of the country’s most biodiverse acres in Warren
2. Sam Houston Statue 67-foot-tall statue of Texas’ first and third president, Sam Houston, in Huntsville
3. Auditorium Shores Best views of downtown Austin
4. State Capitol 360,000-square-foot capitol in Austin
put on a popular all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.
Hightailing it through Central Texas and into Austin — leaving Huntsville and College Station in our wake — my road companion and I stopped in the state’s capital to snap some pics of the city’s ever-growing skyline and split a pizza at the famed Home Slice on South Congress. I visit Austin fairly regularly — I have family in town — and even between my periodic trips, I can easily detect the city changing and evolving. At some point, I almost always find myself saying, “That wasn’t there before.”
Where we stayed
Kirbyville: Piney Woods Treehouse with petting zoo and small lake
Seeking some local flavor, my road companion and I skipped breakfast for an early lunch at Dane’s Crawfish and More, where I tested my stomach with some crawfish etouffee and an order of the best fried green tomatoes I’ve ever had.
Zigzagging our way east toward the Hill Country, we were making a point to hit areas that showed up as a darker green on our topographic maps, which we assumed this meant more trees. Whether we were correct, I don’t know, but the drive that led us through Kountze, Honey Island, and Rye on FM 1293 was stunning. As a side note, Kountze is home to Mama Jack’s restaurant, where its expansive menu includes the likes of alligator, gumbo, and boudin and occasionally
On South Congress, a street once filled with vintage shops and quirky boutiques has given way to lululemon and Nike outlets. Austin, as a brand, is clearly selling very well. Despite a strong resistance to “keep Austin weird,” the new population and younger generations have made their preferences known, and it is, indeed, the antithesis of weird. But lurking in corners, and even often in plain sight, the eccentricities that made Austin such a unique Texas town can still be found. Thank goodness.
Where to Eat
1. Dayne’s Crawfish and More Cajun fare in Kirbyville
2. Fausto’s Fried Chicken On the bone and tenders in Buna
3. Mama Jack’s Seafood buffet in Kountze
4. Home Slice Popular pizza spot off South Congress in Austin
The Great Texas Road Trip (By the Numbers)
• Miles: 3,011
• Gallons of gas: 144
• Tires replaced: 1
• Cups of coffee consumed: 22
• Burgers eaten: 5
• Towns driven through: 163
• Counties visited: 78
• Dirt roads traversed: 3
• Donkeys petted: 19
• State parks entered: 4
• Historical markers read: 6
• Live armadillos seen: 1
DAYS 8-9 MASON » HAMILTON » HOME
(HILL COUNTRY)
The Hill Country is like no other place on earth. The inland area, which resides just west of Austin, combines the rolling hills of Tuscany with the rocky soil of Greece and dots this landscape with mountain cedars and two types of flora entirely native and unique to the area: the aptly named Texas live oak and Texas bluebonnet. The Texas live oak, with its gnarled, unruly limbs, is a tree that actually enjoys the Hill Country’s dry weather — preferring it to rainier conditions — and is generally accepted to be the hardiest evergreen oak that exists. While once desolate due to its lack of arable land, the Hill Country has gained
Where to Eat
1. Hext Trading Post and Café Husband-and-wife-owned burger joint in Hext
2. The Bend General Store No barbecue, but fantastic chicken-fried steak in Bend
3. The Grain The only late-night option in Hamilton
4. Lowake Steak House Previously in Lowake until destroyed by tornado, now in Rowena
5. Rancho Pizzeria Brick-oven pizza in Coleman
in popularity over the decades and is now home to suburban neighborhoods, mansions for the rich and famous, and is a go-to vacation spot for Texans seeking respite.
We kick-started our two-day venture through the Hill Country in Mason, where we stayed at a boutique hotel, Lea Lou Lodge, in the city’s downtown square, and went west to an unincorporated community called Hext. The community, with a population of 73 according to the 2000 census, has a café and trading post (both operating in the same building) and, well, nothing else. The Hext Trading Post & Café is a bit of a misnomer — from my vantage point, I didn’t see a trading post, unless they are in fact accepting trades for a 20-yearold NordicTrack and a lifetime’s worth of yarn. However, they do serve a mean burger. And by “they,” I mean the elderly husband and wife who own the establishment. The husband, clad in suspenders and jeans, sat in the dining room, took our order, and yelled it to his wife in the kitchen. What followed was a back-andforth conversation in very heightened volume interspersed with a lot of “ehs” and “whats.” The yelling, as it turned out, was not out of anger but by necessity. Later, the man would show me his gun, which I took as a sign of friendliness. Texas.
Things to See and Do
1. Colorado Bend State Park Home to Gorman Falls in Bend
2. London Hall The oldest dance hall in Texas in London
3. Robert E. Howard Museum The house where the creator of “Conan the Barbarian” lived in Cross Plains
4. Horny Toad Brewing Craft brewery in Rowena
fall that would feel right at home on the Hawaiian Islands.
A few miles down the winding road that leads to the park is the town of Bend, which has a restaurant and dance joint that advertise pizza and barbecue. Looking for barbecue, I was told they didn’t have any. They didn’t have pizza, either. I ordered the chicken-fried steak, which was fantastic.
That night, my travel buddy and I would bunk in a cabin outside of Hamilton. And the following day, we would notch the final miles of our road trip. I would take Kevin home, hitting Comanche, Santa Anna, and Ballinger along the way and enjoyed a beer at the local Horny Toad Brewing before saying adieu. We’d spent over 60 hours together in the car, and never once did I feel annoyed. I hope he can say the same, but I honestly don’t know.
I’d then make the lonely drive from Miles to Fort Worth. It felt strange getting on the interstate, something I’d avoided all week. And it felt even stranger yet driving a mere few miles to work the next day. A combination of relief and stir-craziness, perhaps a symptom of withdrawals. I can’t stop wondering where we should go next.
From there, my travel companion and I stayed off the beaten path, taking as many side roads — and side roads of side roads — as possible, eventually ending up at Colorado Bend State Park. The park, next to the Colorado River, is home to the spectacular Gorman Falls, a 65-foot water-
Where we stayed
Mason: Casita Modesta, minimalist Airbnb in downtown
Hamilton: Cabin by the Pond, an Airbnb cabin with beautiful patio on stilts sitting in a pond
Ashleigh Scully
High High Ridin’
Poised to put the Horned Frogs on the equine map, the No. 1-ranked TCU equestrian team performs in the coolest competitions you have yet to see in-person.
BY STEPHEN MONTOYA IMAGES COURTESY TCU ATHLETICS
The sounds of whinnying horses and the rhythmic bounding of hooves echo through the stables at the John Justin Arena. It’s TCU Day at The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, which, by no accident, happens to coincide with the spring opener for the No. 1-ranked TCU equestrian team. Their challenger is the No. 8-ranked Delaware State Hornets, and despite coming off a six-week winter break, the 40 women who make up the team seem poised to meet their opponent on their own stomping grounds.
In the center of the arena, several riders warm up their horses during an allotted four-minute warmup before the competition begins, allowing the rider and horse to get adjusted to one another. This provides an image of stark contrasts as the dainty, 5-foot-nothing equestrian athletes lead massive horses — 16 hands, 1,200 pounds, and magnificent in their brawn — along the edge of the ring before taking them for a quick spin to test their temperaments and agility.
Earlier, each rider drew a horse (their names include Snoop Dog and Jake) on which they will compete. Their head-to-head opponent will ride the same horse, thus eliminating the horse as a variable in the competition — no using equine partners as an excuse. The rider who achieves the highest score will then receive a point.
But this selection process comes with some perks for the home team. You see, the horses whose names are being selected, names that include Snoop Dog and Jake, belong to TCU. They’re the very horses on which these student athletes ceaselessly practice at a facility dubbed Bear Creek Farms, which is also where the team normally competes. The TCU athletes know these horses. The horses know them. And in a sport dependent on communication between human and animal, that’s one heck of an advantage.
On the north side of the stadium, a flurry of patrons adorned in purple trickle in, ready to cheer the Horned Frogs to victory. The team clearly has its fans, and for good reason. Since the program’s inception in 2006, the TCU equestrian team has qualified for the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Championships — which takes the top 8-ranked schools — every year. That’s 16 straight invites — when excluding the 2019-20 season due to COVID — to the sport’s biggest stage. The only thing missing from its inventory of successes is an overall national championship. Of course, the TCU equestrian team is primed to change that.
Through seven matches, TCU’s record leading into the bout with Delaware State remains unscathed and includes a 12-6 win over then-No. 1 SMU.
Given TCU’s current position atop the rankings, combined with the school’s history of success and its homefield advantage, the Horned Frogs are the favorite to win today’s event. In fact, TCU will likely be the favorites for the remainder of the year, competing with the proverbial target on its backs. And it’s a target well-earned.
If you were to ask any of these athletes the secret to their success, they would probably point to the obvious — practice and great coaching.
Located in a quiet neighborhood 20 minutes south of Fort Worth near the small Johnson County town of Godley is Bear Creek Farms. As far as collegiate equestrian centers go, this 40-acre facility, which includes numerous practice areas for each discipline; a large, A-framed arena; stables; and over 40 horses, is state of the art.
