Mv -Memorial Villages

may + jun 2024

Menil Drawing Installation Completed

Six Quintessential Houston Dishes

Hermann Park Grand Opening Design With Color

UH Music Festival

Art + Events

Custom:

Outdoor Living Rooms

Patio Covers

Outdoor Kitchens

Screened Porches

Additions

Fire Features

LIVE IT OUT

In Houston, a covered patio is the new must-have. Summer’s right around the corner, and we’re ready to custom-design and build your space with elements like sun protection, patio cooling options, and plenty of room to unwind.

Scan for your free consultation

Big Bend National Park

Getting AI Right

Is there a reason for concern in the upcoming elections that AI could play a role? Yes, there are obvious concerns about the implications of what AI can do. The answers to these questions seem obvious, but the solutions to handle these problems may not be quite as easy. Getting AI right now is critical for future generations. Electing people who understand the issues of AI and its benefits should guide the process, instead of leaving it to so many aging politicians who don’t know what TikTok is capable of.

“It is a renaissance; it is a golden age … we are now solving problems with artificial intelligence that were in the realm of science fiction for decades.”

- Jeff Bezos

While the media has done an excellent job of presenting the doom and gloom, AI has an inverted side; it has positive applications throughout industries.

I lost three close family members and my childhood friend at age 20 to cancer, so I have been a longtime follower of the effort to understand this disease. AI has become a valuable tool for identifying patterns in large and complex datasets like those employed in cancer research.

“AI has the potential to change the world in ways that we can’t even imagine.”

- Bill Gates

Houston Methodist has developed a partnership with Health Data Analytics Institute (HDAI) that leverages the company’s extensive database of Medicare data to generate personalized information about Houston Methodist patients. MD Anderson has created its own Institute for Data Science in Oncology (IDSO) to help ‘harness the power’ of AI.

“This is the most significant computing development in my lifetime.”

- Sergey Brin, Google co-founder

Leading cancer centers worldwide are also using this technology, so there is hope for improving outcomes in treating this dreaded disease.

Yes, AI can formulate all the symmetry of genetic testing and DNA configurations into problematic reasoning that our minds are not simply capable of. However, we must have people setting policies who understand AI’s power.

12503 Vinton | Memorial Meadows

List Price

$2,150,000 | MLS# 50283691

Situated on a corner lot in coveted Memorial Meadows, this custom-built new construction is a testament to award-winning craftsmanship and luxury. Designed for entertaining and comfortable living, it boasts generous open living spaces, a private study, media room, and game room.

Michelle Hinton | Compass | 832-795-2246

5703 Cornish St. | Cottage Grove

List Price

$1,275,0009 | MLS# 90399226

Unlock the potential of this prime corner lot, situated across from the scenic Cottage Grove Park and already platted into 8 lots for a Cottage Villa condominium project. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to build in one of the most sought-after neighborhoods with easy access to freeways, downtown, Galleria and Memorial Park! Jenny Wang | JWang Properties | 281-451-0185

802 County Road 34 | Chenango Ranch / Angleton

List Price

$875,000 | MLS# 34683125

Tranquil country living with a modern twist. This stylish 4 bedroom home on 7+ acres offers the best of both worlds. State of the art appliances, custom finishes, and numerous outdoor amenities on peaceful acreage make this home one-of-a-kind. Large pavilion with big screen TV, built in grill, smoker, griddle and beverage fridges. 30x50 SF barn/workshop with bathroom. David M Young | Compass | 713-320-6453

Arts +

EVENTS

Artupdate houston published every two and sign up for free updates.

This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, join Asia Society Texas for 31 ways to celebrate the vibrant and diverse traditions and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans!

