houstonintown.com
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018
5 REASONS TO GET KelseyConnected in SM
Downtown Houston
Dr. Puja Sehgal, Family Medicine | Dr. Anna Silva, Family Medicine | Dr. James Burkhead, OB/GYN Dr. Isabella Gyening, Dermatology | Dr. Yee-Ru “Amy” Chen, Family Medicine
Visit our multispecialty care center in 4 Houston Center – just above the Food Court where you’ll have easy access to: Same-day and next-day appointments available in primary care – call our 24/7 Contact Center at 713-442-0000. Our physicians specialize in Dermatology, Family Medicine, OB/GYN, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Podiatry, and Rheumatology. On-site Kelsey Pharmacy, lab, and diagnostics including X-ray, mammography, and ultrasound. Easy online scheduling through the MyKelseyOnline patient portal and AppointmentsNOW at kelsey-seybold.com/NOW. With everything you need under one roof and close to work, why go anywhere else? Make an appointment to get KelseyConnected today! We welcome new patients and accept more than 50 health insurance plans.
4 Houston Center
24/7 Appointment Scheduling
1200 McKinney St., Suite 473 Houston, Texas 77010 713-442-4700
713-442-0000
kelsey-seybold.com/downtown
You enjoyed a colorful 40-year career. Now you are working on your first greatest hit. You never imagined moving to a community would be so inspiring, and now you couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Be Inspired.
Four convenient locations:
Intown
Publisher’s Letter / September - October 2018
contents 14
ON THE COVER 16 26
24 12-13 ARTS + EVENTS 14-15 FOOD: BISTECCA IS ALL ABOUT THE MEATS 16-18 Q & A WITH 7TH CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES 19 THE BUZZ
Intown houstonintown.com
PUBLISHER
M. A. Haines EDITOR
Lisa June
20-23 24-25
THE CANNES EXPERIENCE THE GAME: HOUSTON TEXANS GM BRIAN GAINES
26-28 FEATURE: VIRTUOSI OF HOUSTON 29-30 THE BUZZ
CONTRIBUTORS
Lindsay Mowad William Hanover Marene Gustin Evans Attwell Philip Berquist Minnie Payne
PRODUCTION
Web Design CSS Art & Design Layout & Graphic Design CSS Art & Design
For advertising rates and information: 713.525.8607 intownmagazine@gmail.com Space reservation deadline is 15 days prior to publication.
Photographer Wells Brown
Intown magazine is published bi-monthly by SNS Media. Articles are welcome and will be given careful consideration for possible publication. Intown magazine does not assume any responsibility for unsolicited materials. Materials submitted will be returned if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Box 980757 Houston, TX 77098. You can also e-mail intownmagazine@gmail.com. Copyright 2018 by Intown magazine. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Intown magazine.
4 | Intown | September - October 2018
Prime Italian Steakhouse
Chef Alberto Baffoni Distinguished by Esquire’s Guide to Italy in America, Houston Business Journal. Twice been named a “Modern Master” by Southwest Airlines Magazine.
Bistecca is happy to announce our
New Happy Hour Menu
Monday through Friday 11am to 2:30pm & 4:30pm - 7pm
$5 MARTINIS
4:30pm - 6:30pm
Hours of Operation 11 am-2:30 pm Mon-Fri 5 pm-10 pm Mon-u • 5 pm-11 pm Fri-Sat Closed on Sunday
224 Westheimer Road | Houston Texas 77006 832.804.8064 | www.bisteccahouston.com
March - April 2018 | Intown | 5
Letters Minnie Payne Journalist/Copy Editor Re: Appreciation for the One Year After Article featured in Intown Magazine
Via U.S. E-MaiI
I want to thank you for inviting me to interview with you for the One Year After article featured in Intown Magazine. I always welcome the opportunity to share how proud I am of my Administration, our work, and the resulting improvements to public safety we are bringing to the entire greater Houston area. Your article was well-written, but perhaps more important, it was accurate and informative. Sharing what we are doing with the public we serve is nearly as important as doing it! Given your “late entry” into journalism, I am amazed at your willingness to work hard in the interview arena to get the story straight from the ‘horse’s mouth” to your readers. Kind Regards,
Kim K. Ogg District Attorney 19 DISCIPLINES OF ART • 300 ARTISTS • FOOD TRUCKS • MUSIC • CHILDREN’S CREATIVE ZONE
produced by Art Colony Association Inc., benefiting Houston non-profits OCTOBER 13-14, 2018
TICKETS: $12 Online - $15 at the Gate • www.bayoucityartfestival.com • #HouArtFest • #BayouCityArtFest 6 | Intown | September - October 2018
11414 St Germain Way / Royal Oaks $1,799,000 MLS# 2885218
11406 Chartreuse Court / Royal Oaks $1,585,000 MLS# 55197677
5655 Locke Ln / Briarcroft $1,375,000 MLS# 32981248
4002 Jack St / Montrose $625,000 MLS# 56111160
1915 Rosewood St / Rice/Museum Dist $498,500 MLS# 82315839
4709 Bellview Street / Bellaire $1,098,500 MLS# 92860235
5301 Larkin St / Cottage Grove $489,999 MLS# 84335117
With over $2 Billion in sales and over 45 years of combined experience, David and David have the knowledge and skills to provide the highest level of service to buyers and sellers of residential real estate. Our complete digital marketing portfolio includes: Professional Photography * Drone Photos * Brochure Design 3D Tour Technology * Individual Property Websites * Social Media Marketing & Management
David Michael Young
713-320-6453 davidmy@johndaugherty.com www.youngrealtyhouston.com September - October 2018 | Intown
|7
Publisher’s Letter
Why Don’t We Vote?
he recent Harris County bond vote that will cost homeowners a boatload of cash passed with a whopping 85 percent voter approval. Did you vote? If you did, you are one of approximately 150,000. That’s less than the number of people who were affected by Hurricane Harvey. Monies will come from an estimated 1.4 % percent increase in property tax. I’m guessing most that didn’t vote didn’t know that. Governor Greg Abbott has refused to tap into the “rainy day fund.” What more would it take than 25 trillion gallons of rain to tap into it? At the federal level, Congress was hogtied by two other major storms, forcing them to share funds with Florida’s Irma and Puerto Rico’s Maria devastation.
The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA) and its Bayou City Art Festival Downtown 2018 featured artist is Chris Vance, a Mixed Media 2D artist from Bondurant, Iowa. Vance along with 300 artists from around the world representing 19 will showcase their art benefiting non-profits, on Saturday - Sunday, October 13 -14, at the festival downtown.