For the last two years, Bear Creek Farms has been ground zero for the TCU equestrian team’s practices and competitions. This is where, in late January, the 40 equestrian athletes are practicing,
almost living in a saddle. A series of white obstacles are placed at various angles to mock the team’s upcoming match. We’re a week out from the spring opener, and practice is intensifying, which for many begins at 7 a.m.
Behind this collegiate group of women diligently gearing up for game day is the voice of three-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, and director of TCU’s equestrian program, Haley Schoolfield. As each rider does their best to refine their routines, Schoolfield can be heard making comments to them as they try and prepare for the upcoming match.
“Java wants more off the left,” she yells at one of the athlete’s post jump. “You have a lot of chestnut horse,” she continues as she intently watches another rider’s form. Schoolfield, who’s spent most her life on horseback, is celebrating her 11th year at TCU in her current role.
During her fourth year, Schoolfield successfully pushed the Horned Frogs to a memorable national runner-up finish in 201516. A few years later, TCU was also able to notch two consecutive semifinal berths in 2021-22 and 2022-23, which was a first in school history. Thanks in part to her vision, TCU has become an annual contender for the NCEA National Championship crown.
tors never cross from one style to the other. If one competes in one of the two Western events, you won’t find them competing in any jumping seat events. Generally, Western riding is looser; the reins are looser and the stirrups longer, thus relying on weight and leg aids for control. In English riding, the reins are tighter, the stirrups farther up, and the saddle smaller. In Western, riders hold the reins with one hand, while in English, they’re held with two.
And, heck, the two styles dress differently, too. English riders wear the aforementioned helmet and breeches, and Western riders sport cowboy hats and jeans. Think of it as a microcosm of cowboys and nobles as a whole.
Across the field under the canopied arena, a rhythmic pounding of horse hooves can be heard galloping in double time as both horse and rider quickly round a corner of the arena in unison. In a split second, the duo quickly changes directions to the left still in full stride. And just as the two begin to pick up more speed, the rider quickly pulls back on the horse’s reins, creating a huge cloud of dirt behind them as the horse’s backend hunkers down. Within a matter of seconds, the pair slide to a complete stop, thus prompting a series of cheers from the other athletes looking on.
“It sure is cool,” fifth-year graduate student Mattie Dukes says regarding this specific discipline of riding. The specific discipline in question is called reining, and it’s one of four events (or disciplines) in which TCU competes at each match.
The gist of it: There are two styles of riding (English, which the NCEA refers to as the jumping seat disciplines, and Western), and there are two events within each style (flat and fences in the English style, and horsemanship and reining in the Western style). Fences, which is a jumping seat event in the English style, might be what comes to the equestrian novice’s mind when they think of the sport. The rider wears what appears to be a velvet riding helmet and breeches and takes the horse through an obstacle of high fences that the horse must jump. But this is only 25% of the competition. (See sidebar on page 54 for more about the disciplines.)
There are many differences between the two styles, and competi-
TCU also has separate assistant coaches devoted to each of the two styles. Melissa Dukes, who’s also Mattie’s mom, handles the Western side of things, while Logan Fiorentino is in charge of jumping seat. The equestrian team also has a new hire in the form of decorated assistant Western coach Casey Deary, a three-time National Reining Horse Association Futurity champion. But, despite a great deal of assistance, no matter how one breaks it down by style or discipline, Schoolfield is at the helm.
“Horses are in my blood,” Schoolfield says as she continues to survey the riders in the arena. “I can’t get away from it, even if I wanted to.”
Schoolfield, who is originally from Willis, Texas, says her horseriding legacy can be traced back to her great-grandfather who was a horseman and cattleman. “It’s just part of who I am,” she continued.
During her collegiate days at Texas A&M, Schoolfield was a top-notch equestrian competitor, lettering in the sport in each of her four years at the university. She would compete and succeed in both jumping seat fences and flat and become team captain her senior year. And all of this occurred soon after soon after equestrian was identified as an emerging sport for women by the NCAA in 1998 when the NCAA adopted and identified equestrian as an emerging sport for women.
“I tell anyone interested in this sport to always push yourself,” Schoolfield says. “This means trying to ride as many horses as possible … as many types and kinds as possible. That’s why we have things set up the way we do. We challenge each athlete to try and get out of their comfort zone by also trying out horses that have different skill levels.”
The relationship between human and horse is one that could, on first inspection, elicit some confusion. A wild horse is, well, pretty darn wild and seemingly untamable. But the equine species have been mankind’s literal workhorses for what archaeologists believe to be over 5,500 years. Without them, travel and migration would have remained a footrace, the task of farming acres would be futile, and tall wonders
Mattie Dukes
photo by Crystal Wise
At the John Justin Arena for the TCU Day at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo
of the world would have never been built. It’s not a stretch to say that the domestication of horses is something that propelled the human race forward.
And it wasn’t long after their domestication that horses, and the skills of horsemanship, became a showpiece, a form of sport and art. Horse racing was a part of ancient Egypt, Arabia, and Babylon, and both chariot and mounted horse racing were part of the ancient Greek Olympics. Using horses for competitions that didn’t include racing or jousting wouldn’t become popular until the introduction of the royal Dublin Horse Show in 1868. And by 1912, equestrianism became an Olympic sport.
No other such partnership in work or sport exists between people and animals, xcept perhaps dog sledding.. There’s a kinship between our two species that can only be appreciated when one saddles up, takes the reins, and puts their feet in the stirrups. Riding horses, to sum it up in a word, is exhilarating.
And no one horse is the same on any given day, Schoolfield reminds us. Be it weather changes or health ailments — what have you — outlying factors can always contribute to how a horse reacts when you’re an equestrian athlete.
“My favorite part as a whole would be working with these amazing animals,” Mattie says post practice. “I tell a lot of people we’re the only sport that has a ball that has a mind of its own.”
No two days are the same for a TCU equestrian athlete given they have to draw from the stable’s roster of over 40 donated horses every practice. This, in essence, keeps them sharp when they have to travel for a competition. Much like a bull rider, equestrian sports are set up with a draw system that pairs riders up with an unknown horse before a competition begins. And any rider on any given day could draw a feisty, cantankerous, or even sluggish horse, thus making them dig into the skills they hone during their daily practice routines.
A Breakdown of Equestrian’s Four Disciplines
Each of the four events has 10 riders — five from each competing school. The head-to-head matches are between riders who drew the same horse. One point is awarded to the rider with the highest score. In most competitions, there are 20 points up for grabs, and the team with the most points wins.
Jumping Seat Fences:
Likely what most think of when they think of the sport. In fences, the rider guides her horse through an obstacle course of jumps and is judged on position, smoothness, flow, and number of strides the horse takes. Possible points per rider: 100. Ridden in English style
Jumping Seat Flat:
The rider and her horse perform nine movements in a 40-by-20-meter arena and is judged on accuracy, smoothness, and position. Each movement is worth 10 points and an additional 10 points are granted for position and seat of the rider and the correctness and effectiveness of her aids. Possible points: 100. Ridden in English style
Western Horsemanship:
The rider works her horse through an assigned set of maneuvers, usually seven to nine, and is designed to evaluate the rider’s ability to execute with precision and smoothness while maintaining correct body position. Rider and horse must work in complete unison. Riders begin with a base score of 70 and receive a -3 to +3 score for each maneuver. Ridden in Western style
Western Reining:
The rider takes her horse through an assigned pattern that includes varying speeds, spins, circles and stops — often including the dramatic sliding stop, a crowd favorite. Riders begin with a base score of 70 and receive a -1.5 to +1.5 score for each maneuver. Ridden in Western style
*Source: National Collegiate Equestrian Association
“To me, the connection with your horse is what it’s all about,” Mattie says. “If you’re not in time with your horse and you decide that you want to stop, which is the slide, and they’re not ready for it, then it’s not going to be smooth. So, you have to be in constant communication with your horse.”
During the regular season, TCU’s equestrian team will compete in 13 matches against nine schools that include the likes of SMU
and Georgia, and conference foes Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Fresno State. If they rank high enough in their scoring, TCU will also compete in the equestrian Big 12 Championship with the possibility of moving on to the NCEA Championship. Despite relying on individual performances, getting to such heights requires a team effort.
For most, the team setting is new. Equestrian by its nature is an individual sport — one person on one horse competing for one trophy — and those brought up in the world of equestrianism, though having a sense of camaraderie, are also used to seeing other people in riding boots and breeches as rivals.
“It’s an adjustment just because it’s so different from what we’re used to,” Mattie says. “Yes, I compete against my teammates off the team, but, really, everybody’s good friends to begin with, and it just takes a little bit of an adjustment period just to get the feel of a team. It’s not like basketball where you’ve been on a team since day 1. We’ve been individual, and then we have to figure out how our team dynamic works. But our team is really awesome. Honestly, I feel like we’re so blessed because all of the girls on the team are really awesome and get along.”
Adding to this sense of camaraderie are the TCU equestrian program’s 15 available scholarships overseen by the NCAA, which are dispersed evenly between jump seat and Western athletes. But with a roster that rivals a collegiate football team in numbers, not every equestrian athlete is able to reap this financial benefit. Schoolfield adds that some of the athletes combine their academic scholarships with their athletic scholarships to create a full ride — pun intended. However, unlike many collegiate equestrian programs, TCU’s is fully funded.