MUSEUMS

Asia Society Texas Center

May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month

Xu Bing: Word Alchemy

Ongoing through Jul 14

Museum Of Fine Arts, Houston

Crowning the North: Silver Treasures from Bergen, Norway

Ongoing through May 5

Multiplicity; Blackness in Contemporary American College

Ongoing through May 12

Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism

Ongoing through May 27

Kehinde Wiley: An Archaelogy of Science

Ongoing through May 27

Jacolby Satterwhite; A Metta Prayer Opens May 10

Raqib Shaw: Ballads of East and West June 9 through Sep 2

Contemporary Arts

Museum Houston

Olivia Erlanger: If Today Were Tomorrow

Ongoing through Oct 27

Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks

Holocaust Museum Houston

The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection

Ongoing through Jun 23

Menil

Ruth Asawa Through Line

Ongoing through June 21

Janet Sobel: All-Over

Ongoing through Aug 11

Wall Drawing series; Marc Bauer

Ongoing through Aug 18

Abstraction after Modernism: Recent Acquisitions

Ongoing through Aug 25

Foyer installation; On Kawara

May 8 - Sep 15

MFAH, Vertigo of Color Exhibit:

Henri Matisse, Open Window, Collioure, 1905

Every Saturday, Rain or Shine

9am - 1pm

Hunters Creek Village at First Congregational Church 10840 Beinhorn Road MEMORIAL VILLAGES FARMERS MARKET

Longing Grief, and Spirituality: Art Since 1980

June 15 - fall 2024

Portraits of Women from the collection

Ongoing through Nov 10

Houston Museum Of Natural Science

Special Exhibits

Transcending Audubon

Dreher Materworks1

Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life

King Tut’s Tomb MUSIC & DANCE

Houston Ballet

Mayerling

May 23 - June 2

Four Seasons

June 6 - 16

Houston Grand Opera

Don Giovanni

Ongoing through May 3

The Sound of Music

Through May 12

THEATER

ALLEY Theatre

Jane Eyre

Ongoing through May 5

Thorton Wilder’s The Emporium

May 10 - June 2

Dial M For Murder

May 31 - June 30

August Wilson’s Radio Golf

May 18

Broadway Across America

Hobby Center

Girl From The North Country

Ongoing through May 5

Hairspray

June 4 - 9

STAGES REPERTORY THEATER

Othello: The Remix

May 3 - June 9

A Case For The Existence Of God

May 24-June 30

SPORTS Baseball

Houston Astros Minute Maid Park

May 1-2 Cleveland

3 -5 Seattle 13 - 15 Oakland 17-19 Brewers 20-22 L A Angels 31 Minnesota

June 1-2 Minnesota 3-5 St Louis 14-16 Detroit 21-23 Baltimore

Colorado

Houston Ballet: Mayerling

Intown’s Classical Music Editor and Critic, the Hon. Philip Berquist, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Croatia for Texas

The University of Houston’s Moores School of Music presents its annual Texas Music Festival

Come June, it will be Texas Music Festival time at the Moores School of Music. Originally funded 1n 1990 by Immanuel and Helen Olshan, the festival still bears their names. TMF was the brain child of then-Director of the UH School of Music, Dr David Tomatz. Tomatz was a true visionary as he led the efforts to build a new music facility for the school. He teamed up with benefactor John Moores to create a state of the art music education complex with numerous rehearsal spaces, classrooms, large study and social spaces, and offices for its music staff. Tomatz also brought to completion his ultimate dream, the beautiful Moores Opera House.

Full disclosure, I have been involved with the school for thirty years and served as president of the Moores School of Music Society from 1997, the year the Opera House was opened, until 2000, and have remained active ever since.

The Texas Music Festival has been led by Alan Austin since 1997. The following bullet points are from the TMF website -

• Intensive threeweek orchestral training program in Houston

• For college, graduate, and young professional players (Ages 1830)

• 80 talented orchestral musicians are selected to participate each year

• All TMF Orchestra Fellows receive fellowships covering tuition and weekly lessons valued around $3,500

• International musical community

• Faculty from the Moores and Shepherd schools of music, Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and Ballet orchestras, and other distinguished orchestras and music schools and conservatories

• Master classes with renowned musicians as well as principals and members of the Houston Symphony and other major orchestras

• Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artists Competition

• Weekly private lesson instruction

There are several categories of instruction and performances during the three weeks that commence on June 1 and conclude on June 22, 2024. These include the Orchestra Institute, the Keyboard Academy, the Chamber Music Series and the Jazz Institute.

Orchestra Institute

The TMF symphony orchestra performs three concerts, each led by a different conductor. Traditionally the first concert is led by the Moores School’s Professor of Orchestral Studies, Franz Anton Krager. The initial concert is Friday, 7 June at 7:30pm and features Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite,

Hans Graf conducting the Houston Symphony

Richard Strauss’s Burleske for Piano and Orchestra, and Anton Bruckner’s rarely performed Psalm 146, a large piece for chorus and orchestra. Vadym Kholodenko is the piano soloist. The chorus is prepared by Paulo Gomez.