We don’t seem to vote even when it matters. According to Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, only 75 percent of the eligible voting population is registered to vote. Couple that with a less than 10 percent turnout for one of the most significant and costly bonds ever, you wonder what the vast majority of people may have wanted to do with all that money. I’m not advocating we don’t need it, but is it going to help? Part of the cash will buy 3,600 homers in the floodplains. Maybe we should not build in flood plains and have better planning before development. Not enough people cared or weighed in to discuss the uses of our funds. More than eighty percent of registered voters didn’t care enough to vote. No crying when the tax bill comes due. On another critical note, two crucial elections in our state will soon take place, one being our own 7th Congressional District, a seat held by highly-tenured John Culberson. His opponent is upstart lawyer Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a successful young lawyer with very different ideas. Despite their known considerable differences, some of their answers were shockingly similar to me. Read and see if you agree. While the bond vote is on the books, there is still a wide-ranging amount of issues, including, to name a few, immigration, healthcare, climate change and local schools’ safety. There is some relief for property owners in the new bond. Homes under $200,000 and owners over 65 or disabled remain protected from further increases. The Harvey effect will linger for 10-15 years due to this new bond. There are many potential life-changing issues at stake this fall so people get registered and make an informed vote this November. 8 | Intown | September - October 2018
Val Arbona REALTOR, CLHMS, CRS RE/MAX Vintage (713) 562-4903 valarbona.com
Mariana Saldana Broker, CIPS Uptown Real Estate Group, Inc. (832) 338-4040 www.uptownhouston.com
Bree Knodel Business Development Officer Stewart Title - Kirby (281) 201-7261 bree.knodel@stewart.com stewart.com/houston
David Michael Young BROKER, CNE, CLHMS, GREEN John Daugherty, Realtors (713) 320-6453 www.youngrealtyhouston.com
5401 Doliver | Tanglewood
11414 St Germain Way | Royal Oaks Country Club
This Mediterranean/Old World home, designed by Robert Dame and built by Black Stone Builder, boasts stone exterior features, Slate Roof, Lush and Resort-Style Pool & Spa. Appointed with BEAUTIFUL patterns in stone, wood, and iron. Antique french oak/walnut hardwood floors, breathtaking Library, a walk wine room. 5 Bedrooms, Quarters and 6 Full +3 Half Baths. This castle includes a Roof-Top Deck, Summer Kitchen, a 3 car Indoor Garage with 6+ car Inside-Gate. 23,000+Sq Ft. PRIME CORNER LOT
Designed by renowned architect Robert Damem, built by Tuscany Estate Homes and located in the Estates section of Royal Oaks Country Club overlooking the 12th fairway. Courtyard design around private pool, spa and outdoor kitchen offering both privacy and elegance. The Tuscan design features a wonderful warm open floor plan with 5 bedrooms, master suite down, private study, 3 bedrooms, game room and 2nd study up plus an elegant private Casita and bath off the courtyard. Large family room with soaring ceilings, private dining and wine grotto and golf course views.
List Price $4,950,000 | MLS#66519832
Mariana Saldana | Uptown Real Estate Group | Phone: 832-338-4040
List Price $1,799,000 | MLS# 2885218
David M. Young | John Daugherty REALTORS | 713-320-6453
Members and affiliates of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
Vi sit O ur Website
W W W. G REAT E R HOU STON LU X U RY. C OM September - October 2018 |
5 Intown | 9
24300 SE Highway 105 Highway SE | Cleveland, TX List Price $1,200,000 | MLS# 95202580
Come to paradise and enjoy what the epitome of country living is supposed to be or if you are a developer, this 112 acres would make a premier site for your next set of homes. Go fishing in the lakes, ride your three-wheelers, camp underneath the stars. The wonders and possibilities can be created in your mine and then made into a reality if you set your mind to it. Less than a 1-hour commute from downtown Houston.
Sima Dalvandi CHLHC, ABR, Realtor Keller Williams Southwest (832) 630-7605 www.ezhomerealestate.com
Paula Hagerman CRS, ABR, Realtor, GHLHC RE/MAX Vintage (713) 306-3557 www.har.com/paulahagerman
Beverly Smith CLHMS, Lake Conroe Specialist Coldwell Banker United, Realtors (713) 569-2113 www.har.com/bevsmith
Kasteena Parikh BROKER, CLHMS, LUXE Keller Williams Metropolitan (713) 581-0677 www.Kasteena.com
Joanne Naponic Broker/Owner Joanne Naponic Properties (713) 515-3805 JoanneNaponicProperties.com
Weldon Rigby CRS, ABR Founding Member KW Luxury Keller Williams Realty Metropolitan (713) 621-2555 www.weldonrigby.com
Joanne Naponic | Joanne Naponic Properties | Phone: 713-515-3805
265 Promenade St | Bentwater
ListPrice $2,725,000 | MLS# 93425734
Open water paradise on Lake Conroe in the exclusive Estates of Bentwater. The entire home is light & bright with gorgeous finishes. Elegant staircase in the entry & water views from the lake can be seen creating natural light throughout the home. Open concept chief's kitchen comes with all stainless steel appliances, beautiful granite & makes it a joy to prepare your meals. The outside living area with lush landscaping, vanishing edge pool/spa, and outdoor kitchen creates a resort style living along with a covered boat dock and 4 jet ski lifts.
Beverly Smith | Coldwell Banker United Realtors | Phone: 713-569-2113
2731 Tudor Manor | Royal Oaks Country Club List Price $540,000 | MLS# 56373276
Fantastic home for entertaining! Country Club villa with private pool w/ water features and separate yard! Beautiful two-story, all bedrooms up. Master bedroom has sitting room, fireplace, morning kitchen, gigantic master bath & closet. Formal dining & living rooms, beautiful den overlooking pool. Lovely backyard with patio & playground Enclosed yard. Private gated community with 24-hr security, golf & members club. Come and see this gorgeous Royal Oaks home, Open House on weekends. Check schedule! Mariana Saldana | Uptown Real Estate Group | Phone: 832-338-4040
Members and aďŹƒliates of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
10 | Intown | September - October 2018 intown 6 intown 6 W W W. G REAT E R HOU STON LU X U RY. C OM
Vi sit O ur Website
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Ken Jacobson CMPS NMLS# 215044 Branch Manager Republic State Mortgage (713) 369-4040 www.kenjacobson.com
Marilyn Arendt Broker - Owner Marilyn Arendt Properties (281) 433-9113 mma@castle2sell.com
5655 Locke Ln | Briarcroft
List Price $1,375,000 | MLS# 32981248
Built by Habitat Construction. Modern, clean finishes, high ceilings, tons of natural light. Large open living areas and great flow throughout house. Hardwoods throughout - no carpet. First floor includes master suite, formal dining, study, wine grotto with refrigerator, utility / mud room & butler’s pantry. Gourmet kitchen features large island with 5 stool seating, Carrara marble counters and stainless steel appliances. Second floor has 3 bedrooms plus gameroom, den and 7x7 computer nook. 528 SF garage apartment features full bath, kitchen, full sized washer/dryer, hardwood floor.