A
different practice is gearing up inside the arena at Bear Creek Farm. The sounds of leather straps along with the clinks of bridles and bits bounce at random intervals as the flat athletes prepare for their practice. Flat, a jumping seat discipline, serves as an evaluation — an inspection, of sorts — that examines the rider’s ability to perform nine predetermined movements. No jumping. This event is purely about position and control.
On the north side of the stables tending to a random horse is TCU senior Ashleigh Scully, who competes in both the flat and fences disciplines. Scully’s calm demeanor around the horse she’s prepar-
ing to ride is contagious, which after a morning of watching intense jumps and skillful reining, is a welcomed break for the senses.
During her junior year, Scully amassed several accolades in both of her respective disciplines of equestrianism, which include being named NCEA co-flat Rider of the Year, NCEA first All-American in flat and fences, and All-Big 12 Conference Rider in both flat and fences, just to name a few. That’s right, the list continues.
Outside of this sport and academia all together, Scully is known as a phenomenal nature photographer who participated in the 2016 GAP/Ellen DeGeneres GirlPower campaign that featured a few of her endangered species photos. She even had a chance to meet and be interviewed by DeGeneres for this occasion.
Scully, much like the rest of the athletes on the equestrian team, started riding horses at a young age. While growing up in her home state of New Jersey, Scully says her mom, who was originally from Germany, taught her at the age of 4 how to ride at a barn just minutes from her house.
While getting ready for her second practice of the day, Scully is still full of vigor after attending a rigorous practice session earlier that morning — a mindset that can only come from doing something you love.
A week before any meet, Scully and her teammates have to be at Schollmaier Arena by 6 a.m. for an hour weight-training session, three times a week. When she’s done with that, Scully has about an hour to get to the stables at Bear Creek Farms to start her first practice of the day.
“I’ll have fences practice at 8 a.m. with the rest of the girls who are on roster or who are alternates or girls who would be demoing or exhibition. And then after fences practice, we put the horses away and then get our flat horses ready and practice here inside. And then after that, we put those horses away, and we work on the patterns and coursework leading up to the meet.”
it leaves one to wonder when she has time to indulge in those different spaces. But she’s pretty adept at compartmentalizing.
“If I’m here, all of my emotions and everything else I have going on outside, I leave in the car. And when I’m here, I put in 110%. Then I go back in the car, and I focus on the rest of what I have going on.”
Back at John Justin Arena, the competition wound up going how any prognosticator might’ve predicted: TCU dominated. During the contest’s first discipline, fences, TCU tallied a 3-2 win over Delaware State, followed by a 5-0 sweep in the flat event. This gave TCU an 8-2 advantage following the jumping seat.
During the reining competition, senior Giorgia Medows put on a stellar first ride, earning a score of 72 on Snoop Dog. Mattie Dukes wasn’t far behind, earning a 68.5-66.5 win on a horse named Alfie. This would lead to a 3-1 victory in the reining discipline and sealed the overall win for TCU.
When asked if she ever gets overwhelmed by the constant dedication needed to compete in dual disciplines combined with the stress of college course work, Scully replied, “You just can’t let anything discourage you.” However, Scully doesn’t see participating in this sport as work. In fact, quite the contrary.
“It’s certainly an escape, but the best way I view it is that the sport is very grounding in hard work and discipline. And because I can have this kind of life outside of academia, it really helps me manage my time and organize those different spaces in my life.”
However, since Scully is one of only a handful of TCU equestrian athletes on the team who competes in dual disciplines,
When all was said and done, the Horned Frogs notched victories in every discipline and defeated Delaware State with a 14-5 tally. Highlighting their dominance, all four of the Most Outstanding Performer awards (MOPs) were awarded to TCU athletes, including Ashleigh Scully, Lilly Goldstein, Kaylene Cunningham, and Mattie Dukes.
After the win, TCU’s unvarnished record reached 7-0, marking the best start to a season in program history. One week later, the Horned Frogs extended their unbeaten streak by toppling Fresno State, followed by a win over No. 4-ranked South Carolina, both victories coming at TCU’s real home field at Bear Creek Farms.
At the time we sent this to the press, TCU had three matches remaining — none against ranked teams — and the Big 12 Championship, which will take place March 29 and 30 in Waco. If TCU continues its hot streak and finishes the season ranked in the top eight, the school will get an invite to NCEA National Championship for the 17th straight time, which will take place from April 18 – 20 at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.
At least one person on the team is excited about such upcoming trips. While home matches are nice, traveling isn’t exactly a huge drawback to being a member of the team.
“It’s definitely a perk,” says Mattie Dukes. “Traveling with the whole team, it’s so much fun. It’s kind of a big ordeal because there’s so many people that go. But growing up in the horse industry — we’ve shown all over the country from California to Florida and everywhere in between — I’ve been blessed enough to travel a lot. But nothing’s quite like traveling with a bunch of your friends on a team.”
Shea Graham
photo by Crystal Wise
Top Dentists
This list is compiled and provided by topDentists (Copyright 2012-2024 by topDentists, Augusta, GA) a database of dental professionals who have been selected as “tops” by vote of their peers.
The complete database is available at usatopDentists.com. For information email help@ usatopdentists.com or visit usatopDentists.com.
Dental Anesthesiology
Rajeev Misra
Endodontics
Chad R. Allen
Sayeed Attar
Charles “Trey” E. Brown III
Susana M. Bruce
Ray C. Gillespie
Pei Kang
John W. Loeffelholz
Deborah C. Loth
Francisco J. Nieves
Rajiv Patel
Todd W. Remmers
Jeffrey L. Saunders
Casey L. Turner
Ryan M. Walsh
General Dentistry
Franklyn Alexander
Kevin M. Altieri
Stephen P. Anderson
Kimberley “Kim” A. Baker
John E. Barroso
Barrett L. Bartell
Garron Belnap
Amy N. Bender
Gina A. Biedermann
Jessica H. Brigati
Stephen G. Brogdon
Jacob S. Brown
Kent R. Brown
Timothy S. Casey
Sean M. Cerone
Johnny S. Cheng
Michael A. Colangelo
Barry S. Cole
Mitch A. Conditt
Katie M. Coniglio
William L. Cook III
P. Brent Cornelius
Reid Darnell
Rupal B. Davé
N. Dakota Davis
Paul G. Davis, Jr.
Ravi V. Doctor
Lee C. Dodson
Chad L. Drennan
Lauren A. D. Drennan
Michael R. Drennan
Chad C. Duplantis
T. Paul Dyer
Caitlin Flosi
Jason R. Fowler
Tonya K. Fuqua
James B. Getz, Jr.
Mark S. Givan
Michael J. Goulding
Nikki P. Green
David J. Greer
Justin B. Harlin
Christopher Hawkins
Victoria C. Heron
D. Brent Hicks
Lindsey A. Horwedel
Timothy M. Huckabee
J. Edward Irving
Christopher Kim
Tracy Kirk
Kenneth D. Kirkham
Timothy S. Knight
Ronald Lee
Donald Michael Mabry
Patrick R. Malone
Yahya M. Mansour
Gregory D. Martin
Scott A. Mason
D. Keith Metzger
David Kyle Metzger
Jason M. Miller
Mark S. Moore
Sarah J. Morris
Partha Mukherji
Ashley K. Murrey
Karen L. Neil
David M. Nelson
Brett A. Nielsen
Kathleen Ong
Depal P. Parikh
Sahil K. Patel
Gary N. Pointer
J. Richard Polson
Jo Lynn Porter
William H. Ralstin
Diana H. Raulston
Alejandra “Ali” C. Rivas Kovach
J. Michael Rogers
Amos B. Ross
Jeremy I. Rudd
Michael D. Shelby
Joshua T. Smith
Brent A. Spear
Brooks M. Stevens
John B. Struble
Mark E. Studer
J. Tyler Tate
Steven W. Thomas
Gregg H. Tillman
Jean A. Tuggey
Bryan S. Wall
Timothy M. Warren
Eric S. Wear
Gary L. White
Todd White
Eric M. Wilson
Gregory B. Wright
Marshall H. Wright
Saam Zarrabi
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Brandon R. Brown
Ryan Carmichael
Mazen Duraini
Eduardo A. Humes
David K. Hunter
Haroon Ismaili
Herman Kao
David W. Kostohryz, Jr.
Todd A. Kovach
Timothy A. Lew
Diana Lois
James Macholl
John P. McPhillips
David E. Parmer
Robert B. Peak
Mau K. Pham
William F. Runyon, Jr.
Gregory B. Scheideman
Michael D. Sheppard
John V. Shroyer III
Andrew M. Sohn
John P. Stella
Gregory D. Taylor
Chris L. Tye
Michael R. Warner
Fayette C. Williams
Orthodontics
J. Moody Alexander
James Andy Barron
Daniel J. Bekish
Sheila G. Birth
Jae Brimhall
Jose G. Chow
Monte K. Collins
Brian Dugoni
Basma M. Fallah
Cristi L. Fletcher
Ronald D. Groves
Bradley S. Hall
Cameron Jolley
John M. Kelley, Jr.