The second orchestra concert is on Saturday, June 15 at 7:30pm and features Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis and Cloe, Suite No. 2, and Richard Strauss’s epic tone poem Ein Heldenleben. The conductor is Carl St. Clair

The final concert is on Saturday, June 22 at 7:30pm. The program is Ravel’s Le barq sur l’ocean and Anton Bruckner’s final symphony, Symphony No. 9. The conductor will be former Houston Symphony Music Director, Hans Graf

Keyboard Academy -

The Sharon Ley Lietzow Series

Three Thursday recitals, each beginning at 7:30pm and held in the Dudley Recital Hall.

On Thursday, June 6, Ukrainian Vadym Kholodenco performs Handel: Chaconne; Beethoven: Sonata Op. 111; Prokofiev: Sonata No. 8. Kholodenco was the winner of the Gold Medal at the 2013 Van Cliburn

International Piano Competition.

Kenny Broberg appears on Thursday, June 13 with the following works - Franck/ Bauer: Prelude, Fugue, et Variation, Op. 18; Mozart: Piano Sonata in D, K.311; Medtner: Two Skazki, Op. 48; Chopin: Polonaise Fantasie, Op. 61; Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5. Broberg won the Silver Medal at the 2021 Cliburn and is a graduate of the Moores School. I have nothing but the highest respect for him and have heard him perform several times. This is not to be missed.

Concluding the series is William Wolfram performing on Thursday, June 20. He will be performing Schumann: Fantasie; Chopin: Mazurkas Op. 67/4 & Op. 17/4; Liszt: Sonata in B Minor. Wolfram is a graduate of the Juilliard School and is on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music. He was a bronze medal winner at the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow.

The Chamber Music Series

Three Tuesday recitals, each beginning at 7:30pm and held in the Dudley Recital Hall.

Tuesday, June 4 brings together the Formosa String Quartet and TMF faculty in works by Koechlin, and the Clarinet Quintet by von Weber.

On June 11, members of the TMF faculty share the stage with Orchestra Fellows in music of Beethoven and Faure’s Piano Quintet No. 1.

The Chamber Music Series concludes on June 18 as TMF faculty artists join Orchestral Fellows in music of Martinu, Brahms and others to be announced.

Jazz Institute

On Friday evening, June 21, a free event at the Moores Opera House led by Noe Marmolejo, long time director of jazz studies at Moores. Note this concert begins at 7:00pm.

For more information on the Texas Music Festival and to purchase tickets for all eventshttps://www.uh.edu/kgmca/music/ events/festivals/tmf/index

Please keep letting me hear from youclassicalmusicberquist@gmail.com

Six Quintessential Dishes in Houston

by Marene Gustin

Some restaurants are known for certain dishes, and some of those dishes are famous in Houston and beyond. Here, we’ve rounded up six dishes that are mainstays of H-town meals, everything from top-of-the-line streaks to TexMex. We’re not saying they are the best, but they are right up there in both Houston’s heart and history.

1

Steaks

from Taste of Texas

105050 Katy Freeway | 713.932.6901

tasteoftexas.com

It may be a bit of a drive for innerloopers, but Taste of Texas is worth it for their steaks. Opened in 1977, it’s become a must-visit restaurant for Houstonians and out-of-towners. Known for its award-wining wine list and yummy sides, Taste of Texas has been tops in beef, with its on-site butcher shop and perfectly grilled cuts for decades of meat eaters.

2

You’ll want to try these for the taste and for a taste of history

Stuffed Redfish

at Eugene’s Gulf Coast Cuisine 1985 Welch Street | 713.807.8883 eugeneshouston.com

When it comes to seafood, there are plenty of places with fresh gulf coast cuisines, but one of our favorites is Kyle Teas’ Eugene’s Gulf Coast Cuisine, where fresh is a matter of pride. Try one of the signature dishes like the stuffed redfish. A filet stuffed to the gills (not really) with a blue crab claw stuffing and then broiled. It melts in your mouth. Pop for the extra-large twice baked potato as a side and you’ve got a great meal.