David M. Young | John Daugherty REALTORS | 713-320-6453
Debbie Strudler Broker - ABR, GRI, CNE, CLHMS, Million Dollar Guild Debbie Strudler Fine Properties (713) 254-2806 www.dstrudlerhomes.com
Barbara Kobza Realtor, CLHMS, Million Dollar Guild Keller Williams Premier Realty (832) 215-7533 barbarakobza@kw.com
3333 Allen Parkway #2804 | River Oaks List Price $2,800,000 | MLS# 74141243
Take Luxury living to new heights in this 4761 sq.ft. Penthouse with breathtaking panoramic views of Downtown, Medical Center & Buffalo Bayou Park. This stunning 2-floor custom-designed plan with exquisite premium custom finishes throughout was completed in 2013. Twenty ft. ceilings, Lutron controlled lighting & window coverings and incredible sound system. Get ready to be pampered at The Royalton with its 24-hr Concierge & Security, Valet Services, Wine Cellar, 3000 sq.ft Fitness Center, Town Car Service, Infinity Pool, conference rooms, two Guest suites, private theatre, ballroom & 3 Assigned Parking Spaces w/ additional parking included on 1st floor garage.
Barbara Kobza | Keller Williams Premier Realty | 832-215-7533
James Brodnax CLHMS ABR GRI CPA West and Loop Real Estate Champions Real Estate Group Housing Trends - Newsletter (713) 822-3423 www.WestandLoop.com jbrodnax@westandloop.com
Angela White Agent, Circa Real Estate, LLC (713) 825-0231 www.angelawhitehomes.com angela@angelawhitehomes.com
2415 Mimosa Drive / River Oaks
List Price $1,850,000 | MLS# 70852288
STUNNING! Welcome to this PRISTINE, beautifully designed free standing home located in a gated community in the highly desirable area of River Oaks. Built by Pelican Builders, designed by George Hopkins, this home includes three/four bedrooms including a full floor master suite, 1st floor guest suite with superbly appointed study/sitting room, an elevator, hardwoods, high ceilings, well-appointed island kitchen with Subzero fridge and Wolf appliances and much more. Featuring exemplary architecture and excellent interior finishes.
Barbara Kobza | Keller Williams Premier Realty | 832-215-7533
Members and aďŹƒliates of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
Vi sit| O ur September - October 2018 Intown
W W W. G REAT E R HOU STON LU X U RY. C OM
Website
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Arts +
EVENTS
Artupdate houston published every two weeks by houstonintown. Go to website and sign up for newsletter to receive free update.
MUSIC & DANCE Ars Lyrica
re-Gifting and Royalty September 21
HOUSTON SYMPHONY
Sept 4 Rebels, Raiders & Superman:
BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL October 13-14 • Downtown
A Tribute to John Williams
8 Opening Night with Yuja Wang 9 Fiesta Sinfonica 13, 15-16 Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony 21-23 Bronfman Plays Prokofiev
24 k.d.lang 27-30 Dvorak’s Stabat Mater October 5-7 The Music of Abba 6 Peter and The Wolf 12 Hocus Pocus 13 Symphonic Spooktacular 18,20,21 Perlman Plays & Conducts 23 Hanson String Theory 26-28 Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
THEATER A.D. PLAYERS
Around The World In 80 Days
September 12 through 30
ALLEY THEATRE
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Ongoing through September 16
Skeleton Crew
September 7 through October 7
Twelfth Night
October 5 through October 28
MATCH THEATER The Catastrophic Theatre
Curse of the Starving Class
September 28 through October 21
Dirt Dogs Theatre Co.
Talk Radio
Ongoing through September 8
Main Street Theater
The Book Of Will
September 22 through October 21
New Era Theatre
Medea
September 14 - 15
Houston Fringe Festival
Gorda
September 8-9
RS Producciones
13 Y Martes
October 11 - 14
MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER September 1 Vivaldi vs. Paganini 2 Samskriti Bollywood Blast 7 30th Anniversary Production of
13-15
16 18
19
21
12 | Intown | July - August 2018
Always ... Patsy Cline Houston Ballet Presents An Evening of Stars El Grito featuring Los Ligaditos Young Audiences of Houston presents Africa Rising! Moving Myths: Storytelling Through Dance River Oaks Chamber Orchestra: Season 14 Opening Concert
22 25
27 28 29 30
Salsa y Salud ! David Gonzalez’ Cuentos: Tales from the Latino/x World No Bully Here Celebration Concert Classic Journey Live Rhythm & Wind Wells Fargo Presents Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez
October 1 - 3 Cinderella in Spain 4 39th Annual Festival Chicano
STAGES REPERTORY THEATER
Ring Of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash Ongoing through Sept. 2
Sister’s Summer School Catechism: God never Takes a Vacation
16 Chayanne 17 Game of Thrones
Live Concert Experience
29-30 Drake October
1-2 Drake SPORTS Houston Astros Minute Maid Park September 1-2 Anaheim 3-5 Minnesota 14-16 Arizona 17-19 Seattle 21-23 Anaheim
Opens October 7 - January 27, 2019
In and Out of Context: Asia Society Celebrates the Collections at 60
Ongoing through December 4
No Limits: Zao Wou-KI
September 9 - January 8, 2019
Zhang Peili: Continuous Reproduction September 9 - December 4
CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON
Stage Environment: You Didn’t Have to Be There
Contesting Modernity: Informalism in Venezuela, 1855-1975 Opens October 28 through January 21, 2019
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes Wildlife Photographer of the Year Ongoing
September 8 through October 23
Curator’s Choice
Walls Turned Sideways: Artists Confront the Justice System
Life in Stone
Ongoing
Houston Rockets
Ongoing through January 5, 2019
Ongoing
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON
Death by Natural Cause
Oct. 3 through 21
October 17 New Orleans 24 Utah 30 Portland
THE ENSEMBLE THEATER
Houston Texans
Ongoing through Sept. 9
Swimming While Drowning
‘da kink In My Hair
Sept. 20 through Oct.14
Theatre Southwest
4000 Miles by Amy Herzog
September 7 through 29
Theatre Under the Stars
Sept. 11 through 23
HOBBY CENTER
Les Miserables
September 25 through 30
CONCERTS & EVENTS TOYOTA CENTER September 1-3 Journey & Def Leppard
September 23 NY Giants 30 Indianapolis October 7 Dallas 14 Buffalo 25 Miami
MUSEUMS ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER
Ayomi Yoshida
Ongoing - 13 January 2019
New Cartographies
September 15 - March 17, 2019
The Texas Liberator: Witness To The Holocaust
September 7 through October 28
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON
Mike + Doug Starn: Big Bambu
Ongoing through September 3
Ongoing
Microsculpture: The Insect Photography of Levon Biss Ongoing
Vanishing Arts: Highlights from the Beasley-Hwang Collection Ongoing Exhibit
Tourmaline Treasures
Hidden Layers: Painting and Process in Europe
Ongoing Exhibit
Ongoing through September 3
Joris Laarman Lab: Design in the Digital Age Ongoing through Sept. 16
MENIL COLLECTION
Francis Alys: The Fabiola Project Ongoing through October 28, 2018
Arts of Islamic Lands: Selections from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait
Ongoing through December 30
Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol T H E I T A L I A N C U LT U R A L & C O M M U N I T Y C E N T E R P R E S E N T S :
Activities for All Ages
Wine Tastings
LIve Music
Authentic Italian • Food & Wine
October 11-14, 2018 at the UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS FREE Admission on Thursday & Friday Before 4pm
Thursday, October 11 • 5pm - 10pm Friday, October 12 • 11am - 10pm Saturday, October 13 • 11am - 10pm Sunday, October 14 • 11am - 6pm
Children 12 & Under Enter FREE
TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE at www.houstonitalianfestival.com September - October 2018 | Intown |13
FOOD at
It’s All About the Meats and the Chef W by Marene Gustin
14 | Intown | July - August 2018
hen you think of an Italian restaurant you probably think pasta, pizza and Parmesan cheese but when Abbas Hussein opened an Italian restaurant down the street from his Sorrento — home to one of the best veal osso buccos in town — he decided to make it about the meat.