Jeremy R. Lustig
David C. McReynolds
David M. Mikulencak
Tamara S. Miller
Robert J. Montoya
Scott A. Myser
Mike Obeid
Maya V. Oliver
Anthony Patel
Evan Perkins
Nicholas R. Ridder
Paul Robinson
Jesse N. Schroeder
Christopher A. Sorokolit
Aaron V. Swapp
Shane R. Tolleson
Andrew N. Young
Pediatric Dentistry
Sandra L. Armstrong
Michael Ball
R. Nelson Beville III
Jerod W. Brazeal
Alexis Capeci
Shannon Coyle Cestari
Austin R. Church
Jody D. Cremer
Christopher M. Davis
Daniel E. Donohue
Debra C. Duffy
John R. Gober
Aishwarya Indiramohan
Drew M. Jamison
Jennifer P. Ketchel
Manivara P. Krone
Elizabeth M. Laborde
Mark C. Lantzy
E. Dale Martin
Bridget D. McAnthony
Charles W. Miller
Jack W. Morrow
Arti Patel
Janell I. Plocheck
G. Stan Preece
Elizabeth Gold Rector
Robert Casey Stroud
Meghan Thorburn
Chris Walton
Amy K. Watts
Ed Watts
John B. Witte
Daniel “Danny” E. Wright
Jason A. Zimmerman
Periodontics
Amjad Almasri
Elise Anyakwo
Scott Bedichek
Farhad E. Boltchi
Steven K. Britain
Brent F. Gabriel
William M. Grover
N. Joseph Laborde III
Shelby Nelson
George D. Pylant III
Matthew R. Steffer
Daniela A. Zambon
Prosthodontics
Hanife C. Bayraktaroglu
James C. Fischer
Steven J. Fuqua
Jorge A. Gonzalez
Annie C. Wilson
FOCUS
Dentists
When asked their biggest fear, many people reply, “Going to the dentist.” It seems that there is something about sitting alone in a huge chair surrounded by unknown gadgets and the shrill of machinery that undoubtedly makes the stomach uneasy. However, the intention of dentists is not to scare you but to leave you with a dazzling smile. To help ease your mind, local dentists have purchased space to not only inform you of their skills but to gain your trust.
The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics
SPECIALTY: In the realm of dental health care, Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics continues to redefine excellence and patient experience, earning a spot on Fortune Magazine’s Impact 20 list. This recognition underscores Rodeo’s unwavering commitment to not only providing top-tier dental care but also to making a profound impact in the communities it serves. With its roots firmly planted in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, Rodeo has blossomed into one of the premier multi-specialty dental groups in the nation, boasting a team of over 150 award-winning doctors across more than 44 locations in Texas, Colorado, and now Arizona. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics is celebrated for its comprehensive range of services, including general dentistry, orthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, and
pediatric dental care. What sets Rodeo apart is its commitment to a high-end patient experience that goes beyond traditional dental care. The company’s innovative approach starts with an immersive experience that puts young patients at ease, complete with themed lobbies, upscale audio/visual setups, and vibrant window graphics that transform a routine dental visit into an immersive pop art experience. This unique blend of color, music, fashion, and team spirit not only enhances the patient experience but also fosters memorable interactions that resonate with patients long after their visit. AWARDS: The company and its dentists have garnered numerous accolades, including being named the Best Place to Work in Fort Worth and consistently appearing in Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Dentists list from 2014
to 2023. INNOVATIONS: Rodeo’s innovative spirit is evident in its approach to creating a dynamic and engaging environment for its patients. The themed lobbies and interactive experiences are not just about aesthetics; they’re about creating a connection and making dental care accessible and enjoyable for all ages. This commitment to innovation and patient satisfaction is reflected in the overwhelming positive feedback from the community, with over 50,000 five-star reviews on Google and Facebook. As Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics continues to grow and expand its reach, its core mission remains steadfast: to provide exceptional dental care while creating unforgettable experiences for its patients.
PICTURED: Dr. Arsalaan Arifuddin, Dr. Jinny Kim, Dr. Yahya Mansour, Dr. Kevin Sun, Dr. Elesa Bockenfeld, Dr. Saam Zarrabi.
Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics
3204 N. Main St., Ste. 120 • Fort Worth, Texas 76106, 817.997.4990
3330 Mansfield Highway, Ste. B • Fort Worth, Texas 76119 • 817.727.4189
3557 N. Beltline Road • Irving, Texas 75062 • 469.784.9181
RodeoDental.com
Orthodontics by Birth & Fletcher
SPECIALTY: Orthodontics. We specialize in straightening teeth with braces and Invisalign, as well as specializing in the treatment of TMJ/ TMD, facial pain, and persistent headaches caused by dental and muscle imbalance. We also offer simple orthodontic appliances for sleep apnea for patients that cannot tolerate or do not like the CPAP. EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS: Both Drs. Sheila Birth and Cristi Fletcher have Board Certification in Orthodontics. AWARDS/ HONORS: Both doctors are Invisalign Diamond+ providers, which means that they treat more patients with Invisalign than 99% of other Invisalign providers.
MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: American Board of Orthodontics, American Association of Orthodontists, Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, Fort Worth Dental Association. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Dr. Birth is now starting to treat a third generation of patients with continued satisfaction of treatment.
INNOVATIONS: We use a scanner and 3D X-ray, which are more accurate and more comfortable, replacing “gooey” impressions.
UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We treat all patients like they are family. MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to create “Better Smiles Forever.”
FREE ADVICE: Always do your best for your patients. PICTURED: Drs. Birth and Fletcher.
SPECIALTY: Endodontics – specialty that deals with the treatment of root canals.
EDUCATION: Dr. Ray Gillespie – DDS from University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston, Endodontic Fellowship at Naval Dental Center San Diego, Endodontic certificate and MS from Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. Dr. Valeria Pizzini: DDS from Virginia Commonwealth University, Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) from Baylor College of Dentistry, Endodontic certification from Nova Southeastern University.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Both Dr. Gillespie and Dr. Pizzini are members of The American Association of Endodontists. Dr. Pizzini additionally has her Board Certification from the American Board of Endodontics. INNOVATIONS: In addition to the use of microscopes for all procedures, our doctors utilize laser therapy to better clean and disinfect root canals. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: Both Drs. Gillespie and Pizzini have years of experience providing pain-free root canals to often anxious patients. FREE ADVICE: Despite the common perception, root canals can be done quickly and painlessly. PICTURED: DRS. GILLESPIE AND PIZZINI.
Trinity Endodontics
6700 Harris Parkway
Fort Worth, Texas 76132
817.361.0929
2214 E. Highway 377, Ste. 1 Granbury, Texas 76049
817.573.1624
trinityendodontics.com
DENTISTS TO KNOW
Shannon Cestari, D.D.S.
Children’s Dentistry of Arlington
SPECIALTY: Pediatric Dentist. EDUCATION: D.D.S., Texas A&M University College of Dentistry; Pediatric Certificate, Eastman Institute for Oral Health; Certificate of Proficiency American Boad of Laser Surgery. AWARDS/HONORS: D Magazine Top Dentists; Fellow of the AAPD; Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry; Cambridge Who’s Who. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: My greatest professional achievement is my credentialing at multiple hospitals to offer dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia to help protect patient’s developing psyche. UNIQUE PATIENT CARE: We listen to your concerns as the advocate of your child and provide you with many options regarding methods of treatment. We offer a wide realm of sedation options, if needed, from Nitrous, oral sedation, IV sedation or general anesthesia at a hospital facility. The team is fun and energetic to help make your child feel at ease while providing excellent dental care. PICTURED: Shannon Coyle Cestari, D.D.S.
Children’s Dentistry of Arlington
1000 North Fielder
Arlington, Texas 7612
817.261.3100
Fax 817.303.3715
childrensdentistryofarlington.com
Fort Worth Cosmetic and Family Dentistry
Drs. Nikki Green, Jeanette Mikulik, Laura Throm, Robert Leedy
MEDICAL SPECIALTY: Cosmetic, Implant, and Sedation Dentistry. EDUCATION /CERTIFICATIONS: Our doctors all obtained their dental degrees from the following renowned institutions: University of Texas Health Science CenterHouston, University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio, and University of Illinois - Chicago. INNOVATIONS: Our office stays up to date, taking advantage of the newest and most high-end technology for dental procedures to run smoothly and efficiently. Some that we use are digital impression taking, digital implant and surgical planning using a 3D cone beam, and conscious and IV sedation for anxious patients. GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Dr. Green is most proud of having a stateof-the-art dental facility, where the whole team’s passion is treating patients like family to create remarkable experiences with unbeatable care and respect at each visit. PICTURED: Dr. Jeanette Mikulik, Dr. Nikki Green, and Dr. Laura Throm.
Fort Worth Cosmetic and Family Dentistry
5720 Locke Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
817.934.5177
Fax: 888.503.8727
ngreendental.com
LOCAL EATS AND RESTAURANT NEWS
THE TASTE PROJECT Influencer Keith Lee gives Taste Project a nice shot in the enchilada.
by Malcolm Mayhew
Best of Both Worlds
Megu, an upscale new restaurant in the TCU area, serves a unique combination of French and Japanese cuisines.