Upon receiving her MBA from the University of

and later entrenched herself in the diverse world of logistics and supply

ership and

clients well, and she has flourished in the

In her free time, Tara loves playing and captaining tennis competitively

at Molina’s Cantina Three locations molinascantina.com

And speaking of Tex-Mex, who doesn’t start their meal with a bowl of chile con queso? If you’re like us, we like it spiked with some meat, like the original’s Jose’s Dip from Molina’s Cantina. Houston’s oldest family-owned and operated TexMex eatery, they turn 83 this year, claims that their delicious dip was created by a long-ago waiter named — what else? — José, when a diner asked him to add some meat to the cheese dip. As the story goes, he went back to the kitchen and saw the spicy ground beef for tacos and dumped some in. And thus, as classic was born.

Brunch is a rite of passage in Houston, be it fancy or your neighborhood taco truck. If it’s jazzy you want, try the venerable Brennan’s. Known as the crown jewel of Texas Creole cuisine and southern hospitality, it opened downtown in 1967 as a sister eatery to New Orleans’ famed Commander’s Palace. Its famous Sunday Jazz Brunch features such divine dishes as the Eggs Brennan. It’s two favorites in one: One Egg Benedict, an English muffin, Duroc Canadian bacon, poached egg, with Hollandaise sauce, and one Egg Sardou made of an artichoke bottom, topped with creamed spinach, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce.

3 6 4 5

Jose’s Dip Original Fajitas

Eggs Brennan

at Brennan’s 3300 Smith Street 713.522.9711 brennanshouston.com

You’ll get a lot of arguments about the best Tex-Mex in town, but it’s hard not to love the original Mama Ninfa’s tacos al carbon. The legendary Mama Ninfa first introduced North American restaurant goers to her fajitas in 1973 and they’ve been best sellers ever since. Grilled beef or chicken wrapped in a warm flour tortilla topped with pico de gallo, guacamole, and chile con queso, Tex-Mex doesn’t get any better or more basic than this dish. You need to try it just so you have bragging rights.

Chicken “Bryan” Texas

For almost four decades, Johnny Carrabba’s eponymous Italian American eats restaurant in Upper Kirby has been dishing up great food for generations of Houstonians. It’s hard to know where to start, or end up, as most everything on the menu is wonderful, from the wood-fired oven pizzas to the pasta greats but there’s one specialty that sums up the Italian-Texan tastes here and that’s the Chicken “Bryan” Texas. Grilled chicken breast topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil butter, served with fettuccine Alfredo. Named for the community of Bryan, Texas, where the Carrabba family first settled after they migrated from Sicily, this dish is a crowd pleaser.

How To Bring Color Into Your Home

LEARN HOW TO INFUSE COLOR INTO YOUR HOME WITH OUR HOUSTON INTERIOR DESIGNERS

By Pamela O’Brien | Pamela Hope Designs Interiors

Color! Oh, the wonderful world of color! Color is a powerful tool in the world of interior design. Deciding where and how to bring color into your home can be an overwhelming task, but our team of Houston Interior Designers are here to help! Our Design Manager, Danna Smith, took a deep dive into some of our projects so we could share color tips with you.

Colors are always changing from one room to another, and the colors you choose depend on what other colors are already present in your space. The implementation of color may not change your space drastically, but can change it subtly. Colors can look very different in the daylight and at night. People also view color differently and have different preferences. Our job as designers is to help our clients select the best color combinations for their homes.

When choosing colors for your home, there isn’t ever a wrong answer. What can be unsuitable, however, is the amount or intensity of a color in a particular space. Color sets a space’s mood and ambiance, and so many color combinations can be achieved.

At Pamela Hope Designs, we love manipulating those combinations in their different strengths to create beautiful spaces for our clients. It’s important to remember that colors don’t necessarily have to be on the walls. You can bring them in through the furnishings, fabrics, window treatments, and accessories. The colors in your home will change from daylight to night and throughout the day, so just because it looks great in the showroom, it may not be the absolute true color in your home. We can help you determine what colors look best in your home. Let’s take a look at some of the colors we love!