Bistecca Prime Steakhouse 224 Westheimer Rd. 832.804.8064 bisteccahouston.com
11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday
5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday
And that’s worked out pretty well for Bistecca Prime Steak House, which was listed as one of the top new eateries in 2016 in Modern Luxury. From the elegant and artistic interior, with its high ceiling and white walls, to the cozy patio and exterior architecture, Bistecca is both modern and comfortable at the same time. Very much like the menu here. Executive chef Alberto Baffoni, who has been a fixture of Houston restaurants since the late 1990’s and has won numerous awards himself, has created a masterful menu that will delight lovers of Italian dishes as well as beef eaters. Think big, thick prime steaks charbroiled in the kitchen to the perfect temperature then served with or without sauces like Béarnaise or garlic butter — because who doesn’t like butter on beef? —and one side, preferably the fragrant hen of the woods mushrooms when in season. The specialty is the Bistecca alla Florentina, a giant 36-ounce bone-in juicy and rare Tuscan steak similar to a Porterhouse with two cuts of meat, a strip sirloin and a filet mignon. It might break the bank at $79 but is certainly worth the price as a special occasion meal. The ten-ounce filet mignon is a more affordable $48 and is a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy. Budget diners need to head over to Bistecca for the Monday through Friday three-course business lunch that at $25 is a steal. Start with house-made goat cheese and beet raviolo served with truffle cream and toasted almonds. With a glass of Blindfold by Prisoner white wine blend this could be a light lunch in itself but you can’t pass on the second course that offers a choice of prime tenderloin chicken fried steak, seafood, pasta or chicken. But the real prize is the grilled filet Spiedini over herbed polenta. Spiedini is an Italian, often Sicilian, dish of grilled meat cubes on a skewer and is truly one of the best tastes on the lunch menu and a great way to sample the meats here while watching your spending. The third course is, of course, dessert and there are currently three choices of which the best might be the ricotta cheesecake topped with a poached pear. If you’d rather order a la carte at lunch, there are some fine flatbreads and even a prime burger on the menu plus a couple of very filling salads like the panzanella bathed in a red wine vinaigrette. And yes there are plenty of Italian pasta dishes if you choose, also a rather luscious lobster bisque and a delightful beef tartare prepared table-side for you at a mere $18. Other restaurants will charge at least several dollars more for this raw beef delight mixed with onions, capers, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. And if you are a fan of raw meats, you need to try the beef Carpaccio, a flavorsome appetizer of paper-thin slices of raw beef served with mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Bistecca has a full bar and a reasonably priced wine list that includes the above mentioned Blindfold wine as well as some Super Tuscans from the affordable Col di Sasso, Banfi to the $490 bottle of 20143 Solaia, Antinori. And speaking of the bar, if you’re dining alone it’s a nice cozy place to sit. But since the weather is turning cooler, well, at least a little bit, the patio is also a fine place to dine al fresco.
Chef Alberto Baffoni
Osso bucco
September - October 2018
| Intown |15
JOHN
Culberson J In 2010, he ran unopposed. ohn Culberson, who has a long career in pubIn 2012, challengers were Democratic nominee James lic service, now finds himself in a dogfight for Cargas, an energy lawyer for the city of Houston, Green political survival.
Culberson, 62, Republican Congressman for Houston’s 7th District since 2,000, brings a Houstonian background, having grown up here, attending West U Elementary and graduating from Lamar High School. In 1981, he graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) and earned his Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in 1989. From 1987 to 1999, he served in the Texas House of Representatives, having been elected in 1986, while a law student. In 1999, his last term in the Texas House, his peers selected him to serve as Minority Whip. After graduating from law school, he began work for the law firm Lorance and Thompson as a civil defense attorney. In 2000, Culberson won the Republican nomination when 15-term incumbent Bill Archer retired. In 2008, he defeated businessman Michael Peter Skelly with 56 percent of the vote.
Intown: What are your positions on immigrants and the separation of children from their parents? Culberson: Young children should not be separated from their parents, despite the fact that these children’s parents chose to break the law. It’s critically important that we secure our borders to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, but we also must show compassion to these young children. I: Most agree that our aging infrastructure needs to be a priority. Why hasn’t that happened and what if anything will you do to make this a reality? C: Improving our infrastructure has always been one of my highest priorities. 16 | Intown | September - October 2018
party nominee Lance Findley and Libertarian Drew Parks. In the Nov. 4, 2014 general election, Culberson again defeated Democrat James Cargas, and in 2016, he defeated James Lloyd and Maria Espinoza in the Republican primary with nearly 60 percent of the vote. He secured his eighth term in the general election on Nov. 8, 2016, with 143,542 votes (56.2 percent) when he defeated Democrat James Cargas. His committees are: House Appropriations Committee, responsible for funding the federal government, allowing him to help govern federal spending and promote federal regulation and more local control. Subcommittee assignments include: Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS), Homeland Security, and Transportation Housing & Urban Development.
My first campaign promise was to rebuild and expand the Katy Freeway, which was like giving coronary bypass surgery to West Houston. I’m proud to say that I-10 was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. In Harris County, our infrastructure network also includes our flood-control network. Long before Hurricane Harvey, I have been working diligently and quietly to improve and strengthen our flood-control network. Those upgrades include replacing the gates at the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs and fulfilling every funding request made by the Harris County Flood Control District. Since the storm, I have secured a record $141
billion in disaster relief funding for the victims of last year’s hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Nearly $5 billion of that is already on its way to Texas, which is enough to finish every federally authorized flood-control project in Harris County at full federal expense. I: Health care is one of the most pressing problems today. There is a shortage of doctors and reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid have been threatened. What is your idea to improve the healthcare system? C: Every American should have access to affordable health care. It’s that simple. But we know that government-funded health care doesn’t work. We’ve seen the
LIZZIE
Cover
STORY
FL l e t c h e r
izzie Pannill Fletcher, 43-year-old Democratic Congressional nominee for Houston’s 7th District, brings to the political scene that she is a successful trial attorney who has the political prowess/backers to upheaval her Republican opponent. After defeating Laura Moser by 2 to 1 in the runoff, it appeared that this young lady should not be taken lightly. The polls show her in an astoundingly close race with the long-tenured incumbent.