Rare is the restaurant where the person who greets and seats you also walks you through the menu, takes your order, cooks your food, delivers your food, chats with you while you eat, then clears off your dishes, and brings you the check.
But that’s exactly what happened when my wife and I made our first trip to Megu, a new fine dining restaurant in the TCU area that serves dual cuisines: Japanese and French. It’s not fusion; there’s a full menu of Japanese dishes and a separate menu for French food.
Opened late last year on the ground floor of the Campus Tower building on University, just a few steps from TCU, this unique restaurant is owned and run by chef Peter Liang, often the restaurant’s oneman show, as was the case during our visit. On some days, he’s alone, running front of house, back of house, and everything in between. Other times, there’s a server or two, plus longtime service industry worker Crystal Richey, who acts as both server and manager.
Between Liang and Richey, you might not find better service, as both deliver highly personal experiences that match the white-tablecloth setting. That level of attention is all but a necessity at a restaurant with a dual personality.
The French menu is actually a combination of French and global cuisine. Here you’ll find a handful of classic French dishes, such as foie gras, French onion soup, and steak au poivre, along with pan-seared ostrich, scallops in a housemade Hawaiian sauce, and, when it’s available, Kobe beef carpaccio, made with Japanese A5 wagyu steak.
A more expansive Japanese menu is made up of dozens of sushi rolls and sashimi, made with fresh fish imported from different parts of the globe. Fish is flown in daily, Liang says, and accompanying sauces are made in-house.
Some of the more interesting sushi rolls include the Winter of London,
Photos by Crystal Wise
A little taste of Europe. And a little taste of Asia. This is chef Peter Liang’s unique concept at the corner of Berry and University.
comprised of apple and fried oysters wrapped in soybean paper, and the Dream & Dream, a layered mashup of Alaskan king crab, radish sprouts, cucumber, and tempura lobster.
It’s the Japanese menu where Liang stretches his imagination, he says. During our visit, he pointed us in the direction of steamed buns filled with crispy pork. We also noticed the Caviar Rainbow sushi roll, which, at $21, is a real steal, as it comes topped with
three kinds of caviar.
Megu isn’t Liang’s first dual concept in North Texas. Three years ago, he partnered with Weatherford inspirational speaker Dana Bowman to open Ginza, a French and Japanese fine dining restaurant on Main Street in Weatherford. The two eventually sold Ginza, and now it operates solely as a Japanese restaurant.
Liang hails from New York, and it was there, he says, where he fine-
tuned his skills as both a Japanese and French chef, working in and, ultimately, owning his own restaurants.
But Texas offered more opportunities at half the cost. “It’s very expensive to maintain a restaurant in New York,” he says. “You can get more for less here — bigger spaces for less rent. It’s why so many people are moving here now to open restaurants. It’s a good time to be here.”
Just make one cutline for all: “Says Liang: It’s very expensive to maintain a restaurant in New York. You can get more for less here — bigger spaces for less rent. It’s why so many people are moving here now to open restaurants. It’s a good time to be here.”
by Malcolm Mayhew
Brotherly Love
Tulips FTW’s new sibling bar, Low Doubt, is all about cool drinks, an eclectic vibe, and a sense of community
It’s a challenge faced by most bars that also double as live music venues: When you have a ticketed show, what happens to your regulars if they just want to drink and hang out with their friends?
For Jason Suder, owner of one of the city’s premier music venues,
Tulips FTW in the South Main area, it meant turning people away — something no business owner wants to do.
“As soon as we started doing ticketed events, we watched our bar business drop off,” he says. “Because we have capacity limits, I’m not able
to let in our regulars, who just want to have a drink, at the same time we’re having a ticketed show. We just don’t have the room.”
Suder and his business partners Kris Luther and Conor Dardis had access to a small building adjacent to Tulips, a 900-square-foot space they were using for storage and sometimes a VIP room for bands. It was the perfect spot, they thought, for what Tulips needed: a sibling bar that could accommodate Tulips’ regulars when they didn’t want to foot the bill for shows.
“The intention was always there, to have a music venue and a bar,” Suder says. “A bar is the only way to keep a music venue afloat.”
For a name, Suder and his partners landed on “Low Doubt,” a play on “load out,” an industry term describing the taking down and packing up of show equipment after a performance. Load outs typically take place in the back of a venue, and given Low Doubt’s location — right behind Tulips — it was the perfect moniker, Suder says.
Opened in January, Low Doubt may have been born out of circumstance and necessity, but it’s hardly a dashed-off, hobbled-together money grab. Rather, Suder and his partners have put together a cool neighborhood bar that is as thoughtful and smart as it cozy and alluring.
You enter, speak-easy-style, via a wood-planked alleyway next to Tulips. Follow the string lights and vibrant mural of a tulip, painted by New Yorker-turned-Fort Worthian Jana Renée. Hang a left at the end of the walkway and you’re there, facing a room bathed in dusk-colored lighting and decorated with antiques, knickknacks, and other decor components that illustrate the bar’s eclectic aesthetic.
“There are old boxing gloves that belonged to my grandfather, some show art posters from Tulips, and some other little things that one of us has picked up,” Suder says. “Separately, these things may not have
Photo by Crystal Wise
The alley that leads to Low Doubt, right next to music venue Tulips, is adorned with art by local artist, Jana Renee.
anything in common. But together, here, they represent the diversity and community and inclusion that we’re all about.”
Above the bar are rows and rows of vinyl records — a sure sign you’re in a place that caters to music fans. Two vintage refrigerator doors are put to clever use: Each displays the bar’s menu of beers, drink specials, and classic and craft cocktails. And what became of the rest of the fridges? They’re in the bathroom, repurposed as shelves.
The cocktail menu, developed by local award-winning bartender Omari “Mars” Anderson, may be, at the moment, the city’s best. At the very least, they have the best names: No Sympathy for the Devil, The Mad Ones, Only Truth, and Grace Under Pressure, all of which are references to theater productions, albums, or books.
The must-try drink, your bartender will probably tell you, is the one called All God Does Is Watch Us and Kill Us When We Get Boring, named for a passage in Invisible Monsters, a 1999 book by Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk. Brandishing a fairly potent mix of cherry limeade and vodka, it’s as fun to drink as it is to order.
The room’s showpiece is a curvy, mid-century-inspired, half-moon booth that looks like something out of “Mad Men” or “Swingers.” A dozen people can easily squeeze in. Which, Suder says, is the whole point.
“We see Tulips as a creative cultural center — a bar, a music venue, a wedding venue. It’s a space where people make memories under the banner of love and community,” he says. “Low Doubt operates separately, and it has its own identity, but with the same idealogy: to bring people together as a community.”
The Chowtown Lowdown
Downtown’s Vaquero Coffee Co. coffee shop has been given a makeover. First off, it’s no longer called Vaquero. Owner Jonathan Heath has rechristened his small, cozy coffee spot Rio Dulce Coffee. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve changed everything we do here,” he says. “From our recipes to our operations to all of our equipment. This rebranding is a signal of that.” The most significant change, Heath says, is an improved ordering system, which has helped get drinks out faster and cut down on wait times. Vaquero Coffee opened five years ago in the backspace of the historic Houston St. building that also occupies the old Joe Daiches. “We’re a little hard to see, and we know that,” Heath says. “One of our goals as Rio Dulce is to heighten our profile in the community, and hopefully that’ll heighten awareness of our store.” To do that, Heath says he plans to expand the coffee shop’s catering business and become more involved in community-related events, such as food festivals and chamber events. “We can now cater really, really large events,” he says. “We took some of our equipment and installed it onto a cart, so basically we have a coffee shop on wheels.” The interior has been freshened up with a new layout and new furniture. Also new: an artist’s wall, designed to promote the work of local artists and photographers. 109 HoustonSt.,facebook.com/VaqueroCoffeeCo/
Emilia’s, the stylish American-and-then-some restaurant inside the recently opened Crescent Hotel in the Cultural District, has opened its hotly anticipated restaurant-within-a-restaurant concept, The Blue Room. Geared toward those looking for an elevated dining experience that goes beyond the norm, The Blue Room is practically its own restaurant, offering highly personal service and a menu — separate from Emila’s — specially curated by executive chef Preston Paine. Menu items include a fresh fish of the day, carved tableside; an extravagant shellfish tower built out of lobster, shrimp, oysters, and crab claws; freshly made pastas such as a wagyu beef Bolognese; and caviar. Drinks include reserve wines, vintage bottles of champagne, and craft cocktails shaken and stirred tableside. Saving my pennies. 3300CampBowieBlvd.Infoandreservations:emiliasfortworth.com/ blue-room/
Mansfield’s dining scene keeps getting better and better. The city just a few minutes southeast of Fort Worth is now home to Four Sisters - A Taste of Vietnam, relocated from the Near Southside, and the third location of Hurtado’s BBQ, which also has stores in Arlington and Fort Worth. But the place I’m really jazzed about is Mehaan’s Chophouse, a newish steakhouse opened by Anthony Meehan, a Mansfield businessman who owns Nationwide Construction. Housed in a mid-19th-century mill that became the city’s first business, the restaurant is on par with any of Fort Worth’s steakhouses, in both food quality and atmosphere. If you’re a cigar aficionado, have a postdinner puff at Henry’s Cigar Lounge, found on the backside of Meehan’s. 101S.MainSt.,Mansfield,meehanschophouse.com
Loop 9 BBQ — the ‘cue joint opened in Grand Prairie last year by Chili’s founder Larry Lavine — has introduced several new menu items, including ginormous smoked chicken wings, a smoked halfchicken, a Philly cheesesteak made with chopped prime brisket, and smoked pork belly. In addition to ‘cue staples such as brisket, pork and beef ribs, and sausage, they offer a wide range of sides, too, plus freshly made pies in flavors such as key lime and coconut cream, a nice change of pace from the usual banana pudding. Loop 9 is part of the EpicCentral development, a 172-acre park that includes other restaurants such as upscale Mexican restaurant Vidorra, an indoor waterpark, a nightly water and lights show, and live music. Cool place to take the fam. epiccentral.com
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by Malcolm Mayhew
A Worthy ‘Project’
A Fort Worth restaurant that offers chef-inspired meals to those affected by food insecurity is back in the spotlight, thanks to a sizable donation from a popular TikTok foodie.