QUICKLY ADD COLOR WITH PAINT

Painting the walls of your space is the most effective way to achieve a new fresh feeling to your interior without having to invest a large sum of money. A painted wall can not change the size of a room but it can certainly change how you perceive it. Lighter colors recede, which makes the walls appear farther away from us. Darker colors advance, which makes the walls appear closer to us. The same room can look completely different depending on the paint colors selected.

We like to paint the main parts or rooms in the home a lovely neutral color

SW 7004 Snowbound walls

so the furnishings can be the focal point. Often, the best neutral will be a white. One of our favorite colors to use on the walls for our interiors is SW 7004 Snowbound. Snowbound is a versatile neutral color that has a hint of a chalky appearance, not too stark white and not too gray. This paint color is lovely and gives the space a clean and fresh look.

We completed a beautiful home for one of our clients in the Upper Kirby area and used SW 7004 Snowbound for the entire house. She preferred a white-on-white transitional style home, and this was the perfect color to use. We loved the way it turned out, and she did too!

CREATE AN ACCENT ROOM WITH COLOR

We have also used this color on a recent project for our client in the University Place area. It was a completely different style home with mid-century features. However, the color complemented the furnishings very well. Our clients also were up to the challenge of creating a showstopper bathroom. Using color is how we managed to create a gorgeous space. Our team selected a Cole & Son Curio Quartz Emerald wallpaper with gold accents for the plumbing and hardware and complemented it with SW 6454 Shamrock on the cabinets. Then we took the use of color even further and placed fabulous Gioia Avocado subway tiles on the shower walls, some laid straight and some in a herringbone pattern, and a green and white penny tile on the shower floor. We were lucky to find these oversized green subway tiles in a perfect

PINCH YOURSELF!

Cole & Son Curio Quartz Emerald wallpaper, SW 6454 Shamrock cabinets

green to blend with the wallpaper. This bathroom was definitely extreme and definitely beautiful!

If you prefer a wonderful accent color for a special room in your home, another paint color we love is SW Laurel Woods 7749. This gorgeous, rich shade blends beautifully with warm woods and transitional furnishings. We used this color in our client’s home office in Garden Oaks, and it looks stunning!

BRINGING COLOR INTO YOUR HOME WITH FURNISHINGS

Bringing color into your home with furnishings is a great way to personalize your home as well. One of our favorite clients recently moved from her townhome in the Montrose area to a house in the Heights, and we were able to use most of her furniture in the new house. Some of her furniture will be used in her new office, but the majority was placed in the new home. (New photos to come soon.) She loves color, and we were excited to help her carry out her vision for her townhome.

We selected a black desk for her home office with a floral print to complement her “Fox” rug and painted the walls SW 6829 Magical. We then painted the living room bookshelves SW 9059 Silken Peacock and complemented them with a deep teal sectional and multicolored rug.

We used colorful printed fabric for her primary bedroom drapery, coordinated colorful shams for her bedding, and added a unique patterned rug to finish it off.

SW 6829 Magical walls

SW 6688 Solaria accent walls

We painted accent walls in her game room SW 6688 Solaria and then painted the accent shelves each a different color. To complement the space, we went with a beautiful deep blue sofa, a colorful rug, and citron green and hot pink swivel chairs. It was so much fun!

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ADD COLOR TO YOUR HOME

Our major takeaway? Color sets the mood for a space. How do you want to feel, or what kind of ambiance do you want to create for your living spaces? Whether you select a tranquil and quiet aesthetic or a fun and vivacious one, it should reflect yourself and your lifestyle. If you can’t decide on a color, call us, and we will be more than happy to help you. Until next time, let your creative juices flow!

About the Author Principal of Pamela Hope De signs Interiors

Pamela O’Brien is an award-winning luxury interior designer, writer, and speaker.

Before founding Pamela Hope Designs, O’Brien served as a spokesperson in media and public affairs and contributed to programs including Dateline NBC and 48 Hours. O’Brien attended a professional development program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She enjoys educating audiences through writing and speaking is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID ). For more go to www.pamelahopedesigns.com

BRING THE LOVE MOTHER’S DAY AND FATHER’S DAY.