A native Houstonian, Fletcher graduated from St. John’s School and received her undergraduate degree from Kenyon College in Ohio. There, she earned high honors in History and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1997. She worked several years, four of which were at Houston’s Alley Theatre. In 2006, she graduated with a law degree from William & Mary Law School in Virginia where she earned a fellowship and served as editor-in-chief of the William and Mary Law Review.
Intown: What are your positions on immigrants and the separation of children from their parents? Fletcher: We need to keep our community safe by making smart policy and enforcing it, working with and across our diverse community to do so. We need comprehensive immigration reform— something this Congress has failed to address. Separation of children from their parents as this administration has directed is unacceptable and we must do everything we can to pass substantives policies that address the underlying issues. I: Most agree that our aging infrastructure needs to be a priority. Why hasn’t
In 2006, she joined international law firm Vinson & Elkins. A few years later, she joined Houston law firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing (AZA) that focuses on high-stake business litigation. She became the firm’s first woman partner in 2015. She is co-founder of Planned Parenthood Young Leaders, has done volunteer legal work for Texas Appleseed and served as a board member for Writers in the Schools. She told Charles Kuffner at Kuff’s World that she is running for office because she thinks it is time for people to step up and make a change. Her comment – “We are headed in the wrong direction.” She also told Kuffner that she hasn’t run for an office since law school when she ran for editor-in-chief of the law review. She also did a lot of volunteer work in high school, one such job was defending Planned Parenthood during the Republican National Convention in 1992. In May 2018, she took on John Culberson, with a mantra of “leaving no voter unturned.”
that happened and what if anything will you do to make this a reality? F: Addressing our infrastructure needs starts with making it a priority. For too long, we have not had an advocate for this community in Congress that shares this priority. In Congress, I will make sure we prioritize building a resilient infrastructure, addressing flooding and transit issues, and partnering with our local agencies to make smart investments in mass transit. I: Health care is one of the most pressing problems today. There is a shortage of doctors and reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid have been threat-
ened. What is your idea to improve the healthcare system? F: Again, our current Congress has failed to deliver real solutions to health care needs. In Congress, I will fight to reverse the impact of reckless partisanship and working with both parties to bring down the cost of health care by introducing common-sense, cost-saving measures like allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to lower prescription drug price and to fight any attempt to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The ACA was a strong first step toward making health care accessible, but we have work ahead of us to improve it. September - October 2018
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cost of health care rise to unaffordable levels because of the Affordable Care Act. Simply put, Obamacare was anything but affordable. It added trillions of dollars to our national debt and drove our country closer to bankruptcy and insolvency, which is why I supported repealing some of its most unaffordable aspects. We need to make healthcare more accessible, affordable, and portable by allowing people to purchase their insurance across state lines, allowing small businesses to pool their resources to negotiate better rates as a group, while preserving access to insurance for people with pre-existing conditions and for adult children up to the age of 26. I: Why are schools closing in Texas and teachers are not seeing the pay increases they were promised? C: The education of our children, and the salaries of our teachers, are not decided at the federal level. While I will always be a strong advocate for our schools and teachers, these decisions need to be left to the state legislature, local school districts, and parents. I: Do you believe in the effects of climate change and if so what policies would you like to see to battle them? C: There is no question our climate is changing. I consider myself somewhat of an amateur scientist, and it’s an honor for me to be the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees a number of our federal agencies relating to our climate like NOAA. It’s my job as a subcommittee chairman to follow the facts and follow science. What we need to do is make sure we have accurate data about our changing climate in order to draw accurate conclusions. With accurate and honest data, we as policymakers can make the best decisions for our constituents and our country. I: Are there any policies you would like to see to make our schools safer for our children? C: Our schools should be a safe haven for our children. Parents should have peace of mind that their kids are safe in school. This year, I voted for the STOP School Violence Act, which includes a new violence training prevention for students and school personnel, anonymous reporting systems, improved coordination with local law enforcement and updated security technology. As chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Justice Department, I have also ensured that programs to protect the safety of our public schools are fully funded. I also worked with members from both parties on a bill to fix the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. This will help keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them. 18 | Intown | September - October 2018
I: Why are schools closing in Texas and teachers are not seeing the pay increases they were promised? F: Quality education is essential to our democracy. Good schools are the foundation for an informed community, better jobs, and a strong economy. School closures and teacher compensation are priority issues that the Texas Legislature has failed to address in a meaningful way. As a member of Congress, I will work to bring federal resources to Texas. I: Do you believe in the effects of climate change and if so what policies would you like to see to battle them? F: Climate change is a real and expanding threat to our economic and national security. It is impacting our weather patterns and making weather-related disasters like floods and hurricanes more frequent and more intense. An intelligent, inclusive approach to environmental issues, supported by government at all levels, the private sector, the not-for-profit sector and academia, is needed. We need effective enforcement of our existing environmental laws. We need to use tools the federal government already has to provide incentives for clean energy; to overhaul regulatory guidelines so they are responsive to the energy needs we have today and in the future; and to fund research in universities, at agencies, and elsewhere. I: Are there any policies you would like to see to make our schools safer for our children? F: Keeping our children and our communities safe must be our highest priority. One policy area where we have work to do is in implementing common-sense gun safety measures, like background checks, to reduce the threat of gun violence in our schools and across our communities.
Karina Barbieri and Stacey Lindseth
Amy Reaser and Star Hand
Allison Ketabchi and Zaida Saliba
Ashley Golden and Susan Oehl
Brittany Meisner and Katelyn Leonard
Claudia Ayala and Beatriz Olmedillo
W.O.W. SUMMER SOIREE
Emily Robinson and Annie Zdunkewicz
Dara Smith, Stephanie Fuller, Christina Dillard and Drew Lehmann
Dress for Success Houston (DFSH) and Women of Wardrobe celebrated the 15th anniversary of the annual Summer Soiree at Tootsies. The party was a colorful blend of fashion, food, sips and shopping, raising $20,000 for DFSH as they celebrate their 20th anniversary of serving more than 40,000 Houston area women. The WOW Summer Soiree has become the unofficial kickoff to Houston’s party season, with guests dressing for the occasion in Hunter Bell apparel. Chairs: Karishma Asrani Courtney Campo Allie Danziger Current WOW President Melissa Sugulas Emcee: Mia Gradney - KHOU Evening Anchor and WOW Co-Founder Women of Wardrobe WOW‘s goal is to assist Dress for Success Houston through fundraising and volunteerism to support the overall mission. Each membership donation of $100 is associated with the cost to purchase a new suit and accessories for a Dress for Success Houston client. Currently, WOW is Houston’s largest all-female young professionals group with more than 200 members.