Nearly every media outlet in Dallas-Fort Worth waited with bated breath to see where Keith Lee was going to eat.
For the uninitiated, Keith Lee is no ordinary eater. The type of media attention usually reserved for U.S. presidents and Taylor Swift swirls around him as he blazes through the country, reviewing restaurants on TikTok and Instagram. With millions of followers, the Las Vegas-based foodie can give a struggling restaurant a popularity boost, helping them navigate through today’s often treacherous economic waters.
Lee’s North Texas visit in late January focused primarily on Dallas restaurants, so much to Jeff and Julie Williams’ surprise, Lee turned up at their Fort Worth restaurant, the nonprofit Taste Project.
“We had no idea he was coming,” Jeff says. “No restaurant does. He just
shows up. Where he visits is all done by social media voting. Unfortunately, I was out sick that day, so I didn’t get to meet him. But my wife did.”
Lee did not show up for a meal, though. As was widely reported, he was there to donate to the restaurant, which offers chef-inspired meals for pay-what-you-can prices. Lee donated $4,000, then posted a video about the restaurant and its mission statement.
“He said he wasn’t there to review us,” Jeff says. “He posted in his TikTok video that he didn’t want a review to get in the way of our message and our role in helping the community.”
Since opening in 2017 on South Main Street, the Taste Project has made a name for itself in both culinary and humanitarian circles. A 501(c)3, it has garnered national attention for offering high-quality dishes, handmade with fresh and seasonal ingredients, to
those affected by food insecurity.
The restaurant is open to the general public, who are encouraged to pay what they typically would for a meal out, or a little extra.
The Taste Project is more than a restaurant. The name is an umbrella under which the Williams lead other forms of outreach and education for those in need.
This includes three tuition-free culinary job programs: a six-month Certified Fundamental Cook Culinary Pre-Apprenticeship program, which lasts six months and is geared toward those ages 18-24; the Fort Worx job training program, a 16-week program in which participants work at the Taste Project and Tarrant Area Food Bank; and a two-year Sous Chef Apprenticeship designed for those interested in food service leadership roles. Graduates receive certifications from the American Culinary Foundation.
The couple is also involved in urban farming, gardening and green space initiatives, and other ongoing projects.
Lee’s donation comes on the heels of a donation made by Texas Health Resources. which is giving The Taste Project $748,314, according to the Star-Telegram.
The donations are coming at a good time for the couple. The city of Arlington is helping them open a location at 200 North Cooper St., which will include the pay-what-you-can restaurant along with classroom space and additional culinary training programs.
Along with the city of Arlington, other local organizations are helping the couple with the costs of opening the new location, such as the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, the Amon G. Carter Foundation and, among others, Women Inspiring Philanthropy.
“The support has been unbelievable,” Jeff says. “Arlington has been so supportive of what we do and what we want to achieve. We’d love it if Lee could come back someday. Maybe this time he could taste our food. I think he’d love it.”
TheTasteProject,1200S.MainSt.,tasteproject.org
Photo by Crystal Wise
Since opening in 2017, Taste Project has made a name for itself in culinary and humanitarian circles. The most recent to notice: Keith Lee.
HOME
THE INSPIRING LIVING SPACES OF YOUR FELLOW FORT WORTHIANS
CAN’T CONTAIN Commercial real estate investor Ron Sturgeon and his wife, Lauren Allen, dropped a lot of jaws when they introduced their dream home to Linwood neighbors in 2021.
Ship Shape
Husband and wife, Ron Sturgeon and Linda Allen, repurposed shipping containers to build their dream home in Linwood.
By Brian Kendall
Photos by Crystal Wise
There wasn’t any chance Ron Sturgeon and his wife, Linda Allen, were going to build your everyday home — you know, bricks, shingles, dry wall.
“Linda and I, we both have the adventurer gene in a large way,” Sturgeon, a commercial real estate investor, says. “We like to travel a lot. We like art, we like abstract things. And so [building a home out of shipping containers] was a pretty good fit.”
That’s right, shipping containers.
Inspired by his recent repurposing of 150 containers to build the Fort Worth Design District on the north side of the city, Sturgeon created a model of the home out of 13 cardboard containers he had made to scale and showed it to Linda.
“I said, ‘Oh, hell no,’” Allen says. “This is the wrong world. What is this? It was just hard for me to visualize.”
But Sturgeon would eventually win her over.
“Ron and I don't do anything normal. For us just to build a nice brick home … no, we would’ve been so bored.”
Designed by architect Ken Schaumburg, whom Sturgeon says is “renowned for doing some crazy things,” the number of containers was significantly reduced from the original plan of using 13 containers. Containers are still used on two sides of the home, but a steel structure connects them, allowing the home to have a 20-foothigh ceiling in the living room.
The 5,500-square-foot home, which resides in the Linwood neighborhood, took two years to complete after construction began in 2019.
Asked if he’s at the forefront of what could be a big trend, Sturgeon has his doubts.
“It’s inexpensive and easy to build, but getting a real estate appraisal is difficult,” Sturgeon warns. “Getting the plans done with the city is difficult. Getting the insurance is difficult. It's not for the faint of heart.”
Connecting containers on both sides of the house via a steel structure meant the design could be less restrictive. The living room features 20-foot-high ceilings.
"All the furniture is grays, whites, blacks, because we knew we had some crazy pops of color in art," Allen says. She and Sturgeon had been purchasing decor for years that they knew would one day reside in their dream home. "Turned out, everything we bought fit beautifully in the home."
“When you come into the house, you really don't even process that It’s containers," Allen says. "I mean, you'll see the metal walls, but it doesn't feel boxy like you would think if you were approaching the house.” Like many modern home designs, Linda and Ron's container home includes an open floor plan, lots of windows, and a large garage for Ron's car collection.
KLZ travels the world to find the most beautiful stone. Your home is very precious and with that in mind we search far and wide to make sure that every one in our family will help and serve your family. Take the time and stop by and be amazed at our selections and friendly faces. After all you really can’t afford not to.
Explore stunning imagery of remarkable local home projects. Each project’s unique character, craftsmanship, and vision are vividly showcased on the following pages for your inspiration. Dive into the world of design, architecture, finishes, fixtures, outdoor spaces, and more, where the beauty and inspiration behind each home are expertly captured. The information in this section is provided by the advertisers and has not been independently verified by Fort Worth Magazine.
AJ Designs A
Living Room with a View
A living room with a view! This project aimed to design a modern and clean-lined space while bringing the outside in. The design team achieved this through textures, materials, and furniture. All the furniture selections have a light neutral color palette with various materials and textures. The light upholstery is practical for entertaining without worry due to the performance factors implemented. Pops of color such as blue and muted earth tones are integrated into the room through art and accessories to reflect the beautiful view beyond the window. The goal of this space is to create a comfortable
space for entertaining. Sofas, swivel chairs, a bench, and ottomans are added to the space to create ample seating that can be configured to the user’s needs. The wow factor is the view beyond the living room as you enter, which is enhanced by using neutral and low-profile furniture to draw your attention outside beyond the balcony. Turning a traditional, Spanishinfluenced style into a modern and sophisticated space is a perfect way to showcase AJ Designs’ design style.
Semmelmann Interiors unveils its splendid showroom, inviting design enthusiasts to explore a haven of elegance in Fort Worth. The newly opened Fort Worth Design Studio showcases an array of exquisite furnishings, lighting, drapery, bedding, rugs, accessories, and floral arrangements. Visitors are treated to a treasure trove of design resources and services. The showroom's wow factor lies in its mesmerizing lighting, exquisite finishes, and cuttingedge, progressive décor — a captivating space where design innovation and contemporary style seamlessly blend to leave a lasting impression.
Our mantra is "Your style is our style." The showroom transcends modern style in a commercial space; however, our message is to serve as a versatile platform offering design services tailored to any aesthetic.
Semmelmann Interiors
Semmelmann Interiors Fort Worth Design Studio
Grand Entry Gala
Junior League of Fort Worth
The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc. (JLFW) hosted the 11th annual Grand Entry Gala at Will Rogers Coliseum on Jan. 6. The event featured performances by Texas country music artists Gary P. Nunn, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Radney Foster, Jack Ingram, Roger Creager, and Ray Benson.