SW 9059 Silken Peacock bookshelves

FOCUS

Managing Liquidity in Retirement

Enjoy Today, Stay Secure for Tomorrow

By Robert May Assistant Vice President Frost Commercial Banking

Nearly every retiree faces a similar dilemma: figuring out how to live life to the fullest without outliving their money. Frivolously burning through cash isn’t the soundest strategy, but neither is locking up too much of your money in longterm investments. The goal is to strike the right balance between liquidity and growth, keeping enough cash available to fund the lifestyle you want while continuing to invest for long-term needs.

As you work with your advisor to make a sound plan for retirement, here are a few key concepts to consider:

Plan in phases:

Your spending habits will naturally change over the years. One common way to envision retirement is to break it up into three phases –“go-go” (the early years when you’re active in travel and leisure activities); “slow-go” (when you’re settling down and not quite as mobile); and “no-go” (when you may experience more limited mobility). With these in mind, you can begin to think about your lifestyle (travel, hobbies, relocation, etc.) in each phase along with

any major goals like giving to charity or leaving an inheritance. While your plans won’t be set in stone, they will give you a sense for how much cash you’ll need every month versus how much to invest for the future.

organize your cash flow:

can help organize your various income sources into a consistent amount each month. This can help to ensure you have enough cash available while your funds continue to earn a return.

GET tax-savvy:

In retirement, your regular paycheck may be replaced by a sporadic mix of income from investments, a pension, Social Security, annuities or required minimum distributions from IRAs or a 401(k). At times, it may not seem like enough, while other months may leave you flush with excess cash. Using the right types of liquid accounts, which may include a mix of money markets, CDs and treasuries, a wealth advisor

Once you stop working full-time, your tax bracket may change, and the order in which you draw down retirement accounts and other savings could impact how much income tax you owe. Hence, your tax strategy could make a significant difference in how long your nest

Need a wealth advisor you can trust?

egg lasts. For this reason, it’s crucial to work with both your tax advisor and wealth advisor who can advise you how to adjust your strategy as your circumstances evolve.

Contact Robert May at 713.388.7821 or Robert.May@frostbank.com for financial support.

Investment and insurance products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, and may lose value. Brokerage services offered through Frost Brokerage Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Frost Investment Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Both companies are subsidiaries of Frost Bank.

Investment management services, financial planning and trust services are offered through Frost Wealth Advisors of Frost Bank.

Additionally, insurance products are offered through Frost Insurance. Deposit and loan products are offered through Frost Bank, Member FDIC.

Frost does not provide legal or tax advice. Please seek legal or tax advice from legal and/or tax professionals.

Get the best of both worlds with online banking, mobile banking, 1,700+ ATMs and a banker who answers the phone when you call.

Visit us at 9651 Katy Freeway, Suite 100 or call (713) 388-7436.

Conservancy project manager, Fani Qano, MVVA’s Jack Ohly, and Conservancy president Doreen Stoller

Hermann Park Grand Opening

On April 13, 2024, Hermann Park Conservancy (HPC) and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) celebrated the long-awaited grand opening of the Commons, a dynamic 26-acre park space that began construction in April 2022. The revitalized community area features state-of-the-art play gardens for children, gathering spaces for families, picnic areas, strolling pathways and natural areas. The completion of the Commons marks a significant milestone in the development of Hermann Park.

Located in the southwest portion of Hermann Park, the Commons is bordered by the Houston Zoo, the Texas Medical Center, Rice University and the Museum District. With its proximity to the METRORail along Fannin Street, the Commons serves as an inviting gateway that enhances connectivity and accessibility to Park attractions, including the adjacent Japanese Garden and McGovern Lake.

Arkansas firm Marlon Blackwell Architects’ innovative building designs seamlessly integrate into the natural surroundings cultivated by New York-based landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA). Anchoring MVVA’s design are a gently rolling central lawn and an expansive two-acre play garden for children of all ages and abilities, with space- and nature-themed play structures designed by Monstrum and a separate water garden inspired by the region’s bayous. As part of the project, MVVA’s design preserved the vast majority of existing trees and improved the soil quality by initiating the planting of cover crops and native grasses, with a total of more than 1,200 new trees and 60,000 new plantings.

Chandler Gutterson, Campaign co-chair Cece Fowler, and lead donor Mindy Hildebrand

Frank Tsuru; Stephanie Tsuru, Campaign co-chair; and Doreen Stoller

Major Donor H-E-B’s team

Lead donors Sherry and Tommy Lott