By Lindsay Mowad
Alexandria Williams and Dipali Patel
Claudia Lobao, Lauren Levicki Courville and Hunter Bell
Claudia Lobao, Lauren Levicki Courville, Hunter Bell and Mia Gradney
Julie Chen, Audrey White, Daniella Hernandez and Camille Connelly
Allie Danizger, Courtney Campo, Hunter Bell, Melissa Sugulas and Karishma Asrani
| Intown | Mv |||19 Intown 29 September - October September - October 20182018 19
FEATURE View from the lunch table where the Johnsons watched the parade of yachts heading for their parking place with VIP attendees at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
The
Cannes Experience by Carole Keeney Harrington
H
oustonians who journey to the Cannes Film Festival come away with a mix of memories – a job-welldone, ho-hum or the adventure of a lifetime. For the pro, Marian Luntz, curator of films for the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, it is a work day. For tourists like Tammie and Andy (Dr. Charles) Johnson, it’s a stop on the way to the fast track, Monte Carlo’s Grand Prix. And for Bailey and Todd Falk, accompanying their adorable children who star in a short film at the festival, it is a dream trip.
Tammie and Dr. Charles “Andy” Johnson dropped into Cannes from their cruise ship and checked out the Cannes Film Festival on their way to LeMans, their ultimate destination.
20 | Intown | September - October 2018
Poster frm the US short film,“Caroline”.
The average film buff, however, should expect traffic, high hotel and apartment tariffs and walking. The Palais – the main drag at the festival - is cordoned off for the film gentry to arrive in their Rolls Royces and decamp to the red carpet. Still, to catch a “sighting” and sample the tasty French food all along the avenues, the Cannes experience is, to most visitors, a memorable “happening” worth the complications.
The pro
Luntz was at the festival to negotiate - to choose films for MFAH’s Film Program, which runs all year. The 2018 festival was her fourth since 1987. The Houston Film Commission’s Deputy Director, Alfred Cervantes, facilitated contact with colleagues in the film business, and she paid for a badge, which gave her access to public screenings and to the market where films are bought and sold. The red carpet, which Luntz skipped, is for high profile actors, VIPs or the resourceful cinephile. “There are people outside holding signs asking for tickets, and regularly I saw these people being successful,” Luntz recalled. Badge colors immediately identify whether one is au courant in the film business. Cannes officials decide who gets what. White is the pinnacle of prestige. Without an invitation, good luck walking the red carpet at the big theater where premieres screen. When everyone who is someone has a ticket to see and be seen, the leftover seats are up for grabs via computers in festival headquarters. But they disappear in a flash. Other venues have seats if one is willing to wait. “People think it’s all glamorous, but I don’t mind standing in line,” Luntz said. “I have a strategy. You see great people and look at your phone.” MFAH offers films every day. To see the results of Luntz’s chosen gems, ticket prices and an opportunity to join Film Buffs, go to https://www.mfah.org/films/ or call 713-639-7515. The tourists For the Johnsons, their 2017 Cannes experience was a stop on a travel bucket list. Beginning in Barcelona, Spain, they did the Mediterranean on the Silversea Cruise ship which took them along the French Riviera and to cities in Italy. With their own butler provided by the cruise line, glamour began long before the Cannes Film Festival. For Tammie, the festival was a learning experience. “Make sure you know the right people so you can get into the right movies. Plan ahead. Do not procrastinate. Do not wait. The biggest disappointment was that I thought I was going to see Rihanna.” Promised tickets to the singer’s appearance at a party fell through. For festival-goers without connections, pavilions from various countries offer parties, people, and free food. The American pavilion charges to enter. The Johnsons checked out one movie venue. “It’s not fancy,” Tammie said. “You just go there where they have wine, food, high top tables, and music.” Andy found the festival gig underwhelming, as his anticipated thrills lay at the Grand Prix. “My husband loves cars. He likes fast cars,” Tammie said. “He also likes ships. He would know exactly who owns what ship,” she said about the yachts moored at Cannes.
Museum of Fine Arts Houston Curator Marian Luntz
A stroll around the city offered more of what Tammie enjoyed. “I loved Cannes, the shopping, the food, the outrageous display of money, the cars that everyone drive,” she said. “Everything is very pristine, everyone dressed to the nines.” So would she go to the festival again? “I would if I could get onto the red carpet,” she said. The actors Pint-sized first-time thespians, the Falk children, showed the pros how it’s done in the short film, “Caroline.” The trio, Caroline, age 6, Sally, age 2 and Brooks, age 4 at the time the movie was made delivered performances that landed the movie in an exclusive spot. “Caroline” was the only short film Official Selection in competition from the U.S. and one of eight from 4,000 submitted from around the world. On a Sunday afternoon, the Falk children sit down to answer questions like all celebrities must do. Brooks is too busy with games to talk – like the ones on the airplane screens that kept his enthralled. Caroline, now an articulate seven-year-old answered “My favorite part was when we sat out on the big terrace (at the festival). I think I had some crackers. I liked the view, but I’m glad I finally got to take a nap,” she said. Caroline’s father, Todd, says his daughter is creative and has a big imagination. But the acting bug has not nipped quite yet. “I’m going to be a famous magician. Magicians are like actors because they perform for a lot of people,” Caroline said. Besides, she suffered the bane of stars who must endure discomfort for their art. “They wouldn’t let me brush my hair. And when I did, it was all tangly.” The youngest, Sally, remembered with glee the wolf she chose at the toy store in Cannes. She chanted, “The wolf said, ‘Let me in. The pig said not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin.’” September - October 2018
| Intown |21
The pint-sized stars of the short film, “Caroline”: Brooks Falk, 4, Caroline Falk, 7, and Sally Falk, 2.
The children’s proud parents worked with the filmmakers, who are long-term friends, on the story to ensure the children were up to the task. The trip of a lifetime to Cannes left the couple dazzled. “It was outstanding,” Bailey said. “It was just a dream – the beautiful and picturesque town. The best part was watching the other filmmakers and the media come up to the children, wanting to talk to them. It was surreal,” she said. Todd enjoyed Sally’s reaction to the screening at the big theater. “That’s me,” she said pointing to the screen. Behind the family, a couple commented about the movie, “It should get an Oscar.” Apparently, the Cannes committee agreed. “There was never any question about the movie that it would have a spot in the festival,” Bailey said they were told by judges. Filmmakers and partners in EOL Films from Brooklyn, N.Y., Celine Held and Logan George co-wrote the screenplay, especially for the children. They based it on true stories that
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The children, with their proud parents Todd and Bailey Falk in front of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival Red Carpet theater
happened in Florida, Texas, and Arizona about children left alone in hot cars. Held played the mother and George directed and edited the short. Shot in Houston, the filmmakers did the film in three days. Horizon, the company that will back the couple’s feature scheduled to begin filming in the fall, also funded the $15,000 budget for “Caroline,” excluding color correction and sound. “Caroline” was proof of concept and cinched the deal for the feature, which will follow a 5-year-old girl living with her mother in the tunnels of New York. The children never saw a script, George said.” We wanted to be sure we captured them acting authentically so they could see the story unfolding. At first, they were a little confused, but by the third day…” Added Held, “They were wonderful. They did a fantastic job.” Look for “Caroline” on Vimeo in October. Two scenes from “Caroline”
September - October 2018
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The
GAME
Houston Texans GM Brian Gaine with Craig Larson @ SB Nation Radio
Texans First Year GM Brian Gaine will try and right the ship after last year’s disappointing season.