Peggy Sims, Michelle Lowrance, Andrea Carrington, Gail Landreth
Robin & Pete Greenhaw
Amanda Landfried, Mackenzie Zwick
Edward Phillips, Rachel Navejar Phillips
Kori Green, Philip & Jennifer Williamson
Jeff & Olivia Kearney
photos by Canon Elizabeth Photography
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Assembly Ball 2023
The Assembly
The Assembly presented five debutantes at the 106th Assembly Ball on Nov. 4 at Ridglea Country Club. President Margaret Penn and decorations chairman Susie Green created an elegant setting inspired by the de Gournay handpainted wallpaper at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. Guests danced to music by The Manhattan Orchestra and enjoyed the traditional breakfast buffet followed by late-night bites of grilled cheese and fries with truffle oil.
Anna Alice Gerrish, Abigail Fontaine Anton, Margaret Marie Biggs, Amelia Webb Fleischer, Mary Fruzan Furlong
photos by Gittings Photography
Mar. 1
Go Red for Women
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel
American Heart Association
Mar. 2
Jewel Charity Ball
Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibits Hall
Cook Children’s
Mar. 4
Colonial Culinary Classic
Colonial Country Club
James Beard Foundation, Birdies for Charity
Mar. 7
Reserve Wine Tasting
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival
Mar. 30
Cinderella Charity Ball
Loews Arlington Hotel
Boys and Girls Clubs in Arlington
April 6 RING OF FIRE: Sunday, April 7
Colleyville Woman’s Club
E Ka Wai Nani
LUNCH WITH THE GIRLZ
Fashion Show & Luncheon Benefit
04.05.24 | Hurst Conference Center
Live & Silent Auctions
Tropical Fun
Prized Pineapple Pick
PARTY WITH A PURPOSE
Benefits area charities & high school scholarships
BOUTIQUE FASHIONS
Austin Lorin w DD Ranch
Malouf’s w Rose & Rivets
Sai Designers
Scout & Molly’s Boutique
Silk Threads w Xar Clothier
QUALITY PRODUCTION
Deborah Ferguson – Emcee
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
CWC’s 44-Year Legacy of “Caring With Commitment” c-w-c.org
Photo Booth Sponsored by
RSC Productions
BENEFITING THE JOAN KATZ CANCER RESOURCE CENTER
Thank you to our sponsors BEYOND THE BAG
CHIC BAG SPONSOR
Susan Lay Atwell Charitable Lead Annuity
CUSTOM BAG SPONSORS
Shirley and John Dean | Joan and Howard Katz | Mary Lowe Winkie and Jeff Myers | William E. Scott Foundation
CLASSIC BAG SPONSORS
Carrie and Kent Adams | Cindy and John Adams, Alan a nd Jenny Johns & Mary Lowe | Ben E. Keith Beverages | CBRE, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Davis | Fenom Women’s Care | Frost
Harriette and Arnold Gachman & Elaine and Allen Schuster
Dr. Jackie and John Garda / Vivi Women’s Health & Leesa and Dr. Robert Kaufmann/Fort Worth Fertility | GM Financial
Lily and Andre Le | Michelle and Dan Lowrance | Rozanne and Bil ly Rosenthal
Lisa and Burch Waldron | Toni and Keith Young
CLUTCH BAG SPONSORS
Richard and Connie Bertel | Alicia and Steve Deane
K atherine and George Haratsis & Mary Frances and Jim Wood, Jr.
Stacy Hollis | Jeanie and Ken Huffman | Vaishali and Chris Kent
Debra and Aaron Koppelberger | My Texas Health Care OBGYN
Rosalyn G. Rosenthal | Molly and Mitch Snyder | Donna and Holli s Sullivan
Proceeds from Beyond the Bag will enable the expansi on of non-medical navigation services offered by the Joan Katz Cancer Resource Center located at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth. If you or someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, call 817-922-2223 for free support, education and navigation, regardless of where you are receiving your medical care.
Special Thanks to:
Jewel Charity extends sincere gratitude to our donors for their support and generosity.
ROXO MEDIA
WOLFGANG PUCK CATERING
ANGELA AND ANTHONY WONDERLY
GUARDIAN ANGEL,
BRILLIANT GEM, RUBY JEWEL
AMARILLO NATIONAL BANK
AMERICAN AIRLINES
LAURA AND GREG BIRD
DOROTHEA LEONHARDT FUNDANDREA C. HARKINS OF COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION OF TX
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BARBARA AND WILLIAM LOTT
ERIKA AND DAN MCCARTHY
WINJIE AND DARRYL MIAO
MARYANNE AND TOM MITCHELL
PAPER CITY MAGAZINE
THERESA AND RANDY BRILLHART
DR. ALICE AND MR. MONTY PHILLIPS
CANTALINI FAMILY FOUNDATION
CANYON RANCH
CARSON HEARING CARE
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MR. AND MRS. STEFAN FIGLEY
MARY ANNE AND RICHARD POLSON
SALLY AND PAUL PRATER
MICHELE AND FRED REYNOLDS
RLB AUTO GROUP
SANDERS TRAVEL CENTRE
MICHELANGELO ARCHANGEL, LUMINOUS GEM, CROWN JEWEL
BETH AND CRAIG COLLINS
CHARITABLE FUND AT THE NORTH TEXAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
KELLY AND JEFF DILLARD
FAMILY FOUNDATION
HIGGINBOTHAM
PARK PLACE MOTORCARS FORT WORTH SPROLES WOODARD LLP
RAPHAEL ARCHANGEL, PLATINUM GEM, DIAMOND JEWEL
360 WEST MAGAZINE
ANNE AND ROBERT BASS
AMON G. CARTER FOUNDATION
FORT CAPITAL / CHRIS AND MIKAL POWERS FORT WORTH MAGAZINE GITTINGS
NEIMAN MARCUS FORT WORTH
KATHLEEN KELLY SNEED
ARCHANGEL, PRECIOUS GEM, EMERALD JEWEL
BANK OF AMERICA
TIFFANY AND GREG BLACKMON
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ANNE AND ORLANDO CARVALHO
VIRGINIA CLAY
COLLECTIONS FINE JEWELRY
BETH AND CRAIG COLLINS
PAUL DORMAN
FOLSOM POINT CHARITIES
FROST
CAMI AND JOHN GOFF
LOCKHEED MARTIN
LOUELLA MARTIN CHARITABLE FUND AT THE NORTH TEXAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
DEBBIE AND BOBBY MCGEE
JAN AND DANNY MCKEE
MILES & MILES ARGENTINA
THE WILLIAM AND MARSHA RICKETT FAMILY FUND AT THE DALLAS FOUNDATION
MR. AND MRS. CHRIS ROOKER
ROZANNE AND BILLY ROSENTHAL
ROSALYN G. ROSENTHAL
SUSAN SEMMELMANN / SEMMELMANN INTERIORS
STANDARD MEAT
ANNA W. & ALEXANDER P. THORNTON
CHARITABLE TRUST
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NANCY GIBSON
TERRI AND KIM GILL
SIMONE AND TOMMY HENDERSON HKS
VIRGINIA HOBBS CHARITABLE TRUST, SIMMONS BANK, TRUSTEE
DAVID HUNT FURS AND LEATHERS
HILLARY AND DOUG JENNINGS
JOE T. GARCIA’S
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
DEBBIE AND LARRY KALAS
JOAN AND HOWARD KATZ
M. L. LEDDY’S / MARTHA AND WILSON FRANKLIN
LINBECK
MICHELLE AND DAN LOWRANCE
PRISCILLA AND JOE MARTIN
THERESE AND TOM MONCRIEF
ANNE AND SCOTT NOLES
THE NORRIS FOUNDATION / JJ AND BOBBY NORRIS
ORIGIN BANK
A.M. PATE JR. CHARITABLE TRUST, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., TRUSTEE
CORTNEY AND ALEX PELLEY
REGIONS BANK
ROYER COMMERCIAL INTERIORS AND HAWORTH, INC.