Q:
You know a lot of people are going to focus in on the QB position and the comeback with Deshaun Watson. Where do you feel he is physically and mentally? A: Sure, well without getting into specifics of his injury I would like to say he’s a great example to follow. As it relates to the player, and the talent and what his future holds he’s a young promising player with a lot of upside. You see that this guy is a unique worker and his preparation is outstanding. He’s a good teammate with poise and presence in the huddle and also in the locker room with the guys. The other thing about him is he’s a great character guy. This is a good person who thoroughly enjoys football, and hopefully, the combination between the physical and the intangible profile will give Deshaun a great chance to ascend. Q: Your predecessor gave up a lot to get Deshaun, and given what we’ve seen on and off the field, many would say the price was well worth it....but as you approached your first year as the GM of the Texans, how did you address the draft differently knowing you had no 1st or 2nd round draft picks ? A: Yeah, so we had some unique challenges as it related to the player acquisition process because we were not going to be able to take an at-bat for the first approximate 60 picks, but what we had was basically a normal offseason. I would tell you that we still went through our draft procedures, free agent procedures, and acted “as if ” we were going to have that first or second round pick. We had a unique situation where we had four picks in the top 100-105 selections because we had three picks in the third round, with an early fourth round pick. We knew we’d still get good players. As it relates to free agency, you know it’s really a needs-driven process. You are going to 24 | Intown | September - October 2018
pursue players that are going to fill some team needs that you have to address and we did add some pieces on the offensive line and some pieces in the secondary that allowed us to go into the draft. We took the best available player on the board when Redd from Stanford came up, and we felt regardless of the position he was the best available player. So with the ability to get those four players whom we perceived were top 100 players we still felt like we were going to have a very good opportunity to improve the team even without a 1st or 2nd round pick. Q: When you look at the combination of Clowney & Watt, is it hard not to sit and daydream about the havoc the could create on the field when both healthy? A: So we are pleased naturally to have both players on our team as anybody would. You know the first thing that comes to mind is “wow” we have to play in a very tough division and those two players amongst many other guys. The AFC South is greatly improved since the year that I left and came back so, in my mind, I’m thinking these guys have to go get Andrew Luck, Marcus Mariota, Blake Bortles. You know the Jaguars went to the AFC Championship Game, the Titans reached the playoffs and Andrew Luck is coming back so the Colts will be improved. This is going to be a very difficult season but we’re ready for the challenge and those two players are definitely going to be impactful for us as it relates to playing the quarterbacks in our division and on our schedule. Q: The division has gotten tougher. How do you approach the division now with the emergence of Blake Bortles, and improved play of Mariota and Luck’s return? Is the approach to just win the division and everything will work out?
A: Obviously in the division, it’s one game at a time and having a singular focus and purpose. You know health was a big issue for us last year. I understand that and maybe the season didn’t go as planned, but with the emergence of our quarterback, and guys returning from injury, I’m optimistic about a positive season. You know for me it’s all about one game at a time. We spend a lot of time trying to put mechanisms in place this offseason to help improve the durability and health and wellness of our football team through the sports science and sports performance elements through our nutritionists. We addressed the equipment that we use in our weight room facility, how we train, the players’ recovery process, their wellness and overall health. We are hoping that all of those things will impact their availability for us to stay on the field for long periods of time. Q: You witnessed in Dallas what a strong running game can do for a young QB. What could the running game do for the Texans when you look at that position right now? A: Sure, so you know the running game more or less probably didn’t go as planned for us last year, but any running game is going to help a young developing quarterback. In our specific situation, we had injuries on the offensive line and we had some attrition issues as it relates to the roster. That was a major focus for us to address via free agency and during the draft this offseason. We’re hoping that with the personnel that we added to that group, it will have a positive impact on our running game. Foreman is doing everything he can to return, so we won’t rush things. Alfred Blue is a good complementary runner for us where he’s an inside runner that gives us some size and strength along with special teams value. We are hoping for a bounce-back season from Lamar Miller especially with those upgrades on the offensive line position. Q: Last thing Brian, you came up under Bill Parcells. What is your biggest takeaway from those years with Bill? Do you have a favorite Parcells story? A: Well there’s many of them. First and foremost, I obviously was very thankful for the opportunity given to learn under Bill who’s a HOF coach, but there are so many things. One of the major things I took away from Bill
was how to build a roster. You have to have prototypical standards and you have to have minimum requirements for every position. To this day I can hear him in my ear reminding me about height, weight, speed, the physical parameters for whatever position it might be. That ultimately leads to putting the type of team you physically want to look like. So there are constant reminders of those times and places where we had those conversations. Bill was a worldclass motivator. He could personalize
and instinctively reach people and find out what motivated you as a player or staff member. I can remember when we signed Cameron Wake in Miami and we got him on board for his services, and I was all happy, and then he quickly reminded me that we needed to now go find another great player. That kind of reset and recalibrated my thoughts like “he’s exactly right” we need to go find another guy. Q: Best of luck this season! A: Thank you
September - October 2018
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MUSIC
by Philip Berquist
M
ajor metropolitan cities provide endless opportunities for excellent music cultural events and Houston is no exception. The Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony, Houston Ballet, Opera in the Heights, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Houston Civic Symphony, Houston Brass Band, Rice University’s Shepherd School and the Moores School at the University of Houston are world class.
Andrzej Grabiec and Franz Anton Krager
26 | Intown | September - October 2018
Virtuosi on the stage of the Moores Opera House
If these organizations can be considered “major league,” to use a baseball analogy, what constitutes “minor league,” the training teams? Please allow me to introduce “Virtuosi of Houston.” Virtuosi is a youth chamber orchestra that has been in existence for over twenty years. At that time there were two youth orchestras here -The Houston Youth Symphony and The Greater Houston Youth Orchestra (full disclosure, I spent two years on the Board of the Greater Houston Youth Orchestra). These were large student orchestras playing the original orchestral repertoire yet there was a void, however, since there was no chamber music youth organization. Hence, the forming of Virtuosi of Houston. A very similar, yet professional, organization had begun a few years earlier, The American Sinfonietta, a group of 40 musicians from all over the United States. This orchestra had three requirements for membership that were used to form Virtuosi of Houston - excellent musicianship, great love for music and great love and respect for fellow musicians. In 1996 four people met at the exploratory get together for Virtuosi. Andrzej Grabiec, a splendid violinist at the Moores School, who had previously been Con-
certmaster for The American Sinfonietta and the Rochester Philharmonic, Carolyn Vandiver, who would become the first Virtuosi Manager. Earle Steinberg, who had been Chairman of the Board of the Greater Houston Youth Orchestra, and would form and lead the first Virtuosi board of directors, and Franz Anton Krager, international conductor, and the Hourani endowed professor of music and director of orchestras at the Moores School. It was agreed that Virtuosi would have two conductors, Grabiec and Krager. I know them both well and have worked with them often during my many years of volunteer involvement at the Moores School. I once engaged Andrzej to perform a challenging work of the Russian composer, Alfred Schnittke, the Prelude in Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich, written for two violins. This thoughtful piece requires the “soloist� to play both violin parts. Grabiec was tremendous in his interpretation and his soaring virtuosity. Similarly, Franz Anton Krager and I had collaborated before as I produced a six-day Shostakovich Festival and a three day Sibelius Festival at the Moores School. Franz was the General and Artistic Director of both. Membership was open to students in the Houston area up to 18 years of age. Rehearsals were intentionally scheduled for weeknights to allow members of the Houston Youth Symphony and the Greater Houston Youth Orchestra to join and participate as well. The first performance took place in late 1996 with a performance of Mozart, Bach with an orchestra of 38 students.