THE STADLER FAMILY
STUDIO 74 VINTAGE / SIMMONS ESTATE
JEWELRY
DR. VINCE AND MELANIE TAM
TCU EQUESTRIAN
MR. AND MRS. DAVID TIERNEY / BUEHLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
DR. AND MRS. ROBERT WARREN
WELLS FARGO
WINSTEAD PC
GOLDEN ANGEL, RADIANT GEM, SAPPHIRE JEWEL
BEN E. KEITH BEVERAGES
JANE AND MICHAEL BERKOWITZ
MADELON L. BRADSHAW
THE CAPITAL GRILLE - FORT WORTH
KAY AND EARL COX
KIM AND GLENN DARDEN
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM S. DAVIS
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OLIVIA AND JEFF KEARNEY
CHARLOTTE AND JOHN KIMBERLIN
DR. AND MRS. JON KURKJIAN
ALEXIS AND ROBERT SCHLEIDER
THE SCHWEITZER GROUP
MRS. PRATIBHA TANNA AND FAMILY
DR. KRISTEN AND MR. BRAD TRAPNELL
VARGHESE SUMMERSETT PLLC
TARIN AND BRAD WALLACE
ZYDO ITALY
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MARQUIS GEM, TOPAZ JEWEL
ADAIR EYEWEAR
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SHANNON AND WILLIAM ADAMS
MARY LOUISE AND BOB ALBRITTON
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KATE AND CRAIG BARBOLLA
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BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE ALL SAINTS
MEDICAL CENTER - FORT WORTH
BEN E. KEITH FOODS
TAYLOR AND RHETT BENNETT
MARSHA AND BARCLAY BERDAN
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH BERKES
BLACKWELL’S PERSONAL TOUCH
PRINT & DESIGN
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES E. BLANTON
CATHY BLOCK
DAVID BONDERMAN
BECKY RENFRO BORBOLLA AND HENRY BORBOLLA III
LEIGH AND MICHAEL BORNITZ
EDITH BOSWELL
DEBBIE AND JOHNNY BOUDREAUX
BOWIE HOUSE, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
BRYAN BRASWELL
LISA AND DAN BROCK
PAULA AND BOB BROCKWAY
KATHERINE AND BEN BROYLES
TULISHA BUCHANAN
ANJIE AND WILLIAM BUTLER
CAMELLIA FARM FLORA
DRS. KATHLEEN AND ALEX CAMMACK
TONYA AND DECKER CAMMACK
DR. SAMSON AND CLARA CANTU
CAPITAL ONE
KIM AND DAN CAREY
CENTRAL MARKET
MARY KATHERINE AND ROBBIE CLARKE
KIM AND DAVID COOKE
LAURA AND KEN COPELAND
GENE PUMPHREY AND STEPHEN COSLIK
COURTSIDE KITCHEN
BARBARA AND RALPH COX
MR. AND MRS. JOHN J. CYCHOL III
LESLIE AND MATTHEW DALY
DRS. NANCY AND MARK DAMBRO
CARI AND BILL DAVIS
ASHLEY AND CODY DAVIS
CAROLYN AND STAN DAVIS
ELIZABETH AND EDWARD DEEGAN
RENEE AND BRAD DEERING
KERRY DICK, PLANSTYLES BY KERRY DICK, INC.
STEPHANIE AND MICHAEL DIKE
JENNIFER AND JASON DISNEY
DR. DAVID AND ANGELA DONAHUE
MR. SCOTT AND DR. GRETCHEN EAMES
ENCORE BUILDERS
BONNIE AND MARC EPSTEIN
MR. AND MRS. ALAN W. FARQUHARSON
DR. AND MRS. MATT FIESTA
MARTHA J. FRY
MR. AND MRS. ARNOLD G. GACHMAN
NANCY AND MIKE GAFFNEY
BRYANT GAINES
AMANDA AND JAMIE GALATI
GARVEY TEXAS FOUNDATION
MR. AND MRS. SCOTT J. GERRISH
WARREN GOULD AND MARY KATHRYN ANDERSON
CAROL AND ROBERT GOODWILL
THE RALEIGH GREEN REAL ESTATE GROUP
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DR. AND MRS. DAN GUZMAN
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NELL AND DANIEL HANSEN
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LA VIE STYLE HOUSE
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CHRIS LEITO
LE REVE SKINCARE & LASER CENTER
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MRS. JOHN R. LIVELY
LOCATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY
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JJ SALTSMAN AND STEVEN MAGSIG
FAITH AND JAMES R. MALLORY
HADDY AND EDWARD MANUEL
THE MARLOW FAMILY
LAUREN AND RYAN MATTHEWS
VIVIENNE AND BOBBY MAYS
MR. AND MRS. CLYDE S. MCCALL JR.
MCCALLUM FAMILY FOUNDATION
DR. AND MRS. TERENCE MCCARTHY
MARGARET AND STUART MCDONALD
PATTI AND ROBERT MCLEAN
MR. AND MRS. RICHARD MCMILLAN II
LAURA AND RICK MCWHORTER
SUSAN K. AND VICTOR F. MEDINA
EVELYN AND RICK MERRILL
MICHELLE AND DAN MILES
DRS. LINDSAY AND BRAD MINOR
MRS. W. A. MONCRIEF III
LEZLIE AND JOE MONTELEONE
ANN AND RUSS MORTON
CINDY AND SAM MOSER
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GEMMA AND TIM NOLAN
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CHUCK NOTEBOOM
LAURA AND MICHAEL O’BRIEN
P.S. THE LETTER
ANNE S. AND HENRY B. PAUP
MR. AND MRS. H. RICHARD PAYNE
THE PERFECT LIGHT
THE PERKINS FAMILY
CHERYL AND CHRIS PETERSEN
MS. PATRICIA P. PETERSON
DR. AND MRS. JOHN PFAFF
ERICA AND SEAN PIFER
PAM AND REED PIGMAN / TEXAS JET
LISA AND TODD PODELL
MR. CHARLES POWELL AND THE HONORABLE BEVERLY POWELL
KENDAL AND JEREMY PRUETT
DANIEL W. PULLIN
ELIZABETH AND KYLE PYRON
RACHAEL AND CAM QUISENBERRY
DR. BRIAN RANELLE FAMILY CHARITABLE FUND
TAMARA AND DAN REESE
DEBBIE AND DON REYNOLDS
BETH RIVERS AND WOODY GROSSMAN
JEAN ROACH
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MEG AND JOHN RUBIN
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DR. AND MRS. TODD SAMUELSON
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AMANDA AND BLAKE SCHOOLER
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THE SCOUT GUIDE FORT WORTH
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LAURA AND MARK STANDISH
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TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
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DR. AND MRS. SCOTT BLOEMENDAL
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JANIE AND STEVE CHRISTIE
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It’s a shot we’ve seen before. Heck, it’s a shot that might even have previously appeared on this back page of the magazine. The alleyway on W. Fourth Street that leads to the Scat Jazz Lounge’s bright neon sign is as picturesque a city scene as one can imagine — Fort Worth’s own trip to New York City in the 1920s. But, according to local photographer Felix Schilling, “adding a person does wonders for this iconic Fort Worth location.” Schilling captured this photo on Christmas night, having gone downtown with his camera in tow after visiting friends. He’d met someone in The Sinclair’s lobby bar, and the two conducted a spontaneous photo shoot in the Scat Lounge alley. The result is a timeless image.
Get your photo on this page and win a $100 gift card to Fort Worth Camera.
Just tag FortWorthMagazine (@fwtxmag) and Fort Worth Camera (@fwcamera) and use the hashtags #fwtxmag and #fwcamera on all your amazing Cowtown images.
@felixarthurschilling
PHOTO BY FELIX SCHILLING
PICTURED: David Elattrache, GM, Platinum Toyota; Justin Rogers, GM, SouthWest Toyota of Lawton Oklahoma; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive
5-STAR
Service
Riding High in the Saddle
When Fort Worth resident Sonia Phillips needs a luxury vehicle for her personal use, she repeatedly turns to Mercedes-Benz. Her new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 from Park Place Motorcars Arlington converted this luxury sedan buyer into a luxury SUV buyer. “A smaller SUV with great style and lots of luxury was important to me as I drive my clients around,” says Phillips, a Realtor and sales representative for Antares Homes. Phillips says her MercedesBenz GLE 350 drives like a dream and has a luxurious interior with a wide range of amenities. “The car is like none other in its class,” she says. “It makes me feel like the queen that I am as I drive and live life daily.”
Michael and Anissa Teskey sensed a need they could fill in the Weatherford community and opened their first saddle and tack shop in a small storage facility in 1998. Since then, Teskey’s Saddle Shop has grown into 100,000 square feet of equestrian heaven with over a thousand saddles, tons of tack, clothes, guns, and gear. Today, Teskey’s has over a hundred employees dedicated to serving the needs of the equestrian community both locally and online. When purchasing their newest ride, the Teskeys looked for the same exceptional customer service from Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. “I made the drive to Park Place for their wide selection of vehicles and because of their extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff,” Anissa says. “I chose a 2024 Mercedes GLE 63 S Coupe for its technology and performance.” With up to 603
Phillips says that the Park Place Motorcars Arlington sales team of Doug Mayberry and Tony Vega Montelongo worked with her to find the right car and the right deal. “They went above and beyond to show me what a five-star experience means,” Phillips says. She went on to praise sales and finance director Matt Woolsey and GM Malcolm Gage. “They are the epitome of excellence and professionalism.” With Park Place Motorcars Arlington, Phillips found exceptional personalized care and service. “Park Place is My Place because I love how they do business,” she says. “I will be a loyal and repeat customer for life.”
horsepower, this mid-size SUV is both powerful and luxurious. The host of driver-assistance features, panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled seats, and interior ambient lighting are some of the wow features, she says.
When the Teskeys walk through the doors at Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth, they’re confident they’ll experience world-class customer service. “Kevin Watson went above and beyond with my experience at Park Place. He made it the easiest and most seamless vehicle purchase I’ve made,” Anissa says. “At Park Place, they’re Experts in Excellence because their focus is on customer service. They go the extra mile to understand your needs and ensure your car-buying experience is smooth and enjoyable.”