Slowly the board of directors grew with many influential people in the community. With board strength and leadership, the future was positive. Another Moores School of Music Society leader, Betty Jukes, recruited Zarine and Meherwan Boyce, both to fill essential roles for many years. Other leaders also made contributions such as Susan Love Fitts and Cynthia Martin. Virtuosi of Houston performs at various venues throughout the year. These include stand-alone performances as well as being with the Houston Symphony during their annual Youth Symphony Festival. They also present during the Texas
September - October 2018
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Music Festival each June at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston. They have also had the honor of being invited to and performing in both France and England. Virtuosi of Houston currently has alumni throughout the United States and abroad in colleges, universities, conservatories, orchestras and music companies. Word is getting out about Virtuosi as several alumni have advanced to significant professional positions. These include Arne-Christian Pelz, principal cellist for the Hamburg Symphony, Beatriz Macias, solo flutist of the Luxembourg Chamber Orchestra and Emileigh Vandiver, professor of cello at the New England Conservatory of Music. The Orchestra Manager of many years, Karen Needham, additionally contributes to the organization by managing an ensemble program featuring string quartets and other small performance groups. These perform about 100 times annually at various Houston venues. There is also an annual Small Ensemble Summer Workshop with professional musicians coaching the students. On March 30, 2019, Virtuosi of Houston will hold its annual “Gala Concert & Dinner.” The event, titled “Music in Motion,” is being organized by Interim Executive Director, Patti Murray. It will be a unique program featuring ballet. There will be three distinguished honorees - Stanton Welch of Houston Ballet, Jane Weiner of Hope Stone Dance Company and Michelle Smith of MET Houston Dance Company. Each of the honorees will send some of their dancers to perform with Virtuosi. The second half of the program will be ballroom dancing for the entire audience. Virtuosi of Houston has successfully filled a cultural need in the area by concentrating on chamber music for area students. The future is indeed bright for Virtuosi, and I would encourage the readers to find out more about the organization by attending a concert and hear for yourselves their remarkable performances. Learn more by visiting www. virtuosiofhouston.org. 28 | Intown | September - October 2018
Katy Caldwell, Nick, April Ayers, Jim Sikorski, Ben Dillon,Yvonne Cormier, Tony Bravo, Linda Cantu and Chree Boydstun
By Lindsay Mowad
Selfia
MINT JULEP 2018
Demi and Alex Jesset Randall Wong, Cenk Ozdogan and Monsour Taghdisi
Legacy Community Health celebrated with their 17th Annual “Hairspray“ Theme Drag Show at Rich’s. The packed Montrose hangout became the stage to the famous Broadway show Hairspray. Performers dressed in beautifully designed costumes and sang and danced to show tunes from Hairspray. The very lively crowd could hardly stay in their seats. Co Chairs - Tony Bravo, Yvonne Cormier Honorees: Linda Cantu, Ben Dillon Ms. Mint Julep - April Ayers Miss Mint Julep - Montrose Softball League Association Mr. Mint Julep - Jim Sikorski Two hundred fifty guests helped raise $100,000. The crowd was given a dollar challenge and the funds were raised, making this year the highest fundraising year to date. Topnotch sponsors included The UH School of Social Work and Linda Cantu, Thomas O’ Neill and Brent Whiteley, Steve Locke and Anthony Danzey. Guests dined on delicious Mexican food at the Taco Station catered by Monarch Hospitality.
Maria Casarella,Laurel Flores,Brian McCulloch Michelle Bell and Jeremy Garcia
Dr. Kemi Nurdeen and Dr. Suliat Nurudeen
Jorge Cantu, Tony Bravo and Richard Werner Bernie Cantu, Elia Gabbanelli and Rubens Franz
Leticia Lowe, Cyndy Garza-Roberts, Diane Frels and Belinda Rowell Kara Cantu, Ouida Gernentz and Linda Cantu
Lisa Harper, Gary Hammett, David LaDuke and Greg Harper
September - October 2018
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By Lindsay Mowad
Precinct 5 Deputies
Dominque Woodley and Jamena Watson Daniela Hogue and Trish and Joe Plemons
Susan Gray, Jeff Gray and Lauren Gray
PARKSIDE AT MEMORIAL GRAND REOPENING
After taking on over five and a half feet of water in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Parkside at Memorial re-opened with An Evening of Gratitude: Parkside at Memorial’s Grand Re-Opening Honoring Harris County Precinct 5. The luxury apartment complex invited the community to celebrate the tremendously heroic efforts the staff and property manager exerted on behalf of residents and neighbors. Guests were encouraged to dress in shades of blue to honor the officers from Harris County Precinct 5, who rescued staff and residents. Libations included the “Parkside Punch,” a signature drink with rum, Blue Curacao and pineapple juice, and guests noshed on bites from Hungry’s. Attendees mixed, mingled and toured the newly-renovated amenities including the pool, fitness center and more, along with several townhomes and first-floor apartment homes – all to the tune of top tracks from DJ Senega. A High-Water Rescue Vehicle from Precinct 5 was also onsite with the opportunity to climb inside and take a look, and a raffle was held directly benefiting the precinct’s charitable foundation. Lucky winners went home with prizes like a Balani Custom Clothiers gift card, a Meadowlake Pet Resort & Training Center gift basket, a 55-inch television and more. To close the eventful evening, Jeff Gray, founder and president of Grayco Partners, presented Precinct 5 with a check for $2,500.
Alexandra Pueyo, Juan Ermecheo, Elena Pueyo
Sarah Shulark, Justin Rohr and Jami Weed
Trish and Joe Plemons Mingle with Parkside Guest
Sherry Campbell and Moira Holden
Ariel Martinez, Deputy Robin Horn and Beth Martinez Parkside Guests Enjoying the Event
30 | Intown | July - August 2018
THE EVOLUTION OF A BETTER EXPERIENCE
In order to grow, you’ve got to constantly evolve. At Stewart Title we are constantly evolving to provide you with a better experience. At our new office on Richmond Avenue, you’ll enjoy closings that meet the unique needs of your customers. That’s how we turn transactions into celebrations and deliver experiences that honor this milestone in their lives. A better experience begins with Bree Knodel. Call her today. Bree Knodel Business Development Officer Houston Division Stewart Title Company – Kirby 2925 Richmond Avenue, Suite 1500 Houston, Texas 77098 713.528.5007 office 281.201.7261 main bree.knodel@stewart.com stewart.com
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